Our Threatened Freedom

When is it Illegal to Sing in Church

Professor: Dr. R.J. Rushdoony

Subject: Political Studies

Lesson: 104-169

Genre: Conversation

Track: 104

Dictation Name: Vol. H - Part 13 - When is it Illegal to Sing in Church

Location/Venue: Unknown

Year: 1980’s – 1990’s

[Dr. Rushdoony] When is it illegal to sing in church? This is R.J. Rushdoony with a report on our threatened freedom.

In 1981, a public high school in a mid-western state had to stop scheduling appearances by the school chorus in religious institutions. The school board was threatened with court action unless it put a stop to all such concerts. The school board, given the hostility of the court to all such things, indicated that it would comply with the demand, and no more concerts would be held in churches or synagogues.

One of the problems for music directors in high schools is finding an audience for their chorus. All year long the students learn and rehearse, but the singing opportunities are few. One of the best incentives to the student however, is an appearance before a group of adults. In many areas churches have provided an excellent opportunity. Each year churches have a number of mid-week activities such as a mother and daughter banquet, a father and son dinner, a harvest festival, and so on. These occasions have kept many a high school chorus both busy and happy, and they have been excellent means of public relations. Now, they are forbidden.

Now in the name of the First Amendment, they are forbidden, but why? How do they violate the First Amendment? The First Amendment has 2 aspects.

First, it stipulates that there can be no establishment of any particular religious organization. Establishment, historically, has meant that the state finances and governs a particular church. How did this choir appearance constitute an establishment? The main beneficiary has always been the high school chorus, in giving them an audience.

Second, the First Amendment bars the civil authorities from infringing on the free exercise of religion. Now how can anyone say that a high school chorus singing at a church’s harvest festival has somehow prevented the free exercise of religion?

This however is the kind of law we are getting.

Is it any wonder that all our First Amendment guarantees are steadily being diminished by reinterpretation?

The high school choruses lost a major audience because of this step. However, all of us became the losers, because the law was used to achieve unreasonable ends and to further the demolition of law and society. Legal irrationality is increasingly the order of the day, and a major force for irrationality and disorder in life.

This has been R.J. Rushdoony with a report on our threatened freedom.