A report from SPI Coalition The New Zealand Association of Rationalists and Humanists 

by Max Wallace

INTRODUCTION
The results of the 2013 New Zealand Census has Christianity down to around 47 per cent.

Retired scientist, Ken PerrottÔÇÖs, accompanying graph charts ChristianityÔÇÖs decline in every

recent census and projects its decline to just above 20 per cent by 2030 and further, beyond

that date1. It is, of course, very unlikely to disappear altogether, but, equally, the chances of

a major Christian revival in New Zealand are very remote.

Perrott argues that citizens can ÔÇÿdouble dipÔÇÖ in the Census by being a member of more than

one group. He argues there are more responses to the religion question then there are citizens.

Given the majority of Census religion question options are Christian, those ticking more than

one Christian denomination could be, mathematically, in excess of 100,000. If that is so,

Christianity in New Zealand could now be as low as 41.9 per cent.

The New Zealand Catholic2 noted that there was ÔÇÿa stunning riseÔÇÖ in the number of people

declaring ÔÇÿno religionÔÇÖ, a total of 1.635 million citizens out of a total population of 4.24

million. They remarked ÔÇÿthe number of census respondents who identified as ÔÇÿno religionÔÇÖ or

who didnÔÇÖt answer the religious affiliation question was more than the total number who

identified as Christian. This is believed to be the first time this has happened in New Zealand

census history.ÔÇÖ

In a major address entitled ÔÇÿThe Gospel in the Decade AheadÔÇÖ published on the website of

the New Zealand Christian Network in 2011, but since removed, the national director, Glyn

Carpenter, said that the NZCNÔÇÖs agenda was partly to ÔÇÿturn the tide of secularismÔÇÖ and

ÔÇÿrebuild a marriage cultureÔÇÖ.

Three years later their agenda is in tatters with the government legislating for gay marriage

on 19 August 2013 and the Census result showing Christianity in a state of steep decline. It

goes to the credibility of the NZCN that its website makes no mention of the Census result.

SECULARISM AND SECULARIZATION

Like many hardline evangelists Glyn Carpenter confuses ÔÇÿsecularisationÔÇÖ with ÔÇÿsecularismÔÇÖ.

Secularisation refers to the on-going centuries old societal process of the fading away of

religion as a part of everyday life. Many Christian writers agree with Max WeberÔÇÖs location

of the origins of secularisation in the 16thC Reformation, the Protestant-Catholic split which

ÔÇÿallowed the freedom of the believer to think for himself.ÔÇÖ3

Briefly, it is characterised by the decline of religion as a factor shaping human life;

replacement of community by a society-wide, pluralistic, materialistic, rational culture; a

reliance on scientific modes of thinking and planning; the gradual diminution of the

supernatural as a credible idea.

A Seventh-Day Adventist author wrote in 1987, well before Dawkins, Hitchens and Harris

came to prominence, that ÔÇÿthe threat to religion in

Weekly Policy Report

by Edwina Rogers

Nine US Agencies Propose Regulations To Curtail Discrimination By Faith Based Organizations With Tax Payer Funds – SPI Comments

Melissa Rogers, the Director of the White House Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships announced on August 5, 2015, that the Obama Administration is taking an important step toward common-ground reforms that  strengthen the partnerships the federal government forms with faith-based and community organizations for the purpose of serving people in need.  Nine federal agencies issued notices of proposed rulemaking (NPRMs) on August 5th that would clarify rules that apply to partnerships between the government and faith based organizations and extend added protections for social service beneficiaries.

Ms. Rogers formerly served as Director of the Center for Religion and Public Affairs at Wake Forest University Divinity School (no longer operating) and as a nonresident Senior Fellow in the Governance Studies program of The Brookings Institution. Prior, Rogers was the Executive Director of the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life and General Counsel of the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty. In 2008 Baylor University Press published a casebook co-authored by Rogers, Religious Freedom and the Supreme Court. In 2009 President Barack Obama appointed Rogers to serve as Chair of his inaugural Advisory Council on Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships. In 2011 she was named to a subgroup of the State DepartmentÔÇÖs Religion and Foreign Policy Working Group.

Impetus for these reforms came from a diverse Advisory Council for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships (Advisory Council).  In 2009, President Obama asked this Council to make recommendations for strengthening the social service partnerships the government forms with nongovernmental providers, including strengthening the constitutional and legal footing of these partnerships. The Advisory Council issued its recommendations in a report entitled,  A New Era of Partnerships: Report of Recommendations to the President.  I had the honor of chairing this Advisory Council before I took my job at the White House.While Council members differed on some important issues in this area, they were able come to an agreement on a number of significant recommendations

In response to the Advisory CouncilÔÇÖs recommendations, President Obama signed Executive Order 13559. ┬áThe agencies are issuing proposed rules to accomplish some of the aims of that Executive Order.┬á These policies will long withstand President ObamaÔÇÖs tenure in the White House.

The proposed rules clarify the principle that organizations offering explicitly religious activities may not subsidize those activities with direct federal financial assistance and must separate such activities in time or location from programs supported with direct federal financial assistance.  For example, if a faith-based provider offers a Bible study as well as a federally supported job training program, the Bible study must be privately funded and separated in time or location from the job training program.

The NPRMs also propose new protections for beneficiaries or prospective beneficiaries of social service programs that are supported by direct federal financial assistance.  In the proposed rules, the agencies set forth a notice to beneficiaries and prospective beneficiaries that informs them of these protections.  These notices would make it clear, for example, that beneficiaries may not be discriminated against on the basis of religion or religious belief or be required to participate in any religious activities and advises beneficiaries that they may request an alternative provider if they object to the religious character of their current provider.

At the same time, the NPRMs assure religious providers of their equal ability to compete for government funds and of continuing protections for their religious identity like the ability of providers to use religious terms in their organizational names and to include religious references in mission statements and in other organizational documents.┬á The NPRMs also state that the standards in the proposed regulations apply to sub-awards as well as prime awards, and set forth definitions of ÔÇ£directÔÇØ and ÔÇ£indirectÔÇØ federal financial assistance.┬á These areas have been sources of confusion for some providers.

The agencies are encouraging interested parties to submit comments on the proposed rules by October 5, 2015.  Once those comments have been received and analyzed, the final rules will be issued.  Separate from the rulemaking process, agencies are continuing to work toward other modifications to their guidance, practices and communications strategies consistent with the Executive Order.

For each agency’s NPRM, click on the relevant link below:

Department of Agriculture

Department of Education

Department of Health and Human Services

Department of Homeland Security

Department of Housing and Urban Development

Department of Justice

Department of Labor

Department of Veterans Affairs

U.S. Agency for International Development

Sign On With SPI
We are asking all SPI coalition members to sign on to the letter linked below.  The deadline to sign on is Wednesday, October 14, 2015.

To join this initiative,┬áemail your group’s name to┬áedwina@secularpolicyinstitute.net┬áto be included. ┬áThe complete letter may be viewed here.

Sign On Letter to Eliminate Religious Exemptions For Vaccines

We are asking the Department of Health & Human Services to work with Congress and Governors to implement a nationwide vaccination policy and repeal the non-medical vaccination exemptions which currently exist in 48 states.  Philosophical and religious exemptions are given subjectively to a person who claims a sincere religious belief to be exempt from vaccinations and or from vaccinating their child, reducing the overall efficacy of vaccinations and putting entire communities at risk of preventable diseases.

Sign On With SPI
We are asking all SPI coalition members to sign on to the letter linked below.  The deadline to sign on is Wednesday, October 14, 2015.

Just email your group’s name to┬áedwina@secularpolicyinstitute.net┬áto be included. ┬áView the letter in its entirety on our website.

Senate and House Update

Congressional Republicans for months ignored DemocratsÔÇÖ repeated calls to begin talks on a sweeping budget deal. But with Speaker BoehnerÔÇÖs retirement announcement, he and other lawmakers began to make clear they want to┬áraise the debt ceiling┬áand strike a┬álong-term budget accord┬ábefore his departure.

Last weekÔÇÖs vote to keep the government funded got just 91 Republican votes, with nearly 190 Democrats joining them. Any long-term deal in the Senate would require 10 Democratic votes. HereÔÇÖs what that means:

• BoehnerÔÇÖs successor will most likely factor the whims of the very conservative House Freedom Caucus into leadership efforts ÔÇô compromise will likely become much tougher.
• Stunningly, Democrats now find themselves with more leverage than before the SpeakerÔÇÖs retirement announcement.
• With Democratic votes needed in the House and Senate, Democrats become co-equal negotiating partner with the White House and Republicans.
• You can expect Democratic leadership to insist on raising budget caps by $74 billion as part of any long-term deal.

Which departments, agencies and programs would be the beneficiaries of that increase? If itÔÇÖs going to come together, it will happen┬ávery quickly, in October, before the Speaker retires.

The Senate is in a state work week next week for Columbus Day.  Then they will return on October 19th for a five week work period that ends with the Thanksgiving break.

Food for Thought

10 percent
Less than 10 percent of the worldÔÇÖs population will be living in extreme poverty by the end of 2015.
Source: World Bank.
India’s Deadly Food Fight
Following last weekÔÇÖs murder of a Muslim man rumored to have eaten beef, Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India said that Hindus and Muslims should work together to fight poverty, not each other, as the BBC┬áreports.

Atlantic┬ápublished a must-read piece by Krishnadev Calamur:┬áÔÇ£IndiaÔÇÖs Food Fight Turns Deadly.ÔÇØ

Women In Islam Program October 13th By The Institute Of Peace

ISIS extremists in Iraq and Syria declare that Islamic scripture justifies their taking of refugee women as sex slaves. Men in some Muslim societies cite their religion in defending ÔÇ£honor killingsÔÇØ of women. In the West, many commentators proclaim Islam inherently sexist, and some governments ban the veils traditionally worn by many Muslim women. Amid the turmoil, a growing cohort of female Islamic scholars says Muslim women are marginalized not by the Quran but by patriarchal cultural practices and interpretations of their faith.

On┬áOctober 13, USIP will screen the recent PBS documentary ÔÇ£Gender Equality in Islam,ÔÇØ and host a┬ádiscussion┬áon how women can understand and advance the gender-egalitarian principles of the faith. ÔÇ£Gender Equality in IslamÔÇØ presents the work of Dr. Azizah el-Hibri, a longtime University of Richmond law professor and Islamic scholar who in 1993 founded┬áKaramah┬á, an organization that educates Muslim women about Quranic scripture. KaramahÔÇÖs executive director, Aisha Rahman, who is featured in the film, will join other experts to discuss the importance of education and other tools that women need to interpret and promote IslamÔÇÖs defense of womenÔÇÖs rights.

Weekly Numbers Report

by Deanna Cantrell

SPI is asking the U.S. Department of Health & Human services to implement a nationwide vaccination policy.  This would repeal non-medical philosophical and religious exemptions that are currently available in 48 states.  Are there any religious doctrines that are dogmatically opposed to vaccination?  If so, how prevalent are they?

A philosophical debate against vaccination can be made by anyone, regardless if that person subscribes to any given theology.┬á Laws exist in order to protect the masses, at times some philosophical freedoms must be sacrificed for, ÔÇ£the greater good.ÔÇØ┬á In this case, that good refers to the concept of herd immunity.┬á In a nutshell, herd immunity is the principle that the greater percentage of a population that is vaccinated, thus immune to a disease; the greater protection the entire population has against that aforementioned disease.┬á For this principle to work, 90-95% of a population must be vaccinated (many experts argue 95%).┬á Considering that each vaccine has its own schedule, this leaves very little room.┬á The CDC reported that the birth rate in 2013 (the last reported year) was approximately 10,800 registered births per day in the U.S.┬á Infants do not receive their first round of multiple vaccines until 2 months of age.┬á This calculates to less than 1% of the population unvaccinated at any given time.

There is a very small percentage of people who medically cannot be vaccinated, this is generally due to an allergy to a component of the vaccine.┬á Regarding vaccines containing weakened components of the disease; administering these vaccines to an immunocompromised person is generally contraindicated.┬á It can lead to infection.┬á This applies to cancer patients receiving chemotherapy, HIV/AIDS patients, patients who have received an organ donation, and even certain types of autoimmune disorders (ex. lupus, ChrohnÔÇÖs disease and rheumatoid arthritis).┬á This is due to the fact that many autoimmune disorders are treated by long-term corticosteroid therapy.┬á A major side effect of corticosteroids is immune suppression.┬á A doctor choosing to not vaccinate a patient because the vaccine will make them ill is that physician practicing the Hippocratic Oath: first, do no harm.

The final debate against vaccination is religious objection, but just how many mainstream religions actually discourage vaccines?┬á One.┬á The Dutch Reformed Church to be exact.┬á Since the 1800ÔÇÖs, this church has refused vaccines beginning with smallpox.┬á This was mostly due to early observed adverse effects of vaccines from that era…to state the obvious, medicine has since made incredible advances.┬á This was also the era when many women died after childbirth from infection because doctors did not yet wash their hands or wear gloves.

In 2013, a major outbreak of measles hit a Dutch Reformed community in the Netherlands, with 1226 reported cases.┬áOf the 1,226 cases, 176 (14.4%) had complications including encephalitis (1 case), pneumonia (90 cases) and otitis media (66 cases) and 82 (6.7%) were admitted to hospital, which should debunk that belief that measles isnÔÇÖt a serious disease.

It should be noted that some religions that normally shun modern medicine embrace vaccines for the sake of the community.┬á For example, JehovahÔÇÖs Witnesses refuse blood products even if it means their untimely demise.┬á However, since 1978 vaccines and even immunoglobulins to treat hemophilia have been acceptable.┬á A contemporary Watchtower web even page acknowledges the efficacy of vaccination in preventing hepatitis A and hepatitis B.

Christian Scientists who are known for choosing prayer over modern medicine even allow vaccinations in their church.┬á ┬áIndividual believers often forego immunization, and church members have lobbied governments for religious exemptions from immunization.┬á However, the founder of the church Mary Baker Eddy said during a 1901 interview, : ÔÇ£Rather than quarrel over vaccination, I recommend, if the law demand, that an individual submit to this process, that he obey the law, and then appeal to the gospel to save him from bad physical results.ÔÇØ┬á Therefore, the church itself has no dogmatic opposition to vaccination.

The Amish are known to shun modern society, but they, too, have no objection related to vaccines in their doctrine.  Disease in the Amish community is measured by an inability to work, rather than symptoms.  Low immunization rates in Amish communities have been attributed variously to limited access to care, limited disease understanding, higher priority to other activities, and concerns about vaccine safety, with variability among various communities.

The Jewish community have a practice of placing the need of community over the needs of the individual.┬á As such, they do not subject vaccines (even insulin) to kosher standards.┬á Some vaccines contain animal products which in any other way would be disallowed for consumption due to Jewish law.┬á ┬áIt is based on the┬áÔÇ£law of necessityÔÇØ in Islamic jurisprudence: ÔÇ£That which is necessary makes the forbidden permissibleÔÇØ in exceptional circumstances. Numerous Islamic authorities and medical scholars agree that many immunizations are obligatory, when the disease risk is high, far outweighing any risk from the vaccine. As opposed to many churches, Islam seems to endorse vaccines rather than just not be opposed to them.

Regarding the broad spectrum of Christian religions, none in the study expressed any dogmatic law against vaccination.  Roman Catholicism, Eastern Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox Churches, Amish, Anglican, Baptist, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS), Congregational, Episcopalian, Lutheran, Methodist (including African Methodist Episcopal), Pentecostal, Presbyterian, and Seventh-Day Adventist Church. Roman Catholics and some other denominations have expressed concerns about the aborted fetal tissues used in manufacturing some vaccines, although this concern has never included a formal restriction, by doctrine, of vaccination.

It should be noted that fetal tissue that aborted fetal tissue is used in the manufacture of some Rubella vaccines.  The MRC-5 cell line was developed in September 1966 from lung tissue taken from a 14 week fetus aborted for psychiatric reasons from a 27 year old physically healthy woman. MRC-5 is a known source of human DNA in vaccines.  Today, these proteins are genetically engineered by yeast.  This means that the fetal tissue debate is now outdated.  For further reading into this subject, it is encouraged to read the article Vaccines DO NOT Contain Fetal Tissue by Dr. Jay L. Wile who interestingly enough is a Christian.

Buddhists, Hindus and Janists also have no dogmatic objection with vaccination.  These three groups revolve around a common theme of doing what is necessary for life as well as valuing life.  That is, after all, how societies thrive: by doing what is necessary to preserve life for all, even if it means sacrificing certain deeply held beliefs.  It is our instinct to survive.  Vaccines have made this quest much more attainable.

*For further reading on prevalence of U.S. school vaccine exemptions, by state, please visit the CDC’s website.

President Obama will phone the Army veteran who tried to save lives during the mass shooting on an Oregon college campus, according to a new report.

Obama will speak to Chris Mintz, 30, on either Tuesday or Wednesday, according to The Observer.

Mintz reportedly used his martial-arts background to protect fellow students during an attack on Umpqua Community College (UCC) in Roseburg, Ore., last Thursday. The Observer said on Tuesday that he is now recovering from seven bullet wounds and two broken legs.

ÔÇ£Chris says he doesnÔÇÖt seek publicity at all,ÔÇØ said Kivonna Coccia, who described herself as MintzÔÇÖs ÔÇ£best friendÔÇØ in an email to the news publication.

For the full story visit The Hill

Petition with over 65,000 signatures demands LGBTI equality in Nigeria

Nearly 100 people rallied outside the Nigerian High Commission in London on 30 September. They handed in a petition with over 65,000 signatures, urging Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari to repeal of all NigeriaÔÇÖs anti-LGBTI laws.┬áThe embassy refused to take the petition, instead locking the doors.

The rally was organized by Nigerian lesbian activist Aderonke Apata, with the support of the African LGBTI organization, Out and Proud Diamond Group, and the Peter Tatchell Foundation.

ÔÇ£Since the insidious 2014 anti-LGBTI law was passed in Nigeria, there have been waves of police arrests and torture, anti-LGBTI mob attacks, public whippings, evictions from homes, harassment and discrimination against ‘suspected’ LGBTIs. Equality advocacy organizations and activists in Nigeria are not spared mistreatment,ÔÇØ said Aderonke Apata.

“Growing up in Nigeria, I was unable to disclose my sexuality, yet unable to hide it. The culture in Nigeria makes it clear that being gay or transgender is a sin, a sentiment that is fueled by homophobic messages from faith communities, political leaders, families, and schools. I took these messages in, identified with them, and carried the shame of being a lesbian woman in Nigeria. I was arrested, tortured and extorted by the Nigerian Police. I demand a repeal of this toxic law,” she said.

Edwin Sesange, Director African LGBTI organization Out and Proud Diamond Group said:

“We urge┬áNigerian┬áPresident Buhari and his government to repeal the anti-gay laws in Nigeria. He was elected by many people including LGBTI Nigerians and should therefore stand up for their rights. I call upon the African Union┬áto┬áspeak out against these anti-gay laws that violate its┬áown charter. It is┬átime for them┬áto stand together with the oppressed, rather┬áthan looking on when fellow Africans┬áare being persecuted because of their sexuality or gender identity.”
Pliny Soocoormanee of the human rights organization, the Peter Tatchell Foundation added:

ÔÇ£Under a nineteenth century law imposed by the British colonial administration, male homosexuality is punishable in Nigeria by a sentence of 14 years imprisonment.ÔÇØ

ÔÇ£More recently, a draconian new anti-LGBTI law – the Same Sex Marriage (Prohibition) Bill – was signed into law in January 2014. It is one of the harshest and most punitive of the many laws in nearly 80 countries that criminalize Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex (LGBTI) people.

ÔÇ£This draconian anti-LGBTI law prohibits same-sex marriage with a penalty of up to 14 years in prison. It also stipulates 10 years jail for public displays of same-sex affection and 10 years for membership or support of LGBTI equality and advocacy groups.

ÔÇ£These two repressive laws are a toxic abuse of the human rights of Nigerian LGBTI people. They violate the non-discrimination clause (Article 42) of the Nigerian Constitution, Articles 2 and 3 of the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights, and the equality provisions of the Commonwealth Charter, to which Nigeria is a signatory and which the country has pledged to uphold and respect,ÔÇØ said Mr. Soocoormanee.

Further information:

Peter Tatchell
Director, Peter Tatchell Foundation
0207 403 1790
Peter@PeterTatchellFoundation.org
www.PeterTatchellFoundation.org

*All photos supplied by Peter Tatchell.  A thank you to Peter Tatchell for allowing use of your photography.

There┬áare many reasons why skeptics might find fault with the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, along with 169 associated targets, which the leaders of the world (including the pope) will adopt, with some fanfare, in New York this week. One problem, as a colleague has written, is that they are simply too numerous. As the French statesman Georges Clemenceau expostulated in 1919, when presented with Woodrow Wilson’s “14 points” for a new world order, “le bon Dieu n’en a eu que dix”, ten

Weekly Coalition Update

by Deanna Cantrell

SPI would like to mention Coalition The Evolution Institute, especially Jerry Lieberman who was featured alongside SPI Fellow David Sloan Wilson last week at the panel on Evolution in Oslo, Norway.  Unable to make the trip? Video of the panel is available for your viewing pleasure.

SPI Coalition The Atheist Alliance has an excellent news page. ┬áWith the Pope’s recent visit to the U.S. the news coverage is reaching that of epic proportions. ┬áHowever, be sure to check out┬áHow to Make Nones and Lose Money.

With SPI’s recent letter to Guatemalan government, let’s check in with SPI coalition the Humanists of Guatemala. ┬áThey have news about separation of church and state,┬átheir social media accounts are also active.

SPI Coalition Atheist Ireland met for discussions in Warsaw regarding discrimination. Making two formal contributions to OSCE human rights conference in Warsaw, highlighting religious discrimination against atheists and members of minority faiths in Ireland and throughout the OSCE.

Weekly Fellows Update

by Deanna Cantrell

Check in with SPI Fellow James Doty who was featured in an edcast 10 Minute Insight Series this week.┬á Also, of note, Doty recently released a book titled Into the Magic Shop: A NeurosurgeonÔÇÖs Quest to Discover the Mysteries of the Brain and the Secrets of the Heart.┬á It is about triumph over adversity and insight gained from struggle.┬á Read more at the StanfordÔÇÖs Center for Compassion and Altruism and stop by Amazon to order a copy.

SPI Fellow John McWhorter published a piece on The Daily Beast this week titled Black Lives Matter is Living in the Past.

The linguist paints a stunning picture to support his thesis.  It is plain to see that however noble the intent the campaign has fallen on deaf ears or been misunderstood by many Americans.  He offers solutions.

SPI Fellow Taslima Nasrin was featured in last weekÔÇÖs FellowÔÇÖs column, but she just keeps coming out with great work.┬á Hence, she is making another appearance.┬á This week she was featured in a Caravan Magazine interview titled, India Could Be Proud of Having a Writer Who Criticizes All Religions Including Islam.ÔÇØ┬á The interview chronicles her escape from clerics who placed a bounty on her head, spans her career and offers her always compelling insight.

SPI Advocate Maryam Namazie also is consistently writing great content with her political-social TV magazine, Bread and Roses.┬á Which you are invited to read more about and support on Patreon.┬á This week, read her newest article seen on spiked-online titled, If Islamists Can Speak on Campus, Why CanÔÇÖt I? It is about how she took on campus censors and won.

To hand a church money on the premise to perform a service, but to do so without imparting their faith-based initiative is like taking your pet goldfish out of its bowl and commanding it breathe room air.┬á To the goldfishÔÇÖs credit, at least it is incapable of understanding your instructionsÔǪ

It is the nature of the organization, churches spread the word of whatever text they believe in.  This is the very reason that the U.S. government does not contract them for service, except they do.  Despite the existence of hundreds of thousands of secular non-profit organizations in the United States, and more that would be created by funding, American faith-based organizations (FBOs) receive $210 billion each year from federal and states sources to provide services with the assumption that they will not proselytize or discriminate.  An original, SPI Report titled, Abuse in the Faith-Based and Community Initiative delves into this issue.

Why are these faith-based organizations being used?  Think of these organizations as independent contractors, the government has farmed out various needs and services to these contractors instead of keeping them in house.  Now, extend this metaphor into something like construction.  Anyone who has built a house or had any type of major repair done to their home will have asked themselves this question: will the lowest bidding contractor do the best job?

IÔÇÖm not saying that a book like the Christian Bible is completely devoid, it is full of colorful imagery like many works of fiction.┬á Take for instance Matthew 7:26, ÔÇ£ÔǪa foolish man who built his house on sand.ÔÇØ┬á The parable comparing building on a solid foundation rather than a weak one.┬á Today, we know that a solid foundation of knowledge-not superstition-is the key to success.┬á Said foundation begins in the classroom.

Public schools are banned by law from teaching religious viewpoints, but private organizations that donÔÇÖt take government money may teach and say anything. They can even indoctrinate students in debate tactics to reject science. Now a loophole exists for private schools to receive government funds. Through AmericaÔÇÖs school voucher program and tax-credit scholarships, taxpayers in 11 states now find themselves spending nearly $1 billion per year for 250,000 students to attend private schools, most of which are religious and will teach a small or large portion of religiously motivated untruths.9 For example, in North Carolina, 90% of voucher schools are religious.

These private schools teach things like the earth is only 6,000 years old, that embarrassing parts of US history never happened,┬á stories such as NoahÔÇÖs Ark and Genesis are HISTORICAL fact, climate change/collapse is a lie or not caused by humans, psychology comes from the soul and that the Bible is a historical text.┬á In 11 states, these lies are being funded by taxpayer dollars.┬á US Supreme Court ruled in 2002 that school vouchers were legal even when supporting religious education

A 2011 survey of 900 public high school biology teachers found 28% teaching only evolution; 59% teaching evolution, albeit cautiously for fear of litigation or unwilling to admit teaching creationism; and 13% not teaching evolution, teaching creationism instead. Even in states without an explicit creationist agenda, fear prevents a less thorough teaching of evolution. Some teach evolution but confide to students that they are only doing it because the state forces them to, not because itÔÇÖs factual.┬á This can lead to lack luster instruction.

Hundreds of schools manage to utilize government funds to impart religious theology into the minds of children. In 26 states, legislatures are considering new voucher programs or expanding old ones. A 2013 partial study of select US states discovered 300 voucher school websites that are blatant enough to openly advertise instruction of creationism on their websites, surely a sign that they are just the tip of a very large iceberg.

This is not an issue reserved only to Christian schools.  New York authorized $125 million for computers for private schools, most of which are religious, including $38 million for Jewish schools, through the Smart Schools Bond Act of 2014.  The biggest recipient of the $10.8 million school voucher program in North Carolina is the Greensboro Islamic Academy.

Why should we care?┬á After all, the average school year is 180 days, so even 2 days of creationist instruction would only make up 1% of a studentÔÇÖs class-time.┬á The issue is that tax payers come from a diverse range of religions or have no religion at all.┬á The U.S. ConstitutionÔÇÖs Establishment Clause states that the government shall not endorse any religion. ┬áCreationist schools break down trust in the entire scientific process by doubting scientific consensus, and replacing ÔÇ£scienceÔÇØ with ÔÇ£Bible scienceÔÇØ. Science isnÔÇÖt just useful for constructing functioning computers and airplanes that fly. Critical thinking should be respected. Stifling critical leads to poor choices and enormous human suffering.

Further, schools that teach creationism permit a plethora of misinformation in their classrooms including, but not limited to the following:

• The Loch Ness Monster is real.
• Islam should not be tolerated.
• Homosexuality is a choice that should also not be tolerated; it can be ÔÇ£fixedÔÇØ through prayer.
• Vaccines cause autism.
• World War I was caused by Anti-Christian bias.
• Samurai led JapanÔÇÖs World War II invasions.
• Historical revisionism that supports the primacy of white Europeans and Americans over other races and nationalities
• Women are not equal to men and thus must be subservient to men.
• Every word of religious texts are a credible, historical document.

Children have rights.┬á They have the right to a diverse, sound education.┬á Just as parents shouldnÔÇÖt have the right to refuse their children scientific medical care, it could be argued that even religious parents who choose religious schools donÔÇÖt necessarily have the right to force feed their children religion at home, at church, and at school. Some parents are not even religious, but are forced to send their children to these schools due to school closures for poor performance, or choose to in order to escape poorly performing inner city schools.

Taxpayers who are secular or hold differing religious views should not be forced to fund these schools.  To fairly accommodate everyone, the only option is secularism- the separation of church and state.

Weekly Policy Report

by Edwina Rogers

No Government Shut Down For Now

House and Senate Happenings

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell scheduled a vote┬áon Monday┬áthat would fund the government┬áthrough┬áDecember 11th┬áthus preventing a government shutdown. ┬áThis was accomplished with only hours to spare during the last day of the fiscal year.┬á Mr. ┬áMcConnell pointed the finger at Senate Democrats stating, ÔÇ£It was part of some arbitrary strategy to force our nation to the brink…Moving forward will require Democrats to turn the page on bad habits and dysfunction.ÔÇØ In the House, legislation was carried by Democrats with a vote of 257 to 151.┬á With 186 Democrats and 91 Republicans in favor, the 151 no votes were cast by Republicans.┬á The Senate approved the legislation by a vote of 78 to 20.

ÔÇ£The American people deserve better than last-minute, short-term legislating,ÔÇØ the White House press secretary, Josh Earnest, wrote in a statement.┬á The temporary spending measure will keep the government operating at roughly last yearÔÇÖs levels ÔÇö a rate of about $1.017 trillion a year, with some notable changes for emergency situations, such as $700 million to fight wildfires in the West.

The vote would not end taxpayer funding for Planned Parenthood, but rather kick the can down the road for two-and-a-half months. ┬áÔÇ£WeÔÇÖll have to see. ThereÔÇÖs a number of issues weÔÇÖre gonna have to try to deal with over the coming month, but IÔÇÖm not going to change my decision making process in any way,ÔÇØ Boehner told reporters when asked about the debt limit.┬á ÔÇ£WeÔÇÖre gonna take this one day at a time and do what we can on behalf of the American people,ÔÇØ the Speaker said, ÔÇ£and IÔÇÖm not going to change my process at all.ÔÇØ

┬áSpeaker Boehner Leaving Congress Next Month. Speaker of the House John Boehner, R. Ohio,┬áannounced after much prayer┬á┬áthat he would step down from his leadership position and retire from Congress at the end of October. ┬áThe abrupt decision comes after he faced heavy pressure from conservatives in his party to take a harder line on their causes.┬á┬áMajority Whip Kevin McCarthy is seen as Speaker Boehner’s successor. Mr. McCarthy is said to be favored by conservatives for his willingness to bend to his will.┬á This is not a positive event for many SPI agenda items.┬á What will he do?

While Mr. Boehner has expressed a desire to do as much as possible before he leaves Congress at the end of October ÔÇö ÔÇ£I donÔÇÖt want to leave my successor a dirty barn,ÔÇØ he said ÔÇö it seems unlikely that many of the big issues can be resolved before his departure.┬á The house is scheduled to be in session for only 13 days in October.┬á The race is on to determine just what can be accomplished in such a short time.┬á Minority House leader, Nancy Pelosi, D. California, told reporters that Mr. BoehnerÔÇÖs resignation was ÔÇ£a stark indication of the disarray of House Republicans.ÔÇØ
Here’s what’s happening:┬áHouse leadership is now in turmoil, another debt limit hike is required this fall, not to mention a budget deal and a highway bill deal, and Republican presidential candidates Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio are openly challenging┬áconservatives to stand their ground. ┬áEven passing a clean CR, Continuing Resolution, to keep the government funded does not preclude┬áthe House from also passing bills to end taxpayer funding for Planned Parenthood.

A look ahead:  Continuing Resolution, Appropriations Committee hearings, TSCA (Toxic Substances Control Act), and Cybersecurity (not necessarily in order).

SPI to Comment on Proposed Federal Religious Refusal Regulations (faith-based institutions and grant-making and Section 1557)

The proposed regulations on faith-based institutions receiving grants apply to 9 different agencies and thus have an impact on a wide variety of programs –┬áhealth, social services, education,┬ájustice┬áprograms, international programs, Veterans Affairs, fair housing (HUD), the USDA, and the Department of Homeland Security. ┬áSPI plans to submit comments on how harmful it is to the beneficiaries receiving services to let the religious claims of the provider to prevent services from being delivered. ┬áAnd these are our taxpayer dollars that are used to pay religious charities to provide the services. ┬áThe proposed comments will be circulated for all coalition member groups to sign on.
Discrimination by residential services providers

The recent 8th Circuit case,┬áSharpe v. Burwell, involved a plaintiff that was a residential services provider for people recovering from substance abuse. I wanted to give people a sense of how dangerous it is for residential services providers like this to be allowed to object from contraceptive coverage and other things they feel are “facilitating” activities prohibited by their religion.

Many people with disabilities rely on religiously-affiliated, Medicaid-funded nonprofits for housing, residential services, and at-home services and supports. Without these services, people with disabilities are at risk of institutionalization (often in private, religiously-affiliated institutions like the one in Sharpe). Often, the only service providers in the area are religiously affiliated.

Disability service providers often must help dispense or administer medication to the people with disabilities in their care. For example, some people have mobility problems and cannot take medications without assistance. Other institutional providers, like the one in┬áSharpe, often don’t allow people to keep their own medications with them and instead insist on holding and administering the medications.┬áA nonprofit that objects to contraception could therefore refuse to help administer contraceptives to a disabled resident. A nonprofit that has a religious objection to gender transition may refuse to administer hormone replacement medications to a transgender person with a disability. Without such assistance, people with disabilities will be effectively unable to take their medications.

In addition, many residential service providers control who lives in a unit, and may effectively control who visits. They may refuse to house a transgender person in an appropriate-gendered unit, may refuse to allow a same-sex couple (or even an opposite-sex couple) to live together, may refuse to allow same-sex partner visitors, or may refuse to help their residents get transportation to visit same-sex partners or LGBT support groups.

The story of Dominick Evans, a disabled transgender man, wrote a stirring story about how traumatizing it can be for a home-services provider to refuse services due to their religious beliefs.  Read his story

In another case, a married (opposite-sex) couple was refused the right to live together in a group home, in part because the Catholic group home provider disagreed that they “should” cohabit together and felt that intellectually disabled people couldn’t consent to sex. This objection wasn’t initially phrased as a religious one, but easily could be. Moreover, similar objections could lead to denial of service for same-sex couples, unwed couples, or people with children.

Religious objections to the ADA

There have also been cases in which religious objections could be used directly to evade the ADA. One example is service animals. Many people with service animals have experiences with taxi or Uber drivers who did not want a dog in their vehicle, citing religious objections.

October 15th SPI to Discuss Religious Freedom for The Secular At DC Newseum 

What about ‘religious freedom’ for the secular?┬á Is a guided tour of the U.S. Bill of RightÔÇÖs First Amendment by SPIÔÇÖs own CEO Edwina Rogers.┬á Whom does the First Amendment really protect in todayÔÇÖs practice?┬á Language is key, with the title ÔÇ£Religion and ExpressionÔÇØ was the aim of the founding fathers to protect religion or to protect the state from religion?

Edwina will be speaking at┬áÔÇÿFreedom of religion: the forgotten liberty?ÔÇÖ┬á,the First Amendment conference in Washington DC on Thursday 15 October. Get your tickets┬áhere.

Climate Change and the Pope

During his congressional address, Pope Francis urged lawmakers on both sides of the aisle to┬ámake a “courageous and responsible effort” in addressing climate change, arguing that this is an issue that will impact us all.┬áPRRI’s climate change report┬áreveals that Americans think climate change will indeed be a serious threat –┬áat least for other people. Americans are twice as likely to say that climate change will impact people in poorer developing countries a great deal (54 percent) as they are to say it will impact them personally (24 percent). ┬áA big thank you from SPI to PRRI for this relevant opinion poll research.

What Will Happen To The Evolution Disclaimer In Alabama’s Textbooks?

Alabama board of education voted to approve a new set of┬áscience standards on September 10, 2015, in which evolution was described as “substantiated with much direct and indirect evidence,”┬áthe question arose: what will become of the evolution disclaimer in┬áAlabama’s textbooks?

According to the Washington Post, “state┬áofficials will have to decide what to do about the adhesive label that┬áevery high school biology textbook has been required to carry since
2001, a warning emphasizing that evolution is a ‘controversial theory’┬áthat students should question.” ┬áThe original warning started in 1996. ┬áI received my undergraduate education in Alabama but was not subject to this nonsense as I graduated from the University of Alabama in 1986. ┬áThis shows how we can move in the wrong direction even as we move further into modernity.

What does the sticker so boldly say?  It states