TuscMoms.com

There's a lot of controversy right now over a local high school playing a movie called "Facing the Giants" to students. The movie is about a football team that wins by finding faith in God. A group called Americans United for the Separation of Church and State has stepped in to say the district is preaching instead of teaching by showing this movie. Do you think this is true?

Here's the story:
http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/article/20080116/NEWS/995279641/1007

Oh no. I KNOW y'all don't want me to get started on what I think of this, but I can't help it.
If we were Muslim or Jewish, I would be SOOO offended. Just keep the preaching out of public schools!! It's all we ask.

In the movie, do they specify they find faith in the Christian God, or just God? Because if it is just God (each religion has a God), then why should there be a problem?

I know I will take heat once again for this, but I get soooo sick of minorities trying to change this countries founding beliefs, and our way of life.

Take for example, if you were in a Muslim country, you would expect to be taught about Muslim traditions and beliefs. Same goes if you were in a Jewish country, or a Buddhist country. So why is it ok to be in a Christian country, founded on Christianity, "In God We Trust", yet we are supposed to not teach about the God and beliefs this great country were founded on? I am always baffled why the wish of a few overpowers the wishes of many. I am guessing that alot of people, unlike me, are afraid to stand up for what they believe in.

First of all let me start by saying I'm a Dad not a Mom. This group apparently is a little off on their American History. The Establishment amendment mention is once again taken out of context. When the Constitution and the amendments were written, England had established the Church of England as "THE" church or religion for England. The early settlers risk their lives to cross the ocean and settle the new land for "religious freedom" among other reasons. The Establishment amendment was written to prevent the Federal Government from doing the same thing in the New World. That is what our founding fathers meant and intended with that amendment. It has been so grossly mis-represented by the small and very vocal minority that justice has been blinded by the historical and real meaning. We sit back and don't speak up and thus let groups dictate to us and I'm tired of it. Read your history and know what was intended. Our public officials to include the judicial should be made to take a remedial course in American history before taking office. It is time the "silent majority" speak out and stop and reverse this alarming trent.

Btw, Tuscaloosa News...why haven't you brought this issue up to all the readers? We call could use a little brushing up as to what the real intentions of several of the "Bill of Rights" amendments are about. Start with the Establishment one.

But this is a country founded on the principal of religious freedom.
We should be proud of the fact that American citizens are free to worship or not worship as they please - & in order to keep that freedom, our public institutions cannot promote religion. This is up to each individual family, not the government.
And, no, showing a Christian movie is not the same as FORCING people to become Christians, but it does tell students that the institution showing it (in this case, Bryant High) supports Christianity above other beliefs.
How would we like it if the movie was full of Muslim propaganda instead of Christian propaganda? We wouldn't like it at all. And it would never happen, especially not here in the south.
And, yes, the movie is full of things about Jesus dying for our sins, so it is very specifically Christian.
And even if it weren't, some people don't believe in ANY God, and we should respect that too.
I am agnostic, but I did belong to a wonderful church (methodist, by the way) back in my hometown, and the pastors there supported the separation of church & state wholeheartedly.
They knew that we have to keep ALL religion out of government institutions in order to ensure that we all remain free to worship as we please.
And I'll never understand why people can't see that this idea protects EVERYONE - both the religious and the non-religious, the Christian and non-Christian. It is a vital part of our democracy, and we have to do what we can to protect it.

Do we want to become like England was when America broke away?! Do we want our citizens to ever feel that they have to "risk their lives" to be able to worship as they please?!
If we let the "silent Majority" win, that's what will happen.
Why does the "silent majority" have to speak up? The "silent majority" is allowed to worship who it wants, when it wants. No pressure. Just because we don't want preaching in our schools does not mean you can't preach all you want in your churches and homes. What's there to "speak up" about?! We're talking about public schools, which are intended to teach ACADEMICS to children from families with a wide variety of religious beliefs. There is no reason whatsoever to stick any kind of religion in anything the school does. That is up to the family and the church.

This country does allow religious freedom. I have not seen the movie, that is why I asked. And it takes my computer forever to load articles, so I didn't read the news article. The thing with seperation of church and state, is that it can never be completly possible. Your beliefs make up who you are. Beliefs, values, and religion guide us through life when we make decisions, and dictate how we make those decisions. You can't turn off who you are inside. You can try to not let your personal beliefs get in the way, but that is not always possible.

I have no problem with freedom of religion. I think everyone should be allowed to practice whatever they wish. I think most religions are taught about in school, or at least that is the way I remember it from when I was in school. So why can they not show a Christian movie, when it is ok to teach about other religions?

And about them "promoting" religion, Did the teacher get up and tell them that is what they had to believe? Did she deliver a sermon there in the class? Most movies have something scene in them or say something to do with religion somewhere in them. So should we ban every movie or book with the mention of any religion, or just Christianity? Ban all of the high school books that are required reading that have any mention of religion or God(Christian or not)? How far should this go? Not allow any student to talk about their beliefs? Ban all athiest and agnostic material as well, because it has to do with the opposite of religion? Ban all religious writings and teachings in college of any nature? Some of it is required material. I think all of the above would be ridiculous. So if this offends you so badly, then why not write all elementary, junior, middle, high, and college schools accross the country and tell them they should ban everything to do with religion or non-religion, period?

The reason I went on like that is to prove a point. Somewhere the line of people being offended has to end. Everyone in this country has a right to practice whatever religion they like. So what if a high school class got shown a movie about Christianity. If a muslim or agnostic child saw that movie, they probably already knew about Christianity, and viewed it as learning, not preaching. I know as a Christian, whenever I see something to do with another religion, I watch because I am learning about other beliefs.

I will say, however, I would have a big problem with any classroom that is CONSTANTLY pushing one religion over others, be it Chrisitanity or something else. If this was just a fluke, or part of what they were learning about, then I don't have a problem with it at all.

Okay, then when "The Golden Compass" comes out on DVD, I vote we show it in all of our classrooms! And why not have all of the kids read "Letter to a Christian Nation" or "The God Delusion"? I mean, as long as no one is actually PREACHING atheism, right?
I say it's fine, and very important, to teach public school students ABOUT all existing and historical religions and what they believe or believed. It's also very important to read good literature, no matter what the characters in the books may believe. But it's not okay to push movies with inspirational messages in classrooms full of kids with very different religious beliefs. And this movie has no redeeming academic value, does it? No other message other than to work hard and have faith?
If it had academic value but mentioned jesus in passing, I'd have no problem with it. But I think it was just basically a time filler, and I do have a problem with that.

Ronaldsmom, I have to ask, how would you feel about "The Golden Compass" being shown in school? I recall from an earlier thread that you had strong feelings about the film, even though it apparently doesn't have any overtly religious (or anti-religious) themes, which the film here apparently clearly does.

I would have no problem if it were shown as a visual aid to something being taught in class. Now if it was just a time filler, they probably could have made a choice that wouldn't have offended anyone. The problem with trying not to offend ANYONE, is that it is virtually impossible. Someone will always be offended even by the most innocent of things.

While I personally don't want my children to see it, I would not have a cow if it was shown to their class. I would just have to explain to them the differences, and let them make thier own decisions from there. We can't always sensor our children from everything, I realize this, and while young children should not be allowed to see something like "The Golden Compass", or "Facing the Giants", high school children are able to reason and think for themselves, and should be allowed too view different beliefs. I am a property manager, and I deal with college age adults that can't even change a light bulb because they have been so sheltered; everything in their lives that is remotely different from what their parents viewed as normal has been removed before they were allowed to experience it. I can't help but be kind of sad when a 20 year old can't fill out an application because his mommy has done everything for him his entire life.

We all just have to do the best with what we are dealt, and I am sure my children will want to see movies like The Golden Compass, and I will deal with it the best way I can when that times comes. Like you said DistractedMom when talking about The Golden Compass; "Parents can't be afraid to let their children learn about other viewpoints and beliefs; I think our biggest job as parents is to teach our kids to have open minds and think for themselves." Will I let my children see movies like this; Well, I would like to think no, but I can't really say what my decisions will be until that situation presents itself (depends on who my children are, how old they are, how they react to things, and also how badly they want to see such a movie). I will try to let my children learn about a multitude of different beliefs, and I know sometimes the best way to do that is let them see and experience things that I don't really want them too.

So as long as it wasn't intended to push Chrisitanity or another religion, and as long as noone preached to them that this is what they had to believe, then it was probably just a movie, and the students probably saw it as just a movie that had to do with football and Christianity.

Okay, you are right. Children should keep an open mind to learn about other beliefs, and we can't keep worrying about who might be offended by this or that movie.
But I don't think that's the point of this whole uproar over this movie being shown by a teacher in a public school.
This group - Americans United for the Separation of Church and State - is protesting this because it wants to protect the whole idea behind the separation of church and state.
I'm sure very few of it's members are actually personally offended by this movie. I'm not; my kids can watch it all day long at home, and I would not be bothered a bit.
But to have a school playing it - like it's some kind of an educational aid - is wrong and erodes the whole idea of keeping religion out of government.
It may seem petty to pick on a silly little football movie, but even little things can wear away at our freedoms, & we just can't afford to let that happen in America.

And thanks to you, too, Ronaldsmom. I love people who can defend their opinions & care enough to try.
We don't agree on much, but I enjoy hearing (or in this case, reading)what you have to say. And I'm sure Lawmommy feels the same!

Ya know, I don't know how it came about that the students would watch this particular movie, but when I was in school, when we had half days, we would have an option to watch several different movies, and we always voted on which one to watch. I don't know if that is what happened here though. But I can remember seeing things I didn't really want to because most of the other kids wanted too see it.

I just hope this doesn't cause the teacher to lose her job. She may or may not have done it on purpose, but more than likely she did not mean to push religion by showing this movie. I also hope it can be kept from being blown out of proportion, so they don't try and make an "example" out of this school and this teacher. Just inform them of what they did wrong, tell them not to do it again, and move on. Most people I know that have offended others did so unintentionally. I know I have said things that hurt others feelings, when I did not mean to.

I agree we need to protect our freedoms. America would not be what it is without them.

Hey, we did that waaay back when I was in school, too! And I had to sit through some pretty stupid movies, but I didn't care (it was better than a test, right?!). So I'm with you on that - there's no reason to get crazy about the whole thing & go firing people.