Board Ordered to Apologize to Atheist
Wednesday March 31, 2004
In December 2001, Tuscola County commissioners at a Board meeting "shouted down" Anonka, an atheist who was complaining about a Nativity scene erected on the courthouse lawn. That was, to ... Read More
Child Charged with Child Pornography - of Self!
Wednesday March 31, 2004
Laws against producing and distributing child pornography are quite understandable - they do, after all, represent a form of sexual exploitation of children. But how can a person be charged ... Read More
Fetal Rights in America
Wednesday March 31, 2004
Some observers have argued that supporters of abortion choice are being too extreme in that their desire to defend abortion rights leads them to defend unconscionable actions - for example, ... Read More
Gay Men's Counterattack on Marriage
Wednesday March 31, 2004
Tired of being denied their right to marry whom they wish, some gay men are preparing to launch a counter-attack on homophobic straight men - and they had better watch ... Read More
Gay Marriage Victory: Moon Leaving US
Wednesday March 31, 2004
It appears as though Rev. Sun Myung Moon is going home to South Korea. Again. Why this time? Because of the ruckus over gay marriage - he considers gays marrying ... Read More
What is Ash Wednesday?
Wednesday March 31, 2004
Falling forty days before Easter itself, Ash Wednesday is a day of fasting and abstinence which for Western Christians marks the beginning of the season of Lent. Read More...
Political Speech Squashed in Texas
Wednesday March 31, 2004
Have you ever worn a button expressing a political viewpoint? You probably shouldn't if you ever go down to Crawford, Texas, where President George W. Bush's ranch is located. There, ... Read More
"The Passion" Popular in Arab Countries. Guess Why.
Wednesday March 31, 2004
Is "The Passion" antisemitic? Defenders of Mel Gibson's movie say it isn't - but someone forgot to tell Arab Muslims audiences about that. It seems that its non-existent antisemitism is ... Read More
This Date in History: Judge Roy Moore
Wednesday March 31, 2004
March 31, 1995: The ACLU filed a complaint against Judge Roy Moore, charging that his display of Ten Commandments and his practice of initiating courtroom proceedings with a prayer, violate ... Read More
Don't Joke About Religion in India
Wednesday March 31, 2004
Joking about Hinduism and Indian religious beliefs, even if done without malice, can be a very dangerous risk. James W. Laine, an American professor of religious studies, discovered that when ... Read More
Genetic Mutation Led Indirectly to Larger Brains?
Wednesday March 31, 2004
Why do humans have so much bigger brains than other primates? That's a question which has consumed many researchers - but now they may have found an answer, and in ... Read More
Case Challenges Scientology Tax Break
Wednesday March 31, 2004
Should people get tax deductions for the cost of religious education? Typically the government says "no" because payment for religious education is payment for services, not a charitable donation. Somehow, ... Read More
Dembski's Religious Motivation
Tuesday March 30, 2004
Is so-called "Intelligent Design" a religious or a scientific movement? It tries to exist in the realm of science, but that doesn't make it scientific and it certainly doesn't mean ... Read More
Pickering: Conservative and Judicial Activist
Tuesday March 30, 2004
President George W. Bush and other conservatives complain about "activist judges" whose rulings on things like gay marriage are contrary to conservative principles. So when given a chance to appoint ... Read More
Scientology Split Cruise & Cruz?
Tuesday March 30, 2004
Tom Cruise is a big supporter of The Church of Scientology - and, in fact, his public support of Scientology has increased quite a bit in recent years. Associates are ... Read More
Catholic Publication Won't Run Seminar Ad
Tuesday March 30, 2004
One of the thorns in the side of the Catholic Church in America is the very vocal presence of several groups comprised of Catholics and which claim to work for ... Read More
Bill O'Reilly: Racist?
Tuesday March 30, 2004
Bill O'Reilly is a popular conservative commentator (at least he was until he acknowledged that he was skeptical of the Bush administration because of the failure to find Weapons of ... Read More
Buddhist Explains Opposition to "Under God"
Tuesday March 30, 2004
Defenders of the phrase "under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance like to attack atheists and pretend that the debate is one between religious believers and godless nonbelievers - completely ... Read More
Children Tortured as Witches in Angola
Tuesday March 30, 2004
Children in Africa - this time, Angola to be specific - continue to suffer unimaginably because they are easy marks for witchcraft accusations. Their own families will beat them, torture ... Read More
Southern Baptists vs. Baptists
Tuesday March 30, 2004
We need to keep in mind that "Southern Baptists" are not representative of all Baptists in America. Too often that basic fact gets lost, perhaps due to the fact that ... Read More
Defending "under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance
Tuesday March 30, 2004
The U.S. Supreme Court has heard oral arguments in the Pledge of Allegiance case, but for months conservative religious groups have been arguing in defense of the inclusion of the ... Read More
Hans Zeiger: Boy Scout for Religious Fascism?
Tuesday March 30, 2004
Some of those who defend the phrase "under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance do so by saying that it is devoid of any real religious content. Others, however, are ... Read More
Faith-Based Funding Battle in Maryland
Tuesday March 30, 2004
There is a battle brewing in Maryland over faith-based funding. Both the House and Senate have passed a provision that would prevent any religious charities from getting state grants without ... Read More
This Date in History: Accommodating Religious Practices
Tuesday March 30, 2004
March 30, 1977: Argued: Trans World Airlines v. Hardison The Supreme Court decided 7-2 that TWA went far enough in attempting to accommodate Hardison's religious beliefs and that the company ... Read More
Store Can't Sell Playboy Due to Sales Contract
Tuesday March 30, 2004
If you own a store, you probably figure that you can sell just about anything that a store can legally sell in your area. You might need a special license ... Read More
Science on Verge of Creating Life
Tuesday March 30, 2004
A common objection to evolution is that scientists have proven unable to create life from scratch - therefore, they don't understand enough about it in order to say that it ... Read More
World Journalism Institute
Tuesday March 30, 2004
Have you heard of the "World Journalism Institute"? Probably not. It's an organization of journalists committed to helping members "accurately" report "the work of God in today's world." In other ... Read More
Israel: Nothing Left to Lose
Monday March 29, 2004
Many people around the world may observe the actions of Israel and wonder what their government must be thinking - from the building of the wall between themselves and the ... Read More
Political Hate Crime on Anti-Bush Blogger
Monday March 29, 2004
A group of violent right-wingers drove all the way from Kansas to Atlanta to beat a man, rape him with a sawed-off broomstick, and hold a knife up to his ... Read More
The Bible and the Public Square
Monday March 29, 2004
To what degree should the Bible - and, let's be honest here, particular Christian interpretations of specific biblical passages - guide public policy? David Brooks thinks that "Whether you believe ... Read More
The Immanent Demise of Evolution
Monday March 29, 2004
Is evolution about to go the way of the Dodo bird, overtaken by the more fit alliance of Young Earth Creationism and Intelligent Design? It would be ironic, if true ... Read More
Utah: Too Intolerant for Some Businesses?
Monday March 29, 2004
Would you be happy if your company moved to Utah? Would you be as likely to take a job with a company located in Utah as you would in other ... Read More
Southern Baptists on Disney and Politicians
Monday March 29, 2004
Southern Baptist leaders do not restrict their conservative pronouncements to decisions about what should happen within their own religious organization. They also seek to have similar influence throughout society - ... Read More
Hamas Chief: Bush is "Enemy of God"
Monday March 29, 2004
President George W. Bush and his fellow Republicans like to style themselves as the most religious and most godly of Americans. They frequently make references to the idea that God ... Read More
Bibles Distributed in Public School
Monday March 29, 2004
It's really difficult to understand why some people do the things they do. You would think that public school officials would realize that if the separation of church and state ... Read More
This Date in History: Contraception for Married Couples
Monday March 29, 2004
March 29, 1965: Argued: Griswold v. Connecticut Connecticut's laws against distribution of contraceptives and contraceptive information to married couples are struck down, with the Court relying on earlier precedent involving ... Read More
Scout Supports Nondiscrimination, is Kicked Out
Monday March 29, 2004
It seems that there is just no limit to the bigotry and prejudice at the Boy Scouts of America. Not only will they exclude atheists and gays because such people ... Read More
Kerry Exploited Bible, Scripture?
Monday March 29, 2004
In a recent speech John Kerry made allusions to religious scripture in a criticism of President Bush's administration. According to a spokesman for President Bush's reelection campaign, it was "was ... Read More
Muslims and Christians Unite Against Alcohol
Monday March 29, 2004
There is a long tradition in America of Christians working to oppose the sale and use of alcohol, although that is something which has waned in terms of publicity and ... Read More
Southern Baptist on Jews & Mormons
Sunday March 28, 2004
Validating misogyny wasn't the only popular activity at the Southern Baptist Convention in 1998. Other events included "Convert the Jews," and "Convert the Mormons," and "Hate Disney." Read More...
High Price for Naughty Words
Sunday March 28, 2004
It is a mistake to judge the actions of the Bush administration in complete isolation. To understand the administrations policies, premises, and ideology is necessary to juxtapose different things and ... Read More
Crack Night in the Ferret Hut!
Sunday March 28, 2004
Doug writes: Uh, I don't know what it means either, but it sure made me laugh. It's from a perfectly atrocious article from Townhall.com author Doug Giles entitled "Conservatives With ... Read More
Does the Next Pope Matter?
Sunday March 28, 2004
It's undeniable that the health of the current pope is getting worse and that his time on the throne can't be all that long. Catholic leaders are, quite naturally, giving ... Read More
This Date in History: Dalai Lama
Sunday March 28, 2004
March 28, 1959: In a violation of Tibetan political and religious autonomy, which they had pledged to uphold, the Chinese government dissolved the Tibetan government and replaced the Dalai Lama ... Read More
Religious Persecution and Passion in America
Sunday March 28, 2004
Conservative Christians of all denominations continually talk as though there were persecuted in America - which others find awfully strange, considering how much power and influence they generally have. For ... Read More
Intelligent Design Howlers
Sunday March 28, 2004
Any resource from members of the so-called "Intelligent" Design movement can be a fun read if you enjoy picking out errors and misrepresentations - scientific, mathematical, and logical. Unfortunately, the ... Read More
Weekly Quote: Russell on Meaning and Definitions
Sunday March 28, 2004
Everything is vague to a degree you do not realize till you have tried to make it precise.
- Bertrand Russell, "The Philosophy of Logical Atomism"
Read More: Russell on Meaning and ... Read More
History of Iraq: Timeline of Events, 3500 BCE - 2004 CE
Saturday March 27, 2004
This chronology lists some of the major events which have defined the course of Iraqi history: wars, coups, births, deaths, and assassinations. The period covered begins with ancient Mesopotamia, goes ... Read More
Colorado's Anti-Art Bill
Saturday March 27, 2004
Art is a difficult subject - it frequently challenges people's ideas, beliefs, and principles in ways that are very visceral and difficult to answer. Nudity in art is an especially ... Read More
Biblical "Western" from Mel Gibson
Saturday March 27, 2004
Mel Gibson's move "The Passion" has been very successful and will make him a ton of money - so it's only natural that he would look to another biblical story ... Read More
This Date in History: Follett v. Town of McCormick
Saturday March 27, 2004
March 27, 1944: Decided: Follett v. Town of McCormick Should people who earn their living by selling or distributing religious materials be required to pay the same licensing fees and ... Read More
Anti-Christian "Passion of Christ"
Saturday March 27, 2004
A common complaint raised by defenders of Mel Gibson's movie "The Passion" is that critics of the movie are actually motivated by anti-Christian and anti-Jesus bias. They so hate and/or ... Read More
Science & Imperfect Knowledge
Saturday March 27, 2004
People like certainty and they like to have absolute and certain truths to hold on to. Science is the most reliable means we have for arriving at truth, but unfortunately ... Read More
Translating "The Passion"
Saturday March 27, 2004
One of the "selling points" of Mel Gibson's movie "The Passion" is supposed to be its historical realism - for example, the use of original languages (Aramaic and Latin) with ... Read More
The Importance of Replication
Friday March 26, 2004
One of the most important things in science is the ability to replicate one's findings. Replication by other, independent labs and researchers is a key means for being able to ... Read More
Ron Howard to Make Film of "Da Vinci Code"
Friday March 26, 2004
Mel Gibson is making a bucket of money from his movie "The Passion," but will similar box office success come with a film adaptation of the popular novel "The Da ... Read More
Mandatory Church Attendance
Friday March 26, 2004
If the state contracts with a religious organization to provide a government service, can that organization force its religion on the citizens it serves? That's what some groups want to ... Read More
Naturalism in Science
Friday March 26, 2004
One of the most common complaints that fundamentalists and evangelicals have about modern science is its focus on naturalism. Working scientists adopt a naturalistic worldview when seeking causes for events ... Read More
Pledge of Allegiance as Loyalty Oath
Friday March 26, 2004
What does the Pledge of Allegiance really mean? Defenders tend to adopt two contradictory positions. On the one hand, they act as though it were a crucial aspect of developing ... Read More
Southern Baptists and the Role of Wives
Friday March 26, 2004
At least 8,000 delegates attended the 141st annual Southern Baptist Convention in Salt Lake City, Utah in 1998. The focal point of that year's convention was a revision of the ... Read More
Life Imprisonment for Being Gay
Friday March 26, 2004
Being gay in Zanzibar may be about to get a lot more dangerous: the government is looking at legislation which, if passed, would impose a sentence of life imprisonment for ... Read More
The Right to Read
Friday March 26, 2004
Do you have a right to read? Of course you do - books are available for reading all over the place. It sounds silly to suggest that people don't have ... Read More
This Date in History: Evangelium Vitae
Friday March 26, 2004
March 26, 1995: In the encyclical Evangelium Vitae, Pope John Paul II ordered all Catholic voters, judges, and legislators to obey Vatican teaching in their decisions and votes: "In the ... Read More
Evangelical Roots of American Unilateralism
Friday March 26, 2004
Perhaps one of the more outstanding features of the Bush administration's foreign policy has been its strong unilateral nature - not even his father went to such lengths. This can ... Read More
Ban on Dad's "Gay Lifestyle" Reversed
Friday March 26, 2004
Some time ago Joseph Hogue, a divorced gay father, was placed under a court restraining order that forbade him from exposing his son "to his gay lover(s) and/or gay ... Read More
If Not "Under God," Then What?
Thursday March 25, 2004
When did "god" become a constitutional issue? That's what some conservative writers ask - not realizing, it appears, that people's notions about "god" and "religion" have been constitutional issues since ... Read More
Georgia House: Ban Genital Piercing for Women
Thursday March 25, 2004
In a Georgia bill outlawing female genital mutilation, some bright representative decided to insert an amendment banning genital piercing as well - thus requiring the same 2 to 20 year ... Read More
Why Fundamentalists Hate Gay Marriage
Thursday March 25, 2004
In the United States, fundamentalist and evangelical Christians are doing all they can to ensure that gay couples are never able to enjoy the full benefits of marriage. More than ... Read More
Tutu's Warning About Fundamentalism
Thursday March 25, 2004
Concern about the rise of fundamentalism around the world is not limited to secularists - religious believers, too, sometimes express their concern. Liberal believers may agree with fundamentalists on some ... Read More
Full Faith and Credit for Gay Marriages? No.
Thursday March 25, 2004
People who want a constitutional amendment to ban gay marriages fear that if one state authorizes gay marriages, then all states will be forced to accept gay marriages - even ... Read More
Electing the Next Pope: Who Becomes Pope?
Thursday March 25, 2004
Technically, any Catholic male who has reached the age of reason, is not a heretic, is not in schism, and is not "notorious" for simony can be elected pope - ... Read More
Safire Admits: Newdow is Right!
Thursday March 25, 2004
It's rare to see a nationally known conservative writer agree with atheists like this - but William Safire has specifically stated that Micheal Newdow is correct in his argument that ... Read More
The Case for War in Iraq
Thursday March 25, 2004
A forum member writes: I would agree with you to some extent, although a small extent, that getting rid of Saddam for humanitarian reasons makes a better case for war ... Read More
Oregon County Bans All Marriage
Thursday March 25, 2004
Gay couples aren't allowed to marry; in some communities, this has prompted local governments to issue marriage licenses for them anyway, arguing that anti-discrimination laws require that they be treated ... Read More
This Date in History: Roman Catholics in America
Thursday March 25, 2004
March 25, 1634: The Roman Catholic Church made its first steps in North America when the colony ships "Dove" and "Ark" arrived in Maryland with 128 Catholic colonists. The members ... Read More
Report on Oral Arguments at Newdow
Thursday March 25, 2004
You probably know that Michael Newdow's oral arguments before the Supreme Court are over now, which means that the justices will be deliberating his claim that the phrase "under God" ... Read More
Robo-Christ
Thursday March 25, 2004
Coming soon to save all of the toasters and Playstations from their sins, it's Robo-Christ! Yes, Robo-Christ suffered system malfunctions and kernel panics - all leading to the terrible Blue ... Read More
Right-Wing Slime and Smear Over Evolution
Thursday March 25, 2004
When one normally reads about a "slime and smear" campaign conducted by far-right writers, it's usually in a political context - for example, portraying someone as anti-American and unpatriotic because ... Read More
"Choose Life" Plates Ruled Unconstitutional
Wednesday March 24, 2004
In 2001 North Carolina approve of the creation of "Choose Life" specialty license plates, thus giving those opposed to legal abortion a means of expressing their views with aid of ... Read More
Islam Teaching Antisemitism
Wednesday March 24, 2004
Islamic antisemitism is a serious matter which Muslims need to address, and soon. Unfortunately, there seems to be a tendency to deny either than antisemitism exists or that there is ... Read More
Council Blasted for Web Link to Pagan Site
Wednesday March 24, 2004
Prejudice against pagans is still alive and well in Britain, where a Tory politician has blasted the decision of the Waltham Forest Council to include a link to the Pagan ... Read More
Marketing Mainline Christianity
Wednesday March 24, 2004
Mainline Protestant Christian churches have been declining in numbers for the past several decades - at the same time, fundamentalist and evangelical churches have been increasing in numbers, power, and ... Read More
Neo-Manichean Vision of Jesus
Wednesday March 24, 2004
In Manichean theology, this world is a world of darkness ruled by Satan - for those who are of this world, there is no hope, forgiveness, compassion, or mercy possible. ... Read More
Christian Violence & Christian Cults
Wednesday March 24, 2004
No account of Christian violence in America would be complete without including some of the acts perpetrated by small groups usually known as "cults." I deplore stereotyping of cults - ... Read More
Mississippi: Ban on Sale of Sex Toys Upheld
Wednesday March 24, 2004
In 2003, a federal appeals court stuck down a ban on the commercial distribution of sex toys in Alabama, ruling that "The fundamental right of privacy, long recognised by the ... Read More
Woman Refuses Caesarian Section, Charged with Murder
Wednesday March 24, 2004
Doug writes: Let's take a look at what we are really talking about here. One human that is being legally required to undergo a medical procedure (a serious one at ... Read More
Mayor Seeks "Godly, Righteous People" for Elected Office
Wednesday March 24, 2004
In Davie, Florida, religion has become a serious political issue: two days before March elections, Mayor Tom Truex went to the Calvary Chapel Sawgrass to urge people to vote based ... Read More
This Date in History: Joseph Smith
Wednesday March 24, 2004
March 24, 1832: Mormon leader Joseph Smith was beaten, tarred and feathered in Ohio.
Fairbanks to Keep Ten Commandments in City Hall
Wednesday March 24, 2004
Faced with a complaint about a framed copy of the Ten Commandments hung in council chambers by a local resident, Fairbanks Mayor Steve Thompson's response to the ACLU was basically: ... Read More
Congressional Overrides of Supreme Court Decisions?
Wednesday March 24, 2004
Congress regularly expresses outrage whenever it passes a law the Supreme Court strikes down as unconstitutional. This is only natural - after all, laws only pass in Congress because a ... Read More
Fighting the Pledge of Allegiance
Wednesday March 24, 2004
Although most of the people who wish to keep the phrase "under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance are religious, we shouldn't forget that plenty of religious people support the ... Read More
Pledge Ruling: Legal, but Unappealing
Tuesday March 23, 2004
People have complained about the Ninth Circuit Court's ruling against the addition of the phrase "under God" to the Pledge of Allegiance, but what critics have failed to do is ... Read More
Innocent & Sent to Jail - Then Charged for Expenses!
Tuesday March 23, 2004
It is a sad and unfortunate fact that, sometimes, innocent people are sent to jail. Sometimes this is due to honest errors and, sometimes, due to corruption in the government. ... Read More
The Protocols of Mel Gibson
Tuesday March 23, 2004
Is there anything antisemitic about Mel Gibson's movie "The Passion"? Perhaps a better question might be: is there anything about it that isn't antisemitic? It might be impolite to criticize ... Read More
Hiding Hatred Behind Tradition
Tuesday March 23, 2004
Gay marriage is an important issue for the Christian Right in America - they often rely on "cultural" conservative issues like abortion, evolution, and the use of the Confederate flag, ... Read More
Electing the Next Pope: Continuity vs. Discontinuity
Tuesday March 23, 2004
One question which faces every conclave and which plays an important role in every election is: do the cardinals want another pope in the same mold as the previous and ... Read More
Reconsidering Women in the Military
Tuesday March 23, 2004
The Christian Right and conservatives generally don't seem to like having women serve combat functions in the American military. The image of women as warriors contradicts - in a massive ... Read More
Council Passes on Good Friday Resolution
Tuesday March 23, 2004
Because of the dominance of Christianity in America, public holidays have frequently matched Christian holidays - regardless of whether everyone in a given area was Christian or not. Lately that ... Read More
This Date in History: John Doyle Lee
Tuesday March 23, 2004
March 23, 1877: John Doyle Lee, a Mormon fanatic, was executed by a firing squad, Lee had masterminded a massacre of Arkansas Methodist emigrants in 1857. In the "Mountain Meadows ... Read More
Transsexuals and Marriage in Kansas
Tuesday March 23, 2004
Hopefully the debate over gay marriage has caused people to stop and reconsider the nature of marriage generally. One of the issues which rarely receives any attention is the situation ... Read More
Ranch Forced Religion on Teens?
Tuesday March 23, 2004
Whenever the government pays religious groups to perform public services, they run the risk that those groups will inject religion into their work. That wouldn't be a problem if they ... Read More
Playing God: What's Wrong With It?
Tuesday March 23, 2004
Quite often we hear objections to new biotechnology, biological research, or medical treatments which are predicated upon the idea that humans "shouldn't play God." The idea is, apparently, that it ... Read More
Howard Stern, Oprah Winfrey, and Indecency
Monday March 22, 2004
I've written before about the problems Howard Stern has had with the FCC - problems which all started after he began to criticized President Bush on the air. Now it ... Read More
Appeasing an Angry God
Monday March 22, 2004
In order to better understand why Mel Gibson made the choices he did when creating his movie "The Passion" and why it has resonated so much with some Christians, it ... Read More
Silence About Islamic Antisemitism
Monday March 22, 2004
Quite a lot has been written on the subject of antisemitism, but almost nothing has been written about the fastest growing and probably largest problem of antisemitism in the world: ... Read More
Is Science Prejudiced Against Theism?
Monday March 22, 2004
Intelligent Design not only isn't real science, it isn't even honest scholarship. This includes both those who actively do "Intelligent Design" research and those who try to defend it. One ... Read More
Save Marriage? It's Too Late
Monday March 22, 2004
When opponents of gay marriage speak out, they don't usually make mention of their larger conservative agenda to turn back the clock on sexual matters in America. This is probably ... Read More
Electing the Next Pope: Method of Voting
Monday March 22, 2004
Naturally, there is a real desire not only to prevent cheating and tampering, but also to prevent people from knowing who has voted for whom. Election can occur via acclamation ... Read More
Christians Target Gay/Straight Club
Monday March 22, 2004
Fundamentalists and conservative evangelicals really seem to have presence of any student groups in public schools which are associated with gays and gay rights. It appears that they regard such ... Read More
Christian Censorship in Georgia
Monday March 22, 2004
Stories like this seem to come from Georgia more often than from other places. In Bartow County, Georgia, the Board of Education has been asked by a group of Christian ... Read More
This Date in History: Contraception for Unmarried Couples
Monday March 22, 2004
March 22, 1972: Decided: Eisenstadt v. Baird The right of people to have and know about contraceptives was expanded by the Supreme Court to unmarried couples because the right of ... Read More
Lesbian Pastor Acquitted in Church Trial
Monday March 22, 2004
In 2001, Rev. Karen Dammann of the United Methodist Church came out as a lesbian and she has been living with her partner for nine years. Some argue that being ... Read More
Hamas Leader Killed
Monday March 22, 2004
Hamas has long been one of the leading terrorist groups against Israel and Israeli officials have long sought to strike back against Hamas leaders - especially the religious leaders. Killing ... Read More
Dominionist Backing of Constitution Restoration Act
Monday March 22, 2004
I reported here earlier about how Judge Roy Moore isn't concerned about whether gay marriages are banned in the Constitution and speculated that this proposed "Constitution Restoration Act" might have ... Read More
Electing the Next Pope: Who Votes?
Sunday March 21, 2004
In the earliest years, the Bishop of Rome was elected by the parish priests of the city of Rome, but he also had to be accepted by the people generally ... Read More
Extraterrestrial Life: Unbiblical
Sunday March 21, 2004
If life were discovered somewhere other than Earth, would that pose any problems for traditional religion. For many, it probably wouldn't be a problem at all. For those who adhere ... Read More
Anti-Atheist Ignorance
Sunday March 21, 2004
It's always somewhat depressing to see someone spreading misinformation and myths about atheism - always the same misinformation and same myths, too. One would think that a person writing about ... Read More
This Date in History: William Miller
Sunday March 21, 2004
March 21, 1843: Preacher William Miller of Massachusetts predicted the world would end on this date. Obviously, the world did not end, but Miller's ideas led to the creation of ... Read More
They Know Not What They Watch: "The Passion" On Campus
Sunday March 21, 2004
Some have hoped that Mel Gibson's "The Passion" movie could be useful for teaching about religion and religious differences. Christians might learn why others would see antisemitism in such a ... Read More
Intelligent Design of Tumors
Sunday March 21, 2004
Defenders of Intelligent Design, other forms of creationism, and the "argument to design" (as a proof of the existence of God) commonly point to the complexity of life as evidence ... Read More
Weekly Quote: Spinoza on Philosophy & Faith
Sunday March 21, 2004
Philosophy has no end in view save truth; faith looks for nothing but obedience and piety.
- Baruch Spinoza, Tractatus Theologico-Politicus (1670)
Read More: Spinoza on Philosophy & Faith
Electing the Next Pope: The Conclave
Saturday March 20, 2004
Voting for a new pope occurs in what is known as a "conclave," which literally means "with a key." The term stems from the fact that the voting cardinals have ... Read More
Mel Gibson's Celluloid Brutality
Saturday March 20, 2004
Some charge that Mel Gibson's movie "The Passion," but defenders are certain that that cannot be the case unless the gospels themselves are antisemitic. This, however, assumes that both the ... Read More
More on Woman Appointed to Vatican Academy
Saturday March 20, 2004
A few days ago I reported on Mary Ann Glendon, a Harvard Law School professor who has been appointed to the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences - the first woman ... Read More
This Date in History: Under God
Saturday March 20, 2004
March 20, 2003: The United States House of Representatives voted 400-7 to condemn the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals decision not to reconsider its ruling that the addition of the ... Read More
Marriage vs. Civil Unions
Saturday March 20, 2004
Some people would like to see full marriage for gays legalized. Others would simply like to see "civil unions" for gay couples made available. But what's the difference? Is it ... Read More
Honor Killings
Saturday March 20, 2004
In some cultures, men exercise power through the abuse of women - and the most extreme form this seems to take is in so-called "honor killings." According to those who ... Read More
Campaigning on Religious Bigotry - it works!
Saturday March 20, 2004
More than once on this site I have criticized the tendency of some politicians to use religion as a political cudgel, hoping that it will further divide the electorate and ... Read More
Undermining Judicial Independence
Friday March 19, 2004
Judges are supposed to judge, right? Isn't that the whole purpose of the position? And the judiciary is considered a third and independent branch of government which can make independent ... Read More
Astrologers on New Planetoid
Friday March 19, 2004
It looks like astronomers may have discovered a tenth planet - or at least a "planetoid," depending upon where one stands on the debate about how big an object has ... Read More
Islamism vs. Democracy
Friday March 19, 2004
There has been some discussion lately about how to establish democratic systems and institutions in the Arab world - specifically Iraq, of course, but also in other nations. To what ... Read More
WMDs in the Culture Wars
Friday March 19, 2004
Howard Stern was taken off of Clear Channel's radio stations allegedly because of decency violations - and it must be admitted that Stern's shows push the envelope of decency, at ... Read More
Boy Scout Leader Convicted of Molestation
Friday March 19, 2004
The Boy Scouts of America has a strong interest in protecting the boys placed in their care. That, supposedly, is why they don't allow atheists and gays to join or ... Read More
Electing the Next Pope: What Happens to the Old Pope?
Friday March 19, 2004
Well, first the old pope must be declared dead - after all, you can't elect a new pope while the old one is still alive. In a ceremony performed by ... Read More
Polygamy and Homosexuality at the UN
Friday March 19, 2004
Should the partners of gay employees at the United Nations get the same benefits as regular spouses? Some thinks so, but a group of 50 Muslim nations - joined by ... Read More
Madness of the Iraqi Constitution
Friday March 19, 2004
Have you heard the news? The Iraqi Constitution contains all sorts of unacceptable provisions which should never be approved by the American administrators there. These provisions would cause spasms of ... Read More
This Date in History: Invasion of Iraq
Friday March 19, 2004
March 19, 2003: American and British ground forces invade Iraq via Kuwait in the second Gulf War, this time with the goal of ousting Saddam Hussein and his Baathist government ... Read More
John Gray Sues Blogger?
Friday March 19, 2004
Last year I reported on how the credentials of John Gray have been questioned. Gray's book Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus have made him an international celebrity, ... Read More
McDonald's Bans Arabic?
Friday March 19, 2004
American fast-food restaurant chain McDonald's had a presence all over the world - but in some places, it has some strange policies. In Israel, for example, it has apparently banned ... Read More
Religious Discrimination Through Proportional Representation
Friday March 19, 2004
As I noted the other day, the Manatee County School Board is once again embroiled in controversy over its insistence on promoting and endorsing Christianity. They seem to think ... Read More
Aggressors in the Culture Wars
Thursday March 18, 2004
One of the arguments used against the legalization of gay marriage is that it would force good, god-fearing Christians to "accept" homosexuality as "normal" even though they regard it as ... Read More
Hindu Perspective on Mel Gibson's "Passion"
Thursday March 18, 2004
What do members of other religions think about Mel Gibson's movie "The Passion"? We've heard from Jews, Orthodox Christians, fundamentalist Christians, and Catholics - but do members of other faiths ... Read More
Nun Writes About Lesbians, Cardinal Won't Confer Ph.D.
Thursday March 18, 2004
Sister Christina Cathro may or may not be gay, she doesn't say, but her doctoral thesis was called "Listening for the Echo: Contribution of Lesbians' Journeys to Spiritual Direction and ... Read More
"The Passion" As Campaign Ad
Thursday March 18, 2004
President Bush should fight this campaign on religious faith, and he should fight it in a way that shows just how intolerant and bigoted Leftists are about religion.
Bruce Walker ... Read More
"Vampire Slayer" Shoots Man
Thursday March 18, 2004
The notion that vampires exist may be ridiculous, but no more so than the notion that there are demons and devils running around causing problems as well. Unfortunately, one many ... Read More
19th Century Popes
Thursday March 18, 2004
There have been nine popes over the course of the 19th century - find out who they were, what they did, what they believed, and what impact they had on ... Read More
Dress-up Jesus
Thursday March 18, 2004
Any idea, however wonderful or tacky, can make a person rich in America if they happen to be clever (or lucky) enough to hit upon something people will pay for. ... Read More
No Loan for Disabled Vet & Same-Sex Partner
Thursday March 18, 2004
Marilyn Riedel is a disabled veteran who has trouble moving, drinking and eating. Probably the only reason she doesn't live in a medical facility is that she has a partner ... Read More
This Date in History: Frederick II
Thursday March 18, 2004
March 18, 1229: Frederick II crowned himself king of Jerusalem in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Frederick had promised Pope Honorius III that he would go on a Crusade ... Read More
No Job Protections for Gays in Government
Thursday March 18, 2004
I reported earlier about how Republican appointee Scott J. Bloch, the head of the Office of Special Counsel, (the agency that is supposed to protect government whistleblowers and others from ... Read More
Tennessee County to Ban Gays
Thursday March 18, 2004
If people are at all familiar with Dayton, Tennessee, located in ultra-conservative Rhea County, it is because of its role as the site of the famous "Scopes Monkey Trial" which ... Read More
Federal Marriage Amendment: Trojan Horse?
Thursday March 18, 2004
Opponents of gay marriage are going to a lot of effort to support a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage - which is perhaps a little odd, if all they want ... Read More
Communion for Pets?
Wednesday March 17, 2004
People receive communion, but pets? How about benedictions or special religious services for them? Not normally, but some churches are so desperate to attract people that they have begun to ... Read More
Massachusetts Episcopals on Gay Marriage
Wednesday March 17, 2004
Many in Massachusetts are upset over the prospect of that state legalizing gay marriages, but others are not - and that includes some religious leaders. The Episcopal diocese in Massachusetts ... Read More
Paid Government Propaganda on Medicare
Wednesday March 17, 2004
When you watch a news report, you expect it to be an independent source of information, right? Granted, the reporters might be biased in some fashion, but at least they ... Read More
Vandalizing the Ten Commandments
Wednesday March 17, 2004
Some people will do almost anything to help the government display the Ten Commandments; others, however, will do almost anything to stop those displays - in Indiana, at least. Stephen ... Read More
Polish Criticism of Gibson's "The Passion"
Wednesday March 17, 2004
I've been curious about how Mel Gibson's movie "The Passion" will be received outside America. In Canada so far, it doesn't seem to have done very well. It has also ... Read More
Christian Violence: Early History
Wednesday March 17, 2004
Although it is often argued that violence during Christian history is simply an aberration which results from people who twisted the original Christian message, that may not be entirely true. ... Read More
John Kerry, Gay Marriage, and Annulments
Wednesday March 17, 2004
Likely Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry has refused to support legalizing gay marriage, preferring instead to back non-marriage "civil unions" for gays. Kerry's own marital background is rather interesting, however ... Read More
Obesity, Food, and Lawsuits
Wednesday March 17, 2004
Eric writes: Obesity is a major health problem in the US. Some groups wish to sue fast food companies for their contribution to the problem (apparently not properly labeling and ... Read More
Deal Near on Muslim Military Chaplain?
Wednesday March 17, 2004
Not too long ago, a hot topic in the news was the allegation that Army Captain James Yee, a Muslim chaplain at Guantanamo Bay, had engaged in espionage. Conservatives were ... Read More
This Date in History: Pat Robertson & Secularism
Wednesday March 17, 2004
March 17, 2003: Speaking on the 700 Club, Pat Robertson expressed his support for the separation of church and state when the "church" in question involved a religion other than ... Read More
Cardinal Egan Targets Gay Marriage
Wednesday March 17, 2004
The Roman Catholic Church is, naturally, opposed to gay marriage - even though no proposals would require them to perform such marriages in their churches. They believe that their ... Read More
Arafat Won't Crack Down On Terrorism
Wednesday March 17, 2004
Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat is supposed to be a "partner" in achieving peace in the Middle East. But if that is the case, then why is he acting to ... Read More
Judge Roy Moore Does Not Support the FMA
Wednesday March 17, 2004
Alabama's theocratic judge, Roy Moore, is a popular figure for the Christian Right and it may come as a surprise to some that he opposes the effort to pass the ... Read More
Christian Right and American Theocracy
Tuesday March 16, 2004
There are quite a few people in America who would like to turn this nation into a theocracy. Some want a complete change - one that would institute laws that ... Read More
Questioning Saudi Wahhabism
Tuesday March 16, 2004
Wahhabi Islam, born in the harsh sands of the Arabian desert and currently financed by the oil wealth of the Saudi royal family, may be one of the most powerful ... Read More
Orthodox Perspective on Gibson's "Passion"
Tuesday March 16, 2004
A variety of religious perspectives have been presented about Mel Gibson's movie "The Passion" - but what about the Orthodox Christian Church? They are as much Christian as anyone else, ... Read More
Church Youth Group Sees Bootleg "Passion"
Tuesday March 16, 2004
The youth pastor at Abundant Life Tabernacle Church in Gary, Indiana, was so excited about Mel Gibson's movie "The Passion" that he just couldn't wait to show it to the ... Read More
People Divided about "under God"
Tuesday March 16, 2004
There is a lot of disagreement about whether the phrase "under God" should remain in the Pledge of Allegiance. Some atheists don't mind that it is there and some Christians ... Read More
20th Century Popes
Tuesday March 16, 2004
There have been nine popes over the course of the 20th century - find out who they were, what they did, what they believed, and what impact they had on ... Read More
Muslim Calls for Death for Gays
Tuesday March 16, 2004
In New Zealand, Triangle Televisi