Attack of the Theocrats How the Religious Right Harms Us All—and What We Can Do about It

by Faircloth, Sean; Dawkins, Richard

• ISBN13: 9780984493241
• ISBN10: 0984493247
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2012-02-01
• Publisher: Pitchstone Publishing

Summary

At no time in American history has the United States had such a high percentage of theocratic members of Congress-those who expressly endorse religious bias in law. Just as ominously, at no other time have religious fundamentalists effectively had veto power over one of the country's two major political parties. As Sean Faircloth argues, this has led to the crumbling of the country's most cherished founding principle-the wall separating church and state-and presages yet even more crumbling. Faircloth, a former politician and current executive director of the Secular Coalition for America, moves beyond the symbolism to explore the many ways federal and state legal codes privilege religion in law. He goes on to demonstrate how religious bias in law harms all Americans-financially, militarily, physically, socially, and educationally. Sounding a much-needed alarm for all who care about the future direction of the country, Faircloth offers an inspiring vision for returning America to its secular roots.

Author Biography

Sean Faircloth served for a decade in the Maine State Legislature, where he successfully spearheaded more than 30 pieces of legislation. He was elected majority whip by his colleagues in his last term. He lives in Alexandria, Virginia. Richard Dawkins is an ethologist, an evolutionary biologist, and a writer. He is an emeritus fellow of New College, Oxford, and was formerly University of Oxford’s Professor for Public Understanding of Science. Among his previous books are The Ancestor’s Tale, The God Delusion, and The Selfish Gene.