Soccer Mom: Unplugged

The Americans United for the Separation of Church and State and the ACLU are filing suit again.  This time, the case involves a painting that has been hanging in Bridgeport High School (WVa) for 30 years.  It is called "The Head of Christ". 

Using the tried (or rather tired) argument that the mere presence of a religious symbol implies an endorsement of an 'official' religion, the ACLU and the Americans United are determined to see the painting removed.

My thoughts on the matter:

If a picture of Jesus in the hallway is endorsement of Christianity, then are condoms in the nurse's office endorsement of teenage sex?

If a picture of Jesus in the hallway is endorsement of Christianity, then is the meatloaf surprise served in the cafeteria an endorsement of anti-vegetarianism?  Where is PETA on this one?

If a picture of Jesus in the hallway is endorsement of Christianity, then would hanging the school superintendent's picture in the main office be equally offensive?  A picture of the president?  Aren't thos endorsements?

If a picture of Jesus in the hallway is endorsement of Christianity, then is encouraging 5 year old kindergartners to act out scenarios between AIDS patients and their doctors an endorsement of homosexuality?  IV drug abuse?  Promiscuity?

If a picture of Jesus in the hallway is endorsement of Christianity, then is a picture of Lincoln an endorsement of the GOP or a picture of FDR an endorsement of the welfare state?

Many people approach sexuality, vegetarianism and politics with religious zeal and the argument could easily be made that for many these ideologies have assumed godlike proportions.  There is also room for the argument that some proponents of these ideologies are far more organized than most religions.  If anything, Christianity is a 'dis'organized religion with sects attacking each other with just as much fervor as they argue for their own cause.  Hardly the horrifying grand puppeteer that it's painted by certain anti-Christian groups. 

True, the Constitution does not offer protection from the non-religious beliefs of others.  This is why we can be beat over the head with any agenda that doesn't mention God.  Schools can endorse premarital sexual activity by teenagers.  They can teach our children that President Bush's tenure parallels the reign of the Third Reich and that abortion was a step forward for women's rights rather than a pathetically irresponsible act. 

Considering the condition of education in America, who cares if they take down a picture of Christ?  It's hanging on a whited sepulchre anyway.