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Austin's Atheism Blog August 2003 Archive

By Austin Cline, About.com Guide to Atheism since 1998

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 governmen