Turning the Tables: Liberals Want End to Separation of Church and State

THE RIGHT ANGLE: Turning the tables: Liberals want end to separation of church and state - Opinions

Once upon a time, the ACLU wasn't just a big joke. I don't know a whole lot about that, because that was obviously long before I was born, and you should only write what you know. So I'm going to write about the ACLU being a big joke.

A few months ago, Michelle McCusker became pregnant, and as a result, lost her job. The ACLU says the institution that fired McCusker practices gender discrimination and that her rights have been infringed. In most cases, I'd be inclined to agree. The catch? McCusker was an unmarried teacher at a Catholic school.

In case you missed the significance of that statement, Catholics don't believe in premarital sex, something that's pretty much a prerequisite to McCusker's situation. Therefore, allowing this woman to teach small children about the Catholic religion might not be the best idea. These parents are paying to send their kids to a school where, ideally, they will receive a good, religious-based education, and not end up in Ms. McCusker's predicament. But it's hard to achieve that goal when one of the teachers is walking around pregnant, unwed, and refusing to get married.

I support any woman's right to not get married, and even their right to have children outside of wedlock. But this is different. This school's handbook warns that all teachers must "convey the teachings of the Catholic faith by his or her words and actions." When McCusker took this job, she was aware that she would have to abide by the handbook and its restrictions on virtually everything that goes against the Church's teachings.

Enter - surprise, surprise - the ACLU. They make the argument that this policy discriminates against women, because men can't get pregnant. I find their argument laughable, and I'm just waiting for the day when the ACLU tries to sue some sort of God-figure for placing the burden of child-bearing upon women.

Their main argument is that male teachers could still practice premarital sex and get away with it, while female teachers risk getting pregnant and losing their jobs. The school responded by claiming that they would fire a male teacher if they found out he had gotten a woman pregnant out of wedlock. But the ACLU's assertion is that the woman's sin is much more visible, therefore, the rule discriminates against women.

To which I intelligently reply: DUH. It's the Catholic Church, people. It's been a patriarchy since Day One. I know that, and most of the rest of the world knows that. And even though the ACLU is suing the actual school for having discriminating policies, what they're doing in affect is suing the Catholic Church for having these policies. And forgive me if I'm mistaken, but is the government now allowed to tell churches what they can and cannot preach?

It just seems to me that this reeks of a breech of the separation of Church and State that everyone likes to scream about. Funny how every time someone on the Right wants the government to be more moral, the Left cries out, "Separation of Church and State!" but look at what happens when the roles are reversed.

This could create some potentially harmful precedents if the ACLU wins the case. Which church teachings are next on the list? Does the teaching of salvation discriminate because it preaches that atheists are going to hell? Maybe God needs to check with the ACLU before He publishes any more controversial material. We don't want to offend anyone, you know.

If you ask me, this woman is just looking for someone to blame. That's what our society does, it teaches you that nothing is ever your own fault. In this case, it's teaching Ms. McCusker that it's not her fault she chose to not obey the school's handbook - it's the institutions fault for just being so darn strict!

If McCusker really wanted to avoid all of this trouble, perhaps she should have called on the ACLU earlier. You know, to sue the Catholic Church for not allowing her to use birth control while having her forbidden premarital sex, and not allowing her to have an abortion. Or maybe, if she's going to work for a religious institution, she needs to stop picking and choosing which of the Church's laws she follows.

Have a Happy Christmakwanzikuh

THE RIGHT ANGLE: Have a happy Christmakwanzikuh - Opinions

Last Thursday kicked off the official beginning to the holiday season. You know, there's nothing like Thanksgiving to put you in that holiday spirit. Of course, by noon, my sister was already hiding to avoid helping with dinner, my father was glued to the television, I had already gotten into the Thanksgiving wine, and my mother was swearing this was the last year we were ever going to celebrate this holiday. Just like last year and the year before that.

But aside from those few hectic family dinners, I've always seen the holiday season as a sort of vacation from the rest of the year. When I think of this time of year, I always picture myself seated around a decorated tree with friends and loved ones, sipping coffee and hot cocoa. And for once, we're not discussing whose politics are better for this country, we're just sharing silly gossip, and maybe spilling a few secrets after a little too much eggnog. In my mind, Christmas time is a break from the stupid, insignificant arguments the rest of the year brings.

Unfortunately, America refuses to let me escape from its own pettiness. No, those silly family squablings that bless the home during this season pale in comparison to some of the other arguments that occur during this time. Political correctness has everyone so up in arms that I'm now afraid to wish strangers a "Merry Christmas" for fear they'll be offended at my choice of holiday greeting. Now, I don't begrudge anyone the right to celebrate whatever holiday they want, whether it be Christmas, Channukah or Kwanza, but I would also hope that they do the same favor for me. Sadly, there are still many people in this country who refuse to shop at stores which don't represent their holiday of choice, and even some who boycott stores that have resorted to the generic term of "holidays" in order to include all religious groups in their seasonal celebration.

And then last year, in an equally petty move, Target Corporations refused to allow Salvation Army bell ringers to stand outside their stores. Why? According to Target, it is because they have a strict no-solicitation policy which encompasses the familiar red kettle bell-ringers. But that's not the rumor that's been circulating for over a year now. Fundamentalist Christian groups have accused the giant retailer of discriminating against the Salvation Army because of its stance against homosexuality. As a result, some religious groups are refusing to shop at Target because of its supposed pro-gay stance. However, a visit to the Salvation Army website shows that even though the group's religious beliefs preach against homosexuality, their charity is "available to all who qualify, without regard to sexual orientation." Of course, all this really proves is that Target's actions are entirely selfish and that their only goal is to keep bell-ringers from "harassing" their customers.

Since I was a little girl, I was taught to never pass by a kettle without at least putting in a few cents. That's stuck with me throughout the years, and if I ever have children I'll teach them the same thing. For over a century now, the Salvation Army has been helping the less fortunate in America through their red kettle campaigns, regardless of race, religion, or political orientation. And while I do hope that Target suffers because of the boycotts, I also hope those boycotting are not doing so out of hate for their fellow humans.

So don't try to justify Target's actions by turning this into a political battle. And while you're at it, try not to be so picky about what your holiday is referred to as. Whether you're Christian, Jewish, or agnostic, try to see this season for what it is - a chance to help your fellow man and an excuse for togetherness. Call me crazy, but there's something about this time of year that turns me into an optimist. Maybe it's all the songs about peace on earth. Or maybe, just maybe, I've had far too much eggnog.

Greensboro's Woods of Terror: Truly Frightening... Especially if You're Afraid of a Little Religious Speech

THE RIGHT ANGLE: Greensboro's Woods of Terror - Opinions

I want to begin this column by saying that I love Halloween, and I am incredibly glad that it falls on a weekday this year. The last time I was able to go to class dressed up like an idiot was Halloween my freshman year, and I didn't have the nerve to go through with it. You better bet I'll be walking around campus all day this year in my costume. Watch out.

Halloween is a great time of year. I've been a fan of horror movies and ghost stories since I was little, so of course I love a holiday that encourages these things. One of the things you must do, if you really want to appreciate Halloween, is do something, well, scary. There's no end to the number of haunted attractions to be found at this time of year. UNCG's own Mary Foust Residence College puts on a haunted house every year. It's conveniently located for the average student, and it's gotten some great reviews in the past.

But if you have a car and you don't mind a little 10-15 minute drive, there might be another attraction for you to check out. On Church Street, right outside of the Greensboro city limits, lies the Woods of Terror, an award-winning haunted trail attraction. According to their website (www.woodsofterror.com), the woods in which this trail lies is haunted by the spirits of those who perished during the Great Depression and were not given a proper burial.

After receiving high rankings from MSNBC, hauntedhouse.com, and Tourist Parks and Attractions, I finally decided to see what all the fuss was about. Some friends and I piled in a car and drove out to the Woods of Terror, looking for a scare. And boy did we find it. After being chased with chain saws, bumping into dead bodies, and taking the scariest hayride ever, my friends and I were all hoarse from screaming and laughing. Even I had to admit that I had been genuinely spooked by the haunted trail.

Aside from actually having the ability to frighten me, something else sets this Halloween attraction apart from all the others. After entering the Woods of Terror, you are immediately herded into a room with a television. A man (who turns out to be Eddie McLaurin, the owner of the Woods of Terror) appears on the screen and proceeds to tell everyone in the room about Jesus Christ. He doesn't preach or come off as "holier than thou," but he does explain how Christianity changed his life and how it can do the same for everyone in the room.

Of course, being in a crowd of college students, there were the obligatory cries of, "I'm offended!" and "He can't force his religion on us!" The irony in this is, of course, McLaurin isn't forcing his religion on anyone; he's offering it as an option to people entering HIS own private attraction. But most silly "open-minded" college students don't look at it that way.

Eddie McLaurin has been using his haunted trail to scare people since 1991. Although he had been raised as a Christian, he admits that he had fallen off the path sometime around his senior year of high school. Years later, after rededicating himself to God, McLaurin told me he realized (in reference to the haunted attraction), "God needed to be in it, and if it didn't glorify God, it wasn't right."

As he expected, McLaurin has received some bad feedback in the way he begins his haunted trail. Some Christians have chastised him for celebrating a traditionally "Satanic" holiday; however, in response, McLaurin states, "It's only the devil's holiday if we give it to him." He went on to say that Christians who refuse to celebrate Halloween should also refuse to have anything to do with Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny on other major holidays. On the other end of the spectrum, non-Christians have criticized him for "forcing" his religion under false pretenses. But McLaurin has also received a great deal of feedback from people who were personally touched by his video, and who have changed their life the same way he changed his.

Eddie McLaurin is just another example of why I'm so proud to live in a free country where people can come up with ideas like this one. And sure, maybe there will be some people who don't attend his park because they don't want to have Christianity "forced" upon them, but they're the ones that are losing out. The video lasts all of two minutes, and doesn't make you feel like a bad person or a sinner if you don't chose to listen to it. And if anyone is really, truly offended by the video, I'm sure they'll have had it scared out of them by the end of the haunted trail. If you're looking for a good time this Halloween season, visit the Woods of Terror on Church Street. Or, you could just be a loser and sit at home if you're one of those people who are terrified by the concept of the First Amendment.

A Little Divine Intervention

THE RIGHT ANGLE: A little divine intervention - Opinions

The average student's vocabulary, whether they realize it or not, is regularly infused with religious jargon. Some students "pray" for help on an exam, or claim a "miracle" would be needed to pass a certain class. And who hasn't exclaimed, "Thank GOD!" after receiving an A on a particularly hard paper?

A good number of students will never literally pray for a good grade, nor will they even realize that they are using terms such as these. But every now and then, something so coincidental and convenient happens that it can only be chalked up to divine intervention.

I learned this for myself last week. I had a paper due on a Thursday and, as is typical of me, I waited until the night before to start it. I already had a general idea of what I was going to focus on, so all I really needed to do was actually type the paper. Of course, I assumed that I had all the books I needed to complete the paper. And as luck would have it, I was wrong.

The majority of my paper focused on women in Biblical times, and I had planned to use several examples from the New Testament.

Unfortunately, I realized a little too late, that I did not have a Bible. Most people wouldn't see this as a real problem, as there are numerous online Bible sites that make it simple to find any verse on any subject in any part of the Bible. But I'm different. While I do have the ability to waste hours upon hours of my life reading blogs and other junk, I find it nearly impossible to read the Bible while on a computer monitor. Perhaps it has to do with my preference for the King James Version, which was clearly not written for the online age.

I struggled with an online Bible for hours before finally giving up. I decided that the next morning, I would wake up early, go to the library, and hope I had enough time to find a real Bible and finish the paper.

On my way to the library the next morning, an amazing thing happened: I ran into a Gideon. Now I know you've all seen them around campus at one time or another. They position themselves at high-traffic areas and hand out pocket-sized Bibles which conveniently contain the New Testament. As I was handed a Bible at 8am, I was still too asleep to realize what had just occurred. I continued walking to the library, went to the computer lab, sat down, and signed on before I actually realized what had happened. After spending several hours wishing for a Bible the previous night, I had simply been handed one on my way to finish the paper.

Now, when you're not a very religious person and you suddenly realize that there really MUST be someone out there watching out for you, it's a bit of an odd feeling. In fact, I spent the rest of the day with a sensation very similar to paranoia hanging over my head. But even more than that, I felt awe over what had happened to me. I am 100% sure that what happened to me was nothing short of divine intervention.

After turning my paper in, I walked around campus and thanked all of the Gideons for simply doing what they do. I was amazed at how many of them told me they had been treated badly simply for standing around handing out Bibles. The fact that anyone would berate a missionary for no good reason just sickens me.

I do not necessarily subscribe to the belief that UNCG needs preachers on every corner trying to save the souls of lost students, but that's not what these guys are doing. They're simply offering religious books for those interested. They do not force anyone to take these Bibles (I myself have turned them down several times over my four years at this school). They do not give you dirty looks for not taking their Bibles. As far as I can tell, they're criticized for giving religious literature to people who want them.

I admire the Gideons for putting up with this abuse for so long. They realize that every time they visit UNCG, they're going to be cursed and yelled at, yet they continue to come. Why? Because they realize that this could be the day they are able to reach out to just a few more people. Or maybe it's because they knew that one single college student had a need for some divine intervention.

The New First Amendment: Freedom of All Religions -- Except Christianity

THE RIGHT ANGLE: The New First Amendment - Opinions

Sometime last summer, as I was wasting away my life in front of a computer, I came across a rather humorous political cartoon drawn by Mike Luckovich. It showed an image of the Constitution with the words "Except for Homos - G.W.B" scrawled across it in what looked to be black crayon. I'll admit, it was funny and I laughed. But looking back on that cartoon, I'm starting to get a similar picture, only this time it's the Bill of Rights and "Except for Christians" is neatly penciled in next to the First Amendment.

Recently, a fellow UNCG student stopped me on campus and told me about a rather unconventional lecture they had endured in their Anthropology course. It seems that while this professor was teaching them about the Yanomamo culture in South America, they had taken it upon themselves to preach to the class about the evils of America and Christianity. The lecture included a discussion on how missionaries had traveled to the Yanomamo tribe in the mid to late 1900's and brought with them what proved to be fatal diseases including malaria, influenza, and even the common cold. This is, of course, historical fact, and no one should be offended by it. What bothers me, however, is that this teacher then ranted for 45 minutes on why they felt the missionaries were out of line in even traveling to South America in order to spread the Gospel.

According to this student, the professor spent a good majority of the class time talking about how the missionaries had no right to try to force their culture on the Yanomamo. They went on about how the missionaries taught the group to speak English, again stressing that the infiltration of this group by Western culture is an abomination. What the professor failed to even acknowledge is that the missionaries visited the group with only the best of intentions. These are people who believe so strongly in their religion that they would risk their lives to make sure people all over the world have a chance to hear their story, and yet, to hear this professor speak, you would think they travel around the world with the sole intention of killing off as many people as possible.

The missionaries did not teach the Yanomamo tribe English in order to destroy their culture; they did it so they could better preach Christianity to them. I find it appalling that a professor, or anyone for that matter, could actually criticize missionaries for simply trying to do what they believe is right. As a matter of fact, missionaries are probably some of the most selfless people in the world. They are actually more concerned with trying to give others a chance to hear about their religion than anything else.

Of course, not content with simply putting down Christianity, this Anthropology professor took it one step further: they likened the entire fiasco to the war in Iraq. This professor commented that they believed Bush going to Iraq to spread democracy was a cover, and that he was really in Iraq in order to spread Christianity. Of course, this is ridiculous, but then again, everyone is entitled to their own opinion, no matter how asinine that opinion is. What they are NOT entitled to is the right to teach it to a class as if it were fact rather than a viewpoint.

Christian views are simply not welcome in the classroom, and I've known that ever since a teacher in high school informed us that she was not allowed to tell us that she believed in God. But actually attacking Christianity and its followers is going a step too far. It's one thing for a professor to bash the man that a majority of the country voted for in November, but it's a completely different thing to attack an entire religious group. I wonder how the university system would react if a professor bashed Buddhism or Hinduism as part of his lecture.

Perhaps someone needs to send this professor a copy of the Bill of Rights and tell them that if they wanted to go around preaching their opinions, maybe they should have become a missionary rather than a professor at a state-supported university.