A Clarion Call—and a Bombshell?—on Obama and Church-State?

February 09, 2012

A February 9th essay on Salon.com by ACLU Legislative Counsel Dena Sher casts down the gauntlet, presenting the case for Barack Obama positioning himself as a more secular president, perhaps picking up support from mainstream believers uncomfortable with religious-right posturing. Take, for example, those tens of millions of U. S. Catholics who, unlike their 271 bishops, apparently think contraception is just fine. Ms. Sher also included what may be a bombshell.

More on Hosanna-Tabor

January 13, 2012

The U. S. Supreme Court's curious decision in Hosanna-Tabor endorsing an amorphous ministerial exemption against Federal employment law leaves me conflicted. As a secularist, I regret any court finding or legislation that broadens religion's power vis-a-vis a secular polity. Still, as I understand the First Amendment and its unique religion clauses, the Supremes probably did the right thing -- though I wish the Justices had found a way to do it that seems less certain to catalyze a tsunami of new employment litigation.

What are your helladay plans?

December 05, 2011

Well, the Some People's Favorite Holiday Season is upon us again. How to you plan to observe -- or not observe -- the "helladays"?

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7 Billion? Yikes!

November 04, 2011

A less sanguine view of the arrival of Baby #7 Billion.

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Take a Trip on the Freethought Trail

September 13, 2011

A Council for Secular Humanism project highlights the rich radical-reform history of the region surrounding the Ingersoll Birthplace Museum.

The Ultimate Faith-based Initiative, Ten Years On

September 09, 2011

Sunday marks the tenth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. Rivers of ink, actual and virtual, have already been spilled about it. But I'd like to add one perspective that, on my view, has not been represented nearly enough.

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