School Says No More Islam Is Of the Devil Shirts
An evangelical Florida church has been linked to a series of kids being sent home from school for wearing shirts that violate the dress code. On the back, the shirts read “Islam is Of the Devil.”
On the front, the shirts quote the Book of John and make reference to the Dove World Outreach Center, a church that has made part of its mission “To expose Islam for what it is. It is a violent and oppressive religion that is trying to mascarade itself as a religion of peace, seeking to deceive our society.”
They’re handing out signs with the same message to parishioners, adults who put them out in their yards. But it’s kids as young as ten who have been wearing the shirts and being promptly sent home by school officials. In response, the Gainesville Sun reports, parents are sending MORE kids to school with the same shirt.
That’s because the pastor says the message of the shirts is “more important than education.” Well – at least for some people – other members of the congregation say they haven’t decided whether they’ll let their kids wear the shirts because they realize the time spent being spent home is getting in the way of their kids’ education.
Generally, I’m in favor of free speech . . . even when it comes to something I vehemently disagree with. But as one of my colleagues said today, this is like screaming fire in a crowded theater. Rather than reflecting their own freedom of religion (the front of the shirts, the Bible quote, has actually been OK’d by school officials), the shirts are designed specifically to hurt other people’s feelings and infringe on their rights of freedom from religious persecution.
Purposely hurting someone’s feelings is still relatively protected out on the streets of America. But this is where the freedom of speech inside a school building meets the freedom to not be harrassed within a school building. Schools are, after all, save havens for most kids.
Allowing a kid to wear a pro-life tee might make some kids a little uncomfortable. Allowing kids to wear an “Islam is of the Devil” shirt is like spitting in their cornflakes. That needless antagonism doesn’t belong inside a school building (or, really anywhere else – but again, that’s freedom of speech).
If the Dove church wants to teach their kids something Biblical, how about starting with a little Jesus: turn the other cheek.
More on racism:
It’s like the pot calling the kettle black. UGH!
Given the number of Immans in the world calling me an ape or pig, calling for my death because of my religion, attacking my coreligionists, attacking Jewish places of worship and glorifying the end to Judaism, I really am unmoved.
Lisa: An eye for an eye leaves the whole world blind. Try following Jesus’ example every now and then.
You are telling a Jew to follow Jesus’ example because I am not really upset by t-shirts with the religious belief “Islam is of the Devil” on them . Do you not see the irony?
Or public school system teaches our kids things like “Respect the Creator” in their moral lessons. Great unless you’re an atheist.
Respect the creator? That’s not appropriate instruction.
What religion hasn’t been oppressive or violent at some point? If not to outsiders, to it’s own. Nonetheless, t-shirt and bumper sticker beliefs make me feel bitch-slappy.
And Imans calling for the deaths of infidels and Jews make you just shrug it off as another religion being oppressive. But G-d forbid those t-shirts.
If Imans are sending children to school with t-shirts that said Christianity is of the Devil or Judaism is of the Devil the school should send the kids home.
The fact that there are Imans in the world who call for the deaths of infidels and Jews is not a good argument for allowing American children to wear t-shirts saying Islam is of the devil. It is not good enough for American institutions to be slightly better than the most oppressive institutions in the world. American institutions should be striving to be the best they possibly can be and that includes making sure students are not wearing t-shirts insulting each other.
And your expectation for American Muslim institutions? Should they be allowed to continue to say that Jews tell nothing but lies, that Jews are the sons of apes and pigs, that Jews cna’t be trusted?
Should I really have to show my id to an armed guard at the JCC every time because Muslims preach hatred against Jews?
Lisa, you do not speak for all Jewish people, including myself. Please remove yourself from your soapbox, and show a little compassion. You may also wish to expand your horizons, since you appear to believe that all Muslims are Jew-haters (not true) and that following the example of Jesus is ironic. He was, if perhaps you are unaware, not only a teacher who preached tolerance, but also a Jew.
thanks, daria. it’s good to hear voices of reason. i’m jewish too, and my closest friend is muslim, and i generally think that jesus was a pretty fine fellow as far as religious figures are concerned. “us versus them” is just so exhaustingly stupid.
Thanks for making that point, Daria. What I find ironic is someone who so objects to having their background slandered has no problem slandering others’ backgrounds. But hey, religious hypocrisy ain’t nothing new either.
Correction. Should read “with the slander of others’” rather than “slandering.”
Daria.. I think it offensive to tell a Jew to follow Jesus. For someone to use pffensive religious speech to support what they see as offensive religious speech is ironic.
Of course all Muslims don’t hate Jews but there are Imans who preach jatred against Jews in the US; no one seems to give a damn
Lisa is a troll and I claim my $5
Wars, massive human slaughters, destruction of common heritage, are almost always based on religious interpretations. If you don’t believe me, go back and reread these postings.
The reason kids shouldn’t be allowed to wear shirts like this to school is because they are a distraction. Just as clothes that are too revealing should be agaisnt the rules, so should shirts that make shocking political or religious statements. Wear stuff like this on your own time, if you think you must. School is not the place for it.
So Amanda, can we then ban the hijab and burqa from schools?
Lisa, stop slandering Iman. She’s a real nice lady and has been married to David Bowie for years.
[...] t-shirts with its hateful message. The message has been overwhelmingly rejected by the community, including schools which some of the cult’s children [...]
Muslim and other kids in that school should wear shirts with a message of Love for all. If they do so they will show that they are true followers of Jesus whom they consider Prophet. Then Devil’s shirt will be defeated.
Comments
This is truly a sad situation..human have divided their selves beyond limits..all the so called religions preach more hate more violence and more devision.. why?? so much hate towards each other why can not people coexist with respect, love and a safer future for the new generations..instead of brainwashing them with hate T-shirts or preaching them to blow their selves in the name of religion?? what has world become?? I just watched this new movie that came out from bollywood.. My name is Khan..it shows a whole lot and expresses a lot about normal people.. highly recommend it to people who like to see only glass half empty..