Sunday, May 29, 2005

What Happened to Freedom of Religion?

A Marion County, Indiana judge's unusual order prohibits a divorced couple from exposing their child to "non-mainstream religious beliefs and rituals." The parents are Wiccans, members of a neo-pagan religion that emphasizes a balance in nature and reverence for the earth.

It's unbelieveable that in the 21st Century, a court can decide what religious exposure is best for a child despite the agreement of both parents on what it should be.

Hopefully, the appeal will be reviewed by a judge without a personal agenda and this blatantly unconstitutional decision will be reversed.

Saturday, May 28, 2005

Rev. Lovelace Should Be Flushed

Rev. Creighton Lovelace, minister of the Danieltown Baptist Church in Forest City, North Carolina, put up a sign at his church that states "The Koran needs to be flushed." I submit that it is Mr. Lovelace who needs to be flushed --- flushed from his church by his congregation.

We live in a country with religious freedom. You don't have to agree with or follow another person's religion, but you should at least show it and them some modicum of respect. As a non-Christian, the Bible is no more than "just another book" to me. How would Mr. Lovelace respond to a sign in my yard saying that the Bible should be flushed? I doubt he would be as tolerant of that behavior.

Mr. Lovelace is showing ignorance and intolerance of a level which is inexcusable as a church leader. Instead of promoting a positive message on his church signboard, he has to resort to bashing another religion. These are the tactics of those who can't defend their own religion on its own merits.

Obviously, Mr. Lovelace's congregation can do as it pleases, but if that kind of behavior was going on at a church I attended, I'd move to have him fired.