On Friday’s episode of “Moyers & Company,” Neil deGrasse Tyson spoke with host Bill Moyers about his upcoming series “Cosmos,” space, and science literacy — it’s one of the most engaging discussions about the subjects you’ll hear on television. Read more
Ernest Jones has an interesting strategy for winning football games: his team always gets one more player than his opponents. In an interview last week with the Hartford Courant, the UConn football team’s new assistant coach explained his philosophy on the role of faith on his team: “And we’re going to do things in our building, fellowship, non-denominational type things, players, coaches. We’re going to make sure they understand that Jesus Christ should be in the center of our huddle, that that’s something that is important. If you want to be successful and you want to win, get championships, then you better understand that this didn’t happen because of you. This happened because of our Lord and Savior. That’s going to be something said by [new head coach] Bob Diaco. That’s something that’s going to be said by Ernest Jones. That’s who we are.” There’s important subtext in there: 1) Atheists are not welcome on the public university’s football team and 2) Jesus really wants UConn’s opponents to lose. Read more
Fr. Dwight Longenecker, a Catholic blogger here on Patheos, wrote last year about how atheism is boring, dull, bland, and humorless. Christianity, on the other hand, had “cool stuff like snake handlers, incorrupt bodies of saints, relics, Eucharistic miracles, statues that weep and bleed, [and] apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary.” Which is a pretty sad thing to say: We make things up and they’re way more interesting than your silly “reality”! Read more
Turns out there’s a growing demand for exorcists in the Catholic Church in Italy and Spain… Read more
Soon after Robert Williams stabbed his wife, Sakina Wallace, in the neck more than 30 times, killing her, he submitted to a police interview. On the videotape, A detective showed Williams a photo of Wallace and referred to the victim as a Muslim woman. In turn, Williams responded: “Muslim woman? If she was a Muslim woman none of this (expletive) would even exist.” At trial, the prosecutors said that Williams, 41, had gotten it into his head that Wallace was cheating on him, and that he killed her because “… he objected to her behavior in their Muslim community.” Read more
On Sunday, when national political figures normally appear on morning talk shows, Pennsylvania Rep. Rick Saccone appeared on a local show called “Face the State” hosted by reporter Robb Hanrahan. If the name Saccone sounds familiar, it’s probably because he’s the Republican who sponsored legislation to make 2012 the “Year of the Bible,” declared May 3 of that year to be the “National Day of Prayer,” sponsored “National Fast Day” in 2013 (which said we owe our dependence “upon the overruling power of God” and that the only nations that are blessed are the ones “whose God is the Lord”), and — most relevant here — is currently working to put the words “In God We Trust” in every public school in the state. So Saccone was on “Face the State” to talk about his proposed legislation. And he made some rather indefensible claims… Read more
This is a guest post written by David G. McAfee. … You know what they say: Never discuss religion or politics… that is, of course, unless you want to engage in discussion about some of the most important topics of this or any generation. Studying religions has always been a passion of mine. From a very young age, I remember being intrigued by what my friends and family believed — and why. But, in my culture and many others, to discuss the topic in any substantive way was considered taboo. Now, as a religious studies graduate and the author of secular-themed works, I’ve had to get used to dealing with religious debates in a calm, rational, and friendly manner. As a result, I’ve learned that, contrary to popular opinion, you can reach some believers through rational dialogue. Indoctrination is difficult to undo, but not impossible. It’s a lesson that Bill Nye may want to take to heart as he gears up for his upcoming debate against Creationist Ken Ham. … Here are some tips on how to have a friendly and effective religious debate: Read more
How’s this for an astrological prediction: “You may have already heard the rumors — October is not due to be an easy month in any which way. … The new moon may trigger contract negotiations, but talks are likely to hit snags.” That was Susan Miller’s reading for President Barack Obama a few months ago. Actually, it was her reading for Leos in general. Miller is apparently a famous astrologer. Aaron Hicklin, writing for the Guardian, is impressed by how “uncanny” her talent is. When he first meets her, … Miller is riding high after forecasting a diabolical month. How so? Hicklin figures that the malarkey above is actually an on-the-nose reference to the government shutdown over the budget. It doesn’t seem to occur to him that being the president of a superpower means you never have “an easy month,” and that “negotiations” hitting “snags” are part of Washington’s daily grind. Miller has nevertheless parlayed such preposterous triumphs into a neat little empire. Today millions of people look to Miller to tell them who they are, and where they are going — 6.5 million online every month, and rising. Read more
If you’re an LGBT individual who lives in Arizona, the anti-discrimination laws are not on your side. You have legal recourse if a Christian boss fired you for being a Muslim, but if a Christian baker doesn’t want to make a cake for your same-sex commitment ceremony, you’re out of luck. If you and your same-sex partner want to get a hotel room, a Christian manager could say no and that could be the end of it. A new bill currently being discussed in the state’s Senate, SB 1062, is about to change that, giving special protection to… Christians. And all religious people. Because they’re the real victims here: Read more
Courtesy of The Chronicle Herald cartoonist Bruce MacKinnon: (Thanks to Veronica for the link!) Read more
