That would rather be the at-your-throat scenario I mentioned in my previous post.
With "in-your-face" I meant the proselytizing by certain Christians.
I can't think of a single state of federal law that makes not being a Christian a crime.
Well, they don't make it a crime but someone mentioned that in some states they exclude atheists (who don't believe in the existence of a supreme being) from holding office.
I can think of many court cases where Atheists think their ears will bleed if they happen to hear the word God mentioned in public. After all, free speech for me, none for thee.
Really? I think the issue is a bit more complex than simply free speech. As far as free speech is concerned I don't think that any of those atheists might object if you mention God or Vishnu or Allah in public.
As far as I know it had more to do what with pronouncements made by persons while acting as officers of the state and not as private citizens. Other cases had to do with religious monuments on public property and not religious monuments in public but on private property.
Not all Atheists anymore than all Christians are like Fred Phelps.
Agreed. However, I never said that that's the case.
So proselytizing Christians break into peoples homes, hold them at gun point and force them to listen? Please, if a Christian starts to preach to someone, walk away. There is plenty of language I don't like to hear on the streets/television/radio so I walk away. If a Christian says they will pray for you, either say Thank You and leave it at that or tell them not to do it. No different from any other speech we hear.
Well, they don't make it a crime but someone mentioned that in some states they exclude atheists (who don't believe in the existence of a supreme being) from holding office.
We also have rules/laws that don't allow people who have bad credit to hold certain positions within government (Police for one). Or people who have not lived "moral" lives can be kept from obtaining certain positions in government. No difference at all between the two.
Really? I think the issue is a bit more complex than simply free speech. As far as free speech is concerned I don't think that any of those atheists might object if you mention God or Vishnu or Allah in public. As far as I know it had more to do what with pronouncements made by persons while acting as officers of the state and not as private citizens. Other cases had to do with religious monuments on public property and not religious monuments in public but on private property.
Oh that is most definitely going against Free Speech. First of all people have sued to keep the mention of God out of Schools/City Council meetings, football games etc. That is not only a freedom of speech issue it's a freedom of assembly issue. If someone attends a meeting where the pledge is said, they have three choices. Stand and say the entire pledge, take out the "Under God" part, or keep sitting and say nothing. Once again, none of those decisions will land a person in jail.
As for the bs argument that people make of no religion in any case where government funds are used - well, like I said it's bs and I don't give a care what the courts have said.
The First Amend says Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof. That does not mean that religion was to be kicked out of public square. Now, if a court was put in session with a judge stating "Only Baptist prayers are allowed here" then that would be a problem. Using the generic God establishes no religion, people can have faith in god without being religious, it only acknowledges that we live in a society that overwhelmingly believes in some form of God.
What people do forget is that little section of the 1st which prohibits the Government from restricting the free expression of religion. If my child wants to go into school and say a silent prayer prior to a test, that is her right of free expression of religion. If a group of students want to get together after school to have a prayer group, not allowing that is prohibiting their freedom of religion.
We conservatives are fond of saying "we may not like your speech but will fight to the death to assure your right to say it". Too bad that standard doesn't apply to allowing religious people their right to religious expression.