Captive audiences and hellfire sermons: A bad combination

June 2, 2007

Guest Post by Morbo

It’s that time of year again — time for rude, obnoxious, fanatical teenagers to exploit a captive audience by spending 20 minutes sermonizing for Jesus. Yes, it’s high school graduation time.

In Duval County, Fla., valedictorian Shannon Spaulding of Wolfson High School in Jacksonville decided to spend her time at the microphone offering something that would have sounded great coming from a church pulpit on Sunday morning.

ABC News reported that Spaulding “quoted the Bible and spoke about Jesus Christ, suggesting that those who didn’t believe would go to hell.” She told the crowd:

“I want to tell you that Jesus Christ can give you eternal life in heaven. If we die with that sin on our souls, we will immediately be pulled down to hell to pay the eternal price for our sins ourselves.”

Some people were not pleased with the sermon, and school officials apologized. Said Superintendent Joseph Wise in a statement, “On behalf of the Duval County Public Schools and Wolfson High School, I deeply regret that the student exercised her time in her valedictorian speech in a manner that was offensive and insensitive to some. I applaud the principal, faculty, staff and graduates in their efforts to quickly return the ceremony to its intended and dignified purposes as soon as the speech was completed.”

Still clueless, Spaulding responded, “I guess I don’t totally understand why it’s such a big deal.”

Matters like this often end up in court. In 1992, the Supreme Court struck down school-sponsored, clergy-led prayers and worship during public school graduation ceremonies. In 2000, the high court struck down allegedly “student-led” prayer over loudspeakers before public school football games. Spaulding’s case is tougher because her sermon was not some attempt by the school to get around the Supreme Court’s rulings. Indeed, the school did not in any way sponsor or approve of her message. It may be protected speech, but that doesn’t mean it was appropriate for this audience.

This issue should have less to do with the Constitution and more to do with common courtesy. When you’ve been asked to address an audience consisting of people of many different religions and philosophies on a topic that should have nothing to do with religion, simple decency should tell you that a hellfire sermon is inappropriate. (As would a rant about the virtues of atheism.) Save it for Sunday morning.

Spaulding was valedictorian, which means she got good grades and is regarded as bright. That’s nice. Her parents should be proud of that. They should be ashamed, however, at her lack of manners and inability to understand common social decencies.

Morbo, I’m sure her parents and friends are quite proud of her and are telling her every waking moment what a wonderful thing she has done. She will no doubt go on to Regent University, Regent Law School, and get a high-level position in the Justice Department. She has all the qualifications that are needed (they will disregard the valedictorian part – the sun shines on a dog’s ass sometimes, right?)

  • Frankly, I don’t really see the big deal either. Valedictorian’s give speechs, it is an opportunity they earn. This is not a persistant, school sponsored event, but a single incident of individual free speech.

    Had she used the opportunity to raise awareness about, say, global warming, some folks would have applauded, some would have considered her rude. But I say, so what? Rather I agree with them or not I would rather that people given an opporutnity speak use that time for something they care about, not empty rhetoric.

    Morbo, on the other hand, seems to only have the capacity to tolerate ‘free speech’ when it is in lock step with his world view. Otherwise, he attacks. Oprah is ‘evil’, some high school girl (who just happens to have outperformed him academically) is deemed rude and socially graceless – despite having not actually seen the presentation…

    Undoubtedly, anyone who tables the banal at a social gathering for something they really believe in – like ranting about Dafur while receiving a reward, is going to offend some people. But it is important to acknowledge, particularly while civil liberties are under near constant attack, that if you only bring up ‘free speech’ when you agree with what was said – you are full of shit if you say you truly believe in the principle.

    -jjf

  • ” I was present at this graduation and I must say it was one of the most offensive and ridiculous speeches I have ever heard. People clapped 3 times during her speech so that she would stop, not in support of her. A young woman in a Muslim headdress made her way out of the arena because she was offended. The graduates were angry because she ruined their graduation and they were offended because they are not all believers. I was hushed by two of my friends from creating a scene but continually spoke up during her speech that she should have not been allowed to give such a speech. I am saddened that the superintendent stood by and watch not once interrupting this crazy speech. I am fine with people and their love and devotion to their religion, but I should never have to sit and listen to someone continually tell me and others that we are wrong and the Shannon Spaulding knows the best religion. By the end of her speech people were laughing because they had no other way to deal with her remarks. This should never happen at any graduation, a quick thank you to god or jesus is fine but a 17 minute speech denouncing all other religions because jesus is the only one who got out of his grave (which is what she said) and continuously quoting the bible and telling everyone that they were going to hell unless they believed what she believed is ludicrous.”

    I pasted a comment from the ABC comment board from someone – allegedly – at the graduation ceremony. Pretty strong words, condemming both the speaker and the administration officials who allowed her to continue her incredibly offensive speech.

    Another report I saw said there are many Muslims who attend the school. I would also assume there are Jews and other “non-believers” who attend, too.

    I wonder if the speaker is going to Regency or Liberty University and will, one day, wind up in a future Republican administration? Yuck.

  • Something way back in my neanderthal brain is telling me that someone expressing their views on global warming and the potential effects it might have on on the earth, or expressing their views on Darfur due to actual killing and suffering going on there in a plea to try and get more people to act on the issue, is just a really teensy little bit different than someone coming out and telling a large part of the people sitting there at the graduation (who are there to celebrate their children’s accomplishments in getting through this first stage–and possibly only stage–of education, with the emphasis on education and possibly taking the next great step into their futures and careers) that they are going to rot in the eternal fires of hell. I think that might be the problem. It is truly offensive to what can be very personal held beliefs of many of those in attendance, who very well may be the best citizens anywhere, being told that if they simply do not accept JC as their savior they will burn forever in hell.

    Now, had she spent a couple minutes to say something where she thanked JC for helping her get through high school, achieve academic success, and simply ask the folks in the crowd to consider going out into the world into professions that include JC or are based upon JC’s beliefs because the world needs such people in such professions to try and help ease the suffering of our fellow man, I would think that that might be a little less offensive, and much more in line with what topics should be at high school graduation.

  • #2 – If the student earned the opportunity to exercise her free speech, would you feel differently if that student spent that 10 minutes calling George W. Bush a war crimminal? Or, would you think it was the wrong forum? Or, is criticizing the beloved (at least by 28% of Americans) president during a time of war different?

  • Freedom of speech is freedom of speech. Unless you can show that Christianity is a form of hate speech, you pretty much have to go along with it.

    This young woman, though, basically accomplished the opposite of what she intended. Instead of galvanizing the audience in support of her personal savior, she alienated a large part of her audience and inspired her fellow students to reject her religion.

  • What an assmunch. A graduation speech isn’t a time to talk about Jesus or global warming; it’s a time to spout some meaningless platitudes and – most importantly – to fucking keep it short.

    And this isn’t at all about freedom of speech; a graduation speech isn’t an open forum to talk about whatever, it’s a time to talk about graduation. Briefly.

    If ya wanna throw something quickly in there about any of the aforementioned subjects, one probably has the latitude to do so, but a lecture or sermon is tacky, and has nothing to do with free speech.

  • Still clueless, Spaulding responded, “I guess I don’t totally understand why it’s such a big deal.”

    Based on this response, I’d say the standard for being valedictorian at this person’s high school is sadly, shamefully low.

    Here’s the thing: if I was the valedictory speaker at this young woman’s graduation and I had said the following –

    For years arrogant Christian missionaries and proselytizers of all stripes had absolutely no problem inserting themselves unbidden into non-Christian cultures around the damn world. They would open the holy books of these peoples and say to them, ‘your holy scriptures are false and contain nothing but mythology. Contrary to what you believe, the correct number of gods is one and the number of true faiths is likewise one.’ In my view it’s high time we confront these arrogant Christianist interlopers and say unequivocally, ‘your Bible has no value and contains nothing except mythology. Contrary to what you believe, the correct number of gods is zero and your faith is nothing more or less than wishful thinking on a pathologic scale.

    what do you think little Jeebus-freak Spaulding would say then? How many of her jughead relatives and fellow-travelers would rend themselves in frustration?

    Freedom of speech, my ass. This little turkey was proselytizing the audience with her fundamentalist nonsense, plain as day. And it is not appropriate for a commencement speech.

    Suck on that, “Fitz”

  • The thing of it is, she actually and firmly believes that without a faith in Jesus, you will spend eternity burning in hell. In her mind she was doing the others a favor; audience reaction be damned. The Martyr Complex, and all that. Christians have always been persecuted for their faith. She’s probably proud of her little trial by fire.

    “I am the LORD thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage. Thou shalt have no other gods before me.” Deut. 5:6-7

    “No other gods before me.” God said it. Look it up, Shannon Spaulding. Doesn’t this make Christianity a form of heresy? Or paganism, worshiping a man as a god? Just something to think about….

  • You cannot use your defects of character to correct your defects of character. “The blind man may see but he still doesn’t know where the hell he is.”–jbacon

    I feel insulted when I have to endure this kind of fanaticism. As Nick says, I know Jesus loves me but I don’t know why he’d tell someone like you about it.
    It’s a joke that offends because your condemned for laughing.

  • Brief story: when I graduated from college, all the departments had mini-ceremonies. One of the student speakers in my major gave (or tried to give) a long, boring defense of the epistemological foundations of philosophy.

    Unsurprisingly, 30 minutes and roughly halfway through his wildly inappropriate lecture, one of the more level-headed professors cut him off. Hilarity ensued, of course.

  • Wow Fitz @2 – you kind of went off on our friend Morbo here but seemed to be missing the point of what he was saying. He said:

    This issue should have less to do with the Constitution and more to do with common courtesy….They should be ashamed, however, at her lack of manners and inability to understand common social decencies.

    He was saying exactly that she was being rude. Your analogy of a dinner-table conversation is exactly wrong however. If I don’t like the conversation, I can get up and leave. But when I’m at a school-sponsored event, a graduation no less, why should I have to give up seeing my child graduate or, in the alternative, have some child tell me that I face eternal damnation if I don’t see the world like her. Is she entitled to her viewpoint? Of course. Was it wildly inappropriate and, yes, rude for her to foist it upon unwilling listeners. Of course.

    So lighten up on old (young?) Morbo here. I don’t think he was saying that only liberal views should be espoused at such events, but rather that speakers at such events should have the common courtesy to voice their opinions in more appropriate forums.

    And just for the record, I think the school might be in some trouble by allowing her to continue – creates a de facto endorsement of her statements, arguably.

  • Sorry, “your analogy…” I had something else there, then deleted it and then poorly edited it. How about “an analogy….” Damn voices in my head…..

  • “Still clueless, Spaulding responded, “I guess I don’t totally understand why it’s such a big deal.”

    What this really means is that the poor girl was simply parroting what her parents and pastors have been pounding into her skull for years. Of course she doesn’t understand it. She’s never been allowed to develop critical thinking skills that are vital to true understanding.

    That’s the real problem with these junior Christianists. They have no real skills except to repeat ad nauseum what they’ve been programmed with like good little robots. They can’t succeed anywhere except at Liberty Universities who expect nothing from them except to regurgitate the party line and support the Republican agenda.

    Monica Goodling is the poster child for this bunch. And they just keep on breeding. Scary.

  • “Unless you can show that Christianity is a form of hate speech, you pretty much have to go along with it.”

    Um, I would think that a reasonable and somewhat strong case could be made that telling people they are going to burn in hell if they do not adopt certain beliefs could possibly constitute hate speech. Or by telling them that they will suffer some other horrible punishments if they do not conform to a certain activity or conduct (whether religious or not religious) that that may also constitute hate speech. No, Christianity in and of itself, and Jesus’ teachings do not constitute hate speech, but telling people they will burn in hell or suffer some other horrible punishment a) probably crosses the line and b) may not even be a fair or proper interpretation of the teachings of Jesus.

  • Don’t be silly. The kid’s “You’re Going to Hell” speech clearly wasn’t hate speech. Given the venue, it was rude, offensive, and in poor taste — but that’s it. She did not issue a call to violence or hatred against any group.

    The girl probably thought it was her duty to lecture the Nonbelievers in compliance with the Great Commission.

    Occasionally having to sit through crap like that is just an unintended consequence of the First Amendment.

  • Still clueless, Spaulding responded, “I guess I don’t totally understand why it’s such a big deal.”

    “What this really means is that the poor girl was simply parroting what her parents and pastors have been pounding into her skull for years. ”

    A related question came up to me in reference to the new Rush album [huh-huh huh-huh /butthead]: if a given person is raised to be an extremist, does he or she know that she is an extremist?

    In this case the answer is plainly ‘no,’ and that’s bad news. If you rock-solidy believe that everyone but you is going to Hell, you would have to be immoral and insane not to attempt to save as many of everyone as possible by any means necessary; but that means your rock-solid belief is itself immoral and insane.

  • The notion that anyone can give any type of unapproved speech to an entire audiance at a school function is Nonsense. Even if ideologues in Legislatures approve of such, where speaking is Very Restrictive, allowing such actions is a prescription for abuse and public disorder and even law suits. As noted elsewhere, this should not be a Constitutional matter or someone’s “rights” but a matter of common sense, respect of others and reason – things increasingly missing in our Civic Discource.

  • Definition of “hate speech’: “Hate speech is a controversial term for speech intended to degrade, intimidate, or incite violence or prejudicial action against a person or group of people based on their race, gender, age, ethnicity, nationality, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, language ability, moral or political views, socioeconomic class, occupation or appearance (such as height, weight, and hair color). The term covers written as well as oral communication and some forms of behaviors in a public setting. It is also sometimes called antilocution and is the first point on Allport’s scale which measures prejudice in a society.”

    I still submit that a reasonable and fairly strong case can be made that the comments could constitute hate speech.

  • This chick should learn her bible. Romans ch.10 verse 15, “And how can men preach unless they are sent?” The only ones sending her to that podium were ass-kissing-loving teachers. Only once is any one told to go preach jesus in the bible and that was Paul to Timothy. That same bible told her to go live Christlike, with compassion, humble manner, selflessness.
    Dosen’t seem she studies very well at all.

  • How bout we let the valedictorian have free rein, but he or she speaks AFTER everyone’s got their paper and the cameras have captured the moment. If half the audience leaves in protest, perhaps future overbearing proselytizers might notice “the big deal”.

    Failing that, is heckling allowed?

  • The God/Christian-Haters talk about Tolerance out of one side of their mouth & Hate-Speech out of the other side of their mouth. But, what is more hateful than this God/Christian-bashing? I guess Tolerance only works for the forked tongue (like the serpent, the Devil/Satan) God/Christian-haters/bashers, not for anyone else. But, like it or not, she is right. The WORD of GOD says in John 14: 6, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life: no man commeth unto the Father but by me”. Also, in Luke 13: 3 & 5, “I tell you Nay: but except yee REPENT, ye shall all likewise perish”. There are going to be a lot of people on Judgement Day who will bow down on bended knee or even prostrate in total & abject fear & surprise as the Almighty Lord & Saviour Jesus Christ says to them “Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels”. Matthew 25: 41. I hope none of you will be among those that reject Him & His WORD and have to hear those awful, terrifying words & spend Eternity in that place of fire & suffering. REPENT NOW! before it’s TOO LATE! And, I will pray that the Almighty, Loving God who doesn’t want you to go there will convict your souls that you might be saved!

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