The Bene Diction blog has posted excerpts from a blog that Real Live Preacher removed from his weblog.
From the excerpts, it's hard to see what caused such heated comments that RLP felt he needed to remove the blog.
The truth is, there are a lot of evangelical Christians who think God called them to annoy and harass anyone whose God is bigger and better than the one that televangelists worship.
Monday, January 31, 2005
Clueless about the First Amendment
Associated Press is reporting that American Students think the "First Amendment is no big deal."
Reportedly, "It was also clear that many students do not understand what is protected by the bedrock of the Bill of Rights."
Anyone who has spent any time talking with people about First Amendment issues knows that students are not the only ones who are uninformed and apathetic about the First Amendment. Many evangelical Christians are downright hostile toward it.
Some of the blame for this belongs to Baptists for not teaching their children about the Baptist history of advocacy for religious liberty and separation of church and state. Baptists, however, are not alone. Public school educational policies that over-emphasized proficiency in mathematics and science to the detriment of civics and history have not helped.
Theocrats filled a void with their mythology about America being a "Christian Nation" and now, for the foreseeable future, they will be running the committees that set standards for education and textbooks. No one else cares.
Education and democracy are linked. When one fails, the other is endangered.
Reportedly, "It was also clear that many students do not understand what is protected by the bedrock of the Bill of Rights."
Anyone who has spent any time talking with people about First Amendment issues knows that students are not the only ones who are uninformed and apathetic about the First Amendment. Many evangelical Christians are downright hostile toward it.
Some of the blame for this belongs to Baptists for not teaching their children about the Baptist history of advocacy for religious liberty and separation of church and state. Baptists, however, are not alone. Public school educational policies that over-emphasized proficiency in mathematics and science to the detriment of civics and history have not helped.
Theocrats filled a void with their mythology about America being a "Christian Nation" and now, for the foreseeable future, they will be running the committees that set standards for education and textbooks. No one else cares.
Education and democracy are linked. When one fails, the other is endangered.
Depleted Uranium Stories Reaching Mainstream News
Stories linking the U.S. military's use of depleted uranium in bullets, missiles and bombs to "Gulf War Syndrome" and other illnesses plaguing U.S. veterans have been circulating on the internet for quite a while. Bob Nichols, an independent journalist in Oklahoma City, has done considerable research and writing in this area.
Recently, one of Bob's stories was posted by the Axis of Logic website. If even half of what Bob has been saying about depleted uranium is accurate, then our government has a problem on it's hands that will dwarf the scandal associated with the use of Agent Orange in Viet Nam.
Recently, one of Bob's stories was posted by the Axis of Logic website. If even half of what Bob has been saying about depleted uranium is accurate, then our government has a problem on it's hands that will dwarf the scandal associated with the use of Agent Orange in Viet Nam.
Saturday, January 29, 2005
On Chemical Sector Security
Truth Out has published a story about allegations in former EPA Executive Christie Whitman's new book, It's My Party Too. Whitman is reported to have charged the chemical industry, along with key Republican lawmakers, of gutting new security regulations for chemical plants that are needed after the 9/11 attacks.
Whitman says she grew so frustrated that she formally asked the White House to "relieve EPA of its lead responsibility for reducing the vulnerability of the chemical sector to attack."
American Chemistry Council spokeswoman Kate McGloon said she was "surprised by the tone of her comments" and said the council supported federal security regulations but expressed grave "concern about putting the responsibility for those kinds of decisions in not-expert hands."
Having lived for twelve years near several chemical plants in Houston, I know from grievous experience to take industry statements about concerns for safety and security with a ton of salt. There were multiple explosions at chemical plants during that time. The largest explosion buffeted my car while I was driving it about a mile away from the plant. I attended a funeral for one of the many victims of that blast -- the father of a child in my church's private school. The subsequent investigation traced the cause of the explosion to a "contract" worker who turned the wrong valve as the plant was finishing a process.
It seems the company was cutting corners to avoid paying union wages (-- many people think union members are overpaid and needless sticklers over safety procedures). Instead of using the company's own highly skilled union employees for certain processes, the company out-sourced some jobs to "more efficient" private contractors. The only training these "efficient" private contractors had for a plant emergency -- like turning the wrong valve -- was instructions to literally "run." Unfortunately, many plant employees had other responsibilities that didn't give them time to either figure out which valve needed to be set right or to run.
I'm sure the people in Pasadena, Texas will be relieved to learn that responsibility for decisions about the safety and security of the chemical industry resides entirely in the expert hands of the industrialists.
Whitman says she grew so frustrated that she formally asked the White House to "relieve EPA of its lead responsibility for reducing the vulnerability of the chemical sector to attack."
American Chemistry Council spokeswoman Kate McGloon said she was "surprised by the tone of her comments" and said the council supported federal security regulations but expressed grave "concern about putting the responsibility for those kinds of decisions in not-expert hands."
Having lived for twelve years near several chemical plants in Houston, I know from grievous experience to take industry statements about concerns for safety and security with a ton of salt. There were multiple explosions at chemical plants during that time. The largest explosion buffeted my car while I was driving it about a mile away from the plant. I attended a funeral for one of the many victims of that blast -- the father of a child in my church's private school. The subsequent investigation traced the cause of the explosion to a "contract" worker who turned the wrong valve as the plant was finishing a process.
It seems the company was cutting corners to avoid paying union wages (-- many people think union members are overpaid and needless sticklers over safety procedures). Instead of using the company's own highly skilled union employees for certain processes, the company out-sourced some jobs to "more efficient" private contractors. The only training these "efficient" private contractors had for a plant emergency -- like turning the wrong valve -- was instructions to literally "run." Unfortunately, many plant employees had other responsibilities that didn't give them time to either figure out which valve needed to be set right or to run.
I'm sure the people in Pasadena, Texas will be relieved to learn that responsibility for decisions about the safety and security of the chemical industry resides entirely in the expert hands of the industrialists.
Friday, January 28, 2005
On the Church's Response to Torture
Thanks to Camassia for her discussion on ecumenicism and torture and for providing the link to Diana Ortiz's article on Zero Tolerance for Torture.
Ortiz's story is heartbreaking -- a Roman Catholic Nun teaching poverty stricken children who was abducted and tortured in Guatemala. Two things she said moved me:
Ortiz's story is heartbreaking -- a Roman Catholic Nun teaching poverty stricken children who was abducted and tortured in Guatemala. Two things she said moved me:
My ministry today is focused on preventing torture, and I find it painful, as do other survivors, that the church has been so silent on this issue.and
When I first heard people were advocating for the legalization and use of torture in this country, I was very angry. It was almost like what we had experienced was irrelevant and that they were saying it was OK for us to have been tortured.None who read her story will have an excuse for apathy on this issue.
Thursday, January 27, 2005
SpongeBob Confesses !!!
SpongeBob has confessed to being a Hermaphrodite!
Link here for details.
Apologies to James Dobson.
Thanks to Bob Gifford at the "I am a Christian Too" weblog for setting the record straight.
Link here for details.
Apologies to James Dobson.
Thanks to Bob Gifford at the "I am a Christian Too" weblog for setting the record straight.
Turning Up the Heat
I missed a speech on global warming at OU yesterday, so I'll have to depend on whatever I can learn from the web for information.
Here's a link to a story that says the threat of global warming is twice as bad as previously predicted.
If sea levels are going to rise by 20 feet, I'm glad I left Houston for Oklahoma City. If the tipping point comes in my life time, I think I'd rather be somplace with a climate like the Sahara Desert than to be submerged in a place like the lost city of Atlantis.
Here's a link to a story that says the threat of global warming is twice as bad as previously predicted.
If sea levels are going to rise by 20 feet, I'm glad I left Houston for Oklahoma City. If the tipping point comes in my life time, I think I'd rather be somplace with a climate like the Sahara Desert than to be submerged in a place like the lost city of Atlantis.
Christians Write Congress about Morality of Budget
The Center for American Progress has posted a letter to congress that was signed by dozens of progressive religious leaders advising congress that we view the budget as a "moral document."
In other words, budgets reflect priorities and priorities reflect our nation's moral values. It is time the leaders of our government stop giving lip service to moral values and start putting our money where their mouth is.
We also give notice that:
In other words, budgets reflect priorities and priorities reflect our nation's moral values. It is time the leaders of our government stop giving lip service to moral values and start putting our money where their mouth is.
We also give notice that:
When the budget is released, we will assess its provisions concerning health care, education, housing, the environment, foreign policy, national security and other issues. If the budget falls short in these areas, we will work to transform it into a document that reflects America's best moral values and who we are as children of God.
Unholy Unions Lead to Unholy Wars
Christianity Today has an interesting review of a couple books that highlight the dangers of uniting church and state.
It is worth a read. Here's a link.
Unfortunately, the article's author, Stan Guthrie, seems to prefer some form of domestic partnership between church and state. He says,
To me, there doesn't seem to be any less danger of "unholy" wars with domestic partneships than with fully established marriages. The bride of Christ is still sleeping in the wrong bed.
It is worth a read. Here's a link.
Unfortunately, the article's author, Stan Guthrie, seems to prefer some form of domestic partnership between church and state. He says,
Clearly there are efforts under way in the courts and elsewhere to marginalize the influence of Christians in an irony-laden attempt at enforcing "tolerance." Many Christians, claiming that America is or was a Christian nation, are on the offensive, rightly fighting such creeping secularization in the courts of law and public opinion.
To me, there doesn't seem to be any less danger of "unholy" wars with domestic partneships than with fully established marriages. The bride of Christ is still sleeping in the wrong bed.
Influential Left-wing Writers on the Net
Canadian based Peace, Earth and Justice News has published a list of the "Ten Best Writers on the Net."
It is a list that is definitely way to the left of the Mainstream, but I suspect the list might help people identify some of the most influential thinkers on the web from the opposite end of the spectrum than the one we are usually dealing with on this weblog.
It is a list that is definitely way to the left of the Mainstream, but I suspect the list might help people identify some of the most influential thinkers on the web from the opposite end of the spectrum than the one we are usually dealing with on this weblog.
Wednesday, January 26, 2005
Justice Dept. Breaches Trust with Troops
Thanks to Rob's Blog for writing a blog that highlights how the Justice Department has undermined a lawsuit against Iraq filed by 17 American former POW's and 37 POW families from the first Gulf War.
Now that U.S. government is implicated in a policy condoning torture, there is no interest in letting Americans who were tortured by Saddam Hussein use international courts to address their grievances.
Rhetoric about the U.S. securing justice and freedom for people around the world rings especially hollow when we vigorously deny it to the people who sacrifice the most for our country.
Now that U.S. government is implicated in a policy condoning torture, there is no interest in letting Americans who were tortured by Saddam Hussein use international courts to address their grievances.
Rhetoric about the U.S. securing justice and freedom for people around the world rings especially hollow when we vigorously deny it to the people who sacrifice the most for our country.
On Spiritual Map Reading
Associated Baptist Press is reporting that Southern Baptist author, Henry Blackaby, indicated he could recognize "God's hand of judgment in the tsunami after he saw a map published by Voice of the Martyrs showing areas of intense persecution of Christians worldwide." He said many of the areas highlighted on that map "match to a T" the tsunami's impact."
Many Mainstream Baptists cannot help but remember a map that was circulating after Florida suffered through four hurricanes. That map showed the trajectory of the hurricanes by-passing democratic counties and going through counties that voted for President Bush in the 2000 elections. A caption asked whether God was judging Florida.
We laughed at the map charting hurricanes through Florida and never gave it credibility for an instant. Perhaps someone should track down that map again and ask Henry to read it. At that time we didn't know that God gave some people the gift of spiritual map reading.
Many Mainstream Baptists cannot help but remember a map that was circulating after Florida suffered through four hurricanes. That map showed the trajectory of the hurricanes by-passing democratic counties and going through counties that voted for President Bush in the 2000 elections. A caption asked whether God was judging Florida.
We laughed at the map charting hurricanes through Florida and never gave it credibility for an instant. Perhaps someone should track down that map again and ask Henry to read it. At that time we didn't know that God gave some people the gift of spiritual map reading.
"I Want My F.B.I."
Thanks to Joe Larson at Daily Kos for a post that called attention to an interview that mentioned Faith-based Initiatives (F.B.I.) that I missed when it was current.
As Faith-based Liaisons were teaching people of all faiths to sing I want my F.B.I., it looks like there was money for Moonies and Christians but no one else was getting dollars for free.
Ester Kaplan, author of With God on Their Side: How Christian Fundamentalists Trampled Science, Policy, and Democracy in George W. Bush's White House, in an October interview with Buzz Flash said:
Towey and Kaplan must view Sun Myung Moon as a Christian, because I've seen reports that an organization affiliated with Moon received a sizeable grant.
There is a tacit establishment of Christianity in the White House that is being made explicit in the distribution of federal dollars.
The same thing is going on with state money in states that have set up offices of faith-based liaison. Here's a link to a story about what happened in Oklahoma as the faith-based program was being set up. Here's a link to some eggregious examples of the faith-based office's endorsement of the Christian religion.
Since we printed these stories and publicized what was happening, the faith-based office has worked to get money for an initiative at a Jewish Synagogue. I don't believe money has been granted to any other minority faith group in Oklahoma.
As Faith-based Liaisons were teaching people of all faiths to sing I want my F.B.I., it looks like there was money for Moonies and Christians but no one else was getting dollars for free.
Ester Kaplan, author of With God on Their Side: How Christian Fundamentalists Trampled Science, Policy, and Democracy in George W. Bush's White House, in an October interview with Buzz Flash said:
Bush's faith-based initiative also privileges Christianity above all other religions. After sifting through every grant announcement I could get my hands on from Bush's faith-based offices, I couldn't find a single grant issued to a religious charity that wasn't Christian -- no Jewish charities, no Muslim charities, nothing. And when I spoke with Jim Towey, director of the White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives, he confirmed that no direct federal grants from his program had gone to a non-Christian religious group. This kind of religious favoritism is exactly what the Constitution's establishment clause was put in place to prevent.
Towey and Kaplan must view Sun Myung Moon as a Christian, because I've seen reports that an organization affiliated with Moon received a sizeable grant.
There is a tacit establishment of Christianity in the White House that is being made explicit in the distribution of federal dollars.
The same thing is going on with state money in states that have set up offices of faith-based liaison. Here's a link to a story about what happened in Oklahoma as the faith-based program was being set up. Here's a link to some eggregious examples of the faith-based office's endorsement of the Christian religion.
Since we printed these stories and publicized what was happening, the faith-based office has worked to get money for an initiative at a Jewish Synagogue. I don't believe money has been granted to any other minority faith group in Oklahoma.
Monday, January 24, 2005
On the Limits of Fear
Baptist Press is running a story by John Yeats, editor of a Southern Baptist newspaper in Oklahoma, lamenting a plateau in SBC baptismal statistics while the population keeps increasing. Yeats attributes the plateau to a decline in fear of a literal 'fire and brimstone' hell.
When they were leading cheers for the President and helping the administration use fear of terrorists to justify war in Iraq, Southern Baptists failed to realize that they were undermining the pious fear mongering they've often done to get people into the baptismal waters. Fear, in the bye-and-bye, of a God who loves us will never hold a candle to fear, in the here-and-now, of terrorists who hate us.
As I said in a speech a couple years ago, 'Few Americans fear divine retribution anymore. That fear has been replaced by fear of terrorists.'
When they were leading cheers for the President and helping the administration use fear of terrorists to justify war in Iraq, Southern Baptists failed to realize that they were undermining the pious fear mongering they've often done to get people into the baptismal waters. Fear, in the bye-and-bye, of a God who loves us will never hold a candle to fear, in the here-and-now, of terrorists who hate us.
As I said in a speech a couple years ago, 'Few Americans fear divine retribution anymore. That fear has been replaced by fear of terrorists.'
Intolerant Christians
Reuters reported that a survey by Public Agenda sows that Church-going Americans are less tolerant than others.
The truth is, many Christians now think intolerance is virtuous. I suspect the source of this thinking is Rousas Rushdoony, the founder of Christian Reconstructionism and Dominion Theology. Here's a quote from his Institutes of Biblical Law:
The truth is, many Christians now think intolerance is virtuous. I suspect the source of this thinking is Rousas Rushdoony, the founder of Christian Reconstructionism and Dominion Theology. Here's a quote from his Institutes of Biblical Law:
In the name of toleration, the believer is asked to associate on a common level of total acceptance with the atheist, the pervert, the criminal, and the adherents of other religions.Those interested in learning more about this influential trend in American Christianity might consider attending a conference on "Examing The Real Agenda of the Religious Far Right" on April 29-30, 2005 at the CUNY Graduate Center in Manhattan, NY.
Friday, January 21, 2005
A Fresh Start for Baylor
After eighteen months of non-stop controversy, Robert Sloan has agreed to step aside as President of Baylor University. Both Sloan and the Regents agreed that his stepping down would be best for Baylor.
No Mainstream Baptist that I know has been pleased to see internal divisions and dissension at one of our flagship institutions. Thanks to Dr. Sloan for humbly removing himself as one element of conflict.
Hopefully this will give the Board of Regents and the faculty a fresh start that will enable them to work together and move forward with the work of God's Kindgom.
Here are some links to news reports about this:
Ethics Daily
Baptist Standard
Associated Baptist Press
Waco Tribune (Updated)
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
Houston Chronicle
Dallas Morning News
San Antonio Express
Abilene Reporter News
Baptist Press
Links to other reports will be posted here as they become available.
No Mainstream Baptist that I know has been pleased to see internal divisions and dissension at one of our flagship institutions. Thanks to Dr. Sloan for humbly removing himself as one element of conflict.
Hopefully this will give the Board of Regents and the faculty a fresh start that will enable them to work together and move forward with the work of God's Kindgom.
Here are some links to news reports about this:
Ethics Daily
Baptist Standard
Associated Baptist Press
Waco Tribune (Updated)
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
Houston Chronicle
Dallas Morning News
San Antonio Express
Abilene Reporter News
Baptist Press
Links to other reports will be posted here as they become available.
Thursday, January 20, 2005
Dobson won't tolerate SpongeBob
Thanks to Rob's Blog for calling my attention to the story in the New York Times about James Dobson's tirade against a video depicting cartoon character SpongeBob promoting multicultural tolerance.
Though the video says nothing about sexual identity, Dobson thinks the video is "pro-homosexual." A spokesman with the Dobson organization says the video is "manipulating and potentially brainwashing kids."
Only a Fundamentalist demagogue who has made a career of "manipulating" and "brainwashing" people to read the Bible through medieval lenses could find cartoon characters teaching tolerance so threatening.
Though the video says nothing about sexual identity, Dobson thinks the video is "pro-homosexual." A spokesman with the Dobson organization says the video is "manipulating and potentially brainwashing kids."
Only a Fundamentalist demagogue who has made a career of "manipulating" and "brainwashing" people to read the Bible through medieval lenses could find cartoon characters teaching tolerance so threatening.
Baptist Ministers & Social Security
Nearly thirty years ago I discovered that Baptist ministers -- who for IRS purposes are self-employed -- have the ability to opt in or out of the Social Security system. To opt out a minister has to swear that he is opposed in principle (by religious scruple) to saving for retirement.
Few ministers that I know are truly opposed to saving for retirement. Some, however, claim to have such scruples when they discover that their self-employed status means they must pay the entire amount required for social security (-- most people get to split the payments with their employers).
It's a temptation made heavy by necessity. Few ministers make much money. Very few make much money when they are starting out in the ministry. In addition, their self-employed status also makes most Baptist ministers ineligible for group rates on insurance -- which means they must pay higher premiums for their health insurance. The result is that many Baptist ministers, especially those pastoring small churches, have often opted out of the social security system.
Perhaps that is why Baptist pulpits have been so silent about plans to make drastic changes to social security. Some Baptist preachers don't think they have a dog in this hunt. That is a mistake. Nearly every Baptist church has widows and widowers who are barely scraping by on a fixed income that consists entirely social security benefits. When social security is gone or some Wall Street tycoon absconds with the money they put in their private investment account, those people will be reduced to begging at the door of the church. Is your church prepared for that?
Few ministers that I know are truly opposed to saving for retirement. Some, however, claim to have such scruples when they discover that their self-employed status means they must pay the entire amount required for social security (-- most people get to split the payments with their employers).
It's a temptation made heavy by necessity. Few ministers make much money. Very few make much money when they are starting out in the ministry. In addition, their self-employed status also makes most Baptist ministers ineligible for group rates on insurance -- which means they must pay higher premiums for their health insurance. The result is that many Baptist ministers, especially those pastoring small churches, have often opted out of the social security system.
Perhaps that is why Baptist pulpits have been so silent about plans to make drastic changes to social security. Some Baptist preachers don't think they have a dog in this hunt. That is a mistake. Nearly every Baptist church has widows and widowers who are barely scraping by on a fixed income that consists entirely social security benefits. When social security is gone or some Wall Street tycoon absconds with the money they put in their private investment account, those people will be reduced to begging at the door of the church. Is your church prepared for that?
Telling the Truth about America
In an interview with CNN, President Bush admitted that the Iraq war helped extremists. He said, "I've made some very difficult decisions that made public diplomacy in (the) Muslim world difficult. One was obviously attacking Iraq."
If diplomacy in the Middle East were a game of chess, the President has just admitted that he gave his queen and both his rooks to Osama Ben Laden. All he's got left are his Religious Right bishops while Osama has only lost a few Muslim pawns.
Nevertheless, the president just thinks, "We're behind when it comes to selling our own story and telling people the truth about America."
What is the truth about America? The truth is, we invaded an oil laden country on the pretense that we were under imminent threat from its weapons of mass destruction. Now, we are extracting their oil, admitting that there were no WMD's, and telling them that "people will begin to see the wisdom of the policy" when we install a new government to oppress them.
Suppose that was happening at your family ranch down in Texas. Armed agents kick down your door, kill one of your kids and torture another, take control of your oil wells, and then they apologize for not finding a hidden stash of contraband weapons. Do you suppose you will see the "wisdom of the policy" when they move another family into your house?
If diplomacy in the Middle East were a game of chess, the President has just admitted that he gave his queen and both his rooks to Osama Ben Laden. All he's got left are his Religious Right bishops while Osama has only lost a few Muslim pawns.
Nevertheless, the president just thinks, "We're behind when it comes to selling our own story and telling people the truth about America."
What is the truth about America? The truth is, we invaded an oil laden country on the pretense that we were under imminent threat from its weapons of mass destruction. Now, we are extracting their oil, admitting that there were no WMD's, and telling them that "people will begin to see the wisdom of the policy" when we install a new government to oppress them.
Suppose that was happening at your family ranch down in Texas. Armed agents kick down your door, kill one of your kids and torture another, take control of your oil wells, and then they apologize for not finding a hidden stash of contraband weapons. Do you suppose you will see the "wisdom of the policy" when they move another family into your house?
Tuesday, January 18, 2005
Religious Studies and the First Amendment
Coleman at the Bending Faith blog has posted an insightful essay by Stephen Prothero about the religious illiteracy of Americans.
This essay is well worth reading as are the introductory comments by Coleman.
I would only disagree with one statement that Prothero makes. He says, "Because of misunderstandings about the 1st Amendment, religious studies are seldom taught in public schools."
My own experience tells me this excuse is simplistic. Having participated in a conference of ministers discussing teaching creation science at a small town public school in Oklahoma, I know that conservative preachers will drop their demand for public schools to teach creation science if that also means the schools will be teaching the creation accounts and religious beliefs of Native Americans and other religions.
Religion is all or nothing for conservative Christians. They don't want "teaching about religion" -- certainly not comparative religion -- they want the schools to indoctrinate students in their own brand of religion. If they can't have that, they don't want public schools teaching anything about religion at all.
This essay is well worth reading as are the introductory comments by Coleman.
I would only disagree with one statement that Prothero makes. He says, "Because of misunderstandings about the 1st Amendment, religious studies are seldom taught in public schools."
My own experience tells me this excuse is simplistic. Having participated in a conference of ministers discussing teaching creation science at a small town public school in Oklahoma, I know that conservative preachers will drop their demand for public schools to teach creation science if that also means the schools will be teaching the creation accounts and religious beliefs of Native Americans and other religions.
Religion is all or nothing for conservative Christians. They don't want "teaching about religion" -- certainly not comparative religion -- they want the schools to indoctrinate students in their own brand of religion. If they can't have that, they don't want public schools teaching anything about religion at all.
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