Christmas Holiday OUT, Lunar New Year IN: Schools

Political correctness is the objective as public schools debate calendars, but from one district to the next, their PC goal seems elusive.

"I have come to the difficult decision to discontinue the celebration of the dominant holidays until we can come to a better understanding of how the dominant view will suppress someone else's view."
-- Principal Scott Masini, Bruce Vento Elementary School in St. Paul, Minnesota

For background, read 'Allahu Akbar' Taught in Minnesota School for Christmas

Click headlines below to read previous articles:

Jewish Mom Opposes School's Santa Claus Christmas

Angry Muslims Demand School Holiday for Ramadan in New Jersey

D.C. Muslims Force Christmas Off Maryland School Calendar

Muslims Force Maryland Schools Closed Routinely

New Jersey Atheist Official Has Hissy Fit over Christmas Tree

Atheists Help Liberal Schools in Oregon Ban Christmas Choirs

Also read Texas School Supt. Tells Atheists to Go Fly a Kite

-- From "Minnesota school bans holiday celebrations for Valentine's Day, Christmas, more" by The Associated Press 2/3/16

Bruce Vento Elementary in St. Paul is joining other public schools in opting out of holiday celebrations as school officials strive to be more culturally sensitive and inclusive. The school has a predominantly Asian and black student body, and English is a second language for more than half of its pupils, who come from a range of faith backgrounds.

In a letter to parents last week, Principal Scott Masini said his rationale was to avoid "encroaching on the educational opportunities of others and threatening a culture of tolerance and respect for all." He acknowledged it would be an unpopular decision for some.

The letter drew both criticism and support as it started circulating on social media, with some people praising the policy for its sensitivity to diverse cultures and others decrying it as political correctness. The Star Tribune newspaper in Minneapolis ran an editorial calling the decision misguided and urged Masini to reconsider.

As word spread, the school district issued a statement saying its longstanding policy "discourages programs and festivities that celebrate observances unless they are required by law." That means government holidays celebrating the birthdays of President George Washington, President Abraham Lincoln and Martin Luther King Jr., along with Veterans Day, are still OK.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "[New York] City schools to close Monday for Lunar New Year" by Diane C. Lore, Staten Island Advance 2/5/16

Mayor Bill de Blasio and City Schools Chancellor Carmen Fariña announced the addition of the new holiday to the school calendar in June.

The city school system will become only the second major urban school district in the nation, after San Francisco, to close on [the Asian] Lunar New Year.

When de Blasio announced in early March last year that the Mulsim holy days Eid al-Adha and Eid al-Fitr would appear on this year's school calendar, Lunar New Year advocates began to push to have their holiday added.

The Department of Education was able to add the Lunar New Year holiday to the school calendar by consolidating two half-days previously designated for staff administrative work, of which neither could count toward the 180-day minimum, into one full day. This allowed room for the addition of the Lunar New Year without any loss in state aid-able days.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "New York City Schools to Celebrate Lunar New Year with Day Off for First Time" by Chris Fuchs, NBC News 2/1/16

. . . the city's 12 congressional members sent a letter to de Blasio dated March 9, saying they were happy Eid al-Adha and Eid al-Fitr would become public school holidays, but were "puzzled and concerned" about why Lunar New Year was left out. Four days later, city and state elected officials held a rally outside City Hall. On April 1, legislation was introduced in Albany to amend New York's education law to recognize Lunar New Year as a public school holiday for any city with one-million people — namely New York City.

Former Queens state Assemblyman Jimmy Meng, a Democrat, was the first to propose such a bill in 2005, but it failed to gain a sponsor in the state Senate. Meng's daughter Grace, a former state assemblywoman who is now a Democrat congresswoman from Queens, also introduced legislation in early 2009 with support from state Sen. Daniel Squadron, a Democrat whose district includes Chinatown.

After several months went by without any news, more than 40 elected officials, advocacy groups, and community leaders sent an open letter to de Blasio in June, saying his administration did not keep a promise to meet before the end of May for discussions. Around the same time, the state Senate unanimously approved a bill making Lunar New Year a public school holiday.

Following mounting pressure, the mayor, who controls the city's school system with state approval, announced on June 22 through Twitter that Lunar New Year would be added to the 2015-2016 calendar. The message was published in English, Chinese, and Korean.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Valentine's Day ban touches off wider debate on school celebrations" by Beena Raghavendran and Zoe Peterson, Minneapolis Star Tribune 2/2/16

Across the metro area and the country, schools are juggling sensitivity with holiday fun as student bodies become increasingly diverse. Several schools have turned to seasonal celebrations to include all students, and some have scaled back in-class celebrations to save teaching time.

[St. Paul's] Vento school is echoing that rationale in its decision to stop celebrating major holidays, to avoid “encroaching on the educational opportunities of others and threatening a culture of tolerance and respect for all,” Masini said in the letter addressed to families. “My personal feeling is we need to find a way to honor and engage in holidays that are inclusive of our student population.”

Masini was cheered and jeered by people online. Some said fun was being sucked out of schools. He responded in a comment released by the school district Thursday. “I’m struggling with this and I don’t know what the right answer is,” he said. “But, what I do know is celebrating some holidays and not others is not inclusive of all of the students we serve.

Wayzata Public Schools no longer observes specific holidays, opting instead for seasonal celebrations, said spokeswoman Amy Parnell. Valentine’s Day is the only exception — certain schools still decide to recognize the holiday.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "St. Paul school might abandon celebration of 4 holidays" by Josh Verges, St. Paul Pioneer Press 2/1/16

The policy reads, in part:  “Schools shall discourage programs and festivities arranged to celebrate holidays and other special days, and shall strive to eliminate them, except where such observances are required by law.”

Exceptions to the policy are Veterans Day and the birthdays of Martin Luther King, George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. When school is held on those days, state law says “at least one hour of the school program must be devoted to a patriotic observance of the day.”

[St. Paul Public Schools spokeswoman Toya] Stewart Downey said Superintendent Valeria Silva supports the district’s policy on holiday observances. But the district will gather input from schools in case the school board wants to change the policy.

[Principal] Masini said the school no longer would celebrate Valentine’s Day, Halloween, Thanksgiving or Christmas . . .

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

Also read Majority in U.S. Want Christmas Celebrated WITHIN Schools: Poll

Muslims Force Maryland Schools Closed Routinely

In order to accommodate demands for observance of numerous Muslim holidays, the politically correct Howard County School Board voted to close schools for virtually every religious event under the sun regardless of the prevalence or absence of such adherents in the supposed multicultural school system of suburban Maryland.

"I strongly believe that our school calendar should be inclusive of the cultures and religions of all Howard County residents.  In a county where we pride ourselves on our diversity, we have to demonstrate that in terms of our actions."
-- Janet Siddiqui, Board Member

“Howard County is no longer majority Judeo-Christian.  We are made up of all kinds of people.  There is nothing to study in my opinion.  It's either all or none. I cannot vote for anything that is not inclusive."
-- Ann De Lacy, Board Member

“Once you open to that [long list of holidays], you have to honor every single one, and that becomes impractical in finding a way to serve school for 180 days.”
-- Ellen Flynn Giles, Board Vice Chairman

For background, click headlines below to read previous articles:

Angry Muslims Demand School Holiday for Ramadan in New Jersey

D.C. Muslims Force Christmas Off Maryland School Calendar

'Allahu Akbar' Taught in Minnesota School for Christmas

Also read Majority in U.S. Want Christmas Celebrated WITHIN Schools: Poll





-- From "Howard Co. school board expands religious holiday status quo" by Kristi King, WTOP-FM103.5 (Washington, D.C.) 1/14/16

Rejecting an option that would have kept schools open on the Jewish High Holidays, the school board voted Thursday night to also give students off days to observe [the Hindu holiday] Diwali, [the Muslim holiday] Eid and the Lunar New Year.

The move to accommodate observances of additional religious holidays only applies to the 2016-17 school year while studies are conducted.

Numbers of area school systems have been making adjustments related to observing religious holidays.

Anne Arundel County Public Schools recently decided to open schools on Rosh Hashanah in 2016 for the first time in more than a decade. Teachers aren’t allowed to give tests and exams on that day or any other day of “major religious observances” such as Eid al-Adha and Yom Kippur.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Md. school system keeps Jewish holidays, adds days off for Diwali, Lunar New Year and Eid al-Adha" by Donna St. George, Washington Post 1/15/16

The board said its action — in a unanimous 8-0 vote — was a one-year decision, for the 2016-2017 school year, that would come as the system of 55,000 students studies the issue and plans a voluntary survey of religious preferences. It asked district staff to report back with a range of options for how to implement the change.

More broadly, Howard’s action is likely to draw attention as school systems nationally struggle with how to create an inclusive school calendar — balancing fairness, logistics and legal constraints — as their communities are increasingly diverse and vocal.

Maryland state law requires schools to be closed on Christmas and Good Friday, as well as Easter Monday. Howard schools have chosen to close for the Jewish holidays since 1979, when officials said staff absentee rates of 12 percent were interfering with instruction.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Howard County adds Muslim, Hindu holidays to school calendar" by Lisa Philip, Howard County Times - The Baltimore Sun 1/15/16

. . . during a discussion at the board's meeting on Thursday night, several members expressed the need for next year's academic calendar go beyond closing schools on the two Jewish holidays, to be more inclusive of the county's increasingly diverse population and to allow non-Judeo-Christian students to celebrate their religious and cultural traditions. . . . [even though] The school system does not record the religious backgrounds of its students.

[Superintendent Renee] Foose also recommended that the board hire an independent firm to survey and collect data about students' and families' religious and cultural observances, to inform the work of the 2017 to 2018 calendar committee.

[Board member Bess] Altwerger said that she agreed with the suggestion, but that the school system should recognize Lunar New Year Eve, Diwali and Eid al-Adha in the meantime. She found sympathetic views among most of her fellow board members.

Members of the East Asian, Muslim and Hindu communities have advocated for the inclusion of their religious holidays for at least the past two school years. Eid al-Adha, an important holiday on the Muslim calendar, and Diwali, equally as important for the Hindu community, have never been recognized on the county's school calendar before.

Last year after hearing requests from the Chinese and Korean communities, the board voted to place a professional development day on the Lunar New Year in the 2015-2016 school year. . . .

Because of the need for separation between church and state, [board member Sandie] French said, holidays cannot be given to students for religious reasons, but rather must be given for logistical reasons.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

Also read Islam Lesson Closes School: Virginia Parents Fume

And read Tennessee Students Taught Muslim Prayer of Conversion

Supreme Justice Scalia: Gov't SHOULD Favor Religion

Yesterday, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia told students at Archbishop Rummel High School in Metairie, Louisiana that the Constitution does NOT, in any fashion, require that the federal government remain neutral concerning religion.

“Don't cram [that neutrality concept] down the throats of an American people that has always honored God on the pretext that the Constitution requires it.”
-- Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia

For background, click headlines below to read previous articles:

Constitution Provides No Right to Same-sex 'Marriage,' Says Justice Scalia

Scalia Says Supreme Court's New Morality Means Justice for Polygamy

Liberal Activist Judges Say Scalia Right on 'Gay Marriage'

Scalia Says Supreme Court Decision Favors Abortionists' Speech

Also read Justice Antonin Scalia vs. Judicial Activism

-- From "Scalia: 'Don't cram' religious neutrality 'down throats of American people'" by Rebecca Kheel, The Hill 1/2/16

“God has been very good to us,” Scalia said at a speech at a Catholic high school in Louisiana, according to the Times-Picayune. “One of the reasons God has been good to us is that we have done him honor.”

On Saturday, he said the First Amendment prohibits the government from endorsing one religion over another. But, he added, that doesn’t mean the government has to favor non-religion over religion.

He argued that’s a more modern reading originating in the courts in the 1960s.

If Americans want to the government to be non-religious, he said, they should vote on it instead of courts deciding.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Scalia at Rummel: God has been good to U.S. because we honor him" by USA Today Network Staff and wire reports 1/3/16

"To tell you the truth there is no place for that in our constitutional tradition. Where did that come from?" he said. "To be sure, you can't favor one denomination over another but can't favor religion over non-religion?"

Scalia was speaking at Archbishop Rummel High School at an event sponsored by the school and Catholic Community Radio as an early commemoration of Religious Freedom Day.

Scalia said that his colleagues on the Supreme Court often spend a lot of time deciding if the government favors religion over non-religion in many of their rulings.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Scalia says God is 'very good' to US because US honors him, dismisses religious neutrality" by Rebecca Santana, Associated Press 1/2/16

He also said there is "nothing wrong" with the idea of presidents and others invoking God in speeches. He said God has been good to America because Americans have honored him.

Scalia said during the Sept. 11 attacks he was in Rome at a conference. The next morning, after a speech by President George W. Bush in which he invoked God and asked for his blessing, Scalia said many of the other judges approached him and said they wished their presidents or prime ministers would do the same.

"God has been very good to us. That we won the revolution was extraordinary. The Battle of Midway was extraordinary. I think one of the reasons God has been good to us is that we have done him honor. Unlike the other countries of the world that do not even invoke his name we do him honor. In presidential addresses, in Thanksgiving proclamations and in many other ways," Scalia said.

"There is nothing wrong with that and do not let anybody tell you that there is anything wrong with that," he added.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Government can, should, support religion, Justice Antonin Scalia tells Metairie crowd" by Robert McClendon, The Times-Picayune 1/2/16

Government support for religion is not only justified by the Constitution, it was the norm for hundreds of years and it helped the United States become a free and prosperous nation, Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia said Saturday in Metairie.

The Constitution's First Amendment protects the free practice of religion and forbids the government from playing favorites among the various sects, Scalia said, but that doesn't mean the government can't favor religion over nonreligion.

That was never the case historically, he said. It didn't become the law of the land until the 60s, Scalia said, when he said activist judges attempted to resolve the question of government support of religion by imposing their own abstract rule rather than simply observing common practice.

At the time the Constitution was written, religion was ubiquitous. Scalia noted that Thomas Jefferson, who first invoked the idea of a "wall of separation between church and state," also penned Virginia's religious freedom law, founded a university with dedicated religious space and, in writing the Declaration of Independence, regularly invoked God.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

Also read Justice Scalia Says Satan is Real, Journalist Dumbfounded

Islam Lesson Closes School: Virginia Parents Fume

The mostly rural Augusta County School District in the Shenandoah Valley has been shut down due to citizen outrage over Cheryl LaPorte, a geography teacher at Riverheads High School near Staunton, Virginia, assigning ninth-graders to copy an Arabic script as an exercise in calligraphy.  After students aired concerns, the teacher admitted the translated text is the Shahada — the Islamic profession of faith.  In addition, the teacher insisted that girls in the class don a Muslim hijab (head scarf).

"There is no god but Allah; Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah."
-- The Shahada (the most sacred pillar of Islam)

For background, click headlines below to read previous articles:

Tennessee Students Taught Muslim Prayer of Conversion

Massachusetts Students Forced To Learn Muslim Conversion

Students Required to Pretend Being Muslim in Wisconsin

U.S. Schools Force Islamic Terror Singing, Posters

Teaching Christians Muslim Dress in Illinois School

Teaching Girls to Wear Muslim Hijab in California School

Georgia School: Learn Islam or Take Lower Grade

Pennsylvania School Staff to Mosque for Islamic Training

Florida School Teaches Islam Including Prayer Rugs



-- From "Prayer in Islamic calligraphy closes Virginia schools" by Ed Adamczyk, UPI 12/18/15

At issue is an assignment demonstrating the artistic complexities of Arabic calligraphy, which included the Shahada, an Islamic proclamation of faith and a common phrase among Muslims during prayer.

The assignment has drawn complaints from parents that the school is promoting Islamic indoctrination. A community meeting was organized as well.

A statement from the school system, posted Thursday evening, said the "tone and content of those communications" caused the closures, and that "a different, non-religious sample of Arabic calligraphy will be used in the future."

Superintendent Eric Bond issued a statement Friday saying . . . there was "no specific threat of harm to students."

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Lesson on Islam Shuts Down Virginia School District" by Liam Stack and Richard Pérez-Peña, New York Times 12/18/15

The district said that the number of phone calls and emails “significantly increased in volume” on Thursday as media coverage of the controversy increased. After consulting with Sheriff Fisher, the school board decided to cancel class across the entire district “based on concerns regarding the tone and content of those communications,” it said.

. . . Kimberly Herndon, a parent who has been an outspoken critic of the geography assignment, claimed on Facebook that the students “were instructed to denounce our Lord by copying this creed of Islam.”

“This evil has been cloaked in the form of multiculturalism,” she wrote, adding in a separate post that the students had been asked to write words that were “an abomination to their faith.”

“This creed is connected to jihad in that it is the chant that is shouted while beheading those of Christian faith,” Ms. Herndon wrote.

Despite the outcry, the district said it would continue to educate students about the world’s religious diversity as required by state education guidelines . . .

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Furor over Arabic assignment leads Virginia school district to close Friday" by Emma Brown and Moriah Balingit, Washington Post 12/18/15

. . . parents were outraged at what they saw as an attempt to proselytize Islam in a public school, a concern that has been echoed by parents in districts across the country over lessons about Islam. . . .

[Ms. Butterfield, a] parent in Fairfax County, Va., the state’s largest district, said her son received a similar assignment last year, when he was in fifth grade at Ravensworth Elementary; a Fairfax County schools spokesman did immediately respond to a request for comment Friday morning.

The social studies assignment asked him to read aloud the Islamic profession of faith, along with other verses from the Koran. To Butterfield, that crossed the line between teaching about religion and teaching religion.

If a similar lesson were taught within the context of any other major religion, she said – if you asked students to say that “Jesus is my one Lord,” for example – “someone is going to go bonkers over it.”

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "All schools shut down in Augusta County, Virginia, over Islam homework" by Ben Brumfield, CNN 12/18/15

Calls and emails flooded the school. Some of them demanded the teacher [Cheryl LaPorte] be fired for assigning it.

"I will not have my children sit under a woman who indoctrinates them with the Islam religion when I am a Christian," [parent Kimberly Herndon] said.

By Tuesday, like-minded parents and residents of the town of nearly 24,000 gathered in the sanctuary of Good Will Ministries to voice their grievances, including against the teacher.

As passions overflow, for fear of their potential effects, Augusta County Schools will remain shuttered over the weekend for all activities.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Augusta County school board responds to homework controversy" posted at WDBJ-TV7 (Roanoke, VA) 12/18/15

Eric Bond, division superintendent, is sending a message to parents on Friday afternoon on behalf of the school board. [excerpts:]

As a part of a high school world geography course and consistent with the Standards of Learning . . . an assignment on religion and culture in the unit on the Middle East involved an Islamic statement of faith, written in Arabic. . . .

In one class during their study of the Middle East, students were taught about the modest dress adopted by many in the Islamic faith and were invited to try on a scarf as a part of an interactive lesson about the Islamic concept of modest dress. . . .

Neither these lessons, nor any other lesson in the world geography course, are an attempt at indoctrination to Islam or any other religion, or a request for students to renounce their own faith or profess any belief. Each of the lessons attempts objectively to present world religions in a way that is interesting and interactive for students.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

Also read what happens if there's any hint of Christian prayer in public schools and read about the latest battles in the war against Christmas in public schools.

U.S. Schools Force Islamic Terror Singing, Posters

Parents across America are now attuned to politically correct Islamic indoctrination, and that means their local public schools can't get away with:  forced singing of Islamic fight songs and praise to Allah by seventh-graders at Spring View Middle School in Huntington Beach, California; forced drawing of Islamic terrorist banners at Salem (Utah) Junior High School, in the Nebo School District; and forced listening to Islamic preaching at Barron Collier High School, in Naples, Florida.

“I believe that by singing this song, the children feel comfortable believing that maybe Allah is the only god, and maybe that they should start following him.  And that I’m not OK with.”
-- Susan Negron, grandparent of student taught song

“I feel like [the Islamic preaching] was being hidden from us.”
-- Jennifer Mansfield, Florida parent

For background, click headlines below to read previous articles:

Lawmakers Counter Islamic Teaching in Tennessee

Georgia School: Learn Islam or Take Lower Grade

Massachusetts Students Forced To Learn Muslim Conversion

Students Required to Pretend Being Muslim in Wisconsin

Pennsylvania School Staff to Mosque for Islamic Training

Florida School Teaches Islam Including Prayer Rugs

Teaching Girls to Wear Muslim Hijab in California School

Celebrate Islam Day Canceled at Ohio School





-- From "Parents Speak Out After Teacher Presents Song About Islam To Seventh-Graders" posted at KCBS-TV2 CBSLA.com (Los Angeles, CA) 11/17/15

The teacher says she was trying to teach her seventh-grade class about the religion of Islam by using a catchy tune.

Using the melody of the song “This Is My Fight Song,” the teacher applied custom lyrics, such as:

“Like a sandstorm in the desert, sending camels into motion, like how a single faith can make a heart open, they might only have one god, but they can make an explosion.”

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Huntington Beach school district apologizes for use of song about Islam" by Megan Nicolai, Staff Writer, Orange County Register 11/19/15

On Tuesday, Nichole Negron posted pictures on a Huntington Beach community Facebook page showing pictures from a notebook her son brought home with drawings and song lyrics that included a stick-figure man saying, “Believe in Allah! There is no other god” and lyrics to a song that described spreading Islam. District officials said the lesson took place before Friday’s terrorist attacks in Paris.

The Ocean View district issued a statement Wednesday from Superintendent Carol Hansen saying a school administrator and the teacher met with the family Tuesday.

Ojaala Ahmad, communications coordinator for the Los Angeles office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, said while she didn’t know the teacher’s intentions behind using the song in her lesson on Islam, words in the lyrics like “explosion” were unfortunate. They might perpetuate an idea that terrorism or violence are supported by the religion, she said.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Utah School Apologizes for Terrorism Poster Assignment" by Michelle L. Price, Associated Press 11/19/15

A Utah school apologized Thursday for a classroom assignment in which students were asked to create a propaganda poster for a group such as Islamic State to understand the goals and methods of terror groups.

School officials were first alerted to the assignment when parents complained.

The worksheet said the purpose of the poster was "to help students understand the goals of terrorist groups and the methods they use to gain support."

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Utah school realizes it shouldn’t ask students to make terrorist propaganda posters" by Sarah Larimer, Washington Post 11/20/15

The front of the assignment worksheet listed “8 Reasons Young Muslims Join ISIS.”

CBS affiliate KUTV posted pictures of the assignment worksheet, which mentioned the Islamic State, and told students to create a “neat, colored, professional” poster.

“We shouldn’t be talking about how ISIS recruits, we should be discussing the events of what they have caused to figure a way of how to deter that and how to help better the world,” said the parent, Annie Langston, according to ABC News. “I thought this isn’t right, not right now.”

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Barron Collier parent says school hid Islamic preaching" By Lucas Seiler, Reporter, WBBH-TV2 (Fort Myers, FL) 11/19/15

A group of AP honors students were listening to a world-renowned expert, Omer Taspinar, discuss U.S.-Turkey relations. The district says three parents have mistaken a conversation that happened at the end of the event as promoting Islam.

[Parent Jennifer] Mansfield said her son listened to a Muslim man preach Islam, talk about the Paris terrorist attacks and how the United States needs to accept Syrian refugees.

"He thought that we as the U.S. should open our borders," she said. "He mentioned the horrific tragedy in Paris and how ISIS is not representative of Islam, but a radical perversion of it. You cannot walk into a school and speak about religious beliefs and what yours are."

[School spokesperson Greg Turchetta responded,] "When educated students begin asking educated questions at the end... and somebody asks [Mr. Taspinar] an enlightened questions, he's going to give him an answer."

Mansfield, though, says the fact that an expert on Muslim relations talked to students equates to preaching Islam. And she says the same would be the case if an expert on Christianity spoke to students during school hours.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

Also read Angry Muslims Storm New Jersey School Board Demanding Holidays

And read Muslims in Washington, D.C. Force Christmas Off School Calendar

Satanists Join Muslims in Minnesota & California

In the wake of Islamic terrorists killing and wounding hundreds in Paris, the Satanic Temple chapters in Minneapolis and San Jose are reaching out to local Muslims offering to protect them from (non-existent) ruthless American infidels.

“If there is anyone in the Minneapolis area who is Muslim and afraid to leave their home out of fear for some kind of backlash, don't hesitate to reach out to us.  We would be glad to escort you where you need to go without advertising our presence -- just big dudes walking you where you need to be.”
-- Satanists of Minneapolis (Facebook post)

“I don't live in Minneapolis, but as an American Muslim, I'm glad to see you guys take up this effort and help out a marginalized group. Thank you for doing this and building bridges between communities.”
-- Facebook reply comment

For background, click headlines below to read previous articles:

FBI Director Says Satan Leads Islamic Terrorists

Satan on Throne at Oklahoma Capitol with ACLU Help

Abortionists, Satanists Team Up vs. Missouri Law

'Minion of Satan' Defied by Florida County Official

Also read of the nationwide influence of The Satanic Temple

-- From "Satanic Temple Offers To Protect Muslims Fearing Backlash In Minneapolis And San Jose" by Ismat Sarah Mangla, International Business Times 11/19/15

Muslims in Minneapolis and San Jose, California, are receiving support from an unlikely ally: the Satanic Temple. The Minneapolis and San Jose chapters of the national organization, which describes itself as a group that “facilitates the communication and mobilization of politically aware Satanists, secularists and advocates for individual liberty,” posted to their website and Facebook pages offering to protect local Muslims who might be experiencing backlash after last Friday’s terror attacks.

Since the Minneapolis chapter extended the offer on Wednesday, the Facebook post has been shared more than 2,700 times and has been “liked” by more than 3,000 people. The San Jose chapter posted the same thing to its Facebook page on Tuesday.

“We are happy to be of service to our community. Unfortunately, we’ve had no takers as of yet,” Curt Landsman, a representative of the Minneapolis chapter, told International Business Times in an email. “We are doing this out of genuine care for our fellow men and women and not as a publicity stunt. We feel that statistically speaking, gun toting fundamentalist Christians are a much bigger threat than Muslims in our own community who have lived peacefully here for years.”

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

Also read President Obama Compares Christians to Islamic Terrorists

From "Friendly Satanists Offer Protection for Muslim Neighbors Afraid of Post-Paris Repercussions" by Rafi Schwartz, GOOD Magazine 11/20/15

Since posting their offers earlier this week, both Satanist groups have been inundated with messages of support from well-wishers, and those inspired by the gesture. Writes one commenter: “I'm a Transgender, Israeli Jew and if I were in Minneapolis I would take you up on this. Thank you for your kindness. What good people you are.” Says another: “What a lovely gesture! As a Muslim and a human, thanks dudes!” All told, the offers have racked up thousands of likes and shares across Facebook.

. . . the Satanist groups’ offer of protection makes perfect sense coming from a faith who—despite their demonic-sounding name—focuses on “encourag[ing] benevolence and empathy among all people, reject[ing] tyrannical authority, advocate practical common sense and justice, and be[ing] directed by the human conscience to undertake noble pursuits guided by the individual will.”

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

Also read Satan vs. God Is Supreme Court Justice's Decision

And read Pope Francis Warns of Satan; Media, Take Heed!

Religion or Gay Agenda: Calif. Students to Choose

In a guide by the University of California Santa Barbara titled “Homosexuality and Religion” posted on the Sociology Department’s “Sex Info Online” website, students are taught to reject religious beliefs that do not yield "full acceptance" to any sexual deviancy currently in vogue, such as tenets of the homosexual and transgender agenda.

For background, read how Religious Liberty is in the Homosexualists' Crosshairs

-- From "UCSB teaches students to reconcile faith with homosexual behavior" by Peter Hasson, Texas Campus Correspondent, Campus Reform 9/18/15

. . . It is religion’s “emphasis on pious virtue,” the guide continues, that has created a “hierarchy of purity” where polyamorous, homosexual, and extramarital sex are “labeled” as “abnormal and repulsive.”

However, the guide says, these religious views are simply the result of outdated ignorance. The guide claims that all forms of sexual orientation, gender identity, and relationships are natural, “though some religions may not see it this way.”

The university’s Resource Center for Sexual and Gender Diversity has an FAQ section, including the question “[h]ow can I reconcile my or my loved one's sexual orientation with my faith?”

The university answers this question, in part, by reassuring students that it is up to the individual to “make choices in order to reconcile religion with homosexuality and gender variance,” by either working to change their religion or leaving it altogether.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Homosexuality and Religion" by University of California Santa Barbara, Sociology Department

Religion and sexual identity are two aspects of our culture that have historically appeared to clash. Until recently, “the religious condemnation of homosexual acts, and even homosexual persons, was unquestioned.” Regular participation in organized worship has proven to be the strongest demographic predictor of whether a person disapproves of homosexual relationships or not. Yet this relationship has fluctuated immensely throughout time. Each faith holds a unique view on sexuality that has come to shape how we perceive sex. Oftentimes, these convictions are adjusted as we adapt to the diversity of sexual expressions in the world.

There are three primary stances on homosexuality in regards to religion:

    Rejectionism
    “Love the sinner, hate the sin”
    Full acceptance

Rejectionism is held mainly by Judeo-Christian denominations that embrace a more fundamental, Biblical interpretation of sexuality. This approach entirely objects to the idea that homosexuals deserve equal rights. “Love the sinner, hate the sin” holds that LGBT people should be regarded with equal amount of respect; however, homosexual behaviors are not tolerated. This modified rejectionism perspective accepts that sexuality cannot be changed but states that one can only be obedient to a higher power as long as they abstain from homoerotic activities. The full acceptance approach believes that queer people are entitled to all civil and social rights as do their heterosexual counterparts. Quakers have a long-standing tradition of accepting both homosexuals as a person and a behavior, while the Episcopalian Church has recently made a move towards this ideology.

Churches have even been created under this egalitarian ideal of full acceptance. Reverend Troy Perry founded the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches in 1968 as a part of his coming out process in his book: The Lord is My Shepherd and He Knows I’m Gay.  The advent of this Church signaled to how inclusive spirituality has grown to be. Similar to the Universal Fellowship, a majority of religions have subgroups of queer-identified members. People are able to straddle the boundary between the faith and sexuality using support groups within each faith that acknowledge gay identities and affirm the normalcy of gay piousness

For centuries, legislation has tried to restrict sexual acts ranging from sodomy to polygamy. Such harsh ordinances often stem from strict religious practices that advocate celibacy, monogamy, and heterosexuality. This emphasis on pious virtue has consequently created a hierarchy of purity where normal and healthy sex is defined as heterosexual, married, monogamous, and intended for reproduction. As a result, polyamourous and homosexual sex, as well as sex outside of marriage, were labeled as abnormal and repulsive, something that should be relegated by law.  These notions of “normalcy” are based on documents written centuries ago when mankind lacked a full understanding of the wide spectrum of sexuality. As our world progresses, we now appreciate that all forms of sexual orientation, gender identity, and relationships are natural and should be treated equally under the law, though some religions may not see it in this way.

Individuals who fall outside of this orthodox spectrum—including unmarried, polyamourous, or queer-identified people—may feel anxious that their sexuality does not perfectly align with these spiritual mandates. Some individuals feel torn between the doctrines they were raised learning and whom they grew to become. When a great deal of one’s ethics is based on a specific faith, it may directly conflict with their identity as a nonvirgin, queer, or polyamorous individual. In order to mitigate any tensions between religion and sexuality, it is critical to know that a gay and religious identity can coexist in harmony. It is 100% possible to be devout and sexually active. Being religious does not necessitate that you are completely asexual. Though an individual may not follow their religious doctrines down to the last syllable in terms of sexuality, it is still entirely possible to one’s structure life around the premises of respect and love that are a foundation for many faiths around the globe.

There is an enormous range of perspectives taken on sexuality. Here, we explore some of the most well known sects across the world.

Christianity

One of the most prominent and outspoken views on homosexuality is seen in Christianity. A letter from the Corinthians taken from the New Testament of the Bible succinctly sums up how some Western faiths choose to view sexuality: “Because of the temptation to sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband” (7:2)2. This conservative discourse has brought about many of the limitations and stigmas that revolve around sexuality in our society today. Christianity has emphasized a need to be chaste and labeled those who do not abide as sinners. It is distinctive in the premium it puts on heterosexual monogamy. A recurring theme states to “Love the sinner, hate the sin.” Homosexual couples, therefore, are excluded from the sacrament of matrimony.

Judaism

Jewish creeds on homosexuality are found mainly in the Old Testament of the Bible. Sexuality is portrayed as “a gift to be used responsibly and in obedience to God’s will.”3 Pervasive themes include the importance of intimacy and procreation in a relationship between a male and female. Infidelity and polygyny is scorned. This is because the Canaanites, a rival fertility cult, openly practiced mating rituals and temple prostitution in their culture; considering the two were enemies, Jewish law began to regulate any foreign behavior like homosexuality. Sexual variation, as seen in the Canaanites, was seen as a threat to group harmony. Queer individuals still struggle with full acceptance in this faith.

Islam

There is a great deal of variety in Islam faith regarding homosexuality, mainly due to the fact that Muslims do not have a single, central source of authority (like the Pope, for example). As a polylithic faith, it allows for a diverse range of beliefs. In general, Muslim texts take a much more sex-positive stance than most. Sexuality is first and foremost a mechanism for pleasure, and secondarily a means of reproduction (which is quite the opposite of Catholicism). Intercourse in marriage is considered the highest good of human life. Both polygyny (marriage between a man and multiple wives) and cocubinage (the practice of having a woman who lives with a man but has lower status than his wife) are sanctioned by Islam; even the Prophet Muhammad had several wives. Muslims do not follow celibacy, or refraining from sexual activity until marriage. Contraception is encouraged by law. Muhammad himself support al’azl (the withdrawal method) as a way of enjoying intercourse, though today this is viewed as an outdated method of birth control. Therefore, many within this faith support homosexuality.

To read the entire university publication above, CLICK HERE.

Lawmakers Counter Islamic Teaching in Tennessee

Parents across Tennessee are complaining of Islamic indoctrination in the new middle school social studies curriculum and so their elected representatives are reacting, prompting a review by the state Board of Education.

“In all of the homework my children have ever brought home, I have never seen the level of detail about other religions. I was completely speechless.”
-- Laura Jones, Freedom Middle School parent

"It is reprehensible that our school system has exhibited this double-standard, more concerned with teaching the practices of Islam than the history of Christianity. Tennessee parents have a right to be outraged and I stand by them in this fight."
-- U.S. Rep. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn.

"Many of our children are not being taught the Ten Commandments in school, but instead the Five Pillars of Islam and the 'Prophet' Muhammad as a sovereign to Jesus Christ. . . . Tennesseans have seen the radical side of Islam, and many have grown skeptical of this 'peaceful religion.'"
-- Tenn. state Rep. Andy Holt, R-Dresden

For background, read Tennessee Students Taught Muslim Prayer of Conversion



-- From "Parents question study of Islam in 7th grade" by Nancy Amons, WSMV-TV4 (Nashville, TN) 9/8/15

One parent told Channel 4 she believes something is out of balance when students can’t say God or pray in school, but they can spend several weeks learning about Islam.

She said her daughter is expected to know the Five Pillars of Islam but not the Ten Commandments. [Parent Laura] Jones said it’s causing confusion in her Christian-oriented home.

More than 20 pages of the seventh grade social studies textbook for the Franklin Special School District are devoted to studying Islam. That amounts to three weeks of instruction time in the classroom.

The state adopted new standards for social studies last year requiring every seventh grader to learn about Islam. They will be tested on it during standardized testing, no exceptions.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Pastor: Wilson students being brainwashed with Islam" by Andy Humbles, The Tennessean 9/11/15

Pastor Greg Locke of Global Vision Bible Church [in Mt. Juliet, TN] filmed the video in front of West Wilson Middle School, which was posted on his Facebook page. The video was also on the Parents of Wilson County Schools page.

Wilson County Schools Director Donna Wright responded on the district’s Facebook page and called Locke’s claims blatantly false and stated his video was done to intentionally incite parents and the community.

Locke, contacted Friday, did not back off statements in the video and felt curriculum has gone too far teaching fundamentals of Islam while Christianity is glossed over. He also stated students are being taught different religions worship the same God.

Locke also called a scheduled test on Islamic curriculum for Friday, Sept. 11, as a “slap in the face,” and said in the video he told parents "you need to tell your kids take an F for the class because I’d rather fail in man’s class and get an A plus in God’s class and we need some kids that have some character and stand up.”

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Education commissioner talks Islam in schools issue" by Tim Hodge, The Daily Herald (Columbia, TN) 9/13/15

Local schools have the freedom to tailor teachings as long as they align with state standards, but altering the curriculum to remove religious studies would put students at a disadvantage during test time, education officials said.

“The department (of education) helps with the training on those standards, and the assessment of those standards, and then the locals, whether that’s the principal level or the teacher level, are making decisions around the curriculum that’s used, instructional practices and strategies that are used,” [Tennessee Department of Education Commissioner Candice] McQueen said. “Certainly, we are setting that expectation, but how’s it done, what instructional practices are used, what strategies are used, what curriculum is used is absolutely a local decision.”

Because of the recent uproar over the Five Pillars of Islam being taught in schools, state social studies standards will be reviewed in January 2016, instead of 2018 as originally slated.

Educators and state officials will examine whether the instruction is appropriately balanced and review teaching standards, McQueen said. She anticipated the process will last through the spring.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Lawmakers fear Islamic 'indoctrination' in TN classes" by Dave Boucher, The Tennessean 9/10/15

. . . Parents in Maury, Williamson and other counties have expressed concerns about the class. They say their children were required to memorize the five pillars of Islam and to write "Allah is the only God" as part of an assignment, according to several local and national media reports.

Elizabeth Fiveash, director of legislative affairs for the Tennessee Department of Education, sent an email to lawmakers Tuesday in response to concerns about the curriculum. In her email, obtained by The Tennessean, she acknowledges the "Islamic World" is covered in seventh grade. But she notes Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism, Hinduism, Confucianism and Shinto are also covered in various courses throughout middle school and high school.

"The section on 'Ancient Israel' isn't called the 'Jewish World,' " Rep. Tilman Goins, R-Morristown, wrote in an emailed response to Fiveash.

"If a study of a geographic region such as 'The Middle East' were to discuss the major religions found there, so be it! But until there is a section on India referred to as 'The Hindu World,' I do not believe this favoritism toward Islam should be allowed to continue to exist."

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

Tenn. Students Taught Muslim Prayer of Conversion

Parents of Spring Hill (Tennessee) Middle School, a Nashville suburb, are outraged that their children are not just learning about world history but rather are being indoctrinated with the Five Pillars of Islam including being required to write and recite the most sacred pillar — the Shahada: "There is no god but Allah; Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah."

“I honestly don’t want my child learning about Islam at all, but if they’ve got to learn about it, I would like for them to learn about the historical aspects of it and definitely nothing about the religion … I don’t want her writing ‘Allah is the only god.’”
-- Joy Ellis, parent

UPDATE 9/14/15: Tennessee Lawmakers Counter Islamic Teaching in Public Schools

For background, click headlines below to read previous articles:

Tennessee School Visits Mosque, No Time for Church

Tennessee School Denies Teaching Islam, Slams FOX News

Massachusetts Students Forced To Learn Muslim Conversion

Students Required to Pretend Being Muslim in Wisconsin

Pennsylvania School Staff to Mosque for Islamic Training

Florida School Teaches Islam Including Prayer Rugs

Teaching Girls to Wear Muslim Hijab in California School

Celebrate Islam Day Canceled at Ohio School

Muslims in Washington, D.C. Force Christmas Off School Calendar



-- From "Public School Parents Angry After Middle Schoolers Instructed To Write ‘ALLAH IS THE ONLY GOD’" by Eric Owens, Education Editor, Daily Caller 9/5/15

Jan Hanvey, the Maury County Public Schools middle school supervisor, said telling students about the Five Pillars of Islam is a one-day segment of the seventh-grade curriculum . . . and is intended to give students a richer perspective.

Students also study Buddhism and Hinduism, the former social studies teacher noted.

However, it appears that Tennessee students don’t study Christianity per se. There is not, for example, one class day dedicated to the basic Jesus story.

Hanvey promised that students would eventually come across a reference to Christianity when history teachers reach the “Age of Exploration” in eighth grade. Then, students will hear about Christians persecuting other Christians in some countries in Western Europe.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Parents concerned over religious curriculum" by Tim Hodge, Columbia (Tennessee) Daily Herald 9/5/15

Modern events have caused “fear” of Islam, [school official Jan] Hanvey said. She compared it to the 1940s when people were afraid of Japanese culture and people during World War II.

Brandee Porterfield has a daughter in seventh grade at Spring Hill Middle School. She said her daughter brought home school materials containing the Five Pillars of Islam. While she agrees that Islam is part of history and does not have a problem with schools teaching about the religion, she said the lesson skipped a chapter about Christianity.

Porterfield said school officials moved past the chapter because it was not part of the state’s standards.

[Parent Joy] Ellis believes religion does not belong in schools, but if it is going to be taught, then Christianity should be taught because it is the most common in the United States.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Maury parents angered over Islam unit" by Greg Jinkerson, Spring Hill Home Page 9/3/15

Maury County Director of Schools Chris Marczak has asked parents concerned about a seventh grade social studies class on the history of Islam to discuss their questions in a Sept. 17 meeting with district teachers and administrators.

The issue arose over new state-mandated standards on middle school social studies about early American history. The standards were developed two years ago and implemented in the 2014-2015 school year.

Marczak said he has discussed the parental reaction with Maury County Commissioner Donna Cook and District 64 State Rep. Sheila Butt about the state standards for the curriculum.

During class time on Tuesday, [parent Brandee] Porterfield said the teacher verbally asked students about the five pillars, "And the students were reciting the Shahada."

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

Also read Texas Sharia Tribunal Judge Gives Muslim Prayer at Rodeo

And read Muslim Prayer Ends Invocation Policy in North Carolina

Obama Defends Muslims, Gays RE: Church Terrorism

Speaking yesterday at the annual White House Iftar dinner to celebrate the "Muslim holy month of Ramadan," President Obama used the occasion of last week's domestic terror attack on a Christian Bible study/prayer meeting at the Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina to castigate Christians who recognize that the Gay Agenda and the Islamic Sharia law movement both aim to end religious liberty in America.

". . . around the world and here at home, there are those who seek to divide us by religion or race or sect. . . . [but] Together we can overcome ignorance and prejudice."
-- President Barack Hussein Obama

For background, read President Obama's track record on White House Ramadan celebrations.

Click headlines below to read previous articles:

President Obama Ignores Hate Crimes Against U.S. Christians

Texas Sharia Tribunal Judge Gives Prayer at Rodeo

Islamic 'Call to Prayer' at National Cathedral in Washington D.C.

President Obama a Christian? No, Say Two-Thirds of Americans

Vice President Biden Says 'Gay Rights' Trump Religious Beliefs

Also read about President Obama's most recent, and his annual declarations of June as Gay Agenda month.

-- From "Obama Hosts Annual Ramadan Dinner at White House" by Deb Riechmann, Associated Press 6/22/15

Obama opened the White House to Muslim Americans for a traditional iftar dinner, which follows daily fasting from dawn to sunset. Ramadan ends with the Islamic holiday of Eid al-Fitr.

Obama spoke of three young Muslims who were killed Feb. 10 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, and the nine black church members killed last week in Charleston, South Carolina.

"As Americans, we insist that nobody should be targeted because of who they are, what they look like, who they love, [emphasis added] how they worship," he said. "We stand united against these hateful acts."

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

Also read Homosexualists' Terrorist Attack on Christians

From "Obama hosts Iftar dinner to mark Ramadan — and reach out to Muslims" by Steven Mufson, Washington Post 6/23/15

President Obama hosted an Iftar dinner Monday night to mark the Muslim holiday of Ramadan and to reach out to the roughly 1.5 billion Muslims around the world when much of the Islamic world is struggling with war, terrorism and economic challenges and when the United States remains embroiled in many of those conflicts.

Despite Obama's message of peace, the Middle East remains torn by conflict from the Islamic State fighters in Syria and Iraq to Saudi Arabia's air attacks on factions fighting for control of Yemen to the recent Taliban attack on Afghanistan's parliament building.

The president held up several Muslim Americans as models [including] Samantha Elauf, who went to the Supreme Court to defend the right to wear a hijab without sacrificing job opportunities at Abercrombie & Fitch. And she won, Obama noted

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

Click headlines below to read about the Sharia movement in American schools:

Teaching Girls to Wear Muslim Hijab in California School

Colorado School Visits Mosque, Enforces Sharia Law for Girls' Dress

Students Required to Pretend Being Muslim in Wisconsin

From "Obama talks religious freedom, Charleston slayings at Iftar dinner" by Susan Crabtree, Washington Examiner 6/23/15

"The Koran teaches us that God's children tread gently on the earth," [President Obama] said. "…We affirm that whatever our faith, we are one family."

Reps. Andre Carson, D-Ind., and Keith Ellison, D-Minn., the only two Muslim members of Congress, were on hand for the dinner, along with Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill.

Several prominent members of the diplomatic corps also attended, including: Lukman Al Faily, Iraqi ambassador to the U.S.; Hunaina Al Mughairy, ambassador of the Sultanate of Oman to the U.S.; Yousif Mana Saeed Al Otaiba, the United Arab Emirates ambassador to the U.S.; Sheikh Salem Al-Sabah, the Kuwaiti ambassador to the U.S., and Sami Alsadhan, the deputy chief of mission and charge d'Affaires at the Embassy of Saudi Arabia.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Obama laments 'distorted impression' of Muslims" by Ben Kamisar, The Hill 6/23/15

Obama lamented the "distorted impression" that many Americans have of Muslims.

"Here in America, many people personally don’t know someone who is Muslim. They mostly hear about Muslims in the news -- and that can obviously lead to a very distorted impression," Obama said.

He shared the story of protesters outside of an Arizona mosque who held up "offensive signs against Islam and Muslims. But when the congregants invited the protesters in to pray, some completely changed their minds.

"One demonstrator, who accepted the invitation later, described how the experience changed him; how he finally saw the Muslim American community for what it is -- peaceful and welcoming," Obama said.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

Also read Pennsylvania School Staff to Mosque for Islamic Training

From "Statement by the President on the Occasion of Ramadan" posted at The White House, Office of the Press Secretary 6/17/15

As the new crescent moon brings in the holy month of Ramadan, Michelle and I send our warmest greetings to all those observing the month of fasting in the United States and around the world.

It is also a deeply spiritual time of reflection and renewal meant to increase thankfulness and consciousness of God’s mercy. . . .

I once again look forward to welcoming American Muslims to the White House for our annual White House iftar dinner to honor the month of Ramadan and recognize the service of American Muslims from across the country.  From my family to yours, Ramadan Kareem.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

Also read President Obama Compares Christians to Islamic Terrorists

And read President Obama Honors 9/11 Muslim Heroes at White House and also he Praises Islam for Making America What It Is

Fewer Americans Claim Christian, Media Cheer: Poll

Don't believe the media headline spin . . .

In an effort to make President Obama's claim true (that America is NOT a Christian nation), the mainstream media have incorrectly hyped results of a new Pew Research survey — a poll which actually shows that MORE Americans claim to be devout Christians while formerly nominal Catholics and mainline churchgoers now more honestly report no religious affiliation.

Separately, read academic report:  Christians Will Flourish Demographically

For background, click headlines below to read previous articles:

20% in U.S. Have No Religion, yet ARE Spiritual

Secularists Revel in Aspirations of an Atheist America

Media, Secularists Revel in Reporting Failure of Christian Religion

However, Atheists & Liberals Lament Recent Supreme Court Religious Liberty Rulings

Also read Liberal Media Ignore 40,000 National Day of Prayer Events

So what is this ObamaNation?  It's a 'Fake Church,' Says Catholic Cardinal



For myriad attacks on the Bible and Christian faith, read CBS Gives Voice to Atheists, Heretics, & Apostates



From "Big Drop in Share of Americans Calling Themselves Christian" by Nate Cohn, New York Times 5/12/15

The Christian share of adults in the United States has declined sharply since 2007, affecting nearly all major Christian traditions and denominations, and crossing age, race and region, according to an extensive survey by the Pew Research Center.

The Christian share of adults fell to 70.6 percent from 78.4 percent between 2007 and 2014, with declines among all major Christian denominations.

The decline has been propelled in part by generational change, as relatively non-Christian millennials reach adulthood and gradually replace the oldest and most Christian adults. But it is also because many former Christians, of all ages, have joined the rapidly growing ranks of the religiously unaffiliated or “nones”: a broad category including atheists, agnostics and those who adhere to “nothing in particular.”

Not all religions or even Christian traditions declined so markedly. The number of evangelical Protestants dipped only slightly as a share of the population, by 1 percentage point, and actually increased in raw numbers [to 62.2 million].

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Study: Americans becoming less Christian, more secular" by Rachel Zoll, Associated Press 5/11/15

The number of Americans who don’t affiliate with a particular religion has grown to 56 million in recent years, making the faith group researchers call “nones” the second-largest in total numbers behind evangelicals, according to a Pew Research Center study released Tuesday.

Researchers have long debated whether people with no religion should be defined as secular since the category includes those who believe in God or consider themselves “spiritual.” But the new Pew study found increasing signs of secularism.

Last year, 31 percent of “nones” said they were atheist or agnostic, compared to 25 percent in 2007, and the percentage who said religion was important to them dropped.

Pew researchers said Christian losses were driven by decreases among mainline, or liberal, Protestants and Roman Catholics.

Mainline Protestants declined by about 5 million to 36 million between 2007 and 2014. Pew found 13 percent of U.S. adults are former Catholics. The study put the number of Catholic adults at 51 million, or just over one-fifth of the U.S. population, a drop of about 3 percent over seven years. In 2007, Catholics made up about one-quarter of Americans.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "American Religion: Complicated, Not Dead" by Emma Green, The Atlantic 5/12/15

. . . the survey actually reveals something more complex than a slow and steady march toward secularization. Those who didn’t identify with any particular religion were asked a follow-up question: “How important is religion in your life?” The answers reveal that this group might be churchless, but it’s not wholly faithless: 44 percent said religion is “very” or “somewhat” important to them, while 56 percent said religion isn't important to them, according to Greg Smith, Pew’s associate director of research. . . .

The survey gives at least a partial look at what the researchers call “religious switching”: People converting to other faiths, joining new kinds of churches, or ditching religion altogether. If you count switches among the major traditions in Protestantism (mainline, evangelical, and historically black congregations), roughly 42 percent of Americans no longer consider themselves part of the religion in which they were raised. . . .

This [survey] may make it sound like Christianity has entered a tailspin, but given its continued prominence in American life, that’s probably overdramatic. America is still a Christian nation, just by a somewhat smaller margin. . . .

The most important caveat to keep in mind in reading this survey is that religion, and particularly Christianity, is not losing its overall influence in American culture. Culture-war rhetoric often implies an epic battle between Christian conservatives and the creep of secularity; in general, that narrative is an oversimplification of American religion. . . .

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Nominals to Nones: 3 Key Takeaways From Pew’s Religious Landscape Survey" by Ed Stetzer, Christianity Today 5/12/15

The percentage of convictional [devout] Christians remains rather steady, but because the nominal Christians now are unaffiliated the overall percentage of self-identified Christians is decline. . . .

1. Convictional Christianity is rather steady.

Evangelicals now make up a clear majority (55%) of all U.S. Protestants. In 2007, 51% of U.S. Protestants identified with evangelical churches.

One of the primary reasons it appears as though “American Christianity” is experiencing a sharp decline is because the nominals that once made up (disproportionately) Mainline Protestantism and Catholicism are now checking “none” on religious affiliation surveys.

Nominal Christians make up a higher percentage of Mainline Protestants and Catholics than any other denomination of Christian, and this is why their numbers continue to sharply decline.

2. There have been significant shifts within American Christianity.

One of the most notable shifts in American Christianity is the evangelicalization of church in America. Fifty percent of all Christians now self-identify as “evangelical” or “born again,” up from 44 percent in 2007. In 2007, 44% of American Christians, who made up 78% of the U.S. population identified as evangelical. In 2014, 50% of American Christians, who make up 70% of the U.S. population identify as evangelical.

3. Mainline Protestantism continues to hemorrhage.

Only 45% of those raised in the Mainline Protestant tradition remain in Mainline churches. . . . If Mainline Protestantism continues its trajectory it is only a couple of generations from virtual extinction.

To read the entire opinion column above, CLICK HERE.

From "The New Pew Survey on Religion & Lament for Nominal Christianity" by Mark D. Tooley, Christian Post Contributor 5/13/15

Evangelicals are the one Christian group to have grown numerically and almost retained their population percentage, now at 25%. A growing majority of Protestants are now Evangelical, and half of all Christians now identify as Evangelical or born-again. Liberal Mainline Protestantism unsurprisingly continues its fast decline, dropping from 18 to under 15%. Catholics dropped from about 24% to 21%.

The ongoing trend seems to be that nominal, mostly non-practicing Mainline Protestants and Catholics increasingly identify as unaffiliated. Most of this group still professes belief in God, many pray and some attend church. But they no longer claim ties to a specific tradition. Less than a third, about 7%, are atheist or agnostic.

. . . Active Christianity remains robust in America. Orthodox Christian expressions are displacing declining liberal forms. But there is cause for concern and sadness, as Mainline Protestantism, once central to American life, and a unifying spiritual and civil force, recedes ever more dramatically. An America more and more torn between secularists and the spiritually ambiguous on one side, against Evangelicals and believing Catholics on the other, will be even more polarized, missing the common language that Mainline Protestants offered so effectively for centuries.

To read the entire opinion column above, CLICK HERE.

From "5 key findings about the changing U.S. religious landscape" by Michael Lipka, Pew Research Center 5/12/15

1.  Christians are declining, both as a share of the U.S. population and in total number.  . . .

2.  Within Christianity, the biggest declines have been in the mainline Protestant tradition and among Catholics. . . .

3.  The growth of the “nones” has been powered in part by religious switching. Nearly one-in-five U.S. adults (18%) were raised as Christians or members of some other religion, but now say they have no religious affiliation.

4.  . . . the decline of Christians and rise of the “nones” – have occurred in some form across many demographic groups, including men and women, older and younger Americans, and people with different levels of education and different races and ethnicities.

5.  The share of Americans who identify with non-Christian faiths, such as Islam and Hinduism, has grown modestly in recent years, from 4.7% in 2007 to 5.9% in 2014. Muslims now account for 0.9% of the U.S. adult population (up from 0.4% in the 2007 Landscape Study), while Hindus make up 0.7% of U.S. adults (up from 0.4% in 2007).

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "America’s Changing Religious Landscape" posted at Pew Research Center 5/12/15

To be sure, the United States remains home to more Christians than any other country in the world . . .

Because the U.S. census does not ask Americans about their religion, there are no official government statistics on the religious composition of the U.S. public. . . .

While many U.S. religious groups are aging, the unaffiliated are comparatively young – and getting younger, on average, over time. As a rising cohort of highly unaffiliated Millennials reaches adulthood, the median age of unaffiliated adults has dropped to 36, down from 38 in 2007 and far lower than the general (adult) population’s median age of 46.4 By contrast, the median age of mainline Protestant adults in the new survey is 52 (up from 50 in 2007), and the median age of Catholic adults is 49 (up from 45 seven years earlier).

. . . the size of the historically black Protestant tradition – which includes the National Baptist Convention, the Church of God in Christ, the African Methodist Episcopal Church, the Progressive Baptist Convention and others – has remained relatively stable in recent years, at nearly 16 million adults. And evangelical Protestants, while declining slightly as a percentage of the U.S. public, probably have grown in absolute numbers as the overall U.S. population has continued to expand.

The new survey indicates that churches in the evangelical Protestant tradition – including the Southern Baptist Convention, the Assemblies of God, Churches of Christ, the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, the Presbyterian Church in America, 0ther evangelical denominations and many nondenominational congregations – now have a total of about 62 million adult adherents. That is an increase of roughly 2 million since 2007 . . .

. . . people in older generations are increasingly disavowing association with organized religion. About a third of older Millennials (adults currently in their late 20s and early 30s) now say they have no religion, up nine percentage points among this cohort since 2007, when the same group was between ages 18 and 26. Nearly a quarter of Generation Xers now say they have no particular religion or describe themselves as atheists or agnostics, up four points in seven years. Baby Boomers also have become slightly but noticeably more likely to identify as religious “nones” in recent years.

. . . The evangelical Protestant tradition is the only major Christian group in the survey that has gained more members than it has lost through religious switching. Roughly 10% of U.S. adults now identify with evangelical Protestantism after having been raised in another tradition, which more than offsets the roughly 8% of adults who were raised as evangelicals but have left for another religious tradition or who no longer identify with any organized faith.

. . . Whites continue to be more likely than both blacks and Hispanics to identify as religiously unaffiliated; 24% of whites say they have no religion, compared with 20% of Hispanics and 18% of blacks. But the religiously unaffiliated have grown (and Christians have declined) as a share of the population within all three of these racial and ethnic groups.

. . . The percentage of college graduates who identify with Christianity has declined by nine percentage points since 2007 (from 73% to 64%). The Christian share of the population has declined by a similar amount among those with less than a college education (from 81% to 73%). Religious “nones” now constitute 24% of all college graduates (up from 17%) and 22% of those with less than a college degree (up from 16%).

. . . Since 2007, the share of evangelical Protestants who identify with Baptist denominations has shrunk from 41% to 36%. Meanwhile, the share of evangelicals identifying with nondenominational churches has grown from 13% to 19%.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

Click headlines below to read previous articles:

Liberal Mainline 'Churches' Continue to Wither as they Conform to the Decadent Culture

New Atheist 'Churches' in America Give Competition to Mainlines

Colleges Hire Humanist & Atheist Chaplains for the Nonbelievers

Congress: America No Longer a Christian Nation

Jesus' Virgin Birth NOT Worth Celebrating: Poll

America Going to Hell; Christians Lose Convictions

President Obama Provokes Second 'In God We Trust' Movement