The Fountain of Eternal Life in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, via Wikipedia By CHARLES M. BLOW In June, the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life published a controversial survey in which 70 percent of Americans said that they believed religions other than theirs could lead to eternal life. This threw evangelicals into a tizzy. After all, the Bible makes it clear that heaven is a velvet-roped V.I.P. area reserved for Christians. Jesus said so: “I am the way, the truth and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” But the survey suggested that Americans just weren’t buying that. The evangelicals complained that people must not have understood the question. The respondents couldn’t actually believe what they were saying, could they? So in August, Pew asked the question again. (They released the results last week.) Sixty-five percent of respondents said — again — that other religions could lead to eternal life. But this time, to clear up any confusion, Pew asked them to specify wh...

The Freedom From Religion Foundation plans to replace a sign that disappeared from the Illinois Capitol and will add a biblical warning this time: "Thou Shall Not Steal." Annie Laurie Gaylor heads the Madison, Wis.-based Freedom From Religion Foundation. She says the sign protesting the display of religious symbols will be replaced. The apparent theft from the Capitol's rotunda overnight Monday was reported to police. The sign referred to religion as "myth and superstition" and stood near a Nativity scene sponsored by a Springfield group. An identical atheist sign in Washington state was stolen and recovered, and one in Wisconsin was vandalized. The replacement Illinois sign and the Nativity scene soon will be joined by a Hanukkah menorah to mark the Jewish holiday. STORY LINK Here's some commentary from December 18, 2008 on FOX & Friends : In other news: The Freedom From Religion Foundation last week placed a sign protesting the display of religio...

Human Embryonic Stem Cells Image by anwer2007 via Flickr Sent in by Sean The Vatican issued its most authoritative and sweeping document on bioethical issues in more than 20 years on Friday, taking into account recent developments in biomedical technology and reinforcing the church’s opposition to in vitro fertilization, human cloning, genetic testing on embryos before implantation and embryonic stem cell research . The Vatican says these techniques violate the principles that every human life — even an embryo — is sacred, and that babies should be conceived only through intercourse by a married couple. The 32-page instruction, titled “ Dignitas Personae ,” or “ The Dignity of the Person ,” was issued by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith , the Vatican’s doctrinal office, and carries the approval and the authority of Pope Benedict XVI . Under discussion for six years, it is a moral response to bioethical questions raised in the 21 years since the congregation last issu...

Countdown 's Keith Obermann makes his case that Bill O'Reilly is really fomenting intolerance and radicalism by his War on Christmas . Related articles by Zemanta Bill O'Reilly's War on Christmas and Keith Olbermann's Rebuttal Olbermann: Bill O'Reilly 'disagrees with Bill O'Reilly' about 'mistreatment' at Guantanamo Bay. Atheists sign near nativity scene disappears Missing atheist sign found in Washington state Reason's Greetings How Can Atheists Win the War on Christmas?

Image via Wikipedia PITTSFIELD — The pastor of a New Ashford church is accused of shoplifting merchandise at the Carr Hardware he worked at in Pittsfield . Joseph D. Slonski, 53, of Windsor Road, Savoy, was charged with shoplifting by concealment after allegedly stealing a chainsaw chain valued at $25.99, according to Police Capt. Patrick F. Barry, head of the department's detective bureau. Slonski pleaded not guilty to the charge Tuesday in Central Berkshire District Court . The date of the alleged crime was not immediately available, and Carr officials had little to say about the incident when contacted by a reporter on Wednesday. "I cannot comment at this time," said Bart Raser, an owner of Carr Hardware/Just Ask Rentals on North Street. Police said Slonski was an employee of the North Street hardware store . He also is pastor of the Christian Harvest Center , "a full gospel church" located on Mallory Road in New Ashford. "(Slonski) was ...

Prop 8: The Musical , created by award-winning Hairspray composer Marc Shaiman , features stars such as Jack Black and John C Reilly lampooning backers of the constitutional amendment, which limits marriage to a union between a man and a woman. The ban was passed by voters during the November election, five months after gay weddings were legalised in the nation’s most populous state. A number of legal challenges are seeking to overturn the amendment, which was opposed by Hollywood heavyweights including Brad Pitt and Steven Spielberg as well as President-Elect Barack Obama and California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger . Its passage sparked protests nationwide. Prop 8: The Musical , directed and staged by Hairspray director Adam Shankman , features well-known stage and screen actors taking part in a Sacramento community college threatre group production. It opens with the colourfully-dressed “California Gays and The People That Love Them” dancing and celebrating a “brand new bright...