I always suspected there was a lack of reading to acquire expertise in places like TN. This dependence on a small bubble of friends and relatives explains the perpetration of ignorance from one generation to the next. You need outside sources to get a balanced view of anything or you'll become a stagnant, delusional fool. When you accept the offerings of a homogenous, isolated clan, you can nev...more

I always suspected there was a lack of reading to acquire expertise in places like TN. This dependence on a small bubble of friends and relatives explains the perpetration of ignorance from one generation to the next. You need outside sources to get a balanced view of anything or you'll become a stagnant, delusional fool. When you accept the offerings of a homogenous, isolated clan, you can never become a growing, thinking human being. I've seen the results of the "experience" they prefer in TN and it's not pretty, useful, constructive or acceptable. Ignorance never is.less

This depends on how they define religious schools. Is Notre Dame University a religious school or just another top tier college? I could see a gripe if the funds were being used for a seminary or rabbinical school, but if it's an accredited school that offers a serious college curriculum, I don't see an issue. If it's a christian madras, that's another story.

This is another waste of energy, debating how gays should be allowed to live. Good grief! Don't we have anything better to work on in this country that we can butt into others' lives, intent on making them conform to our rules? In most places, most folks don't care what gays do and they believe they should not be denied any rights the rest of us enjoy, like having our spouses visit us when we'r...more

This is another waste of energy, debating how gays should be allowed to live. Good grief! Don't we have anything better to work on in this country that we can butt into others' lives, intent on making them conform to our rules? In most places, most folks don't care what gays do and they believe they should not be denied any rights the rest of us enjoy, like having our spouses visit us when we're sick, inherit our property, have a family free from government interference and live in the pursuit of happiness.

I'm not threatened by anything gays want. I have my life, my marriage and family and my faith. That doesn't change no matter what rights are granted to gays. It doesn't denigrate my marriage or make it anything less than what it is now. Even if you think of them as sinners, that doesn't give you or anyone the right to deny civil, legal rights to a group based on your religious opinion or mine. My Church can condemn a lifestyle, but my country can't.less

You know what? We need to work on and enforce our values in our own lives and forget about making government our big brother. We have real problems, people and spending time on issues like homosexuality isn't getting it done. Jokers like the tea party have complaints, but no ideas, gripes without solutions, unless you count empty slogans as policy. This election means nothing, anymore than...more

You know what? We need to work on and enforce our values in our own lives and forget about making government our big brother. We have real problems, people and spending time on issues like homosexuality isn't getting it done. Jokers like the tea party have complaints, but no ideas, gripes without solutions, unless you count empty slogans as policy.

This election means nothing, anymore than the last election meant a swing to a more progressive government. The pendulum will swing again in 2012 because voters are voting against the status quo out of frustration. After 2 years of a do nothing Congress, 2012 will see another realignment no more significant than this one.

Americans are sick of politicians making social issues and mom'
s apple pie a substitute for real policy. Real people have real problems that need real solutions, and pandering to one group or another over "values" is an insult to voters who elect these people to actually DO SOMETHING. I don't care what gay people do, or that we have to pray in appropriate non-governmental places like church and home. I do care that we let Americans go hungry and homeless, that families are losing their homes and jobs and we are still mired in a recession that, thankfully, our President was able to keep from worsening into a total economic collapse. Let's keep our eye on the ball and reject politicians who aren't willing to do the hard work and make the hard choices because they're too busy deciding whether or not we should pray in school. Prayer is available to everyone, all the time and doesn't need official sanction. Our real problems, on the other hand, do need attention.less

What an incredibly silly waste of time and energy. Don't the yahoos in OK realize there's only 15,000 Muslims in the entire state and the odds of anyone, ever, trying to insert Sharia law into state government is about the same as someone trying to get a chimpanzee on the ballot for governor? It's stupid efforts like this that make people sick of government, frustrated that lawmakers can't fin...more

What an incredibly silly waste of time and energy. Don't the yahoos in OK realize there's only 15,000 Muslims in the entire state and the odds of anyone, ever, trying to insert Sharia law into state government is about the same as someone trying to get a chimpanzee on the ballot for governor?

It's stupid efforts like this that make people sick of government, frustrated that lawmakers can't find something truly constructive to do with their time, something that might help their citizens. America has had enough of this "apple pie" nonsense. Let's get to work people, instead of wasting time on feel good nonsense that does nothing to actually improve our lives or circumstances.less

I'd like to know why fundamentalists think that evolution is not compatible with the Bible. We all know that man has progressed from one form to another across time, from Cro-magnon, Neanderthal, Homo Erectus, Homo Sapien. We've seen the various skeletal remains that have been indisputably classified as human. We also know God is responsible for creating them all. I don't see a conflic...more

I'd like to know why fundamentalists think that evolution is not compatible with the Bible.

We all know that man has progressed from one form to another across time, from Cro-magnon, Neanderthal, Homo Erectus, Homo Sapien. We've seen the various skeletal remains that have been indisputably classified as human.
We also know God is responsible for creating them all.

I don't see a conflict between what our God given reason tells us is true about ourselves and what the Bible tells us about being created at God's hand. I've seen a lot of bluster on the topic, but no one has explained - not even Mohler - where, precisely, the conflict is. Again, I don't see it.less

I can't understand the usual fundamentalist dismissal of the early Christian writers. To quote them is seemingly pointless, as though the church history and development that shaped Christianity is, somehow, unimportant. It's unfathomable....

I see people casting this as a Christianity vs atheism battle and it's not. It's about freedom to be spared from official endorsement of a faith you might not share. It's about your freedom stopping at my nose (or ears.) If I want a prayer rally at school, I should attend a parochial school of like minded people. Public schools are a melting pot and the views of others must be respected by sch...more

I see people casting this as a Christianity vs atheism battle and it's not. It's about freedom to be spared from official endorsement of a faith you might not share. It's about your freedom stopping at my nose (or ears.) If I want a prayer rally at school, I should attend a parochial school of like minded people. Public schools are a melting pot and the views of others must be respected by school authorities. They can't endorse any particular brand of religion and that's simply the law. How about we throw Muslim prayer rugs on the field before a game and chant "Allah Ahkbar!" No? That's why you can't have ANY prayer over a loudspeaker at a public school event. Period.less

Well, TN is never going to be famous for it's enlightened view of reality. What an ignorant state - I've been there. You want loudspeaker prayers? Go to a Christian school. No one is stopping you from praying or infringing on your rights because you can't make a public spectacle out of your praying. You don't want religious freedom, you want the right to force everyone to endure your expr...more

Well, TN is never going to be famous for it's enlightened view of reality. What an ignorant state - I've been there.

You want loudspeaker prayers? Go to a Christian school. No one is stopping you from praying or infringing on your rights because you can't make a public spectacle out of your praying. You don't want religious freedom, you want the right to force everyone to endure your expression of faith whether they want to or not. A prayer group's wishes don't trump the other students' rights to be spared from overt displays of your personal idea of faith.

Maybe TN will work it's way into the 20th century one day, but for now, let's remember it's a PUBLIC school, not some Christian academy. You want school involvement in your particular religious rites, go find a Christian school that caters to you. Public school students should be spared from these egotistical, overt displays.less

What a ridiculous offer, but typical tea party nonsense for sure. If Moseley is so uneducated as not to know that that phrase is found in a letter of Jefferson's, he has no business being in politics. A wall of separation is Jefferson's interpretation of the article HE wrote in the Constitution. The author ought to know of what he speaks in that regard. It's time to understand that religio...more

What a ridiculous offer, but typical tea party nonsense for sure. If Moseley is so uneducated as not to know that that phrase is found in a letter of Jefferson's, he has no business being in politics.

A wall of separation is Jefferson's interpretation of the article HE wrote in the Constitution. The author ought to know of what he speaks in that regard.

It's time to understand that religious freedom is a door that swings both ways, not just the way you're going. We are free to practice our religion free of government interference, but others are also free not to have religion foisted upon them. That sounds like a fair arrangement, but too many think it's their right to shove Jesus in the face of anyone, anywhere, anytime. Sorry, but that's not what Jefferson intended or meant to happen, anymore than he intended to grant the freedom to atheists to go into church on Sunday and voice their view of religion.

We might not like it, but it comes down to accepting that there are limits on all of our freedoms and that's what maintains our civilization. The alternative is anarchy and constant conflict.less

Our language gets very religious and we get judgmental and bigoted and look down on people." Long is very confused if he equates religiosity with bad Christian traits like the above. One has nothing to do with the other. If you are judgmental and bigoted, that comes from within yourself, not from the Church, even if there are some minor churches that think that way. Those, like the evangelic...more

Our language gets very religious and we get judgmental and bigoted and look down on people."

Long is very confused if he equates religiosity with bad Christian traits like the above. One has nothing to do with the other. If you are judgmental and bigoted, that comes from within yourself, not from the Church, even if there are some minor churches that think that way. Those, like the evangelical free church,a re almost cultish in their isolation from everyone not in their local church. They even encourage abandonment of family if they are a "different" kind of Christian. Weitrd bunch. Maybe Long met them...less

Rhi, you hit the nail on the head about politics and social issues replacing the love Christ called on us to give. And fundamentalists like to pretend that only drug addicts need help when it's millions of average Americans, especially in these times. I guess it's easier to point out the sins of others than to actually love your neighbor.

Teachers are influential people, so a disclaimer does no good. Jobs have rules. All jobs. It's not discrimination or persecution, it's a condition of employment. Go work somewhere those conditions don't apply, like a private school.

If you aren't in the cities already, you're a couple of hundred years late, Einstein...

I think any men or women brave enough to volunteer to serve in our armed forces should be allowed to. Forget "morale". Anyone in the armed forces know who their gay brothers in arms are already. Just as there are no atheists in foxholes, there are also no homophobes, only soldiers. Gays should be commended for serving despite the military's conception that they might not belong.

You can't assume something is false because you can't find it in the BIble. All that is in the Bible is true, but all that is true is not in the BIble....

Simple logic, actually...

Actually, at the time, the Beatles popularity was immense. immeasurable in today's terms. So what Lennon said had a ring of truth to it. But, as Pope Benedict has said, they were the words of youthful indiscretion spoken by someone overwhelmed by the extreme environment of worldwide Beatlemania. It's funny that it's often said we should avoid celebrity pronouncements on topics outside of thei...more

Actually, at the time, the Beatles popularity was immense. immeasurable in today's terms. So what Lennon said had a ring of truth to it. But, as Pope Benedict has said, they were the words of youthful indiscretion spoken by someone overwhelmed by the extreme environment of worldwide Beatlemania.

It's funny that it's often said we should avoid celebrity pronouncements on topics outside of their field, but here over 40 years later, we're still rehashing something Lennon said as a 20 something year old. Luckily, it didn't have any bearing on his creativity and production, so that all these years later, we still have his incredible music to enjoy.less

If you aren’t living THE Cause of evangelism.... How about equal emphasis on living the Christ life? Leading by example through your compassion, charity and love, the centerpiece of Christianity? We are expected to do so much more than convert people. We are called to a life of service to others through Christ. I hear so little about love and service on this site and if you aren't living t...more

If you aren’t living THE Cause of evangelism....

How about equal emphasis on living the Christ life? Leading by example through your compassion, charity and love, the centerpiece of Christianity? We are expected to do so much more than convert people. We are called to a life of service to others through Christ. I hear so little about love and service on this site and if you aren't living that way, you're only half a Christian.less

That's because they're laboring under the illusion that ANYBODY could have done a better job with the mess the last Administration left for the next President to contain and clean up. The screwiness was inherited from the anti-regulation boneheads who let the backs run wild at our expense. If we listened to the "small government" advice and did nothing, waiting for the "free market" to fix thing...more

That's because they're laboring under the illusion that ANYBODY could have done a better job with the mess the last Administration left for the next President to contain and clean up. The screwiness was inherited from the anti-regulation boneheads who let the backs run wild at our expense. If we listened to the "small government" advice and did nothing, waiting for the "free market" to fix things, we'd all be in soup lines or selling apples like they did in 30's.
I thank God for Obama for limiting the damage as much as he has and preventing a total economic collapse.less