When religion is a litmus test: "When religion is a litmus test | Sunday, October 30, 2005 | By Dennis Roddy
On her way to becoming the battered spouse of America's conservative movement, Harriet Miers underwent a litmus test so bizarre it seems possible only in an era when church leaders vet judges and the president lists Jesus Christ among the references on his resume.
The particulars are this. On Oct. 3, President Bush nominated Ms. Miers, the White House counsel, to fill a seat on the Supreme Court being vacated by Sandra Day O'Connor.
Through Karl Rove, the president sent word to Dr. James Dobson, a leader in the Christian right, that Ms. Miers was a foursquare gal who attended the deeply conservative Church of Christ back in Texas. The message Dr. Dobson was invited to take home was that with Justice Miers there would be no O'Connoresque backsliding on abortion, gay rights and school prayer.
The Rev. Rob Schenck, head of the National Clergy Council, a small Christian right group with surprising access to power players in Washington, swung a brief meeting with Ms. Miers. He described it as 'pastoral' in nature. Rev. Schenck asked her about her faith, her prayer habits, her beliefs in whether God directly intervenes in this world.
'We just talked generally about prayer,' he said. 'She said that it was extremely important to her. She asked for our prayers, which I assured her she would have -- and she's had all along. We talked about the importance of her knowing the will of God for her life, for the court, for the nation. She said that was of utmost importance to her.'
Were a senator to ask such questions, it would trigger a meltdown at the hearings. Rev. Schenck agrees with this if only because vetting court appointees for religious orthodoxy is his job." ...
Sunday, October 30, 2005
O'Reilly: closing public schools for Muslim hol ... [Media Matters]
O'Reilly: closing public schools for Muslim hol ... [Media Matters]:
On the October 27 edition of Fox News' The O'Reilly Factor, host Bill O'Reilly called the idea of closing public schools for the observance of Muslim holidays "absurd in a Judeo-Christian country." O'Reilly made this remark during a discussion with Hillsborough County, Florida, commissioner Brian Blair, who opposed the Hillsborough County school board's decision to keep public schools open on Yom Kippur and Good Friday during the 2006-2007 school year, a departure from the school district's earlier practice of closing schools on those days. In December 2004, Hillsborough County Muslims, with the backing of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, asked the school board to close schools on the Muslim holiday of Eid Al-Fitr, which marks the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. Instead of giving students the day off on Eid Al-Fitr, the school board voted to keep schools open on Yom Kippur and Good Friday during the 2006-2007 school year, reasoning that the school district could close schools on days when a substantial number of students would be absent but could not close schools specifically for the observance of religious holidays. The school district will continue its practice of allowing students to take days off on religious holidays, although schools will remain open.
...
O'REILLY: So a Muslim wanted a Muslim holiday, which is absurd in a Judeo-Christian country. I mean, we can't be having Hindu and Buddha. I mean, come on. I mean, this country is founded on Judeo-Christian traditions. ...
On the October 27 edition of Fox News' The O'Reilly Factor, host Bill O'Reilly called the idea of closing public schools for the observance of Muslim holidays "absurd in a Judeo-Christian country." O'Reilly made this remark during a discussion with Hillsborough County, Florida, commissioner Brian Blair, who opposed the Hillsborough County school board's decision to keep public schools open on Yom Kippur and Good Friday during the 2006-2007 school year, a departure from the school district's earlier practice of closing schools on those days. In December 2004, Hillsborough County Muslims, with the backing of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, asked the school board to close schools on the Muslim holiday of Eid Al-Fitr, which marks the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. Instead of giving students the day off on Eid Al-Fitr, the school board voted to keep schools open on Yom Kippur and Good Friday during the 2006-2007 school year, reasoning that the school district could close schools on days when a substantial number of students would be absent but could not close schools specifically for the observance of religious holidays. The school district will continue its practice of allowing students to take days off on religious holidays, although schools will remain open.
...
O'REILLY: So a Muslim wanted a Muslim holiday, which is absurd in a Judeo-Christian country. I mean, we can't be having Hindu and Buddha. I mean, come on. I mean, this country is founded on Judeo-Christian traditions. ...
Thursday, October 27, 2005
"Republican Party fairly recently has been taken over by the Christian conservatives ... that it's divisive for the country"
Danforth Criticizes Christian Sway in GOP - Yahoo! News: "By DANIEL CONNOLLY, Associated Press Writer Thu Oct 27,12:23 AM ET
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - Former Sen. John Danforth said Wednesday that the political influence of evangelical Christians is hurting the Republican Party and dividing the country.
Danforth, a Missouri Republican and an Episcopal priest, commented after meeting with students at the
Bill Clinton School of Public Service, a graduate branch of the University of Arkansas on the grounds of the Clinton presidential library.
"I think that the Republican Party fairly recently has been taken over by the Christian conservatives, by the Christian right," he said in an interview. "I don't think that this is a permanent condition, but I think this has happened, and that it's divisive for the country."
He also said the evangelical Christian influence would be bad for the party in the long run. ...
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - Former Sen. John Danforth said Wednesday that the political influence of evangelical Christians is hurting the Republican Party and dividing the country.
Danforth, a Missouri Republican and an Episcopal priest, commented after meeting with students at the
Bill Clinton School of Public Service, a graduate branch of the University of Arkansas on the grounds of the Clinton presidential library.
"I think that the Republican Party fairly recently has been taken over by the Christian conservatives, by the Christian right," he said in an interview. "I don't think that this is a permanent condition, but I think this has happened, and that it's divisive for the country."
He also said the evangelical Christian influence would be bad for the party in the long run. ...
Monday, October 24, 2005
Judiciary Panel May Ask Dobson to Testify ... Evangelical Leader Says He Has Been Privy to Miers's Views
Judiciary Panel May Ask Dobson to Testify: "By Charles Babington | Washington Post Staff Writer | Monday, October 24, 2005; Page A05
...
The Senate Judiciary Committee is likely to summon a leading conservative Christian to explain the private assurances he says he received from the White House about Supreme Court nominee Harriet Miers, the committee's chairman said yesterday.
Testimony by Focus on the Family founder James C. Dobson would heighten the political and religious overtones of the already-high-stakes confirmation hearing for Miers, scheduled to start two weeks from today." ...
...
The Senate Judiciary Committee is likely to summon a leading conservative Christian to explain the private assurances he says he received from the White House about Supreme Court nominee Harriet Miers, the committee's chairman said yesterday.
Testimony by Focus on the Family founder James C. Dobson would heighten the political and religious overtones of the already-high-stakes confirmation hearing for Miers, scheduled to start two weeks from today." ...
Salvation Armny money came from American taxpayers, many of whom are not Christians ... workers were fired for refusing to pledge allegiance to Christ
AlterNet: Welcome to Faith-Based America: "Welcome to Faith-Based America | By Stephen Pizzo, News for Real. Posted October 22, 2005.
...
What's wrong with this picture?
As part of President Bush's "faith-based initiative," US taxpayers gave the Salvation Army's children services division $47 million this year -- 95% of its total budget. Several Salvation Army employees refused to take the Salvation Army's pledge "proclaiming Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord," reveal which church they belong to or identify gay co-workers -- and were summarily fired.
Let's parse this event out. The money came from American taxpayers, many of whom are not Christians. Nevertheless the workers were fired for refusing to pledge allegiance to the Christian prophet. They were also fired for failing to disclose their own religious affiliations, if any. And finally, they were fired for refusing to rat out their co-workers.
Sounds like something that would happen in Communist China, doesn't it? And, if it had happened in China, and it was Christians getting fired, you can bet your sweet bippy the Bush administration and America's Christian right would be screaming bloody murder about it. ...
...
What's wrong with this picture?
As part of President Bush's "faith-based initiative," US taxpayers gave the Salvation Army's children services division $47 million this year -- 95% of its total budget. Several Salvation Army employees refused to take the Salvation Army's pledge "proclaiming Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord," reveal which church they belong to or identify gay co-workers -- and were summarily fired.
Let's parse this event out. The money came from American taxpayers, many of whom are not Christians. Nevertheless the workers were fired for refusing to pledge allegiance to the Christian prophet. They were also fired for failing to disclose their own religious affiliations, if any. And finally, they were fired for refusing to rat out their co-workers.
Sounds like something that would happen in Communist China, doesn't it? And, if it had happened in China, and it was Christians getting fired, you can bet your sweet bippy the Bush administration and America's Christian right would be screaming bloody murder about it. ...
Wednesday, October 19, 2005
BostonHerald.com - Local / Regional News: Divine intervention axes school station
BostonHerald.com - Local / Regional News: Divine intervention axes school station: "By Jaclyn Pelletier/ Beacon Villager | Wednesday, October 19, 2005 - Updated: 01:55 PM EST
Today's lesson: Don't cross Christian broadcasting.
Maynard High School's radio frequency, 91.7 FM, is being seized by a network of Christian broadcasting stations that the Federal Communications Commission has ruled is a better use of the public airwaves.
``People are furious,'' said faculty adviser Joe Magno.
Maynard High's WAVM, which has been broadcasting from the school for 35 years, found itself in this David vs. Goliath battle when it applied to increase its transmitter signal from 10 to 250 watts. " ...
Today's lesson: Don't cross Christian broadcasting.
Maynard High School's radio frequency, 91.7 FM, is being seized by a network of Christian broadcasting stations that the Federal Communications Commission has ruled is a better use of the public airwaves.
``People are furious,'' said faculty adviser Joe Magno.
Maynard High's WAVM, which has been broadcasting from the school for 35 years, found itself in this David vs. Goliath battle when it applied to increase its transmitter signal from 10 to 250 watts. " ...
Saturday, October 15, 2005
idea of people on the federal payroll going out or telephoning other Americans to explain what Ms. Miers' religious views ... is truly repellent
Editorial: God's White House / Using government employees to talk about faith: "Saturday, October 15, 2005 | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
President Bush's statement that White House officials are conducting an 'outreach effort' to reassure his supporters about Supreme Court nominee Harriet E. Miers' religious beliefs is astonishing and, possibly, inconsistent with the First Amendment's stricture on separation of church and state.
White House officials are public employees whose salaries are paid by the American taxpayer. The idea of people on the federal payroll going out or telephoning other Americans to explain what Ms. Miers' religious views are -- to tell them not to oppose her because her church affiliation and beliefs make her almost certainly anti-choice on abortion -- is truly repellent.
It approaches a case of the U.S. government promoting particular religious beliefs. Let us imagine that President John F. Kennedy had lived, had sought a second term and had faced questions about his Catholicism, as he did in the 1960 campaign. Would he then have used White House officials to explain to any Catholics with reservations about him -- or to people of other faiths -- that they shouldn't be worried about his religious convictions?" ...
President Bush's statement that White House officials are conducting an 'outreach effort' to reassure his supporters about Supreme Court nominee Harriet E. Miers' religious beliefs is astonishing and, possibly, inconsistent with the First Amendment's stricture on separation of church and state.
White House officials are public employees whose salaries are paid by the American taxpayer. The idea of people on the federal payroll going out or telephoning other Americans to explain what Ms. Miers' religious views are -- to tell them not to oppose her because her church affiliation and beliefs make her almost certainly anti-choice on abortion -- is truly repellent.
It approaches a case of the U.S. government promoting particular religious beliefs. Let us imagine that President John F. Kennedy had lived, had sought a second term and had faced questions about his Catholicism, as he did in the 1960 campaign. Would he then have used White House officials to explain to any Catholics with reservations about him -- or to people of other faiths -- that they shouldn't be worried about his religious convictions?" ...
Wednesday, October 12, 2005
A RELIGIOUS TEST? Does this president have even a rudimentary respect for the separation of church and state?"
www.AndrewSullivan.com - Daily Dish: "A RELIGIOUS TEST?
If we are to construe that part of the rationale for the Miers nomination is her religious faith, then the nomination does indeed appear to be unconstitutional. An added irony is that the woman she would replace would be among the most opposed to such a test, as an alert reader has pointed out. In her concurring opinion in Wallace v. Jaffree, 1985, Sandra Day O'Connor wrote
'In my view, the Religion Clauses - the Free Exercise Clause, the Establishment Clause, the Religious Test Clause, Art. VI, cl. 3, and the Equal Protection Clause as applied to religion - all speak with one voice on this point: absent the most unusual circumstances, one's religion ought not affect one's legal rights or duties or benefits. As I have previously noted, 'the Establishment Clause is infringed when the government makes adherence to religion relevant to a person's standing in the political community.' Wallace v. Jaffree, 472 U.S. 38, 69 (1985) (O'CONNOR, J., concurring in judgment).'
My emphasis. Didn't the president just make 'adherence to religion relevant to a person's standing in the political community'? Does this president have even a rudimentary respect for the separation of church and state?"
If we are to construe that part of the rationale for the Miers nomination is her religious faith, then the nomination does indeed appear to be unconstitutional. An added irony is that the woman she would replace would be among the most opposed to such a test, as an alert reader has pointed out. In her concurring opinion in Wallace v. Jaffree, 1985, Sandra Day O'Connor wrote
'In my view, the Religion Clauses - the Free Exercise Clause, the Establishment Clause, the Religious Test Clause, Art. VI, cl. 3, and the Equal Protection Clause as applied to religion - all speak with one voice on this point: absent the most unusual circumstances, one's religion ought not affect one's legal rights or duties or benefits. As I have previously noted, 'the Establishment Clause is infringed when the government makes adherence to religion relevant to a person's standing in the political community.' Wallace v. Jaffree, 472 U.S. 38, 69 (1985) (O'CONNOR, J., concurring in judgment).'
My emphasis. Didn't the president just make 'adherence to religion relevant to a person's standing in the political community'? Does this president have even a rudimentary respect for the separation of church and state?"
Bush cites religion as reason for picking Miers - The Changing Court - [Advise and consent from Religious Right ...
Bush cites religion as reason for picking Miers - The Changing Court - MSNBC.com: "Court nominee attended anti-abortion fund-raiser, advocacy group says | Updated: 7:38 p.m. ET Oct. 12, 2005
WASHINGTON - President Bush said Wednesday his advisers were telling conservatives about Supreme Court nominee Harriet Miers’ religious beliefs because they are interested in her background and “part of Harriet Miers’ life is her religion.”
“People are interested to know why I picked Harriet Miers,” Bush told reporters at the White House. “They want to know Harriet Miers’ background. They want to know as much as they possibly can before they form opinions. And part of Harriet Miers’ life is her religion.
...
He spoke on a day in which conservative James Dobson, founder of Focus on Family, said he had discussed the nominee’s religious views with presidential aide Karl Rove.
WASHINGTON - President Bush said Wednesday his advisers were telling conservatives about Supreme Court nominee Harriet Miers’ religious beliefs because they are interested in her background and “part of Harriet Miers’ life is her religion.”
“People are interested to know why I picked Harriet Miers,” Bush told reporters at the White House. “They want to know Harriet Miers’ background. They want to know as much as they possibly can before they form opinions. And part of Harriet Miers’ life is her religion.
...
He spoke on a day in which conservative James Dobson, founder of Focus on Family, said he had discussed the nominee’s religious views with presidential aide Karl Rove.
White House Briefing: Reporters Hit Hard on Role of Religion in Miers Pick
White House Briefing: Reporters Hit Hard on Role of Religion in Miers Pick: "By E&P Staff | Published: October 12, 2005 5:05 PM ET
...
Q Do you think Harriet Miers' religion is being emphasized more by this administration than Chief Justice Roberts' was?
MR. McCLELLAN: Well, Harriet Miers is a person of faith. She recognizes, however, that a person's religion or personal views have no role when it comes to making decisions as a judge....
...
Q So if her personal views and ideology have no bearing on the judicial decision what relevance does it play in a conversation between Karl Rove and James Dobson? Why would he bring it up, even?
...
Q Also that she's a member of a very conservative church.
...
Q Back to Miers for a moment. When you say that Ms. Miers understands that religion has no role in the business of the Court, at the same time the President has said he knows her heart, her beliefs, her character; he talked today about people wanting to know about her life and, therefore, her religion. How are we not to interpret that her religion was one of the factors in his selection?
...
Q If personal views don't have a role to play, then why would anybody from the White House talk about what church she goes to and what the beliefs are of the people in the church?
MR. McCLELLAN: It's part of who she is. And faith has played an important part in her life. But she recognizes that religion and personal views and ideology don't have a role to play when you're a judge, but people want to know who she is. And that's been an important part of her life.
Q Scott, was she a member of Texas Right to Life?
MR. McCLELLAN: Not that I'm aware of. I think she attended some events.
Q Well, Dobson said that Karl Rove told him that she was a member of Texas Right to Life.
MR. McCLELLAN: I think she attended some events. ...
...
Q Do you think Harriet Miers' religion is being emphasized more by this administration than Chief Justice Roberts' was?
MR. McCLELLAN: Well, Harriet Miers is a person of faith. She recognizes, however, that a person's religion or personal views have no role when it comes to making decisions as a judge....
...
Q So if her personal views and ideology have no bearing on the judicial decision what relevance does it play in a conversation between Karl Rove and James Dobson? Why would he bring it up, even?
...
Q Also that she's a member of a very conservative church.
...
Q Back to Miers for a moment. When you say that Ms. Miers understands that religion has no role in the business of the Court, at the same time the President has said he knows her heart, her beliefs, her character; he talked today about people wanting to know about her life and, therefore, her religion. How are we not to interpret that her religion was one of the factors in his selection?
...
Q If personal views don't have a role to play, then why would anybody from the White House talk about what church she goes to and what the beliefs are of the people in the church?
MR. McCLELLAN: It's part of who she is. And faith has played an important part in her life. But she recognizes that religion and personal views and ideology don't have a role to play when you're a judge, but people want to know who she is. And that's been an important part of her life.
Q Scott, was she a member of Texas Right to Life?
MR. McCLELLAN: Not that I'm aware of. I think she attended some events.
Q Well, Dobson said that Karl Rove told him that she was a member of Texas Right to Life.
MR. McCLELLAN: I think she attended some events. ...
'People are interested to know why I picked Harriet Miers,' ... 'Part of Harriet Miers' life is her religion.' [... signs of Theocracy?]
Attytood: The President's day: One high crime and two misdemeanors: "
Since Attytood is now officially a 'liberal journalist' according to Slate.com, we feel it's our duty to report that many on the farther left have been agitating in recent days for the impeachment of President Bush, primarily on the grounds of deliberately lying to the American people about Iraq. But why stop there. Just today alone, Bush committed at least one 'high crime' and two 'misdemeanors,' by our casual tally.
Let's review:
The act: President Bush said Wednesday that Harriet Miers' religious beliefs figured into her nomination to the Supreme Court as a top-ranking Democrat warned against any 'wink and a nod' campaign for confirmation.
'People are interested to know why I picked Harriet Miers,' Bush told reporters at the White House. 'Part of Harriet Miers' life is her religion.'
Misdemeanor No. 1: In using religion as a key basis for offering Miers a job, the president would appear to have violated the spirit, if not the letter, of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. According to the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Title VII of the law 'prohibits employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.'
Misdemeanor No. 2: More specifically, one could make the case that Bush's actions are also in violation of the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978, which specifically covers federal employees. According to the same EEOC primer: 'The CSRA prohibits any employee who has authority to take certain personnel actions from discriminating for or against employees or applicants for employment on the bases of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age or disability.'
High crime: As you might expect, the 'high crime' here is more serious, and is also the area where it's hardest to argue that the president did not cross the line. We are referring to Article VI, Clause 3 of the U.S. Constitution, which states that 'no religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States.'"
Since Attytood is now officially a 'liberal journalist' according to Slate.com, we feel it's our duty to report that many on the farther left have been agitating in recent days for the impeachment of President Bush, primarily on the grounds of deliberately lying to the American people about Iraq. But why stop there. Just today alone, Bush committed at least one 'high crime' and two 'misdemeanors,' by our casual tally.
Let's review:
The act: President Bush said Wednesday that Harriet Miers' religious beliefs figured into her nomination to the Supreme Court as a top-ranking Democrat warned against any 'wink and a nod' campaign for confirmation.
'People are interested to know why I picked Harriet Miers,' Bush told reporters at the White House. 'Part of Harriet Miers' life is her religion.'
Misdemeanor No. 1: In using religion as a key basis for offering Miers a job, the president would appear to have violated the spirit, if not the letter, of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. According to the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Title VII of the law 'prohibits employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.'
Misdemeanor No. 2: More specifically, one could make the case that Bush's actions are also in violation of the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978, which specifically covers federal employees. According to the same EEOC primer: 'The CSRA prohibits any employee who has authority to take certain personnel actions from discriminating for or against employees or applicants for employment on the bases of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age or disability.'
High crime: As you might expect, the 'high crime' here is more serious, and is also the area where it's hardest to argue that the president did not cross the line. We are referring to Article VI, Clause 3 of the U.S. Constitution, which states that 'no religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States.'"
Monday, October 10, 2005
Christian Exodus seeks followers ...goal of moving up to 12,000 conservative Christians to South Carolina to establish a government
The State | 10/10/2005 | Christian Exodus seeks followers: "By CHRISTINA LEE KNAUSS
Group aims to move thousands to S.C. to set up government based partly on biblical principles
The Exodus is off to a slow start.
Christian Exodus, a Texas-based group, has a goal of moving up to 12,000 conservative Christians to South Carolina to establish a government formed strictly on the Constitution and biblical principles.
So far, only five families have made the move, all to the Upstate. But organizers hope to increase that number significantly after holding a three-day planning meeting beginning Friday in Greenville." ...
Group aims to move thousands to S.C. to set up government based partly on biblical principles
The Exodus is off to a slow start.
Christian Exodus, a Texas-based group, has a goal of moving up to 12,000 conservative Christians to South Carolina to establish a government formed strictly on the Constitution and biblical principles.
So far, only five families have made the move, all to the Upstate. But organizers hope to increase that number significantly after holding a three-day planning meeting beginning Friday in Greenville." ...
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