Joseph Stalin went to Seminary. He got kicked out for owning banned books and was of course an orthodox atheist, but still... History's most evil person (if judged by how many millions murdered) went to Seminary. As Michael J. Fox used to tell me in public service ads between Saturday morning cartoons... "That's one to grow on." Especially if you're in Seminary. But then again, Wes Craven did go to Wheaton.

Incidentally, it was recently pointed out to me that more people were killed in the average day of Stalin's regime of militant atheism than in the average decade of the Spanish Inquisition. That's also one to grow on.

But better perhaps to avoid the killing entirely.

Church and State

So what does the Constitution say about Church and State? In tackling that one, I'd go to a law professor before an art historian. So here you go. These remarks from an Emory U. law prof. are some of the clearest on the issue that I've come across. And for those not in the mood to read an entire article, here's the patented millinerd summary (and then some):

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof;"

There are two dependent clauses attached to the First Ammendment's statement. The first of the two clauses promises freedom from an establishment of religion. (Those against it were, intersetingly, referred to as "antidisestablishmentarians.") The second clasue however promises the freedom to freely exercise religion.

Thomas Jefferson being less enthusiastic about religion paid particular attention to the first clause. He was behind this document for his native State of Virginia, which disestablished the Anglican Church in that State. The document, which Jefferson prized only second to his Declaration of Independence, was viewed as scandalously irreligious in its time.

On the other hand, John Adams, I mean, John Adams was more enthusiastic about religion and therefore focused on the second clause. He was largely behind the this document for his native Massachusetts. (In Article III you'll notice even channells tax money to support the "Publick Religion.")

These two precedents (no pun intended) set up their respective interpretive traditions favoring different clauses, but both clauses made it in, so neither can be ignored. The goal is a balanced interpretation that respects both clauses and lands somewhere between both interpretive traditions. The Non-establishemnt-clause/Jefferson/Virginia tradition on one hand, and the Free-exercise-clause/Adams/Masachusetts tradition on the other.

Taking all this into account the article argues that school prayer was rightfully removed because it was cumpulsory, and thus an example of establishment. But to disestablish something, does not mean (to many's dismay) to make it disappear. Instead,

"All religious voices, visions, and values must be heard and considered in the public square. All public religious services and activities, unless criminal or tortious, must be given a chance to come forth and compete in all their denominational particularity... The rise of the so-called Christian right should be met with the equally strong rise of the Christian left, of the Christian middle, and of Jewish, Muslim, and other religious groups who contest the right’s premises, prescriptions, and policies. That is how a healthy democracy works. [!!!!!] The real challenge that the new Christian right poses is not to the integrity of American politics but to the apathy of American religions. It is a challenge for peoples of all faith and of no faiths to take their place in the public forum." (Italics, boldface, and five bracketed exlamation points mine.)

Perhaps the above scenario sounds odd, but it's called freedom. In other words, if you don't like what someone is saying, don't pursue the tired strategy of shutting up your opponent, instead try coming up with something better. And what if you don't like religion at all? Well then

"Turn away the missionary at your door. Close your eyes to the municipal cross that offends. Cover your ears to the public prayer that you can't abide. Forego the military chaplain's pastoral counseling... Don't join the religious student group. Don't read the religious newspapers. Avoid the services of the local pastor... All these escapes to the virtual frontier provide far greater religious freedom for all than pressing yet another tired constitutional case."

Now I understand that having to avert ones eyes and ears on occasion may not be the ideal scenario for your average atheist, but part of living in a democracy means that no one gets to have their ideal scenario. So should an atheist be ticked off by the incessant reminders that we're not yet Sweden (that most secular of nations)... they might take a tip from Chicago.

Why don't other computer make the cool suspense-building noises that Jason Bourne's did when he was at the internet cafe in Bourne Supremacy?

I'm in summer German jetzt, I mean now, and will be releasing in true millinerd fashion the following six English Bible Printing Curiosities to maintain fondness for the mother tongue.  I got them from an exhibit at the library here on famous English Bibles.  Included were William Blake's illustrations of Job which were pretty, as they say in German, fantastiche.  (Had a hard time committing that word to memory.)  These however were a snap. 
 
#1.  The Murderer's Bible is a nickname for  a printing of the King James' Version from 1795 with the typographical error in Mark 7:27: "Let the children be killed" (instead of filled).   
  
#2.  The Printer's Bible is a 1702 edition of the KJV, so named because of a printer's error in Psalm 119:16:  instead of "princes have persecuted me without cause," David complains, "printers have persecuted me without cause."  
 
#3.  The Bug Bible is the 1535 translation in which Psalm 19:5 is rendered "So yet thou shalt not need to be afraid for any bugs by night." 
 
#4.  The Unrighteous Bible is a 1635 KJV printed in London which renders 1Cor. 6:9 as "the unrighteous shall inherit the kingdom of God." 
 
#5.  The Vinegar Bible is a 1717 Oxford printing which refers to the parable of the Vineyard in Luke 20 as...  take a guess? 
 
#6.  And The Wicked Bible comes from a 1631 printing of the KJV in which the sixth commandment is misprinted as "Thou shalt commit adultery."  For this, Robert Barker, who also printed the 1611 Authorized KJV, was fined and ruined, eventually ending up in debtor's prison. 

Unrecognized in his day, Barker is now heralded for being the "progressive" translator of the Bible that he in fact was - the martyr and patron saint of contemporary Biblical interpretation.   

I like this Hollywood screenwriter's thoughts on art.   Thanks to Disputations for the link. 

Nothing like a dose of yesteryear to beat back the cynicism. George seems a bit reluctant. Having seen Mt. Vernon this summer, I'd have been so as well.

The millinerd current favorite movie torch has been proudly passed along.

Numismatics is where it's at. Here are some of my favorites:

Who wouldn't want an actual Alexander the Great coin? (Rhetorical question... please don't answer.) Or a coin of Augustus Caesar who proclaimed himself a god not too many years before someone else who did the same was crucified?

And wouldn't it be cool to have the same kind of coin that that crucified guy referred to when he counseled to "Render unto Caesar [Tiberius at the time] what is Caeser's"? Or the widow's mite whose donation he commended, or an example of the very piece of silver that seduced Judas enough to betray him?

But personally I want one of these, the coins that emperor Constantine struck after the Battle of Milvian Bridge in 312, particulalry the one picturing himself looking up to the sky to the "vision" that told him to conquer in the name of Christ. The battle was a success and Christianity was thenceforth not punishable by death, and even had military back-up.

Why do I want one you ask? Duh! Because I want to have a memento of the first Constantine now that I live in the time of the second!

Kidding! Kidding! I just can't think of a statement that would more infuriate this place, so it's fun to say it.

Actually, whether the Constantine affair was for better of for worse is an interminable debate. The hip topic now is to refer to the "post-Constantinian" Christianity, that is Christianity without broad cultural endorsement. Whether or not that is where things stand is again... an interminable debate.

What do I think? I don't know... I just want the coin so I can hold it up to my forehead and telepathically receive the answer. And seeing that the Ancient Coin market has been flooded much thanks to our friend the internet, I may be able to afford one.

But speaking of the internet, I broke it. I googled the word "google" and it exploded.

Due to a recent calamity (I spilled coffee on my computer), the interweb epicenter known as millinerd.com will be reluctantly saddled with the yoke of infrequency. That is, I won't be posting as much. What makes things even worse is that it happened with my favorite mug (see my sidebar). I may need to find a new favorite mug.

It's a great day in millinerd history, because now thanks to a free sample you can see why I constantly recommend the lectures of Rufus Fears.