Clipmarks | Religious right Clips

W.Va. Inmate Says He's Denied Religious Rights

Fri, 05 Sep 2008 04:26:33 GMT

clipped by: wiccantexan

The state Supreme Court is considering whether to hear a case involving an inmate who says he's being denied the right to freely practice his Native American religion.

Bobby Eugene Roddy wants the court to order the Division of Corrections to provide him with a sweat lodge to use one day a week for a ceremony.

He also insists on two prayer pipe ceremonies per week. The Mount Olive Correctional Complex inmate also wants to grow his hair long and be allowed to wear moccasins and other Native American garments.

The 42-year-old Roddy goes by the spiritual name "Running Cougar.''

Corrections Commissioner Jim Rubenstein says no inmate is prohibited from practicing religion. But he says certain requests must be denied for security concerns.

Tags: religion, rights, legal, prison

Theocrats to Pray for McCain's Death

Thu, 04 Sep 2008 23:55:10 GMT

clipped by: wiccantexan

Clip Source: www.talk2action.org

The more theocratic elements of the Religious Right have a disturbing habit, (more like a practice) of invoking "imprecatory prayer" -- a call for God to literally pour his wrath down on those they consider to be his enemies.

The most recent target of theoractic imprecations is none other than Republican presidential candidate John McCain. They hope that an act of God will make Sarah Palin president.

Well, that is quite a standard, and one that is arguably prone to abuse. That said, at least two people have written in recent days that hope that McCain/Palin are elected so that they can pray for God to crush John McCain and to elevate Sarah Palin to her rendevous with destiny.

Tags: mccain, palin, politics, religion, god

Teen Pregnancy

Thu, 04 Sep 2008 14:59:07 GMT

clipped by: lp97702
clipper's remarks: This pretty much says it all...

Clip Source: www.rasmussenreports.com

But such is life in the red states, where sensible sex education and availability of contraceptives are discouraged for adolescents, even though they are just as sexually active as teenagers everywhere else. Despite the supposed religious purity of the evangelical right-wingers who today regard themselves as the base of the Republican Party, rates of teenage pregnancy and divorce tend to be higher in their domain than elsewhere in America. To the extent that their values would dominate for another four years of Republican rule, those pathologies can be expected to prevail. During the past four years of the Bush administration, teen pregnancies have increased for the first time since 1990, when they began a 14-year decline.

There are excellent reasons why we discourage teenage pregnancy and motherhood, and none of them have disappeared simply because the Republicans are about to put Sarah Palin on their ticket.

Tags: teen pregnancy

Church community wrong to oppose same-sex marriage

Thu, 04 Sep 2008 13:39:40 GMT

clipped by: queah

Clip Source: www.valleynewsonline.com

Recently, the local Fulton Catholic Community was urged to contact Governor Paterson to oppose recognition of same-sex marriages from other states and countries. Why the concern over extending the right to civil marriage to include same sex couples?

The Catholic Church does not recognize any civil marriages. There are no plans anywhere to force any religious group to perform or recognize same-sex marriages. If the concern is that somehow same-sex marriages will undermine the institution of marriage, why are we not urged to demand that divorce be made illegal?

What about demanding laws against adultery? Why not fight to make contraception illegal?

Given their obvious contempt for women, their obvious misunderstanding and disrespect of marriage, who are they to tell us same-sex marriage should be banned?

Opening Minds

Thu, 04 Sep 2008 12:44:31 GMT

clipped by: JohnWaterman
clipper's remarks: "Those who teach our children science have a duty to reveal the workings of nature – even if it means challenging their faith"

Clip Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Should science teachers in Britain challenge their students' religious beliefs? Is it their right? Is it even their duty?

I say yes. This is (amongst much else) what education is for; to teach children how to think for themselves. And thinking for yourself is challenging, especially if your previous beliefs were based on dogma and ancient books.

In his recent TV series, The Genius of Charles Darwin, Richard Dawkins visited a London secondary school, took a mixed bunch of kids out fossil hunting on the beach, and then came back to the school to talk to them and their teachers.

Some of what he discovered in his travels was truly shocking

science teacher who honestly believes that the world was created by God a few thousand years ago

Once you get it that's that! How can you go on believing that God created humans in his own image when you can see, because you really understand the principle, that nature's cruel and wasteful selective process can create all that design without him?

An Old Myth Investigated

Tue, 02 Sep 2008 16:49:51 GMT

clipped by: AtlLiberal
clipper's remarks: This clip is from a short piece explaining very well why, as Cline points out, freedom of and freedom from are two sides of the same coin. You can't have one without the other. Interested people might benefit from linking to the original and reading it in its entirety.

Clip Source: atheism.about.com

What is Freedom From Religion?

Freedom of Religion Requires Freedom From Religion

Conservatives insist that the Constitution guarantees freedom of religion, not freedom from religion, and argue against strict separation of church and state. Too often, though, conservatives seem to have a flawed understanding of what freedom from religion really entails and fail to realize that freedom from religion is crucial to religious liberty in general.

It is evident that a person misunderstands the concept of freedom from religion when they say that promotion of the idea is part of an effort to eliminate religion from the public square, to secularize America, or to deny religious believers a voice in politics. None of this follows from a belief that people have a right to be free from religion.

Tags: constitution, government, religion, atheism

McCain's Desperate Move

Mon, 01 Sep 2008 17:12:11 GMT

clipped by: AtlLiberal
clipper's remarks: While it may be that all VP picks are politically motivated, the good choices usually are those that besides being politically advantageous are also beneficial to the nation. After the nation discovers who Sarah Palin is and what she believes I think that McCain will realize what a colossal blunder he has made. Or maybe not??

Clip Source: www.salon.com

McCain's Palin pick is the epitome of tokenism

Suddenly all anyone needs to qualify as a potential commander in chief is to be a religious ideologue with female gender characteristics?

Aug. 30, 2008 | It is hard to think of a more cynical and contemptuous political act this year than John McCain's selection of Sarah Palin as his vice-presidential running mate. Having served as governor of Alaska for less than two years -- and as mayor of a small town before that -- her qualifications for national office are minimal.

Palin is the epitome of tokenism, exactly what conservative Republicans have always claimed to scorn, until today, as the politics of quotas and political correctness.

But if Palin's résumé is limited, to put it politely, she possesses the only two qualities that McCain now seems to consider essential: She is a right-wing religious ideologue with female gender characteristics.

Tags: politics, palin, vp, republican

Fowler Apologizes For GOP/Gustav Joke........

Mon, 01 Sep 2008 09:27:59 GMT

clipped by: merrie
clipper's remarks: ..........If that's what you want to call it…......

I have to say that I am a free speech advocate and would not suggest that people should be prohibited from taping such conversations. But nevertheless it seems to be a bit extreme to tape a private conversation like that.
— Donald Fowler to ABC News

It would again appear that we have a big mouth more sorry he was caught using it, than being sorry to those whom may have been hurt by his words.

Clip Source: www.black-and-right.com

If this offended anybody, I personally apologize. It was a mistake, and it was a satirical statement made in jest. And one that I clearly don't believe.

One doesn't anticipate that one's private conversation will be surreptitiously taped by some right-wing nutcase. But that's the nature of what we're dealing with.

I believe in a benevolent God. I'm a religious person. It was a facetious statement, some might even say satirical, play off of what Falwell said. If it offended anybody. I'm sorry for that. I don’t think anybody in America wishes for something bad to happen to New Orleans. I certainly don't.

Tags: election 2008, politics

Too Far Right!

Sat, 30 Aug 2008 18:38:04 GMT

clipped by: AtlLiberal
clipper's remarks: Your father raped you? Too bad. Global warming an issue? Poppycock. Teach creationism in science class? Sure, let the students decide.

Ultra right wing religious fanatics are salivating all over themselves over McSame's choice.

A Hillary replacement? Ha! Going to draw Hillary supporters away from Obama? In a pig's eye. Republicans must believe that women voters are all stupid idiots.

This is McCain's judgment in action!

Clip Source: airamerica.com

Sarah Palin is Bad for Women

There can be no doubt that Palin’s selection is purely tactical — a decision based more on image and balance than on substance and qualifications. Palin’s youth, beauty, and distance from Washington were all chosen because they directly counter shortcomings of McCain. Her indisputable conservatism in areas where McCain has appeared moderate — abortion, the Second Amendment, drilling — as well as her “strength” in domestic issues, balances nicely with McCain’s flip-flopping war-focused campaign.

Quite frankly, conservatives have rewarded a woman politically for deciding to keep a baby and for sending her son to Iraq. For this reason, Palin’s selection is a great disservice to women — and further evidence of how truly destructive a Republican victory will be for American women.

'Publicity seeking' - Conclusion

Thu, 28 Aug 2008 14:15:50 GMT

clipped by: fetsiboomsticks

Clip Source: www.news24.com

NGK must apologise to gay man
28/08/2008 13:11 - (SA)

Pretoria - A Pretoria High Court judge has ordered the NG Kerk Moreletapark to unconditionally apologise to a music teacher it fired because he is in a gay relationship.

He said the constitutionally-protected right to equality outweighed the church's right to religious freedom.

Rosenberg on Glenn Beck

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 14:58:23 GMT

clipped by: bignosemousie
clipper's remarks: ROSENBERG: I’m not saying that we are definitely going to see the total fulfillment of the Ezekiel 38 and 39 prophecy in our lifetime.

GLENN: But you are not not saying it, either.

ROSENBERG: You couldn’t rule it out based on the trajectory which seems to be accelerating. Look at it. That Bible prophecy that we’re talking about, Glenn, talks about Russia coming from the north with its allies to attack Israel. Now, take out a map. Go to Moscow. Go straight south and before you get to Israel, where do you drive right through? Georgia.

Transcript.

Clip Source: flashtrafficblog.wordpress.com

GLENN:

Do you, first of all, believe that Israel will attack Iran before Bush leaves office?

ROSENBERG: Well, I wouldn’t want to predict it, but the signs are looking increasingly like that’s what the Israelis are preparing for.

GLENN: Putin thinks that he can control? ?I really think he’s looking at the Middle East as fuel. Not only control of oil but I mean actual fuel. He will use the Middle East to get his, you know, his dirty dealings done, but he really believes that he can control these crazies in the Middle East, doesn’t he?

ROSENBERG: He does. Putin, like many in the West, fundamentally misunderstands the nature and threat of the evil that is this particular regime in Iran.

I distinguish the regime from the Iranian people, 70% of whom roughly have turned away from Islam and actually are quite pro American.

Now, Putin, I think because he is not a religious person and because he comes from a communist atheist system, just doesn’t understand that Ahmadinejad and Khomeini are crazy.

Tags: rosenberg, beck, epicenter, politics

Archbp. Chaput (RC-Denver) vs. Speaker Pelosi (D-CA)

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 03:04:57 GMT

clipped by: Efrain Alvarado

Clip Source: wdtprs.com

Denver, Aug 25, 2008 / 03:27 pm (CNA).- In a statement eloquently titled “On the Separation of Sense and State,” [God Bless this worthy bishop, if for that phrase alone!] the Archbishop of Denver, Charles J. Chaput, O.F.M. Cap., and his Auxiliary Bishop James D. Conley harshly criticized Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, for giving a confusing view of the Catholic Church’s teaching on abortion, during a Sunday interview on NBC’s “Meet the Press.” [Read and watch it here.]

Archbishop Chaput also highlighted that “we now know with biological certainty [Note the distinction.] exactly when human life begins. Thus, today’s religious alibis for abortion and a so-called ‘right to choose’ are nothing more than that – alibis that break radically with historic Christian and Catholic belief.”

Abortion kills an unborn, developing human life. It is always gravely evil, and so are the evasions employed to justify it.

Read the full statement here.

Tags: abortion, prolife, catholic, church

People misunderstand what paganism is about

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 00:35:58 GMT

clipped by: wiccantexan

Clip Source: www.canada.com

It takes a lot to surprise me when it comes to human nature, but last night I met a woman in her 60s at a coffee shop who warned the people at our table about a 'devil' that was going to be at Departure Bay today.

At first I thought she was joking but she said no, she was serious there was going to be a group of devil worshippers gathering there today. She said groups from all the churches were gathering to protest. I asked her if it was the Pagan Pride festival and when she said yes' I said, 'well, my daughter is Wicca and I'm proud of her."

She had nothing to say to that. I really thought that self-righteous people like her had disappeared in the era when witches were being burned.

It's religious fanatics like her who cause destruction in this world because of the fervour of the their beliefs.

I had one daughter become a Catholic and one daughter become Wicca and I'm proud of both of them for making choices that were right for them (I'm Anglican).

Tags: pagan, witch, witchcraft, church, wicca, religion, belief

God's honest truth?

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 00:55:11 GMT

clipped by: pitim
clipper's remarks: The law is being presented in Sweden as if it mostly concerned fundamentalist Christian sects in the backwoods; but the Christian Democratic party, which represents such people if anyone does, is perfectly happy with the new regulation. There is little doubt that combating Islamic fundamentalism is the underlying aim,

Clip Source: www.guardian.co.uk

The Swedish government is making it illegal for schools to teach religious doctrine as if it were true. Britain should follow suit.

The Swedish government has announced plans to clamp down hard on religious education. It will soon become illegal even for private faith schools to teach religious doctrines as if they were true. In an interesting twist on the American experience, prayer will remain legal in schools - after all, it has no truth value. But everything that takes place on the curriculum's time will have to be secular. "Pupils must be protected from every sort of fundamentalism," said the minister for schools, Jan Björklund.

Creationism and ID are explicitly banned but so is proselytising even in religious education classes. The Qur'an may not be taught as if it is true even in Muslim independent schools, nor may the Bible in Christian schools.

The decision looks like a really startling attack on the right of parents to have their children taught what they would like.

Fundy Group drops illgotten grant money from the state.

Sun, 24 Aug 2008 10:05:59 GMT

clipped by: Karzdan
clipper's remarks: Amazing, these guys should of never of been in the running for such a grant. They clearly are a 'our religion or else' kind of group. To have the government give them even 1 cent is, with little doubt, unconstitutional.

Clip Source: www.au.org

Fundamentalist Group Drops Public Funding Windfall After Americans United Protest

A fundamentalist Christian group that claims to help young people overcome drug and alcohol addiction through Bible study and prayer has given up a federal grant after Americans United for Separation of Church and State protested the funding.

Attorneys with Americans United wrote a letter to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) in June, noting that a $50,000 grant to Teen Challenge of Kentucky raised serious constitutional issues. The money was allocated through the Compassion Capital Fund, a special program created as part of President George W. Bush’s “faith-based” initiative.

Teen Challenge, Americans United pointed out, requires participants to take part in prayer, worship, Bible study and other religious activities. Program participants must sign a “Civil Rights Waiver” in which each surrenders the right to “exercis[e] the religion of my choice.”

Tags: religion, au, separation of church and state, faith-based, first amendment