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Rakkety_Tamm
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03 Apr 2005, 8:05 pm

Though I am a christian, my girlfreind is pagan. We are tiring of our school haveing clubs for christians, but not for any other groups. we have tried to start a club called the Fellowship of Pagan Athletes, we've a teacher sponser, 20 members, and a on school location, which is according to the rules, thats all we need, yet the school systems will not accept us into the school. We've taken our share of flak, but we are tring to stand firm, yet some of our members are starting to loose there reslove. Anyone with advice?


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Sarcastic_Name
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03 Apr 2005, 8:38 pm

No offense, but do you think it's because the initial's are FoPA. That, and because the word "fellowship" is normally associated with churches. And if the school system accepted this club, all the Christians would complain, the news well get involved, angry people well come. Politicians well then get involved. Of course, that's what you'd expect to happen. And the school would expect something a long those lines and doesn't want to risk having a bad reputation for a 20 person club. This is the only advice I can think of.


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04 Apr 2005, 3:23 am

Just remind the school that by allowing a Christian club, but not allowing a pagan club is endorsing a certain religion. If it's a public school, it is illegal for them to do that. First amendment of the Constitution is freedom of religion (and speech, petition, press, and assembly).

Christians will complain, but who cares? If they complain it means they are hypocrites. The media and politicians may get involved, but that may actually help you because your basic constitutional rights have been violated. So my advice is to go to the media and your community and explain how your school is endorsing a certain religion. Get people to sign a petition (also one of your rights given by the first amendment). I am sure you will find even more people to support your cause then. When the public gets involved, the school will get nervous and allow you to have your club.



Rakkety_Tamm
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04 Apr 2005, 8:05 am

Thank you bec. Sarcastic_Name, you havn't been here long enough to know that I don't give a dam* if I piss someone off. I am Christian, and those Christians who preach that all other relegions are evil are hypocrites because Christianity is about acceptance. Hell, I don't like muslims because to my knowlage, I havn't met one who doesn't hate my guts cause I'm republican ( and yes, I have met many, there are at least 50 in the Junior class at SMHS alone, and the Junior class has the least amount of them of any of the four classes.) I don't dislike them for there religions, I dislike them for how they treat my friends and I.


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04 Apr 2005, 12:22 pm

Sarcastic_Name wrote:
No offense, but do you think it's because the initial's are FoPA. That, and because the word "fellowship" is normally associated with churches. And if the school system accepted this club, all the Christians would complain, the news well get involved, angry people well come. Politicians well then get involved. Of course, that's what you'd expect to happen. And the school would expect something a long those lines and doesn't want to risk having a bad reputation for a 20 person club. This is the only advice I can think of.


Christians would complain just because its pagan. They feel threatened or something of that nature.
A


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Rakkety_Tamm
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04 Apr 2005, 3:14 pm

a fellowship is just a group of people joined together. I don't really care if I tick people off.


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Rakkety_Tamm
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06 Apr 2005, 7:25 am

UPDATE: We now have over 60 potentail(sp) members, and four more teachers have joined us, yet the SOB's at the school board still refuse us.


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06 Apr 2005, 12:37 pm

Gee, I'd think your local ACLU chapter might find this interesting.

http://www.aclu.org/Affiliates/SubsiteD ... thCarolina

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06 Apr 2005, 2:22 pm

Rakkety_Tamm wrote:
UPDATE: We now have over 60 potentail(sp) members, and four more teachers have joined us, yet the SOB's at the school board still refuse us.


That's a great start, but get the general public involved. It fascinates me that they will allow a Christian club, but not a pagan club. Very unfair, not to mention illegal. I have actually met more decent 'pagans', than Christians. (I'm not being prejudiced, I've met perfectly nice Christians, too).



Rakkety_Tamm
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07 Apr 2005, 8:15 am

BeeBee wrote:
Gee, I'd think your local ACLU chapter might find this interesting.

http://www.aclu.org/Affiliates/SubsiteD ... thCarolina

BeeBee


#1 I cannot stand the ACLU for what they've stood for in the past
#2 Our club sponser has already tried going to the ACLU and once they found that a Republican was involved (me BTW) they said that they could not help us.


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07 Apr 2005, 12:03 pm

Rakkety_Tamm wrote:
#1 I cannot stand the ACLU for what they've stood for in the past
#2 Our club sponser has already tried going to the ACLU and once they found that a Republican was involved (me BTW) they said that they could not help us.


Bummer!

The fact that they rejected it because of that surprises me. The national ACLU has taken on some pretty right wing cases over the year.

How did they find out you were a republican? It doesn't seem like that would come up in general conversation. It certainly isn't asked on the help-intake form, at least the local one.

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Rakkety_Tamm
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07 Apr 2005, 12:08 pm

my volunteer record, I volunteer for the Republican Party every year.


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