Freethought & Rationalism Archive

crazyfingers · 06-23-2002, 06:18 AM

<a href="http://www.globe.com/dailyglobe2/174/oped/The_gospel_of_abstinence+.shtml" target="_blank">The gospel of abstinence</a>

Quote:

The folks at the Rapides Station Community Ministries of Louisiana bubbled with pride as they reported, indeed bragged, that ''December was an excellent month'' for abstinence class. ''We were able to focus on the virgin birth, '' they wrote, ''and make it apparent that God desires sexual purity as a way of life.''

June, however, is probably not such an excellent month. The other day, the American Civil Liberties Union took Louisiana to court, claiming that the state was using public money to teach Christianity. Sex ed, they said, was really religious ed.

This court appearance also provided another ''teaching moment'': on constitutional law. The Louisiana providers didn't tiptoe across the line separating church and state. They ignored it.

(Continues..)

Nira · 06-23-2002, 08:26 AM

I�m all for Christians committing to virgin birth exclusively for reproducing.

Toto · 06-23-2002, 09:06 AM

Is Ellen Goodman a Christian?

RufusAtticus · 06-23-2002, 10:09 AM

i like it

crazyfingers · 06-23-2002, 10:38 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Toto:
<strong>Is Ellen Goodman a Christian?</strong>

I get the impression that she is from her other columns that I have read over the years. Of course now that you mention it, she might be Jewish or something else. She's definitely a theist though.

[ June 23, 2002: Message edited by: crazyfingers ]</p>

The Resistance · 06-23-2002, 07:31 PM

I just read that article in my Star Tribune paper. it's good to be reminded now and again that not all theists are fundies.

Toto · 06-23-2002, 08:54 PM

I've tried to figure out her religion (not to dispute that theists cannot have good opinions, but I just don't think she is a Christian.)

It is clear from <a href="http://npc.press.org/wpforal/good1.htm" target="_blank">this interview</a> that she is culturally Jewish.

Quote:

My father didn't talk all that much about his childhood, except to tell sort of stories about it, because I think it wasn't unhappy, but it wasn't tremendously happy. He was part of that generation of immigrants who jumped almost two classes in one generation in some ways. I would say that though his parents were Jewish, he had no religious upbringing at all; in fact, his father was an atheist. And he was not Bar Mitzvahed, which was very unusual for that generation.

Then she discusses her father's political career, which makes me think that if he were an atheist, he probably didn't want to talk about it.

From what I have read of her columns, she has never said she doubts that there is a god, but has never spoken as if there were one. Her politics are ACLU-standard liberal- anti-religious right.

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06-23-2002, 08:26 AM	#2
Nira Senior Member Join Date: May 2002 Location: Norway Posts: 806	I�m all for Christians committing to virgin birth exclusively for reproducing.

06-23-2002, 09:06 AM	#3
Toto Contributor Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: Los Angeles area Posts: 40,549	Is Ellen Goodman a Christian?

06-23-2002, 10:09 AM	#4
RufusAtticus Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: NCSU Posts: 5,853	i like it

06-23-2002, 07:31 PM	#6
The Resistance Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Minnesota Posts: 571	I just read that article in my Star Tribune paper. it's good to be reminded now and again that not all theists are fundies.

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