GM Diversity Program Not Guilty of Religious Bias
Saturday December 31, 2005
General Motors has an 'Affinity Group' program in which employees can organize for the sake of hosting events and having access to corporate offices to express their concerns. There just ... Read More
Discussion: Time Travel - A "what if" question
Saturday December 31, 2005
A forum member asks: If you could go back in time to any single moment, and you could only go one time and to one place, when and where would ... Read More
Polygamy in Turkey
Saturday December 31, 2005
In rural Turkey, especially in Kurdish areas, polygamy persists despite official bans on the practice dating back to Kemal Ataturk. People believe that they have a duty to reproduce as ... Read More
This Date in History: Islamic Terrorism During Ramadan
Saturday December 31, 2005
December 31, 1997: To celebrate the beginning of Ramadan, the holiest time of the year for Muslims, Islamic militants kill 80 villagers in Shair and Sidi al-Antar in Algeria on ... Read More
Daily Poll: Should Religious Mottos Be Allowed?
Saturday December 31, 2005
A number of governments in the United States have had religious mottos. The motto of the state of Ohio, for example, is 'With God All Things Are Possible.' Should governments ... Read More
Holiness and Religion: Privileging the Holy in Society (Book Notes: Fighting Words)
Saturday December 31, 2005
The privileging of certain groups over others (men over women, blacks over whites, Christians over non-Christians) doesn't always occur on an overt, obvious level. Often it's reinforced and supported by ... Read More
Understanding Anger
Saturday December 31, 2005
Book of the Day: Anger: The Seven Deadly Sins, by Robert A. F. Thurman. Publisher: Oxford University Press.
Everyone gets angry from time to time - arguments, heated words, and hateful ... Read More
Sikhs and Sikhism: Sikh Scriptures
Friday December 30, 2005
Compiled in the year 1603 by the fifth Guru, Arjan, the Adi Granth ("First Book", also known as the Guru Granth Sahib) is the principle collection of Sikh scriptures. Arjan ... Read More
Texas Christians Take Aim at Gay, Female Student Support Center
Friday December 30, 2005
Conservative Christians are outraged that the University of Texas at Austin plays host to a student-funded center which provides counseling, workshops, and other services to gay, lesbian, and female students. ... Read More
Discussion: Forced Communion?
Friday December 30, 2005
A forum member describes an incident from a nursing home: Yesterday mom and I were sitting in the kitchen area talking when one of the residents walked in, sat down ... Read More
Religious Education in Spain
Friday December 30, 2005
A few days ago I wrote about Spanish bishops protesting the government's proposal to end mandatory religious education. Not long after that, a reader in Spain wrote to me to ... Read More
This Date in History: Zionist Terrorism in Palestine
Friday December 30, 2005
December 30, 1947: A bomb planted by Zionist terrorists in Haifa killed six Arabs. In the riots that followed, 41 Jews were killed while 48 Jews and 42 Arabs were ... Read More
Church/State Fundamentals: McCollum v. Board of Education (1948)
Friday December 30, 2005
In 1940, Jewish, Roman Catholic, and some Protestant groups formed the Champaign (Illinois) Council on Religious Education. In association with the Champaign Board of Education, they provided voluntary classes in ... Read More
Reason vs. Emotions: When Are Emotions Unreasonable? (Book Notes: Hiding from Humanity)
Friday December 30, 2005
Our emotions are visceral reactions which occur outside reasoned deliberation. Is it therefore not possible or reasonable to evaluate emotional reactions against standards of reason? No - emotions can be ... Read More
Islam and Jihad
Friday December 30, 2005
Book of the Day: Jihad in the West: Muslim Conquests from the 7th to the 21st Centuries, by Paul Fregosi.
Is there any real relationship between the Muslim military campaigns of ... Read More
Student Sits for Pledge, Called unAmerican by Teacher
Thursday December 29, 2005
In Boynton Beach, Florida, a high school junior is suing the Palm Beach County School Board because of how he was treated when he refused to stand and recite the ... Read More
History of the Papacy: Popes of the 16th Century
Thursday December 29, 2005
Image Source: Jupiter Images
Here is a list of all of the popes who reigned during the sixteenth century. The first number is which pope they were. This is followed by ... Read More
Darwinism, Evolution, and Human Nature
Thursday December 29, 2005
Evolutionary theory is threatening to many people - they assume that if evolution is true, then this undermines people's ability to value themselves and their accomplishments. In reality, evolution should ... Read More
Discussion: Creationism & Holocaust Revisionism
Thursday December 29, 2005
A forum member writes: I encountered this holocaust revisionist website. In this parallel universe, the Jews at Auschwitz had swimming pools, put on theatre productions, and had a nutritious, low ... Read More
The Utility of Weak Atheism
Thursday December 29, 2005
When religious theists attack atheism, they prefer to attack strong atheism, the denial of the existence of gods, because it's a positive claim which can be evaluated and critiqued. They ... Read More
This Date in History: Franciscan Order Founded
Thursday December 29, 2005
December 29, 1223: Pope Honorius III gave formal approval for the Franciscan religious order.
Daily Poll: Affirmative Action: Racial Discrimination or Needed Remedy?
Thursday December 29, 2005
Affirmative Action is a moral and political question which seems to divide Americans more than it unites them. On the one side are those who regard it as a type ... Read More
Christianity vs. Christians: What Really Matters? (Book Notes: Ending Hunger Now)
Thursday December 29, 2005
What are the most important things for Christianity and for being a Christian? The answers to this will vary greatly depending upon whom you ask. What's especially curious, though, is ... Read More
Blogsnark, Worst of the Worst: 2005 Worst Blog Posts on Atheism and Secularism
Wednesday December 28, 2005
Blogsnarks are commentaries on awful blog posts written by theists — mostly Christian — about atheism, secularism, the separation of church and state, science, etc. Collected here are 10 Blogsnarks ... Read More
European Women Converting to Islam
Wednesday December 28, 2005
Increasing numbers of European women are converting to Islam - not because they are forced to, but because they find that the religion offers simple answers and beliefs which they ... Read More
Book Reviews: Books on Islam, Muslims, Islamic History, Beliefs, Islamism
Wednesday December 28, 2005
What is Islam? Is Islam opposed to democracy and human rights? Are there good reasons to reject Islam and its theological claims? To what extent have politics and economics influenced ... Read More
Taxing Pornography: Using Sex to Balance Budgets
Wednesday December 28, 2005
Italy's budget for 2006 contains high taxes for pornography and sex goods of all types - 25% on just about everything except for subscriptions to porn channels which get away ... Read More
Discussion: Polygamous Marriages
Wednesday December 28, 2005
A forum member writes: Much discussion has been given to the notion of homosexual marriages and the "concept" of marriage. Question: Should bi-sexually oriented polygamist groups be given the right ... Read More
Evangelicals, Fundamentalists, and Dominionists: An Informal Guide
Wednesday December 28, 2005
Evangelicals (conservative), fundamentalists, and dominionists are all Christians who loosely make up what is called the 'Christian Right' in America. They all believe slightly different things despite making common cause ... Read More
This Date in History: Equality and Political Freedom vs. Catholicism
Wednesday December 28, 2005
December 28, 1878: Pope Leo XIII, in his encyclical Quod Apostolici, rejected the idea that citizens in a state should be equal and have full political freedom, writing that "If ... Read More
Atheism Basics: Definition of Atheism for Modern Atheists
Wednesday December 28, 2005
A few contemporary atheists restrict the definition of atheism to just the sense of 'strong' atheism, but most do not. Most instead point out the difference between 'weak' atheism and ... Read More
Daily Poll: Chaplain of the House of Representatives
Wednesday December 28, 2005
The U.S. House of Representatives pays to retain a chaplain at all times - but there has often been bitter disputes over the office. Catholics have complained about the lack ... Read More
Female Clergy in America: Changing the Face of Christianity (Book Notes: Who Shall Lead Them?)
Wednesday December 28, 2005
It has been difficult for just about all sectors of American society to fully accept and integrate women as equals, but the clergy appears to have been the worst. Why ... Read More
Does God Exist?
Wednesday December 28, 2005
Book of the Day: God? A Debate Between a Christian and an Atheist, by William Lane Craig and Walter Sinnott-Armstrong.
Debates about the existence of God fascinate some and bore others; ... Read More
Blogsnark: Truth Decay - Creationists Blind to the Truth
Tuesday December 27, 2005
There has, naturally, been a lot of negative reactions from religious conservatives to the Dover trial ruling which struck down the introduction of Intelligent Design creationism in school science classes. ... Read More
Papacy: Pope John Paul II, Catholicism, and the Jews
Tuesday December 27, 2005
Source: Wikipedia
Photographer: Eric Draper
The Catholic Church has long had a difficult, even violent, relationship with Judaism. It’s been normal for Jews to be treated as second-class citizens and the Vatican ... Read More
Crusades: Timeline of the Second Crusade Aftermath, 1150 - 1186
Tuesday December 27, 2005
Launched in response to the capture of Edessa by Muslims in 1144, the Second Crusade was accepted by European leaders primarily due to the tireless effort of St. Bernard of ... Read More
Science vs. Ideology: Why Manipulating Science for Ideology Doesn't Work
Tuesday December 27, 2005
The Bush administration's desire to manipulate science for the sake of conservative, religious ideology is a losing proposition. It will produce shoddy, unreliable results that won't deserve the label 'science' ... Read More
More on Larry Darby's Anti-Semitism
Tuesday December 27, 2005
Is Larry Darby an anti-Semite? He invited a notorious Holocaust Denier, anti-Semite, and self-admitted fascist to give a speech and defended this by saying he simply supports 'free speech.' In ... Read More
Discussion: God On Our Side?
Tuesday December 27, 2005
A forum member writes: Letters bequeathed to the National Library of Scotland reveal that Earl Haig commander of British forces in France during World War I, firmly believed that God ... Read More
Blogsnark: Atheists Don't Really Exist?
Tuesday December 27, 2005
A popular game among a certain segment of Christians is to try to find ways to argue that atheists don't really exist. Why? I'm not sure - it's not like ... Read More
This Date in History: Raelians and Cloning
Tuesday December 27, 2005
December 27, 2002: Brigitte Boisselier, a chemist and CEO of Clonaid, held a press conference to announce that the previous day the first cloned human being had been born. Clonaid ... Read More
Places in the Bible: Palestine - History, Geography, Religion of the Holy Lands
Tuesday December 27, 2005
Palestine is one of the traditional names for the 'Lands of the Bible.' Other names include: Holy Land, the Promised Land, Israel, and Canaan. The name Palestine stems from the ... Read More
Daily Poll: Is Bush Manipulating Science for Political Reasons?
Tuesday December 27, 2005
There have been a number of incidents where it appears that science has been manipulated for the sake of political or even religious preferences - putting creationist tracts at the ... Read More
Religion vs. Irreligion: War as a Producer of Religious Doubt (Book Notes: The Gathering of Infidels)
Tuesday December 27, 2005
Some claim that there are no atheists in foxholes, thinking that confrontations with the horror and dangers of war must lead people to believe in God. The truth, however, is ... Read More
Jews and Judaism
Tuesday December 27, 2005
Book of the Day: Jews Without Judaism, by Rabbi Daniel Friedman.
What does it mean to be Jewish? Is "Jewish" necessarily intertwined with "Judaism," or are the two entirely separate? Can ... Read More
Defense Spending Bill Shields Boy Scouts from Consequences of Bigotry
Monday December 26, 2005
The Christian Right's desire to ensure that the Boy Scouts of America are able to practice bigotry, hatred, and discrimination without social or legal consequences is being given a big ... Read More
Christian History: Pelagian Heresy
Monday December 26, 2005
One of the central and fundamental disagreements between humanism and Christianity lies in the very nature of humanity itself. Are human beings inherently good or inherently evil? Indeed, this conflict ... Read More
Questioning the Value of Tradition
Monday December 26, 2005
The Christmas season is a time when traditions and traditional practices become especially important both in families and in public generally. There is a tendency to defer to traditions that ... Read More
Christian Supremacists Going After Public School, Homeschooling
Monday December 26, 2005
Three decades ago, no one would have imagined the Southern Baptist Convention having moved as far to the right as it is today, now that it's been taken over by ... Read More
This Date in History: Raelians and Cloning
Monday December 26, 2005
December 26, 2002: According to Brigitte Boisselier, a chemist and CEO of Clonaid, on this day the first cloned human being was born. Clonaid is a company created by the ... Read More
Christianity & Violence: Filling Heaven, Not Earth (Book Notes: The Crusades)
Monday December 26, 2005
The aim of Christianity is not to fill the earth, but to fill heaven. Why should one worry if the number of Christians is lessened in the world by deaths ... Read More
Jesus and the Apocalypse
Monday December 26, 2005
Book of the Day: Jesus: Apocalyptic Prophet, by Bart D. Ehrman.
Who was Jesus? Biographies of him are plentiful and arouse intense passion among authors and readers - more so than ... Read More
American Churches and Corporations: How Churches are Going Corporate
Sunday December 25, 2005
Just as corporations in America are pushing religion and spirituality, churches in America are adopting values and practices from the corporate world. They have mission statements, management teams, consulting services, ... Read More
Mattel Caves in to Christian Right Extremists, Turns Back on Girls
Sunday December 25, 2005
The American Girls doll line is very popular, but Christian Right groups started reporting that the manufacturer, American Girl, donated money to Girls Inc, a group that supports abortion rights. ... Read More
History of the Papacy: Popes of the 17th Century
Sunday December 25, 2005
Image Source: Jupiter Images
Here is a list of all of the popes who reigned during the seventeenth century. The first number is which pope they were. This is followed by ... Read More
Bible Commentary: Jesus is Without Honor Among Kin: Was Jesus a Bastard? (Mark 6:1-6)
Sunday December 25, 2005
Here Jesus returns to his home - perhaps his home village, or perhaps it merely signals a return to Galilee from more Gentile areas, but it isn't clear. It also ... Read More
Christian Zionism: Arab Evangelicals vs. American Evangelicals
Sunday December 25, 2005
Popular with the Christian Right in America, Christian Zionism is an ideology which promotes the support of Israel in just about everything while dismissing the concerns and interests of Palestinians ... Read More
O'Reilly Misrepresents European Secularism
Sunday December 25, 2005
Most Americans are at least dimly aware that many European nations are highly secular and less religious than America. What they don't realize is that these same nations retain official ... Read More
This Date in History: Christmas in Early America
Sunday December 25, 2005
December 25, 1789: During the first Christmas under America's new Constitution, the Congress was in session. This fact may seem odd today, but at the time Christmas was no t ... Read More
Evaluating Theistic Claims: Defending & Supporting God as Explanation (Book Notes: The Atheists Debater's Handbook)
Sunday December 25, 2005
Can atheists explain why the universe and life exist? Maybe, maybe not - there are possible and at least partial explanations, but not ones which theists tend to accept. Theists ... Read More
Weekly Quote: Bertrand Russell on Skepticism
Sunday December 25, 2005
I wish to propose for the reader’s favourable consideration a doctrine which may, I fear, appear wildly paradoxical and subversive. The doctrine in question is this: that it is undesirable ... Read More
Technology, Ethics, Society
Sunday December 25, 2005
Book of the Day: Controlling Technology: Contemporary Issues, edited by Eric Katz, William Thompson & Andrew Light.
Most discussions about the ethics of researching and using technology tend to focus relatively ... Read More
Pope Benedict XVI Gets Immunity in Sexual Abuse Lawsuit
Saturday December 24, 2005
As was probably expected, a federal judge in Texas has struck Pope Benedict XVI from the list of defendants in a civil lawsuit against Catholic officials accused of aiding and ... Read More
Did Terri Schiavo Help Derail Christian Right Agenda?
Saturday December 24, 2005
Who can forget the Terri Schiavo debates? Republican leaders would like to, it seems. They took a strong stand in defense of religious extremism and, as a consequence, lost significant ... Read More
There is no 'Right to a Fair Trial' in the Constitution
Saturday December 24, 2005
To those who argue that the phrase 'separation of church and state' does not appear in the Constitution, it can be said that the phrase 'right to a fair trial' ... Read More
Corporate America and Theocracy
Saturday December 24, 2005
Truly revolutionary groups are almost always small. Although made up of highly committed people, they lack the numbers to make serious changes in society - so how do they succeed? ... Read More
This Date in History: Judaism and Catholicism in World War II
Saturday December 24, 2005
December 24, 1942: In a radio address on Vatican Radio, Pope Pius XII expressed concern over the "hundreds of thousands, who without any fault of their own, sometimes only by ... Read More
Christian Nationalism: Betrayal of Germany, Betrayal of God (Book Notes: The Holy Reich)
Saturday December 24, 2005
When Christians identify their nation's political agenda and political system with God's Will, any losses suffered by their nation are perceived as an affront to God as well. Admission that ... Read More
Visions from God
Saturday December 24, 2005
Book of the Day: Lying Awake, by Mark Salzman.
If you thought that you were receiving visions from God, but learned that they may be caused by an easily repairable brain ... Read More
Is Panda's Thumb Broken?
Friday December 23, 2005
Apparently there are political problems at The Panda's Thumb, a community site of bloggers who write about evolution and science. Some people wanted to respond strongly to the reported attack ... Read More
Christian Right's Assault on Secular Education
Friday December 23, 2005
America's Christian Right decries the secularization of modern culture. The elimination of their religion as the central defining feature of life and the ability of people to go about their ... Read More
Sikhs and Sikhism: Sikhs and Sikhism: Sikh Gurus
Friday December 23, 2005
In Hinduism a guru is a spiritual teach or guide. Sikhs have retained his basic meaning, but the title itself is very limited in application: there have only been ten ... Read More
Fox News Embraces White Supremacy
Friday December 23, 2005
When it comes to issues like evolution, the media are always quick to present 'both sides' of the issue. When it comes to White Supremacy, Fox Carolina saw no need. ... Read More
Stupid Tom DeLay Quotes
Friday December 23, 2005
Tom DeLay, Republican Congressman from Texas, has said and done some amazingly awful things in his political career. It's an open question whether his actions are motivated from spite and ... Read More
Is Atheism Privileged in America Today?
Friday December 23, 2005
Religious conservatives are having a hard time making a case for their belief that their religion should be privileged. This has left them with few options, and one of the ... Read More
This Date in History: Denouncing Threat of Atheism and Materialism
Friday December 23, 2005
December 23, 1958: In his first Christmas message, Pope John XXIII urges all Christians around the world to unite against the communist threat of atheism and materialism.
Daily Poll: Should there be an official Day of Rest?
Friday December 23, 2005
Many religions have a "day of rest" when no work is to be done. In America, the traditional Christian sabbath became an official "day of rest" for everyone, mandated by ... Read More
John Gibson vs. Rob Boston: Unbalanced Fox & Christian Right Reveal True Colors
Friday December 23, 2005
John Gibson has set himself up as a 'defender' of Christmas; his primary means of doing this seems to involve vicious attacks on everyone who doesn't agree with him. This ... Read More
God as Cause: Why God Cannot Explain the Universe (Book Notes: Arguing for Atheism)
Friday December 23, 2005
It is popular among theists to think not only that their god caused the universe to exist, but in fact that the existence of their god is necessary to explain ... Read More
Priest, Board Excommunicated Over Finances
Thursday December 22, 2005
In February, 2005, St. Louis Archbishop Raymond Burke placed the board of the St. Stanislaus Kostka Catholic Church under the 'canonical penalty of interdict' because they refused to turn all ... Read More
Final Victory in Dutch Scientology Case
Thursday December 22, 2005
After a 10 year legal battle, the Dutch Supreme Court has finally ruled against the Church of Scientology. Back in 1995, Scientologists sued XS4ALL, an internet service provider, and Karin ... Read More
Discussion: Why Worship Anything?
Thursday December 22, 2005
A forum member writes: If there actually was a god, why would I need to "worship" it? I mean, why bow down like a hurt puppy or fall to the ... Read More
Onward Christian Soldiers: Minority Faiths in the US Military
Thursday December 22, 2005
There has been a lot of news recently about the antics of conservative evangelical Christians in the military. They have been using America's military as if it were their personal ... Read More
This Date in History: Dominican Order Approved
Thursday December 22, 2005
December 22, 1216: Pope Honorius III gave official approval for the Order of Preachers (Dominicans), founded in 1216 by St. Dominic. Its purpose is to convert Muslims and Jews and ... Read More
Christian Persecution Complex
Thursday December 22, 2005
I've written many times about the phenomenon of Christians seeking to restore the existence of Christian Privilege in America. Closely associated with this is the existence of a 'persecution complex' ... Read More
Taking Beliefs Seriously: Why Reason and Argument are Necessary (Book Notes: Why Atheism?)
Thursday December 22, 2005
What does it mean to say that you believe something? It means that you accept a proposition as true. But so what? Who cares what you think is true or ... Read More
Government Censorship of Erotica
Thursday December 22, 2005
Book of the Day: Government vs. Erotica: The Siege of Adam and Eve, by Philip D. Harvey.
Should the government have the power to regulate private sexual conduct - and if ... Read More
Kitzmiller v. Dover: Intelligent Design Dumped in Dover, Pennsylvania
Wednesday December 21, 2005
On December 20, 2005, Judge John E. Jones III released his decision in the case of Kitzmiller v. Dover. In this case, the Dover School Board in Pennsylvania was sued ... Read More
So-Called Libertarians and the Authoritarian Impulse
Wednesday December 21, 2005
President Bush has been unapologetic in his admission that he ordered agents of the government to spy on Americans without warrants. Evidence indicates that such orders were illegal and that ... Read More
Book Reviews: Books on Gay Rights, Gay Marriage, Homosexuality
Wednesday December 21, 2005
Homosexuality is the subject of much political, religious, and cultural debate today. Gays have historically been treated as second-class citizens, but today they are fighting hard for equal rights - ... Read More
American Conservatives: We're Not Anti-Semitic. Honest
Wednesday December 21, 2005
Some Jews are becoming more vocal in their criticisms of the political activities of America's Christian Right. This, in turn, has inspired supposedly non-anti-Semitic Christians to insist that even though ... Read More
Discussion: Lying about Santa Claus?
Wednesday December 21, 2005
A forum member writes: A coworker mentioned that her 8-yr-old niece has discovered that there is no Father Christmas, and says that she can no longer trust her parents because ... Read More
Gay Marriage & Childless Marriage: Defying God's Will
Wednesday December 21, 2005
A primary argument used by the Christian Right against gay marriage is that gay couples cannot have children and marriage exists for the purpose of having children. Critics respond by ... Read More
Newsletter 12-21-05
Wednesday December 21, 2005
News items from the past week include tricks used by Christians to get their religion favored by the state, the argument that simplicity is a better indicator than complexity that ... Read More
This Date in History: Excommunication of Ordained Women
Wednesday December 21, 2005
December 21, 2002: In a decree approved of by Pope John Paul II, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (better known by its original name the "Inquisition") excommunicated ... Read More
Satan Causing Christians to Bicker Over Christmas
Wednesday December 21, 2005
There has been some debate in the Christian community over the fact that some mega-churches have decided to be closed on Christmas Day. It's a fair business decision, given the ... Read More
Liberal vs. Fundamentalist Christians: What's the Difference? (Book Notes: Losing Faith in Faith)
Wednesday December 21, 2005
When it comes to practical policy issues, the differences between liberal and fundamentalist Christians is usually pretty obvious. More interesting and important, however, are the differences that exist in the ... Read More
Religious Kidnapping
Wednesday December 21, 2005
Book of the Day: Zaddik: The Battle for a Boy's Soul
Are religious communities above the law? Should religious minorities be permitted to follow the demands of their beliefs, even when ... Read More
Point of Inquiry: New Secular Humanist Podcast Available
Tuesday December 20, 2005
Those of you who listen to podcasts can now enjoy one being put out by the Center for Inquiry, called Point of Inquiry. Topics will involve:
1. Pseudoscience and the paranormal ... Read More
Have a Godless New Year: Atheist New Year Resolutions
Tuesday December 20, 2005
Being an atheist doesn't require much effort. There aren't any creeds to memorize or religious services to attend regularly. So long as you don't believe in any gods, even if ... Read More
Spiteful Conservatism: Death Penalty Supported Because Opponents Are Annoying
Tuesday December 20, 2005
The death penalty has been gradually losing support in America. More and more people are concerned about the ability of the criminal justice system to apply capital punishment fairly and ... Read More
History of the Crusades: Map of the First Crusade
Tuesday December 20, 2005
Launched by Pope Urban II at the Council of Clermont in 1095, the First Crusade was the most successful. Here you will find an old map showing the route of ... Read More
War on Christmas? War on Goodwill & Tolerance
Tuesday December 20, 2005
Conservative Christians decry a 'war on Christmas' that seeks to supplant a religious, Christian Christmas with a secular one - or no Christmas at all. Perhaps it would be more ... Read More
Chronicles of Narnia FAQ
Tuesday December 20, 2005
Lots of people are probably going to see the Chronicles of Narnia movie, but they also probably have questions about it. The books are best-sellers around the world, but they ... Read More
Discussion: Do Smokers Have Trouble Dating?
Tuesday December 20, 2005
A forum member writes: I suspect that many, if not most non-smokers would prefer to date people who don't smoke. As an ex-smoker, I would find it quite horrible to ... Read More
Secular Progressives Have Secret Plan to Diminish Christian Philosophy
Tuesday December 20, 2005
Bill O'Reilly has revealed to the nation that secular progressives have a 'very secret plan' to 'diminish Christian philosophy in the U.S.A.' It's clear that he isn't clever enough to ... Read More
Conservative Christians Angry that Their Religion is No Longer Preeminent
Tuesday December 20, 2005
Why are some Christians so upset over the present state of Christmas? More people in America celebrate Christmas in some manner than ever before, or than in any other nation. ... Read More
This Date in History: Tax Exempt Private Schools and Racial Discrimination
Tuesday December 20, 2005
December 20, 1971: Affirmed: Coit v. Green Black families who had children attending public schools in Mississippi filed suit to have the IRS revoke the tax exempt status of private ... Read More
The Reason why Iran is Attacking Jews, Israel
Tuesday December 20, 2005
The infamous 'Southern Strategy' of America's Republican Party was to emphasize race and advocate racist policies in order to attract support from southern whites away from the Democratic Party. It ... Read More
Religion Fundamentals: Profiles of Places & Cities in the Bible
Tuesday December 20, 2005
For many, the Bible is a historically accurate record and a reliable guide to people, places, and events in the past. For most scholars, the Bible records events from the ... Read More
Daily Poll: Should the Vatican Apologize to the Knights Templar?
Tuesday December 20, 2005
King Philip the "Fair" of France and Pope Clement V accused the Templars of things like atheism, sodomy, blasphemy, and worse. Knights were tortured, forced to confess to all kinds ... Read More
Harassment of and Assaults on Atheists (Book Notes: The Atheist)
Tuesday December 20, 2005
It's difficult for many theists to imagine just how extensively atheists have been harassed and persecuted over the years. Conservative Christians talk a lot about Christians being persecuted in America, ... Read More
Why Atheism?
Tuesday December 20, 2005
Book of the Day: Why Atheism?, by George Smith.
So why would anyone be an atheist? Why would any question the existence of a supernatural deity, something believed in by a ... Read More
AFA's Disingenuous Attacks on Progressive Insurance
Monday December 19, 2005
Peter Lewis, chairman of Progressive Insurance, has donated USD $8.5 million to the ACLU because he believes in the work they do defending Americans' liberty. The American Family Association, not ... Read More
Discussion: Can You Explain Paranormal Events?
Monday December 19, 2005
A forum member writes: Part of my basis for my agnosticism is the many "paranormal" events that have occurred in my life, and in my mother and her mother's lives. ... Read More
Signs of Creationist Nonsense
Monday December 19, 2005
Creationists can't get any support for their ideas in scientific circles, which is why most of their efforts are directed at public relations and garnering political support. People with no ... Read More
This Date in History: Jun Hus' Execution Denounced
Monday December 19, 2005
December 19, 1999: Pope John Paul II formally denounced the execution of Jan Hus in 1415.
Newsletter 12-19-05
Monday December 19, 2005
News items from the past week include a look at the question of free will in Islam vs. Christianity, state support of monotheism over all other types of theism, moral ... Read More
Gingrich: ACLU is a Destructive Organization
Monday December 19, 2005
In the past, conservatives attacked Jews, communists, and blacks as being responsible for America's problems. Today, the ACLU has become a primary target by those who are opposed to others' ... Read More
Philosophy Basics: Timeline of Contemporary Philosophy, 1900 - 2003
Monday December 19, 2005
Presented here is a compendium of people, places, and events of philosophy, all organized by date. The timeline of Contemporary Philosophy covers Heisenberg, Adorno, Campbell, Quine, Tylor, Chomsky, Piaget, Kuhn, ... Read More
Danger of Practical Atheism in Society (Book Notes: Atheism: The Case Against God)
Monday December 19, 2005
Have you ever heard of 'practical atheists'? This is a category of people created by theists to describe all those theists who technically believe in a god, but who behave ... Read More
Francis of Assisi: A Revolutionary Life
Monday December 19, 2005
Book of the Day: Francis of Assisi: A Revolutionary Life, by Adrian House.
Another biography of Francis of Assisi? So many have already been written, what is the point of another ... Read More
Pastors' Cars Reflect Parish Beliefs
Sunday December 18, 2005
Most people might assume that pastors and ministers should try to live at least somewhat modestly - like, for example, by driving average, modest cars. Many Christian congregations reject this, ... Read More
Bible Commentary: Jesus Heals Jairus' Daughter (Mark 5:35-43)
Sunday December 18, 2005
Before Jesus unknowingly healed the woman who had been suffering for twelve years, he had been on his way to attend to the daughter of Jarius, a ruler of a ... Read More
Fighting Atheists' War on Advent
Sunday December 18, 2005
As I have written elsewhere, Christmas isn't the only Christian celebration that has lost much of its religious aura over the years. Most celebrations, though, have simply been dropped entirely ... Read More
Discussion: Sense of Purpose in Life
Sunday December 18, 2005
A forum member asks: Slowly over the last couple of years, I came to the conclusion that there is no higher power and that the bible is nothing but fairy ... Read More
Resurgent Nationalism in Japan
Sunday December 18, 2005
A new type of comic that has become popular among Japanese youth depicts Japan as the victim of foreign aggression and as a benign patron to backwards nations in Asia ... Read More
This Date in History: Sunday Closing Laws in Kentucky
Sunday December 18, 2005
December 18, 1997: Decided: Bauchman v. West High School Is it a violation of the separation of church and state to make students sing Christian songs in a public school ... Read More
No Government Favoritism Towards Christianity = Intolerance
Sunday December 18, 2005
Should government officials, when conducting official government business, single out Christianity for favoritism and endorsement? Some people in Indiana think so. Indiana House Speaker Brian Bosma claims that it is ... Read More
Intellectual Diversity and Questioning (Book Notes: God's Defenders)
Sunday December 18, 2005
It's common to at least pay lip service to the values of intellectual diversity and challenging one's beliefs. How many people actually accept, respect, and defend these values - even ... Read More
Daily Poll: Should America Care About Being Popular?
Sunday December 18, 2005
America's recent policies on the environment, the Middle East, and other issues has led to a steep decline in American popularity around the world. Is this something that citizens or ... Read More
Weekly Quote: Merton on Religion and Poverty
Sunday December 18, 2005
It is easy enough to tell the poor to accept their poverty as God's will when you yourself have warm clothes and plenty of food and medical care and a ... Read More
The Holocaust and Antisemitism
Sunday December 18, 2005
Book of the Day: The Holocaust and Antisemitism: A Short History, by Jocelyn Hellig.
Antisemitism has been an unfortunate and destructive aspect of Western culture for millennia. Of course, every culture ... Read More
Should Satantic Christmas be Scrapped?
Saturday December 17, 2005
In Edinburgh, someone has set up a grotto where Satan takes the place of Santa. He questions children and seeks to track down Santa Claus in order to return him ... Read More
Operation Nativity vs. Secularization of Christmas
Saturday December 17, 2005
A new twist in Christians' pretending to 'defend' Christmas is called Operation Nativity: Christians are campaigning to have other Christians erect nativity scenes in their front yards this Christmas season. ... Read More
Discussion: Christian Music
Saturday December 17, 2005
A forum member writes: I was channel surfing this morning, and saw the Hillsong Church doing it's usual Sunday worship service. The people were really enjoying some crappy overproduced godbothetring ... Read More
Would You Kill My Kids? Questioning Orders from God
Saturday December 17, 2005
Many Christians, Jews, and Muslims believe that their religion and their god is the only valid source of morality. Why? Because they believe that their god is the author of ... Read More
This Date in History: Sunday Closing Laws in Kentucky
Saturday December 17, 2005
December 17, 1962: Decided: Arlan's Department Store v. Kentucky The Supreme Court dismissed the case as not having any serious questions for them. Kentucky's mandatory Sunday closing laws had been ... Read More
Intelligent Design is Essentially a Religious Proposition
Saturday December 17, 2005
Most scientists recognize that Intelligent Design is essentially religious, lacking even rudimentary scientific merit. Many supporters of Intelligent Design must recognize it, too, because they haven't been able to produce ... Read More
Secular Christmas in Japan
Saturday December 17, 2005
Conservative Christians in America insist that Christmas is necessarily a religious, Christian holiday. Even when they don't use such words, they communicate this message when they make noises about the ... Read More
Daily Poll: Should Abstinence Programs That Lie Be Used?
Saturday December 17, 2005
Abstinence programs are popular with Christian Right: if sex is going to be mentioned in schools, it's only going to be mentioned in a manner that discourages it. Unfortunately these ... Read More
Christian Anti-Semitism in Post-Nazi Germany (Book Notes: Betrayal)
Saturday December 17, 2005
Just about everyone is aware of the deep and destructive anti-Semitism which characterized Nazi Germany. Many forget the deep and destructive involvement of German Christians in this anti-Semitism - including ... Read More
Abortion Debates
Saturday December 17, 2005
Book of the Day: The Ethics of Abortion: Pro-Life Vs. Pro-Choice, edited by Robert M. Baird and Stuart E. Rosenbaum.
Abortion is one of the most divisive issues in modern US ... Read More
Sikhs and Sikhism: Sikh Beliefs
Friday December 16, 2005
The Sikh religion is regarded by many scholars as a syncretic religious system which borrows heavily from Hinduism and Sufi mysticism. Other scholars treat it as a branch of Hinduism's ... Read More
Congressional Vote on Protecting Christmas
Friday December 16, 2005
Conservative Christians in Congress have launched a new effort to defend Christmas. Because Christmas is being 'attacked,' Congress has voted for a resolution to protect the symbols of Christmas. A ... Read More
War on Christmas at Retail Prices: Materialism, Free Markets, and Holidays
Friday December 16, 2005
Christians who complain about there being a 'war' on Christmas almost invariably pick the wrong targets to complain about. They whine incessantly about secularists and leftists, but never seem to ... Read More
Newsletter 12-16-05
Friday December 16, 2005
Welcome to issue #7.50 of Free Thought Now!, the Agnosticism / Atheism site newsletter. This week we'll take a look at violations of a teen's religious rights, a doctor more ... Read More
Spanish Bishops Protest Non-Mandatory Religious Education
Friday December 16, 2005
Zapatero's socialist government in Spain has made a lot of changes which has outraged Catholic leaders: legalized gay marriage, liberalized divorce laws, legalized stem-cell research, and so forth. His latest ... Read More
This Date in History: Lisa McPherson & Scientology
Friday December 16, 2005
December 16, 1996: The police investigation into the death of Lisa McPherson while in the care of the Church of Scientology becomes public. According to Scientologists, the Clearwater Police are ... Read More
Christian Values Ignored by the Christian Right
Friday December 16, 2005
America's Christian Right likes to portray itself as the defender of Christian values and Christianity in general. Christianity is, however, a very complex religious tradition with a wide array of ... Read More
Secularized Lyrics for 'Silent Night'? No, Disinformation from the Christian Right
Friday December 16, 2005
Have you heard about the school that re-wrote the lyrics to the song Silent Night in order to avoid violating the separation of church and state? If so, you were ... Read More
Daily Poll: Should Prostitution be Legal?
Friday December 16, 2005
Prostitution has been called the oldest profession in the world and it seems likely that humans have always traded whatever they had in exchange for something they needed - and ... Read More
Hassan Al-Turabi on Islam and Islamic Government (Book Notes: In the Shadow of the Prophet)
Friday December 16, 2005
Should Islam be used as a basis for government? That's what many Muslims in the Middle East believe, but the belief that Islam alone can serve as a basis for ... Read More
Democratic Character
Friday December 16, 2005
Book of the Day: Developing Democratic Character in the Young, edited by Roger Soder, John I. Goodlad and Timothy J. McMannon.
To what extent does democracy depend upon the right sort ... Read More
Better a Commercial Christmas than a Secular Holiday?
Thursday December 15, 2005
Conservative Christians complain loudly about how Christianity and Christmas aren't always treated as special this time of year. They don't want to hear about 'holidays' in general, only their own ... Read More
Why Religion and Politics Can't Mix
Thursday December 15, 2005
Religion almost necessarily makes absolute and uncompromising demands on a believer. Politics, on the other hand, requires that a person be willing to negotiate, compromise, and to give up on ... Read More
Discussion: What were/are your religious beliefs?
Thursday December 15, 2005
So far, about a third of atheists on the forum have never believed in any gods at all while the rest believed in some sort of god at some point ... Read More
State Should Endorse Monotheism
Thursday December 15, 2005
Advocates of the restoration of Christian privilege in America don't usually state that their goal is to have Christianity preferred above all other religions and beliefs. They know that such ... Read More
This Date in History: Lisa McPherson & Scientology
Thursday December 15, 2005
December 15, 1997: After an investigation of nearly two years, the Clearwater Police and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement finish and recommend that criminal charges be filed against the ... Read More
War Over Christmas About Power and Control
Thursday December 15, 2005
Why is the Christian Right so fired up about waging a war to defend Christmas? As I've written elsewhere, it's part of a larger effort to defend and expand traditional ... Read More
Daily Poll: Should Politicians Who Don't Recite the Pledge Be Recalled?
Thursday December 15, 2005
The Estes Park Town Board in Colorado had been opening meetings with the Pledge of Allegiance and one member refused to stand or participate. Well, some people were so upset ... Read More
Free Will vs. Determinism in Islam & Christianity (Book Notes: In the Shadow of the Prophet)
Thursday December 15, 2005
One of the longest-running debates in philosophy is over the existence of free will. Does free will exist or not? Some say it does, others say that the nature of ... Read More
Sin: Boundaries Between Morality and Immorality
Thursday December 15, 2005
Book of the Day: In Defense of Sin, edited by John Portmann.
In Western society, the traditional attitude stands against sin, sinning and sinners. This does not, however