Thursday, August 2, 2012

Freedom FOR Religion (or at least its symbols)

Ignorant people should mind their own business. Take this example: the City of Steubenville (of which I am now a proud inhabitant) had recently re-designed the city logo and motto. Here's what it looks like:
Click to Close

Not bad for a small town that doesn't really have much to boast about, right? Do you see anything offensive in it? Well, apparently the group "Freedom From Religion" in Wisconsin heard about it and decided that the cross depicted on the Franciscan University was a violation of the separation of church and state. Really? How ignorant can people be? The separation of church and state was clearly meant to protect the people from a state supported church, and gave them the right to choose any or no religion. It has nothing to do with deleting religious symbols from any government buildings or logos.

Thankfully, the people of Steubenville have spoken up. One attorney has offered to represent the city pro bono if (when) the Wisconsin group files a lawsuit. City officials had originally agreed to alter the logo, but after a public outcry that decision has been reversed.

So why do I have a problem with this whole case? Even if I wasn't now a citizen of Steubenville, I would still think that the "Freedom From Religion" group should all be lined up tp be smacked upside their heads. Okay, maybe not the nicest response, but since when did one group who claims the freedom FROM religion have the right and power to infringe upon the rights of others to include religious symbols when they are clearly part of the heritage of a town?

Being a Christian, and a firm believer in the idea that this country was founded upon Christian principles and beliefs, I find it ironic that the same principles that laid the foundation for our rights are now being used to deny them. What's more- I think that people who live in a certain area should be the ones who speak up and decide local issues- not some fanatical group from a different state that isn't familiar with the city, area, or local heritage. Hence the idea that some ignorant people should mind their own business. Let them fight to remove all religion from their own region (good luck with that) but leave ours alone.