242 Comments

I suspect the people who see this as a good thing, would be going out of their minds at the mere suggestion a non-Christian organization be allowed to stage such an event. As a Vietnam veteran, I go out of my way to avoid any and all flag-waving situations. Mixing religion and government is the same terrible idea it has always been.

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I proudly served. I remember my oath to defend the constitution. I never forswore that oath. This kind of jingoistic faux patriotism and religious right pandering pisses me off.

They excoriate immigrants, forgetting that they are the children of immigrants.

They claim to love religious freedom while demonizing and oppressing anyone who does not share their religion.

They claim to support American values while denying the right to exist for a significant percentage of Americans.

They are not patriots. They are Nationalists. A true patriot loves their country enough to see its flaws and genuinely wants to work towards making it better for all.

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Once again, you have religious fundamentalists, whether they're Christian or Mormon hardly matters, using an event such as this to proselytize and indoctrinate children by immersion. If the FFRF is pissed at such an action, I personally can hardly be surprised. Whether Barker and Gaylor & Co. can put a stop to this misguided convocation or not, I don't know.

But their disapproval and that of those parents and children who value the separation of State and Church should and must be registered.

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Yeah, I expect this kind of thing has been going on in the Utah suburbs for ages. Mormonism is so ingrained that I bet a lot of people didn't even notice the not just Christian but in the Mormon style prayer.

"Who thought this (white kid in "asian" outfit) was a good idea?"

Wildly out of touch people. People so far in their bubble that it is likely confusing to them that inter-racial cosplay isn't ok anymore. Salt of the earth....

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“We’re so grateful for our nation, for this great United States of America, the only nation founded on the principles of religious freedom, and the rights of each of us as given by Thee.”

They’re grateful of being in the nation that grants religious freedom while they stomp all over the religious freedoms of a good number of the students. This ignorance of what religious freedom means is an excellent reason these people need to be far away from the education of our youth. Even if we assume ignorance, they are not remotely qualified to teach children, the ignorance rises to the level of malice makes it even more egregious they are involved at all.

The racism is just another mail in the coffin for their qualifications to educate.

Most likely this is intentional however, the nationalism mixed with Christian or Mormon superiority is intended to build up the Christian nationalism of too many religious groups. Too bad they can’t to the fighting over which sect gets to be in charge before they attempt to take over the country. They wouldn’t be able to do half of what they are trying, hopefully they won’t get what they want.

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It started in 1995, it's now an established tradition and FFRF has no say s/

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Fapping for Jeebus in public and calling it "patriotic."

Well, May IS National Masturbation Month.

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I've read the Bible.

Jehovah is NOT a big fan of religious freedom. Jehovah really hated it when people exercised their religious freedom to worship other gods than him.

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Their flag is out of proportion. There aren't enough stars, and the bottom left and right edges look ragged.

If you're going to have gold fringe, it should go all the way around and not just the sides.

Come on mormons, do better.

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Boys wearing skirts?! GROOMING!!!!!!! We must put an end to this gay agenda, this woke ideology, this transgender brainwashing!!!! Send your thoughts and prayers to Baby Jesus now, before the fire and brimstone start falling!

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I live in a notch (not the buckle) of the bible belt. This would never happen here. Not because of the God and country shit of course, but because it of the Mormon angle. In my city there is a Southern Baptist Church (I know, how shocking in Arkansas) right next to the LDS meeting house. Every year they post on their overly visible sign, "Pray for our missionaries in Provo."

They may rule the roost in Utah, but here in the MidSouth they are considered lost souls to be evangelized!

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"The reality is we have a sharp partisan divide in this country. And that divide is largely over reality. "

~ Dan Rather.

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Looks a bit like a Nuremberg rally.

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Okay... now imagine if all of the parents of all of those kids "volunteered" them to do a youth Pride parade instead of this bit of fascist frippery.

I don't think I need to paint the picture for you, do I?

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A man who had 56 wives (and 57 children!) is not someone with moral character and not a role model for anybody. To name a university after such a loser is a disgrace in itself. To secretly pawn the slime of this cult under a fake banner of patriotism is beyond low.

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