April 2012
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Global Imobiliare: Vatican Wants To Fight The...
‘Vatican officials traveled this week to the island of Sicily, the heartland of the Mafia, to promote the church’s role in fighting organized crime.’ Read more: Global Imobiliare: Vatican Wants To Fight The Mafia?
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Bad News, Good News about anti-Islamic, Neo-Nazi...
‘There is alarming news about the rising racist and xenophobic movements in Europe, often called “Far Right”. A hundred years ago European racism was directed against Jews, and today virtually the same prejudice: Back then it was the “Can you be Jewish and European” question, today it is the “can you be Muslim and European” provocation.’ Read more: Bad News, Good News about...
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Spiritual Servitude? How Religion Justifies...
‘Which revered religious figure - Moses, Jesus, or the Prophet Mohammad - spoke out boldly and unambiguously against slavery? Answer: None of them. One of these men owned slaves, another created laws to regulate - but not ban – slavery. The third’s chief spokesman even ordered slaves to obey their masters, religious scholars say.’ Read more: Spiritual Servitude? How Religion Justifies...
March 2012
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Mayan Prophecy? Occupy 2012 and the Doomsday Cult...
‘One thing that became abundantly clear was that neither the Aztecs nor the Mayans were any more concerned about 2012 than the Catholic priests were concerned about the rapture. Several prominent shamans and tribal elders actually told me that they do not believe there is any pragmatic science behind the western interpretations of the 2012 prophecy.’ Read more: Mayan Prophecy? Occupy...
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American Anti-Scientism: Conservatives trust...
“For whatever reason, this appears to involve opposing science and universities and what is perceived as the ‘liberal culture.’ So, self-identified conservatives seem to lump these groups together and rally around the notion that what makes ‘us’ conservatives is that we don’t agree with ‘them.’” Read more: American Anti-Scientism:...
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Atheism Rising, But God Is Not Dead Yet: 10 Ways...
‘For most of the 20th century, smart people assumed — with smug certainty and probably more wishful thinking than they’d be willing to admit — that humanity’s long obsession with religion is finally winding down. God is dead — done in at last by the forces of enlightenment and reason. Humanity is now free to chart a new course, without worrying about the Big...
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Rick Santorum: Opus Dei Focused On Religion Not...
‘Rick Santorum’s ties to the Catholic group Opus Dei have been recently highlighted in news reports. Guest host Jacki Lyden continues the conversation about Opus Dei with long-time member, John Coverdale. They discuss the role of religion in politics and address claims that the group promotes a conservative political agenda.’ Read more: Rick Santorum: Opus Dei Focused On...
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The Quantum Exodus: Hitler's Gift to American...
‘Gordon Fraser’s fascinating ‘The Quantum Exodus’: In a series of mini-profiles, he tells the story of the scientists (mainly physicists) who were forced to flee Europe and the Nazis because they were Jewish. Many of them ended up in the United States and many of them worked on the atomic bomb, so valuable was their expertise, but I wondered how many of them would have...
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The Holy Cosmos: The New Religion of Space...
‘Carl Sagan and Neil deGrasse Tyson are high priests, astronauts are like saints that ascend into heaven, and extraterrestrials are as gods — benevolent, wise, and capable of manipulating space and time.’ Read more- The Holy Cosmos: The New Religion of Space Exploration
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Conservative Consciousness: 3 Reasons Republicans...
‘So then, the question is, why do people deny this? And why, might I add, do Republicans in particular deny this so strongly? And if your answer to that question is, “oh, because they’re stupid” — well, you’re wrong. That’s what liberals want to think, but it doesn’t seem be correct. In fact, it seems to be precisely the opposite — smarter (or...
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Captive Virgins, Polygamy, Sex Slaves: Marriage &...
‘Traditionally, Republicans tend to run on a platform of God, guns and gays. This time, it’s God, gyne-policy and gays – a set of urgent priorities straight from the mouths of conservative bishops and evangelists who call themselves Bible believers. There’s no way to understand politics anywhere without understanding religion, but to an outsider American Christianity — and so American...
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Mystic Propaganda: Islamophobia and the 2012...
‘When, in the last years, Marine Corps Intelligence put together a report on the practice of “cultural Islam” in Afghanistan, it noted that “Afghans are a traditionally superstitious culture,” specifically referencing the weight given to dreams and symbols as well as “practices…such as the evil eye superstition.” The “official use only” document noted that the Taliban sometimes plays to...
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China Pissed: Dalai Lama wins Templeton Prize in...
‘Grit your teeth, China leaders. The Dalai Lama, possibly the globe’s most famous contemporary voice for non-violence and compassion, was named the winner of the 2012 Templeton Prize today.’ Read more- China Pissed: Dalai Lama wins Templeton Prize in science, religion
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The Politics of Tibetan Buddhists' Suicide-by-Fire
‘A Tunisian set himself afire and brought on Arab spring. Why don’t 30 Tibetan self-immolations bring on dramatic change?’ Read more: The Politics of Tibetan Buddhists’ Suicide-by-Fire
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Religion vs Science: Religious Right is wrong...
‘Meanwhile, candidates vying for the Republican presidential nomination reject the overwhelming scientific evidence for human-caused climate change. Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich once held rational positions but have since capitulated to the fossil fuel lobby. Rick Santorum just seems out of touch on every issue, from rights for women and gays to the environment. He’s referred to climate...
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Psychology of Religion: Are People Born with...
‘A controversial new book contends that we are all born predisposed to religious belief. Justin L. Barrett discusses his research, his feud with Richard Dawkins—and why he’s a believer himself.’ Read more: Psychology of Religion: Are People Born with Religious Belief?
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Santorum's Goyim Gaffe: Protestant, Catholic,...
‘There was a time when it seemed like progress for Catholics and Jews to be folded into Protestant America and frequently referred to as a single entity. For most, that time has passed.’ Read more: Santorum’s Goyim Gaffe: Protestant, Catholic, Jewish -We’re All Christians!
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Religion has always sought Politics to keep its...
‘Doctrine of necessity is not a new phenomenon in politics, and Islam has implemented it more than any other religion, There is a strong relationship between religion and politics, where the former dominates the latter, says Dr Aslam speaking at Safma.’ Read more: Religion has always sought Politics to keep its Societal Hegemony
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Mayan Civilization's Demise Tied To Religious...
‘A dread of malevolent spirits haunting forsaken areas could, along with environmental catastrophes, help to explain why some areas in the ancient Mayan world proved less resilient than others when their civilization disintegrated, researchers suggest.’ Read more: Mayan Civilization’s Demise Tied To Religious Beliefs, Fear Of Evil Spirits
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Science & Santorum's 'War On Porn'
‘In a statement first posted last week on his campaign website, Santorum cites “a wealth of research” demonstrating that pornography causes “profound brain changes” and widespread negative effects in both adults and children, including violence against women. There’s no such evidence of brain changes, researchers say — though the question of pornography’s...
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Biblical Archaeology: Faith, Forgery, Science, and...
‘On March 14, a Jerusalem judge acquitted a man accused of forging an inscription on a small stone coffin. The writing, on what’s known as the James Ossuary, reads “James son of Joseph brother of Jesus.” Its promoters claim that it’s the first archaeological evidence of Jesus Christ’s existence and that the box once held the bones of Jesus’ brother James....
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‘Religious Freedom’ Rally Sets Stage for 1st...
‘“Our liberty, our freedom of religion, inalienable, granted by God, and enshrined in our Constitution, is under attack,” Hagen added, parroting the talking points of the national effort by anti-contraception activists which staged 140 simultaneous rallies across the country on Friday. Hagen, a waitress at Carrabba’s who told me she wasn’t particularly political...
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Egypt military lashes out at Muslim Brotherhood
‘The military in a statement expressed “extreme indignation” over Brotherhood comments on Saturday that questioned its motives in supporting the government, which the Islamists accuse of stalling the revolution that ousted Hosni Mubarak.’ Read more: Egypt military lashes out at Muslim Brotherhood
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Anti-Islamist protest group to form a Freedom...
‘The leader of a British anti-Islamist group said on Friday his populist protest movement, which critics say represents a new far right in Britain, would form a political party in May. Stephen Lennon, head of the English Defence League (EDL), said the three-year-old grassroots group wanted to move on from holding street demonstrations to contesting elections.’ Read more: Anti-Islamist...
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Kony2012 and Child Soldiers: a Symptom of War,...
‘I have seen a number of articles written recently about the problem of Child Soldiers in various conflicts abroad – most notably in Africa and Colombia. What has struck me about these pieces, and the discourse about this phenomenon in general, is that they treat the phenomenon of Child Soldiers as the disease to be cured, rather than what it truly is – a symptom of the much more deadly...
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Richard Dawkins to atheist rally: Show contempt...
‘About 20,000 atheists gathered within shouting distance of the Washington Monument on Saturday for a Reason Rally hell-bent on damning religion and mocking beliefs.’ Read more: Richard Dawkins to atheist rally: Show contempt for faith
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5 Ways US National Security Policies Will Erode...
‘By now, you’d think we’d be entering the end of the 9/11 era. One war over in the Greater Middle East, another hurtling disastrously to its end, and the threat of al-Qaeda so diminished that it should hardly move the needle on the national worry meter. You might think, in fact, that the moment had arrived to turn the American gaze back to first principles: the Constitution and...
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Military Intelligence Complex: Throwing Money at...
‘If you’ve been fretting about faltering math education and falling test scores here in the United States, you should be worried based on this campaign season of Republican math. When it comes to the American military, the leading Republican presidential candidates evidently only learned to add and multiply, never subtract or divide.’ Read more: Military Intelligence Complex:...
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Interfaith Inquisiton: The War On Religion Does...
‘Apparently, attempts are underway to open a new front in the supposed “war on religion” in my home state of Louisiana as it takes center stage in the presidential primary season. Truth be told, from what I have seen lately, those claiming there is a war on religion are the ones most guilty of waging that assault.’ Read more: Interfaith Inquisiton: The War On Religion Does...
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From Gaza to Guantanamo... America’s Obsession...
‘Washington’s obsession with Israel is understandable because Israel can do no wrong in the eyes of America, and US politicians are puppets in its hands. There isn’t a national politician in the United States who would dare criticize Israel, because if they did their political careers would end very quickly. Now that’s power; real power.’ Read more: From Gaza to Guantanamo…...
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Derivative Dominion: Does the Inquisition Explain...
‘Certainly there are many connections between the Inquisition and more recent institutions. But Murphy strains to connect the Inquisition to the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II, to McCarthyism, to the “dirty war” in Argentina, to the proliferation of security cameras in present-day Britain—in short, to practically any and every relatively recent infringement upon civil...
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propAGanda: Outrageous Lies Monsanto and Friends...
‘In a blatant attempt at brainwashing, the Council for Biotechnology Information (CBI) has widely circulated what it calls a Biotechnology Basics Activity Book for kids, to be used by “Agriculture and Science Teachers.” The book — called Look Closer at Biotechnology — looks like a science workbook, but reads more like a fairy tale. Available on the council’s...
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Theocratic Conspiracy? Religion and Faith-Full...
‘With each passing day, religious topics are becoming increasingly significant in the presidential campaign discourse. The GOP presidential candidates are all too happy to discuss their faith, extolling their open and proud devotion to versions of Christianity. Such devotion, they suggest, makes them particularly qualified to become president. By the same token, this narrative suggests...
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Catholic America: Papal religion and politics in...
‘Pope Benedict’s visit to Latin America in 2012 will take him to two countries: one where the Catholic Church is under attack and the other where the church is growing in influence. If you think Cuba was where the church was being attacked and Mexico where it was growing, you are wrong. It’s the other way around.’ Read more: Catholic America: Papal religion and politics in Mexico and...
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Anti-Shariah movement loses steam in state...
‘The wave of anti-Shariah legislation has broken in recent weeks, as bills in several states have either died or been withdrawn, raising questions about whether the anti-Shariah movement has lost its momentum.’ Read more: Anti-Shariah movement loses steam in state legislatures
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How Religion's Demand for Obedience Keeps Us in...
‘For the vast majority of human history, the only form of government was the few ruling over the many. As human societies became settled and stratified, tribal chiefs and conquering warlords rose to become kings, pharaohs and emperors, all ruling with absolute power and passing on their thrones to their children. To justify this obvious inequality and explain why they should reign over...
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Russian court rejects call to ban Hindu holy book...
‘A Russian court has rejected a call from prosecutors to ban one of Hinduism’s holiest books, avoiding a diplomatic tussle days before President Dmitry Medvedev’s visit to India. Prosecutors argue that the book – a translation of the Bhagavad Gita – included a commentary that was ‘hostile to other faiths’. Initial reports of the court case against the book caused Indian parliamentarians to...
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Santorum Says Americans Should Challenge Science...
‘Rick Santorum says that Americans should — but don’t — feel comfortable challenging science, and instead rely on biblical dogma and teachings. Santorum takes two of the most scientifically-settled concepts known to man: evolution and climate change, and says that just because ninety-something percent of the world agrees that both concepts are true and correct, there’s no reason to accept...
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Anonymous: LulzSec will return to reign hack-voc...
‘The hacktivists are striking back. After Hector Xavier Monsegur — better known as “Sabu,” the leader of LulzSec — was outed as an FBI informant after last year’s string of Web terror, Anonymous is now taking back control of the group, declaring its return on April 1. Wait a sec. April 1? Why, that’s April Fool’s Day!’ Read more: Anonymous: LulzSec will...
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Mexican drug cartel Knights Templar cease fire for...
‘THE Knights Templars drugs cartel is calling a short truce - but only to welcome Pope Benedict XVI to Mexico. “The Knights Templars are holding off on all violent action, we are not killers, welcome to the Pope,” the official said paraphrasing one of the signs put up in the town of Irapuato, Guanajuato state.’ Read more: Mexican drug cartel Knights Templar cease fire for...
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War on the Womb: Why women need secularism
‘For me, as a young woman just starting her adult life, the women’s liberation movement and the inclusion of ‘sex’ in Title VII of the Civil Rights Act gave me something very powerful. I did not have to follow the paths of my mother, grandmothers, or their mothers before them. I could have a career. I didn’t have to find a husband to make me a complete person, and I could decide when or...
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Did The Dutch Catholic Church Castrate Young Males...
‘The Dutch parliament on Tuesday called for an investigation into reports that Catholic clerics ordered castrations of young males in the 1950s in an attempt to cure their homosexuality. Dutch MPs raised questions in parliament over a weekend report in Dutch newspaper NRC Handelsblad saying boys from a Catholic boarding school had been castrated.’ Read more: Did The Dutch Catholic...
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Is Free Will an Illusion? Scientists, Philosophers...
‘A hot topic for several thousand years, the question of whether free will exists may never be settled to everyone’s satisfaction. But in a series of new articles for the Chronicles of Higher Education, six academics from diverse fields offer fresh perspectives from the standpoints of modern neuroscience and philosophy. Ultimately, they voted 4-2 in favor of the position that free...
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Too Much Religion In Political Talk, Pew Survey...
‘Politicians should keep their religion to themselves and quit publicly praying and talking so much about their faith, according to a new Pew Research Center survey.’ Read more: Too Much Religion In Political Talk, Pew Survey Finds
