Freethought & Rationalism Archive

GaryP · 08-07-2002, 12:57 PM

My wife and I just spent a couple great days at a cabin in the Hocking Hills area of Ohio. It's just beautiful there and not far from our home.

Anyway, we went for breakfast on Tuesday to a restaurant which is housed in a lodge owned by the state.

On the bulletin board by the front desk are various flyers. One of them says, "Worship at the church of your Choice". And it proceeds to list area churches and times of services.

I don't think I would have a problem if it just listed churches and locations. But the heading on the flyer could be taken for a command by the state to worship.

Do you guys think I should pursue this? I thought of just writing a note to the manager of that particular state park and see what he/she says.

Mageth · 08-07-2002, 01:19 PM

Did the state publish the flyer? My guess is that it's published by the local C-of-C or some other private org. If so, and the flyer is on a public b-board, as long as the board's available to anyone wishing to post a flyer, there's probably not a First Amendment issue to complain about.

Alonzo Fyfe · 08-07-2002, 01:20 PM

I don't think of this as a state command any more than I think of "Eat at Joe's" or "Visit the Museum of Natural History" to be a command.

Unless there was some other context to this not yet revealed.

Mageth · 08-07-2002, 01:22 PM

Good thing there wasn't a "Wet Floor" sign nearby, I guess...

Toto · 08-07-2002, 01:36 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by GaryP:
. . .Do you guys think I should pursue this? I thought of just writing a note to the manager of that particular state park and see what he/she says.

I don't think you should pursue it. It is clearly an invitation and not a command.

Unless you can find an atheist or humanist group that could be included on this list as an option - that would make sense.

GaryP · 08-07-2002, 01:52 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Mageth:
Did the state publish the flyer? My guess is that it's published by the local C-of-C or some other private org. If so, and the flyer is on a public b-board, as long as the board's available to anyone wishing to post a flyer, there's probably not a First Amendment issue to complain about.

No, I don't think the state published it. But all the other flyers appeared to be about state park and/or forest events, e.g., guided hikes and other park info.

GaryP · 08-07-2002, 01:57 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Toto:


I don't think you should pursue it. It is clearly an invitation and not a command.

Unless you can find an atheist or humanist group that could be included on this list as an option - that would make sense.

I agree that it is obviously an invitation. But the wording does seem to invoke more than that. I've always had a problem with any group telling people to worship, especially the state.

Given Ohio's history of spending thousands to uphold the state motto, "With God All things are possible" and being the notorious winner in the voucher case, I think we Atheist Ohioans can justify being a little sensitive right now.

Toto · 08-07-2002, 02:09 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by GaryP:

Given Ohio's history of spending thousands to uphold the state motto, "With God All things are possible". . .

But their defense was that it doesn't mean anything - it's just a general upbeat optimistic slogan!

GaryP · 08-07-2002, 02:12 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Toto:


But their defense was that it doesn't mean anything - it's just a general upbeat optimistic slogan!

Yeah-- They aren't even allowed to attribute it to the Bible, (Matthew, I think) even though they admit it comes from there.

Seems like plagerism not to list the source!

bonduca · 08-07-2002, 02:57 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Mageth:
Good thing there wasn't a "Wet Floor" sign nearby, I guess...

*collapses, giggling*

08-07-2002, 12:57 PM	#1
GaryP Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Lancaster, OH Posts: 1,792	Ohio demanding worship? My wife and I just spent a couple great days at a cabin in the Hocking Hills area of Ohio. It's just beautiful there and not far from our home. Anyway, we went for breakfast on Tuesday to a restaurant which is housed in a lodge owned by the state. On the bulletin board by the front desk are various flyers. One of them says, "Worship at the church of your Choice". And it proceeds to list area churches and times of services. I don't think I would have a problem if it just listed churches and locations. But the heading on the flyer could be taken for a command by the state to worship. Do you guys think I should pursue this? I thought of just writing a note to the manager of that particular state park and see what he/she says.

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08-07-2002, 01:19 PM	#2
Mageth Contributor Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Deep in the heart of mother-lovin' Texas Posts: 29,689	Did the state publish the flyer? My guess is that it's published by the local C-of-C or some other private org. If so, and the flyer is on a public b-board, as long as the board's available to anyone wishing to post a flyer, there's probably not a First Amendment issue to complain about.

08-07-2002, 01:20 PM	#3
Alonzo Fyfe Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: 920B Milo Circle Lafayette, CO Posts: 3,515	I don't think of this as a state command any more than I think of "Eat at Joe's" or "Visit the Museum of Natural History" to be a command. Unless there was some other context to this not yet revealed.

08-07-2002, 01:22 PM	#4
Mageth Contributor Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Deep in the heart of mother-lovin' Texas Posts: 29,689	Good thing there wasn't a "Wet Floor" sign nearby, I guess...

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