Missouri measures endorse Christianity

Continued from main page, "Christian Fundamentalist Attacks
on the Separation of Church and State" (Go back)

A measure introduced in the Missouri legislature states that "religious displays on public property, and the recognition of a Christian God are not a coalition of church and state."

Jewish Women Lobby the Missouri Legislature on Church-State Issues

by JewsOnFirst.org, May 4, 2006

Forty-five Jewish activists from St. Louis traveled to Jefferson City on May 2nd to express concern to members of the Missouri legislature about a number of measures that threaten religion-state separation. Led by the National Council of Jewish Women (NCJW)-St. Louis Section, Hadassah, St. Louis Chapter, and the Advocacy Coalition of the Jewish Community Relations Council, the group met with legislators of both parties. Continue

Jewish groups make voices heard

By Keren Douek, St. Louis Light, May 19, 2006

In a joint effort to make the voice of the Jewish community heard, Hadassah, the Jewish Community Relations Council and the National Council of Jewish Women, joined by members of the Anti-Defamation League, the American Jewish Congress, the American Jewish Committee, Older Adult Community Action Program, Jewish Family and Children's Services and individual members of the Jewish community joined together for a Community Speak Out Advocacy Day in Jefferson City on May 2, several weeks before the closing of the Missouri legislative session.

While the organizations brought forth many different issues for consideration, and many attendees came armed with their own issues to lobby for, most fell under the banner of advocating for a separation of religion and state. Continue

Groups join to protect rights

BY Kit Wagar, St. Louis Jewish Light, April 28, 2006

As legislation with a fundamentalist Christian bent flooded the Missouri legislature this year, Jewish women in St. Louis took notice.

From endorsing Bible courses in school to encouraging prayer in public places to restrictions on stem cell research, proposals that threatened the separation of government and religion seemed to gain momentum every week.

The final straw was a resolution asserting that the United States was founded as a "Christian nation" and calling on elected officials to "protect the majority's right to express their religious beliefs."

While even many Christian groups expressed outrage, members of Hadassah, the National Council of Jewish Women and the Jewish Community Relations Council decided more direct action was needed. Continue

Joplin Jewish leaders voice concern about "Christian God" resolution

by JewsOnFirst, March 22, 2006

Legislators sponsoring a measure that recognizes a "Christian God" say it is just a resolution without the force of law. But two Jewish leaders in the small southern Missouri city of Joplin do not take it lightly. Read our interviews with attorney Bill Fleischaker and Prof. Paul Teverow. Click here

Religion growing theme in politics

Critics call move political ploy in election year

By Sadie Gurman, The Joplin Globe Capitol, March 15, 2006

"Supporters of the legislation say drawing attention to what they see as the country's Christian roots and religious past should help people better understand and appreciate the religious freedoms they have. Some Christian groups say such moves will help curb what they see as an assault on Christian values.

"St. Clair and other critics say the move is a political ploy in an election year, intended to appeal to voters who often use faith as a litmus test for political values." Click here to read the report

Proposed House resolution on religion irks some here

By Tim Townsend and Matt Franck, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, March 3, 2006

A resolution introduced in the Missouri state legislature supports prayer in public schools and recognizes a "Christian God." Click here to read the report.

The text of the "Christian God" resolution

The resolution's operative text reads: "we stand with the majority of our constituents and exercise the common sense that voluntary prayer in public schools and religious displays on public property are not a coalition of church and state, but rather the justified recognition of the positive role that Christianity has played in this great nation of ours, the United States of America." (Click here to go to the legislature's page for the bill.)

Missouri legislative resolution combines teaching "Judeo-Christian" history and patriotism

A second resolution before legislature supports "every effort to educate Missouri students, at all levels, about the Judeo/Christian Heritage of our State and Nation along with the patriotism of our founding fathers, without censorship of content-based historical religious or sectarian references" and to give "students an opportunity to daily renew their oath to their country under God and honor those whose courage, sacrifice, and patriotic valor have made our country free..." Click here for the full text and other details about the measure from the legislature's website.