Freethought & Rationalism Archive

crazyfingers · 11-25-2002, 08:26 AM

<a href="http://www.boston.com/dailyglobe2/329/oped/An_equal_place_for_all_beliefs+.shtml" target="_blank">An equal place for all beliefs</a>

On the 10Cs and Judge Moore:

Quote:

The issue seems pretty straightforward. The Ten Commandments are not even an abstract statement of belief in a Creator. They belong to two specific religions - Judaism and Christianity - and include a prohibition on worshipping other gods. Some view the monument as implying an endorsement of the judge's personal brand of evangelical Christianity. The plaintiff who filed the legal challenged is Jewish.

....

Are Hindus, Buddhists, or agnostics who come to the judicial building and are greeted by this monument likely to feel that this public space does not belong to them, and that they are lesser citizens? Clearly, the answer is yes - particularly since Judge Moore has not been shy about injecting his religion into his rulings. Last February, he referred to homosexuality as ''an inherent evil'' in a decision that stripped a lesbian mother of custody.

On the Boy Scouts:

Quote:

The Supreme Court ruled in 2000 that, as a private organization, the Boy Scouts have the right to reject gays. Presumably, the same applies to atheists.

Freedom of association is a vital principle. But the Scouts hold a special place in American public life as a group that trains boys for civic virtue, self-reliance, and other qualities of mature adulthood. It receives government subsidies and is deeply entangled with public institutions such as the US Army and local police departments.

Toto · 11-25-2002, 09:46 AM

But she had to spoil it with this:

Quote:

Do some liberal secularists go too far in seeking to purge religion from all public spaces? Yes. A recent article in the Dallas-Forth Worth Star-Telegram sternly chided the Radio City Christmas Spectacular in Grand Prairie, Texas, because the last 20 minutes of the two-hour show told the story of - gasp! - the birth of Jesus. "To lure spectators of all faiths (and nonfaiths) with the promise of an entertaining holiday revue, and then to ambush them with Christian theology, is dated and borderline offensive," intoned the writer. But those spectators know they are going to a Christmas show, and there are plenty of other events to attend.

Maybe that's what she felt she had to say to remain "balanced." (But I like that "ambush them with Christian theology" line.)

Edited to add:

The delightful Dallas-Fort Worth Star-Telegram review is here: <a href="http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/entertainment/4530555.htm" target="_blank">Radio City Christmas is a treat -- until it decends into preachiness</a>.

Quote:

No one expects high art from something like the Radio City Christmas Spectacular featuring the Rockettes; instead, you want think-free holiday entertainment. . . .

This overload of glitter and glee features an ensemble of performers who seem to know that the songs and dance numbers they're performing are cheesy, but a steady paycheck encourages them to put on their best game face.

. . .

The RCCS creators are wrong to assume that Jews, Muslims and other non-Christians don't have the same right to holiday fluff that Christians do.

[ November 25, 2002: Message edited by: Toto ]</p>

pz · 11-25-2002, 10:06 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Toto:
<strong>The delightful Dallas-Fort Worth Star-Telegram review is here</strong>

This also came up on <a href="http://iidb.org/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=55&t=000784" target="_blank">SL&S</a> recently.

Shadowy Man · 11-25-2002, 02:40 PM

This part I like (emphasis mine):

Quote:

His detractors brand him a liar because he, an atheist, repeatedly said the Scout oath which includes a vow to ''do my duty to God.'' (So much for claims that the words ''under God'' in the Pledge of Allegiance do not violate an atheist's conscience, being a mere ritual.)

Splat · 11-25-2002, 06:09 PM

How the hell did a short review of a xmas review in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram (of all places) come to the attention of a Boston Globe writer?

OK, fess up. Which one of you is writing for the globe as Cathy Young?

Whoever you are, thanks!

Shake · 11-27-2002, 10:16 AM

I for one, am glad that an article like this would be published in a paper serving such a large population (Boston). My own local paper (<a href="http://www.democratandchronicle.com" target="_blank">Rochester D&C</a>) I think would print something similar, but seems too often to have pieces which are more pro-religion. Blech!

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11-25-2002, 06:09 PM	#5
Splat Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Hell, PA Posts: 599	How the hell did a short review of a xmas review in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram (of all places) come to the attention of a Boston Globe writer? OK, fess up. Which one of you is writing for the globe as Cathy Young? Whoever you are, thanks!

11-27-2002, 10:16 AM	#6
Shake Contributor Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Folding@Home in upstate NY Posts: 14,394	I for one, am glad that an article like this would be published in a paper serving such a large population (Boston). My own local paper (<a href="http://www.democratandchronicle.com" target="_blank">Rochester D&C</a>) I think would print something similar, but seems too often to have pieces which are more pro-religion. Blech!

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