Non Fluffy Wicca

Yahweh doesn't have jurisdiction....

2008-07-18T04:47:16Z

Four Claiming to Belong to Court Run by 'Yahweh' Indicted for Threats Against Judge:

Four Minnesota men who claim to belong to their own common law court where "Almighty Yahweh" has exclusive jurisdiction have been charged for allegedly trying to intimidate U.S. District Judge Ann Montgomery in an effort to stop her from holding a criminal trial. The men were trying to stop the April trial of Robert Bonine Beale, the former millionaire chief executive of Comtrol Corp., who was subsequently convicted by a jury on conspiracy and tax evasion charges.

Creationists get teacher fired - at college no less

2008-07-17T21:01:27Z

firstamendmentcenter.org: news:

DES MOINES, Iowa — Southwestern Community College has reached a financial settlement with a professor who was fired after telling students the biblical story of Adam and Eve should not be taken literally.

Steve Bitterman taught world civilization at the Creston school. He was fired last September after students complained. Bitterman later sued for wrongful termination.

Patrick Smith, the school's lawyer, said the financial settlement should be completed this week. He did not disclose the amount of that settlement.

Bitterman's lawyer, Brad Schroeder, says academic freedom should have outweighed religious concerns.

"What was for him a purely objective, academic exercise in studying the religious beliefs of different Western civilizations became a group of fundamentalist students taking exception when it came time for their God to be put under the microscope," Schroeder said today.

Bitterman's case received widespread attention. He garnered support from the American Humanist Association, which says that people who eschew organized religion can lead ethical lives and contribute to the greater good.

Bitterman taught on the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower in Norfolk, Va., this summer through Central Texas College's Instructor At Sea program for sailors. He said he used the same textbook from his previous classes. Bitterman is scheduled to join the ship again in the Persian Gulf, but has also applied to work at other community colleges.

No, there's no discrimination at all in the military...

2008-07-17T20:59:25Z

The Wild Hunt Blog: A modern Pagan perspective.:

After two years of investigations, Stuart Bowen, the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction, and his deputy, Ginger Cruz, have been cleared of fraud and abuse charges that were lodged by former employees of the watchdog organization.

"On July 3, federal prosecutors alerted the office of Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction Stuart Bowen that a grand jury declined to indict him or deputy Ginger Cruz. Last week, on July 9, the President's Council on Integrity and Efficiency similarly cleared him and Cruz of any administrative charges stemming from the accusations. The executive branch council was created to investigate allegations of misconduct by inspectors general at federal agencies ... "I always had faith that we'd be cleared of the allegations," Cruz said in an interview Wednesday. "We knew there was no basis to them." Cruz described the investigations dating back to 2006 as "very thorough." She said it combed through all of her e-mail, and multiple people were interviewed for it."

This story first came to my attention in December of last year, after accusations against Cruz claimed that she was a Wiccan who sexually harassed her co-workers, and threatened to cast spells on those who crossed her.

"Cruz reportedly told employees that she was a Wiccan who could cast spells on people, and said she preferred hiring young “hunks” to work in the office. She is also accused of propositioning junior employees in a crude fashion, once even proposing a threesome."

Cruz has all along denied any wrongdoing, and that the accusations of witchcraft were "ludicrous". I felt that the emphasis on witchcraft and sexual improprieties seemed suspicious. Almost stereotypical.

"...it seems strange to me that "hexes" and her Wiccan religion were mentioned at all. Could it be that Cruz was simply too open with her religious preferences in an all-too-Christian military environment? Leaving aside the charges of cooking the books, doesn't it seem a bit too convenient (almost stereotypical in a male-fantasy sort of way) that the the young female Witch would go around propositioning three-ways with men and claiming to put hexes on people (no doubt on men who would refuse her sexual wiles)?"

Whether Cruz was indeed a Wiccan, or simply a woman branded "witch" in an often sexist and overtly Christian military will most likely never be known. Whatever the truth, this represents not only a vindication for Cruz, who can now put this painful time behind her, but a victory for religious minorities and Pagans working for the government. Perhaps more Pagans working in the military and in governmental positions can come out of the "broom closet" knowing that slanders of malicious spellwork, or lascivious behavior, will not stand up to scrutiny.

Hey! Our show got a decent review

2008-07-13T18:26:31Z

In the DC area, and wish to see the Krazy Kestra pretend to be a Shakespearean actor? Now's your chance. Two more shows available.

Coriolanus | DC Theatre Scene . Washington's liveliest theatre web site:

Coriolanus
Reviewed by Steven McKnight
Coriolanus is one of the more difficult Shakespeare plays due to its static plot and an unlikeable protagonist. While the Rude Mechanicals don’t entirely work it out, their streamlined modern production is competent and entertaining.

Alan Duda both directs and stars in the production as the proud Roman general who encounters difficulties when he refuses to kowtow to the populist rabble. His performance is generally convincing although less facile than it could be. The cast is uneven and some of the acting is a little broad, but the show includes fine performances by Michelle Trout (his fierce mother Volumnia), Mike Galizia (the Roman nobleman Menenius Agrippa), and Joshua Engel (the Volscian general Aufidius).

A few modern satirical touches enliven the piece, from the obvious laugh-getters (e.g., the “Volscian Threat Level Indicator”) to the more subtle focus on fickle public opinion in a political setting. The use of modern clothing and weaponry (e.g., fatigues and plastic guns) and other technology give the production a little added twist. Overall, though, this production is basically straightforward Shakespeare.

If you’ve never seen the rarely-performed Coriolanus or you enjoy seeing alternative production styles applied to Shakespeare, you may want to include this show on your Fringe schedule. If you don’t normally fancy Shakespearean tragedy, this production won’t change your view.

Running Time: 75 minutes
Tickets: Coriolanus
Remaining Shows: Sun, July 20 at 2 . Sat, July 26 at 7:30
Where: Warehouse Next Door, 1017 7th St NW

Atheist soldier sues Army for 'unconstitutional' discrimination - CNN.com

2008-07-09T17:00:34Z

Atheist soldier sues Army for 'unconstitutional' discrimination - CNN.com:

KANSAS CITY, Kansas (CNN) -- Army Spc. Jeremy Hall was raised Baptist.

Like many Christians, he said grace before dinner and read the Bible before bed. Four years ago when he was deployed to Iraq, he packed his Bible so he would feel closer to God.

He served two tours of duty in Iraq and has a near perfect record. But somewhere between the tours, something changed. Hall, now 23, said he no longer believes in God, fate, luck or anything supernatural.

Hall said he met some atheists who suggested he read the Bible again. After doing so, he said he had so many unanswered questions that he decided to become an atheist.

His sudden lack of faith, he said, cost him his military career and put his life at risk. Hall said his life was threatened by other troops and the military assigned a full-time bodyguard to protect him out of fear for his safety. Watch why Hall says his lack of faith almost got him killed »

In March, Hall filed a federal lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Defense and Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, among others. In the suit, Hall claims his rights to religious freedom under the First Amendment were violated and suggests that the United States military has become a Christian organization.

"I think it's utterly and totally wrong. Unconstitutional," Hall said.

Hall said there is a pattern of discrimination against non-Christians in the military.

Two years ago on Thanksgiving Day, after refusing to pray at his table, Hall said he was told to go sit somewhere else. In another incident, when he was nearly killed during an attack on his Humvee, he said another soldier asked him, "Do you believe in Jesus now?"

Hall isn't seeking compensation in his lawsuit -- just the guarantee of religious freedom in the military. Eventually, Hall was sent home early from Iraq and later returned to Fort Riley in Junction City, Kansas, to complete his tour of duty.

He also said he missed out on promotions because he is an atheist.

"I was told because I can't put my personal beliefs aside and pray with troops I wouldn't make a good leader," Hall said.

Michael Weinstein, a retired senior Air Force officer and founder of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation, is suing along with Hall. Weinstein said he's been contacted by more than 8,000 members of the military, almost all of them complaining of pressure to embrace evangelical Christianity.

"Our Pentagon, our Pentacostalgon, is refusing to realize that when you put the uniform on, there's only one religious faith: patriotism," Weinstein said.

Religious discrimination is a violation of the First Amendment and is also against military policy. The Pentagon refused to discuss specifics of Hall's case -- citing the litigation. But Deputy Undersecretary Bill Carr said complaints of evangelizing are "relatively rare." He also said the Pentagon is not pushing one faith among troops.

"If an atheist chose to follow their convictions, absolutely that's acceptable," said Carr. "And that's a point of religious accommodation in department policy, one may hold whatever faith, or may hold no faith."

Weinstein said he doesn't buy it and points to a promotional video by a group called Christian Embassy. The video, which shows U.S. generals in uniform, was shot inside the Pentagon. The generals were subsequently reprimanded.

Another group, the Officers' Christian Fellowship, has representatives on nearly all military bases worldwide. Its vision, which is spelled out on the organization's Web site, reads, "A spiritually transformed military, with ambassadors for Christ in uniform empowered by the Holy Spirit."

Weinstein has a different interpretation.

"Their purpose is to have Christian officers exercise Biblical leadership to raise up a godly army," he says.

But Carr said the military's position is clear.

"Proselytizing or advancing a religious conviction is not what the nation would have us do and it's not what the military does," Carr said.

The U.S. Justice Department is expected to respond to Hall's lawsuit this week. In the meantime, he continues to work in the military police unit at Fort Riley and plans to leave as soon as his tour of duty expires next year.

Dad charged with bride's 'honor killing'

2008-07-09T16:55:47Z

Dad charged with bride's 'honor killing':

A Pakistani man has been charged with killing his 25-year-old daughter in Georgia because she wanted out of an arranged marriage, police said. Chaudhry Rashid was arrested early Sunday after his wife called police and officers found Sandeela Kanwal dead in an upstairs bedroom of their home.

Gay couple to be married in church in Iceland

2008-06-28T00:14:01Z

IcelandReview - Online:

Árni Thór Arnthórsson and his American fiancé Paris Prince will be the first gay couple to get married in church in Iceland early next month after a new law on the right of religious associations to confirm cohabitation of gay couples took affect today.

“We didn’t know we’d be the first to get married in church after the law amendment,” Arnthórsson told 24 Stundir. “To us it is about the church being open to everyone and standing strong as one of the most important human rights institutions in the world. We are all equal before God.”

Prince also grew up with Christian values. “We are religious but practice religion in our own way,” he said. “I’m very happy about being here and taking part in this important step towards further change.”

Separate laws are valid for the confirmation on cohabitation for straight and gay couples. Hrafnkell Tjörvi Stefánsson at Samtökin 78, the National Organization of Lesbians and Gay Men in Iceland, said although today’s law amendment is a step in the right direction, there should be one law for all.

Rev. Bjarni Karlsson, who will marry Arnthórsson and Prince in Lauganeskirkja in Reykjavík, celebrates his newfound right to do so. “We live in a society where we not just tolerate other people, but respect them and their lives.”

Hilmar Örn Hilmarsson, high chieftain of Ásatrúarfélagid, a religious organization for those who believe in the pagan Icelandic/Nordic gods, agrees. “We have fought for this matter for a long time, that is, to have the right to marry gay couples.”

Today, Samtökin 78 celebrates its 30th anniversary and the day is also an international day of action for homosexuals and lesbians.

ACLU Might File Suit To End Lunch Prayer - washingtonpost.com

2008-06-27T15:01:03Z

ACLU Might File Suit To End Lunch Prayer - washingtonpost.com:

The American Civil Liberties Union is threatening to sue the U.S. Naval Academy unless it abolishes its daily lunchtime prayer, saying that some midshipmen have felt pressured to participate.

In a letter to the Naval Academy, Deborah Jeon, legal director for the ACLU of Maryland, said it was "long past time" for the academy to discontinue the tradition. She said the practice violates midshipmen's freedom to practice religion as their conscience leads them.

The Naval Academy rejected the ACLU's request that the prayer be eliminated.

"The academy does not intend to change its practice of offering midshipmen an opportunity for prayer or devotional thought during noon meal announcements," the university said in a statement. It said that some form of prayer has been offered for midshipmen at meals since the school's founding, in 1845, and that it is "consistent with other practices throughout the Navy."

Nine midshipmen have complained to the ACLU about the practice, Jeon said yesterday. Some have since graduated. One recent graduate, an agnostic who objected to the chaplain-led prayer, said she felt pressured to take part in it.

"Everybody else is participating with their heads bowed and their arms crossed," the midshipman said in an interview. "It became very obvious that you aren't participating."

The midshipman, who spoke on condition of anonymity because she feared her military career might be affected, said she went along with the practice at first because she didn't want to stand out. But she stopped in her third year and stood at parade rest instead of bowing her head and crossing her arms.

Those who want to pray during lunch "have the option to pray on their own," she said. "There's no reason they should subject everybody, including people like myself, to this prayer."

Academy spokeswoman Jennifer M. Erickson said that the prayer does not refer to a specific religion and that participation is voluntary. Prayers are led by Catholic, Jewish or Protestant chaplains.

The debate over whether to pray at U.S. service academies and colleges is several years old.

When the Air Force responded in 2005 to accusations of proselytizing at its academy in Colorado Springs, it issued guidelines that discouraged public prayer at most official events.

And in 2003, a Virginia appeals court struck down the Virginia Military Institute's mealtime prayer as unconstitutional. The ACLU and the Anti-Defamation League have asked the Navy to stop the lunch prayer at the Naval Academy based on the VMI ruling.

The Navy is "ignoring the law," said T. Jeremy Gunn, director of the ACLU's Program on Freedom of Religion and Belief. "The government shouldn't be deciding what kind of prayer is the right kind of prayer and then coercing people into accepting their preferred kind of prayer."

Teen's death blamed on faith healing - CNN.com

2008-06-19T18:51:38Z

Teen's death blamed on faith healing - CNN.com:

GLADSTONE, Oregon (AP) -- Authorities say a teenager from a faith-healing family died from an illness that could have been easily treated, just a few months after a toddler cousin of his died in a case that has led to criminal charges.

Tuesday's death of 16-year-old Neil Beagley, however, may not be a crime because Oregon law allows minors 14 and older to decide for themselves whether to accept medical treatment.

"All of the interviews from last night are that he did in fact refuse treatment," police Sgt. Lynne Benton said Wednesday. "Unless we can disprove that, charges probably won't be filed in this case."

An autopsy Wednesday showed Beagley died of heart failure caused by a urinary tract blockage.

He likely had a congenital condition that constricted his urinary tract where the bladder empties into the urethra, and the condition of his organs indicates he had multiple blockages during his life, said Dr. Clifford Nelson, deputy state medical examiner for Clackamas County.

"You just build up so much urea in your bloodstream that it begins to poison your organs, and the heart is particularly susceptible," Nelson said.

Nelson said a catheter would have saved the boy's life. If the condition had been dealt with earlier, a urologist could easily have removed the blockage and avoided the kidney damage that came with the repeated illnesses, Nelson said.

Benton said a board member of the Followers of Christ church contacted the authorities after Beagley died at his family's home. The teen had been sick about a week, and church members and his family had gathered to pray Sunday when his condition worsened, Benton said.

In March, the boy's 15-month-old cousin Ava Worthington died at home from bronchial pneumonia and a blood infection.

Her parents, Carl and Raylene Worthington, also belong to the church. They have pleaded not guilty to manslaughter and criminal mistreatment, and their defense attorneys have indicated they will use a religious freedom defense.

After earlier deaths involving children of Followers of Christ believers, a 1999 Oregon law struck down religious shields for parents who treat their children solely with prayer. No one had been prosecuted under it until the Worthingtons' case.

Members and former members of the church in Oregon City have told The Oregonian newspaper in previous interviews that the congregation has 1,200 people. It has no apparent ties to other congregations or any mainstream denomination.

Lawyer's Home Vandalized For Views On Religious Liberty - Albuquerque News Story - KOAT Albuquerque

2008-06-18T17:33:39Z

Lawyer's Home Vandalized For Views On Religious Liberty - Albuquerque News Story - KOAT Albuquerque:

An Albuquerque lawyer and his family are recovering from what he calls the latest retaliation against his crusade for separation of church and state in the military.
Lawyer Mikey Weinstein said his family has a total of 130 years of military service; Weinstein is a veteran himself. But the former counsel to President Ronald Reagan has locked horns with the military over religious freedom, and this is just the latest in a long series of retaliation -- but he said it's the worst.
Weinstein is no stranger to controversy, and no novice at being a lightning rod for those who hate.

But Weinstein said having a swastika and crucifix painted on the front of his house Sunday was something different.
"This is the first time I think I've ever felt outrage, humiliation and embarrassment at the same time," Weinstein said.
Weinstein said he's had tires slashed, windows shot out, feces and dead animals thrown on his lawn, all connected to the battle his foundation is waging in court.
Weinstein has filed suit claiming the military is violating the religious liberties of its members. That doesn't set well with some. But Weinstein said this will just cement the resolve of his organization.
"This is only going to further embolden us to preserve the constitution, and keep our foundation strong for the members of our U.S. military," Weinstein said.
If Weinstein lived in Albuquerque, whoever did this would be subject to a hate crime enhancement that would double the penalty if they are caught and convicted. But he lives in the county, which has no such measure.
The incident has also taught him something else.
"From Muslims, from Jews, from Christians, from Democrats and Republicans, independents, atheists, agnostics, and Wiccans, it [support] has been overwhelming, and if there is any silver lining to having something this horrible happen, it's the fact that the community responded and responded so wonderfully," Weinstein said.
Weinstein first made headlines in 2005, when he filed suit against the United States Air Force. In the suit, Weinstein claimed that the Air Force imposed Evangelical Christianity on Academy cadets, in violation of their constitutional rights.
That suit was dismissed, because the plaintiffs were no longer cadets.

Bigoted Ford dealership isn't actually sorry for its non-Christians "should sit down and shut up" ads

2008-06-01T11:13:57Z

Bigoted Ford dealership isn't actually sorry for its non-Christians "should sit down and shut up" ads:

Remember Kieffe & Sons, the California Ford dealership that ran a radio ad saying that they were Christians, and non-believers could therefore "sit down and shut up" and stop demanding separation of church and state?

Remember how they apologized for saying this really dumb thing?

They take it back.

The owner of the dealership says that he was forced to issue the apology by Ford, and he doesn't stand behind it, and he only issued it to appease "blog-lo-dites."

“I don’t regret the sentiment at all,” said Kieffe, who bought the 48-year-old dealership from his father in 1974. “It’s what we believe.”
Kieffe & Sons has sites in Mojave and Rosamond.
The dealer’s Web site Thursday bore a statement about the ad that included an apology “to all who were offended.”
Kieffe said he’d been contacted by Ford Motor Co. after the manufacturer heard complaints from numerous “blog-lo-dites.”

Remember, this guy doesn't actually attend church.

Link

White House Allegedly Interfered With EPA Decision on Tailpipe Emissions

2008-05-31T15:51:45Z

White House Allegedly Interfered With EPA Decision on Tailpipe Emissions:

The White House allegedly interfered with an EPA decision that would have allowed California to limit tailpipe emissions, according to a House Committee report. The agency’s career staff unanimously supported at least a partial granting of California’s request for a waiver and argued that any other decision would not stand up to court scrutiny.

The EPA’s Administrator purportedly favored granting California’s request. An administration spokesperson denied White House interference.

In a related news analysis, federal courts have limited the Bush administration’s “de facto deregulation of the environment,” giving the administration few legal victories on environmental matters except when it appears before the U.S. Supreme Court. The article noted that “many judges have scolded the administration over its legal tactics and what they said was disregard for the law and science.”

firstamendmentcenter.org: news

2008-05-31T03:24:08Z

firstamendmentcenter.org: news:

SAN FRANCISCO — California's highest court considered this week whether doctors' religious beliefs give them the right to withhold medical treatment from lesbians and gay men, a group specifically protected under state anti-discrimination laws.

Taking up a case that has pitted the promise of religious liberty against the guarantee of equal access, the state Supreme Court heard oral arguments May 28 in a lawsuit brought by a woman who claims her Christian doctors refused to perform artificial insemination on her because of her sexual orientation.

Guadalupe Benitez, 36, of Oceanside, alleges that doctors at the only nearby medical practice covered by her insurance treated her with fertility drugs and instructed her how to inseminate herself at home, but told her their beliefs prevented them from assisting her further.

"Doctors have the freedom, and rightly so, to pick their field and offer whatever procedures and protocols are appropriate for them," Jennifer Pizer, Benitez's lawyer, told the justices. "They do not have the freedom to discriminate against patients."

Benitez, now the mother of a 6-year-old boy and 2-year-old twin girls, sued Vista-based North Coast Women's Care Medical Group under a state law that prohibits for-profit businesses from arbitrarily discriminating against clients.

The law was originally designed to prevent hotels, restaurants and other public services from refusing to serve patrons because of their race. The Legislature has since expanded it to cover characteristics such as age and sexual orientation.

Kenneth Pedroza, a lawyer for the North Coast doctors, said the court must recognize a solution that respects the right of gay men and lesbians to be treated with dignity and the right of doctors to honor their moral views.

The doctors attempted to strike that balance, according to Pedroza, by being up front with Benitez about their views and referring her to another fertility specialist who did not object to performing in-office insemination on lesbians and eventually helped Benitez get pregnant through in-vitro fertilization.

"The law should not allow one side's rights to trump the other side," Pedroza said. "The law should accommodate both sides."

Associate Justice Carol Corrigan appeared skeptical, however, asking Pedroza whether a pharmacist who refuses to sell medicine "to people like you" but gives a customer cab fare to another pharmacy would be acting legally.

"At the end of the day, you are saying that I may help a patient get the services, (but) I am not going to do it for you because of who you are," Corrigan said.

Associate Justice Kathryn Werdegar asked Pizer why North Coast's attempt to find her a doctor without reservations about inseminating her was "not an accommodation of what we know is very important — religious freedom — and the accommodation of a person's right to be free from discrimination?"

Pizer, who several times asked the justices to consider whether a doctor would be allowed to invoke religion in denying treatment to patients of certain races, said that scenario would create a segregated medical system that discouraged people from seeking care.

"California doesn't allow doctors to become a whites-only doctor, or a heterosexual-only or a Jewish-only doctor," Pizer elaborated outside court.

Benitez, who attended the hearing with her partner, Joanne Clark, agreed. She said that besides suffering the additional stress of not knowing who would perform the procedure and the indignity of being turned away, the referral to a doctor not covered by her insurance cost her thousands of dollars in out-of-pocket expenses. North Coast claims the clinic offered to pay the extra costs of sending her to another doctor.

"It does do a great deal of damage to a person when you tell them they aren't worthy of having a child or having a family," she said.

Pedroza also predicted an unwelcome outcome if the justices side with Benitez.

"Physicians that have a conscientious objection ... will stop performing a medical procedure," he said. "It's not a minor imposition. It's a major imposition."

The court has 90 days to issue its opinion in the case, which Pizer said would have to be sent back to a trial court for a determination of whether the facts of the case support Benitez's discrimination claim. The Supreme Court is addressing the narrower issue of whether a doctor's religious views can be used as a defense.

Some people just can't stop pushing their religion on others

2008-05-30T15:13:29Z

Marine removed from duty over Bible coin reports - CNN.com:

BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- A U.S. Marine in Iraq has been removed from duty amid complaints that he was handing out coins with Bible verses at an American checkpoint, the military said Thursday.

A military spokesman said Iraqis in Falluja complained that the Marine was giving the coins, which were printed in Arabic, to people at an entry control point in Falluja.

U.S. military regulations prohibit religious proselytizing.

"This has our full attention," said Col. James L. Welsh, chief of staff of Multi-National Force, West. "We deeply value our relationship with the local citizens and share their concerns over this serious incident."

At least one of the coins is stamped with the words "Where will you spend eternity?" according to a report published Thursday by McClatchy Newspapers.

The other side of the coin reportedly contains a verse from John 3:16 that reads, "For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish, but have eternal life."

Several Falluja residents said they were given the coins over a two-day period and complained that U.S. troops, whom they consider foreign occupiers, were acting as Christian missionaries.

"Regulations prohibit members of the coalition force from proselytizing any religion, faith or practices," said Col. Bill Buckner, a coalition spokesman. "Our troops are trained on those guidelines before they deploy."

A military statement said "appropriate action" will be taken if the reports are substantiated.

The reports stoked religious concerns in Iraq just weeks after Iraqi police discovered that a U.S. soldier had used the Quran, Islam's holy book, for target practice.

The U.S. commander in Baghdad took the unusual step of holding a public ceremony and reading a letter of apology from the soldier, a sniper section leader, to local Iraqi leaders.

Many in attendance were members and leaders of Sunni militias that the U.S. military has courted to help fight al Qaeda in Iraq and other insurgents. Sunnis often face criticism from other Iraqis for cooperating with American troops.

Falluja, also a mostly Sunni city, was the scene of bitter and bloody fighting early in the Iraq war between U.S. troops, al Qaeda in Iraq and Sunni insurgents loyal to Saddam Hussein.

Sit-down-and-shut-up "Christian" Ford dealership is run by a non-church attendee who is sorry about the ad

2008-05-29T04:27:45Z

Sit-down-and-shut-up "Christian" Ford dealership is run by a non-church attendee who is sorry about the ad:

Remember the Ford dealership that ran a radio ad telling non-Christians to "sit down and shut up?"

"JW Horne," who claims he works for the dealership writing the ads posted to his blog, defending his decision, telling "non-believers" and "plain doubters" that we are "in the minority and as loud as you yell and protest, you will always be in the minority."

But today, Rick Kieffe, owner of Kieffe and Sons Ford in Mojave and Rosamond, publicly apologized for the ad, saying that a) he doesn't actually attend church, and b) he didn't approve the ad.

“It’s just something that went by us,” said Kieffe, who does not attend church but considers himself “a Christian spirit.” “We’re obviously sorry that it offends a given segment who identifies themselves as atheist.”

Link to "You Will Always Be in the Minority" post,

Link to apology

(via Consumerist)