Last week, we learned about a lawsuit filed by the American Humanist Association against Fayette High School’s district in Missouri. The problem was pretty clear: Gwen Pope, a math teacher at the school, led Christian devotional prayers in her classroom every Friday morning, prayers that were announced over the loudspeaker. In addition to all that, Pope’s husband Michael would attend the meetings and Pope was quoted as telling her math students that “God will punish them if they are not good.” The lawsuit’s lead plaintiff was a student at the school, G.H.: Now, that student — a junior this year — has outed himself. His name is Gavin Hunt and he explains in Humanist Network News why he decided to step into the spotlight: Read more
In a cover story for December’s Christianity Today, Patton Dodd explores how New Life Church in Colorado Springs is doing several years after founding pastor Ted Haggard had a dramatic fall from power: Over the first weekend of November 2006, New Life’s meteoric rise came to a crashing halt. Haggard resigned from his church and the [National Association of Evangelicals] in the wake of accusations of drug use and a sexual relationship with a man in Denver. New Life was left with $26 million in debt, dwindling resources, and uncertainty at every turn. More accusers came forward. In the coming months, reports of Haggard’s recovery and restoration popped up, usually putting both church and former pastor in a bad light… The Haggard revelations were like catnip for so many of us since he was arguably the most influential evangelical leader of the time and a key voice for the anti-gay-rights movement. Dodd writes that, while the church is bouncing back, it’s still trying to reclaim its identity: Read more
Remember how Time magazine editors have been known to misrepresent atheists? I don’t know — maybe that’s considered smart business at a publication that sees its sales spike with each Jesus cover. Whatever the case, Time is at it is again. In the “Science and Space” section (so you know it’s true!), the magazine offers this. Headline: Why There Are No Atheists at the Grand Canyon Read more
Comedian Pete Holmes interviewed hipster Christian author Rob Bell — while surfing — for his new late-night show. The clip is mostly lackluster, but it’s not often you hear someone ask a Christian pastor to do shrooms with him or try to recreate the gag-inducing “Footprints” poem. The highlight, though, is when Holmes asks Bell at the 0:47 mark: “Do you think Jesus ever surfed or was definitely a real person?” Read more
The Foundation Beyond Belief is looking for a few interns for the spring: Experience in the nonprofit sector is not a requirement but is certainly a plus, as are experience working with local groups, research skills, and writing experience. Foundation Beyond Belief is happy to work with students who are participating in internship credit programs through their school. Although interns often have tasks that overlap several areas of Foundation operations, each intern is primarily focused on one specific program area. Candidates should apply to only one internship position, but may indicate interest in other roles. It’s a great organization and our volunteers do a wonderful job. More information is right here. The deadline is Sunday night, so apply soon! Read more
In conjunction with this weekend’s opening of the Humanist Hub, Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick has issued a proclamation declaring Sunday to be Humanist Community Day: Whereas December 8, 2013 marks the first-ever public event at the Humanist Hub, a center supporting community life for Humanists, atheists, agnostics and the nonreligious in Cambridge and beyond; and Whereas the Humanist Hub of the Humanist Community at Harvard is the first such center for Humanist community life in the history of the Commonwealth… Read more
This eye-popping story is from today’s Columbus Dispatch. I can’t wait for the response from FOX News, Rush Limbaugh, and the fine folks at freerepublic.com. An Islamic flag and a Muslim prayer banner could be hung prominently in public schools if two state representatives persuade fellow lawmakers to pass the Ohio Religious Freedom Restoration Act. Rep. Tim Derickson, a Republican from Oxford and one of the co-sponsors, called the bill introduced yesterday “a preventive attempt” to block further encroachment on expression of religious freedom. He cited examples such as prohibition of prayer in schools and public places, zoning issues for churches, and public expression of religious faith, such as wearing a Star of David or displaying reverent scenes from the Qur’an. Asked if the law, had it been in effect, would have affected recent cases where Ohio schools were forced to remove images celebrating Islam, Rep. Bill Patmon, D-Cleveland, said, “You would have a better opportunity of keeping [those pictures] up.” OK, I did make a few strategic changes to the newspaper’s actual words (and, for good measure, added a little something to the photo). Here’s the original (real) story: Read more
Daily Free Press, the student newspaper at Boston University, recently ran an article about the religious diversity on campus with a spotlight on the Interfaith Council: [University Chaplain for International Students Rev. Brittany] Longsdorf also explained that there are multiple resources available for students to explore their faith, learn about other faiths, or even just voice their opinions. “Students are at a place where they’re okay to say, ‘I’m not sure if this religion is absolutely correct — I’m not sure if any religion is absolutely correct — but there are all of these options for me to explore right in front of me,’” she said. Just one problem with that. When the Humanists of Boston University applied for inclusion in the Religious Life Council on campus, they were rejected. And can you really be interfaith when “none of the above” isn’t even an option on the menu? Read more
Via the Washington Post comes this tale of callousness and perfidy. NAIROBI, Kenya — At prayer healing services in some Pentecostal churches, pastors invite people infected with HIV to come forward for a public healing, after which they burn the person’s anti-retroviral medications and declare the person cured. The “cure” is not free, and some people say they shell out their life savings to receive a miracle blessing and quit taking the drugs. “I believe people can be healed of all kinds of sickness, including HIV, through prayers,” said Pastor Joseph Maina of Agmo Prayer Mountain, a Pentecostal church on the outskirts of Nairobi. “We usually guide them. We don’t ask for money, but we ask them to leave some seed money that they please.” Yeah. “We don’t ask for money. We just ask for money.” I’m sure you understand. Read more
I can’t tell which side of the mythical War on Christmas this video is on… but it’s awesome, so I’ll say ours. Read more
