Donate to or support
Talk to Action






Talk To Action Speakers Bureau


Religious Right Organizations

Site Sections

The War on Reproductive Rights

Attacking Public Education

Shadow War: the battle for mainstream faith
the covert campaign against liberal chuches and the social justice tradition

War on Judicial Independence

Recommended Books
[above: click on image for YouTube video trailer]"Renewal or Ruin": New Video Documentary By Steve D. Martin Spotlights Secretive Rightwing Effort To Destroy Mainstream Protestant Churches


Eternal Hostility: The Struggle Between Theocracy and Democracy, by Frederick Clarkson


Right-Wing Populism in America: Too Close for Comfort
by Chip Berlet and Matthew N. Lyons
sample chapter

God's Profits: Faith, Fraud and the Republican Crusade For Values Voters
By Sarah Posner


Liars for Jesus: The Religious Right's Alternate Version of American History
By Chris Rodda


Kingdom Coming: The Rise of Christian Nationalism
: by Michelle Goldberg


With God on Their Side: How Christian Fundamentalists Trampled Science, Policy, and Democracy in George W. Bush's White House.
by Esther Kaplan


Straight to Jesus: Sexual and Christian Conversions in the Ex-Gay Movement
Tanya Erzen


Special Features

Attack on The United Churches of Christ

Attack on The United Methodist Church

"The Christian Right, Dominionism, and Theocracy", by Chip Berlet

Parts OneTwoThreeFourFive

"Taking Over The Republican Party", a four part series by Joan Bokaer

The Woman in A Mink CoatWhile We Were sleepingAngels On a PinheadUnder Cover of Night

The Indian River Incident : What You Can Do

link > The "Stop the ACLU Coalition" Shaming Project
How you can help stop "Stop The ACLU" just by sending a few emails



'Left Behind' video game imageThe Shaming Project

does the violence of "Left Behind: Eternal Forces" bother you ? If so, what can you do ? Well, to begin with you can email Jonathan Hutson's stories to people you know. That will help to bring more public scrutiny of the game. Public shaming really works ! Just click on the "email" icon and link at the top or bottom of the story and you'll be taken to a form that will allow you email the first story, The Purpose Driven Life Takers or the latest installment without leaving this site. Thanks. 'Left Behind' video game image

Donate to or support
Talk to Action




College Teacher Fired for Telling Students Not to Take the Bible Literally
By mick arran Sat Sep 22, 2007 at 06:37:42 PM EST printable version print story
Review it on NewsTrust
A Red Oak, Iowa community college teacher says he was fired when Xtianist students complained that he was "denigrating their religion" during his Western Civilization course by putting the Christian Bible on the same level as the foundation books of other religions, and by insisting that it shouldn't be taken literally.
topic: Education and Public Schools
A community college instructor in Red Oak claims he was fired after he told his students that the biblical story of Adam and Eve should not be literally interpreted.

Steve Bitterman, 60, said officials at Southwestern Community College sided with a handful of students who threatened legal action over his remarks in a western civilization class Tuesday. He said he was fired Thursday.

"I'm just a little bit shocked myself that a college in good standing would back up students who insist that people who have been through college and have a master's degree, a couple actually, have to teach that there were such things as talking snakes or lose their job," Bitterman said.

The president of Southwestern and Omaha's Metropolitan Community College and the Director of the Red Oak campus have been denying any wrong-doing and otherwise ducking questions from the press (mainly, thus far, the Des Moines Register). MCC President Barbara Crittendon would only say that Bitterman's firing was "a personnel matter".

The key to the students' anger may have come after the class when one of them came up to complain about Bitterman's statement that Adam and Eve never existed. He insisted Adam and Eve were real people, and Bitterman replied that the whole story was a "fairy tale". The student was outraged, telling Bitterman a group of Xtian students was threatening to see a lawyer.

"I put the Hebrew religion on the same plane as any other religion. Their god wasn't given any more credibility than any other god," Bitterman said. "I told them it was an extremely meaningful story, but you had to see it in a poetic, metaphoric or symbolic sense, that if you took it literally, that you were going to miss a whole lot of meaning there."

If that's why they fired him, for saying that, it's bad enough. But if they fired him because a few fundamentalist Xtian kids complained that he wasn't teaching the correct religious doctrine - a doctrine accepted by a minority of Christians - then we seem to have entered a new McCarthy/Inquisition Age when teaching actual science instead of indoctrinating students in an approved belief system is going to be punished by excommunication and the curriculum re-built, not around science but around conforming to extremist religious beliefs.

"As a taxpayer, I'd like to know if a tax-supported public institution of higher learning has given veto power over what can and cannot be said in its classrooms to a fundamentalist religious group," he said. "If it has ... then the taxpaying public of Iowa has a right to know. What's next? Whales talk French at the bottom of the sea?"

Very possibly.

Digg
del.icio.us
Newsvine
Reddit
stumbleupon
Facebook


To discuss this story, sign up for a free account

Display:
College Teacher Fired for Telling Students Not to Take the Bible Literally | 11 comments (11 topical, 0 hidden)
I've been saying it for some time (none / 0)
Taliban II is coming- and this time they're wearing a cross!!!

The fundamentalists think nothing of trying to disrupt college classes.  They also get mad if you teach anything that they don't agree with (such as evolution or TRUE history)- or question them when they start trying to convince people that creationism is real (in class).

Some of the classes that discuss the evolutionary aspects of science that I've attended try to deal with evolution up front in the first day of class- and it gets rancorous and loud!  The professors try to get the disruptive fundamentalists to leave so they can teach in peace.

In fact one professor told the students that evolution was fact, and if they couldn't accept that then maybe they should drop the class, as the science being taught was based on evolution (several walked out!)

It really bothers me that the administration caved to the demands and pressure from the fundamentalists.

Their behavior reminds me so much of what I've heard from people who were forced to live under the Taliban.


by ArchaeoBob on Sat Sep 22, 2007 at 10:11:53 PM EST

Xianist youth are encouraged by their elders ... (none / 0)
to disrupt class at secular colleges. Seminars are given on how to survive attending the infidels' colleges - one of the most prominent of these seminars is given in Colo. Springs and sponsored by FOTF. The Xianist legal shops are actively looking for test cases and are happy to coach students for same, so the kids are sure that they are protected from the consequences of disrupting other people's schooling and of not bothering to either study or answer the question given. Many books aimed at teens and their parents list talking points concerning evolution and other subjects. The overall attitude of the promoters of these books is that no respect is due the teacher or the rest of the class. Just listen to Phyllis Schlafly' weekly program on education to get a bellyful.

I am glad that I teach on the graduate level, in a selective professional school. Otherwise, I'd be having a chess timer on my lectern, and booting people out of the room who attempted to take up more than their 90 seconds.

by NancyP on Sun Sep 23, 2007 at 08:55:00 PM EST
[ Parent ]



A Set-Up (none / 0)
Thanks for the input. I thought I smelled a rat somewhere in the woodwork.  I mean, the kid goes up to talk to Bitterman immediately after the class and threatens him with legal action, explaining that his friends already have a lawyer waiting to sue the college? It could have been an empty threat, I suppose, but it didn't scan like one. Now I know why.

The danger here, tho, to me, is the willingness of the college to collapse in the face of a mere threat. We appear to be living in fear of a right-wing minority even tho it hasn't won a victory on any of these fronts in years. I don't understand it.

- mick -


by mick arran on Mon Sep 24, 2007 at 07:52:16 PM EST
Possible explanation (none / 0)
Most of the colleges and universities these days are run as a business instead of an institute of higher learning- and nothing eats into the profit margin like a lawsuit.  Administrations also throughout history have avoided anything remotely controversial.

At my school, I've learned that there are several officially recognized groups on campus that have been banned from other schools for brainwashing and other cult behavior.  The administration rents out space (like the stadium) for fundamentalist group meetings- which then rail against evolution and the very school that provided the space for their ranting.   There are regular programs promoted that teach creationism and oppose evolution.  There are jackleg preachers who come on campus weekly (if not more often) and insult and harass students (trying to convert them by offending them).  I've received numerous invitations to (supposedly sanctioned) activities that I knew were attempts at stealth evangelism.

I sometimes wonder if the administration of my school has been subverted by the dominionists.

by ArchaeoBob on Mon Sep 24, 2007 at 08:15:47 PM EST
[ Parent ]

College as Business (5.00 / 1)
That sounds sensible on the surface and I don't doubt there are schools that use it to excuse various inconveniences, but you don't have to dig very deep to realize what a crock it is.

Colleges all sell the same product: useful knowledge. What kind of insane business model deliberately undercuts its only selling point? This is equivalent to an Italian restaurant being invaded by a couple of people who don't just hate spaghetti at the top of their lungs, but deny that there's any such thing as "Italian" food and threaten to sue if the owners insist on selling lasagna. So the owners fire the chef?

That's nuts. Bonkers. Inappropriate, counter-productive, counter-intuitive, and self-destructive. It makes no sense at all.

Any college that would offer a rationale like that has clearly lost its collective mind to a fog of fear, and I ask again: Why are they so afraid? What are they afraid of?

This is a community college whose money comes from the state of Iowa. The Board of Governors is required to follow state education laws, which means it is NOT allowed to turn its science or math or history curriculum into religious curricula in order to pacify loud-mouthed religious fanatics.

So what is the college admin afraid of? Personal attacks? Bombings? Murder? Or discomfort, inconvenience, and dirty looks? What is the level of threat they're reacting to? It certainly can't be legal. Every one of these right-wing Xtianist suits has been thrown out of court but one, and that one was an embarrassing loss at the end of which the judge gave them a severe tongue-lashing.

So what, precisely, do they think they're protecting themselves from? Have colleges teaching evolution, say, received actual death threats? Has any state in the country pulled funding from a community college that insisted on teaching that the earth is round in defiance of some religious sect?

Because if the mere threat of a lawsuit from a bunch of fringe wackos is considered sufficiently controversial to justify firing science teachers because they won't teach fact-free religious doctrines masquerading as science, our education system is in very deep doo-doo indeed.

- mick -


by mick arran on Tue Sep 25, 2007 at 05:15:24 PM EST
[ Parent ]
I think you need to read some history (none / 0)
The colleges have done this for many years.  It used to be fear of lawsuits and problems with the government if they had anyone who even mentioned the "s" word or the "c" word except in hostile diatribes (socialism or communism).  You dared not mention anything about Marx, even though he had many contributions beyond his ideas about communism- anything that was connected with him was verboten.  There have been many instances of professors being fired for being controversial or talking about something that the elites didn't want mentioned (such as anything that Marx contributed).

Marx was the big bogeyman for the churches of that era.  They got a lot of mileage out of fighting against communism and "the Evil Empire".  

In the area where I live, science teachers below the college level generally don't even mention the word "evolution" for fear of harassment and lawsuits from the churches.  Many of the students I've encountered didn't know what evolution was (except hearing from their preachers that it was evil and a lie), and learning the truth about it opened their eyes.  Others had been so solidly programmed that nothing said could get them to see beyond what their masters wanted them to see.  These last ones create a lot of headaches, let me tell you!

Besides the weekly jackleg preachers who come on our campus to try to insult everyone into the Kingdom of God, there are a few extra fundamentalist preachers who appear and offend everyone they can.  They use language that would get me booted from most blogs in their preaching, so I won't repeat what they say- but I will say that for the most part, nothing is done about them.  The police say that these people are not only there to "save souls", they are trying to provoke the school into banning them from campus so they can sue the school- so the school does nothing, even though my wife has seen one of those preachers (a regular) reduce young women to tears.  Another time they used language against a young women that was so bad (and false) that her boyfriend punched out the preacher.   Yet these preachers still show up, and they still preach their hellfire and brimstone.  When the cops themselves say that the school is trying to avoid lawsuits, that should say something to you.

So, let's see.  1. History of professors being fired because they taught something that angered the elites.  2. Schools below the college level often not even mentioning evolution for fear of lawsuits.  3. Schools tolerating VERY offensive language from preachers in order to avoid lawsuits. 4. Problems like the Dover situation and what the topic of this thread is about.  Yes, I think that there is sufficient evidence to indicate that colleges would be likely to avoid lawsuits like the plague, especially since in the last few years, they are being run more and more as a business- and businesses have long avoided lawsuits because it eats into their bottom line.

By the way- receiving actual death threats- it HAS happened.  And if you do just a little research, you will learn that certain branches of dominionism would either KILL or "RE-EDUCATE" us if they could.  It's there in black and white- in their own words.

If you don't believe me- read what has happened to the judge of the Dover trial.  He's been dealing with death threats from "good Christians" since the hearing.

Finally, if you'd see the students and the problems I've seen, you'd start saying that the educational system IS in deep trouble.  I've dealt with graduating seniors that couldn't write worth a flip, and who expected to get an "A" for "F" work.  Cheating is a regular problem in many of the undergrad classes- and students want us to do the work for them.  They don't follow directions- shoot, most times they don't even READ the directions!  (The stories I could tell of students who never read the directions, or even the syllabus...)

by ArchaeoBob on Tue Sep 25, 2007 at 11:30:50 PM EST
[ Parent ]

There's suppression, and then there's suppression (none / 0)
I'm well aware of the history of the suppression of any and all discussion of socialism. I lived through it. And in New Hampshire, at that time the most ultraconservative, downright reactionary state in the union. The John Birch Society was considered mainstream there.

There is a critical difference between the suppression of an unpopular political philosophy and the suppression of scientific fact. Political philosophies unfriendly to dominant cultural beliefs have been suppressed since the time of the Greeks. It's a standard device, particularly for empires. OTOH, we haven't seen suppression of science by religious forces since the Catholic Church threatened Galileo with excommunication for agreeing with Copernicus and Galileo shut his mouth.

That act brought on the dark age of the Inquisition, and for nearly a century European science was stopped in its tracks. There hasn't been a time since that yoke was thrown off when the suppression of science was accepted by law or culture, at least in the West, and that time isn't now.

2. Schools below the college level often not even mentioning evolution for fear of lawsuits.

Absurd, cowardly, and unjustified. Why should they be afraid of lawsuits that will most likely be thrown out long before they go to trial? I realize there's an expense involved in defending oneself, that's part of the religious right's strategy. But 90% of these things are denied legal status at the preliminary hearing because there is NO legitimate legal theory on which they can be based. They're a joke, nuisance suits that courts have no patience with.

That's a pretty minor threat you've got there. So, again, what are they afraid of? really?

As for the death threats, I'm aware of credible ones, certainly, against abortion clinics and doctors, and certainly the Dominionists feel as you describe, but I am not aware of any credible death threats against any school anywhere in the country because someone in it is teaching evolution.

And even if such credible death threats exist, the question is, did the Red Oak admin receive any? If they did, they should have been turned over to the police because the Xtianists have just crossed the line from civil intimidation to criminal behavior. If they have not, then rank cowardice is the only explanation that leaps to mind.

And why, may I ask, are you defending them? They have effectively allowed an empty threat to dictate their hiring policy and invade their disciplinary procedures. The message to the fundamentalists is, "If you so much as raise your voice to us, we'll cave in."

Having lived through the McCarthy Era, I can state unequivocally that surrendering to bullies doesn't work. You have to take a stand against them or they'll run you down like a rabbit.

Two short cases in point: the CLF tried twice to force the Northhampton, Mass school district to allow prayers in elementary and high schools. They cost the city a good deal in legal fees, but they were unceremoniously shot down both times. They haven't been back since.

The last evolution challenge to get in an actual court was in Dover, PA. The biggest names in ID appeared for the plaintiffs and they were humiliated, both by the court and the press. Dover has been free of legal challenges from the religious right ever since.

If we give in to their intimidation tactics, they'll push harder and harder until they get what they want: every school a Xtian school, every class a course in Xtian doctrine. If we stand up to them, they'll go looking for an easier target.

Please, don't enable them by defending the cowards who knuckle under to toothless threats and loud-mouthed bullies.

- mick -


by mick arran on Wed Sep 26, 2007 at 12:50:18 AM EST
[ Parent ]
I'm not defending the school- (none / 0)
Put the blame where it lies- with the dominionists.

I'm aware of other situations where the deciding factor was the threat of lawsuits (I'm not at liberty to name them, however).   Many, if not most of the schools make their decisions based upon the bottom line these days.  Witness the way different programs are funded!

I too would like to see the schools start standing up to the dominionists.

RE: the Dover trial.  I actually know a lot about that trial and the aftermath- I downloaded the memorandum opinion and read the entire thing, as well as followed it closely in the news while it happened.  I also have communicated with Dr. Miller in the past on a few occasions, and I've read his book.

Now, I will admit that my impressions are colored by living in an area that could best be described as dominionist central USA, as well as having to deal with dominionists on a regular basis (they do NOT like the class I help to teach).  I also know from my experiences with the churches that the threats are real- I was a member of a dominionist cult (which was part of the reason I left school 28 years ago, and only returned 4 years ago).  Some of their preaching against the colleges (with the exception of their "own") was really violent.  If you want an example, all you have to do is go outside of one of the more active buildings on Wednesday afternoons- and listen to the "preachers" rant and rave at the students!  I mean- telling them that they deserve to die and go to hell because they do any number of things on a "hit list" (including accepting evolution)!  I've heard that myself- although the "die" part was on only one occasion- the usual is "You will go to hell because you ___.

They also promoted vandalizing anything to do with evolution and homosexuality.  I confess that I did that 28 years ago, at the behest of the preachers I followed (actions of which I am very ashamed these days).   I defaced and tore down posters, and the one time I was caught- insulted the person terribly (luckily, I did not get into big trouble- and left the school the next semester partially because of the "encouragement" of the pastor).

It still goes on today- anything on campus that relates to evolution is likely to be vandalized, as I've personally seen as recently as last month.   Vandalizing anything to do with homosexuality (also other non-Christian religions) is less likely these days because of the hate crimes legislation- and that may be why they are so hostile to those laws.  However, I HAVE seen stealth evangelization fliers posted right over ones advertising anything to do with gay rights or other religions (such as Wicca).

I removed one yesterday that had been put right over a poster promoting a new organization for liberal/progressive Christians.  There were multiple copies on that bulletin board, and funny thing- most of them covered things that the dominionists don't like.

Yesterday I was also accused of being prejudiced, because I did not join the organization I'm president of to another "non-religious" organization in promoting a dominionist front activity on campus.  I had told the president of the other group that they were promoting something directly connected with the "Joel's Army" brand of dominionism and that I didn't think they would want to do that- and that I wasn't interested and that I was sure that my organization would not be interested (we promote critical thinking and scholarship, not brainwashing!).

So, my experiences DO color my perceptions of what is going on in other areas.  They are pervasive and getting worse here- why not there as well?  

And, knowing of the situation and pressures being faced on a regular basis by different adminstrations, I can also understand why they might cave in the face of a lawsuit (although I disagree with their decision!)

What is needed is forcing the dominionists who bring these lawsuits to cover all costs of defending freedom of speech and religion.  Once it starts hitting their wallet as well, maybe they will think twice about trying to force themselves on others.


by ArchaeoBob on Wed Sep 26, 2007 at 01:24:10 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Apologies, etc. (none / 0)
I apologize for taking so long to answer this. I hope you notice it after all this time. I have 2 other blogs and have been so busy this past month that I could barely keep up with them and had to let this one go entirely.

First, I want to thank you for sharing your story and your perspective. I understand where you're coming from, but I can't just "blame the Dominionists". The problem is a practical one: the Dominionists aren't going to stop unless somebody stops them. It's that simple. While I can respect what the school is up against, I can't afford to respect its decision because that decision enables and empowers the Dominionist assault.

What is needed is forcing the Dominionists who bring these lawsuits to cover all costs of defending freedom of speech and religion.  Once it starts hitting their wallet as well, maybe they will think twice about trying to force themselves on others.

I'm not sure that can be done, legally. I think it would depend on either the local law or the particular judge. My understanding is that some local law requires that each party pay its own expenses, at other times a judge can order either the winner or the loser to pay, depending. But I'm not a lawyer and I don't know that for sure. Certainly it would be worth looking into.

Altho I still have to wonder about the efficacy of that approach. Groups like the CLF have incredibly deep pockets as they're funded by some of the richest fundamentalists in the country. I'm not so sure an attack on their wallets would be terribly effective.

As for the rest, I don't know if Iowa is teeming with militant Dominionists or not, but even if it is, that can't be allowed to excuse the school's betrayal of its mission. Fear may be real and as justifiable as your examples indicate it is, but that doesn't alter the school's responsibility to engage the people who are trying to destroy its meaning and purpose.

To return to the law for a moment, one thing I am certain of is that, legally, only the school would have the "standing" to take action. Other entities could help by filing FOC briefs or aiding by raising a legal defense fund, but only the school administration could bring the perps to court. The ACLU often takes cases like this pro bono, but it doesn't sound as if that possibility was even considered before the school caved.

I'm sorry for the school and sorry that it has to take such risks but there isn't any other option unless it is prepared to abandon its mission to the Dominionists altogether. You should know better than anyone that they'll never quit as long as they think they can win. It sucks, but that's the reality we're dealing with.

- mick -


by mick arran on Tue Oct 23, 2007 at 01:23:12 PM EST
[ Parent ]







Why is the school "ducking questions"? (none / 0)
It must be because we are all evolution-hating, inbred members of the Christian Taliban in SW Iowa.  Couldn't possibly have anything to do with personnel matters being confidential BY LAW - nah, that would be too easy!

Perhaps, if Mr. Bitterman were to waive his rights to that confidentiality, the school would be able to explain its action.  Maybe the press should be asking those questions, and talking to others who were there, rather than taking the word of a disgruntled former employee as the whole story.

by liturgygeek on Tue Sep 25, 2007 at 10:27:02 PM EST


Teaching the Bible (none / 0)
I read a whole lot of hatred from most of these comments... There are a SELECT FEW that carry out the type of "preaching by insults" most of you talk about... I would argue the reverse, as it is the "religious haters" that disrupt the majority of college seminars around the nation (as evident by the multitude of attacks on religious speakers during - and even before they can begin their speeches). I personally saw Pat Robertson get "boo'ed" off a stage by haters before he was able to begin a seminar on religious values... Talk about the far right; It is the far left that comes to seminars and disrupts the events! I have yet to see those of faith charge into a seminar about evolution, or anything else, and refuse to let a speaker talk. But the far left does it on a continual basis...
I propose that this teacher got fired because he tried to pass off his opinion as fact... Instead of trying to teach that there is only one option (that is to say, his opinion) about a biblical story, he could say there were several different possibilities that may be correct. Proposing those options allows the students to reach their own conclusions. After all, isn't that what teaching is all about? Deciding which option (given all the facts) makes most sense to you? Or are we all just supposed to believe whatever our teacher says is "true", and not make our own conclusions...
And don't bring that weak argument about evolution being in contradiction to religious beliefs... The leading "evolutionists" in the world today believe our universe came from a "big bang", and that the big bang derived from a "singularity"... Isn't that what the Christian faith has taught all along??? That God is One, and brought all things to be...

by Hollywood297 on Fri Dec 28, 2007 at 03:36:17 PM EST

College Teacher Fired for Telling Students Not to Take the Bible Literally | 11 comments (11 topical, 0 hidden)

WWW Talk To Action


The Fog is Lifting over Common Ground on Abortion
President Obama has made much about finding common ground on abortion, and Democratic oriented think tanks like Third Way and Faith in Public Life......
By Frederick Clarkson (0 comments)
Short Takes
Examiner.com:  A few years ago, Talk to Action exposed the convert or die ideology of the video game based on Tim LaHaye's Left Behind......
By Frederick Clarkson (6 comments)
Sally Kern, Unpatriot: Why Does Oklahoma's Looney Lawmaker Hate America?
Everyone's favorite raging theocrat, Oklahoma House member Sally Kern, is at it again. Numerous reports indicate that Kern and her supporters plan to publicly......
By Rob Boston (3 comments)
Camp David Chaplain: "First we get the military, then we get the nation"
For a few hours today it seemed, according to a new Time Magazine story by Amy Sullivan, released Monday morning, that US President Barack......
By Bruce Wilson (0 comments)
Obama's [Reported] New Pastor: "First we get the military, then we get the nation"
UPDATE: The White House has denied the report that Obama has chosen the chapel at Camp David as his church. This, however, does not......
By Chris Rodda (2 comments)
CBS's Go To (Rightwing) Catholic Guy
The go to guy at CBS News for all-things Catholic is one Father Thomas D. Williams.  Never heard of him?  Well, if you watch......
By Frank Cocozzelli (2 comments)
MRFF Demands DoD Revoke Authority of Chaplain Endorser Who Suggested Democrats Should Be Executed
As I wrote back in May, the antics of disgraced former Navy chaplain Gordon Klingenschmitt, and his retaliation against the Military Religious Freedom Foundation......
By Chris Rodda (4 comments)
Al Jazeera Special Report Covers Advance of Fundamentalism in US Military
A June 23, 2009 report from Al Jazeera (English) by Josh Rushing, "Fault Lines - Religion in the Military", expertly covers a topic the......
By Bruce Wilson (2 comments)
Ann Coulter Justifies The Tiller Assasination
Ann Coulter is skilled at saying what she really believes while building in a certain plausible deniability, and that is what she has repeatedly......
By Frederick Clarkson (5 comments)
More on the Pre-Netroots Nation Pie Fight
The other day, I reported about the pies launched in response to the description of one of the first sessions to be announced for......
By Frederick Clarkson (3 comments)
Ralph's Resurrection?: Former Christian Coalition Honcho Reed Seeks To Rise From The Crypt
Last month I wrote a story for Church & State speculating about possible new leaders for the Religious Right. I focused on Mike Huckabee,......
By Rob Boston (3 comments)
Liberty Learns A Lesson: Falwell School Accepts AU Advice On Political Clubs
Americans United for Separation of Church and State reacted quickly when word spread recently that officials at Liberty University had revoked university recognition of......
By Rob Boston (0 comments)
Defense Department-Certified Agency Newsletter Suggests Killing Democrats
"In 2008, Ammerman implied that four presidential candidates should be "arrested, quickly tried and hanged" for not voting to designate English America's official language,......
By Bruce Wilson (2 comments)
Col. Jim Ammerman, Apostle & New World Order Conspiracy Theorist
Part Two - Conspiracy as Prophecy New World Order Conspiracy is not disseminated by white supremacist groups alone. New World Order conspiracy is a......
By Ruth (2 comments)
Common Ground Sink Hole at RH Reality Check
There is an odd new section to the prochoice site, RH Reality Check devoted to discussion of common ground on abortion, and featuring some......
By Frederick Clarkson (3 comments)

Radio host: We're only united through Christianity
Most of you in Indiana may know about Peter Heck, who hosts a daily radio show in Kokomo and puts out a column that appears in several newspapers across the state and in OneNewsNow.......
By Christian Dem in NC (1 comment)
Cindy Jacobs--the new leader of the NAR
You may remember that Lou Engle has made moves of late to position himself as the new power in the religious right.  He's a member of the Apostolic Council of Prophetic Elders, a group......
By Christian Dem in NC (1 comment)
James F. Linzey Espouses anti-Semitic, White Racialist Conspiracy Theory
James F. Linzey is a prominent, active duty chaplain in the United States military. Linzey has stated that he was the command chaplain for the Operation Iraqi Freedom troop mobilization prior to the US......
By Bruce Wilson (0 comments)
White Supremacist named as Holocaust Museum Shooter
An 89 year old, vehemently antiSemitic  Ron Paul supporter has been named by police as the gunman who opened fire in the Holocaust Museum shortly after noon today: Gunman, guard shot at Holocaust museum......
By CynthiaGee (0 comments)
From Focus On The Family to La Familia Michoacana
I didn't think my work on the religous right would converge with what I'm doing on the narcoguerra in Mexico...but here it is: the Faith-Based Cartel. ......
By julydogs (1 comment)
A Pagan Among the Mainstream Churches in Boise
The participation by an "out" Pagan in the Idaho Hunger Relief Task Force proves that some religions will accept and welcome help from all quarters, in recognition that we are all human.  The glaring......
By Chiawana (0 comments)
Clarkson on CounterSpin
Hear me discuss the Tiller assasination this week on the nationally syndicated radio program CounterSpin, the progressive media criticism show produced by Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting (FAIR).  You can also listen via Mp3......
By Frederick Clarkson (0 comments)
Liberty Counsel tries to SLAPP Americans United
In what can charitably be described as an act of desperation, Liberty Counsel is asking the IRS to investigate Americans United's tax-exempt status.  This comes only days after AU asked the IRS to investigate......
By Christian Dem in NC (0 comments)
Strange how things bring the nutcases out
I read today that Westboro Baptist staged a protest at a vigil held for Dr. Tiller in Wichita.   I'm not surprised, but what did surprise me was that they had 20 people there......
By ArchaeoBob (0 comments)
Southern Baptists may be abandoning public schools
Via OneNewsNow, I discovered a story by former Southern Baptist Convention president Morris Chapman that appears to call for SBC churches to begin setting up Christian schools. I now wonder if our focus in......
By Christian Dem in NC (0 comments)
Footnote about Ammerman / Palin / Wagner Linkage
Colonel "Jim" Ammerman was listed as being an apostle in C. Peter Wagner's International Coalition of Apostles [see ICA prospectus] from the organization's inception in 2001 through to December 2008. The ICA is one......
By Bruce Wilson (0 comments)
The Singapore Struggle, after AWARE
An introductory post on steeplejacking in Singapore after the attempted takeover of a woman's NGO and a summary of recent updates. ......
By Sniper (2 comments)
What Does Bobby Jindal Really Want to Do To Louisiana Higher Education?
In recent weeks, Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal has stood back and watched while both the Louisiana House and Senate wrestled with his original budget proposal to cut $219 million from Louisiana public higher education.......
By ulyankee (3 comments)
Yank Dominionists are considering taking over....New Zealand?????
No, it's not a plot for a bad sci-fi movie, it's.... "The Three Greatest Issues Facing the Men of New Zealand" ....and the first wave of the "invasion" has already hit the island, just......
By CynthiaGee (1 comment)
The AWARE steeplejackers and their deep connections to Joel's Army and American dominionists
Thanks to a few Singaporean friends (who shall remain anonymous), I had become aware of a disturbing development--an attempted hijack of a major women's NGO. Through those same folks and Fred Clarkson's post on......
By dogemperor (0 comments)
Common Enemies: LGBT, Abortion Share Foes
by Pam Chamberlain [On The Issues Magazine] When I was in college, a group of radical women dressed as witches ran around major U.S. cities doing zap actions, placing hexes on male-dominated institutions like......
By On The Issues Magazine (0 comments)
Florida Theocrats at it again.
There are two news articles in today's Ledger that are of concern. http://www.theledger.com/article/20090424/NEWS/904259979/1003/NEW S00?Title=Jesus-License-Plate-Could-Come The new license plates come up for a vote this year. http://www.theledger.com/article/20090423/NEWS/904235098/1005/NEW S02?Title=Bill-Would-Strengthen-Voucher-Program This bill, also possibly up for a......
By ArchaeoBob (4 comments)
Is Humanism Arrogant?
Much to the dismay of theocratic Christians, humanists claim that ethics can be understood without resorting to the supernatural or alleged divine authority from religious texts.  Christian theocrats say this is hubris. ......
By TMurray (8 comments)
Terry Schaivo back in the news
http://www.theledger.com/article/20090330/NEWS/903305040/1003/NEW S00?Title=Schiavo-Anniversary-Mass-Planned Another move by the religious right- rather than letting Terry go (after an autopsy PROVED that she had severe and irreversible brain damage), they're dragging her up again. ......
By ArchaeoBob (5 comments)
no ark no temple
how can you build a new temple in jerusalem if there is no ark of the covanent to put in it? book of jerimiah states that the ark will not be reconstructed. what does......
By keyknow (5 comments)
WND.com Cashes In on "Birther" Conspiracy Theories
WorldNetDaily has been spinning ridiculous yarns about Barack Obama since last year's presidential campaign, particularly about the idea that he's a foreign-born usurper to the Oval Office. Now you can own a peice of......
By Scoutstr295 (0 comments)
Did you know NC's constitution bars atheists from holding office?
When I found out that an Arkansas state rep is trying to repeal a provision in his state constitution that bars atheists from holding office, I remembered that, sadly, North Carolina's constitution has a......
By Christian Dem in NC (2 comments)
AP helping religious right again--this time in Arkansas
I'm starting to wonder if the American Family Association has a moleat the Associated Press. That's the only plausible explanation for an AP story about a possible referendum about removing constitutional restrictions on atheists......
By Christian Dem in NC (1 comment)
Creationists' new angle--it's in the name of academic freedom
(cross-posted at dKos) Looks like the creationist crowd is trying a new tack to try and get a toe in the evolution debate. Apparently shutting out discussion of creation amounts to a denial of......
By Christian Dem in NC (2 comments)
Religious right threatens lawsuit over provision of stimulus bill
cross-posted at dKos The American Center for Law and Justice is threatening a lawsuit over the stimulus package. At issue? A provision that it claims may force colleges receiving funds to renovate their facilities......
By Christian Dem in NC (3 comments)
Fundies raising stink about prospective gay appointment
cross-posted at dKosI had a funny feeling the religious right would find something about Obama to get worked up about, and wouldn't you know, it looks like they have.  Apparently the prospect of Obama--horrors!--appointing......
By Christian Dem in NC (1 comment)
The Churches may need Redefining
       John Aravosis www.americablog.com/ has reported that Archbishop Rino Fisichella is commenting on the arrogance of newly elected President Obama as someone who is opening the door to abortion and thus the......
By tangodaddy (1 comment)
Blackwater: Guns for Hire or Trojan Horsemen?
The Los Angeles Times reports this morning that  Blackwater security may be forced out of Iraq: "Blackwater Worldwide,the security firm that allegedly used excessive force to protect U.S. diplomats in Iraq, will soon be......
By CynthiaGee (0 comments)
If Abortion is Murder what do you do with the Killers?
This is a video I found today of a guy who interviewed pro-life activists at an anti-abortion rally. The interviewer asked the question, "What do you do with all of the women who commit......
By inlikeflint (0 comments)
Boston Globe Notes Warren's Hitler Cites, Misses "Africa Problem"
As a new Boston Globe article, "Effort to surmount polarizing debates backfires on pastor", by Michael Paulson, noticed, "The Huffington Post, noting that Warren has cited the success Hitler, Lenin and Mao had at......
By Bruce Wilson (4 comments)

More Diaries...


Donate to or support
Talk to Action
Left Behind: Eternal Forces: Installments of Jonathan Hutson's Talk To Action expose series on the "Left Behind: Eternal Forces" video game have been viewed by up to 1/2 million people. See our site section featuring Over 35 original articles covering the controversial "Left Behind: Eternal Forces" video game that has provoked a boycott by a coalition of religious groups and a letter writing campaign urging Walmart to stop selling the game. Media inquiries click here
(image: detail from Francoise Dubois' rendition of the Bartholomew's Day Massacre reveals the actual nature of religious warfare)







Blogs

Bartholomew's Notes On ReligionChip BerletMax BlumenthalThe Panda's ThumbFrederick Clarkson Chuck Currie DefCon father Jake Stops The World John Gorenfeld Religion Clause Chris Mooney Religious Right Watch The Revealer Jesus Politics Majority Report Radio Blog Mainstream Baptist Orcinus Dispatches from the Culture Wars Ex-Gay Watch The Wall of Separation Blog From The Capital:a blog on religious liberty issues and the separation of church and state

CrossLeft: Organizing The Christian Left Dark Christianity The Daily Kos Booman TribuneePluribus Media My Left Wing Political Cortex Street Prophets

Organizations

American Booksellers Foundation for Freedom of ExpressionACLUAnti-Defamation LeagueAmerican Library AssociationChristian Alliance for ProgressCitizens ProjectDefCon: Campaign to Defend The ConstitutionFaithful America People For the American wayInstitute For Democracy StudiesInterfaith AllianceJews On First: Defending the First AmendmentAmerican Fundamentalists Americans United for Separation of Church and StateBaptist Joint Committee on Religious Liberty The Clergy and laity Network Political Research Associates Theocracy Watch Media Matters for AmericaMilitary Religious Freedom FoundationMontana Human Rights NetworkNational Center For Science EducationReligious Coalition for Reproductive ChoiceThe RevealerSouthern Poverty Law CenterTexas Freedom NetworkCrossLeft: Organizing the Christian LeftTheocracy WatchTruth Wins Out"