State/Church Bulletin

Couple Appeals Texas Ruling

David and Shannon Croft of Carrollton, Texas, are appealing an unfavorable decision upholding a Texas moment of silence for prayer or meditation, to the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

The couple, who are atheists with a son in elementary school, sued Gov. Rick Perry and the Carrollton-Farmers Branch school district, after a teacher told their son the minute was a "time to pray."

British Scouts Challenged

The UK's National Secular Society is challenging the discriminatory policy of Boy Scouts in a complaint to the Equality and Human Rights committee.

"The Scout's exclusion of the growing number of children and young people without religious beliefs flies in the face of the reality of religious adherence in the UK. Two-thirds of teenagers define themselves as nonreligious, and the only way they can join the Scouts is to lie. It is intolerable that they should be put in this position to join what is often the sole youth organization in many areas."

Born Again Switch?

Born-again Christians are not necessarily staying Republican, according to the Barna Group, a Christian polling group.

A national survey of likely voters released in February found that if the election were held today, 40% of all born-again adults likely to vote in November would choose the Democratic candidate, and 29% would choose the Republican. The remaining 28% were undecided.

However, the evangelical subset of the born-again sector remains committed to the Republican party. Of evangelicals, 56% are registered Republicans, and 22% are Democrats.