Separation of Church and State
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Darrow, Darwin, and Dayton
Recently, VP Candidate Sarah Palin made an extraordinary claim. "Yes", she said, "I have seen images of dinosaur fossils with human footprints in them!", a statement consistent with her attempts to get 'creationists' put on school boards. By definition, a 'creationist' believes that human beings were contemporary with dinosaurs.
A 'creationist' believes that human beings were contemporary with dinosaurs because 'creation' —they believe —took place just 6,000 years ago. Palin has long espoused 'creationism', a belief that Genesis is a literal history. If so, all creation took place over a period of seven days about 6,000 years ago, thus: the creationist believes that humans and dinosaurs co-existed. And not just in Jurassic park or Alley Oop comic strips.
The 'footprints' that were said to be human were not. That determination was made back by 1989. Claims that human tracks had been fossilized in pre-Tertiary rocks from other localities are "not considered credible by ... mainstream scientists' or 'major creationist groups". [See: The Paluxy Dinosaur/'Man Track' Controversy, Glen J, Kuban]
The idiotic idea that the universe is but 6,000 years old is easily refuted. Consider the known, proven distance to the Andromeda galaxy --some 2 million light years. That means that when we look up into the night sky and see Andromeda, we see it as it was two million years ago. We see the Magellanic Clouds as they were some 195 thousand years ago. If the Earth were but six thousand years old, the number of stars visible to Earth might be counted on our fingers and toes.
It comes down to this: if we can look up at the sky at night and see Andromeda, 'creationists' are wrong! Guess what! We can SEE Andromeda. It is the only Galaxy that is visible to the naked eye. If we had discovered no other object, we must conclude, therefore, that the universe is at least two million years old. Of course, there are many more objects that are much more distant than Andromeda and they are easily discerned by the Hubble telescope. Recently, VP Candidate Sarah Palin made an extraordinary claim. "Yes", she said, "I have seen images of dinosaur fossil... more -
Billboards tout freedom from religion
"Controversial billboards touting freedom from religion and separation of church and state are going up around the downtown Phoenix area this week.
The Freedom From Religion Foundation, based in Madison, Wis., paid advertising company CBS Outdoor to put up five signs that read Imagine No Religion.
"The message on the billboards will start to go up today and will remain there for a month," said Annie Laurie Gaylor, co-president of Freedom From Religion.
The organization said it is comprised of 12,000 atheists or agnostics and aims to promote free thought and the separation of church and state.
The group has put up billboards in other U.S. cities and so far, Gaylor said, there has been little opposition to the billboards, and she doesn't anticipate any issues in Phoenix.
Religious groups said they are seeing an increase in atheist activism.
"I don't have a problem with people expressing their points of view in public," said Bob Mitchell, senior pastor at Central United Methodist Church, whose congregation has around 420 members.
Mitchell said he hopes there wouldn't be backlash against the billboards, but he added he wouldn't be surprised if there were.
"I would prefer that there was serious tolerant dialogue that might emerge from this publicity campaign because it is much needed," he said.
State Sen. Linda Gray of Glendale is critical of the organization and its billboards.
Gray, a Republican, thinks the signs will be offensive to those who believe in God.
The five sites chosen by the organization for the billboards were changed after CBS Outdoor said they had to be 1,000 feet from any schools or churches, Gaylor said. The sites were finalized late last week.
CBS Outdoor was not available for comment over the weekend. " "Controversial billboards touting freedom from religion and separation of church and state are going up around the downtown Phoen... more -
More Americans Question Religion's Role in Politics
It's good to see America going in the right direction. In another century, hopefully, religion will be a thing of the past.
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Should religious schools get public money?
" A federal appeals court ruling that a Christian university in Colorado can receive state scholarship money is the latest in a string of legal victories for religious schools seeking public dollars.
The most recent case involved Colorado Christian University, a college of 2,000 students in suburban Denver where most students must attend chapel weekly and sign a promise to emulate the life of Jesus and Biblical teachings.
Colorado Christian faculty must sign a statement that that the Bible is the "infallible Word of God."
Students "attending institutions such as CCU who take their faith-based commitment seriously should have an equal opportunity to participate in Colorado's financial aid program," said Paul Cortis, president of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities.
But critics called it the latest example of a worrisome trend.
"The bottom line is that taxpayers will now end up having to pay for religious indoctrination," said Barry Lynn, executive director of the group Americans United for Separation of Church and State. The law wasn't discrimination, but "a sensible judgment by Colorado that some colleges are so religious that they cannot expect taxpayers to support them."
The ruling cuts to a conundrum in the First Amendment, which prohibits the state from establishing any religion, but also prohibits religious discrimination. Religious colleges have argued their students shouldn't be deprived of a state benefit everyone else can get." " A federal appeals court ruling that a Christian university in Colorado can receive state scholarship money is the latest in a s... more -
Bobby Jindal participated in Exorcism
"in an essay Jindal wrote in 1994 for the New Oxford Review, a serious right-wing Catholic journal, Jindal narrated a bizarre story of a personal encounter with a demon, in which he participated in an exorcism with a group of college friends. And not only did they cast out the supernatural spirit that had possessed his friend, Jindal wrote that he believes that their ritual may well have cured her cancer."
Bobby Jindal, the governor of Louisiana and possible VP choice for John McCain, is a radical member of the Religious Right. Not only has he performed exorcisms to fight demons, but he has also shown extreme support for Intelligent Design (aka Creationism), castration and execution of sexual offenders and support for denying homosexuals their rights.
I'm fairly confident when I say that most Americans probably do not agree with his radical, bizarre beliefs, but does John McCain?
Is this a man we can afford to have in the White House? I don't think so, but what say you? "in an essay Jindal wrote in 1994 for the New Oxford Review, a serious right-wing Catholic journal, Jindal narrated a bizarre sto... more -
BREAKING NEWS: Ron Paul loses election, supporters unaware
THIS JUST IN!
Ron Paul lost the Republican Primary for President a LOOOOONG time ago, but the majority of his supporters seem to be completely unaware, even holding on to the possibility that he may still win.
They continue to spam youtube and current.com with fraudulent stories and and claim he didn't get fair treatment by the media, however when considering how unsuccessful his campaign was, he got excellent coverage by the media.
This video has been known to help clear up some of the rumors surrounding the campaign.
What do you think? THIS JUST IN! ... more -
McCain against Roe v. Wade & Comprehensive Sex-ed
John McCain has a 0% rating from the Planned Parenthood Action Fund because he has consistently voted against women's reproductive rights.
Once again it becomes clear that John McCain's policies are identical to Bush's.
He is opposed to Roe v. Wade and has said that he would like to see it overturned.
He's against Comprehensive Sexual Education and only supports "abstinence-only" education which has been proven to be ineffective and is often tied to bringing religion, and misinformation about sex into the classroom.
He's against making birth control affordable by means of requiring insurance companies to cover it.
Do Americans know enough about John McCain's extreme positions on this critical issues?
Is McCain any different from Bush on reproductive health or a disrespect for the Constitution and the right to privacy?
Take the Bush-McCain challenge and quiz by watching this video and decide for yourself if McCain is really the "maverick" he's cracked up to be.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7Z4dxjRv4g
What do you think? John McCain has a 0% rating from the Planned Parenthood Action Fund because he has consistently voted against women's reproductiv... more -
S. Carolina to make "I Believe" license plates, endorsing religion
South Carolina legislators have recently made into law that some license plates will feature the slogan, "I Believe" and a picture of a stained glass window behind a yellow Cross.
The state has been sued by Americans United for the Separation of Church and State because AU believes that the plate is a state endorsement of religion, violating the First Amendment's establishment clause, which was determined to apply not only to the federal government but also to state governments by the Incorporation Doctrine.
"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof..."
The Reverend Barry Lynn, executive director of Americans United, recently went on Bill O'Reilly to debate the matter with the guest host, Laura Ingraham. She treated him with complete disrespect and showed just how low of journalistic standards Bill O'Reilly's show really has.
What do you think? South Carolina legislators have recently made into law that some license plates will feature the slogan, "I Believe" and a p... more -
Group files suit over 'I Believe' plates in SC
A group that advocates separation of church and state filed a federal lawsuit Thursday to prevent South Carolina from becoming the first state to create "I Believe" license plates.
The group contends that South Carolina's government is endorsing Christianity by allowing the plates, which would include a cross superimposed on a stained glass window. A group that advocates separation of church and state filed a federal lawsuit Thursday to prevent South Carolina from becoming the fir... more -
Chuck Norris roundhouse kicks Constitution
Chuck Norris is a dangerous member of the Religious Right and he doesn't deserve our admiration any longer.
He is a supporting member of the "National Council on Bible Curriculum in Public Schools" - a group that wishes to force all public school children to read the Bible and ultimately turned into Christians on tax dollars.
He doesn't believe in the Separation of Church and State and supported Mike Huckabee for president and Rick Perry for governor of Texas. Perry is a far-right conservative who is against any and all gay rights, people of other religions, and the Constitution in general.
To see more of Chuck kicking the Constitution into the dirt:
http://www.bibleinschools.net/Videos Chuck Norris is a dangerous member of the Religious Right and he doesn't deserve our admiration any longer. ... more -
McCain Believes America is "Christian Nation"
U.S. Senator and presidential hopeful John McCain proves to be out of step with the Constitution and the American people when it comes to religious liberties and mainstream values. He claims to believe that religious tests, which are prohibited by the Constitution, should be applied to candidates. He also seems to be ignorant of the history of the U.S. government which has been celebrated for its secualr history and respect for all religious beliefs and the lack thereof when he claims that America was based primarily on Judeo-Christian values. Could McCain be any worse for America? We need a candidate willing to stand for people of all religious beliefs and people with no religious affiliations. We need a candidate who stands up for secularism in government, religious liberties, and the total Separation of Church and State. McCain has proven through this video and his connections to pastor John Hagee and Rod Parsley that he is a proud member of the Religious Right and is out to distort religion for political gain. Eight years has been enough. Show this video to your grandparents. U.S. Senator and presidential hopeful John McCain proves to be out of step with the Constitution and the American people when it comes... more
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John McCain Spiritual Guide: Destroy Islam
Televangelist Rod Parsley, a key McCain ally in Ohio, has called for eradicating the "false religion." Will the GOP presidential candidate renounce him?
By David Corn
13/03/08 "Mother Jones" -- -- Senator John McCain hailed as a spiritual adviser an Ohio megachurch pastor who has called upon Christians to wage a "war" against the "false religion" of Islam with the aim of destroying it.
On February 26, McCain appeared at a campaign rally in Cincinnati with the Reverend Rod Parsley of the World Harvest Church of Columbus, a supersize Pentecostal institution that features a 5,200-seat sanctuary, a television studio (where Parsley tapes a weekly show), and a 122,000-square-foot Ministry Activity Center. That day, a week before the Ohio primary, Parsley praised the Republican presidential front-runner as a "strong, true, consistent conservative." The endorsement was important for McCain, who at the time was trying to put an end to the lingering challenge from former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee, a favorite among Christian evangelicals. A politically influential figure in Ohio, Parsley could also play a key role in McCain's effort to win this bellwether state in the general election. McCain, with Parsley by his side at the Cincinnati rally, called the evangelical minister a "spiritual guide."
The leader of a 12,000-member congregation, Parsley has written several books outlining his fundamentalist religious outlook, including the 2005 Silent No More. In this work, Parsley decries the "spiritual desperation" of the United States, and he blasts away at the usual suspects: activist judges, civil libertarians who advocate the separation of church and state, the homosexual "culture" ("homosexuals are anything but happy and carefree"), the "abortion industry," and the crass and profane entertainment industry. And Parsley targets another profound threat to the United States: the religion of Islam.
In a chapter titled "Islam: The Deception of Allah," Parsley warns there is a "war between Islam and Christian civilization." He continues:
I cannot tell you how important it is that we understand the true nature of Islam, that we see it for what it really is. In fact, I will tell you this: I do not believe our country can truly fulfill its divine purpose until we understand our historical conflict with Islam. I know that this statement sounds extreme, but I do not shrink from its implications. The fact is that America was founded, in part, with the intention of seeing this false religion destroyed, and I believe September 11, 2001, was a generational call to arms that we can no longer ignore.
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More hateful remarks from purportedly "religious men." Religion is simply too deeply ingrained in our political process, period. And while I am a spiritual being, I believe that religion is too often in politics used to set political policy, and that is not what our Founding Fathers intended. Will John McCain denounce this then as well? In all fairness we cannot expect Obama or Clinton to do so and McCain not to. Televangelist Rod Parsley, a key McCain ally in Ohio, has called for eradicating the "false religion." Will the GOP presiden... more -
OBAMA PREACHING UNTITY - PASTOR PREACHING HATE?! Pt. 1
Clip of Obama's pastor, Rev. Wright, who had an official position in Obama's campaign as a member of Obama's African American Religious Leadership Committee until these clips emerged. Check out both clips. In the second one Rev. Wright is calling on African Americans to stop singing the song "God Bless America" and start singing "God DAMN America". Clip of Obama's pastor, Rev. Wright, who had an official position in Obama's campaign as a member of Obama's African Am... more
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House Resolution Promotes "Christian Nation" Version Of American History
Introduced by Congressman Randy Forbes December 18, 2007 in the US House Of Representatives, H. Res 888 claims to be about ""Affirming the rich spiritual and religious history of our Nation's founding and subsequent history and expressing support for designation of the first week in May as `American Religious History Week' for the appreciation of and education on America's history of religious faith."
The resolution has 31 cosponsors and has not been voted upon yet - Congress reconvenes on Jan. 15 Introduced by Congressman Randy Forbes December 18, 2007 in the US House Of Representatives, H. Res 888 claims to be about "... more -
Suit Claims U.S. Soldiers Forced To Accept Christianity
And it doesn't end there. There are also stories of groups going into Iraq to proselytize the people and convert them to accepting Jesus in order to receive basic necessities. This is Theocracy not Democracy and it goes against everything our Constitution stands for. As a Christian, I am ashamed of what these Fundamentalist Christians have done in the name of Christ. How dare they use him as the shield for their own hatred. The miitary has no right to dictate religion to soldiers.//////excerpt://////Examples at Fort Riley, where Hall is stationed, included a display outside his military police battalion's office with a quote from conservative writer Ann Coulter saying, "We should invade their countries, kill their leaders and convert them to Christianity."
Another photo from Fort Riley shows the book "A Politically Incorrect Guide to Islam" for sale at the post exchange.
"These astonishing and saddening evidence which our foundation is making public today only further buttress our lawsuit," said Mike Weinstein, an attorney in Albuquerque, N.M., and president of the foundation, who graduated from the Air Force Academy in 1977.
Fort Riley spokesman Maj. Nathan Bond said the matter was being referred to post commanders for investigation. He said it is the Army's policy to accommodate all religious beliefs to the extent that they don't conflict with military missions./////end of excerpt. And it doesn't end there. There are also stories of groups going into Iraq to proselytize the people and convert them to acceptin... more -
I want the same rights, that's all
This government says it's the freest in the world, but I can't be a apart of my husbands life, legally.
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Separation of Church and State
