Keeping "Separation of Church and State" Options

[rla]

There can never be a guarantee that a free and open society will make the
correct choices but I know of no other options I'm willing to hand over control to.

[Arneoker]

There can never be a guarantee that a free and open society will make the
correct choices but I know of no other options I'm willing to hand over control to.

On that we agree.

[Chris]

There is no separation of church and state. There isn't even a separation of church and hate. It's ashame we don't have either one, as we clearly should.

Chris

[heritage]

Letter to editor 6-19-05

On God

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/05170/523574.stm

The Rev. Dr. N. Graham Standish believes ours is "A Country Divided by Christ" (Forum, June 12). He claims, "Mixing politics and religion causes too many people to confuse Caesar's empire with God's kingdom."

Such tunnel vision denies a vital part of the calling of Christians in this world: To be the salt and the light in the culture.

Historically, Christians have initiated countless changes in social convention -- without which our culture would be virtually unrecognizable.

In this country, the most obvious example is the abolition of slavery. Individual men and women of God campaigned at great personal cost to improve the plight of fellow Americans and the moral fiber of our nation.

God is the god of his followers, who with the encouragement of pastors and ministers throughout the ages, have confronted the evils around them and left a legacy of the peace and grace of God's kingdom here in the midst of Caesar's empire.


TOM MINNERY
Vice President
Government & Public Policy
Focus on the Family
Colorado Springs, Colo

[heritage]

James Kennedy - Coral Ridge Ministries has a Sunday TV program on our local Pittsburgh Fox station at 7-8 AM.

This Sunday, he said that next Sunday July 31, they will air a new program "One Nation under God" that proves that our founding fathers wanted religion in our government. They will air it nationally and asked for donations to get it out on more stations. The program will show "the ten things every Christian should know about the founders".

They have a web site:  http://www.reclaimamerica.org

Kennedy also has a daily radio show and TV programming on the christian stations.

Kennedy said that it is important to learn about the lies that have been told especially now that John Roberts has been nominated to the SC. He calls the acclaimed historians who are revealing the human sides of our founders: "history revisionists".

This is the kind of propaganda that the religious community is feeding its faithful. They don't like history or science but they like a WH that divulges classified information for political reasons, and they like war and deficits.

[heritage]

James Kennedy had another installment of his anti-evolution message on Sunday August 7, 2005. He also spoke about it on his radio program today.

Coral Ridge Hour
1-888-947-9009
Ft Lauderdale, FL

"Lies of Evolution"
People "descended from a puddle of slime"
"Know the truth"

Evolution is what athiests believe. No christian should believe it.

Book: The Collapse of Evolution by Scott Huse

[heritage]

Falwell's 'Vote Christian' Criticized

Updated 1:01 AM ET August 10, 2005
http://dailynews.att.net/cgi-bin/news?e=pr...8bsokf03&src=ap

LYNCHBURG, Va. (AP) - A Jewish organization is calling on the Rev. Jerry Falwell to retract a "vote Christian in 2008" statement made months ago in a letter raising money for his ministries.

The criticism of Falwell appeared Monday on the Web site of the Anti-Defamation League, a group organized in 1913 to fight anti-Semitism.

Falwell, founder of Liberty University in Lynchburg, Va., and Moral Majority, included with his mass fundraising letter for Falwell Ministries a sticker that reads, "I Vote Christian."

Abraham Foxman, the Anti-Defamation League's national director, said Falwell's statements are "directly at odds with the American ideal and should be rejected."

"Understanding the danger of combining religion and politics, our founding fathers wisely created a political system based on individual merit and religious inclusiveness," Foxman said.

Falwell told The News & Advance of Lynchburg Tuesday that his statement was misunderstood.

"What I was saying was for conservative Christian voters to vote their values, which are pro-life and pro-family," Falwell said. "I had no intention of being anti-Jewish at all."

___

On the Net:

http://www.adl.org

http://www.falwell.com

[heritage]

C-span today had a discussion of intelligent design.

http://www.c-span.org

Mat Staver from the Liberty Counsel, http://www.lc.org, spoke for ID.

The Liberty Counsel also promotes strict construction interpretation of the constitution.

Robert Boston from the Americans United for Separation of Church and State, http://www.au.org, spoke for evolution. He mentioned a book in 1987? by a man named Dawkins. The book debunked the ID arguments that go back over 100 years. It is not a new theory.

The right wing groups promote:
"athiest evolution vs christian intelligent design".

Mr. Boston said that this is not a black and white issue. Christians believe in evolution. Recent news stories from other parts of the world show that our country is falling behind in the scientific areas. Most scientists do not believe that ID is a scientific theory. Mr. Staver could only cite a few scientists which have not been peer reviewed.

A caller brought up Reverend Kennedy's TV programs and spouted the untruths about Darwin and evolution from his programs. Mr. Boston said that those were are debunked many years ago.

[heritage]

White House suspends grant to Silver Ring Thing
Administration says abstinence program uses tax money for religious purposes

Tuesday, August 23, 2005

By Ceci Connolly, The Washington Post

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/05235/558379.stm

WASHINGTON -- The Bush administration yesterday suspended a federal grant to the Ohio Township-based Silver Ring Thing abstinence program, saying it appears to use tax money for religious activities.

Department of Health and Human Services officials also ordered the group to submit a "corrective action plan" if it hopes to receive an expected $75,000 grant this year.

In a letter to the program director, Harry Wilson, associate commissioner of the Family and Youth Services Bureau, concluded that the project funded with federal dollars "includes both secular and religious components that are not adequately safeguarded."

The action comes three months after the American Civil Liberties Union filed a lawsuit against HHS accusing the administration of using tax dollars to promote Christianity. In documents filed in federal court in Boston, the ACLU alleged that the activities, brochures and Web site of Silver Ring Thing were "permeated with religion" and use "taxpayer dollars to promote religious content, instruction and indoctrination."

Teenage graduates of the program sign a covenant "before God Almighty" to remain virgins and earn a silver ring inscribed with a Bible passage reminding them to "keep clear of sexual sin." Many of its events are held at churches.

In filings with the Internal Revenue Service, the organization describes its mission as "evangelistic ministry" with an emphasis on "evangelistic crusade planning."

Representatives of the Pennsylvania-based nonprofit describe Silver Ring Thing as a "faith-based" group but deny charges that it has commingled its public funds with religious activities.

"Any religious teaching that goes on is separate in time and place from what the government is funding," said Joel Oster, senior litigation counsel at the Alliance Defense Fund, which is representing Silver Ring Thing. "They offer a religious program and they offer a secular program; kids can choose which one they want to go to."

In an advertisement on its Web site for a set of educational materials on DVD, Silver Ring Thing promises: "A secular program is also in development."

The ACLU declared a partial victory yesterday but said it would continue to monitor the group's activities.

"We're really pleased the government has recognized Silver Ring Thing was misusing public dollars to promote its own faith over all others," said senior staff attorney Julie Sternberg. "It's improper for the federal government to underwrite a national road show designed to convert teenagers to a particular faith."

HHS officials refused to elaborate beyond the letter.

[rla]

A lot of problems could be solved by closing down most of the Federal Education
Department Bureaucracy and dispersing all tax money for education in the form of block grants to the states. This would eliminate Faith-based grant programs and
would re-dirrect the hugh sums presently being spent by the Federal Grants
Management Bureauracy through University-based research organizations and
Private Research Companies. This would allow for better accountability and get more of the funds to the service delivery level where it is most needed.

[heritage]

Editorial: Silver Ring fling / When teaching abstinence is an act of faith
Friday, August 26, 2005

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/05238/560167.stm

In one sense, the Silver Ring Thing, a faith-based program that promotes sexual abstinence among young people, deserves a little sympathy for having a federal grant suspended, pending corrective measures to separate the religious content of its activities.

After all, the Bush administration has implicitly encouraged the breaking down of the wall of separation between church and state -- and the funding of faith-based initiatives is part of it. The Silver Ring Thing, which is based at Christ Church at Grove Farm in Ohio Township, has merely been doing its own thing -- and that thing not surprisingly reflects the evangelical Christian context in which it operates.

Yet now a letter from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services arrives saying that its program "may not have included adequate safeguards to clearly separate in time or location inherently religious activities from the federally funded activities." Coming from an arm of the Bush administration, this might seem like bait-and-switch. It is like throwing a juicy steak to a bulldog and then complaining when he eats it.

The letter from the Health and Human Services Department didn't occur in a vacuum; it came after the American Civil Liberties Union filed a lawsuit alleging that the Silver Ring Thing uses federal funds to promote Christianity. The Silver Ring Thing must take "corrective action" to receive a $75,000 grant earmarked for it.

In theory, faith-based initiatives are appealing. By harnessing an army of compassion, in President Bush's phrase, people can be served in ways that cannot be matched by government agencies. But it is one thing to feed the homeless, for example, and another to promote values such as chastity. The first is practical; the second involves beliefs.

The situation of the Silver Ring Thing illustrates the problem. Its proponents say that religious and secular versions of the program are offered and the young people get to choose. But good luck keeping the federal funding straight when religion so permeates the atmosphere.

Quite apart from any constitutionally suspect behavior, a practical argument exists that the federal government shouldn't be in the business of funding abstinence-only programs that ignore advice on contraception as well.

For one thing, evidence suggests that abstinence-only programs are not as effective as their supporters claim. In editorializing on this general subject in 2002, we observed that "abstinence is the desired behavior for teen-agers in a perfect world. In the imperfect, sexually charged world of adolescent America, however, it defies common sense to believe that simply urging abstinence is going to be persuasive to every teen-ager."

That is not to say that the Silver Ring Thing has no chance of succeeding with some of the young people in its program. In our view, it is entirely appropriate for a Christian church to give expression to its religious values by undertaking such a mission.

But that, of course, is the point. The Silver Ring Thing needs to be supported by its own dime. Churches are already exempt from taxes; they cannot expect the taxpayers to fund their activities, even when they are passed off as a social service.

[heritage]

Opinions vary on funding cut-off for faith-based abstinence program
Wednesday, August 24, 2005

By Ervin Dyer, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/05236/558937.stm

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services on Monday suspended a $75,000 grant earmarked for Silver Ring Thing, saying it appeared that tax money was being used for religious purposes.

Silver Ring Thing, based at Christ Grove Church, travels the country with lavish three-hour shows that feature bonfires, luaus and special guests. The American Civil Liberties Union claimed Silver Ring Thing mixed evangelization with its education program, violating the separation of church and state.

In a letter from HHS, Silver Ring Thing was ordered to submit a plan of "corrective action" by Sept. 6 if it wanted to receive the grant later this year.

Some Bethel Park parents and students who joined Silver Ring Thing last fall believe the "correction" could strip the program of its power.

"I disagree [with people who say] the program itself promotes God," said Abby Kun, 15, a sophomore at Bethel Park High School. "It does not. In the program, it gives people a choice."

Officials with Silver Ring Thing could not be reached for comment on the government's ruling.

Carol Rose, executive director of the ACLU in Massachusetts, which sued HHS for funding the program, said the federal government should not underwrite religious indoctrination of students.

"The Silver Ring Thing is nothing more than a vehicle for converting young people to Christianity. Our taxpayer dollars should play no part in such a program," she said.

In an era of AIDS, teen pregnancy and date-rape drugs, not many disagree with a message that asks young people to delay sexual activity, but not everyone agrees on how the message should be conveyed.

Abstinence-only education programs, which reach millions a year and give no information on contraception, were expected to get $168 million in federal funding this year. Critics say preaching abstinence is good, but does not sufficiently teach young people about basic sexual health or sexually transmitted diseases.

The Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States argues that federal funding should not push religion, but rather more comprehensive, medically correct family planning and pregnancy prevention, including discussion of contraception.

It also argues that more federal oversight is needed for grants that support faith-based organizations to ensure they promote public health policy without proselytizing.

A 2004 Columbia University study showed that while participants in such programs delayed the start of sex by an average of 18 months, 88 percent still had sex before marriage. And they had rates of sexually transmitted diseases similar to others their age.

Silver Ring Thing, formed a decade ago, has received about $1.3 million since 2003 as part of President Bush's effort to broaden abstinence-only education.

Denny Pattyn, a native Pittsburgher, created the outreach program in Yuma, Ariz., and it has spread across the country and internationally. Three years ago, Pattyn announced he was working with U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum, R-Pa., and U.S. Rep. Melissa Hart, R-Bradford Woods, both conservative legislators, on the expansion.

Neither of the legislators responded to requests for reaction yesterday.

After it spent a year observing Silver Ring Thing, the ACLU filed suit in May, accusing the federal government of misusing taxpayer dollars to fund the group's evangelizing.

The HHS letter to the group expressed concern that the program "may not have included adequate safeguards to clearly separate in time or location inherently religious activities from the federally funded activities."

The silver ring that students purchase, which symbolizes a vow of abstinence until marriage, is inscribed with the biblical verse "God wants you to be holy, so you should keep clear of all sexual sin."

The ACLU charges that there is no equivalent secular ring.

Also, during Silver Ring Thing events -- huge sound-and-light shows that draw crowds of young people -- organizers rain Bible passages from the stage, ask students interested in remaining sexually abstinent to make a "covenant before God" and follow up with students by sending them a Silver Thing Ring Bible, full of Christian messages.

On the program's Web site, a diary entry openly encourages students to pursue faith and to find completion in Christ.

At many events, however, organizers give participants who may be uncomfortable with messages of spirituality the liberty to attend separate sessions in different rooms.

Kun went to a Silver Ring Thing event nearly a year ago. She was invited by other girls on her high school soccer team. When she's not at soccer practice, she now wears the silver ring on her left hand, one of 27,000 young people estimated to do so.

Kun has a boyfriend and dates, mostly socializing with friends, but looking at the ring reminds her of her boundaries and values, she said. It also reminds her boyfriend, who she said respects her goals.

"One guy told me, 'It's good to see you stand up for your goals,' " said Kun, who attends St. Valentine Church.

Among her friends, she said, many are hoping the Silver Ring Thing will continue to get funding.

[heritage]

Group Starts Move to Get Converts, Voters

Updated 6:03 PM ET October 14, 2005
http://dailynews.att.net/cgi-bin/news?e=pr...8d82mjgc&src=ap

By JOHN McCARTHY

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - A new coalition dedicated to converting thousands to Christianity and getting thousands more on voter registration lists got its start Friday with a tightly scripted rally that resembled a revival meeting.

More than 1,000 people gathered outside the Statehouse for the launch of Reformation Ohio. The group, founded by the Rev. Rod Parsley, a television evangelist and pastor of the World Harvest Church in suburban Columbus, vehemently opposes gay rights, and Parsley has written that the teachings of Islam were inspired by demons.

The group's formation comes after last November's election in which Christian conservatives helped pass a gay-marriage ban in Ohio and give President Bush the electoral votes he needed to claim victory.

Speakers included U.S. Sen. Sam Brownback, a Republican from Kansas who is considering a White House run in 2008; Rep. Walter Jones, R-N.C., and Ohio Secretary of State Kenneth Blackwell, who is seeking the Republican nomination for governor next year.

Blackwell, who also won Brownback's endorsement Friday, praised the efforts of Parsley and others to sign up new voters. Parsley's goal is to add 400,000 people to voter rolls.

"Reformation Ohio is about history-making times, reforming the culture," Blackwell said. "We are a government that governs only with the consent of the governed."

Brownback, who has emerged as a leading skeptic of President Bush's nomination of Harriet Miers to the U.S. Supreme Court, said the nation is engaged in a cultural struggle.

"We need a culture that buttresses our families, not attacks them. We need a society that honors good and condemns what is bad," Brownback said.

Parsley said voter registration is secondary to Reformation Ohio's two main objectives: converting 100,000 people to Christianity within four years and providing food, clothing and other necessities to the needy. He sent his followers from the Statehouse on an evangelical note.

"Sound an alarm. A Holy Ghost invasion is taking place. Man your battle stations, ready your weapons, lock and load," Parsley said to enthusiastic applause.

Participants were mostly members of Parsley's church, with many entire families in attendance. A production staff choreographed the event, much like Parsley's broadcasts from his church, with directors huddled inside a tent and cameras throughout the grounds, including one mounted on a small crane that hovered over the crowd.

Tying evangelical gospel to voter registration is a new phenomenon, said Mark Rozell, a public policy professor at George Mason University who studies political mobilization by religious groups. "Most of these types of groups don't tend to mix these activities in the same venue, at least not so overtly," Rozell said.

___

On the Net:

Reformation Ohio: http://www.reformationohio.com

Christian Coalition: http://www.cc.org/

[heritage]

Danforth Criticizes Christian Sway in GOP

Updated 12:23 AM ET October 27, 2005
http://dailynews.att.net/cgi-bin/news?e=pr...8dg5cug0&src=ap

By DANIEL CONNOLLY

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) - Former Sen. John Danforth said Wednesday that the political influence of evangelical Christians is hurting the Republican Party and dividing the country.

Danforth, a Missouri Republican and an Episcopal priest, commented after meeting with students at the Bill Clinton School of Public Service, a graduate branch of the University of Arkansas on the grounds of the Clinton presidential library.

"I think that the Republican Party fairly recently has been taken over by the Christian conservatives, by the Christian right," he said in an interview. "I don't think that this is a permanent condition, but I think this has happened, and that it's divisive for the country."

He also said the evangelical Christian influence would be bad for the party in the long run.

Republican National Committee spokeswoman Tracy Schmitt declined to comment on Danforth's remarks.

Danforth, who recently served as ambassador to the United Nations, made similar criticism of the party in an opinion article published by the New York Times in June. In that article, he called for religious moderates to take part in public life.

Danforth, considered a conservative on social issues, was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1976 and served three terms.

[rla]

Crediting Arkansans' strong faith in God for their willingness to help hurrican
survivors, the Republican governor praised Christians and Churches Oct. 18 for not treating hurricane survivors as "boxes" but giving them the warmth they needed. "The greatest gift is when God's people loved them unconditionally," he said. He compared life as living below sea level with the constant threat of breaking levees, and through faith those fears are comforted... Be a true believer
and vote Republican and we'll take care of you--but they don't.

[heritage]

James Dobson is investigated for mixing religion and politics

http://www.commongroundcommonsense.org/for...ST&f=16&t=43796

[heritage]

James Dobson has been talking about Terri Schiavo again this week on his daily radio show. He is riling up the christian base again about "activist judges". He is raising money.

This could lead into the January hearings on Alito.

Congress also has several bills to make "conception" the beginning of life thus getting around abortion laws. I posted a forum on this topic in women's issues.

[heritage]

Judge rules no separation

http://www.commongroundcommonsense.org/for...ST&f=16&t=45806