Fortunately, as the Bush administration continues to force federal social spending through so-called “faith-based” initiatives, the ACLU is there, pushing the issue in the courts, and trying to keep the line between church and state from being completely obliterated. And, it seems like, at least in one recent case, they were able to hold back the tide of government-funded evangelical extremism. Here’s a clip from the LA Times:

Last week, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services suspended a $75,000 grant to the Silver Ring Thing, a sexual abstinence program for teenagers, saying it was concerned that the program “may not have included adequate safeguards to clearly separate in time or location inherently religious activities from the federally funded activities.”

The silver ring in the program’s title refers to a ring worn by participants. It is inscribed with the message, “God wants you to be holy, so you should keep clear of sexual sin.” The ACLU had charged that the Silver Ring Thing used “taxpayer dollars to promote religious content, instruction and indoctrination.” A lawyer for the program, which has received about $1.3 million in federal funds since 2003, insisted that “any religious teaching that goes on is separate in time and place from what the government is funding.”

Do you believe it’s gotten to the point in our country where a court case has to be filed before the administration will acknowledge that a program built around jewelery that says, “God wants you to be holy,” is crossing the line?

(note: I wonder if I could get funding for this idea I have for bracelets that say, “Save your Cherry for Satan.”)

The LA Times has a great piece today on the cement dinosaurs off of Interstate 10 near Palm Springs that were made famous a few decades ago, in the film “Pee Wee’s Big Adventure.” (Pee Wee lived in the mouth of one.) The attraction, known as Cabazon Dinosaurs, has apparently “found religion” with its new owners, who have turned the old attraction into a Creationist’s paradise, where children (and adults with child-like abilities) can learn all about dinosaurs, unencumbered by the burdens of science. No, at Cabazon Dinosaurs, people can actually enter a fantasy world where they can imagine a reality in which dinosaurs existed just a few thousand years ago, right alongside the men and women of the Bible. Here’s a clip from the LA Times piece:

“We like to think of [dinosaurs] as creation lizards, or missionary lizards,” said Frank Sherwin, a museum researcher and author….

Kids flock to the huge statues. “And it’s not like they’re crying, ‘Oh, mommy, take me out, I’m scared.’ They’re drawn to it,” Chiles said. “There’s something in their DNA that knows man walked with these creatures on Earth.”

And, apparently, it’s not an isolated incident either. It seems as though several of these roadside dinosaur attractions which first sprung up in the 60’s are now changing hands, as evangelical Christians are seeing an opportunity to use them in their crusade against the evil, Christ-hating, latte-swilling scientists.

(There’s been no word yet as to whether or not these same evangelical investors are looking to take over the original Mystery Spot and re-branding it the Divine Miracle Spot.)

Fortunately, in all of my reading, it does not appear as though Prehistoric Forest in Irish Hills, Michigan has yet to be acquired. (note: The photo above is from Prehistoric Forest. It was copied from the site that was just linked to. As far as I know, it does not depict a biblical scene… yet.)