Who Is Xenu?
Thursday June 30, 2005
Unbeknownst to most people, a central figure in Scientology is Xenu. Who is Xenu? Well, Xenu was a galactic overlord and 75 million years ago he brought billions of people ... Read More
America: No Rule of Men
Thursday June 30, 2005
The American Constitution may start out with "We the People of the United States," but according to Christian Right leaders this shouldn't lead you to think that the American government ... Read More
Spain, Canada Legalize Gay Marriage
Thursday June 30, 2005
Canada and Spain are becoming the newest countries to legalize marriage between people of the same sex. Belgium and the Netherlands were previously the only places that permitted same-sex marriage ... Read More
This Date in History: Thomas Henry Huxley
Thursday June 30, 2005
June 30, 1860: Thomas Henry Huxley and Bishop Samuel Wilberforce of the Church of England engaged in their famous debate on Darwin's theory of evolution.
Justice Antonin Scalia: Monotheists Deserve Government Favoritism
Thursday June 30, 2005
One of the issues debated in church/state separation cases is whether a law or government action somehow favors a particular religion or religious belief. Strict separationists object to any such ... Read More
Abortion is Autonomy
Wednesday June 29, 2005
Even many supporters of abortion rights denigrate the women who choose to have abortions. They may not realize it, but when they describe abortion as "horrible," they also insinuate by ... Read More
Humanism, Definitively
Wednesday June 29, 2005
In America, humanism tends to be a maligned philosophy. If you just listened to the Christian Right, you'd have to conclude that humanism is the next worse thing after Nazi ... Read More
This Date in History: Martin Luther
Wednesday June 29, 2005
June 29, 1529: Pope Clement VII and Emperor Charles V signed the Peace of Barcelona. Charles received concessions that helped him in his war against France, but in return promised ... Read More
Ten Commandments Decisions: Why the Split?
Wednesday June 29, 2005
The Supreme Court has ruled on two different Ten Commandments displays, upholding one as constitutional and striking down the other as unconstitutional. Some observers have criticized this split, saying that ... Read More
Newsletter 06-29-05
Wednesday June 29, 2005
News items from the past week include the revelation that some Christians continue to support slavery in particular circumstances, attacks on a school program for using Carl Sagan's famous book, ... Read More
Blogroll of Iniquity
Tuesday June 28, 2005
A great honor has been bestowed upon this site: we've been added to the Blogroll of Iniquity at Conservatives for American Values. I guess that makes me a Worker of ... Read More
Onward, Christian Leaders?
Tuesday June 28, 2005
One of the problems which many Christians have with the Christian Right is idea that one must vote conservative in order to be a "true" Christian. Liberals attempt to counter ... Read More
This Date in History: Homosexuality
Tuesday June 28, 2005
June 28, 1986: The American Psychiatric Association eliminated the last clinical diagnostic category referring to homosexuality, "ego-dystonic homosexuality" from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.
Muslims vs. Gays in New York City
Tuesday June 28, 2005
Sex and sexuality are one of the major fulcrums of the "culture war" between traditional religion and modernity. In America, this conflict is usually carried out between religious or secular ... Read More
People in the Bible: Profile & Biography of James the Apostle
Tuesday June 28, 2005
James, the son of Zebedee, was called along with this brother John to be one of Jesus' twelve apostles who would accompany him on his ministry. James appears in the ... Read More
Places in the Bible: Caesarea (Maritima) - History, Geography, Religion
Monday June 27, 2005
Originally a fortified Phoenician port named Strabo's (or Straton's) Tower, Caesarea became part of the Roman province of Syria under Pompey and would serve as the seat of Roman government ... Read More
Timeline of Unfulfilled Christian Prophecy
Monday June 27, 2005
Prophecies have always played a critical role in Christianity. Jesus himself was supposed to have fulfilled all sorts of prophecies from the Old Testament. Just how have Christians themselves fared ... Read More
White-Out Problem at the White House?
Monday June 27, 2005
The Bush administration has consistently interfered with science whenever scientific findings have contradicted ideology and policy positions. The Bush administration does not belong to the "reality based community" where beliefs ... Read More
This Date in History: Joseph Ratzinger
Monday June 27, 2005
June 27, 1977: Joseph Ratzinger was named a cardinal. In 1981 he would become the Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (the current name of the ... Read More
Florida: County Votes to Ignore Gay Pride Events
Monday June 27, 2005
In Hillsborough County, Florida, commissioners have voted to prohibit any county agency from "acknowledging, promoting or participating" in any sort of gay pride recognition or events. They also voted to ... Read More
Newsletter 06-27-05
Monday June 27, 2005
News items from the past week include a school that forced a girl to submit to a pregnancy test because of rumors running around the school, a summary of what's ... Read More
Background of Pope Benedict XVI
Monday June 27, 2005
Recently Received: Salt of the Earth: The Church at the End of the Millennium: An Interview With Peter Seewald, by Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger and Adrian Walker. Publisher: Ignatius Press.
Joseph Ratzinger ... Read More
Liberty University: $500 Fine for Abortion
Sunday June 26, 2005
Founded by Jerry Falwell, Liberty University is a conservative evangelical college in Virginia which has a long list of rules. Unlike any other college I've attended, though, the college will ... Read More
Jerusalem (Fails) to Ban Gay Pride Parade (Updated)
Sunday June 26, 2005
Gay people who aren't ashamed of being gay and who don't consent to hide in closets bother many conservative religious people. So, the government officials of Jerusalem have decided to ... Read More
Bible Commentary: Jesus' Temptation and Testing in the Wilderness (Mark 1:9-13)
Sunday June 26, 2005
Immediately after baptism, Jesus is driven into the wilderness for forty days where he is tempted by Satan. It’s not clear what it means to say that Jesus was “driven.” ... Read More
Officer Promoted Religion after Traffic Stop
Sunday June 26, 2005
In Greer, South Carolina, a druid couple stopped for a traffic violation also had to deal with the volunteer officer promoting his religion. I often use the example of an ... Read More
The Trouble with Private Reinterpretation
Sunday June 26, 2005
It's not uncommon for those defending overtly religious language in government contexts to say that all those who don't subscribe to the dominant religious beliefs can "reinterpret" the language to ... Read More
This Date in History: Mormonism & Utah
Sunday June 26, 2005
June 26, 1858: The United States army entered Salt Lake City in order to restore peace and install Alfred Cumming (a non-Mormon) as governor. Mormon residents had opposed the replacement ... Read More
Curious Bibles
Sunday June 26, 2005
There are a wide variety of Bibles out there - all sorts of translations, purposes, etc. A few Bibles, though, have had some very curious errors in the printing or ... Read More
Weekly Quote: Gutman on Secular vs. Religious Standards of Reasoning
Sunday June 26, 2005
In a religiously diverse society, secular standards of reasoning accommodate greater agreement upon a common education than religious faith. The case for teaching secular but not religious standards of reasoning ... Read More
Ratzinger Report
Sunday June 26, 2005
Recently Received: Ratzinger Report: An Exclusive Interview on the State of the Church, by Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger and Vittorio Messori. Publisher: Ignatius Press.
Joseph Ratzinger, now Pope Benedict XVI, has long ... Read More
Defense of Marriage Act vs. Federalism
Saturday June 25, 2005
One of the arguments used by those who supported the 'Defense of Marriage Act' is that states should be allowed to make their own decisions about whether they would recognize ... Read More
Parental Notification for Contraceptives?
Saturday June 25, 2005
As part of their ever-increasing effort to exert greater control over female sexuality, the Christian Right is now seeking to impose parental notification requirements on teens who want birth control ... Read More
Places in the Bible: Jericho - Did the Hebrews Destroy its Walls?
Saturday June 25, 2005
The city of Jericho, now identified with Tel es-Sultan, is thought by some archaeologists to be as much as 11,000 years old, making it one of the oldest sites of ... Read More
Pennsylvania: School Won't Eliminate Evolution Text
Saturday June 25, 2005
In East Whiteland, Pennsylvania, a parent in the Great Valley School District wanted her daughter excused from having to learn about evolution in biology classes and/or to have the current ... Read More
Accommodating Religion at Work: How Far?
Saturday June 25, 2005
The Workplace Religious Freedom Act of 2005 would prohibit workplace "discrimination" the forbids wearing headgear (even if religious) or requires employees to work on Saturdays (even if it's a holy ... Read More
This Date in History: Boerne v. Flores
Saturday June 25, 2005
June 25, 1997: Decided: Boerne v. Flores The Supreme Court ruled against an Archbishop and in favor of the city of Borne, finding that the Congress did indeed exceed its ... Read More
Personal Conscience and the Refusal to Deliver Medical Care
Saturday June 25, 2005
More and more we are hearing from medical professionals (mostly pharmacists) who assert that they should be allowed to refuse to do their normal job if doing so violates their ... Read More
Relationship Between Christianity & Judaism
Saturday June 25, 2005
Recently Received: Many Religions, One Covenant: Israel, the Church, and the World, by Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger and Scott Hahn. Publisher: Ignatius Press.
The history of relations between Christianity and Judaism is ... Read More
Boy Scouts & Atheists in Britain
Friday June 24, 2005
A few days ago, I wrote about how the Boy Scouts in Britain are admitting atheists and allowing them to take an altered form of the oath. Turns out I ... Read More
Places in the Bible: History, Geography, Religion of Samaria in Palestine
Friday June 24, 2005
Samaria (Hebrew: somron) was a region of Palestine comprising the northern kingdom of Israel created when north and south split after the death of Solomon (c. 930 BCE) The region ... Read More
Tom Cruise Denies Xenu
Friday June 24, 2005
Xenu was a galactic overlord who, 75 million years ago, brought billions of people to Earth to execute them. Their souls stuck around, though, and continue to harm the living. ... Read More
Newsletter 06-24-05
Friday June 24, 2005
Welcome to issue #7.25 of Free Thought Now!, the Agnosticism / Atheism site newsletter. This week we'll take a look at whether it's ever justified to compare any actions to ... Read More
More Scientists Ready to Oppose Creationism
Friday June 24, 2005
The promotion of creationism has always focused on attacking evolution directly, but those who have paid close attention have realized that the arguments used against evolution also attacked science generally. ... Read More
This Date in History: Roth v. United States - Obscene Material
Friday June 24, 2005
June 24, 1957: Decided: Roth v. United States The Supreme Court ruled that that 'obscene' material has no protection under the First Amendment
Pharmacists & Women's Health
Friday June 24, 2005
Often ignored in the debates over whether pharmacists should be allowed to refuse to dispense prescribed medication because of personal ethical problems with that medication is the impact upon women's ... Read More
Theology and Thought of Pope Benedict XVI
Friday June 24, 2005
Recently Received: The Thought of Pope Benedict XVI: An Introduction to the Theology of Joseph Ratzinger, by Aidan Nichols. Publisher: Continuum.
Joseph Ratzinger may now be Pope Benedict XVI, but for ... Read More
Tennessee: Judge 'Amazed' at Judicial Bypass Option
Thursday June 23, 2005
In Tennessee, an unwed teenage girl appeared before Shelby County Circuit Court Judge Rita Stotts to get a judicial bypass in order to obtain an abortion - she couldn't or ... Read More
Terri Schiavo's Parents Angered by Grave Marker
Thursday June 23, 2005
Michael Schiavo has finally been allowed to bury his wife, after so many years of legal and emotional battles. Naturally Terri Schiavo's parents won't let the matter drop even now ... Read More
Culture War in Europe: Sex & Islam
Thursday June 23, 2005
The conflict between European Muslims and other Europeans seems to be increasing. Although the conflict can take many forms, most of the time it can be reduced to a couple ... Read More
This Date in History: Torture in America
Thursday June 23, 2005
June 23, 2004: The U.S. government releases a Justice Department memo claiming that the president has the legal authority to order prisoners to be tortured," even though torture remains technically ... Read More
Conservatives, American Courts, and Foreign Laws
Thursday June 23, 2005
American conservatives, especially religious conservatives, have long complained about signs of American courts integrating foreign laws or foreign court decisions into American law and court decisions. This attitude has always ... Read More
Anatomy of Fascism
Thursday June 23, 2005
Recently Received: The Anatomy of Fascism, by Robert O. Paxton, Publisher: Knopf.
Fascism has developed in many different forms in different national contexts and this has made understanding the "nature" of ... Read More
Air Force Chaplain Resigns
Wednesday June 22, 2005
Capt. Melinda Morton, chaplain at the Air Force Academy who helped reveal the pervasive religious bias there and who was fired for her trouble, has decided to resign her commission. ... Read More
Pharmacists Refusing to Dispense Pain Medications?
Wednesday June 22, 2005
It was inevitable: pharmacist demands to refuse to dispense birth control and emergency contraception because of personal moral objections has been expanded. Pharmacists in some places are also refusing to ... Read More
Blogsnark: No True Atheists Exist?
Wednesday June 22, 2005
Quite a few theists try to argue that atheists don't really exist. I'm not sure why, though I suppose that denying the existence of atheists makes it easier to pretend ... Read More
Conservative Anglicans' Plans: Church Within a Church
Wednesday June 22, 2005
For the past couple of years, conservative and liberal Anglicans have fought over what should be done about gays in their church. Liberals want to welcome them, even ordain them; ... Read More
The Christian Right's Blacklist
Wednesday June 22, 2005
The Christian Right has been engaging in an increasing number of efforts to stifle speech and ideas that they find offensive - which means the expression of ideas they disagree ... Read More
This Date in History: Jonathan Edwards
Wednesday June 22, 2005
June 22, 1750: Jonathan Edwards was dismissed from his post as minister of the Congregational church in Northampton, MA. He had been there fore 23 years, but his ultra-conservative theology ... Read More
Emergency Contraception is not Abortion
Wednesday June 22, 2005
Pharmacists who object on moral grounds to dispensing emergency contraception argue that it prevents a fertilized egg from implanting, a form of abortion. Medically, though, that's not an abortion - ... Read More
Newsletter 06-22-05
Wednesday June 22, 2005
News items from the past week include a study of mainline denominations increasing in membership numbers, a study of the development of morality, an interesting incident involving conservative evangelicals and ... Read More
The Religious Mind
Tuesday June 21, 2005
Religion is obviously not quite the same as a worldview, an ideology, or a philosophy; at the same time, though, it also obviously has a lot in common with all ... Read More
Patterns of Atheism Around the World
Tuesday June 21, 2005
Many theists try to argue that there is an innate connection between religion (especially religious theism) and morality, such that irreligious atheists cannot be trusted to be moral. Just how ... Read More
Tom Cruise Tried to Recruit Scarlett Johansson?
Tuesday June 21, 2005
Is Tom Cruise engaged in an active effort to recruit young female stars to Scientology? If so, it seems to be with the blessings of leaders of the Church of ... Read More
This Date in History: Galileo Galilei
Tuesday June 21, 2005
June 21, 1633: Galileo Galilei was forced by the Inquisition to "abjure, curse, and detest" his Copernican heliocentric ideas.
Homophobia & Anti-Semitism as Fear of Modernity
Tuesday June 21, 2005
The Christian Right vilifies homosexuality to an exceptional degree. It's not imply that Christians disagree with certain aspects of gay rights or regard homosexuality as a sin - that wouldn't ... Read More
What if I'm Wrong About Christianity?
Monday June 20, 2005
A common question raised by Christians is what atheists think about the possibility that they might be wrong about Christianity. Aren't we afraid of what will happen if we learn ... Read More
UK's First Humanist Wedding
Monday June 20, 2005
Britain has an active and old humanist movement, but until now Britain's humanists haven't had the opportunity to perform their own weddings. In Edinburgh's zoo, Karen Watts and Martin Reijns ... Read More
Christianity as Intellectual Kudzu
Monday June 20, 2005
Every so often you'll find a supporter of church/state separation lamenting that too much effort is expended on "minor" issues. These issues are important to the Christian Right and, instead ... Read More
Crucifixion Used for Exorcism, Leads to Death
Monday June 20, 2005
In Romania, a nun was tied to a cross, gagged, and left in a cold room for three days. Maricica Irina Cornici died and now four other nuns along with ... Read More
This Date in History: Reformation
Monday June 20, 2005
June 20, 1530: Under the leadership of Charles V, the first Diet of Augsburg began for the purpose of dealing with the growing religious schism which would, over time, become ... Read More
Newsletter 06-20-05
Monday June 20, 2005
News items from the past week include a study about the evolution of intelligent in certain ethnic groups, an explanation of how important legitimacy is to the democratic process if ... Read More
ID Experts Withdrawn from Dover Trial
Monday June 20, 2005
The attempt to teach creationism (in the guise of Intelligent Design) in Dover, Pennsylvania, has split the residents there. Apparently, it has also split the pro-creationism forces because three of ... Read More
The God Who Wasn't There: Film Review
Sunday June 19, 2005
I was able to catch the last screening of "The God Who Wasn't There" at the Vine Theater last night.
In the first six minutes, the host and creator, Brian Flemming, ... Read More
School Forces Girl to Take Pregnancy Test
Sunday June 19, 2005
In Texas, female bodies belong to the state rather than to the individual person - that lesson was learned by 15-year-old girl who was forced to undergo a pregnancy test ... Read More
Sex Habits Not Changed by 'Morning After' Pill
Sunday June 19, 2005
One of the arguments used by religious conservatives against making "morning after" pills more widely available is that they will encourage more sex and more riskier sex. If women know ... Read More
Bible Commentary: Baptism of Jesus (Mark 1:9-13)
Sunday June 19, 2005
This is the first appearance of Jesus in the earliest gospel account - full-grown and ready to begin his ministry. We have nothing here about Jesus’ conception, birth, or childhood ... Read More
Pope Benedict XVI on Anarchy and Freedom
Sunday June 19, 2005
The recent comments of Pope Benedict XVI on gay marriage have received a lot of attention, but just as most news media ignored how his criticisms were also leveled against ... Read More
Discrimination Against Atheists in New York
Sunday June 19, 2005
Tim Shortell, an atheist, was recommended to become chair of the sociology department of Brooklyn College. Unfortunately for Shortell, some Christians didn't like comments he made outside work about religion ... Read More
This Date in History: Santa Fe School District v. Doe
Sunday June 19, 2005
June 19, 2000: Decided: Santa Fe School District v. Doe The Supreme Court ruled that official, student-led prayers before a school football game violated the separation of church and state.
David Bowie, Reluctant Atheist?
Sunday June 19, 2005
Apparently, David Bowie is nearly an atheist or perhaps a "reluctant" atheist. I have to wonder how many other people are in a similar position - nearly an atheist, but ... Read More
Weekly Quote: Commager on Loyalty and Dissent
Sunday June 19, 2005
What is the new loyalty? It is, above all, conformity. It is the uncritical and unquestioning acceptance of America as it is — the political institutions, the social relationships, the ... Read More
The Spiritual Vision of Pope Benedict XVI
Sunday June 19, 2005
Recently Received: Let God's Light Shine Forth: The Spiritual Vision of Pope Benedict XVI, by Robert Moynihan, Publisher: Doubleday.
As "Enforcer of the Faith," Joseph Ratzinger was known to most ... Read More
Run, Roy, Run
Saturday June 18, 2005
Roy Moore is a darling of the Christian Right. He believes all the right things and can really whip up support. His problem is that he really does believe what ... Read More
Minnesota School Program is Anti-American, Anti-Christian
Saturday June 18, 2005
Minnetonka High School in Minnesota has begun offering several classes through a new affiliation with the International Baccalaureate program. These classes, especially the history class, offer an international perspective on ... Read More
Atheism in Ireland
Saturday June 18, 2005
Actually being an atheist/humanist in Ireland is very easy. Easier, I would imagine, than the US. In the US, as you know, not believing in God is considered somehow un-American. ... Read More
This Date in History: Charles Darwin
Saturday June 18, 2005
June 18, 1858: Charles Darwin received a monograph from Alfred Russel Wallace which essentially summarized Darwin's own theories on evolution, thus inspiring him to publish his work sooner than he ... Read More
Atheist Churches?
Saturday June 18, 2005
There are a couple of "atheist churches" out there. Some feel that "churches" are inappropriate for irreligious atheists. Others argue that whatever gets atheists together in a community will ultimately ... Read More
Pat Robertson & Social Security (Book Notes: Toward a New Political Humanism)
Saturday June 18, 2005
Most people recognize that much of the Republican Party's platform is driven by the agenda of the Christian Right and this is most noticeable when it comes to social and ... Read More
Rise of Benedict XVI
Saturday June 18, 2005
Recently Received: The Rise of Benedict XVI: The Inside Story of How the Pope Was Elected and Where He Will Take the Catholic Church, by John L. Allen Jr., Publisher: ... Read More
The Fracturing Iranian Theocracy: Exploring the Secular Student Movement in Iran
Friday June 17, 2005
Iran's model of "Islamic Democracy" (many forget that Iran is a sort of democracy) is coming under increasing criticism from young Iranians. People in Iran are looking for more freedom ... Read More
Unreliable Study Contradicts Reliable Studies on Virginity Pledges
Friday June 17, 2005
Reliable, scientific, peer-reviewed studies have shown that teens who take virginity or abstinence pledges do not much reduce, over the long term, their risks of sexual activity, pregnancy, and sexually ... Read More
Newsletter 06-17-05
Friday June 17, 2005
Welcome to issue #7.24 of Free Thought Now!, the Agnosticism / Atheism site newsletter. This week we'll take a look at Tom Cruise's shenanigans with Scientology, predictably outrageous reactions to ... Read More
Texas: Park Named After Pope
Friday June 17, 2005
In Harris County, Texas, a county park is being named after Pope John Paul II. There are no other parks in the county or region that are named after priests, ... Read More
This Date in History: Abington Township School District v. Schempp
Friday June 17, 2005
June 17, 1963: Decided: Abington Township School District v. Schempp The Supreme Court ruled 8-1 against mandatory the recitation of the Bible verses and the Lord's Prayer in public schools.
Tom Cruise Denies that there are Anti-Scientology Views
Friday June 17, 2005
Everyone knows that there is a lot of criticism out there of Scientology - well, almost everyone. Tom Cruise doesn't seem to acknowledge that there are criticisms of Scientology. It's ... Read More
Attacks on Women's Health, Women's Health Clinics
Friday June 17, 2005
It's becoming popular for Christian Right politicians to demand medical records from abortion clinics. They claim that they only want to make sure that abortions are performed in accordance with ... Read More
Pope Benedict XVI: A Biography of Joseph Ratzinger
Friday June 17, 2005
Recently Received: Pope Benedict XVI: A Biography of Joseph Ratzinger, by John L. Allen Jr., Publisher: Continuum International Publishing Group.
Joseph Ratzinger was one of the most powerful and important cardinals ... Read More
Gay Military Wedding in Canada
Thursday June 16, 2005
Canada has now had it's first gay wedding: a sergeant and a warrant officer were married at Nova Scotia's Greenwood airbase. This puts religious conservatives in a pickle because it ... Read More
Oregon: Exempting Churches from Land-Use Laws
Thursday June 16, 2005
Should churches be allowed to ignore the same land-use laws that all other property owners have to abide by? That's exactly what some churches want and, in Oregon, that's what ... Read More
People in the Bible: Centurion, Officer in the Roman Legions
Thursday June 16, 2005
The title Centurion was used in the Roman army to designate a non-commissioned officer who was in charge of around 100 men. In practice, though, centurions were usually in charge ... Read More
UK Scouts Admitting Atheists
Thursday June 16, 2005
The Boy Scouts of America continues to defend its discrimination against gays and atheists, but the Scout Association in Britain (where Scouting originated) has dropped its required pledge of loyalty ... Read More
Moral Reflex, Moral Sense
Thursday June 16, 2005
Is morality something learned or is it innate? Is morality dependent upon religion or not? There is a lot of debate about such issues - morality is a contentious subject ... Read More
This Date in History: Joan of Arc
Thursday June 16, 2005
June 16, 1456: Pope Callistus III declared Joan of Arc to be innocent on the charges of heresy and witchcraft, for which she had been burned at the stake in ... Read More
Atheists in Foxholes - From a Marine
Thursday June 16, 2005
I am writing to you about something that I seen on your web page. Looking at my Email address you can probably guess that I am a U.S. Marine, I ... Read More
Reactions to Terri Schiavo Autopsy Report
Thursday June 16, 2005
People are reacting to the Terri Schiavo autopsy report in predictable ways. Those who argued that she didn't have enough of a brain left to process higher-level reasoning have been ... Read More
Reader's Digest Sells Out to Scientology
Thursday June 16, 2005
A few years ago, Reader's Digest was involved in a legal battle with the Church of Scientology: Scientologists tried to block international publication of excerpts of a Time magazine piece ... Read More
Who Should Determine a Child's Religious Upbringing?
Wednesday June 15, 2005
When an interfaith marriage breaks down, there can be more problems and conflicts than with the average divorce. One of those conflicts is how to raise any children - that's ... Read More
Unintelligent Ph.D. Panel at Ohio State
Wednesday June 15, 2005
At Ohio State University, Bryan Leonard, a graduate student in science education and well-known defender of "Intelligent" Design, wanted to defend a dissertation questioning evolution. Things were proceeding well for ... Read More
Tom Cruise Hires Scientology 'Monitor' for Katie Holmes
Wednesday June 15, 2005
One of the complaints about Scientology is their authoritarian treatment of members. A possible sign of that just may be evident in the relationship between Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes. ... Read More
Pharmacist Suing Over 'Morning After' Pill
Wednesday June 15, 2005
Gov. Rod Blagojevich of Illinois issued a rule requiring all pharmacists to make contraceptives available to people with prescriptions "without delay." One pharmacist is suing because he regards the "morning ... Read More
Schiavo Autopsy Shows Exactly What Was Expected
Wednesday June 15, 2005
The autopsy results for Terri Schiavo have finally been released and they reveal exactly what reputable medical experts asserted all along. Her brain was mostly gone. It never would have ... Read More
Is Secularism a Religion?
Wednesday June 15, 2005
A common argument heard from the Christian Right is that secularism is "really" a religion. Never mind the fact that the definition of "secular" is "not spiritual" or "not relating ... Read More
This Date in History: Witchcraft in Massachusetts
Wednesday June 15, 2005
June 15, 1649: Margaret Jones was tried and executed for witchcraft - the first time this happened in the colony of Massachusetts.
Christians and Gay Activists in Conversation
Wednesday June 15, 2005
Conservative evangelicals and gays typically exchanged very heated words - when they exchange words at all. A conservative Baptist church in Basking Ridge, New Jersey, seems to want to change ... Read More
Newsletter 06-15-05
Wednesday June 15, 2005
News items from the past week include a female critic of women's suffrage running for elected office, a look at the secular origins of America, evangelicals debating evolution, how an ... Read More
Italy: Gay Men Allowed to Drive
Wednesday June 15, 2005
This really isn't the sort of thing that should have to be reported on, but it's true: a court in Sicily has actually had to rule that gay men are ... Read More
Italy: Fertility Law Fails; Church Wins
Tuesday June 14, 2005
A vote in Italy on changing the nation's fertility laws only drew about 25% of eligible voters, far short of the 50% needed to make the vote legitimate. Most of ... Read More
Real Journalism... From Entertainment Weekly?
Tuesday June 14, 2005
One of the most disappointing things about much of the media in America is how little real journalism goes on. Reporters often act more like transcriptionists, dutifully writing down whatever ... Read More
Tradition vs. Traditionalism
Tuesday June 14, 2005
Many people insist that tradition should not be lightly overturned in favor of new ideas. That's not unreasonable, but sometimes the defense of tradition can become of sort of fetish ... Read More
This Date in History: Newdow v. U.S. Congress
Tuesday June 14, 2005
June 14, 2004: In the case of Newdow v. U.S. Congress, the United States overturns a Ninth Circuit Court decision that struck the addition of "under God" to the Pledge ... Read More
UK: Child Abuse Exorcism Being Investigated
Tuesday June 14, 2005
A recent case of child abuse during an exorcism has led British authorities to launch a broader investigation of the practices of evangelical African churches all over the UK. There ... Read More
Evolution of Intelligence
Tuesday June 14, 2005
Human beings have evolved biologically, but to what extent have they evolved mentally? If our mental capacities are a product of natural selection, then it would be hard to argue ... Read More
Gays Should Wear Warning Labels?
Tuesday June 14, 2005
Rev. Bill Banuchi, executive director of the New York Christian Coalition, has suggested that gays should have to wear "warning labels," raising disturbing parallels with how the Nazis forced "undesirables" ... Read More
Mainline Denominations Making a Comeback?
Monday June 13, 2005
The conventional wisdom has long been that mainline Protestant denominations which preach a liberal-to-moderate theology (and politics) are on a perpetual decline while conservative evangelical and fundamentalist churches are growing. ... Read More
Canada: Nine Women to Become Catholic Priests
Monday June 13, 2005
The Catholic Church doesn't officially ordain female priests, but that isn't stopping nine women in Canada. On July 25, the women intend to be ordained on the river near Gananoque. ... Read More
This Date in History: Criminalizing Communist Literature
Monday June 13, 2005
June 13, 1936: In Georgia, the criminal sentence of Angelo Herndon for possessing communist literature was upheld by the state's Supreme Court.
How Many Americans Attend Church Regularly?
Monday June 13, 2005
Polls of Americans regularly indicate that around 40% attend church or other religious services every week. Studies of how many people actually appear in churches, though, suggest a much lower ... Read More
Newsletter 06-13-05
Monday June 13, 2005
News items from the past week include responses to the story about an atheist's son being denied a teaching job, some of the logical consequences of saying that atheism is ... Read More
The Muslim Brotherhood: Growing Stronger or Weaker?
Monday June 13, 2005
The original and still the largest Islamist group in the Middle East is the Muslim Brotherhood. They were formed in 1928 in Egypt and currently exist under one name or ... Read More
Virginia: Biology Teacher Trying to Teach Creationism
Sunday June 12, 2005
In Abingdon, Virginia, students have been taught creationism in their science classes - for 15 years! Only recently has anyone tried to do something about it. School officials claim that ... Read More
Bible Commentary: Ministry of John the Baptist (Mark 1:1-8)
Sunday June 12, 2005
Unlike the other synoptic gospels, Mark does not open with Jesus’ birth or childhood. The Jesus we find in chapter 1 of Mark’s gospel is already an adult and is ... Read More
California: Graduation Not Held at Church
Sunday June 12, 2005
A couple of schools in Orange County, California, were going to hold graduation ceremonies at a local church - but after receiving complaints, they backed off and held graduation elsewhere. ... Read More
Nixon Henchmen Lecture Us on Ethics
Sunday June 12, 2005
Why is the news media treating convicted criminals as if they were wise statesmen? Former henchmen of Nixon who went to jail because of the crimes he asked them to ... Read More
This Date in History: Loving v. Virginia & Interracial Marriage
Sunday June 12, 2005
June 12, 1967: Decided: Loving v. Virginia A Virginia law against interracial marriages was struck down, with the Supreme Court declaring that marriage is a "fundamental civil right" and that ... Read More
Justice Thomas Supports State Establishments of Religion
Sunday June 12, 2005
One of the little-noticed aspects of the Supreme Court's recent and unanimous ruling that upheld the RLUIPA is how the concurring opinion of Justice Clarence Thomas defended the idea of ... Read More
Debating Islam in Malaysia
Sunday June 12, 2005
Malaysia is the most populous Muslim nation in the world. Muslims are a majority there, but there are large Christian, Hindu, and Buddhist minorities who enjoy broad religious liberties. The ... Read More
Marriage: Religious Rite or Civil Right?
Sunday June 12, 2005
Many people argue that marriage is essentially and necessarily a religious rite - they conceive of marriage in almost exclusively religious terms and object to the intrusion of the state ... Read More
Weekly Quote: Kant on Freedom and Thought
Sunday June 12, 2005
Certainly one may say, ‘Freedom to speak or write can be taken from us by a superior power, but never the freedom to think!’ But how much, and how correctly, ... Read More
Gov. Perry Invites Gays to Leave Texas
Saturday June 11, 2005
When Rick Perry, governor of Texas, recently signed a proposal that would define marriage as between a man and a woman, some might have thought that he wasn't considering the ... Read More
What Are Our Obligations to Others' Superstitions?
Saturday June 11, 2005
There have been many complaints about the mishandling of the Koran by American soldiers when interrogating Muslims prisoners. Although deliberate defacement of the book shouldn't be tolerated, this does raise ... Read More
This Date in History: Thich Quand Duc
Saturday June 11, 2005
June 11, 1963: Thich Quand Duc, a Buddhist monk in Vietnam, set himself on fire and burned to death as a protest against the increasing repression of Buddhism by the ... Read More
The Right's War on Nipples
Saturday June 11, 2005
Women's nipples have become the latest target of the Christian Right's war on sexuality - not just the sight of actual nipples, but even just the hint of nipples beneath ... Read More
India: Tour Guide Praises Suttee?
Saturday June 11, 2005
The British outlawed suttee (the ancient practice of women leaping into their husband's funeral pyres) in 1829, but it remains a controversial issue. A recently-published guidebook for the tourist spot ... Read More
Places in the Bible: Fertile Crescent Region - History, Geography, Religion
Friday June 10, 2005
The Fertile Crescent begins in what is now southern Iraq where the Tigris and Euphrates rivers empty into the Persian Gulf. It extends north along with the rivers, turns westward ... Read More
Tulsa Zoo Adding Creationism Display
Friday June 10, 2005
Christians have managed to get the city zoo in Tulsa, Oklahoma, to agree to erect a display explaining a particular interpretation the Bible's story of the creation of the universe ... Read More
Newsletter 06-10-05
Friday June 10, 2005
Welcome to issue #7.23 of Free Thought Now!, the Agnosticism / Atheism site newsletter. This week we'll take a look at Christian Right whining, a history of madness (any connections, ... Read More
Smash Gay Marriage, Like the Fist of God!
Friday June 10, 2005
There are several companies that provide long-distance telephone service and, at the same time, give some of what they charge customers to non-profit activities. One, "Faith, Family and Freedom," is ... Read More
This Date in History: Frederick Barbarossa
Friday June 10, 2005
June 10, 1190: Wearing heavy armor, Frederick Barbarossa drowns in the Saleph River in Cilcia, after which the German forces of the Third Crusade fall apart and are devastated by ... Read More
Atheism: Why Bother?
Friday June 10, 2005
One question that I see every so often is why I and other atheists bother to discuss and debate atheism publicly. After all, if we simply don't believe in any ... Read More
Look! A White Woman is Missing!
Friday June 10, 2005
I have, over the past few months, seen complaints about how the media seems to jump all over stories about "missing white women" rather than missing black women, missing Latino ... Read More
A Nation Divided Against its Courts...
Friday June 10, 2005
Religious conservatives have, in recent years, launched vicious attacks on the American judiciary. Some label every decision they disagree with as "activist" and, in the process, they are helping undermine ... Read More
Kansas: Women's Suffrage Critic Running for Office
Thursday June 9, 2005
In 2001, Kay O'Connor suggested that the 19th amendment which gave women the right to vote was a bad idea, Now, she (yes, she) intends to run for Secretary of ... Read More
Consequences of Saying Atheism is a Religion
Thursday June 9, 2005
There is an all-too-common habit among conservative religionists to label all manner of things a "religion" when they really aren't. Targets of this include atheism, secular humanism, evolution, and more. ... Read More
This Date in History: Madalyn Murray O'Hair
Thursday June 9, 2005
June 09, 1964: An article about Madalyn Murray O'Hair appeared in Life Magazine. This is one of the earliest national articles about O'Hair and it was entitled "The Most Hated ... Read More
No Such Thing as an Atheist?
Thursday June 9, 2005
Lots of people imagine that atheism just isn't possible - their religion, their theism, and their habits of thinking are so ingrained that they are incapable of imagining that anyone ... Read More
Atheist and Proud Of It
Thursday June 9, 2005
Many people don't like the "atheist" label and, even if it would accurately describe them, they go out of their way to avoid using it. They would rather be known ... Read More
Air Force Academy Chief Admits Problems
Wednesday June 8, 2005
The Christian Right has tried to portray the problems at the Air Force academy as a witch hunt against Christians. They have argued that complaints about Christians' persecution of Jews ... Read More
A Catholic's Observations about Christians & Atheists
Wednesday June 8, 2005
Many conservative, evangelical Christians have an aversion to atheists - unless it's to target them for conversion - that is often based upon myths and misunderstandings. Unfortunately, their attitude that ... Read More
This Date in History: George W. Bush & Torture
Wednesday June 8, 2005
June 08, 2004: The government releases a March, 2003, memo that asserts that President George W. Bush is not bound by international treaties or federal laws banning torture. As commander-in-chief ... Read More
Atheism, Belief, and Religion
Wednesday June 8, 2005
Many religious theists simply don't understand atheism. Because their theism and their religion are such central aspects of their personal identity, it's understandable that something as foreign as atheism may ... Read More
Newsletter 06-08-05
Wednesday June 8, 2005
News items from the past week include a claim that liberals don't have the same family and church responsibilities as conservatives, an interesting analysis of America's perspective on God, the ... Read More
Blogsnark: Hijacking Funerals to Preach (updated)
Wednesday June 8, 2005
There are many Christians who regard their religion and their "mandate" to preach as more important than basic human kindness, politeness, or civility. If they are asked to not preach ... Read More
Responses to Case of Atheist's Son Being Denied a Teaching Job
Wednesday June 8, 2005
A few days ago I wrote about how Richard Sherman, son of atheist activist Rob Sherman, had a job offer withdrawn - perhaps in retaliation for his father's activism. There ... Read More
Reasons for Atheism
Tuesday June 7, 2005
Many religious theists attribute all sorts of negative motives to people who are atheists. Alleged reasons for atheism include rebellion against parents, a desire to act immorally without retribution, and ... Read More
Americans Likely to Support Mixing Religion, Politics
Tuesday June 7, 2005
It's not just that Americans are more likely than other Western nations to be personally religious; Americans are also more likely than citizens of other Western nations to want to ... Read More
Bush Supports Religious Discrimination in Adoption?
Tuesday June 7, 2005
Religious conservatives are touting a program that has people "adopting" unused frozen embryos. The idea is that if these embryos can be "adopted," then they shouldn't be used for stem ... Read More
Benedict XVI Blasts Gay Marriage
Tuesday June 7, 2005
Pope Benedict XVI has continued his shrill attacks on gay marriage. I say "shrill" because there is really no substance to his complaints - he throws every negative adjective in ... Read More
This Date in History: Crusaders Reach Jerusalem
Tuesday June 7, 2005
June 07, 1099: The Crusaders reach the gates of Jerusalem, then controlled by governor Iftikhar ad-Daula. Although the Crusaders had originally marched out of Europe to take Jerusalem back from ... Read More