Friday, November 23, 2012

Thanksgiving Week Links (but none about Thanksgiving!)

Does the FFRF have a chance against the IRS?  They took the bait from brazen preachers who scoffed at the law, and now it's up to a federal court to set things right.  The other side says:  "I don't know how the FFRF can claim it's been harmed by the IRS."  Uhhhhhh anyone who is a taxpayer paying on the national debt has been harmed by money not being raked in.  We'll see...
“I think the lawsuit itself really borders on frivolous. I don’t know how the FFRF can claim they’ve been harmed by the IRS‘ refusal to enforce the Johnson Amendment,” Mr. Stanley said. “But, on the chance it does, then we will seek to protect those churches.”

Read more: Atheists sue IRS for ‘Pulpit Freedom Sunday’ - Washington Times http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2012/nov/15/atheists-sue-irs-for-pulpit-freedom-sunday/#ixzz2D6Ky9Bdv
Follow us: @washtimes on Twitter
“I think the lawsuit itself really borders on frivolous. I don’t know how the FFRF can claim they’ve been harmed by the IRS‘ refusal to enforce the Johnson Amendment,” Mr. Stanley said. “But, on the chance it does, then we will seek to protect those churches.”

Read more: Atheists sue IRS for ‘Pulpit Freedom Sunday’ - Washington Times http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2012/nov/15/atheists-sue-irs-for-pulpit-freedom-sunday/#ixzz2D6Ky9Bdv
Follow us: @washtimes on Twitter
 

The Economist looks at atheism in Islamic countries.

A Washington Post blogger talks about life as an atheist in Saudi Arabia.  It's enough to make me grateful for the First Amendment, among other perks of being born in the U.S.A.

A new book titled Christianity, Islam, and Atheism gets a pro-Christianity spin here.  The book is published by Ignatius Press, so guess how atheists fare?  (The publisher's video is hilarious)

Fundamentalists in The Netherlands gain ground in local elections.  These fundies are even worse than American fundies: they don't believe women should have the right to vote!

Tibetan Buddhists continue to self-immolate in protest.  China is not only unimpressed, it's angry at the Dalai Lama for not putting a stop to it.  If China does nothing and his supporters continue to commit suicide, isn't China right to just wait it out?

More Baptists who wish they were Episcopalians:  offended by racist pastor, parishoners petition for help from the Southern Baptist Association.  Isn't local hiring and firing of pastors a principle of Baptist theology?  These people will have to do what other disgruntled protestants have done:  start their own church and find a pastor who will tell them what they want to hear (which in this case is better).

Is Egypt backing away from the edge?   I couldn't find the clip but I heard a great quote on CNN: Egyptians had chosen an Islamist only because the alternative was from the old guard, which was a tyrannical rule.  And now their Islamist president is threatening them with the same kind of suppression they had just rid themselves of.  Perhaps there will be a Second Arab Spring, at least for Egypt.

Having read a little about Middle Eastern archaeology, I was reminded this week that layers in cities or settlements are dated based on burn residue.  Egypt, Gaza, and Aleppo are adding another layer this week.



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