Theocracy Alert

"War on Christians"!?

Rep. Tom DeLay told the "War on Christians" conference in Washington in late March: "We have been chosen to live as Christians at a time when our culture is being poisoned . . . Jesus Christ himself made us just so that we could live in this nation at this time."

Citing legal abortion and the so-called degradation of the "institution of marriage," DeLay said, "of course there is a war on Christianity."

Facing a trial on state charges of campaign money-laundering, DeLay stepped down as House majority leader.

Texas evangelist Rick Scarborough, who organized the conference, is mobilizing "patriot pastors" in Texas to promote Christianity in government. Scarborough compared DeLay's criminal indictment and ethical accusations to the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.

Four hundred evangelicals attended. White evangelicals make up about a quarter of the U.S. population.

DeLay's former chief of staff, Edwin Buckham, a Washington lobbyist and DeLay's personal pastor, received a third of all the money collected by the U.S. Family Network, a nonprofit group DeLay set up to do "pro-family" activism. The apparent front group took in millions, mostly from clients of felonious lobbyist Jack Abramoff.

Former top DeLay aide Michael Scanlon pleaded guilty to corruption charges in the Abramoff scandal. A Senate committee released Scanlon's e-mail about how to manipulate the Christian "wackos" to vote their way.

Bush: US to Rebuild Shrine?

Both Pres. George W. Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair pledged their nations' aid to reconstruct the golden dome of the 1,200-year-old Askariya mosque in Samarra, Iraq.

The mosque, which holds the bodies of imams whom Shiites believe are the true successors of Muhammad, was gutted by suspected Sunni extremists in February. Dozens of Sunni mosques were destroyed in reprisal attacks, which took the lives of more than 100.

Georgia OKs Bible Classes, Decalog

Georgia is the first state to offer government-sanctioned elective bible classes, following Gov. Sonny Perdue's signing into law such a bill on April 19.

The law requires that courses be taught "in an objective and nondevotional manner with no attempt made to indoctrinate students."

Perdue also signed into law a constitutionally-suspect bill permitting display of Ten Commandments monuments at courthouses. The law was prompted by a controversy at the Barrow County courthouse, where a federal judge ordered removal of a religious display last July.

The Supreme Court nixed a biblical marker inside courthouses in a decision last June, while permitting a monument to remain on the lawn of the Texas State Capitol amid other monuments.

Kentucky "Legalizes" Decalog

Kentucky Gov. Ernie Fletcher signed a bill into law on April 10 legalizing the posting of the Ten Commandments in the state capitol in Frankfort and "other public buildings."

Tennessee Decalog Installed

The city of Gallaway, Tenn., has installed a Ten Commandments monument right in front of city hall, inviting Alabama's rogue ex-chief justice Roy Moore to the dedication in May.

"Our hope is you'll be able to see our commitment to our Lord Jesus Christ," said First Baptist preacher Ron Grunewald.

Dem Leader Holds Faith Summit

Sen. Harry Reid, D-Mormon, of Nevada, the Senate minority leader, held his second Northern Nevada Faith-based Services Summit in mid-April. The summit's purpose: to connect religious organizations with federal resources.

Antigay Clerics Join Hands

A broad coalition of religious leaders, the Religious Coalition for Marriage, was formed in April to urge citizen action in support a federal amendment barring gay marriage.

A vote is scheduled in June in the U.S. Senate to define marriage as "the exclusive union of one man and one woman." Endorsers included: seven Roman Catholic cardinals, top officials from the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, National Association of Evangelicals, Southern Baptist Convention and Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations; two major Eastern Orthodox hierarchs, one of the Mormon's 12 apostles, prominent Hispanic and black Protestants, and evangelicals such as Charles Colson, D. James Kennedy and James Dobson.

In Colorado, two prominent minority pastors are leading a coalition, Coloradans for Marriage, to pass a constitutional amendment there in November to ban gay marriage.

Faith-based AIDS Programs

In Mozambique, where 500 people a day become infected with HIV, U.S. taxpayers are funding bible-based "choose life" campaigns by Baltimore-based World Relief, an arm of the National Association of Evangelicals.

The Baltimore Sun (April 12, 2006) reports that 20% of Bush's $15-billion, five-year global AIDS program is earmarked for prevention efforts. One-third of all prevention funds ($1 billion) must be devoted to condom-unfriendly, abstinence-only programs.

The Administration is committed to "ABC": abstinence, [be] faithful in marriage, and (as a last resort) condoms for high-risk behaviors. World Relief acknowledges it has no data or proof that abstinence education is working. The epidemic is worsening dramatically, with more than 16% of the adult population infected. The only instance in which World Relief believes condoms are appropriate is when a married person has HIV. Its mission is "to relieve human suffering . . . in the name of Jesus Christ."

"ABC" Spreads AIDS?

The Government Accountability Office issued a report on April 4 determining that the insistence by Republican Congressional leaders that global AIDS money be used to emphasize abstinence is undercutting effectiveness.

The investigative arm of Congress examined the Congressional mandate, beginning in 2003, that at least a third of U.S. money to prevent AIDS globally be used to promote sexual fidelity and abstinence.

The "ABC" approach [see story above] "is hampering their ability" to prevent transmission, said David Gootnick, the report's main author. The report noted ambiguous and confusing rules have caused "uncertainty over whether certain condom-related activities are permissible." U.S. Rep. Henry Hyde, R-Ill., a devout Catholic, dismissed the report, saying African countries are "resistant to change."

Antisecular Danbury Rally Canceled

A permit for a rally calling for an end to the separation of church and state was revoked at the last minute in April by officials in Danbury, Conn., after they learned Neo-Nazis planned to attend wearing swastikas. The rally was called by Minutemen United, an Ohio-based Christian group, which maintains "the wall of separation of church and state must be torn down."

Pres. Thomas Jefferson wrote his famous letter to the Baptists of Danbury in 1802, describing the First Amendment as "erecting a wall of separation between church and state."

Algeria Bans Conversion

Algeria passed a law prohibiting attempts to convert Muslims to another religion in late March, in response to Christian evangelists, whom officials accused of destabilizing the nation. Those trying to convert Muslims to another religion are liable to sentences of five years.

Planned Parenthood Prays?

Margaret Sanger, the original founder of Planned Parenthood, whose motto was "No Gods - No Masters," might be surprised to learn that Planned Parenthood held its fourth Interfaith Prayer Breakfast, at the Washington Hilton during its annual conference on April 3.

Curious Bedfellows

A pro-Israel Christian evangelical lobby is slated to be launched in July with a Washington conference attended by 500 American evangelicals, reports Haaretz newspaper (Israel). John Hagee, founder and senior pastor of the Cornerstone Church in San Antonio, Texas, said his lobby will be a "political earthquake" promising emergency lobbying abilities. Other organizers include hawklike Jerry Falwell and Gary Bauer, who support Israel from a "biblical perspective."

McCain, Falwell Cozy Up

Arizona Sen. John McCain, critical of Jerry Falwell's grip on the GOP as a 2000 presidential candidate, is delivering the commencement message at Falwell's Liberty University on May 13. Joining him at Thomas Road Baptist Church in Lynchburg, Va.,will be religious-right leader Gary Bauer.

Falwell has hinted that he will likely endorse McCain.

Catholics Lead Immigrant Fight

U.S. Catholic leaders launched a "Justice for Immigrants" campaign, and have lobbied for a legalization program, criticizing a bill passed by the House in December to tighten border controls.

Mexico's illegal immigrants are overwhelmingly uneducated, church-going Catholics. Cardinal Roger Mahony of Los Angeles, leader of the nation's largest diocese, promised to defy the bill if enacted into law, and called on Catholics to do likewise. The Catholic Church has been a major recipient of federal funding to process immigrants.

Biblical Park Gets Tax Break?

A biblical theme park in Orlando charging $30 admission might get a property tax-exemption written into Florida law. A Senate committee in Tallahassee passed a bill granting property-tax exemption to theme parks "used to exhibit, illustrate, and interpret biblical manuscripts."

The legislation is designed to placate Holy Land Experiences, a 15-acre park, which recently won a challenge against Orange County. Holy Land property taxes would be about $300,000 annually. The county property appraiser argues it should pay taxes on its moneymaking park, just as Disney World does. Dinosaur Adventure Land, in Pensacola, devoted to demonstrating that the bible proves dinosaurs and humans coexisted (we are not making this up), also is seeking the same tax break.