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Clay Country AU presents David Campbell

Apr 24, 2014 by Matt DeStasio in In The Field

The next public session of Clay County Americans United will be on:

 

The Evolution of Creationism: A Tale of Willful Ignorance and Tactical Reinvention

 

A presentation by David Campbell, founding member and member of the Board of Directors for Florida Citizens for Science and teacher of evolutionary biology at Ridgeview High School in Orange Park.

David's motto is: Every day is a new chance to reduce my ignorance. May 10 will be an excellent opportunity for each of us to reduce our ignorance about this timely and important subject. Read more

Moore Extremism: Alabama’s Infamous ‘Ten Commandments Judge’ Is As Big A Zealot As Ever

Apr 24, 2014 by Sarah Jones in Wall of Separation

Last week, Alabama’s Supreme Court ruled that women who use chemical substances during pregnancy may be charged with child endangerment. The case, Hicks v. Alabama, has been controversial due to its possible implications for abortion access. Now more controversy abounds, given new evidence that at least one justice based the ruling on his personal religious beliefs.
Read more

Silly Survey: Voucher Advocates Use Flimsy Anecdotal Poll To Justify Louisiana’s ‘School Choice’ Program

Apr 23, 2014 by Simon Brown in Wall of Separation

“Anecdata” is a relatively new term. It doesn’t have a formal definition yet, but it is a word for the erroneous treatment of anecdotal evidence as hard fact.   

It seems some voucher advocates are big fans of anecdata, particularly a columnist for the New Orleans Times-Picayune named James Varney. He is an unapologetic shill for the “school choice” syndicate, singing the praises of Louisiana’s “Scholarship Program” in his work.      Read more

Convenience Store Contraception?: NYC Cardinal Thinks 7-Elevens Sell Birth Control

Apr 22, 2014 by Sarah Jones in Wall of Separation

In a recent interview with CBS’ “Face The Nation,” Cardinal Timothy Dolan announced that Hobby Lobby should be able to defy the Affordable Care Act’s contraception mandate. Given his position as a high-ranking cleric in the Catholic Church, that’s not surprising. His reasoning, however, astonishes – for all the wrong reasons.

According to Dolan, Hobby Lobby should win its suit because women can buy birth control at 7-Eleven stores.
Read more

‘You’re Fired!’: At Religious Schools, Employee Rights Are Severely Limited

Apr 21, 2014 by Rob Boston in Wall of Separation

Let’s say you work as a teacher in a Catholic school in Cincinnati and your old friend, who is gay, invites you to New York to attend his same-sex wedding. You attend and snap some photos of this happy event, which you post on Facebook.

The school can fire you for that.

Let’s say you have another friend who, along with her husband, has struggled to conceive. The couple uses in vitro fertilization and gets good news: They’re going to have a baby. You use Twitter to send a message of congratulations to your friend.

The school can fire you for that. Read more

Fundamentalist Football: Clemson University Coaches Allegedly Proselytized To Team

Apr 17, 2014 by Simon Brown in Wall of Separation

It seems football players at Clemson University must pass a religious test in order to play for the school’s team.

Clemson, a public school in South Carolina, has been accused of allowing its football coaches to indoctrinate their players in Christianity. Read more

The Good Book Taught Badly?: Okla. School District Approves Hobby Lobby Owner’s Bible Course

Apr 16, 2014 by Sarah Jones in Wall of Separation

An Oklahoma school district has approved the use of a Bible curriculum designed by Steve Green, the controversial owner of Hobby Lobby. The Mustang public schools will begin offering the curriculum next academic year.
Read more

Maryland AU Presents Singer/Songwriter Roy Zimmerman

Apr 15, 2014 by Matt DeStasio in In The Field

Join the Maryland Chapter of Americans United and the Baltimore Coalition of Reason to hear a concert by singer/songwriter Roy Zimmerman.  At last year's Easter Sunday Concert, over 40 freethinkers, atheists, and Humanists came and had a great time!  Come at 7:00 for a social hour before the concert, which starts at 8:00 pm. Read more

DeMint’s Demented History: Heritage Foundation Head Claims Faith Freed The Slaves

Apr 15, 2014 by Simon Brown in Wall of Separation

The Religious Right loves to twist history to suit its agenda, and the latest culprit to tell a tall tale of the past is former U.S. Sen. Jim DeMint.

DeMint, a Tea Party favorite who represented South Carolina from 2005-2013, is now head of the conservative Washington, D.C.-based think tank Heritage Foundation. Heritage is a sponsor of the Values Voter Summit, the Religious Right’s big annual strategy meeting in Washington. (Heritage used to focus on low taxes, low regulation and free markets. In recent years, it has adopted a far-right social agenda as well.)     Read more

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