Cross Posted in Talk 2 Action, Political Cortex and Gene's Thoughts

This is not an original idea with me, but one I think would solve several problems and one I have been interested in for a while Given the current situation in this country regarding the encroachment of religion into the public space, it is necessary that we give our children a sound, fundamental grounding in religion. I propose an intensive religious education beginning in the fourth grade and culminating senior year. This would be a nine year course of study taking students from the founding myths of the world's major religions through comparative religious instruction with emphasis on similarities and differences and why these differences exist. Finally, the last two years would consider the philosophy of religion, how religions start, what makes them important to their adherents and how our lives are shaped by our religious beliefs. Along the way topics on science and religion, science as religion, religion as science, worldviews, and the psychology of religion would be studied. By the time students reach the end of this study, they will be in a much better position to recognize religious issues and make their own decisions regarding such issues.

"It may be tempting to see Roy Moore as an exception" I wrote in the current issue of The Public Eye magazine, about the man best known as 'the ten commandments judge,'

but his rise is reviving old coalitions. In 2004, his former spokesman and legal advisor, Tom Parker, was elected as an Associate Justice of the Alabama Supreme Court. At Parker's request, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas made the trek to Montgomery to swear him in. Exjudge Moore then also swore him in. "The Chief's courage to stand for principle over personal position inspired me and animated voters during my campaign for the Alabama Supreme Court" said Parker. "So, I have been doubly blessed to have been sworn into office by two heroes of the judiciary."  But Parker's politics has additional roots in the politics of the former Governor George] Wallace era.

He has ties to neoconfederate organizations such as the Council of Conservative Citizens and the white supremacist League of the South.

This op-ed in the New York Times today, Nearer, My God, to the G.O.P., is a classic case of turning reality upside down.

Someone on the Dark Christianity community (in reference to dominionist groups opposing the new HPV vaccine--which would essentially eliminate both cervical and penile cancer if children were immunised) made the very appropriate comment that these dominionist groups are, in fact, "pro-cancer".

It goes a little deeper--not only are they pro-cancer, but they are pro-birth-defects and even pro-spouse-abuse--based on policies they are promoting which in part are explicitly based on urban myths popular in the dominionist community.

From The Chicago Tribune article:

Faith-based groups are barred from proselytizing or engaging in other obvious religious activity when using federal funds to encourage teenagers to abstain from premarital sex or help substance abusers fight addictions. Some groups may have run afoul of that federal prohibition.

Lawsuits by the American Civil Liberties Union, Americans United for Separation of Church and State, and the Freedom from Religion Foundation accuse the faith-based organizations and the government of violating the constitutional separation of church and state. Meanwhile, experts say the Bush administration is doing too little to monitor religious groups receiving federal money.

Critics cite the Silver Ring Thing program that preaches sexual abstinence to teens. It is known for pulsing, high-tech, multimedia shows at which teenagers can buy silver rings to symbolize their pledge to avoid sex until marriage.

Writer and TV producer Greg Spring has a very funny blog titled Holier than Thou. He tackles the tricky territory of humor about the religous right with both bite and aplomb.

This quiz is a good example.

Ted Haggard's recent email exchange with Mikey Weinstein reveals why he believes it's unwise for Jews to be criticising evangelicals.

I recently wrote about the opening for nominations for the Koufax Awards -- the annual celebration of the lefty blogosphere -- named for one of the best left handed pitchers in baseball, Sandy Koufax.

It's all good fun, and good exposure for the worthy blogs nominated. If you haven't yet nominated Talk to Action or any of your favorite blogs and bloggers -- its not too late!

I love Jesus! Not as the savior of humanity, but as one of the most powerful and influential liberals of all time.

That's why I lose it when I see the fundamentalist conservative 'Christian' movement in America using his likeness and reputation to further their decidedly un-Jesus-like agenda.

Most recently, our friendly neighborhood fanatics have taken to promoting a movie, the Chronicles of Narnia, claiming that its popularity is evidence that their brand of 'Christian pop culture' is taking over America.

If these were 'true' Christian principles at issue here, I doubt I would mind much since they'd naturally consist of such things as love, understanding, peace, good will and the like.

Ought a gov't to protect members of a specific religious belief from challenges to their belief system by allowing them to 'opt out' of any secular public school teachings that pose such a challenge?

Sam Harris, author of "The End of Faith: Religion, Terror, and the Future of Reason" talks about why the accomodation of religious faith in our society is dangerous to the survival of that society.

There is an awful lot of sentiment out there that government entanglement with religion is of little or no importance.  I wrote an essay explaining why this IS of ultimate importance, and wanted to share these ideas.