Agnosticism / Atheism: Most Popular Articles

Leonardo Da Vinci, Humanist
Leonardo Da Vinci, born in the village of Vinci in Tuscany, Italy, on April 15, 1452, was one of the most important artistic figures of the Renaissance. While people may realize that he as an important artist, though, they don't generally realize how important he was as an early skeptic, naturalist, materialist, and scientist. There is no evidence that he was an atheist, but he is a role model in how to approach both scientific and artistic problems from a naturalistic, skeptical perspective.

Last Supper & the Holy Grail
One interesting claim made by Dan Brown and followers of his ideas is that there is no cup in Leonardo Da Vinci's Last Supper. They use this as evidence for the idea that the 'real' Holy Gail wasn't a cup at all, but Mary Magdalene who was married to Jesus and the mother of his child whose descendants were, among others, the Merovingian Dynasty. This terrible "secret" is supposed to be something that Catholic Church officials are willing to kill over.

Sexual Torture of Witches
Interrogations of witches followed many standard Inquisition procedures, but with some added bonuses. Accused witches were all stripped naked, had all of their body hair shaved of, and then pricked. Red-hot tongs were applied to womens' breasts and genitalia. Researcher Nancy van Vuuren has written that 'The women's sex organs provided special attraction for the male torturer.'

Zeus: Images of Ancient Greek Mythology, Religion, Art
This image is probably of Zeus sitting on his throne in the Temple of Zeus in Delphi. This was perhaps the most famous of all temples dedicated to Zeus in Greece, in part because of Phidias' massive statue. Pausanias gave the most detailed description of the statue

Joan of Arc, Burned as a Witch
Although accusations of witchcraft seem to have been most commonly made against older women who lived on the margins of society and who may have become socially troublesome, there is also evidence that women who were too powerful could become targets as well. Joan of Arc is one famous example of a woman who achieved a great deal but was then burned as a witch for her trouble.

Hera: Images of Ancient Greek Mythology, Religion, Art
Both brother and husband of Zeus, Hera is queen of the gods. The Greeks revered her as protector of marriage, especially married women. This may be because she had such a difficult marriage herself. Zeus was not the least bit faithful, always succumbing to his lust for other women - mortal as well as immortal.

Athena: Images of Ancient Greek Mythology, Religion, Art
The Greek goddess Athena was considered the child of Zeus alone for Zeus had swallowed her mother, Metis, and gave birth to Athena himself through his head and fully grown. She a goddess of civilization and war, reason and violence.

Hermes / Mercury by Giambologna: Images of Ancient Greek Mythology, Religion, Art
The sculpture of Mercury (Hermes) by Giambologna is one of his most famous and is familiar to people all over the world. It depicts Hermes standing on a column of air coming from the mouth of Zephyr, creating an illusion of floating.

Odysseus \ Ulysses & Jesus: Greek & Christian Heroes
Odysseus (Latin: Ulixes, English: Ulysses) is one of the most famous characters in ancient Greek legends, not only for his exploits in the Trojan War but also because of long journey to reach home again afterward. Because Odysseus played such a central role in two of the most important epics of Greek mythology, it should hardly be surprising that the stories of Odysseus might influence later culture and religion. What's unexpected is how they might have influenced stories about Jesus. If it's true that Jesus' life was at least partially patterned after Odysseus', then at the very least the reliability of the gospels is seriously in doubt. Even the historicity of Jesus becomes more questionable.

Witches Ritually Kissing Satan
Religious and political authorities of various eras and different cultures have always found it convenient to associate their enemies with the worst possible evil they could imagine. In the Christian west, this generally meant associating enemies with Satan. These sort of extreme demonization allows a person to stop seeing their enemy as entirely human and the conflict as something which does not require mercy, traditionally just procedures, or anything of the kind.

Salem Witch Trial, Persecution
As most Americans know, witch hunts also affected the American colonies. The Salem witch trials pursued the Massachusetts Puritans have entered American consciousness as being much more then just the killing of witches. They, like the trials of Europe, have become a symbol. In our case, the witch trials have become a symbol of what can go wrong when mobs of ignorant people go crazy, especially when egged on by just as ignorant and/or power hungry leaders.

Killing Witches: Burn or Hang?
Burning and hanging were the most popular forms of execution for accused witches in medieval Europe. Burning seems to have been most common in continental Europe while hanging was more common in Britain -- and thus also in the American colonies later as well. The death penalty was imposed on a wide variety of crimes in this era, but witchcraft in particular was punished by death on the basis of Exodus 22:18.

Columns of Greek Temples: Secular and Religious Meanings - Doric, Ionic, Corinthian Columns and their Meanings
One of the most prominent features of Greek temples is their columns - although columns appear in architecture all around the world, they appear here in an especially significant form. The ancient Greeks constructed their temples along very specific lines, and that included their columns. Over the centuries three different styles (also called Orders) of column were used: Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian.

Atheism 101
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 difference between atheism and agnosticism. People claim that atheism is a religion, that it requires faith, that it's a form of denial, that there are no real atheists, and that there are no atheists in foxholes. This introduction to atheism answers most of the most common questions and mistakes about atheism.

Ares / Mars: Images of Ancient Greek Mythology, Religion, Art
Because Ares, the Greek god of war, represented all of the worst aspects of warfare, battle, and slaughter, worship of him was not very common or extensive in Greece. He was more popular in northern Greece like Trace, but even here temple sites are pretty rare.

Leonardo Da Vinci, Scientist
Born in the village of Vinci in Tuscany, Italy, on April 15, 1452, Leonardo was one of the most important artistic figures of the Renaissance. He was involved with painting, architecture, sculpture, engineering, anatomy, and more. An illegitimate child, his artistic talents were recognized early on and he was sent to study under a master goldsmith. Today he is regarded as one of the greatest painters who ever lived, though many of his final works haven't survived.

Interrogation of Witches
It witches and witchcraft have become imbued with an identity that reaches far beyond their own existence, if they have become a symbol for something larger for Christians, then what are they a symbol of? It seems to me that witches served a symbolic role for the male, celibate religious authorities in Europe. Witches were not simply adherents to an alternative religiosity, and they certainly weren't turning whole towns into toads.

Troy Map: Images of Ancient Greek Mythology, Religion, Art
Before 3500 BCE Greece looked like much of the rest of Europe: mud-brick houses and simple painted pottery. Because of Troy, however, the influence of the East began to take hold and a new sort of civilization began to develop, characterized most obviously by stone fortifications on various hilltops...

Hades and Persephone: Images of Ancient Greek Mythology, Religion, Art
Not being especially popular among other immortals, he didn't have much luck in love. One day he spotted Persephone, daughter of Demeter, and decided that instead of trying to woo her (a goal he was unlikely to have success with) he would simply abduct her.

Muhammad Teaching About Islam
If you hear the revelations of the Prophet Muhammad and don't believe, you're in a lot of trouble: "Woe unto each sinful liar, Who heareth the revelations of Allah recited unto him, and then continueth in pride as though he heard them not. Give him tidings of a painful doom. And when he knoweth aught of Our revelations he maketh it a jest. For such there is a shameful doom. Beyond them there is hell..."

analogous / homologous structures
Glossary of Religion and Philosophy - analogous / homologous structures

Why Don't Atheists Believe?
A common question which atheists hear a lot is 'why don't you believe in God?' Theists, religious or not, have trouble imagining why anyone would not believe in at least some sort of god, preferably their own. When a belief occupies such a central place in a person's life and even identity, this is understandable. The fact is, there are many reasons why atheists might not believe in any gods. Most atheists can cite multiple reasons and every atheist is different.

Last Supper, Leonardo Da Vinci
The Lord's Supper, which was the final meal of Jesus with his disciples and the time when he is recorded as having instituted the communion celebration, has been the subject of innumerable artistic interpretations. Perhaps the most famous is the painting Last Supper, created by Leonardo Da Vinci in 1498 for Duke Lodovico Sforza and painted in the Dominican church of Santa Maria delle Grazie, the duke's family chapel and burial place.

China - Religion
Religion in China.

Medieval Torture Devices
Confessions of witchcraft, extracted under torture or threat of torture, commonly came attached to denouncements of other possible witches, keeping the Inquisitors in business. In Spain, church records tell the story of Maria of Ituren admitting under torture that she and sister witches turned themselves into horses and galloped through the sky. In a district of France, 600 women admitted to copulating with demons. Some entire villages in Europe were may have been exterminated.

Witches' Sabbath & Witchcraft
Portrayals of witchcraft in church records can be very amusing. Almost everything that was 'known' at the time about witches was pure fiction, inventions by church authorities who were told that witches were a threat and so had to come up with something to describe. Their creations have passed on into popular cultural images of witches which continue to this day.

Witches at Satan's Court
People typically fear that which they don't understand, so witches were doubly damned: they were feared because they were allegedly agents of Satan seeking to undermine Christian society and they were feared because no one really knew what witches did or how. In the place of real knowledge or information, Christian leaders made things up and created stories which were certain to cause people to hate and fear witches even more.

John McCain vs. Atheists
Atheists are the most despised minority in America; this is demonstrated most clearly by the fact that more people would be willing to vote for any other minority - Muslim, gay, female - than vote for an atheist for president. This discrimination is fueled by bigoted prejudices about atheists' values and morality, and you can tell a lot about a person's character based on whether they promote or oppose this bigotry. Sadly, John McCain is on record as supporting anti-atheist bigotry.

Atheism vs. Agnosticism
Many people who adopt the label of agnostic reject the label of atheist - there is a common perception that agnosticism is a more "reasonable" position while atheism is more "dogmatic," ultimately indistinguishable from theism except in the details. Is this a valid position to take?

Timeline of Cloning History
Timeline of Cloning History - how the science of cloning has developed over the past century.

Barack Obama's Religion
Barack Obama's religious background is more diverse than that of most prominent politicians, but it may prove to be representative of future generations of Americans who grow up in an increasingly diverse America. His mother was raised by non-practicing Christians; his father was raised a Muslim but was an atheist by the time he had married Obama's mother. Neither Obama nor his mother were ever atheists, but she raised him in a relatively secular household where he learned about religion.

Black Liberation Theology
The primary architect of Black Liberation Theology in North America is James Cone. A Protestant minister who grew up in Arkansas under the heavy hand of segregation, Cone observed first-hand the way white Christians treated blacks - even after desegregation was ordered by the federal government. The Christian messages of peace and brotherly love contrasted sharply with Christians’ bigoted behavior, and this left a lasting mark on Cone’s thinking.

Church / State Separation: Myths and Misconceptions
Separation of Church and State: Myths and Misconceptions. What are some of the misunderstandings and myths which some people have about the separation of church and state? Learn what church / state separation is really about.

Da Vinci: Treason at Supper
The source used by Leonardo Da Vinci is John 13:21 and is supposed to represent the exact moment when Jesus announces to his disciples that one of them would betray him: 'When Jesus had thus said, he was troubled in spirit, and testified, and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me.' Thus the reactions of all the disciples are the reactions to hearing that one of them is a traitor to Jesus who would cause the death of their teacher. Each reacts in a different way.

Model Pantheon Rome Roman
The original Pantheon of Rome was built between 27 & 25 BCE, under the consulship of Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa. It was dedicated to 12 gods of heaven and focused on Augustus' cult and Romans believed that Romulus ascended to heaven from this spot. Agrippa's structure, which was rectangular, was destroyed in 80 CE and what we see today is a reconstruction done in 118 CE under the leadership of emperor Hadrian, who even restored the original inscription on the facade.

Ethics as Obedience to God
Deontological moral systems are characterized by a focus upon adherence to independent moral rules or duties. To make the correct moral choices, we have to understand what our moral duties are and what correct rules exist to regulate those duties. When we follow our duty, we are behaving morally. When we fail to follow our duty, we are behaving immorally. Typically in any deontological system, our duties, rules, and obligations are determined by God. Being moral is thus a matter of obeying God.

Ethics: Deontological, Teleological and Virtue
Ethics FAQ: Deontological, Teleological and Virtue Ethics. How do these three type of normative ethical systems differ? What are their different approaches and how do they arrive at different or even similar answers to ethical questions?

Illustration of a Battle During the Crusades: Battles of the Crusades Gallery
The Crusades were religious, military, political, and commercial expeditions against both rival religions and rival Christian groups. They helped European society define itself and they laid the groundwork for end of feudalism. The relationship between Christianity and Islam was permanently altered and the Crusades continue through this day to influence how Islam sees the West.

Hades / Haides / Pluto: Images of Ancient Greek Mythology, Religion, Art
Hades is generally depicted as being mirthless, pitiless, morbid, and morose. He was not the personification of death (Thanatos), but he was responsible for ruling over the shades of the dead - a thankless task, perhaps resulting in his generally unpleasant demeanor.

Muslim Woman From Egypt
O ye wives of the Prophet! Whosoever of you committeth manifest lewdness, the punishment for her will be doubled, and that is easy for Allah. And whosoever of you is submissive unto Allah and His messenger and doeth right, We shall give her her reward twice over, and We have prepared for her a rich provision. O ye wives of the Prophet! Ye are not like any other women.

Myth: Atheism is Denial of God
The most common misunderstanding about atheism involves the definition. Many people insist that atheism is really the denial of the existence of God, but there are two errors here. First, it pretends that atheism is exclusively about their god, the god common to Christians, Jews, and Muslims. Second, it focuses on a narrow sub-set of atheism and atheists to the exclusion of all others. Standard dictionaries list 'disbelief in god or Gods' as the first and primary definition of atheism.

Clergy Torturing Witches
Women were regarded as impediments to true spirituality and union with God, which helps explain why investigators focused on women more than men. The church had a long-standing prejudice against women, and this was given vent when the doctrine of devil worship was emphasized as an enemy which the church had to confront and destroy. This animus hasn't entirely disappeared even today

Peter the Apostle: Profile
There are two reasons why Peter is important for understanding Christianity. First, he is treated as a model for Christians to follow. In theory, Christians are expect to act as Peter is described as acting - for better and for worse. Second, the gospels describe Jesus as calling Peter his 'rock' upon which the future church would be built. After his martyrdom in Rome, traditions developed which led to the belief that the most important Christian church organization was located in Rome.

Hestia: Images of Ancient Greek Mythology, Religion, Art
On account of the close relationship between Greek homes and wider Greek communities, it was common for there to be public hearths dedicated to Hestia where the fire was never allowed to go out.

What Are Virtue Ethics?
Virtue-based ethical theories place much less emphasis on which rules people should follow and instead focus on helping people develop good character traits, such as kindness and generosity. These character traits will, in turn, allow a person to make the correct decisions later on in life.

Witch Burned at the Stake
It would be a mistake to assert that the Christian persecution of witches and witchcraft was nothing but an attempt to suppress women and feminine influences. Christian society, politics, and theology at the time simply wasn't that simplistic. At the same time, it's hard to overestimate the role misogynistic attitudes and repressed male sexuality played in the persecution of witches.

Aphrodite and Eros: Images of Ancient Greek Mythology, Religion, Art
Aphrodite was the Greek goddess of love, beauty, fertility, procreation, sexuality, seduction, and harmony who was born out of the severed genitalia of Uranus. Aphrodite's seductions and temptations were a constant source of pleasure and danger for both gods and mortals.

Poster: Don't Attack Religion
One of the most pernicious forms of attempted censorship of unwelcome views isn't overt repression, but rather to convince people not to express those unwelcome views in the first place. It's always much better to head off the wrong thoughts before they are expressed rather than clamp down on them after they are already out in public. Why employ the blunt instrument of state repression if people can be convinced to repress themselves?

Adolf Hitler Quotations on God
It's popular among Christian apologists to claim that Hitler, the Nazis, and the Holocaust are all consequences of atheism, secularism, and liberalism. Such arguments fly in the face of reality: Adolf Hitler regularly proclaimed his faith in God, Nazi ideology was committed to supporting Christianity (on its terms, of course), and Nazi anti-Semitism was firmly grounded in Christian anti-Semitism. Hitler's theism, religiosity, and Christianity are strongly supported in his own words.

Poster: This Flag Is Our Flag
One area where Christian Nationalists have attempted to exercise more subtle control over American culture is through the American flag. Efforts to ban flag burning have a lot in common with efforts to ban gay marriage as well as a host of other hot-button conservative issues. The issue is not the issue: it's not about burning or protecting flags and it's not about protecting the sanctity of marriage. It's about retaining control over cultural symbols upon which people base their identities.

Sunni Islam vs. Shia Islam: Islam Cannot be Criticized as a Monolithic Faith - Islam is a Religion with Variety & Complexity Which Critics Must Understand
There is plenty in both the theology of Islam and the behavior of Muslims which outsiders can legitimately criticize or disagree with. Any serious, sustained critique, however, must be based on what Muslims actually believe and this in turn requires understanding just how diverse Islam is. Comments from both Muslims and critics can give the impression that Islam is a single, united, monolithic religion but this is false. There's more to Islam than most seem to realize, even among atheists.

Genesis 8:6-12
Also he sent forth a dove from him, to see if the waters were abated from off the face of the ground; But the dove found no rest for the sole of her foot, and she returned unto him into the ark, ... And he stayed yet other seven days; and again he sent forth the dove out of the ark; And the dove came in to him in the evening; and, lo, in her mouth was an olive leaf pluckt off: so Noah knew that the waters were abated from off the earth.

Da Vinci's Humanist Supper
As our eyes move across the painting, shifting from one apostle's reaction to the next, one thing which may become evident is how human the depiction of each figure is. There are no halos or any other marker of holiness - not even any symbols of divinity around Jesus. Every person is a human being, reacting in a human way. It is thus the human aspect of the moment which Leonardo Da Vinci was trying to capture and express, not the sacred or divine aspects usually focused on in Christian liturgy.

Religion in Spain
Religion in Spain.

Top Myths About Atheism
There are many myths and misconceptions about what atheism entails and who atheists are - not surprising, since even the basic definition of atheism is so misunderstood. Many of the myths and misconceptions addressed here will follow a similar pattern, exposing fallacious reasoning, faulty premises, or both. These arguments need to be identified as the fallacies they really are because that is the only way genuine arguments and dialogues can be made possible.

Ethics of Organ Transplants
Ethics of Organ Transplants - how do we get organs? Who should pay? Who should be allowed to have them, and why? There are more ethical dilemmas than you may realize...

Karl Marx & Religion
Karl Marx is one of the most famous and commonly quoted critics of religion - but many of those doing the quoting don't really understand what Marx actually thought about religion. His ideas were interesting and insightful - they deserve to be explained and understood properly.

Ethics of Abortion
Usually debates about abortion focus on politics and the law: should abortion be outlawed and treated like the murder of a human person, or remain a legal choice available to all women? Behind the debates are more fundamental ethical questions which aren't always given the specific attention they deserve. Some believe that the law shouldn't legislate morality, but all good law is based upon moral values. A failure to openly discuss those values can obscure important discussions.

Arguments Deductive, Inductive
Arguments can be separated into two categories: deductive and inductive. A deductive argument is one in which it is impossible for the premises to be true but the conclusion false. An inductive argument is one in which the premises are supposed to support the conclusion in such a way that if the premises are true, it is improbable that the conclusion would be false.

Pope Benedict XVI: A Nazi?
The question of Joseph Ratzinger’s involvement with Nazi Germany and the Hitler Youth is important. Neither Ratzinger nor any member of his immediate family joined the NSDAP (Nazi Party). Ratzinger’s father was critical of the Nazi government and as a result the family had to move four times. None of this is remarkable, however, because the same happened with other German Catholic families. There is reason to think that Joseph Ratzinger has been less than fully candid about his past, though.

Religion in Madagascar
Religion in Madagascar

objective vs. subjective
Glossary of Religion and Philosophy - objective vs. subjective

Illustration of a German Crusader: Knights of the Crusades Gallery
German knights played important roles throughout the Crusades and, during the Third Crusade, they might have been successful in defeating Saladin's armies had Frederick I Barbarossa not drowned on the way.

Arguments Against Gay Marriage
The debate over the legalization of gay marriage in America is about more than just the status of gay couples; it's also about the future of American civil law. Either civil law is defined by the needs and rights of citizens, or civil laws will be placed under the dominion of religious laws and gay marriage will remain banned. Gay marriage furthermore represents a threat to established norms of authority, identity and power.

Poster: Controlling Women
It has become almost a cliche for the Christian Right to denigrate the idea that women should be able to make their own decisions about their reproductive organs. The above image was taken from a World War II poster which is disturbing close to the theme here. It's of a woman saying 'I'm proud... my husband wants me to do my part.' In other words, she's proud of her husband for not just grudgingly allowing her to enter the work force, but actually wanting her to do so.

Iraq - Religion and Religious Violence in Iraq
Religion in Iraq: Index.

Religion in Venezuela - Religion Index
Religion in Venezuela.

Phoenician Alphabet
In the above image, just a piece of a larger chart, standard Egyptian hieroglyphs appear to the left and next to them is Hieratic, a cursive script derived from the hieroglyphs. Next to that is Phoenician, itself already well developed from an earlier alphabet known as Proto-Canaanite. The similarities between Phoenician and Hieratic are clear; Proto-Canaanite, which doesn't appear in this chart, is usually a clear middle point between them.

Yugoslavia - Eastern Orthodoxy (Serbia)
Religion in the former Yugoslavia: Eastern Orthodoxy (Serbia).

Eleanor of Aquitaine & Louis VII: Illustrations, Drawings, Woodcuts, Biography of Eleanor of Aquitaine
Eleanor of Aquitaine's first husband was Louis VII, already crowned king of France in 1131. They were married in July, 1137 and after Louis VI died the next month, Louis VII and Eleanor were crowned joint rulers of France. Until 1152 Eleanor of Aquitaine was Queen of France while Louis was also Duke of Aquitaine.

Basic Muslim Beliefs: Muslim Beliefs in Submission to God, Purity, Monotheism -
There are a number of beliefs which go beyond the Five Pillars, or which are logically dependent upon the Five Pillars.

Arguments for Gay Marriage
Debates over gay marriage involve both legal and social arguments, for and against. Legal arguments on behalf of gay marriage tend to get more attention because it should be a matter of basic civil and equal rights. Even if gay marriage were harmful, the equality and dignity of gay couples should be respected, though it's not true, or at least not demonstrable, that gay marriage would be harmful. On the contrary, there are good reasons to think that legalized gay marriage would benefit us all.

Muslim Basic Beliefs
Many Muslim beliefs are similar to the beliefs in Christianity and Judaism, but other beliefs do differ. The most central beliefs are contained in the Five Pillars of Islam. Muslims also have a number of important Holy Days and Holy Sites which differ from those found in Christianity and Judaism. Any basic understanding of Islam requires first understanding what Muslims believe, why, and how those beliefs differ from beliefs in other religions.

Timelines of Religious History
Comparative timelines of religious history: chronologies of events, people and places.

Einstein on God, Religion
What did Albert Einstein think about God, religion, faith, and science? Given his stature in the field of science, it's hardly surprising that everyone might want to claim him for their own agenda. Given the equivocal nature of some of his statements, this isn't as easy as one might hope. Nevertheless, Einstein wasn't always equivocal: he often stated clearly that he rejected the existence of a personal God, of an afterlife, of traditional religion, etc.

Roman Pantheon Exterior Rome
Today a Christian church, the Pantheon is the best preserved of all ancient Roman buildings and has been in near-continuous use since Hadrian's reconstruction. From a distance the Pantheon is not as awe-inspiring as other ancient monuments — the dome appears low, not much higher than surrounding buildings. Inside, the Pantheon is among the most impressive in existence. Its inscription, M·AGRIPPA·L·F·COS·TERTIUM·FECIT, means: Marcus Agrippa, son of Lucius, consul for the third time, built this.

Muslim Women in Algeria
Women are your fields: go, then, into your fields whence you please. ... Allah's Messenger said, 'When a man calls his wife to satisfy his desire she must go to him even if she is occupied at the oven.' Allah's Apostle said, 'By him in whose hand is my life, when a man calls his wife to his bed, and she does not respond, the One Who is in the heaven is displeased with her untill he (her husband) is pleased with her.'

Artemis: Images of Ancient Greek Mythology, Religion, Art
Twin sister of Apollo and daughter of Zeus (with Leto), Artemis was one of the most important goddesses of the Greeks. For the Greeks, Artemis was goddess of the hunt, protector of wild game, and watcher over childbirth.

lllustration of Charlemagne Statue: Charlemagne Gallery
Born in 742, Charlemagne was the founder of the Frankish Empire which would end up playing a major role in the Crusades (so much so, in fact, that Muslims would end up referring to Crusaders as Franks generally). This image depicts of statue of Charlemagne.

Theseus: Images of Ancient Greek Mythology, Religion, Art
Theseus was one of the great legendary kings of Athens. The Temple of Hephaestus in Athens has, in the past, been called the Thession in the belief that it had been dedicated to him and, perhaps, had held his bones. Like other Greek heroes Theseus was the son of a mortal (Aethra) and an immortal (Olympian god Poseidon).

Illustration of the Children's Crusade - Stephen de Cloyes: Children's Crusade Gallery
This illustration depicts Stephen de Cloyes encouraging others to march off with him and recapture the Holy Land from the Muslims. The Children's Crusade was supposedly launched in 1212 by the 12-year old French boy Stephen de Cloyes. More than 50,000 children were thought to have been sold into slavery when they thought that they were boarding ships that would take them to the Holy Land, but many historians disbelieve that this Crusade ever occurred.

Religious Rituals, Festivals, Sacrifices: Connecting Ancient Greek Mythology, Religion with Modern Religion
Although it may be common to speak of a Greek 'religion,' in fact the Greeks themselves didn't use such a term and might not have recognized it had someone else attempted to apply it to their practices. It's difficult to accept the idea that the Greeks where completely secular and irreligious, however. This is why a better understanding of Greek religion helps illuminate the nature of religion generally as well as the nature of religions which continue to be followed today. This, in turn, is critical for anyone who wants to engage in a sustained critique of religion and religious beliefs.

Jerusalem:Map of Solomon's Temple
Although it was first destroyed in 586 BCE and then again in 70 CE, many traditional Jews continue to pray three times each day for the reconstruction of Solomon's Temple in Jerusalem. From the time it was constructed around 1000 BCE, it was the focal point of Jewish religious practice and was the site of many, many ritual animal sacrifices.

Religion in Public Schools
Religion in Public Schools: Prayers, Vouchers, Holidays, and more. To what extent should public schools recognize, support, and encourage particular religious beliefs? Are state sanctioned and state supported religious observances a violation of students' religious liberties?

Leonard Da Vinci's Drawings
Born in the village of Vinci in Tuscany, Italy, on April 15, 1452, Leonardo was one of the most important artistic figures of the Renaissance. He was involved with painting, architecture, sculpture, engineering, anatomy, and more. An illegitimate child, his artistic talents were recognized early on and he was sent to study under a master goldsmith. Today he is regarded as one of the greatest painters who ever lived, though many of his final works haven't survived.

Karl Marx on Religion
This quote is reproduced a great deal and is probably the only Marx quote that most people are familiar with. Unfortunately, if someone is familiar with it they are likely only familiar with a small portion that, taken by itself, tends to give a distorted impression of what Marx had to say about religion.

Bible Dictionary: Baptism
In Christianity, baptism is a religious sacrament which is marked by the symbolic use of water and results in admission to the community of believers. The practice of baptism is based upon the story of John the Baptist's practice of baptizing people, including Jesus and his immediate followers. Later Christian beliefs seem to have included the idea that baptism effectively created a unity between the individual believer and Christ.

Evolution & Creationism: Issues, Science, and Religion
Evolution & Creationism: Issues, Science, and Religion

How Do I Become an Atheist?
So, do you want to be an atheist? Do you really want to be able to call yourself an atheist instead of a theist? If so, then this is the place to come: here you can learn the simple and easy procedure for becoming an atheist. If you read this advice, you'll learn what it takes to be an atheist and thus perhaps if you also have what it takes to be an atheist. Few people seem to understand what being an atheist is all about and thus what becoming an atheist entails. It isn't that hard, though.

Decision: Engel v. Vitale
Engel vs. Vitale: What authority, if any, does the government have when it comes religious rituals like prayers? Can a government write specific prayers for public school students to recite every day? That used to be the case in many places in America, but that was challenged and ultimately struck down by the Supreme Court.

Poster: Darwinism & Immorality
The above poster was created by the German government during World War I and said 'Elend und Untergang folgen der Anarchie' (Misery and Destruction follow Anarchy). Depicted is an anarchist monster carrying a knife and a gun. The original was an attempt to urge people not to give in to anarchist criticisms of the war of the German government. I have replaced the text with the standard canard about the teaching of evolution or Darwinism leading to immoral, even bestial, behavior.

Richard the Lionheart: Richard the Lionheart Gallery
Richard I Lionheart of England was born to King Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine. Richard would be one of the leaders of the Third Crusade with Philip II Augustus of France in 1187. As king Richard would only spend a small amount of time in England, leaving the administration of his kingdom to various appointed officials. He was not very concerned about England and didn't even learn much English - he was much more concerned with protecting his possessions in France and making a name for himself that would last through the ages.

Supreme Court Decisions on Free Speech and Censorship
Index of United States Court Decisions the right to free speech, including both Supreme Court and lower court rulings. The right to free speech may be written in the Constitution, but the government often tries to find ways to regulate, restrict, or just prohibit unpopular forms of speech. Why, and what have the results been?

Connecting Ancient & Modern Religion: Importance of Ancient Greek Mythology and Religion to Modern Beliefs
Greek mythology and religion did not spring fully formed from the rocky Greek ground. They were amalgams of religious influences from Minoan Crete, Asia Minor, and native beliefs. Greek mythology is characterized by its gods, its temples, and its ritual sacrifices.

Aesthetics, Art, and Atheism
Aesthetics almost never comes up in atheists' discussions about religion, but perhaps it should. First, religious and theistic ideas are often communicated in various forms of art (including film, books, and games) rather than in formal arguments. Atheistic critiques of religion cannot ignore this and it's impact on people's religious beliefs. Second, atheists themselves can do the same: communicate criticism of religion, religious beliefs, and theism through works of art and images.

What is Religion? Classification of Religion Types: Nature, Salvation, Revealed, and more
What is Religion? Classification of Religion Types. There are many different types of religion, with classifications including nature religions, salvation religions, revealed religions, tribal religions, and more. Major classifications of religions are explained here with important features and characteristics.

Poster: Militarize Children
Many are disturbed about far-right movements in America displaying too many characteristics of fascism. The central organizing ideology behind these groups is Christian Nationalism, the belief that America should have its cultural, legal, and political institutions organized along narrowly defined conservative, evangelical Christian lines. Christian Nationalist movements exhibit many of the basic characteristics of fascist movements except for one: organized, militant groups.

Biblical Criticism
Glossary of Religion and Philosophy - Biblical Criticism

Minoan Snake Goddess: Images of Ancient Greek Mythology, Religion, Art
Aside from images of bulls, the only obvious deity we have from ancient Crete is the so-called Snake Goddess, perhaps an Earth Goddess who is holding two snakes in her outstretched hands.

Religious Traditions, Abortion
When religious positions on abortion are discussed, we usually hear how abortion is condemned and regarded as murder. Religious traditions are more pluralistic and varied than that, however, and even within those religions most publicly opposed to abortion, we find that there are traditions which would permit abortion, even if only in limited circumstances. It's important to understand these traditions because not every religion regards abortion as a simplistic, black & white decision.

Belvedere Apollo: Images of Ancient Greek Mythology, Religion, Art
The Greek god Apollo had dominion in one manner or another over plague, colonies, reason, dance, intellect, and herds of domesticated animals. Because of the common epithet Phoebus Apollo (Apollo, God of the Light), he is sometimes confused with the sun god Helios, but they never merged in the ancient myths.

History of American Religion: Timeline 1600 - 2004
When did the first Catholics arrive in America? When did Pentecostalism first develop? When was Jerry Falwell's church was finally desegregated? When did Televangelist Oral Roberts announce that God would 'call him home' if he did not raise USD $8 million? All of these and more listed here.

Jerusalem: Wailing Wall, 1927
The Wailing Wall, located in Jerusalem, is considered by both Jews and Muslims as a significant and holy site. In this image we have several women standing up against the wall, praying. Today there is a fence (mechitza) separating men from women - Orthodox Jewish men don't believe that it is acceptable to pray right alongside women. Men, of course, are given the much larger area for prayers.

Supreme Court Decision - Wallace v. Jaffree
Supreme Court Decisions on Religious Freedom and Liberty - summary and analysis of Wallace vs. Jaffee.

Supreme Court Decisions - Religion in Schools
United States Supreme Court Decisions affecting religion in public schools - including prayer in schools and government support for religious schools.

Ethics of Reality TV: Should We Watch?
Ethics of Reality TV: Should We Watch? Reality TV commonly involves putting people in humiliating, painful, and embarrassing situations. Is it ethical to do this - especially for a profit? Is it ethical to find such situations entertaining? What do such shows say about us?

Judas Iscariot, Apostle
Judas Iscariot is known as the companion of Jesus who betrayed him - but what and how did he betray? That isn't clear. He points out Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. This is hardly an action worthy of payment because Jesus wasn't exactly in hiding. In John, he doesn't even do that much. Judas doesn't actually do anything except fulfill the narrative and eschatological need for the Messiah to be betrayed by someone.

Biography: Luther, Martin
Glossary of Religion and Philosophy - Short Biography of Martin Luther

Separation in the Constitution
It is true that the phrase ‘separation of church and state‘ does not actually appear anywhere in the Constitution. There is a problem, however, in that some people draw incorrect conclusions from this fact. The absence of this phrase does not mean that it is an invalid concept or that it cannot be used as a legal or judicial principle.

Ruling the Gods and Universe to Keep Order: Greek God Zeus (Jupiter)
Zeus is the greatest of all the Greek gods. Son of Kronos and Rhea, husband and brother of Hera, Zeus is the ultimate authority among all the immortals of Greek myth and legend. Zeus basically governs the entire universe even though he was by no means infallible or omnipotent in the sense of the god of Christianity.

Hestia by Giustiniani: Images of Ancient Greek Mythology, Religion, Art
Because of Hestia's preoccupation with peace and tranquility, she was greatly respected by the Greeks - they saw her as the most deity who exemplified the most tranquility, gentleness, and kindness of all the gods. She was always fair, always committed to her beliefs, and the embodiment of the ideals of the tightly knit family in a Greek household.

Poster: Geneva Conventions?
Christians elsewhere in the world, including conservative evangelicals, object to America's invasion of Iraq and as well as America's treatment of detainees. Christian Nationalists, however, don't even try to defend their positions via Christian traditions or doctrines. America's actions in the War on Terror are justified in almost Machiavellian terms in which the survival of the nation is all that matters.

Einstein on a Personal God
Did Albert Einstein believe in God? Many religious theists cite Einstein as an example of a smart scientist who was also a religious theist like them. This supposedly rebuts the idea that science conflicts with religion or that science is atheistic. However, Albert Einstein consistently and unambiguously denied believing in personal gods who answered prayers or involved themselves in human affairs - exactly the sort of god common to religious theists claiming that Einstein was one of them.

Witches Tortured as Scapegoats
Jews and heretics were often treated as scapegoats for other social problems and witches ended up no different. Regions with the most social and political unrest also happened to be those with the greatest problem with witches. Every social, political, and natural problem was blamed on witches. Crop failure? Witches did it. Well gone bad? Witches poisoned it. Political unrest and rebellion? Witches are behind it. Strife in the community? Witches are influencing people.

What is Fundamentalist Atheism
More and more people are responding to atheist critiques of religion or theism by labeling the person a 'fundamentalist' atheist. Atheists are told that they are 'intolerant' when they criticize religion and that they should show more respect to religious believers. In reality, these complaints are more about how atheists are ceasing to be deferential and obsequious towards religion and religious beliefs. Atheists are unapologetic about their atheism - as they should be.

Supreme Court Decision - Abington School District v. Schempp
Supreme Court Decisions on Religious Freedom and Liberty - summary and analysis of Abington vs Schempp.

Virgin Mary, Mother of Jesus
The synoptic gospels (but not John) identify Mary as the mother of Jesus. Mark describes Jesus as the 'son of Mary.' In Jewish tradition, a man is always identified as the son of his father, even if the father is dead. Mark may not have done this because Jesus' birth wasn't legitimate - that his parents weren't married and, therefore, his biological father wasn't also his "social" father. This may be why Matthew and Luke change the text to describe Jesus as the 'son of Joseph.'

Demeter: Images of Ancient Greek Mythology, Religion, Art
Demeter was the Greek goddess of corn (and grains generally). The granddaughter of Gaia and sister of Zeus, Demeter was responsible for maintaining the fertility of the land that allowed crops to grow and communities to survive.

Guide to Ethics & Morality: Principles, Problems, and Questions
Guide to Ethics and Morality: Principles, Problems, and Questions. Important questions regarding ethics, morality and social behavior.

Chronology of Early & New Testament Christianity: Christian History Timeline, 40 BCE - 95 CE
Chronology of Early & New Testament Christianity: Christian History Timeline. Chronology of people, places, and events between 40 BCE and 95 CE. Includes links for more detailed information on specific topics, people, and events as well as listings for other important world events to provide historical context.

War Ethics: Just War Theory
There is a long-standing tradition in Western culture of differentiating between just and unjust wars. Those opposed to war in principle will disagree that any such distinction can be made, the basic idea is to arge that there are times when war is, at the very least, less just and as a result should receive less support from the public and from national leaders.

Quotes on Religion - Carl Sagan
Freethought Quotations: Carl Sagan.

Definition of Religion
Religion is difficult to define. Everyone has a different idea of what it is. Most people simply look in the dictionary or use something else equally simplistic. That might be fine for everyday conversations, it isn’t sufficient for the sort of discussions that appear here. Religion is a human creation and as such can vary as widely as human imagination allows.

Map of the First Crusade: Religious War Launched by Christians Against Muslims
Launched by Pope Urban II at the Council of Clermont in 1095, the First Crusade was the most successful. Urban gave a dramatic speech urging Christians to swarm towards Jerusalem and make it safe for Christian pilgrims by taking it away from the Muslims. Jerusalem had no natural resources which Europeans needed; instead, it's 'holiness' meant that Christians needed to control it rather than infidel Muslims. It should be little wonder, then, that secular critics of religion focus so much on the Crusades as a prime example of what's wrong with religion and why religion can be so dangerous.

Anglican, Anglicanism
Glossary of Religion and Philosophy - Anglican, Anglicanism. What is the Anglican Church and what are the beliefs which distinguish Anglicanism from other forms of Protestant Christianity?

Pakistan - Religion
Religion in Pakistan: Religion Index.

Religion in Iran - Index
Religion in Iran: Religion Index.

What is a Logical Fallacy?
Fallacies are defects in an argument that cause an argument to be invalid, unsound or weak. Fallacies can be separated into two general groups: formal and informal. A formal fallacy is a defect which can be identified merely be looking at the logical structure of an argument. Informal fallacies are defects which can be identified only through an analysis of the actual content of the argument.

Poster: God Bless America, Ja!
The idea that God has blessed America is integral to Christian Nationalists' religious and political ideology. This concept of a blessing isn't about God generally blessing humanity, but is instead the assertion of a special relationship between God and America - a relationship not unlike the one described in the Old Testament between God and Israel. Without this special relationship, much of Christian Nationalists' religious and political agenda would be difficult if not impossible to justify.

Baptist History
Baptist Christianity is a paradoxical and conflicted force in American religion, politics, and society. On the one hand, Baptists have historically been staunch supporters of church/state separation and freedom of conscience - and many Baptist churches remain so. Southern Baptists, however, have become the largest, most powerful force opposed to church/state separation, personal liberty, and autonomy in America. They were also a powerful defender of slavery and segregation. How did this happen?

Hermes / Mercury: Images of Ancient Greek Mythology, Religion, Art
Hermes was one of the few gods for whom no temples were dedicated. His cult statues were, instead, placed everywhere else for the use of travellers and merchants. A specific type of statue, known as Hermai, was simply a block of marble showing his head (bearded) and male genitalia at the base (Hermes was generally treated as a phallic god, evidently because of his association with fertility and luck).

God is Dead: Killing God
God is Dead - when he wrote those words, Nietzsche didn't mean the death of a literal god, but the death of the shared cultural belief in a god in Europe. Find out more...

idealism
Glossary of Religion and Philosophy - idealism

Supreme Court Decision on Privacy & Abortion: Roe v. Wade
Supreme Court Decisions on Privacy & Abortion: summary and analysis of Roe v. Wade. Should women have the right to make their own decisions about pregnancy and birth, or should the government be able to outlaw abortion and tell women that they are required to carry a pregnancy to term?

Constantine Vision Cross Sky
What sort of omen Constantine received is a matter of dispute. Eusebius says that Constantine saw a vision in the sky; Lactantius says it was a dream. Both agree that the omen informed Constantine that he would conquer under the sign of Christ (Greek: en touto nika; Latin: in hoc signo vinces).

Gay Couples are Unnatural
The idea that gay marriage is wrong because gay couples are somehow unnatural is not often stated openly, but this premise influences other arguments and lies behind many people's negative opinions about homosexuality in general. For most people, heterosexual relationships are the norm, both in society and in nature. Homosexual relationships are thus abnormal and unnatural; therefore, they shouldn't be validated by the state nor recognized as a form of marriage.

Divorce Rates for Atheists
Conservative Christians of all types, evangelical as well as Catholic, tend to link their conservative brand of their religion with proper moral behavior. By far the most popular context is marriage: they claim that a good, solid marriage is only possible when people acknowledge conservative Christianity's claims about the nature of marriage and gender roles. So why is it that Christian marriages, and especially conservative Christian marriages, end in divorce more often than atheist marriages?

Poster: Gays Recruit Children
A common which the Christian Right tries to make against gays and efforts to increase social acceptance of homosexuality is the idea that gays want to 'recruit' others - especially children - into their 'lifestyle.' People who know gays and understand homosexuality find this position absurd, but it does seem to follow logically from the starting assumptions which the Christian Right has about homosexuality generally.

Recently Reviewed Books on ...
Atheism is often misunderstood and sometimes reviled - but it deserves neither. There aren't a great number of books which really do a good job at explaining what it is and help people to understand what it is about.

Quotes on Religion - Stephen Hawking
Freethought Quotations: Stephen Hawking.

Whit Sunday
Glossary of Religion and Philosophy - Whit Sunday

Nike of Samothrace: Images of Ancient Greek Mythology, Religion, Art
One of the most famous images of Nike is the Nike of Samothrace, better known as Winged Victory. Currently located in the Louvre in Paris, was created some time between 240 and 190 BCE, perhaps by Pythokritos of Rhodes. In 1863 it was found by M. Champoiseau in several pieces.

When did Mary Magdalene live?
Mary Magdalene's age is unknown; biblical texts say nothing about when she was born or died. Like Jesus' male disciples, Mary Magdalene appears to have come from Galilee. She was with him at the beginning of his ministry in Galilee and continued after his execution. The name Magdalene suggests her origin as the town of Magdala (Taricheae), on the Sea of Galilee's western shore. It was an important source of salt, an administrative center, and the largest of ten major towns around the lake.

Philosophy FAQ: Biographies of Famous Philosophers
Philosophy FAQ: Biographies of Famous Philosophers. This index links to short biographies of famous philosophers, sociologists, psychologists, scientists and more.

Muhammad in Hell
No barrel, even though it's lost a hoop; or end-piece, ever gapes as one whom I; saw ripped right from his chin to where we fart: his bowels hung between his legs, one saw; his vitals and the miserable sack; that makes of what we swallow excrement. While I was all intent on watching him,; he looked at me, and with his hands he spread his chest and said: "See how I split myself!; See now how maimed Mohammed is!

Religion in Peru - Catholicism
Religion in Peru - Catholicism.

German - Religion Index
Religion in Germany: Index.

Islam's Holy Days, Holidays
The Islamic calendar begins in the Western year 622 A.D. on the date which Muhammad and his closest companions moved from Mecca to Medina, known as the Hijra. During the twelve lunar months there are a number of important holidays, or holy days, including: Al-Hijra, Ashura, Mawlid al-Nabi, and Eid Al-Adhha. The term Eid is the Arabic term for festivity or celebration, and is only attached to a couple of holy days in the Muslim year.

What is Pragmatism?
Pragmatism is an American philosophy from the early 20th century. According to Pragmatism, the truth or meaning of an idea or a proposition lies in its observable practical consequences rather than anything metaphysical. It can be summarized by the phrase 'whatever works, is likely true.' Because reality changes, 'whatever works' will also change - thus, truth must also be changeable and no one can claim to possess any final or ultimate truth.

Onion Breath
Religious parents have a large supply of materials to teach children about their religion, their god, and their doctrines in a manner which integrates it all into life generally. What about atheists and freethinkers who want to teach about skepticism, or who merely want to teach about moral values without relying on religion as a crutch? Atheist, agnostic, freethinking, and skeptical parents all seek out books which can speak to children; unfortunately, their options are much more limited.