Indiana’s Senator Dennis Kruse has introduced a bill (SB 89) in the Indiana General Assembly to allow the teaching of “creation science” in Indiana public schools. In a report just released by the Fordham Foundation, Indiana is listed as one of just seven states that earned an “A” for its science standards. This has been the case for many years. Indiana has been a shining star in the midwest on the map of those receiving that rating.

Not only does he seek to erode the Indiana science curriculum at a time when state leaders are trying to encourage high tech/scientific businesses to locate in Indiana, he is planning to waste Indiana taxpayer’s money on costly lawsuits. When questioned about the constitutional issues involved, Senator Kruse replied, “This is a different Supreme Court. This Supreme Court could rule differently.”
He made these remarks both on the Senate floor and in interviews with reporters. He called evolution a “Johnny-come-lately theory” and that religious “theories” have more merit because they have been around longer than evolution. According to Senator Kruse, the Constitution does not contain any statement about Separation of Church and State. Well, of course, those exact words are not there but the concept is defined in the establishment clause in the first amendment.

I was in the Senate gallery yesterday and one of our CFI-Indiana Friends of the Center captured the discussion from the live feed on the General Assembly website. Incredible!!

SB 89 in its original wording was:

The governing body of a school corporation may require the teaching of various theories concerning the origin of life, including creation science, within the school corporation.

On second reading an amendment was approved which changed the wording to:

The governing body of a school corporation may offer instruction on various theories of the origin of life. The curriculum for the course must include theories from multiple religions, which may include, but is not limited to, Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Scientology.

This version of SB 89 was passed by the Indiana Senate yesterday by a vote of 28-22. I was told in a conversation with a senator who was part of crafting and supporting the amendment that the intent was to make the bill unacceptable to the supporters of the original bill because they would have to include other religions and they were surprised when the proponents approved the amendment by acclamation the previous day.

What effect did this strategy have on the final vote? The sponsor of the amendment voted against as did others who had helped craft it. Senator Brent Steele told an Indianapolis Star Reporter that he voted against the bill because it included other religions. However, in a conversation I had with Senator Randy Head outside the Senate chamber, he told me that he would not have supported the original bill because of constitutional issues but voted for the amended bill because he thought it would not present these constitutional issues. In all, 10 Republicans, including Senator Steele, voted against the bill and one Democrat, Senator Lindel Hume voted for it. One of the Republicans who voted against it was my own Senator Brent Waltz. He had indicated earlier that he would vote against the original bill and voted against the amended bill. In an email reply to a person who contacted him, Senator Waltz stated, “Evolution is an accepted scientific fact and has been for almost a century. While good and honest people can derive different conclusions as to who or what began Life in the universe, the teaching of creationism should not be taught in Indiana schools.”

In the discussion, Senator Tim Skinner spoke against it primarily because of the precarious position in which it would put teachers and local school corporations. He asked very probing questions of Senator Kruse. Senator Skinner had raised the same concerns in the committee hearing and was one of the proponents of the amendment introduced by Senator Vi Simpson but both he and Senator Simpson voted against the amended bill. I had a very good conversation with Senator Skinner in the hallway outside the Senate chamber and he indicated to me that the intent of the amendment was to defeat the bill by making it objectionable to its proponents.

The best speech of the afternoon was made by Senator Karen Tallian. She nailed it and hit it out of the ballpark with a rousing speech in defense of the Constitution and Separation of Church and State. You can listen to her speech here. Among her remarks were that she couldn’t believe this was even being considered and that “the Constitution sheds a tear today that we are even talking about this.” I sent a note in to call her out to talk to her but it seems she had already left. I did email her and thank her very much for her support and ask for a copy of her speech.

Now SB 89 is headed for the Indiana House where it must undergo the same procedure as it did in the Senate. As far as I can tell, a committee hearing has not yet been scheduled. The House is not scheduled to reconvene until Tuesday, February 7.  We will be watching.

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Wednesday, January 25,2012 was a very frustrating day. Beginning at 8:30 am and again at 1:30 pm, I sat in on Indiana Senate committee hearings. Among the bills being discussed were SB 72 in the Health and Provider Services Committee and SB 89 in the Education and Career Development Committee. The most controversial statement in SB 72 as debated in the committee hearing is: “Specifies that only a physician who meets certain conditions may administer to a pregnant woman an abortion inducing drug, and sets forth the procedure the physician must follow. ” After hearing expert testimony from doctors and medical school staff among others who opposed the bill, the committee passed it with a 5/4 vote seemingly ignoring the testimony against it. Health Access and Privacy Alliance (HAPA), a coalition of civic, educational, religious, professional, and health organizations from all over the state working together to improve access to healthcare and protect reproductive choice in Indiana, has released this statement:

We strongly oppose SB 72 because it puts patients at risk; intrudes on the physician-patient relationship; takes the medical decision-making out of the hands of physicians and puts it in the hands of legislators; restricts the ability of physicians to use evidence-based medicine, preventing them from choosing the most effective and preferred medical protocols while treating their patients.

Physicians use evidence-based medicine to improve patient outcomes and make medical advances, which should be supported, not inhibited by our General Assembly. SB 72 was introduced based on personal beliefs, and the personal beliefs of elected officials should not interfere with the ability of physicians to provide patients with the best medical practices.

Physicians, not politicians, should decide what is best for patients.

Planned Parenthood Advocates of Indiana has released the following statement:

The Senate Health and Provider Services Committee passed Senate Bill 72 out of committee yesterday. Planned Parenthood of Indiana is opposed to SB 72 because it puts women at risk, it intrudes on the doctor-patient relationship, it takes medical decision-making out of the hands of doctors and puts it in the hands of legislators, it restricts doctors’ ability to use evidence-based medicine, and, finally, it prevents doctors from using the medical protocols proven most effective and preferred.

SB 72 exists because of personal beliefs. Personal beliefs should not be the basis for lawmaking. They certainly should not dictate to doctors how best to practice medicine, particularly under the threat of criminal offense. Doctors should be in charge of their protocols and their practices, not politicians. Simply put, SB 72 is politics at its worst.

Senator Vi Simpson was again a champion, observing that the committee was “legislating by anecdote instead of science” and “setting a terrible precedent”. She went on to say that “the legislature doesn’t trust women and now they don’t trust doctors”. Senator Vaneta Becker said that the legislation “increases risk for women, criminalizes physicians” and was extremely disappointed that the Committee would hear it. We applaud their opposition to this bill and also commend Senators Jean Breaux and Senator Earline Rogers for voting against SB 72.

I personally would like to commend Senator Becker who crossed party lines to do so. Senator Jean Leising asked some very probing questions during the discussion and I had hopes that she might vote against it. However, in the end she followed party line and voted in favor of the bill.

Betty Cockrum, CEO of Planned Parenthood of Indiana, will be addressing the issue of legislative interference in reproductive health care in her speech, “Your Legislator. In Your Doctor’s Office. In Your Bedroom” at Indiana Civic Day on Saturday, February 11. Indiana Civic Day is being sponsored jointly by CFI-Indiana and the Indiana Chapter of Americans United for Separation of Church and State.

The afternoon didn’t get any better. At 1:30, I attended, testified, and answered questions at the Education and Career Development committee’s hearing of SB 89 which would give local school corporations the authority to require the teaching of creation “science” along side scientific theories of human orgins. The letter that CFI sent to the committee members prior to the hearing and links to my testimony are also contained in Michael DeDora’s blog, “Indiana Senate Panel Approves Creationist Bill Despite Center for Inquiry’s Letter, Testimony,” which was posted on January 26.

Testimony against the bill stressed the unconstitutionality of teaching creation science, established by the Supreme Court in 1987. Among those testifying against the bill were John Staver, professor of chemistry and science education at Purdue University; Chuck Little, executive director of the Indiana Urban Schools Association; David Sklar, the Director of Government Relations for the Jewish Community Relations Council; the Reverend Charles All en, a chaplain for Grace Unlimited, a campus ministry in the Indianapolis area; and myself. I pointed out that testimony from an esteemed professor from one of Indiana’s prestigious universities was a great explanation for them as to why creation “science” is not science.

I did not detect much understanding of science from any of the committee members who talked or asked a question. This is very scary being that they are the Education committee for the Indiana Senate. The vote was 8-2, with the bill’s sponsor and committee chair Dennis Kruse (R-District 14), Carlin Yoder (R-District 12), Jim Banks (R-District 17), Jim Buck (R-District 17), Luke Kenley (R-District 20), Jean Leising (R-District 42), Scott Schneider (R-District 30), and Frank Mrvan Jr. (D-District 1) voting for and Earline S. Rogers (D-District 3) and Tim Skinner (D-District 38) voting against the bill. A big shout out to Earline Rogers who voted against both SB 72 and SB 89 !!! Tim Skinner, a teacher himself, seemed most concerned about the position it put the individual teacher in because it would put them in the position of violating the Constitution. Luke Kenley wants the bill amended and the language changed but still voted to send it to the full Senate for discussion. Senator Jean Leising remained silent (as I recall) during the discussion as did many of the committee members but voted in favor of the bill.

Lawmakers should respect the medical and scientific professions and trust them with making medical and science education decisions instead of legislating on matters they do not understand. At Indiana Civic Day on Saturday, February 11, you will learn how the Indiana legislative process works and hear the leaders of several organizations speak. Go to this link to register for this important conference.

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Tuesday, November 2 is Election Day—the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November in even numbered years. This election (as most are) is very important for the future of our country and the world. As a
not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization, CFI cannot advocate for a particular candidate or party. However, CFI does take stands on issues. Be sure to vote for the candidates who most closely represent your personal viewpoint.

My fear is that many people are so disillusioned that they will not vote. Many people are still out of work. Many are discouraged by the lack of progress made by their elected representatives and feel that promises have been broken. There is a deep division in the country between political ideologies and factions. Some are just fed up with all the rhetoric and don’t want to have anything to do with any of the candidates. Many may think that they are outnumbered in their particular district or state and may decide that it is futile to cast their vote. They may think that no candidate represents their point of view. However, even if it is the “lesser of the evils” for whom you cast your vote, please exercise your Constitutional right.

I would urge everyone to take the advice of Edmund Burke and do not remain silent on this Election Day, 2010. The future for our children and grandchildren is too important.

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At the same time about 20 miles away in   Plainfield, IN ,  Arizona’s Maricopa County   Sheriff Joe Arpaio was speaking at a fundraiser for   Indiana Treasurer, Richard Mourdock .   According to the rally flyer, “Arpaio’s practices, including his infamous sweeps that target anyone who appears to be an immigrant, have been the target of lawsuits. Arpaio is the subject of a federal investigation regarding this abuse of power in going after individuals who have oposed his tactics. Arpaio believes in using physical appearance to stop and inquire about immigration status.”  This rally was in protest to the visit of Sheriff Arpaio. 

The flyer stated, “Hoosiers should embrace the benefits of a changing Indiana demographic that moves our state into the 21st century and entry into the global community.  We believe—Indiana believes—in moving forward.”   Signs at the Rally included, “Indiana Believes,” “Keep Families Together,” and “Embrace Diversity.”  The   crowd of about 100 people was quite diverse.

Speakers included a man whose family was detained in a   Japanese-American Interment Camp during World War II, a man who is a descendent of the Potawatomi Indians who were driven out of Indiana in 1838 in the   Trail of Death , Indiana Congressman,   Andre Carson who is African American and Muslim, and   Zach Adamson , a candidate for City-County Council who is openly gay.

  CFI Indiana had an   information table at the rally.     Paul Kurtz , founder of Center for Inquiry,  has stated in   Affirmations of Humanism :

•   We believe in an open and pluralistic society and that democracy is the best guarantee of protecting human rights from authoritarian elites and repressive majorities.
•   We are concerned with securing justice and fairness in society and with eliminating discrimination and intolerance.
•   We attempt to transcend divisive parochial loyalties based on race, religion, gender, nationality, creed, class, sexual orientation, or ethnicity, and strive to work together for the common good of humanity.

We need to remember the words of   Martin Niemöller :

  “In Germany they came first for the Communists, and I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a Communist. Then they came for the Jews, and I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a Jew. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a trade unionist. Then they came for the Catholics, and I didn’t speak up because I was a Protestant. Then they came for me, and by that time no one was left to speak up.”

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On July 26, a fellow Humanist and friend, Bob Dayle, died suddenly and unexpectedly.  About a week before his death, he was enjoying Game Night at CFI Indiana.  He volunteered to staff the center on Wednesday mornings where he helped with anything he could including fixing anything that was broken. Here is his obituary: 

Robert Dayle
(September 16, 1946 - July 26, 2010)

Knightstown- Robert C. “Bob” Dayle, 63, passed away on Monday morning July 26, 2010 at the Henry County Hospital in New Castle, Indiana. Robert was born on September 16, 1946 in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. Formerly of Cambridge City, Bob has made his home in Knightstown since 1996. Bob honorably served his country in the United States Navy during the Vietnam war. He worked as an electronics technician in the circuit board industry. He was an avid   conchologist and member of CFI in Indianapolis.

Survivors include his wife, Alice Hartman. They were married at the Hopewell Meeting in New Lisbon on May 31, 1992; step son-Samuel J. Hartman of Louisville, Kentucky; 3 sisters. He was preceded in death by his parents, Jerome and Joanna ( Forster) Dreifuerst and 1 brother. Services will be at the convenience of the family. The Marshall & Erlewein Funeral Home, Lewisville has been entrusted with the arrangements.

His wife Alice Hartman says it better than anyone else ever could:

Bob

When a bird sings or a hawk flies overhead,
When you glimpse the heron at the stream or note the rush of the quail,
When you spot a lizard or a snake, rescue a bird or a tiny toad,
When you stop on a walk to study an interesting rock,
When you drive across the Spiceland kame,
When you photograph an unusual insect,
When you arise at three in the morning to watch for meteors:

Think of Bob.

If you study the flowers of the woods and fields, drive the country roads just to see the wild morning glories,
If you hear the bullfrog croak at the Knightstown Spring or the rich call of the towhee in the woods,
If you listen to the rustle of the cottonwood, stop to admire the tall sycamore, carry tools to free a young tulip from a wild grape,
If you trace the path of the old railway through the woods of today and stand fearlessly at the edge of the old bridge looking down to the river forty feet below:

You are like Bob.

If you support your loves with your hands and your dollars, 
If you help gladly and cheerfully,
If your step-son loves and admires you,
If you are friendly with others and tolerant of their differences, but sufficient in your own thoughts,
If your dog would rather be in a tiny room with you than roaming the fields alone,
If you understand your computer completely and could rebuild it,
If you can find a defect on a circuit board and fix it,
If you can and do fix nearly everything,
If you can set a ladder to the second story gutter:

You are like Bob.

If you savor the taste of a cold drink of water or look for the whole salmon at the Chinese buffet,
If you watch The Simpsons or Futurama or King of Hearts,
If you read Tolkien, the Tao Te Ching or Robert Heinlein,
If you love fun and puns and sing along with Parsifal,
If you scuba dive at Makua or study Hawaiian cowries,
If you sit outside to see the thunderheads build and the lightning flash:

You are like Bob.

If you ignore the pundits, think critically, question authority and have science and space news delivered to your in-box every day,
If you watch the sun rise understanding that random chance explains our existence, and that you will not know what lies in the new day or in the ocean unless you go see:

You are like Bob.

If you name the stars, watch the planets traverse the sky, and call out the phases of the moon,
If you go to sleep with no worries about the morrow:

You are like Bob.

Stop to better hear the cry of the pileated woodpecker,
Marvel at the song sparrow singing from the mullein stalk,
Stand still to see the blue of the Indigo Bunting in the tree,
Speak words of kindness to your friends and
Let them feel the touch of your warm, strong hand, for:

“The skeptic has no illusions about life, nor a vain belief in the promise of immortality.  Since this life here and now is all we can know, our most reasonable option is to live it fully.” (Paul Kurtz)

ENJOY EACH DAY UPON THE EARTH.   

Written by Alice Hartman in memory of her beloved husband, Bob Dayle, on 29 July 2010 CE

A true Humanist has left us with many fond memories and insights.  He will be greatly missed.

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CFI Indiana Executive Director’s   Letter to Editor of Indianapolis Star published July 6, 2010.

For more information about this issue see   Freethought from the Heartland ,   December 30, 2009 and   January 13, 2010 . 

 

 

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However, when I did concentrate on the words and try to piece them together into some kind of sentence structure with meaning, I was even more appalled by the message they were promoting.  I learned that if I just tithed and gave that part of my income to “God” that I would be “blessed” with success in whatever venture I undertook and my wishes would be fulfilled.   Several examples were given of people who had been led into great success and fortunes once they began tithing.  I learned that I should not settle for a small house.  I should set my sites on a big house.  I shouldn’t settle for less than I wanted and deserved because “God would provide.”  I also heard promises of medical cures for diseases being touted which were based on scientifically untested claims. 

When I have picked up the local African American newspaper,     The Recorder   , it is full of religious ads and news.   Going to the website today, I see several articles on local news and issues as well as national and international issues.  It is interesting and enlightening to read these from a different perspective than is portrayed in the     Indianapolis Star   .  There are also some excellent opinion pieces including, ”   Rand Paul Needs a History Lesson; Blacks a Future Lesson.”    The     Indianapolis Recorder   began publishing in 1896.  It is the third oldest African American Newspaper in the United States.   It has received many journalistic awards.  It has and continues to represent the African American community well.  However, it too is infused with an overabundance of religion. 

Will the ad I am purchasing in   The Recorder be noticed among the many ads for churches?   Will anyone from the African American community come to our program because of that ad?   Will I be able to get   Jamila Bey, our featured speaker, an interview with   Amos Brown on WTLC?  His “Afternoons with Amos”  is among America’s top rated Black talk shows. If so, will anyone who listens be persuaded to come and check out our program?   Will CFI be able to make inroads in the African American communities throughout the United States with our message of science and reason?  

Under the leadership of   Debbie Goddard , we all need to work to build on the success of the   DC conference. More science and reason is needed in the African American Community to combat the religious false promises with which they are bombarded every day. 

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While I agree with the material presented by Justin and Ron that non religious people should and do support charities that help the less fortunate among us,  I would contend that through our outreach programs especially our local branches and campus groups, we are already serving the most underserved segment of our population. 

Quoting myself from the spring fundraising message I wrote for CFI Indiana:

Sixteen percent of Americans check “none” on surveys when asked their religious affiliation. This is the fastest growing religious demographic. As Americans continue to leave the churches, synagogues, and mosques, where will they go to find community? Will we be ready to meet the challenge?  

Whether it is the person leaving religion for the first time who is just looking for someone to talk with, a family who is trying to raise its children with secular values while surrounded by the constant proselytizing of family and neighbors, a person looking for intellectually stimulating discussions, or someone who just wants to enjoy a cup of coffee on Sunday morning where they can express their opinions about science and religion in a safe atmosphere, CFI Indiana is an oasis.

According to the information presented in Justin’s blog (based on Canadian statistics), the average annual charitable donation from weekly churchgoers is $1,038 compared to $295 for the rest of the population.   However, as Justin states, the majority of that amount goes to charities whose only stated purpose is “the advancement of religion.”   Also, as Justin and the people who commented on his blog point out, when any of us non religious people volunteer our time or make donations to secular charities, we are not asked (and shouldn’t be )to state our religious beliefs.  Nor is there a box to check (and there shouldn't be) on our income tax form to indicate whether or not we are religious so that our deductions for charitable gifts can be noted as coming from a non religious person.

Therefore, there is no way to have an accurate count of the amount donated by the non religious.   Maybe, this is a moot point.   Why do we need to make comparisons with the amount of donations given by religious people?   However, one way to make your donation known as coming from a non religious person  is to donate through a fund such as SHARE .

The point I am emphasizing is that if religious people are lauded for their contributions to “the advancement of religion” why shouldn’t  we take credit for offering services to the least served in our society—those who are not religious?   No one else is going to do it.

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According to the website of Community Church of Greenwood , the main purpose or mission of the church is:

Loving God.
Loving each other.
Loving the Lost.

However, from the signage out front one would think that it is a Sports and Fitness center.  A very large lighted sign which changes screens to promote various activities dwarfs the small sign that says Community Church of Greenwood.  The sign is so large and bright that I have been temporarily blinded when coming toward it at night just as one would be if another car shined its bright lights into one's eyes.

The website has this description of The Gathering Place :

The Gathering Place is an 82,000 square foot, state-of-the-art sports and recreation facility operated by Community Church of Greenwood, open to the general public.  The facility includes an indoor soccer field, three full-size basketball courts, a racquetball court, full cardio, weight training and aerobics faciities and meeting space.  Family and individual memberships are available; a variety of sports leagues are available for all ages; meeting space available for parties and events from 40 people to 4,000!

So, are they using this sports and fitness facility to draw people into the church so they can be indoctrinated with fundamentalist dogma?  A sample of the philosophy of this church can be gained from looking at the page which gives the wedding information and guidelines.  Premarital counseling is required and no alcohol, tobacco products, or dancing are allowed at the reception.  Restrictions on which couples can hold their weddings here are:

Professing Christians will not be joined in marriage with non-Christians, according to biblical principles; nor will a man and woman who are living together prior to their wedding ceremony. If either the bride or groom has been divorced, a personal conference between the pastor and the divorced party may be required prior to the pastor’s agreement to perform the ceremony.

Or, as the size of the two signs seem to indicate, is the emphasis really on sports and fitness?  That would be healthier than stuffing people full of religious dogma.

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I always tear up when I browse the greeting card aisles.   It brings back memories of relatives who are no longer alive.    No grandmas and grandpas, no mom or dad to remember with a card on special occasions.   As one grows older there are less relatives from previous generations to whom we can send a card.    However, we can “pay it forward.”

Ralph Waldo Emerson , in his essay "Compensation", wrote: "In the order of nature we cannot render benefits to those from whom we receive them, or only seldom. But the benefit we receive must be rendered again, line for line, deed for deed, cent for cent, to somebody."  So since I have had grandchildren, I send a Mother’s Day card/gift to their mothers and on Father’s Day to their fathers.   I send cards to my children, their spouses, and my grandchildren on special occasions.

Cynics will say that holidays are created so that greeting card companies can make money.   I will agree that many of the newer special days may have been created for that purpose.   However, traditional days such as birthdays, Mother’s and Father’s Day, anniversaries, births, deaths, etc. are just special times to say nice things to our friends and family that we might not get around to saying if there were not a special day set aside for it.  

Another tradition that I like to honor is Memorial Day which was designated as a time to honor the fallen in service to our nation.   My grandmother called it Decoration Day.  She always picked her pink peonies (which she pronounced “pinies”), put them in canning jars, and she, my mother, and we kids would drive to the cemetery a couple of miles down the road to place them on the graves of her husband (my mother’s father), her parents, and other friends and relatives.   

Her husband had died young and left her with two little girls ages seven and four.    The four-year-old was my mother.    She had planted a pink peony bush by his gravestone.    I was saddened when a couple of years ago I visited the grave and someone had sprayed chemicals on it and killed it.   I hope when I go back this year it has recovered.  

Yes, I like to make the pilgrimage to New Bethel Cemetery in southern Indiana about a hundred miles south of Indianapolis near the time of Decoration Day every year to place flowers on the graves of my ancestors.   Buried in that cemetery are my parents, both sets of grandparents, and three sets of great-grandparents plus several other relatives.    It is a trip down memory lane to walk among the headstones and read the names.   It brings back memories of the congregation and neighbors at New Bethel EUB church which used to be across the road from the cemetery.  

As a secular humanist, I don’t worship my ancestors as some religions do. I don’t think they are looking down on me from heaven and know if I am remembering them or not.    However, it is a time to reflect on life and the memories of those who have influenced me.    It is a time to think of debts owed and gratitude felt.   It is a reminder   to “pay it forward” in the present and future.

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