Presumably because there’s only so much drama to be mined from that disgusting casserole Carol brought to Bible study last week, the evangelical right likes to concoct narratives about how other people simply living their lives and minding their own business hurts them, somehow. This particular bit of cognitive dissonance is applied to the educational system in the trailer for God’s Not Dead 2, in which evil ACLU types force a Christian teacher played by Melissa Joan Hart from her chosen profession simply because she quotes a Bible verse in class, leading to a dramatic court case arguing the existence of God Himself. (Spoiler alert: He’s real, and alive.)
Besides the giddy pleasure of watching militant atheist Ray Wise spout over-the-top anti-Christian rhetoric before a judge played by Ernie Hudson, the most amusing thing about the trailer is the assumption that there is some sort of organized anti-Christian movement that conspires (through an email newsletter, maybe?) to deny believers the right to their beliefs. Never mind that the U.S. Constitution guarantees the freedom to espouse any religion you want—you can even do it at a public school, if it’s an extracurricular club and you’re not too pushy about it—and if you insist on keeping your children on message 24 hours a day, you are free to send them to a Christian private school instead.
No, prohibiting prayer in public classrooms is the same thing as rounding up Christians for re-education, as God’s Not Dead 2 will surely, convolutedly argue when it hits theaters on April 1, 2016. And Carol? Just pick something up at Boston Market next time.