Don Ardell's Wellness Perspectives on Sex, Religion & Politics

Mr. President, Build Up That Wall!

The pervasive violations of this country's long tradition of church/state separation under President Bush were unconstitutional then and remain so today. Alas, President Obama is expanding, not eliminating, government funding for "faith-based initiatives."  This is a great disappointment, as was his invitation to the gay-bashing, fundamentalist preacher Rick Warren to pray at the secular ceremony that marked the inauguration of our 44th president.  Any praying at this civic event in the life of our non-theistic Republic is inappropriate; the prayer by this particular god-talker was outrageous.

The faith-based funding is inappropriate because taxpayer dollars are being used to sponsor sectarian religious activities and beliefs. 

Government funding of faith-based programs should eliminated.  If religious organizations want to conduct social service programs, they are free to do so with their own money.

Also regrettable is the fact that religious organizations have access to the White House to lobby for faith-based human service initiatives.

Recently, according to the Center for Inquiry (CFI), a secular organization that supports church/state separation, a meeting took place between representatives of the CFI Office of Public Policy and other church-state separation advocates and senior staff at the White House Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships.

CFI's reps expressed their concerns and disappointment over the new president's failure to repeal five Bush administration executive orders and numerous agency regulations and rulings that apply to the faith-based office. Those executive orders, regulations, and rulings permit faith-based programs to engage in religious discrimination -- using your tax dollars.

Unfortunately, it seems that President Obama will not act to prevent harmful discrimination by religious organizations that benefit from your tax dollars. Also, his plan for this illegal office fails to prevent the use of public money for construction and renovation of buildings used for religious worship. It does not bar religious organizations from proselytizing in publicly-funded programs.

While President Obama has said repeatedly that he believes in the separation of church and state. Those of us who supported him so enthusiastically might want to work hard to urge him to keep his word.

To learn what you can do, write to CFI c/o srook@centerforinquiry.net or call (716) 636-4869 ext. 427.  For more information about CFI (the source of much of this information), visit http://www.centerforinquiry.net/opp.

Be well.  Protect the wall!

A Wellness Perspective On Religion & Government - Mr. President, Raise Up This Wall Of Separation

The Freedom From Religion Foundation, with more than 13,000 members, is the largest association of freethinkers (atheists and agnostics) in the United States. FFRF has been working since 1978 to promote freethought and to keep state and church separate.

The Foundation promotes freedom from religion with a weekly national radio show, a newspaper, a freethought billboard campaign and other educational endeavors, including scholarships for freethinking students. The Foundation acts on countless violations of the separation of state and church, and has taken and won many significant complaints and important lawsuits to end state/church entanglements and challenge the "faith-based initiative."

The FFRF offers a quiz entitled What Do You Know About The Separation of State and Church?  The quiz consists of 21 questions to test your knowledge of America's vital principle that protects those who choose religion and those who prefer none.  

Here are the questions, reproduced with permission.  Most are multiple choice; some invite true/false selections.  After perusing the questions, go to http://www.ffrf.org/quiz/ffrfquiz.php for a score, assessment and background on each of the questions.  

The average score (correct answers) is 12!  Since October 12, 2000. 28,090th people have taken the test.

Do well.  Think of the test as a learning experience, also, that will boost your awareness of this wonderful constitutional safeguard against creeping theocracy.

1. The U.S. Constitution says that the United States was founded as a Christian nation, based on the sovereign authority of God

2. How many times does the word "God" appear in the U.S. Constitution?

3. How many times does the Declaration of Independence refer to Christianity or Jesus?

4. The US Constitution guarantees religious liberty for

5. Where did the separation of church and state originate?

6. What does the First Amendment say about religion?

7. The phrase "wall of separation between church and state" originated with

8. Which early colonies practiced freedom of religion?

9. The Puritans escaped religious persecution and, in their own colony, allowed religious freedom for

10. ". . . the government of the United States is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion;"  Where does this phrase appear?

11. By an Act of Congress, U.S. currency has carried the motto "In God We Trust" since

12. The Pledge of Allegiance, first published in 1892, has included the words "under God" since

13. Who made the following statement?  "Secular schools can never be tolerated because such a school has no religious instruction and a general moral instruction without a religious foundation is built on air; consequently, all character training and religion must be derived from faith . . . We need believing people."

14. In 1890, bible reading was outlawed from Wisconsin schools. Who was responsible?

15. The U.S. Supreme Court outlawed student-initiated prayers at high-school football games in 2000. Who were the plaintiffs in that lawsuit?

16. According to the "Lemon test," in order to be constitutional, a law or public act must:

17. All American Presidents have been practicing Christians

18. The U.S. Constitution says there shall be no religious test for public office

19. John Adams declared Christmas to be a national holiday

20. A president, being sworn in, is required to place a hand on the Holy Bible and say "so help me, God."

21. Since the First Amendment deals with "Congress," states are free to advance religion if they wish.

Go to http://www.ffrf.org/quiz/scripts/ffrfquiz_results.php for results.  Be well.

A Wellness Perspective On Religion & Government - Mr. President, Raise Up This Wall Of Separation

The Freedom From Religion Foundation, with more than 13,000 members, is the largest association of freethinkers (atheists and agnostics) in the United States. FFRF has been working since 1978 to promote freethought and to keep state and church separate. The Foundation promotes freedom from religion with a weekly national radio show, a newspaper, a freethought billboard campaign and other educational endeavors, including scholarships for freethinking students. The Foundation acts on countless violations of the separation of state and church, and has taken and won many significant complaints and important lawsuits to end state/church entanglements and challenge the "faith-based initiative." The FFRF offers a quiz entitled "What Do You Know About The Separation of State and Church? The quiz consists of 21 questions to test your knowledge of America's vital principle that protects those who choose religion and those who prefer none. Here are the questions, reproduced with permission. Most are multiple choice; some invite true/false selections.  After perusing the questions, http://www.ffrf.org/quiz/ffrfquiz.php for a score, assessment and background on each of the questions. The average score (correct answers) is 12! Since October 12, 2000. 28,090th people have taken the test. Think of the test as a learning experience that will boost your awareness of this wonderful constitutional safeguard against creeping theocracy. 1. The U.S. Constitution says that the United States was founded as a Christian nation, based on the sovereign authority of God 2. How many times does the word "God" appear in the U.S. Constitution? 3. How many times does the Declaration of Independence refer to Christianity or Jesus? 4. The US Constitution guarantees religious liberty for 5. Where did the separation of church and state originate? 6. What does the First Amendment say about religion? 7. The phrase "wall of separation between church and state" originated with 8. Which early colonies practiced freedom of religion? 9. The Puritans escaped religious persecution and, in their own colony, allowed religious freedom for 10. ". . . the government of the United States is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion;"Where does this phrase appear? 11. By an Act of Congress, U.S. currency has carried the motto "In God We Trust" since 12. The Pledge of Allegiance, first published in 1892, has included the words "under God" since 13. Who made the following statement? "Secular schools can never be tolerated because such a school has no religious instruction and a general moral instruction without a religious foundation is built on air; consequently, all character training and religion must be derived from faith . . . We need believing people." 14. In 1890, bible reading was outlawed from Wisconsin schools. Who was responsible? 15. The U.S. Supreme Court outlawed student-initiated prayers at high-school football games in 2000. Who were the plaintiffs in that lawsuit? 16. According to the "Lemon test," in order to be constitutional, a law or public act must: 17. All American Presidents have been practicing Christians 18. The U.S. Constitution says there shall be no religious test for public office 19. John Adams declared Christmas to be a national holiday 20. A president, being sworn in, is required to place a hand on the Holy Bible and say "so help me, God." 21. Since the First Amendment deals with "Congress," states are free to advance religion if they wish. Go to http://www.ffrf.org/quiz/scripts/ffrfquiz_results.php">http://www.ffrf.org/quiz/scripts/ffrfquiz_results.php for results. Be well.

A Critical Thinking Wellness Contest: Win A Medal And Worldwide Fame And Help Bring The World To Its Senses

America and the world are besotted with foolish beliefs fostered by cultures that undervalue critical thinking, and I'm not refering only to the popularity of religions. 

Something has to be done about the huge disregard of evidence-based reasoning. I have just the thing in mind, given my own capacity for science and reason--a contest! I think a critical thinking wellness contest will stimulate a mass breakthrough to rationality.  Such a contest can bring the people of this country and elsewhere throughot the world to their senses.

So, I hereby announce a contest. An essay contest. A 1000 word limit. Anyone can enter, including my relatives and employees of this website, college professors, celebrities, high ranking politicians, even Republicans. It's wide open. The winner's photo will be posted at this website for a day and he or she will also receive a medal. The medal will be one of my own medals won in a prestigious race. Maybe merchants will also contribute valuable prizes as word of this contest spreads.

The contest is a simple, two-part process: A) Describe a foolish belief held by a group of people in a civilized jurisdiction (let's not pick on people in underdeveloped parts of the world, like Alabama) and, B) note how such a bizarre belief might be overcome.

Send your 1000 or less word essay for this context by May 1, 2009. Send by e-mail to me at DBA@seekwellness.com.

To get you in the spirit or mood for this, here is an example of what a contest entry might look like. First, I offer an example of whacked off insane thinking, then a solution.

PART ONE: A DESCRIPTION OF A FOOLISH BELIEF

Several major league baseball players and other popular athletes wear titanium-laced necklaces and wristbands. Why?  hey claim it brings them luck. Is there any evidence for this claim? None. Is it possible that they are paid to wear the bands in order that their celebrity-based modeling will lead innocent victims to buy this product, hoping for good luck? It is. More likely, they are not paid—they are just reason-impaired. More than luck is promised or at least held out as a benefit from wearing the titanium products—the necklaces and bands might also "alleviate discomfort, enhance circulation, promote relaxation, stabilize energy flow, reduce stress and soothe tension."

I'm not making this up. See Richard Martins story in the St. Petersburg Times entitled "Wear Titanium, Play Better," April 6, 2009.

The product is touted as a "micro-titanium sphere" and an "energy transport system." It is said (by the Japanese chiropractor who promotes it) to amplify some mysterious "energy management system" and thereby make all cells more efficient. The necklaces sell for $47 and are sold at "reputable" outlets in the US, including Sports Authority.

PART TWO:  HOW THIS NONSENSE MIGHT BE OVERCOME

Anyone seen wearing this bracelet should be showered with love and ridicule. These are not mutually exclusive. Be nice to the person, be courteous and think always of his or her best interests, but have playful fun at the individual for being suckered into buying or just wearing a ridiculous product sold under the most ludricrous of claims. This warmth of loving spirit does not apply to the major league ballplayers and others who might have been paid to model this item that is a blight on human intelligence and an offense against reason. These people should be humiliated, if not prosecuted. They give prostitution a bad name. Even if they are not paid to wear such things.

That's it. That's the contest. I eagerly await your contribution. Be well—and don't buy any necklaces with titanium or you'll be hearing from me—in a loving way, of course.