Interesting Test Case Struck Down In Federal Court And No Word On It Since Then

 




This interesting case, reported by Harbinger’s Daily, was unfortunately struck down in a federal court.  The case was brought before a court by Christian parents in Indiana claiming that promoting evolution in schools was a violation of the so-called separation of Church and state, claiming that the teaching of evolution in the public school system was promoting or favoring the religion of atheism above theistic faiths, Christianity in particular. [1] 
 
Nothing has been heard concerning this case since it was struck down by the federal court involved in 2024 but just as the 1925 John Scopes was a test case against the then Tennessee Butler Act which forbade the teaching of biological evolution, so this case could also be considered a test case against the teaching of evolution in the classroom but on the premise that evolution is a tenet of atheism and that atheism is a religion.
 
But if the case is appealed all the way to the US Supreme Court, we cannot hope or expect the teaching of evolution to be judicially prohibited entirely, but the most we can hope for is for the courts to uphold the right of Young Earth Creationism to be taught alongside evolution in an objective fashion in the classroom, as the teaching of Creationism and even Intelligent Design have both been academically and judicially suppressed in public schools, colleges, and universities because they promote religion and violate the so-called separation of church and state which is not found anywhere in our Constitution and it also needs to be made clear that the Constitution does not forbid the promotion of religion in the classroom. It only forbids legislators from making laws that favor one religion above another.
 
But in order for an effective case to be made that atheistic religion is being favored over that of theistic religion, the case for atheism itself being a religion would have to be made which means “religion” itself would have to be define and what would have to be established is what constitutes a religion.
 
Religion is often defined as a belief system that centers on the worship of a deity or deities and consisting of moral codes, tenets, and revelation divinely imparted and which credits the origin of life to a divine; all of which adherents and practitioners of any given theistic religion take on faith.
 
But few would ever think that atheism, in and of itself could ever be defined as a religion; a philosophy to be sure, but most would never consider atheism to qualify as a religion because it denies the existence of the supernatural and divine.
 
Atheists believe that life arose simply by chance and random processes; evolution being the philosophy that they rely on to explain the means by which the universe came into existence which they claim is supported by science and look to science to explain not only our origins but also to explain attributes and concepts unique only to mankind and which set him apart from the animals such as truth, justice, morality, mercy, compassion, empathy, kindness, altruism, love, and self-sacrifice, a desire for purpose, meaning, and significance in life, and even the origin of various different religious and philosophical systems because they regard the intangible to be just as much of a product of biology as that which material, but whether they are willing to admit this or not, atheists take just as much on faith that all life came about by chance and randomness over a period of time as the theist does that all life was an act of the divine.
 
The atheist was never there to observe the origins of the universe and neither has evolution, as he believes it to be been observed or repeated but he takes the theory of evolution on faith and has full faith and trust in the claims, hypotheses, and theories proposed by the professing credentialed scientists in whom he has placed his trust, trusting that their professed studies and observations of nature are being presented in an honest, fair, and objective fashion.
 
Likewise, the origins of life as described in accounts like the Genesis account of origins and creation has never been observed nor can it be repeated but the theist takes it the account of the origins of life as has been imparted to him on faith as he has full faith that the writers of the respective sacred text that he believes in were under divine guidance and were prevented from erring in matters of truth and fact. 
 
But the question is a matter of which faith best fits the facts and that is what is debated, but what both atheistic and theistic religions do share in common with one another is that both are taken on some measure of faith and faith in things that neither on either side of the debate have ever seen nor have been able to replicate; no one has ever witnessed a man evolve from single-celled organism but in all fairness, no one has ever seen anything be formed out of nothingness either and as an article from Answers In Genesis rightfully pointed out, religion can be defined as “a cause, principle, or system of beliefs held to with ardor and faith” [2]
 
And if a solid case could be made for atheism being as much of a religion as any form of theism, then atheists would be stripped of all judicial recourse of suppressing the teaching or presentation of creationism and intelligent design in government funded schools.
 
Both atheists and theists hold to their respective worldviews with ardor and faith and both are dedicated to advancing their own respective causes and which clash and war with one another on virtually every front as it is reflective of an age-long warfare that is not intellectual, academic, or even political in nature, but one that is of a spiritual nature and it has been one that has been raging since before the creation of the world itself and it is a warfare that has its origins in the Kingdom of Heaven when a certain angel called Lucifer who served as a covering cherub at the throne of God thought to make himself equal with God and as a consequence, he and the angels who sided with him were cast from their places in Heaven (Is. 14:11-21, Ezek. 28:12-19) and after being cast from their places in Heaven, Satan then crept into a newly created world in which there was no evil, no death, and no suffering but was a world that God intended to be a world of life, light, peace, harmony, joy, happiness, and contentment, and in which there existed a perfect harmony between God, man, and nature until that harmony was disrupted when Satan, in the form of a serpent led mankind into committing a fateful transgression that would turn the world into the once good and beautiful place that God had created it to be into the presently fallen, corrupt, and dying condition that it is in now and that transgression of such astronomical consequence beyond comprehension had to do with a fruit from a certain tree called the tree of the knowledge of good and evil; mankind being warned of God that in the day that they ate the fruit thereof, they would surely die (Gen. 2:16-17, 3:3) but with false assurances and empty promises, Satan caused the first man Adam whom God had created and the first woman Eve, being Adam’s wife, to eat of that forbidden fruit (Gen. 3:4-5) and instead of receiving the greatness that they were promised, they were reduced to an inferior state (Gen. 3:7 and just as they had been warned of God, the sentence of death was placed upon them (Gen. 3:19) for it was in that day when Adam and Eve ate of that forbidden fruit that sin entered into them and from them, the sin which entered into them and brought about their eventual deaths, was also passed down to all of mankind for all of us are descendants of that first man and that first woman and because we are their descendants, we have also inherited the sin that entered into them (Rom. 5:12) and because of that sin which we have inherited, we all sin in some form or fashion and as a consequence we all die for as it is written, the wages of sin is death (Rom. 6:23) but sin is not merely confined to outward behavior or performance or even the words we speak, but it is rather the inherent inward corruption of our very nature defiling our thoughts, hardening and darkening our hearts, and corrupting our very motives which is why it is written that we are not defiled from that which comes from without, but that which comes from within (Mt. 15:11, 18-20) and which is why it is written that all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Rom. 3:23) which demands of us nothing less than moral perfection and not just in our outward acts but also in our inward as well which is why it is impossible by our own efforts and our own goodness to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, for sin taints, corrupts, defiles, twists, and distorts more than we can comprehend and the effects of sin are not merely confined to mankind, but all of creation is subjected to a curse because of sin which is why it is written that the entire creation groans and travails in pain to this day (Rom. 8:19-22) but not only that, the transgression that Satan led Adam and Eve into committing made him justified in claiming lordship over all the nations, kingdoms, and empires of the earth, (Mt. 4:8-9, Lk. 4:6-7) which is why he is called the prince of this world (Jn. 12:31, 16:11)
 
By that transgression which, Satan, by a lie, led Adam and Eve to commit, did darkness and evil come into the world by which all of creation was subjected to the unprecedented and unimagined tyranny of sin and death which would be followed by a multitude of other oppressions and tyrannies which would be built upon a multitude of lies that would follow that very lie that brought about that fateful transgression which brought sin, death, evil, and darkness into the world and which made Satan the father of lies (Jn. 8:44) and by that lie, he is also a murderer (v. 44) for it was by that first lie, that sin and death came into the world through the first two people into whom it had entered and then was passed down from them to the rest of mankind, subjugating all of humanity to the sin which brings eventual death to all who are born into this world; the effects of both not confining themselves to humanity, but also subjugating all of creation to a slow and painful destruction thus making Satan a destroyer (Jn. 10:10) and not only does the lie by which he deceived Adam and Eve into eating the very fruit by which sin and death came into the world and infected all of creation make Satan into a murderer and destroyer, but he is also a thief and usurper for by way of the transgression was the dominion over the earth initially given to Adam (Gen. 1:26) diminished by way of Satan claiming lordship over the nations and kingdoms of the earth but not only is Satan a destroyer of lives and of creation, he is also a destroyer of souls for by way of the lie which brought about the transgression which brought sin and death into the world and which subjugated all of creation to pain, misery, and suffering that would have otherwise not been, a separation and estrangement stands in between God and man and it is because of the sin into which we are born that we are estranged from our Creator with whom there would otherwise be a perfect and uninterrupted harmony and fellowship, for that which is in sin cannot be allowed into His direct presence or into His Kingdom lest Heaven itself be defiled just as the earth has been defiled and a day is coming when sin will reach its full measure and will have to face eventual judgment and that includes all who remain in their sin and they who remain in their sins have nothing to look forward to but a terrifying and everlasting punishment in the never-ending torments and darkness of Hell and it was in the day that sin and death had entered into mankind and into the world that the age-long war between God and Satan became a war for the souls of men to this day and that war for the souls of men has resulted in a multitude of other wars and conflicts that have taken place throughout our history but there is good news.
 
And the good news is, is that though the Lord God Almighty be holy and perfect and though He be a God who must, in His holiness, goodness, and righteousness, eventually punish all evil and all wickedness, He is also a God of unmeasurable love and mercy who is not willing that any should perish in their sins and face eternal damnation, (2 Pet. 3:9) but that all would come to repentance, and therefore has done for us what we could never do for ourselves in that He, in His graciousness has purchased redemption on our behalf in Christ Jesus, His only begotten Son, (Jn. 3:16) who came to us in the flesh, (Jn. 1:14) and being without any sin (2 Cor. 5:21) was made that perfect sacrifice (Heb. 7:26-27) that was needed to take away the sins of the world and because of His perfect goodness, He was able to offer Himself up on our behalf to satisfy the demanded penalty for all sin and granting mercy and grace through the shedding of His blood on the cross and after having died, rose again from the dead three days later that we might be justified in Him (Rom. 4:25) if we will but call upon His name so that we might be saved from what would otherwise be a terrifying everlasting punishment if we will but call upon His name (Rom. 10:9, 13) and believe in our hearts that God raised Him from the dead (Rom. 10:9) for it is by calling upon His name in sincere repentance that salvation is granted and our souls made clean from sin thereby liberating us from the threat of eternal damnation and with that cleansing comes a new spiritual transformation (2 Cor. 5:17) that causes us to no longer desire to follow after selfish and worldly pursuits but after those things that pertain to the Kingdom of Heaven,
to no longer take pleasure in those things that are evil and displeasing in the sight of the Lord, but in that which is good, right, and pleasing in His sight,
to no longer desire to walk in the lies of this present world, but only in the truth that comes from Christ Almighty who is the source of all truth, (Jn. 14:6)
no longer placing our hopes in the things of this present world, but looking forward to that new and better world to come, (Rev. 21-22)
to no longer rely on worldly resources, men, or even our own power, abilities, skills, and wisdom for our needs and provision but upon God who is able to meet all of our needs, recognizing that the resources of this world and even the people He brings into our lives are but instruments and vessels through which God meets our needs and that the skills, power, knowledge, and wisdom by which we might acquire our provision are provided and instilled in us by God, (Mt. 6:25-33)
to no longer fear what men can do to us, but rather fearing the God before whom we will have to one day give an account for how we lived our lives, (Mt. 10:28)
to no longer look to corruptible institutions within our society for direction and order in our lives but to God who, by His written Word has given us laws and precepts to be applied to our lives and which serve to produce and maintain an ordered life, and who, by His Holy Spirit which comes to dwell within us upon repentance, establishes in our lives a course and direction in our lives to pursue for His glory,
to no longer seek our own glory but the glory of God,
to no longer rally behind corruptible men, but instead behind the incorruptible God in Heaven bearing in mind that those men and women God raises up for our edification are but instruments and servants of His for that respective purpose to which He has called them,
to no longer seek to align ourselves with the things of darkness but only with the things of the light,
to no longer trust in the wisdom of the world but only on the wisdom and knowledge that comes from above, (Jas. 1:5) nor depend on corruptible earthly authorities to swiftly administer justice, but only in the power of God to deliver us from evil.
 
And it is this new inward transformation that reconciles us to our Creator (2 Cor. 5:18) from whom we had once been estranged and just as our souls are cleansed from sin and our spirits regenerated in Christ Jesus thereby liberating us from the eternal tormenting punishment that must come upon all who remain in their sins, so one day we look forward to the liberation of our bodies from death itself when our mortal and corruptible forms are transformed into that which is immortal and incorruptible and from that which is imperfect to that which is perfect (1 Cor. 15:51-55, 1 Thess. 4:13-18) and lastly, creation itself will be delivered from the curse placed upon it because of sin when it is made into a new and better world (Rev. 21-22) and liberated from the hand of our adversary Satan, who presently claims dominion, when he is given his final sentence and cast into an everlasting tormenting fire prepared for him and his followers (Mt. 25:41, Rev. 20:10-15) and in that new world which will be made, there will be no sin, no death, no decay, nor any curse, nor any evil, or violence, suffering, misery, grief, sorrow, mourning, pain, or hardship of any sort for all of these will pass away with this present world.  Instead, there will only be light, life, happiness, joy, contentment, peace, and rest before the Lord God Almighty.
 
But until then, each and every one us has a choice to make:
 
 
 
Life or death
Good or evil
Light or darkness
Truth or falsehood
Wisdom or foolishness
Holiness or sinfulness
Purity or corruption
Righteousness or unrighteousness
Order or chaos
Liberty or oppression
Angels or demons
God or Satan
Heaven or Hell
Salvation or damnation
 
 
 
What do you reader choose? If you have not done so already and choose redemption, love, mercy, and forgiveness and salvation, and to be on the side of life, light, liberty, and all that is good and right, that I would urge you to call upon the name of the Lord Jesus for the forgiveness of sins so that you may be made a member of His everlasting empire of liberty and a perfect liberty at that and also a citizen of the Heavenly Kingdom which will be joined to that that new and better world that is to come.  It is but a sincere prayer of repentance away:
 
 
 
"Lord Jesus I need you.
 
 
I realize that I am a sinner
who has fallen short of the glory of God
and that my goodness falls short
of your standard of Moral perfection.
 
Please forgive me of all of my sins.
Come into my heart and into my life
to be the Savior and Lord of my life.
Make me into the servant and follower
that you want me to be.
In your name Lord Jesus, I pray.
 
 
Amen."
 
 
Know that God is not concerned with the words that you use to call upon Him forgiveness, but with the attitude of your heart and if you have, with all sincerity, have asked Christ to forgive you of your sins, placing your trust in Him only for your salvation and in nothing else, then your sins are forgiven and your place in Heaven is certain.
 
 
 
End notes:
 
 
 
1.  Ken Ham, “Promoting Atheism in the Classroom: Federal Court Rules That ‘Evolution Is Not A Religious Concept.’” Harbinger’s Daily, September 20, 2024
https://harbingersdaily.com/promoting-atheism-in-the-classroom-federal-court-rules-that-evolution-is-not-a-religious-concept/
 
2.  Troy Lacey and Ken Ham, “Atheism Is Religion,” Answers In Genesis, August 9, 2016
https://answersingenesis.org/world-religions/atheism/atheism-religion/
 
 
 
Scripture references:
 
 
 
1.  Isaiah 14:11-21, Ezekiel 28:12-19
 
2.  Genesis 2:16-17
 
3.  Genesis 3:3
 
4.  Genesis 3:4-5
 
5.  Genesis 3:7
 
6.  Genesis 3:19
 
7.  Romans 5:12
 
8.  Romans 6:23
 
9.  Matthew 15:11, 18-20
 
10.  Romans 3:23
 
11.  Romans 8:19-22
 
12.  Matthew 4:8-9
 
13.  Luke 4:6-7
 
14.  John 12:31
 
15.  John 16:11
 
16.  John 8:44
 
17.  John 10:10
 
18.  Genesis 1:26
 
19. 2 Peter 3:9
 
20.  John 3:16
 
21.  John 1:14
 
22.  2 Corinthians 5:21
 
23.  Hebrews 7:26-27
 
24.  Romans 4:25
 
25.  Romans 10:9, 13
 
26.  2 Corinthians 5:17
 
27.  John 14:6
 
28.  Revelation 21-22
 
29.  Matthew 6:25-33
 
30.  Matthew 10:28
 
31.  James 1:5
 
32.  2 Corinthians 5:18
 
33.  1 Corinthians 15:51-55, 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
 
34.  Matthew 25:41, Revelation 20:10-15

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