Agnosticism/Atheism
American Christians on Sodomy vs. Procreation
The term 'sodomy' should be fairly familiar to Americans, given how widely it has been used by conservative American Christians as a label for certain sexual practices... but which sexual practices, exactly? Christians have disagreed on and debated exactly what they want to include in this category.God Exists: Is God Necessary & Self-Existent?
It might seem odd to list "existence" as an attribute of God, but that's not actually the point here. Of course believers think that their god exists - what is at issue is how God exists. According to philosophical theism, God exists in a very special and unique way: God's existence is necessary rather than contingent.Are Atheists Just Rebelling Against God & Family?
There are many popular myths about atheism and atheists which claim that people are atheists on account of some sort of rebellion (against god, religion, church, families, fathers, etc.) or pride. These myths come primarily from Christians whose religious mythology gives an important place to rebellion against divine rules as the origin of evil in the world (Satan is depicted as having rebelled against God). At most, these myths might be true of some but not all or even most atheists.Backlash Against Tax Exemption Laws
It is a fact of law that charitable organizations, including churches, which have tax-exempt status are not allowed to participate in political campaigns on behalf of political candidates. A focus of current efforts is to make a direct change in how the laws read in order to ensure that churches can become fully active in political campaigns.Are Atheists are Developing a Victim Complex & Crying Wolf?
People who deny that atheists are victims of bigotry and prejudice frequently insist that atheists are just 'crying wolf' and suffering from a victim complex. This accusation can be directed at various groups objecting to discrimination and bigotry, and sometimes it may even be true. The mere fact that some people may seek the status of victimhood in order to feel special or be treated better does not, however, justify asserting that this is true in any particular case.Is Divine Command Morality Even Moral?
The divine command theory of ethics is the idea that nothing is right or wrong outside of God's will. If God wills something, then it's good. If God wills that something not be done, then it's wrong. Good and evil are not independent of God and God's will. Can we really say that this is a genuine theory of morality, though? If not, then divine command theory isn't merely a wrong theory of morality, but isn't even a legitimate theory of morality in the first place.Why is the Pope the Leader of the Catholic Church?
Today the pope is regarded generally as the supreme head of the Catholic Church and, among Catholics, as the head of the universal Christian Church. Although principally the bishop of Rome, he is much more than just 'first among equals,' he is also the living symbol of the unity of Christianity. Where does this doctrine come from and how justified is it?Politics & Ethics of Reproductive Liberty, Abortion, Contraception, Sex
Abortion gets the most attention, but all areas of reproductive rights are a major battleground in the Christian Right's 'culture war' on modernity, Enlightenment, and liberty. Christian Right activists, politicians, and religious leaders seek to limit or criminalize abortion, contraception, emergency contraception, sex education, and other means by which people exercise control over their sexuality. It's not just a matter of privacy, but of personal autonomy and liberty in a secular society.Freedom & Liberty Need Liberal Democracy, Not Religious Populism
Populism is defined as a concern with the interests of the common people; democracy is a political system in which the people rule. So, populism and democracy should go well together, right? Perhaps not — perhaps the two can actually conflict, which raises interesting questions for American politics. This is especially problematic when the populism takes the form of religious populism instead of traditional economic populism. Religious populism can be a mask for religious privilege.Why Irrational Belief is Praiseworthy in Christianity
Many Christians think it right to provide evidence to nonbelievers of the existence of their god. If a person believes based on good evidence, though, is that praiseworthy? Demons have 'good evidence' of God's existence - would Christians praise them for this?God as an Omnipotent, Controlling Bully
A common argument against the existence of God is that omnipotence is incompatible with being all-loving, given how much evil there is in the world. There is another problem with this depiction of God, though: how can there be real and genuine love if God is in complete control of everything?Adolf Hitler Promoted Christians as the Foundation for Moral, Ethical Life
What did Adolf Hitler think about Christianity vs. atheism? Hitler said: 'By its decision to carry out the political and moral cleansing of our public life, the Government is creating and securing the conditions for a really deep and inner religious life. The advantages for the individual which may be derived from compromises with atheistic organizations do not compare in any way with the consequences which are visible in the destruction of our common religious and ethical values.'