Crime-Facilitating Speech
Friday October 31, 2003
One of the more interesting topics in discussions over the limits for free speech involve crime-facilitaing speech. This category includes anything which explains how a crime could be committed, how ... Read More
Private vs. Public Morality
Friday October 31, 2003
It has been argued that one of the fundamental divisions between conservatives and liberals in America is the division between private and public morality. According to conservatives, what matters most ... Read More
Fox News: Fair and Balanced?
Friday October 31, 2003
Fox News claims to be "Fair and Balanced" - an earlier slogan stated that they report the fact and let the viewers decide what to believe. Perfect fairness and balance ... Read More
Catholic Church: Hierarchy or Community?
Friday October 31, 2003
Conservative and traditionalist Catholics aren't at all happy about the prominence of and attention given to more liberal Catholics who call for reforms within the Roman Catholic Church. They are ... Read More
Bush, God, and Evangelicals
Friday October 31, 2003
Much has been written about the influence that evangelical Christians have on the White House generally and President George W. Bush specifically. What does that influence really mean and how ... Read More
No More Muslims!
Friday October 31, 2003
Anger and bigotry against Muslims has definitely increased over the past couple of years, despite the efforts of more responsible political and religious leaders. Over and over we hear about ... Read More
This Date in History: Jimmy Swaggart
Friday October 31, 2003
October 30, 1989: Argued: Jimmy Swaggart Ministries v. Board of Equalization of California Should religious organizations be totally exempt from taxation because the collection of such taxes violates both the ... Read More
Christians & Christmas Carols
Friday October 31, 2003
Sometimes there are disputes in public schools about whether choirs and band should be performing religious music around Christmastime. Some argue that this constitutes a promotion of religion and violates ... Read More
Christians Oppose Gay Student Club
Friday October 31, 2003
The principle of "equal access" means that if a public schools allows students to create any after-school clubs, then they cannot be restrictive about the subject of the clubs that ... Read More
Backward Christian Soldiers
Friday October 31, 2003
Lt. General Boykin's comments about Islam and Christianity have resulted in quite a few complaints - not to mention a spirited defense mounted by conservative and evangelical Christians. They agree ... Read More
God, Pharaoh, and the Ego Trip
Thursday October 30, 2003
One of the questions many skeptics and critics ask about the Bible is: why did God harden Pharaoh's heart? Moses was supposed to lead his people out of bondage they ... Read More
Halloween Banned in Moscow Schools
Thursday October 30, 2003
The idea that Halloween is a satanic holiday that leads children towards Hell is usually associated with evangelical Protestants in America - but it is also a belief evidently shared ... Read More
Aum Shinri Kyo Doctor Will Hang
Thursday October 30, 2003
In 1995 the Aum Shinri Kyo cult carried out an attack on Tokyo's subway system, killing 12 people and injuring hundreds. Tomomasa Nakagawa, a medical doctor who was an important ... Read More
Gay Marriage: Opposed by Religion, Not Conservatism
Thursday October 30, 2003
Sometimes the debate over gay marriage is portrayed as one between liberals and conservatives - and while there is some truth in that, it leaves out a lot of important ... Read More
Slavery Museum Generates Death Threats
Thursday October 30, 2003
The Holocaust occurred in Europe and America bears little responsibility for what happened - yet America still have a museum devoted to the Holocaust and reminding people about it. So ... Read More
Liberalism and Religion
Thursday October 30, 2003
Are liberals cutting off their nose to spite their face when it comes to religious matters? A great many liberals are not very religious themselves and, over time, have developed ... Read More
God Chastises Sinful Nations
Thursday October 30, 2003
Does God care about politics? Does God play favorites when it comes to different nations? Apparently that is indeed the case, at leas in the opinion of a great many ... Read More
This Date in History: Defending Orthodoxy
Thursday October 30, 2003
October 30, 1902: Pope Leo XIII published "Vigilantiae," an apostolic letter that officially established the Pontifical Commission of Biblical Studies. Created to defend orthodox readings of Scripture against outside secular ... Read More
What became of the Israeli left?
Thursday October 30, 2003
The Jews who originally founded Israel were primarily leftists and socialists, people who had utopian dreams that were focused upon what sort of society they could build in this world. ... Read More
Americans and the Afterlife
Thursday October 30, 2003
Belief in an Afterlife of some sort is common among many religions around the world. It is also common in America, but what is interesting about that is the fact ... Read More
Politics of the Pledge of Allegiance
Thursday October 30, 2003
In the legal and political fights over the Pledge of Allegiance and whether the phrase "under God" should remain in it, the lines tend to be drawn between liberals and ... Read More
President Bush: Not Christian Enough?
Wednesday October 29, 2003
Many people believe, with some justification, that President Bush is a strong proponent of the agenda of America's Religious Right. Some conservative and evangelical Christians question, however, whether that is ... Read More
Totalitarian Pope
Wednesday October 29, 2003
The Roman Catholic Church is not a democratic organization - that much at least should be obvious to everyone. But it is also argued that the current pope. Pope John ... Read More
This Date in History: "Anna O."
Wednesday October 29, 2003
October 29, 1882: "Anna O.", the subject of Sigmund Freud's more famous writings on the psychoanalytic method, was discharged from the Bellevue Sanatorium in Kreutzlingen, Switzerland. She had been admitted ... Read More
Priests, Teachers, Presidents
Wednesday October 29, 2003
Who should be responsible for the leadership of Catholic colleges? Most Catholics would assume that such a job should rest with Catholics, and in particular with priests. But is such ... Read More
Does God Belong in the Pledge of Allegiance?
Wednesday October 29, 2003
Defense of the phrase "under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance is almost invariably based upon falsehoods and distortions. More often than not people argue that the phrase is necessary ... Read More
The Bible and Homosexuality
Wednesday October 29, 2003
Christians have traditionally had a great deal of difficulty with homosexuality. That has been changing over the years and today, there is a lot of strife between those who feel ... Read More
School Providing Classes in Religion
Tuesday October 28, 2003
Should taxpayers fund classes that teach creationism, classes that include religious content in the books for social studies, and that teach about the Bible from a Christian perspective? Most would ... Read More
Michael Jackson Raising Money for Scientology
Tuesday October 28, 2003
It's really no surprise that Michael Jackson might be raising money for a Scientology group - so why is it news? Because neither the people giving out the money nor ... Read More
Catholic Marriage Laws: Condition of Employment?
Tuesday October 28, 2003
If you work for the Roman Catholic Church in any fashion and your marriage fails to conform to the Vatican's laws regarding marriages, then you may not keep your job ... Read More
Maryland Roadside Memorials Challenged
Tuesday October 28, 2003
Should religious memorials along the nation's roads be given a special exemption from laws that otherwise bar people from setting up their own statements or advertising on public property? Such ... Read More
Track Record of "Higher Law" Defense
Tuesday October 28, 2003
Whenever someone tries to defend something like discrimination against gays or using the government to promote a particular religion, a frequent tool they use is an appeal to "Higher Law." ... Read More
Defense of Suicide Bombings
Tuesday October 28, 2003
Can the use of suicide bombings be defended as being at least potentially reasonable when a weaker groups is struggling against a larger and much more powerful force? Some may ... Read More
Religion and Absolute Certainty
Tuesday October 28, 2003
Many religious people posses an "absolute certainty" of the rightness and the righteousness of their beliefs and whatever cause they pursue in relation to those beliefs. This, unfortunately, can readily ... Read More
This Date in History: Jews and Catholicism
Tuesday October 28, 2003
October 28, 1965: Pope Paul VI issued a decree absolving Jews of collective guilt for the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.
Muslim Bigotry
Tuesday October 28, 2003
Malaysia's Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad recently claimed that "Jews rule the world" by proxy and get others to fight, kill, and die for them. He was condemned for this by ... Read More
Do You See Dead People? Disclose it
Tuesday October 28, 2003
Some people believe that their house is haunted - they hear strange things, the feel chills, and sometimes they even see something they cannot explain. Believe it or not, all ... Read More
Reactions to Crucifix Flap in Italy
Tuesday October 28, 2003
The recent decision of an Italian judge to have a crucifix removed from a public school classroom has resulted in howls of outrage from Vatican officials. The predecessors of these ... Read More
Crucifixes in Italian Classes
Tuesday October 28, 2003
Should all public schools in Italy prominently display a crucifix? That's what currently happens and it represents an attempt to place Catholicism "at the center of the universe," but some ... Read More
American Jihad
Monday October 27, 2003
American leaders have argued that the "war on terrorism" and the war in Iraq are not about religion but, rather, about terrorism and democracy. Perhaps that is true. But, if ... Read More
Exclusivist Prayers Must Go
Monday October 27, 2003
Should legislative bodies have prayers which are exclusively Christian in nature? Well, that's what happens with New Zealand's Parliament. Not everyone is happen about it - not even all MPs. ... Read More
This Date in History: Michael Servetus
Monday October 27, 2003
October 27, 1553: In Geneva, Michael Servetus was burned at the stake for blasphemy. An opponent of John Calvin, Servetus was condemned for his focus on the Historical Jesus instead ... Read More
Nobel Prize Ridicules Islam
Monday October 27, 2003
Shirin Ebadi, a female lawyer in Iran who fights for women's rights, was recently awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for her work. She, of course, was pleased - as were ... Read More
Mommie Dearest
Monday October 27, 2003
Always a trenchant critic of Mother Teresa, it is unsurprising that Christopher Hitchens does not think highly of her recent beatification. But why does he think that this is such ... Read More
God's General
Monday October 27, 2003
A lot of people have been upset over the remarks made by Lt. Gen. William "Jerry" Boykin regarding religion and politics. But should the be? If the attitudes he expressed ... Read More
Warring with God
Sunday October 26, 2003
When humans go to war, whose side is God on? Most of time, both sides believe that God is with them - they believe that their cause is righteous and ... Read More
Jesus' Pickup Lines
Sunday October 26, 2003
What would Jesus do if he were around today? Well, in the minds of some, he would be able to use all sorts of blasphemous pickup lines on women! Be ... Read More
This Date in History: Antisemitism
Sunday October 26, 2003
October 26, 1407: Mobs attacked Jewish community in Kracow, Poland.
Stripping Church/State Cases from the Courts
Sunday October 26, 2003
Some evangelical Christians have become so outraged over the fact that courts in America have the audacity to tell legislators that they don't have the authority to legislate religion that ... Read More
Virgin Mary of the Tree Stump
Sunday October 26, 2003
Calling all cars! The Virgin Mary has been spotted again. This time, according to reliable witnesses, she was seen in a tree stump after a cluster of trees was mysteriously ... Read More
Questioning Ceremonial Deism
Sunday October 26, 2003
Very often practices like Congressional chaplains and the motto of "In God We Trust" are defended by saying that they simply represent "ceremonial deism" - things that are so traditional ... Read More
Patricia Ireland Dismissed from YWCA
Saturday October 25, 2003
In April, 2003, Patricia Ireland was named the chief executive of the YWCA of the U.S.A. This appointment was met with outrage from conservative and evangelical Christians who feared that ... Read More
Inside the Taliban's Religious Police
Saturday October 25, 2003
Most people are probably aware that while they were in power, the Taliban maintained a ruthless religious police force to ensure the loyalty and orthodoxy of all Afghans. Now, however, ... Read More
This Date in History: "Mormon War"
Saturday October 25, 2003
October 25, 1838: As tensions between Mormons and non-Mormons increased, the first battle of the "Mormon War" in Missouri occurred at Crooked River when LDS forces raided a camp of ... Read More
Democratic Party: Enemy Number One
Saturday October 25, 2003
What's the biggest problem facing America today? Poverty? Terrorism? Globalization? Environmental damage? Overpopulation? Immigration? These are all possible candidates, but if you chose any of them then you must not ... Read More
Masons Told to Choose: Church vs. Lodge
Saturday October 25, 2003
Although normally quite tolerant themselves, Masons have often had a troubled relationship with many Christian churches. Those churches have objected to the teachings of Freemasonry, especially ideas which have challenged ... Read More
Gideons, Begone!
Saturday October 25, 2003
The Gideons are well known for their work to put Bibles in many public places - usually hotels, but also other locations like hospitals. That, however is being challenged on ... Read More
Secularism, Atheism, Liberalism
Friday October 24, 2003
There are a lot of people out there who lack a good understanding of what secularism and atheism are. This is unfortunate, but need not be a problem so long ... Read More
Christianity vs. Democracy
Friday October 24, 2003
Many people have asked whether Islam is compatible with democracy, a question that is drawn from the fact that so few Muslim nations exhibit a strong democratic character. People do ... Read More
Sodomy and Miscegenation
Friday October 24, 2003
There are a lot of people out there who object to the fact that the Supreme Court struck down a Texas law criminalizing gay sex. According to them, there is ... Read More
Boykin Apology Censored
Friday October 24, 2003
Recent statements about Islam made by Lt. Gen. William Boykin angered a lot of people - and with good reason because they gave the impression (perhaps correct, perhaps not) that ... Read More
Jesus Struck By Lightning
Friday October 24, 2003
According to Mel Gibson, events that occurred on the set of his move Passion, not to mention the rest of his life, have brought him to believe that the Holy ... Read More
Pretrib Porno
Friday October 24, 2003
Traditionally evangelical Christians are seen as those who are most vehemently against pornography - but while that may be true so long as pornography is restricted simply to material that ... Read More
Ceremonial Humbleness
Friday October 24, 2003
Infidel wrote: I have noted that many Christians, especially those of the Evangelical ilk, insert ceremonial humbleness in their diatribes. This practice seems especially common after they have said cruel ... Read More
Anglican Schism Likely
Friday October 24, 2003
Will the Anglican Communion break apart over the ordination of a gay bishop in the American Episcopal Church? Yes, that seems likely - so likely, in fact, that many conservatives ... Read More
This Date in History: Jim Bakker
Friday October 24, 2003
October 24, 1989: Jim Bakker was sentenced to 45 years in prison and fined $500,000. Many considered this judgement to be particularly harsh and, 1991, his sentence was reduced to ... Read More
Three Wives for a Place in Heaven
Friday October 24, 2003
Would you like to go to heaven? According to at least some members of dissident, fundamentalist Mormonism, you will need at least three wives in order to reach paradise. It ... Read More
Pledge: One Classroom Under God
Friday October 24, 2003
Is the Pledge of Allegiance really coercive at all when it comes to schoolchildren? Some argue that it really isn't - that the inclusion of the words "under God" in ... Read More
Doubts Over Mother Teresa Miracle
Friday October 24, 2003
To achieve beatification, one miracle had to be attributed to the efforts of Mother Teresa after her death. The Vatican believes that it found such a miracle and that is ... Read More
Religion (or lack thereof) in Oregon
Thursday October 23, 2003
Oregon, it seems, it's a very religious state. That isn't to say that people are all atheists or don't have any spiritual or supernatural beliefs. They do not, however, seem ... Read More
Orthodox Russians Oppose Hindu Center
Thursday October 23, 2003
Leaders of the Russian Orthodox Church have developed a reputation for intolerance because of the work they put into opposing the growth of various religious movements within what they consider ... Read More
Islam Returns to Granada
Thursday October 23, 2003
For more some 800 years, Muslims ruled the region that is now Spain; now, the first new mosque has been built in Granada in the more than 500 years since ... Read More
Spirit of Satan Lawsuit Moves Forward
Thursday October 23, 2003
Rev. Jerrold Swinton, a former district superintendent of a United Methodist Church, distributed a letter warning the congregation that the "spirit of Satan" was at work there, a reference to ... Read More
Christian School Expels Gay Student
Thursday October 23, 2003
Three days after Jeffrey Woodard honestly answered a teacher's private question about whether he was gay or not, Jeffrey was expelled from the Jupiter Christian School in Florida. Now he ... Read More
Pledge of Allegiance: Rocking the Boat?
Thursday October 23, 2003
Are atheists and secularists hurting their own cause by pursuing the case against the phrase "under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance? Some think so - including some atheists and ... Read More
Christianity Resurgent
Thursday October 23, 2003
People in America imagine that Christian churches need to change and adapt to the modern world - but for most Christians in the world, that really isn't an issue that ... Read More
This Date in History: Date of Creation
Thursday October 23, 2003
October 23, 4004 BCE: According to Bishop James Ussher, God created the universe on October 23, 4004 BC (at 9 a.m. GMT, to be precise).
Secularism: No Place in India
Thursday October 23, 2003
Should India be a secular or a theocratic state? For a long time India has been on the road of secularism, treating all religious equally (at least in a formal ... Read More
Pledge Case: Sky Won't Fall
Thursday October 23, 2003
Most of the time, when religious figures have something to say about the legal case challenging the insertion of "under God" to the Pledge of Allegiance, they condemn the challenge ... Read More
False Paeans to the Pope
Thursday October 23, 2003
With the advent of Pope John Paul II's 25th anniversary as pope, he was getting quite a lot of praise from a variety of people around the world. While it ... Read More
Judge Roy Moore and the Confederacy
Wednesday October 22, 2003
Many people admire Judge Roy Moore's defiance of a federal court order to have his Ten Commandments display removed from the Alabama State Courthouse. But should they really admire him? ... Read More
Court Recognizes False Memories
Wednesday October 22, 2003
In a very important legal development, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court has recognized the existence of "false memories" and the fact that children who have accused adults of abusing them may ... Read More
This Date in History: "Great Disappointment"
Wednesday October 22, 2003
October 22, 1844: The "Great Disappointment" occurred when the return of Christ, predicted by William Miller, failed to happen once again. At least 100,000 disillusioned followers returned to their former ... Read More
Not Too Bright?
Wednesday October 22, 2003
It is true that there is a lot of discrimination against atheists and that this discrimination can, in large part, be traced to the fact that people tend to think ... Read More
Ten Commandments: Two Questions
Wednesday October 22, 2003
Those who support the proposition that the government should display and endorse the Ten Commandments frequently argue that these Commandments form the basis for American law and government. If this ... Read More
Teen Religious Zealot
Wednesday October 22, 2003
It could happen to you, too - you could become a religious zealot! It's not that hard for it to happen in high school, with just the right context of ... Read More
Myths About the Religious Right
Tuesday October 21, 2003
Do you think you understand how the Religious Right works? Maybe you do - but then again, maybe you don't know as much as you think you do. There are ... Read More
Religious "Land Banking" Targeted
Tuesday October 21, 2003
Because the property owned by non-profit organizations, including religious groups, is not taxed it can provide a really sweet means for saving money: just buy large amounts of land and ... Read More
This Date in History: John T. Scopes
Tuesday October 21, 2003
October 21, 1970: John T. Scopes died at the age of 70.
God Gives Permission: Sexy Clothes, Stripping OK
Tuesday October 21, 2003
Does God approve of sexy clothing and female stripping? Apparently so - but according to singer Beyonce Knowles, that's about as far as Divine Approval goes. Anything more done for ... Read More
War on Terror is a Holy War?
Tuesday October 21, 2003
For some of the people involved in the "War on Terrorism," their fight isn't simply one that is about preserving American security or stopping violence. Instead, it is also or ... Read More
Embracing Irrationality
Tuesday October 21, 2003
Science purports to offer brute facts about the nature of our world; it does not always do so perfectly and it can often be sent in certain directions based upon ... Read More
Path of Brighteousness
Monday October 20, 2003
Yes, people haven't quite gotten over efforts to promote the label "Bright" - and they continue to argue that the word shouldn't be read as connoting the idea that atheists ... Read More
Tangipahoa Prayer Lawsuit. Again.
Monday October 20, 2003
The Tangipahoa Parish School system in Louisiana is being sued for it's support of religious practices. Again. This is the third time in nine years. Won't these people ever learn ... Read More
This Date in History: John Dewey
Monday October 20, 2003
October 20, 1859: American philosopher and educator John Dewey was born.
World Growth of Pentecostalism
Monday October 20, 2003
Christianity is growing around the world - but the fastest growing segment of Christianity is Pentecostalism, a denomination that was only founded about a century ago. Pentecostal worship services can ... Read More
Overbearing Proselytization
Monday October 20, 2003
Proselytization can easily be annoying. It is understandable that a person might want to share with you their religion in the hopes that you would convert, and in many ways ... Read More
Homosexuality: Last Stand of the Bible Quoters
Monday October 20, 2003
There is a great deal of debate over homosexuality in Christian churches around the world: is homosexuality a sin? Must it be condemned today? Is it as natural as heterosexuality? ... Read More
Science vs. Pseudoscience
Monday October 20, 2003
Recently Received: Science and Pseudoscience in Clinical Psychology, edited by Scott O. Lilienfeld, Steven J. Lynn, and Jeffrey M. Lohr
For some reason, pseudoscientific views and doctrines have established a particularly ... Read More
Washington Republicans vs. Religious Right
Sunday October 19, 2003
As was reported here recently, there are good reasons to think that a number of important Republicans in America hold views on issues which are much more extreme than the ... Read More
Gay Priests = Forces of Evil
Sunday October 19, 2003
Many evangelical Christians around the world focus a great deal of their time and energy on the question of homosexuality. For them, homosexuality is perhaps the most important moral and ... Read More
This Date in History: Campus Crusade for Christ
Sunday October 19, 2003
October 19, 1921: Bill Bright, founder of Campus Crusade for Christ, was born.
Canadian Anglicans to Conservative Episcopalians: Stop Meddling
Sunday October 19, 2003
Canadians tend to be a bit more liberal than Americans, and that seems to be true in religious as well as political matters. Conflicts between American and Canadian viewpoints and ... Read More
Utah Mayor Supports Theocracy
Sunday October 19, 2003
It's not often that one hears of an American politician supporting theocracy, and when they do it is usually in a subtle form - they tend to be smart enough ... Read More
Ten Commandments and the Big Lie
Sunday October 19, 2003
Is it true that Christians are being persecuted? This is an important claim made by those who defend the idea that the Ten Commandments should be displayed by the government ... Read More
Collective Responsibility of Jews
Saturday October 18, 2003
Do Jews as a whole bear a collective responsibility to act in a certain way because of their history? That's what Gregg Easterbrook seems to think. Although he doesn't come ... Read More
Governor Schwarzenegger
Saturday October 18, 2003
Prismatic wrote: It may be hard to believe, but Californians have just recalled a governor because of state deficits and elected as his replacement an actor with no political experience ... Read More
Catholics Warned About Benny Hinn
Saturday October 18, 2003
American Evangelist Benny Hinn has made quite a name for himself around the world due to his energetic preaching style and claims to be able to heal people through the ... Read More
This Date in History: Edict of Nantes
Saturday October 18, 2003
October 18, 1685: Louis XIV of France revoked the Edict of Nantes, removing the protection which the Huguenots had enjoyed.
Christian Mission Being Investigated
Saturday October 18, 2003
Can an organization using public funds to feed the homeless also promote religion to the people being helped? That's a question facing people across America as President Bush continues to ... Read More
Christianity and Homosexuality
Saturday October 18, 2003
Why do fundamentalist and evangelical Christians make such a big deal about homosexuality? Granted, they feel that it is condemned in the Bible - but so are a lot of ... Read More
Hindu Leaders Crack Down on Conversions
Saturday October 18, 2003
The Hindu Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) which currently rules India has made a point of promoting "Hindu Nationalism" - uniting all Indians under the banner of fundamentalist Hinduism and discriminating ... Read More
Science and Religion in Conflict
Saturday October 18, 2003
Recently Received: Galileo in Rome: Rise and Fall of a Troublesome Genius, by William R. Shea and Mariano Artigas
The traditional story of the conflict between Galileo Galilei and the Roman ... Read More
Pandering to Racists
Friday October 17, 2003
As was reported here recently, some Republican leaders have adopted a general position that can only be called extremist. It isn't simply conservative or even very conservative. Instead, it is ... Read More
Digital Photos are Satanic
Friday October 17, 2003
There was a time, according to stories, that there were people in the world who were afraid of having their pictures taken because they thought the images would steal their ... Read More
Brights Generate More Heat than Light
Friday October 17, 2003
Some atheists want to adopt and start using the term "Bright" because it sounds like a more positive and upbeat term than "atheist" does anymore. There are perhaps some good ... Read More
Girls Punished for Showing Faces
Friday October 17, 2003
In Saudi Arabia, even non-Muslim non-Saudi females are required to keep their faces hidden when in public, lest they violate laws regulating public morality and public decency. When they let ... Read More
Cardinal Welcomes Celibacy Debate
Friday October 17, 2003
Celibacy is a difficult issue for the Roman Catholic Church. Priests weren't always celibate and even today it's not considered an absolute requirement - many priests are in fact married. ... Read More
Rush Limbaugh, Morality, and Drug Addiction
Friday October 17, 2003
There has been a lot of press coverage of Rush Limbaugh's admission to being addicted to prescription pain medication. What hasn't received as much attention, however, is the reaction from ... Read More
Religion in Europe
Friday October 17, 2003
For Europeans, religion just isn't as important as it once was. Even for those who do consider themselves religious, they often aren't Christian. And, for those who are still Christian, ... Read More
This Date in History: Spanish Inquisition
Friday October 17, 2003
October 17, 1483: Pope Sixtus IV launched the
Spanish Inquisition, placing it under joint administration of both the church and the state. Tomas de Torquemada,
63, was appointed Grand Inquisitor in charge ... Read More
American Catholics vs. the Vatican
Friday October 17, 2003
Catholics in America may feel intense loyalty to their church and they may revere the pope, but that doesn't mean that they think they are obligated to do everything the ... Read More
Divine Rights and the Ten Commandments
Friday October 17, 2003
Where do our political rights come from? Those who argue that the government should endorse the Ten Commandments also typically argue that the Ten Commandments are the moral and political ... Read More
Archbishop: Homosexuality is Gross
Friday October 17, 2003
Peter Jensen, Anglican Archbishop of Sydney, is one of the more conservative clergymen in the Anglican Communion. But just in case anyone had any doubts as to where he stoop ... Read More
Citizen's Rule Book & Jury Nullification
Thursday October 16, 2003
As was reported here recently, Mark Paschall, county treasurer in Jefferson County, Colorado, has used his office to distribute 1,000 booklets promoting the idea that God's laws supercede civil laws. ... Read More
Psychics vs. Catholics
Thursday October 16, 2003
Christianity has traditionally been opposed to all occult and paranormal practices - Tarot cards, astrology, and so forth. It isn't usual, however, for that opposition to develop into a more-or-less ... Read More
Why the Pledge Matters
Thursday October 16, 2003
So, the Supreme Court will be hearing arguments on whether the phrase "under God" was an unconstitutional addition to the Pledge of Allegiance. But is this really an important issue? ... Read More
Progressive Christians and Homosexuality
Thursday October 16, 2003
Evangelical and conservative Christians have made the question of homosexuality one of the most important issues they have to deal with; for them, no other issue is as serious or ... Read More
Bet on the Next Pope
Thursday October 16, 2003
Pope John Paul II's health seems to be getting worse every day - there are very good reasons to think that he won't be alive for too much longer. But ... Read More
Jews of Babylon
Thursday October 16, 2003
Jews have lived in Baghdad for thousands of years. Less than a century ago, fully one quarter of the city's entire population was Jewish and there can be no question ... Read More
No Health Benefits from Prayer
Thursday October 16, 2003
There have been a couple of studies that purport to show some health benefit when people pray for a sick person - but those studies have been filled with so ... Read More
This Date in History: Early Religious Freedom
Thursday October 16, 2003
October 16, 1649: The colony of Maine passed legislation creating religious freedom for all citizens, but only on the condition that those of "contrary" religious beliefs behave "acceptably."
Muslim Suspended for Head Scarf
Thursday October 16, 2003
Should devout Muslims be allowed to wear head scarves, even when there is a general ban on head coverings for legitimate reasons? That's a question facing a school district ... Read More
American Church Attendance Low
Thursday October 16, 2003
The United States is a fairly religious nation, but religion is honored more often in word and principlee than in deed and faith. Polls about religious belief are notoriously unreliable ... Read More
Pope Losing Approval
Thursday October 16, 2003
Pope John Paul II has always been very popular not only among Catholics but also members of other Christian denominations and other religions. Now, however, as he is about to ... Read More
Eastern Religion
Thursday October 16, 2003
Recently Received: Daoism: A Short Introduction
, by James Miller
Daoism is not simply an isolated religious tradition - its influence spans centuries and has touched many different religious and cultures. James Miller's ... Read More
Priest Pillage Schocker
Wednesday October 15, 2003
Police investigating a priest accused of making obscene phone calls were in for a shock when they searched his apartment: thousands of dollars in small bills, gay porn, and a ... Read More
Churches Aghast at Vatican Condom Ruling
Wednesday October 15, 2003
Recently the Vatican issued a statement to the effect that condoms are ineffective when it comes to stopping the HIV virus and thus also AIDS. Other religious organizations have reacted ... Read More
This Date in History: Pentecostalism
Wednesday October 15, 2003
October 15, 1900: Pentecostal evangelist Charles Fox Parham opened Bethel Bible Institute in Topeka, Kansas. It was here on January 1, 1901 that the first Christian in modern times was ... Read More
Catholic Sex Scandal Overstated?
Wednesday October 15, 2003
Everyone in the United States is probably familiar with the sex scandals which have been rocking the Roman Catholic Church over the past couple of years. Of particular concern to ... Read More
Schwarzenegger Strong-Arming the Press?
Wednesday October 15, 2003
What lies in Schwarzenegger's past that he doesn't want you to know? That's a very good question - if reporters are brave enough, we may yet be able to find ... Read More
Religious School Program Achieved Through Deception
Wednesday October 15, 2003
Normally public schools aren't supposed to have programs during the school day which are religious in nature or which promote religion in any way. This is for the best because ... Read More
Supreme Court to Rule on "Under God" in Pledge
Tuesday October 14, 2003
It is probably no surprise to most people that the United States Supreme Court has decided to hear arguments in the California case of whether the addition of the phrase ... Read More
Church and State in California
Tuesday October 14, 2003
There is one interesting facet of the recent recall race in California which has received relatively little press attention - and that's just how little attention there has been on ... Read More
This Date in History: Quakers in Massachusetts
Tuesday October 14, 2003
October 14, 1656: In Massachusetts, the first punitive legislation against Quakers was passed.
Florida County's New Prayer
Tuesday October 14, 2003
For some reason, the commissioners of Pasco County in Florida believe that they, as elected officials, are empowered with the authority to write and recite prayers on behalf of the ... Read More
Boy Scouts Propose to... Lie?
Tuesday October 14, 2003
The Boy Scouts really, really, really don't want to lose their free, government-provided office space in Philadelphia. They are so desperate to keep it that they are apparently willing to ... Read More
Chapel Demolished Over Gay Wedding
Tuesday October 14, 2003
Two men were recently married in a ceremony held in a Russian Orthodox Church in Novgorod. This outraged Orthodox Christians around the world - and now the chapel were the ... Read More
Are Humans Rational Animals?
Tuesday October 14, 2003
Recently Received: Walking the Tightrope of Reason: The Precarious Life of a Rational Animal, by Robert Fogelin
Human beings are a morass of contradictions - one of which is their capacity ... Read More
Radical Right Republicans: What Do They Want?
Monday October 13, 2003
Not all Republicans are extremists. Not all Republicans can be described as being part of the "radical right." Many Republicans are simply conservative in their views, without any malice towards ... Read More
Science as Faith?
Monday October 13, 2003
Mikeell writes: I have a number of theist family members who continue to insist that I am putting my faith in science rather than religion. I have though to myself ... Read More
Vatican: Condoms Don't Stop AIDS
Monday October 13, 2003
As part of their efforts to put religious ideology before human needs and science, the Vatican has engaged in programs to misinform people about condoms. Specifically, they are telling people ... Read More
This Date in History: Fatima Miracle
Monday October 13, 2003
October 13, 1917: The Virgin Mary made her final appeared to three shepherd children near Fatima, Portugal. Six visions had occurred between May and October of that year, always on ... Read More
Christ and the Constitution
Monday October 13, 2003
Those defending things like the display of the Ten Commandments on government property usually rely upon two falsehoods: that the nation was founded upon Christianity and that, today, Christians are ... Read More
Molesting Priest: "They Wanted It"
Monday October 13, 2003
A Catholic priest in Australia has been accused of molesting a brother and sister in the confessional and of behaving indecently with various altar boys before conducting Mass. He's pleaded ... Read More
Rev. Ralph Ovadal Fined for Intimidation
Monday October 13, 2003
Readers of this site might be familiar with the name Ralph Ovadal. A pastor of Christ the King Church in Monroe, Wisconsin, Ovadal has argued that other religions don't deserve ... Read More
Under God: An "Injury" Without Victims
Sunday October 12, 2003
A number of people - mostly nonbelievers but also some believers - object to the inclusion of "under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance. For some reason, though, there are ... Read More
Voices from the Dead?
Sunday October 12, 2003
A forum member writes: Ok, about two years ago, my dad bought me a tape recorder. I had been very interested in getting ''voices'' from the dead. Well, I went ... Read More
Bill Would Authorize Academy Prayers
Sunday October 12, 2003
A lot of people are upset over the idea that the government may not be allowed to promote, endorse, and even enforce religious rituals to cadets at military academies. That's ... Read More
This Date in History: Williams v. Pryor
Sunday October 12, 2003
October 12, 2000: Decided: Williams v. Pryor The 11th Circuit Court ruled that the Alabama legislature was within its rights to ban the sale of "sex toys," and that people ... Read More
Raelian Clones a Hoax?
Sunday October 12, 2003
At the end of December, 2002, The Raelians announced that the first cloned human baby had been born. For some reason, though, no actual evidence of such a birth was ... Read More
University Employee Pressured Into Religious Rituals
Sunday October 12, 2003
In the business world, people can experience a great deal of pressure to conform to what their coworkers are doing - but what happens when that pressure involves religious rituals? ... Read More
Your Money is Cursed!
Sunday October 12, 2003
Have you ever felt that things weren't going right for you? Maybe there is a good reason for that - maybe your money has been cursed! In that case, a ... Read More
Church Leadership - Where is it?
Saturday October 11, 2003
Many people believe that religious organizations need to provide leadership when it comes to important social issues - abortion, homosexuality, cloning, etc. But is that view justified? Can religion really ... Read More
Landmark Forums
Saturday October 11, 2003
Karig4 writes: My sister became involved with them. At the end of their first 3 day seminar, they drag in friends or family to "experience" others breakthroughs. I left after ... Read More
When Schwarzenegger Thugs Attack
Saturday October 11, 2003
Sometimes it seems as though there is a lack of civility in American politics - but while many people imagine that this is a new and depressing development, the verbal ... Read More
This Date in History: Ulrich Zwingli
Saturday October 11, 2003
October 11, 1531: Ulrich Zwingli died at the Battle at Kappel where Roman Catholic Kantons defeated the Swiss Protestants.
Huggy Jesus
Saturday October 11, 2003
Have you ever had an urge for a washable Jesus doll - complete with permanently attached loincloth and crimson vestment robe? Of course you have! In that case, Huggy Jesus ... Read More
John Paul II and Catholic Antisemitism
Saturday October 11, 2003
Pope John Paul II is theologically conservative - extremely conservative, in fact. He is so conservative that even many moderate Catholics become incensed at some of the things he has ... Read More
Muslims Immoral, Evangelical Christians Moral
Saturday October 11, 2003
Do evangelical Christians think that they are better and more moral than everyone else? Do evangelical Christians believe that, in essence, they should be running everything because no one else ... Read More
Left Out of the Bible
Saturday October 11, 2003
Recently Received: Lost Scriptures: Books That Did Not Make It into the New Testament, by Bart D. Ehrman
Many people may be unaware of the fact that many of the texts ... Read More
Atheist Threatens Suit over Religious Song
Friday October 10, 2003
Should choirs in public schools sing religious songs? Rob Sherman is threatening to sue the Wheeling Elementary School District 21 in Illinois unless a religious song is dropped from the ... Read More
No Ten Commandments = Enforced Atheism
Friday October 10, 2003
There's yet another Ten Commandments monument debate, this time in Casper, Wyoming. The city council voted 5-4 to remove the monument and a First Amendment expert advised them to do ... Read More
Apocalyptic Catholicism
Friday October 10, 2003
In Queens there is a Catholic shrine where Veronica Lueken is believed to have received hundreds of messages and prophecies from Jesus and Mary. Devotion to this shrine is not ... Read More
Ohio Judge Rules Based on Religion
Friday October 10,