That merry band of radical atheists – the Freedom From Religion Foundation – is at it again. This time they are setting their sites on a sheriff in Florida for engaging in an atheist-offensive act.
What was his horrible crime? Did he kill an enraged 6’6″, 300 lb., charging-at-him child? Did he take millions of dollars in bribes from foreign governments? Did he pay protesters to foment racial strife?
Apparently, the answer is – Nope! None of these.
Christian News Network tells the real story:
LAKELAND, Fla. — A sheriff in Florida is under fire from a prominent atheist activist organization for speaking at a local church in his official uniform.Sheriff Grady Judd often speaks at churches throughout Polk County—sometimes up to 20 appearances a year—in his uniform. This past April, he spoke to over 2,500 people at the First Baptist Church of Lakeland, delivering a sermon entitled “Wouldn’t the world be better if everyone behaved like a Christian?”“I was invited to this church, as I am to many churches and secular events, and you know what, the message was clear,” Judd told BayNews9. “The message was uplifting. The message talked about and bragged on how wonderful our community was.”The sheriff also spoke on his belief that Christ is the answer to crime and lawlessness.But the Madison, Wisc.-based Freedom from Religion Foundation (FFRF) claims that it received five complaints about Judd’s appearance, and sent the sheriff a letter stating that using his position to preach about Christianity excludes other religions and those of no religious persuasion.“Promoting your personal religion using a Polk County government title and uniform gives the unfortunate impression that the county supports and endorses the First Baptist Church on the Mall and its religious teachings,” the letter read.“Giving this sermon in your official capacity, wearing your official uniform, unabashedly promotes this church and its religious views,” it continued. “You are excluding the nearly 30% of U.S. adults and the 30% of Florida adults who are non-Christian. This message alienates both non-Christians and nonbelievers in Polk County by turning them into political outsiders in their own community.”
Gee, isn’t that FFRF complaint just gushing with “tolerance and understanding?”
How silly! Simply because a member of the community is invited to speak in a church and wears his “work attire” he should be censured, tarred and feathered, and run out of town on-a-rail?
What a stupid complaint! But, that’s the FFRF – they haven’t met a Christian they wouldn’t like to persecute if they could.
Christian News Network tells more:
FFRF said that Judd was free to preach as a private citizen, but not in his capacity as sheriff. It also took issue with the content of Judd’s message, asserting that “morality does not require religion” and that his “claim that increased religiosity lowers crime is simply nonsense.”But Judd says that he will not back down on the matter.“Let me say this clearly and unequivocally: When people call the sheriff’s office and ask me to come speak, I’m going to come speak, [and] I’m going to wear my uniform,” he told reporters. “You can guarantee it.”
FFRF’s assertions here are so moronic, space will not permit a thorough refutation of each. In sum, let’s just say it’s simply atheist bullying and attempted intimidation of an honest public servant who just happens to be a Christian.
The host pastor also responded to the ridiculous charges as Christian News Network explains:
First Baptist Church Pastor Jay Dennis also defended the sheriff.“The uniform represents more than the office, it represents the man behind it. It is the man behind it that I asked to speak whether he is in uniform or out of uniform,” he said in a statement to WFLA-TV.
“I would think people would be proud to have a sheriff whose life and message, speech and conduct is consistent with everything that uniform stands for,” Dennis continued. “Grady asked me if I would prefer he wear a suit, but as I said to him, ‘It doesn’t matter to me. You are the message.’”
He’s right. Despite what Rev. Al, Eric Holder, Loretta Lynch, and President Obama say, law enforcement officers are real people too – not some kind of monsters to be hated and ridiculed.
At some point, the FFRF will cross over a line and slander someone intentionally. When that day comes, I hope the resulting lawsuit settlement includes lots of zeros!
I find it deeply troubling that a law enforcement officer who has sworn to uphold the law is not aware that he is violating the supreme law of the land, the U.S. Constitution. Let's ask the Supreme Court what law the Sheriff has broken : "The First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution mandates governmental neutrality between religion and religion, and between religion and nonreligion.” Epperson v. Arkansas, 393 U.S. 97, 104 (1968); Everson v. Board of Ed. of Ewing, 330 U.S. 1, 15—16 (1947); Wallace v. Jaffree, supra, at 53.
ReplyDeleteThe Sheriff is a government employee. He promoted religion donning his government-issued uniform while acting in his official capacity as a government employee, using his government title and position. He violated the central First Amendment principal of official religious neutrality. Sheriff Judd has abused his government office, position, title, and uniform to preach a religious message. The only question meriting serious discussion is why the sheriff doesn't get that he is breaking the law.
Truer words were never spoken. I mean, who are the true patriots here, people who want to uphold the Constitution or those who want to ignore it by using governmental authority to inflict their religious beliefs on the rest of us?
ReplyDelete