WASHINGTON (CNN) — The Supreme Court Monday upheld the legality of an internal White House office that forcefully pushes federal aid for religious charities, a case with an unusual nexus of constitutional, financial and political implications.By a 5-4 vote, a conservative majority concluded taxpayers did not have “standing” to challenge in court the discretionary spending authority of the executive branch for its Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives (OFBCI).An atheist and agnostic group from Wisconsin claimed the Bush administration had given churches and religious groups an unfair advantage in access to federal grant programs.The justices on both sides of the debate treaded boldly over broader constitutional questions, including the limits of government endorsement of religion. The Constitution forbids any law “respecting the establishment of religion,” but judges and politicians have been at odds for decades over a permissible degree of separation between church and state.The White House hailed the decision”This ruling is a win for the thousands of community and faith-based nonprofits all across the country that have partnered with government at all levels to serve their neighbors,” White House spokesperson Emily Lawrimore said. “Most importantly, it is a win for the many whose lives have been lifted by the caring touch and compassionate hearts of these organizations.”

Folks, this is very bad news. It gives immunity to the President to break the law (it’s not breaking the law anymore) by simply choosing to give money to religious institutions, but not secular ones. This case may change everything. We can’t stop the huge gush of tax money going to churches, we don’t even have the right to sue.Bad day. All Bush.http://www.supremecourtus.gov/opinions/06pdf/06-157.pdf

Pagans to Rally for Religious Rights in Front of the White House on July 4th WASHINGTON, June 21 /PRNewswire/ — A group of Pagan religious leaders from diverse denominations will gather in Lafayette Square Park on the Fourth of July to advocate for a Pagan military chaplain, request more approved Pagan religious symbols from the Department of Veterans Affairs and call for universal freedom of religious expression. Rev. Barry Lynn of Americans United for Separation of Church and State will also address the crowd. “Until Pagans have the same rights as Presbyterians and Pentecostals, religious liberty is not safe in America. The Framers of our Constitution mandated no preference for any one religion over another or for all religion over secularist beliefs.” Earlier this spring, attorneys from Americans United facilitated a settlement with DOJ lawyers representing the Department of Veterans Affairs to end a ten-year struggle over displaying the Wiccan Pentacle on veterans’ memorial markers and plaques. Rev. Selena Fox of Circle Sanctuary, plaintiff of the federal religious discrimination lawsuit which settled the case, says “The Veteran Pentacle Quest victory has demonstrated the power Pagans can have when we work together, and with those of other paths, to uphold religious freedom. United we stand. United we win!”

Yes, I know. They are theists, and yes, they’re a bit of an odd bunch. But we MUST support them wholeheartedly for two reasons: 1) It helps keep Christianity in its place, with other religious beliefs, and 2) because the Pagans are 100% right, and helping them is the right thing to do.If you’re in the area, there is nothing more patriotic than protesting for a good cause in Washington DC on July 4!

http://news.aol.com/topnews/articles/_a/father-kills-300-pound-bear-with-log/20070622182209990001

HELEN, Ga. (June 22) – A 300-pound black bear raided a family’s campsite, and the father saved his sons from harm by throwing a log at the beast, killing it with a single blow. Chris Everhart and his three sons were camping in the Chattahoochee National Forest in northern Georgia when the encounter happened Saturday. The bear took the family’s cooler and was heading back to the woods when the youngest son, 6-year-old Logan, hurled a shovel at it. The bear then dropped the cooler and started coming at the boy, said his father. Fearing what might happen next, Everhart, an ex-Marine , grabbed the closest thing he could find – a log from their stash of firewood. “(I) threw it at it and it happened to hit the bear in the head,” Everhart said. “I thought it just knocked it out but it actually ended up killing the bear.”

Wow. There’s macho and then there’s macho. I don’t know what this guy’s philosophical/religious beliefs are, but he wins the “Quien es mas macho” contest.The Villiage People and Billy Chrystal should be proud.

http://www.abc.net.au/pm/content/2007/s1952996.htmEVOLUTION V. CREATIONISM DEBATE RAGES ON

“MARK COLVIN: If the philosophy of science was ever an ivory towerpursuit, it’s hardly that now, especially in the world of biology.The long-running battle between evolution scientists and creationistshas seen to that. Michael Ruse is a British-born philosopher ofscience who’s taught for most of the last four decades in Canada, butis now Professor of Philosophy at Florida State University. He’s aveteran of the evolution science versus creation wars, and he’s beenin Australia for a big conference of evolutionary scientists. I askedProfessor Ruse first about the successive opinion polls showing that amajority of Americans were creationists who believed that every wordin the Bible was strictly accurate.”

Today is the longest day of the year: a celestial event celebrated through the ages. Take a few moments if you can, and take a nice sunset walk with someone important to you — at about 9pm.