There's a bunch of stuff going on in your brain about which you know nothing. In times of need or at some critical moment, sudden knowledge and inspiration often seem to come from the spark of the divine. Kirkland explores the question, "from where comes inspiration?"
In a powerful and informative essay, Tabash discusses the arguments being raised in the secular community for and against the election of Al Gore as President. He also comments on the growing support for Ralph Nader and how it may actually lead to increased support for George Bush. Throughout the article, Tabash paints a very frightening picture of the effects upon nontheists, and the state of affairs within the US at large, should the Republicans take the House.
When Cupid's arrow strikes, is it mere molecules in motion or have we finally found our soul mate? Carrier explores nature's greatest mystery -- amore! -- as well as the notion of physical beauty, impulse, biology, and Hollywood's obsession with sex.
1 Corinthians 15 is a biblical chapter often referred to in discussing the Resurrection of Jesus. David Friedman explores the literalist claim of a physical resurrection by presenting evidence that shows the authors of Corinthians, and the witnesses to the resurrection, were referring solely to a spiritual rebirth, not a physical one.
Most people don't care what other people believe, so long as it doesn't affect them--so long as it's "no skin off my nose!" But what about those times when other people's beliefs ARE affecting you and you don't even know it? Times when other people use their religious beliefs to decide what medical services will be available to you? Times when your nose is being skinned and you don't even know it!
Providing evidence from US, Canada and Britain, Auda Burrumgee proposes a radical new political science theory that offers insight into campaign considerations and the election process while simultaneously lifting the mask off of the voting public, and showing just what makes us tick.
Some pandering presidential candidates would do well to reacquaint themselves with basic civics. In a society which values freedom of religion the last thing we need is intentional blurring of the lines between church and state.
As we celebrate Independence Day across America it is worth publishing once again an accurate history of the philosophy of government that underlies the US Constitution. In The Unchristian Roots of the Fourth of July, Michael Buckner sets the record straight.
In this first column titled "Rationally Speaking", Massimo Pigliucci addresses the allure of pseudoscience. If you insist in thinking that all you need to do is to explain things just a little bit better and people will see the light, you are committing what is knows as the "rationalistic fallacy."
Theoretical physics and philosophy join forces in this masterly crafted essay on determinism and metaphysical freedom. The author, along with many great minds throughout the centuries, is fascinated by the problem of free will, for it encourages us to ask ourselves if we are the masters of our own destiny. As science continues on the path of discovery we may be approaching our answer.
"Theistic philosophers have perennially cited mystical experiences—experiences of God—as evidence for God’s existence and for other truths about God. In recent years, the attractiveness of this line of thought has been reflected in its use by a significant number of philosophers. But both philosophers and mystics agree that not all mystical experiences can be relied upon; many are the stuff of delusion. So they have somehow to be checked out, their bona-fides revealed."
In protest against the recent Supreme Court decision against Santa Fe High School, Christian organizers at the school called for a "spontaneous prayer" to begin immediately after the school band played the national anthem. The plan fizzled and few participated in the prayer. Still gives two reason why he thinks it failed.
What is a well-educated atheist? Martin distinguishes between educating someone about atheism and educating him or her to be an atheist. The question of atheistic education, he argues, is not so much how people come to be atheists, but rather what they should learn once they are atheists.
The punishment suffered by Jesus, that of the crucifixion, gave rise to multiple interpretations to explain how and why God allowed His Son to suffer so. The concept of Original Sin became one of the central tenets of the Christian religion to explain God's actions in sacrificing His Son. Jesus is said to have born the sins of the world in an effort to cleanse humanity from sin. The author explores the concept of Original Sin, the idea of sin transferal, while questioning the notion of whether Jesus' fate was indeed a sacrifice as claimed.
An irreverent, mildly satirical look at ending the clash between capitalism, communism, socialism and radical repressive fundamentalist religious theocracies; done in the style of the French philosophers, this essay will give you most of the intellectual tools you need, the author hopes, to finally put communism, socialism and repressive religious fundamentalist theocracies where they belong; in the dustbin of history. In this endeavor the author employs relentless logic, evolution, passion, common sense and an offbeat sense of humor to complete the task.
Biblical criticism, often applied to Judeo-Christian texts, is here applied to the Qur'an. What is often assumed by Muslims to be the word of Allah, or by many critics to be the word of Muhammad, is proposed by the author to be a compilation of variant traditions, possibly with multiple authors. Mr. Giron addresses the many contradictions and conflicting statements found within the Qur'an, the tendency of Muslim apologists' to sacrifice their intellectual integrity in order to salvage their cherished beliefs as found within other religions, and examines many multiple stories within the Qur'an itself, all which differ in detail.
Is such a slogan inclusive, pluralistic, non-elitist, and consistent with the American doctrine of separation of church and state? Are there citizens who have no god to trust, or citizens who have a god, but don't trust him? If so, then who is included in the pronoun 'We'?"
I am always overwhelmed with thanksgiving and gratitude that men of the stature and integrity of Jefferson, Adams and Madison never stooped to the low level of inviting a bible thumper for a "prayer breakfast" to placate bible belt America.
An exhibit opened at the Huntington Library in Los Angeles with the title of RELIGION AND THE FOUNDING OF THE AMERICAN REPUBLIC. The employee of the Library of Congress, James Huston, who put the exhibit together writes: "the founders thought that virtue and morality required religion, therefore religion was necessary." The naive, gullible, innocent and historically ignorant will believe this nonsense.
What ever happened to Solon? An Ancient Greek who founded democracy and the concept of equality, Solon's work is the true inspiration behind America. His moral code far outshines Moses' Ten Commandments and would be a much more appropriate document to place within our public schools. It is time that the long forgotten Athenian be resurrected.
A review of Whatever Happened to the Soul? edited by Warren Brown, Nancey Murphy, and H. Newton Malony. The book attempts to reconcile Christian theology with the scientific evidence against the existence of a soul.
Alan Hale, codiscoverer of Comet Hale-Bopp, urges Americans to think critically about the upcoming Presidential Elections. In an open letter to the American public, he confronts the issues at hand, addresses the diversity of stances being made, and emphasizes the importance this election will have on the very future of human civilization. "The decision we make next week will have effects which will reverberate throughout our nation and our overall human society for many decades to come."
(June 2000) A few weeks ago I asked this question: “How, in the year 2000, can people still believe that the bible is reliable, infallible, and without contradictions?” Questions have come to me asking “what contradictions?” To go through the thousands of contradictions in the Old and New Testament would take more space than is […]
The author, once a member of the evangelical religion, attempted to reconcile his homosexuality with his faith. In so doing he exposed several characteristics about evangelism that led to a full rejection of religious belief and an understanding of the hypocrisy that underlies fundamentalism. In the following essay Brian Rainey recounts his experiences and offers a glimpse into the many interpretations of Biblical passages that address the issue of homosexuality.
Last night (June 26, 2000) on ABC, Peter Jennings hosted a two-hour special entitled "The Search for Jesus". Jennings' reporting is important because most Americans, ironically, are barely literate when it comes to the historical Jesus in particular and the New Testament texts in general.
Jeffery Jay Lowder Updated: May 21, 2000 Related documents: “That Colossal Wreck” by Doug Kruege “Ravi Zacharias’s A Shattered Visage: The Real Face of Atheism is an unsuccessful attempt to refute or discredit atheism. He concentrates on some of the more prounounced problems with atheism, as he perceives them, and in the course of this […]
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