Archives for 2011

NEW PETITION!  Pass both H.R. 2848 the VETERANS RELIGIOUS FREEDOM ACT to defend public prayer in V.A. hospitals and cemeteries~ and S.Res.18 allowing optional PRAYER AT PUBLIC SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS nationwide.  Please select~ sign~ and WE WILL FAX your petition to all 535 members of Congress (saving you time!)

Judge Rules Government can Fire Teacher for having Bible on Desk

Giving parents yet another reason to home-school their kids~ a corrupt Judge in the 5th District Court of Mount Vernon~ Ohio ruled a public school district had the right to fire a Christian teacher~ John Freshwater~ for keeping religious articles in his classroom and for encouraging his students to debate and think critically about the mandated school evolution curriculum.  The only religious article the school board found so offensive was Mr. Freshwater’s personal Bible~ kept in his desk~ the same religious book found in nearly every hotel room in America~ but disallowed as a "banned book" in public school.

The School Board justified its actions~ ruling the teacher’s instruction methods (allowing discussion and debate) gave kids "reason to doubt the accuracy and/or veracity of evolution scientists~ science textbooks."  So the School Board’s act of firing of Freshwater not only violated his First and Fourteenth Amendment Constitutional rights~ it also it violated the School Boards own policy~ which states "because religious traditions vary in the treatment of science~ teachers should give unbiased instruction so that students may evaluate it in accordance with their own religious tenets." Because the teacher was unbiased~ encouraging open debate~ he was fired~ and his termination upheld by a clearly anti-Christian judge. 

But here’s some better school-prayer news:  Remember last week~ when we reported a teacher in California punished his students for saying” God bless you” in class by deducting their grade by 25 points every time a student used the phrase?  The anti-Christian teacher~ Steven Cuckovich has now been rebuked by the Principal.  "He realizes his mistake and that this wasn’t the best way to get the kids to behave~" Principal Cliff DeGraw told Sacramento’s FOX40 news.  Mr. Cuckovich is apparently still defiant however~ telling FOX40 that he will just find another way to punish kids for saying "God bless you."

Notice the anti-Christian teacher wasn’t fired–still free to punish Christian students~ but the Christian teacher was fired~ and is no longer allowed to encourage debate.  Part of the problem is that school boards fear the atheist complainers more than Church-going parents.  But we have a solution.  The U.S. Senate is considering S.Res.18~ to encourage every school board meeting across America be allowed the option of public prayer before the meeting starts.  It’s the first of many steps to help America return to its Judeo-Christian roots.  We need to bring God back into our schools~ or get the kids out and home-schooled.

Thank God for teachers like John Freshwater~ who took a stand and paid the price.  We pray other teachers will stand up for Jesus against the ACLU and corrupt School Boards~ and help answer our prayers for courageous teachers and parents to mentor kids~ first by setting an example of their own Christian faith~ complete with prayers and Bibles~ then by defending kids rights to even say the illegal words "God Bless you" in school.  

Let’s take a stand for schools and veterans religious freedom~ by petitioning Congress…

SELECT HERE to sign NEW PETITION to DEFEND PUBLIC PRAYER with H.R. 2848 the VETERANS RELIGIOUS FREEDOM ACT and S.RES.18 for PRAYER AT SCHOOL MEETINGS and we will fax 535 Congressmen/Senators instantly (saving you time!)

School Prayer attacked 3 times~ but is Obama backing down?

3 times this week anti-Christian liberals attacked school prayer~ even self-initiated prayer by students~ but the Obama Administration is feeling the heat (after YOU faxed Congress) to pass the Veterans Religious Freedom Act.

As the U.S. Senate weighs S.Res.18~ a bill to encourage teachers~ parents~ and students to pray publicy at school board meetings~ a California high school teacher punished kids by lowering their grades if they say ‘God bless you’ or even ‘bless you’ when anybody sneezes. Anti-Christian teacher Steve Cuckovich admitted to the press he felt "God Bless You" is outdated and disrupts class time~ so he lowered student grades if they uttered the illegal words.  The school Superintendent defended anti-Christian persecution. "From everything I understand at this moment~ the teacher was trying to maintain appropriate control of students in class~" said district Supt. John Niederkorn. Is banning any religious expression really "appropriate control" in our nation’s schools?  No!  It’s yet another example of anti-Christian bigotry in public schools against Christian kids.

Then~ making matters worse~ athei
st complainers protested the right of children to assemble at Wednesday’s "See You At The Pole" event~ where students gather voluntarily to pray before school~ holding hands around the flag pole.  The Christian Post reports the event was started 21 years ago in the Fort Worth suburb of Burleson~ Texas~ but has spread to three million people participants this year.

Sadly~ atheist adults protested while a group of 30 elementary aged children prayed at the flag pole in front of their school in Lebanon~ Pennsylvania.  Then~ even worse~ Christian teachers in Sumner County~ Tenn. were told they were not allowed to bow their heads to pray on their own~ if students are watching.  An ungodly principal at Westmoreland Middle School complained after football coaches dared to bow their heads silently at a student-led prayer in the end zone~ and worried more kids might pray if they see adults praying.  

The principal is right.  Seeing teachers~ coaches~ and parents pray in public builds the faith of our children. This is why S.Res.18 is so important~ because it directly encourages parents~ teachers~ administrators~ and even students to open school board meetings with a public prayer.  If the Administrators can pray~ why can’t students pray in school~ and even Christian teachers?  Nansemond River High School sophomore Allyn Letourneau told The Herald why he participated in the event:  "We’re the youth of this generation~ so if we just sit around and don’t spread the word of Jesus~ how is it going to spread? It’s important we spread the word of Jesus and give people prayer~ because they need it."

Meanwhile~ in good news~ the Obama Administration is feeling the heat after Veterans Affairs was forced to admit wrongdoing after censoring Veterans and Pastors who pray publicly "in Jesus name" in cemeteries.  According to documents filed in federal court Thursday~ the VA backed down after a black lash of public option last month.  But this is only half a victory. Thank God Veterans at the Houston National Cemetery may now invite pastors to pray "in Jesus name" and comfort their families.  Sadly they did so just before the Supreme Court of Texas could rule in favor of Jesus.  Had the VA lost there~ a legal precedent would have been set to protect Jesus prayers state-wide forever~ so it is possible Obama’s V.A. settled out of court to preserve their right to ban Jesus in the future.

This is why it is critical we petition Congress to pass H.R. 2848~ the Veterans Religious Freedom Act~ making it illegal to EVER deny a veteran of his right to pray in Jesus’ name! And while we’re at it~ let’s petition all 100 Senators to pass S.Res.18 right now.  As anti-Christian liberals war to ban God from all aspects of public life~ from classroom to  grave~ let’s demand Congress fight back!  Please sign to defend school and vets prayer…

SELECT HERE to sign NEW PETITION to DEFEND PUBLIC PRAYER with H.R. 2848 the VETERANS RELIGIOUS FREEDOM ACT and S.RES.18 for PRAYER AT SCHOOL MEETINGS and we will fax 535 Congressmen/Senators instantly (saving you time!)

God banned from Veterans Cemeteries~ Hospitals~ Schools.  Take action!

Freedom of speech to pray publicly "in Jesus name" faces new attacks across America~ as the Obama Administration has now fully caved-in to atheist complainers~ and helped ban free religious speech from schools to the grave~ for teachers and military veterans.

But two new bills before Congress and the Senate could restore religious freedom for Veterans and Teachers~ protecting freedom of speech and public prayer rights that generations of Americans have died fighting to protect. They areHouse Bill H.R. 2848~ the  "Veterans Religious Freedom Act~" and Senate Bill S.Res.18~ a resolution supporting optional public prayer at school board meetings nationwide.  Our new petition campaign supports these two important bills.

Recently Veterans Affairs (V.A.) Director Arleen Ocasio was rebuked by a federal judge after she outlawed prayers mentioning "Jesus" or "God" form the National Cemetery in Houston TX. Director Ocasio and the Obama Administration reportedly censored and banned any reference to Jesus or God in prayers~ cards~ and even casual conversation on V.A. Cemetery grounds~ public land.  She even turned the Chapel into a storage room!

Ocasio tried to stop heroic Pastor Scott Rainey from praying "in Jesus name~" but he won an emergency court-order stopping the V.A. and restoring his free speech rights.  Federal Judge Lynn Hughes ordered the V.A. and Arleen Ocasio~ director of the Houston National Cemetery~ to stop censoring the pastor’s right to pray "in Jesus name~" since the Obama Administration violated the First Amendment.  Judge Hughes wrote: "The government cannot gag citizens when it says it is in the interest of national security~ and it cannot do it in
some bureaucrat’s notion of cultural homogeneity.  The right to free expression ranges from the dignity of Abraham Lincoln’s speeches to Charlie Sheen’s rants."

Outraged~ several pro-faith Republican Congressmen led by Rep. Ted Poe (R-TX) have drafted and sponsored the Veteran’s Religious Freedom Act.  "It is the constitutional duty of the federal government to protect speech and religion~ not prohibit it.  Government censorship of funeral services for our veterans is unacceptable~ unconstitutional and un-American~" said Congressman Poe.  "The policy of the director of the Houston VA Cemetery is anti-Christian~ anti-religion and anti-veteran. What has reportedly taken place at the Houston VA Cemetery is inexcusable~ and Congress must take immediate action to protect the rights of those who have fought and died for our country."

This important Veterans Religious Freedom Act~ H.R. 2848~ provides the Secretary of Veterans Affairs may not:

    1) prescribe regulations to censor or otherwise limit the type of religious speech that may be performed by a member of a veterans service organization at the funeral or memorial service of a veteran; or

    2) censor or otherwise limit type of religious speech of a private speakers who have been invited to speak on property of the Department of Veterans Affairs.

This bill would force Obama’s Director Ocasio to allow free speech honoring Jesus Christ by family members~ invited speakers~ pastors~ and veterans groups at the graves~ not only in Houston but all Veterans cemeteries and hospitals nationwide!  Let’s take action now… 

SELECT HERE to sign NEW PETITION to DEFEND PUBLIC PRAYER with H.R. 2848 the VETERANS RELIGIOUS FREEDOM ACT and S.RES.18 for PRAYER AT SCHOOL MEETINGS and we will fax 535 Congressmen/Senators instantly (saving you time!)

Public School Board Meetings also attacked for allowing public prayer by teachers

It’s not just at the grave where public prayer is being attacked.  S.Res.18 calls for the Senate to recognize that prayer before school board meetings is a protected act in accordance with the fundamental principles upon which the Nation was founded~ and expresses support for allowing the optional practice of prayer at the beginning of the school board meetings. Senator David Vitter (R- LA) first introduced this bill in 2005 but it has been blocked by Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV) and lobbyist lawyers from the ACLU. The ACLU has bullied school boards over prayer for decades~ with empty threats and bogus lawsuits~ often lost but sometimes won by liberal activist judges who hate religious freedom of speech.  The time has come to pass S.Res.18 and give conservatives judges the power to support prayer and fight the ACLU.

The ACLU has backed lawsuits against school boards~ and criticized us who support school board prayer.  Senator Vitter said:  "I do not share the ACLU’s opinion~ and more importantly~ the people of Louisiana do not share the ACLU’s opinion."   Neither does the Supreme Court.  In 1983~ the U.S. Supreme Court held~ in the case of Marsh v. Chambers~ that the practice of opening legislative sessions with prayer has become part of the fabric of our society~ and is fully constitutional.  "To invoke divine guidance on a public body entrusted with making the laws is not a violation of the Establishment Clause~" wrote the Supreme Court~ "but rather is simply an acknowledgement of beliefs widely held among the American people." 

Sadly~ even with the court’s ruling defending prayer~ the ACLU has not given up attempts to silence prayer in our schools. With President Obama appointing more and more ungodly~ anti-Christian~ socialist judges to federal benches~ we must encourage our Senators and Congressmen to pass a law protecting what is left of Jesus in public schools: the freedom to speak Jesus’ name in public prayer!  Our teachers deserve that freedom~ and so do our children deserve God’s blessing.  Let’s take action…

SELECT HERE to sign NEW PETITION to DEFEND PUBLIC PRAYER with H.R. 2848 the VETERANS RELIGIOUS FREEDOM ACT and S.RES.18 for PRAYER AT SCHOOL MEETINGS and we will fax 535 Congressmen/Senators instantly (saving you time!)

Veterans Groups Outraged.  V.F.W. and American Legion on high alert.

"Generations of patriotic Americans have fought~ bled and died to help defend the U.S. Constitution~ which guarantees fundamental rights of religious expression and freedom of speech~" said V.F.W. Commander-in-Chief Richard L. Eubank. "Those basic tenants are clearly being violated at the cemetery~" by the Obama Administration.

The American Legion Post 586 routinely honors our veterans for decades by performing its burial ritual for fallen veterans. On several separate occasions~ government officials reportedly told the burial teams that prayer and religious speech could no longer be included in the burial ritual unless the family submits a specific prayer or message in writing to Director Ocasio for her approval.  Oc
asio’s Office told the V.F.W. Honor Guard Commander~ Junior Vice Commander and Chaplain that the word "God" is forbidden in all circumstances. Yet another veteran chaplain banned from praying to God? As a former Navy Chaplain punished for praying "in Jesus name" in uniform~ I say never again.

The American Heritage Funeral Home~ which sits next to the Houston National Cemetery~ was instructed by Director Ocasio that the Funeral Home was reportedly forbidden from informing the families of veterans that they had an option of requesting an optional prayer in the V.F.W. burial ritual.  The "National Memorial Ladies~" a volunteer group was told by Ocasio that the group had to remove "God Bless" from Condolence Cards given out to grieving families.  

Volunteers were reportedly also banned by Ocasio from speaking a religious message when talking on cemetery grounds. "On March 15th Director Ocasio told me that I couldn’t say ‘May God grant you grace~ mercy and peace’ to grieving families~" said Nobleton Jones~ Honor Guard Junior Vice Commander.  To add injury to insult the chapel on cemetery grounds was closed. The chapel crosses~ Bibles~ and chapel bells were all  removed and the chapel was turned into the cemetery storage room.  Why hurt our grieving veteran families any more?  We need a law.  Help us pass H.R. 2848…

SELECT HERE to sign NEW PETITION to DEFEND PUBLIC PRAYER with H.R. 2848 the VETERANS RELIGIOUS FREEDOM ACT and S.RES.18 for PRAYER AT SCHOOL MEETINGS and we will fax 535 Congressmen/Senators instantly (saving you time!)

Friends~ our veterans and teachers deserve the same religious freedom they defend for others.  Let’s take a stand today~ and demand Congress pass both prayer bills~ now!

P.S. Time is urgent!  Both House and Senate have full schedules this fall~ so unless we raise their awareness of these two important prayer bills~ they may not get the attention they deserve.  So please sign our petition today!   Prefer to donate by mail?  Please mail paper check or money orders to:  The Pray In Jesus Name Project~ PO Box 77077~ Colorado Springs~ CO  80970.  

SELECT HERE to sign NEW PETITION to DEFEND PUBLIC PRAYER with H.R. 2848 the VETERANS RELIGIOUS FREEDOM ACT and S.RES.18 for PRAYER AT SCHOOL MEETINGS and we will fax 535 Congressmen/Senators instantly (saving you time!)

Disclaimer: The views of Chaplain Klingenschmitt~ who was vindicated by Congress after being honorably but involuntarily discharged from the Navy in 2007 after facing court-martial for praying "in Jesus name" in uniform~ are his own personal views~ not the views of any political party~ government~ or organization.

P.S.  Prefer to donate by mail?  Please mail paper check or money orders to:   The Pray In Jesus Name Project~ PO Box 77077~ Colorado Springs~ CO  80970.

SIGN 3 PETITIONS~ FIX THE ECONOMY!  1) Sign NEW petition to preserve JOBS.  
2) Sign HOT Petition to pass Balanced Budget Amendment.  3) Sign URGENT petition to Create a FAIRTAX replacing the income tax.  We instantly fax all 535 Cong./Senators! 

Disclaimer: The views of Chaplain Klingenschmitt~ who was honorably but involuntarily discharged from the Navy in 2007 after facing court-martial for praying "in Jesus name" in uniform~ (but was later vindicated by Congress)~ are his own personal views~ not the views of any political party~ government~ or organization.