After years of pushing dangerous ideas, such as the never-proven claim that there’s a link between vaccines and autism, model Jenny McCarthy is trying to reinvent herself as someone who’s totally pro-science. Good luck with that. In an op-ed published by the Chicago Sun-Times (where she also writes a column about dating and parenting), McCarthy explains that she’s been misunderstood this whole time: I am not “anti-vaccine.” This is not a change in my stance nor is it a new position that I have recently adopted. For years, I have repeatedly stated that I am, in fact, “pro-vaccine” and for years I have been wrongly branded as “anti-vaccine.” Whoa! That’s incredible! We’ve had it wrong this whole time! … or maybe not. Because everything she writes after that opening paragraph establishes that her critics have been right all along. Read more
God Gazarov, 26, is a native Russian who says he was named after his grandfather. The Brooklyn jewelry store owner has built up a decent credit score (in the 720 range), but that’s only if you believe Experian and TransUnion. The third credit reporting agency, Equifax, has put God through, well, hell, suspecting that he doesn’t exist. Apparently, the unusual first name raised red flags over at Equifax. Read more
This past week, Iowa Governor Terry Branstad signed a proclamation that calls on all Iowans to embrace Christianity according to a specific Bible verse: The proclamation was suggested by a Christian group called “Prayer 7-14-14,” which references the date they plan to celebrate the Bible verse 2 Chronicles 7:14, where God states, if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. (Incidentally, 2 Chronicles 7:5 involves the gruesome slaughter of 142,000 animals, and 2 Chronicles 7:19-22 involves God telling us how he’s going to destroy a temple if people don’t embrace him… but, you know, Free Will something something. Let’s just ignore all that and focus on the single passage.) This proclamation was for Jesus Followers, by Jesus Followers. And if you don’t follow Jesus, well, you damn well better start. Just look at the requesting group’s website if you dare… it tells you how, for the sake of our nation, we must come together to honor the Christian God. Read more
Centuries ago, there was a village in the Spanish countryside by the name of Castrillo Mota de Judíos, which means “Castrillo Jews’ Hill.” During the Inquisition, the hamlet was rebaptized Castrillo Matajudíos, or “Castrillo Kill the Jews.” Now, the 60 families who live there will decide together whether the slightly offensive current name will be restored to the less upsetting original. Read more
Here’s something we don’t hear every day: A rock song about atheism. The band is Rhode-Island based Burn The Rez and the song is called “Dark Age”: Read more
Suppose you’re doing an interview and the host asked you these questions: Would you be horrified if your wife told you she wanted to begin a career as a teacher? Do you expect sex from your wife whenever you want it? What do you think about women who wear clothing that makes them feel attractive? Think of how you’d answer those questions… and then listen to Pastor Steven Anderson respond in all the opposite ways during this interview with an Irish radio show host: Read more
In September of 2012, Jeff Scott, an assistant coach for Clemson University’s football team, tweeted a picture of a player getting baptized, surrounded by his teammates: Considering this tweet came from a coach’s Twitter account, showed players in their uniforms, and seemed to take place on a school-owned practice field, you could make a strong case for how it was inappropriate. Now, there’s evidence — lots of it — that this wasn’t just some one-off event. In fact, Clemson football is virtually intertwined with the promotion of Christianity and the Freedom From Religion Foundation has the details to prove it. Read more
Many politicians aren’t above tailoring their opinions to suit what people want to hear, sometimes zigging this way for one specific audience and then zagging for another. Take Bob Marshall, a Virginia GOP delegate now running for Congress. We previously featured Marshall on this blog in 2010, after he said this when he opposed funding Planned Parenthood: “The number of children who are born subsequent to a first abortion with handicaps has increased dramatically. Why? Because when you abort the first born of any, nature takes its vengeance on the subsequent children. In the Old Testament, the first born of every being, animal and man, was dedicated to the Lord. There’s a special punishment, Christians would suggest.” So, simply put, disabled children are God’s way to punish women who had an abortion. When the heat of subsequent news stories made Marshall a little uncomfortable, he tried to weasel his way out by denying what he’d said: Read more
According to a new survey from the Integrated Innovation Institute at Carnegie Mellon University, nearly half of Millennials say they don’t look to religion for guidance and more than a third say that they don’t talk to God: Unbelievably numbers — and more evidence that younger people are losing their faith: Read more
