Darwin Day, It’s Official
By DUNCAN CRARY
HumanistNetworkNews.org
Jan. 16, 2008
On Friday, the city of Albany, N.Y. proclaimed Feb. 12, 2008 to be Darwin Day.
Albany joins a growing list of municipalities, including cities, states, and Canadian Provinces that have officially recognized the birthday of the father of evolutionary biology, Charles Darwin.
Jennifer Lange, legislative liaison of the Institute for Humanist Studies, contacted the Mayor’s Office in Albany to request the proclamation.
“Proclamations are a great way for promoting public awareness of Darwin Day by giving credibility to the event,” Lange said. “Every local official should have a staff person who handles proclamations.”
…
http://www.humaniststudies.org/enews/?id=332&article=1
==========
Creationists would take us back to Dark Ages
Tower Timberjay News – Tower,MN,USA
These adherents have recently tried to push the creationist “Theory of Intelligent Design” into our science classrooms. The only problem is that creationism …
http://www.timberjay.com/current.php?article=4050
==========
A HEATHEN’S GUIDE TO THE RAPTURE
By Jim Gerard, Nation Books
How to navigate your way through born-again America, with tips on how to avoid being Left Behind.
http://www.alternet.org/mediaculture/73108/
==========
Apocalyptic politics
By Philip Jenkins
The religious right has splintered, but hard times could bring it back.
http://tinyurl.com/35axr6 (www.latimes.com)
Frank Schaeffer’s latest book is Crazy for God. Visit his website to learn more about Frank’s work.
http://www.frankschaeffer.com/
Jeff Sharlet is the editor of The Revealer and author of The Family: The Secret Fundamentalism at the Heart of American Power, forthcoming this spring.
==========
HUCKABEE WANTS TO REWRITE CONSTITUTION, SAYS IT’S EASIER TO CHANGE THAN “WORD OF LIVING GOD”
By Lindsay Beyerstein, Majikthise
The Constitution never uses the word “God” or makes mention of any religion, Mike Huckabee thinks it’s time to put an end to that.
http://www.alternet.org/blogs/peek/73946/
WHAT RELIGION’S BLIND STRANGLEHOLD ON AMERICA IS DOING TO OUR DEMOCRACY
By Ira Chernus, Tomdispatch.com
We’ve got to find a way to take the conservative symbolic message of faith talk out of American politics.
http://www.alternet.org/stories/73764/
==========
The Myth/Reality Of Antichrist – And The Danger To America!
By William Cormier
Interesting as it may sound, the Antichrist is not confined to references in the Bible, but predates the few Biblical references found in the 1st and 2nd Book of John. The Antichrist was first referred to in the Hebrew Book of Daniel – and to this day, some scholars are questioning whether the Antichrist was a man, Antiochus IV, who actually lived and was viewed by many Jews as the actual Antichrist;
http://tinyurl.com/3d37st (www.opednews.com/)
==========
GOD’S PROFITS: FAITH, FRAUD AND THE GOP CRUSADE FOR VALUES VOTERS
By Sarah Posner, PoliPoint Press
A look into the shady finances and manipulative politics of America’s leading televangelist hucksters.
http://www.alternet.org/stories/74440/
==========
Primary Season Generates Complaints about Church Engagement in Partisan Activities
The 2008 presidential campaign is in full swing, and so is the debate over what charities and religious organizations can say or do without violating the tax code’s ban on partisan electoral activity. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS), which enforces the law through its Political Activities Compliance Initiative (PACI) program, has already received numerous requests for investigations, and one church has challenged it to investigate a 2006 sermon. The controversy reflects a healthy interest in public affairs within the nonprofit sector, as well as an unhealthy uncertainty about what is allowed in many election-related activities.
http://www.ombwatch.org/article/articleview/4146/
==========
Americans United Cautions Southern Baptist Convention About Partisan Politicking
January 24, 2008
SBC President’s Call For United Evangelical Front Against Giuliani Raises Tax Law Issues, Says Church-State Watchdog Group
Americans United for Separation of Church and State has cautioned the top official of the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) that using his denominational news agency to oppose Republican presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani raises federal tax law issues.
In a Jan. 24 letter, Americans United advised SBC President Frank Page that the Internal Revenue Code prohibits the use of tax-exempt resources to support or oppose candidates for public office.
Americans United acted after learning of a Jan. 21 analysis distributed by Baptist Press, the SBC’s official news agency. The analysis stated in part, “Page said he agrees with James Dobson of Focus on the Family that a united front against Giuliani is needed and that ‘evangelicals can realistically defeat him.’ Even a ticket with Giuliani on top and Huckabee for vice president ‘would be problematic for Dr. Dobson and myself,’ Page said.”
The Rev. Barry W. Lynn, Americans United executive director, urged Page to review the requirements of tax law.
“Since you are the top official of the Southern Baptist Convention and Baptist Press is the denomination’s official news agency,” wrote Lynn, “Southern Baptists and other readers could easily get the impression that you are using the denomination’s tax-exempt resources to oppose Giuliani’s candidacy…. [W]e encourage you to review the provisions of the Internal Revenue Code and to refrain from activities that might endanger the tax-exempt status of the Southern Baptist Convention.”
The Internal Revenue Code bars religious leaders serving in their official capacities from involvement in political campaigns. When church leaders use their pulpits, church newsletters or other official resources of their organizations to advocate or oppose candidates, federal tax law is violated.
In its letter, Americans United notes that the Baptist Press article identifies Page as SBC president and gives no indication that he is being interviewed as an individual citizen rather than as the top official of the Southern Baptist Convention. (The Southern Baptist Convention is the nation’s largest Protestant denomination.)
AU’s Lynn says he hopes Page and other religious leaders take the time to learn about the law.
“We should have learned by now that churches should not become political machines,” said Lynn. “If clergy are a little fuzzy on federal tax law, now is a good time to get sound information. With a presidential campaign underway, it’s especially important for everyone to play by the rules.”
Americans United is a religious liberty watchdog group based in Washington, D.C. Founded in 1947, the organization educates Americans about the importance of church-state separation in safeguarding religious freedom.
Americans United for Separation of Church and State www.au.org
==========
Will religion sabotage Charlotte’s future?
Rigorous science must inform our debate over global, local problems
Wed, Jan. 23, 2008
DAVID WALTERS
Special to the Observer
At the beginning of my year as a community columnist I want to say something clearly: I quite like living in Charlotte. The qualifying “quite” is not polite English understatement; it’s a reflection of my ambiguous relationship with this city that’s been home for nearly 18 years. Despite this lengthy period of residence, Charlotte is still to me a foreign city in a foreign land.
This cultural distance means that while there are many attributes I admire about Charlotte, there are some things about the city and its people that still strike me as slightly odd or, occasionally, disturb me more deeply.
On the positive side is the city’s optimistic, “can-do” approach to problems. The way Charlotte is exploring antidotes to our unsustainable patterns of suburban growth by creating new housing and transportation options and by developing the city center as the thriving heart of the region with ambitious new buildings and facilities is bold and exciting. Many of these progressive initiatives are based on creative public-private partnerships, models of “joint-venture” capitalism that bode well for the future.
In the highly competitive global marketplace, cities that don’t continuously adapt and develop get left behind. Our city is the envy of many across the country, but we can’t rest on our laurels. Our next challenge is to develop in ways that are more sustainable and energy efficient in the face of potentially drastic climate change: we’ll need to use less land, live more compactly and drive less. This will be difficult but if we fully understand the science of global warming, this city has the ingenuity to succeed.
Alarming emphasis on faith
…
Complete article at:
http://www.charlotte.com/171/story/458616.html
Observer community columnist David Walters, a British architect, is professor of architecture and urban design at UNC Charlotte. Write him c/o The Observer, P.O. Box 30308, Charlotte, NC 28230-0308, or at drwalter@uncc.edu
==========
Church officials investigate sex abuse allegations
Capital News 9 – Albany,NY,USA
TROY, NY — A priest in Troy has taken a leave of absence while church officials investigate allegations that he sexually abused a minor. …
http://www.capitalnews9.com/content/headlines/?ArID=229911&SecID=33
Church admits “complicity” in sex abuse case
The case of a Swiss priest who was moved to France by superiors who knew he had already sexually abused at least one child is rocking the Swiss Catholic Church.
http://digg.com/world_news/Church_admits_complicity_in_sex_abuse_case
Lampasas priest sentenced to prison time for sexual assault
KCEN-TV – Eddy,TX,USA
A Lampasas Episcopal priest pleaded guilty to one count of sexual assault and was sentenced to three years in state prison. Police arrested Reverend Jim …
http://www.kcentv.com/news/c-article.php?cid=1&nid=14727
Preacher pleads guilty to sodomy
Columbus Ledger-Enquirer – Columbus,GA,USA
BY ALAN RIQUELMY – ariquelmy@ledger-enquirer.com –
A former Russell County preacher charged with trying to hire someone to kill his victim pleaded
guilty …
<http://www.ledger-enquirer.com/news/story/230361.html
Diocese faces sex abuse suits
The North Bay Nugget – North Bay,Ontario,Canada
The allegations of sexual misconduct occurred in the Sault diocese communities of North Bay, Powassan, Sudbury, Field, Crystal Falls and Tecumseh, …
http://www.nugget.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=874995
==========
three thousand words
reverendfun.com: SORRY, WE HAVE A STRICT JEREMIAH 13:23 POLICY
http://www.reverendfun.com/add_toon_info.php?date=20080125&language=en
Freethunk!: before gutenberg
http://humaniststudies.org/~funnies/freethunk/sf20080123.gif
Mikhaela Reid: Mitt vs. Mike in Extreme Godmania Smackdown!
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2401/2218060311_5a2dd95f14.jpg?v=0
