As noted a couple of days ago (link), Bill Maher recently poked fun at the notion that members of the dominant religion in the U.S. are being persecuted. This provoked a response from Sean Hannity and his guests Monday night … Continue reading
Category Archives: Philosophy and religion
Bill Maher addresses silly claims by a variety of prominent conservatives that Christians are heavily persecuted and Christianity on the verge of being criminalized. Funny but also pretty accurate: Link: https://youtu.be/ybH66U72xd0 So why is it that some Christians really do … Continue reading
Something I just read pointed me to an interesting opinion piece by New York Times columnist David Brooks published in early February under the title “Building Better Secularists” (link). In it, Brooks favorably remarks on a book by Pitzer College … Continue reading
A number of independent opinion polls conducted over the past several decades have noted a significant increase in the fraction of adult Americans who don’t consider themselves members of any religion. For example, in 2014 the nonreligious accounted for 21 … Continue reading
Ever since 1972 the General Social Survey has polled adult Americans’ opinions on a variety of subjects using in-person interviews. The latest results, based on a survey conducted in 2014, have recently been released, and they’re quite interesting. The Associated … Continue reading
British evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins, who has also written books critical of religion, reads some of the charming emails he has received from offended believers. Be aware that many of these letters are from apparent professing Christians who haven’t quite … Continue reading
A University of Wisconsin student group has placed an amusing, low-key poster in the state capitol to promote separation of church and state. Since the capitol hosts pro-Christian displays, the students, members of an organization for atheists, humanists, and agnostics … Continue reading
It’s been a while since I posted a clip of the brilliant Irish comic Dara O’Briain. Here he offers up a few thoughts on parenting and suggests alternatives to conventional Christmas plays. (Contains somewhat indelicate language.) Link: http://youtu.be/akExo7kVsUU by … Continue reading
Stephen Colbert talks about the latest revelations about the pope, who is rumored to sneak out of the Vatican in ordinary priest attire and minister to the homeless. As Colbert notes, he offers striking parallels to another costumed hero, and … Continue reading
Two Republican legislators, Representatives Harry Warren and Carl Ford, both of Rowan County in central North Carolina, have introduced a bill (PDF) to allow cities and counties within the state, and the state as a whole, to declare an official … Continue reading