Fanaticism at home

For those who think that religious fanaticism is foreign to these shores, here's a reality check: the kind of close-minded bigotry we read about in such places as Afghanistan is alive and well here in the good ol' USA.

Literal mindedness afflicts religious zealots of all stripes. It makes no matter whether they suscribe to Christianity, Judaism, Islam or the many other religions of the world. To read a story like the following in this day and age, is frankly pretty scary. In the face of the push for teaching Intelligent Design and attacks on gays and immigrants emanating from the right wing reactionaries, there's much work to do in the progressive community. The more we concede the "red" areas of the country to the evangelicals and conservatives, the more this cancer will spread.

Church dumps teacher -- for being female

WATERTOWN, N.Y. -- The minister of a church that dismissed a female Sunday school teacher after adopting what it called a literal interpretation of the Bible says a woman can perform any job -- outside of the church.

The First Baptist Church dismissed Mary Lambert on Aug. 9 with a letter explaining that the church had adopted an interpretation that prohibits women from teaching men. She had taught there for 54 years. ...