Wall of Separation: Americans United for Separation of Church and State

While many people think of ACLU when identifying organizations that deal with religious freedoms, there's an organization entirely devoted to the separation of church and state.

Here's a peek at some of the issues they work on. We'll hear from members of the organization on January 31.

The Wall of Separation Blog

Wall of Separation: Library of Congress exhibit

The Library of Congress website has some great online exhibits on a wide variety of subjects.

Here's a link to the exhibit on Religion and the Founding of the American Republic. It provides a glimpse at the original documents written by Franklin, Madison and Washington, among others.

Click here for a look at it! http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/religion/rel06.html

Wall of Separation: Your Tax Dollars at Work? The Case of Noah's Ark Theme Park

Check this out and leave a comment.

Critics blast potential taxpayer funding Noah's Ark theme park

Wall of Separation: Netroots Nation Discusses the Concept of the Wall

This one could take you a while to get through. It's a panel discussion by a wide diversity of discussants

Bruce Ledewitz, Professor of Law at Duquesne University School of Law, led a panel debating a proposal concerning the future of the separation of church and state in America. The proposal was entitled, A New Progressive Vision for Church and State: How I Learned to Accept "Under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance and Stop Losing Elections. The substance of the proposal was set forth as follows:

"The old liberal vision of a total separation of religion from politics has been discredited. Despite growing secularization, a secular progressive majority is still impossible, and a new two-part approach is needed--one that first admits that there is no political wall of separation. Voters must be allowed, without criticism, to propose policies based on religious belief. But, when government speaks and acts, messages must be universal. The burden is on religious believers, therefore, to explain public references like 'under God' in universal terms. For example, the word 'God' can refer to the ceaseless creativity of the universe and the objective validity of human rights. Promoting and accepting religious images as universal will help heal culture-war divisions and promote the formation of a broad-based progressive coalition."

There's a link to an article and a one hour and 22 minute video clip at

Netroots Nation Discusses the Concept of Separation of Church and State

Wall of Separation: Thomas Jefferson and Texas

Graphic from http://forum.prisonplanet.com/index.php?topic=163505.0

Poor Thomas Jefferson. Texas has decided he isn't worthy to be on a list of Enlightenment thinkers in their new syllabus. And they have some things to say about the separation of church and state, too.

Check out the report here:

Texas Schools To Get Controversial Syllabus


Here are a few commentaries about the story:

Texas School Syllabus is Political Indoctrination?

Religious RightWatch

Here's a forum discussion of the situation:

Thomas Jefferson to be Removed from School Textbooks in Texas

What do you think? Comment!

Wall of Separation: History Lesson

Click this link (lavender title bar) for an interesting essay by Christine Leigh Heyrman of the Department of History, University of Delaware as part of a series by the National Humanities Center:
		The Separation of Church and State from the American Revolution to the Early Republic

Wall of Separation: ACLU on Religion Issues

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is one of the organizations that comes to mind immediately when one is talking about First Amendment issues.

Here's a link to their Washington state chapter webpage on Religious Issues:
http://www.aclu-wa.org/issues/religion

Take a minute to browse it and share your thoughts in the comments here. Do you think the work of the organization serves a useful purpose? Why/why not?

Wall of Separation: Freedom From Religion Foundation

I've discovered a number of different organizations who are active in separation of church and state issues.

One such organization is FFRF, Freedom From Religion Foundation. I learned about them from this post at The Colorado Independent:

Just try it — ‘Imagine No Religion’

That led me to google "imagine no religion billboard." The search yielded over 69,500 hits. The group has purchased numerous billboard ads over the years throughout the country.

What is your reaction to the billboard?

Wall of Separation: The Case of the "Righteous" California DMV Clerk

Plenty of people complain about their experience at the Department of Motor Vehicles, but here's a tale of a clerk who went out of his way to make it extra hellish for one citizen.

Read the article here:

http://www.examiner.com/humanist-in-national/amber-yust-update-dmv-clerk-resigns-after-harassing-transgender-woman

and then comment below if you'd like. Personally, I am sort of speechless.

Here's one blogger's comments on the situation: http://www.pamshouseblend.com/diary/18208/transphobia-as-an-apparent-government-function

Lecture One Clips: Varying Viewpoints on Separation of Church and State

MYSTERY CLIP:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_DQUAuNUvw

What does separation of church and state mean to you?

Why did you take this course?

Let’s hear from some others, and discuss what they have to say:

JFK

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LAvHHTt2czU

Palin and Biden

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sUPAvEP8m7M&NR=1&feature=fvwp

President Obama

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOwzy-vKaFI&NR=1

Hillary Clinton

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AIqgK9wfPwk

Colorado US Sen. Candidate Ken Buck

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6v21H8Bs14I&feature=related

Delaware's US Sen. Candidate Christine O’Donnell (showed up to 1:12 of 2:37 clip)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hdQiunzKXx8&feature=related

Rush Limbaugh defends O’Donnell 1:44

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DFcF2me6z2A

Bill Maher on O’Donnell and church/state (showed up to 2:20)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZWi7F-b1Xvs&feature=related

Chuck Norris on getting Bible taught in public schools

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1pnFg0Sp2Xw&feature=related

Separation of Church and Politics:

West Wing – Alan Alda and Martin Sheen – campaigning & churchgoing

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ulk3hDwxnmg

Huckabee on Amending Constitution to God's Standards

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D08Dq_iNMRk&feature=channel

– art imitates life –

Using Religious Grounds and/or Bible references to justify Positions on Issues/Policies:

West Wing Martin Sheen

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eD52OlkKfNs&feature=related

O'Reilly on Washington state Christmas displays

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=po2xTshs9uk&feature=related

Colbert Displaying Ten Commandments 5:37

http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/180282/september-05-2008/better-know-a-district---lynn-westmoreland-update

Viewer Comment: Haha, anyone notice the point at the very end? Colbert goes, "Thank you for taking time away from keeping the Sabbath holy to talk to me." Priceless!

The Wall of Separation: First Amendment Says What?

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abriding the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."