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