1st Amendment & Minors

[EthanMH]

Hello there, this is my first post, I apologize for any spelling/grammatical errors.
I am going to put this as simply as I can. I am 15 years of age, and my biological mother is threating to punish me (in certain ways that I shall not disclose unless necessary), unless I attend church with here every Sunday. I simply wished to know if the 1st Amendment applies to minors, and if so, how would I prove it to her. I have already tried telling her of the 1st Amendment, she refuses to believe that the 1st Amendment applies to minors. My father does not say anything on the matter. I live in Crookston, Minnesota. I appreciate your feedback on this issue.
Thanks,
Ethan

 

[CourtClerk]

Get your tail in the car and go to church. You may want to do a little more research about what the first amendment is really about. You'll find it has nothing to do with parent/child relationships.

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

 

[Proserpina]

Hello there, this is my first post, I apologize for any spelling/grammatical errors.
I am going to put this as simply as I can. I am 15 years of age, and my biological mother is threating to punish me (in certain ways that I shall not disclose unless necessary), unless I attend church with here every Sunday. I simply wished to know if the 1st Amendment applies to minors, and if so, how would I prove it to her. I have already tried telling her of the 1st Amendment, she refuses to believe that the 1st Amendment applies to minors. My father does not say anything on the matter. I live in Crookston, Minnesota. I appreciate your feedback on this issue.
Thanks,
Ethan

Basically....what Mom says, goes.

End of story.

Unless, of course, Mom is threatening violence. But you chose not to share the details so.....

 

[CourtClerk]

Unless, of course, Mom is threatening violence.

Corporal punishment is still legal.

 

[>Charlotte<]

I simply wished to know if the 1st Amendment applies to minors

Yes, it does apply to you. But the First Amendment means the United States Congress can't make you go to church. Mom can.

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

 

[justalayman]

The 1st amendment absolutely applies to minors so when the government starts telling you which church to go to, you call the ACLU as fast as you can dial their number.

Until that happens, you, as a minor, have to do what your parents tell you. That means you go to church like your mother told you.



Oh, and parents can also punish you in ways that would be illegal for the government to do as well.

 

[EthanMH]

Thank you all for your response.
If it helps any, her reasons for me attending church include "How do you think Jesus feels by you not going to church?" and "You don't know the 10 commandments? You do need church."
I am a devout atheist, and have not told her so. I have the same morals that many Catholics have. Do you think if I simply told her she would let me be?
Thanks again.

 

[Proserpina]

Thank you all for your response.
If it helps any, her reasons for me attending church include "How do you think Jesus feels by you not going to church?" and "You don't know the 10 commandments? You do need church."
I am a devout atheist, and have not told her so. I have the same morals that many Catholics have. Do you think if I simply told her she would let me be?
Thanks again.

What Mom says, goes.

She pretty much controls every aspect of your life.

 

[CourtClerk]

Thank you all for your response.
If it helps any, her reasons for me attending church include "How do you think Jesus feels by you not going to church?" and "You don't know the 10 commandments? You do need church."
I am a devout atheist, and have not told her so. I have the same morals that many Catholics have. Do you think if I simply told her she would let me be?
Thanks again.

Personally, I'd have you in church 3 times a week then.

You can be an atheist all you want, after you get a job, can support yourself and move out of the house.

 

[justalayman]

Thank you all for your response.
If it helps any, her reasons for me attending church include "How do you think Jesus feels by you not going to church?" and "You don't know the 10 commandments? You do need church."
I am a devout atheist, and have not told her so. I have the same morals that many Catholics have. Do you think if I simply told her she would let me be?
Thanks again.

and you have come to be blessed with all of this wisdom at the ripe old age of 15.


Try listening to your mother. You might learn something.

You will probably learn something else if you don't listen to your mother and from what you have said, it isn't going to be a fun lesson.

 

[TheGeekess]

Thank you all for your response.
If it helps any, her reasons for me attending church include "How do you think Jesus feels by you not going to church?" and "You don't know the 10 commandments? You do need church."
I am a devout atheist, and have not told her so. I have the same morals that many Catholics have. Do you think if I simply told her she would let me be?
Thanks again.

You can go to church and keep your mouth shut. Practice meditation. Plan your week. Learn some tolerance for others and their beliefs.

devout
Main Entry: de·vout
Pronunciation: \di-ˈvau̇t\
Function: adjective
Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin devotus, from Latin, past participle of devovēre
Date: 13th century

1 : devoted to religion or to religious duties or exercises
2 : expressing devotion or piety <a devout attitude>
3 a : devoted to a pursuit, belief, or mode of behavior : serious, earnest <a devout baseball fan> <born a devout coward — G. B. Shaw> b : warmly sincere <a devout wish for peace>

— de·vout·ly adverb

— de·vout·ness noun
=====================
atheism

Main Entry: athe·ism
Pronunciation: \ˈā-thē-ˌi-zəm\
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle French athéisme, from athée atheist, from Greek atheos godless, from a- + theos god
Date: 1546

1 archaic : ungodliness, wickedness
2 a : a disbelief in the existence of deity b : the doctrine that there is no deity

 

[cyjeff]

Thank you all for your response.
If it helps any, her reasons for me attending church include "How do you think Jesus feels by you not going to church?" and "You don't know the 10 commandments? You do need church."
I am a devout atheist, and have not told her so. I have the same morals that many Catholics have. Do you think if I simply told her she would let me be?
Thanks again.

You don't have control over where you sleep, what you wear or whom you hang out with.

You don't get to choose what activities you engage in and whether or not you go to school.

Why would you think that parents can prevent you from getting, say, your ears pierced but cannot control your religious upbringing?

Yes, they can make you go.

If it makes you feel better, it won't kill you. At 15, you don't have enough life experience yet to be denying yourself any (legal ones) that come your way. Look at church as an observer.

Or, go grumpy.

Your choice.

 

[ecmst12]

Going to church doesn't make you a believer. Mom can't control your brain. But she can control your body, as in where it is on Sunday mornings.

 

[EthanMH]

Personally, I'd have you in church 3 times a week then.

Please leave sentences such as that out of this debate.


Also please don't look down on me because of my age, I've had a 4.0 for as long as I have had letter grades, and I just passed 11th grade level math with an "A", even though I just graduated 9th grade. I am a intellectual person, and I am looked as a "nerd" by most of my classmates. I would've happily taken higher level science, english, and social studies, if it were available

Back to the topic of debate... All of you seem to agree on the fact that minors MUST listen to their parents, I have never heard of such a law. I am doing some research on that now.
Thanks again for your feedback.

 

[CourtClerk]

Please leave sentences such as that out of this debate.

Why? You asked

Do you think if I simply told her she would let me be?

My response was that if you said that, I'd have you in church 3 times a week. You don't like it? Tough. Just like you think you're entitled to your opinion, so am I.

Also please don't look down on me because of my age, I've had a 4.0 for as long as I have had letter grades, and I just passed 11th grade level math with an "A", even though I just graduated 9th grade. I am a intellectual person, and I am looked as a "nerd" by most of my classmates. I would've happily taken higher level science, english, and social studies, if it were available

Means absolutely nothing about maturity and your ability to handle yourself in the world. It means you're book smart. I have a friend that has a PhD, who doesn't have an ounce of common sense, however, she has lots of pretty degrees on the wall.

Back to the topic of debate... All of you seem to agree on the fact that minors MUST listen to their parents, I have never heard of such a law. I am doing some research on that now.

You may want to do that, then make sure you don't find yourself in the hands of the juvenile authorities because you're unruly.