Tag: Jesus portrait

December 5, 2013

Ohio’s Jesus Painting Protection Act Could Allow Discrimination, Child Abuse And Sharia Law

image of actual text of the Bill of Rights

This week House Bill 376 was introduced in the Ohio legislature. I call it the ‘Jesus Painting Protection Act’ but the formal name is ‘Ohio Religious Freedom Restoration Act’. It creates special rights for the ‘religious’ to avoid any law or act by the state or local governments if it is a ‘burden’ on a person’s religious beliefs. This dangerous law could leave children unprotected from abuse, allow discrimination in areas way beyond just same sex marriage, and allow Sharia Law.

One reason given for the introduction of the bill was the recent removal of Jesus paintings from two public schools here in Ohio.

Read the postOhio’s Jesus Painting Protection Act Could Allow Discrimination, Child Abuse And Sharia Law
October 10, 2013

Conversation Shows Theists Won’t Allow Freedom Of Religion For Others

screencap Jackson OH Jesus location in High School building
Jackson OH Jesus location in High School building

The other day I posted an update to the Jackson, Ohio school district Jesus painting court case. Someone on twitter sent me a strong reaction tweet about it and the ensuing conversation shows that some theists don’t want religious freedom for others – just themselves.

Here is the original tweet:

Read the postConversation Shows Theists Won’t Allow Freedom Of Religion For Others
October 5, 2013

Ohio School District Will Remove Jesus Painting And Pay $90,000

screenshot from news report about Jesus painting in Jackson Ohio middle school
Jesus painting in Jackson Ohio middle school before it was moved to the High School in March

Eight months after a lawsuit was filed against a Jackson County Ohio school district over a Jesus painting that had hung in a stairwell of the middle school building for 66 years, a final settlement has concluded the case. The Jackson City School District agreed to remove the painting from school district property and pay $3,000 in damages to each of the suit’s five anonymous plaintiffs as well as the legal costs for the ACLU and Freedom from Religion Foundation.

The district also tried to claim that since insurance paid out the damages, no taxpayer dollars were used. Taxes are used to pay the insurance premium, and will likely increase because of the claim, so like their idea that the Jesus painting was not a violation of the law, their idea about no taxpayer money being used to pay off the lawsuit is also wrong.

Read the postOhio School District Will Remove Jesus Painting And Pay $90,000
April 2, 2013

Update: Jackson Ohio City Schools Finally Makes Right Choice – Removes Jesus Picture

screencap Jackson OH Jesus location in High School building
Jackson OH Jesus location in High School building

During a federal court hearing in Columbus on Tuesday, lawyers for the Jackson Ohio City Schools agreed to remove the picture of Jesus that was at the center of a church & state lawsuit brought by the Freedom of Religion Foundation and the ACLU. The district claims its insurance company wouldn’t cover the costs of the lawsuit. There is no word if the lawsuit will continue but for now the district made the right decision.

Read the postUpdate: Jackson Ohio City Schools Finally Makes Right Choice – Removes Jesus Picture
March 15, 2013

Jackson Ohio School District Moves Jesus Painting To The High School

screenshot New location of the Jackson Ohio Jesus
New location of the Jackson Ohio Jesus

It was reported on Thursday that the Jesus painting that had been hanging in the hallway of the Jackson Ohio middle school for 47 years and is at the heart of a 1st amendment lawsuit by the Freedom of Religion Foundation and the ACLU, has been moved to the High School at the request of the “owner” of the painting – the Hi-Y Club.

The school board had created a “limited public forum” at the middle school and High School and claimed the painting belonged to the Hi-Y Club in order to cover their obvious violation of the separation of church and state.

Read the postJackson Ohio School District Moves Jesus Painting To The High School
February 13, 2013

School District Tries Old Dodge – Claims It Doesn’t Own 65 Year Old Jesus Picture So Will Keep It Up

screenshot from news report about Jesus Picture in Jackson Ohio middle school
Jesus Picture in Jackson Ohio middle school

The Jackson Ohio school district voted to keep up the Jesus picture hanging in the middle school lobby. It claims since it doesn’t own the picture then they will keep it up and allow other student groups to hang pictures of importance to them. This is an old dodge that people use to justify forcing religion on people. That dodge doesn’t absolve the defendants of violating the 1st amendment and the picture still needs to be removed.

Read the postSchool District Tries Old Dodge – Claims It Doesn’t Own 65 Year Old Jesus Picture So Will Keep It Up