-Caveat Lector-
from: AMERICAN ATHEISTS
subject: AANEWS for May 4, 1999
A M E R I C A N A T H E I S T S
AANEWS
#567 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 5/4/99
http://www.atheists.org
ftp.atheists.org/pub/atheists/
http://www.americanatheist.org
---------------------------------------------
A Service of AMERICAN ATHEISTS
"For Reason and the First Amendment"
----------------------------------------------
In This Issue...
* Atlanta conference calls for "exodus" to Christian schools
* Atheists to challenge National Day of Prayer
* Kosovo; more on religious roots of the Balkan crisis
* TheistWatch: Tornado Alley to Noah's Ark
* Resources
* About this list...
"EDU4UM ATLANTA" CALLS FOR CHRISTIAN EXODUS FROM
PUBLIC SCHOOLS
For some, it is the violence typified by last month's tragic shootings
in a high school in Littleton, Colorado. Others see it as a deep
malaise permeating American society ever since "the Supreme Court and
Madalyn O'Hair" supposedly threw god out of the nation's classrooms
over thirty-five years ago. But all those attending last Saturday's
"Edu4um Atlanta" in Sandy Springs, Ga. agreed on one thing --
Christians need to pull their kids out of the public school system.
The gathering at Mount Vernon Presbyterian Schools was to hear sixteen
speakers in a series of panel discussions, taking up the question of
how Christians should respond to the secularism and godlessness of
public education. The tone was set by the head of one of the forum's
sponsors, Dr. Christina Jeffrey of Operation Integrity, who discussed
"Public Schools Are Worse Than You Think, Especially In The Suburbs."
According to a handout from the conference, Jeffrey would "expand on
the insight of inner-city pastor E.V. Hill of Los Angeles, 'If you
teach children that they're animals, why are you surprised when they
behave like animals?'"
Other speakers for the event included Marc Stoud, Headmaster of
Dominion Christian High School in Marietta, Georgia. He declared,
"Christian parents are allowing their children to be spiritually
robbed, spiritually molested, and spiritually gunned down in
state-funded schools by the proponents of Secular Humanism." Stoud
added, "The Columbine Public High School tragedy is the fruit of a
world view that declares man, not God, is the ultimate authority."
Also on the program: Elizabeth Cole of the Eagle Forum of Georgia, who
accused public schools of "welcoming speakers from organizations such
as Planned Parenthood who ridicule parental attempts to teach
chastity." Nolan P. Cox of the state American Family Association
warned, "A society that sends 12-year olds to watch killings in
slasher films, practice killings in violent video games, and listen to
killings in satanic rock music should eventually figure out why
children absorb the culture of death and implement it in teen killings
and suicides..."
Coming in for some rare praise at the forum was Denise Miller of
nearby Snellville, who saturated religious groups throughout Georgia
with letters promoting Edu4um. "I know many pastors have public
school teachers in their churches," Miller wrote. "Too many don't say
peep for fear of offending them. How bad do the schools have to
become before the courage to speak the truth overcomes the desire to
be conciliatory? God will not hold pastors accountable for how many
schoolteachers they kept in their congregation..."
Edu4um is part of a nationwide effort by Christian conservatives who
are urging an "exodus" of fellow religionists from the public school
system by the turn of the millennium. Heading the effort is Exodus
2000, a nonprofit organization headed by a former Army Reserve
Chaplain, E. Ray Moore, Jr. In addition to preaching, Moore has
served as a campaign consultant in major local and national races,
include former Vice President Dan Quayle's 1980 Senate race, and Pat
Robertson's 1988 presidential bid. "He is considered an authority on
involving evangelical Christians in politics and government," notes a
bio sheet. In addition to running Exodus 2000, Moore also serves as
president of Frontline Ministries, an evangelical revivalist sect in
Columbia, South Carolina.
With it's motto, "Let My Children Go," Exodus 2000 aims at promoting
the notion that "Bible-based Christian education is the only
acceptable alternative for the Christian community." To that end, it
is urging parents to withdraw youngsters from the public school system
in favor of home schooling or the burgeoning ranks of so-called
"Christian academies" and other religious schools. Materials from the
group warn excoriate Horace Mann, the architect of the nation's public
schools who "exhibited an open hostility against orthodox
Christianity" and was a Unitarian. Also coming in for criticism is
philosopher John Dewey, who is cited as a "committed humanist and
co-author of Humanist Manifesto I." Moore quotes Martin Luther, who
declared "I am afraid that the schools will prove the very gates of
hell, unless they diligently labor in explaining the Holy Scriptures
and engraving them in the hearts of the youth."
Signing on to Moore's Exodus 2000 crusade are some of the religious
right's major luminaries. They include D. James Kennedy, homophobic
pastor of Coral Ridge Ministries, and Moral Majority founder and
apocalypse-chic author Tim LaHaye.
Not everyone at the Edu4um conference agrees with the goals of Exodus
2000, though. Michael Crandall of Student Venture in Atlanta
advocates a "Salt & Light" program, and says that Christian parents
should send their children into the public schools "to be witnesses to
teachers and fellow students." Other speakers emphasize the value of
voucher programs and charter schools as an "alternative" to public
education.
Saturday's Edu4um event was cosponsored by Christian Coalition of
George, Eagle Forum and the American Family Association.
**
ATHEISTS TO PROTEST THURSDAY NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER
Atheists in Texas and California will be protesting this year's
National Day of Prayer activities slated for Thursday, May 6.
Texas American Atheists State Director Randall Gorman will be hosting
a demonstration at "Old Red," the Dallas County Courthouse from 11:00
a.m. to 1:00 p.m. "Along with your smile and marching boots, bring
your head-cover and sunscreen," advises Randall. "This is Texas and
it gets HOT in May." Signs and an ice chest with bottled water will
be provided. Contact Mr. Gorman at 817-281-7390, or visit the Texas
American Atheists web site at http://www.atheists.org/tx/ for more
information.
In California, State Director Dave Kong informs us that two actions
are planned. "For several years, the Shasta Atheists and Freethinkers
have demonstrated against the City of Redding's official celebration
of this event," reports Dave. "This year, American Atheists members
from throughout California are invited to join us in supporting this
affiliated group's efforts to stop this unwanted intrusion of religion
into government." The action begins at 11 a.m. on Thursday, at the
Convention Center on Auditorium Drive. For directions, visit
http://www.atheists.org/flash.line/affilcal.htm or contact Dave Kong
through [EMAIL PROTECTED], or via phone at (415)-771-9872.
In San Jose, a protest against the National Day of Prayer ceremonies
in that community will take place at 11:00 a.m. at City Hall, 801
North First St. Hats off to First Amendment activist John Messina and
other San Jose Atheists for organizing this. John can be found at the
demo in his legendary Uncle Sam outfit; call (408)-238-4767 for
further information.
**
RELIGIOUS FACTORS COMPLICATE KOSOVO CRISIS
With NATO and the United States moving into the second month of their
military campaign against Yugoslavia, questions continue to be raised
about the underlying cultural, political and religious factors in this
crisis, and if any realistic solution can be found -- whether by
bombing or diplomacy. Part of the difficulty is that the entire
Balkan region rests on one of the great cultural fault lines of
history which separate western and eastern Christianity, and the
Islamic world. That has fueled centuries of ethnic hatred, tribal
antagonisms and religious division.
While the bombing war is thousands of miles from American shores,
though, "fault line" consciousness is emerging here in the United
States.
* In ethnic Albanian communities, especially in the New York City
region, several hundred males have enlisted in the Kosovo Liberation
Army, KLA. State and federal officials have turned a blind eye toward
enforcing laws against raising "private militias" and drilling in
uniforms; one reason may be the overt campaign of the U.S. Government
to funnel aid to the KLA.
American Muslims are also coming to the assistance of those they
perceive to be fellow Islamists in KOSOVO and Albania. The Los
Angeles Times noted last week,"Muslim relief groups have witnessed an
extraordinary outpouring from the nation's 5 million to 6 million
adherents, who have collected more than $2 million as well as tents,
food and medical supplies to send to the Kosovo refugees..." The
paper adds, "In the United States, the war's religious undercurrents
have gone largely unnoticed except in the religious communities --
Muslim and Orthodox Christian -- who see the suffering of their
brethren..."
* Serbs living in the United States as well as Orthodox Christians
appear split in their support of Yugoslav President Slobodan
Milosevic; from media reports, though, there is near-unanimous
opposition to the NATO bombing. Prominent Orthodox Christians
including attorney Plato Cacheris (who represented Monica Lewinsky)
and columnist Arianna Huffington were among those who listed their
names in a full-page New York Times ad which urged President Clinton
to stop the bombing campaign during the Orthodox Easter. Writer
Nicholas Gage likely spoke for many Orthodox when he said, "There's
great agony, really, as long as this misguided policy is pursued. "We
have no quarter for Milosevic," Gage added. "But this misguided
policy is going to bring tragedy to a lot of people."
Across the world and, of course, in the Balkans, the focus is on
Kosovo. For Serbs, that city is the heart of an ancient kingdom, the
"Serbian Jerusalem" and site of the historic battle in 1389 that saw a
decisive victory for the Ottoman Turks. The battle at Kosovo Polje,
"field of black birds," was immortalized in epic poetry, song and
mythos. Kosovo is also home to many ancient Serbian Orthodox churches
and monasteries which are emblematic of the national consciousness.
While analysts have noted that Serbian Orthodox leadership is "hardly
monolithic" in supporting Milosevic and his policies, religion and
religious identity remain as a cementing element in the current Balkan
crisis. Orthodox elsewhere -- Greece and Russia, for instance -- have
condemned the bombing, and expressed support for their religious and
ethnic comrades in Serbia.
A Serbian Orthodox priest in California told the L.A. Times, "We
cannot give up on Kosovo, because it is the Serbian Jerusalem. The
birthright of the Serbian Orthodox Church is in Kosovo and must remain
there as part of Serbia." That sentiment, though, goes against the
demographic trend in Kosovo, which has seem the number of ethnic Serbs
dwindle in the last 50-75 years in the face of dramatic increases in
Muslim immigration and birthrates.
While all three of these major religions at the Balkan fault line --
Orthodox, Western Christianity and Islam -- all presumably worship the
same monolithic deity, and even speak of not being at odds with one
another, there are centuries of hostility and doctrinal differences.
Paul Mojzes, professor of religion at Rosemont College near
Philadelphia grew up in Yugoslavia, and notes, "The Catholics fought
the Orthodox, each claiming they alone had the key to the kingdom of
God, and the Muslims fought them both." As a result, all sides in
this Balkan standoff are "afraid of their neighbors because their
neighbors, in the past, have one way or another taken advantage of
them."
**
THEISTWATCH SHORT SHOTS
What's wrong with this picture?
When students and a teacher are killed at Columbine High School, well,
dire warnings pur forth that it all took place because we have "kicked
god out of the classroom," and youngsters have not received enough
religious indoctrination. The hunt for villains becomes a national
cottage-industry, with culture warriors like William Bennett
declaring, "In the matter of the protection of our children, nothing
should be off-limits," or Franklin Graham exploiting the grief by
telling survivors that we must embrace Jesus or face eternal
damnation.
Then the tornadoes touched down last night in Oklahoma and Kansas,
chewing up "tornado alley" for four hours, and claiming (so far) the
lives of 43 persons. It is estimated that 600 people were injured, at
least two thousand rendered homeless, and the property damage is
sufficiently severe to have President Clinton declare 11 Oklahoma
counties and 1 Kansas county federal disaster areas. The death toll
may rise, and a Red Cross spokesperson told Associated Press, "We're
just really getting started on the foot-by-foot search."
"We have whole communities that simply aren't there anymore," Oklahoma
Gov. Frank Keating declared on the NBC "Today" program.
And speaking of calamity, the Biblical story of Noah and his Ark
received a postmodernist treatment on Sunday and Monday evenings, in a
two-part television spectacle on NBC sponsored by Hallmark. The
script took liberties even with the Old Testament account of Noah and
his alleged adventures, managed to interject a degree of levity, and
showed what resembled a prime-time newscast of Cruise missiles
leveling the city of Sodom. So much for all of those youngsters and
innocents living in that metropolis of sin, and everyone else on the
planet who happened to not be on board Noah's leviathan house and zoo
boat.
We have three very distinct pictures of calamity and violence, all of
which resonate with religious overtones. Say, where was Jehovah last
night while those tornadoes were cutting half-mile wide paths across
the prairies? Was there any rational purpose here, if indeed a deity
was lurking somewhere in the cosmos? There are rumors of indicting
parents and students in Littleton, Colorado who might have known of
the impending slaughter at Columbine High School, yet chose to remain
silent and do nothing. Shouldn't we apply the same standard of
justice and responsibility to Jehovah? Would it have been too much to
ask the Guy who ignited the Big Bang, flooded the earth and tipped
Noah off to the coming apocalypse, to at least nudge those twisters
out of the way of trailer parks and subdivisions?
Strange, indeed, are the ways of the Lord, or Jehovah, or whatever His
name is, if He is around. The "free will" argument may explain why
Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold went on a rampage at Columbine, but what
about Noah? What about the "free will" of those folks in, say,
suburban Sodom who might not have worshipped the snake god and
offended Jehovah, and certainly what about the kids too young to
worship anyone? And what about all of those trailers and homes and
victims from last night?
So far, the religious have plenty to say about the Columbine High
School massacres, but hardly a word about Jehovah's tornado rampage of
Monday night. Last year, tornadoes killed 42 people around Kissimmee,
Florida, and another 34 folks near Birmingham, Alabama. Pat Robertson
claimed that he once prayed away a hurricane, but obviously his powers
are limited.
It's possible that Jehovah permits these "senseless" tragedies because
they really do make sense, if only to Him. Or, maybe these F4
twisters -- the kind that rise to 50,000 feet in height and have winds
of up to 260 miles per hour -- serve a purpose, mainly to punish us
for straying from His teachings. But are the most guilty of those who
stray to be found in the heart of Tornado Alley, in those specific
homes and trailer parks?
This is the subject of one of the great endeavors of theology,
specifically, "theodicy." How can a presumably all-good and
all-knowing God allow such evil to exist? The debate rages, answers
are proposed, but little of it makes any sense.
Maybe it's all bunk. The tornadoes are just likely the product of
masses of warm and cold air meeting in a complicated weather
phenomenon which scientists are only now beginning to understand.
Maybe there was no Noah, no ark, no "great flood," which requires that
we turn to evolutionary theory, certainly a more congruent explanation
when it comes to the extinction of the dinosaurs.
Jehovah is a friendly, avuncular figure when he's sanitized by screen
writers; His persona in Noah's Ark was certainly more palpable to
moderns than, say, the cranky and vengeful God of the Old Testament.
He was as warm and fuzzy as the slogans on those Hallmark greeting
cards.
As long as you don't live in Tornado Alley, right?
**
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