Religion and politics don’t mix says Muslim

Firas Ahmad, deputy editor of Islamica Magazine warns of the dangers of mixing religion and politics. He recounts how  the evangelical political lobbying group Moral Majority were so concerned with the perceived immorality and secularisation of liberal America that they aligned themselves with right-wing politics and in the process founder Jerry Falwell “did more to diminish the dignity of belief than he achieved in limiting the sinfulness of modern life.”

When the previously unreligious Ronald Reagan stood against, believing evangelical Christian, Jimmy Carter in the presidential electionsm it was only when “Reagan guaranteed Falwell his full support against abortion, the future president rediscovered his religious roots and Falwell tasted the spoils of his first major political victory.”

The damage that this does to the moral voice of religion is “apparent in a poignant scene from the recent documentary, “Jesus Camp.” In it, an enthusiastic 12-year-old boy, steeped in evangelical ideology, rejects global warming as liberal nonsense. There is no reason for Christianity to take an ideological stand against protecting the environment. However, there is every reason for politicized Christianity, allied with Republican interests, to reject global warming on behalf of large oil companies. Religion is never more meaningless than when it becomes the pawn of political or economic ambition.”

Floods are judgment on society, say bishops

OK…not long after we laughed at Louis Theroux’s adventures with the ‘Most Hated Family in America‘ (you know, the ones who say God hates fags and who believe AIDS and dead solidiers are the price of accepting homosexuality),  the Telegraph reports that the Bishop of Carlisle (so not quite part of  a fringe extremist group like the Phelps family) is claiming that “laws that have undermined marriage, including the introduction of pro-gay legislation, have provoked God to act by sending the storms that have left thousands of people homeless.”

If he was just saying the floods are a punishment for refusing to respect the earth that God gave us stewardship over or “the way that it has exploited poorer nations in its pursuit of economic gain” (which he is apparantly), we might accept this even as an analogy. But he’s not.

Environmental Humanism in Guyana

Environmental Humanism Guyana is a humanist organisation that seeks “to apply common sense, proactive environmental concern and a Rationalist approach for Guyana.”

It’s founder Gareth says “There’s a huge and untapped constituency for humanists, plus people who probably are humanists but just don’t know it yet, to do great things. The likes of CAFOD, Christian Aid etc do some terrific work – but we could do better. Environmental Humanism Guyana is an opportunity for humanists to actually do something, and bind us together whilst we’re at it. “

Hat tip: 21st Century Network