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And Scalia criticized judges who forget historical practices, the Associated Press reports. "Scalia criticized judges for using what he called 'abstractions' to interpret religious issues when they should be looking to the text of the Constitution itself. 'The Constitution says what it says and does not say what it does not say,' he said."

Last week, however, Scalia had less jurisprudential matters on his mind when addressing a Louisiana chapter of the Knights of Columbus.

"To believe in traditional Christianity is something else," Scalia told a group of about 350.

For the Son of God to be born of a virgin? I mean, really. To believe that he rose from the dead and bodily ascended into heaven? How utterly ridiculous. To believe in miracles? Or that those who obey God will rise from the dead and those who do not will burn in hell?

God assumed from the beginning that the wise of the world would view Christians as fools … and he has not been disappointed. …

Intellect and reason need not be laid aside for religion. It is not irrational to accept the testimony of eyewitnesses who had nothing to gain. There is something wrong with rejecting a priori the existence of miracles. …

If I have brought any message today, it is this: Have the courage to have your wisdom regarded as stupidity. Be fools for Christ. And have the courage to suffer the contempt of the sophisticated world.

Religion & politics:

• Winning cases, losing voters | The Democratic Party is paying a historic price for the moral crusades of the last half-century (Paul Starr, The New York Times)
• Old law shielding a woman's virtue faces an updating | A Washington State law that makes it illegal to bring a woman's virtue into question publicly may be repealed (The New York Times)
• Question what you're told about faith-driven voters | Don't be alarmed, but there are faith-driven values voters living right here in this politically blue city (Timothy Burgess, The Seattle Times)

Writer paid to promote marriage initiative:

• Writer backing Bush plan had gotten federal contract | In 2002, syndicated columnist Maggie Gallagher repeatedly defended President Bush's push for a $300 million initiative encouraging marriage as a way of strengthening families (The Washington Post)
• Second columnist got money from Bush administration (Editor & Publisher)

Marriage amendment:

• Bush backpedal on marriage irks right | Some social conservatives are angry with President Bush for saying a proposed constitutional ban on same-sex "marriage" lacks the requisite votes for approval in the Senate (The Washington Times)
• Gay couples drop marriage act challenges in federal court | Attorney Ellis Rubin announced Tuesday he will drop all of the lawsuits he has filed challenging the state and federal bans on gay marriages, saying he doesn't want to risk having conservative federal judges set an adverse legal precedent for same-sex couples (South Florida Sun-Sentinel)

Hillary Clinton on abortion:

• Gasps as Hillary woos the anti-abortion vote | The wife of the former president Bill Clinton said she sought common ground on abortion and described herself as a "praying person" (The Telegraph, London)
• Hillary attacks Bush on abortion | Senator Hillary Clinton has argued that the US administration's current stance on family planning may be increasing the number of abortions in the country (BBC)
• Hillary in the middle on values issues | Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton is staking out centrist positions on values issues that helped decide last year's presidential election, positioning herself to the right of her party's base on abortion, faith-based initiatives and immigration (The Washington Times)

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January (Web-only) 2005, Vol. 49