Pledge of Allegiance: News and Information
Wednesday August 31, 2005
The Pledge of Allegiance is a statement of patriotic loyalty - it is also a religious oath because it contains the phrase 'under God.' There are, therefore, debates over whether ... Read More
Pat Robertson's Age-Defying, Non-Profit Shake
Wednesday August 31, 2005
What many people don't realize is that Pat Robertson is as much a businessman as he is a preacher - perhaps more so, in fact. One of his many business ... Read More
Wal-Mart and American Churches
Wednesday August 31, 2005
The dominant image of American capitalism and consumerism today is Wal-Mart. The dominant image of American Christianity today may be the mega-church which draws in thousands of visitors and broadcasts ... Read More
This Date in History: British Mandate of Palestine
Wednesday August 31, 2005
August 31, 1947: The UN special committee on Palestine votes to recommend that the British Mandate of Palestine end and that the region should be divided into two states, one ... Read More
Newsletter 08-31-05
Wednesday August 31, 2005
News items from the past week include how terrorism has developed in Saudi Arabia, how the brains appear better able to rationalize beliefs rather than form rational beliefs, how fundamentalism ... Read More
Air Force Gets New Religion Guidelines
Tuesday August 30, 2005
All of the problems at the Air Force Academy have given the military a black eye among those who care about religious liberty and the separation of church and state. ... Read More
Places in the Bible: Profile of the Golden Gate of Jerusalem
Tuesday August 30, 2005
The wall surrounding Jerusalem's Old City has 11 gates, seven of which are open: Jaffa, Zion, Dung, St. Stephen's (Lions'), Herod's, Damascus (Shechem) and New. The most famous of all ... Read More
Creationists Appropriating Dinosaurs
Tuesday August 30, 2005
Dinosaurs are very popular in American culture and inspire people's imaginations about life on our planet millions of years ago. This is a problem for many creationists who insist that ... Read More
Why is Intelligent Design so Appealing?
Tuesday August 30, 2005
One thing that has confounded scientists around the world is how the pseudoscience of creationism generally and Intelligent Design specifically could be so popular in America. No other aspect of ... Read More
This Date in History: Pope Paul II
Tuesday August 30, 2005
August 30, 1464: Paul II was elected pope. Paul was not popular among the humanists because of his repression of scholars and suppression of the Roman academy.
Imperialism of the Christian Right
Monday August 29, 2005
One of the things which many seemed to find curious about Pat Robertson's call to assassinate a foreign leader is why he, a religious leader, would care so much about ... Read More
Parapsychology: Are Claims Commensurate with Evidence in Parapsychology?
Monday August 29, 2005
In science, claims made are verifiable in principle and then, when it comes to experiments, in fact. In pseudoscience, there are extraordinary claims made for which incredibly insufficient evidence is ... Read More
Dennis Prager Simplifies the World into Nonsense
Monday August 29, 2005
Quite often when someone is making an argument that cannot stand on its own merits, they engage in a logical fallacy known as the "false dilemma." In this, they reduce ... Read More
This Date in History: Sayyid Qutb
Monday August 29, 2005
August 29, 1966: Sayyid Qutb was executed by hanging. Qutb is the Islamic philosopher who could be regarded as the ideological grandfather of Osama bin Laden and all of the ... Read More
Newsletter 08-29-05
Monday August 29, 2005
News items from the past week include how America's dislike of atheists can be traced to attacks on communism, Christian attempts to keep gays in an inferior position, how religious ... Read More
Does John Roberts Oppose the Separation of Church & State?
Sunday August 28, 2005
As time goes on, more and more disturbing evidence about what John Roberts has done or written in the past comes to light. Alongside significant disrespect towards the rights of ... Read More
Bible Commentary: Jesus and the Sabbath (Mark 2:23-27)
Sunday August 28, 2005
Among the ways Jesus challenged or defied religious tradition, his failure to observe the Sabbath in the manner expected seems to have been one of the most serious. Other incidents, ... Read More
Intelligent Design Supporter Jumps Ship from Discovery Institute
Sunday August 28, 2005
The Discovery Institute, a think tank funded by the Christian Right for attacks on evolution, likes to talk about how many "scientists" support their cause. Recently, one of those supporters ... Read More
This Date in History: Jim Bakker
Sunday August 28, 2005
August 28, 1989: Jim Bakker's fraud and conspiracy trial began.
Weekly Quote: Tiruvalluvar on Reasoning
Sunday August 28, 2005
Reasoning with a drunkard is like
Going under water with a torch to seek for a drowning man.
- Tiruvalluvar, The Sacred Kural.
Read a discussion of this quote: Tiruvalluvar on Reasoning
Baptized in Blood
Sunday August 28, 2005
Recently Received: Baptized in Blood: The Religion of the Lost Cause, 1865-1920, by Charles Reagan Wilson, Publisher: University of Georgia Press.
In losing the Civil War, Southerners lost the ability to ... Read More
Deepak Chopra's Anti-Evolution Nuttiness
Saturday August 27, 2005
Usually we only find religious conservatives attacking evolution. Attacks on evolution may sometimes be motivated by conservative religious beliefs, but in the end opposition to evolution is fueled most of ... Read More
Book Reviews: Books on the Israel, Palestine, and the Conflict Between Israelis and Palestinians
Saturday August 27, 2005
Few people are unaware of the violence which keeps occurring between Israelis and Palestinians. Why is this happening - what are the causes, and are there any solutions? Everything comes ... Read More
Hawaii: Vanity Places Favor Christians Over Others?
Saturday August 27, 2005
The online vanity license plate application for Honolulu, Hawaii, expresses preference for "good" words like God and Heaven and discourages "bad" words like Pagan. If you use the wrong word, ... Read More
This Date in History: Madalyn Murray O'Hair
Saturday August 27, 2005
August 27, 1995: Madalyn Murray O'Hair, her son Jon Garth, and her granddaughter Robin O'Hair are most likely kidnapped by David Waters, Gary Karr, and Danny Fry.
Christianity Dying Out in Faithless Australia
Saturday August 27, 2005
According to Pope Benedict XVI, mainstream Christianity is dying out in Australia - and more quickly there than in any other nation. So, what can I do to either replicate ... Read More
How the Nazis Seized Power
Saturday August 27, 2005
Recently Received: Nazi Seizure of Power: The Experience of a Single German Town 1922-1945, by William Allen. Publisher: Franklin Watts.
Many people have asked over the years how a political organization ... Read More
Religion in Public Schools - News, Information, Cases
Friday August 26, 2005
America's public schools are a regular source of debates and controversy over the separation of church and state. Parents, students, and teachers come into conflict over prayer, Bible readings, meetings ... Read More
Newsletter 08-26-05
Friday August 26, 2005
Welcome to issue #7.34 of Free Thought Now!, the Agnosticism / Atheism site newsletter. This week we'll take a look at the decisions which some claim declared atheism a religion, ... Read More
Christian Opposition to Divorce
Friday August 26, 2005
The Christian Right opposition to abortion, gay marriage, and civil rights for gays do not exist in isolation. People need to understand that activism in these areas are part of ... Read More
This Date in History: Richard I Lionheart
Friday August 26, 2005
August 26, 1191: Richard I Lionheart marches 2,700 Muslim soldiers out of Acre, onto the road of Nazareth in front of the forward positions of the Muslim army, and has ... Read More
McCain Sells Souls to Anti-Science
Friday August 26, 2005
I guess it's true: you can't expect to succeed as a Republican today without publicly espousing anti-science rhetoric and support the brigades of anti-science religious conservatives. Yes, John McCain supports ... Read More
Ideals that Shaped America
Friday August 26, 2005
Recently Received: The American Revelation: Ten Ideals That Shaped Our Country from the Puritans to the Cold War, by Neil Baldwin. Publisher: St. Martin's Press.
Most nations around the world have ... Read More
Is Pat Robertson a Terrorist?
Thursday August 25, 2005
Pat Robertson has apologized for his statements about assassinating Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez (after lying about what he really said, and we should expect him to revert to his original ... Read More
Places in the Bible: Kidron Valley (Qidron Valley)
Thursday August 25, 2005
The Kidron Valley is one of the major geographical features around Jerusalem. At one time the spring of Gihon followed through the Kidron, creating the valley, but the spring was ... Read More
Minnesota: Firing of Gay Teacher Upheld
Thursday August 25, 2005
Roger Franzen was campus pastor Lutheran High School of Greater Minneapolis, then later teacher and chairman of the theology department. In 1998 he came out to his family as gay ... Read More
The Passion of Tom Cruise
Thursday August 25, 2005
Tom Cruise is a very public and outspoken representative for Scientology who, sometimes, has been known to act in movies. Or perhaps being a spokesman for Scientology is his main ... Read More
This Date in History: Council of Nicaea
Thursday August 25, 2005
August 25, 0325: The first Council of Nicaea ended, having rejected Arianism and formulated the Nicene Creed.
Prisons and Prisoners in Nazi Germany
Thursday August 25, 2005
Recently Received: Hitler's Prisons, by Nikolaus Wachsmann. Publisher: Yale University Press.
Although the concentration camps are the most famous example of incarceration in Nazi Germany, for most of the Nazi’s reign ... Read More
Fundamentalism as an Absence of Faith
Wednesday August 24, 2005
It's common for the Christian Right today to describe itself as "people of faith," an analogue to the phrase "people of color" and designed to imply that everyone who doesn't ... Read More
California: Children of Gay Couples Protected, Christians Furious
Wednesday August 24, 2005
The California Supreme Court has ruled unanimously that gay and lesbian couples who break up must still provide child support for kids they were raising. This protects the future of ... Read More
This Date in History: Magna Carta & Pope Innocent III
Wednesday August 24, 2005
August 24, 1215: Pope Innocent III declared the Magna Carta invalid. Innocent declared the Catholic Church to be a genuine state and, hence, heresy became a crime against the state ... Read More
Nebraska: Ten Commandments Monument Upheld
Wednesday August 24, 2005
Blatant misuse of the Supreme Court's decision in Van Orden v. Perry has already begun: the Eight Circuit Court has ruled 11-2 that a Ten Commandments monument in Plattsmouth, Nebraska ... Read More
Newsletter 08-24-05
Wednesday August 24, 2005
News items from the past week include the misuse of Nazi analogies by critics of stem-cell research, claims that the Pledge of Allegiance is anti-Semitic, the argument for teaching fascism ... Read More
Atheism 101: Introduction to Atheism & Atheists; Answers to Questions & Mistakes
Wednesday August 24, 2005
I see a lot of misunderstandings and errors about atheism and atheists all over the net. People don't understand what atheism is, what the definition of atheism is, or the ... Read More
Book Reviews: Books from Fortress Press
Tuesday August 23, 2005
Recently Reviewed Books from Fortress Press: Fortress Press is academic imprint for Augsburg Fortress Publishers, publishing house for the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Every year Fortress Press publishes a ... Read More
Pope Links Liberal Democracy with Fascism, Attacks Secularism
Tuesday August 23, 2005
Pope Benedict XVI continues his assault on secularism and liberal democracy by connecting them with fascism. Benedict learned from his youth in Nazi Germany that the best defense against an ... Read More
This Date in History: Charles Martel
Tuesday August 23, 2005
August 23, 0676: Birth of Charles Martel (Charles the Hammer) in Herstal, Wallonia, Belgium, as the illegitimate son of Pippin II. Serving as Mayor of the Palace of the kingdom ... Read More
Wisconsin: Equal Rights for Atheists in Prison
Tuesday August 23, 2005
The 7th Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled that inmates' religious liberties include allowing atheists to conduct study groups. So long as the atheists consider it a matter of religion ... Read More
Sacred Sites: Gehenna - Is This Where People are Punished for Eternity?
Tuesday August 23, 2005
The name Gehenna comes from the Hebrew ge-hinnom which means 'valley of Hinnom.' Today it's more generally used to refer to hellfire, but it is an actual location that only ... Read More
Church & State: Recent News, Commentary, and Posts
Monday August 22, 2005
The separation of church and state is one of the most important legal and constitutional principles in America. Unfortunately, it's also a hotly debated principles. Some people advocate strict separation, ... Read More
Military: Abortions Covered Only For Mother's Health
Monday August 22, 2005
If you are a woman in the military, the government will only provide medical coverage for an abortion if your life is in danger. It won't matter if the baby ... Read More
Jewish Law, Civil Rights, and Gay Rights
Monday August 22, 2005
Traditional Judaism is not welcoming of homosexuality. Like most traditional religious systems, it condemns homosexuality as a sin and homosexuals as violating God's will for humanity. This does not mean, ... Read More
This Date in History: Council of Blood
Monday August 22, 2005
August 22, 1567: The "Council of Blood" was established by the Duke of Alba. Thousands of Dutch Protestants were convicted of treason and many were had to flee the Netherlands ... Read More
Bush Backs Theocracy in Iraq
Monday August 22, 2005
President Bush claims that a main reason why America invaded Iraq was to bring democracy and liberty to that nation. In March, 2005, he specifically said that America would do ... Read More
Newsletter 08-22-05
Monday August 22, 2005
News items from the past week include the deep relationship between religion and religious extremism, conceiving of terrorist acts as a type of symbol, the prospects for reform in Saudi ... Read More
Vermont: Atheist Running for Senator
Sunday August 21, 2005
It's something of a truism that atheists can't get elected to public offices in America, but one atheist is trying to prove that wrong. In Vermont, Bernard Sanders is already ... Read More
Bible Commentary: Jesus and the Parable of the Bridegroom (Mark 2:18-22)
Sunday August 21, 2005
Even as Jesus is portrayed as fulfilling prophecies, he is also portrayed as upsetting religious customs and traditions. This would have been consistent with the Jewish understanding of prophets: people ... Read More
Blogsnark: Bigotry Against Atheists
Sunday August 21, 2005
It's not too often that someone admits that their bigotry against atheists would lead them to engage in discrimination against atheists. I wrote about one such case a little while ... Read More
Protect the Children from Gays
Sunday August 21, 2005
A common refrain heard from the Christian Right is that the liberties of people need to be restricted in order to 'protect' the children. Usually, though, this is just code ... Read More
This Date in History: Roy Moore's Ten Commandments
Sunday August 21, 2005
August 21, 2003: Because Roy Moore refused to remove his Ten Commandments monument by the August 20th deadline, the associate Justices of Alabama Supreme Court unanimously overruled Moore and ordered ... Read More
Weekly Quote: Trench on Logic and Reason
Sunday August 21, 2005
Grammar is the logic of speech, even as logic is the grammar of reason.
- Richard Chenevix Trench, On the Study of Words, (1858).
Read a discussion of this quote: Trench on ... Read More
Justice and Judges in Texas
Sunday August 21, 2005
Recently Received: Crapshoot Justice: Politics, Money, and the Texas Judiciary, by Sam Kinch, Jr., Susan Borreson Brewer. Publisher: Eakin Press.
In order to be a judge in Texas, you don’t need ... Read More
Arch of Titus in Rome
Saturday August 20, 2005
The Victory Arch of Titus commemorates Titus' victorious conquest of Judaea, leading the sacking of Jerusalem and ending the Jewish wars. The arch was constructed after Titus's death in 81 ... Read More
Indiana: Wiccan Parents No Longer Gagged
Saturday August 20, 2005
Remember the Indiana judge who forbade a divorced couple from sharing their Wiccan beliefs with their biological son? Cale J. Bradford, chief judge of the Marion Superior Court in Indianapolis, ... Read More
Rejecting Christianity's Lies
Saturday August 20, 2005
Some Christians believe that people are atheists either because they have never heard the message of Christianity, or because they have had bad experiences with Christians and so don't understand ... Read More
This Date in History: Bernard of Clairvaux
Saturday August 20, 2005
August 20, 1153: St. Bernard of Clairvaux dies. Bernard had founded the famous abbey at Clairvaux and was largely responsible for inspiring many Europeans to set off on the Second ... Read More
Scotland: Christians Try to Shut Down Tourist Attraction
Saturday August 20, 2005
In Edinburgh, Scotland, there is a 'Dungeon' which exhibits gruesome torture devices - many once used by Christians. Members of the London Road Church don't want the Dungeon's entertainment license ... Read More
Pilgrim Fellowship Of Faith: The Church As Communion
Saturday August 20, 2005
Recently Received: Pilgrim Fellowship Of Faith: The Church As Communion, by Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, Stephan Otto Horn, Vinzenz Pfnur, Henry Taylor. Publisher: Ignatius Press.
Joseph Ratzinger was a teacher of theology ... Read More
Generals for Jesus
Friday August 19, 2005
After the recent problems at the Air Force Academy, you'd think that high-ranking military officers would have learned their lesson and would stop promoting their religion - but you'd be ... Read More
Virginia: School Removes Prayer Posters, Teacher Sues
Friday August 19, 2005
A teacher at Tabb High School in York County, Virginia, put up posters in his classroom promoting Christian prayer and actually thought that this was legal. When school officials took ... Read More
This Date in History: Battle of Manzikert
Friday August 19, 2005
August 19, 1071: Battle of Manzikert: Alp Arslan leads an army of Seljuk Turks against the Byzantine Empire near Lake Van. Numbering perhaps as many as 100,000 men, the Turks ... Read More
Israel, Gaza, and Jewish Messianism
Friday August 19, 2005
There are only about 8,000 Israeli settlers in Gaza, but their removal is far more important than their numbers would suggest. The debate in Israel over Gaza is about more ... Read More
Catholic Church and the Holocaust
Friday August 19, 2005
Recently Received: A Moral Reckoning: The Role of the Catholic Church in the Holocaust and Its Unfulfilled Duty of Repair, by Daniel Jonah Goldhagen. Publisher: Knopf.
The role of the Catholic ... Read More
Fifteenth Skeptics' Circle
Thursday August 18, 2005
Welcome to the 15th edition of the Skeptics' Circle. This week we have an interesting selection of posts, ranging from Intelligent Design to Out-of-Body Experiences, Autism to Veganism, and Darwin ... Read More
Book Reviews: Books on Bioethics, Medical Ethics Issues Dilemmas Debates
Thursday August 18, 2005
What is the nature of life? What sort of value does life have - is it intrinsic, or dependent upon something like intelligence? What sorts of responsibilities do doctors have ... Read More
Bioethics: Cardinal Newman Society vs. Catholic Colleges
Thursday August 18, 2005
The Cardinal Newman Society, a powerful group of conservative Catholics, has sent a letter to various Catholic colleges demanding that 18 'academics' be removed from their positions for supporting a ... Read More
This Date in History: Intelligent Design Theory
Thursday August 18, 2005
August 18, 2002: The Board of Directors of the American Association for the Advancement of Science passed a resolution (to be issued the next month) stating that Intelligent Design Theory ... Read More
Cupertino: Silly 'Declaration of Independence' Lawsuit Ends
Thursday August 18, 2005
Remember Stephen Williams, the California teacher who sued his school because they 'banned' him from using the Declaration of Independence? Remember how the truth was very different from the claims ... Read More
Freedom Evolves
Thursday August 18, 2005
Recently Received: Freedom Evolves, by Daniel C. Dennett. Publisher: Viking Books.
Does free will exist? That's been debated by philosophers and theologians for centuries, but can science shed any light on ... Read More
Misusing Nazi Analogies: Stem Cell Research and Human Experiments
Wednesday August 17, 2005
A favorite argument of the Christian Right against things like stem-cell research is that it would bring us a step closer to being like the Nazis. People who use this ... Read More
News, Events, and Issues Dealing with Ethics and Morality
Wednesday August 17, 2005
Ethics and ethical dilemmas are continuing features of our lives. Every day we are asked to make ethical decisions. Usually we do so without a great deal of reflection, but ... Read More
Rector Resigns After Infidelity Allegations
Wednesday August 17, 2005
I wrote the other day about allegations that Msgr. Eugene Clark, rector of St. Patrick's Cathedral, had been involved in a long-term affair with his married secretary. Now he has ... Read More
America's Christian Soldiers
Wednesday August 17, 2005
Only 14% of the American population describes themselves as evangelical Christians, but 40% of active duty military personnel describe themselves as evangelical Christians - and 60% of all military chaplains ... Read More
This Date in History: Benedict XIV
Wednesday August 17, 2005
August 17, 1740: Benedict XIV was elected pope after the longest conclave in modern history - six months.
Newsletter 08-17-05
Wednesday August 17, 2005
News items from the past week include critiques of the use of mercenaries in Iraq, problems in the arguments over whether America is a Christian Nation, how fundamentalism stems from ... Read More
15th Skeptics' Circle
Tuesday August 16, 2005
I will be hosting the 15th Skeptics’ Circle on August 18th. If you would like to submit something, please send it to me by about 7PM, Eastern, on August 17th ... Read More
Equal Time for Fascism in Schools
Tuesday August 16, 2005
Supporters of Intelligent Design like to say that schools should make room for every "theory" and that if evolution is true, then scientists shouldn't have a problem with teaching the ... Read More
Pope: State Should Endorse Christianity Over Other Religions
Tuesday August 16, 2005
Technically, what Pope Benedict XVI said is that there should be crucifixes hanging in public buildings. The meaning is the same, though, because the Crucifix is an undeniable symbol of ... Read More
Defrocked Priests Admits: Church Covered Up Molestations
Tuesday August 16, 2005
A lot of people have accused the Catholic Church of actively covering up the sexual abuse committed by some of its priests over the years. Now, a defrocked priest has ... Read More
Christian Chat Rooms
Tuesday August 16, 2005
If you're an atheist who has ever visited Christian chat rooms or discussion forums, you've probably experienced how everyone will suddenly turn on you in order to convince you that ... Read More
This Date in History: Same-Sex Marriage in Canada
Tuesday August 16, 2005
August 16, 2004: In Canada, federal justice minister Irwin Cotler announces that the federal government will cease resisting court efforts to require provincial governments to provide marriage licenses to same-sex ... Read More
Is Your Boy Gay? How To Tell...
Monday August 15, 2005
Religious conservatives must spend a lot of time worrying about whether their boys will grow up to be gay. I guess a gay son can't be counted upon to ensure ... Read More
Becoming an Atheist in India
Monday August 15, 2005
There are as many different routes to atheism as there are atheists. Despite this, many atheists' stories still sound familiar because there are so many similarities in human experience - ... Read More
Republicans: Anti-Baby, Anti-Mother?
Monday August 15, 2005
America is one of very few industrialized nations that doesn't provide paid maternity leave for new mothers. Religious conservatives talk loudly about family values and defending the family, but when ... Read More
Book Reviews: Books on the Bible, Biblical History, Interpretation, and Use
Monday August 15, 2005
The Bible is one of the most important, influential and widely read books in Western culture. It's impossible to understand the politics, art, or history of Europe or America without ... Read More
Female Circumcision in Iraq
Monday August 15, 2005
The practice of female circumcision, better described as female genital mutilation, appears to have a foothold in Iraq. How far the practice will go is uncertain; what is certain, though, ... Read More
Don't Teach Anything With Implications For Religion?
Monday August 15, 2005
If something has implications for religion, should it be off-limits in public schools? Some people seem to think so, but that's such an absurd and ridiculous position that it simply ... Read More
This Date in History: Second Siege of Constantinople
Monday August 15, 2005
August 15, 0717: Second Siege of Constantinople: Taking advantage of the civil unrest in the Byzantine Empire, Caliph Sulieman sends 120,000 Muslims under the command of his brother, Moslemah, to ... Read More
Newsletter 08-15-05
Monday August 15, 2005
News items from the past week include how secularism overcame superstition, the claim that atheists aren't genuine Americans, problems with America's war on terrorism, the flaws in the arguments used ... Read More
The Pledge of Allegiance: Anti-Semitic and Pro-Terrorist
Sunday August 14, 2005
Supporters of keeping "under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance commonly argue that the absence of god in the Pledge would mean that the Pledge would support atheism - just ... Read More
Religious Leaders Poor Allies in War on Terrorism
Sunday August 14, 2005
Whenever there is news about religious terrorists, we hear from moderate religious leaders trying to argue that terrorism and violence aren't connected with "real" religion. They insist that "real" religion ... Read More
Philadelphia: Muslims Work Against Spousal Abuse
Sunday August 14, 2005
The Muslim community has a serious problem with how women are treated. Muslim traditions do not accord women a fully equal status with men in the social, familial, or political ... Read More
Bible Commentary: Jesus Eats with the Sinners, Publicans, Tax Collectors (Mark 2:13-17)
Sunday August 14, 2005
Jesus is depicted here preaching again and there are many people listening. It isn't explained whether this crowd also gathered in order for him to heal people or whether by ... Read More
Seniors Coerced Into Bible Study Classes
Sunday August 14, 2005
Residents of a public housing complex for seniors in the Chicago area are complaining that they have been coerced into participating in religious exercises like prayer and Bible Study classes. ... Read More
The Future of Hindu Nationalism in India
Sunday August 14, 2005
India's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its parent organization, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), or National Association of Volunteers, have been having problems. The BJP has been acting more like ... Read More
This Date in History: Maksymilian Kolbe
Sunday August 14, 2005
August 14, 1941: Maksymilian Kolbe died in Auschwitz. A Franciscan priest from Poland, Kolbe offered to take the place of another prisoner on his way to be executed. Kolbe was ... Read More
Weekly Quote: Sagan on Science
Sunday August 14, 2005
There are no forbidden questions in science, no matters too sensitive or delicate to be probed, no sacred truths.
- Carl Sagan, The Demon-Haunted World
Read a discussion of this quote: Sagan ... Read More
Matrix and Philosophy
Sunday August 14, 2005
Recently Received: More Matrix and Philosophy: Revolutions and Reloaded Decoded (Popular Culture and Philosophy), by William Irwin. Publisher: Open Court.
The Matrix is one of the more "philosophical" movies in recent ... Read More
Religious, Political, and Social Reform in Saudi Arabia
Saturday August 13, 2005
King Fahd ibn Abdel Aziz al-Saud has died and been replaced by his brother, Abdullah. Fahd hasn't been actively involved in ruling the kingdom for several years now, so Abdullah ... Read More
GOP: Entertainment Industry Just Doesn't Get It
Saturday August 13, 2005
According to an important House Republican aide, “The entertainment industry continues to prove they just don’t get it.” A comment on the moral depravity of Hollywood movies? No, a comment ... Read More
Bioethics News: Latest on Stem Cells, Cloning, & other Ethical Issues
Saturday August 13, 2005
The intersection of medical technology, medical practice, and ethical principles is an important field of study, but the rapid advance of medical technology has made it perhaps the most important ... Read More
Prostitution Rarely Punished in Ancient World
Saturday August 13, 2005
Religious moralizers today commonly inveigh against sexual "crimes," one of which is prostitution. Selling sex isn't legal in very many places today and it was condemned in the ancient world, ... Read More
Vatican Slaps Down Boston Archdiocese
Saturday August 13, 2005
The Boston Archdiocese has been trying to close down various parishes that supposedly are too small to remain viable. They have also wanted to seize the large assets of these ... Read More
This Date in History: Muslims and Hindus in Lahore
Saturday August 13, 2005
August 13, 1947: Rioting between Muslims and Hindus in Lahore, India, lead to thousands of casualties on both sides.
Austin To Crack Down on Self-Righteous Pharmacists
Saturday August 13, 2005
No, this isn't about me - I'm not doing anything to any pharmacists, though I've read about a few that I'd like to. Actually, the Austin City Council may become ... Read More
God and the World
Saturday August 13, 2005
Recently Received: God and the World: A Conversation With Peter Seewald, by Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, Peter Seewald, and Henry Taylor. Publisher: Ignatius Press.
Doctrines of Christian faith are complicated and often ... Read More
Saudis Flirt Via Bluetooth
Friday August 12, 2005
There is strict segregation of sexes in Saudi Arabia. Men and women who don't know each other simply aren't allowed to interact socially in public - this makes it difficult ... Read More
Australian Education Minister Supports Intelligent Design
Friday August 12, 2005
Intelligent Design doesn't merely afflict America; Australia also suffers from it. Recently, Education Minister Brendan Nelson said that he thought it sounded good if Intelligent Design were taught alongside evolution. ... Read More
Army Chooses Homophobia Over Security
Friday August 12, 2005
You'd think that with the need for soldiers in Iraq, the military would care more about soldiers' abilities than their sexuality. You'd think with a policy like "don't ask, don't ... Read More
Places in the Bible: Profile of the Citadel & Tower of David in Jerusalem
Friday August 12, 2005
Often called 'David's Citadel' and 'David's Tower,' these names are erroneous because David didn't have anything to do with them. The cylindrical tower was built during the 16th century and ... Read More
Cruise Almost Left Scientology
Friday August 12, 2005
Tom Cruise is the most vocal, public, and famous spokesman for the Church of Scientology today. They almost lost him, however, when he found out the truth of their teachings ... Read More
Newsletter 08-12-05
Friday August 12, 2005
Welcome to issue #7.32 of Free Thought Now!, the Agnosticism / Atheism site newsletter. This week we'll take a look at the claim that women shouldn't be allowed to vote, ... Read More
Neophobia & New Media, Plato & Video Games
Friday August 12, 2005
What does Plato have to do with the current debate over video games? Critics of video games sound remarkably like Plato in his attacks on the "new" ways communicating and ... Read More
This Date in History: Madalyn Murray O'Hair
Friday August 12, 2005
August 12, 1960: Madalyn Murray (later O'Hair) discovers that at her son's new school all pupils have mandatory prayers in school each morning.
Religious vs. Secular Terrorism
Friday August 12, 2005
Terrorism comes in a variety of forms, but these days religious terrorism is the most common and leads to the most destruction. Not all terrorism is equal - there are ... Read More
Jesus and the Empty Tomb
Friday August 12, 2005
Recently Received: The Empty Tomb: Jesus Beyond The Grave, by Robert M. Price, Jeffery Jay Lowder. Publisher: Prometheus Books.
Jesus’ resurrection from the dead, three days after being crucified, is a ... Read More
Harassing Atheists
Thursday August 11, 2005
The hatred that some conservative Christians have for atheists is really astounding. Imagine how insecure a person must be in their beliefs and their religion that they would experience such ... Read More
Athens: Scandal-Plagued Bishop Dumped
Thursday August 11, 2005
Metropolitan of Attica Panteleimon has been removed from his post by the Church of Greece's Holy Synod in a unanimous vote. He was already under suspension, but it appears that ... Read More
This Date in History: Jerry Falwell
Thursday August 11, 2005
August 11, 1933: Jerry Falwell was born. Falwell is a prominent leader in the American Religious Right and helped found the Moral Majority in 1979.
India: Accused Witches Face Violence
Thursday August 11, 2005
In India, women accused of witchcraft commonly have to contend with verbal and physical assaults. Some are even killed. Superstition of witches runs deep, but some manage to use this ... Read More
New York: Top Priest Had Affair with Married Secretary?
Thursday August 11, 2005
Msgr. Eugene Clark is a very public priest in the Archdiocese of New York. More than once, he has complained about America being a "sex-saturated" society. While doing this, however, ... Read More
Ohio Republican Charlie Winburn: Wives Must Be Taught Boundaries
Thursday August 11, 2005
Charlie Winburn is pastor of the Ridge Acres Christian Center and a Republican mayoral candidate in Cincinnati. He also believes that women should learn their place in life - something ... Read More
Kansas, Intelligent Design, and Pseudoscience
Thursday August 11, 2005
As many people expected, the Kansas Board of Education voted to change school science standards to attack evolutionary theory, as if it deserved to be singled out from all the ... Read More
Virginia: Pledge of Allegiance Upheld
Thursday August 11, 2005
The 4th Circuit Court of Appeals has upheld a law which requires all schools to lead a recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance at the start of each school day. ... Read More
Truth And Tolerance: Christian Belief And World Religions
Thursday August 11, 2005
Recently Received: Truth And Tolerance: Christian Belief And World Religions, by Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, Henry Taylor. Publisher: Ignatius Press.
Modern Western society generally values the principle of tolerance — in a ... Read More
Voting for Atheists
Wednesday August 10, 2005
Despite what we sometimes hear about "hostility" towards religion in America, there is far more hostility towards atheists - and what hostility towards religion that does exist is typically directed ... Read More
Book Reviews: Books on the Afterlife, Life after Death, Reincarnation, Mortality
Wednesday August 10, 2005
Is this life the only one we have? When our bodies die, is that the end for us as individuals or does something unique to us - like a soul ... Read More
San Francisco: Archbishop Subpoenaed at Mass
Wednesday August 10, 2005
Archbishop William Levada is supposed to take over the Vatican's Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, a post once held by the current Pope Benedict XVI, making him the ... Read More
Newsletter 08-10-05
Wednesday August 10, 2005
News items from the past week include how the nature of copyright has changed to radically in America over the past couple of decades, politicians who make their relationship with ... Read More
This Date in History: Ascalon Surrenders to Saladin
Wednesday August 10, 2005
August 10, 1187: The city of Ascalon surrenders to Saladin and Muslim forces re-establish control over the region. By the following month Saladin would also control the cities of Nablus, ... Read More
Falwell: Vote Christian
Wednesday August 10, 2005
Jerry Falwell has told supporters in a fund-raising letter that they should strive to "vote Christian" in the next elections. Apparently, Falwell believes that non-Christians are unfit for public office ... Read More
Women's Rights: A Disease That Should Be Eradicated
Tuesday August 9, 2005
I've written a couple of times about Vox Day, a "libertarian" Christian whose politics are one part authoritarianism, one part religious fascism, and one part sheer nuttiness. He's been making ... Read More
Gay Rights, Special Rights, and Right-Wing Hypocrisy
Tuesday August 9, 2005
One of the most common complaints that the Christian Right makes about granting basic civil rights to gays is to say that they are really "special" rights unavailable to anyone ... Read More
Boy Scouts of America: Discrimination, Bigotry, and Prejudice
Tuesday August 9, 2005
The Boy Scouts have long had an important place in American society, but do they continue to deserve the same respect and deference that they received in the past? If ... Read More
Government Declares Site Holy Ground?
Tuesday August 9, 2005
I wrote earlier about how the Supreme Court's refusal to hear an appeal effectively allowed the National Park Service to favor Native American religious beliefs on public lands. This, along ... Read More
This Date in History: Newdow vs. U.S. Congress
Tuesday August 9, 2005
August 09, 2002: The U.S. Justice Department files an appeal of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals' ruling in the Newdow vs. U.S. Congress case in which the court struck ... Read More
Excluded from the Scouts: Pedophiles and Atheists
Tuesday August 9, 2005
Atheists are regarded as so vile, so contemptuous, so far outside the boundaries of civil society that they are one of the only groups automatically excluded from participation in the ... Read More
Lance Armstrong and God
Monday August 8, 2005
One of the most recognizable athletes in the world today is Lance Armstrong. Winner of an unprecedented (and unlikely to be matched) seven Tour de France races and survivor of ... Read More
Places in the Bible: Gadara - Where Did Jesus Cast Out Demons?
Monday August 8, 2005
Gadara is the site where Jesus exorcised demons from a man and sent them into a herd of swine which then proceeded to jump into the sea. The exact name ... Read More
Town Bills Church for Property Taxes
Monday August 8, 2005
Churches are generally exempt from property taxes. Such exemptions are not constitutionally mandated, but communities find it easier to do things this way. What happens, though, when a church is ... Read More
This Date in History: Thomas a Kempis
Monday August 8, 2005
August 08, 1471: Thomas a Kempis died. Kempis is known as the author of "The Imitation of Christ," an important Christian devotional work.
Vatican Rift Over Creationism & Evolution
Monday August 8, 2005
Not every official in the Roman Catholic Church agrees with Cardinal Christoph Schönborn's recent statements about evolution. The Vatican’s chief astronomer, George Coyne, has come out publicly to insist that ... Read More
Newsletter 08-08-05
Monday August 8, 2005
News items from the past week include the "gender gap" in Christian voters (why do devout women not vote in larger numbers for the GOP?), police efforts to hide the ... Read More
Christian Right Defending Religious Discrimination
Sunday August 7, 2005
Leaders of the Christian Right continue to insist that there is nothing wrong with the government funding, endorsing, promoting, and favoring religious discrimination. According to them, religious discrimination should not ... Read More
Bible Commentary: Jesus’ Authority to Forgive Sins & Heal the Sick (Mark 2:6-12)
Sunday August 7, 2005
If God is the only one with authority to forgive people's sins, then Jesus assumes a great deal in forgiving the sins of a man who came to him to ... Read More
Atheists Aren't 'Real' Americans
Sunday August 7, 2005
Why are some Christians so arrogant as to think that only their religious beliefs are compatible with being an American? Why are some Christians so arrogant as to think that ... Read More
Reforming Muslim Theology
Sunday August 7, 2005
Muslim extremism will not be successfully countered by military force from the West. At best Western powers might achieve limited containment of some radical elements; over the long term, Muslim ... Read More
This Date in History: Marcus Trajan
Sunday August 7, 2005
August 07, 0117: Roman emperor Marcus Trajan dies at the age of 65. Originally tolerant toward Christianity, Trajan gradually began to persecute the Christians. It was during his rule that ... Read More
Weekly Quote: Beveridge on Language
Sunday August 7, 2005
Careful and correct use of language is a powerful aid to straight thinking, for putting into words precisely what we mean necessitates getting our own minds quite clear on what ... Read More
When Religion Becomes Evil
Sunday August 7, 2005
Recently Received: When Religion Becomes Evil: Five Warning Signs, by Charles Kimball. Publisher: HarperSanFrancisco.
Although many religious believers continue to claim that religion — or at least their religion — is ... Read More
Book Reviews: Books on Cults, New Religious Movements, New Religions
Saturday August 6, 2005
So-called 'cults,' also known as New Religious Movements or New Religions, have been growing in number and popularity in recent years. They are especially strong in America but they have ... Read More
Scientology Clinic Endangering People?
Saturday August 6, 2005
The Church of Scientology has a "detoxification" clinic in Manhattan which was originally set up to "help" the people working at the site of the World Trade Center collapse. The ... Read More
AIDS, Morality, and Religion
Saturday August 6, 2005
Every day, more and more people die from AIDS. This disease cannot be cured and only kept in check with incredibly expensive drugs. The best thing we can do is ... Read More
This Date in History: Ursuline Nuns
Saturday August 6, 2005
August 06, 1727: French Ursuline nuns first arrived at New Orleans and establish the first Catholic charitable institution in America, consisting of orphanage, a hospital and a school for ... Read More
The Third World and the Future of Christianity
Saturday August 6, 2005
What will Christianity look like in 50 or 100 years? Many people are unaware of just how much Christianity has changed over the centuries - they seem to think that ... Read More
Religion and the Rule of Law
Saturday August 6, 2005
Recently Received: God vs. the Gavel: Religion and the Rule of Law, by Marci Hamilton. Publisher: Cambridge University Press.
Religious liberty is obviously important in American politics, but the principle of ... Read More
Florida: Gay Couple's Home Torched in Arson Attack
Friday August 5, 2005
In Orlando, two men had their mobile home burned down - and this was just the latest in a long-running problem with verbal abuse and threats from people in the ... Read More
Abortion & Contraception News: Political, Social, and Medical Debates
Friday August 5, 2005
Abortion is a contentious issue in American society. Some regard it as an immoral abomination while others regard it as fundamental to reproductive liberty and privacy. Contraception is starting to ... Read More
Utah: Religious Group Seeks Addition to Ten Commandments
Friday August 5, 2005
The Summum faith teaches that after Moses brought the Ten Commandments down from the mountain top, he went back and retrieved a few "lower laws" that serve as minor additions. ... Read More
Newsletter 08-05-05
Friday August 5, 2005
Welcome to issue #7.31 of Free Thought Now!, the Agnosticism / Atheism site newsletter. This week we'll take a look at the nature of humanism and political humanism. Some of ... Read More
Challenging Evolution and Science in America
Friday August 5, 2005
The efforts of conservative Christians to undermine any science that might challenge their religious beliefs continues to move at full speed. It's even being noticed in other nations and people ... Read More
This Date in History: Gene Robinson
Friday August 5, 2005
August 05, 2003: Gene Robinson, an openly gay man, was elected bishop-designate of New Hampshire by the Episcopal General Convention during its meeting in Minneapolis. This election sparked outrage by ... Read More
Origins Of Religious Violence
Friday August 5, 2005
Recently Received: Fighting Words: The Origins Of Religious Violence, by Hector Avalos. Publisher: Prometheus Books.
Much of the violence in the world today can either be traced back to religion or ... Read More
Archbishop: Woman Should Have Used Birth Control
Thursday August 4, 2005
William Levada is currently prefect of the Vatican's Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, a post last held by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger - now Pope Benedict XVI. While still ... Read More
Australia Legalizes Witchcraft
Thursday August 4, 2005
It's been decades since anyone has actually been prosecuted for witchcraft, but the laws have remained on the books and could theoretically be used. Now, however, that option has been ... Read More
Places in the Bible: Bethlehem in Palestine - History, Geography, Religion
Thursday August 4, 2005
The earliest human habitation in Bethlehem (today: Bayt Lahm, Arabic for 'house of meat') dates back to the Paleolithic era, but the earliest reference to Bethlehem appears in Egyptian diplomatic ... Read More
The Real L. Ron Hubbard
Thursday August 4, 2005
As the founder of Scientology, L. Ron Hubbard had an interesting life. Not as interesting as Scientologists try to portray it, but interesting nonetheless. Unfortunately, there are lots things that ... Read More
Police, Courts Helped Catholic Authorities Hide Sexual Abuse
Thursday August 4, 2005
Did it ever seem strange to you that Catholic Church authorities were able to cover up so much sexual abuse for so many years? How were they able to hide ... Read More
This Date in History: Christian Broadcasting Network
Thursday August 4, 2005
August 04, 1961: The Christian Broadcasting Network, founded and run by Pat Robertson, began broadcasting over the radio.
14th Skeptics' Circle
Thursday August 4, 2005
You can find the 14th Skeptics' Circle today at Be Lambic or Be Green. This one was held at Hogwarts and features contributions from Brent Rasmussen, Rockstar, Red State Rabble, ... Read More
Why Judge John Roberts' Religion Matters
Thursday August 4, 2005
Some conservatives have objected to criticisms of John Roberts which include aspects of his religion - conservatives argue that his religion should be off limits. This is a hypocritical position ... Read More
Truth: A Guide
Thursday August 4, 2005
Recently Received: Truth: A Guide, by Simon Blackburn. Publisher: Oxford University Press.
Questions about truth and reality animate many of the disagreements behind philosophy, religion, and politics. Even the pope has ... Read More
Church of Scientology Worried About Tom Cruise?
Wednesday August 3, 2005
Scientology has been in the news a lot recently because of the antics of Tom Cruise. It's said that there's no such thing as bad publicity - anything that gets ... Read More
What it Takes to Declare Yourself an Atheist
Wednesday August 3, 2005
There are many more atheists in the world than people who are willing to admit to being an atheist. In large part because of the social stigma attached to disbelieving ... Read More
This Date in History: Pope Pius X
Wednesday August 3, 2005
August 03, 1903: Pius X was elected pope. Pius' opposition to modern philosophies and political movements garnered him a reputation as being a fundamentally anti-modernist pope.
Bible Courses Pushing Sectarian Agenda?
Wednesday August 3, 2005
The idea of having course in public schools about the Bible makes some sense. There is a lot of literature, art, philosophy, and history which requires some basic familiarity with ... Read More
Newsletter 08-03-05
Wednesday August 3, 2005
News items from the past week include questions about whether abortion should be available on demand, attacks on "unpatriotic" art, questions about whether capitalism and journalism can work together, bigotry ... Read More
The Secular World of Harry Potter
Tuesday August 2, 2005
One curious aspect of the Harry Potter novels which I had never thought about before is just how secular they are. The wizarding world contains no clear references to religion ... Read More
Book Reviews: Books on Complimentary and Alternative Medicines, Faith Healing
Tuesday August 2, 2005
What is alternative medicine? Does it do any good? Why do people pay money for it? The popularity of alternative medicine has increased dramatically in recent years, but understanding of ... Read More
ACLU Trying to Banish Bible in North Carolina Courts?
Tuesday August 2, 2005
I wrote a few days ago about efforts to allow people to use scriptures other than the Bible when being sworn in to courts in North Carolina. I didn't expect ... Read More
Church to Picket Own Camp (Infested with Witches)
Tuesday August 2, 2005
The Presbytery of Yellowstone in Bozeman operates several camps in Montana which they rent out to various groups. One of the renters of the Westminster Spires Camp has turned out ... Read More
Bush Endorses Intelligent Design & Creationism
Tuesday August 2, 2005
For a long time now, President George W. Bush has avoided saying anything about evolution - was that a smart move or a sign that he simply didn't understand the ... Read More
This Date in History: Inquisitors Forgiving Each Other
Tuesday August 2, 2005
August 02, 1262: Pope Urban IV renews the policy that inquisitors should absolve one another of irregularities in the pursuit of their duties, begun by Pope Alexander IV. This policy ... Read More
Gay Marriage and Homophobia: News, Information, Commentary
Monday August 1, 2005
Should same-sex marriage be legal? Should gays and lesbians have the same civil and social rights as everyone else? Should religious groups continue to discriminate against homosexuals? How is religion ... Read More
Government Promotion of Native American Religion
Monday August 1, 2005
Scientists have finally been given the remains of the Kennewick Man, but the underlying debate isn't over. People still want Native American groups to get control of ancient remains on ... Read More
This Date in History: Peasants' Crusade
Monday August 1, 2005
August 01, 1096: The Peasants' Crusade, which had departed from Europe that Spring, is shipped over the Bosporus by Emperor Alexius I Comnenus of Constantinople. Alexius I had welcomed these ... Read More
Van Gogh's Son Assaulted by Muslims
Monday August 1, 2005
His father has already been brutally murdered in a barbaric act of religious madness, but that isn't sufficient for radical Muslims in the Netherlands. Lieuwe van Gogh, 14-year-old son of ... Read More
Newsletter 08-01-05
Monday August 1, 2005
News items from the past week include questions about whether gender really does come in just two types, a coffee shop that doesn't like atheists, how Catholic leaders supported and ... Read More