- Got God?
I was perusing reddit this morn and came upon this gem which asks the question "Can Atheists be Parents?"
Apparently the answer is no.
In an extraordinary decision, Judge Camarata denied the Burkes' right to
the child because of their lack of belief in a Supreme Being. Despite the
Burkes' "high moral and ethical standards," he said, the New Jersey state
constitution declares that "no person shall be deprived of the inestimable
privilege of worshiping Almighty God in a manner agreeable to the dictates of
his own conscience." Despite Eleanor Katherine's tender years, he continued,
"the child should have the freedom to worship as she sees fit, and not be
influenced by prospective parents who do not believe in a Supreme Being."
My head asplodes. If it is feasible to deny an adoption to atheists because the parents could influence their child, should it not also be feasible to deny adoptions to fundamentalist douchebags who will almost certainly indoctrinate their children? Doesn't that also prevent a child from worshipping as they see fit?
Also, in the news of duh, go check out Lee Harris' Revisiting the Stupid Party, wherein he basically argues that the only way to be a good conservative is to be an idiot. I couldn't agree more.
Hat tip to Chet over at Shakesville.
UPDATE: Apparently the atheist story was from before I was born, so never mind. Lee Harris is still an idiot tho.