Bush comes to decision after "a lot of prayer"
The facts:
U.S. military forces, in conjunction with British forces, attacked Taliban targets and Al-Qaida camps in Afghanistan two days ago.
In a televised address to the nation, President Bush said that Canada, Australia, France, and Germany have promised use of their military forces in the campaign to overthrow Taliban rule and root out Bin Ladin and his Al-Qaida network. Other countries have promised landing rights and use of air space for the campaign, dubbed Operation Enduring Freedom.
As in all of his other televised speeches since the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, the President included a mention of prayer, saying that "your Commander-in-Chief came to this decision [to send troops] after much care and a lot of prayer". He also said that Bin Ladin "profaned the great religion" of Islam with his actions.
Editorial commentary:
Never mind the American demand for justice, the overwhelming support of Congress, the planning and strategy of military leaders, the backing received from many countries all over the world, or common sense; the President claims that prayer played a part in his decision. The President can believe what he wants, but we know that the reality is that in the eyes of the American people and the rest of the world, there was no other alternative if we wanted to make Osama Bin Ladin pay for his heinous actions.
There are two items circulating in Michigan's House of Representatives that we must all work together to stop:
H.R. 5091: This piece of proposed legislation is currently in the House Oversight and Operations committee, and would allow the display of the national motto, "In God We Trust", to be displayed in public buildings throughout Michigan, including institutions of higher education.
Proponents of the bill claim that the motto is an expression of patriotism, rather than an advancement of religion. However, the sentiment in the motto is clearly one based on monotheism, and the motto has an unmistakably sectarian history--specifically, Christian.
After the Civil War, several protestant denominations formed the National Reform Association, whose primary purpose was to revise the Constitution to reflect their idea that the United States was a Christian nation. The blatently Christian amendment they proposed was rejected by Congress and all states, but their influence took a new route through James Pollock, the tenth director of the U.S. Mint, appointed by Abraham Lincoln.
Pollock and Solomon Chase, the Secretary of the Treasury at the time, had correspondence about adopting a reflection of Christianity on the coins of the United States. When they settled on a motto, the administration approached Congress with legislation that contained the following: "...and the shape, mottos, and devices of said coins shall be fixed by the director of the mint, with the approval of the Secretary of the Treasury;. . ." Pollock and Chase, therefore, were able to easily sneak their motto onto the coins, having been the only decision makers involved.
Theodore Roosevelt challenged the motto, citing his feeling that it was blasphemous, but outcry from religious groups prompted legislation in Congress to restore it. Although he objected and said that the motto was not necessary ("rot" was his word to describe the situation), Roosevelt did not veto the legislation, and the motto was required by Public Law No. 120 to appear on all gold and silver coins.
During the Cold War, the motto made its way to our paper money with the passage of H.R. 619, the intent of which was made clear by Congressman Bennet of Florida:
I sincerely hope that the Senate will give its prompt approval to this proposal. In these days when imperialistic and materialistic communism seeks to attack and destroy freedom, we should continuously look for ways to strengthen the foundations of our freedom. At the base of ourfreedom is our faith in God and the desire of Americans to live by His will and His guidance. As long as this country trusts in God, it will prevail. To serve as a constant reminder of this truth, it is highly desirable that our currency and coins should bear these inspiring words "In God We Trust."
Religious sentiment appeared at all points in the history of this motto, and the sentiments expressed by politicians and Supreme Court justices regarding the historical, ceremonial, or non-demoninational nature of the motto ignore history entirely.
H.R. 4226: The purpose of this bill is to allow the display of the Ten Commandments in state buildings, which include institutions of higher education. Proponents of the bill claim that the Ten Commandments have historical significance, and that they were the foundations for common law in our country. While they say that nobody believes that posting them will solve societal problems, they believe that it is a positive step toward establishing respect of moral code.
Obviously, the first three of the Ten Commandments violate the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment, and, for that reason alone, have nothing to do with the establishment of common law in the United States, as proponents claim. Also, the other commandments have questionable implications and lack moral value. Some imply slavery; others are too absolute in nature and leave no room for gray areas (e.g., Is it okay to steal to feed a starving child? Is it okay to kill in self-defense).
Let's not forget that there are three versions of the decalogue, depending not only on which bible believers choose, but also which part of the bible they draw the commandments from. One may envision fighting between, say, Catholics and Baptists over which version should be posted.
Please let your representatives know that the above pieces of legislation not only serve no discernible purpose, but also violate the First Amendment by giving preference to Judeo-Christian, monotheistic philosophy that not only excludes atheists, agonstics, secular humanists, and other freethinkers, but also Hindus, pagans, and others who either worship many gods or none.
TopMarilyn vos Savant, best known for being in the Guiness Book of World Records for having the highest IQ, gave praise to one of her readers for not questioning the beliefs of his parents in her column in Parade magazine last Sunday.
The reader, whose friends wanted him to try out their religion, asked Marilyn, "What do you think of an adult who unquestionlingly accepts the teachings of his parents' religion and doesn't consider alternatives?"
Here is Marilyn's reply:
"Let me tell you what I think of you instead. You're smarter than those friends. Religions cannot be proved true intellectually. They come from the heart--and your parents--not the mind. In my opinion, you behaved wisely."
This response is a good reason why IQ scores should not be taken as a sign of intellectual authority. While Marilyn is right in saying that religions cannot be proven intellectually, she is wrong to say that a person who believes without question acts wisely. What if this person's parents are Klu Klux Klan members? Cult leaders? They shouldn't question the homophobia, racism, sexism, and other examples of intolerance inherent in the Bible? Also, last time we checked, our hearts were organs that pumped blood...
TopThe Oakland Press is known for publishing the opinions (sometimes edited) of nearly all contributers. Lately, there has been plenty to write about; many letters calling for prayer in school, for people to turn to the Christian god, to applaud Bush for his faith, and so on appear regularly in the paper.
Several Atheists in Michigan have been writing in, and their efforts are admirable. Lee Helms, Virginia and Terry Donn, and Greg and Heather Reich have all had letters appear in the past month. We need more! If you would like to contribute, please keep your letters under 250 words and send them in the body of an e-mail to vop@oakpress.com. If you would like to contribute but would not like to write, there is another way you can help: allow us to use your name and community, and we would be able to submit letters in your name. Oakland Press policy prevents us from contributing more than one letter per individual in a 30-day period, so permitting us to use your names allows us more opportunity to have a voice. If you are interested, Lee Helms, Michigan Atheists Director of Communications, at 74020.3325@compuserve.com.
We also encourage you to voice your opinions and positions on issues concerning Atheists and state/church separation in any media. Please let us know when you do!
TopThe Michigan Atheists state convention will be held on November 3 at the Holiday Inn Livonia-West, 17123 Laurel Park Drive North, Livonia from 9:00 AM until 5:00 PM. This historic event is dedicated to Henry Morgan to honor his more than 25 years of service. Join us as we Roast Henry at a gala luncheon. Our list of speakers includes:
For registration and further information on the event, e-mail Arlene-Marie at amarie@atheists.org.
TopPlease write your representatives to help stop the following pieces of legislation:
The Michigan Atheists Newsletter is an electronic publication containing news about separation of state and church, the events of Michigan Atheists, and the civil rights of Michigan's godless citizens. All content of the newsletter is the intellectual property of Greg Reich and Michigan Atheists, unless otherwise credited.
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