Clipmarks | wiccantexan's 'church' clips

And justice is served...

Tue, 08 Jul 2008 02:22:06 GMT

clipped by: wiccantexan

Father Allegedly Shoots Wife, Kidnaps Son, Then Gets Hit by Bus

A desperate five-day search for a 9-year-old boy abducted by his father in Southern California ended in Mexico, where the man died after being hit by a bus and the boy was found safe across town, authorities said Monday.

He had been missing since Wednesday, when his father, Lonnie Ramos, 46, allegedly shot his estranged wife during a custody exchange and took off with their child.

Gynnae Ramos, the boy's mother, was in good condition Monday at Mission Hospital, where she was recovering from gunshot wounds to the chest, stomach and right eye, Amormino said. Her son was taken to her bedside, he said.

Lonnie Ramos called his father in Washington, D.C., around 11 a.m. Sunday to say that he had left the boy at the church building and that he, too, was in Ciudad Juarez.

Lonnie Ramos was hit by a bus at 2:35 p.m. Sunday while crossing one of the city's busiest streets and died on the way to the hospital.

Tags: family, custody, abuse, mexico, child

Polygamists offer prairie clothing for sale

Wed, 02 Jul 2008 23:36:11 GMT

clipped by: wiccantexan

Clip Source: fieldnotes.msnbc.msn.com

Just in time for back-to-school shopping: authentic polygamist prairie dresses.

Apparently, all the publicity surrounding the ongoing investigation into alleged underage marriage among members of the Fundamentalist Church of Latter Day Saints (FLDS) on a Texas ranch has created some serious demand for prairie dresses.

So much so that the FLDS has launched an online store where members of the general public can purchase the dresses, long underwear, and other ranch-wear "as seen on TV."

According to the Salt Lake Tribune, the Web site FLDSdress.com, was initially created to give Texas authorities a place to purchase the clothing, so children in state custody could maintain their traditional clothing.

The Web site said the clothes are made to meet the "FLDS standards for modesty and neatness." And all of the clothes are hand-made "with joy and care" by the FLDS women.

In the meantime, FLDS women are sewing and selling their way to financial independence.

Tags: flds, polygamy, clothing, religion, online

Court: Exorcism is protected by law

Sat, 28 Jun 2008 20:43:31 GMT

clipped by: wiccantexan

Clip Source: www.msnbc.msn.com

The Texas Supreme Court on Friday threw out a jury award over injuries a 17-year-old girl suffered in an exorcism conducted by members of her old church, ruling that the case unconstitutionally entangled the court in religious matters.

In a 6-3 decision, the justices found that a lower court erred when it said the Pleasant Glade Assembly of God's First Amendment rights regarding freedom of religion did not prevent the church from being held liable for mental distress triggered by a "hyper-spiritualistic environment."

Laura Schubert testified in 2002 that she was cut and bruised and later experienced hallucinations after the church members' actions in 1996, when she was 17. Schubert said she was pinned to the floor for hours and received carpet burns during the exorcism, the Austin American-Statesman reported. She also said the incident led her to mutilate herself and attempt suicide. She eventually sought psychiatric help.

Tags: church, legal, religion, exorcism

Would Garlic Protect Us From the Courts?

Sat, 28 Jun 2008 17:40:47 GMT

clipped by: AtlLiberal
clipper's remarks: More insanity from Texas which seems to have more than its share. This superstitious stupidity really needs to end. This religious immunity from critical scrutiny has existed for too long. It's time to begin shinning a light on these barbaric practices practiced by this death cult.

Clip Source: scienceblogs.com

Texas court approves traumatic exorcisms

Well now…if you've had a hankerin' to torture, abuse, and do who knows what else to people at your whim, here's what you do: move on down to Texas and set up a religion. The Texas Supreme Court just ruled on a case in which a young woman was subjected to extreme distress and restraint during a church-run exorcism

The court ruling basically says that because this church carries out this practice all the time, and because adherents of the religion accept it, it's OK to pin people to the floor and scream at them for a few hours.

"The laying of hands" and the presence of demons are part of the church's belief system and accepted as such by its adherents," the ruling said in part.

Hello, world. In the United States, it is not considered unusual to accuse teenagers of being possessed by demons, and we subject them to frightening magic rituals to cast out such satanic forces with some regularity.

Tags: religion, exorcism, superstition, fundamentalism, christian

Religious charter schools: Follow the money, lose the faith

Fri, 27 Jun 2008 02:42:42 GMT

clipped by: wiccantexan

Clip Source: www.firstamendmentcenter.org

On June 16, seven Roman Catholic schools in Washington, D.C., were transformed into seven public charter schools by a unanimous vote of the D.C. Public Charter School Board. It’s a conversion of sorts — only in reverse.

Other religious communities around the nation are already on the charter bandwagon, opening Arabic charters without Islam and Hebrew charters without Judaism. Not to be left behind, a Protestant minister in Harlem is pressing to start what he claims will be a religion-free charter in his church building.

Strange as it may sound, this is a hot new trend in education: creating faith-based schools without the faith.

With voucher proposals stalled in many state legislatures — or running up against state constitutional barriers — some Catholic dioceses and other religious groups are eyeing charter schools as a funding alternative.

Tags: school, religion, faith

Americans: My Religion Isn't The Only Way

Tue, 24 Jun 2008 00:15:09 GMT

clipped by: wiccantexan

Clip Source: www.cbsnews.com

(CBS/ AP) America remains a nation of believers, but a new survey finds most Americans don't feel their religion is the only way to eternal life - even if their faith tradition teaches otherwise.

The findings, revealed Monday in a survey of 35,000 adults, can either be taken as a positive sign of growing religious tolerance, or disturbing evidence that Americans dismiss or don't know fundamental teachings of their own faiths.

In all, 70 percent of Americans with a religious affiliation shared that view, and 68 percent said there is more than one true way to interpret the teachings of their own religion.

"There's a growing pluralistic impulse toward tolerance and that is having theological consequences," he said.

"I think that organized religion could find this also a little bit threatening in the sense when dogma and doctrine become less and less important, it doesn't matter belonging to one church or another," Williams said on the CBS Evening News.

Tags: religion, faith, american, belief, life, death, theology

Church and State Collide On the Highway

Thu, 19 Jun 2008 00:17:25 GMT

clipped by: wiccantexan
clipper's remarks: "More to the point: If your faith is so strong that it would inspire you to voluntarily stand in line at the DMV — and let’s face it, that’s strong — then why do you need it stamped in cold, hard metal on your vehicle’s ass?"

Clip Source: www.independent.com

This just in: Rational thought is backed up for miles along South Carolina’s roadways, where a serious traffic collision between Church and State has left our Constitution in critical condition.

The state recently approved a series of government-issued license plates bearing the words “I BELIEVE” and the image of a Christian cross in front of a stained-glass window. In addition to boasting their state-sanctioned love for square dancing, wild turkeys, and Dale Earnhardt Jr., South Carolina residents can now share their devotion to Jesus Christ with anyone lucky enough to be eating their dust.

The plate was proposed by Republican state Sen. Larry Grooms “to allow people of faith to have an expression of their belief.” Apparently ichthys fish and “God is my copilot” bumper stickers just weren’t converting heathens like they used to.

Critics, including the ACLU, say the state-issued plates are a government endorsement of religion.

Tags: church, state, cars, government, religion

Lawyer's Home Vandalized For Views On Religious Liberty

Thu, 19 Jun 2008 00:14:28 GMT

clipped by: wiccantexan

Clip Source: www.koat.com

An Albuquerque lawyer and his family are recovering from what he calls the latest retaliation against his crusade for separation of church and state in the military.

Lawyer Mikey Weinstein said his family has a total of 130 years of military service; Weinstein is a veteran himself. But the former counsel to President Ronald Reagan has locked horns with the military over religious freedom, and this is just the latest in a long series of retaliation -- but he said it's the worst.

Weinstein has filed suit claiming the military is violating the religious liberties of its members. That doesn't set well with some. But Weinstein said this will just cement the resolve of his organization.

Weinstein said he's had tires slashed, windows shot out, feces and dead animals thrown on his lawn, all connected to the battle his foundation is waging in court.

having a swastika and crucifix painted on the front of his house Sunday was something different.

Tags: religion, freedom, church, state, military

Obama tells black fathers to step up

Sun, 15 Jun 2008 22:41:49 GMT

clipped by: wiccantexan

Clip Source: www.msnbc.msn.com

Barack Obama celebrated Father's Day by calling on black fathers, who he said are "missing from too many lives and too many homes," to become active in raising their children.

"They have abandoned their responsibilities, acting like boys instead of men. And the foundations of our families are weaker because of it," the Democratic presidential candidate said Sunday at a largely black church in his hometown.

Obama often speaks about the importance of parental involvement. In Washington, he sponsored legislation to get more child support money to children by offering a tax credit for fathers who pay support, more efficient collection and penalties for fathers who don't meet their obligations.

"We can't simply write these problems off to past injustices," Obama said Sunday. "Those injustices are real. There's a reason our families are in disrepair ... but we can't keep using that as an excuse."

Obama urged black parents to demand the best from themselves and their children.

Tags: obama, parents, parenting, father, children

Pagan Symbols On Fence Must Go, City Insists

Sat, 14 Jun 2008 00:49:43 GMT

clipped by: wiccantexan
clipper's remarks: If it looks like graffiti, depicted like graffiti - it's graffiti. What an idiot.

Clip Source: www.desmoinesregister.com

A Des Moines couple say city officials have attacked their pagan religion and their civil rights after a complaint from a neighbor led to a notice to remove symbols that had been painted on the fence. Officials said the symbols are graffiti and must be removed.

"Those are religious symbols; they're not mean or obnoxious in any way," said Ryle MacPebbles who lives in the 2000 block of Southeast Sixth Street. "I just don't like them telling me my religion isn't anything.

"When they start making it personal with my religion, I'm sorry, we'll take it to court," said MacPebbles, a member of the American Pagan Church.

The MacPebbleses said a city inspector approved the fence earlier this year.

"When he said the fence is OK, he said the fence is constructed correctly," said Ben Bishop, neighborhood inspections administrator. "Our position is this was graffiti and it was inappropriate."

Tags: pagan, religion, belief, legal, civil rights, city, neighborhood

Vatican to stage “Mary,” the musical

Sat, 14 Jun 2008 00:13:09 GMT

clipped by: wiccantexan

Clip Source: www.woai.com

The Vatican is set to stage its first ever musical next week about the life of the Virgin Mary.

Alma Manera, a former Miss Italy contestant, will play the lead role in Mary of Nazareth, A Story that Goes On, the first ever musical to be performed in the Holy See's Paul VI Auditorium, which has previously only hosted classical concerts.

The production, which traces the life story of Jesus' virgin mother, has been officially blessed by Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, the Vatican secretary of state.

Tags: vatican, catholic, church, musical, theater, religion, belief

Vatican sends threat over women priests

Fri, 30 May 2008 23:46:48 GMT

clipped by: wiccantexan

Clip Source: www.cnn.com

The Vatican announced Thursday in a general decree that it will excommunicate anyone who would attempt to ordain a woman as a priest and the woman herself.

According to the decree, the excommunications would take place with immediate effect.

It was not persuasive to Regina Nicolosi, a program coordinator for Roman Catholic Womenpriests (sic), who was ordained two years ago.

"We have come not to take that too seriously," said Nicolosi, a 66-year-old married mother and grandmother who lives in Red Wing, Minnesota, and said her group is composed of 40 to 50 women priests, none of whom are recognized by the church hierarchy.

"It's one of the very last patriarchal hierarchies in the western world, and I don't know when they will be ready to let go of that."

She predicted that the church's resistance will backfire. "This is bringing more and more women into our group, and I think we're getting more support from Catholics who are saying this is getting ridiculous," she said.

Tags: vatican, catholic, church, women, priest

Greece Sued Over Sectarian Prayer

Wed, 14 May 2008 01:19:46 GMT

clipped by: wiccantexan
clipper's remarks: Note: Greece here is a town in the United States, not the country.

Clip Source: www.democratandchronicle.com

In just a few seconds' time during the April Town Board meeting, Jennifer Zarpentine made Greece history.

Zarpentine, a Wiccan, delivered the first-ever pagan prayer to open a meeting of the Greece Town Board.

Her hands raised to the sky, she called upon Greek deities Athena and Apollo to "help the board make the right informed decisions for the benefit and greater good of the community."

Greece is embroiled in a legal battle over the prayers delivered before the meetings. In March, national church-state watchdog group Americans United for Separation of Church and State, filed suit against the town in state Supreme Court.

their

The suit claims the practice of allowing explicitly religious prayers — regardless of the religion — during the public meetings is a violation of the U.S. Constitution.

Tags: religion, belief, legal, wicca, prayer

Televangelist John Hagee apologizes to Catholics

Wed, 14 May 2008 01:08:09 GMT

clipped by: wiccantexan

Clip Source: hosted.ap.org

John Hagee, an influential Texas televangelist who endorsed John McCain, apologized to Catholics Tuesday for his stinging criticism of the Roman Catholic Church and for having "emphasized the darkest chapters in the history of Catholic and Protestant relations with the Jews."

In a letter to William Donohue, president of the Catholic League for Civil and Religious Rights, Hagee wrote: "Out of a desire to advance a greater unity among Catholics and evangelicals in promoting the common good, I want to express my deep regret for any comments that Catholics have found hurtful."

Hagee has cited the Inquisition and the Crusades as evidence of anti-Semitism within the Catholic church and has suggested that Catholic anti-Semitism shaped Adolf Hitler's views of Jews.

Tags: religion, belief, controversy, christian, catholic, jewish

Gay movement looks for welcoming church

Sun, 11 May 2008 16:00:32 GMT

clipped by: wiccantexan

Clip Source: www.mysanantonio.com

San Antonio mom Della Nagle thought it would be a simple task: Go to some of the nation's largest churches, visit with members and prove to them that she and her wife — yes, wife — can be part of a Christian family, too.

But with the first church visit scheduled today in Houston, Nagle and her lesbian partner, Ruth Pinkham, whom she married in Canada, are facing a rude awakening.

The movement was to continue until Father's Day, with gay families and their clergy supporters visiting megachurches throughout the country from California to Maryland to promote “meaningful dialogue” about homosexuality and Christianity.

the group was essentially asking churches: Can you show hospitality to strangers with whom you disagree?

But just getting a chance to talk has proven difficult.

“Pray these churches will be girded up, each member protected from unclean spirits and false doctrine,” states a council-written prayer.

Tags: gay, lesbian, marriage, church, christian