tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-371957342012-01-27T16:21:38.220-06:00The <em>really</em> good news that you are free to think without punishment! There is no 'being' reading your mind and there is no punishment for simply thinking! Your entire life isn't simply some kind of test to be endured, it is something to be excited about having -- right here, right now!nullhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01512115823137079968noreply@blogger.comBlogger631100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37195734.post-19327723771454691062007-01-19T04:02:00.000-06:002007-01-19T04:26:18.130-06:00

By Jumah al-Dossari, JUMAH AL-DOSSARI is a 33-year-old citizen of Bahrain. This article was excerpted from letters he wrote to his attorneys. Its contents have been deemed unclassified by the Department of Defense.I AM WRITING from the darkness of the U.S. detention camp at Guantanamo in the hope that I can make our voices heard by the world. My hand quivers as I hold the pen.In January 2002, I

nullhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01512115823137079968noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37195734.post-73420511969085049892006-12-28T04:39:00.000-06:002006-12-28T04:44:45.191-06:00

Leviticus 11:9-12 says:9 These shall ye eat of all that are in the waters: whatsoever hath fins and scales in the waters, in the seas, and in the rivers, them shall ye eat.10 And all that have not fins and scales in the seas, and in the rivers, of all that move in the waters, and of any living thing which is in the waters, they shall be an abomination unto you:11 They shall be even an abomination

nullhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01512115823137079968noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37195734.post-14330095357837379222006-12-28T00:53:00.000-06:002006-12-28T00:55:42.991-06:00

And we wonder why there are so many people who would seriously claim the entire universe is not more than 6,000 years old or throw the "theory" of evolution into the same category as fairy tales.

nullhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01512115823137079968noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37195734.post-54322500150803926862006-12-26T19:15:00.000-06:002006-12-25T19:30:53.640-06:00

For those of you who are unfamiliar, Hindus traditionally believe in a "caste" system. Essentially, they believe that you are born into a certain live based on how you were in your previous life. So if you are born to wealthy parents, you must have been a good person in your previous life. If you are born to impoverished parents, that must mean you were a bad person in your past life. Same goes

nullhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01512115823137079968noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37195734.post-39288239784027147182006-12-24T21:57:00.000-06:002006-12-24T22:08:12.250-06:00

Quick fact, most still don't know:In 1954, Congress after a campaign by the [Catholic organization] Knights of Columbus, added the words, 'under God,' to the Pledge.

nullhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01512115823137079968noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37195734.post-10099494830801669562006-12-24T19:29:00.000-06:002006-12-25T04:31:30.525-06:00

Along with all the griping going on about the so-called "War on Christmas," we've been seeing a lot of wagging fingers reminding us at every opportunity to remember the "Reason for the Season," and inevitably, these folks are referring to Jesus. The truth is, not very many of the traditions associated with Christmas are Christian- or have anything to do with the birth of Jesus.So how did a

nullhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01512115823137079968noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37195734.post-12755232963337144952006-12-20T03:51:00.000-06:002006-12-20T04:03:47.781-06:00

More than nine out of 10 Americans, men and women alike, have had premarital sex, according to a new study. The high rates extend even to women born in the 1940s, challenging perceptions that people were more chaste in the past.“The data clearly show that the majority of older teens and adults have already had sex before marriage, which calls into question the federal government’s funding of

nullhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01512115823137079968noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37195734.post-1960621835712184292006-12-20T03:34:00.000-06:002006-12-20T03:35:51.329-06:00

The Soviet-style turn-in-your-neighbors pogrom has already produced results, with the announcement of the resignation of an associate pastor.Just think: If Jesus had encouraged his apostles to rat each other out, perhaps he would have gotten wind of Judas’ scheme to turn him over to the Romans, and he could have avoided the whole cruxifixion, ascending-into-heaven thing.

nullhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01512115823137079968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37195734.post-87766844460437454182006-12-20T00:33:00.000-06:002006-12-20T05:47:33.856-06:00

This Christmas, let's not forget about this striking character of Greek Mythology. Let me first make it clear that Mithras significantly predates the story of Jesus.Mithra was born of a virgin on December 25th in a cave, and his birth was attended by shepherds.He was considered a great traveling teacher and master.He had 12 companions or disciples.Mithra's followers were promised immortality.He

nullhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01512115823137079968noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37195734.post-24656625141902396482006-12-18T02:17:00.000-06:002006-12-18T02:19:03.987-06:00

nullhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01512115823137079968noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37195734.post-25973876601939395402006-12-16T15:00:00.000-06:002006-12-18T02:06:33.612-06:00

Why are people moral? If it wasn't for religion everyone would go out and murder people, but they don't, therefore God must exist! -- AnonymousIn my experience, this is the most popular myth that theists use to try and explain why religion "must" exist. The most amazing thing about this myth is, in fact, the exact opposite is true. But before we get into that let me just cut to the chase and

nullhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01512115823137079968noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37195734.post-60120547584867907952006-12-16T14:54:00.000-06:002006-12-16T14:55:56.164-06:00

I want to introduce this new section which will be updated every Saturday. Based on the questions I receive, the comments that are made on this very website, and even questions I've heard on TV interviews I've come to realize that the reasons that people believe in religion are really the simplest to explain.I will be answering those questions here, every Saturday. Now I realize that most of my

nullhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01512115823137079968noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37195734.post-8675218241841494872006-12-14T06:33:00.000-06:002006-12-14T04:53:19.942-06:00

Former Air Force officer Mikey Weinstein says evangelicals are trying to turn his beloved military into a "frickin' faith-based initiative."I know the religious right would love to vilify me as a tree-hugging Northern California Sierra Club membership chardonnay-sipping liberal -- not that there'd be anything wrong with that, to wax Seinfeldian -- but I'm not. I'm a Republican. And my family has

nullhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01512115823137079968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37195734.post-7619237529990010182006-12-13T01:00:00.000-06:002006-12-13T23:34:26.076-06:00

In an almost unbelievable statement, Troy Lydon, CEO of a Christian video game company argued the semantics of murder. I guess Christian values aren't just about hating people who are born a certain way or suppressing medical treatment, apparently it also involves supporting murdering cleansing those who don't accept your doctrine.Left Behind: Eternal Forces is a teen-rated PC strategy game based

nullhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01512115823137079968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37195734.post-333886019523749442006-12-12T16:21:00.000-06:002006-12-12T16:31:40.530-06:00

No, I'm not referring to the middle east. I'm not referring to the Taliban or Iraqi insurgents. I'm referring to the United States military. Now don't get me wrong, I'm not anti-military. However, I am against any sort of military force, forcing religious views upon people -- regardless of whether they are in the middle east, or our own country.A watchdog group that promotes religious freedom in

nullhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01512115823137079968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37195734.post-90621763883245106182006-12-12T00:36:00.000-06:002006-12-12T00:50:52.066-06:00

In a tearful videotaped message Sunday to his congregation, the senior pastor of a thriving evangelical megachurch in south metro Denver confessed to sexual relations with other men and announced he had voluntarily resigned his pulpit."I have struggled with homosexuality since I was a 5-year-old boy," Barnes said in the 32- minute video, which church leaders permitted The Denver Post to view. "..

nullhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01512115823137079968noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37195734.post-46895228628127233482006-12-11T04:55:00.001-06:002006-12-11T04:55:44.281-06:00

nullhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01512115823137079968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37195734.post-56628265682131398212006-12-10T02:04:00.001-06:002006-12-10T18:54:16.212-06:00

Irregardless of your feelings on abortion, this is an absolutely sick manipulation of children. One of the many examples of the abusive measures Christians are willing to go to in order to forcefully indoctrinate children.For the record I feel that abortion is a philosophical and moral issue -- not a religious one. I do feel it is an issue worth debating, but on logical grounds, not on the bases

nullhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01512115823137079968noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37195734.post-87196923880147554132006-12-10T01:26:00.000-06:002006-12-10T01:36:41.533-06:00

...the only way an inmate could qualify for this kinder mutation of prison life was to enter an intensely religious rehabilitation program and satisfy the evangelical Christians running it that he was making acceptable spiritual progress. The program — which grew from a project started in 1997 at a Texas prison with the support of George W. Bush, who was governor at the time...The Iowa prison

nullhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01512115823137079968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37195734.post-90974657289201228362006-12-09T21:02:00.001-06:002006-12-09T21:02:28.119-06:00

nullhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01512115823137079968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37195734.post-81621838378739939762006-12-09T01:35:00.001-06:002006-12-09T21:03:32.047-06:00

Update: Unfortunately, it appears that this video has been removed. Sorry folks.

nullhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01512115823137079968noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37195734.post-57494302015311025572006-12-08T23:16:00.000-06:002006-12-08T23:20:25.445-06:00

nullhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01512115823137079968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37195734.post-67648370855316859242006-12-06T14:44:00.000-06:002006-12-06T14:59:06.826-06:00

2 Kings 2:23-24 NKJVThen he went up from there to Bethel; and as he was going up the road, some youths came from the city and mocked him, and said to him, “Go up, you baldhead! Go up, you baldhead!” So he turned around and looked at them, and pronounced a curse on them in the name of the LORD. And two female bears came out of the woods and mauled forty-two of the youths.Deuteronomy 23:1 ESVNo one

nullhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01512115823137079968noreply@blogger.com35tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37195734.post-88571444252304653222006-12-03T20:20:00.000-06:002006-12-03T20:44:14.718-06:00

Famed paleoanthropologist Richard Leakey is giving no quarter to powerful evangelical church leaders who are pressing Kenya's national museum to relegate to a back room its world-famous collection of hominid fossils showing the evolution of humans' early ancestors.Leakey called the churches' plans "the most outrageous comments I have ever heard.""Our doctrine is not that we evolved from apes, and

nullhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01512115823137079968noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37195734.post-53607786689588885712006-12-03T19:35:00.000-06:002006-12-03T20:36:24.499-06:00

Do you know someone who is in danger of being "left behind" because of a sinful life? Imagine if you could write a letter to a friend or loved one after the Great Day of Reckoning...This is where the Post-Rapture Post comes in. Just write your letter and it will be hand-delivered immediately following the exodus of the pure from the Earth.

nullhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01512115823137079968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37195734.post-50495260773833004082006-12-01T22:28:00.000-06:002006-12-01T23:03:07.877-06:00

Few have been paying attention to that other ongoing terrorist threatOn September 11, 2006, the fifth anniversary of the terror attacks that devastated our nation, [Christian fundamentalist David McMenemy] crashed his car into a building in Davenport, Iowa, hoping to blow it up and kill himself in the fire.Since 1977, casualties from this war include seven murders, 17 attempted murders, three

nullhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01512115823137079968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37195734.post-52599137063467597562006-11-30T03:00:00.000-06:002006-12-01T22:48:48.205-06:00

Keith Ellison, D-Minn., the first Muslim elected to the United States Congress, has announced that he will not take his oath of office on the Bible, but on the bible of Islam, the Koran.He should not be allowed to do so -- not because of any American hostility to the Koran, but because the act undermines American civilization.First, it is an act of hubris that perfectly exemplifies

nullhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01512115823137079968noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37195734.post-15230307179841567992006-11-15T00:51:00.000-06:002006-11-15T00:54:13.068-06:00

When Polish student Michael Gromek, 19, went to America on a student exchange, he found himself trapped in a host family of Christian fundamentalists. What followed was a six-month hell of dawn church visits and sex education talks as his new family tried to banish the devil from his soul."They also wanted to know whether I drank alcohol. I admitted that I liked beer and wine. They told me I had

nullhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01512115823137079968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37195734.post-30665734538668160992006-11-15T00:22:00.000-06:002006-12-01T23:04:48.117-06:00

For the sake of the peaceful future of this nation, members of this Parliament must stop provoking God to anger as the men of Sodom and Gomorrah did, and came under His judgment."Meshoe said adultery, sexual immorality and homosexuality were grave sins in God's sight as they were a transgression of His law and defiled a marriage relationship between a man and a woman.Update: The bill passed.

nullhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01512115823137079968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37195734.post-3410267041424127472006-11-14T15:08:00.000-06:002006-11-14T15:16:58.264-06:00

Bible-quoting toymaker surprised its offer of 4,000 dolls was turned downAccording to one2believe’s Web site, the button-activated, bearded Jesus doll recites Scripture such as “I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again” and “Love your neighbor as yourself.”Bill Grein, vice president of Marine Toys for Tots Foundation, in Quantico, Va., said the offer was

nullhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01512115823137079968noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37195734.post-2828213893873353602006-11-14T08:21:00.000-06:002006-12-03T20:44:41.979-06:00

So why is it we almost never hear in public about the lifelong traumas of going through an uplanned, unwanted pregnancy, which may well have happened in spite of a woman's best efforts at contraception or due to other circumstances beyond her control

nullhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01512115823137079968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37195734.post-37144072040404754032006-11-13T22:02:00.000-06:002006-11-14T02:49:32.324-06:00

"Try real hard not to kill anyone -- unless, of course, they pray to a different invisible man than the one you pray to"

nullhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01512115823137079968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37195734.post-88649834698640539942006-11-13T21:58:00.000-06:002006-11-14T07:14:10.970-06:00

"And I thought, wow. For all of those people who believe every word of the bible is true, they can't even have read the first two chapters!""So I felt eager to finally read this book. This book that I always wanted to take the time to read, but I really never had. And I was happy to see that the Old Testament starts out with two conflicting stories about the origin of the universe. One, where

nullhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01512115823137079968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37195734.post-10668321796683546142006-11-13T17:08:00.000-06:002006-11-14T07:13:18.196-06:00

Obviously gay parents will raise gay children, since straight parents only raise straight children.Gay marriage will encourage people to be gay, in the same way that hanging around tall people will make you tall.Straight marriage has been around a long time and hasn’t changed at all like many of the principles on which this great country was founded; women are still property, blacks still can’t

nullhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01512115823137079968noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37195734.post-1003637027793244712006-11-13T15:51:00.000-06:002006-11-14T03:07:52.085-06:00

I would like to offer this rebuttal to another commonly touted theist idea. They say, "Well atheism requires a certain level of faith. My religion requires a certain level of faith. Therefore, atheism is a faith and what we have here is a conflict of faiths."Let me make this simple. Belief in absolutely anything requires a certain amount of faith. That does not make the belief in and of itself a

nullhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01512115823137079968noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37195734.post-69720181212056957112006-11-12T10:32:00.000-06:002006-11-13T16:27:09.683-06:00

People who do not believe in supernatural entities do not have a "faith" in "the non-existence of X" (where X is "fairies" or "goblins" or "gods"); what they have is a reliance on reason and observation, and a concomitant preparedness to accept the judgment of both on the principles and theories that premise their actions. The views they take about things are proportional to the evidence

nullhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01512115823137079968noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37195734.post-28325079525788504302006-11-12T09:53:00.000-06:002006-11-12T03:04:25.773-06:00

nullhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01512115823137079968noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37195734.post-52788378767476417332006-11-12T09:42:00.000-06:002006-11-12T03:01:44.567-06:00

If the heathen won't convert, the player can kill them.A video game about a Christian militia slaughtering Jewish and atheist New Yorkers who won't be converted in the name of a particular brand of Christianity will be on the shelves of more than 10,000 American retailers in time for the Christmas season, including Wal-Mart, Best Buy, Target, Circuit City, GameStop, EB Games, CompUSA, Amazon.com,

nullhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01512115823137079968noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37195734.post-31464610274054655902006-11-12T00:31:00.000-06:002006-11-12T03:13:35.226-06:00

In a recent article, an anonymous poster responded to a comment made by one of our users who asked, "Why not just use adult stem cells?" as opposed to using embryonic stem cells. The anonymous poster who responded to this comment did a very good job summarizing this important issue and this will hopefully clear things up for those asking the same question.Adult stem cells are not a substitute for

nullhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01512115823137079968noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37195734.post-4629273980275005642006-11-11T23:58:00.000-06:002006-11-12T03:13:48.759-06:00

Cancer vaccine harnesses similarities between embryos and tumours.Embryonic stem cells, the controversial and versatile cells that seem able to do just about anything, have now expanded their repertoire into cancer prevention. A vaccine made from these cells shields mice against developing lung cancer.The stem-cell injection protected 20 out of 25 mice from developing tumours, whereas tumours

nullhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01512115823137079968noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37195734.post-1163243438209359242006-11-11T10:07:00.000-06:002006-11-11T10:37:06.880-06:00

Thanks to everyone who has enjoyed this new blog over the past week. I am moving it to what I feel is a more fitting name, Articles of Reason. The new site will be using Google's new beta features. Once the posts and comments are tranfered it will be open for business!Update: The move is complete! Please update your bookmarks/RSS readers!

nullhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01512115823137079968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37195734.post-1163237889286743622006-11-11T09:30:00.000-06:002006-11-12T03:00:18.963-06:00

A gathering of scientists and atheists explores whether faith in science can ever substitute for belief in God.Much as Weinberg would like to see civilization emerge from the tyranny of religion, when it happens, "I think we will miss it, like a crazy old aunt who tells lies and causes us all kinds of trouble, but was beautiful once and was with us a long time."[Dawkins] would not, for instance,

nullhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01512115823137079968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37195734.post-1163237222358010562006-11-11T09:26:00.000-06:002006-11-12T03:09:30.693-06:00

I was a pastor’s wife. I lived a Christian life. I did the Christian things. I believed the Christian doctrine. I did it all. I believed it all. Now I am not a pastor’s wife. I do not lead a Christian life. I do not believe the Christian doctrine. This is my journey.

nullhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01512115823137079968noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37195734.post-1163214478914592152006-11-10T21:06:00.000-06:002006-11-12T03:02:21.203-06:00

Police warn that some groups plan to pelt the marchers with apples jagged with razor bladesIn a Holy City fissured by faith, finding a consensus on anything among Jewish, Christian and Muslim clerics is a near-miraculous occurrence. Yet Jerusalem's rabbis, priests and imams have united, however briefly, to stop the city's Gay Pride parade. For some of their followers, the issue is worth spilling

nullhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01512115823137079968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37195734.post-1163144843502313522006-11-10T01:39:00.000-06:002006-11-12T03:02:49.855-06:00

The Quebec ministry of education has told unlicensed Christian evangelical schools that they must teach Darwin's theory of evolution and sex education or close their doors after an Outaouais school board complained the provincial curriculum wasn't being followed.This is great progress that scientific ideas are assured in classrooms. I can imagine the droves of theists trying to say, "How is this

nullhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01512115823137079968noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37195734.post-1163058613544120342006-11-09T01:50:00.000-06:002006-11-12T03:04:42.637-06:00

nullhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01512115823137079968noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37195734.post-1163049934002065692006-11-08T23:23:00.000-06:002006-11-12T03:03:48.802-06:00

Organizers of an evangelical summer camp for children featured in the documentary "Jesus Camp" are discontinuing the camp because of negative reaction sparked by the film and recent vandalism at the camp site in Devils Lake, North Dakota.And as if to leave things open for a sequal,"We have decided to hold different activities in future," Pentecostal pastor and camp organizer Becky Fischer told

nullhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01512115823137079968noreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37195734.post-1162975596381762832006-11-08T02:45:00.000-06:002006-11-12T03:04:16.404-06:00

Featured in Newsweek under the headline, "Imaginary Friend?""The problem is that we let religious people say stunningly false things and we consider it rude to question those beliefs. But we should be shunning those people" If that sounds intolerant, that's the point Flemming says, "I'm not tolerant of suspending reason."

nullhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01512115823137079968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37195734.post-1162983520068032232006-11-08T01:56:00.000-06:002006-11-12T03:05:01.785-06:00

"I'm still praying to hit the lottery twice: first the $50,000," one man wrote. "Than after some changes have taken place let me hit the millionaire."Another asked God to make a certain someone "leave me alone and stay off my back," while still another asks God to calm a woman who "call the Internal Revenue on me."One woman complained that her husband always talks about sex, and another writer

nullhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01512115823137079968noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37195734.post-1162980538148557442006-11-08T01:05:00.000-06:002006-11-12T03:05:36.596-06:00

Interesting commentary on an important paradoxYou gotta love Foxtrot for asking these deep questions:Complete omniscience (total knowledge of all past, present and future) requires God to know what choices is he going to make in the future before he makes them. All his actions must therefore be preordained, perhaps to his own plan, but fixed nevertheless. Any departure from the preordained

nullhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01512115823137079968noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37195734.post-1162925785936040712006-11-07T12:54:00.000-06:002006-11-12T03:10:13.650-06:00

It is, of course, taboo to criticize a person's religious beliefs. The problem, however, is that much of what people believe in the name of religion is intrinsically divisive, unreasonable and incompatible with genuine morality.A case in point: embryonic-stem-cell research is one of the most promising developments in the last century of medicine. It could offer therapeutic breakthroughs for every

nullhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01512115823137079968noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37195734.post-1162886187814161122006-11-07T01:54:00.000-06:002006-11-12T03:09:58.503-06:00

This is Christianity as a total ideology—I call it Christian nationalism. It’s an ideology adhered to by millions of Americans, some of whom are very powerful. It’s what drives a great many of the fights over religion, science, sex and pluralism now dividing communities all over the country.It’s like being a lobster in a pot, with the water heating up so slowly that you don’t notice the moment at

nullhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01512115823137079968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37195734.post-1162884960024707662006-11-07T01:33:00.000-06:002006-11-12T03:06:47.731-06:00

This is still in the Senate!The House passed a bill yesterday that would bar judges from awarding legal fees to the American Civil Liberties Union and similar groups that sue municipalities for violating the Constitution's ban on government establishment of religion."But we're watching it, because it is designed to do real damage to First Amendment protections," she said. "What the backers of

nullhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01512115823137079968noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37195734.post-1162853091357450762006-11-06T16:37:00.000-06:002006-11-12T03:07:52.120-06:00

The design of a banana proves that God exists and designed bananas. (No for real, these guys are serious)Update: It was pointed out to me that to the right is Kirk Cameron from Growing Pains.

nullhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01512115823137079968noreply@blogger.com108tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37195734.post-1162833649742542192006-11-06T11:14:00.000-06:002006-11-12T03:08:14.623-06:00

New book accuses the Republican Party of using Christians for their votesThe Bush administration has denied accusations contained in the book that evangelical Christians were courted for votes but referred to dismissively behind closed doors.

nullhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01512115823137079968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37195734.post-1162805211815754922006-11-06T09:24:00.000-06:002006-11-12T03:08:25.469-06:00

nullhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01512115823137079968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37195734.post-1162799694296737022006-11-06T01:51:00.000-06:002006-11-12T05:51:35.748-06:00

Atheist evangelist Sam Harris devoutly believes that religion is the root of all evilSam Harris doesn't target just the devout. Religious moderates, Harris says in his patient and imperturbable style, have immunized religion from rational discussion by nurturing the idea that faith is so personal and private that it is beyond criticism, even when horrific crimes are committed in its name.His

nullhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01512115823137079968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37195734.post-1162798247308332112006-11-06T01:30:00.000-06:002006-11-12T03:14:31.500-06:00

In 1998 two-year-old Harrison Johnson, shown here with his friend Megan, was stung 432 times by wasps while the family was visiting church friends in Tampa, Florida. His parents asked neighborhood children and fellow church members to pray for him, but did not call for medical help until more than 7 hours after the attack.

nullhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01512115823137079968noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37195734.post-1162792597795225542006-11-05T23:54:00.000-06:002006-11-12T03:11:26.298-06:00

It is time to reverse the prevailing notion that religious commitment is intrinsically deserving of respect.It is time to refuse to tip-toe around people who claim respect, consideration, special treatment, or any other kind of immunity, on the grounds that they have a religious faith, as if having faith were a privilege-endowing virtue, as if it were noble to believe in unsupported claims and

nullhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01512115823137079968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37195734.post-1162790841099537522006-11-05T23:22:00.000-06:002006-11-12T03:11:40.651-06:00

A critical look at Richard Dawkins' new book, The God Delusion.Few religious-minded individuals will likely read a book titled “The God Delusion.” But perhaps they should.Many, perhaps rightly, have charged Dawkins with intolerance. He dismisses religion in general as “nonsense,” describes the Old Testament God as a jealous psychopath and blames organized religion for wars, genocide and

nullhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01512115823137079968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37195734.post-1162775842003010302006-11-05T19:15:00.000-06:002006-11-12T03:12:17.001-06:00

CNN's Wolf Blitzer reported Sunday on Late Edition that the Rev. Ted Haggard, currently embroiled in a gay prostitution scandal, has admitted that he did have sex with an escort. Previously, Haggard had admitted to contacting the escort, but denied that any sex took place. Haggard reportedly said that he is "a deceiver and a liar, and admits "I am guilty of sexual immorality."

nullhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01512115823137079968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37195734.post-1162774388895229892006-11-05T18:48:00.000-06:002006-11-11T10:18:01.330-06:00

Atheists Become Organized To Fight Religious InfluenceIn an interview with a radio station in St. Paul, Minn., Guinness said he doubts that atheists have grown more numerous, but he believes they're now more organized and determined to press their case against religion and its influence in society.He cited the best-selling books by atheists Richard Dawkins and Sam Harris. Both reject religion as

nullhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01512115823137079968noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37195734.post-1162767314828478332006-11-05T16:53:00.000-06:002006-11-11T10:18:00.710-06:00

A band of intellectual brothers is mounting a crusade against belief in God. Are they winning converts, or merely preaching to the choir?This is the challenge posed by the New Atheists. We are called upon, we lax agnostics, we noncommittal nonbelievers, we vague deists who would be embarrassed to defend antique absurdities like the Virgin Birth or the notion that Mary rose into heaven without

nullhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01512115823137079968noreply@blogger.com1