The winner will receive a Tacoma Atheists t-shirt (the new good kind with front and back). Voting ends at midnight, so vote early and often!

The Northwest Freethought Coalition (NWFC) is celebrating Independence Day and the arrival of summer with its 5th annual potluck picnic. NWFC group members, friends, and area freethinkers are invited to this all-day event on Sunday, July 4, 2010. Last year’s picnic drew about 200 people. The family-friendly picnic begins at 1 pm and runs into the evening. There will be a raffle and games, including bocce. Food served from 1 to 3 pm; cleanup starts at 5 pm. Bring your family, some frisbees, a blanket, sunscreen, and a picnic-friendly dish to share!

NWFC member groups include Humanists of Washington, Seattle Atheists, Tacoma Atheists, Humanists of North Puget Sound, University Unitarian Humanists, Ethical Culture Society of Puget Sound, Secular Jewish Circle of Puget Sound, Freethinkers’ United Network, Eastside Atheists/Agnostics Meetup, and various Atheist, Humanist and Brights Meetup groups.  Humanists of Washington is leading the event planning. Please contact HOW president Jerry Schiffelbein if you would like to volunteer.

Mr. Kagin noted:  “While not illegal (unless the entity is the government), it is bad business to inject the most divisive issue in the world into a work scenario, because it can only lead to a loss of cohesion in a diverse group. Minorities automatically feel like second-class workers because the employer officially recognizes a religion other than theirs, and the religious people immediately see who is religious, and who is not, and are encouraged to ’save’ (the preacher won’t do it directly, instead send forth the sheep to do the job for him). There’s all sorts of bad potential there.

On the flip side, the chaplain is a minister, not a trained social worker. It is fallacious to think the minister is there to do anything other than that for which he was trained — preach and convert. If the company wants to provide a liaison, they should hire a professional liaison, not a professional preacher. The liaison would provide better service to all employees.

Anyone can pray any time they wish. They have cubes, homes, and they have oh-so-many churches in which to do so. They do not need official places to pray when they are working. The ones who DO need corporate chaplains are the chaplains themselves, who use the captive audience to woo new church members (and that’s THE reason they are there).”

NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams
Check local listings and http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032619/

Well, Glenn’s about to face the wrath of the man from high atop the thing — the man being the Reverend Jim Wallis, and the thing being perhaps one of the few respectable religious organizations in America, Sojourners. Testify, Jim!

Christians Urged to Boycott Glenn Beck – The Caucus Blog – NYTimes.com

This week, the Rev. Jim Wallis, a liberal evangelical leader in Washington, D.C., called on Christians to leave Glenn Beck.

“What he has said attacks the very heart of our Christian faith, and Christians should no longer watch his show,” Mr. Wallis, who heads the antipoverty group Sojourners, wrote on his “God’s Politics” blog. “His show should now be in the same category as Howard Stern.”

Couldn’t have said it better myself. Of course, it would be better if it came with less Sky Cake (caution: NSFW language), but we still that you’ll help us make common cause against Beck.

Sex-Abuse Scandal in the German Church Touches Pope Benedict XVI’s Archdiocese – NYTimes.com

BERLIN — A widening child sexual abuse inquiry in Europe has landed at the doorstep of Pope Benedict XVI, as a senior church official acknowledged Friday that a German archdiocese made “serious mistakes” in handling an abuse case while the pope served as its archbishop.

The archdiocese said that a priest accused of molesting boys was given therapy in 1980 and later allowed to resume pastoral duties, before committing further abuses and being prosecuted. Pope Benedict, who at the time headed the Archdiocese of Munich and Freising, approved the priest’s transfer for therapy. A subordinate took full responsibility for allowing the priest to later resume pastoral work, the archdiocese said in a statement.

The Vatican spokesman, the Rev. Federico Lombardi, said he had no comment beyond the statement by the Archdiocese of Munich and Freising, which he said showed the “nonresponsibility” of the pope in the matter.

I’m posting this for two reasons: First, it’s topical and we’re interested in this sort of thing. Second, it’s good to know that Lynne Varney has been waiting in vain this whole time for someone to have “the guts to stand up for God.” Really? Didn’t realize your omnipotent omnipresence omnibenevolent Creator needed bucking up. Good to know the 9th Circuit can form the cheerleading kickline you’ve been hoping for. Thanks for outing yourself, Lynne. We hardly knew ye.

Ed cetera | Civil Disagreement: One Nation, Under God? | Seattle Times Newspaper

Lynne Varner: Bruce, I”m pleased by what was obviously a tortured ruling out of the 9th Circuit on the Pledge of Allegiance. The divided court said the pledge doesn’t violate the constitutional separation of church and state. Finally, some one has the guts to stand up for God. Now if they could just do so during the holidays when some try to ban Christmas trees at the state Capitol and forbid the word Christmas from being uttered in schools.

I’m trying to be serious here, but every time I try to contextualize this video appropriately, I stumble into the phrase “a growing storm” and I can’t stop laughing. Janet Porter is as pathetic as she is barefaced in her requests to God to provide her and her ilk command of our media. Good thing there’s no one listening upstairs; I wonder what the people of Palestine, Israel, India, or China might say about a spontaneously Christianist local media.

Here’s the video.

Janet Porter Prays For Control of the Media: Speaking at the “Convergence 2010: A Cry to Awaken A Nation” conference on March 4-6, 2010, Janet Porter prayers to God to gain control over the nation’s media. (rightwingwatch.org)

Gay News Watch | Papal aide, Vatican men’s choir in gay prostitution ring

“Put on some music, swallow a Viagra, and adelante!”

That’s the headline in Europe today following reports that a papal aide used an intermediary in an elite Vatican choir to solicit young male choristers and seminarians for prostitution.

Police wiretaps are expected to result in charges against Angelo Balducci, 63, a Papal Gentleman, as lay attendant are called, and the former chairman of the Holy See’s Public Works Department, which is itself caught up in a corruption investigation.

Hat tip to SLOG.

BTW, “Papal Gentleman, as lay attendant are often called” is perhaps the gayest phrase ever, and it’s their own terminology! This is easily worth 2D6 against any saving throw by the Vatican attempting to brush this off.

Saturday, February 6,  2-5 p.m.

Wednesday, February 10, 6-8 pm

Christians stepping up; where are atheists?

By Brad Eleken, of  Graham

My prayers go out to the victims of the earthquake in Haiti, and I will help by donating through a Christian charity. I am thankful that the United States, as always, takes the lead in helping when disaster strikes. As I read The News Tribune, I am struck by the fact that the Christian organizations are mobilizing and sending aid and aid workers without any thought as to the religion of the people of Haiti.

Just as when the tsunami struck Indonesia, and tens of thousands of Muslims were killed, the United States and Christian charities took the lead.

So where are the atheist organizations? Are they sending aid workers, money or prayers? No. But they do have money to devote to a display in the Capitol building in Olympia, to tell us there is no God, there is no heaven or hell.

If there are atheists interested in helping the people of Haiti, I ask them to give to World Vision or one of the other fine Christian organizations. Or they can do nothing.

This screed is especially outrageous in light of the call to arms that went out from Seattle Atheists asking people to donate for Haiti relief that went out Jan. 14.

It’s more inaccurate because of the SCORES of atheist and humanist charities that were launched in the past few years, and which are SPECIFICALLY addressing the Haiti crisis.

Seattle Atheists itself commits itself to charity and community service, and has an ongoing food drive, a blood drive, and gift wrapping, of which 100% of the proceeds go to Childrens Hospital.

CFI’s S.H.A.R.E. project, Richard Dawkins Foundation’s Non-Believers Giving Aid, Humanist Charities’ Haiti Earthquake Relief Fund have all dedicated the full force of their giving power to the victims of the Haiti disaster. Additional secular charities include MADRE, Partners in Health, Doctors Without Borders, Americares, International Relief Teams, and Mercy Corps.

Atheists give to secular aid organizations, because we do not like to see money going towards  solar powered bibles. Because if that’s your idea of humanitarian aid, you need to really be shot out of a cannon.

We recognize that people need clean water, food, medical care, and shelter, and NOT proselytizing. They need care, not “ministry.” They need to survive. They don’t need half the money that would have gone to pay for these things going to fat cat pastors and churches.

So in other words, Brad Eleken of Graham, you’re an ill-informed ass.

Please voice your displeasure both in the comments and by writing letters to the editor. This will not go unchallenged.