Wednesday, January 11, 2012

First Amendment Losing Its Value?

On Jan. 6th, Three Kings Day, NYC Councilmember Fernando Cabrera, and six others, mostly ministers, were arrested for trespassing. There has been an ongoing battle between NYC Dept of Education and the somewhat 60 congregations that hold their worship services in the public schools on Sundays and/or during after-school hours. A court ruling banned these congregations from holding their worship services in the schools in the beginning of Dec, 2011. Councilmember Cabrera, who is also pastor of New Life International Outreach Church in the Bronx, will be pushing a legislation to appeal the Supreme Court order of banning religious worship services in public schools. The threatens our First Amendment right, but at the same time, the whole separation of church and state come into question as well. Where can the line be drawn? Many churches were started in places like theses. A council speaker stated "this is a victory for our city's school children..." If this is so, then we might as well stop having the children say the Pledge of Allegiance first thing in the morning when they get to homeroom or sing God Bless America at graduations, plays, etc. I pray that it is God's voluntad for these "school-churches" to win in court and stay where they have been worshiping for years past Feb. 12th, which is the court's date for them to move out.