Kiosk

Do the theological faculties of Germany's state universities serve only the church, or do they also serve the broader needs of a pluralistic culture? This is the central question in the debate surrounding biblical scholar and George-August University faculty member Gerd Luedemann who, after announcing his nonbelief publicly last year, was then denied his academic rights in his teaching position. This second letter, provided to us by an interested third party, responds to the Dean of George-August and defends Luedemann against the charge that he is unfit to prepare students for ordination in the Lutheran Church.

We are being drowned today in biblical ignorance, religious illiteracy and historical stupidity by the religious and political right in this country. In no other place is this so visible as in the prostitution of the "Ten Commandments." There is no need to ever fear aliens from outer space moving in with us. They would take one look at Congress and know, without a doubt, that we had not evolved past a Neanderthal mentality. They would give their space ships full throttle and head for home and sanity.

We rail against supernatural faiths, not just for their palpable falsity, but for their sanctified cruelties, their crippled imaginations, and their all-too-common suspicion of human efforts to better our lives.

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?"

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.

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.

Exploration of the "myth" of the Columbine Martyr, along with apology.

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!

Dr. Steven Weinberg is one of the true, authentic, Renaissance men of our time. He has been called the "Einstein" of our day.

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.

Does poetical metaphysics put science in its place? Pigliucci lends his insight into the ongoing battle between science and religion.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Salisbury asks why so many Christians are experiencing extreme difficulties, given Jesus' promise that prayers would be answered (Mt. 7:7).

I have often asked "When are Jews and Christians going to grow up, evolve spiritually, and let go of the archaic and primitive biblical concepts of 'God'?"

Anyone who believes today in the year 2000 that the bible is "reliable" and "infallible," without error or contradiction, is approaching insanity.