Latest Challenges to the Teaching of Evolution

have had grave doubts on allocation of public funds to support religion(s).

For tens of millions of Americans, the Rev. Rick Warren is best known for his blockbuster spiritual guide, “The Purpose Driven Life,” which has sold more than 25 million copies; his success as the founder of the 22,000-member Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, Calif.; and his efforts on behalf of some of the world’s neediest people.

But for tens of thousands of ministers — and their financial advisers — Pastor Warren will also be remembered as their champion in a fight over the most valuable tax break available to ordained clergy members of all faiths: an exemption from federal taxes for most of the money they spend on housing, which typically represents roughly a third of their compensation. Pastor Warren argued that the tax break is essential to poorly paid clergy members who serve society.

The tax break is not available to the staff at secular nonprofit organizations whose scale and charitable aims compare to those of religious ministries like Pastor Warren’s church, or to poorly paid inner-city teachers and day care workers who also serve their communities.

The housing deduction is one of several tax breaks that leave extra money in the pockets of clergy members and their religious employers. Ministers of every faith are also exempt from income tax withholding and can opt out of Social Security. And every state but one exempts religious employers from paying state unemployment taxes — reducing the employers’ payroll expenses but also leaving their workers without unemployment benefits if they are laid off.

Another religion-based tax break — the only one consistently defeated in the courts in recent years — is an exemption from state sales taxes for religious publications but not for secular ones.

This sales tax break has been struck down as unconstitutional in at least five states, most recently in Georgia in February, when a United States District Court judge, Richard W. Story, ruled that “the unique and preferential treatment the state provides to ‘religious’ literature raises serious constitutional concerns” under the First Amendment clause prohibiting an “establishment” of religion.

Yet a few states still have a sales tax exemption for religious publications. One of them is Florida, where state officials, lawyers for two religious publications and a national religious liberty advocacy group have joined forces to defend the tax break from a constitutional challenge waged almost single-handedly by an Orlando lawyer named Heather Morcroft.

Many Americans have said they would rather vote for a monkey than an atheist and one can see why from the performance of this lot.

And I'll bet not a one of them is as kissable as Christine is.

It's no wonder anti-IDers are bigots. Everybody has the fullest confidence if he starts with his own rules. He can't be wrong and his bigotry is justified in his own eyes.

They say that a little knowledge is a dangerous thing.

Right on, set.

Right on, set.

cheating the poor, innocent red men.

That Christianity out-adapted the red man on evolutionary principles.

Moderator Blatham threatened (strong word, but accurate - that silly mountie) to ban me for my "tone." Needless to say, he didn't agree with my views...

......When Knoll wraps ir up, he uses the field evidence here on earth to reccomend a discipline in which to analyze the possibilities of life on other planets. (That section is kinda wifty but I think he had a page count contract)

Quote:

have had grave doubts on allocation of public funds to support religion(s).

Most people have grave doubts on the allocation of funds to support government.

Coons explained in the debate that the separation of church and state doctrine developed through supreme court decisions on the first amendment.

The 'establishment of religion' clause of the First Amendment means at least this: Neither a state nor the Federal Government can set up a church. Neither can pass laws which aid one religion, aid all religions, or prefer one religion over another. Neither can force nor influence a person to go to or to remain away from church against his will or force him to profess a belief or disbelief in any religion. No person can be punished for entertaining or professing religious beliefs or disbeliefs, for church attendance or non-attendance. No tax in any amount, large or small, can be levied to support any religious activities or institutions, whatever they may be called, or whatever from they may adopt to teach or practice religion. Neither a state nor the Federal Government can, openly or secretly, participate in the affairs of any religious organizations or groups and vice versa. In the words of Jefferson, the clause against establishment of religion by law was intended to erect 'a wall of separation between Church and State.'

-U.S. Supreme Court, EVERSON v. BOARD OF EDUCATION OF EWING TP., 330 U.S. 1 (1947)

Back to your book review - is this, roughly, the author's probability calculation for life on other planets?