Looking forwardd to Rob Boston's talk Saturday at Wheaton Regional Library

Picture above is from the Friendly Atheist

by Gary Berg-Cross

Robert Boston, Assistant Director of Communications for Americans United for Separation of Church and State and Assistant Editor of Church & State magazine, is speaking this Saturday (Feb. the 11th) at the MDC chapter of WASH at the Wheaton Regional Library on Georgia Ave. in Wheaton, MD.

His topic is one that people argue over passionately - “The Christian Nation Myth.”

Religious Right activists often claim that America was founded as a Christian nation, and polls show that an alarmingly high number of Americans agree with this point of view.
What does the Constitution really say about religious liberty, and where did the “Christian nation” myth originate? Why is it dangerous?

The blog History is Elementary took some inspiration from one of Rob's prior talks noting that:

In February 1756, Adams wrote in his diary about a discussion he had had with a conservative Christian named Major Greene. The two argued over the divinity of Jesus and the Trinity. Questioned on the matter of Jesus' divinity, Greene fell back on an old standby: some matters of theology are too complex and mysterious for we puny humans to understand.

Adams was not impressed. In his diary he wrote, "Thus mystery is made a convenient cover for absurdity."

Perhaps we'll here more on the history of our founders and more on separation of church and state since Rob has authored three books on the subject:

• Why the Religious Right Is Wrong About Separation of Church & State (Prometheus Books, second edition, 2003),
• Close Encounters with the Religious Right: Journeys into the Twilight Zone of Religion and Politics (Prometheus Books, 2000) and
• The Most Dangerous Man in America? Pat Robertson and the Rise of the Christian Coalition (Prometheus Books,

If you can’t wait till Saturday, sou can see his popular talk on the “The Religious Right's War on America” and what he learned at the Values Summit and hot off the presses is his article 10 Reasons Why the Religious Right Is Not Pro-Family. Rob starts that article by quoting from James Dobson & Gary Bauer's 1990 book Children at Risk: The Battle for the Hearts and Minds of Our Kids:

"America is involved in a Second Civil War. On one side are those who defend family, faith and traditional values. On the other side are those who aggressively reject any hint of tradition or religion and want a society based on secular values."

This is not a claim that Rob lets pass by without challenge including ideas that sprout from ignorance, censorship, intolerance and hatred.

Come to the free lecture from 2 -4 this Feb. 11^th…Lee’s fabulous snacks and hospitality are served at our 3 pm intermission before Q & A.