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Officials for an Idaho county fair recently announced that restrictions held against two religious groups at their yearly event will be lifted, allowing free exercise for the ministries’ activities.
Originally, the Canyon County Fair & Festival Board in Caldwell, Idaho, had banned Child Evangelism Fellowship (CEF) and Gideon International from engaging in their outreach endeavors in the fair exhibit space. Board heads reversed that decision after receiving a letter from Liberty Counsel, a nonprofit litigation dedicated to advancing religious freedom, which explained that the treatment was unconstitutional.
"A barrier based on the religious viewpoint of groups seeking access to government-sponsored events like county fairs violates the right to freedom of speech,” explained Matthew Staver, president of Liberty Counsel, in a statement. “Instead of imposing restrictions, the government should welcome Child Evangelism Fellowship's positive messages of respect, morality and character development."
Liberty Counsel was first contacted by CEF after they applied for a booth at the fair this year, something they have done for about a decade. Board members refused to give them a space, however, unless the Christian group agreed not to speak to children who did not have parent supervision. Bob Smith, the state director for CEF, was told by fair director Rosalie Moore that the religious materials they were handing out and presentations were unacceptable.
CEF is an international ministry that focuses on youth, however, and explained that the restrictions would eliminate most of their audience. Their activities include face painting interested children and sharing the Christian message and literature with those who ask.
Worried over the outreach, the group contacted Liberty Counsel who then sent a letter on behalf of them, explaining that CEF’s free speech rights had been violated.
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Before sending the letter, the Christian litigation also noticed that Gideons International, a group that gives free Bibles to individuals, was the only other group at the county fair that had similar restrictions. They included a plea for that ministry as well.
“Whether the government bans a group from a fair because of the group's religious views or imposes discriminatory restrictions based on religion, the outcome is the same – the Constitution is violated,” added Staver.
Following the letter, the board’s attorney responded, promising to allow the face painting and lifting any other restrictions that were based on religious viewpoints for both of the groups.
CEF is best known for its Good News Clubs, an after-school program designed for elementary-age students that teaches about biblical values and qualities that make for a moral person.
The county fair will be held from July 26-30 in Canyon County.
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