The notoriously ever-interfering atheist organization; the Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF), has once again inserted themselves into local affairs. The organization who typically targets small communities and businesses who don’t have the financial ability to fight back recently went after a public high school in Searcy, Arkansas. After threats from the FFRF, the Searcy School District in North Central Arkansas ordered a high school choir teacher to remove biblical-themed signs and wall hangings that had been hanging on the walls of her classroom after a contingent of out-of-town atheists complained. The FFRF said the posters violated the U.S. Constitution and had to be removed. An official statement from the FRFF president Annie Lauire Gaylor said “Student chorus members of minority faiths and no religion must feel equally welcomed.” Choir teacher Tina Niederbrach had put up displays in the school’s choir room that highlighted messages from Scripture.

Supposedly Offensive Messages

A few of the supposedly offensive messages the FRFF claimed angered the visiting atheists were messages such as “Love binds us together in perfect harmony” (Col. 3:14), “Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord” (Eph. 5:19), and “As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God” (Ps. 42:1). Another display cited Jeremiah 29:11 as offering a message of hope to students stating, “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.” Shockingly, the teacher was also told to remove words from the gospel song “Take My Hand, Precious Lord.” The FFRF argued that teachers have a captive audience with students and cannot exercise any free speech regarding religion. The FFRF argues that Christian displays on public school property constitute illegal entanglements of government and religion and are a violation of the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment. Ashamedly, the Searcy school district complied with this demand. Sadly, these tactics are not unusual for the FFRF. The FFRF regularly pressures school districts and local government entities to adopt a strict adherence to the principle of separation of church and state and put an end to what the group considers to be violations of the law.

Relevant Bible Passages

While shocking, this disturbing news should not surprise us at all. The Bible clearly teaches that as the end times draws nearer people will turn to the teaching of demons.  1 Timothy 4:1 is frighteningly meaningful in light of contemporary society. “Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons” (1 Timothy 4:1). Moreover, the Bible warns that during the last days humanity would become “haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things” (Romans 1:30). Surely, forcing a teacher to remove posters that merely recite the words of the Bible – the greatest selling book of all time – would qualify the FFRF as “haters of God”! Sadly, we should expect this type of action to increase even more as this is predicted by Bible prophecy. During the Tribulation period Satan will deceive the whole world (Revelation 12:9) so it is not too far-fetched to believe he is already deceiving many in the world today. However, this should motivate believers to fight such satanic influence. After all, Jesus has promised that “the gates of hell shall not prevail” against His church (Matthew 16:18).

PRAY: Pray that other school districts would stand up to the efforts of the FFRF. Pray for Christians to stand together in support of those who fall victim to the attacks of the FFRF.