Archive for the ‘religion’ Category

9th Circuit rejects Newdow

Thursday, March 11th, 2010

The 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals has upheld the Constitutionality of the phrase “under God” in the Pledge of Allegiance and the motto “In God We Trust” on American currency.  This double body-blow denies two lawsuits spearheaded by Michael Newdow.  You can read the Court’s opinions here and here.

I have not had time to absorb these rulings in detail, but right away I wonder how the Court can use the Declaration of Independence (citing the phrase “endowed by their Creator” as an expression of the Founding Fathers’ beliefs) as a litmus test for the Constitutionality of the phrase “under God.”  The DoI is an historically significant document, but it has no force of law whatsoever.  The Constitution does, and it’s internally consistent throughout that government and religion ought not mix.

The Court also makes confounding statements like “the motto (’In God We Trust’) has no theological or ritualistic impact. As stated by the Congressional report, it has ’spiritual and psychological value’ and ‘inspirational quality.’”  Please explain to me the substantive difference between “theological” and “spiritual”–for that matter, how can the word “God” itself be said to have no theological impact???

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Rape your daughters for the apocalypse

Thursday, March 11th, 2010

A man in New Jersey is accused of raping and beating his five daughters over a 15-year period, fathering as many as six children through them as a result.  Did I mention these gals were homeschooled?

Why?  Because he had convinced himself there was no god and he could indulge himself with impunity.

Ah, who am I kidding?  It’s because he had apocalyptic visions that (according to his wife), “the world was going to end and it was just going to be him and his offspring and that he was chosen.”

Now, I’m not saying this nut was motivated by religion.  But I am pointing out how telling it is that nuts almost never have delusions about there being no god.  I’m also pointing out how the understandable reluctance of authorities to split up families often leads to years of abuse, neglect and death.

That said, I seriously doubt any jury–Christian or otherwise–is going to cut this guy much slack.  I just hope his daughters can salvage what’s left of their lives.

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Violence continues in Nigeria

Tuesday, March 9th, 2010

Agnostics continue to slaughter atheists in Nigeria.

Ah, who am I kidding?  It’s Muslims slaughtering Christians (and vice versa).  Nigeria’s Acting President–the ironically named Goodluck Jonathan–has promised to quell the violence, but I suspect he’ll do no more than tamp it down temporarily.

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Podcast #83 – Secular Coalition at the White House

Monday, March 8th, 2010

John C. Snider with Christopher Hitchens, Emory University, February 26, 2010

American Atheists president Ed Buckner reports on the recent meeting between representatives of the Secular Coalition for America with White House officials.

Plus: We meet the Hitch!  Allison joins us to talk about “The Only Subject Is Love,” a seminar we attended at Emory University featuring Salman Rushdie, Christopher Hitchens, and filmmaker Deepa Mehta (who is developing a film adaptation of Rushdie’s Midnight’s Children).  The event celebrates the opening of Rushdie’s archives at Emory.  Surprises included spontaneous recitations of poetry (Hitchens selecting the heartwrenching “Dulce et Decorum est,” Rushdie the humorous “The Walrus and the Carpenter.”)  And…we learned that Hitchens’ memoir–Hitch 22–is due out in June!

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Hitchens rewrites the 10C

Friday, March 5th, 2010

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Podcast #82 – Creation

Friday, February 26th, 2010

Allison’s back–yay!  She joins us to discuss the new Charles Darwin bio-pic Creation, starring real-life husband-and-wife Paul Bettany and Jennifer Connelly as Charles and Emma Darwin.  Creation is based on the nonfiction book Annie’s Box (published in the US as Darwin, His Daughter, and Human Evolution, and reissued in conjunction with the film as Creation) by Darwin descendant Randal Keynes.  Creation is currently in limited release, so check your local art cinema to see if and when it might play in your neighborhood.  For more visit CreationtheMovie.com.

Thanks to the many fellow science fans who joined us for the Creation screening at Atlanta’s Landmark Midtown Art Cinema.  And thanks to Royal Orchid Thai Cuisine for accommodating our unexpected horde.

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Podcast #81 – Announcing Unity 2013

Friday, February 19th, 2010

Margaret Downey (former president of Atheist Alliance International, now a “freethought free agent”) announces the formation of the Unity 2013 Event Committee.  What is Unity 2013?  Nobody knows just yet, but what we do know is that it’ll be big, it has the blessing of such notables as Daniel Dennett, and it’ll involve many (if not most) of the major freethought-friendly organizations.  To keep abreast of the details as they unfold, check out the Unity 2013 Facebook page.

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Podcast #79 – E-meters for Haiti?

Wednesday, February 3rd, 2010

Earthquake-devastated Haiti has become a magnet for kooky, misguided (but perhaps well-intentioned) religious groups.  Scientologist John Travolta (disguised, apparently, as L. Ron Hubbard–see photo at right) has personally flown his private 707 to Haiti, delivering food, medical supplies, and “volunteer ministers” who claim the ability to heal through therapeutic touch.  Meanwhile, a Christian group called Faith Comes By Hearing has sent 600 solar-powered audiobook Bibles.  Finally, a group of Idaho Baptists were arrested trying to transport Haitian orphans (some of whom weren’t actually orphans) across the border into the Dominican Republic.

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My Islam Reading Project

Sunday, January 31st, 2010

I’m about to start an Islam/Middle East themed reading project, and if anyone wants to join me, you are welcome.  My selection process is complex and meticulous: I’ve scanned my bookshelves and made a list of books on the topic that I own but have not yet read.

The first three out of the gate are all written by immigrants who now live and work in the United States:

  • No god but God: The Origins, Evolution, and Future of Islam by Reza Aslan
  • Memories of Muhammad: Why the Prophet Matters by Omid Safi
  • A God Who Hates: The Courageous Woman Who Inflamed the Muslim World Speaks Out Against the Evils of Islam by Wafa Sultan

The first two look to be more or less sympathetic toward Islam, but since I haven’t read them yet, it’s hard to tell.  The third pretty much telegraphs its intention right there in the title.  (Wafa Sultan, you may recall, is the firebrand who shouted down a couple of Muslim men during an Al Jazeera exchange in 2006.)

If there’s enough interest, I might blog the first book chapter-by-chapter, like I did with Richard Dawkins’ The Greatest Show on Earth.  Let me know!

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Podcast #78 – Pat Robertson Is an Evil Moron

Tuesday, January 26th, 2010

Or at least so says Christopher Hitchens, responding to Robertson’s claim that the devastating Haitian earthquake (which may have killed upwards of 200,000 innocent people) was the result of “a deal with the devil” made during the Haitian Revolution in 1791.  White House press secretary Robert Gibbs called Robertson’s remarks “utterly stupid.”  Barry Lynn of Americans United said they were callous and grotesquely insensitive.  And Keith Olbermann says Robertson is full of “senile crap.”

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