09 April Religion and Atheism News Digest

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atheism, bible, christianity, churches, courthouse, death, ethics, evolution, facts, gay, going clear, good, house, indiana, jehovah's witnesses, john travolta, l ron hubbard, liberty, louisiana, nativity, obama, official, paganism, pastor, politics, rand paul, rational, religion, religious, salary, satanic temple, school, senate, sexual, SOCAS, survey, taxpayers, teacher, tennessee, termination, USA

Why Atheism Is a Force for Good

I could say that atheists do good deeds in the world. I could write about atheists who support each other in community, or who’ve given money and time to help the needy.

How Rational Do People Think They Are, and Do They Care One Way or Another?

Most survey takers seemed to feel positively about rationality and to consider it beneficial; the majority did believe that thinking rationally is important, and felt they were rational.

How to Get Religion Out of Politics

As long as people are religious, religious people will influence politics. They’ll do it the way everyone else does: by organizing, by campaigning, and by selecting candidates who reflect their values.

What Good is Paganism?

Wicca (my flavor of Paganism) is something that’s very real to me. I can feel the energy in a room when I practice it, and feel close to Goddess and God.

John Travolta Defends Scientology: The Church Has Been “So Beautiful for Me”

The prominent Scientologist called “Going Clear” a product of “people who were disgruntled with their experiences.”

Opposition to Scientology Plan for Ex-Presidential Retreat

Several citizens expressed opposition to turning the camp near Thurmont into a Narconon residential treatment center. The program is based on methods developed by Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard.

Obama to Call for End to ‘Conversion’ Therapies for Gay and Transgender Youth

President Obama is calling for an end to such therapies aimed at “repairing” gay, lesbian and transgender youth.

Taxpayer-Funded School Fires Teacher For Being Gay, Citing “Awesome God” As Inspiration

When the teacher confirmed that she had a girlfriend, the director told her that she was living a life of sin.

Black Pastor Who Spoke At Rand Paul’s Rally: Obama Will “Evolve” From Christianity

“In five years we’ll find out what [Obama’s] real religion is.”

Average Pastor Salaries in United States Churches

What are the average pastor salaries in the U.S?  Are they comparable to what work a pastor puts in?

FLDS Members Mob Former Follower Who Won Custody of Her Children

It became a tense situation when a Utah mother and former member of the Fundamentalist Church of Latter-Day Saints tried to retrieve her four children from the church-dominated community.

Why Doctors Let a Jehovah’s Witness and Her Unborn Baby Die

The pregnant Jehovah’s Witness came to a Sydney hospital with leukemia and a directive against blood transfusions, a decision stemming from her religious beliefs.

House, Senate Committees Pass Bill to Make Bible Official TN Book

Senate and House committees overwhelmingly approved measures Tuesday that would designate the Bible as the official book of Tennessee, despite reservations raised by religious leaders and some lawmakers.

Humanist Group and ACLU Slam Oklahoma School Officials After Teacher Distributes Bibles in Class

A teacher violates the separation of church and state by pressuring her students to take Bibles.

Satanic Temple Sues Indiana County Over Courthouse Nativity Scene

The lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court in the Southern District of Indiana late last month. It is the latest of several challenges to local ordinances governing religious speech on public lands.

Must Christianity Change Its Sexual Ethics?

What rocked the early 20th century was the call of many church leaders to adapt the Christian faith to the scientific age of discovery.

Religious Liberty War Moves to Louisiana, with Press Still Struggling with Basic Facts

In case you haven’t noticed the tidal wave of ink, there is no sign that the Indiana wars – with outbreaks of fighting in Georgia and Arkansas – will end anytime soon.