RE: the “Brights”. I’ve been considering this, trying to let it grow on me, but I don’t like it. I’m all for the idea of coming up with a general category to include atheists, humanists, free thinkers, etc., and the name should have a positive ring to it, but “Brights” is pretty f-ing wimpy. I could get used to it, especially if the new label helped increase acceptance of non-theistic thinking, but I’m not buying the T-shirt.

Here are the Top Inspirational Hymns according to this week’s Onion STATshot:

1) Lord, Thou Art Not Made Up
2) A Mighty Fortress Is Our Lakeland Heights Community Christian Church
3) Rinsing Out the Sheaves
4) Jesus Christ, Look At This Place
5) This Cross Was Built Ram Tough
6) Mary Mary (Why Ya Buggin’?)
7) Gracious Lord On High, Toss Me a Peanut Brittle

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The first paragraph pretty much says it: (Bush Backs Religious Charities On Hiring)

President Bush called on Congress yesterday to make it easier for federally funded religious groups to base their hiring decisions on a job candidate’s religion and sexual orientation.

As an unidentified White House staffer put it:

“Why should a nice Baptist charity have to hire Jews and fags, anyway? Making them do so simply because they get federal money infringes on their religious freedom. What really matters is that they use the money to improve people’s lives by bring Jesus’ love to them.”

OK, just kidding about one of the quotes. But still. F-ing-A. (Note cleaned-up cussing to help make it through Supreme-mandated library filters.)

RE: Filter Law: What the fuck? Religious Freedom Debated in Montgomery County Schools

The Bush administration has joined with a national religious group in an attempt to force the Montgomery County school district to put recruitment fliers for an afterschool Bible club in children�s backpacks, school officials said.

The U.S. Justice Department�s civil rights division filed an amicus brief June 11 in federal court supporting the effort of the Child Evangelism Fellowship (CEF) of Maryland to promote its Good News Clubs in two Montgomery County elementary schools, Mill Creek Towne in Rockville and Clearspring in Damascus.

Just gotta love Stars and Stripes. Few Contenders So Far for Creationist’s Reward for Proof of Evolution

KENNY HILL, England � Kent Hovind has a quarter of a million dollars burning a hole in his pocket.

He�ll give it to anyone who can convince him that evolution is more than just a theory.

Looks like someone needs a lesson in logic, the fallacy of ignorance, and scientific theory…

Not directly religion, but a victory for the tight-assed, always led by the Xians: The Supremes ruled that Congress can make libraries install net “anti-porn” filters: Librarians Size Up Internet Filter Law’s Impact. Think “God is for Suckers!” might get screened out for the whole “suck” and uses of “fuck” and “ass”? Don’t be surprised.

Just in case it seems like my contempt is reserved for American Xians, I offer this bit of a religion/op-ed piece from the New Indian Express: God for the disbeliever’s soul

But atheism is not a reality, it is just a matter of convenience. When you have a spirit of inquiry, or are in search of truth, atheism falls apart. With a spirit of inquiry, you cannot deny something which you have not disproved. An atheist denies God without first disproving it. In order to disprove God, you must have enormous knowledge. And when you have enormous knowledge, you cannot disprove God! For one to say that something does not exist, one should know about the whole universe. So you can never be 100 percent atheist. An atheist is only a believer who is sleeping! In fact an atheist is someone who has a concept of God!

Uber-atheist Richard Dawkins writes in the current Guardian in support of some folks who are trying to take “brights” as the name of non-theistic thinkers, following other attempts to make some identity more masses-friendly (like, you know, gays did with “gay” in place of some of the less friendly and cheerful names). Can a “Will and Grace” style sitcom be far behind? I’m on board. See the Guardian piece here (”The future looks bright“), and the “Brights” home page at www.the-brights.net, where you can come out to the world and be proud of your brightness.ringtones cent 99ringtones eagle american baldringtones absolutley freeadon ringtone olamairtel ringtoneringtones 3310 composerde contact 19952 harrington2.99 ringtones Map