Judges’ Oath Unconstitutional?
Tuesday August 31, 2004
The oath required of all federal judges and justices ends with "So help me God." That sounds like a religious test, doesn't it? If so, doesn't that make the oath ... Read More
Being a Humanist
Tuesday August 31, 2004
Knowing about humanism isn't necessarily the same as understanding humanism - in particular, it doesn't tell you what is necessary for being a humanist. So what does it mean to ... Read More
Jihad Magazine for Women
Tuesday August 31, 2004
Islamic extremism is usually discussed in the context of men. Islam is a religion dominated by the male point of view and that goes doubly for Islamic extremism. Extremist leaders ... Read More
Gay Marriage: Unlawful, Lawless
Tuesday August 31, 2004
Many of those who argue against gay marriage insist that unions between people of the same sex violates some sort of natural order in the universe. Unfortunately, they aren't able ... Read More
This Date in History: Palestine
Tuesday August 31, 2004
August 31, 1947: The UN special committee on Palestine votes to recommend that the British Mandate of Palestine end and that the region should be divided into two states, one ... Read More
Georgia: UGA Coach Fired for Religious Discrimination
Tuesday August 31, 2004
One of the problems with teachers and other school administrators bringing religion into school is that they have so much power and authority over students that their religious actions can ... Read More
Anti-Gay Republican Outed as Gay, Resigns
Tuesday August 31, 2004
U.S. Rep. Edward L. Schrock of Virginia is a staunch Republican who has received a score of 92% from the Christian Coalition and who has been a strong backer of ... Read More
Arkansas: Broader Ban Against School Meeting Payers
Tuesday August 31, 2004
The 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has insisted that prayers during school staff meetings don't simply have to stop because they offend someone - they have to stop because ... Read More
Political Illusions
Tuesday August 31, 2004
Recently Received: History and Illusion in Politics, by Raymond Geuss.
Fundamental to the western concept of state, authority, and history is the notion of universal human rights. Governments are conceived upon ... Read More
Greece Wants Elgin Marbles Back
Monday August 30, 2004
The Olympics are over and the Greeks are sorry about one particular absence: the Elgin Marbles. Removed from the Acropolis at the beginning of the 19th century, the are priceless ... Read More
Abortion Protestors Terrorize Wrong Family
Monday August 30, 2004
An increasingly common tactic of anti-abortion activists is to picket and hold demonstrations at the homes of those associated with abortions - abortion doctors, nurses, and people who work with ... Read More
Massachusetts: Bombing at Stem-Cell Lab
Monday August 30, 2004
Domestic terrorism doesn't get a lot of press coverage when it can't be connected to Muslims. Actual bombings are less interesting than alleged plots involving mosques - that's the only ... Read More
Anti-Gay Invocation at GOP Convention
Monday August 30, 2004
Major Christian Right leaders like Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson may be missing from the Republican Convention in New York City, but that doesn't mean that the Christian Right isn't ... Read More
Canada: Jehovah’s Witnesses Being Sued
Monday August 30, 2004
Jehovah's Witnesses don't believe in using blood products, including blood transfusions. This sometimes leads to a person dying who could have otherwise been saved and, in the case of the ... Read More
What is Humanism?
Monday August 30, 2004
At its most basic, humanism involves any concern with humans (including human needs, human desires, and human experiences) first and foremost. Often, this also translates into giving human beings a ... Read More
Republicans Blackballing Hardball?
Monday August 30, 2004
Chris Matthews, host of the MSNBC show Hardball, asked some very tough questions of Republicans recently and demonstrated how they used creative editing a Hardball interview with Kerry in order ... Read More
Discussion: Political Slime Tactics
Monday August 30, 2004
A forum member writes: The corpse of Lee Atwater must be spinning like a top. His groundbreaking slimeball tactics of 1988 have mutated into this monster currently being operated by the GOP. ... Read More
Norway: Porn Star Receives Death Threats
Monday August 30, 2004
A contestant for Miss Norway had to drop out because of revelations that she stared in a couple of pornographic films. As if that weren't bad enough, this Iranian-born woman ... Read More
This Date in History: Charles Darwin
Monday August 30, 2004
August 30, 1831: Charles Darwin was asked to travel on the HMS Beagle.
UNC’s Anti-Discrimination Policy Under Fire
Monday August 30, 2004
Should religious groups always be treated exactly the same as secular groups? That seems to make sense because the alternative involves discrimination against religion - or does it? If a ... Read More
Dutch Abortion Ship Visiting Portugal
Monday August 30, 2004
Because so many countries have strict laws against abortion, a group of people have created a ship which is capable of going around the world and providing abortion medication off-shore ... Read More
Followers of Ancient Gods Have Gripes
Monday August 30, 2004
The Athens Olympics has helped shine a spotlight on ancient Greek beliefs, but those who still hold those beliefs aren't happy. Why? Because their beliefs haven't been treated with the ... Read More
Isn't atheism the same as anti-religion?
Sunday August 29, 2004
It's not uncommon for atheists to criticize or even bash religion, thus giving rise to the perception that atheism itself is anti-religion - or at least the absence of religion ... Read More
Deal Hudson Getting Free Pass from Press
Sunday August 29, 2004
I wrote recently about Deal Hudson, Bush's Catholic advisor who had to quit because it came out he had sexually abused (some might call it rape, or at least date ... Read More
Virginia vs. Vermont in Gay Custody Case
Sunday August 29, 2004
One of the problems with the various Defense of Marriage Acts is that, if taken seriously, they could seriously disrupt family law all across the United States. If a DOMA ... Read More
This Date in History: Sayyid Qutb
Sunday August 29, 2004
August 29, 1966: Sayyid Qutb was executed by hanging. Qutb is the Islamic philosopher who could be regarded as the ideological grandfather of Osama bin Laden and all of the ... Read More
Marriage: One Man + One Woman? DNA Says No!
Sunday August 29, 2004
Scientists have traced our mitochondrial DNA back to a single ancestor 160,000 years ago - Mitochondrial Eve, the most recent woman we are all descended from. Studies of men's Y ... Read More
Iran: Unchaste 16-year-old Girl Executed?
Sunday August 29, 2004
Draconian Islamic laws may have claimed another victim. There are reports that a 16-year-old girl, Ateqeh Rajabi, in Neka in the northern Iranian province of Mazandaran, has been executed for ... Read More
Weekly Quote: Gilson on Revelation
Sunday August 29, 2004
We cannot believe in something, be it the Word of God Himself, unless we find some sense in the formulas which we believe. And it can hardly be expected that ... Read More
Race and Politics
Sunday August 29, 2004
Recently Received: Affirmative Action and Racial Preference, by Carl Cohen and James P. Sterba.
If one group has been severely discriminated against in the past and current evidence demonstrates that they ... Read More
Why are atheists against religion?
Saturday August 28, 2004
Atheists in the West often don't have very positive feelings when it comes to religion. The reasons for this are manifold, but most have to do either with the role ... Read More
Mormon Tactics Against Masturbation
Saturday August 28, 2004
Having trouble dealing with masturbation? Trying to stop but just can't figure out how? Have no fear! There is help for those of you afflicted with this terrible addiction - ... Read More
Homeland Security vs. Academia
Saturday August 28, 2004
One area where foreign visitors are relatively common (aside from tourism) is academia: it's not unusual for schools to have scholars visit from abroad to share their experiences and perspectives. ... Read More
This Date in History: Jim Bakker
Saturday August 28, 2004
August 28, 1989: Jim Bakker's fraud and conspiracy trial began.
Houston: Judge Orders Bible Removed
Saturday August 28, 2004
I wrote earlier about a federal judge ruling that a Bible display had to be removed from the Houston court house. Now the judge has also denied a request that ... Read More
Amish Rape Scandals
Saturday August 28, 2004
One doesn't normally think of the Amish when it comes to sex scandals, but that's what is going on in Wisconsin: a man has been jailed for raping and molesting ... Read More
California: Worker Sues Over Cubicle Censorship
Saturday August 28, 2004
There are many possible sources of conflict over religion in a workplace. Some might discriminate against religious minorities while others may use religion to harass coworkers. Where does one start ... Read More
Are you an atheist because you've never heard about Jesus?
Friday August 27, 2004
There seems to be a belief on the part of many theists - especially Christians and some Muslims - that the only reason why a person would not be a ... Read More
Promoting Personal Religious Agendas
Friday August 27, 2004
There are a lot of politicians who don't think that the separation of church and state should apply when it comes to their personal religious beliefs. They seem to think ... Read More
Bush’s Religious References Not Harmless
Friday August 27, 2004
President Bush consistently uses religion in his speeches and public policies. Many religious believers may see this as a good thing, but there are good reasons to be suspicious of ... Read More
This Date in History: Salvation Army
Friday August 27, 2004
August 27, 1987: Jamie Dodge of Mississippi was fired from her job at the Salvation Army because she was Pagan. She later filed suit against the Salvation Army for religious ... Read More
Liberalism is America’s Downfall
Friday August 27, 2004
It's interesting that the Christian Right tends to hate all of the same things about modern America that Muslim extremists complain about when they list their grievances against the West. ... Read More
Revealing Swift Boat Vets’ Lies
Friday August 27, 2004
The Swift Boat Veterans attacking John Kerry have, for the most part, been treated with kid gloves by the media. Most reporters have acted as though there are two sides ... Read More
Alan Keyes vs. Atheists & Truth
Friday August 27, 2004
Alan Keyes acts as though he has been graced by God to be victorious in his Senate race, even though it really does look as though he will lose badly. ... Read More
Kirkegaard‘s Life and Philosophy
Friday August 27, 2004
Recently Received: Kirkegaard, by Michael Watts.
Although generally unknown in his own lifetime, Søren Kierkegaard fundamentally transformed the course of philosophical and intellectual inquiry in the 19th century.His influence can be ... Read More
Is atheism just another religion?
Thursday August 26, 2004
For some strange reason, many people keep getting the idea that atheism is itself some sort of religion. It's an assertion which I keep hearing in newsgroups, in private email, ... Read More
Will Scott Peterson Be Convicted?
Thursday August 26, 2004
If you haven't been living under a rock, you've probably heard of the Scot Petterson trial. Scott is accused of murdering his pregnant wife and the case is mostly circumstantial. ... Read More
This Date in History: Karl Marx
Thursday August 26, 2004
August 26, 1824: When he was just five years old, Karl Marx's family converted from Judaism and Protestantism and Karl was baptized.
What’s Wrong with Price Gouging?
Thursday August 26, 2004
In the wake of disasters like Hurricane Charley some businesses jack up prices of essential goods and services, something typically illegal under anti-price gouging laws. Should such laws exist? Prohibiting ... Read More
Saudis Export Oil, Religious Extremism
Thursday August 26, 2004
The West sends large amounts of money to Saudi Arabia in exchange for oil - but oil isn't that country's only export. They also send to the West religious extremism ... Read More
Swift Boat Book Publisher Linked to White Supremacists
Thursday August 26, 2004
Regnery Publishing is the company that has put out Unfit for Command, the book from the Swift Boat Veterans criticizing John Kerry. Regnery Publishing was founded by the Regnery family, ... Read More
Florida: City Rethinking Co-Sponsoring Church Events
Wednesday August 25, 2004
Should cities work with churches to co-sponsor public events? Some thing so, seeing the ability to save money, but others are concerned because it isn't clear to the public who ... Read More
Florida: Disenfranchising Ex-Felons - Because They’re Not Republicans
Wednesday August 25, 2004
A few states not only prevent prisoners and parolees from voting, but also convicted felons who have completely served their sentences and are "free" now. This includes Florida. Why - ... Read More
Breakaway Episcopal Priests Warned by Bishop
Wednesday August 25, 2004
Conflict continues to tear at the Episcopal Church in America. Liberals and conservative evangelicals just don't get along very well anymore, and it's causing churches to break apart. In the ... Read More
Faith in Politics: Public Shifting
Wednesday August 25, 2004
Religion is a common feature of politics in America, much more so than most other nations. Although Americans seem to want to understand a politician's position on faith and morals, ... Read More
Pledge Case Review Denied, Newdow to Refile
Wednesday August 25, 2004
Michael Newdow isn't quite finished with his legal fight against the phrase "under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance. He lost at the Supreme Court in June and that court ... Read More
Can atheists be religious?
Wednesday August 25, 2004
Atheism and religion are commonly portrayed and regarded as polar opposites; although there is a strong correlation between being an atheist and being irreligious, there is no necessary and inherent ... Read More
Louisiana: Prayers Before Games Dropped
Wednesday August 25, 2004
The Tangipahoa Parish School Board in Louisiana has a long history of inappropriate support of religion. Last year a new lawsuit was filed for their promotion of prayers during football ... Read More
This Date in History: Friedrich Nietzsche
Wednesday August 25, 2004
August 25, 1900: Friedrich Nietzsche died.
Catholic Advisor Quits Bush Campaign
Wednesday August 25, 2004
Deal Hudson is a conservative Catholic who has done a lot to create public pressure on liberal Catholics, including John Kerry, by attacking their religious and moral character. Now he ... Read More
Cheney Backs Gay Marriage “Freedom”
Wednesday August 25, 2004
At one time Vice President Dick Cheney supported a "states' rights" position on gay marriage: let them approve it if they wish or not if they don't. Then he seemed ... Read More
Support for Stem Cell Research Increases
Wednesday August 25, 2004
Stem cell research is becoming more and more of an important issue. It holds out a lot of promise for the treatment and even cure of some of our most ... Read More
Cultural Reception and Interpretation of The Matrix
Wednesday August 25, 2004
Recently Received: Jacking in to the Matrix Franchise: Cultural Reception and Interpretation, edited by Matthew Kapell and William G. Dotty. Publisher: Continuum.
Everyone who is even vaguely familiar with The Matrix ... Read More
Can atheists be spiritual?
Tuesday August 24, 2004
The problem with answering such a question is that the term "spiritual" is so vague and ill-defined most of the time. Usually when people use it they mean something similar ... Read More
“Medical” Journal Silent on Critics of Prayer Study
Tuesday August 24, 2004
A couple of years a study appeared in an obscure journal purporting to show that prayer improved the likelihood that women undergoing in vitro fertilization treatments would conceive. Today, the ... Read More
Discussion: Bush Better on National Defense?
Tuesday August 24, 2004
A forum member writes: I don't agree with Bush much on social issues, especially when it comes to religion. But he is much better on defense than Kerry, and strongly ... Read More
Republicans Hiding Religious Agenda?
Tuesday August 24, 2004
The Christian Right is a major force in the Republican Party. So important are they that if they reject something, it almost certainly won't happen. So why does the Republican ... Read More
This Date in History: Magna Carta Declared Invalid
Tuesday August 24, 2004
August 24, 1215: Pope Innocent III declared the Magna Carta invalid. Innocent declared the Catholic Church to be a genuine state and, hence, heresy became a crime against the state ... Read More
DNA Tests Contradict Mormon Beliefs
Tuesday August 24, 2004
Mormon teaching states that ancient Israelites populated America - and that Jesus came here to deliver extra instructions before he went to heaven. No other Christians believe this and current ... Read More
Polygamist School May Lose Funding
Tuesday August 24, 2004
Polygamists in Colorado City, Utah, virtually control a public school - even though none of their children attend. They receive huge amounts of funding but apparently they have been lax ... Read More
Discrimination and Bigotry Necessary for Boy Scouts
Tuesday August 24, 2004
Why do the Boy Scouts discriminate against gays and atheists? Apparently, it's necessary to do so in order to survive. The Canadian Boy Scouts are struggling right now and may ... Read More
Religious Discrimination on the Rise?
Monday August 23, 2004
Religious discrimination occurs, there's no doubt about it, but is it increasing or decreasing? One would hope that in America at least it would be decreasing - after all, don't ... Read More
Religious Orders Won’t Be Bullied by Vatican
Monday August 23, 2004
Catholic religious orders in America don't always agree with Vatican pronouncements on various issues, like homosexuality, but they also aren't comfortable with speaking out and dissenting publicly. That, however, may ... Read More
Former Archbishop to Provoke Controversy
Monday August 23, 2004
George Carey is no longer the Archbishop of Canterbury, spiritual leader of the Anglican Communion, but he also isn't silent either. He plans to visit America where he will bless ... Read More
Keyes: Church/State Separation is Silly
Monday August 23, 2004
Alan Keyes can always be counted on to say something dumb, especially when he's trying to emphasize just how different he is from everyone else. Recently he made a point ... Read More
Eliminating Atheism Via Science
Monday August 23, 2004
Quite a few religious people labor under the mistaken notion that science "proves" the truth of their beliefs; indeed, many think that science is doing more and more every year ... Read More
Do any atheists go to church? If so, why?
Monday August 23, 2004
The idea of an atheist attending church services seems contradictory - doesn't that require belief in God? Isn't freedom on Sunday morning one of the benefits of atheism? Although ... Read More
How Would Jesus Vote?
Monday August 23, 2004
When Christians make decisions about politics and social issues, they typically consult sources of religious inspiration - like the Bible, for example. Many pray for guidance. Others make an active ... Read More
Discussion: Olympic Bias
Monday August 23, 2004
A forum member writes: I was watching the olympics and getting quite excited about a particular sportsman doing well in a particular event. I was really pleased when he came ... Read More
Christian Leaders Object to Bush Tactics
Monday August 23, 2004
Secularists aren't the only ones distressed that President Bush would try to use churches to help him get re-elected. Religious leaders are themselves outraged, and they have every right to ... Read More
This Date in History: John Geoghan
Monday August 23, 2004
August 23, 2003: John Geoghan, a former Roman Catholic priest who was implicated in a large number of cases of sexually abusing children over the course of many years, is ... Read More
Muslims Accused of Archeological Destruction on Temple Mount
Monday August 23, 2004
The Temple Mount area in Jerusalem is sacred to both Jews and Muslims. Under the current agreement, Muslims control the area generally but Israel is responsible for security. There is, ... Read More
Pennsylvania: Pledge Requirement Struck Down
Monday August 23, 2004
It's already a settled matter of law that students cannot be forced to recite the Pledge of Allegiance, but what if they are required to do so unless they have ... Read More
Not Everyone’s “Amen” is the Same
Monday August 23, 2004
One of the arguments sometimes made by those who insist on prayers at the start of state functions like city council meetings is that a little religion is good for ... Read More
Making a Case for Religion
Monday August 23, 2004
Recently Received: The Case for Religion, by Keith Ward.
Many today believe that the time for religion has come and gone — that modern society must look to the future and ... Read More
Repressed Memories: Alien Abductions
Sunday August 22, 2004
According to one Roper poll, more than three million Americans have had the misfortune of being abducted by aliens for weird, kinky experiments. If one in fifty Americans have been ... Read More
Virginia: Fredericksburg City Council Skips Sectarian Prayers
Sunday August 22, 2004
The city council in Fredericksburg, Virginia, has decided to skip the use of sectarian prayers when they open their meetings, despite threats by one member to continue praying in a ... Read More
Radical Backlash on College Campuses
Sunday August 22, 2004
Conservative student movements are growing in power and popularity on college campuses - at least, they call themselves "conservative." In reality they are more radical than conservative because they pursue ... Read More
This Date in History: Roy Moore‘s Ten Commandments
Sunday August 22, 2004
August 22, 2003: Because Roy Moore disobeyed a federal court order to remove his Ten Commandments monument, the state Judicial Inquiry Commission charged Moore with violating six canons of ethics ... Read More
Openly Gay Athletes Rare at Olympics
Sunday August 22, 2004
There are, of course, gay athletes all around the world - but not many openly gay athletes, even at the Olympics. People are afraid of the reaction from peers and ... Read More
Blind Atheists
Sunday August 22, 2004
Many religious believers insist that atheists are "blind" to all the evidence around us that their god exists. When asked to demonstrate that this is, in fact, evidence that points ... Read More
Weekly Quote: Arnold on God and Literature
Sunday August 22, 2004
The word 'God' is used in most cases as by no means a term of science or exact knowledge, but a term of poetry and eloquence, a term thrown out, ... Read More
Repressed Memories: Satanic Abuse Cults
Saturday August 21, 2004
Many tales "recovered" in consultation with a therapist have been combined with truly bizarre tales of satanic ritual abuse and wild conspiracy theories. Believing that even a few of the ... Read More
Limited Government? No Thanks...
Saturday August 21, 2004
Many conservatives insist on the importance of having a smaller, more "limited" government. But what does that mean, really? In fact most people don't really want the government to be ... Read More
Catholofascism
Saturday August 21, 2004
It's a fact that Catholicism has long been involved with authoritarian and fascist movements. This includes both forces within the church and church alliances with outside political or social movements. ... Read More
This Date in History: Cease Fire Ends
Saturday August 21, 2004
August 21, 2003: Hamas and Islamic Jihad, two of the most prominent groups of Palestinian militants, announce an end to their cease-fire with the Israeli government. An attack in Gaza ... Read More
Canada: Government Won’t Fight Gay Marriage
Saturday August 21, 2004
The Canadian government has reached the point where they simply aren't going to bother challenging gay marriages in the various provinces. Now, if gay couples want to wed and the ... Read More
Virginia: Falwell Opening Law School
Saturday August 21, 2004
Tired of seeing the success of so many liberal lawyers, Jerry Falwell is starting a new law school with an explicitly conservative and religious mission. Will they accomplish anything? There's ... Read More
Rhode Island: ACLU Challenging Religious Holiday Displays
Saturday August 21, 2004
Every year there are new legal and political battles over the public display of religious holiday decorations. Some people want to use the government to promote their religious beliefs, some ... Read More
Debating Stem Cell Research
Saturday August 21, 2004
Recently Received: The Stem Cell Controversy, edited by Michael Ruse & Christopher A. Pynes.
The ability to conceive children is a brute fact of human biology, but does that fact translate ... Read More
Repressed Memories: Multiple Personality Disorder
Friday August 20, 2004
The diagnosis of multiple personality disorder (MPD - although psychiatrists prefer the designation dissociative identity disorder) is closely associated with the repressed memory movement because of the assertion that young ... Read More
This Date in History: Roy Moore‘s Ten Commandments
Friday August 20, 2004
August 20, 2003: This is the deadline given to Roy Moore to remove his Ten Commandments monument from the rotunda of the Alabama Judicial Building, but he refused to act. ... Read More
Debating Stem Cell Research
Friday August 20, 2004
Questions about stem cell research are moving out of the labs and into the public spotlight with greater force now that it is becoming a campaign issue. Will stem cells ... Read More
Scout’s Honor? Trashing the Declaration of Independence
Friday August 20, 2004
The Declaration of Independence has no legal status in American law, but it does have a lot of rhetorical and psychological influence. Some people try to exploit this influence by ... Read More
Brits Try to Figure Out Ann Coulter
Friday August 20, 2004
Ann Coulter is something of a unique figure in American politics - and for that, I think that everyone is thankful. This includes the British who recently had a chance ... Read More
Catholic Priesthood Today
Friday August 20, 2004
Recently Received: Priests: A Calling in Crisis, by Andrew M. Greeley. Publisher: Chicago University Press.
The Catholic priesthood in America is no longer the respected profession or calling that it once ... Read More
South Carolina: Witch Harassed After Win
Thursday August 19, 2004
Last week a wrote about a witch in South Carolina who recently won a court case to stop her local city council from starting its meetings with specifically Christian prayers. ... Read More
This Date in History: Roy Moore‘s Ten Commandments
Thursday August 19, 2004
August 22, 2003: Because Roy Moore disobeyed a federal court order to remove his Ten Commandments monument, the state Judicial Inquiry Commission charged Moore with violating six canons of ethics ... Read More
Bush Soft-Peddling Religion
Thursday August 19, 2004
Recently President Bush's reelection strategy has seemed to focus upon energizing the "base" — the conservative evangelicals expected to vote for him anyway, assuming that they come out to vote ... Read More
Missouri: School Official On Leave Over Ten Commandments
Thursday August 19, 2004
Several court decisions have made it clear that government entities cannot promote the Ten Commandments by erecting displays for them - and this includes schools. In Missouri, Humansville School Superintendent ... Read More
Ohio: Gov’t Sponsors Gospel Concert with Faith-Based Funds
Thursday August 19, 2004
Should the government sponsor a gospel concert, something that is obviously and necessarily religious in nature? Franklin County Children Services in Ohio thinks so - and they are even using ... Read More
Rethinking the Pledge of Allegiance
Thursday August 19, 2004
Supporters of having the phrase "under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance rarely take critics' arguments very seriously. Perhaps it would help to emphasize the idea that the inclusion of ... Read More
Repressed & Recovered Memories
Thursday August 19, 2004
What are repressed memories and what do advocates say about how they work? Just what is the nature of memory, anyway? The notion that memories of abuse and suffering ... Read More
Scientology Detox Debate
Thursday August 19, 2004
A Scientology detox program that has been providing its services free to those involved in the 9/11 rescue effort now wants to open their doors to everyone else - and ... Read More
Report on Bush’s Faith-Based Changes
Thursday August 19, 2004
Researchers at the Rockefeller Institute of Government in Albany, N.Y. have compiled an interesting study on President Bush's various faith-based initiatives. They specifically focus on how Bush has worked behind ... Read More
This Date in History: Pope Pius X
Thursday August 19, 2004
August 19, 1914: L’Osservatore Romano, the official newspaper of the Vatican, publishes a harsh editorial condemning unnamed commentators who had, the previous day, suggested that Pope Pius X was suffering ... Read More
Light Sentence for Killer Priest
Thursday August 19, 2004
Church elder Ray Hemphill in Milwaukee killed eight year old Terrance Cottrell Jr. by laying on his chest for at least an hour in an effort to release "demons" from ... Read More
FBI Using Intimidation Against Political Protestors
Thursday August 19, 2004
Apparently, the FBI has been going around questioning people they think will demonstrate at the Republican Convention. The FBI claims that they are only investigating those who plan violent protests, ... Read More
South Carolina: Prayer Foe’s Parrot Beheaded
Thursday August 19, 2004
The other day I wrote about the abuse and harassment that Darla Wynne has had to endure because she challenged the city council's practice of opening its meeting with sectarian ... Read More
Life From Space: Mars and Asteroids
Wednesday August 18, 2004
Can life survive a journey through space? Experiments offer a resounding yes. For example, Japanese scientists sealed up Bacillus subtilis spores and other various organisms in a vacuum chamber and ... Read More
Muslim Women, Islamic Dress, and Olympic Sports
Wednesday August 18, 2004
Muslims compete at the Olympics just like anyone else, but the challenges for Muslims women can be especially difficult. How can they balance their desire to participate with their desire ... Read More
Discussion: Michelle Malkin vs. Ann Coulter
Wednesday August 18, 2004
A forum member writes: What I don't get about Ann Coulter -- her insane "logic" utterly beside the point -- is how she can rationalize being an outspoken ultraconservative woman, ... Read More
Pat Robertson Slams Americans United
Wednesday August 18, 2004
Pat Robertson doesn't like the group Americans United for the Separation of Church and State. In fact, he doesn't like anyone who fights for church/state separation and against the agenda ... Read More
This Date in History: Pope Paul IV
Wednesday August 18, 2004
August 18, 1559: Pope Paul IV died. Paul was so unpopular that, after he died, a mob stormed the Inquisition and tore down his statue.
Wicca in U.S. Military
Wednesday August 18, 2004
Wiccans are working hard to become more accepted in America. They are a religious minority that tends to have a harder time than most because Christian conservatives often identify Wiccans ... Read More
Religious Right vs. Religious Left
Wednesday August 18, 2004
Usually when we think of religion getting involved with politics, the Christian Right usually comes to mind first. But what about liberal Christians? They aren't apolitical, but is there any ... Read More
Spinning Kerry’s Vietnam Service
Wednesday August 18, 2004
There's a new theme being used by those trying to criticized John Kerry: spent "only" four months in Vietnam, therefore there is something inappropriate about him touting his war record. ... Read More
Halloween, Religion, and Culture
Wednesday August 18, 2004
Recently Received: Halloween: From Pagan Ritual to Party Night, by Nicholas Rogers. Publisher: Oxford University Press.
Halloween has an ancient pedigree but it is also becoming one of the most popular ... Read More
Barack Obama: Can’t Relate to Blacks?
Tuesday August 17, 2004
Apparently desperate to find some means of increasing his popularity, Illinois Senate candidate Alan Keyes has accused his Democratic rival Barack Obama of not being to "relate" to blacks well ... Read More
Intelligent Design: Creation Science 2.0?
Tuesday August 17, 2004
Is Intelligent Design really the same as Creation Science? Although adherents of ID disclaim any connection to the scientific creationism of the past, the similarities are striking and deserve to ... Read More
Is the Republican Party Crumbling?
Tuesday August 17, 2004
There is some concern about what is going on in the Republican Party. The Christian Right wants to go in one direction while moderates, fiscal conservatives, and traditional conservatives would ... Read More
Humans Evolved to Enjoy Alcohol?
Tuesday August 17, 2004
Creation and use of alcohol can be traced back to some of our earliest civilizations. Fermentation occurs naturally and attracts the interest of many different animals. Could it be that ... Read More
Politics vs. Science
Tuesday August 17, 2004
The Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) continues to cause problems because it continues to sacrifice scientific research in the name of religion and politics. It's especially annoying ... Read More
Life From the Deep: Extremophiles
Tuesday August 17, 2004
Life is stranger than people can imagine, and by that, I mean the sorts of living organisms which presently make their homes on - and in - the earth. Researchers ... Read More
Australia: Christian Apologizes to Pagan
Tuesday August 17, 2004
Olivia Watts brought a legal complaint against Rob Wilson, mayor of the city of Casey in Victoria State, after he alleged that she was a satanist. Now Wilson has apologized ... Read More
John the Baptist’s Cave Found?
Tuesday August 17, 2004
British archaeologist Shimon Gibson is claiming to have discovered a cave used by John the Baptist. It's located near the village of Ain Karim, John the Baptist's birthplace according to ... Read More
This Date in History: Religion in Vietnam
Tuesday August 17, 2004
August 17, 1963: Pope Paul VI appealed to President Diem of Vietnam to end the religious crisis that had been plaguing Vietnam through much of the year. Six Buddhist monks ... Read More
Florida: School Vouchers Law Struck Down
Tuesday August 17, 2004
A Florida law that provided funds for students at failing public schools to attend private schools, including religious schools, has been struck down by a state appeals court.
CNN reports:
The 2-1 ... Read More
Communion Invalidated - Wafer Contained No Wheat
Tuesday August 17, 2004
In New Jersey, a little girl's first Holy Communion has been invalidated. Why? Because it contained no wheat. Why didn't it? Because she has a digestive disorder that could cause ... Read More
Parenthood: Right or Privilege?
Tuesday August 17, 2004
Recently Received: Should Parents Be Licensed?, edited by Peg Tittle.
Medical research using human stem cells is one of the most promising lines of inquiry in recent memory. A large number ... Read More
Illinois: Lukewarm Reception for Keyes
Monday August 16, 2004
Republicans in Illinois and on the national level has picked Alan Keyes to run for the Illinois Senate seat this year, but many in the state are less than enthusiastic ... Read More
Gay Marriage vs. Traditional Power, Authority
Monday August 16, 2004
Christian Right opponents of gay marriage recognize that it may be one of the most important cultural issues that has faced American in quite some time. Like contraception, abortion, and ... Read More
Nature of Life and Entropy
Monday August 16, 2004
The exact nature of the earliest forms of life on our planet are unknown and may forever remain that way, although we keep coming closer to understanding what they may ... Read More
Church and State at the Olympics
Monday August 16, 2004
The Greek Orthodox Church is as much a part of modern Greek identity as is the Greek language itself. The role of the church is, however, coming under increased scrutiny ... Read More
Discussion: Future of Iraq
Monday August 16, 2004
A forum member writes: I was hoping that all those billions of dollars we spent and the loss of lives would not result in just another brutal Iraqi regime, but ... Read More
No Judo With Jews?
Monday August 16, 2004
Iranian judo champion Arash Miresmaeili has refused to compete against Israeli athlete Ehud Vaks. The Olympics officially prohibits race, religion, ethnicity, or skin color from interfering with sports - so ... Read More
This Date in History: Shimon Peres
Monday August 16, 2004
August 16, 1923: Shimon Peres was born. Peres was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1994 because of his efforts to achieve peaceful relations with Arabs.
Chaplains Ordered to Behave at Olympics
Monday August 16, 2004
The Olympic Village of Athens houses around 15,000 athletes and a fair number of chaplains who are there to minister on behalf of the various religions represented. They are, however, ... Read More
Tax Cuts, Tax Cuts, Tax Cuts
Monday August 16, 2004
When George W. Bush was running for president, he promoted tax cuts as appropriate during a strong economy. After he took office and the economy was doing poorly, he promoted ... Read More
Abiogenesis & Probabilities
Sunday August 15, 2004
One common criticism of abiogenesis has to do with probabilities - specifically, the alleged improbability of abiogenesis happening by natural means. Although the reported numbers usually vary considerably from creationist ... Read More
Oklahoma: Gays are Greatest Threat to American Freedom
Sunday August 15, 2004
Who represents the greatest threat to American freedom today? Islamic terrorists? Overzealous government officials trying to protect us? No! It's the gays and their nasty desire to get married! At ... Read More
This Date in History: Freedom of Conscience
Sunday August 15, 2004
August 15, 1832: Pope Gregory XVI, in his encyclical Mirari vos, complained about the growth of the ideal of "freedom of conscience," stating "This is a contagious error to which ... Read More
Olympics: Fans Banned for Wearing Wrong Brands
Sunday August 15, 2004
Commercial endorsements have become very important in modern sports. Athletes who endorse one product aren't allowed to be seen in public with a competitor. At the Olympics, though, this is ... Read More
Rushdie & Pornography
Sunday August 15, 2004
Salman Rushdie is not very popular in the Muslim world and he may be about to get even less popular. He is, apparently, arguing that the presence of pornography can ... Read More
Weekly Quote: Dostoyevsky on Evil
Sunday August 15, 2004
"Imagine that you are creating a fabric of human destiny with the object of making men happy in the end, giving them peace and rest at last, but that it ... Read More
Sin and Salvation
Sunday August 15, 2004
Recently Received: Sin and Salvation in World Religions, by Harold Coward.
A common theme in many religions is that there are problems with the world that afflict human existence and that ... Read More
Abiogenesis & Evolution
Saturday August 14, 2004
As if evolution and evolutionary theory were not already confusing enough, many creationists complicate matters even further by promulgating the mistaken idea that evolution is the same as abiogenesis. One ... Read More
ABA: Ban Judges from Anti-Gay Groups?
Saturday August 14, 2004
Judges aren't permitted to belong to organizations that discriminate based upon race or sex — after all, they can't maintain even an appearance of impartiality if they support groups that ... Read More
California: Church Power in Yorba Linda
Saturday August 14, 2004
One of the ways in which politics can become corrupt is when specific organizations receive special favors from politicians seeking that group's support. This can happen with churches as well ... Read More
This Date in History: Churches & Taxes
Saturday August 14, 2004
August 14, 2000: Decided: Indianapolis Baptist Temple v. United States The Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals ruled against an Indiana church which argued that it was a sin for them ... Read More
I'm An Atheist - So What?
Saturday August 14, 2004
Remember the atheist invocation in Tampa, Florida from a few days ago? The one so many theists reacted so badly to? Well, other atheists in the state are pointing out ... Read More
Christian Academy: Creationism is Rubbish
Saturday August 14, 2004
A Christian school where God and religion play major roles in everything taught... and no creationism? Not only is creationism not taught, but the school administration thinks that creationism is ... Read More
GOP Seeking Amish Vote
Saturday August 14, 2004
Religious groups like the Amish and the Mennonites aren't usually subject of election-year stories - after all, their numbers are small so their influence isn't considered great enough to warrant ... Read More
God is Omnipotent
Friday August 13, 2004
What does it mean to be all-powerful? At its most fundamental level, the concept of "omnipotence," also sometimes known as all-powerful, refers to God's ability to do absolutely anything God ... Read More
Israel: Rabbi Calls Cancer “Penalty” for the Irreligious
Friday August 13, 2004
Religions have long treated diseases as punishments from the gods. Lacking any real scientific or medical knowledge, what else could they do? In the context of ancient cultures, such a ... Read More
Hello, God? It's Me, Dubya
Friday August 13, 2004
President Bush seems to spend a lot of time talking to God and even hearing back from God, even to the point of receiving specific political advice. But why, if ... Read More
This Date in History: Felix Adler
Friday August 13, 2004
August 13, 1851: Felix Adler was born in Alzey, Germany. Adler founded the Society for Ethical Culture in New York City in 1876.
San Francisco: Gay Marriages Declared “Null and Void”
Friday August 13, 2004
As was widely expected, the California Supreme Court has voided the nearly 4,000 same-sex marriages performed at the instigation of the San Francisco mayor earlier this year. The reason, according ... Read More
Methodists on the Ticket
Friday August 13, 2004
Of the four men running for president and vice-president from the two major parties, three are Methodists. Isn't that curious? If the three were Catholics or Jews, there would be ... Read More
Politics and American Religious Identity
Friday August 13, 2004
Recently Received: The Politics of American Religious Identity: The Seating of Senator Reed Smoot, Mormon Apostle, by Kathleen Flake.
Mormons today are often considered pillars of their community and patriotic American ... Read More
Jews Leaving Israel, Returning to Russia
Thursday August 12, 2004
Usually we hear of Jews leaving a country in order to travel to Israel - it is, after all, the Jewish state. Some Jews in Israel though are leaving in ... Read More
Indonesia: Christians Challenge Church-Building Ban
Thursday August 12, 2004
Since 1969, religious minorities in Indonesia have been prohibited from building houses of worship without approval from local government officials. They, in turn, consult with local mosques — and the ... Read More
South Africa: Church of Chains
Thursday August 12, 2004
There was a time when Christians used theological justifications for treating the mentally ill very, very poorly. For the most part that has ended but there are still places where ... Read More
Chistians in Iraq
Thursday August 12, 2004
The situation for Christians in Iraq is becoming more and more difficult by the day, it seems. The Jews have all but abandoned the country and now Christians are feeling ... Read More
Vatican Condemns Human Cloning
Thursday August 12, 2004
The Roman Catholic Church may have eventually apologized for it's treatment of Galileo and they may now accept evolutionary theory, but that doesn't mean that it doesn't continue to oppose ... Read More
God is Omnibenevolent
Thursday August 12, 2004
What does it mean to be all-loving? The concept of "omnibenevolent" stems from two basic ideas of God: that God is perfect and that God is morally good. Therefore, God ... Read More
Jordan: Bronze Age Temple Discovered
Thursday August 12, 2004
In Jordan archaeologists have come across a remarkable find: a temple from the Late Bronze Age, 3,500 years ago. This is important because very few structures from this era have ... Read More
Following the Law = Bullying?
Thursday August 12, 2004
Jim Towey, head of the White House's Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives, has promised religious groups to help them fight "bullying" from local and state governments. Bullying? Well, that's ... Read More
This Date in History: Catholicism & Evolution
Thursday August 12, 2004
August 12, 1950: Pope Pius XII issued the encyclical Humani Generis, condemning ideologies which threatened Roman Catholic faith but allowing that evolution did not necessarily conflict with Christianity.
South Carolina: Battle over Prayers
Thursday August 12, 2004
Council meetings in Great Falls, South Carolina, can only open in prayer if Jesus is not invoked. That's what a federal judge ruled in 2003 and a 3-judge panel of ... Read More
Conservatives Rehabilitating Japanese Internment Camps?
Thursday August 12, 2004
Ann Coulter made a big splash in trying to rehabilitate McCarthy and the communist witch hunts and I suppose that made Michelle Malkin feel inferior. So, she's gone ahead with ... Read More
UK: Scientists Given OK for Therapeutic Human Cloning
Thursday August 12, 2004
The ethics of human cloning are not entirely certain, but not everyone is willing to submit to religious pressure and prohibit it entirely. In Britain, the Human Fertilisation and Embryology ... Read More
South Carolina: Witch Persecuted by Christians
Wednesday August 11, 2004
Conservative and evangelical Christians seem to like to whine about how they are persecuted in society; in reality, though, it is they who are more likely to do the persecution ... Read More
Italy: Religion-Based Fertility Laws Frustrate Citizens
Wednesday August 11, 2004
If you are curious what America might be like if Roman Catholic officials have their way and are able to get health and fertility laws rewritten in accordance with Catholic ... Read More
NBC Protecting the President from Critics
Wednesday August 11, 2004
Most people might expect the news media to at least try to be somewhat independent when it comes to politics - you know, willing to participate in critiques and strong ... Read More
Texas: Bible Ordered Removed from Courthouse
Wednesday August 11, 2004
More than once I've written about the Bible display at Houston's court house. Since 1956 there has been a monument in front of the civil courthouse which prominently features a ... Read More
Canada: Implementing Shariah Law
Wednesday August 11, 2004
There is a good chance that Canada will allow Muslims to submit civil disputes to arbitration under Muslim law (shariah) instead of Canadian civil law. Many Muslims welcome this, but ... Read More
God is Omniscient
Wednesday August 11, 2004
What does it mean to be all-knowing? At its most fundamental level, the concept of "omniscience," also sometimes known as all-knowing, refers to God's ability to know absolutely everything. This ... Read More
Britain: Muslim Doctors Acting Improperly
Wednesday August 11, 2004
There have been debates in America about whether medical professionals should allow private religious beliefs to interfere with their duties to their patients. In Britain, the same debate may be ... Read More
Discussion: It Can’t Get Any Worse...
Wednesday August 11, 2004
A forum member writes: I am studying BBA in Lahore, Pakistan. Yesterday was my first day in school. There is a mandatory course we have to study as per Higher ... Read More
Bigotry of Anti-Kerry Author Revealed
Wednesday August 11, 2004
By now you might have heard of the book Unfit for Command: Swift Boat Veterans Speak Out Against John Kerry. But what do you know about Jerome Corsi, one of ... Read More
This Date in History: Jerry Falwell
Wednesday August 11, 2004
August 11, 1933: Jerry Falwell was born. Falwell is a prominent leader in the American Religious Right and helped found the Moral Majority in 1979.
Moon Helps North Koreans Get Nuclear Missile Subs
Wednesday August 11, 2004
Apparently, North Korea has the ability to launch nuclear missiles from submarines and strike the United States. The missiles are North Korea's project, but the ballistic missile submarines are from ... Read More
Malaysia: Carnival Labeled Contrary to Islam
Wednesday August 11, 2004
A carnival put on by TV3 in Malaysia was called haram (forbidden) by religious officials, but that didn't stop large numbers of people from turning out to attend the festivities. ... Read More
Our Humanity
Wednesday August 11, 2004
Recently Received: Humankind: A Brief History, by Felipe Fernandez-Armesto.
We’re all human, but what does that actually mean? What sets human beings apart from cats and dogs — or from chimps ... Read More
Wahhab vs. Wahhabism
Tuesday August 10, 2004
Wahhabi Islam has received a lot of bad press in recent years and much of the blame for Islamic extremism tends to laid at the Wahhabist doorstep. But what if ... Read More
Keyes Gets the Fascist Endorsement
Tuesday August 10, 2004
As noted before, Alan Keyes is running for the Illinois Senate. Will he do well? He is, at the very least, getting the support of American fascists - something that ... Read More
Christians Cannot Vote for Kerry?
Tuesday August 10, 2004
It's always both a little amusing and a little sad to read conservative Christians assume that their Christianity is the only kind that can legitimately exist. You can see it ... Read More
God is Provident & Sovereign
Tuesday August 10, 2004
Although not usually given much attention in most debates, one critical attribute of God for many believers is the idea that God is "provident," which means that God acts in ... Read More
Pro-Choice Citizens Booted from Bush Rally
Tuesday August 10, 2004
If you have any thoughts about attending a rally for President George W. Bush to hear him speak, be advised that you won't be allowed to stay if there is ... Read More
Discussion: The National Credit Card
Tuesday August 10, 2004
A forum member writes: I learned tonight that in the face of tax cuts, the US is borrowing 2 billion dollars a day from foreign sources. I'm not a financial ... Read More
Free Republic: Outrage over “Anti-American” Subway Ad in Germany
Tuesday August 10, 2004
In German branches of the Subway Restaurant chain, a trayliner has an ad for the movie "Supersized," an image of a fat Statue of Liberty, and asks why Americans are ... Read More
This Date in History: Roe v. Wade
Tuesday August 10, 2004
August 10, 1995: Appearing on the news program Nightline, Norma McCorvey (the "Jane Roe" of Roe v. Wade) announced that she rejected abortion and the pro-abortion movement, now supporting the ... Read More
Bush Given Sermon on Material Wealth
Tuesday August 10, 2004
George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush ended up hearing a sermon that was highly critical of material wealth and prestige. This is very much in keeping with Christian traditions ... Read More
The Lawless Republican Congress
Tuesday August 10, 2004
There are a couple of attempts going on to prevent the federal courts from being able to review any laws dealing with particular issues. Tired of the courts striking down ... Read More
Jamaica: If You’re Gay, You’re Dead
Monday August 9, 2004
Even in the most tolerant of Western nations there is still a fair amount if discrimination and bigotry aimed at gays; in other nations, though, it can be far wore. ... Read More
Nudes vs. Prudes on German Beaches
Monday August 9, 2004
In an interesting battle of East vs. West, people in eastern Germany who had grown accustomed to using beaches in the nude are being pushed out by tourist from western ... Read More
UN Urged to Protect Muslim Apostates
Monday August 9, 2004
Apostates in Islam have a very difficult time. We don’t generally hear about these people’s stories - they do, after all, try to keep quiet. But even when they aren’t ... Read More
God is Free: Constraint vs. Freedom
Monday August 9, 2004
One attribute which does not receive a lot of individual attention, but which is commonly assumed when discussing other attributes, is the idea that God is absolutely and perfectly free. ... Read More
Discussion: Protest Vote?
Monday August 9, 2004
A forum member writes: Having listened to Kerry's speech ... I have decided to cast a protest vote this time around. Maybe I'll vote for Mickey Mouse or something. Kerry's ... Read More
Church of Meth
Monday August 9, 2004
Methamphetamine is a popular drug in part because it doesn't have to be imported (thus eliminating the threat of border patrols) and it doesn't have to be grown (thus eliminating ... Read More
This Date in History: Pledge of Allegiance
Monday August 9, 2004
August 09, 2002: The U.S. Justice Department files an appeal of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals' ruling in the Newdow vs. U.S. Congress case in which the court struck ... Read More
Bush Opposes “Legacy” College Admissions
Monday August 9, 2004
Taking questions about affirmative action programs, President Bush stated that the only reason a person should be admitted to college is on "merits," explicitly rejecting the common practice of "legacy" ... Read More
Alan Keyes in Illinois
Monday August 9, 2004
Well, Alan Keyes has agreed to run for the Senate in Illinois against Barack Obama, despite attacking Hillary Clinton for doing much the same thing in 2000. Republicans seem to ... Read More
Redefining Christian History
Monday August 9, 2004
Recently Received: The Cave of John the Baptist: The Stunning Archaeological Discovery that has Redefined Christian History, by Shimon Gibson.
The New Testament depiction of John the Baptist has long trouble ... Read More
God is Immutable: Why can't God change?
Sunday August 8, 2004
Philosophical theism commonly ascribes to God the attribute of "immutable" - the idea that God cannot and does not change. Whatever God is like now is the way that God ... Read More
Ancient Relic Reveals Past Religious Battles
Sunday August 8, 2004
When Christianity took over from paganism, the process wasn't peaceful - Christian emperors routinely oppressed pagans and prohibited pagan worship while under Julian a pagan revival led to Christian retreats. ... Read More
This Date in History: Martin Luther
Sunday August 8, 2004
August 08, 1518: Pope Leo X summoned Martin Luther to Rome in order to question him about his Ninety-Five Theses.
Essenes Didn’t Write Dead Sea Scrolls?
Sunday August 8, 2004
Most people familiar with biblical history are aware of the Dead Sea Scrolls, written by the Essenes and hidden from the Romans during the first century. Or were they? New ... Read More
Weekly Quote: Russell on Skepticism
Sunday August 8, 2004
I wish to propose for the reader's favourable consideration a doctrine which may, I fear, appear wildly paradoxical and subversive. The doctrine in question is this: that it is undesirable ... Read More
God is Eternal: Timeless vs. Everlasting
Saturday August 7, 2004
God is commonly portrayed as being eternal; however, there is more than one way to understand the concept of "eternal." On the one hand, God may be thought of as ... Read More
Discussion: George W. Bush was a Deserter?
Saturday August 7, 2004
Keepwe writes: It turns out that Bush was given an honorable discharge from the Texas Air National Guard in October 1973 despite the fact he had not fulfilled requirements his ... Read More
Dirty Secrets of Christian Evangelism
Saturday August 7, 2004
Both Catholics and Protestants spend a lot of money on missionary programs in the "Unreached Bloc," a largely non-Christian region stretching from Africa to East Asia, with India being a ... Read More
This Date in History: Investiture Conflict
Saturday August 7, 2004
August 07, 1106: Heinrich IV, Holy Roman Emperor, died in Liege, Lorraine. Heinrich's conflicts with the pope, known as the Investiture Conflict, played an important role in the developing relationship ... Read More
More on “Christianizing” America
Saturday August 7, 2004
I wrote recently about a survey indicating that millions of Americans would support a constitutional amendment making Christianity the nation's official religion. Well, that survey was done by Barna and ... Read More
Bush Camp Demands Race of Photographer
Saturday August 7, 2004
Mamta Popat is an Arizona Daily Star journalist who had been assigned to photograph Vice President Dick Cheney - at least, until President Bush's re-election campaign decided they needed to ... Read More
Islamic World
Saturday August 7, 2004
Recently Received: The Islamic World: Past and Present, edited by John L. Esposito.
The power and influence of Islam around the world are simply undeniable — but at the same time, ... Read More
What's the Use of Religion?
Friday August 6, 2004
There have been quite a few attempts to explain why religion exists and why it is able to persist. In recent decades there has been more focus on biological explanations ... Read More
Illinois: Church Ticketed for Loud Music
Friday August 6, 2004
Usually if people complain about noise from a church, it's from the bells ringing. Sometimes, though, the parishioners singing can be just as bad or worse. In Elgin, Illinois, a ... Read More
Contraception in Texas
Friday August 6, 2004
If the Christian Right has its way in Texas, Republicans will ensure that nothing at all about contraception will appear in public school text books designed for high schools.
CNN reports:
The ... Read More
UK: Catholics Accused of “Tribalism” Over Shared Schools
Friday August 6, 2004
There have been some efforts in Scotland to merge religious schools so that Catholic and Protestant students can learn together - this might decrease sectarian distrust and prejudice. Catholic leaders, ... Read More
God is Transcendent & Immanent
Friday August 6, 2004
What is God's relationship to Creation? On the face of it, the characteristics of transcendence and immanence appear to be in conflict. A transcendent God is one who is beyond ... Read More
Alan Keyes: A Man of Principle?
Friday August 6, 2004
According to news reports, Alan Keyes is seriously considering an invitation to move to Illinois to run as a Republican against Barack Obama for the Senate. This is interesting because ... Read More
This Date in History: Abortion in England
Friday August 6, 2004
August 06, 1861: The English Parliament passed the "Offenses Against the Person Act," banning the use of drugs or instruments for the purpose of causing an abortion.
Ohio: Extremists Seek Broad Ban on Everything Marriage-Like
Friday August 6, 2004
If opponents of same-sex marriage in Ohio are successful, there will be a November ballot measure in Ohio that would not only ban gay marriage in the state constitution, but ... Read More
Right-Wing Pressure Forces Kerry’s Religion Advisor to Quit
Friday August 6, 2004
News moves fast... two days ago I wrote that the new adviser for religious outreach to John Kerry's campaign was a supporter of Newdow's case against the phrase "under God" ... Read More
UK: Threat of Boycott of Liberal Clergy
Friday August 6, 2004
Tensions are increasing in Britain over the status and future of gay clergy. Conservatives and evangelicals are increasingly upset over the what might happen and they are threatening to boycott ... Read More
Tennessee: Republican Supports Eugenics, Segregation
Thursday August 5, 2004
Republican candidates across the country consistently support positions like the teaching of creationism, outlawing abortion, state-sponsored school prayers, and so on. It's rare, however, to find one so extremist as ... Read More
Bush & Bush Punishing Critical Journalists
Thursday August 5, 2004
President Bush has not treated critical journalists very well - he doesn't seem to like it when reporters fail to merely parrot the government's (mis)information. That's what most of the ... Read More
Questioning Human Space Flight
Thursday August 5, 2004
Should we continue to send humans on missions into space? George W. Bush wants to send humans back to the Moon and later on to Mars, but is it worth ... Read More
Czech Republic: Missionaries Having Trouble
Thursday August 5, 2004
I've written before about the extent of atheism in the Czech Republic and how it is combined with a very low crime rate. Turns out that all this atheism makes ... Read More
Design Theft
Thursday August 5, 2004
Copyright law is becoming more and more important these days. Everyone wants to copyright or patent their ideas and prevent others from "stealing" them. Sometimes, though, it is difficult to ... Read More
God is Incorporeal: Mind without Body?
Thursday August 5, 2004
It is commonly taken for granted that, when talking about God, we are discussing a being who has no body and is not in any way constructed from matter or ... Read More
Discussion: U.S. Troops in Europe
Thursday August 5, 2004
A forum member writes: Why do we have some 100,000 troops in Europe? This isn't just a rhetorical question; I would like to know. Are they still there to protect ... Read More
Washington: Victory for Gay Marriage
Thursday August 5, 2004
In a legal victory of gay marriage, Washington State's King County Superior Court Judge William L. Downing has ruled that the right to marry extends to gay and lesbian couples.
Gay.com ... Read More
This Date in History: Gay Bishop
Thursday August 5, 2004
August 05, 2003: Gene Robinson, an openly gay man, was elected bishop-designate of New Hampshire by the Episcopal General Convention during its meeting in Minneapolis. This election sparked outrage by ... Read More
Bush Courts Catholic Vote
Thursday August 5, 2004
President Bush is actively chasing the Catholic vote for the upcoming election, hoping that he can get as many conservative Catholics to vote for him as is possible, despite the ... Read More
Muslim Fires Catholic Employee for Eating BLT
Thursday August 5, 2004
If you work for a devoutly religious employer, should you be expected to adhere to your employer's religious practices? This sounds absurd, but it's exactly what Kujaatele Kweli, Muslim CEO ... Read More
Kansas: Conservative Creationists Spending Big
Thursday August 5, 2004
Creationists are trying to make a come-back in Kansas with conservatives paying out lots of money to ensure that moderate Republicans aren't elected to the State Board of Education. Go ... Read More
Protestant Reformation
Thursday August 5, 2004
Recently Received: The Reformation: A History, by Diarmaid MacCulloch.
The Protestant Reformation is one of the most important political and religious events in European history. It transformed the nature of Christianity ... Read More
Texas: Bible Display to Promote America as Christian Nation
Wednesday August 4, 2004
I've written before about the Bible displayed at Houston's court house. Since 1956 there has been a monument there prominently featuring a Bible. Many believe it appropriate and some are ... Read More
Muslim Chaplain: Accused & Freed, Now Resigns
Wednesday August 4, 2004
James Yee, the Muslim chaplain who was charged with espionage but later cleared completely, has handed in his resignation. He never even received an apology from the army - much ... Read More
Demythologizing the Early Olympics
Wednesday August 4, 2004
The Olympics are typically seen as the pinnacle of athletic competition - something that should be maintained as pure and unsullied by professional athletes. Thus, people are often scandalized when ... Read More
God Exists: Necessary & Self-Existent
Wednesday August 4, 2004
It might seem odd to list "existence" as an attribute of God, but that's not actually the point here. Of course believers think that their god exists - what is ... Read More
New Mexico: Teacher Fired After Anti-War Reading Settles Case
Wednesday August 4, 2004
A while ago I wrote about a New Mexico where a student's poetry that was critical of the government led to her mother (a teacher) being suspended and her teacher-advisor ... Read More
Stars and Stripes... and Crosses?
Wednesday August 4, 2004
General Counsel Raquel Rodriguez, the top lawyer for Florida Governor Jeb Bush, has a card posted in her reception area that depicts an American flag with a cross superimposed over ... Read More
This Date in History: Pat Robertson
Wednesday August 4, 2004
August 04, 1961: The Christian Broadcasting Network, founded and run by Pat Robertson, began broadcasting over the radio.
Kerry Religious Advisor Supported Newdow
Wednesday August 4, 2004
The new adviser for religious outreach to John Kerry's campaign and the Democratic National Committee was one of the signers of an amicus brief supporting Newdow's case against the phrase ... Read More
GOP Wooing Keyes To Take On Obama
Wednesday August 4, 2004
The Republican Party would like to find someone, anyone, to run against Barack Obama for the Illinois Senate seat. They are so desperate that they are, apparently, even thinking about ... Read More
Center for Inquiry to Expand
Wednesday August 4, 2004
The Center for Inquiry, located in suburban Buffalo, New York, is an important resource for both skeptics and humanists - but it's about to get better. They intend to launch ... Read More
Jehovah's Witnesses: Elders' Manual
Tuesday August 3, 2004
Jehovah's Witnesses have "elders" who are each given a manual that tells them how to manage their flocks and fulfill their administrative duties. These manuals aren't supposed to get out, ... Read More
Iran Allows Sex-Change Operations
Tuesday August 3, 2004
Iran is a curious country: it's ruled by conservative Islamic values and religious beliefs, but in some ways and at some times it appears almost liberal in comparison to other ... Read More
Catholic Orthodoxy in Oregon
Tuesday August 3, 2004
Bend, Oregon's Bishop Robert F. Vasa is making things difficult for liberal Catholics who disagree with anything from the Vatican. Vasa has declared that lay ministers and cantors must adhere ... Read More
Irreligious Widow Badgered for Church Bequest
Tuesday August 3, 2004
Churches commonly ask for money from parishioners and it isn't common for a church member to leave a bequest to their church in a will. It's unusual, however, for a ... Read More
Has the Christian Revolution Fizzled Out?
Tuesday August 3, 2004
America's Religious Right should be basking in the glow of power and success - political leaders who support them occupy important positions of authority in America. Yet, for some reason, ... Read More
Florida: Public Prayers Divide, Don't Provide Wisdom
Tuesday August 3, 2004
Why do people pray? There are a variety of reasons, but when politicians prayer in a public context they commonly pray that God will provide them with guidance and wisdom. ... Read More
Discussion: Christian Alternative to Harry Potter
Tuesday August 3, 2004
A forum member writes: How typical of Christianity to look at a work of fiction or, say, a myth, then decide that 'we want something like that,' only to proceed ... Read More
Pulpit Politics & Republican Candidates
Tuesday August 3, 2004
Many conservative Republicans would like churches to participate in partisan politics without losing their tax exempt status - a right they don't wish to extend to secular non-profits. Is this ... Read More
This Date in History: Nazi Euthanasia
Tuesday August 3, 2004
August 03, 1941: Münster Bishop Clemns von Galen publicly denounced the Nazi program of euthanasia for the mentally unfit. Von Galen was along a thorn in the side of the ... Read More
Christian Coalition Sued Over Unpaid Bill
Tuesday August 3, 2004
There was a time when the Christian Coalition was the largest, most powerful, and surely the most feared of all organizations on the Christian Right. Today, though, it has become ... Read More
America in the Middle East
Tuesday August 3, 2004
Recently Received: Resurrecting Empire: Western Footprints and America’s Perilous Path in the Middle East, by Rashid Khalidi.
America isn’t the first Western nation to insert itself into Middle East, attempting to ... Read More
More on Religious Exemptions at School
Monday August 2, 2004
I wrote recently about a case at the University of Utah where the administration agreed to craft a policy that would allow religious exemptions for students not to follow the ... Read More
Ten Commandments Road Show
Monday August 2, 2004
Roy Moore's Ten Commandments monument has hit the road to visit loyal far-right religious believers all over the South. First stop: Dayton, Tennessee, the site of the infamous Scopes Monkey ... Read More
A Regular Guy for President?
Monday August 2, 2004
In almost every election, and certainly in every presidential election, the candidates compete to be seen as the most "regular guy" in the crowd. The premise seems to be that ... Read More
That “Vision Thing”
Monday August 2, 2004
The Christian Right is a driven, committed block of voters who know what they want and will work very hard to get it. Why? They have a "vision" - they ... Read More
God is Perfect & Worthy of Worship
Monday August 2, 2004
Although there are a number of divine attributes which tend to receive a lot of attention, there is none quite so important for traditional believers as the general principle of ... Read More
PA: Couples Challenge Home Schooling Regulations
Monday August 2, 2004
All states have some regulation for homeschooled children, but Pennsylvania's is perhaps the most stringent: affidavits at the beginning of each school year, medical records, a log of progress, and ... Read More
Discussion: Bush’s Space Exploration Plans
Monday August 2, 2004
A forum member writes: A House appropriations subcommittee has dealt a serious blow to President Bush's Moon-Mars vision for NASA by making deep cuts in programs that support the mission. ... Read More
Cheney Demanded Endorsement Pledge from Democrats
Monday August 2, 2004
Sometimes Democrats are interested in hearing what Republican politicians have to say - but if you want to hear Vice President Dick Cheney speak, you'll have to sign an endorsement ... Read More
This Date in History: The Inquistion
Monday August 2, 2004
August 02, 1262: Pope Urban IV renews the policy that inquisitors should absolve one another of irregularities in the pursuit of their duties, begun by Pope Alexander IV. This policy ... Read More
WV: Wiccan Couple Harassed, Children Taken Away
Monday August 2, 2004
According to a West Virginia couple, they have been harassed and even had their children taken away for six months because they are Wiccans, not Christians. They've filed a lawsuit ... Read More
Fallout Over Atheist Invocation
Monday August 2, 2004
A couple of days ago I reported on the bigots who walked out before an atheist could deliver an invocation at a Tampa city council meeting. They, according to reports, ... Read More
Britain: Muslim Clerics Must Pass English Test
Monday August 2, 2004
The British government has decided to start mandating English proficiency tests for imams. Their concern is that British Muslims are increasingly native-born and growing up speaking English; if an imam ... Read More
Bronze Age Human Sacrifice: Not So Common?
Sunday August 1, 2004
Cuts on skulls and other bones have led archaeologists to believe that a fair amount of ritual human sacrifice might have gone on during the Bronze Age - but that ... Read More
This Date in History: Jewish Extremism
Sunday August 1, 2004
August 01, 1932: Meir Kahane was born. Kahane was a pivotal figure in the development of extremism on both sides of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Stone Age Origins for Wine?
Sunday August 1, 2004
Wine is very popular - and it might be very old, far older than has been generally believed up to now. Scientists are trying to determine just how old wine ... Read More
Malaysia: Muslims Barred from “Passion” Film
Sunday August 1, 2004
Mel Gibson's movie "The Passion" continues to be popular in various nations, but its controversial subject manner has caused some governments to place restrictions on it. Malaysia, for example, is ... Read More
Weekly Quote: Marx on Religion
Sunday August 1, 2004
Religious distress is at the same time the expression of real distress and the protest against real distress. Religion is the sigh of the oppressed creature, the heart of a ... Read More
Nuns Undercover
Sunday August 1, 2004
Recently Received: Unveiled: The Hidden Lives of Nuns, by Cheryl L. Reed.
When you think of nuns, what comes to mind? Stern, older women bearing lethal rulers and the watchful eyes ... Read More