Jessica Ahlquist, a 16-year-old girl, decided she didn’t believe in God. She decided, on her own, she was an atheist, that her prayers not only weren’t working, but thought, “What sort of God would refuse to save my Mom?” Indeed, I imagine, she though what sort of God would refuse to save the thousands of mothers, fathers, sons and daughters who die of easily cured illnesses every second of every day.
So through this wonderfully selfless and logical thought process, Jessica comes to stop believing in this contradictory, pointless and cruel God.
Jessica goes to public school. She sees a prayer banner displayed. She knows this is illegal. It violates the separation of Church and State a critical tenant set down in no uncertain terms by the Constitution of the United States. She petitions the school to have it taken down. They say no. She sues. She wins.
Then, members of the Christian community in her town, her county and her state start to send her death threats. They send death threats to a 16-year-old. Her representative, the Senator that represents her and her district. Calls her “an evil little thing” and suggest she get a police escort to and from school.
How unbelievably brave those Christians must be, fighting persecution like that.
