California Magazine: His Truth is Marching On: Rousas John Rushdoony and the Rise of Christian Conservatives
New Republic: A 31-Year-Old Is Tearing Apart the Heritage Foundation
Raw Story: The Hobby Lobby Lawsuit Is A Trojan Horse
Religion Dispatches: Hobby Lobby, Contraception, the Supreme Court, and the Bible
Think Progress: College Is Free After You Have A Baby, And Other Lies That ‘Crisis Pregnancy Centers’ Tell Real Women
Washington Post: The marriage mission
GLAAD: Help Minnesota ban harmful "ex-gay" therapy
Tuesday, November 26, 2013
News Tidbits
NBC News: Abortion opponents undeterred by Albuquerque loss
Portland Tribune: Oregon: Group that led charge against gay marriage changes tack
New York Times: Court Confronts Religious Rights of Corporations
Boston Globe: Among Methodists, schism over gay rites
Huffington Post: Dan Savage's Real Time With Bill Maher Appearance Condemned By Catholic League
BBC News: The country where exorcisms are on the rise
Portland Tribune: Oregon: Group that led charge against gay marriage changes tack
New York Times: Court Confronts Religious Rights of Corporations
Boston Globe: Among Methodists, schism over gay rites
Huffington Post: Dan Savage's Real Time With Bill Maher Appearance Condemned By Catholic League
BBC News: The country where exorcisms are on the rise
Monday, November 25, 2013
Concluding Thoughts on the Botkins' "Ready for Real Life" Webinar
Introduction: Botkins Launch Webinar on Making Kids "Ready for Real Life"
Part I: Ready for What?
Part II: Are Your Children Ready for Real Life?
Part III: Arts and Culture
Part IV: Science and Medicine
Part V: History and Law
Part VI: Vocations
Part VII: Q&A Session
Conclusion
After receiving a tip from one of my readers, I purchased access to the "Ready for Real Life" webinar, hosted by the Botkin family of the Western Conservatory for the Arts and Sciences. After listening to the seven-part webinar, I was struck by how paradoxical the content was. On one hand, Christians are to teach their children to take dominion of the world and assume positions of leadership, according to the Botkins. On the other hand, their instructions on how to raise homeschooled children would make this next to impossible.
The Botkins place little value on college degrees or certifications, but without degrees, advancement to leadership positions in most fields would be difficult if not impossible. Geoffrey Botkin speaks coldly about the so-called "slave economy" in which most mainstream jobs are situated, discouraging homeschooled youth from working at such jobs. The Botkins' distrust of secular academia, the mainstream scientific community, the modern art and music scenes, the military, and the secular state (evident in Geoffrey's hostility toward so-called "statism") precludes young people from working in those fields as well. How can youth raised with the Botkins' ideology be leaders in the world if advanced educational opportunities and multiple career fields are off limits?
Furthermore, leadership involves understanding and working alongside the people one intends to lead. The Botkins, however, are wary of people and ideas outside of their immediate subculture. People who think differently than them are viewed at best as "sheep" in need of a shepherd, and at worst as enemies. In the Botkins' day to day lives, such people are largely avoided. How can Botkin-aligned youth lead other people if their ideology prevents them from interacting with others at length or learning about them?
It goes without saying that in the Botkins' vision, such leaders will be men. The Botkins' ideology relegates women to the home, where they are assigned the tasks of homeschooling children, keeping the house in order, possibly running a home business, and accepting the blame when things go wrong. College and careers outside the home are off-limits, and gifts are to be put aside in favor of marriage and motherhood, as in the case of Geoffrey's daughter-in-law. Women can help their men, but not serve as leaders in their own right. How do the Botkins expect their fundamentalist Christians to rise up as leaders when half of their number are barred from meaningful participation in the outside world?
In conclusion, the Botkins' webinar encourages Christian homeschooling families to take dominion, but fails to provide realistic instructions for doing so. The ideology they preach is not only inadequate for achieving the dominion they crave, but inadequate for preparing young people for real life. Life in a fundamentalist bubble simply isn't good training for leadership in the real world.
A warm thank you to Homeschoolers Anonymous for cross-posting this series.
Part I: Ready for What?
Part II: Are Your Children Ready for Real Life?
Part III: Arts and Culture
Part IV: Science and Medicine
Part V: History and Law
Part VI: Vocations
Part VII: Q&A Session
Conclusion
After receiving a tip from one of my readers, I purchased access to the "Ready for Real Life" webinar, hosted by the Botkin family of the Western Conservatory for the Arts and Sciences. After listening to the seven-part webinar, I was struck by how paradoxical the content was. On one hand, Christians are to teach their children to take dominion of the world and assume positions of leadership, according to the Botkins. On the other hand, their instructions on how to raise homeschooled children would make this next to impossible.
The Botkins place little value on college degrees or certifications, but without degrees, advancement to leadership positions in most fields would be difficult if not impossible. Geoffrey Botkin speaks coldly about the so-called "slave economy" in which most mainstream jobs are situated, discouraging homeschooled youth from working at such jobs. The Botkins' distrust of secular academia, the mainstream scientific community, the modern art and music scenes, the military, and the secular state (evident in Geoffrey's hostility toward so-called "statism") precludes young people from working in those fields as well. How can youth raised with the Botkins' ideology be leaders in the world if advanced educational opportunities and multiple career fields are off limits?
Furthermore, leadership involves understanding and working alongside the people one intends to lead. The Botkins, however, are wary of people and ideas outside of their immediate subculture. People who think differently than them are viewed at best as "sheep" in need of a shepherd, and at worst as enemies. In the Botkins' day to day lives, such people are largely avoided. How can Botkin-aligned youth lead other people if their ideology prevents them from interacting with others at length or learning about them?
It goes without saying that in the Botkins' vision, such leaders will be men. The Botkins' ideology relegates women to the home, where they are assigned the tasks of homeschooling children, keeping the house in order, possibly running a home business, and accepting the blame when things go wrong. College and careers outside the home are off-limits, and gifts are to be put aside in favor of marriage and motherhood, as in the case of Geoffrey's daughter-in-law. Women can help their men, but not serve as leaders in their own right. How do the Botkins expect their fundamentalist Christians to rise up as leaders when half of their number are barred from meaningful participation in the outside world?
In conclusion, the Botkins' webinar encourages Christian homeschooling families to take dominion, but fails to provide realistic instructions for doing so. The ideology they preach is not only inadequate for achieving the dominion they crave, but inadequate for preparing young people for real life. Life in a fundamentalist bubble simply isn't good training for leadership in the real world.
A warm thank you to Homeschoolers Anonymous for cross-posting this series.
Commentary Tidbits
Good As You: Springfield Bishop totally not demonizing gays; now here, let him tell you all the ways the devil's involved in our marriages
Sarah Over the Moon: What Love and Respect and Fireproof Teach Abusers and their Victims
SPLC Hatewatch: Man Who Claims Ties to ‘Christian American Patriot Militia’ Threatens Obama in Facebook Post
RH Reality Check: Right-Wingers Again Try to Scuttle UN Convention on Rights of Disabled
Time: Rick Santorum Goes to Hollywood
Alternet: 5 Christian Right Delusions and Lies About History
Homeschoolers Anonymous: Snake Oil Homeschooling: The False Promises of Fear and Control
Ordo Amoris: Homeschooling and the Fear of Man
Sarah Over the Moon: What Love and Respect and Fireproof Teach Abusers and their Victims
SPLC Hatewatch: Man Who Claims Ties to ‘Christian American Patriot Militia’ Threatens Obama in Facebook Post
RH Reality Check: Right-Wingers Again Try to Scuttle UN Convention on Rights of Disabled
Time: Rick Santorum Goes to Hollywood
Alternet: 5 Christian Right Delusions and Lies About History
Homeschoolers Anonymous: Snake Oil Homeschooling: The False Promises of Fear and Control
Ordo Amoris: Homeschooling and the Fear of Man
News Tidbits
WEMU 89.1: EMU Settles with Students for Life, the Alliance Defending Freedom
Religion News Service: Mark Driscoll accused of plagiarism by radio host Janet Mefferd
Army Times: Gay Army couple says chaplain barred them from marriage retreat
Buzzfeed: Rep. Michele Bachmann Refuses To Include LGBT Families In Adoption Resolution
Religion News Service: Mark Driscoll accused of plagiarism by radio host Janet Mefferd
Army Times: Gay Army couple says chaplain barred them from marriage retreat
Buzzfeed: Rep. Michele Bachmann Refuses To Include LGBT Families In Adoption Resolution
Thursday, November 21, 2013
Commentary Tidbits
Liberty for Captives: The Myth of Biblical Manhood
Holy Bullies and Headless Monsters: The anti-gay right needs to be exposed for their scientific misconduct
GLAAD: Air Force Academy recruits 'ex-gay' counselor; totally prepared for any wars necessitating snake oil
Wall of Separation: Hobby Lobby President Proposes Bible Elective in Oklahoma Public School
RH Reality Check: Meet the Men Behind ‘Six Reasons to Not Send Your Daughter to College’
Salon: My abstinence-only education
Holy Bullies and Headless Monsters: The anti-gay right needs to be exposed for their scientific misconduct
GLAAD: Air Force Academy recruits 'ex-gay' counselor; totally prepared for any wars necessitating snake oil
Wall of Separation: Hobby Lobby President Proposes Bible Elective in Oklahoma Public School
RH Reality Check: Meet the Men Behind ‘Six Reasons to Not Send Your Daughter to College’
Salon: My abstinence-only education
News Tidbits
Religion News Service: Methodist Church gives pastor 30 days to desist or give up credentials
King 5: Taxpayer money taken away from religious group after public outrage
The Murfreesboro Post: Mighty Men Conference attracts big crowd
Associated Press: Oklahoma megachurch, mom of rape victim settle suit
Chicago Sun-Times: Bishop Paprocki Stages Exorcism as Gay Marriage Becomes Law: 'Be Gone Satan"
NBC 9 News: School leader privately admits 'indefensible' breach of church and state over Operation Christmas Child
Raw Story: Colbert congratulates guest Santorum on appealing to ‘not enough people to win’
Philadelphia Inquirer: Santorum Not Ruling Out Presidential Run in 2016
Pink News: Restaurant says family which said they did not agree with lesbian waitress’s ‘lifestyle’ can return
Gay Star News: Australia: Religious groups’ right to discriminate to be restricted in New South Wales
King 5: Taxpayer money taken away from religious group after public outrage
The Murfreesboro Post: Mighty Men Conference attracts big crowd
Associated Press: Oklahoma megachurch, mom of rape victim settle suit
Chicago Sun-Times: Bishop Paprocki Stages Exorcism as Gay Marriage Becomes Law: 'Be Gone Satan"
NBC 9 News: School leader privately admits 'indefensible' breach of church and state over Operation Christmas Child
Raw Story: Colbert congratulates guest Santorum on appealing to ‘not enough people to win’
Philadelphia Inquirer: Santorum Not Ruling Out Presidential Run in 2016
Pink News: Restaurant says family which said they did not agree with lesbian waitress’s ‘lifestyle’ can return
Gay Star News: Australia: Religious groups’ right to discriminate to be restricted in New South Wales
Wednesday, November 20, 2013
Transgender Day of Remembrance
Today is the 2013 Transgender Day of Remembrance, an annual event devoted to victims of deadly transphobic violence. The Transgender Day of Remembrance is held every November in honor of Rita Hester, a transgender woman who was murdered on November 28th, 1998 and whose death inspired the "Remembering Our Dead" web project. The event follows this year's Transgender Awareness Week, which ran from November 11-17, raising awareness of transgender and gender-nonconforming people.I just got back from a Transgender Day of Remembrance vigil on the steps of the capitol building in Harrisburg, PA. As Silent Witness Peacekeepers stood watch, voices from TransCentral PA, Equality Pennsylvania, and the LGBT Community Center of Central Pennsylvania spoke about transphobic hate crimes and transgender suicide. As a Unitarian Universalist clergyman delivered the closing prayer, the crowd mourned those who had passed. The vigil is an annual reminder that for transgender hate crime victims, and for those who take their own lives after facing unrelenting rejection and persecution, bigotry has deadly consequences.
Transphobia is an ugly reality in our society, and we need to end it. We need to speak out against transphobic hate crimes and discrimination. We need to speak out against far-right attacks on hard-won transgender rights. We need to affirm our transgender neighbors as human beings and equal citizens under the law. We need to work toward a society in which people of all gender identities can live full lives. The world has made progress, but the struggle is not over.
For more information on the Transgender Day of Remembrance, click here and here. For more information on transphobia in the U.S., check out the following resources.
Taking It On the Chin: New Fast Facts About Violence Against Transgender People
2012 Report on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and HIV-Affected Hate Violence
Injustice at Every Turn: A Report of the National Transgender Discrimination Survey
Transgender Students in U.S. Schools
Tuesday, November 19, 2013
Commentary Tidbits
PolicyMic: Pregnant? Scared? These "Fake Clinics" Will Make It Worse.
Americablog: Air Force Academy has `ex-gay` cure advocate overseeing cadet counseling
Wall of Separation: Sex Education Or Simplistic Sectarianism?: Religious Right ‘Experts’ Rely on Pseudoscience And Shaming To Promote Theology In Schools
Right Wing Watch: Scott Lively: Gay People Behind Anti-Gay Violence In Russia
Americablog: Air Force Academy has `ex-gay` cure advocate overseeing cadet counseling
Wall of Separation: Sex Education Or Simplistic Sectarianism?: Religious Right ‘Experts’ Rely on Pseudoscience And Shaming To Promote Theology In Schools
Right Wing Watch: Scott Lively: Gay People Behind Anti-Gay Violence In Russia
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