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Quoting Scripture Banned at Ohio Library
By Jennifer McClure | June 13, 2008
Recently, Alliance Defense Fund attorneys filed a complaint against a county library in Ohio for not allowing a couple to reserve a community room for a financial seminar because they planned to quote the Bible. (Read more about this story at the Alliance Defense Fund Web site or here.)
At the heart of the matter is the argument that this ban is unconstitutional.
“Any government policy denying equal access rights to a group simply because it intends on quoting Bible verses does not comport with the Constitution,” says ADF Senior Counsel Kevin Theriot. “This is a financial planning seminar, and the library has previously allowed meetings that discuss financial planning. The fact that they may quote Bible verses during the meeting does not legally matter.”
But beyond the legal questions lie some that I cannot ignore: If such a ban is allowed to stand, what’s next? Why target the Christian faith? Why target the quoting of only one sacred book rather than all sacred books? Why, in a culture preaching tolerance, are the Christian faith and its holy book not tolerated?
Granted I have my own viewpoints concerning the answers to these questions, but that would give way to much discussion, now would it? If you haven’t given thought to such questions you should. And if you have, the topics are open for discussion thanks to the comments section.
(To read more about Christians taking legal action, check out the TPE news feature “Christians in Court: It often takes legal help for religious liberties to prevail.”)
Topics: News |
