Muslim parents are complaining about flyers for Easter egg hunts

[Incorruptible]

The father is a complete idiot. He doesn't believe in free speech and should just STFU.

 

[brycejones]

The father is a complete idiot. He doesn't believe in free speech and should just STFU.

Why do you hate the Constitution? Somebody says something you don't like and your response is STFU?

 

[Incorruptible]

Why do you hate the Constitution? Somebody says something you don't like and your response is STFU?

I don't hate the Constitution. The father is being an idiot and that's the appropriate response.

 

[DrPizza]

I think that if the Easter Egg hunt were held at some sort of neutral location, regardless of who was hosting it, the father would be an idiot for making this an issue. However, it's being held on the church grounds. Generally, those church grounds are not free of religious statues, symbolism, etc. As such, I think the father does have a valid issue - even though the major details of the event are non-religious, the event will not be completely free from some religious context. In which case, this is an endorsement for a particular religion. (As unpopular as this view may be.)

Probably a poor analogy, but if brothels were allowed in a particular area, and a brothel was holding an Easter egg hunt on their grounds, hosted by the girls who work there (but they'll be wearing clothes) - I think a lot of parents would have an issue with a school passing out fliers in support of such an event.

 

[DrPizza]

The father is a complete idiot. He doesn't believe in free speech and should just STFU.

If you do not see the irony of that sentence, you're a bigger idiot than I ever suspected.

 

[JEDIYoda]

I'm going to go out on a limb and say that they're going to have some good Christians who show up on April 12 to pass out brochures and spread the word about the "real" Easter. The Pastor, who will be decked out in her pastor attire, will tell the Muslim parents she can't do anything because its a public event for all.

The limb just broke...there is no proof and complete conjecture on your part...which has nothing to do with the story!!

 

[Fern]

Given that state shouldn't be doing anything with religion, I can see their point.

Seriously it's being held at a church after all.
-snip-

It's not a religious event.

It's not being held on Easter. It's not even being held on the same week as Easter.

It's being held on Saturday, not Sunday.

It's likely not being held inside the church, but on it's grounds/yard. (I imagine they'll go inside if they need to use the bathroom or get a drink of water.)

Church properties are often used for events that have nothing to do with religion, or the church itself. If the church approves of your event they will usually let you use their facility for free. That isn't easy to find.

It's not like merely seeing a church building will convert you into Christianity. People drive by or walk by churches every day. They are seen daily by all sorts of folks.

Fern

 

[JEDIYoda]

Church properties are often used for events that have nothing to do with religion, or the church itself. If the church approves of your event they will usually let you use their facility for free. That isn't easy to find.

if I might add...
I have sang in many churches that allowed us to use their facilities for free and they even allowed us to cover up anything that advertised the church or could be construed as religious......for some reason a lot of churches are very reasonable with other groups that use their facilities!!

 

[Fern]

-snip-

“It really bothered my two kids,” parent Majed Moughni told the Free Press. “My son was like, ‘Dad, I really don’t feel comfortable getting these flyers, telling me to go to church. I thought churches are not supposed to mix with schools.”

Solution: Don't take the flyer. (Or trash can it after seeing what it is.)

Noting that his kids had previously received something about a Halloween event at a church, he said he is worried that Christians are trying to convert Muslim kids through propaganda distributed at public schools.

He also has a problem with Halloween?

I suspect his real problem is with American culture. 'Frivolous' holidays do not make people religious or Christians.

Fern

 

[MongGrel]

The next flyer should invite them all to a pork dinner.

He he.

+1

 

[pauldun170]

I don`t see how you can construe an Easter Egg Hunt to have anything to do with religion.....


Students at three Dearborn elementary schools received the flyers.

The “Eggstravaganza!” is scheduled to take place on April 12 event at Cherry Hill Presbyterian Church in Dearborn.

The flyer urges students to RSVP “to secure your free spot,” note the Free Press. The associated imagery includes a festive bunny and some eggs.

The event will feature a traditional Easter egg hunt as well as an egg toss and a relay race.

“It really bothered my two kids,” parent Majed Moughni told the Free Press. “My son was like, ‘Dad, I really don’t feel comfortable getting these flyers, telling me to go to church. I thought churches are not supposed to mix with schools.”

Moughni added that he believes the flyers are “a serious violation of separation of church and state.” Noting that his kids had previously received something about a Halloween event at a church, he said he is worried that Christians are trying to convert Muslim kids through propaganda distributed at public schools.

The Muslim father of two kids, aged 9 and 7, said he would be equally opposed to the distribution of flyers about events at local mosques.

Pastor Neeta Nichols of Cherry Hill Presbyterian noted that the event has absolutely nothing to do with religion.

“It’s designed to be an opportunity to invite the community to come for a day of activity,” she told the Free Press. “There is not a religious component to this event.”


Easter eggs are a symbol many Christians use to celebrate the Christian holiday of Easter. In pagan religions, eggs represented fertility, birth and rebirth. More generally, they symbolize springtime. Kids typically tend to associate Easter eggs with candy and people in rabbit costumes.

For 136 years (as of next week), the president of the United States and his family have hosted the White House Easter Egg Roll. This year, the theme is “Hop into Healthy, Swing into Shape.” Over 30,000 people will convene on the South Lawn on Monday, April 21 for the festivities

I would question why this is being handed out at multiple schools as well. However, since I'm not Muslim or Atheist no one would give two craps about me saying something.

From what I've read, it was one parent who complained and based on the actual flyer I can understand why he said something. He is a lawyer and participates in community crap so he probably is accustomed to speaking his mind in public forum.

If he were Atheist or Buddhist or perhaps Catholic would this be as big a news story?

 

[Victorian Gray]

Outrage! Outrage! Outrage!

Bottom line, at this point it seems to be ONE parent that's complained. The information available online seems to indicate that it was just the one father who was interviewed that was upset.

Outrage! Outrage! Outrage!

 

[shortylickens]

When Mexico takes over I'll be interested to see how they deal with shit like this.

 

[boomerang]

I remember a time when something like this would be a complete and total non-issue that no one would even give a second thought to.

This country is fucked up and it's going to get worse before there is any hope of it getting better.

 

[ivwshane]

When Mexico takes over I'll be interested to see how they deal with shit like this.

Why would Mexico take over? If anything the US should take over Mexico. Can you imagine how many problems would be solved by us doing that?

 

[kage69]

they can fuck a goat for all i care. It's a tradition that has nothing to do with them

Reminds me of Southern Baptists in the Bible Belt around Halloween, wow do they hate that tradition!


The father has a perfectly valid point though. Get that church shit out of the public schools.

 

[MongGrel]

Reminds me of one of my Uncles that was a Baptist, used to come to Florida on vacation and we'd all get together and try to take him out to dinner, but we couldn't go to a decent restaurant because he wouldn't eat at any that served liquor.

He came over to my house due to my grandparents asking him to once for other reasons than advice, proceeded to ask me to pray with him to save my soul.

I politely declined.

The guy was a twit, more or less.

 

[Murloc]

I think the issue is that a church is organizing an activity and actively publicizing it at a public school. Laicists sometimes complain about stuff like this too.

Eggs and bunnies are laicized pagan stuff to celebrate christianized pagan easter so they're free not to have them around the house if they want to be fundamentalist, but I don't think that's the issue.

 

[TerryMathews]

I would question why this is being handed out at multiple schools as well. However, since I'm not Muslim or Atheist no one would give two craps about me saying something.

From what I've read, it was one parent who complained and based on the actual flyer I can understand why he said something. He is a lawyer and participates in community crap so he probably is accustomed to speaking his mind in public forum.

If he were Atheist or Buddhist or perhaps Catholic would this be as big a news story?

This isn't a separation issue unless the school is playing favorites and there is no evidence they are.

 

[brycejones]

I don't hate the Constitution. The father is being an idiot and that's the appropriate response.

STFU is never an appropriate response. Only a 14 year old troll would think it could even be.

 

[kage69]

This isn't a separation issue unless the school is playing favorites and there is no evidence they are.

I find your qualifier entirely without merit, and would like to see something in the way of an Extreme Eid 2014 or a Rosh Hashanah Rumble! being promulgated via public school staff endorsement/participation before I believe no favorites are being played here.

Keep it all out of public schools - if that bothers anyone then they are free to send their kids to a private school of whatever religious flavor they fancy.
This just sounds like another example of christians contradicting what they espouse to others. They are quite sensitive to exposure to other faiths, especially when it comes to their children, yet this advertising via the public school system doesn't strike me as a very appropriate analog of "do unto others..."


Also, like it or the easter egg has been a christian religious symbol for some time. This issue isn't dismissed by citing faux outrage over a bunny.

 

[kage69]

I think the issue is that a church is organizing an activity and actively publicizing it at a public school. Laicists sometimes complain about stuff like this too.

Eggs and bunnies are laicized pagan stuff to celebrate christianized pagan easter so they're free not to have them around the house if they want to be fundamentalist, but I don't think that's the issue.

According to what I have read the practice of decorating eggs is what the pagans did, usually for big events and funerals.

Later the easter egg tradition itself was created by christians who wanted to signify the blood of the jesus guy by staining the egg red, and then signify his popping back to life by the egg hatching.

I'm just not sure which messiah figure it was aimed at. The one they call jesus, or one of the earlier messiah figures who were all known for similar things at different times in different places. Confusing shit I tell you hwat.

 

[ivwshane]

After seeing some more info, I'd say the issue is that the event is held at a church. Sure the church could be a place that can be used and not promote a religion and sure an egg hunt, not on Easter could be seen as a non religious event but when you combine those two things, it kind of makes it a religious backed event.

Solution? Have an egg hunt at the school, promote healthy physical activity and healthy eating and add some cultural diversity and make it a positive, completely non religious event.

 

[Fern]

FFS people, many people, even in Detroit, go to a church building to vote.

http://www.detroitmi.gov/Portals/0/... Changes/Polling Location Change Nov 2011.pdf

And Easter egg hunts are secular.

Want to have the event held at a school? Good luck with that. They don't seem to like to loan out their facilities except for official school activities or voting.

It strikes me as a bit odd that a school merely allowing flyers about an egg hunt is wrong, and then suggest that the school itself should hold an Easter egg hunt and that would be OK.

Fern

 

[pauldun170]

After seeing some more info, I'd say the issue is that the event is held at a church. Sure the church could be a place that can be used and not promote a religion and sure an egg hunt, not on Easter could be seen as a non religious event but when you combine those two things, it kind of makes it a religious backed event.

Solution? Have an egg hunt at the school, promote healthy physical activity and healthy eating and add some cultural diversity and make it a positive, completely non religious event.

That would work.

The issue with the flyer is that its promoting that church. I could see this causing issue, usually among atheist crowd.

The news is pushing the Muslim angle pretty hard, but what it comes down to is that it is ONE parent complaining.

One single person. I'm more curious on how this has become national news.
I can only imagine if a flyer for Mosque sponsored event showed up at a school in a Christian neighborhood.
There would definitely be more than one guy complaining.