A Few Follow Ups

Today, we at Holier Than Thou thought we’d follow up on some of the issues raised in this space a bit earlier.

After all, we’d hate to leave our readers hanging on issues of burning importance — or, at least, conservative Christianity run amok.


1) In yet another Intelligent Design battleground, we had earlier noted that the Utah state legislature was considering a bill that would require public school students to be told that evolution is NOT a fact, and that the state of Utah doesn’t endorse evolutionary theory.

So, did that law ultimately pass? Yes or No


2) We also noted that Wal-Mart was refusing to carry the Plan B “morning after” contraception in all of its stores except those in Illinois and Massachusetts where state law required them to.

So, has Wal-Mart since changed its stance on the issue? Yes or No


3) And lastly, we’ve been noting for months now the insanity that keeps pouring out of Rev. Pat Robertson’s mouth. You know, things like we should assassinate Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, that God gave Ariel Sharon a stroke as punishment for pulling out of Gaza, and that the people of Dover, Pa., shouldn’t be surprised if God decided to smite them for voting out their Intelligent Design supporting school board.

Well, lest ye fear that such religious zealotry has no real consequences, it seems that those statements were the direct reason Pat Robertson was just voted out of WHAT organization?

A) President Bush’s federal Faith-Based Initiatives Task Force
B) The board of directors of the National Religious Broadcasters
C) The executive committee of the World Organization of Christian Churches
D) The alumni association of Liberty College


ANSWERS
1) No, the Utah Intelligent Design law did not pass, but not because members of the legislature favor evolution, but because they feared that they would have to give the same “not a fact” disclosure to just about EVERY scientific theory taught in its schools — “from Quantum physics to Freud,” as one legislator put it.

Added another of esteemed Utah’s lawmakers: “I don’t believe that anybody…really wants their kids to be taught that their great-grandfather was an ape.”

2) Yes, Wal-Mart did an about face and is now stocking Plan B in all of its pharmacies. A response, it said, to its belief that more states will soon require it to do so. But the company will still allow its individual pharmacists to refuse to fill Plan B prescriptions, which also seems to violate those same state laws.

3) B: Robertson lost his re-election bid for the board of the National Religious Broadcasters. Said NRB President Frank Wright: “There was broad dismay with some of Pat’s comments and a feeling they were not helpful to Christian broadcasters in general.”