News items from the past week include the biological origins of behavior, Mitt Romney's presidential chances with evangelicals, a warning from Catholic bishops not to quote or use their Bible translation without authorization, the conflicts between traditional Western monotheism and democracy, and more.

Relationship Between Catholicism and Nazism in Germany
A popular image of the Nazis is that they were fundamentally anti-Christian while devout Christians were anti-Nazi. The truth, however, is far more complicated because there were many issues on which Nazis and religious conservatives found common ground. Like any politician, Hitler was able to use these to his advantage.

Ten Commandments: News, Information, Court Cases
Should displays of the Ten Commandments be allowed in public buildings? Should large monuments be erected on the grounds of courthouses or legislative buildings? Should there be posters of the Ten Commandments in schools and other municipal buildings? Some argue that they are part of our legal history, but others say that they are inherently religious and, therefore, cannot be allowed. Here you can find recent news and events dealing with the Ten Commandments and the separation of church and state.

Nietzsche, Truth, and Untruth
The advantages of truth over untruth, reality over falsehood, appear so obvious that it seems inconceivable that anyone would even draw it into question, much less suggest the opposite - that untruth may in fact be preferable to truth. But that is just what German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche did - and so perhaps the advantages of truth are not as clear-cut as we normally assume.

Killer Rapist Mice
Biological Origins of Behavior

Investigating Seminaries for Homosexuals
New Vatican witch hunt?

Mitt Romney vs. Evangelicals
Will Mormonism come between them?

Stop Reading from the Bible...
...say the American Catholic Bishops?

No Separation of Church and State?
So argues Virginia attorney general

Mistakes Christians Make when Dealing with Atheists
A Christian explains

God vs. Democracy
Can the two coexist?

 

Book Reviews:

1) The Erotic History of Advertising
Sex sells - at least, that is the general perception that most people have. But is it true? And, if it is true, how and why does "sex sell" - everything from lingerie to soap to coal? What is it about sex and sensuality that they attract our attention, hold our interest, and actually get us to buy the associated products?

2) Evolution, by Carl Zimmer
What is evolution, and what sort of explanation does it provide for the diversity of life on our planet? Those are important questions, but especially so for the United States, where so few people understand what evolution is and so many simply reject it outright, generally because of their religious convictions.

3) The Demon-Haunted World
Are irrationality and superstition bringing the modern world to the brink of a new Dark Age? Can the proper use of skepticism and critical thinking keep us away from that brink and ensure that the promises of reason and science are actually fulfilled? These are the themes of Carl Sagan's book, which is not simply a polemic against irrationality, but also a hopeful manifesto about the possibilities for the future.