Staying on the topic of freedom of expression, Monday’s Roanoke Times features an article about Erik Estrada (of the 70s-80s TV series CHiPs) appearing at a local church to screen a movie he produced and stars in called “Uncommon.”
According to the film’s website:
Those who seek to indoctrinate our kids with the message that God is irrelevant and truth is subjective have had a monopoly for too long in our schools because the Supreme Court fabricated the idea that there is a wall of separation between church and state.
When the students of Rosewood High School lose their theater, music and dance departments due to budgets cuts, they create their own. Struggling to find the right script, music & choreography the students get advice from an uncommon source; the Bible! Each student becomes uniquely influenced as they discover that God takes them personally. Equipped with unique talents, they bond together to prepare the perfect production by exploring the diversity of parables taught in the Bible.
Fighting overwhelming challenges, the teens fight against political correctness to defend their privilege to worship, meet and perform.
Will months of constant bullying by the establishment defeat the production and dismantle their faith?
The trailer gives some idea of the movie’s unsubtle message:
As I understand it, the authorities at the fictional state-funded school (probably attended by at least a few non-Christian and non-believing students) are being condemned by the filmmakers for enforcing the “fabricated” idea that there is a wall of separation between church and state.
(If you want to blame anyone for “fabricating” it, don’t blame liberal Supreme Court justices; blame that heathen Thomas Jefferson and his notorious 1802 letter to the Danbury Baptists.)
How about condemning the budget cutters (and ultimately the larger community, probably including some Christians) for depriving the students of their theater, music and dance departments?
Nope. Can’t do that. The point is to portray intolerant secular school officials suppressing free expression by Christian students– who, of course, would be free to express themselves however they please during the large portion of the week when they are not at school.
The film is a creation of an organization called Liberty Counsel. This is just one of their many projects (it needs to be updated). Liberty Counsel also seeks to prevent states and localities from banning “change therapy.”
