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The goal is to get one million people around the world to sign the petition, thus demonstrating to Washington, the nation and the rest of the world that global warming is an issue of utmost importance that demands immediate and meaningful action. Be part of the first million, sign the petition.
Friday, October 24, 2003
CHURCH-STATE WATCHDOG GROUP URGES RUMSFELD TO FIRE CONTROVERSIAL GENERAL
Americans United executive director charges "An official who says U.S. is engaged in holy war against Satan should not be making policy."
Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld should fire a top-ranking Pentagon official who has repeatedly told evangelical Christian audiences that the U.S. struggle against terrorism is a religious conflict against Satan, according to Americans United for Separation of Church and State.
Gen. William G. Boykin, who recently was named deputy undersecretary of defense for intelligence, said the United States is being attacked because we are a Christian nation, insisted that Muslims worship idols and said the real enemy of America is not Osama bin Laden or Saddam Hussein but Satan.
The Rev. Barry W. Lynn, Americans United executive director, said, “Boykin literally believes that the United States government is engaged in a holy war. That’s totally unacceptable for someone in a top government post.
“A man who sees the conduct of U.S. foreign policy as some sort of Christian religious crusade should not be making policy. I urge Secretary Rumsfeld to remove Lt. Gen. Boykin from his post and distance the Bush administration from Boykin’s extreme views.”
According to NBC News and other sources, Boykin has repeatedly appeared before evangelical Christian groups, often in uniform, and characterized the U.S. war with terrorism in stark religious terms.
In a June appearance in Oregon, Boykin reportedly said that Islamic extremists hate the U.S. “because we’re a Christian nation, because our foundations and our roots are Judeo-Christian.” Boykin said the real enemy is not Saddam Hussein or Osama bin Laden. “The enemy,” he said, “is a guy called Satan.”
In a January speech in Daytona, Fla., Boykin recalled his efforts to capture an Islamic militant in Somalia who had said he would be protected by Allah.
Said Boykin, “Well, you know what I knew, that my God was bigger than his. I knew that my God was a real God, and his was an idol.”
After the militant was captured, Boykin told him, “Mr. Atto, you underestimated our God.”
This is not Boykin’s only venture into inappropriate religious activity.
Earlier this year, Americans United protested strongly when Boykin tried to bring a Baptist pastors’ evangelism group to Ft. Bragg for special training and overnight accommodations. After the AU protest, military officials scaled back the visit to the same level given other civilian groups.
Americans United executive director charges "An official who says U.S. is engaged in holy war against Satan should not be making policy."
Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld should fire a top-ranking Pentagon official who has repeatedly told evangelical Christian audiences that the U.S. struggle against terrorism is a religious conflict against Satan, according to Americans United for Separation of Church and State.
Gen. William G. Boykin, who recently was named deputy undersecretary of defense for intelligence, said the United States is being attacked because we are a Christian nation, insisted that Muslims worship idols and said the real enemy of America is not Osama bin Laden or Saddam Hussein but Satan.
The Rev. Barry W. Lynn, Americans United executive director, said, “Boykin literally believes that the United States government is engaged in a holy war. That’s totally unacceptable for someone in a top government post.
“A man who sees the conduct of U.S. foreign policy as some sort of Christian religious crusade should not be making policy. I urge Secretary Rumsfeld to remove Lt. Gen. Boykin from his post and distance the Bush administration from Boykin’s extreme views.”
According to NBC News and other sources, Boykin has repeatedly appeared before evangelical Christian groups, often in uniform, and characterized the U.S. war with terrorism in stark religious terms.
In a June appearance in Oregon, Boykin reportedly said that Islamic extremists hate the U.S. “because we’re a Christian nation, because our foundations and our roots are Judeo-Christian.” Boykin said the real enemy is not Saddam Hussein or Osama bin Laden. “The enemy,” he said, “is a guy called Satan.”
In a January speech in Daytona, Fla., Boykin recalled his efforts to capture an Islamic militant in Somalia who had said he would be protected by Allah.
Said Boykin, “Well, you know what I knew, that my God was bigger than his. I knew that my God was a real God, and his was an idol.”
After the militant was captured, Boykin told him, “Mr. Atto, you underestimated our God.”
This is not Boykin’s only venture into inappropriate religious activity.
Earlier this year, Americans United protested strongly when Boykin tried to bring a Baptist pastors’ evangelism group to Ft. Bragg for special training and overnight accommodations. After the AU protest, military officials scaled back the visit to the same level given other civilian groups.
Thursday, October 23, 2003
SOULFORCE TO PROTEST “UNHOLY CRUSADE”
(Washington, DC) – Soulforce leaders today publicly announced plans to protest and vigil November 9 -13, 2003 outside of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) for the fourth year in a row. The demonstrations will again take place at the Hyatt Regency on Capitol Hill, 400 New Jersey Avenue NW, in Washington D.C, beginning Sunday, November 9 from 3 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. Vigils will continue Monday – Thursday, starting at 7 a.m. each day.
The purpose of the demonstrations is to protest the escalation of Catholic anti-gay policies and teachings, the expulsion of gay Catholics from the Church, and the Church’s support of an anti-gay “marriage” amendment to the US Constitution that would deny same-gender couples and families the same protections afforded to families headed by mixed-gender couples.
“The Catholic Church is conducting an unholy Crusade against gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people and their families, both inside and outside the church,” said life-long Catholic Kara Speltz, chair of the Soulforce Catholic Denomination Team. “Not only is the church imposing its superstitious and unscientific attitudes against GLBT people in an attempt to deny us our civil rights, but they are actually kicking us out of the church for exercising our rights.”
The Catholic Church has been the subject of much criticism and media attention recently involving two gay men who were legally married in Canada, then kicked out of the Catholic church after serving for decades in the church choir.
Historically, the Catholic Church has not tried to impose it’s dogma against divorce and remarriage on the rest of America in an attempt to deny civil marriage rights to divorcees and their families. However, the anti-gay “marriage” amendment, which is supported by the Catholic Church, seeks to codify discrimination against same-gender couples and their families by imposing one narrow “religious” definition of marriage on all Americans.
Soulforce leaders have written a letter to Bishop Gregory, President of the USCCB, asking him not to support the anti-gay “marriage” amendment. Individuals are also being asked to write to their local bishops with the same request.
Last year, three Soulforce life-long Catholics were arrested when they refused a police order to leave the Hyatt lobby while seeking to be served communion, which had been denied to them the night before during a public mass at the National Shrine. They spent over 30 hours in jail after their arrest and were found guilty of trespassing, but a judge refused to impose sentencing. Two of the three arrested, Mike Perez of Seattle and Kara Speltz of Oakland, will be returning to protest again this year.
Contact: Laura Montgomery Rutt Cell: 717-278-0592
(Washington, DC) – Soulforce leaders today publicly announced plans to protest and vigil November 9 -13, 2003 outside of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) for the fourth year in a row. The demonstrations will again take place at the Hyatt Regency on Capitol Hill, 400 New Jersey Avenue NW, in Washington D.C, beginning Sunday, November 9 from 3 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. Vigils will continue Monday – Thursday, starting at 7 a.m. each day.
The purpose of the demonstrations is to protest the escalation of Catholic anti-gay policies and teachings, the expulsion of gay Catholics from the Church, and the Church’s support of an anti-gay “marriage” amendment to the US Constitution that would deny same-gender couples and families the same protections afforded to families headed by mixed-gender couples.
“The Catholic Church is conducting an unholy Crusade against gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people and their families, both inside and outside the church,” said life-long Catholic Kara Speltz, chair of the Soulforce Catholic Denomination Team. “Not only is the church imposing its superstitious and unscientific attitudes against GLBT people in an attempt to deny us our civil rights, but they are actually kicking us out of the church for exercising our rights.”
The Catholic Church has been the subject of much criticism and media attention recently involving two gay men who were legally married in Canada, then kicked out of the Catholic church after serving for decades in the church choir.
Historically, the Catholic Church has not tried to impose it’s dogma against divorce and remarriage on the rest of America in an attempt to deny civil marriage rights to divorcees and their families. However, the anti-gay “marriage” amendment, which is supported by the Catholic Church, seeks to codify discrimination against same-gender couples and their families by imposing one narrow “religious” definition of marriage on all Americans.
Soulforce leaders have written a letter to Bishop Gregory, President of the USCCB, asking him not to support the anti-gay “marriage” amendment. Individuals are also being asked to write to their local bishops with the same request.
Last year, three Soulforce life-long Catholics were arrested when they refused a police order to leave the Hyatt lobby while seeking to be served communion, which had been denied to them the night before during a public mass at the National Shrine. They spent over 30 hours in jail after their arrest and were found guilty of trespassing, but a judge refused to impose sentencing. Two of the three arrested, Mike Perez of Seattle and Kara Speltz of Oakland, will be returning to protest again this year.
Contact: Laura Montgomery Rutt Cell: 717-278-0592
Tuesday, October 21, 2003
Walk As One
Lykes Gaslight Square Park at Franklin and Madison in Downtown Tampa
Saturday, November 8, 2003, 9:00am
Join NCCJ and hundreds of Tampa Bay residents at our inaugural
Walk-As-One walk-a-thon. Express your commitment to ending bias, bigotry and racism in your community while meeting new friends and getting some fresh air and exercise. Through the Walk, individuals, businesses, organizations, and community leaders can support NCCJ and promote respect and understanding for all people. Click here for important Walk information.
The 5k walk will bring people together from diverse backgrounds to demonstrate that we are 'better together.' So, put on your walking shoes and join us as we Walk As One.
Tampa Bay's Walk will raise money to support the Anytown youth leadership program. All money raised will directly support the operation and services provided through NCCJ. Less than two percent (2%) of NCCJ's budget in spent on fundraising.
Click here for online registration. For more information please call the NCCJ office at 727-568-9333.
Lykes Gaslight Square Park at Franklin and Madison in Downtown Tampa
Saturday, November 8, 2003, 9:00am
Join NCCJ and hundreds of Tampa Bay residents at our inaugural
Walk-As-One walk-a-thon. Express your commitment to ending bias, bigotry and racism in your community while meeting new friends and getting some fresh air and exercise. Through the Walk, individuals, businesses, organizations, and community leaders can support NCCJ and promote respect and understanding for all people. Click here for important Walk information.
The 5k walk will bring people together from diverse backgrounds to demonstrate that we are 'better together.' So, put on your walking shoes and join us as we Walk As One.
Tampa Bay's Walk will raise money to support the Anytown youth leadership program. All money raised will directly support the operation and services provided through NCCJ. Less than two percent (2%) of NCCJ's budget in spent on fundraising.
Click here for online registration. For more information please call the NCCJ office at 727-568-9333.
Monday, October 20, 2003
This is something that as a church we need to think about our responsibility as Christians to aid others in gaining their dignity and rights as humans.
November 9 has been designated as a day for international action and education against Israel's building of a security barrier - fence and wall - on Palestinian land inside the West Bank. Churches for Middle East Peace is encouraging participation by the congregations and church members of its member national churches and organizations.
The CMEP website has a number of resources that will be helpful to us in planning programs and activities for November 9. These can be found on CMEP website at http://www.cmep.org/documents/documents.htm under "Resources on the Wall."
November 9 has been designated as a day for international action and education against Israel's building of a security barrier - fence and wall - on Palestinian land inside the West Bank. Churches for Middle East Peace is encouraging participation by the congregations and church members of its member national churches and organizations.
The CMEP website has a number of resources that will be helpful to us in planning programs and activities for November 9. These can be found on CMEP website at http://www.cmep.org/documents/documents.htm under "Resources on the Wall."
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