Category Archives: Church and State

Separation of Church and State works for all of us

By thecodepounder | Published January 28, 2009

It’s simple: if you receive government funds, you have to play by a well-defined set of rules, if you don’t then you only have to play by a much smaller set of rules. This, it seems to me, works fairly well for all of us.
California’s 4th District Court of Appeals ruled Monday that a Christian [...]

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Moments of silence ruled coercive in Illinois

By thecodepounder | Published January 26, 2009

David Silverman, Moments of Silence Defeated in IL:
Moments of silence include mandatory attendance. Unlike Church, you can’t opt out. You can’t go to the bathroom. You can’t come to school when it’s over. You MUST attend
[via NoGodBlog]

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It just keeps getting worse and worse in Louisiana

By thecodepounder | Published January 19, 2009

The pro-superstition and anti-evolution Discovery Institute must be doing backflips over their wild successes in Louisiana.
Science Magazine, Louisiana Creates: New Pro-Intelligent Design Rules for Teachers:
Last year, Louisiana passed the Louisiana Science Education Act, a law that many scientists and educators said was a thinly veiled attempt to allow creationism and its variants into the science [...]

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Public schools: lay off the preaching and get back to teaching

By thecodepounder | Published January 17, 2009

So says the Rev. Barry W. Lynn, executive director of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, in an Action Alert dated yesterday, speaking about the Ouachita Parish School District in Louisiana. The Ouachita Parish schools are considering whether to allow students a day off to attend an event called “Just for Jesus” and [...]

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Kudos: Reason reigns in Mississippi

By thecodepounder | Published January 15, 2009

Mississippi Atheist is reporting that HB 25 (the “just a theory” textbook labeling bill) is dead in committee, which is great news! Of course, this won’t be the last word from the anti-evolution folks:
There will be future anti-evolution efforts in our state, but we have demonstrated that we can mount significant opposition quickly.
Indeed. Great job! [...]

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Action Alert issued over Mississippi textbook labeling bill

By thecodepounder | Published January 14, 2009

American Atheists has issued an Action Alert over the “just a theory” textbook labeling bill proposed in Mississippi.
Any Mississippi residents reading this should (1) be concerned about this, (2) get involved, and (3) stay informed. Mississippi Atheists has numerous posts detailing what you can do to help, as well as reporting the latest news on [...]

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Creationists attempt a flanking maneuver with disinformation

By thecodepounder | Published January 13, 2009

You’ll just love this one, folks: reading the Bible promotes critical thinking?
Whoa, whoa, whoa… What? Sweet Flying Spaghetti Monster, give me strength! Never thought I’d hear that one. I guess within a few years, we”ll probably hear of someone actually trying to make the argument that teaching Creationism in high school biology classes actually helps [...]

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Boy Scouts swallow a hard one

By thecodepounder | Published January 9, 2009

You know, I’m all for “private groups”, and I’m all for private groups discriminating on whatever basis they choose. But, private groups that discriminate on prohibited grounds can’t accept public money. That’s the deal. Those are the rules we all play by.
Well, everyone except the Boy Scouts of America, but that may be changing.
David Silverman [...]

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Mississippi creationists introduce another textbook labeling bill

By thecodepounder | Published January 9, 2009

Come on Mississippi, don’t let fuzzy and wishful thinking rule the day…
Mississippi State Representative Gary Chism (rhymes with jism) introduced the latest idiotic textbook labeling bill, which would require the State Board of Education to place stickers with the following disclaimers on every textbook that includes material on evolution:
The word ‘theory’ has many meanings, including: [...]

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It’s a double-edged sword, you know

By thecodepounder | Published December 25, 2008

This excellent post by David Silverman at the NoGodBlog: Not Just Christmas really nails the issue:
OK Folks one more time: Christmas is secularizing BECAUSE it was made a national holiday. This is ONLY happening to Christmas because it is the ONLY religious holiday that has been nationalized — e.g, made mandatory for all Americans. I [...]

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The truth about the “war on xmas”

By thecodepounder | Published December 24, 2008

vjack of Atheist Revolution, War on Christmas Over, Christians Victorious:
In fact, it turns out that the only combatant in this bitter dispute, a handful of dimwitted Christians, have finally achieved victory over themselves. They have made a thorough mockery of the very holiday they were allegedly defending from imagined threats.
I’ll just bet Bill O’Reilly is thrilled [...]

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California attorney general urges high court to void Prop 8

By thecodepounder | Published December 20, 2008

California Attorney General Jerry Brown has reversed his position on Proposition 18 and has now filed a brief with the California Supreme Court urging the court to void Proposition 8.
What brought about the change? Well, apparently he decided to actually study the California state Constitution–a novel concept for an Attorney General, but not one without [...]

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