americanatheists

The Government Accounting Office studied government funding for Faith-Based Organizations at five agencies. A report on the study is linked to in the title to this posting. From there, you can download the 89 page GAO report if you wish.So is the Administration monitoring the work of FBOs to determine whether taxpayer money is funding proselytizing? Are the efforts of FBOs working? The answer to both questions is, of course, no.Rep. Pete Stark, D-CA, said “The Bush administration has failed to develop standards to verify that faith-based organizations aren’t using federal funds to pay for inherently religious activity or to provide services on the basis of religion.” I almost lost my lunch when I read that the President issued Executive Order 13397 on March 7, 2006 to create a Center for Faith-Based and Community Initiatives in the Department of Homeland Security. Apparently in the war against terrorism on the home front, we don’t have a prayer so the President is giving Xians money to provide us with one.Peter Nuhn,bomb thrower extraordinaire

Once again, I find the sin of greed to be hilariously funny.I guess when you start dealing with millions of dollars in property and investments such as that experienced by the religious organizations of America, you just have to attract the unscrupulous. The truth is I have never personally been scammed. Reason is that the gene for the necessary greed factor is just plain missing in me, which protected me during my younger naive period. Today it is because I am smart enough to know when someone is feeding me a line of bullsh^&.In case you have to register with the SacBee and don’t wish to go through that exercise, here is the same story in the ReligiousNewsBlog.Peter Nuhn

Just in case anyone out there thinks I am too serious, check out the link to the blog in the title to this posting. I really feel called upon by that invisible magician in the sky to point out as many absurdities about the huge population of religious in this world as I can find.But then again, they keep giving me so much ammunition to use against them, I really believe I will need all ten dimensions to accomplish this task.But when NPR reported last week that Shiite militias were killing goat herders for not putting nappies on their more sexually enticing goats, well the level of religious ignorance just reached all the way to heaven.Oh and lest we forget, there are also the ones who firebombed a grocery store and killed the grocers for arranging vegetables in sexually suggestive manner.Peter Nuhn

OK, it’s not exactly high-speed, but I do in fact have limited connectivity here at Camp Quest.Having a wonderful time, wish you were here. We have about 20 kids here from ages 8-14 and I am very pleased to say we’re all getting along great. The weather is wonderful if not a little chilly at night, and the activities are numerous.What I am very pleased to see is that these kids are educated and opinionated. They are not drones having been indoctrinated by their parents and spouting dogma about Atheism. These kids think on their own and mean what they say. And their proud of it.Camp Quest is not so much about Atheism as it is about fun with Atheists. It’s a social event first, and if the kids learn a bit about science or our founding fathers, all the better. I highly recommend Camp Quest to any parent!

Please read the article linked to in the title to this posting by Judith Davidoff.The Xian proponents of these state laws to define marriage between a man and woman are once again lying to the public about the reasons for passage of these despicable anti-civil right laws.The Xian proponents state that the laws will have no effect on any existing health insurance provisions provided to same sex partners or other work place benefits. Then after passage, the benefits are being eliminated. Bait and Switch by Xian leaders to once again limit the civil rights of another minority in America.:’( too bad they will never learn to love their neighbor.Peter Nuhn

The Nation reports that a new Xian Zionist organization has hired a lobbyist in Washington, DC that is working to aid AIPAC lobbying. The Xians believe that they are aiding Armageddon by helping Israel against the Moslems.This particular group is founded by John Hagee from San Antonio who heads a nearly 18,000 member church. He not only believes in the End Times, but is actively seeking to help them along.The apocalypse has been prophecized for the past five thousand years (see http://www.abhota.info/end1.htm ) and it still has not happened. I wonder why?Peter Nuhn

Folks, tomorrow is my 40th birthday, and the day I take off to Camp Quest with my daughter. If I have the time and the connectivity, and I’m not all swolen from insect bites, I’ll post from there. If not, I leave you in the capable hands of Peter Nuhn.Finally, please enjoy the meteor shower tonight and tomorrow.

ATHEIST GROUP FILES CIVIL RIGHT SUIT OVER OKLAHOMA “PRAYER BULLYING” CASEAmerican Atheists filed suit in federal court today on behalf of an Oklahoma family who say their civil rights were violated by the Hardesty , Oklahoma Public Schools and the Texas County, Oklahoma Sheriff’s Department.The daughter of Chester Smalkowski wanted to play basketball for the Hardesty Public Schools. She was forced from the team when she, an Atheist, refused to recite the Lord’s Prayer after a game as was required by the school. When the Smalkowski family complained about this unconstitutional practice, she was suspended. Further complaints resulted in criminal charges being brought against her father.Chester Smalkowski refused to submit to a request from the District Attorney to move his family out of the County in exchange for the charges being dropped. His case went to trial last month, and he was acquitted of all charges by a jury. The Smalkowski children have been threatened and subjected to discrimination for the daughter’s refusal to participate in the prayer recitation.The family is being represented in the civil lawsuit by Oklahoma City attorney Richard Rice, and by American Atheists National Legal Director Edwin Kagin of Kentucky who, together with attorney Tim Gungoll of Enid, Oklahoma successfully represented Chester Smalkowski in his criminal trial in Hardesty. Mr. Rice is a member of the Southern Baptist Church in Midwest City. Mr. Rice stated: “I have the right to pray, believe in God, attend church without fear of reprisal from any branch of any government here in America.” Co-counsel Edwin Kagin adds: “I have the right to NOT pray, to NOT believe in God, or to NOT attend church without fear of reprisal from any branch of any government here in America.” Both men, differing in their opinions in respect to theology, have teamed up to support the same legal and ideological position with regard to the First Amendment.AMERICAN ATHEISTS is a nationwide movement that defends civil rights for Atheists; works for the total separation of church and state; and addresses issues of First Amendment public policy.

I guess we have to have a thread on the terrorist activities, so here it is.My personal note is one of congradulations to those in the Brittish and Pakistani governments who thwarted the terror plot.

USA foreign policy joins with Somalia who has one of the world’s worst human rights records by refusing to ratify the UN Convention on the Rights of Children (CRC).Officially, the Bush Administration does not want to ratify a treaty that says we cannot execute our children under the age of 18, even though the Supreme Court has stopped those executions and declared them unconstitutional.The more interesting arguments are the ones employed by James Dobson and the Focus on the Family along with other religious organizations who oppose the CRC.The IHS report linked to in the title to this posting concludes with the following question: “How long will the U.S. continue to let religious organizations dictate policy and refuse to recognize the rights of the child?”Peter Nuhn