Category: Entanglement - Page 22

May 1, 2013

Should Religious Liberty Be Used As An Excuse To Hurt People?

Bishop Frederick Campbell leader of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Columbus Ohio

The major conflict in human rights is to balance the rights of all people. You can do whatever you want with your life as long as that action doesn’t hurt others (physically or mentally) and conforms with restrictions from current laws. The basic precept is your rights stop at your neighbors door step. In church and state issues the challenge is to balance religious freedom with the rights set in the US Bill of Rights. In the case of a veteran teacher fired from a Catholic school because it became public she had a same-sex spouse, how far does religious liberty extend.

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April 23, 2013

Some Christians Really Really Hate Atheists

image showing angry face with word Atheists!

A complaint I hear often in debates about church and state is about people who challenge violations who hide their identity. People who oppose separation of church and state think that people who sue should be known publicly as if not knowing their identity makes their case not valid. I respect people who challenge violations of church and state and use their real names, but as a case in South Carolina shows, it’s something you have to be prepared to do with eyes wide open. Some Christians really really don’t like challenges to their privilege especially if the complaint comes from atheists.

In Chesterfield County, South Carolina, Jordan Anderson and his family challenged the systematic proselytizing in his middle school. They won the case but the family was harassed for challenging the Christian privilege in their community.

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April 2, 2013

Update: Jackson Ohio City Schools Finally Makes Right Choice – Removes Jesus Picture

Jackson OH Jesus location in High School building

During a federal court hearing in Columbus on Tuesday, lawyers for the Jackson Ohio City Schools agreed to remove the picture of Jesus that was at the center of a church & state lawsuit brought by the Freedom of Religion Foundation and the ACLU. The district claims its insurance company wouldn’t cover the costs of the lawsuit. There is no word if the lawsuit will continue but for now the district made the right decision.

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March 30, 2013

Judge Says World Trade Center Cross Is Secular – Tosses Atheist Lawsuit

WTC Cross being blessed before installation at the 9/11 memorial in New York

Back in July of 2011, American Atheists filed a lawsuit to prevent a Christian cross from being installed at the 9/11 Memorial Museum in New York. On Good Friday, U.S. District Judge Deborah Batts ruled that the obvious Christian cross was really a secular item. I don’t know who should be more angry with the decision, atheists who don’t have any symbol marking their dead at the site, or Christians who keep having their symbols deemed generic and secular.

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March 26, 2013

How Far Should The State Accommodate Religious Beliefs?

image showing an Amish Buggy on a road with the slow moving trangle on the back

During the debate over the government requiring employers to provide coverage for birth control, we’ve heard one argument, false as it is, that in doing so would infringe on religious beliefs. Although that isn’t a valid argument it does bring up the question about how far does a state go to accommodate religious beliefs? The real debate is where is that line between the public good and a person’s beliefs. When can that line be crossed? The simple answer is the line can be crossed when the religious beliefs might harm other people like those needing access to birth control.

Here is an example of protests from the Catholic church about the birth control mandate:

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March 22, 2013

New Director Of White House Faith-Based Office Could Be Trouble For Religious Right

Melissa Rogers: New director of Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships

The White House’s Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships was started by President Bush in 2001 in order give taxpayer money to religious groups to provide social services. Even though the office spits at the spirit of the separation of church and state, President Obama kept the office and expanded it. Recently it was announced that the President would be appointing Melissa Rogers as the office’s new director. The general consensus of the various free thought groups is the appointment of Rogers is a good move and you know what means – trouble for the religious right. Hopefully.

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