Catholic Priest: Abandon Crucifix
Sunday August 31, 2003
The cross is the one of the most famous symbols in the world, representing the death of Jesus Christ. For Roman Catholics, the crucifix is what symbolized their faith. Father ... Read More
Battle of Montgomery: Where Should Christians Stand?
Sunday August 31, 2003
Roy Moore's Ten Commandments monument forces a difficult choice on Christians: should they support the rule of law and let the monument be taken away, or should they oppose an ... Read More
Help Smite the Constitution
Sunday August 31, 2003
Supporters of Roy Moore and his massive Ten Commandments monument probably don't realize how ridiculous they sometimes sound when they make their calls for a Christian America. Satire can do ... Read More
This Date in History: Jim Bakker
Sunday August 31, 2003
August 31, 1989: During his trial for fraud and conspiracy, Jim Bakker suffered a breakdown in his attorney's office.
More:
Religious Right
Republicans Battling Republicans Over Ten Commandments
Sunday August 31, 2003
Social and political conservatives are generally supportive of Judge Roy Moore's efforts to use the power and authority of government to promote the Ten Commandments. Others, however, are less happy ... Read More
Rastafarians Allowed to Visit British Virgin Islands
Saturday August 30, 2003
A 23-year-old "Rasta Law" in the British Virgin island forced immigration authorities to prevent Rastafarians and "hippies," most commonly identified by their dreadlocks, from entering the territory. Finally, that law ... Read More
Woman Tortured, Murdered Over Blasphemy
Saturday August 30, 2003
Blasphemy is a crime punishable by death under Islam. Some Muslims, though, don't actually wait for a conviction under such a crime before they decide to make sure that "justice" ... Read More
Polygamist Clan Sued
Saturday August 30, 2003
There are thousands, probably tens of thousands, of polygamists in the United States who live secret lives because they don't want to be subject to arrest and prosecution. One of ... Read More
Who's Behind the Ten Commandments?
Saturday August 30, 2003
Not all Christians want their government to promote the Ten Commandments, not even all evangelical Christians. So who are, then, the Christians who are most vociferous, most adamant, and most ... Read More
Evangelicals Split On Legitimacy of American Government
Saturday August 30, 2003
The controversy over the Ten Commandments is causing evangelical Christians to split over whether the American government is a legitimate sovereign power which should be obeyed or whether it is ... Read More
This Date in History: Charles Darwin
Saturday August 30, 2003
August 30, 1831: Charles Darwin was asked to travel on the HMS Beagle.
More:
Recent Books on Evolution
What is Evolution?
Paul Hill's World of Extremism
Saturday August 30, 2003
Convicted of murdering an abortion doctor and his guard in 1994, Paul Hill's theology and worldview have always been extreme, painted in stark colors of black and white with no ... Read More
Jehovah's Witnesses Change Tactics
Saturday August 30, 2003
The sight of Jehovah's Witnesses going door to door has long been a familiar part of community life in America. That, however, is beginning to change - both the increase ... Read More
Panther Statue Promoting Paganism?
Saturday August 30, 2003
Evangelical Christians may think that it is OK for the government to promote their religion via the Ten Commandments, but it's obviously not OK for the government to promote any ... Read More
What Good Are The Ten Commandments?
Friday August 29, 2003
Many of those who insist that the government is justified in publicly posting, supporting, and endorsing the Ten Commandments argue that in doing so, the government will also be supporting ... Read More
Jewish-Christian Ties Strained by "Passion"
Friday August 29, 2003
The difficulties between evangelical Christians and Jews arising over Mel Gibson's film The Passion is receiving more media attention. Evangelical Christians, but especially Christian Zionists, have been big supporters of ... Read More
Campaign of Hypocrisy in Alabama
Friday August 29, 2003
With all of the efforts being put into defending the government endorsement of the Ten Commandments in Alabama, one might reasonably assume that these ten rules are very important in ... Read More
Bob Schieffer on Atheists in Foxholes
Friday August 29, 2003
There is a very old prejudice that there are "no atheists in foxholes," a statement that is supposed to express the idea that atheists aren't really sincere. After all, as ... Read More
Boulder Schools Reverse on Pledge
Friday August 29, 2003
Schools in the Boulder Valley School District will no longer be required to force students to recite the Pledge of Allegiance - although they may choose to do so if ... Read More
Alternate Universe: Monument to Cthulhu
Friday August 29, 2003
Fundamentalists and other conservative Christians have gone to a great deal of effort to defend the idea that the government should promote and endorse their religious beliefs. What would happen, ... Read More
Anglican-Catholic Ties Strained by Gay Bishop
Friday August 29, 2003
When the Episcopal Church elected an openly gay man to the office of bishop, it didn't just cause deep strains within the Episcopal Church and the Anglican Communion. It has ... Read More
Ten Commandments as a Republican Wedge Issue
Friday August 29, 2003
Is it possible that the flap over the Ten Commandments in Alabama could help the Republican Party? Some thing so - it may be that the Republicans will be able ... Read More
This Date in History: Sayyid Qutb
Friday August 29, 2003
August 29, 1966: Sayyid Qutb was executed by hanging. Qutb is the Islamic philosopher who could be regarded as the ideological grandfather of Osama bin Laden and all of the ... Read More
Iranian Government Rejects Death Findings
Friday August 29, 2003
A judicial inquiry into the suspicious death of Canadian journalist Zahra Kazemi has been categorically rejected by the Iranian government. According to the judge, two officials from the intelligence ministry ... Read More
Egotism and Faith
Friday August 29, 2003
A great many Christians are firmly and absolutely convinced that they are right - not simply right when it comes to being Christian, but right when it comes to how ... Read More
Roy Moore vs. Martin Luther King
Friday August 29, 2003
In his defiance of higher court rulings, Judge Roy Moore has compared himself and his cause to Martin Luther King and the efforts of other civil rights protestors, rejecting the ... Read More
Jehovah's Witnesses Can Go Door-To-Door in Canada
Thursday August 28, 2003
Evangelists traveling from house to house have been an annoyance to many people in society; is that, however, a reason to ban such activities? Should Jehovah's Witnesses be prevented from ... Read More
Jehovah's Witnesses' Books Burned
Thursday August 28, 2003
Over the past few years the Georgian government has been criticized by many for its weak protection of religious freedom and its refusal to stand up to religious bigotry. That ... Read More
The Problem with Derrida
Thursday August 28, 2003
Have you ever tried to read any philosophy by Derrida? No? Then you are probably fortunate - if you tried, you'd still be at it, trying to make sense out ... Read More
Mars to Blame for Mumbai Blasts
Thursday August 28, 2003
Most people probably imagine that Islamic militants caused the Mumbai bomb blasts that killed 52 people - but at least some astrologers are sure that is wrong. According to them, ... Read More
Jesus Ejected from Town Council Prayers
Thursday August 28, 2003
Council meetings in Great Falls, South Carolina, will have to be ecumenical and non-denominational, according to a ruling from U.S. District Court Judge Cameron McGowan. From now on, it will ... Read More
Unholy Outrage Over Alabama's Tax Plans
Thursday August 28, 2003
Christians are sharply divided over a plan in Alabama to eliminate income taxes for the poorest state residents and increase taxes on the wealthiest. Many, including the governor, regard it ... Read More
This Date in History: Saint Augustine
Thursday August 28, 2003
August 28, 430: Augustine of Hippo died.
More:
Roman Catholicism
Popes
Renovating the Baltimore Basilica
Thursday August 28, 2003
Should government money be used to help fund the renovation of churches? Normally you would think not - it would seem as though spending public money on religious buildings would ... Read More
Evangelical Christians Taking On Fashion
Thursday August 28, 2003
Lest anyone be concerned that evangelical Christians in America are overly worried about matters like homosexuality, rest assured that they also have their eyes firmly set on things that really ... Read More
Navy Retains Mandatory Lunch Prayer
Thursday August 28, 2003
Religion will continue to play a prominent role at the Naval Academy, according to a Navy spokesman. Although courts have struck down even optional prayers before meals at other military ... Read More
Paul Hill's World of Extremism
Thursday August 28, 2003
Convicted of murdering an abortion doctor and his guard in 1994, Paul Hill's theology and worldview have always been extreme, painted in stark colors of black and white with no ... Read More
Canada Looks At Blood Transfusions
Wednesday August 27, 2003
Jehovah's Witnesses believe that it would be a sin for them to receive blood transfusions - but at what age should children be allowed to make that decision for themselves? ... Read More
What is Science?
Wednesday August 27, 2003
Scientific Theories: Science is effectively defined by the method which actual scientists use in order to make discoveries and generally produce knowledge about the universe around us. It is this ... Read More
Evangelicals Taking Over Church of England
Wednesday August 27, 2003
Conservative, evangelical members of the Church of England may be uncomfortable with the direction that their church is taking, but evidence suggests that they may not need to break away. ... Read More
Christian Churches Should Stop Using Cross
Wednesday August 27, 2003
The cross is a very visible and very important symbol of Christianity. In fact, it's probably one of the most well-known symbols around the world. But maybe it's time for ... Read More
Vicar Compares Homosexuality with Pedophilia
Wednesday August 27, 2003
Because homosexuality is viewed in many Christian circles as something which violates sexual purity and/or morality, it is quite common to see it lumped together with other sexual transgressions. This ... Read More
This Date in History: Salvation Army Discrimination
Wednesday August 27, 2003
August 27, 1987: Jamie Dodge of Mississippi was fired from her job at the Salvation Army because she was Pagan. She later filed suit against the Salvation Army for religious ... Read More
NEWS: Ten Commandments Monument Moved
Wednesday August 27, 2003
According to Alabama state officials, Roy Moore's Ten Commandments monument has been moved to a new location in the Alabama Judicial Building. For now it will remain out of public ... Read More
False Memories at Seances
Wednesday August 27, 2003
Those who attend seances sometimes report all sorts of strange things happening; this, in turn, can be used as evidence to validate belief in the paranormal and an afterlife. New ... Read More
Religious Right Reinvigorated by Ten Commandments
Wednesday August 27, 2003
The Ten Commandments have become a rallying cry for people on the Religious Right - it is perceived as a sure-to-win issue in large part because so many religious people ... Read More
Atheist Sues Over School Uniforms
Tuesday August 26, 2003
Why is an atheist in Pennsylvania suing a school district over school uniforms? It's an equal protection argument: students from religious families can opt out of the uniforms if they ... Read More
Missouri Ten Commandments
Tuesday August 26, 2003
Although the debate over the status of a Ten Commandments monument in Alabama has taken much of the media's attention, there is another in Missouri that will create a legal ... Read More
Houston's Bible Battle
Tuesday August 26, 2003
A conflict that has been brewing in Houston for years may become a bit more open and rancorous in the near future. Since 1956 there has been a monument in ... Read More
Female Imams in China
Tuesday August 26, 2003
Can Islam have female Imams, female religious leaders? That doesn't seem possible, but it does occur in China. There recently one of the first female imams began to preach in ... Read More
What is Science?
Tuesday August 26, 2003
Hypothesis, Theories and Facts: The confusion over the use of the terms hypothesis and theory can be difficult to sort out. We have popular usage, popular impression of how scientists ... Read More
Wives Defend Polygamy
Tuesday August 26, 2003
When it comes to polygamy, women are usually portrayed as victims who are subject to a social system not of their choosing. But how often are the women asked what ... Read More
Congress Undermining the Constitution
Tuesday August 26, 2003
What happens when the courts issue an order that isn't very popular? For some in Congress, the answer seems to be to try and deny the courts the funds to ... Read More
Conservatives Uneasy With Roy Moore
Tuesday August 26, 2003
The popular image in the media is that Judge Roy Moore receives a great deal of support from the Religious Right and from religious conservatives. For the most part that ... Read More
This Date in History: Pope John Paul I
Tuesday August 26, 2003
August 26, 1978: John Paul I took office as pope. John Paul died under mysterious circumstances; this has given rise to many conspiracy theories as to what really occurred.
More: ... Read More
Islamic Extremists Burn Girls' School in Afghanistan
Tuesday August 26, 2003
Under the Taliban regime in Afghanistan, girls were prohibited from receiving an education. After the Taliban was defeated and driven out of power, a number of schools for girls were ... Read More
Discovery [sic] Institute, R.I.P.
Tuesday August 26, 2003
Neither creationism nor Intelligent Design have any support from mainstream science in the United States - they are fringe groups pushing a theological rather than a scientific agenda. Curiously, a ... Read More
Mandala Huggers Arrested
Tuesday August 26, 2003
With the media broadcasting images of evangelical Christians being arrested over their attempts to make sure that the government continues expressing support and preference for their religious beliefs, we might ... Read More
Baby Dies Because of Religion
Monday August 25, 2003
When religion interferes with good sense and basic reasoning, it is often the weakest and most innocent who suffer most and most quickly - including children.
WISH TV reports on a ... Read More
Death Threats for Moore's Opponent
Monday August 25, 2003
Although there has been a great deal of media attention on the trials and travails of Roy Moore in his effort to retain a massive Ten Commandments monument in the ... Read More
Churches Lose Land Use Case
Monday August 25, 2003
The Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA) was passed in 2000 to protect churches from discrimination in the buying or selling of land; in practice, churches use it ... Read More
What is Science?
Monday August 25, 2003
Scientific Laws: If science does not claim to arrive at absolute, definitive truth, then what are scientific laws? Doesn't the existence of a law imply the existence of a truth, ... Read More
Temple Found on Ayodhya Site?
Monday August 25, 2003
The Ayodhya site is a flashpoint for religious tensions in India. Hindu nationalists believe that a Muslim mosque was built upon a destroyed Hindu temple, so in 1992 they destroyed ... Read More
Autistic Boy Dies During Prayer Service
Monday August 25, 2003
Although Jesus is portrayed as healing apparent mental problems by casting out demons, most people today have dispensed with the notion that demons are responsible for any sort of mental ... Read More
Mormon Church Pressuring Salt Lake City
Monday August 25, 2003
Everyone who lives in Utah realizes that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints exercises a great deal of control over politics and society in that states. Sometimes, though, ... Read More
This Date in History: Johann Gottfried von Herder
Monday August 25, 2003
August 25, 1744: German philosopher Johann Gottfried von Herder was born in Modrungen, Germany (now in Poland). Herder was an important influence on the German literary movement known as Sturm ... Read More
Judge Roy Moore's Anti-Catholicism
Monday August 25, 2003
Recently a number of conservative Republicans complained that Democratic Senators had been using religious tests which effectively prohibited devout Catholics from being appointed as federal judges. It was suggested that ... Read More
Evangelizing to Muslims
Monday August 25, 2003
Is there some particular way that Christians should evangelize to Muslims? There are Christians who try all sorts of ways to convert Muslims to Christianity. For the most part, they ... Read More
Bush: Anti-Abortion Murderer Distorts Christianity
Monday August 25, 2003
Because Governor Jeb Bush is a Roman Catholic, most of the Christian extremists who support murder Paul Hill probably don't consider him a "real" Christian already - but if they ... Read More
Paul Hill Unrepentant
Monday August 25, 2003
On July 29, 1994, Paul Hill murdered two people: Dr. John Britton, a doctor who provided abortions, and his safety escort James Barrett. Is he remorseful? Does he regret his ... Read More
Chaplains' Lawsuit Expanded
Monday August 25, 2003
A federal judge has expanded the scope of a lawsuit that alleges the Navy discriminated against evangelical Christian chaplains and in favor of mainline Protestant and Roman Catholic chaplains. As ... Read More
Christians, Homophobia, and Love
Sunday August 24, 2003
Why are evangelical, conservative, and fundamentalist Christians so worried about homosexuality? Gays play almost no role whatsoever in the Bible, whether the Old or the New Testament. There are themes, ... Read More
How Do You Define Compassion?
Sunday August 24, 2003
What does compassion mean to you? It's basic definition is simply an awareness of the suffering of others and a wish to relieve that suffering - but that is a ... Read More
Headscarves OK in Germany
Sunday August 24, 2003
The debate over the appropriateness of Muslim women wearing headscarves in public and on the job has apparently been settled in Germany. The constitutional court here has ruled in favor ... Read More
Temple Mount Reopened to Non-Muslim Visitors
Sunday August 24, 2003
The on-again, off-again status of the Temple Mount in Jerusalem is on again... sort of. Israeli police and the Waqf reached an informal agreement allowing non-Muslims to visit the Temple ... Read More
Devout Christian Led Move to Remove Monument
Sunday August 24, 2003
The conflict over the Ten Commandments monument in Alabama has often been portrayed as one pitting Christians against non-Christians, secularists, and/or atheists - but that isn't entirely accurate. Many devout ... Read More
Evolution & Religion
Sunday August 24, 2003
Does evolution contradict religion? There is so much debate in America over evolution and the nature of life that it is worth considering whether or not the theory of ... Read More
Treason as an Exercise in Deception
Sunday August 24, 2003
They say that everyone is good for something, even if it is to serve as a bad example. If that observation is true, then surely it applies to Ann "We ... Read More
Profile of Roy Moore: No Compromise
Sunday August 24, 2003
Roy Moore, Chief Justice of the Alabama Supreme Court, is playing a pivotal role in the modern culture war that has been slowing latching on to American culture. Moore is ... Read More
Am I My Brother's Keeper? Part 2
Sunday August 24, 2003
Christianity is supposed to be a religion of love - and it is certainly true that much of the teaching attributed to Jesus consists of very loving ideals. Unfortunately, you ... Read More
This Date in History: St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre
Sunday August 24, 2003
August 24, 1572: St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre. Thousands of men, women and children died in Paris on the orders of Charles IX who was urged on by his mother, Catherine ... Read More
Pastor Seeks End to Evolution in Arkansas
Sunday August 24, 2003
Evolutionary theory just isn't very popular in many religious circles. It doesn't matter that it is the only scientific description of how life has developed. It doesn't matter that it ... Read More
Religious Tolerance Declining in Indonesia
Sunday August 24, 2003
Traditionally, Indonesia has been a nation of relative religious calm, peace, and tolerance. That was one of the goals of the country's original founders and for the most part they ... Read More
Repent! The End is Near!
Sunday August 24, 2003
Fundamentalist Christians are once again calling for the End of the World. This isn't news, really - various Christian groups have been predicting Armageddon every few years since the very ... Read More
Gay Leaders Not Welcome
Sunday August 24, 2003
Reactions by various evangelical churches to the election of a gay bishop in the Episcopal Church are predictably negative. Of course, you never hear about such reactions to the election ... Read More
Hospital Bans Atkins Diet
Saturday August 23, 2003
The Atkins diet has been hugely popular in recent years and many people swear that it is effective. Some scientific studies suggest that it may be helpful in losing weight ... Read More
Sanctioning Buddhism in a Police Department
Saturday August 23, 2003
Is it at all legitimate for a police department to sanction a religious retreat where officers can learn how to cope with stress? Usually, this question would be asked in ... Read More
Scientology Wanted Millions in Lawsuit
Saturday August 23, 2003
For the past six years, Tampa lawyer Ken Dandar has waged a battle to get a wrongful death lawsuit against the Church of Scientology in front of a jury. He ... Read More
What is Science?
Saturday August 23, 2003
Scientific Method: Science is effectively defined by the method which actual scientists use in order to make discoveries and generally produce knowledge about the universe around us. It is this ... Read More
Bush's Church/State Record Criticized
Saturday August 23, 2003
Every year, the Touro Synagogue in Newport, Rhode Island celebrates America's religious liberties with a program about a letter that George Washington wrote to them: "To the Hebrew Congregation in ... Read More
Roy Moore: National Hero
Saturday August 23, 2003
Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore is regarded by many as a religious fanatic because of his insistence that as an elected public official, he has both the right and the ... Read More
This Date in History: Arnold Toynbee
Saturday August 23, 2003
August 23, 1852: Arnold Toynbee was born. Toynbee was a British historian whose writings and ideas have had considerable influence on modern attitudes towards not only history, but also religion ... Read More
State-Approved Prayers at Senior Center
Saturday August 23, 2003
At the government-funded Silver Foxes Den Senior Center in Colorado, there are official organized prayers before lunch every day. Some people like this tradition, but a number have gotten tired ... Read More
Understanding Islam
Saturday August 23, 2003
Recently Received: Oxford Dictionary of Islam, by John L. Esposito.
John L. Esposito is a frequent writer on Islam and the Islamic world; here he presents a new dictionary of Islamic ... Read More
Fox, Franken, and the First Amendment
Saturday August 23, 2003
The recent lawsuit of Fox News against Al Franken over his new book raises some very interesting First Amendment issues. Just how far can a person go when it comes ... Read More
God Bless Roy Moore?
Saturday August 23, 2003
There are many Christian Nationalists who believe that American law was founded upon and is defined by the Ten Commandments. Theirs is no mere argument about influence or connection - ... Read More
Religion Behind Jerusalem Bombing
Saturday August 23, 2003
In the recent bombing of a bus in Jerusalem, 20 people were murdered - including several children. Who was responsible for this act? Part of the responsibility lies with the ... Read More
Fiji: A Christian Nation?
Friday August 22, 2003
Evangelical Christians have long tried to argue that America is really a "Christian Nation" - they have even, at times, tried to have that idea enshrined in the Constitution. It ... Read More
Death Threats in Florida over Paul Hill
Friday August 22, 2003
On September 3, Paul Hill is scheduled to be executed in Florida for the murders of Dr. John B. Britton, 79, of Fernandina Beach, and retired Air Force Lt. Col. ... Read More
Canada's Largest Church Endorses Same-Sex Marriage
Friday August 22, 2003
Most media attention tend to focus upon Christian opposition to same-sex marriage, but a number of Christian organization actually approve of such a move. Recently, Canada's largest Protestant Church issues ... Read More
Florida Diocese Withholding Funds From Episcopal Church
Friday August 22, 2003
Evangelical opposition to the decision of the Episcopal Church to approve the election of an openly gay bishop is leading to serious divisions among the Episcopal dioceses in the United ... Read More
NEWSFLASH! Roy Moore Suspended
Friday August 22, 2003
Because of his refusal to remove a gigantic monument of the Ten Commandments that was placed in the Alabama state court house, the Judicial Inquiry Commission has suspended him pending ... Read More
Manatee County Drops Lord's Prayer
Friday August 22, 2003
When their practice of using the Lord's Prayer to open their meetings was first questioned, the members of the Manatee County school board couldn't understand what everyone was so upset ... Read More
Chief Mufti Joins Raids on Churches
Friday August 22, 2003
In Turkmenistan, once a region of the Soviet Union, only Sunni Muslims and the Orthodox Church have approval as official religions - this means that adherents of these faiths can ... Read More
Summer of Sodomy
Friday August 22, 2003
The more a person attacks something, the more they seem to become obsessed by it - especially if the target is sex. That certainly seems to be the case with ... Read More
What is Science?
Friday August 22, 2003
Defining Science: The definition of science poses some problems for people. Everyone seems to have an idea of what science is, but actually articulating it proves to be difficult. Doing ... Read More
Saudis Gearing Up for Jihad
Friday August 22, 2003
Afghanistan became a magnet for Islamists after the Soviet Union invaded, creating for them a place where they could fight the materialistic, imperial, godless West on the field of battle. ... Read More
This Date in History: Council of Blood
Friday August 22, 2003
August 22, 1567: The "Council of Blood" was established by the Duke of Alba. Thousands of Dutch Protestants were convicted of treason and many were had to flee the Netherlands ... Read More
Christians Keep Attacking Islam
Friday August 22, 2003
Christian assaults on Islamic beliefs continue across America, effectively preventing much progress in interfaith dialogue and understanding. Recently in Kansas a small church held a sermon on the "dangers" of ... Read More
Catholic Priest Censured Over Same-Sex Marriage
Friday August 22, 2003
Many critics have charged the Roman Catholic Church with hypocrisy in the way it has come down against civil marriages for homosexuals even though its priests must remain celibate and ... Read More
Saudi Cleric Denounces Radicalism
Friday August 22, 2003
As popular as radical Islam is, not even all clerics in Saudi Arabia support it - at least not the clerics who are under the control of the government. Grand ... Read More
Persecuting Witches in Australia
Thursday August 21, 2003
The United States isn't the only country where evangelical Christians are so enamored of their traditional domination of society that they are willing to lash out at minority faiths perceived ... Read More
Mel Gibson's Film Already Sparking Antisemitism
Thursday August 21, 2003
A number of individuals and organizations have expressed concern that Mel Gibson's upcoming film Passion, which relates the last hours of Jesus Christ, will ignite antisemitism just as Passion Plays ... Read More
La Crosse To Fight for Ten Commandments
Thursday August 21, 2003
The mayor of La Crosse, Wisconsin wanted to obey a federal court order to move a Ten Commandments monument from public land to private land. Community leaders voted to give ... Read More
Alabama Judges Order Ten Commandments Monument Removed
Thursday August 21, 2003
In a move that has outraged Christian Nationalists across Alabama, the eight Associate Justices of the Alabama Supreme Court have given the order to the Ten Commandments monument to be ... Read More
Austrialian Schools Should Teach More Religion
Thursday August 21, 2003
Australia's Governor-General Michael Jeffery wants to see an increase in the teaching of religion in schools as part of an effort to increase the nation's ethics and values. According to ... Read More
Muslim Court Orders 15-year-old Flogged
Thursday August 21, 2003
Should a teen girl be punished for having sex with an adult? That appears to be the case under Islamic law - in the United Arab Emirates a supreme federal ... Read More
Transcendental Meditation: Too Expensive?
Thursday August 21, 2003
The lure of a quick buck is sometimes too powerful to resist - but giving in can have unintended consequences. That may be the lesson that the leaders of Transcendental ... Read More
Wisconsin Priests Argue for Optional Celibacy
Thursday August 21, 2003
For the first time in many years, a large group of priests has spoken out against the requirement of mandatory celibacy for clergy in the Roman Catholic Church. Celibacy has ... Read More
Understanding the Ten Commandments
Thursday August 21, 2003
Catholics, Protestants and Jews: Contrary to what some might claim, there is no "standard version" of the Ten Commandments. Catholics, Protestants and Jews all have different versions - different wordings, ... Read More
Serial Killer a National Hero in Iran
Thursday August 21, 2003
In most places, a person who admits to happily being a serial killer of prostitutes would be reviled - but in Iran, such a person becomes a national hero. Granted, ... Read More
Salvation Army Apologizes for Abuse
Thursday August 21, 2003
Accusations of abuse are all too often focused upon the Catholic Church - but the Salvation Army also has a dark past that it probably wishes it could have kept ... Read More
America: Founded on a Covenant with God
Thursday August 21, 2003
Some people may be under the impression that America was founded for the purpose of freedom and liberty, but perhaps they are mistaken. Quite a few Christians sincerely believe that ... Read More
This Date in History: Suicide Bombing
Thursday August 21, 2003
August 21, 1995: A suicide bomber killed himself and five others when he set off an explosion that affected two Israeli commuter buses.
More:
Palestine and Israel
Recent Books on Palestine ... Read More
Kenyans Advised to Ignore Desmond Tutu
Thursday August 21, 2003
Kenyan Christian leaders don't like the fact that Desmond Tutu isn't bothered by homosexuality or gay priests, so they have asked Kenyans to just ignore his comments. The former bishop ... Read More
Shunning Theology?
Thursday August 21, 2003
Should governments fund theological and ministerial training or would avoiding that place impermissible burdens upon religion? That's a question which the Supreme Court will had to address soon in a ... Read More
Christianity: Not About Tolerance
Thursday August 21, 2003
Tolerance is an important principle in modern, multicultural societies. But is Christianity a religion that is prepared to be tolerant? Some argue that it isn't - and I'm not talking ... Read More
Clerical Greed and Corruption in Iran
Thursday August 21, 2003
Scenes and reports of protesting students in Iran have gripped the imagination of many in the West - but it is important to note that they are not simply protesting ... Read More
Religious War Over Bail Bracelet
Thursday August 21, 2003
Are electronic monitoring bracelets a violation of some people's religious liberty? That's what an Orthodox Jewish man is arguing. According to him, such devices connect remotely to telephone lines and ... Read More
Support for Vouchers Drops
Thursday August 21, 2003
An important cause for many on the Religious Right has long been the creation of school voucher programs. This would allow parents to use tax dollars to pay for schooling ... Read More
Understanding the Ten Commandments
Wednesday August 20, 2003
Original Verses: The "original" Ten Commandments were supposedly given to Moses twice, with the second time occurring after he had smashed the original tablets. For some reason, the two versions ... Read More
Hank Hanegraaff & Financial Irregularities
Wednesday August 20, 2003
Hank Hanegraaff's Christian Research Institute is heavily involved in monitoring other Christian groups for biblical irregularities - but who is watching them for financial irregularities? The Evangelical Council for Financial ... Read More
Black Supremacist Religion Given Green Light
Wednesday August 20, 2003
Members of "Five Percent," a militant offshoot of the Nation of Islam that teaches black supremacy, may start getting the freedom to practice and learn about their religion while in ... Read More
This Date in History: Good Friday Holidays
Wednesday August 20, 2003
August 20, 1999: Decided: Koenick v. Felton The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that there was no impermissible establishment of religion in creating a public holiday at the ... Read More
Colorado Pledge of Allegiance Law Blocked
Wednesday August 20, 2003
Should students and teachers be forced to recite the Pledge of Allegiance Among the efforts to promote or even enforce patriotism are laws which require both students and teachers in ... Read More
Life in Prison for Blasphemy
Wednesday August 20, 2003
Once again, Pakistan is showing itself to be a paragon of Islamic moderation and values. Two Christians have been sentenced to life in prison for blasphemy. What did they do? ... Read More
Call For Prayer Warriors
Wednesday August 20, 2003
As reported here earlier, President Jean-Bertrand Aristide made Voodoo one of Haiti's officially recognized religions. This means that Voodoo priests can legally perform religious ceremonies like marriages and baptisms. Unfortunately, ... Read More
Swami Defends Uniform Civil Code
Tuesday August 19, 2003
India is considering the adoption of a Uniform Civil Code that would replace a multitude of religious laws which apply only to the adherents of particular religions. Many Muslims oppose ... Read More
Healing Water or Health Hazard?
Tuesday August 19, 2003
Dodgy treatments for difficult medical conditions have long been a staple of religious groups - when modern medicine fails to work or to work quickly enough, people turn to whatever ... Read More
Evolution & Religion
Tuesday August 19, 2003
Does evolution contradict creationism? Debates about evolution in America typically take the form of a contest or conflict between two competing ideas, evolutionary theory and creationism. Because of this, it ... Read More
Colson Continues to Push Deception
Tuesday August 19, 2003
As was reported here earlier, a recent report that was supposed to show the value and success of prison reform through intensive religious indoctrination was actually full of methodological holes. ... Read More
Atheism at a Catholic University
Tuesday August 19, 2003
Can an atheist teach at a religious university, even an explicitly Catholic university? Well, that's exactly what Dale McGowan is doing at the College of St. Catherine in St. Paul ... Read More
Secularism in Salt Lake City
Tuesday August 19, 2003
Sometimes the issue isn't really the issue. There have been a number of recent and heated court battles involves the separation of church and state in Salt Lake City; but ... Read More
This Date in History: Blaise Pascal
Tuesday August 19, 2003
August 19, 1662: Blaise Pascal died. Pascal was a French mathematician and theologian who became well known for his work on hydrodynamics and probability.
More:
Biographies of Famous Philosophers
Pascal's Wager
Religious Mysticism in America
Tuesday August 19, 2003
Intellectual religiosity and mystical religiosity might share in the same religious tradition, but at the same time they can exist worlds apart and have little understanding for one another. This ... Read More
Strict Indonesian Islamic Society Is Unpopular
Tuesday August 19, 2003
Indonesia is one of the most populous Muslim countries in the world - but unlike many of their Arab brethren, Indonesians for the most part have no desire to establish ... Read More
Scientology Seeking Hubbard Papers
Tuesday August 19, 2003
While living in Wichita, Kansas, L. Ron Hubbard produced some of his earliest writing on Dianetics and Scientology. There were several books on the topic, a "Dianetics Foundation," and he ... Read More
Does God Exist?
Tuesday August 19, 2003
Recently Received: God?: A Debate between a Christian and an Atheist, by William Lane Craig & Walter Sinnott-Armstron.
The existence of God is a subject of frequent debate and discussion - but rarely do ... Read More
Understanding the Ten Commandments
Monday August 18, 2003
Judge Roy Moore: Roy Moore is a genuine celebrity for the Religious Right in America - his perpetual court cases over his various displays of the Ten Commandment have become ... Read More
Discovery Institute Caught in Quote-Mining
Monday August 18, 2003
One of the more frequent criticisms leveled against creationists involves a basic lack of honesty. All too often, they will take quotations from evolutionary biologists out of context and make ... Read More
Muslim Convert Butchered
Monday August 18, 2003
Islam does not permit believers to convert to another religion - in many ways, conversion is the greatest sin that any Muslim can commit. When such conversions are discovered, the ... Read More
Blind Priest Exorcises Demons - With Sex
Monday August 18, 2003
Evidently, demons really don't like sex - that must be the case because a priest in South Africa reportedly tried to exorcise demons from young girls by meeting with them ... Read More
This Date in History: Constantine the Great
Monday August 18, 2003
August 18, 330: St. Helena died. Mother of Constantine the Great, Helena was an early convert to Christianity and devoted much of her life to religious patronage.
More:
Christian History
Lord's Resistance Army Targeting Christian Leaders
Monday August 18, 2003
The Lord's Resistance Army is a brutal rebel group in Uganda that has been reported about here before. They have been known to do all sorts of heinous things, including ... Read More
Philosopher: Enemy of the State in Iran
Monday August 18, 2003
Abdolkarim Soroush is on of Iran's best-known intellectuals - and he is also considered an enemy of the state in Iran because of his ideas regarding the relationship between religion, ... Read More
No Equal Rights for Clones?
Monday August 18, 2003
Should human clones have the same legal and civil rights as other homo sapiens? That is a proposal being considered by the American Bar Association, but some people are working ... Read More
Religious Sect Admits to Nine Murders
Sunday August 17, 2003
Members of a religious group known as the Yeong Saeng, or "eternal life," have admitted to murdering and secretly burying nine other members all around South Korean between 1984 and ... Read More
Pastors' Pitiful Pay
Sunday August 17, 2003
If you are looking to get rich, becoming a pastor probably isn't a wise career choice. Many congregations are so poor that they can't even afford to hire a full-time ... Read More
Raising Mel: More on Antisemitism & Passion
Sunday August 17, 2003
Criticism of Mel Gibson's upcoming film The Passion just keeps rolling in - more and more people are recognizing that the charges of antisemitism are very likely true. Everything Gibson ... Read More
Priests Denounce Nonbelieving Colleague
Sunday August 17, 2003
The debate over the status of the Danish Lutheran priest who doubts or disbelieves in the existence of God isn't quite over yet. In June, Thorkild Grosboel, pastor of Taarbaek, ... Read More
Republicans To Outsource Fundraising
Sunday August 17, 2003
To save money, many American companies have been outsourcing their call centers - thus those who make calls or receive calls (like customer service) are actually located abroad rather than ... Read More
Flaws in Reasoning & Arguments
Sunday August 17, 2003
Subjective Validation: Subjective Validation is also sometimes called the "personal validation effect" because it refers to a process by which people accept some claim or phenomenon as valid based solely ... Read More
Battlefield Iraq: Islam vs. the West
Sunday August 17, 2003
The Soviet invasion of Afghanistan was a pivotal event in the radicalization of Muslims across the Middle East. With this invasion, young, unemployed people seeking a cause and an identity ... Read More
Court Affirms: VMI Prayers are Unconstitutional
Sunday August 17, 2003
In January, 2002, a three-judge panel of the Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the tradition at the Virginia Military Academy of holding group prayers at supper were unconstitutional. A ... Read More
Bait & Switch: Censorware Privileges Conservative Sites
Sunday August 17, 2003
Software designed to block certain types of sites usually include in their "black list" sites that promote "hate speech," and that typically includes derogatory statements based on sexual orientation. At ... Read More
This Date in History: Monothelite Controversy
Sunday August 17, 2003
August 17, 682: Leo II was consecrated pope. Leo condemned Pope Honorius I for his position in the Monothelite controversy.
More:
Monothelites
Roman Catholicism
Popes
Davidson County Trusts God
Sunday August 17, 2003
The commissioners of Davidson County, North Carolina, have voted to continue the fight to retain the U.S. motto "In God We Trust" on the front of the county court building ... Read More
The Movie Scientology Doesn't Want You to See
Sunday August 17, 2003
Written and directed by Peter Alexander, a 20 year veteran of Scientology, The Profit about the rise to power of a cult leader and his eventual isolation and descent into ... Read More
Overdue Recognition for Humanist Veterans
Sunday August 17, 2003
Veterans are permitted to put an "emblem of belief" on their military tombstones - but for too long, those emblems recognized as legitimate were limited to traditional religions. Now, after ... Read More
Stealing the Internet
Sunday August 17, 2003
At one time the internet consisted primarily of sites started and run by individual people; today, however, larger corporations control much of the content available online and they are seeking ... Read More
Gillette Spying On Customers
Saturday August 16, 2003
So, how do you feel about a company spying on you? First they put radio tracking devices into their products, not unlike attaching a tracking collar to a wild animal. ... Read More
Religious Leaders Support Removal of Ten Commandments
Saturday August 16, 2003
When it comes to government-sponsored and government-supported religious displays, the press usually describes the battle lines as being between secularists/atheists and religious leaders. But the reality is that many religious ... Read More
Boy Scout Troop Loses Charter Over Gay Rights
Saturday August 16, 2003
Most individual Boy Scout troops around the United States are willing to accept the national organization's demand that they actively discriminate against gays and atheists, a stance adopted under the ... Read More
Rethinking the Lawsuits Against Big Food
Saturday August 16, 2003
Much ridicule and derision has been directed against the lawyers and plaintiffs involved in lawsuits against "Big Food" - fast food chains and food companies which produce and market products ... Read More
Questioning the Edifice of Economics
Saturday August 16, 2003
One of the basic principles of economics is the idea that the more people are able to get of what they prefer to have, the better off they are and ... Read More
Flaws in Reasoning & Arguments
Saturday August 16, 2003
Wishful Thinking & Rationalization: It seems unlikely that, for anyone alive today, the world is exactly the way they wish it would be in every detail. Because there is discordance ... Read More
Atkins Diet: Dangerous Pseudoscience?
Saturday August 16, 2003
Some studies have suggested that the Atkins diet may be helpful, but Dr. Susan Jebb, of the Medical Research Council's Human Nutrition Research Centre in Cambridge, argues the opposite. According ... Read More
Sexism in the Cités
Saturday August 16, 2003
Housing projects on the outskirts of France's major cities have become a new home to large numbers of Arab immigrants. they have also become home to widespread sexual and physical ... Read More
This Date in History: Shimon Peres
Saturday August 16, 2003
August 16, 1923: Shimon Peres was born. Peres was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1994 because of his efforts to achieve peaceful relations with Arabs.
More:
Palestine and Israel
Recent ... Read More
Reinventing Public Philosophy
Saturday August 16, 2003
Does the field of philosophy suffer from the fact that it is almost entirely dominated by professional academic philosophers who are paid to philosophize? Would philosophy be better off if ... Read More
Creationism Debate Returning to Kansas
Saturday August 16, 2003
Kansas became the butt of jokes around the country and even around the world when it voted in 1999 to eliminate evolution and the Big Bang from the science curriculum. ... Read More
Jury Seated in Scientology Case
Saturday August 16, 2003
In the very complex case related the death of Lisa McPherson, a jury has finally been seated in Pinellas County, Florida. Scientology had wanted the venue changed, even though they ... Read More
Christianity: Despised Faith
Saturday August 16, 2003
The first rumblings of a Christian backlash over Jewish concerns about antisemitism in Mel Gibson's forthcoming film about the death of Jesus Christ were reported here not too long ago. ... Read More
Christian Fundamentalism vs. Middle East Peace
Friday August 15, 2003
We have heard a fair amount in the American press about how fundamentalist Christians have worked to oppose and undermine the peace process between Israel and the Palestinians - all ... Read More
Designer Religion
Friday August 15, 2003
The popularity of traditional Christianity seems to be continuing its sharp decline in England. An advertising agency commissioned to study the issue has suggested that the Church of England try ... Read More
Gay Muslims and Islam
Friday August 15, 2003
Being gay and Christian may be difficult, but it is much worse for a person who is both gay and Muslim. Homophobia is much stronger in the traditionalist cultures that ... Read More
Muslims Oppose Church Opening
Friday August 15, 2003
Muslims in Arab nations are often intolerant of the establishment of churches, synagogues, or other religious structures that are devoted to some religion other than Islam. This is very unfortunate ... Read More
Catholic Church Plans Lifestyle Checks on Priests
Friday August 15, 2003
The Philippine Catholic Church has been having so many problems with its priests that it has decided to resort to the drastic measure of starting "Lifestyle Checks" on all priests ... Read More
Christian Doctor Preaching to Gays
Friday August 15, 2003
When a person is in need of treatment of health problems, what can we say about the character and morality of a medical doctor who displays less interest in the ... Read More
Lightning Strikes Gay Radio Station; God Sought for Questioning
Friday August 15, 2003
A two-hour call-in show was cancelled on the Outlet Radio network when their facility was struck by lightning, destroying vital phone equipment. Lest anyone imagine that this was simply a ... Read More
Methodist Leader: Gay Bishop Not Unbiblical
Friday August 15, 2003
Many American churches and denominations have complained about the appointment of an openly gay bishop in the Episcopalian Church, but that isn't the case with all. Some, like a few ... Read More
This Date in History: Horrors of Freedom
Friday August 15, 2003
August 15, 1205: Pope Gregory XVI, in his encyclical Mirari vos, complained about the growth of the ideal of "freedom of conscience," stating "This is a contagious error to which ... Read More
Dr. Laura: Less than Jewish?
Friday August 15, 2003
Dr. Laura Schlessinger is a popular radio talk-show host, although her popularity seems to be based more on her ability to insult and harangue callers than on any ability to ... Read More
Khatami Condemns Fascism in Iran
Friday August 15, 2003
President Mohammad Khatami has frequently voiced his disagreement with the intransigence of many of the ultra-conservative religious leaders in Iran. Rarely, however, has his disapproval of their actions and tactics ... Read More
Only Christians Are Good People
Friday August 15, 2003
Are Christians the only ones in society who are capable of being good people? That's a belief held by quite a few - it's a natural conclusion when you assume ... Read More
Texas Miracle: Just a Matter of Faith
Friday August 15, 2003
When George Bush was running for president, they touted the "Texas Miracle" of education where even poor, inner-city schools had outstanding performances. Rod Paige, the Houston school superintendent, was promoted ... Read More
Leaving the Church of England: The Pharisees Are Running Things
Friday August 15, 2003
In the United States there is discussion about conservative bishops, priests, and parishes leaving the Episcopalian Church because of the increasingly liberal direction that the church is taking. In England ... Read More
Stem Cell Research and Cloning
Friday August 15, 2003
Recently Received: God and the Embryo: Religious Voices on Stem Cells and Cloning , edited by Brent Waters and Ronald Cole-Turner.
Religions have a lot to say about developing technology and research that ... Read More
City Considers Eliminating Police Chaplain
Thursday August 14, 2003
Chuck Kiefer, Manager of Arlington City, Texas, is considering the elimination of the position of police chaplain in order to save money in the next budget. Not everyone is happy ... Read More
Blessing Gay Unions Not Popular
Thursday August 14, 2003
Although America has slowly grown more and more tolerant of homosexuality and homosexuals over the recent decades, there has been something of a backlash after the recent Supreme Court decision ... Read More
Couple Chooses Prayer Over Medicine - Baby Dies
Thursday August 14, 2003
It is a standard feature of most forms of Christianity that believers should rely upon and trust in God - because God will provide and God has a plan for ... Read More
School Asks Candidate About Religion
Thursday August 14, 2003
Public schools really have no business asking job candidates about their religion - as far as the government is concerned, a person's religion shouldn't have any bearing on their job ... Read More
Episcopal Priest Defies Bishop
Thursday August 14, 2003
The election of an openly gay man as bishop has caused quite a lot of dissent within the Episcopal Church. Some conservative bishops have talked about splitting from the denomination, ... Read More
Roy Moore Stands Defiant
Thursday August 14, 2003
Chief Justice of Alabama's Supreme Court Roy Moore has announced that he would defy the orders of the federal court and leave a massive Ten Commandments monument in the rotunda ... Read More
Anti-Defamation League: Mel Gibson's Film to Fuel Antisemitism
Thursday August 14, 2003
As reported here earlier, Mel Gibson has long resisted showing his controversial film "The Passion" to anyone who might be too critical of it. Well, that's changed because he finally ... Read More
Denver Public Schools Promoting Christianity?
Thursday August 14, 2003
Public schools are always looking for programs that help improve basic skills and performance among students - but does the pursuit of these very important goals require that they be ... Read More
Texas Taliban May Get Biology Text Censored
Thursday August 14, 2003
Holt, Rinehart & Winston, publisher of textbooks for public schools across the country, has done the cowardly thing and agreed to give in to religious pressure from Christian fundamentalists in ... Read More
This Date in History: Maksymilian Kolbe in Auschwitz
Thursday August 14, 2003
August 14, 1941: Maksymilian Kolbe died in Auschwitz. A Franciscan priest from Poland, Kolbe offered to take the place of another prisoner on his way to be executed. Kolbe was ... Read More
Afghanistan: Free Speech vs. Islam
Thursday August 14, 2003
Strict interpretations of Islamic law are simply incompatible with many of the freedoms taken for granted in the West. That is an unfortunate lesson being taught in Afghanistan where the ... Read More
Human-Rabbit Hybrid Produced in Cloning
Thursday August 14, 2003
According to scientists in China, they have managed to successfully create hybrid embryos that were made from a combination of human and rabbit DNA. The embryos were allowed to grow ... Read More
President George Bush Researching the Apocalypse?
Thursday August 14, 2003
More than one presidential advisor, especially in the Reagan administration, has been criticized for performing his or her job as if the Christian Apocalypse were a real factor in reaching ... Read More
Virginia's List of "Approved" Religions
Thursday August 14, 2003
Government involvement in religion leads to favoritism - the government expressing the idea that some religions are "better" than others. That's something which the separation of church and state is ... Read More
Flaws in Reasoning & Arguments
Wednesday August 13, 2003
Self-Deception: If deception is the process of misleading others in order to get them to accept something as true even when it is false, then self-deception is the process of ... Read More
Wiccan Priestess Fights Council Prayers
Wednesday August 13, 2003
Christians in America are used to getting their own way - especially in small towns where the local population is almost entirely Christians and those who aren't are too scared ... Read More
Druids Saving Lives, Stopping Accidents
Wednesday August 13, 2003
Has Druidic magic been responsible for cutting the number of accidents on Austria's autobahn? Well, that's what they are claiming - they say that the construction of large roadside monoliths ... Read More
This Date in History: Felix Adler & Ethical Culture
Wednesday August 13, 2003
August 13, 1851: Felix Adler was born in Alzey, Germany. Adler founded the Society for Ethical Culture in New York City in 1876.
Cult Headquarters Raided in Japan
Wednesday August 13, 2003
The headquarters of Pana Wave were raided by police in Japan on suspicion that the group was involved in the mysterious death of a 40-year-old assistant university professor. The group ... Read More
Bible-Based Character Building
Wednesday August 13, 2003
The Florida government is hoping to improve the morale and working efficiency of its child-welfare agency by providing character-building courses. The problem is, these courses are based not only upon ... Read More
Desmond Tutu Doesn't Mind Gay Bishop
Wednesday August 13, 2003
Commenting on the recent debates over the election of a gay bishop in the Episcopalian Church, former South African bishop Desmond Tutu said that he really doesn't see what all ... Read More
Muslim Extremis Leader Remains Defiant
Wednesday August 13, 2003
Jailed on charges of having been the spiritual leader of the fanatics who were responsible for the Bali bombing in 2002 and for the recent bombing of a hotel in ... Read More
Modern Terrorism
Wednesday August 13, 2003
Recently Received: New Terror, New Wars, by Paul Gilbert.
The "War Against Terrorism" is not like other wars in the past - the philosophical ideas and moral standards used in the pats ... Read More
Secular Marriage & Sacred Marriage
Tuesday August 12, 2003
Legalizing Gay Marriage: More and more it is looking like legal marriage between members of the same sex may become a reality - but if so, it won't occur with ... Read More
Christian Boarding School Allegedly Abused Children
Tuesday August 12, 2003
A mother in Missouri is alleging that the Thanks to Calvary Baptist Academy and Boarding School in Devil's Elbow abused his son while he was staying there. The abuse was ... Read More
Skeptic Profile: Martin Gardner
Tuesday August 12, 2003
Martin Gardner, now 88 years old, has been an important figure an writers for the skeptical movement for decades now. One of his earliest works, Fads and Fallacies in the ... Read More
Should Gay Catholics Leave the Church?
Tuesday August 12, 2003
Recent comments made by the Vatican about homosexuality and homosexual relationships have upset many people - but none more so than gays themselves who naturally object when their situation is ... Read More
This Date in History: Roman Catholicism & Evolution
Tuesday August 12, 2003
August 12, 1950: Pope Pius XII issued the encyclical Humani Generis, condemning ideologies which threatened Roman Catholic faith but allowing that evolution did not necessarily conflict with Christianity.
More:
What is ... Read More
African Religions Attracting Americans
Tuesday August 12, 2003
Although their numbers are not yet very large, the popularity of traditional African religions or other religions which draw heavily from African beliefs are increasing in popularity in the United ... Read More
Will Conservative Episcopalians Bolt?
Tuesday August 12, 2003
Evangelical members of the Episcopalian Church have threatened to break away over the fact that an openly and actively gay man was elected as bishop. For them, the Episcopalian leadership ... Read More
Inside the Saudi Criminal Justice System
Tuesday August 12, 2003
It would be a very bad idea to be arrested in Saudi Arabia. Granted, it's probably not a good idea to be arrested anywhere, but at least in many places ... Read More
Contemplating the Nature of Religion
Monday August 11, 2003
Religion vs. Religious: The terms religion and religious obviously come from the same root, which would normally lead us to conclude that they also refer to basically the same thing: ... Read More
French Court Cites Scientology as Dangerous Cult
Monday August 11, 2003
The parents of Marion Chauchreau wanted her to travel to Denmark to enroll at the Copenhagen Scientology school, but a French judge has imposed a travel ban upon her. The ... Read More
Massachusetts Politicians Question Vatican's Authority
Monday August 11, 2003
Reactions keep coming in over the Vatican's recent insistence that not only Catholic politicians, but in fact all politicians, should uphold basic Catholic doctrines on fundamental moral matters - including, ... Read More
Public School Holds Graduation in Church
Monday August 11, 2003
Why would a state community college hold graduation ceremonies in a church? Well, that's just what Central Florida Community College does - hold graduation in an Ocala Baptist. The gymnasium ... Read More
This Date in History: Jerry Falwell & the Religious Right
Monday August 11, 2003
August 11, 1933: Jerry Falwell was born. Falwell is a prominent leader in the American Religious Right and helped found the Moral Majority in 1979.
More:
Religious Right
Christian Extremism
Baptist College Chooses Freedom over Creationism
Monday August 11, 2003
William Jewell College is considered a "bastion" of Baptist education in Missouri. Many students enter the ministry and prayers are a daily facet of life. The many visible signs of ... Read More
President Bush Misusing Science
Monday August 11, 2003
It's really not all that unusual for political interests to twist scientific data in order to fit social and religious prejudices. The fact that it is not unusual does not ... Read More
Blue Law May End in Tampa, Florida
Monday August 11, 2003
It's entirely possible that the rules at the Tampa International Airport may soon be the same as those at airports elsewhere in Florida. Currently stores in airports in Miami and ... Read More
Group Sues Over "Cult" Allegation
Monday August 11, 2003
If an organization is accused of being a "cult," is that something that they can sue over? Is the label of "cult" so bad that it should never be used? ... Read More
Comparing and Contrasting Religion and Philosophy
Sunday August 10, 2003
Religion vs. Philosophy: Is religion just a type of philosophy? Is philosophy a religious activity? There seems to be some confusion at times over just whether and how religion and ... Read More
White Supremacist Running for Office
Sunday August 10, 2003
Pity the poor people in Hayden, Idaho. Whatever other problems and issues they have to face, now added to their burden is the fact that the founder of the Aryan ... Read More
Raelians Promise Hunger Strike
Sunday August 10, 2003
Raelian leader and founder Claude Vorilhon was recently kicked out of South Korea because of that government's fears that he might use his time there to help work on human ... Read More
Tom Cruise, Dyslexia, and Scientology
Sunday August 10, 2003
Recently Tom Cruise was successful in getting in a few plugs for Scientology while being interviewed in People magazine - indeed, some have claimed that his doing the interview was ... Read More
This Date in History: Government Support for Religious Counseling
Sunday August 10, 2003
August 10, 1988: In Bowen v. Kendrick The Supreme Court ruled 5-4 to allow federal funds to be given to religious organizations offering counseling consistent with the purposes advocated ... Read More
Texas Pledge-of-Allegiance Law Undermines Democracy, Critical Thinking
Sunday August 10, 2003
A recent Texas law requires all students in public schools to stand and recite the Pledge of Allegiance. This is supposed to be a show of patriotism, and what could ... Read More
Jews for Judaism vs. Jews for Jesus
Sunday August 10, 2003
The organization "Jews for Jesus," which ties to convince Jews to accept Jesus as their Messiah while retaining their Jewish identity, is very controversial in both Jewish and Christian circles. ... Read More
Scientology Owes Back Taxes
Sunday August 10, 2003
The Church of Scientology has long battled various levels of government over taxation, insisting that they are a religion rather than a business and thus deserve the same tax breaks ... Read More
United Arab Emirates Upgrading Sermons
Sunday August 10, 2003
Concerned about the possible influence of extremists, the government of the United Arab Emirates is taking steps to "upgrade" Friday sermons to ensure that they reflect a moderate face of ... Read More
La Crosse Ten Commandments Monument to Go
Saturday August 9, 2003
In July a federal judged ruled that a Ten Commandments monument in La Crosse, Wisconsin had to come down because it violated the separation of church and state. Community leaders ... Read More
"Magdalene Sisters" Is True, but Condemned Anyway
Saturday August 9, 2003
Recently released in Ireland and coming soon to America, The Magdalene Sisters explores decades of abuse that young women experienced while locked upon in laundries operated by the Roman Catholic ... Read More
Japanese Team Hunts Yeti
Saturday August 9, 2003
Do you believe in the abominable snowman? Some people do - and a team of them from Japan is setting off to see if they can find the elusive creature. ... Read More
Crackpot Religion in Canada
Saturday August 9, 2003
Roman Catholic leaders have recently made veiled threats against Canadian politicians should they step out of line and actually support the legalization of gay marriage. It is suggested to the ... Read More
Religion & The Democratic Party
Saturday August 9, 2003
Religion is a contentious issue in American politics. It shouldn't be, and in fact the separation of church and state is, in part, designed to prevent religion from becoming a ... Read More
Episcopalians to Bless Same-Sex Unions
Saturday August 9, 2003
In a move that is sure to further outrage evangelical Anglicans, the Episcopal Church has voted overwhelmingly to approve a resolution that allows churches to bless same-sex unions if they ... Read More
Death Penalty for Blasphemy
Saturday August 9, 2003
It seems that the only nations in the world that will still kill you for blasphemy are Muslim - which is a shame, since not all Muslims actually believe that ... Read More
This Date in History: Pope Sixtus IV & the Spanish Inquisition
Saturday August 9, 2003
August 9, 1471: Sixtus IV was elected pope. Sixtus took measures to repress heresy and created the Spanish Inquisition at the request of King Ferdinand of Aragon and Queen Isabella ... Read More
Laying the Cornerstone for the Temple Mount
Saturday August 9, 2003
Led by Gershom Salomon, a group known as the Temple Mount Faithful are hoping to place a symbolic cornerstone on the Temple Mount as a promise for rebuilding the Temple. ... Read More
Musgrave Admits: Religion Motivates Marriage Amendment
Saturday August 9, 2003
Those who have long believed that the effort to prevent gay marriages from being legalized has been motivated primarily by religious objections rather than philosophical concerns now have what amounts ... Read More
Identity Politics and Democratic Institutions
Saturday August 9, 2003
Recently Received: Identity in Democracy, by Amy Gutmann.
The concept of "identity politics" has become much more recognizable in recent years, and Amy Gutmann attempts to examine "the good, the bad, and ... Read More
Poll: Most Americans OK With Ten Commandments
Friday August 8, 2003
Although courts usually side with those who complain about Ten Commandments monuments, ruling that they are endorsements of religion and must come down, a recent survey commissioned by the First ... Read More
Women's Rights Under Attack in Iran
Friday August 8, 2003
Jordan isn't the only Muslim country where efforts to improve women's rights has come under attack. In Iran, too, religious conservatives are outraged over the idea that women should have ... Read More
Atheist Mayor Ends Council Prayers
Friday August 8, 2003
There are many, many communities across America where various councils and boards open their meetings with prayers. Atheists and members of various religious minorities find this practice objectionable but they ... Read More
Jews for Jesus Ad Blasted
Friday August 8, 2003
Jews and the group "Jews for Jesus," sometimes also called Messianic Jews, have a rocky relationship. To be quite honest, the former don't generally like the latter at all. Relations ... Read More
Anarchist Website Puts Man in Jail
Friday August 8, 2003
Should a person go to jail just for linking to websites that post information about how to make bombs? That appears to be the position of the United States government. ... Read More
This Date in History: Martin Luther
Friday August 8, 2003
August 8, 1518: Pope Leo X summoned Martin Luther to Rome in order to question him about his Ninety-Five Theses.
More:
Reformation
Augsburg Confession
Archbishop Calls World Summit Over Gay Bishop
Friday August 8, 2003
The fallout over the election of a gay man, the Rev. Gene Robinson as bishop of New Hampshire in the Episcopal Church threatens to seriously damage the Anglican Communion. Because ... Read More
When Cruelty Becomes Ordinary
Friday August 8, 2003
Human beings, it seems, can get used to just about anything. No matter how terrible social or political conditions get, we have an uncanny ability to get on with our ... Read More
Arnold's Nazi Problem
Friday August 8, 2003
Arnold Schwarzenegger is relatively popular with voters in California, and one of the advantages he has with trying to become governor through the recall campaign is that he doesn't have ... Read More
Selling Adult Material to Adult Customers: Illegal?
Friday August 8, 2003
Not everyone like adult-oriented material, but presumably any business that takes precautions to clearly mark off such material and sell it only to adults shouldn't have to worry about legal ... Read More
Cardinal Ratzinger: "The Enforcer"
Friday August 8, 2003
How much do you know about Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, nicknamed "The Enforcer" or the "Panzerkardinal"? He's been head of Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (formerly the Inquisition) for ... Read More
South African Archbishop Calls for Dialogue
Thursday August 7, 2003
Njongonkulu Ndungane, the Anglican Archbishop of Cape Town, South Africa, has rejected the vociferous opposition that evangelical Anglicans have mounted against Rev. V. Gene Robinson, an openly gay candidate for ... Read More
Warring Against God
Thursday August 7, 2003
When religion and government mix, very often political leaders begin to imagine that the government represents the Will of God; because of this, dissent from the government is also dissent ... Read More
Catholics Divided on Gay Marriage
Thursday August 7, 2003
Roman Catholic leaders around the world have condemned in the strongest terms any efforts to allow gay couples to have secular marriages. This does not mean, however, that all Catholics ... Read More
China Defends Hand-Picked Panchen Lama
Thursday August 7, 2003
The Chinese government is officially atheist and non-religious, so why are they insisting that they can tell if someone's soul had migrated into one body or another according to the ... Read More
Bush Playing Pope
Thursday August 7, 2003
One of the dangers of mixing too much religion and government together is that political leaders, elected to exercise civil authority, also begin to try to exercise religious authority as ... Read More
Governor Schwarzenegger Would Create "Moral Vacuum"
Thursday August 7, 2003
One of the reasons why many people have positive feelings towards the candidacy of Arnorld Schwarzenegger for the governor of California is that while he is a Republican who is ... Read More
Political Speech as a Form of Terrorism
Thursday August 7, 2003
In the wake of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, we have all had to get used to increased security procedures in airports. To make planes safer for both ... Read More
Another Harry Potter Book Burning - with Bibles
Thursday August 7, 2003
Evangelical Christians don't like Harry Potter - they really don't like him or the books he appears in. These books by J.K. Rowling are so outrageous in their eyes that, ... Read More
Khomeini's Grandson Attacks "Religious Dictators"
Thursday August 7, 2003
A grandson of the Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini has become a thorn in the side of the current regime in Iran. In the recent past he has praised the student-led movement ... Read More
This Date in History: Religious Holiday Displays
Thursday August 7, 2003
August 7, 1995: Argued: ACLU v. Schundler The Third Circuit Court would rule that a holiday display with a menorah, a creche, and a holiday tree was unconstitutional. However, the ... Read More
Racist Church Uncovered
Thursday August 7, 2003
Racist churches that preach white supremacy are often unwelcome in many communities - so what happens to them? Do they find welcoming places? Do they go out of business? Perhaps ... Read More
Women's Rights Bill Rejected in Jordan: Un-Islamic
Thursday August 7, 2003
Jordan's newly elected parliament has rejected several recent amendments to the Civil Status Law and the Penal Code. These changes would have given women some of the same rights and ... Read More
Breakaway Catholics Organizing
Thursday August 7, 2003
There are many members of the Roman Catholic Church who no longer feel entirely welcome and comfortable in that organization. It's not that they have lost faith in God or ... Read More
Raelian Leader Kicked Out of South Korea
Thursday August 7, 2003
Because the a central tenet of Raelian beliefs is that life on earth was original created by aliens engaged in cloning experiments, they have been leading supporters of cloning research ... Read More
Role of Monotheism in Culture and History
Thursday August 7, 2003
Recently Received: For the Glory of God: How Monotheism Led to Reformations, Science, Witch-Hunts, and the End of Slavery, by Khaled Abou El Fadl.
Is monotheism simply one of many theistic ... Read More
British Government Considers Larger Role for Religious Groups
Wednesday August 6, 2003
Prime Minister Tony Blair has personally approved of new plans that will likely draw the British government into much closer relationships with religious groups. The Faith Community Liaison Group is ... Read More
Questionable Islamic Courts Spring Up in Iraq
Wednesday August 6, 2003
Civil society in Iraq is in extreme disarray. American forces are attempting to rebuild the infrastructure, but in the meantime people still have needs that have to be met - ... Read More
Voodoo Given Official Recognition in Haiti
Wednesday August 6, 2003
President Jean-Bertrand has granted official recognition to Voodoo in Haiti, something that has made him very popular with the many people who practice Voodoo. The Voodoo religion is treated as ... Read More
Woman Indicted for Stoning Sons
Wednesday August 6, 2003
A woman in Texas has been indicted for punishing two of her sons - specifically, for punishing them in a most biblical manner: she stoned them to death. On Mother's ... Read More
Egypt May Control Imams' Sermons
Wednesday August 6, 2003
In an effort to put a stop to anything that might incite extremism or incite people against the government, Egypt is considering placing greater controls on the content of sermons ... Read More
Flaws in Reasoning & Arguments
Wednesday August 6, 2003
Economy with the Truth:
Sometimes, it is possible for a person to lie outright in order to get others to believe their claims; although it happens much more often than it ... Read More
Priests Preaching Piffile
Wednesday August 6, 2003
According to many of those who object to the Roman Catholic Church's stance on gay marriages, that position is undermined by the fact that Catholic Church has for years engaged ... Read More
More on the Persecution of Wiccans in Texas
Wednesday August 6, 2003
There has been more information about the persecution of Wiccans in Texas - and it appears to involve the same people, although I'm not absolutely sure about that. Right now ... Read More
Chretien Family & the Separation of Church and State
Wednesday August 6, 2003
Prime Minister Jean Chretien has refused to submit to pressure from the Roman Catholic Church and base his policy decisions on what Catholicism dictates. He is, apparently, even unconcerned about ... Read More
This Date in History: Saint Dominic
Wednesday August 6, 2003
August 6, 1221: Saint Dominic died. Dominic founded the Domnicans, an order of monks which played an important role in the Inquisition and the defense of church orthodoxy.
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Christianity and ... Read More
Catholic Politicians Should Enforce Catholicism
Wednesday August 6, 2003
Many may be happy that there are Catholic politicians who refuse to legislate for non-Catholics based solely upon their Catholic beliefs, but others are outraged. According to critics, Catholics who ... Read More
Indian Prime Minister Promises Building of Ayodhya Temple
Wednesday August 6, 2003
In 1992 Hindus demolished a mosque in the town of Ayodhya; during the ensuing religious riots, thousands died. The site continues to be a source of controversy, conflict, and violence. ... Read More
Culture Clash: Europe vs. America
Wednesday August 6, 2003
There are a lot of differences between the cultures of America and Europe - with one of the biggest being perhaps the different attitudes over sexuality and nudity. American's are ... Read More
Sharia in Pakistan
Wednesday August 6, 2003
The Balochistan region of Pakistan appears to be ready to impose the Sharia, Islamic law, on all its citizens. The current legal code has been combed through with all un-Islamic ... Read More
Episcopal Church Approves Gay Bishop
Tuesday August 5, 2003
After what can only be described as a very dramatic and suspenseful process, the House of Bishops voted to approve of the election of the Rev. Gene Robinson as bishop ... Read More
Gibson Film Splitting Jews and Evangelical Christians?
Tuesday August 5, 2003
There has been a fair amount of press recently about the concerns many people have that Mel Gibson's upcoming movie "Passion," about the death of Jesus Christ, may have strong ... Read More
Hindu Nationalists Want to Ban Slaughter of Cows
Tuesday August 5, 2003
Cows are sacred to Hindus and now some Hindu nationalist are seeking to have that sacredness enshrined into laws. It is expected that the current government, led by the Hindu ... Read More
Taliban Killing Moderate Clerics
Tuesday August 5, 2003
They claim to be the true defenders of Islamic faith; in the process, they are killing off religious leaders who have the temerity to disagree with that interpretation of Islam. ... Read More
Astrologers Create Havoc in Indian Wedding Industry
Tuesday August 5, 2003
Astrology in India is as much a part of people's religious lives as is going to church for Christians - if not more so. Many people even have their own ... Read More
Episcopalians Turning Away from the Bible?
Tuesday August 5, 2003
In the debate between conservative and liberal members of the Anglican Communion, it is to be expected that the Bible would become a basis for at least some of the ... Read More
Flaws in Reasoning & Arguments
Tuesday August 5, 2003
Confirmation Bias: Confirmation bias occurs when we selectively notice or focus upon evidence which tends to support the things we already believe or want to be true while ignoring that ... Read More
John Kerry: Keep the Separation of Church and State
Tuesday August 5, 2003
Senator John Kerry, one of the Democratic candidates for president, has left no doubt about where he stands on the separation of church and state. Although himself a Catholic, he ... Read More
Baylor Seeks More Christian Direction
Tuesday August 5, 2003
Baylor is not only the oldest university in Texas, it is also the largest Baptist university in the world. Some feel, however, that it has lost its religious "soul" and ... Read More
This Date in History: Friedrich Engels Died
Tuesday August 5, 2003
August 5, 1895: Friedrich Engels died in London. Along with Karl Marx, Engels was instrumental in the development of socialist and communist political and economic philosophy.
More:
Karl Marx: Background & ... Read More
Waldorf-Style Schools Raises Church/State Concerns
Tuesday August 5, 2003
Parents in Ross Valley, California, are hoping to establish a Waldorf-style charter school in the local district, but many opponents are concerned. According to them, the Waldorf teaching method incorporates ... Read More
Bigamy Blitz in Utah
Tuesday August 5, 2003
Polygamy used to be common for Mormons in Utah - it was, after all, an important part of their religion. Achieving statehood required that they abandon, it however, and so ... Read More
Paradox and Science
Tuesday August 5, 2003
Recently Received: Travels in Four Dimensions: The Enigmas of Space and Time, by Robin Le Poidevin.
All of our experiences are conducted in the context of space and time - indeed, without space ... Read More
Understanding Virtue and Choices
Monday August 4, 2003
Mercy vs. Justice: A Clash of Virtues. True virtues are not supposed to conflict - but mercy and justice apparently do. Both are certainly virtues, but both also typically demand ... Read More
The Gospel According to Mel
Monday August 4, 2003
Mel Gibson's upcoming movie "The Passion," about the death of Jesus Christ, has been the target of praise and criticism. Evangelical Christians who have seen the movie have praised it ... Read More
When Marriage is Based Upon Religion
Monday August 4, 2003
A lot of the people who oppose same-sex marriage base their arguments upon religion - and in particular, a lot of their arguments depend upon the principle that marriage is ... Read More
This Date in History: Christian Broadcasting Network
Monday August 4, 2003
August 4, 1961: The Christian Broadcasting Network, founded and run by Pat Robertson, began broadcasting over the radio.
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Religious Right
Collecting Racial Statistics
Monday August 4, 2003
California voters are going to face a referendum question that will ask them if they want to stop the government from collecting statics on race. There is a lot of ... Read More
Female Judges: Just Say No
Monday August 4, 2003
As the American forces in Iraq attempt to help rebuild the nation's infrastructure have to take great care not to insult the Iraqis by doing things that go too far ... Read More
Gay Bishop Clear Second of Three Votes
Sunday August 3, 2003
The Episcopal Church's House of Deputies, made up of clergy and lay members, has voted to approve the candidacy of an openly and non-celibate gay priest to become a bishop. ... Read More
Fifteen Centuries of Political Interference of the Vatican
Sunday August 3, 2003
Many people have been outraged over the Vatican's attempt to pressure politicians to vote on the issue of gay marriage in a manner consistent with Catholic beliefs, even if that ... Read More
Persecution of Wiccans
Sunday August 3, 2003
Religious intolerance has reared its ugly head once again as a Wiccan in Burnet, Texas. They already had to move once because of community pressure and threats - and now ... Read More
New Plaza Lawsuit Being Prepared
Sunday August 3, 2003
Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky Anderson has handed over an easement on the Main Street Plaza, thus ending pedestrians' rights to be on the plaza and exercise free speech on ... Read More
Vatican Guilty of Incitement to Hatred?
Sunday August 3, 2003
The Vatican's recent document attacking gays and the prospects of gay marriage has outraged a lot of people. In Ireland, however, it's entirely possible that the document might be construed ... Read More
Indonesian Muslims Oppose Islamic Law
Sunday August 3, 2003
All too often we hear about the efforts of Islamic extremists and Islamic religious leaders working to have Islamic law, Shari'ah, imposed on some society, province, or nation. But we ... Read More
Congress Denies Funds to Enforce Court Orders
Sunday August 3, 2003
Whenever someone worries about the power of the courts in America to overturn the decisions of the other two branches of government (executive and legislative), it can be pointed out ... Read More
This Date in History: John T. Scopes Born
Sunday August 3, 2003
August 3, 1900: John T. Scopes was born. Scopes became famous in a trial which challenged Tennessee's law against teaching evolution.
More:
Recent Books on Evolution
Scopes Monkey Trial
Equatorial Guinea Ruled by God
Sunday August 3, 2003
Mixing religion and politics is often unhealthy - for both sides. Religion shouldn't become too politicized while politics shouldn't become too concerned with personal religious beliefs. Sometimes, though, there isn't ... Read More
Religious Extremists Brainwash the Young
Sunday August 3, 2003
Is religious extremism detrimental to young people? That often seems to be the case. Teaching intolerance and promoting the value of dogmatic thinking isn't very good when it comes to ... Read More
Women's Christian Temperance Union
Sunday August 3, 2003
The Women's Christian Temperance Union was founded in 1874 to promote temperance with alcohol, but this goal was perceived as being part of a wider effort to promote equal rights ... Read More
Cyborg Liberation Front
Sunday August 3, 2003
Equal rights for cyborgs? Cyborgs don't even exist yet, but some people are already thinking about the ethics of what we would do with "beings" that are partly biological, partly ... Read More
Turkish Minister Attacks Islamic Treatment of Women
Saturday August 2, 2003
Not all Muslims are content with the idea that their religion justifies treating women as second-class citizens, "protecting" in a manner which ensures that they cannot be independent. Turkey, for ... Read More
After Sixteen Years, Lawsuit Against Jim Bakker Over
Saturday August 2, 2003
Sixteen years ago, some 165,000 people who joined the class action lawsuit against Jim Bakker because they all paid US$ 1,000 for four-day vacation stays at a PTL (Praise the ... Read More
Sodomy Ruling Cited by Defense in Polygamy Case
Saturday August 2, 2003
The legal aftershocks of the Supreme Court decision to strike down anti-sodomy laws continue to be felt. Recently, a Utah criminal case against a polygamist policeman saw the introduction of ... Read More
Boy Scout Lease Invalidated
Saturday August 2, 2003
Although the Supreme Court allowed them to continue discriminating against gays and atheists because of their status as a "private" organization, the Boy Scouts of America has long received special ... Read More
Church Wants to Celebrate Sex
Saturday August 2, 2003
Is the Church of England repressed and old-fashioned about sex? That's what many people in Great Britain think and church officials would like to make some changes in order to ... Read More
Michigan to Force the Teaching of Creationism?
Saturday August 2, 2003
Evolution is one of the few areas of science which is highly politicized - you don't normally find politicians getting involved with the teaching of physics or chemistry, for example. ... Read More
Vatican Document Requires Secrecy in Abuse Cases
Saturday August 2, 2003
Victims of sexual abuse at the hands of Roman Catholic clergy have long believed that the efforts to keep the crimes secret have been well-organized and directed from the highest ... Read More
Bishop O'Malley, Catholicism, and Social Change
Saturday August 2, 2003
Bishop Sean O'Malley has been installed as the archbishop of the Boston archdiocese of the Roman Catholic Church, replacing Bishop Law. The name has changed, but has anything really changed ... Read More
This Date in History: Catholic Marriage
Saturday August 2, 2003
August 2, 1907: Publishing "Ne temere," the Roman Catholic Church declared that marriages of Catholics were valid only if done under the auspices of a qualified priest and with at ... Read More
Christian Law Firm Seeks to Void Gay Rights Laws
Saturday August 2, 2003
A number of states and communities around the nation have passed laws outlawing employment discrimination based upon sexual orientation, usually in the context of government jobs. This has outraged evangelical ... Read More
Religious Intolerance in Georgia
Saturday August 2, 2003
Religious minorities are facing more and more problems in Georgia - that's the country of Georgia, not the American state of Georgia. Both increased nationalism and increased identification with the ... Read More
Anagrammed Bible
Saturday August 2, 2003
There are all sorts of different Bible translations available in all sorts of languages - but how about a "translation" that is actually an anagram? We're not talking about random ... Read More
Anglican Church Backs Gay Bishop
Saturday August 2, 2003
As was widely expected, the Episcopal Church, the American branch of the Anglican Church, approved the election of a gay bishop. This decision was made by the Committee for the ... Read More
Canadian Prime Minister to Burn in Hell?
Friday August 1, 2003
The Roman Catholic opposition to gay marriages is intense. No one is expecting such marriages to take place in Catholic churches or under Catholic auspices, but the mere fact that ... Read More
Pennsylvania United Way Pulls Boy Scout Funding
Friday August 1, 2003
Arguing that they are a private rather than a public or even semi-public organization, the Boy Scouts of America were successful in getting their discriminatory policies towards gays and atheists ... Read More
University Bible Fellowship: A Cult?
Friday August 1, 2003
The label "cult" gets thrown around entirely too much - most people seem to use it for just about any group that they don't like very much and/or doesn't act ... Read More
Religious Right Fails to Boot American Library Association
Friday August 1, 2003
Christian evangelicals often raise complaints about how libraries are run, arguing that librarians are too quick to allow in books which violate the evangelicals' sensibilities on issues such as religion, ... Read More
More on the Vatican Condemnation of Gay Marriages
Friday August 1, 2003
The Vatican's condemnation of gay marriages is not at all unexpected, but in some ways the vehemence and harsh language are a bit disturbing. Issued by the Congregation of Doctrine ... Read More
Protestant Reformation
Friday August 1, 2003
Are you looking for information about the Protestant Reformation? This site can provide you with a wealth of data not only on the history of the Reformation, but also important ... Read More
Jewish Visits to Temple Mount Suspended
Friday August 1, 2003
As reported here earlier in the month, tourists were recently allowed to begin returning to the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. Unfortunately Palestinian paranoia about the status of the Temple Mount, ... Read More
This Date in History: Meir Kahane Born
Friday August 1, 2003
August 1, 1932: Meir Kahane was born. Kahane was a pivotal figure in the development of extremism on both sides of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
More:
Palestine and Israel
Recent Books on Palestine ... Read More
Enemy Combatants
Friday August 1, 2003
When people are charged with a crime, they have to be given a fair trial where the evidence for their alleged crimes can be heard and a fair decision about ... Read More
School Board Insists on Christian Prayers
Friday August 1, 2003
As reported here earlier in the month, the school board of Manatee County, Florida, have had a long tradition of opening meetings with a recital of the Lord's Prayer. That ... Read More
America Needs Religious Political Parties?
Friday August 1, 2003
Evangelical Christians have been engaged in a concerted effort to take over the Republican Party for a number of years. They haven't succeeded yet, but they are getting closer and ... Read More
Loch Ness Monster Just a Myth
Friday August 1, 2003
Belief in the Loch Ness Monster of Scotland is very popular with people around the world - despite the fact that there hasn't been an reliable, confirmable evidence of the ... Read More
Religion and Politics
Friday August 1, 2003
Recently Received: Faith-Based Diplomacy: Trumping Realpolitik, by Douglas Johnston.
Religion is playing an ever greater role in the course of international politics. In the past international diplomacy has been conducted along the ... Read More