On the Supremes: For all their many failures (including the presidential coup in the last election), the Supremes haven’t been so horrible on church and state. In the 90’s, for example, they struck down “student-led” prayers at even extracurricular activities (like football games; did I mention that case originated in Texas?), and struck down the “Religious Freedoms Protection Act.” Of course, Father-of-the-Priest Scalia will be his usual god-fearing fag-bashing self; and Rehnquist and his lapdog Thomas will go along. So, unless they decline the appeal on some technicality (like claiming the non-custodial dad didn’t have standing to bring the case), Pollyanna goes on record saying that the good guys are gonna win 6-3. Uncle Ron cautions her against undue enthusiasm, but will go with 5-4, good over evil.

I’m such a ray of cheerful sunshine today.

Anyone wanna bet?: Supreme moment for the Pledge

WASHINGTON - The Supreme Court meets behind closed doors today to consider nearly 2,000 appeals that arrived during the summer, none messier or potentially more significant than the case of the Pledge of Allegiance and the Sacramento father who wants the words “under God” removed from it.

OK, I confess, I watched “Joan of Arcadia”. After all, I’m a student of religion-in-pop-culture, right? Anyway, it wasn’t so horrible as TV goes, and the God stuff wasn’t oppressive — it was just some other variant on supernatural visions. Like Cordelia on “Angel”, but less hot. But a couple of comments on peripheral points.

1. In ‘God’s Available to All of Us’: Barbara Hall, creator of the new CBS drama ‘Joan of Arcadia,’ talks about her most dangerous idea’ (”dangerous idea”?), Ms. Hall responds to a question about the science-geek brother character by saying “We don’t realize that science is a very spiritual concept. There are aspects of it that are completely in line with spirituality. Theoretical physics to me is just the math of God. I didn’t make that up — Einstein thought so.” Hey, wasn’t that kind of what old Al said “was, of course, a lie what you read about my religious convictions, a lie which is being systematically repeated. I do not believe in a personal God and I have never denied this but have expressed it clearly”?

2. They use “(What if God was) One of us” as the theme song (the big 90’s hit for Joan Osborne). Fine tune. Pleasantly ambiguous in its theology or lack of. Not hard to hear it as “instead of the God crap, try applying that impulse to actual humans”. In this context, of course, it doesn’t sound that way at all. But the person who wrote it was Eric Bazilian (would I make up that name?) of The Hooters, and sometime Joan Osborne guitarist. Bazilian is a Jewish-raised Quaker-educated agnostic. I’m thinking my read of the song is way closer than the one implied here.

Since we’re on Luther, here’s a classic site: Positive Atheism’s Big Scary List of Martin Luther Quotations. Oh yeah, he’s just a HOOT…

Luther (the movie) has opened — a Lutheran-backed look at the life of the “brave reformer”. In honor of this, a couple of nice quotes from Martin Luther, On the Jews and Their Lies (1543):

What shall we Christians do with this rejected and condemned people, the Jews? Since they live among us, we dare not tolerate their conduct, now that we are aware of their lying and reviling and blaspheming. If we do, we become sharers in their lies, cursing and blasphemy. Thus we cannot extinguish the unquenchable fire of divine wrath, of which the prophets speak, nor can we convert the Jews. With prayer and the fear of God we must practice a sharp mercy to see whether we might save at least a few from the glowing flames….

First, to set fire to their synagogues or schools and to bury and cover with dirt whatever will not burn, so that no man will ever again see a stone or cinder of them. This is to be done in honor of our Lord and of Christendom, so that God might see that we are Christians, and do not condone or knowingly tolerate such public lying, cursing, and blaspheming of his Son and of his Christians.

And that’s Marty “The Jewslayer” Luther, hero to Protestant Xians everywhere.

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This sabbath’s thought of the day: “If Jesus had been killed 20 years ago, Catholic school children would be wearing little Electric Chairs around their necks instead of crosses.” [Lenny Bruce]

Nice little “interfaith” Thanksgiving in Grand Rapids. More people than they know what to do with. But now the Xians are pulling out. Why? Because “We wondered how that fit with the Christian belief there is only one God and that Jesus Christ is the only way to him… how on earth you could worship side by side with folks who were worshipping a different God or worshipped not God at all?” according to local Rev. Stanley Mast. Or as local Rev. John Vanderstoep said, “It is dishonest for a Christian to pray with an atheist, Muslim or Buddhist… We mislead them to say, ‘Hey, all roads lead to God… we don’t believe that.”

Go Xian idiots, what with the intolerance and lack of cooperation. You should have that view, because those other routes — Buddhism, say — lead to eternal damnation and hellfire. That’s the view, kids. No namby-pamby “let’s all just get along”. 2 consistency points for the intolerant and despicable Xian morons: Split ends Thanksgiving ecumenical service

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