From the "Ya Don't Say!" Files comes this gem:
Lawsuit: Teen Abstinence 'Thing' Promotes Christianity Too.
The American Civil Liberties Union filed a lawsuit Monday, alleging that the federal government has improperly used taxpayer money to fund Christian religious activities in a nationwide teen abstinence program.
Since 2003, the Moon Township-based Silver Ring Thing has received more than $1 million from the Department of Health and Human Services.
[Insert favorite riff on "Moon" Township here. You just can't make this stuff up.]
Grant recipients are not supposed to use the federal money for religious proselytizing, but the lawsuit alleges that the Silver Ring Thing encourages young people to commit themselves to Jesus Christ.
What's that you say? Abstinence "education" is often linked with religious proselytizing and the principles of Christianity? I would never have guessed it. Maybe when Jeebus said "love thy neighbor," he meant only as far as 2nd base.
The ACLU lawsuit says youths attending the presentations are given the opportunity to divide into secular and religious groups for the final portion of the event. The suit contends that students are encouraged to choose the religious option and to enroll in a Bible-based follow-up program -- and it alleges that organizers make no effort to use the federal money only for secular purposes.
I'm not sure what these librul Murka haters are suggesting here. There's never been a problem of federal funds being used for illegal purposes. Not then, or then, or then. Hmmph.
"The entire message is doing it through the church, through Christ," the ACLU's Barb Feig said. "There's no secular options related to making the same kind of a vow without invoking Christ. It's this religious content that forms the basis of our lawsuit."
Oh. Well then...um.
The suit also complains that the silver rings sold to youths who take the abstinence pledge are inscribed with a reference to a biblical verse which says, "God wants you to be holy, so you should keep clear of all sexual sin. Then each of you will control your own body and live in holiness and honor."
Uhh, yeah. That sounds kind of Christian-y. Like when they said "God" and "holy" and "sin" and it's part of a biblical verse and stuff. Hmm.
In other news, do we not get to control our own bodies if we don't have that silver ring? I guess the f*ck not! The wages of sexual sin are whatever-the-end-of-that-quote-is. I'm not up on my punishing religious philosophy, sadly. Only married hetero sex allowed. So I'm one for two. Oh well.
Denny Pattyn, the Silver Ring Thing's founder and president, was unavailable for comment.
He's probably trying to figure out from which B*sh madministration henchman he's going to have to borrow that $1 million he owes the taxpayers.
Chris Downing, a spokesman for the Department of Health and Human Services, said HHS doesn't comment on pending litigation.
How many times do you think that guy's issued that exact statement? I would love to see a report on how often this madministration has been sued for this and other improprieties (read: criminal infractions).
I'm feeling very Moses-ish right now, wanting to bellow, "Let my people go!" Can society next time fight all of its fears/neuroses/despotic tendencies in another manner? I think women have suffered long enough. Kindly take your sexual obsession elsewhere, wingnut minions. Thanks. I am positive Margaret Atwood is furiously penning a sequel to The Handmaid's Tale as we speak.
My head hurts. Make it stop. Please
Posted by: The Heretik | Tuesday, 17 May 2005 at 11:14 PM
Should we invite the heretik to share the blankie? I want cookies and warm milk too.
WHO ARE THESE PEOPLE?
Posted by: handdrummer | Wednesday, 18 May 2005 at 12:18 AM
'tik, seems like you need some blankie time. Come on over. Me and handdrummer have the cookies and warm milk ready.
These people are crazy people. Run away!
Posted by: ae | Wednesday, 18 May 2005 at 03:10 PM