Most scholars in the fields of biblical studies and history agree that Jesus was a Jewish teacher from Galilee who was regarded as a healer, was baptized by John the Baptist, was accused of sedition against the Roman Empire, and on the orders of Roman Governor Pontius Pilate was sentenced to death by crucifixion. In fact, there is much more evidence for the existence of Jesus than Alexander the Great, and Alexander the Great is an accepted historical figure (read more here).

Some people say that Jesus was only a teacher, nothing more. Yet, does this make logical sense? (For the purposes of this post, I will call it the “teacher assumption”.)

Let’s go through the scenario. Jesus’ death is estimated be around 26-37 AD. There were eyewitnesses that stated that they had seen Jesus after his death and alleged resurrection. Of course, eyewitnesses can either be mistaken, lying, or right.

Let’s say that the eyewitnesses were simply mistaken. This is very improbable, considering that hundreds of people saw Jesus, and he appeared many times. For example, in Paul’s letter to the Corinthians, he states, “Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers and sisters at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died.” No mass collaboration or hallucination is possible, because people saw him in different locations at different times. Furthermore, when the accounts of these eyewitnesses were given, they were still alive, and able to contradict anything that was not the truth.

But let’s say that the eyewitnesses were lying. The main “eyewitnesses” were the apostles themselves. According to other historical documents of the time, most of the apostles were martyred. For example, Peter was crucified under Nero (AD 64). Now, these people claimed to have seen Christ with their very own eyes. And they died for it. Why would someone be willing to die for something they knew was a lie? They got nothing out of lying except pain.

A common reaction to this would be to say that people die for their beliefs all the time: those suicide bombers and such. However, these people today die for what they believe is true. In order for the teacher assumption to be correct, the apostles must have died for what they know was a lie, and gained nothing.

Logically, this assumption does not make any sense. Therefore, it is ironic that many people claim to be logical and rational, and yet, still reject Christianity. But when we do look at Jesus’ death and resurrection logically, we can see that if the eyewitnesses were not mistaken or lying, they must have been right.

Here’s an item of interest from DrudgeReport:

“Sam Morris, 16, was told to remove her cross and chain on Thursday by deputy head teacher Howard Jones at Sinfin Community School in Derby.

When the year-11 student refused she was told not to return until today and without the item of jewellery.

The 1,070-student comprehensive has a strict policy which bans most jewellery being worn.

Items can be worn out of view or if they are part of religious beliefs, such as the Kara, a bracelet worn by Sikh males.”

HT: Hermit’s Skeet

“SACRAMENTO—Most Reverend Stephen Blaire, Bishop of Stockton and President of the California Catholic Conference, released the following statement today expressing strong support for an end to the death penalty in California and affirming the recent statement of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, A Culture of Life and the Penalty of Death.

‘The California Catholic Conference of Bishops strongly supports an end to the death penalty and affirms the statement from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, A Culture of Life and the Penalty of Death, which was issued earlier this month.
In light of the fact that California has scheduled three executions—one in December, one in January and one in February—we implore all Californians to ask themselves what good comes of state-sanctioned killing. We recognize the profound pain of those who have lost loved ones to violence and offer them our prayers and our consolation. However, nothing can undo what was done—even taking the life of the convicted killer. The infliction of the death penalty does not make for a more just society.

As Catholic bishops, we teach and preach the Gospel vision of a “culture of life.” We believe that we are created in God’s image, which compels us to teach a consistent ethic of life and obligates us to preach that the use of the death penalty does not protect human life nor promote human dignity.

We recognize that human beings can and do commit grievous crimes, but we reject the use of the death penalty—especially when we can protect society with an alternate penalty of life imprisonment. In addition, of particular concern to us is the fact that the application of the death penalty is deeply flawed—with those who are poor or from racial minorities most often its subjects. The three pending executions in California are illustrative of these facts.

At this moment in time, we entreat Californians to ponder carefully whether the use of the death penalty makes our society safer. A moratorium is needed to evaluate whether the death penalty serves the common good and safeguards the dignity of human life. We are convinced that it does not.’”

We and our attorney, Eric Grant, have repeatedly tried to reconcile with Loretto’s administration, beginning with our request for a retraction and apology on November 4th. After waiting ten days, Loretto finally responded with an unfortunate refusal along with a copy of their press release. My family continues to hope for reconciliation (see our press statement), but any reconciliation must necessarily address the falsehoods discussed below. Thus, we have decided to release all of the communications between my family and Loretto so that people can see the truth for themselves.

On Saturday, October 29th, I received an express mail envelope from Loretto administration, which ordered “immediate dismissal” of my family from Loretto High School. Please read it here.

First of all, the letter states that Loretto was “ready to move on with our educational mission” and that “the focus of the administration, faculty and students continues to be disrupted by the actions of your family.” How does one “move on” while one’s mom is restricted from campus permanently? It would seem that my family would be the ones not allowed to “move on.”
As you can see in the letter, there were three pieces of “evidence” for my expulsion. I would like to discuss all of them below.

1. The first “piece of evidence” as reason for expulsion was that there was an “email from Wynette Sills threatening Sister Helen with the disruption of Open House.” Here are the emails between my mom and Sister Helen about Ms. Bain teaching at Loretto and the events in between. Because Sister Helen has refused to meet with us or return our phone calls, these emails are our only communication with Sister Helen. These are all of the emails. Nothing in these emails has been edited, except taking off our home phone number (for obvious reasons), omitting personal identities when noted and the pictures included in the first email.The October 4th email is where the “threat” supposedly happened. I invite you to read it again. If this email was so “threatening” that it was grounds for expulsion, then why was my family allowed to attend Open House after the “threat” was made? It just doesn’t make sense.
2. The next bit of “evidence” is that my dad “trespassed into a private area and attempted to intimidate an Assistant Principal” at Loretto’s Open House on October 16th. My dad talks about it here.Obviously, it is my dad’s word against the assistant principal’s. However, Loretto’s actions afterward further support my dad’s statement. That day, there were police officers already on campus. If my dad truly was threatening and trespassed, it would have been common procedure to interview the alleged “intimidator.” My dad was never interviewed. Also, my dad has volunteered on Thursday mornings before school for Loretto’s TEAMS club (preparation for Stanford’s Engineering, Math and Science contest) all of my freshman year and all of this past year up to two weeks after Open House. If my dad was intimidating, why was he allowed on campus with Loretto students? The only reasonable conclusion is that Loretto’s administration knows that my dad did not threaten or intimidate anyone. Thus, this second reason for dismissal is also false.
3. The third piece of “evidence” was an email from my mom asking our family and friends for prayer. It is quoted fully in the letter, but you can also directly read the email of October 27th here.

Apparently, asking for prayer and capitalizing Catholic is “malicious,” “slanders the reputation and integrity of Loretto High School” and is grounds for expulsion. If this sounds unbelievable, I suggest reading the dismissal letter again.

Also in the envelope were my grades from this year and last year. As you can see, I have been a straight-A student during my time at Loretto. I have never, in my life, been sent to the principal’s office or have received a detention. (And here I am getting expelled.) Obviously, this expulsion is not about my grades or my behavior at school.

This “immediate dismissal” came completely unexpectedly and without warning. In fact, the very week before my expulsion, I was thrilled that I was chosen to be one of the defense attorneys on Loretto’s Mock Trial team. I was hoping to try out for a solo in the choir. I was looking forward to Homecoming week with my friends. Yet, Loretto’s administration sent me this notice on a Saturday morning and indicated that the contents of my locker would be shipped to my home. I was unable to say goodbye to my friends and teachers, or even ask for reconsideration. Furthermore, these same classmates and their parents received a letter from Loretto’s administration which accused my family of the items that I discussed above. You can read the letter here.

Some people have speculated that I got expelled because of my blog, but Loretto’s administration never asked me to restrict anything on my blog. This forum has allowed post-abortive women to share their stories, some for the very first time. These true experiences can change hearts and minds, and most importantly, can save a life.

My expulsion was the only remaining power that Loretto’s administration had over my family. They chose to use that power, stating the three pieces of “evidence” above as “proof.” This expulsion was greatly unreasonable, undeserved, and vindictive. Furthermore, the falsified “evidence” is defamation of my family’s character. For the last ten days, we have given Loretto’s administration an opportunity to retract their false statements and apologize, but they have refused. My family and I will not stand for this. I hope that you will not either.

This was in the Sacramento Bee today:

Fired Loretto teacher files complaints
She says her ouster was discrimination, violating her free-speech rights.

By Todd Milbourn — Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PST
Friday, November 4, 2005
Story appeared in Metro section, Page B1

A former Loretto High School drama teacher alleged Thursday that her firing last month for having volunteered at a Planned Parenthood clinic was a case of sexual and religious discrimination and violated her free-speech rights.

Marie Bain, 50, of Sacramento, filed two separate employment complaints Thursday with the state against Loretto, the religious order that sponsors the school, the Catholic Diocese of Sacramento and Bishop William K. Weigand.
One complaint - with the state Department of Labor - calls for an investigation of the employment practices of the diocese. The other - with the state Department of Fair Employment and Housing - is a first step toward a lawsuit.

“Loretto rightly prides itself as an academic institution committed to vigorous debate of ideas and beliefs,” said Bain’s attorney, John M. Poswall of Sacramento. “Unfortunately, the action of the bishop, cowering to noisy fundamentalists, threatens to turn Loretto into a Taliban-style institution of thought control and repression.”

James Sweeney, an attorney for the diocese, who had not yet seen the complaints, said he’s confident the diocese handled the case appropriately.

“It’s purely an internal matter of church discipline and is protected by the First Amendment,” he said.

Weigand called for Bain’s firing in early October in response to demands from an anti-abortion activist and mother of a Loretto student.

Weigand argued that Bain’s previous volunteer work presented an irreconcilable conflict with church teachings and set a poor example for students at the all-girls school.

Poswall stated in the complaint that Bain’s firing constituted sexual discrimination because it targeted “her beliefs and actions related to women’s reproductive rights” and sought to make “an example of her as a woman, to other young women.”

School officials knew Bain was not a Catholic and had her “own personal beliefs” when they hired her in August, Poswall stated.

Punishing her for having supported opposing values in the past is tantamount to religious discrimination, Poswall said.

Regarding the free speech claim, Poswall argued that Bain’s volunteering was akin to a “political activity,” which is a protected class of speech and a “fundamental right of all California employees.”

The Sacramento Bee is doing an article on my expulsion. They asked for a statement. This is what I gave them:

Saturday morning, October 29th, via overnight mail, we were informed by the administration of Loretto High School of the “immediate dismissal” of our family from the school. Coming in the middle of fall term, this dismissal is most unfair and undeserved.

What is worse, however, is the administration’s outrageous charges that our family has engaged in “threats,” “abuse,” and other “malicious” behavior toward members of the Loretto community. These charges are categorically false and defamatory. In actual fact, our family has at all times acted respectfully in attempting to resolve a difficult situation for the good of all members of the Loretto community, continuously seeking reconciliation. This is an institution that we desired our daughters to attend since they were very young. Katelyn enthusiastically dedicated her extra-curricular time towards numerous school activities, including the Recruitment team, which visits elementary schools in the area to encourage 8th graders to join the Loretto community. Anyone who knows our family will recognize these allegations as blatantly false. It is very unfortunate that the administration has chosen to respond with falsehoods and vindictive spite.

Also, you may have noticed that my blog is experiencing technical difficulties. This is due to an unusually high viewing rate. I hope to post soon, but I am waiting for this technical issue to be resolved, among other things.

As of Saturday, October 29th, I was given official notice by express mail that I am expelled from Loretto High School. This was given completely without forewarning, without a meeting, and without a chance to say goodbye. My family is now seeking legal advice, and more details will follow.

First, I would like to thank those who commented on my blog, especially the women who courageously spoke about their abortion experiences. There is no better or truer voice for the pro-life movement than those who have had abortions. Thank you for sharing your stories.

After the initial uproar and confusion over Ms. Bain’s dismisal, things are now pretty much the same as always at Loretto, from my point of view. My friends are still my friends and, for the most part, people treat me as they did before.

One thing that I had not mentioned was that Loretto’s administration has banned my mother from campus since October 16th. Obviously, we hope this can be resolved soon, especially since there are school events (such as the school play) that our family would like to attend.

In case some of you have not figured it out yet, Wynette Sills is my mother. I was unable to reveal this earlier because at the time of my last post, my family felt that it might make my time at Loretto awkward. After all, our family appreciates the school and hopes that my younger sister will also be able to go there. Now that the Bee has revealed our identity publicly, I would like to share the article and my thoughts as a sophomore at the school.

Anti-abortion mother got teacher ousted

By Todd Milbourn — Bee Staff Writer Published 2:15 am PDT Saturday, October 22, 2005
Story appeared on Page A1 of The Bee

The mother of a Loretto High School student obtained photographs that exposed a drama teacher as a former Planned Parenthood volunteer, a revelation that led to the teacher’s firing last week. It wasn’t the first time Wynette Sills raised her anti-abortion views on the all-female, private Catholic campus.

Sills, who leads anti-abortion rallies outside Sacramento-area Planned Parenthood offices three times a week, complained to school administrators last year about a classroom presentation on domestic violence, said Gail Erlandson, a theology teacher for 11 years at Loretto.

Sills objected to brochures listing agencies that offer help for women because they included Planned Parenthood, which supports abortion rights. The brochure was later revised.
Bishop William K. Weigand’s call to fire drama teacher Marie Bain in response to Sills’ latest protest has raised concerns in some circles that anti-abortion activists at Loretto have too much pull with the Sacramento Diocese’s top cleric.

“There are a handful of extremists in the affluent Catholic community that can make keeping the integrity of academic freedom very difficult,” said Erlandson, who retired last year in part over the brochure flap. “There is a lot of fear among teachers: How far is this going to go?”
Sills did not return repeated messages left on her telephone or at her home.
Sills provided photos of Bain escorting women into the clinic in a Sept. 19 e-mail with a letter stating: “If the identification is verified, clearly this individual cannot be a part of the Loretto staff.”

Bain “will have extensive unsupervised access to our young women at Loretto, and I must speak up or they are put at risk due to her abortion-promoting presence,” Sills wrote. “My conscience will not let me ignore this information.”

Loretto, a college preparatory school on El Camino Avenue, is one of three Catholic high schools in the Sacramento area that operate independently of the diocese. But the school still falls under the bishop’s purview on issues of morality.

Weigand, who declined to comment for this story, exercised that authority in an Oct. 5 letter to Loretto’s president, Sister Helen Timothy.

Weigand’s spokesman, the Rev. Charles McDermott, said the diocese “treads carefully not to intrude on internal affairs.”

But the message in Weigand’s letter is clear: “I am directing you, under the provisions of Code of Canon Law … to dismiss Ms. Bain with all deliberate speed.” The letter also states that the termination should be handled with “dignity, sensitivity and appropriate decorum.”
Dom Puglisi, superintendent of Catholic schools for the Diocese of Sacramento, said parents have a right to expect their students will be taught in accordance with Catholic principles. And allowing teachers to publicly display contrary beliefs sends the wrong message, he said.
“It sounds like we play hardball, but they know up front, whether they are Catholic or non-Catholic, that these are Catholic schools and we go by the teachings of the church and Rome,” said Puglisi.

Loretto has long employed Catholic and non-Catholic faculty alike. Bain, who was hired in August, is not Catholic. That fact could play a role in a potential discrimination lawsuit, wrote Bain’s attorney, John M. Poswall, in a statement.

“Loretto knew that she was not a Catholic and did not insist that she either hold or follow Catholic doctrine when they hired her,” wrote Poswall.

Vocal parents demanding action from administrators are not unique to Loretto, said the Rev. Martin Connell, an education professor at Loyola Marymount University, a Jesuit college in Los Angeles.

Increasingly, he said, “teaching and schooling is treated as a service industry - we tell people how we want our lawn cut, how we want our hair cut and how we want our children educated.”

While it’s positive to have parents more involved in their child’s education, sometimes parents step on the toes of teachers and administrators, he said.

One of the Sacramento Diocese’s seven Catholic high schools, Loretto offers a rigorous academic program with an emphasis on social justice.

Traditionally, the school’s mission has been to instill Catholic values while pushing students to become independent thinkers. School officials have said they take pride in presenting all sides of an issue.

“The idea is to come to the right decisions based on faith,” said Rebecca Williams, a University of California, San Diego, freshman who graduated from Loretto in the spring. “That doesn’t mean you always have to agree with the church, but you have to always consider both sides.”

Williams said she understands the bishop has certain moral obligations, but is disappointed he would “align himself with someone who takes pictures of people walking into a clinic.”

“What does that say about our church as a compassionate organization?” Williams asked.

At least three mornings a week, demonstrators gather in front of Sacramento-area Planned Parenthood clinics, many hoisting anti-abortion signs and shouting anti-abortion messages to clients and workers, said Katharyn McLearan, spokeswoman for the local chapter.

As a volunteer, it was Bain’s job to be a “friendly face” and help steer clients through the protesters, McLearan said.

Sills first saw Bain during one of those morning rallies, according to the e-mail Sills wrote to administrators. Sills decided to alert the school after seeing Bain at a Loretto function in September.

Many at the school have kept quiet about Bain’s firing - at least publicly. Calls to six Loretto teachers and the school principal were not returned. Timothy, who initially voiced support for Bain, has since referred all questions to Weigand’s office.

But debate is lively in cyberspace. Web sites ranging from “Bush vs. Choice” to “California High School Conservative” have weighed in.

Loretto sophomore Katelyn Sills, Wynette Sills’ daughter, started a political blog in March and has written in support of the bishop’s decision to fire Bain.

A person “who volunteers at abortion clinics on days when the killing occurs is probably not the best candidate for a position at an all-girls Catholic high school,” wrote Katelyn Sills, who did not respond to an e-mail seeking comment.

An classmate who wished to remain anonymous retorted on Sill’s blog: “Many people at our school are pro-choice but do not think that abortion is the right answer. Should we with our beliefs be expelled from the school?”

On a recent afternoon, Loretto students gabbed and listened to iPods in front of the school as they waited for rides home.

Kathryn Wahlberg, taking a break from after-school play practice, said she was in Bain’s drama classes. She drafted a four-page letter that she plans to send to the bishop. Wahlberg said Bain was a “disciplined but fun” teacher who was “really good for students who are serious about acting.”

Regarding her termination, Wahlberg said, “It makes people think we don’t tolerate people of opposite opinions. I don’t think we’re like that.”

Let me tell you the whole story. My family was not originally as pro-life as we are now. Actually, it all started at Loretto. In my freshman year in our Sexuality and Spirituality class, we had to research abortion, develop an opinion, and give a presentation to the class. That night I went home and was reading some websites. It was then that I realized that there really was no argument. You can see what I have to say on it here. I realized that if abortion is the ending of a human life, I would need to do whatever I could to protect that life. When I shared all of this with my family, they agreed. We had always made small donations to the Life Center, but after this touched our hearts, we knew we had to do more. Since then, we have gone to abortion clinics, passed out literature on fetal development and the facts of abortion, and have offered to help women in any way we can.

I have gone to the Planned Parenthood mentioned in this article and have seen this individual as an escort there. I know that many people do not know what exactly an escort does, but a blogger named”Naaman the Ex-leper” was formerly an abortion clinic escort and explains it here. When I started school and saw Ms. Bain, I just thought that they looked very similar. I mentioned this to my mom and she could not believe it. Others who go to abortion clinics with us document their time there with pictures, not of the “clients” but of the long term employees and escort activity in general just so any falsehood that the abortion clinic decides to tell can be easily disproved.

The article mentions the “brochures” that were handed out last year in our Sexuality and Spiritualty class. These “brochures” were actually business cards that were labeled “Just in Case” and listed emergency numbers and “helpful” websites. One of these websites was teenwire.com, which is Planned Parenthood’s teen outreach. If you visit this website, I’m sure you can understand why my family would be opposed to such a website being distributed at this Catholic high school.

Interestingly, the Sacramento Bee chose to interview Kathryn Wahlberg. Kathryn and I are both sophomores and we consider each other friends. We know what each other’s views are, but we don’t let that interfere with our friendship.

At a Catholic school, people can reasonably expect that the staff will support Catholic teaching. This does not mean that the teachers have to be Catholic. I have had many teachers that I admire and are not Catholic. However, Ms. Bain did not just disagree with the Church. Her moral identity is in direct conflict. John Paul II states that abortion “is the deliberate killing of an innocent human being,” and that “it is contrary to the law of God which is written in every human heart, knowable by reason itself, and proclaimed by the Church.” This was not some small issue. When a teacher at a Catholic school has actively demonstrated that her beliefs are contrary to the Church on an issue that the Church believes is “deliberate killing”, something is very wrong.