Freethought Today

Vol. 24 No. 3 - Published by the Freedom From Religion Foundation, Inc. -
April 2007

View the Table of Contents for this issue

State/Church Bulletin

Texas Touts Vaccine

Texas Gov. Rick Perry, usually the darling of the religious right, came under fire in February for issuing an executive order requiring preteen schoolgirls to be vaccinated against the human papillomavirus. Texas became the first state to order the mandatory vaccination.

The new anti-HPV vaccine, which protects against most forms of cervical cancer, has been loudly opposed by groups such as Focus on the Family, which claim it will promote "promiscuity." It is marketed as Gardasil by Merck pharmaceutical.

Perry's uncharacteristically progressive action may have an explanation: Merck contributed $50,000 to a Republican Governors Association fundraising dinner Perry just hosted for Pres. Bush. Merck also gave $5,000 to Perry's campaign. A lawsuit has been filed seeking to block Perry's order.

In early March, Virginia's Gov. Timothy M. Kaine announced he will sign legislation requiring all sixth-grade girls to be vaccinated, making Virginia the second state to mandate the vaccine. One in four U.S. women ages 14 to 59 is infected with HPV, which kills 10 women a day nationwide.

Navy Chaplain Discharged

Lt. Gordon J. Klingenschmitt, a Navy Chaplain, received an honorable discharge in March, losing a three-year battle to stay in the chaplain corps. The religious-right hero refused to heed warnings not to deliver sectarian Christian prayers and sermons at various events involving religiously-diverse audiences.

College Removes, Replaces Cross

The removal of an 18-inch brass cross from the altar of a historic chapel at the College of William and Mary in October by its Catholic president created such a firestorm that it was replaced in March.

William and Mary, the nation's second-oldest university, has been a public school since 1906. The chapel, built in 1732, had no cross for more than 200 years. Although the cross was accessible for temporary use, nonstudent critics created an online petition.

"Do we actually value religious diversity, or have we determined, because of our history, to endorse a particular religious tradition to the exclusion of others?" President Gene R. Nichol had argued.

A committee of students, alumni and faculty voted to place the cross on permanent display behind a glass case in the chapel with a statement explaining the college's origins as a training ground for Anglican clergy.

Head Start Stays Neutral

An attempt to amend a Head Start funding bill to permit religious hiring discrimination by religion-run centers was defeated in committee on March 14.

"Federal dollars should never be used to promote discrimination against workers simply because of their religious beliefs," said U.S. Rep. George Miller, D-Calif., chair of the Committee on Education and Labor.

Portugal Votes Yes on Abortion

Buoyed by the outcome of a nonbinding referendum to end Portugal's ban on abortion in February, Socialist Prime Minister Jose Socrates introduced a liberalization bill in parliament, which passed in March and awaits the president's signature. The still-restrictive law allows abortion until 10 weeks and requires a mandatory 3-day waiting period. "Some battles are worth a lifetime," Socrates said.

The Catholic Church lobbied hard against the liberalization effort.

Court Upholds Ministry Defunding

A three-judge panel of the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals unanimously upheld a lower court ruling affirming Michigan State's right to discontinue funding a Christian ministry.

A lower court had ruled that Teen Ranch incorporates overtly religious instruction and activity into its treatment regimen. It began receiving funds in the 1960s. After a 2003 review finding of proselytizing, the Michigan Family Independence Agency stopped placing more at-risk youths there. Teen Ranch refused to stop incorporating religion into activities or change its mission to change young people "from a Christian perspective."

O'Connor Hears Prison Case

The 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals heard an appeal by Prison Fellowship Ministries of a ruling by an Iowa federal judge declaring its faith-based prisoner program, InnerChange Freedom Initiative, unconstitutional. U.S. District Judge Robert W. Pratt ordered the ministry to partially reimburse the state. InnerChange was challenged by Americans United for Separation of Church and State.

A member of the three-judge panel hearing the case on Feb. 13 was retired U.S. Supreme court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor.

In March, Missouri debuted InnerChange at a men's prison in Jefferson City, and plans to introduce it to a women's prison this summer. The program will not receive money directly from the state, unlike the Iowa case.

Minnesota Defunds Colson Program

Minnesota announced in February it will end a $100,000-a-year Christian state prison program, similar to a violation struck down last year by a federal judge in Iowa. Commissioner Joan Fabian claimed fiscal discipline, not state/church concerns, wrought the change.

Since 2002, InnerChange took in more than $400,000 from taxpayers. Then state officials learned InnerChange hadn't charged all states where it works, including Texas. Payment is retroactive to Jan. 1. Steve Hokonson, Department of Corrections director of religious programming, spoke out publicly against the program, as did chaplain Kristine Holmgren, who was fired after criticizing InnerChange.

Church Graduation Venue Nixed

School officials in Montgomery Co., Md., decided to cancel plans to hold 2007 commencements at a Pentecostal church, Jericho City of Praise, whose exterior wall boasts: "Jesus is the Lord!!!" The board has set aside additional money to rent a neutral venue for commencements for one of the country's largest schools. The district backed down after a complaint from Americans United.

School Stops Take-home Fliers

The school board in Sequim, Wash., voted late last year to stop sending take-home fliers, following parental complaints. One flyer invited middle schoolers to a party after school for "doughnuts, fun and games," but in small print indicated it was hosted by "an evangelical group seeking to bring boys and girls to Christ."

School board members agreed staffers and teachers spent too much time organizing stacks of fliers promoting community events. The policy will take effect in fall 2007.

School's Christian Assembly Stopped

A group of southern Wisconsin public schools canceled assemblies by the Christian Power Team, after community member Jon Foust complained. The Power Team's website boats "Family-Focused Evangelism for over 30 years!" and presentation of "the Gospel," claiming "2-3 out of every ten attending accept Jesus." The Power Team was charging $500 per assembly to teach kids how to resist drugs and alcohol. It uses assemblies to publicize after-school soul-wining events.

Dixie Decalog Challenged

The ACLU of Florida filed a lawsuit on behalf of its members in February, challenging a 6-ton Ten Commandments display in front of the Dixie County Courthouse. The county commission approved placement in November 2006.

Court: No School Crches

Without comment, the U.S. Supreme Court in late February refused to take an appeal by religious groups seeking to place nativity scenes in public schools in New York City.

School rules allow the Jewish menorah and the Muslim star and crescent in a multireligious display, but bars "depictions of deities, religious texts, or scenes of worship such as a Christian nativity scene."

Man Slain for Eschewing Religion

A former Soviet political prisoner was beaten to death with a rock on March 14 by a motorist in a random act, after the victim refused to buy his religious CDs. Brian K. White, 26, was arrested following a 90-mile chase.

Authorities said White, who appeared delusional, approached his victim at a rest stop along the New Jersey Turnpike near Moorestown.

White's mother said: "He's a Christian guy. He made lots of Christian CDs."

Victim Michail J. Makarenko, 75, had been imprisoned 11 years, then settled in Vermont, where he owned an art gallery exhibiting the work of banned artists.

"Meet the Relatives"

So invites The New York Times review of the new permanent exhibit, "Hall of Human Origins," at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City, which opened in February.

The exhibit includes genetics, paleontology, reconstructed fossils and recreations.

Museum senior vice president Michael J. Novacek, a paleontologist, told The Times the recent show on Darwin had been a reassuring test case, because it provoked "very little negative response."

He called the new hall "an emphatic statement about the theory of evolution and its power to tell us our origins and history."

Darwin Day in Kansas

Charles Darwin's birthday was celebrated a day late in Kansas--when the State Board of Education once again rescinded creationist standards on Feb. 12.

In 1999, Kansas became a national laughingstock by adopting science standards hostile to evolution, which were rescinded two years later. In 2005, a conservative school board once again backed standards calling "intelligent design" the best explanation for the universe. The standards did not limit science to "natural explanations." The political backlash brought in new state board members to undo the damage (again).

Gov Refuses Ab$tinence Bribe

Wisconsin Gov. Jim Doyle refused $600,000 in federal abstinence education this year. The funding requires states to provide incomplete information on contraception and sexually transmitted diseases. Wisconsin is the fifth state to reject Title 5 abstinence-only-before-marriage funds for fiscal year 2007.

Bible-Quoting Teacher Fired

A part-time biology teacher who included biblical references in student handouts during his eight days of work was fired in March by the school board in Sisters, Ore.

Kris Helphinstine also gave a PowerPoint presentation linking evolution, Nazi Germany and Planned Parenthood.

"How many minds did he pollute?" asked parent Dan Harrison.

U: Pray on Your Own

Northwestern University athletic officials announced recently they could not set aside a secluded area for Muslims students to pray during athletic events, citing lack of space. They said Muslim students were welcome to "use whatever available space they can find," so long as they don't disrupt traffic flow.

Senate Chaplain Cancels Appearance

U.S. Senate Chaplain Barry Black canceled a scheduled appearance at a Christian evangelical conference in February, after he was pictured in promotional material with Ann Coulter and other religious-right conservatives.

Black, a Seventh-day Adventist and former Navy chaplain, canceled plans to speak at a March Reclaiming America for Christ Conference, because it would not uphold the "historic tradition of being nonpolitical, nonpartisan, nonsectarian."

Other speakers at the March 2 & 3 conference, connected with Coral Ridge Ministers led by Rev. D. James Kennedy in Florida, included antiabortion extremist-Catholic priest Frank Pavone and Phyllis Schlafly. Topics included "Darwin's deadly legacy."

Black's invitation had noted his appearance "would encourage individual involvement to help restore our God-given freedoms and to defend and implement the biblical principles on which our country was founded." Rev. Gary Cass, director of Reclaim America, said military chaplains have previously appeared at conferences.

U.S. Mint's "Godless" Goof

An unknown number of 300 million newly-minted George Washington dollar coins went into circulation in mid-February minus their intended edge inscription saying "In God We Trust" and "E Pluribus Unum."

E-mail conspiracy theories were already abounding since the inscriptions had been moved to the edge. The godless coins are probably worth about $50. The Professional Coin Grading Service believes at least 50,000 such coins were circulated.

Georgia Promotes Decalog

The Georgia General Assembly approved legislation last year to allow counties to put up a "Foundations of American Law and Government Display." The law specifies such optional displays must include depictions of: The Ten Commandments, The Mayflower Compact, The Declaration of Independence, the Magna Carta, the Star-Spangled Banner, the national motto "In God We Trust," The Georgia Constitution preamble (which mentions "the guidance of Almighty God"), the Bill of Rights and a description of the image of Lady Justice.

So far, no county has put up such a display.

Sharing Gum for Jesus

Speakers from the Rockville Pregnancy Center recently counseled high school students in Montgomery County, Md., to take turns chewing the same piece of gum--to demonstrate how sexually transmitted diseases are spread.

Parental outcry revealed that the "clinic" had been in the schools since 1998. The center's website quotes extensively from the bible, offers a test "to see if you're going to Heaven" and bills itself as a nonprofit licensed "medical clinic and pregnancy counseling organization." The deputy superintendent told The Washington Post (Feb. 10) that employees who approved the center to speak in schools are "no longer employed."

Georgia Funds Bible Classes

The Georgia Board of Education in March approved a list of courses including "Literature and History of the Old Testament Era" and "Literature and History of the New Testament Era." The legislature last year approved the classes for funding, leaving it up to the state's 180 school systems to offer them or not. Final approval will be given after a 30-day comment period.

The idea was launched by Demorats, but Republicans, who control both chambers, quickly passed their own version, which was signed into law by Gov. Sonny Perdue. It is the nation's first statute to fund bible classes on a statewide level. While the law calls for the courses to be taught "in an objective and nondevotional manner with no attempt made to indoctrinate students," critics fear instructors may cross the line.

Charity Begins at Church

Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington filed a complaint with the Internal Revenue Service in February against Hammond's Living Word Christian Center in Brooklyn Park, Minn.

Citizens allege the church gave loans to its founding pastor, James McBryde (Mac) Hammond, at favorable rates, and made a sweetheart deal on a plane lease. Hammond's church owns millions of dollars of property in the Twin Cities, a $500,000 cabin "retreat," a Christian junior and senior high school, a bible college, a bookstore, a drug-treatment facility and the largest nightclub in downtown Minneapolis.

Hammond, who has two planes, luxury cars and high-end condos, preaches "prosperity Gospel," that believers will reap earthly wealth.

"I think it's important that I not be embarrassed about the increase the Lord does bring me," Hammond has said.