Christian Headlines Blog Christian Blog and Commentary

Get guidance on Bible study from C.S. Lewis - Free Course!

Alabama High School Marching Band Refuses to Stop Playing Christian Music

  • Veronica Neffinger

    Veronica Neffinger wrote her first poem at age seven and went on to study English in college, focusing on 18th century literature. When she is not listening to baseball games, enjoying the…

    More
  • Updated Oct 06, 2017

The Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF), an atheist organization, has filed a complaint against an Alabama high school, alleging that its marching band endorses religion, and specifically, Christianity.

According to TheBlaze.com, Leeds City Schools’ high school marching band reportedly performs during its halftime show to hymns such as “I Saw the Light,” “Swing Low Sweet Chariot,” “Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee,” and “Amazing Grace.”

The FFRF was also outraged that the marching band’s performances appear to resemble a church service, with church pews set up on the football field.

“Seeing the pews on the field with little crosses on them … was really more than them showing religious music,” Chris Line, an FFRF legal fellow, stated. “It was clearly meant to evoke a Christian worship service that you’ll see on Sunday in a church.”

“The band director’s actions are way over the line,” FFRF Co-President Annie Laurie Gaylor added. “In a secular setup, he cannot be permitted to foist his religion on others.”

Leeds City Schools Superintendent John J. Moore remained unintimidated by the FFRF’s complaint, however. “We have submitted the FFRF’s complaint to the [school] Board’s attorney for review,” said Moore. “We do not have plans to stop the show.”

 

Photo courtesy: Wikimedia Commons

Publication date: October 6, 2017