Opposing Views: Issues, Experts, Answers

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Expert Debate:Should Faith Matter When Electing Politicians?

By Opposing Views Editorial Staff June 16, 2008
John F. Kennedy once said, “I do not speak for my Church on public matters — and the Church does not speak for me.” That may have been true for JFK in 1960, but in recent years religion has played an increasingly larger role in American politics. With the line between private and public faith...
Expert Debate:Should Prayer Be Allowed in Public Schools?

By Opposing Views Editorial Staff June 27, 2008
Allowing prayer in public schools remains a compelling and often heated issue for many Americans. Is a student-led Lord's Prayer acceptable before the big game on Friday night? What about a two-minute "moment of silence" during home room? Of course, this isn't simply a matter of prayer itself but a...
Expert Debate:Is the U.S. a Christian Nation?

By Opposing Views Editorial Staff June 27, 2008
In a 2007 interview with beliefnet.com, John McCain stated that “the Constitution established the United States of America as a Christian nation.” While some were encouraged by McCain's words, others took great offense, reigniting a passionate debate about the intentions of America’s...
Expert Debate:Do the Terminally Ill Have a Right to Die?

By Opposing Views Editorial Staff July 02, 2008
With names like Dr. Jack Kevorkian and Terri Schiavo making international headlines during the past few years, the complicated subject of euthanasia remains on everyone's mind. But when considering the plight of the terminally ill and their potential suffering, is "pulling the plug" a matter of...
Expert Debate:Is Homosexuality a Sin?

By Opposing Views Editorial Staff July 11, 2008
There has been no shortage of controversy as gay people assume increased roles as parents and married couples in our society, but almost nowhere has this conflict been more intense than in the church. Many religious leaders have condemned homosexuality, calling it a sin or even an abomination, but...
Expert Debate:Should Religious Symbols be Displayed on Public Property?

By Opposing Views Editorial Staff July 11, 2008
Eighty-five percent of Americans claim some form of religious affiliation. The public display of religious symbols, though, is always controversial, whether we’re talking about the Ten Commandments in a courthouse or nativity scenes in a park. In the ongoing debate about religious imagery’s...
Expert Debate:Does Intelligent Design Have Merit?

By Opposing Views Editorial Staff July 22, 2008
With about 70 billion stars and as many as 100 million life forms (at least here on Earth), the universe is a stunningly complex place. Did all of this matter evolve independently, or was it guided by a larger force – as proponents of intelligent design believe? With the debate raging in living...
Expert Debate:Was the World Created in Six Days?

By Opposing Views Editorial Staff October 01, 2008
According to Genesis, God created the universe in six days and rested on the seventh. Many religious followers believe literally that everything from the air we breathe to the water we drink was created in a matter of days. Others scoff at this interpretation, insisting that the universe couldn’t...
Expert Debate:Should Religious Leaders be Able to Endorse Political Candidates?

By Opposing Views Editorial Staff October 01, 2008
On September 28th, 33 religious leaders violated federal tax law and endorsed a candidate for president. This protest, organized by the Alliance Defense Fund, sought to challenge the illegality of political endorsements by religious leaders. Meanwhile, critics like Americans United have insisted...
Expert Debate:Was Jesus an Historical Figure?

By Opposing Views Editorial Staff November 14, 2008
Jesus Christ is the most influential figure on the planet, with more than 2 billion worshippers worldwide and many more who fondly study his teachings. But what if he never existed? Many skeptics have posed this very question, and while true believers scoff at such suggestions, the debate is far...
Expert Debate:Is there a "War on Christmas?"

By Opposing Views Editorial Staff December 15, 2008
It’s that time of year again: houses are brightly lit, trees are sparkling with tinsel and parents are battling for the last remaining Elmo. In recent years, though, we’ve been hearing more about a “war” on Christmas, as public displays become increasingly scarce and “Merry Christmas”...
Expert Debate:Should Churches be Tax Exempt?

By Opposing Views Editorial Staff March 06, 2009
Leading up to April 15, millions of Americans can be found scrambling to file their taxes for themselves and their businesses, unless they operate a church. According to U.S. tax law, religious organizations are not required to pay taxes because they're considered non-profit institutions and...
Topic:Religion in Society
Opinion:Public Colleges Have Right to Deny Funds to Groups Who Discriminate

By Americans United 2 Days Ago
Public colleges and universities should have the constitutional right to deny funding and official recognition to student clubs that engage in religious discrimination, a trio of religious and civil liberties groups has told the Supreme Court. The organizations – Americans United for...
Press Release:Atheists to Rally for Congress to Remove "Under God" from Pledge

By American Atheists 1 Day Ago
American Atheists California is holding a demonstration at the San Francisco Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals building on Wednesday, March 17, calling for Congress to repeal the 1954 act that added the phrase "under God" to the Pledge of Allegiance. "The constitutionality of the...
Opinion:Southern California City Shuts Down Private Home Bible Study

By Pacific Justice Institute 1 Day Ago
RANCHO CUCAMONGA, Calif. --- A city in Southern California is demanding that a small home Bible study group stop meeting because it does not have an expensive permit. The permit is not required for similar-sized gatherings in homes, such as book clubs, birthday parties or gatherings centered...
Press Release:Americans United Commends Senate for Rejecting School Voucher Proposal

By Americans United 1 Day Ago
Americans United for Separation of Church and State applauds the Senate’s decision today to reject an amendment reauthorizing Washington, D.C.’s controversial school voucher program. In a 55-42 vote, the Senate shot down Sen. Joseph Lieberman’s amendment to the Federal...
Opinion:Counselor Suspended For Exposing Kids to Christian Music

By Pacific Justice Institute February 19, 2009
Orange County, CA – A lawsuit has been filed against Orange County by a veteran group home counselor who was suspended six weeks for exposing four teenagers to Christian music. The counselor is represented by affiliate and staff attorneys of Pacific Justice Institute. The lawsuit states that...
Opinion:Atheist Group Questions Study Linking Atheists to Higher Intelligence

By American Atheists March 07, 2010
A study claiming that liberals and Atheists are "more intelligent" than religious believers is causing a buzz in the news media and academic circles. Authored by Satoshi Kanazawa of the London School of Economics, the study claims that "more intelligent individuals may be more...
Opinion:Major Newspapers Continue to Demonstrate Anti-Catholic Bias

By Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights March 10, 2010
Catholic League president Bill Donohue offers several examples of media bias drawn from today’s newspapers: Orthodox Rabbi Baruch Lebovits was found guilty yesterday on eight counts of sexually abusing a 16-year old boy in Brooklyn. When a Catholic priest is...
Article:Is "God Hates Fags" Protest at Soldiers' Funerals Free Speech?

By The Rutherford Institute March 10, 2010
By John W. Whitehead "You can't preach the Bible without preaching the hatred of God." -- Pastor Fred Phelps The U.S. Supreme Court's decision to hear Snyder v. Phelps , a case dealing with anti-gay protests at the funerals of American soldiers, is stirring up debate over whether the...
Opinion:Did Florida Governor Charlie Crist Have Run-In With an Atheist?

By American Atheists March 11, 2010
By Blair Scott Earlier this week, we reported on an incident that occurred in Florida between an atheist, Michael Middlebrooks, and Governor Charlie Crist, who is also a Senatorial candidate. (You can read that post here .) Where is the media coverage beyond the atheist Web Pages? Some...
Opinion:Religious Right Throws Fit Over Islamic Prayer in Virginia

By Americans United March 11, 2010
By Rob Boston Thursday an imam delivered the opening prayer before the Virginia House of Delegates – and once again the Religious Right is having kittens . Three Religious Right groups – the Traditional Values Coalition, the Virginia Anti-Shariah Task Force and Act for America...
Opinion:National Org. for Women: Catholic Democrat Bart Stupak is "Un-American"

By Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights 6 Days Ago
Mary Pollock, legislative vice president of the Michigan chapter of the National Organization for Women, yesterday accused Rep. Bart Stupak, a Catholic, of imposing his religious beliefs on the nation. “It is outrageous and un-American,” Pollock...
Opinion:Jewish Pedophiles Go Unpunished in Hasidic Community

By American Atheists 4 Days Ago
None of the nearly $1 million set aside to tackle sex abuse in New York’s ultra-Orthodox Jewish communities has been spent, even as another program set up to help scrambles for cash. The state has earmarked $950,000 since April 2009 to fund Assemblyman Dov Hikind’s plans to teach...
Opinion:FFRF Sues City Over "Imagine No Religion" Billboard

By Freedom From Religion Foundation December 04, 2008
The national Freedom From Religion Foundation is filing a lawsuit today in federal court against the City of Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., for taking actions which led to the censorship of its "Imagine No Religion" billboard on Archibald and Foothill Blvd, Route 66. The Madison, Wis.-based Foundation...
Opinion:Creation "Museum" Rebuffed by Cincinnati Zoo

By National Center for Science Education December 04, 2008
"A promotional deal between the Cincinnati Zoo and the Creation Museum was scuttled Monday after the zoo received dozens of angry calls and emails about the partnership," reported the Cincinnati Enquirer (December 1, 2008). The promotion involved a package deal for tickets to the zoo's annual...
Research:More Americans Question Religion's Role in Politics

By Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life December 05, 2008
Some Americans are having a change of heart about mixing religion and politics. A new survey finds a narrow majority of the public saying that churches and other houses of worship should keep out of political matters and not express their views on day-to-day social and political matters. For a...
Opinion:Federal Judges Rules Against 'Christian' License Plate

By Americans United December 18, 2008
Federal Judge Blocks Issuance Of ‘I Believe’ Automobile Tag Featuring Cross And Stained-Glass Church Window A federal judge recently ruled that the state of South Carolina may not issue a special “Christian” license plate featuring a cross, a stained-glass window and the words “I...
Opinion:Top Ten Church-State Stories of 2008

By Americans United December 29, 2008
From Radioactive Clergy To Media Inquisitions, Religion Was A Hot Topic In This Year’s Race For The White House, Say Editors Of Church & State Magazine The role of religion in the presidential campaign tops the 2008 “Top Ten” list of top church-state stories, according to the editors...