-Caveat Lector-
from: AMERICAN ATHEISTS
subject: AANEWS for May 11, 1999
A M E R I C A N A T H E I S T S
AANEWS
#570 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 5/11/99
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...
* "March for Jesus," proclaims Nebraska governor
* Christians should pray in closet says St. Matthew
* Hawaii separationist Mitch Kahle assaulted while protesting
* LDS suppressed study on church sexual abuse
* Pics of the San Jose demo ... visit the magazine site!
* Resources
* About this list...
NEBRASKA GOVERNOR FLOUTS SEPARATION, ENDORSES
"MARCH FOR JESUS"
Ignoring the separation of church and state, Nebraska Governor Mike
Johanns has signed a proclamation urging citizens to participate in
the May 22 "March for Jesus Day" event. According to the Lincoln
(Neb.) Journal Star newspaper and the Freedom Forum, the decree states
that "March for Jesus Day was established as a time for us to join
together as a people and pay homage to our divine authority and live
ever mindful of the many freedoms we have enjoyed and ever thankful
for the many blessings we have received."
Johanns, a Republican, was elected to serve as Nebraska's 38th
Governor in November, 1998. Prior to that, he was Mayor of Lincoln,
and issued similar proclamations while in that post. He told the
paper, "I wouldn't hesitate to sign a proclamation for the Jewish
faith, Hinduism, whatever." When pressed, though, as to whether he
would extend similar treatment to a Wiccan or other pagan celebration,
the governor demurred, and added that he would issue any decree "as
long as it doesn't require me to sign something I personally don't
agree with.
Groups including People for the American Way and the American Civil
Liberties Union issued statements saying that Johanns' proclamation
violated the constitution. A spokesperson for the Nebraska ACLU
declared, "There is a perception that when government officials sign
these types of proclamations they are providing a stamp of approval or
an endorsement of religion."
March For Jesus is one of a several public religious celebrations
promoted throughout the year by Christian evangelicals and others.
Like the controversial National Day of Prayer event held earlier this
month and National Bible Week, organizers often seek the endorsement
of public figures. Minnesota Governor Jesse Ventura went on record as
refusing to issue a proclamation from his office endorsing the Day of
Prayer event; and in April, Arizona Governor Jane Hell announced that
she would no longer give similar decrees for the National Bible Week
following the threat of lawsuits.
March for Jesus is promoted by several religious groups, including an
Austin, Texas-based organization which had asked Johanns to endorse
the Saturday, May event. It claims to attract over one million
participants, and seeks "to mobilize the body of Christ beyond its
walls throughout the year." Materials from the MFJ mimic the rhetoric
of groups like the Promise Keepers, including the goal of "breaking
down denominational walls, racial walls, and any other walls that
hinder the effectiveness and witness of the church."
While civil libertarians defend the right of any religious group,
including March for Jesus to proselytize in public, there are growing
concerns that "breaking down walls" could threaten establishment
clause guarantees for the separation of church and state. It is also
unclear how "prayer warriors" intend to "impact their cities" and
build -- at public expense? -- "networks for Christ."
Like the National Day of Prayer, March for Jesus is marked by calls
for Christians to publicly display their religiosity, and increasingly
apocalyptic overtones. The "Washington March for Jesus" event, for
instance, is promoted with dire warnings; "This generation faces
challenges that are unprecedented in history. AIDS, the abortion
holocaust, and senseless violence are but a small portion of the
plague that is destroying this country." At last year's Washington
march, several thousand participants were addressed by Pat Robertson,
Jerry Falwell, and other religious right evangelists.
March for Jesus says that its May 22 events will take place in 525
cities across the country; a Global March is planned in over 100
countries.
**
CHRISTIANS SHOULD PRAY IN CLOSETS, NOT IN PUBLIC
SAYS "THE GOOD BOOK"
Should zealous "prayer warriors" and hyperkinetic evangelicals be
banging on doors, preaching on the steps of government building, or
marching in the street? Not according to the Holy Bible and the
admonitions of St. Matthew. In fact, says this scriptural sage,
Christians should remain silent and withdraw to the privacy of a
closet instead. He notes, in Matthew 6:5-6:
"And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for
they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the
streets that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They
have their reward.
"But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou has
shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father
which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly."
**
CAPITOL ATTACK HOSPITALIZES HAWAII SEPARATION ACTIVIST
Mitch Kahle, President of the Hawaii Citizens for the Separation of
State and Church was hospitalized last Friday following what he
described as a "brutal attack" -- reportedly by a legislative aide --
in the corridor of the state capitol. According to a press release
from the group, "Kahle suffered multiple injuries in the attack and
was taken by ambulance to the Queen's Medical Center where he was
treated in the emergency room for pain, swelling and contusions to the
neck and throat, a sprained left wrist, and multiple abrasions on the
knees, shoulder and back..."
Mr. Kahle had been "engaging in a peaceful act of civil disobedience"
at the time by removing various symbols from exterior doors within the
public corridor of the building. Since March, HCSSC has been calling
for the removal of religious symbols, including "ichthus" or fish
decals from the area. On March 2, the organization filed a complaint
with the State Attorney General's Office alleging that state Senator
David Matsuura and the State of Hawaii were violating Article 1,
Sections 4, 5 and 8 of the state constitution and the First and
Fourteenth Amendments to the U.S. Constitution. The Deputy State
Attorney General, though, ruled that the Christian religious symbols
were permissible.
Kahle and HCSSC have held a number of press conferences and actions at
the capitol building, though, insisting that the display on corridor
doors also violates administrative rules.
According to last evening's press release, Kahle was attacked by
"Jason," who was identified as reportedly an aide to Rep. Mark Moses
(District 42). "The unprovoked attack began when the assailant
tackled Kahle from behind as he walked down the hall, slamming him to
the floor. The extreme force of the blind-side tackle caused both
Kahle and the assailant to tumble down the corridor in front of Room
306. Kahle tried to escape from the assailant, but was again jumped
from behind. Both men then rolled through the open door into the
office of Representative Dwight Takamine (Room 306, District 1)."
Kahle was then locked in a "potentially lethal chokehold," states the
media advisory, where he "could not breathe or call for help as the
assailant pulled his forearm tighter against Kahle's throat in a
deliberate attempt to strangle him." Witnesses to the attack refused
to intervene.
"Struggling to remain conscious after nearly a minute in the crushing
chokehold, Kahle dropped to the floor and somehow broke free." He
then "yelled for help from police," who were shortly on the scene.
Kahle filed an official complaint with State Capitol police officer
Murota (#817).
According to the Hawaii Star Bulletin, Kahle had removed over a dozen
religious emblems from the doors of various legislators. Rep. Moses
told the paper that the HCSSC official "appears to have a vendetta
against those who have any religious beliefs." The press release,
though, noted that Hawaii Citizens for the Separation of State and
Church "maintains a strict policy of nonviolence," and that "No matter
how divisive the political or ideological issue, violence is always
wrong."
As part of its effort to have the religious icons removed from capitol
doorways, the group has also secured permission to have materials of
its own displayed -- thus testing the "free speech" argument of
opponents. One HCSSC poster declared "The Bible Glorifies Violence
and Murder," and was displayed outside of the capitol's main
auditorium. "But someone moved the poster and its stand so that it
faces a wall and can't be easily read," noted the Star-Bulletin.
The HCSSC advisory adds, "On no less than eight separate occasions,
HCSSC and other groups (e.g. Refuse & Resist!, PFLAG) have placed
ideological symbols and political messages on the exterior doors of
district offices with religious displays. On every occasion, however,
the materials posted by HCSSC and other groups were stolen or
confiscated by legislators, staff, or the Sergeant at Arms." The
release notes that HCSSC "has filed police reports" after those
incidents, but that "no action was ever taken to protect HCSSC
property or to prevent its removal. This inaction prompted Kahle to
remove the religious symbols and turn them over to Capitol police."
HCSSC is urging separationists everywhere to call the office of
Governor Benjamin Cayetano at 808-586-0034, or fax letters to
808-586-0006 "and register your complaint about violence against
peaceful demonstrators at our State Capitol." A spokesperson with
HCSSC this afternoon reported that Mr. Kahle has a sever sprain and
bruises, but is pressing ahead with a demands that his attacker be
charged and prosecuted. Visit the HCSSC web site at
www.lava.net/~hcssc for further information.
**
LDS CHURCH WORKED TO SUPPRESS SEX-ABUSE STUDY
Officials of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints attempted
to prevent publication of a study which reported on the experiences of
Mormon women who were victims of childhood sexual abuse, and later
turned to church officials for support. Professors Karen E. Gerdes
and Martha N. Beck, then of Brigham Young University -- an LDS
institution -- were prohibited from publishing their results, but the
study appeared anyway in the Spring 1996 issue of Affilia, Journal of
Women and Social Work.
According to a story appearing in yesterday's edition of the Houston
Chronicle, church leaders criticized the study as flawed. Gerdes and
Beck found that most of the women survivors "said they had bad
experiences when they turned to Mormon clergymen for comfort and
counsel," noted Chronicle reporter Paul McKay.
"For a church that in recent years has faced numerous lawsuits
accusing it of harboring, or at least failing to stop, pedophiles in
its midst, Gerdes said she believed she and her colleagues were
providing some helpful insights," added the paper.
The study was funded by a grant from the Eccles Foundation, described
as "a Mormon entity," and was administered by Brigham Young
University's Women's Research Institute. Among the findings:
* 49 of the 71 Mormon women who were described as victims of childhood
sexual abuse reported "negative interactions" when they turned to
local church bishops for support. These congregational leaders were
described as "judgmental," "unbelieving" and even "protective of the
perpetrators"
* Although twelve women reported "positive interactions" with the
Bishops, ten chose not to approach the officials at all.
* The Affilia article reported that 50 of the victims experienced
feelings of guilt for being cajoled by "the highest church authorities
or local leaders to forgive their perpetrators," and that "the
majority of women reported feeling neither protected nor helped in
their recovery process."
* Although the article acknowledged that LDS officials had recently
begun to address the problem of childhood sexual abuse within the
Mormon subculture, "sexual abuse continues to occur in Mormon
families, and there are indications that the words of church leaders
may not be trickling down to local lay leaders..."
Suppression of Study Attacked Earli
Despite yesterday's Houston Chronicle article, though, the fact that
the Gerdes-Beck study was being fought by church officials was made
public as far back as March, 1996. AANEWS uncovered a document from
the Brigham Young University Chapter of the AAUP (American Association
of University Professors) titled "Limitations on the Academic Freedom
of Women at Brigham Young University." It raised 14 separate issues,
including many where church and high university officials had
intervened to stop the appointment of women scholars who may have
expressed opinions, or explored areas, considered taboo or sensitive
by the LDS. It noted:
"In 1995 Professors Karen E. Gerdes and Martha N. Beck were
forbidden from publishing the results of their study on the
experiences of Mormon women survivors of childhood sexual abuse who
asked for help from their Mormon ecclesiastical leaders. In the
majority of cases, the advice these victims received was damaging
rather than helpful. Both professors have since left the
university..."
One reason why church officials may continue to oppose the
distribution of the study is that it has, according to the Chronicle,
been used "as legal ammunition" in cases where plaintiffs are suing
the Latter-day Saints "alleging a widespread pattern of failures by
bishops or other ecclesiastical leaders to report abuses to proper
authorities or to obtain proper, professional counseling for victims."
While Gerdes praised certain steps which LDS officials have taken --
such as the establishment of a hot line for abuse reports -- she noted
there are still problems, including the fact that men occupy the key
positions within the church hierarchy. Victims, according to Gerdes,
might go to these officials and report their experiences, only to be
dismissed and told to not worry about the problem -- "since the image
of the bishop is next to God, then you don't do anything..."
**
NOW ON THE AMERICAN ATHEISTS MAGAZINE WEB SITE -- CATCH
THE PICS OF OUR CALIFORNIA NDOP DEMONSTRATION!
American Atheist members and supporters turned out in California and
Texas to protest last week's National Day of Prayer events. Our
magazine web site (http://www.americanatheist.org) has the latest pics
and news from the San Jose demo. Check it out!
**
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