Show us the very best 21st century, sophisticated (or not), arguments for the existence of God.… Read the rest
The atheist rabbi on “sophisticated theology”
Sep 30th, 2010 | Filed by Ophelia BensonIt isn’t.… Read the rest
The Pew religious knowledge survey
Sep 30th, 2010 | Filed by Ophelia BensonData from the survey indicate that educational attainment is the single best predictor of religious knowledge. No really?!… Read the rest
Badri Raina on Ayodhya and what it implies
Sep 29th, 2010 | Filed by Ophelia BensonAllahabad High Court will rule Sept 30 who is in rightful possession of the site where the demolished mosque stood—a Muslim organization or a Hindu one.… Read the rest
Salman Rushdie on religion and myth
Sep 29th, 2010 | Filed by Ophelia Benson“I don’t look to religion to answer the two great questions of life.”… Read the rest
Thousands of Nigerian women in slave camps
Sep 29th, 2010 | Filed by Ophelia BensonNigerian girls are being forced to work as prostitutes in Mali “slave camps”, say officials in Nigeria.… Read the rest
Open letter from Ashtiani’s son Sajjad Ghaderzadeh
Sep 29th, 2010 | Filed by Ophelia BensonI tell you these words from the bottom of our hearts: I want the whole world to rush to our help.… Read the rest
Taking the temperature
Sep 29th, 2010 12:19 pm | By Ophelia BensonAjita Kamal defends the role of passion in social movements, in the context of explaining why heat is not necessarily or entirely counterproductive for atheism.
There is a very important role that anger, ridicule and passion play in any social movement. While intellectual understanding is key to a movement that is well-grounded, it is the primary emotions that provide the impetus for social organization. Without this, atheism would simply remain an idea to be discussed in academia and in private settings.
I think that’s spot-on. It’s also true that there are obvious dangers – self-righteousness, verbal or literal violence, confirmation bias, groupthink, tribalism, all sorts. But…we need the movement, and we need the passion. We should relentlessly self-monitor for … Read the rest
John Shook is all “can’t you read?”
Sep 29th, 2010 | Filed by Ophelia BensonEverybody else is all “yes, we can, thanks, and we read what you wrote.”… Read the rest
Lars Vilks to finish Uppsala lecture
Sep 29th, 2010 | Filed by Ophelia BensonHe was interrupted by an attack in May, will complete the lecture on October 7.… Read the rest
Ajita Kamal argues for gender equality in freethought
Sep 29th, 2010 | Filed by Ophelia BensonAny organization that challenges superstition and religion in India must make an effort to break established patterns of gender inequality.… Read the rest
Ajita Kamal on the uses of outspoken atheism
Sep 29th, 2010 | Filed by Ophelia BensonIdeas die in a culture when it becomes embarrassing to hold on to them.… Read the rest
Why US universities recruit athletes, not scholars
Sep 29th, 2010 | Filed by Ophelia BensonToo many Jews were getting in, so universities started looking for “manliness.”… Read the rest
Religious belief linked to being a bit dim
Sep 29th, 2010 | Filed by Ophelia BensonAs a study found that atheists know more about religion than religious people, experts said that in all fairness that should not really count as news.… Read the rest
Minnesota archbishop “defends marriage”
Sep 29th, 2010 | Filed by Ophelia BensonChurch is sending “educational” DVDs to Catholics to reaffirm “the unchangeable nature of marriage.”… Read the rest
Cartoon rejected just for mentioning Mo
Sep 29th, 2010 | Filed by Ophelia BensonA satire on the fear of publishing anything Mo-related prompts fear of publishing anything Mo-related, and doesn’t get published.… Read the rest
Aliens are sabotaging missiles, US pilots claim
Sep 28th, 2010 | Filed by Ophelia BensonSrsly. It’s totally true. They’ve been doing it since 1948. They landed 7 years ago.… Read the rest
Give Fox News a great big hug
Sep 28th, 2010 11:46 am | By Ophelia BensonAjita Kamal of Nirmukta is thinking about many of the same issues we’ve been thinking about around here.
A common misconception is that freethought implies treating all ideas equally. This could not be farther from the truth. Freethinkers are extremely discriminatory of bad ideas, and adopt a refined reasoning process in judging factual claims.
Exactly, and this is why the idea that the Center for Inquiry (for example) is and should be in the business of promoting “diversity” is so silly. Free inquiry isn’t some default state that flourishes is left alone; it has to be protected and encouraged, because there are always lots of people who want to shut it down the better to promote their own … Read the rest
Whose “squawk”?
Sep 28th, 2010 10:42 am | By Ophelia BensonIt’s strange to see The Chronicle of Higher Education giving Carlin Romano space to promote the Templeton Foundation.
The Templeton Foundation, which specializes in prodding believers and nonbelievers to discuss such things in civilized ways, has published all sorts of booklets, like “Does Science Make Belief in God Obsolete?”…
That’s a very flattering way of describing what Templeton specializes in. To a less infatuated observer it looks more as if Templeton specializes in flattering its own self – as in the CHE blurb for Romano’s piece:
… Read the restCarlin Romano, critic at large for The Chronicle Review, is a professor of philosophy and humanities at Ursinus College. This essay is adapted from a talk he gave this summer as a Templeton-Cambridge
Ajita Kamal on moderating freethought groups
Sep 28th, 2010 | Filed by Ophelia BensonMost freethinkers are wary of all ideologies. These are not usually the ones that are politically motivated towards promoting freethought.… Read the rest