Welcome to issue #7.44 of Free Thought Now!, the Agnosticism / Atheism site newsletter. This week we'll take a look at getting Christian events held in public schools, attempts to provide employment rights and protections to clergy, a Catholic school that bans blogging among students, Ann Coulter expressing disdain for free speech protections, and more...

C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien: Writing for Christianity
Many fans are aware of that C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien were close friends. Tolkien helped convert Lewis to Christianity, whereas Lewis encouraged Tolkien to expand his fictional writing; both taught at Oxford, both were interested in literature, and both wrote fictional books which propagated basic Christian themes and principles. At the same time, though, they also had serious disagreements - in particular, over the quality of Lewis' Narnia books.

Weekly Quote: A. A. Milne on Agnosticism & Religion
"The Old Testament is responsible for more atheism, agnosticism, disbelief--call it what you will--than any book ever written; it has emptied more churches than all the counterattractions of cinema, motor bicycle and golf course." Follow the link for analysis and discussion...

For God And Country: Faith and Patriotism Under Fire
Is America's 'war on terrorism' really a war against extremism and on behalf of democracy, or is it instead a war on Islam? Americans insist that their concern is political, not religious, but there are good reasons to believe that even if this is true, the rhetoric and conduct of Americans is turning the war on terrorism into a war on Islam. Why else are Muslims targeted because of their religion? Why else is religion used as a weapon and tool of abuse?

Christian Event for Students
Was the school tricked?

Clergy in Great Britain
Should they have employment rights?

Methodist Court Defrocks Lesbian Minister
Long case finally ends

Gay Civil Rights Protections
Some Christians oppose repealing

Catholic School Bans Student Blogging
Don't seem to like criticism

Water from Beer Company
Religious group wouldn't distribute

Ann Coulter vs First Amendment
Republicans Cheer

 

Forum Discussions:

1) Make Everyone An Atheist?
"Okay, for this odd hypothetical situation you have a magical switch which when flipped turns everybody atheist. Just one second they think god exists the next second they are all hit with the sudden realization that there are no pixies, fairies, gods, devils, angles or boogiemen. Do you flip the switch?"

2) Christian Bashing
"I have lectured on this subject, taking the position that Christians deserve bashing, need bashing, and that bashing is good for them. If there is interest, I will post the outline of my lecture, but it basically consists of heaping scorn on their idiotic ideas. This is because of my belief that people who go through life with ridiculous beliefs, oblivious to the harm they do others, deserve scorn. When, in addition, they claim that only those who share their idiocy have any morals, they not only deserve but are actually asking for -- crying out for -- scorn."

3) Christian Philosophers
"Are there any Christian philosophers out there presenting anything new in the case for Christianity/ Theism/God or is it all stuff that can easily be refuted by atheists? ... I am curious because it has been ten years since I have read anything worthy in this area and was wondering if Oxford or the Analytic Theists had produced anything worth reading."