Evangelical Christianity & Homosexuality
Thursday September 30, 2004
Evangelical and conservative Christians can be counted upon to exhibit outrage and dismay over just about any attempts to treat gays like equal citizens. I'm not talking about gay marriage ... Read More
Indiana: Wiccans Worry Neighbors
Thursday September 30, 2004
Most Christians today continue to have negative assumptions about Wiccans, associating them with evil, Satanism, and all sorts of nasty things. This makes it difficult for Wiccans living in small, ... Read More
Spain: Gay Marriage a "Virus"
Thursday September 30, 2004
The socialist government of Spain is planning on legalizing gay marriage, something that has outraged the country's Catholic clergy. They, of course, are opposed to gay marriage - but their ... Read More
This Date in History: Jerusalem Falls
Thursday September 30, 2004
September 30, 1187: Jerusalem is officially surrendered to Saladin, commander of the Muslim forces besieging the city. In order to save face Saladin demands that a heavy ransom be paid ... Read More
Pledge Author an Atheist?
Thursday September 30, 2004
Is the reason that the original Pledge of Allegiance didn't include the phrase "under God" because the author, Francis Bellamy, was an atheist? No, because Bellamy was not only a ... Read More
UK: Reggae Fans Threaten Gay Activist
Thursday September 30, 2004
Peter Tatchell is a gay rights activist in Britain who have been campaigning to raise awareness about some of the violently homophobic lyrics in some reggae songs - and trying ... Read More
Alan Keyes: Morals More Important than Jobs
Thursday September 30, 2004
According to Senate candidate Alan Keyes, issues like job creation and health care must take a back seat to moral issues like abortion and stem cell research. Apparently, in Alan ... Read More
Divination and Religion
Thursday September 30, 2004
Recently Received: Divination and Healing: Potent Vision, edited by Michael Winkelman and Philip M. Peek. Publisher: Arizona University Press.
In one form or another, divination can be found in just about ... Read More
Are Catholic Charities really "Catholic"?
Wednesday September 29, 2004
Catholic Charities has been trying to fight a California law that requires all employers that provide health insurance to also cover prescription contraceptives for female employees. The organization argues that ... Read More
Lawsuit Against Roy Moore Dismissed
Wednesday September 29, 2004
Those who went to court to fight Roy Moore's Ten Commandments monument in Alabama also tried to recover some of their court costs from him, but a judge has dismissed ... Read More
Roman Venus Statue Found in Cologne
Wednesday September 29, 2004
Construction workers digging a canal shaft in Cologne, Germany, and unearthed a priceless statue of Venus that dates back 1,600 years. Venus was the Roman goddess of love, beauty, fertility, ... Read More
Does Vietnam Still Matter?
Wednesday September 29, 2004
The presidential campaign of 2004 has featured a lot of discussion about Vietnam and the two main candidates' actions during that role. Many have complained that the campaign should deal ... Read More
Attending Religious Services
Wednesday September 29, 2004
You may not be raising your child to follow any particular religion and you may in fact be encouraging your child to learn about many different religious beliefs on an ... Read More
Controversial Filmmaker Receiving Threats
Wednesday September 29, 2004
Not long ago I wrote about the new film from Dutch MP Ayaan Hirsi Ali that addresses Muslim violence against women in a very graphic way. Well, the predictable death ... Read More
Kansas: School Forfeits Football Game Rather than Play Girl
Wednesday September 29, 2004
St. Mary's Academy in northeast Kansas is a private Catholic school that believes so strongly in gender segregation that it was willing to accept forfeiting a football game rather than ... Read More
This Date in History: Female Bishops
Wednesday September 29, 2004
September 29, 1989: The Episcopal Church appointed its first female bishop.
Noah's Ark Quest on Ice
Wednesday September 29, 2004
Earlier this year I wrote about a expedition being planned to search for Noah's Ark. Well, the plans have been put on ice for now - and it's possible that ... Read More
Struggle for Modern Islam
Wednesday September 29, 2004
Recently Received: In the Shadow of the Prophet: The Struggle for the Soul of Islam, by Milton Viorst.
Why is the Arab Middle East so backward when it comes to technological, ... Read More
Nigeria: Teacher Flees After Throwing Koran
Tuesday September 28, 2004
In Nigeria a student who was reading a book instead of paying attention in class had her book taken away and thrown to the floor. Unfortunately for the teacher of ... Read More
Oregon: Churches Coercing Parishioners into Anti-Gay Votes?
Tuesday September 28, 2004
In Oregon, ballot measure 36 would amend the state constitution to prohibit gay marriages and many churches are organizing to encouraging support for it. Some, though, have been accused to ... Read More
Jerusalem: Great Synagogue Defaced
Tuesday September 28, 2004
People spray-painted graffiti on the Great Synagogue of Jerusalem during the Jewish holy days - and some think that it was Jews who probably did it. This isn't the sort ... Read More
Religious Identity Decline in U.S.
Tuesday September 28, 2004
Traditional wisdom has it that America is not only highly religious but is getting more religious as time goes on. But is this true? There are in fact more nonreligious ... Read More
What happens when your family pushes religion on your kids?
Tuesday September 28, 2004
If you are trying to raise your children without also forcing them to adopt a particular religious faith, there can be a lot of conflict with other family members who ... Read More
Jerusalem: Priests Brawl Outside Shrine
Tuesday September 28, 2004
The Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem is generally considered the holiest shrine in all of Christendom. That is why it is so ironic that two priests, one Greek ... Read More
Human Conscience
Tuesday September 28, 2004
Praise writes: A conscience is an inward realization or sense of right and wrong that excuses or accuses one. Hence, conscience judges. It also can be trained by the thoughts ... Read More
Wal-Mart Stops Selling Antisemitic Book
Tuesday September 28, 2004
"The Protocols of the Learned Elders of Zion" has long been recognized as a forgery designed to encourage suspicion, fear, and hatred of Jews. Why, then, did Wal-Mart begin selling ... Read More
This Date in History: Jerusalem
Tuesday September 28, 2004
September 28, 1187: After two days of heavy battering, the walls of Jerusalem begin to buckle under the Muslim assault. St. Stephen's tower falls partially and a breach begins to ... Read More
Iran Curbing Women's Rights
Tuesday September 28, 2004
As religious conservatives in Iran gain more power, the rights of the people begin to reduce. The first to feel the pinch are, of course, Iranian women: hardliners want to ... Read More
Alan Keyes' Daughter a Lesbian?
Tuesday September 28, 2004
Alan Keyes has made a name for himself by being farther to the right than most other Republicans and he is especially well known for speaking out on issues like ... Read More
House Votes to "Protect" Pledge of Allegiance
Tuesday September 28, 2004
Last week the House of Representatives voted to "protect" the Pledge of Allegiance by stripping from federal courts the authority to hear challenges to the inclusion of the phrase "under ... Read More
American Supreme Court
Tuesday September 28, 2004
Book of the Day: The Supreme Court, by William H. Rehnquist.
Just what is the Supreme Court - what does it do, how does it work and what role does it ... Read More
Why Churches Should Not Be Punished
Monday September 27, 2004
When an official in some organization commits a crime while exercising official duties, it is possible to sue both the individual and organization for punitive damages. Is it, though, a ... Read More
John Kerry as Tokyo Rose?
Monday September 27, 2004
Republican rhetoric against John Kerry has been increasing in intensity and viciousness. The most recent meme being spread has been that Kerry is basically a traitor and that voting for ... Read More
Austalia: Liberals Banned from Church Venue
Monday September 27, 2004
A group of liberal Catholics that was slated to use church facilities for a meeting had to make last-minute changes. Cardingal George Pell decided that, apparently, even the possibility that ... Read More
Valhalla: Can You Take the Chance?
Monday September 27, 2004
A common Christian argument says that one should believe in God because it's too much of a chance not to believe. It's a bad argument that some Christians recognize as ... Read More
Election Debacle Looming?
Monday September 27, 2004
At the same time that they are voting for the next president, Coloradans will also be voting on an amendment to their state constitution that would allocate electoral college votes ... Read More
Invitations to Religious Services
Monday September 27, 2004
What should you do if your child is invited to attend religious services with friends of theirs? There is no easy way to answer this question because the most fundamental ... Read More
Necessity of Christianity?
Monday September 27, 2004
Proponents of so-called "Intelligent [sic] Design" like to claim that their purpose is to reveal the scientific flaws in Darwinian evolution that is accepted by nearly all real scientists. The ... Read More
This Date in History: Society of Jesus
Monday September 27, 2004
September 27, 1540: With the encyclical "Regimini militantis ecclesiae," Pope Paul III gave official approval to the Society of Jesus (Jesuits). The motto of the Jesuits is Ad majorem Dei ... Read More
Falwell: Evangelicals Control Republican Party
Monday September 27, 2004
Many observers have long felt that conservative evangelical Christians had acquired a strangle-hold on the Republican Party, but now a prominent evangelical has admitted it outright. According to Jerry Falwell, ... Read More
Choose Life License Plates Ruled Unconstitutional
Monday September 27, 2004
Tennessee created a speciality license plate program that included "Choose Life" plates which supported anti-abortion efforts. A federal judge has struck it down as unconstitutional, arguing that the state doesn't ... Read More
History of American Religion
Monday September 27, 2004
Book of the Day: Religion in the Modern American West, by Ferenc Morton Szasz.
The American West has never been merely a geographical space. Instead, it has long played a nearly ... Read More
Should I raise my kids as atheists?
Sunday September 26, 2004
Christians raise their children as Christians, Jews raise their children as Jews, and Muslims raise their children as Muslims, so doesn't it make sense that atheists raise their children as ... Read More
Anything Goes Politics
Sunday September 26, 2004
In recent years the political activities of Republicans have grown increasingly mean-spirited and nasty. The phrase "slash and burn" politics is not inappropriate, considering how vicious the language and behavior ... Read More
This Date in History: Palestinian Mandate
Sunday September 26, 2004
September 26, 1947: Britain announces to the UN general assembly that it would end its Palestinian Mandate.
Plutocracy in America
Sunday September 26, 2004
A plutocracy is a political system where power is concentrated in the hands of a small number of wealthy people, usually those with inherited wealth and wealthy families (plutocracies are ... Read More
Goodbye Secularism
Sunday September 26, 2004
The Christian Right has not tried to hide the fact that it wants to end the separation of church and state in America. They would replace this with what amounts ... Read More
Weekly Quote: Ayer on the Meaninglessness of God
Sunday September 26, 2004
[I]f "god" is a metaphysical term, then it cannot be even probable that a god exists. For to say that "God exists" is to make a metaphysical utterance which cannot ... Read More
What should I tell my kids about religion?
Saturday September 25, 2004
When children are raised in a religious environment, what they are taught about religion is relatively obvious and organized - but what about kids raised in a non-religious environment? If ... Read More
Confusing Faith and Values
Saturday September 25, 2004
Religion is important in many people's lives, but it's unfortunate that they therefore want to make religion important in government as well. This is particularly true when it comes to ... Read More
What Is "Media Bias," Exactly?
Saturday September 25, 2004
There is a common complaint from conservatives that there is too much "liberal bias" in the American media today. What exactly do they mean by "bias," though, and what exactly ... Read More
This Date in History: Nicopolis
Saturday September 25, 2004
September 25, 1396: Battle of Nicopolis: A Crusader army of around 60,000 men and made up of from the Hungarian army of Sigismund of Luxembourg along with French, German, Polish, ... Read More
Gallup Polls Cannot Be Trusted
Saturday September 25, 2004
Recent Gallup polls have shown George W. Bush far ahead of Democratic challenger John Kerry. What makes this interesting is that no other polls show anything like this. What's going ... Read More
Evolution and Darwin Today
Saturday September 25, 2004
Recently Received: The Evolutionists: The Struggle for Darwin’s Soul, by Richard Morris.
Evolution may be a fact that undenied among real scientists, but this doesn’t mean that there are no debates ... Read More
I feel pressured to donate to religious charities at the office
Friday September 24, 2004
People making the rounds of their coworkers, seeking donations for this or that charity, are a common feature in the landscape of America's businesses. Sometimes they are asking for outright ... Read More
Walter Jones: Anti-Theocrats are "Evil"
Friday September 24, 2004
U.S. Rep. Walter Jones is pushing for a law that would allow clergy to endorse political candidates from the pulpit and use tax-free charitable donations for political activism. Many have ... Read More
Nigeria: Human Rights Abuses Under Shariah Law
Friday September 24, 2004
The imposition of Islamic laws in norther Nigeria has led to widespread abuses of basic human rights. Islamic law has been imposed for the sake of partisan politics and the ... Read More
This Date in History: Taliban
Friday September 24, 2004
September 24, 2001: The Taliban called for a jihad against the United States if American forces entered Afghanistan hunting for Osama bin Laden.
Michigan: Gay Doctors Oppose "Conscience" Bill
Friday September 24, 2004
A proposed Michigan law would allow doctors and other medical professionals to refuse to treat patients on "ethical, moral or religious grounds." Gay doctors in Michigan are working against it ... Read More
Nebraska: Threats Against Atheist to Continue, Judge Rules
Friday September 24, 2004
The Nebraska ACLU recently found itself in a curious position of arguing that the press should be silenced. Why? They didn't want the name of a plaintiff published because he ... Read More
Bush's War on Gays Marches Forward
Friday September 24, 2004
The Bush administration's efforts to roll back protections gays have against discrimination is proceeding on schedule, it appears. The Social Security Administration is working hard to delete from its labor ... Read More
Civil Rights and Race in America
Friday September 24, 2004
Recently Received: Brown v. Board of Education: A Civil Rights Milestone and its Troubled Legacy, by James T. Patterson.
The Supreme Court ruling in Brown v. Board of Education was one ... Read More
Pennsylvania: Protesting the "Crusader" Team Name
Thursday September 23, 2004
The name "Crusader" is very popular among sports teams in America, but there has been a growing awareness of it's historical connotations of violence that has led to efforts to ... Read More
South Carolina: Kerry Supporter Denied Communion
Thursday September 23, 2004
Conflict over whether people who in any way support legalized abortion should be allowed to receive communion in Catholic churches continues. In South Carolina, a man with a "John Kerry ... Read More
Arizona: Tucson Catholic Diocese Files for Bankruptcy
Thursday September 23, 2004
Portland was the first Catholic archdiocese in America to file for bankruptcy. Now, Tucson is the second. Both are due to the massive legal costs and settlements in the wake ... Read More
Misrepresenting Religion, Church/State Separation
Thursday September 23, 2004
It's unusual to find a religious conservative or fundamentalist not misrepresent the separation of church and state these days. I'm not quite sure why this is so. Perhaps they realize ... Read More
Bush Campaigns For True Believers, Everyone Pays
Thursday September 23, 2004
The Bush re-election campaign consistently excludes from speeches and other campaign stops anyone suspected of not being a loyal Bush supporters. Anyone who wears or says the wrong things is ... Read More
My boss holds prayer meetings and Bible study groups
Thursday September 23, 2004
Because religion is such an important part of so many people's lives, it is not surprising that it will end up playing a role for them where they work. They ... Read More
Casualties in the Abortion War
Thursday September 23, 2004
The Christian Right's war on abortion is having the effect of reducing women's choices even though abortion is legal because fewer and fewer doctors learn how to or are willing ... Read More
Deal Hudson Forced to Resign
Thursday September 23, 2004
I recently wrote about Deal Hudson, a conservative Catholic who had made a big deal about the immorality of Catholic politicians who support legal abortion but who had to resign ... Read More
This Date in History: Sigmund Freud
Thursday September 23, 2004
September 23, 1939: Sigmund Freud died. Freud was the father of modern psychoanalysis who developed a number of theories regarding the role our unconscious plays in influencing and even determining ... Read More
Clinical Drug Trials "Distorted"
Thursday September 23, 2004
Pharmaceutical companies are allowed to bring drugs to market and advertise them based upon results in clinical trials. What if those companies only report on the "good" trials, though, and ... Read More
Idaho: Gay Dad Loses Again in Custody Case
Thursday September 23, 2004
A gay man in Idaho has been denied both custody and visitation with his daughters because of his sexual orientation. The Idaho Supreme Court denies that this is the case, ... Read More
Marriage Rights for Sadists???
Thursday September 23, 2004
Members of the Christian Right are outraged at the idea that gays might have a right to marry, arguing that only unions that match the desires of God are appropriate. ... Read More
My coworker tries to convert me
Wednesday September 22, 2004
Religion can be a very important part of many people's lives - from their religion they derive their values, their morals, and often their reason for living. Because of this, ... Read More
Pope: New Zealand Far Too Secular
Wednesday September 22, 2004
When Pope John Paul II criticizes modern secularism, he usually directs his comments to the United States and, sometimes, Europe. Now he has set his sights on New Zealand, claiming ... Read More
Conservatives Urge Boycott of P&G
Wednesday September 22, 2004
They say that no good deed goes unpunished and that certainly seems to be the case with Proctor & Gamble. The company is opposing an anti-gay rights statute in its ... Read More
This Date in History: Old Catholic Movement
Wednesday September 22, 2004
September 22, 1871: Led by church historian and priest Johann Joseph Ignaz von Döllinger, German Catholics opposed to the doctrine of papal infallibility meet in Münich and decide to set ... Read More
Serbian Education Minister Quits
Wednesday September 22, 2004
I wrote before about attempts by the Education Minister of Serbia to get rid of evolution from public school classes unless accompanied by creation and the subsequent rush by the ... Read More
Illinois: Man Angered At Historical Pledge Display
Wednesday September 22, 2004
An Illinois library has a display that includes an old poster of the Pledge of Allegiance - old enough to be from before the Pledge was changed to include "under ... Read More
Many Gay Anglican Bishops Remain Silent
Wednesday September 22, 2004
There are evidently a number of gay bishops in the Anglican Communion - but you wouldn't know it because they are all keeping quiet instead of speaking out over the ... Read More
Pleasure and Human Sexuality
Wednesday September 22, 2004
Recently Received: With Pleasure: Thoughts on the Nature of Human Sexuality, by Paul R. Pinkerton and Steven D. Abramson.
Most people tend to assume that sexuality and sexual behavior exist for ... Read More
Bush Supporter Stages Assault on Daughter
Tuesday September 21, 2004
Phil Parlock claims that he and his three-year-old-daughter were assaulted by Kerry supporters when he tried to show support for Bush & Cheney at a John Edwards campaign stop. Curiously, ... Read More
Israel: Archaeologists Fear Temple Mount Collapse
Tuesday September 21, 2004
The Temple Mount area in Jerusalem is sacred to both Jews and Muslims. It also may be collapsing, in part due to the digging and construction done by Muslims who ... Read More
Nefertiti's Erotic Dances - And Violent End
Tuesday September 21, 2004
Most people have heard of Nefertiti, a queen of Egypt whose legendary beauty and powers of seduction rank only second to those of Cleopatra in the history books. Even in ... Read More
Danish Disbelief
Tuesday September 21, 2004
Reverend Thorkil Grosboll in Denmark has made headlines at home and around the world for his challenges to the prevailing and traditional theological positions on God. He doubts the very ... Read More
My coworkers have religious symbols all over the place
Tuesday September 21, 2004
Because people spend so much of their time at work, it should be expected that they will decorate their desks, offices, cubicles, or other work areas with things that represent ... Read More
Bigots Whine About "Muslim Youth Day" at Park
Tuesday September 21, 2004
The Six Flags Great Adventure amusement park in New Jersey recently held a special "Muslim Youth Day" where Muslim families had the park to themselves. The park regularly rents itself ... Read More
Republicans for Kerry
Tuesday September 21, 2004
Although most presidential races are described in terms of liberals vs. conservatives with moderates/independents in the middle. This year there is an interesting twist: conservatives who have grown impatient and ... Read More
This Date in History: Catholicism & Segregation
Tuesday September 21, 2004
September 21, 1947: Archbishop Joseph E. Ritter St. Louis, Missouri, warns Roman Catholics that they would be automatically excommunicated if any move forward in taking civil action against his plans ... Read More
Jimmy Swaggart Threatens Gay Men
Tuesday September 21, 2004
Jimmy Swaggart definitely doesn't like gay people or gay marriage. On a recent program broadcast in the U.S. and Canada, he threatened not only to kill any gay person who ... Read More
Animal Mummies Were Very Expensive
Monday September 20, 2004
Aside from the pyramids, mummies are probably the most famous remains of ancient Egyptian religion and culture. Most mummies were of royalty and other important people, but there were also ... Read More
New York: Gay Marriages Stand
Monday September 20, 2004
More than 250 gay couples were married in New Paltz, New York, before state courts stopped the activity. A State Supreme Court justice has refused to nullify those unions, however, ... Read More
Have Faith? Give Cash!
Monday September 20, 2004
Ministers fleecing their flocks and enriching themselves at parishioners' expense is probably as old as religion itself, though it gained new traction and publicity with the growth of televangelists in ... Read More
Remembering George W. Bush
Monday September 20, 2004
One's former teachers are often a good source for praise and warm memories, but that isn't the case for Yoshi Tsurumi, one of George W. Bush's professors at Harvard. In ... Read More
My coworkers talk about religion constantly and it bugs me.
Monday September 20, 2004
Relationships at work are not and cannot be completely impersonal. Humans are social animals and it should be expected that they will want to develop social relationships alongside their professional ... Read More
Democracy & Ethnic Cleansing
Monday September 20, 2004
Mass murder for political or religious reasons is nothing new, but "ethnic cleansing" seems to have become more common at the same time that western-style democracies have expanded their reach. ... Read More
Discussion: Prayers for Hurricane Ivan
Monday September 20, 2004
A forum member writes: Mississippi governor Haley Barbour said today in a press conference that our (meaning us Mississippians, I guess) prayers had been answered and the hurricane had turned ... Read More
Minnesota: Liberals are Anti-God
Monday September 20, 2004
In Minnesota, as in other areas of the country, Republicans are telling voters that Democrats and the Democratic party are so anti-God that if God could vote, God would definitely ... Read More
This Date in History: Saladin Arrives at Jerusalem
Monday September 20, 2004
September 20, 1187: Saladin and his forces arrive outside of Jerusalem and prepare to assault the city. Defense of Jerusalem is led by Balian of Ibelin. Balian had escaped capture ... Read More
West Virginia: Liberals to Ban Bibles
Monday September 20, 2004
I don't know how they did it, but Republicans in West Virginia have found out about the super-secret Democratic plan to put atheists in charge and ban all the Bibles. ... Read More
Washington: Candidate for Governor Calls Atheists "Dangerous"
Monday September 20, 2004
Conservative Republicans like to paint the Democrats as a "godless" party and it is true that Democrats tend to be more tolerant of religious diversity that includes nonbelievers. This does ... Read More
Saudi Arabia Criticized Over Religious Rights
Monday September 20, 2004
For a long time now people have complained about the manner in which Saudi Arabia handles religion and religious minorities. The American government has generally turned a deaf ear to ... Read More
Origins and Evolution of Life
Monday September 20, 2004
Recently Received: The Spark of Life: Darwin and the Primeval Soup, by Christopher Wills and Jeffrey Bada.
Evolutionary theory tells us the means by which life evolved, but how did life ... Read More
Should I reveal my atheism to my coworkers?
Sunday September 19, 2004
Because of the amount of time you spend with people at your job, you may feel uncomfortable with keeping that fact that you are an atheist hidden from them - ... Read More
Lebanon: Da Vinci Code Banned
Sunday September 19, 2004
A fictional account of conspiracies spanning centuries, The Da Vinci Code does not paint a very flattering picture of the Catholic Church. Because of that, Catholic officials in Lebanon complained ... Read More
Free Elections Threaten America
Sunday September 19, 2004
One would think that if anything would be fundamental to America, it would be the free elections that go along with democracy. Unfortunately there are more than a few Americans ... Read More
This Date in History: Israel and the PLO
Sunday September 19, 2004
September 19, 1993: Israel officially recognized the PLO as no longer a criminal organization.
What Does Bush Really Believe?
Sunday September 19, 2004
George W. Bush is widely regarded as one of the most openly religious presidents in recent memory. That's almost certainly true, but it's interesting that however religious he may be, ... Read More
Pakistan: Musharraf Calls for Change in Blasphemy Law
Sunday September 19, 2004
One of the biggest criticisms that people both inside and outside of Pakistan have had is about its blasphemy laws. Almost anyone can be accused for the flimsiest of reasons ... Read More
Weekly Quote: Kant on Recognizing God
Sunday September 19, 2004
Even if God were to make an immediate appearance, I would still need rational theology as a presupposition. For how am I to be certain that it is God himself ... Read More
I've been invited to a religious funeral
Saturday September 18, 2004
Funerals are a difficult time for all involved. The loss of a loved one takes a terrible toll on those left behind, and often the funeral service plays an important ... Read More
More Questions About "The Question of God"
Saturday September 18, 2004
I wrote a couple of days about doubts and questions I had regarding PBS' recent show "The Question of God." Turns out I'm not the only one, especially where the ... Read More
Michael Jackson Accuser: Chosen By God?
Saturday September 18, 2004
You've probably heard about the criminal case against Michael Jackson, accused of sexually abusing a young boy. In a strange twist, the mother of the boy has announced "God hand-picked ... Read More
This Date in History: Leonhard Euler
Saturday September 18, 2004
September 18, 1783: Leonhard Euler died in St. Petersburg, Russia.
French Headscarf Ban: Another Look
Saturday September 18, 2004
American secularism is very different from French secularism, a fact that has caused many to look at the French ban on headscarves at schools as something closer to religious oppression ... Read More
Florida: God Rules at School
Saturday September 18, 2004
Geoff McKee, principal at the Boca Raton High School, has a habit of injecting his personal religious beliefs into what he is doing. This has come to bother a number ... Read More
Hidden Dissent: Free Speech vs. Corporate Media
Saturday September 18, 2004
Americans typically object when the government tries to restrict free speech, although such reactions haven't been as strong since the terrorist attacks of 9/11. Still, for any sort of reaction ... Read More
Despotism and Democracy in Islam
Saturday September 18, 2004
Recently Received: Legacy of the Prophet: Despots, Democrats, and the New Politics of Islam, by Anthony Shadid.
Islamic militants have grabbed a lot of headlines, and that is only to be ... Read More
I've been invited to a religious wedding
Friday September 17, 2004
If this is simply a question of an invitation to attend a wedding ceremony which happens to be religious, there isn't much reason why you shouldn't go. The mere fact ... Read More
Sweatshop Psychics in Washington
Friday September 17, 2004
You might make occasional jokes about those hotline psychics, but maybe we should have more sympathy rather then derision: they're being exploited! Yes, indeed, these poor psychics work in veritable ... Read More
Sweatshop Psychics in Washington
Friday September 17, 2004
You might make occasional jokes about those hotline psychics, but maybe we should have more sympathy rather then derision: they're being exploited! Yes, indeed, these poor psychics work in veritable ... Read More
This Date in History: Begin & Sadat
Friday September 17, 2004
September 17, 1978: Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin and Egyptian President Anwar Sadat concluded peace talks which led to a peace treaty between the two nations - the first such ... Read More
Case Against Mormonism
Friday September 17, 2004
Mormonism is an original American religion that is becoming increasingly popular all over the world. Unlike most major religions, though, it relies heavily on the truth of archaeological and historical ... Read More
Iraqi Boy Scouts
Friday September 17, 2004
The Boy Scouts in Iraq are re-organizing now that Saddam Hussein is gone. Even better, they aren't allowing any namby-pamby atheists and gays join them, which just thrills Christian Right ... Read More
Morality vs. Sexual Morality
Friday September 17, 2004
Both the Christian Right and the Republican Party talk a lot about morality: restoring morality to America, improving people's morality, etc. If you think about it, though, they aren't really ... Read More
Genetics and Destiny
Friday September 17, 2004
Recently Received: Genetic Destinies, by Peter Little.
Genetic research holds out a great deal of promise for human health and happiness — and not a little bit of danger as well. ... Read More
Our families want our child to be baptized
Thursday September 16, 2004
Although it shouldn't be too much of an imposition to accept an invitation to someone else's baptism or christening, matters are very different when you are expected to actively participate ... Read More
Hindus Worried About Muslim, Christian Growth
Thursday September 16, 2004
Muslim and Christian populations in India are growing at a faster rate than Hindus, causing the leader of the Hindu nationalists to call upon those groups to practice family planning ... Read More
Republicans Using Flag Burning for Political Points
Thursday September 16, 2004
Flag Burning is in the news again. This time, Republicans aren't just seeking to curtail Americans' civil liberties in order to make a idol out of the flag, but they ... Read More
This Date in History: Catholicism in England
Thursday September 16, 2004
September 16, 1581: The English parliament passed a law that prescribed the death penalty for anyone who converted to Catholicism, treating such an act as if it were high treason ... Read More
Civil War in Israel?
Thursday September 16, 2004
Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon would like to pull his country out of the Gaza Strip. If he can, it will be an important step towards peace with the Palestinians ... Read More
Roy Moore Keeps Pushing Theocratic Bill
Thursday September 16, 2004
Roy Moore can't get enough of the headlines: he's still pushing for Congress to adopt a law that would prevent federal courts from reviewing the constitutionality of laws that would ... Read More
Bush: Flip-Flopper?
Thursday September 16, 2004
The Bush campaign has been working overtime to paint John Kerry as a flip-flopper. This is ironic for two reasons. First, it's stupid to pretend that changing one's mind is ... Read More
Silencing Women
Thursday September 16, 2004
Recently Received: Women and the Conquest of California, 1542-1840: Codes of Silence, by Virginia M. Bouvier. Publisher: Arizona University Press.
What role did women have in the settlement and conquest of ... Read More
Hawaii: Man Banned from Library for Visiting Gay Site
Wednesday September 15, 2004
Should a person be removed and banned from a public area because of their views? That seems possible in Hawaii where a gay man has been banned from a library ... Read More
Turkey Won't Outlaw Adultery
Wednesday September 15, 2004
A few days ago I wrote about how Turkey was considering a law that would criminalize adultery. Widespread criticism, however, seems to have induced them to change their plans.
IndyStar explains:
Turkey's ... Read More
Bush's Bait & Switch on Civil Liberties
Wednesday September 15, 2004
President Bush has agreed to create a "President's Board on Safeguarding Americans' Civil Liberties," but it's a bait-and-switch game that won't protect anyone's civil liberties.
In The New York Times Richard ... Read More
My spouse wants to baptize our new child
Wednesday September 15, 2004
If your spouse believes that a baptism is necessary, then you face an entirely different set of problems and choices than if the pressure only comes from your families. The ... Read More
Americans Don't Believe in Church/State Separation
Wednesday September 15, 2004
Americans may believe in the importance of religious liberty, but for some reason they don't also believe in separating church from state. These views aren't compatible unless one thinks that ... Read More
This Date in History: Brigham Young
Wednesday September 15, 2004
September 15, 1857: Brigham Young declared martial law and forbade U.S. troops from entering Utah in order to avoid being replaced by Alfred Cumming, a non-Mormon, as governor of Utah.
Woman Loses Job For Kerry Sticker
Wednesday September 15, 2004
Lynne Gobbell of Moulton, Alabama, worked at Enviromate, a company that makes housing insulation. She was fired by Phil Gaddis, owner and Bush supporter, because she had a pro-Kerry sticker ... Read More
Massive Civil Rights Violations in FBI
Wednesday September 15, 2004
If you are charged in a criminal case, the police and prosecutors are required by law to turn over everything they have to your defense attorney. As it turns out, ... Read More
God and Politics
Wednesday September 15, 2004
More and more people are getting annoyed at how Republicans and conservative evangelicals keep using God as a campaign issue. Critics have this idea that God wouldn't belong to any ... Read More
I've been invited to attend a baptism
Tuesday September 14, 2004
Questions about christening and baptism ceremonies are pretty common, perhaps because the ceremonies themselves are so common. There are two different situations where an atheist might be faced with attending ... Read More
Catholic Church, Catholic Schools, Catholic Unions
Tuesday September 14, 2004
The Catholic Church opposed communism, but it still has a strong tradition of social justice that opposes any exploitation of workers. Catholic principles expect employers to treat workers well and ... Read More
This Date in History: Massachusetts & Witches
Tuesday September 14, 2004
September 14, 1699: Massachusetts had a day of fasting to atone for the persecuting "witches".
New Abuse Allegations in Boston
Tuesday September 14, 2004
Boston still hasn't fully recovered from the earlier allegations of widespread child abuse and cover-up in the Catholic Church, but now a new round of allegations have been released - ... Read More
SS Punishing Reporters Who Interview Protesters
Tuesday September 14, 2004
When President Bush visited Philadelphia, reporters who left the press area to talk to protestors were not allowed back. Why? America's SS (Secret Service) decided to punish those reporters for ... Read More
Religious Judge has Molester's Sentence Overturned
Tuesday September 14, 2004
You'd think it would be obvious that judges can't use religious reasons when sentencing someone or cite scripture in the sentencing process - but it's not obvious to everyone. District ... Read More
Zoroastrianism Facing Extinction
Monday September 13, 2004
Zoroastrianism has had a significant impact on the major western religions of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Much that is part of those religions would be unthinkable without the prior influence ... Read More
Eternal Fascism
Monday September 13, 2004
There's a lot of academic debate about the nature of fascism. It's often misused in popular discussions, with liberals bashing any conservatives as fascists and conservatives bashing any socialists as ... Read More
Atheists and Religious Ceremonies
Monday September 13, 2004
Most atheists have quite a few religious friends and relatives. Many of them may even be devoutly religious, following their traditions and practices with regularity and sincerity. If they consider ... Read More
Televangelist Crouch Dodging Gay Sex Allegations
Monday September 13, 2004
Paul Crouch is the founder of the world's largest Christian broadcaster, Trinity Broadcasting Network, and is one of the most influential televangelists in the business. He is also fighting allegations ... Read More
Sacred Mountain Off-Limits to Women
Monday September 13, 2004
Mt. Omine in Japan is sacred to followers of the Shugendo religion and has a Buddhist temple at the summit. It's also barred to all women, despite an 1872 law ... Read More
This Date in History: Jerry Falwell
Monday September 13, 2004
September 13, 2001: During an exchange with Pat Robertson on the 700 Club, Jerry Falwell explained what he thought caused the September 11th attacks on the World Trade Center: ... Read More
Fugitive Priests Protected in Rome
Monday September 13, 2004
Vatican officials, including Pope John Paul II, have insisted on transparency and justice when it comes to priests molesting children. Why, then, are fugitive priests being allowed to hide out ... Read More
Corruption of American Media
Monday September 13, 2004
A couple of days ago I wrote about how Vice President Dick Cheney suggested that voting for John Kerry would invite new terrorist attacks. His spokesperson "corrected" him with a ... Read More
Fathers Today
Monday September 13, 2004
Recently Received: Fathering at Risk, by James R. Dudley and Glenn Stone. Publisher: Prometheus Books.
Everyone has a biological father — someone who contributed genetic material which allows them to exist ... Read More
What is the Argument from Common Consent?
Sunday September 12, 2004
The basic version argues that belief in some sort of god is innate or instinctive and has existed consciously in nearly the whole of humanity throughout history. The best way ... Read More
Where Was God at Beslan?
Sunday September 12, 2004
Great evil in the world can lead to great doubts about the existence of an all-good God who upholds the moral order of the universe. The Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan ... Read More
Bill Maher's New Rules
Sunday September 12, 2004
One of the things George W. Bush has pointed to as a defining moment of his presidency is 9/11 when terrorists attacked the United States. That, however, was a time ... Read More
This Date in History: Wedding Vows
Sunday September 12, 2004
September 12, 1922: The Episcopal Church voted 36-27 to removed the word "obey" from the bride's section of wedding vows.
Where Was God at Beslan?
Sunday September 12, 2004
Great evil in the world can lead to great doubts about the existence of an all-good God who upholds the moral order of the universe. The Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan ... Read More
Mohler: IVF is Evil
Sunday September 12, 2004
As medical and biological technologies advance, new and interesting ethical questions about the limits of acceptable human actions are raised. For some religious leaders, though, these technologies do more: they ... Read More
Weekly Quote: Davies on Judging God
Sunday September 12, 2004
But what is the background for judging the Creator ex nihilo? There cannot be any, in which case the God of classical theism cannot be said to be even capable ... Read More
What is the Argument from Reward?
Saturday September 11, 2004
According to this argument, people who believe in a god are happier than those who do not believe in any gods. This implies the extra happiness is a reward from ... Read More
Is You Doorknob Private?
Saturday September 11, 2004
Police have the ability to rub an object with a special cloth, test the cloth, and determine if the original object has been in contact with things like illegal drugs. ... Read More
Limbaugh Smears John Edwards
Saturday September 11, 2004
Rush Limbaugh has taken it upon himself to smear John Edwards by asking where he was during the Vietnam War. Why is it a smear? Because with little effort he ... Read More
This Date in History: Mountain Meadows Massacre
Saturday September 11, 2004
September 11, 1857: Mormon fanatic John D. Lee, angered over President Buchanan's order to remove Brigham Young from governorship of the Utah Territory, led a band of Mormons in a ... Read More
Catholics for Kerry Won't Go To Hell
Saturday September 11, 2004
American Catholics contemplating voting for John Kerry in the presidential election have had to contend with claims that doing so would be a violation of Catholic doctrine. That, however, does ... Read More
Washington: Man Charged for Circumcising Son
Saturday September 11, 2004
Circumcision has long been an accepted practice in Judaism and Christianity, but today it usually isn't done at home with ice and a large knife. A man in Washington has ... Read More
Daily Poll: Caging Political Protests - Valid Response?
Saturday September 11, 2004
One would think that if any form of speech should be given deference, it would be political protest - but protestors at political conventions are put in what can be ... Read More
Log Cabin Republicans Officially Withhold Endorsement of Bush
Saturday September 11, 2004
I've written more than once about the growing division between gay conservatives and the current leadership of the Republican Party. The Log Cabin Republicans were considering not endorsing George W. ... Read More
Intelligent Design & Creationism
Saturday September 11, 2004
Recently Received: Why Intelligent Design Fails: A Scientific Critique of the New Creationism, by Matt Young and Taner Edis.
Intelligent Design isn’t the first challenge to evolution and modern biology, but ... Read More
Episcopal Church Sues Three Parishes
Friday September 10, 2004
Even as Anglican Communion leaders appear to be contemplating distancing themselves from the American Episcopal Church, Episcopalian leaders are taking action against break-away parishes in America. The Los Angeles diocese ... Read More
Serbia Evolves After All
Friday September 10, 2004
Yesterday I noted how Serbia was eliminating evolution from school lessons. Well, the negative attention seems to have had an impact and evolution is being restored. The minister responsible is ... Read More
Someone Notices 'Fish Wars' Again
Friday September 10, 2004
Every so often someone notices all those different "fish" symbols on the backs of people's cars, realizes that they represent contradictory opinions, and decides that this would make an interesting ... Read More
Wrong Leadership vs. Strong Leadership
Friday September 10, 2004
One of the reasons people seem to like George W. Bush as president is that he is a "strong" leader who sticks with a decision once he has made it. ... Read More
What is the Argument from Consciousness?
Friday September 10, 2004
According to this argument, neither naturalism nor materialism can give an adequate explanation of mental events like consciousness. Consequently, divine and supernatural explanations are needed to explain why we are ... Read More
Student Harassed for Not Reciting Pledge
Friday September 10, 2004
A 13-year-old student in Wisconsin is being harassed at school for not reciting the Pledge of Allegiance - and the fault lies with the principle who announced that the reason ... Read More
Discussion: Fight Over Chechnya
Friday September 10, 2004
A forum member writes: There are several reasons Russia wants to hang on. They need a stable area to pass supplies between themselves and the resource-rich Caspian Sea (oil and ... Read More
Biased Teaching?
Friday September 10, 2004
It's become almost fashionable among some conservatives to complain about liberal bias at colleges and universities. The existence of possible conservative bias in business, economics, and various fields never occurs ... Read More
This Date in History: Crusade
Friday September 10, 2004
September 10, 1197: Henry of Champagne, king of Jerusalem, dies in Acre when he accidentally falls from a balcony. This was the second husband of Isabella's to die. The situation ... Read More
Administration Liar to Repay Salary?
Friday September 10, 2004
As you may or may not have heard, the Bush administration deliberately deceived Congress when it came to their recent Medicare law, a law that Bush has been touting as ... Read More
Religion, Psychology, and Terrorism
Friday September 10, 2004
Recently Received: Soldiers of God: Primal Emotions and Religious Terrorists, by Jay D. Glass, Ph.D. Publisher: Biblio.
The human species has obviously evolved from earlier primates. This means that we owe ... Read More
George W. Bush Disobeyed a Direct Order?
Thursday September 9, 2004
Revelations about President Bush's National Guard service (or lack thereof) have been increasing over recent days, but one little item that has been reported on hasn't received the direct attention ... Read More
Method to the Madness of Bush’s Negative Campaign
Thursday September 9, 2004
Most Americans at least say that they don't like negative political campaigns, but it's clear that President Bush is intent on running a brutally negative campaign, even if it has ... Read More
North Carolina: Qur'an Lawsuit Dismissed
Thursday September 9, 2004
A couple of years ago, some University of North Carolina students grew upset over the fact that the university expected them to learn something about Islam and filed suit to ... Read More
American Police State
Thursday September 9, 2004
Police treatment of protestors are the Republican National Convention was something of a disgrace. People were incarcerated and charged with felonies for no reason other than to keep them off ... Read More
California: Los Angeles Seal Missing Cross
Thursday September 9, 2004
Officials have released a new logo for Los Angeles County - one that has removed religious references. Supporters of church/state separation are satisfied but others are gearing up for a ... Read More
Bush By the Numbers
Thursday September 9, 2004
George W. Bush has had over three years as president - how has he done? Well, in this period of time he has been able to accumulate quite a few ... Read More
What is the Argument from Miracles?
Thursday September 9, 2004
The Argument from Miracles is based first and foremost on the premise that there exist events which must be explained by supernatural causes - in short, some sort of god. ... Read More
Who’s Running the Show?
Thursday September 9, 2004
Who is responsible for the Republican Platform this year? Your guess is as good as anyone's - the Republican Party is keeping it all very quiet. This might seem strange, ... Read More
Alabama Favors Establishing Christianity
Thursday September 9, 2004
If you're a non-Christian in Alabama and you're not always sure that you are entirely welcome there, you're probably not paranoid and there may be a good reason for that: ... Read More
This Date in History: Jerry Falwell
Thursday September 9, 2004
September 09, 2001: Jerry Falwell stated: "Since the Antichrist will not be revealed before Jesus comes, I believe conditions are falling in place, i.e., one-world government, so he can ... Read More
California: Court Demands Priests' Files
Thursday September 9, 2004
The Archdiocese of Los Angeles has, for more then two years, attempted to conceal the personnel records of two priests accused of molesting children. Courts have consistently ruled that the ... Read More
Evolution Illegal in Serbia
Thursday September 9, 2004
Evolution is ending in Serbia - and I mean that in more ways than one. Ljiljana Colic, Education Minister of Serbia, has ordered a halt to teaching eduction in all ... Read More
Facts Are Just So Complex
Thursday September 9, 2004
The facts of real life can be rather complex, but surely we can expect our president to get facts right and demonstrate some basic understanding of them, right? Apparently not ... Read More
Christian Creeds
Thursday September 9, 2004
Recently Received: The Creed: What Christians Believe and Why it Matters, by Luke Timothy Johnson. Publisher: Bantam.
Christianity is sometimes referred to as a “creedal” religion because Christians have traditionally treated ... Read More
Pope Condemns Gay Marriage in Canada
Wednesday September 8, 2004
Gay marriage is proceeding forward in Canada now that the national government will stop challenging local efforts or court decisions that legitimate such unions. The pope is not pleased about ... Read More
Bush in Hands of Religious Right
Wednesday September 8, 2004
One of the problems for conservatives who aren't also members of the Christian Right (this includes many social conservatives, fiscal conservatives, philosophical conservatives, etc.) is the fact that President George ... Read More
Australia: Same-Sex Parents "OK"
Wednesday September 8, 2004
Law reform researchers in Australia have concluded a study on same-sex parents and have determined that there is no appreciable difference in their ability to raise kids and the ability ... Read More
Hijacking Christianity?
Wednesday September 8, 2004
Many liberal and moderate Christians are concerned over the way conservative evangelicals and fundamentalists have appropriated religious language, making it appear as though "real" Christians must support particular political programs, ... Read More
Alabama: Christian Coalition Paid to Oppose Gambling
Wednesday September 8, 2004
I wrote a little while ago about the revelations of Ralph Reed receiving massive donations from gambling interests, even as he lobbied against competing gambling interests on a platform of ... Read More
What is the Argument from Scripture?
Wednesday September 8, 2004
Sometimes, you can find popular apologists trying to argue that their particular holy books qualify as evidence supporting their claims that their god(s) exist. One method might be to point ... Read More
Bush AWOL?
Wednesday September 8, 2004
Stories about whether George W. Bush really fulfilled his National Guard duty in the early 1970s have been circulating for a long time. The American media failed to do their ... Read More
Keyes: Christ Would Not Vote for Obama
Wednesday September 8, 2004
Well, we've heard from the Christian Right already that God endorses George W. Bush for president (which means, I guess, that voting for Kerry means voting against God and is ... Read More
This Date in History: Titus in Jerusalem
Wednesday September 8, 2004
September 08, 0070: Following a six-month siege, Jerusalem surrendered to the Roman forces under the command of Titus. Over a million Jewish citizens are thought to have perished during the ... Read More
Cheney: Vote for Kerry, Invite Terrorist Attacks
Wednesday September 8, 2004
Republican scare tactics are continuing with Vice President Dick Cheney now claiming that a vote for John Kerry / John Edwards is essentially a vote that invites terrorists to come ... Read More
Turkey: Proposed Adultery Ban Causing Debate
Wednesday September 8, 2004
Turkey's government, controlled by a religious political party, is planning on criminalizing adultery. The excuse given is that this is needed to preserve the family, "human honour," and because western ... Read More
Daily Poll: Was George W. Bush AWOL or even a Deserter?
Wednesday September 8, 2004
More and more people are asking whether George W. Bush was not simply AWOL in 1973 but, in fact, a deserter according to military definitions. Either accusation is pretty serious ... Read More
Australia: Cardinal Challenged to Debate on Homosexuality
Wednesday September 8, 2004
Australia's Catholic Cardinal George Pell has been challenged to a debate about homosexuality and gay rights by lesbian activist Monica Hingston. Monica, by the way, is George's cousin. It should ... Read More
What is the Argument from Justice?
Tuesday September 7, 2004
This argument starts from the premise that in this world virtuous people are not always happy and do not always get what they deserve while wicked people do not always ... Read More
Dangerous Times: When Freedom is Disloyalty
Tuesday September 7, 2004
There has been a lot of criticism of Zell Miller's speech at the Republican National Convention, most of it focusing on Miller's attacks on Kerry. Not enough attention has been ... Read More
End of American Conservatism
Tuesday September 7, 2004
What does the future hold for conservatism in America? Traditional conservatism is largely dead and the leaders of the current conservatism movement have little or no respect for the traditional ... Read More
This Date in History: Arsuf
Tuesday September 7, 2004
September 07, 1191: Battle of Arsuf: Richard I Lionheart and Hugh, Duke of Burgundy, are ambushed by Saladin in Arsuf, a small town near Jaffa about 50 miles from Jerusalem. ... Read More
George W. Bush as CEO
Tuesday September 7, 2004
Sometimes people like to compare the running of a country with the running of a business. This is a false comparison because the country doesn't exist to make a profit, ... Read More
Schwarzenegger’s Claims Unhistorical?
Tuesday September 7, 2004
During his speech at the Republican National Convention, Arnold Schwarzenegger made some dramatic claims about how he was faced with communist power in Austria and left at the time of ... Read More
Daily Poll: Postponing Elections in the Event of Terrorism
Tuesday September 7, 2004
There has been some discussion about setting up the conditions for postponing federal elections in the event of a large terrorist attack. At first glance this seems like it might ... Read More
Are You Mad?
Tuesday September 7, 2004
Recently Received: Madness: A Brief History, by Roy Porter.
What does it mean, exactly, to say that someone is “mad”? Madness was once thought to be caused by the gods — ... Read More
What is Pascal's Wager?
Monday September 6, 2004
"Pascal's Wager" essentially argues that to believe in God is the best bet because if God exists, you'll go to heaven and avoid hell. If you don't believe in God, ... Read More
Delaware: School Board Prayer Issue Rising
Monday September 6, 2004
The Indian River School District Board in Delaware opens meetings with prayers and a Jewish mother has asked that they stop. Instead of polite and proper agreement, she's being met ... Read More
Anglicans to Boot U.S. Church?
Monday September 6, 2004
The conflict within the Anglican Communion over the ordination of gay priests and the appointment of a gay bishop is getting hotter. Recent reports suggest that the U.S. Episcopal Church ... Read More
This Date in History: Star of David
Monday September 6, 2004
September 06, 1941: Jews in German-occupied areas were ordered to wear the Star of David with the word "Jew" inscribed. The order only applied to Jews over the age of ... Read More
France: Iraqi Kidnappings Backfire, Muslims Defend Headscarf Ban
Monday September 6, 2004
French journalists were kidnapped in Iraq in order to pressure France into rescinding a law barring the Muslim girls from wearing headscarves to school. It has, however, had the opposite ... Read More
Christian Hate Mail over Ten Commandments
Monday September 6, 2004
I'm not the only one who gets hate mail from loving Christians who are incensed at the things I write and positions I advocate. Recently the Southern Poverty Law Center ... Read More
Faith-Based Programs
Monday September 6, 2004
President George W. Bush supported the governmental funding of faith-based social programs, especially those that help with social problems like addictions. Unfortunately, such programs are rife with problems - including ... Read More
What is the Argument from Religious Experience?
Sunday September 5, 2004
This argument starts from the premise that all our knowledge of the world essentially relies upon experience. As a result, religious experiences should be accorded the same basic validity as ... Read More
Politics: Americans Not Playing With a Full Deck
Sunday September 5, 2004
If any decisions were to be made by using reason and evidence, political decisions would have to be among them - but Americans generally don't do that. Only a small ... Read More
Conservatives Shocked At Keyes' Position on Reparations
Sunday September 5, 2004
Some conservatives are just aghast that arch-conservative Alan Keyes would actually support any kind of reparations plan for African-Americans. The nature of their shock, though, says quite a lot about ... Read More
This Date in History: Sex Abuse Scandal
Sunday September 5, 2004
September 05, 2002: Reacting to the problems with priests abusing young boys and girls, Pope John Paul II stated that "It would be lamentable if, out of a misunderstood tolerance, ... Read More
Christian War on Women & Choice
Sunday September 5, 2004
Christian politicians have used their stranglehold on federal power to put irresponsible fundamentalists into positions of great authority. This, in turn, has had a negative effect on the lives and ... Read More
Republicans Censored God at Convention?
Sunday September 5, 2004
Usually Republicans complain that Democrats try to censor God and keep God-talk out of public life. As it turns out, though, that's just what Republicans appeared to be doing at ... Read More
Weekly Quote: Cupitt on God’s Existence
Sunday September 5, 2004
A God out there and values out there, if they existed, would be utterly useless and unintelligible to us. There is nothing to be gained by nostalgia for the old ... Read More
Social and Political Philosophy
Sunday September 5, 2004
Recently Received: Social and Political Philosophy: A Contemporary Introduction, by John Christman. Publisher: Routledge
Where does political authority come from? What makes a government legitimate or illegitimate? What does “economic justice” ... Read More
What are the Arguments from Morals and Values?
Saturday September 4, 2004
These are two separate, but connected arguments for the existence of God. Together, they make up what are known as the Axiological Arguments (axios = value). They assert that the ... Read More
Netherlands: Graphic Film on Muslim Domestic Violence
Saturday September 4, 2004
Conflicts between conservative Muslims and the liberal Western democracies they live in are on the increase. In the Netherlands, Somali-born MP Ayaan Hirsi Ali has created a provocative short film ... Read More
Christians Persecuted in America?
Saturday September 4, 2004
There are quite a few conservative evangelicals and fundamentalists who are convinced that Christians are being persecuted in America. It's true that at times Christians aren't treated very well, but ... Read More
This Date in History: Rhodes
Saturday September 4, 2004
September 04, 1523: Suleiman the Magnificent leads the Ottoman Turks in an assault on the Hospitallers in Rhodes who are able to hold out until the end of the year, ... Read More
Media Continues to Fail America
Saturday September 4, 2004
Lately it seems that the one thing you can trust the American media to do is be untrustworthy when it comes to doing their job of real journalism. Recently NBC ... Read More
Wicca Cited in Teens’ Suicide
Saturday September 4, 2004
Two 13-year-old girls in Indiana committed suicide recently and, for some reason, authorities seem to be treating Wicca as a factor. For whatever reason, the Wiccan religion is regarded as ... Read More
Athletics & Religion in Georgia
Saturday September 4, 2004
In some places around the country it is difficult to disentangle religion from other activities - as a consequence, people who don't belong to the majority religion feel slighted. It's ... Read More
What is the Ontological Argument?
Friday September 3, 2004
This is one of the oldest arguments in Christian theology attempting to prove that God exists. It is also one of the most difficult to understand because it relies purely ... Read More
Religion as a Force for Good
Friday September 3, 2004
Is religion more a force for good than for evil? Religious believers certainly tend to think so - the problem is that many of those who try to make a ... Read More
This Date in History: Gregory the Great
Friday September 3, 2004
September 03, 0590: Gregory I was consecrated as pope. Later known as "Gregory the Great," he would institute important liturgical reforms and changes in church administration. Gregory would launch ... Read More
Gay Republicans Feel Betrayed by Bush
Friday September 3, 2004
There are around one million gay Republicans in America and they haven't been too happy lately. Although conservative in disposition, they haven't felt too welcome in America's ostensibly conservative party. ... Read More
Politics of Pregnancy
Friday September 3, 2004
Fear is a powerful motivation. It's used in politics, it's used in religion, and these days it seems to be a tool of choice when it comes to pregnancy. Expectant ... Read More
Nature and Ethics
Friday September 3, 2004
Recently Received: The Moral Authority of Nature, edited by Lorraine Daston and Fernando Vidal. Publisher: University of Chicago Press.
It’s pretty common for people to use nature to justify certain moral ... Read More
Republican Attitudes Towards Vote Fraud
Thursday September 2, 2004
Vote fraud is always a serious issue in democracies and the introduction of paperless electronic voting machines is, according to many, a serious threat that increases the chances of fraud. ... Read More
America: Christian Nation?
Thursday September 2, 2004
Many Christian conservatives like to claim that America is a Christian Nation. But to what degree is that really true? Does America exemplify any particular "Christian" values in a manner ... Read More
What is the Argument to Design?
Thursday September 2, 2004
Sometimes, this is referred to as the Argument from Design, with the idea in mind that the person is arguing from the existence of "design" in the universe and to ... Read More
Protestant Ministers Unfamiliar with Other Religions
Thursday September 2, 2004
Many Protestant ministers teach that Christianity and Jesus are the only ways to get to heaven. It's curious, then, that they are so ignorant about other religions. Doesn't it make ... Read More
Broad Challenges to the Pledge of Allegiance
Thursday September 2, 2004
Michael Newdow's legal challenge to the Pledge of Allegiance not only isn't over, it's actually expanding. In addition to a new lawsuit in California (in association with people who don't ... Read More
This Date in History: Saladin
Thursday September 2, 2004
September 02, 1192: The Treaty of Jaffa puts an end to hostilities of the Third Crusade. Negotiated between Richard I Lionheart and Saladin, Christian pilgrims are granted special rights of ... Read More
Portugal Bans Dutch Abortion Ship
Thursday September 2, 2004
The other day I wrote about a Dutch "abortion ship" traveling to Portugal in order to offer abortion pills. Portugal, which has Europe's toughest ant-abortion laws, will refuse to allow ... Read More
Where’s the Christian Right?
Thursday September 2, 2004
There is some indication that the Republican Party is trying to downplay its deep connections to the Christian Right. For example, no prominent Christian Right leaders have been invited to ... Read More
Zell Miller, Unhinged?
Thursday September 2, 2004
Zell Miller has been making a lot of news lately. It was just a few months ago that he was praising John Kerry in all sorts of ways, but now ... Read More
Dick Cheney’s Vegetative State
Wednesday September 1, 2004
When you go shopping, do you pay what the vendor tells you owe or do you make your own determination as to how much would be fair? If you answered ... Read More
Keyes on Reparations and Tax Cuts
Wednesday September 1, 2004
Illinois Senate candidate Alan Keyes is caught in an interesting conflict with other conservatives: he supports a kind of reparations for the descendants of slaves which one normally hears of ... Read More
Julia Child, Conservative?
Wednesday September 1, 2004
With people like Ann Coulter and Tom DeLay serving as the very public face of American conservatism today, it's understandable that conservatism would develop a bad reputation - but we ... Read More
Abandoning Journalism
Wednesday September 1, 2004
One of the problems with the media coverage of conservative smears and lies is that the so-called "journalists" often don't make an effort to evaluate the credibility of the claims ... Read More
What is the Cosmological Argument?
Wednesday September 1, 2004
The Cosmological Argument covers a lot of ground and takes a number of different forms, although the most common deal with two ideas: that the existence of the universe requires ... Read More
CNN Rejects Ad From Gay Republicans
Wednesday September 1, 2004
The gay Republican group Log Cabin Republicans may not be supporting George W. Bush this year because of the intensely intolerant Republican Party Platform. They are, however, running ads that ... Read More
Gay Republicans Withhold Bush Endorsement
Wednesday September 1, 2004
People who have been paying attention to the relationship between the Bush administration and gay Republicans have at least half-expected this for a while, but now it's official: the Log ... Read More
This Date in History: Sex Abuse Scandal
Wednesday September 1, 2004
September 01, 2002: In an interview, Cardinal Miguel Obando Bravo of Nicaragua discusses the sexual abuse scandal in America: “It seems to me that at this moment the Church in ... Read More
Strip Club View of the Republican Convention
Wednesday September 1, 2004
Conventions, whether business or political, tend to provide a big boost to the business of the local sex industry: prostitutes, strip clubs, etc. This is especially true when the convention ... Read More
Republican Maneuvers in War on Free Speech
Wednesday September 1, 2004
If you read much news on the internet, you've probably come across the story about how Congressman Dennis Hastert smeared George Soros by implying that he got his money from ... Read More
Bush Opposes First Amendment
Wednesday September 1, 2004
One of Bush's refrains in the war on terrorism is that America's enemies hate America because it is a nation that is free and promotes freedom. Insofar as such freedoms ... Read More
Exuberance
Wednesday September 1, 2004
Recently Received: Affirmations: Joyful and Creative Exuberance, by Paul Kurtz.
Everyone wants to be happy, but what exactly does it mean to be happy? What is the happiness that we all ... Read More