separation of church and state

A whiff of good news from the U.S. Supreme Court, which refused to hear an appeal from the Christianists in Forsyth County who have been using public meetings to promote their religion.

We are about to get very busy," said Katherine Parker, the ACLU attorney who argued the case against Forsyth County in the court system. "We have heard from 25 to 30 religious minority individuals in cities and counties all over North Carolina, and we are about to start contacting those (local government) attorneys. We are going to remind them that this is the law, and presume that they will follow the law."

I'm sure Ms. Parker will also be contacting Taliban Thom Tillis, who has allowed public meetings in the legislature to be used as soapboxes for prayer.

And Jesus told all who were gathered, "Sorry, but that's old business. You people know the drill."

U.S. Supreme Court justices will decide next Friday whether the nation's highest court will consider an appeal by Forsyth County of a lower-court decision that bans Christian prayers at the start of meetings of the county board of commissioners.

Of course, the NC Family Policy Council has insinuated itself into this issue. Here's their amicus brief. I'm laying odds the Supremes won't touch it.

And on the 8th day, God said, "Me, I hate Mondays!"

Science is science, and faith is faith. The two are not necessarily mutually exclusive, but matters of faith have no place being taught alongside principles that have withstood repeated scientific challenges and testing. Evolution has met that standard; creationism and its offshoot, “intelligent design,” have not.

I'm still leaning towards the aliens-built-the-pyramids-and-had-sex-with-monkeys thing, but I'm open to other theories if they have merit.

How long until this shit happens in North Carolina? How long before the Tarheel Taliban funnel more public money to religious institutions, violating both the Constitution and the words of Jesus?

Justice Elena Kagan, in her first dissent, said the majority had laid waste to the doctrine of “taxpayer standing,” which allows suits from people who object to having tax money spent on religious matters. “The court’s opinion,” Justice Kagan wrote, “offers a road map — more truly, a one-step instruction — to any government that wishes to insulate its financing of religious activity from legal challenge.”

I guess the Bible only means what it says when it says what you already think. A convenient tool, the zealot's fig leaf.

Don't take my word for it.

The nation has offended Providence. We formed our Constitution without any acknowledgement of God; without any recognition of His mercies to us, as a people, of His government, or even of His existence. The [Constitutional] Convention by which it was formed, never asked even once, His direction, or His blessings, upon their labors. Thus we commenced our national existence under the present system, without God.

Theologian Joanathan Edwards, president of Yale University, 1812

In case you missed it, the N&O is reporting that the next official end of the world as we know it will be on May 22, 2011. That's when today's current cult of Christian crazies believes the Big Guy will return to earth to harvest true believers in advance of the entire planet being engulfed in the cleansing fires of heaven.

To my way of thinking, this belief is no more or less insane than a host of other beliefs, including the belief that homosexuality is a sin or that god has a sweet spot in her heart for America, the world's undisputed king of arms dealing. If you are a politician using your religious beliefs as a justification for your policy positions, you are exactly as daft as the lunatic in this photo.

King freaks out over the removal of Christian flag from war memorial:

The city council decided last month to remove the flag from above the monument in Central Park after a resident complained, and after city leaders got letters from the American Civil Liberties Union and Americans United for the Separation of Church and State urging them to remove it.

Since Sept. 22, the vigil has been bolstered by home-cooked food delivered by supporters, sleeping bags and blankets donated by a West Virginia man and offers of support from New York to Louisiana.

"Today we ride to the Holy Land!...I mean, North Carolina...whatever, glory awaits us wherever we go! Ride!"

If nothing else, this story offers more good reasons for a bright line of separation between church and state. I recently asked Jesus about this and he said he had no interest in being used as a wedge issue in Caesar's house in Raleigh.

Claiming history texts are skewed, Republicans in Texas skew it their own way:

After three days of turbulent meetings, the Texas Board of Education on Friday approved a social studies curriculum that will put a conservative stamp on history and economics textbooks, stressing the superiority of American capitalism, questioning the Founding Fathers’ commitment to a purely secular government and presenting Republican political philosophies in a more positive light.

The curriculum standards will now be published in a state register, opening them up for 30 days of public comment. A final vote will be taken in May, but given the Republican dominance of the board, it is unlikely that many changes will be made.

I like god as much as the next guy, but you have to admit, religion does attract a good amount of crazy. So when a candidate tells me he or she depends on god to help make policy decisions, you'll forgive me if I get a little nervous. Have all the morality you want, but would you please keep your god out of my public policy? I'd be ever so appreciative.