Friday, March 04, 2005

Battling Your Best Defender

Today on the local TV news here in Colorado Springs there was a section on religious liberties and views expressed fairly I might add, from the religious right concerning the ACLU and the harm they have done to religious history and religious founding in our history and the keeping of that heritage in our society. I understand the views of religious peoples to keep and hold their pride, and in my opinion that is what they are doing holding their pride above others the little few ones that might be different to them in religious culture. Society’s public concerns are for those many inclusive of others of differences not exclusive to the majority being Christian undoubtedly across these nations’ cities, towns and county seats.
The bible says something about pride; ol wives tales says some things about pride. Maybe those with granny sayings or biblical knowledge can give light on pride. Being proud is a good thing but sometimes a bad thing.
I feel it is entirely up to the concerned community of a community to hold its own heritage, not the whole of society to keep one community its heritage. If Christians want to claim the creation of a sustainable democracy within a republic they should educate them selves about individual rights and how those rights namely religious freedom rights help hold their own rights to free expression stay in tact, and allows for them whom ever and what ever religious doctrine they study from free, up held by this nations laws. Other wise this nation’s law might be guided by a different religion other than that which they choose to worship thru.

Americans United Criticizes House Approval Of 'Faith-Based' Job Bias
House-Passed Bill Would Allow Religious Discrimination In Federal Job-Training Programs

Thursday, March 3, 2005
House-Passed Bill Would Allow Religious Discrimination In Federal Job-Training Programs

Americans United for Separation of Church and State says the House of Representatives was wrong to approve a job-training bill that would allow publicly funded religious agencies to hire and fire workers based on their religious beliefs.
Americans United had urged the House to reject the Job Training Improvement Act unless it was amended to ensure that workers could not be discriminated against on religious grounds in federally supported social service programs.
On Wednesday evening, the House voted 224-200 for the bill, after turning down an amendment to protect the civil rights of workers.
"The House vote is a stark reminder that our civil rights and civil liberties are in peril," said the Rev. Barry W. Lynn, executive director of Americans United. "For years, this job training law has protected the religious liberty of all employees. Now, that protection is being jeopardized.
"The battle is not over yet," Lynn continued. "We believe the Senate will not be willing to jettison these long-standing civil rights protections."
U.S. Rep. Robert C. Scott (D-Va.) introduced an amendment to restore civil rights protections to the bill. His proposal was defeated by the House on a 239-186 vote that fell largely along party lines.
In a Feb. 15 letter to representatives, Americans United's Lynn reminded lawmakers that when President Ronald Reagan signed the job-training bill into law in 1982 it contained the safeguards against employment discrimination based on religion.
"This twenty-three year old provision has worked well since the inception of this program, allowing religious organizations to provide government-funded services while maintaining America's bedrock commitment to protecting both civil rights and religious liberty," Lynn wrote.
Lynn said he hoped the Senate would show greater concern for workers' civil rights.
"We call on the Senate to restore to the nation's job-training bill civil rights protections for all Americans," Lynn said.
Americans United is a religious liberty watchdog group based in Washington, D.C. Founded in 1947, the organization educates Americans about the importance of church-state separation in safeguarding religious freedom.



Wonder

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Thursday, March 03, 2005

Voices to Listen too, Words to Read, One Stands Out

Of all I have read from my e-mail list one pulls things together, looking back on political and religious issues of morality, thru eyes of true compassion.
Sister Joan Chittister is wise and brave there is no doubt, a voice to listen too, a writer of words to read and learn to be more compassionate and understanding.

Wonder

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