Separation of Church and State

Ailing Televangelist and Religious-Right Pioneer Retires

Submitted by Anonymous on Wednesday, 8/29/2007 9:08 am

D. James Kennedy

D. James Kennedy, who built up Fort Lauderdale, Florida megachurch and television empire over the last half-century, has officially retired, eight months after he was first hospitalized following a heart attack. Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church has nearly 10,000 members, and his broadcast ministry claims 3.5 million listeners and viewers, but he is best known as one of the founding figures of the Religious Right in the early 1980s, known as the “Ivy League Jerry Falwell.”

Kennedy, who once said that “the diabolical mission” of People For the American Way was “to crush the influence of the Christian religion in American society,” became active in political issues from battling pornography, “secularized” education, abortion, and civil rights for gays to supporting Reagan administration policies like SDI, Iran-Contra, and the nomination of Robert Bork to the Supreme Court. His involvement grew in the 1990s and 2000s, as he organized national conferences for religious-right activism and expanded his influence in Washington.

The 76-year-old Kennedy’s retirement comes just a few months after the death of Jerry Falwell, and again heralds the inevitable passing of the older generation of religious-right leaders -- Falwell, Kennedy, 71-year-old James Dobson, 69-year-old Don Wildmon, and others who built the infrastructure and set the pattern for fundamentalism-charged politics.

Much more on D. James Kennedy’s political career below.

That Was Then, This is Now

Submitted by Kyle Mantyla on Friday, 7/13/2007 6:43 pm
As we noted the other day, the Religious Right was none-too-pleased that Rajan Zed, a Hindu clergyman, was scheduled to deliver the opening prayer in the United States Senate yesterday. Some were so opposed to it, in fact, that they got arrested for disrupting Zed’s prayer by shouting and calling it an “abomination” [see the video here.] The Carpetbagger Report has a good post on this issue which notes that, several years ago, the Family Research Council likewise objected when similar situation arose:
Back in September 2000, I took on a highly entertaining project while working at Americans United for Separation of Church and State. Venkatachalapathi Samuldrala, a Hindu chaplain, was invited to be the very first Hindu in American history to lead a congressional chamber in prayer. AU opposes official congressional prayers, but nevertheless believes that if lawmakers are going to have one, they better be even-handed about it. The Family Research Council didn’t see it that way. The group flipped out, said Samuldrala’s prayer could lead to “moral relativism and ethical chaos,” and explained its belief that religious liberty “was never intended to exalt other religions to the level that Christianity holds in our country’s heritage.” In other words, as the FRC saw it, minority faiths are separate and unequal, First Amendment be damned. I had a blast mocking the FRC for this, calling reporters and making the far-right group look pretty silly for demanding more religion in the public square and then balking at a religious invocation on the House floor. Eventually, the FRC not only backpedaled, it said the announcement condemning Samuldrala’s prayer was distributed by accident.
It appears that FRC either didn’t learn its lesson from this previous incident or has completely forgotten about it, as FRC is now fretting that Zed’s prayer is a sign that the U.S. Senate has taken "just one more step away" from America's Christian heritage and FRC president Tony Perkins just released this “special publication”:
There is no question that under the first amendment Zed enjoys freedom in this country that Christians do not enjoy in his home country. But does that mean it is appropriate for him to open the nation’s highest elected body in prayer? I think not … No one can legitimately challenge the fact that the God America refers to in the pledge, our national motto, and other places is the monotheistic God of the Jewish and Christian faith. There is no historic connection between America and the polytheistic creed of the Hindu faith. I seriously doubt that Americans want to change the motto, “In God we Trust, which Congress adopted in 1955, to, “In gods we Trust.” That is essentially what the United States Senate did today.
While we are on the subject, it should be noted that, according to various news sources, the three protestors were members of Operation Save America, which makes this quote all the more ludicrous:
The Rev. Flip Benham, director of Operation Save America/Operation Rescue, lambasted the decision to turn the prayer ceremony over to a non-Christian. He said that the protesters recited the First Commandment and offered prayers. They were not part of an organized group but were Christians who happened to be in Washington to fight the hate crimes bill. They did not know there was to be a Hindu prayer, Benham said.
Three members of Operation Save America just happened to be in the nearly empty Senate chamber yesterday morning at the very time that a Hindu clergyman was scheduled to deliver a prayer, yet they had no idea it was taking place despite the fact that various right-wing news outlets had been writing about it for weeks? Wow, what an amazing coincidence. Good thing they were there or else this “abomination” would have simply taken place quietly and Operation Save America would have completely missed out on an opportunity to generate some press coverage for itself.

Taking Lead from Religious Right, Justice Dept. Civil Rights Focused on Religion, Not Race

Submitted by Anonymous on Thursday, 6/14/2007 11:43 am

In February, Attorney General Alberto Gonzales unveiled what he called the First Freedom Project, to expand on the Justice Department’s “extensive record of achievement” in the area of “religious freedom laws.” Gonzales described the department’s work on religion as “a legacy of protection unequaled since the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.” Even more remarkable than that startling comparison, however, was Gonzales’s choice of venue: a meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee. According to the Baptist Press, Gonzales requested to speak at the meeting “because he knew he would be speaking to a receptive audience.” Indeed, the famously right-wing SBC has been a strong supporter of the Bush administration, including its judicial nominees.

The Religious Right saw the Justice Department’s new focus as a validation of its world-view of Christians being persecuted in the U.S.: “The fact that the Justice Department finds it necessary to launch such a project further confirms what we’ve been aware of for years: our nation’s First Liberty--religious freedom--is in serious danger because of decades of sustained attacks by the ACLU and its allies,” said Alan Sears, president of the Alliance Defense Fund.

Now the New York Times is reporting that the department’s emphasis on religious liberty is part of its controversial reorganization under the Bush Administration that has led to a diminished role for traditional civil rights enforcement based on racial discrimination and voter suppression, and a more ideological and politicized staff, such as Monica Goodling, a graduate of Pat Robertson’s law school.

The shift at the Justice Department has significantly altered the government’s civil rights mission, said Brian K. Landsberg, a law professor at the University of the Pacific and a former Justice Department lawyer under both Republican and Democratic administrations.

“Not until recently has anyone in the department considered religious discrimination such a high priority,” Professor Landsberg said. “No one had ever considered it to be of the same magnitude as race or national origin.” …

Some critics say that many of the Justice Department’s religious-oriented initiatives are outside its mandate from Congress. While statutes prohibit religious discrimination in areas like employment and housing, no laws address some of the issues in which the department has become involved. … The department has … challenged so-called Blaine amendments, which are state constitutional provisions enforcing separation of church and state more rigidly than does the United States Constitution. The federal government sued because the amendments could impede Mr. Bush’s religion-based initiative, which provides money to religious groups for social programs.

The Good Book Taught Wrong

Submitted by Peter Montgomery on Friday, 4/6/2007 9:08 am

That was the title of a People For the American Way Foundation report in 2000 documenting the appalling ways that the Bible was being taught in Florida public schools. (Actual test question:  " Why is it hard for a non-Christian to understand things about God?”)  But “The Good Book Taught Wrong” would also certainly be the end result if a Texas bill to require that school districts offer Bible classes becomes law.

Under the headline “Bible Belt Refuses to Buckle under on Religious Courses,” the Family Research Council celebrates a bill introduced by Texas Rep. Warren Chisum that would require every school district in the state to offer elective high school Bible classes.

The committee considering the legislation held its hearing on the first day of Passover.  A letter from People For the American Way, which testified against the legislation, spells out the myriad legal problems with the bill, including sectarian language and a failure to require or fund any teacher training, in spite of the enormous difficulties of teaching about the Bible in a constitutional manner in a public school.  Without that kind of training, even in a properly designed course it’s likely some classes would be more like Sunday School than the kind of objective course required by the Supreme Court for teaching about the Bible in public schools.

In fact, a recent study by Southern Methodist University biblical studies professor Mark Chancey conducted for the Texas Freedom Network found that of 25 school districts offering Bible courses in Texas in 2005-2006, only three were doing it right. One district included Veggie Tales videos. Another included a PowerPoint presentation, "God's Roadway For Your Life," with slides proclaiming "Jesus Christ is the one and only way."

The North Carolina-based National Council on Bible Curriculum in Public Schools exists to push this kind of legislation, and continues to falsely claim that “we’ve never been legally challenged.” In fact, a curriculum written by the NCBCPS lost a legal challenge in Florida and a number of school districts have declined proposals to adopt the NCBCPS courses when they get the facts.

Chisum’s bill would require every one of the 1,031 school districts in Texas to come up with their own classes, with the Bible – any version or translation – as the textbook.   On one hand, Chisum insists that the classes would be purely secular in nature:

"We're not going to preach the Bible, we're going to teach the Bible and how it affects all of our writings, documents and the formation of our government," Mr. Chisum said. "We're taking it as a document that has historical value."

But Chisum’s explanation for what he’s trying to achieve does imply a bit of preaching:

 "I would hope that we get a better-prepared student to go out into the world and understand what they believe, ... how it's [this country] put together, why we are different from some others on this planet."

The United States doesn't have more resources, he said, "but we do better. A lot of it's because of what's written in that book, because we have a moral standard. Not everybody has a moral standard."

And Rep. Leo Berman, a joint author of the bill, seems to have an even more overtly religious purpose in mind:

Representative Leo Berman says, "Today, with Christian symbols being taken out of everything, off our county squares, manger scenes, crosses, I think it's time that we put something back, and give kids who want to study the Old and New Testament an option on campus to actually elect that to study."

"I don't believe there's such a thing as the separation of church and state. In fact, the First Amendment to the Constitution actually calls on the United States Congress to make sure, to ensure that people are allowed to practice their religion," says Berman.

If Chisum’s bill passes, it’s likely that school officials across the state would be forced to invest scarce school district funds defending themselves from a wave of litigation that would put Rep. Berman’s theory about church-state separation to a challenging legal test.

Praise For Janice Rogers Brown’s Radical Rhetoric

Submitted by Kyle Mantyla on Thursday, 4/5/2007 2:15 pm

As we noted last week, Federal Judge Janice Rogers Brown warned students at Harding University in Arkansas that Christianity is under attack in America from “narrow positivism, moral relativism and the totalitarian reign of the radical multiculturalist.”

Not surprisingly, this sort of rhetoric was music to the ears of Vision America’s Rick Scarborough: 

Judge Janice Rogers Brown, of the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia, recently gave a speech at Harding University that deserves an enthusiastic amen from every Christian in the land.

…

An African-American from California, who came from an impoverished background, Janice Rogers Brown has thrown down the gauntlet to the ACLU, Americans United for Separation of Church and State and the rest of their ilk.

…

God willing, someday I’ll write about Supreme Court Justice Janice Rogers Brown. Whether or not that day ever comes will depend on what Christians do between now and Election Day 2008. If Hillary Clinton takes the oath of office in 2009, if the Senate remains in liberal hands, the next nominee for the high court will be another Ruth Bader Ginsburg or David Souter, rather than a true judge of Brown’s caliber.

So impressed was Vision America with Brown’s speech that they are encouraging activists to “send a note of encouragement and thanks to Judge Brown.”

Rick Scarborough Grades Self B-

Submitted by Anonymous on Wednesday, 4/4/2007 11:59 pm
In debate with Americans United for Separation of Church and State’s Lynn.

Robertson: Muslim Politicians Will 'Destroy' American Civilization

Submitted by Anonymous on Tuesday, 3/20/2007 6:14 pm

On today’s “700 Club,” Pat Robertson warns that Muslims becoming involved in politics, such as Rep. Keith Ellison (D-Minnesota), want to “take over” and “institute Sharia.”

“If the Christians don’t get involved—We’ve been harassed by People for the American Way, we have been harassed by Americans United for the Separation of Church and State, we have been harassed by the federal court system, but if the Christians won’t stand up and not worry about the IRS, not worry about whether you’re going to lose your tax exemption, not worry about whatever because you’re going to lose your country if Christians don’t mobilize and vote,” warned Robertson. He added that “The curse of God is to bring in people who don’t share your point of view and then ultimately destroy your civilization.  Well, that’s what we’re facing for our children and grandchildren.” 

Get the Flash Player to see this video clip.

700 Club, 3/20/07

Low Bandwidth

Robertson’s comments echoed statements denouncing Rep. Ellison as a threat by right-wing commentators such as Roy Moore and Dennis Prager, by Rep. Virgil Goode (R-Virginia), and by Jay Sekulow, chief counsel of the Robertson-founded American Center for Law and Justice.

When Does The Right Love Separation of Church and State?

Submitted by Kyle Mantyla on Friday, 2/2/2007 3:48 pm

According to OneNewsNow, the news service produced by the American Family Association, some on the Right are suddenly concerned about Establishment Clause violations regarding the nefarious religious indoctrination that has begun infiltrating public schools via yoga:  

An ex-yoga teacher turned Christian evangelist says he is disturbed by the growing popularity of yoga programs in schools. He feels adding Hindu-influenced yoga regimens to public school curriculums is not only dangerous but also violates the Constitution’s Establishment Clause.

More than 100 public and private schools across the U.S. are reportedly teaching yoga to young people using a secular curriculum developed by a California woman named Tara Guber. The program she developed for school kids uses terms like "bunny breathing" for yogic panting and "time-in" for meditation. But innocuous as the program may sound, one former yoga instructor says Guber’s curriculum and others like it are a bad idea.

Mike Shreve was a teacher of yoga and meditation at four universities before he was "saved" out of Eastern religions and went on to found a Christian ministry called The True Light Project. He sees some definite dangers in introducing such programs to young people in U.S. schools.

"First of all I believe it is a violation of the commitment this nation has made to the separation of church and state,” Shreve says. “And secondly,” he notes, “I'm surprised that so many schools have started using this in their curriculum -- apparently without it being challenged by those who understand the religious roots of yoga."

RightMarch Pushes PERA

Submitted by Anonymous on Thursday, 2/1/2007 6:56 pm
Law would stymie citizen suits on separation of church and state.

The David Barton of Kearny, NJ?

Submitted by Kyle Mantyla on Thursday, 1/11/2007 10:08 am

Last week we mentioned David Paszkiewicz, the teacher at Kearny High School in New Jersey, who has been using class time when he should have been teaching U.S. History to tell his students that they are going to hell if they “reject [Jesus’] gift of salvation.”

On Wednesday, the Kearny Observer published a letter to the editor from Paszkiewicz that puts forth the standard right-wing claim that the separation of church and state is bogus and reads as if it were written by David Barton, the Right’s premier pseudo-historian whose work has been described as "laced with exaggerations, half-truths and misstatements of fact."    

In fact, just about every quote Paszkiewicz offers up that is attributed to one of the nation’s Founding Fathers appears to have come directly from the WallBuilders website:

Paszkiewicz: “And can the liberties of a nation be thought secure when we have removed their only firm basis, a conviction in the minds of the people that these liberties are a gift from God? That they are not to be violated but with His wrath? Indeed I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just, and that His justice cannot sleep forever.”

WallBuilders: “And can the liberties of a nation be thought secure when we have removed their only firm basis, a conviction in the minds of the people that these liberties are of the gift of God? That they are not to be violated but with His wrath? Indeed I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just; that his justice cannot sleep forever.”

Paszkiewicz: “It is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits and humbly to implore his protection and favors.”

WallBuilders: “Whereas it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favor.”

Paszkiewicz: “God governs in the affairs of man. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without his notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without His aid? We have been assured in the sacred writings that except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it. I firmly believe this. I also believe that, without His concurring aid, we shall succeed in this political building no better than the builders of Babel.”

WallBuilders: “God governs in the affairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without his notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without his aid? We have been assured, Sir, in the sacred writings, that "except the Lord build the House they labour in vain that build it." I firmly believe this; and I also believe that without his concurring aid we shall succeed in this political building no better than the Builders of Babel.”

Paszkiewicz also offers this quote which he attributes to George Washington: “What students would learn in American schools above all is the religion of Jesus Christ.”  WallBuilders offers a slightly different interpretation of this quote, saying “in his speech on May 12, 1779, [Washington] claimed that what children needed to learn ‘above all’ was the ‘religion of Jesus Christ.’”

In fact, what Washington said on that day in his “Speech to the Delaware Chiefs” was entirely different:

I am glad you have brought three of the Children of your principal Chiefs to be educated with us. I am sure Congress will open the Arms of love to them, and will look upon them as their own Children, and will have them educated accordingly. This is a great mark of your confidence and of your desire to preserve the friendship between the Two Nations to the end of time, and to become One people with your Brethren of the United States. My ears hear with pleasure the other matters you mention. Congress will be glad to hear them too. You do well to wish to learn our arts and ways of life, and above all, the religion of Jesus Christ.

As a history teacher, Paszkiewicz ought to know better than to rely on a "historian" whose credentials are as suspect as Barton's. If he keeps this up, Paszkiewicz may soon need to issue his own list of “Unconfirmed Quotations.”

Brownback's Double Standard

Submitted by Kyle Mantyla on Monday, 12/11/2006 12:51 pm

We have been following Sen. Sam Brownback’s on-going hold of Janet Neff’s nomination to serve on the US District Court for the Western District of Michigan because Brownback is concerned that Neff attended a commitment ceremony for a lesbian couple back in 2002.  

Brownback is stalling her nomination simply because she attended a commitment ceremony in her personal capacity, but now said that he will consider lifting his hold on her nomination – but only if she agrees to recuse herself from any case that deals with the issue of same-sex unions

Kansas Sen. Sam Brownback, a potential presidential candidate, said Friday he would lift his hold on a federal judicial nominee if she agrees to step aside from any case dealing with same-sex unions.

Brownback, a Republican raising money for a possible White House bid, has stalled the confirmation of Michigan Court of Appeals Judge Janet Neff to the federal bench because she once attended a lesbian commitment ceremony.

Neff has said she attended the ceremony as a friend of one of the two women, a longtime neighbor. She insisted in an Oct. 12 letter to Brownback that the ceremony had no legal effect and would not affect her ability to act fairly as a federal judge.

Brownback, a prominent gay marriage opponent, says he is concerned the incident colors her legal view on the constitutionality of allowing same-sex marriages.

It should be noted that Brownback voted to confirm William Pryor to a seat on the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals despite Pryor’s open hostility to Supreme Court precedent and his extremist views on church-state separation, gay rights, and other matters

During an April 1997 rally, Pryor decried the decades-old precedent of Roe. He said, “I will never forget January 22, 1973, the day seven members of our highest court ripped the Constitution…” In a survey of state attorneys general on the issue, Pryor said, “Abortion is murder and Roe v. Wade is an abominable decision.” Pryor opposes abortion even in cases of rape or incest.

One of Pryor’s most memorable efforts to move the law closer to his ideology is seen through Alabama Justice Roy Moore’s crusade to defy a federal court order and display the Ten Commandments in his courtroom and on other state property. Moore parlayed his refusal to remove such a display, even after a court ordered him to do so, into a successful campaign for the state’s top judgeship. There, he again displayed his Ten Commandments, this time on a granite monument in the rotunda of the Alabama Judicial Building in Montgomery.

William Pryor has backed Judge Moore, even though the judge’s actions plainly violate the Constitution’s requirement of the separation of church and state.

… Speaking at a rally in support of Judge Moore in 1997, Pryor said, “God has chosen, through his son Jesus Christ, this time and this place for all Christians…to save our country and save our courts.”

Brownback made no such demands that Pryor recuse himself from any case involving the Ten Commandments or reproductive choice, even though there was no doubt about Pryor’s views on the issues and how he would rule in such cases – yet, Brownback is now demanding that Neff agree to recuse herself from any case involving the issue of same-sex unions merely because she attended a commitment ceremony.  

Televangelist Parsley Urges Lame-Duck Action on 'Values Voter' Bills

Submitted by Anonymous on Monday, 11/27/2006 7:02 pm
Including bill to combat separation of church and state.

Ex-Alabama Chief Justice Links Amish Shooting, Separation of Church and State

Submitted by Anonymous on Wednesday, 10/11/2006 11:59 pm
Moore, famous for Ten Commandments monument, implies Supreme Court “oppose[s] religion” and “undermine[s] the national morality.”

FRC Exploits Amish Tragedy to Make Bizarre Political Claim

Submitted by Anonymous on Thursday, 10/5/2006 3:50 pm

The notion that Christianity is under attack has become a mainstay of religious-right campaigns this year, from Vision America’s “War on Christians” conference to the Family Research Council’s recent “Values Voter Summit” – where groups that defend the constitutional separation of church and state were constantly excoriated – to FRC’s upcoming “Liberty Sunday” telecast, which goes a step further, imagining a growing “government intolerance against those who live out their faith in the public square.”

In yesterday’s “Washington Update,” FRC President Tony Perkins somehow manages to work the tragic murder of Amish schoolchildren in Pennsylvania into the “War on Christians” theme. Describing a Washington Post photograph of a coroner sitting in grief in an empty church after working at the schoolhouse, Perkins writes:

How long will it take the American Civil Liberties Union and Americans United for the Separation of Church and State to file suit against [Deputy Coroner Janice] Ballenger for breaching the "high wall of separation" they claim (wrongly) that the Constitution requires. Yet no matter what they say, nothing will deter Americans--even government employees--from leaning on their faith in God as a principal source of comfort in times of tragedy.

Perkins' claim – that groups defending the separation of church and state will sue government employees who take comfort in God – is patently absurd, but by drawing on the public’s emotional response to the Amish tragedy, he might recruit a few more believers in his election-year fantasy of a persecuted Christian majority.

Eagle Forum Supports Bill to Stymie Citizen Lawsuits on Separation of Church and State

Submitted by Anonymous on Tuesday, 9/26/2006 5:43 pm
As House votes on “Public Expression of Religion Act,” the Schlafly-founded group asks activists to call representatives.

Values Voter Summit: A 'Patriot Pastor' Looks the Devil in the Eye and Hires an Accountant

Submitted by Anonymous on Sunday, 9/24/2006 12:00 pm
Rick Scarborough, who pioneered the "Patriot Pastor" machine in Texas, offered Values Voter Summit activists a sermon-like exhortation for pastors to get their churches more involved in politics. "I am convinced what is missing in the culture war is the involvement of pastors," said Scarborough, who quit his church in 2002 to work as an activist full-time. According to Scarborough, "America is dying" because "the church is sleeping" during high-stakes political campaigns -- specifically, he called attention to the upcoming referendum on a total abortion ban in South Dakota (where "the forces of hell have marched in with their millions of dollars") and a referendum on stem-cell research in Missouri, where he has been holding rallies since July. Scarborough warned of what he believes he is facing: ruthless corporations bent on destroying America for profit. "What drives the abortion industry, what drives the gambling industry, what drives the embryonic stem-cell industry is money. ... They will kill you if they have to to maintain their trade of evil." Scarborough said that "The leading edge of the culture war is in Missouri and South Dakota," and he warned that, even though "we're living in the last days," if "the people pull the lever and approve of abortion and approve of creating to kill, then we may have stepped over the line" with God. He called on pastors to disregard concerns about political activists not being tax exempt, and said, referring to Rev. Barry Lynn of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, "God is looking for courageous men who will look the Devil in the eye and say, 'Shoot me if you will, but I'm not going to stop!'" And, echoing a previous fundraising pitch for his newly-formed political action group (a 501(c)4 non-profit classed to advocate for or against legislation), he said (somewhat melodramatically, given that the issue is whether donations are tax-deductible or not):
I'll go to prison before I quit preaching about what I believe to be the moral issues of our day. If that means we have to burn our 501(c)3s, let's burn 'em!

Values Voter Summit: Day 2 Part 2

Submitted by Peter Montgomery on Saturday, 9/23/2006 2:53 pm
A panel on the role of churches in political issues was introduced by a video promoting a rally in Boston on October 15. The theme of the event will be that marriage equality in that state is a grave threat to religious liberty, though the video didn’t explain how. The Southern Baptists’ Richard Land insisted that believers should apply their literal-truth understanding of scripture to the society at large. “It is our job as pastors and church workers to take the truth of God’s word and apply it to the moral issues of our society and call on our society to adhere to the biblical standard.” God may not be a Republican or Democrat, Land said, but He is definitely pro-life, pro-heterosexual marriage, and anti-pornography. Land defended a liberal California church facing an IRS investigation because of an anti-war sermon preached shortly before the 2004 election. Land said he’d read the sermon and it did not endorse any candidates. But, Land argued, churches ought to be free to endorse candidates, even if he personally thought it wasn’t a good idea, and he said the movement should be working very hard to change IRS regulations. Rev. Herb Lusk is the Philadelphia pastor whose church hosted “Justice Sunday III” – the Religious Right’s rally for then-Supreme Court nominee Samuel Alito. Lusk said the civil rights movement’s accomplishments were based on blacks and “our brothers and sisters of other hues” preaching a holistic gospel. But, he said, the civil rights movement has taken a different turn, and that now it’s Dr. Dobson and Tony Perkins taking the lead in protecting the civil rights of unborn children. Rev. Dr. John Guest, a Pennsylvania pastor who grew up in London during World War II, said the bombing of London happened because the German church had abdicated its spiritual and moral responsibility to speak the truth. But Guest doesn’t think challenging the Bush administration might be part of that responsibility. “I’ve said from my pulpit that it is treacherous and traitorous to be condemning, belittling, and bringing down our president in a time of war.” Lusk, who had been chafing at speaking while being seated behind a table, was encouraged to take the podium by Tony Perkins, and then he went into full preaching mode, criticizing pastors who weren’t getting involved. “I know why you’re not,” he said. “We know what happened to every prophet in the Old Testament…they killed them.” Lusk brought the crowd to its feet with a high-energy exhortation, saying “Your God will protect you…you have nothing to fear!” An odd element of Lusk’s performance was his declaration that Rev. Barry Lynn, the oft-reviled-at-this-conference director of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, should no longer be mentioned by name. “The enemy is out there. We know who our enemy is. The more you call the enemy’s name, the larger he becomes.” It remains to be seen if other speakers will adhere to Lusk’s declaration that Lynn has become, like Voldemort in the world of Harry Potter, He Who Must Not Be Named.

Values Voter Summit: First impressions...

Submitted by Anonymous on Friday, 9/22/2006 2:29 pm
Guest Post from the Public Eye The “Washington Briefing: 2006 Values Voter Summit” has launched a new offensive in the ongoing Christian Right Culture War, with gay marriage and the "homosexual agenda" as the primary target, and a goal to mobilize "values voters” to the polls in November. This new coalition seeks to replace the work of the Christian Coalition. There were about 1,000 people at the opening sessions, and total participation may reach between 1,500 to 2000 by the end of the weekend (perhaps slightly higher). Not as big as the biggest Christian Coalition meetings, but not shabby. The exhibit hall is much smaller, however. Governor Mitt Romney (R-MA) quoted scholar David Landes on the centrality of culture. According to Romney, every child has a right to have a mother and father. Liberals, he said, support democracy only when they think that the outcome is a foregone conclusion that favors their views. Romney urged support for the Federal Marriage Amendment. I think the warm reception for Romney is significant. The man next to me leaned over and said: “That’s our next President.” Dr. James Dobson told the audience that he was not satisfied with the Republicans progress on family values issues, but that it was important to be politically active. It was clear to the audience that Dobson meant they should go to the polls and vote for candidates that support their issues—who are not likely to include many Democrats. Governor Mike Huckabee (R-AR) said politics is too polarized, and told the audience that Christian with open hearts should be willing to consider working with: feminists against pornography; supporters of gay marriage against the spread of AIDS; and organized labor for safer working conditions and better wages. A clear theme was that it is all for the children…whether it is pro-life issues, opposition to gay marriage, or restoring morality to America. The American Civil Liberties Union came under vigorous attack, and Americans United for Separation of Church and State was slammed.

Katherine Harris: The Right’s Best Hope?

Submitted by Kyle Mantyla on Thursday, 9/7/2006 2:11 pm

Agape Press reports that some on the Right are concerned that the GOP is turning its back on its right-wing base and that doing so could have dire consequences in November.  

The Right’s recommendation? The GOP needs to work harder to support good Christian candidates – like Katherine Harris 

With the mid-term elections less than nine weeks away, Republican Party leaders are worried they could lose control of Congress -- and political observers feel that fear is justified.

Capitol Hill conservative icon Paul Weyrich of the Free Congress Foundation says there could be huge changes ahead for the United States after the November elections. The GOP, he says, is in "deep, deep trouble." And according to Weyrich, an "anti-incumbency" attitude is sweeping the nation.

Rev. Rob Schenck, director of the National Clergy Council in Washington, DC, agrees with Weyrich's assessment, saying the Republican leaders have turned their backs on the grassroots of the Party, which is their strength. He contends Party leaders have forgotten that Christians "were really driving the revival of the Republican Party."

One case in point perhaps could be two-term U.S. Congresswoman Katherine Harris, a Florida Republican -- and professed Christian -- who on Tuesday overcame being abandoned by leaders in the GOP to claim the Party's nomination for the U.S. Senate. Fellow Republicans had criticized Harris for calling separation of church and state a lie, and for saying that not electing Christian candidates amounted to "legislating sin." Harris -- who observers say faces an uphill battle in November against the Democratic incumbent, Bill Nelson -- drew 49 percent of the vote in the Republican primary.

Instead of looking to conservatives like Harris, Schenck suggests that Republican leaders are leaning a different direction in their search for new leadership in the Party -- and they do not like depending on the "religious" voters for their wins, he adds.

Harris is currently tied to a bribery scandal, is constantly losing her staff,  barely won her primary and trails in the polls by nearly 40 points to her Democratic opponent, and has, according to some, basically lost her mind.

If the Right honestly believes that the GOP needs to support staggeringly incompetent candidates like Harris if it hopes to maintain control of Congress, then it is in “deep, deep trouble” indeed.  

Unbeatable Martial-Arts Thespian Lends Fist to Bible-in-Schools Campaign

Submitted by Anonymous on Thursday, 8/31/2006 5:24 pm

Chuck Norris, star of TV’s “Walker, Texas Ranger” as well as films including “Missing in Action” and “Delta Force 2,” and his wife Gena have joined the board of directors of the National Council on Bible Curriculum in Public Schools (NCBCPS):

“We receive a lot of requests to get behind a lot of things, but it took us only a few minutes to know that we were to stand behind this important work,” the Norrises said.  Mr. and Mrs. Norris are featured in a popular television public service announcement that encourages citizens to bring the Bible back to America’s public schools as an available elective course of study.  The announcements are aired on several national networks.

The Norris announcements inform viewers that they can call the National Council on Bible Curriculum in Public Schools (NCBCPS) to receive information on how any citizen can help their local school board implement the NCBCPS curriculum. 

As People For the American Way Foundation’s research has revealed, the goal of NCBCPS is not to improve students’ understanding of history and literature, but to promote Christian doctrine in public schools – unlike other Bible curricula such as the Bible Literacy Project. In fact, a Florida court found that NCBCPS taught religious matters – such as miracles and Jesus’ resurrection – as historical fact, and held its New Testament section in violation of the separation of church and state.

However, fans of the First Amendment should be advised that Norris has not lost a fight since 1968.

[Chuck Norris]

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Separation of Church and State Posts Archive

Barton to Teach Two-Day Seminar for Arkansas Legislators
SUBMITTED BY: Kyle Mantyla, Tuesday 01/04/2011, 11:57am
If Rep. Michele Bachmann believes that David Barton is qualified to teach members of Congress about the Constitution, I guess we shouldn't be surprised that the Arkansas Family Council is bringing Barton in for a two-day seminar to impart his wisdom to state legislators and government officials: A political activist who claims America was founded on biblical principles has been invited to speak to elected officials at the state Capitol later this month. The Christian conservative Family Council has asked David Barton to hold a seminar for state legislators and constitutional officers on... MORE
Santorum: “Democracy and freedom will disappear” under Obama
SUBMITTED BY: Brian Tashman, Friday 12/10/2010, 11:45am
Rick Santorum continues to test the waters for a presidential run in the Republican primary, now with a fresh profile in today’s Washington Post. While candidacies from Mike Huckabee, Sarah Palin, and Mike Pence may leave little room for Santorum to campaign as the Religious Right’s favored contender, he seems to be doing everything right to play to his social conservative base: denouncing John F. Kennedy’s famous speech on the separation of church and state, campaigning against Iowa Supreme Court justices, donating to Republicans in early primary states through his... MORE
2012 Candidates Weekly Update 12/07/10
SUBMITTED BY: Brian Tashman, Tuesday 12/07/2010, 10:27am
Newt Gingrich 2012: Cillizza profiles Gingrich’s closest aides as he readies possible bid (The Fix, 12/6). Iowa: Gingrich’s “American Solutions” donated $107,500 to Iowa politicians and state GOP (US News, 12/3). Immigration: Voices support for immigration reform to conservative Latino convention (Politico, 12/2). Mike Huckabee 2012: Seriously considers bid as Iowa and South Carolina polls look favorable to candidacy (Politico, 12/6). Religious Right: Defends FRC from “hate group” label, asks if “60 percent of America is a hate group?... MORE
Censorship-Advocate Bill Donohue’s History of Right Wing Demagoguery
SUBMITTED BY: Brian Tashman, Wednesday 12/01/2010, 8:05pm
Bill Donohue, President of the Catholic League, with allies such as House Republican leaders John Boehner and Eric Cantor and Fox News commentator Glenn Beck, succeeded in their multi-pronged attack to censor the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery’s “Hide/Seek” exhibit. They called on the Smithsonian to censor the work of artist David Wojnarowicz, whose work was meant “to depict the suffering of an AIDS victim” (side note: today is World AIDS Day). Even though the exhibit is completely supported by private funding, right wing leaders misleadingly... MORE
ADF Tried to Blame ACLU, AU for Its Unpopular Proposal
SUBMITTED BY: Kyle Mantyla, Tuesday 11/23/2010, 12:55pm
A few weeks back we took note of the on-going the controversy in King, North Carolina over the presence of a Christian flag that had been flying at a veteran's memorial in the city's Central Park. City officials removed the flag as they tried to work out a constitutionally acceptable policy with the help of the Alliance Defense Fund.  The proposed solution that they hit upon is to create a lottery through which residents can request to fly any flag approved by the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs at one week intervals.  But, of course, the idea of allowing a non-Christian flag to... MORE
Right Wing Leftovers
SUBMITTED BY: Kyle Mantyla, Wednesday 11/10/2010, 6:29pm
Rick Santorum says none of the possible 2012 candidates can call themselves Tea Party candidates ... except himself, of course. I'm curious: is Jaime Herrera going to be the first homeschooled member of Congress? Looks like Rep. Michele Bachmann's leadership bid is failing. Since when is Rick Scarborough considered a "California pastor"? Last time I checked, he was located in Texas. The Utah chapter of the Eagle Forum sure is powerful. Finally, the quote of the day from Cape Coral , FL mayor John Sullivan on his effort to place the Ten Commandments... MORE
Christ The King: No Compromise Over Christian Flag In North Carolina
SUBMITTED BY: Kyle Mantyla, Wednesday 11/10/2010, 12:07pm
For months now, controversy has been raging in the town of King, North Carolina ever since a local veteran objected to the fact that a Christian flag was being flown at a veteran's memorial in the city's Central Park. City officials eventually received letters from both the American Civil Liberties Union of North Carolina and the Americans United for the Separation of Church and State and decided to remove the flag until they could work out a policy that was constitutional with the help of the Alliance Defense Fund. And the decision to remove the flag in the interim set off protests: ... MORE