Francelle Wax is the producer of a film called American Secret: The Circumcision Agenda which takes a close look at the problems with male circumcision. More broadly speaking, it addresses the ideas of how ideas spread, why we believe in rituals that serve relatively little or no benefit, and what it would take to change our beliefs. Francelle was kind enough to answer my own questions as well as those solicited from friends: [Click headline for more…] Read more
Well, two of them, anyway. Rep. Michael Honda (D-CA) recently declared his support for the National Day of Reason into the Congressional record (PDF): [Click headline for more…] Read more
Public school graduation ceremonies are supposed to be celebrations for everyone involved, which is why it’s so frustrating when Christians try to use the venues as an opportunity to proselytize to a captive audience. This year, like they’ve done many times before, Liberty Counsel is encouraging Christian students who get a chance to speak onstage to pray to Jesus and they’re making sure students know all the legal loopholes (PDF) to make it happen: “The key to expressing any religious viewpoint in public school, including graduation prayer, is that the school should remain neutral — neither commanding nor prohibiting it,” said Mat Staver, Founder and Chairman of Liberty Counsel. … “Students do not lose their constitutional right to free speech when they step to the podium at graduation,” Staver said. “To allow a variety of viewpoints except religious viewpoints at graduation is religious hostility and unconstitutional. While schools should not force people to pray, neither should they prohibit them from praying.” This is part of their “Friend or Foe” campaign, a title they also use when pointing out retail stores that use the word “Christmas” (or don’t) in their holiday advertising. [Click headline for more…] Read more
Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) spoke at last week’s Secular Summit & Lobby Day sponsored by the Secular Coalition for America, and audio of his speech is now online with video stills (his speech begins at the 2:20 mark below): [Click headline for more…] Read more
Mayor Anthony Foxx isn’t the only person declaring tomorrow a “Day of Reason” — the Dunedin City Council in Florida is doing the same. In the video below, Commissioner Ron Barnette read the text as requested by Mark Brandt of the Unitarian Universalists of Clearwater: [Click headline for more…] Read more
The National Day of Prayer is tomorrow, but Charlotte, North Carolina Mayor Anthony Foxx (also President Obama’s nominee for U.S. Secretary of Transportation) issued a proclamation declaring tomorrow the National Day of Reason: [Click headline for more…] Read more
The world of Christian homeschooling is undergoing a shift. More and more, parents are seeking material that will “teach the controversy” on evolution. Although we tend to see that as a method to discredit evolution when used in public schools, you might think this is actually a step up in the world of Creationism-or-bust homeschooling textbooks — they’re finally teaching evolution, too — but there’s a little more to the story than that: Christian homeschool science textbooks have long taught young earth creationism (YEC) almost exclusively. But observers say a growing number of parents want texts that also teach evolution. “The YEC position is strong and ingrained in the homeschool movement,” said Sonlight president Sarita Holzmann, who homeschools her children and believes in a young earth. “That might be to our detriment.” She says students need to be able to evaluate different positions. [Click headline for more…] Read more
The mystery has been solved. A few days ago, I posted images of a fourth grade science test that was circulating online: The story was that a Reddit user had gotten the images from his friend, whose daughter attended the unnamed school. Neither of them wanted to verify the name of the school… but the material was out there, so it wouldn’t have been long before we found out. Even the stellar Snopes website was on the hunt, saying they had contacted a school that could plausibly have given the test and were awaiting confirmation. So the search continued… until today. [Click headline for more…] Read more
Not news: The Florida House of Representatives holds invocation prayers before legislative sessions. Not news: People are complaining about it. News: It’s not atheists! A Jewish lawmaker in Florida approached the Speaker of the House this week on behalf of other Jewish legislators who state that they are offended and insulted by the practice of praying in the name of Jesus during House sessions. Jim Waldman of Coconut Creek contacted Speaker Will Weatherford to explain why what he called “the J.C. moment” presents a problem. “This year more so than others, every time the prayer comes up, it’s in Jesus’ name,” he said. “This is my seventh year talking about it, and it’s getting to be too much. It would be nice to have an inclusive prayer.” It’d be even nicer if they did away with the public prayers and got down to work. But how else are they supposed to get re-elected? By writing and debating meaningful legislation?! That’s crazy talk. [Click headline for more…] Read more
After Dannika Nash published her open letter to the Christian church about being anti-gay, and after a back-and-forth between her and one of the church’s defenders, Dr. Michael Brown (the defender of the church’s bigotry) has directed his attention at me. First, he takes issue with my tone. Dannika was admittedly nicer than I would have been — I don’t argue that — but he goes after commenters, too: [Click headline for more…] Read more
