Mexican Church Objects to Morning-After Pill
Saturday January 31, 2004
The Mexican government recently decided to allow morning-after pills to be used as a form of emergency contraception, something that the Mexican Catholic Church finds outrageous. According to Catholic leaders, ... Read More
Saudi Cleric Sets Boundaries on Reform
Saturday January 31, 2004
People's hopes in Saudi Arabia that reforms might be on the horizon were dashed recently when Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdulaziz Al Sheikh declared that men and women were not allowed ... Read More
Family Can't Sue over Priest's Funeral Remarks
Saturday January 31, 2004
A while ago I reported on the case where a family took a priest to court because of nasty comments he made during someone's funeral. Well, a state District Court ... Read More
Massachusetts Attempts to Justify Inequality
Saturday January 31, 2004
In Massachusetts, conservative lawmakers are seeking ways to undermine the recent Supreme Judicial Court that found the ban on same-sex marriages to be unconstitutional. The tactic being actively considered right ... Read More
Schools Can't Discriminate Against Religious Flyers
Saturday January 31, 2004
Can public schools help a community group advance its religious agenda? In principle, schools are expected to treat all community groups equally - but even when it comes to something ... Read More
Twins: Identical, Fraternal and Astral
Saturday January 31, 2004
Can astrology predict the fates and character of identical and fraternal twins as well as genetics? No, and that indicates how astrology is not scientific. Read More...
Bush: Greater of Two Evils?
Saturday January 31, 2004
Criticism of President Bush continues to come in from the extreme right - people whose religion is so far off the scale to the right that you don't normally even ... Read More
Axis of Evil
Saturday January 31, 2004
Keith writes: I think that the phrase "Axis of evil" was the stupidest thing I've ever heard a President say -- rivaling even "My fellow Americans. I'm pleased to announce ... Read More
Hijab as a Tool of Repression
Saturday January 31, 2004
Responding to the French government's plan to ban the hijab from French schools, many Muslims - including women - have been arguing that the hijab is a sign of religious ... Read More
This Date in History: French Wars of Religion
Saturday January 31, 2004
January 31, 1596: The Catholic League was disbanded, leading to the end of the French Wars of Religion between Roman Catholics and Huguenots.
Belgian Archbishop Rejects Anti-Gay Remarks
Saturday January 31, 2004
As I reported here a few days ago, Cardinal Gustaaf Joos of Belgium made some scathing comments about gays, claiming that most aren't really homosexuals but, rather, just "sexual perverts." ... Read More
Muslims Challenged for Inwardness
Saturday January 31, 2004
I've commented before about the recent book from Irshad Manji, a gay Canadian Muslim who is making waves in the Islamic world with her harsh criticisms of how Islam has ... Read More
Bush, Abortion, and the Courts
Saturday January 31, 2004
When George W. Bush was still a candidate for president, he told people that he would not apply a "pro-life" litmus test to judges he might nominate to the federal ... Read More
Polygamy Ban Challenged in Utah
Friday January 30, 2004
The question of polygamy has been a very contentious issue in Utah for over a hundred years. The Mormon church official rejected polygamy in order to accommodate the American government, ... Read More
Spreading Nuclear Technology = Heroism?
Friday January 30, 2004
The government of Pakistan is investigating the possibility that some of its nuclear scientists were paid to transfer nuclear weapons technology to other nations (like Libya). Religious leaders in Pakistan ... Read More
Special Court Sworn In for Roy Moore
Friday January 30, 2004
A special Supreme Court of seven retired judges has been sworn in to hear Roy Moore's appeal of his removal as chief justice in Alabama. Moore intends, however, to appeal ... Read More
Kuwait to Outlaw Religious Jibes
Friday January 30, 2004
In Muslim countries it is often illegal to say or do anything that would be perceived as insulting to Islam and it appears that will soon be the case in ... Read More
Christian Arabs Leaving Jerusalem?
Friday January 30, 2004
Conflict in the Middle East, and in Israel in particular, is often portrayed as being between Jews and Muslims. Too often forgotten are the Christians who can be caught in ... Read More
Astrology: Conception vs. Birth
Friday January 30, 2004
Why does astrology rely upon the birth of a person rather than the conception? What makes the time of birth so important and time of conception so irrelevant? Read More...
John Rhys-Davies: Ignorant Actor
Friday January 30, 2004
John Rhys-Davies has been making waves recently with his comments about Islam and how much of a threat it poses to "Western Civilization." He certainly has a point when it ... Read More
Did Mormon Pressure Get Gay Film Canceled?
Friday January 30, 2004
The Mormon Church doesn't approve of homosexuality and gay relationships, that much is obvious, but did Mormon leaders in Utah use their power and influence to prevent a theater from ... Read More
This Date in History: Charles Bradlaugh
Friday January 30, 2004
January 30, 1891: British freethinker Charles Bradlaugh died.
Concern About Use of Religion in Campaigns
Friday January 30, 2004
We have been seeing a lot of religious rhetoric in political campaigns and it seems unlikely that this will stop any time soon. Some groups are concerned about this, arguing ... Read More
Psychiatrists Respond to Tom Cruise
Friday January 30, 2004
I reported recently about Tom Cruise's comments that psychiatry should be outlawed, a position that is a reflection of the standard complaints that the Church of Scientology has against psychiatry. ... Read More
Customers of Adult Store Intimidated
Friday January 30, 2004
People in America certainly have a right to protest what a store does - freedom of speech in public areas is protected by the First Amendment. We must ask, however, ... Read More
Understanding John Rawls
Friday January 30, 2004
Recently Received: The Cambridge Companion to Rawls, edited by Samuel Freeman.
John Rawls is probably one of the most important and influential moral and political philosophers of the twentieth century - ... Read More
Evangelical Advice for Parents about Homosexuality
Thursday January 29, 2004
Focus on the Family, like many other conservative evangelical groups, is adamantly opposed to homosexuality in every way, shape, and form. Because of this, they continually campaign against gays and ... Read More
Controversial Latin Mass
Thursday January 29, 2004
A group of Catholics has gathered in York, Pennsylvania, to worship the same way that Catholics did before the Second Vatican Council. Unfortunately for them, the local bishop doesn't approve ... Read More
Female Drivers Would Destroy Society
Thursday January 29, 2004
Some say that society's ills are due to drug and substance abuse, others say that the problem is promiscuous sexuality. The truth, apparently, is neither - according to Sheikh Ayed ... Read More
Pope Blesses Break-Dancers
Thursday January 29, 2004
Pope John Paul II, it seems, is a fan of all sorts of art - including break-dancing, assuming you are willing to include it with other forms of art. Indeed, ... Read More
New Planets & Astrology
Thursday January 29, 2004
If astrology is valid and scientific, how did it manage to operate for thousands of years without noticing three of our solar system's nine planets? Why did astronomers, using math ... Read More
Economists: Out of Touch with Society?
Thursday January 29, 2004
When economists make statements or predications about people's current or future economic behavior, they have to make a lot of assumptions about what motivates people to act and what sorts ... Read More
George W. Bush & the Gay Debate
Thursday January 29, 2004
Easy writes: Since the US seems to be getting more liberal about sex, is it unrealistic to suppose that sanctioning gay marriage is just around the corner? I think it's ... Read More
Commission Defends Theocracy
Thursday January 29, 2004
Members of the Gordon County Board of Commissioners in Georgia to support the efforts of Georgia's General Assembly to display the Ten Commandments in public buildings. In effect, then, the ... Read More
This Date in History: First Saint
Thursday January 29, 2004
January 29, 0993: St. Ulrich (c. 890-973), Bishop of Augsburg from, was canonized by Pope John XV. Ulrich became the first person formally elevated to sainthood.
Tough Questions About Censorship
Thursday January 29, 2004
No one likes censorship, except of course for those who want to do the censoring, but that doesn't mean that censorship is an easy issue to discuss. This is especially ... Read More
No "Passion" for Truth
Thursday January 29, 2004
One of the defenses of Mel Gibson's upcoming film The Passion, a movie about the last hours of Jesus, is that it is "historically accurate." So long as it follows ... Read More
Cloning vs. Mad Cow Disease
Thursday January 29, 2004
As Mad Cow Disease becomes a matter of increasing concern around the world, some scientists are looking into whether cloning might provide a way to eliminate it entirely. Their hope ... Read More
Cardinal: Gays Are Perverts
Thursday January 29, 2004
Granted that the Roman Catholic Church objects to homosexuality, but does saying that gays aren't "really" gay but instead are just "sexual perverts" really do anything to increase understanding or ... Read More
Could American Government Fund Ex-Gay Groups?
Wednesday January 28, 2004
One of the major concerns that many have had about President Bush's effort to give government money to religious groups in his "faith-based" initiatives is the possibility that those funds ... Read More
Mixed Prospects for Women in Iraq
Wednesday January 28, 2004
Under Saddam Hussein, women in Iraq had more protections and more rights than their counterparts in many other Arab Muslim nations. Now, the prospects for an Islamic theocracy where their ... Read More
Religionists Distort Constitution
Wednesday January 28, 2004
Some religious leaders argue that the First Amendment's separation of church and state only prevents the government from establishing a national church and favoring one church over others - it ... Read More
Redefining "Marriage"
Wednesday January 28, 2004
If religion is a sacrament and is holy, as so many opponents of gay marriage claim, then doesn't this mean that the government should get out of the business of ... Read More
France: Becoming an Islamic State?
Wednesday January 28, 2004
In all of the discussion about whether it is or is not a good idea for France to ban large religious displays in public schools, especially veils for Muslim girls, ... Read More
Constellations & Astrology
Wednesday January 28, 2004
Astrology has traditionally placed importance on the placement of constellations in the night sky - but why? Constellations are created by us and do not exist independently, so how can ... Read More
Religion and Legitimacy in Iraq
Wednesday January 28, 2004
Many in the West have long assumed that the influence and power of religion in society would gradually fade more and more until it disappeared entirely - maybe not from ... Read More
Moon/Mars mission - What's the Objective?
Wednesday January 28, 2004
Aspie writes: I'm not sure exactly what is the objective of a new manned mission to the moon and/or mars? More photos? Raise another flag? How romantic. The probes I ... Read More
Porn Prayers for Jews
Wednesday January 28, 2004
If you are Jewish and you think you spend just a little bit too much time enjoying pornography on the internet, then you are in luck: finally, there is a ... Read More
This Date in History: Ordination of Women
Wednesday January 28, 2004
January 28, 1977: The Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith, better known by its original name the "Inquisition," published an 18-page document ruling out any possibility that women could ... Read More
Harassment of Jewish Dissenters of Israel
Wednesday January 28, 2004
Not all Jews agree with all of the actions undertaken by Israel; in fact, some Jews disagree vehemently with how Israel has acted on the world stage and, in particular, ... Read More
Democrats Object to Republican's Prayer
Wednesday January 28, 2004
One of the chief problems with any state-sponsored and state-endorsed prayers is that if the prayers are specific enough to be meaningful, they must necessarily exclude some citizens - and ... Read More
Science, Pseudoscience, and Michael Crichton
Wednesday January 28, 2004
Author Michael Crichton recently gave a widely-reported talk in which he described the movement around global warming as a "pseudo-scientific religion." It's a pretty serious charge, lumping global warming together ... Read More
Christopher Reeve Criticizes Scientology
Wednesday January 28, 2004
Apparently Christopher Reeve was approached by the Church of Scientology for recruitment; but unlike other Hollywood stars such as Tom Cruise, Reeve exercised a bit of skepticism. He did his ... Read More
Understanding Fascism
Wednesday January 28, 2004
Recently Received: Fascism: A Very Short Introduction, by Kevin Passmore.
What is fascism? Everyone has heard of the word and everyone can identify fascist governments and political parties in history. That ... Read More
Woman Arrested: Taking Son to Exorcist
Tuesday January 27, 2004
There are still a lot of people in the world who believe so strongly in demons and spirit possession that they really think that exorcisms accomplish something - and they ... Read More
Catholics Want Own Entrances at Mixed-Faith School
Tuesday January 27, 2004
People in North Lanarkshire, Scotland are trying to build a multi-faith school, but they are running into problems: the Scottish Catholic education service (SCES) is upset because current plans, contrary ... Read More
Vigil Planned to Defend Monument
Tuesday January 27, 2004
Faced with the prospect of not being allowed to promote a particular set of religious beliefs and being forced to treat all religious ideas equally, city officials in Boise, Idaho ... Read More
Pope Condemns Promotion of Homosexuality in Media
Tuesday January 27, 2004
As part of his on-going fight against the normalization of homosexuality in Western society, Pope John Paul II recently issued a condemnation of the way in which the media portrays ... Read More
Mormons "Own" Public Land, Public History
Tuesday January 27, 2004
Should religious groups be able to control the historical messages at public sites? I've reported more than once recently about the development of "faith-based" parks in America, for example the ... Read More
Mechanism for Astrology
Tuesday January 27, 2004
One of the problems with astrology is the general lack of a sound mechanism by which celestial objects might exert an "influence" over our lives. This is particularly important because, ... Read More
Hamas: Shameful Women Can Be Bombers
Tuesday January 27, 2004
I've been reporting here about how Palestinian militant organizations have been getting flak from Palestinians over the recent choices for suicide bombers. In one case a 17-year-old was recruited to ... Read More
What Does the West Owe Islam?
Tuesday January 27, 2004
A question that is occupying a lot of people in Britain is whether Western culture and civilization really owes anything to Islam. A recent column by British TV presenter Robert ... Read More
This Date in History: Indulgences
Tuesday January 27, 2004
January 27, 1343: Pope Clement VI's bull Unigenitus ("Unbegotten") declared that the accumulated merit of the Catholic Church, won by Christ and the Saints, could be drawn upon by the ... Read More
Muslim's Book Incites Furor Over Faith
Tuesday January 27, 2004
Critiques of Islam are often received very badly by Muslims - for whatever reason, a large percentage of Muslims seem unable or unwilling to accept pointed criticism of their religious ... Read More
John Kerry on Religion & Atheism
Tuesday January 27, 2004
I've reported before on what various Democratic candidates for president have had to say about the separation of church and state, but we don't see them saying much about religion ... Read More
Indian Army Bans Some Religious Symbols
Tuesday January 27, 2004
Struggling with both Islamic and Hindu fundamentalism, the Indian government has decided to limit the sorts of religious symbols that members of the Indian army are permitted to wear. It ... Read More
Iran's Hardliners Hold Fast
Tuesday January 27, 2004
I reported here earlier about how Iran's hardline Guardian Council, a group of 12 unelected religious figures, has vetoed almost half of the 8,200 candidates who wanted to run in ... Read More
"Old Time Religion" - Not So Old, Not So Good?
Tuesday January 27, 2004
Fundamentalist Christians in America as well as elsewhere in the world typically treat their version of Christianity as the "One True" Christian faith. During the early days of fundamentalism, many ... Read More
Bill to Define How to Teach Origins
Monday January 26, 2004
Legislators in Missouri want to place limits and conditions on how origins and evolution can be taught in public schools. Technically speaking, that isn't inappropriate - lawmakers have a duty ... Read More
Muslims in Hamburg not Exempt from Sex Education
Monday January 26, 2004
The mother of two Muslim girls tried to have her daughters exempted from biology classes that included lessons in sex education, but a Germany court ruled against her request. Interestingly, ... Read More
Cardinal: Antichrist is a Vegetarian
Monday January 26, 2004
Many people hope that when Pope John Paul II dies, the man to succeed him will be a little more liberal and a little less conservative - someone who might ... Read More
Mufti Attacks Women who Mixed with Men
Monday January 26, 2004
Many have hoped that there might be some hope for an opening in Saudi society - an opening that would allow women to have more rights and more freedoms. Unfortunately, ... Read More
North Carolina Council: Only Christians Represented
Monday January 26, 2004
In some places in America, it seems as though nonbelievers not only don't have representation in the government, but in fact some elected politicians explicitly aren't interested in representing nonbelievers. ... Read More
Introduction to Critiques of Astrology
Monday January 26, 2004
Because astrologers so often argue that astrology is scientific, it is reasonable to submit their specific claims to scientific scrutiny. Science is essentially a process of trial and error for ... Read More
Moderate Islam vs. Extremist Islam in Pakistan
Monday January 26, 2004
Pakistan has a problem with Islam. On the one hand, many leaders would like to promote a more peaceful idea of Islam - they need to do this because the ... Read More
Scott Peterson - Two Murders?
Monday January 26, 2004
Easy writes: While reading one of the abortion threads, and watching the news, the following question occurred to me: If right to life is not extended to a fetus in ... Read More
Psychic Institute Open
Monday January 26, 2004
Have you ever wanted to be a psychic, but just didn't know how to get started? Well, now you have a chance to get into the business and get certified ... Read More
This Date in History: Council of Trent
Monday January 26, 2004
January 26, 1564: The Council of Trent issued its conclusions in the Tridentinum, establishing a distinction between Roman Catholicism and Protestantism.
"Faith Schools" are Beyond Belief
Monday January 26, 2004
So-called "faith school," schools which are focused not simply on education but also on promoting particular religious views, have been receiving more attention lately in Britain. These schools perform very ... Read More
Female Suicide Bomber: "Family Honor" Victim?
Monday January 26, 2004
I reported earlier about the case of Reem Salah al-Rayashi, a mother of two who became the first suicide bomber ever sent out by the Muslim extremist group Hamas. Recent ... Read More
Islamic Extremism in France
Monday January 26, 2004
In all of the discussion about the French government's intention to ban religious garb like Muslim headscarves in public schools, one thing that often goes unmentioned is the growing problem ... Read More
Rawls on Justice and Fairness
Monday January 26, 2004
Recently Received: Justice as Fairness: A Restatement, by John Rawls
Coming thirty years after his seminal work A Theory of Justice, Rawls' Justice as Fairness revisits many of the main themes ... Read More
Nazi Slurs in American Politics
Sunday January 25, 2004
There have been a lot of complaints recently about how political discourse in America has been getting more divisive and has been relying more heavily on inappropriate personal attacks. One ... Read More
New Haven Aldermen to Continue Promoting Religion
Sunday January 25, 2004
There are a lot of communities around the nation where local politicians abuse their power in the interests of religion. For whatever reason - and I'm sure that there are ... Read More
Telepathy Debate in London
Sunday January 25, 2004
Scientists don't often engage in debates over the paranormal - this is not surprising because science is simply not a subject that lends itself well to an oral debate. Science ... Read More
Pharaoh's Chariots Found in Red Sea?
Sunday January 25, 2004
Every so often we hear about someone who says that they have found evidence of Egyptian chariots at the bottom of the Red Sea - presumably, this is supposed to ... Read More
AFA Backing Out on Presenting Poll to Congress
Sunday January 25, 2004
The American Family Association recently posted a poll on their website about gay marriage, asking people whether they thought marriage between people of the same sex should be legalized or ... Read More
Who Cares About Astrology?
Sunday January 25, 2004
Why bother to critique astrology at all? Even if it doesn't "work," isn't it harmless? Aren't skeptical critiques just a waste of time? If we are going to do a ... Read More
Reality Show About Amish Youth?
Sunday January 25, 2004
People don't know a great deal about the Amish - they generally keep to themselves and don't believe in mixing with others. That may change, a little bit, if UPN ... Read More
Are We Missing the Point?
Sunday January 25, 2004
Joe writes: I was just wondering if there were any freethinkers out there big on Tillich, the great 20th century theologian. His theology does away with God as a being ... Read More
Pope Laments Church Division
Sunday January 25, 2004
Pope John Paul II isn't happy that there is such strife between various Christian churches. He would like to see greater harmony and unity among the various Christian denominations - ... Read More
This Date in History: Oxford Movement
Sunday January 25, 2004
January 25, 1841: The Oxford Movement in England reached its highest point when John Henry Newman's Tract No. 90 is published. The resulting controversy brought the series of tracts (begun ... Read More
Economic Benefits of Religious Extremism?
Sunday January 25, 2004
The problems that stem from religious extremists has been in the news a lot during the recent past - but one thing that is difficult to answer is just how ... Read More
Clergy Love "Prestige Cars"
Sunday January 25, 2004
Christian clergy are supposed to be representatives Christ here on Earth - not necessarily in the sense that the pope is supposed to represent Christ, but still they are supposed ... Read More
Weekly Quote: Jay F. Rosenberg on Suffering
Sunday January 25, 2004
I am suspicious of the notion of unrequited suffering, in particular, of its inescapable implication that suffering can be "requited". Suffering is not a debit entry in some ledger, something ... Read More
Episcopal Network: Path to Schism?
Saturday January 24, 2004
The efforts of conservative and evangelical Episcopalians to create a "network" within the Episcopal Church runs the very real risk of causing a schism - one that could tear the ... Read More
Legalizing Prostitution
Saturday January 24, 2004
Should prostitution be legal or should it remain illegal? Those who argue that it should remain illegal often use arguments that show prostitution is bad - but in too many ... Read More
Experts Want Ban on "Cowboy Cloners"
Saturday January 24, 2004
Repeated claims, from one source or another, that this person or that group has succeeded in cloning a human being usually turn out to be false - but some day, ... Read More
Pat Boone Has No Integrity?
Saturday January 24, 2004
I commented earlier on Pat Boone's editorial column where he advised atheists to "shut up and get over it," with "it" being the fact that Christians want to use the ... Read More
Ex-Gay Billboard Turned Down
Saturday January 24, 2004
Groups that promise they can "cure" homosexuality seem to be taking a more aggressive approach to spread their message in society - but not everyone is interested in listening. One ... Read More
History of Astrology
Saturday January 24, 2004
Astrology is an ancient belief system, with the earliest records of astrology date back to the Babylonian Empire in the 19th century BCE. However, not a great deal has changed ... Read More
Southern Baptists to Withdraw from Baptist World Alliance?
Saturday January 24, 2004
A report by a Southern Baptist study committee recommends that the group pull out of the Baptist World Alliance, a 100-year-old international coalition of Baptists that was created in large ... Read More
Democrats & Poverty
Saturday January 24, 2004
Frank writes: A conservative gentleman said the following: "People who are unsuccessful in life tend to drift toward the Democratic party for their "share the wealth" policies." I'm stumped as ... Read More
Philosophical Sophistication vs. Political Pragmatism
Saturday January 24, 2004
It can be difficult for politicians to take a nuanced view of a polarizing situation - if they admit to any value to one side, it will be assumed that ... Read More
This Date in History: William Murray Converts
Saturday January 24, 2004
January 24, 1980: On this night, William Murray (son of American atheist Madayln Murray O'Hair) had a dream which he interpreted as a religious vision from God, leading to his ... Read More
Save the Pledge... From Religious Bigots
Saturday January 24, 2004
Religious conservative fear that the Pledge of Allegiance is being threatened by godless forces - according to them, the removal of "under God" from the Pledge would cause people harm. ... Read More
Kiss My Left Behind
Saturday January 24, 2004
Everything popular gets parodied at some point - so I guess it's no surprise that someone has published a parody of Tim LeHay's very popular Left Behind series of books.
Kiss ... Read More
More Ethics Questions About Scalia
Saturday January 24, 2004
It looks as though Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia is getting himself in trouble again over questions about whether he has been engaged in activity that could reasonably make him ... Read More
Slavery and the Bible in America
Saturday January 24, 2004
Recently Received: Noah's Curse: The Biblical Justification of American Slavery, by Stephen R. Haynes
"A servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren" - that's the curse Noah put on ... Read More
Ex-Scientologist Apologizes for Scientology's "Dirty Tricks"
Friday January 23, 2004
People familiar with Scientology may also be aware of reports about how often they reportedly engage in "dirty tricks" to smear or discredit both critics and those who dare to ... Read More
Federal Marriage Program: Churches Targeted, Gays Excluded
Friday January 23, 2004
President George W. Bush recently announced his plan to spend US $1.5 billion on promoting marriage. Do you suppose that it's just a coincidence that church programs will be targeted ... Read More
School Reluctantly Allows Gay/Straight Club to Form
Friday January 23, 2004
Across the nation public school students have tried to form gay/straight alliance clubs in order to combat homophobia, educate people about homosexuality, and create a safe place for gay students ... Read More
Mayor: Ten Commandments Monument Divisive
Friday January 23, 2004
An all-to-common sight in America is that of politicians who pander to religious bigotry and extremism - whether out of a desire for votes or because they actually are extremists ... Read More
Police Let Mobs Attack Christians
Friday January 23, 2004
It's difficult for religious minorities to deal with discrimination, bigotry, and violence when government authorities are willing to stand by and allow such things to happen. Unfortunately, that seems to ... Read More
What is Astrology?
Friday January 23, 2004
Astrology is a type of divination based upon the idea that information, usually either about the future or about a person's personality, can be discovered through an examination of "heavenly ... Read More
Bush's Lysenkoism and the Distortion of Intelligence
Friday January 23, 2004
I've reported before about how the Bush administration has worked to twist science in order to force scientific conclusions to conform with political needs. Might this, however, be part of ... Read More
Tolerance for Gays Outrages Religious Conservatives
Friday January 23, 2004
You may not have read about the story of the Macedonian human rights group's campaign to promote tolerance of gays and lesbians, but it's apparently pretty big among religious conservatives ... Read More
D.C. Voucher Scheme Approved
Friday January 23, 2004
After many years of debate, the Senate has approved $14 million a year program to pay for students in Washington, D.C. schools to attend private as well as religious schools. ... Read More
This Date in History: Student-Led Prayers
Friday January 23, 2004
January 23, 1995: Argued: ACLU v. Black Horse Regional Board of Education The Third Circuit Court ruled that a school could not allow students to vote on whether or not ... Read More
Atheists Target Smaller Utah Towns
Friday January 23, 2004
According to the Utah Supreme Court, if a local government meeting is to include any prayers, then those prayers must be open to people of all beliefs and the prayers ... Read More
IVF "Spare Body Parts" Twin Plan Condemned
Friday January 23, 2004
British gynecologist Dr. Paul Rainsbury and American doctor Panos Zavos have gotten the idea to create artificial twins from a single embryo. This form of cloning would result in one ... Read More
Powell Urges Muslims on Diversity
Friday January 23, 2004
One of the things that has exacerbated problems in the Arab-Muslim world and fueled the growth of Islamic extremism has been the prevalence of religious schools that teach almost nothing ... Read More
Republican Break-In of Democrats... Again
Friday January 23, 2004
A Republican-organized break-in of the Democratic Party's National Committee offices on June 17, 1972 led to the downfall of President Nixon and a host of political reforms. It was arguably ... Read More
Skepticism of a Christian Europe
Friday January 23, 2004
There has been a fair amount of news in recent months about attempts to insert some sort of official recognition of Christianity in the European Union's Constitution. Supporters argue that ... Read More
Female Atheist to Head Argentina's High Court?
Friday January 23, 2004
In America, it seems impossible that an atheist would ever become a top government official, much less in a position like Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. In Argentina, however, ... Read More
Virtual Town, Virtual Fascism?
Friday January 23, 2004
There is something interesting going on with Maxis' online game "The Sims." A number of players, it seems, have turned the virtual town into a hotbed of criminal and sexual ... Read More
Praising College Republicans
Thursday January 22, 2004
Recently, at a rally designed to encourage college and high school students to get out and participate in the Iowa Caucuses, a group of College Republican decided to intervene and ... Read More
Abortion & Contraception: A Pro-Life Dilemma
Thursday January 22, 2004
Pro-life Protestants are coming up against a difficult dilemma: what to do about contraception. For the most part, Protestants don't oppose contraception - but the problem is, more and more ... Read More
Tom Cruise: Psychiatry Should Be Outlawed
Thursday January 22, 2004
You may already know that Tom Cruise is a member of Scientology, but lately he has been pushing Scientology orthodoxy pretty hard.
iAfrica reports:
The ardent Scientologist has now weighed in on ... Read More
Homicide Bomber or Suicide Bomber?
Thursday January 22, 2004
A number of conservatives have begun insisting that "suicide bombers" actually be labeled "homicide bombers" in order to emphasize the fact that these people are killing others. As a consequence, ... Read More
New Threat on Taslima Nasreen
Thursday January 22, 2004
Several of the books written by Taslima Nasreen have been banned in her native Bangladesh because religious leaders have found them objectionable, but that isn't the only country where she ... Read More
Democratic Candidates on Church & State
Thursday January 22, 2004
For many people, an important issue when it comes to the presidential election is the candidates' position on the separation of church and state. It's not the only issue, that ... Read More
Christians and the GOP
Thursday January 22, 2004
For many Christians, the letters GOP stand for "God's Own Party" - it is their firm conviction that the Democratic Party is an evil pawn of Satan while the only ... Read More
Encouraging Marriage?
Thursday January 22, 2004
Glam writes: Read an article in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution today about yet another faith-based initiative from Bush... this time he wants to spend a couple hundred million dollars on marriage ... Read More
Politicizing Your Health
Thursday January 22, 2004
Should your health be subject to political considerations? Should government employees make decisions about whether to release information about plagues, diseases, or nuclear accidents based upon any considerations other than ... Read More
This Date in History: Abortion Rights & Roe v. Wade
Thursday January 22, 2004
January 22, 1973: Decided: Roe v. Wade This landmark decision established that women have a basic right to have an abortion Through various cases, the Supreme Court developed the idea ... Read More
Discrimination Against the Nonreligious
Thursday January 22, 2004
In the state of New York, nonreligious teachers in a public school district are discriminated against while religious teachers in the same schools are given special privileges. Why? Because their ... Read More
Joseph Lieberman on Religious Symbols in Public Areas
Thursday January 22, 2004
Joseph Lieberman, one of the Democratic candidates for president, seems to have some difficulty when it comes to the separation of church and state. As I have reported before, Lieberman ... Read More
Lesbian Pastor to Face Church Trial
Thursday January 22, 2004
Karen Dammann, a lesbian who is also pastor at a United Methodist church in Ellensburg, Washington, has been charged with violating the Methodist Book of Discipline for "conducting a life ... Read More
Newsweek's Grand Inquisitor
Thursday January 22, 2004
Howard Dean is having a difficult time when it comes to religion. He himself has acknowledged that he isn't accustomed to talking about his religious faith with others, and that ... Read More
Warriors of God
Thursday January 22, 2004
Recently Received: Warriors of God: Richard the Lionheart and Saladin in the Third Crusade, by James Reston, Jr.
Today many people are concerned about the conflict between Christianity and Islam in ... Read More
Deceptive Drug Trials
Wednesday January 21, 2004
Do you trust the results of various drug trials that show the effectiveness and safety of a new medication? In an ideal world, you should trust them at least somewhat ... Read More
More on Iraqi Theocracy - from an Iraqi
Wednesday January 21, 2004
I wrote a few days ago about developments in Iraq that point towards the possible creation of a theocratic legal system there, citing protests being made by Iraqi women over ... Read More
Rabbis Hope to Search Vatican
Wednesday January 21, 2004
What might the Vatican be hiding in its various storerooms? That's a good question - but Israel's chief rabbis hope to get permission from the pope to dig around and ... Read More
Mel Gibson's "Passion" Scheduled for Big Opening
Wednesday January 21, 2004
It appears that Passion, the movie about the last hours of Jesus Christ created by Mel Gibson, will be getting a big opening around the country despite the many criticisms ... Read More
Suicide Bomber's Family Attacks Islamic Jihad
Wednesday January 21, 2004
Suicide bombers and the organizations the train them aren't universally popular among Palestinians. Recently 17-year-old Iyad al-Masri tried to kill Israelis in retaliation for the killing of his brother and ... Read More
Astrology: Art or Science?
Wednesday January 21, 2004
Is Astrology an art or is it a science? This may seem like an odd question, but the fact of the matter is that astrologers appear to want to have ... Read More
Orrin Hatch: Turncoat on Pro-Life Issues?
Wednesday January 21, 2004
Orrin Hatch, long-time Senator from Utah, has played an important role in the anti-choice and anti-abortion movement in America. Unfortunately, he is not being attacked by others in that movement ... Read More
Wesley Clark on Religious Symbols in Public Areas
Wednesday January 21, 2004
Although Wesley Clark has tried to make a point of being religious, that hasn't mean that he believes that the government should be involved with promoting religion. Just the contrary ... Read More
Why Bother Voting?
Wednesday January 21, 2004
Keith writes: I live in Indiana. For me, it almost seems like a ceremony to vote for President, since the outcome will be Republican. I did some checking. Since 1860 ... Read More
Pagans in the Military
Wednesday January 21, 2004
Pagans are commonly thought of as being peaceful, even pacifist, in nature - unsurprising, considering its recent roots in the "hippie" counter-culture of the West. But if this perception is ... Read More
This Date in History: Martin Luther Excommunicated
Wednesday January 21, 2004
January 21, 1521: Martin Luther was officially excommunicated from the Roman Catholic Church.
Rabbi Defends Blocking Israeli Bulldozers
Wednesday January 21, 2004
Not all Israelis agree with their government's treatment of Palestinians and policies which tend to oppress and discriminate against Palestinian residents of Israel and the Occupied Territories. In fact, some ... Read More
Dennis Kucinich on Religious Symbols in Public Areas
Wednesday January 21, 2004
One of the more liberal Democratic candidates for president, it doesn't seem as though Dennis Kucinich's chances of getting the nomination are all that great. Nevertheless, it is worth considering ... Read More
Dad: Baby Born Without My Consent
Wednesday January 21, 2004
Is it unethical, and perhaps even illegal, for a woman to give birth to a baby without the permission and consent of the father? Normally that wouldn't be an issue ... Read More
Space Exploration or Space Empire?
Wednesday January 21, 2004
President George W. Bush's recent announcement that America would return to the Moon and, eventually, make the trip to Mars has attracted a wide variety of reactions. Many, especially in ... Read More
A Closer Look at Evangelicals
Tuesday January 20, 2004
Evangelicals Christians in America are commonly associated with the reactionary forces that want to undo progressive reforms and reinstitute an oppressive, theocratic system of government. In many cases, that's a ... Read More
Rabbi to Publish Book on Jewish Supremacy
Tuesday January 20, 2004
Anti-semitism is a serious problem, but what many people may not realize is that there is an parallel aspect in Jewish tradition which teaches that Jews are superior to non-Jews. ... Read More
Inside the Rancho Cotate High School Conservative Club
Tuesday January 20, 2004
Tim Bueler has been stirring things up at the Rancho Cotate High School in California with his "Conservative Club" - largely, it seems, because he is so good at the ... Read More
French Secularism: Ruse for Attacking Islam?
Tuesday January 20, 2004
Some critics of the French plan to ban ostentatious religious garb in public schools have alleged that it is simply a guise for attack Islam. According to them, the language ... Read More
Religion as Anti-Life Philosophy
Tuesday January 20, 2004
Sometimes the attitudes of religious believers indicates a very strong anti-life philosophy. By that I mean that the very value of living at all is denigrated at the expense of ... Read More
Astrology vs. Astronomy
Tuesday January 20, 2004
Astrology and astronomy grew up together throughout a large portion of human history. The two cannot in fact be distinguished until only the past few hundred years, and because so ... Read More
Public Funds for Church Preservation
Tuesday January 20, 2004
There are quite a few older churches in America, churches which embody important aspects of our historical record. Does their historical significance and resulting public importance mean that public funds ... Read More
Runaways from Polygamists in Protective Custody
Tuesday January 20, 2004
As I noted yesterday, a number of towns in Utah and Arizona are bracing for a possible influx of polygamists fleeing a couple of communities that are ruled over with ... Read More
Antisemitism in Europe
Tuesday January 20, 2004
Trent writes: The San Francisco Chronicle reports that the intense and severe criticism of Israel has morphed into anti-Semitism. It quotes one person as pretty much saying that many Jews ... Read More
Comparing Raelians and Christianity
Tuesday January 20, 2004
When it comes to religion, it's common to find people who think that their religion is perfectly rational and reasonable while other people's religious beliefs are kooky, strange, and unworthy ... Read More
This Date in History: Conscientious Objectors
Tuesday January 20, 2004
January 20, 1970: Argued: Welsh v. United States The Supreme Court ruled that a man could be a "conscientious objector" even though he did not claim the status for religious ... Read More
Congressman Comes Out of the Closet
Tuesday January 20, 2004
No, not as a gay man but, rather, as a supporter of virulent anti-gay rhetoric. That, at least, seems to be the case for Wisconsin's State Sen. Tom Reynolds who ... Read More
Crossing Over: Crossed Out!
Tuesday January 20, 2004
Skeptics and freethinkers are probably familiar with John Edwards' television show "Crossing Over" - with a combination of P.T. Barnum, fast talking, and cold reading, Edwards is able to get ... Read More
President Bush: Compromising Faith, Promoting Evil
Tuesday January 20, 2004
As I noted here recently, some Christians regard President George W. Bush as insufficiently Christian for their tastes. He may say a lot which appeals to conservative and evangelical Christians, ... Read More
Counter-Revolutionaries in the Catholic Church
Tuesday January 20, 2004
Initially, at least, one might assume that the older priests in America would be the ones who are the staunchest defenders of tradition while the younger ones are those most ... Read More
Gospel Traditions
Tuesday January 20, 2004
Recently Received: The Incredible Shrinking Son of Man: How Reliable is the Gospel Tradition?, by Robert M. Price.
Assuming he existed at all, just who was Jesus? If we are to ... Read More
Free Speech, Harm, and Offense
Monday January 19, 2004
There's a debate in Britain over comments made by Robert Kilroy-Silk, a talk show host, about Arab states. He believes that he was making justified comments about the actions and ... Read More
Hindu Extremism Being Ignored
Monday January 19, 2004
The American media often has a lot to say about Islamic militants and Muslims who commit violence in the Middle East, and it is true that they pose a threat ... Read More
Sending Christ into the Cold
Monday January 19, 2004
I've written before about how it seems to be difficult for so many Christians to put into practice what they claim to believe in theory. Christianity, it seems, is more ... Read More
Shopping for Faith in America
Monday January 19, 2004
Two of the Democratic candidates for president, Howard Dean and Wesley Clark, have been criticized by various members of the media and quite a few conservatives for their alleged "flip-flops" ... Read More
Pope Never Commented on Gibson's "Passion" Film?
Monday January 19, 2004
Steve McEveety, co-producer of Mel Gibson's controversial film The Passion (about Jesus' last hours), managed to get a copy of the movie to the pope for viewing. According to McEveety ... Read More
Heterosexualization of Gays and Lesbians
Monday January 19, 2004
It's not unusual for people to assume that they know exactly how others think and feel, then base upon these assumptions advice about how those people should change the ways ... Read More
Towns Brace for Fleeing Polygamists
Monday January 19, 2004
Two towns along the Utah/Arizona state line (Hildale, Utah, and Colorado City, Ariz.) are ruled by polygamous families, with one family in particular acting as virtual royalty. Unfortunately for them, ... Read More
Who Made God?
Monday January 19, 2004
The question "Who made God" is commonly used to argue against the existence of the sort of god traditionally believed in by Christians, Jews, Muslims, and many other monotheists. Strictly ... Read More
Al Sharpton on Religious Symbols in Public Areas
Monday January 19, 2004
Al Sharpton, one of the Democratic candidates for president, has been an ordained minister since he was nine years old - and he's a Pentecostal as well, the same religion ... Read More
Don't Trust Polls on Religion
Monday January 19, 2004
We've all probably seen polls on religion that seem to confirm a depressing situation in America: greater reliance upon irrationalism than reason and science. For example, polls have indicated more ... Read More
Pete Rose
Monday January 19, 2004
Michael writes: If it took [Pete Rose] 13 years to apologize, maybe Baseball should take 13 years to accept his apology. Otherwise, professional baseball might lose its status as a ... Read More
Atheists Coming Out of the Closet
Monday January 19, 2004
The number of people who identify themselves as atheists and who are interested in connecting with other atheists appears to be on the rise. This may not be due more ... Read More
Evolution of Art
Monday January 19, 2004
There is a mystery at the heart of the study of the history of art: where did art come from? That sounds like a strange question, but it's actually a ... Read More
This Date in History: Salvation Army Split
Monday January 19, 2004
January 19, 1889: The Salvation Army split; one group renounced allegiance to founder William Booth while another, lead by Booth's son Ballington and his wife Maud, incorporated itself as a ... Read More
Bad Theism Leads to Atheism?
Monday January 19, 2004
There is a common prejudice that atheists stopped believing in gods solely, or at least primarily, because of "bad theism" and/or "bad religion." What this means is that poor experiences ... Read More
Evangelical Group Could Create "Church Within a Church"
Monday January 19, 2004
Today conservative, evangelical Episcopalians are meeting in Texas to plan their strategy for dealing with the liberal leadership of the Episcopalian Church. One tactic that seems open to them is ... Read More
Cover-Ups at Brigham Young University
Monday January 19, 2004
Brigham Young University has strict regulations for its students: no smoking, no drinking, no premarital sex... and preferable no tattoos. If you arrive with tattoos, that's fine, but if getting ... Read More
Depiction of Men on TV un-Christian
Monday January 19, 2004
Is it un-Christian to portray men in an unflattering light on television? Some say it is - according to them, such unflattering portrayals undermine the biblically mandated family structure where ... Read More
Car Bomb Targets French Muslim Leader
Monday January 19, 2004
This past weekend as many as 40,000 Muslims and their supporters marched to protest the French government's plans to ban Islamic headscarves in public schools; not long after the marches ... Read More
God is Watching What You are Eating
Sunday January 18, 2004
Does God care about your diet? Can a Christian life lead to a better diet and better health? There are plenty of Christians who think exactly that - according to ... Read More
Gay Couples Win Golf Club Lawsuit
Sunday January 18, 2004
It's a common practice at golf clubs that when a person joins, his or her spouse can also golf there for free, even if they don't have their own membership. ... Read More
Unlucky Team Seeks Help from Witch
Sunday January 18, 2004
What is a sports team supposed to do when it keeps losing and doesn't score very many points? Practice more? Get better players! No! Blame it all on curses and ... Read More
Cro-Magnon Mail
Sunday January 18, 2004
Some people get even worse Hate Mail than I do. Margaret Cho, a stand-up comedian who appeared at MoveOn.org's "Bush in 30 Seconds" awards ceremony-fundraiser-show in New York, has become ... Read More
Religion and Patriotism in India
Sunday January 18, 2004
In India, religion has become a hot political topic. The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) has achieved power and influence by promoting a theme of Hindu Nationalism - that is to ... Read More
Corporations, Churches, and Free Speech
Sunday January 18, 2004
Should corporations have the same free speech rights as individuals, or is their status a "fictional" people such that they can be more tightly regulated as happens with corporations? Both ... Read More
Washington D.C. vs. The Vatican
Sunday January 18, 2004
Recently the Vatican has leveled some very strong criticisms against the United States government, arguing that a number of actions have not always been appropriate or moral. In the past ... Read More
Flight Simulators
Sunday January 18, 2004
Cesium writes: A woman asks about flight simulators at Staples and gets investigated. The one thing that is really scary about this, is that she ACCEPTS this as a GOOD ... Read More
Busting on Cult Busters
Sunday January 18, 2004
People who spend a lot of time investigating dubious religious movements, usually labeling them "cults," and revealing the sorts of things they really do and teach, often become a target ... Read More
This Date in History: "Christian Nation" Amendment
Sunday January 18, 2004
January 18, 1844: Senator (later President) James Buchanan introduced a resolution in the United States Senate that the United States be declared a Christian Nation and acknowledge Jesus Christ as ... Read More
Kenyan Crackdown on Witchcraft
Sunday January 18, 2004
Concerns about witches in Africa continues unabated. Usually we hear about mobs attacking witches, often killing them, but not the Kenyan government is getting into the act, arresting accused witches ... Read More
Cardinal Promotes Secularism
Sunday January 18, 2004
In the United States, where Christianity dominates, Catholic leaders commonly deplore the secular system we have and lament the way secularism tries to prevent religion from taking over. In countries ... Read More
Conservatives Seek "Realignment" in Anglican Communion
Saturday January 17, 2004
Most people familiar with the internal disagreements tearing at the fabric of the Anglican Communion are probably aware that evangelicals are hoping to either change the course that the churches ... Read More
Imam Sentenced over Wife-Beating Manual
Saturday January 17, 2004
If you are looking for the best way to beat your wife without also leaving the tell-tale marks that might lead you to getting caught, you can always turn to ... Read More
Bleach as Cure for SARS?
Saturday January 17, 2004
By now, nearly everyone has heard of SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome), a disease which started in China, appears to caused by a "coronavirus" previously not found in humans, and ... Read More
Female Singer Angers Afghan Judges
Saturday January 17, 2004
From our "the more things change, the more they stay the same" file: although Afghanistan has been "liberated" from the oppressive theocracy of the Taliban, women are still having difficulty ... Read More
Gay Students to Blame for Anti-Gay Harassment
Saturday January 17, 2004
It is (or should be) well known that gay students are frequent targets of abuse and harassment in public schools at the hands of other students. This affects the quality ... Read More
Creationism and Science
Saturday January 17, 2004
Are creationism and science antithetical? Not as much as you might think - or at least, not in the way you might think. Although it is common wisdom to assume ... Read More
Religious Tests for Florida Judges
Saturday January 17, 2004
Should the position of judge be limited to those with certain approved religious beliefs? That seems to be what is going on in Florida, where the 15th Judicial Circuit Judicial ... Read More
George W. Bush & Human Rights
Saturday January 17, 2004
ODP writes: I ran across this column from the New York Daily News today as I avoided work and scanned the papers. I thought some here might find it humorous. ... Read More
Fish Wars
Saturday January 17, 2004
Do you have a "fish" on your car? There are lots of fish to choose from - aside from the original Christian fish and the ensuing Darwin fish, there are ... Read More
This Date in History: War in Iraq
Saturday January 17, 2004
January 17, 1991: A coalition of forces led by the United States launched an attack on Iraq in order to drive Iraqi forces out of Kuwait and prevent it from ... Read More
Christianity: Just for Show?
Saturday January 17, 2004
I've written before about how, for some people, the application of Christianity to real life is a lot harder in reality than it is in theory, especially when it comes ... Read More
Governor Wants Georgia to Fund Religion
Saturday January 17, 2004
Currently, the Georgian Constitution reads that "No money shall ever be taken from the public treasury, directly or indirectly, in aid of any church, sect, cult or religious denomination or ... Read More
Iran: Muslim Extremism Hurts Muslims
Saturday January 17, 2004
In an unexpected move, Iran's Vice President has given a speech in which he attacks Muslim extremists, including Osama bin Laden. Mohammad Ali Abtahi questioned "When did a person by ... Read More
Bibles Don't Fit in Ballot Boxes
Saturday January 17, 2004
There are a lot of politicians who are only too happy to use religion as a means to get elected. They appeal to religious prejudices in order to encourage voters ... Read More
Spanish Cardinal: Gay Marriages Threaten Pensions
Friday January 16, 2004
Most of the time, when religious leaders complain about gay marriage they argue that if legalized it would undermine the "sacred nature" of marriage. Perhaps that argument doesn't work so ... Read More
San Diego Scout Decision: Vindictive?
Friday January 16, 2004
Some allege that efforts to stop the Boy Scouts of America from obtaining special privileges from the government are a product of vindictiveness: The Scouts won the right to exclude ... Read More
Pastors Lacking "Biblical Worldview"
Friday January 16, 2004
According to he Barna Research Group, only half (51%) of Protestant pastors could pass a test on whether they possess a "biblical worldview." This is defined as "believing that absolute ... Read More
Hindu Nationalists Downplaying Religion
Friday January 16, 2004
In India, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has achieved power and influence by promoting a theme of Hindu Nationalism - that is to say, the idea that India is a ... Read More
Britney Spears & Gay Marriage
Friday January 16, 2004
The recent (and short) marriage of Britney Spears has gotten a lot of headlines, but what on earth does it have to do with gay marriage? As some have pointed, ... Read More
Student Sues to Distribute Religious Material
Friday January 16, 2004
How much freedom should students have to promote their religious beliefs while in public schools? Obviously it would be wrong to prohibit them from discussing religion at all, even from ... Read More
Is Creationism Scientific?
Friday January 16, 2004
Creationists commonly argue that their position is not only scientific, but even that it is more scientific than evolution. That is a pretty dramatic claim, especially since it has been ... Read More
God and Man at College
Friday January 16, 2004
Buckley may have exaggerated the conditions on campus half a century ago, but today's mainstream colleges and universities preach nothing less than atheistic socialism. God, faith and religious tradition have ... Read More
ACLU Defends Prayer Ban at VMI
Friday January 16, 2004
In 2002, a three-judge panel of the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that mealtime prayers at the Virginia Military Institute (a state-funded military college) violated the constitutional separation ... Read More
Godless France
Friday January 16, 2004
Many people have complained about France's interest in rules that would prohibit ostentatious religious clothing (like headscarves) in places like public schools, but why don't they complain about countries that ... Read More
This Date in History: Catholic Politicians
Friday January 16, 2004
January 16, 2003: The Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith, with the approval of Pope John Paul II, published a 19-page document entitled "Doctrinal Note on Some Questions Regarding ... Read More
Implications of Nonlethal Weapons
Friday January 16, 2004
The use of nonlethal weapons sounds like it should be a good thing, right? After all, people are stopped from doing something wrong without actually killing them. How can there ... Read More
Phoenix Suns: "Church Night" or "Anti-Gay Night"?
Friday January 16, 2004
The Phoenix Suns, a professional basketball team, is in the middle of a nasty controversy over a "Church Night" sponsored by a religious group that distributed anti-gay literature as part ... Read More
Lion Mummy Found in Egypt
Friday January 16, 2004
Everyone knows that the ancient Egyptians mummified people, and many may be aware that they also sometimes mummified other animals like cats. For the first time, however, archaeologists have found ... Read More
Honor Killings in India
Friday January 16, 2004
Honor killings, which is the killing of a woman whose actions seem to undermine a family's honor, are usually associated with Pakistan and perhaps Afghanistan. The problem goes much farther, ... Read More
Anti-War Conservative Gagged
Friday January 16, 2004
People who criticize George W. Bush and his administration's policies have a tough time in the media today - war frenzy has taken over in some many sectors that critics ... Read More
Debating Bibles in Public Schools
Thursday January 15, 2004
Should public schools teach classes about the Bible, or would that violate the separation of church and state? Well, the answer is "it depends." It's possible to teach such a ... Read More
Michael Newdow Speaks on Pledge Case
Thursday January 15, 2004
The date has been set and Michael Newdow has been busy preparing for making his argument before the United States Supreme Court that the addition of the phrase "under God" ... Read More
Paranormal Olympics
Thursday January 15, 2004
Are you psychic? I mean, are you really, really psychic - more psychic than the average psychic? If so, then you might want to participate in the Paranormal Olympics. If ... Read More
Iraqi Theocracy in Development?
Thursday January 15, 2004
One of the commonly cited reasons for the U.S. invasion of Iraq was that the Iraqi people needed to be liberated from the oppressive regime of Saddam Hussein. While that ... Read More
Georgians: Government Should Promote Religion
Thursday January 15, 2004
Apparently, citizens of the state of Georgia believe that one of the most important things that their elected representatives can and should do is support the Ten Commandments. What that ... Read More
Colorado Considers Mandatory Pledge Law
Thursday January 15, 2004
Lawmakers in Colorado would like to require all public school students to recite the Pledge of Allegiance every school day. This "mandatory" requirement, however, would be something that students could ... Read More
Creationist Tactics
Thursday January 15, 2004
Creationist arguments against evolution depend heavily on falsehoods, distortions, and fundamental misunderstandings of science. Creationists have to do this because their position doesn't stand a chance against evolution from a ... Read More
President Bush: Christianity to Solve Social Problems
Thursday January 15, 2004
In a speech delivered in New Orleans, President George W. Bush made a call for people to embrace Christianity as the solution to social and personal problems. At least, that ... Read More
Gays to be Purged, According to Moon
Thursday January 15, 2004
Sun Myung Moon is a leading religious conservative in the United States. Although his theology is a long way from most leaders of the Christian Right, he still provides quite ... Read More
Catholic Church Torched in Sri Lanka
Thursday January 15, 2004
Buddhists aren't normally thought of as violent and Buddhism itself is generally perceived as a non-violent religion - but reality is a bit less pleasant. Sri Lanka has been racked ... Read More
Preacher Snubbed by Town for Supporting Separation
Thursday January 15, 2004
There are many Christians out there who support the separation of church and state - they believe that religion shouldn't be controlled by the government while the government should not ... Read More
This Date in History: English Reformation
Thursday January 15, 2004
January 15, 1535: Henry VIII declared himself head of the English Church.
Seminary Seeks to Restrict Gay Applicants
Thursday January 15, 2004
The presence of so many gay men in the ranks of Roman Catholic clergy has become something of a public relations liability - Catholic leaders fear that the priesthood will ... Read More
Buddhists Join Pledge Lawsuit
Thursday January 15, 2004
Michael Newdow's lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the addition of the phrase "under God" to the Pledge of Allegiance has usually been framed as a battle between atheists and religion, ... Read More
One Nation, Under Secularism
Thursday January 15, 2004
There is a consensus among many Americans that the United States was founded, politically, as a fundamentally religious nation. According to this view, America was created as an expression of ... Read More
Creationist Threat to Science Literacy
Thursday January 15, 2004
The United States is a leader in all areas of scientific research, but at the same time most Americans know relatively little about science, scientific research, and the scientific method. ... Read More
Court Affirms Right to Kosher Food
Wednesday January 14, 2004
Do prisoners have a right to special religious diets? The Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act would indicate that they do, but some have rejected the RLUIPA, finding that ... Read More
Buddhism: Grandfather of Scientology?
Wednesday January 14, 2004
What's the relationship between Buddhism and Scientology? None, really - but in an effort to achieve some respectability for the Church of Scientology, Tom Cruise has claimed that Buddhism is ... Read More
Rushdie Flees in Face of Muslims Protests
Wednesday January 14, 2004
Although it has been many years since his book The Satanic Verses was published, Muslims in South Asia have by no means forgotten Salman Rushdie. While visiting India, protests were ... Read More
Iranian Hardliners Toss Reformers from Ballot
Wednesday January 14, 2004
Reformers in Iran continue to struggle against the institutional power wielded by hardliners and religious extremists. Now, the reformers' ability to win in the upcoming elections has been put in ... Read More
Commandments Not Allowed in Schools
Wednesday January 14, 2004
Some insist that everything that good and moral must come from religion - specifically, their religion of course. Thus they sincerely believe that to improve schools, it is necessary for ... Read More
Creationism & Flood Geology
Wednesday January 14, 2004
This is one of the reasons why the Flood story in Genesis plays such a central role in the arguments of Scientific Creationists. It isn't simply a means of demonstrating ... Read More
Religion in American Politics
Wednesday January 14, 2004
The United States is a very religious nation and, as a consequence, religion has long played at least something of a role in political campaigns - but the role of ... Read More
Pope Calls for New World Order
Wednesday January 14, 2004
Increasingly dissatisfied with the ability of the United Nations to get anything done and to command enough respect to maintain peace, Pope John Paul II has issued a call for ... Read More
This Date in History: Textbook Disclaimers on Evolution
Wednesday January 14, 2004
January 14, 2002: A proposed bill in the Washington State Legislature would have required all state-purchased textbooks contain the disclaimer: "A message from the Washington State Legislature: This textbook discusses ... Read More
Good Christians Threaten Councillor
Wednesday January 14, 2004
A Councillor in Buckinghamshire County, England, has been receiving threats because of policy in local libraries not to post religious advertisements for local churches. Margaret Dewar isn't responsible for the ... Read More
Bishop Bars Pro-Choice Politicians from Communion
Wednesday January 14, 2004
For a while now tradition-minded Catholic bishops in America have been looking for a way to force Catholic politicians to adhere to Catholic teachings on matters like abortion, regardless of ... Read More
Democrat Questions Republicans' Religious Commitment
Wednesday January 14, 2004
Usually one finds Republicans making a lot out of religion, accusing liberals and Democrats of being insufficiently devout and faithful to hold elected office (although not in so many words). ... Read More
Carol Moseley Braun on Vouchers and Religion
Tuesday January 13, 2004
It's not common for women to run for president and, unfortunately, Carol Moseley Braun doesn't seem to be doing very well in the polls. She does, however, do well when ... Read More
Howard Dean on Faith-Based Initiatives
Tuesday January 13, 2004
I've reported before about Howard Dean's views on the separation of church and state, but he has recently made more comments along those lines, specifically when it comes to school ... Read More
John Edwards on Vouchers and Religion
Tuesday January 13, 2004
One of the younger candidates for president, John Edwards' chances of gaining the Democratic nomination don't look very good; nevertheless, it is worth noting that he appears to be a ... Read More
John Kerry on Church/State Separation
Tuesday January 13, 2004
Although once the presumed front-runner in the race to see who would be the Democratic candidate for president, John Kerry's campaign has faltered and his position relative to the other ... Read More
Dennis Kucinich on Church/State Separation
Tuesday January 13, 2004
His chances of getting the Democratic nomination for president may not be very good right now, but that doesn't mean that Dennis Kucinich's views on matters are irrelevant. When it ... Read More
Wesley Clark on Church State Separation, Part 2
Tuesday January 13, 2004
For most atheists, an important issue for when it comes to the presidential election is the candidates' position on the separation of church and state. It's not the only issue, ... Read More
Creationism and Evolution
Tuesday January 13, 2004
One important characteristic of Scientific Creationism is its focus on evolution. Although creationists do try to engage in scientific work in developing arguments about how the Flood could have created ... Read More
Intelligent Design in Missouri
Tuesday January 13, 2004
Legislators in Missouri are considering a new law, named "Missouri Standard Science Act," which would require that "If scientific theory concerning biological origin is taught, biological evolution and biological intelligent ... Read More
Conservative Professor Defends Ignorance and Tradition
Tuesday January 13, 2004
What is Conservatism? It is the political position whereby traditional beliefs do not need to be defended, they are just accepted. This can be contrasted with liberalism, the political position ... Read More
This Date in History: Templars
Tuesday January 13, 2004
January 13, 1128: The Templars received the formal rules of their order, originally commissioned by St. Bernard.
Politicized Peer Review
Tuesday January 13, 2004
Peer review is a critical aspect of the scientific process - indeed, it's one of the features which helps distinguish it from other human pursuits because it helps weed out ... Read More
American Jewish Congress on Pledge Issue
Tuesday January 13, 2004
Unlike other (generally liberal) Jewish groups, the American Jewish Congress has decided to oppose Michael Newdow's lawsuit to remove the phase "under God" from the Pledge of Allegiance. Unfortunately, their ... Read More
"Anti-Catholic" Sculpture Subject of New Lawsuit
Tuesday January 13, 2004
As was reported here a couple of months ago, at Washburn University in Kansas a statue that looks like a bishop, but is also subtlety shaped like a penis, has ... Read More
Types of Creationism and Creationist Thinking
Monday January 12, 2004
Creationism comes in many different shapes and sizes. Some creationists believe in a flat earth. Some believe in a young earth. Other creationists believe in an old earth. A few ... Read More
Religious Left vs. Religious Right
Monday January 12, 2004
There is some regular discussion about the differences between America's "Religious Right" and the "Religious Left" - the former has been very prominent in American politics over the past couple ... Read More
Lord of the Rings - Books vs. Movies
Monday January 12, 2004
Qwerty writes: I'm currently about half way through the Lord of the Rings books which I started after seeing all 3 movies and I was curious to hear what everyone ... Read More
Unbaptized Stuff
Monday January 12, 2004
There are many examples throughout history of Christians treating non-Christians as being less worthy of basic rights, civil treatment, and living. In this, they followed in a long tradition of ... Read More
This Date in History: Pledge of Allegiance & Antonin Scalia
Monday January 12, 2004
January 12, 2003: Speaking before a small crowd in Fredericksburg, Virginia, at a "Religious Freedom Day" event sponsored by the Knights of Columbus and the Knights Templar, two Roman Catholic ... Read More
Thanks Be to God and Christian Terrorists
Monday January 12, 2004
We may hear quite a lot about the government's fight against Muslim terrorists, but what about Christian terrorists? There was a time that three of the FBI's top ten most ... Read More
Being an Atheist Implies Nothing
Monday January 12, 2004
The fact that atheism is merely the absence of belief in gods, nothing more and nothing less, is something which is repeated rather often here - but only because so ... Read More
Constitution: Not Meant to Accommodate Atheists
Monday January 12, 2004
Does the Constitution exist only for the sake of religious majorities or does it serve to protect minorities, including atheists? One would assume the latter - after all, majorities are ... Read More
Evolution, Creation, and Design
Monday January 12, 2004
Recently Received: Unintelligent Design, by Mark Perakh.
One of the most popular forms of "scientific" creationism in America today goes under the label "Intelligent Design." According to supporters, this provides scientific ... Read More
Rift over Creationist Account of Grand Canyon
Sunday January 11, 2004
As reported here earlier, a creationist account of the formation of the Grand Canyon is being included in that park's bookstore along with genuine scientific books. Well, scientists (especially geologists) ... Read More
York Commissioners Vote on Prayer
Sunday January 11, 2004
Commissioners in York County, Pennsylvania, have announced that they will open each weekly meeting with an invocation that includes some sort of prayer. Different people from different faiths will be ... Read More
Catholic Newspaper Fires Editor
Sunday January 11, 2004
The Roman Catholic Church in America doesn't appreciate criticism of its policies, its history, or its personnel - and what organization does? The Catholic hierarchy, however, is in a position ... Read More
German Catholics: Headscarf a Political Symbol
Sunday January 11, 2004
Is the headscarf worn by Muslim women a political or a religious symbol? That's a vexing question which often lies at the heart of debates over just how just freedom ... Read More
San Diego Ends Fight for Boy Scouts
Sunday January 11, 2004
The city of San Diego, California, has been locked in a legal battle with the ACLU over a generous lease which the Boy Scouts has with the city for the ... Read More
Evolution and Jehovah's Witnesses
Sunday January 11, 2004
A closer look at the book Life: How did it get here? By evolution or by creation?, published by the Jehovah's Witnesses to attack evolution in the guise of offering ... Read More
ADL Calls for Restraint on Religion
Sunday January 11, 2004
It's one thing for a candidate to be religious and even to explain their religious position, but quite another to campaign on the basis of religion. When anyone recommends that ... Read More
Pat Robertson, Muscle-Man!
Sunday January 11, 2004
By day, he's just a mild-mannered television preacher. At night, though, he transforms into a muscle-bound hero for the Religious Right!
This is just bizarre:
Did you know that Pat Robertson ... Read More
This Date in History: William James
Sunday January 11, 2004
January 11, 1842: American psychologist and philosopher William James was born.
Christians Should Not Vote for Bush
Sunday January 11, 2004
Should Christians vote for George W. Bush in the next presidential election? God apparently is, and Bush is in regular contact with God, so it seems odd for Christians not ... Read More
Religious Con Artist Criticized
Sunday January 11, 2004
The government isn't allowed to promote any religious beliefs by posting and endorsing the Ten Commandments - but some people have gotten the impression that this means that private individuals ... Read More
Isn't evolution a religion?
Saturday January 10, 2004
The idea that evolution might be a religion seems very strange at first glance - after all, we don't see anyone trying to claim that Atomic Theory, Plate Tectonics, or ... Read More
Jews for Jesus Criticizes Evangelicals
Saturday January 10, 2004
The evangelical Christian organization "Jews for Jesus" is dedicated to converting Jews to evangelical Christianity by not being entirely forthright about what the organization stands for and what their purpose ... Read More
Phelps Seeks Topeka Park Memorial
Saturday January 10, 2004
The Rev. Fred Phelps is still seeking more way to get his religious message out to more people - preferably with government aid, if that is at all possible. Right ... Read More
This Date in History: Religious Tax Exemptions
Saturday January 10, 2004
January 10, 1972: Decided: Diffenderfer v. Central Baptist Church Should a church continue to receive a tax exemption for property that it is using for commercial rather than religious purposes? ... Read More
Government tells Residents to Pray
Saturday January 10, 2004
A government building in Lee County, Florida, has a small sign hanging in the window, facing the street. It states simply: Pray. According to those who hung it, this isn't ... Read More
Allegations of Discrimination Against ex-Amish
Saturday January 10, 2004
Ruth Irene Garrett in Kentucky used to be a member of the Amish community, but she left that behind and wrote a book about her experiences and why she stopped ... Read More
Saudi Council Calls for Moderate Islam
Saturday January 10, 2004
The power of the government of Saudi Arabia is predicated upon a close relationship with Wahhabi extremists - but that relationship has caused problems on the international scene because of ... Read More
Corporate Sponsorship of Fascism
Saturday January 10, 2004
Recently Received: IBM and the Holocaust: The Strategic Alliance Between Nazi Germany and America's Most Powerful Corporation, by Edwin Black.
Usually fascism in Nazi Germany is regarded as something very foreign ... Read More
Does evolution require atheism?
Friday January 9, 2004
One of the things which seems to cause many people to be inclined to rejecting evolution is the idea, often perpetuated by religious fundamentalists and scientific creationists, that evolution and ... Read More
Modern Conservative Myths about the First Amendment
Friday January 9, 2004
We've all surely read about how evil liberal judges are writing their own laws, ignoring the Constitution, and generally doing lots of nasty things to our democratic republic in the ... Read More
Lucky Charms Don't Work - or Do They?
Friday January 9, 2004
Lots and lots of people have or have at one time had "lucky charms" - rabbits' feet, lucky coins, etc. - that they thought would bring them good luck. Do ... Read More
This Date in History: Lord's Prayer in Public Schools
Friday January 9, 2004
January 09, 1962: Argued: Murray v. Curlett The Maryland Court of Appeals heard the case brought by Madalyn Murray (later O'Hair) to force the end of required Bible readings and ... Read More
The Power of Faith to Heal
Friday January 9, 2004
Faith can heal - not religious faith specifically, but faith in the sense of confidence that what is going on will prove beneficial in the long run. This is one ... Read More
Germany Considers Ban on Religious Symbols
Friday January 9, 2004
Criticism of France's decision to go ahead and consider legislation that would ban overt religious symbols like the Muslims head scarf in public schools has not stopped Germany from looking ... Read More
Female Bishops Could Split Church
Friday January 9, 2004
Although the Church of England has had female clergy for a number of years now, this continues to be a matter of some contention among Anglicans - and there are ... Read More
Does Evolution contradict Christianity?
Thursday January 8, 2004
Is Christianity compatible with the Theory of Evolution? It seems like it should be - after all, quite a few churches (including the Catholic Church) have recognized that the Theory ... Read More
Outside, Looking In
Thursday January 8, 2004
For many atheists, being "on the outside, looking in" is an all-too-common feelings. Not all theists and religionists care about whether someone believes in gods, but many do - so ... Read More
What if the Mafia Ran Congress?
Thursday January 8, 2004
I'm sure that many readers are puzzled by the above headline: isn't there already an element of organized crime when it comes to how Congress is run and, if so, ... Read More
This Date in History: Women & Churchmen
Thursday January 8, 2004
January 08, 1904: Pope Pius X issued an order prohibiting women from wearing low cut dresses in the presence of churchmen.
Iranians Divided on U.S. Offer of Quake Relief
Thursday January 8, 2004
When the Iranian city of Bam was devastated by earthquake, the government was happy to accept aid from countries all over the world, even including the United States. That, however, ... Read More
Vote "No" on Jesus
Thursday January 8, 2004
If Jesus were to return and run for public office - like, say, the presidency - would leaders of the Religious Right back him? Would they support his campaign and ... Read More
Atheists: Shut Up and Get Over It
Thursday January 8, 2004
Pat Boone may be a good musician, I honestly don't know, but his reasoning skills are rather poor. He made that evident when he write an editorial arguing that people ... Read More
Resisting Fascism
Thursday January 8, 2004
Recently Received: Alternatives to Hitler: German Resistance Under the Third Reich, by Hans Mommsen.
Most people are sadly unfamiliar with the many organized efforts to stop, if not topple, the Nazi ... Read More
Does evolution contradict creationism?
Wednesday January 7, 2004
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 is generally assumed that ... Read More
John Templeton on Church/State Separation
Wednesday January 7, 2004
Readers of this site should already be familiar with the views of Michael Novak when it comes to atheism and the separation of church and state: ignorant at best, malicious ... Read More
The Reason America Invaded Iraq
Wednesday January 7, 2004
Easy writes: As previously held notions about our reasons for invading Iraq have crumbled, new justifications for the invasion continually metamorphose. Public opinion about what we are doing there has ... Read More
Scientology Accused of Sabotaging Expose
Wednesday January 7, 2004
The Church of Scientology, whether in America or elsewhere in the world, does not take kindly to criticism. Few organizations do, of course, but Scientology is unusual in just how ... Read More
This Date in History: Teaching Creationism
Wednesday January 7, 2004
January 07, 2002: Denied: LeVake v. Independent School District The Supreme Court denied an appeal to hear a case brought by a Minnesota teacher alleging that being denied the opportunity ... Read More
Christian Salvation
Wednesday January 7, 2004
What do you need to do in order to be saved? In the context of Christianity, this may sound like a relatively easy question - just accept Jesus into your ... Read More
Religious Extremism in Kashmir
Wednesday January 7, 2004
The Kashmir region, fought over by Pakistan and India, has long been a place relatively tolerant of religious and ethnic differences - being cross-roads of cultures for centuries, that's exactly ... Read More
Orthodox Rabbis Discuss Homosexuality
Wednesday January 7, 2004
Communities of Orthodox and Ultra-Orthodox Jews, whether in Israel or in America, have generally been in denial about the presence of gays in their midst. This makes it very difficult ... Read More
Does evolution contradict religion?
Tuesday January 6, 2004
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 evolution contradicts religious beliefs. However, ... Read More
Gay Palestinians Seeking Refuge in Israel
Tuesday January 6, 2004
Although there are innumerable examples of Israel violating the civil rights of Palestinians, it shouldn't be assumed that everything Israel does is for the worse. In fact, there are times ... Read More
Dean's Jewish Wife: A Sign of Weak Faith
Tuesday January 6, 2004
As I reported here earlier, despite the claims of an ignorant few about Howard Dean being "godless," he is indeed a Christian who believes in the existence of a god. ... Read More
This Date in History: Celebrating Christmas
Tuesday January 6, 2004
January 06, 0548: This was the last year churches in Jerusalem observed the birth of Jesus on this date. The celebration of Christmas on December 25th began in the late ... Read More
Kuwait will not "Americanize" Textbooks
Tuesday January 6, 2004
Kuwaiti religious leaders have expressed outrage over the idea that politicians in that country might take steps to eliminate some of the violent and extremist rhetoric in school textbooks there. ... Read More
Bush: Jesus Loves You
Tuesday January 6, 2004
Florida's First Minister... er, I mean, Governor, has told the state's inmates that they answer "to a higher authority" and that Jesus loves them. All of this was in the ... Read More
The Bible as Textbook
Tuesday January 6, 2004
So, do you suppose that the Bible should be used as a textbook in public school classes? It's certainly legitimate to include the Bible in classes on Western history and ... Read More
Can God Exist?
Tuesday January 6, 2004
Recently Received: The Impossibility of God, edited by Michael Martin and Ricki Monnier.
Many debates focus upon whether God does exist and what sort of evidence might lead us to a ... Read More
Agnosticism and Commitment
Monday January 5, 2004
Many people treat agnosticism as a "non-committal" approach to the question of God's existence - this is why it is so often treated as though it were a "third way" ... Read More
Ann Coulter vs. Reality
Monday January 5, 2004
For some people, reality isn't a very pleasant place to be - there are so many bad things about reality that it is simply easier to flee reality in favor ... Read More
Poor, Persecuted Christians
Monday January 5, 2004
A lot of Christians in America - conservative, evangelical Christians that is - believe that they are an oppressed minority. This is strange, considering how they have so much political ... Read More
This Date in History: Protestant Martyrs
Monday January 5, 2004
January 05, 1527: Felix Manz, Swiss Anabaptist reformer, was executed by drowning as punishment for preaching adult (re-)baptism. This made Manz the first Protestant to be martyred by other Protestants.
Religion vs. Civil Rights
Monday January 5, 2004
Defenders of religion will often argue that religion (or at least their religion in particular) has played an important role in the development of civil rights. Unfortunately, religion also tends ... Read More
"Under God" is Unnecessary
Monday January 5, 2004
Those who defend the inclusion of the phrase "under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance don't do so based upon reasoned argument or the law, because neither can be mustered ... Read More
God and Empire
Monday January 5, 2004
Throughout human history, religion has always been invoked by politicians seeking to expand political power. God, it seems, is always on the side of the politically powerful - or at ... Read More
Agnosticism vs. Theism: What's the Difference?
Sunday January 4, 2004
Many people who adopt the label of agnostic assume that, in doing so, they also exclude themselves from the category of theist. There exists a common perception that agnosticism is ... Read More
When the Accused are the Victims
Sunday January 4, 2004
Accusations of ritual and Satanic sexual abuse were big news during the 1980s. Some people were convicted and many had their names drug through the mud, but when all was ... Read More
Rock Music's Last Gasp?
Sunday January 4, 2004
Newsflash writes: The original rock and roll musicians of the '50s listened to jazz, various kinds of blues, gospel, country and drew on all those sources. The significant musicians that ... Read More
Free Speech in France?
Sunday January 4, 2004
There is quite a lot of evidence that the media in America isn't entirely objective or free of bias, but what about the media elsewhere - are they "fair and ... Read More
This Date in History: Albert Camus
Sunday January 4, 2004
January 04, 1960: French existentialist philosophers and writerAlbert Camus died in a car accident.
Grand Imam: France Has Right To Ban Hijab
Sunday January 4, 2004
The recent decision of the French government to ban Muslim head coverings in public schools has sparked outrage all over the world. It has not, however, sparked outrage among all ... Read More
South Korea to Ban Human Cloning
Sunday January 4, 2004
Except in cases involving treatment for human fertility, human cloning experiments will be banned in South Korea. This is the principal goal of a bill recently passed by the National ... Read More
Cults and Religion
Sunday January 4, 2004
Recently Received: Encyclopedia of Cults, Sects, and New Religions, edited by James R. Lewis.
There are a tremendous number of "cults," perhaps better labeled "new religious movements," around the world and ... Read More
Standard Dictionaries on Agnosticism
Saturday January 3, 2004
To understand the concept of agnosticism, it can be helpful to learn a bit more about its history. It has been used in a variety of ways, not all of ... Read More
Tammy Faye (Bakker) Hosts Drag Queen Show
Saturday January 3, 2004
Tammy Faye Messner, once named Tammy Faye Bakker when she was married to televangelist Jim Bakker, hosted a drag queen show on Friday, January 2nd. Although it might sound odd ... Read More
Orson Scott Card: Criminalize Homosexual Behavior
Saturday January 3, 2004
Orson Scott Card is famous for his science fiction, but less well-known are his strong political and religious views. People may have recently read his laughable claims to being a ... Read More
This Date in History: Raelians & Cloning
Saturday January 3, 2004
January 03, 2003: Brigitte Boisselier, a chemist and CEO of Clonaid, held a press conference to announce that the previous day the second cloned human being had been born. Clonaid ... Read More
Conflict Over Pakistani Religious Schools
Saturday January 3, 2004
Islamic schools teaching a extremist and often violent brand of Islam have played an important role in the rise of Islamic extremism over recent years. Such extremism of usually either ... Read More
D.C. Mayor Criticized for Salvation Army Support
Saturday January 3, 2004
Private entities are allowed to discriminate in ways that public organizations, like the government, cannot. But what happens when the government partners with or otherwise supports private groups that discriminate ... Read More
Wiccan Inmate Denied Religious Rights
Saturday January 3, 2004
We don't normally hear about the situation for prison inmates who are adherents of minority religions, but when we do it seems as though they aren't accorded the same religious ... Read More
Intelligent Design: A Question of Fairness?
Friday January 2, 2004
There are those who, not really understanding science, think that it is a matter of "fairness" to present scientific and unscientific ideas side-by-side in science classes. I know, it makes ... Read More
God to Intervene for Bush
Friday January 2, 2004
According to David Frum, God will be voting for George W. Bush in the next election. Apparently, God doesn't only talk to Bush but also to Pat Robertson - because ... Read More
Wesley Clark on Church/State Separation
Friday January 2, 2004
For most atheists, an important issue when it comes to the presidential election is the candidates' position on the separation of church and state. It's not the only issue, that ... Read More
Jesus' True Colors
Friday January 2, 2004
There is some debate about what color Jesus' skin would have been. Traditionally Jesus has been portrayed as white - very, very, very white. Most scholars - and most people ... Read More
Official Sued Over Wiccan Sign Removal
Friday January 2, 2004
There is a definitely preference among many government officials for supporting Christianity and for displays of Christian symbols. It's OK to show state support for Christianity during Christmas, but it's ... Read More
Strong Agnosticism vs. Weak Agnosticism
Friday January 2, 2004
Agnosticism may simply be the state of not knowing whether any gods exist or not, but people can take this position for different reasons and apply it in different ways. ... Read More
Bush & Blair Slammed by Bishops
Friday January 2, 2004
The Archbishop of York David Hope, the Church of England's second most senior churchman, and Bishop of Durham Tom Wright and issues a blistering attack on the polices and morals ... Read More
Priests Ignoring Celibacy
Friday January 2, 2004
Celibacy has long been an important issue for the Roman Catholic Church - on the one hand as something which the clergy are expected to follow and, on the other ... Read More
This Date in History: Isaac Asimov
Friday January 2, 2004
January 02, 1920: Isaac Asimov was born.
Osama fin Laden
Friday January 2, 2004
I'll bet you didn't know that fish were dangerous item - so dangerous that small, live fish are not prohibited on airline flights? That's what Lara Hayhurst discovered when she ... Read More
Church-Switching Among Episcopalians
Friday January 2, 2004
There has been plenty of news about Anglicans and Episcopalians about the decision of the Episcopal church to approve the elevation of an openly gay man to the position of ... Read More
Religious Intolerance in Schools
Friday January 2, 2004
Intolerance and bigotry in public schools is a fact of life for many atheist students in America. They feel unable to express their true feelings because there are so many ... Read More
American Religious Extremism
Friday January 2, 2004
Recently Received: The Fundamentals of Extremism: The Christian Right in America, edited by Kimberly Blaker.
What do Christian fundamentalists in America want and why do they want it? Many people are ... Read More
Christians: Second-Class Citizens in Muslim Lands
Thursday January 1, 2004
Although the situation for Muslims in Western countries is sometimes difficult, it rarely reaches the point of official discrimination. That is not, however, always the case with Christians living in ... Read More
Martians Messing with Beagle 2?
Thursday January 1, 2004
Scientists have been unable to establish communication with the Beagle 2, a European probe sent to Mars to study the planet. Many fear that it might have crashed, but Dr. ... Read More
Zambia Cuts Ties with Episcopal Church
Thursday January 1, 2004
In yet another repudiation of the decision of the Episcopal Church to approve the consecration of an openly gay man to the position of bishop, the Anglican Church in Zambia ... Read More
Who's in Charge at the Vatican?
Thursday January 1, 2004
Everyone knows that Pope John Paul II is quite ill and having great difficulty - but what is uncertain is to what degree he is still in control of the ... Read More
Jewish Settlers Seek Support from Christians
Thursday January 1, 2004
Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has decided to start removing some of the illegal Jewish settlements in Palestinian territory. the Jewish settlers believe that they have a right to the ... Read More
What is Agnosticism?
Thursday January 1, 2004
So, what is the definition of agnosticism? Some imagine that agnosticism represents an alternative to atheism, but those people have typically bought into the mistaken notion of the single, narrow ... Read More
Invention of the Indian Rope Trick
Thursday January 1, 2004
It's likely that just about everyone has heard of the Indian Rope Trick: some length of rope is caused to go high up in the air, despite the lack of ... Read More
Jewish Turn to the GOP?
Thursday January 1, 2004
Traditionally in America, Jewish voters have overwhelmingly supported Democratic candidates for public office. The last time a Republican presidential candidate received even a plurality of Jewish votes was in 1920 ... Read More
This Date in History: Alternative Medicine
Thursday January 1, 2004
January 01, 1996: The Washington State law took effect that required every health insurance plan in the state to cover services provided by any licensed practitioner - this would include ... Read More
Pope Campaigns Against Gay Marriages
Thursday January 1, 2004
It should come as no surprise to anyone that Pope John Paul II is continuing his fight against any growth in the legalization of gay marriage. It seems unlikely that ... Read More
Satire: Christianity vs. Islam
Thursday January 1, 2004
People seem to make fun of Christians and Christianity more readily than they do of Muslims and Islam. Is this a sign of anti-Christian or pro-Islam bias? Perhaps - but ... Read More
Saudi Women Using Koran to Defend Rights
Thursday January 1, 2004
People in the West might be inclined to think that Muslim women in Saudi Arabia would not really be able to achieve equality and independence unless they are able to ... Read More