December 2009 Newsletter
Special Edition Newsletter
Other Musings
Archives
Favorite Sites
Contact Us
Secular Group Launches Anti-Religion Campaign
Just weeks before the religious holidays several new billboards have popped up across the U.S. which appear to be promoting religion - but closer examination reveals the opposite is true.
The Wisconsin-based Freedom from Religion Foundation, comprised of agnostics and atheists, is sponsoring the messages on billboards up in 30 cities. While ads encouraging separation of church and state are not new - some of these ads skew common religious statements.
One billboard reads "Praise Darwin" after the developer of the theory of evolution.
"We think it's a scandal in this country that so many people are illiterate when it comes to science and that they reject... the information that's right in front of them about evolution and instead think that... they should swallow the Genesis story that we were created in six days," Freedom from Religion co-president Anne Laurie Gaylor said.
So far, the foundation has placed boards in 21 states with a special focus on capital cities.
'Conscience Declaration' Long Time Coming
A group of more than 150 prominent Christian leaders have issued a clarion call to Christians to fight back against laws that violate their beliefs.
The group of pastors, professors, and ministry leaders unveiled the document called "The Manhattan Declaration: A Call of Christian Conscience," Nov. 20.
The 4,700 word declaration challenges Christians to break laws if they are unjust or immoral. It represents a push-back against secular thinking on issues such as abortion and same-sex marriage.
Dr. Timothy George, dean of Samford University's Divinity School and one of the document's co-authors, said the declaration "represents an ecumenism of the trenches that has been going on for a number of years among many denominations and confessional traditions."
Nativity Campaign Arrives on High Court Steps
WASHINGTON -- A Nativity scene was portrayed on the steps of the U.S. Supreme Court, Thursday, and some Christian groups are using it to fight for religious liberties this Christmas.
Those who set up the display want others to do it in their local public square.
The Washington D.C.-based religious rights groups Faith & Action and the Christian Defense Coalition say it's a way to both witness during the Christmas season and shore up First Amendment right to express religion.
Rev. Pat Mahoney, director of the Christian Defense Coalition, pointed out that not so long ago, Christ-based Christmas displays and activities were common in the public square.
"Every community had a nativity scene in front of it," Mahoney said. "It was a Christmas parade, it was Christmas carols even sung in our schools."
"We are now seeing that evaporate from the landscape of our country," he continued. "We're seeing an erosion and hostility toward public expressions of faith."
This may be an era when courts have been banning more and more religious displays, but Mahoney said Americans still have a robust right to express their faith: "The Constitution promises freedom of religion, not freedom from religion."
His group and Faith & Action are asking Christians across the nation to do two things this Christmas season. One is to put up nativity scenes at their own homes. That would help spread the good news of the Gospel nationwide.
But they're also asking citizens to go to their city hall, local police station or courthouse and get a permit to do nativity scenes on public property. A government entity can't pay for such a display, but private citizens can.
Mahoney said, "We are encouraging people all across the nation: you can bring Christ back to Christmas, you can bring nativity scenes back to the public square. The courts have only ruled that public monies can't be used for nativity scenes. Private, individual citizens may set them up."