Newsletter 02-03-06

This week we'll take a look at the religious origins of Groundhog's Day, belief in alien gods, ignorant bigotry about atheists in a major newspaper, homophobic teachers refusing to declare their classes safe for gay students, a cinema which thinks that gay cowboys are worse than violent torture, homophobic Muslims who don't think that gay Muslims are part of Muslim diversity, and more.

Religion & Groundhog's Day: Christian, Pagan Origins
Most residents of North America are familiar with Groundhog's Day, celebrated every year on February 2. What people may not be so familiar with is the fact that there are important religious origins that lie behind that celebration, even if those origins are no longer recognizable. Today, Groundhog's Day is treated as a purely secular, if perhaps a bit superstitious, holiday -- but that was not always the case.

Adolf Hitler, Christian Nationalism: Nazis' Positive Christ
A popular image of the Nazis is that they were fundamentally anti-Christian while devout Christians were anti-Nazi. The truth is that German Christians supported the Nazis because they believed that Adolf Hitler was a gift to the German people from God. German Christianity was a divinely sanctioned religious movement which combined Christian doctrine and German character in a unique and desirable manner: True Christianity was German and True German-ness was Christian.

The Cult of Alien Gods: H.P. Lovecraft And Extraterrestrials
One of the most popular subjects among believers in the paranormal today isn't astrology or psychics, but so-called 'alternative' archaeology. One of the most common beliefs in this subject is that aliens visited Earth millennia ago and helped create human civilization and culture, or perhaps humanity itself. These alien visitors became the basis of early religions and early gods, leaving behind evidence of their presence for those able to understand it. Where did this belief come from?

Free Speech vs. Islam in Denmark
More news and details

What Motivates Atheists to be Good?
Dale Reich doesn't know

Homophobic Teachers vs. Gay Students
Should Classes be Safe?

Muslim Culture Festival Excludes Gay Event
Intolerant all around

Utah Cinema Pulls Brokeback Mountain
Still Shows Torture Movie

Sharpton Criticizes Homophobic Black Clergy
Good that someone does...

Financial Disclosure Bill for Churches Defeated
Special treatment will continue

 

Forum Discussions:

1) Living the Simple Life
"Do you think living the simple life is best? When I mean simple life, I mean without an overly run electronic home, the most up-to-date, most souped up vehicle, etc.; I mean the basic life with all the essentials but not the flare - no pizzazz - or little pizzazz. Sort of like Amish folk but not in a religious way - in their survival skills way. ... I mostly mean being self-sufficient. ... My family and I are dependent on the electric company to keep us warm - the gas company, too. (I would use a wood burner - but have terrible allergies.)."

2) When I say 'religion' I mean of course...
"When I say 'religion' I mean of course Christianity, and when I say Christianity I mean, of course, the Church of England and when I say the Church of England, I mean, of course......." Have you noticed that, in the U.S. anyway, when people say "religion" they actually seem to be referring only to their particular brand of Christianity? For example, Public TV explored some aspects of the culture wars and Separation of Church and State earlier this week and I noticed that all of the participants: scholars, theologians, politicians, etc., used the term "religion", but really only discussed Christianity, and usually the Southern Baptist brand of it at that. Clearly, "religion" = Christianity. Period."

3) Persecuted Christians
"Ever notice how Christians talk as if they are persecuted in the US? Christianity is the largest religion in the world, and easily the largest religion in America. How can they be the persecuted ones? Just a rant, but it me when I hear Christians talk about being discriminated because of their beliefs while atheists are openly assailed from the president on down by our society."