Generally Helpful Since Birth
Competition in Politics hurts Everyone DISCLAIMER: This isn’t really a Church/State post, but since I focus on political topics I thought I’d throw these two cents in. I read Addictinginfo.org somewhat regularly. He’s wildly liberal but his blog is very effective in bringing relevant issues to attention and being provocative about it. But… this post… Read more Competition in Politics hurts Everyone
The Ministerial Exception Exists… Says Supreme Court Catholic San Fransisco reported on this important Supreme Court decision that some say is the “most significant religious liberty decision in many years”. Basically, the court ruled that churches can fire ministers for whatever reason they want. They can legally discriminate against their ministers and exercise their discrimination… Read more The Ministerial Exception Exists… Says Supreme Court
Florida ♥’s Prayer in Schools Attached is the text of a recent bill passed in Florida. There’s a subtle uproar in the church-state-osphere about this, and understandably so. This bill allows school districts boards to choose “an inspirational message, including prayers of invocation or benediction” to be read at any “non-compulsory” student gatherings. This basically says “we’re… Read more Florida ♥’s Prayer in Schools
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3p0OMJbia4s Here’s the video they refer to in my previous post. It’s a really superb historical example of American civil religion being confronted by a religious politician in order to unite rather than divide. (Source: http://www.youtube.com/)
Via the New Yorker: GOP Religion Race In Full Swing This article does a great job in chatting about how the GOP runners are each using religion divisively as opposed to JFK’s inspiring speech when he warned Americans that if they cast “the finger of suspicion” at a Catholic now, in the future it will… Read more Via the New Yorker: GOP Religion Race In Full Swing
Via LA Times: Quantifying God If you haven’t heard of the Large Hadron Collider, you’re probably… normal. Think of it like those electronic race cars sets, and you’re the kid that always put two cars going in opposite directions to see them smash each other up. Instead of flying race cars around the track, the… Read more Via LA Times: Quantifying God
Via NYT: Public Discourse on God Sucks Excellent article on the problem with talking about God in America today. At the end he asks “How do we talk about the private nature of religion publicly?” What’s your solution? p.s. I’m all for freedom of expression, but I prefer to keep the discussion civil. E.g. “F%#k… Read more Via NYT: Public Discourse on God Sucks
A superb example of church/state cross-over that I and anyone familiar with the First Amendment would be appalled by. Classic American Civil Religion, vilifying ”the left” as anti-religious, using religion as a political vote-winning tool. I have a feeling though that the 400,000+ DISlikes this ad received on YouTube.com are from his stance on gays serving openly… Read more
Via Salon.com: Are Evangelicals a Threat to National Security? If, as Islamophobes argue, refusing to assimilate is defined as expressing loyalty to a religion before loyalty to country, then this data suggests it is evangelical Christians who are very resistant to assimilation. And yet, few would cite these findings to argue that Christians pose a… Read more Are Evangelicals a Threat to National Security?