President Obama has never been one to go easy on America.
As a new president, he dismissed the idea of American exceptionalism, noting that Greeks think their country is special, too. He labeled the Bush-era interrogation practices, euphemistically called “harsh” for years, as torture. America, he has suggested, has much to answer given its history in Latin America and the Middle East.
His latest challenge came Thursday at the National Prayer Breakfast. At a time of global anxiety over Islamist terrorism, Obama noted pointedly that his fellow Christians, who make up a vast majority of Americans, should perhaps not be the ones who cast the first stone.
Read More
Anti-abortion bill doesn’t make it to the table
House Republicans passed a watered-down antiabortion bill Thursday after withdrawing a more restrictive measure that some female GOP lawmakers argued would hurt the party’s efforts to broaden its appeal to women and younger voters.
The rebellion on the abortion bill, led by women and moderates, was an illustration of some of the new challenges the party faces as a result of its expanded majority in the House. The 246-member GOP caucus is now experiencing rifts that previously did not exist, and those divisions are largely being driven by concern among moderates that they could face tough reelection battles in 2016, when more Democratic and independent voters are expected to turn out for presidential election.
So this anti abortion bill is basically a retread. Maybe they think that the Hyde (that old hypocrite) Amendment missed something.
Read More
Pope Francis discourages “breeding like rabbits”
Pope Francis gets pretty chatty on the papal plane.
He’s talked to reporters about jobs, homosexuality and women’s role in the church. He’s spoken out about the War in Iraq and terrorism. He’s even addressed his own retirement. And on his flight back from the Philippines this week, he started chatting about the church’s position on birth control, saying some think that to be good Catholics, “we have to be like rabbits.”
Here’s [sic] his exact words from the Vatican Insider:
I believe that three children per family, from what the experts say, is the key number for sustaining the population. The key word here is responsible parenthood and each person works out how to exercise this with the help of their pastor. … Sorry, some people think that in order to be good Catholics we have to breed like rabbits, right? Responsible parenthood: This is why there are marriage support groups in the Church with people who are experts on such issues; and there are pastors and I know that there are many acceptable solutions that have helped with this. And another thing: For poor people, children are a treasure, prudence is needed here too, it is true. Responsible parenthood but also recognizing the generosity of that father or mother who see their child as a treasure.
Read More
Cartoonist Luz: “I am a cop. I am Jewish. I am a Muslim. I am an atheist.”
“I am a cop. I am Jewish. I am a Muslim. I am an atheist.”
3 million copies of Charlie Hebdo went on sale today which is about 4 times the usual distribution. The cover depicts a crying Prophet Mohammad carrying a sign saying I am Charlie. Above the Prophet are the words: All is Forgiven.
As citizens of the strongest democracy in the world. we have to ask ourselves if it is wise to poke the bear at this point. We HAVE to poke the bear. Charlie Hebdo HAS to poke the bear. We won’t back down.
We all live in pluralistic societies where we are free to speak our own minds, regardless of how obnoxious that free speech is. The sword must be the pen. The sword must not be machine guns and other weapons of destruction.
Ultra-othrodox Jews delay flight
A flight from New York to Tel Aviv was delayed by half an hour last week after a group of male ultra-Orthodox Jewish passengers refused to sit next to women, the third such incident in recent months.
Supremes decline to hear creationist appeal
Americans United for Separation of Church and State:
The U.S. Supreme Court this morning [Oct. 6] declined to hear the appeal of a former Ohio public school science teacher who was fired for introducing creationism into his classes.The high court’s decision not to hear the Freshwater v. Mount Vernon City School District Board of Education case brings the matter to a close. Last year, the Ohio Supreme Court ruled that Mt. Vernon City School District had the right to fire eighth-grade science teacher John Freshwater because the First Amendment does not permit him to ignore orders from his bosses or display whatever religious items he pleases in his classroom.“This case should serve as a reminder to public school teachers and administrators that classrooms are not churches,” said the Rev. Barry W. Lynn, executive director of Americans United. “School-sponsored religious activity is a violation of students’ rights.”
Climate change: a new pro-life position?
A group of evangelical Christians is taking to the airwaves in Florida to urge Republican Gov. Rick Scott to take action on climate change, arguing that it, too, is a “pro-life” issue.
“I’m pro-life, and I’m pro-family,” says one female voice featured in the ad, sponsored by the Evangelical Environmental Network. “And I do believe we should do all we can to protect our environment. It was given to us by God.”
“Climate change is real. It endangers the health of our children, worsens poverty throughout the world, and threatens our economy,” says a male voiceover. “Call Governor Rick Scott and tell him as pro-life Christians we believe care for God’s creation is one of the greatest moral challenges of our time. Tell Governor Scott now is the time to act to curb climate change.”
Scott has been a target of a number of campaigns asking him to acknowledge the reality of climate change. Earlier this year, Scott avoided a question from a reporter about whether he believes climate change is happening, after previously saying he did not believe it was. A group of climate scientists recently organized a meeting with Scott to encourage him to take action on climate, and billionaire investor Tom Steyer’s group NextGen Climate Action recently launched an ark tour to call him out on the issue. Scott is currently up for reelection in the state, and is facing former Gov. Charlie Crist in a close race.
Evangelical Christians have also been working to convince Scott. The latest ad is running on Christian radio stations throughout the state.
If we are directed to be stewards of the earth, what these Christians are saying makes a great deal of sense. If climate change is real, and many folks believe it very much is, then shouldn’t we all concern ourselves with making the earth as habitable as possible?
All too often, some of those on the right snicker and carry on over any suggestion that we do anything pro-environment. They act like “tree hugging” is a nasty word and those who do want to conserve the Earth are a batch of sissies. This mentality needs to be extinguished.
Pat Robertson blames Mikey (one little Jewish radical)!
The Air Force announced on Thursday that the words “so help me God” were an optional part of the oath after an atheist airman crossed out the words on his reenlistment paperwork. Military officials had initially refused to accept the paperwork, but Department of Defense General Counsel eventually ruled that the words could be omitted.
Although the American Humanist Association had represented the airman, Robertson on Thursday blamed Military Religious Freedom Foundation President Mikey Weinstein for the movement against religion in the armed services.
“There’s a left-wing radical named Mikey Weinstein who has got a group about people against religion or whatever he calls it, and he has just terrorized the armed forces,” Robertson opined. “You think you’re supposed to be tough, you’re supposed to defend us, and you got one little Jewish radical who is scaring the pants off of you.”
Read More
Devil worshippers in Greece? No atheists need apply
When last we left the town of Greece, New York, the Supreme Court had just blessed its legislative prayer policy, announcing that expressly sectarian prayer, which persisted over many years, prior to town council meetings does not violate the storied tradition of nonsectarian legislative prayer and is therefore acceptable under the First Amendment. Since that sunny week in May, the town of Greece has been confronted by many well-meaning applicants from across the country, seeking a chance to be the legislative chaplain. This list of supplicants evidently included “someone who wanted to sacrifice a small animal, a man identifying himself as the devil, and a representative of a movement calling itself the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster.” So great was the clamor to lead worship in Greece that the town decided last week to enact a formal, written prayer policy to determine who could lead prayers and who could not.
The Supreme Court has handed down some real bone-headed in the past view years. The Greece decision is one such really stupid decisions, in my humble opinion. Regardless of intent, when you must pray to participate in government, the government IS establishing a religion, albeit for a brief period of time.
Michael Stafford: A Christian perspective to the Central American refugee crisis
Since we have been discussing how a religious person reconciles a humanitarian crisis witinh our immigration system, I thought this article would be some food for thought. So far as I can determine, the good folks of PWC have chosen to their better angels and NOT fallen into the ranks of hateful public protests.
Strangers at Our Door: Refugees, a Crisis of Conscience for American Christians
Michael Stafford ABC Religion and Ethics 25 Jul 2014
In the words of Pope Francis, America is experiencing a “humanitarian emergency.” Fleeing instability and violence in Central America, a human tide of thousands of refugees, many of them unaccompanied children, has been flooding across our southern border.
As children often travelling alone, these refugees are uniquely vulnerable. And yet their arrival has been met, in many instances, with ugly scenes including displays of rank nativism, cruelty and hatred. Instead of finding sanctuary and protection, they are the targets of abuse. As CNN has reported regarding one shameful incident in Murrieta, California, “busloads of babies in their mothers’ laps, teens, ‘tweens and toddlers … were met by screaming protesters waving and wearing American flags and bearing signs that read such things as ‘Return to Sender.'” These reactions communicate a brutally simple message: you are not welcome here.
Woman excommunicated for advocating ordination of women
The war on women which supposedly doesn’t exist is still alive and well. Katie Kelly was excommunicated. The proceedings took place here in Northern Virginia last Monday, even though Ms. Kelly has moved to Utah earlier in the spring. An all male council determined her fate.
Gender equality shouldn’t even be an issue in 2014. However, to many people in many walks of life, it is alive and not only well, it is kicking. Churches can establish their own rules. However, with that right should come the knowledge that the public will sit back and stand in judgement. How far will the long arm of the church go? Will it extend to those members who hold elected office? The issue isn’t about ordination. The issue is really about free speech and independent thinking. That is what the church is attempting to control.
According to the Huffington Post:
Jan Shipps, a retired religion professor from Indiana who is a non-Mormon expert on the church, said church leaders are practicing “boundary maintenance,” using Kelly and Dehlin as examples to show people how far they can go in questioning church practices.
Kelly said before the decision that she will always be Mormon.
Read More
8THEIST NJ license plate rejected
Huffingtonpost.com:
A New Jersey woman who says she was denied a license plate referencing atheism filed suit this week, claiming her online application was rejected because it was deemed potentially offensive.
Shannon Morgan, of Maurice Township, said in a federal lawsuit filed Thursday that the Motor Vehicle Commission violated her First Amendment rights when its website rejected the plate reading “8THEIST.” She said she received a message stating that her vanity plate request was ineligible as it “may carry connotations offensive to good taste and decency.”
Morgan then filled out the online application using the phrase “BAPTIST” as a test, which the website accepted. Morgan claims in her lawsuit that she sent the agency a letter of complaint by registered mail and made several attempts to contact them by phone, all of which went unanswered.
What’s New Jersey’s problem? I disagree that the plate is offensive. The plate message refers to the car owner and isn’t trying to recruit or shove its message down anyone else’s throat. It isn’t close to being off-color nor does it contain sexual or profane language.
Does New Jersey now mandate that people believe in a deity? Afraid that might violate the Constitution. They deserve to lose this court challenge. Somehow I don’t think it will get that far. Perhaps this time their DMV system will get it right.
Heil Hitler and 3 dead….a hate crime?
Was Birmingham Sunday, the church bombing in Birmingham in the 60’s where 3 young women were murdered, a hate crime? Absolutely.
This crime was committed, allegedly, by a former KKK member named Glenn Miller. He was a frequent flyer in the white supremacist movement. He will be charged with first degree murder by the state and he will also have some federal charges heaped on him.
What kind of monster does something like this? He can hate who he wants in his head. The minute he acts on that hate, he should go to prison. People living in America should be able to worship how they please without fear of being gunned down or assassinated.
McAuliffe vetoes school religious bill
From the Richmond Times Dispatch:
A bill that would have codified the rights of students to pray, participate in religious activities or wear faith-themed clothing on public school property at public events was vetoed by Gov. Terry McAuliffe Friday.
The school prayer-bill veto of Senate Bill 236, the third of McAuliffe’s term, followed a recent veto of a similarly themed bill governing prayer by chaplains in the Virginia National Guard.
Sponsored by state Sen. Charles W. Carrico Sr., R-Grayson, the legislation would have required every school system to have a policy allowing students to make religious speeches at any school event in which students are allowed to speak. It also would have removed the liability of school systems for allowing religious speech by having administrators offer disclaimers that student views are not endorsed by the school division.
Supporters said the legislation would protect religious liberty. But the governor disagreed.
Leave religion out of the work place
Wrong answer, Pat. What you should have told your loyal listener is to leave religion out of the work place. Bring your faith to work in the form of good deeds. Be kind to your fellow co-workers and help them out when they need it. Don’t gossip at the water cooler. Bake some brownies for everyone.
No one wants to be a captive audience to someone selling their religion all day long. While the woman’s religion might have been the best thing since sliced bread to her, not everyone likes sliced bread. In America, workers should be free to go about their business without having someone trying to shove their religion down their throat.
Bothering others at work over religious matters should be an actionable offense, regardless of the religion being ‘sold.’
