This Week in Religion, Superstition, Science, and Blasphemy

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Secularists Protest Pope’s Planned Address to the European Parliament

Over a dozen secularist organisations have written to the President of the European Parliament, Martin Schulz, objecting to his invitation to Pope Francis to address the Parliament. [Read more]

Do Religious Beliefs Completely Override Reason? This Study Says No.

I believed that the wafer was just a wafer, but I also believed that it somehow also contained the flesh of Jesus. [Read more]

Secular Americans Flexing Political Muscles in Midterm Elections

What has been most exciting to watch, and not just because it’s my job, is the evolving relationship between religion and politics, and the increased influence secular Americans are having on the political process. [Read more]

Godless Liberalism, Godless Liberals, and America

Godless liberalism should be defined as a liberal or progressive political perspective which doesn’t rely on gods, divine revelation, or religion for its values, ideas, or policies. [Read more]

Entertaining Churches, Preachy Movies

I go to a huge, non-denominational church. I covered a lot more in my days as a religion writer. And I can tell you that no one does church quite like modern evangelicals. [Read more]

Are Factual and Religious Belief the Same?

Consider the following two statements of “belief”: Devon believes that humans evolved from earlier primates over 100,000 years ago. Devon believes that humans were created less than 10,000 years ago. [Read more]

Wife of Megachurch Minister Under Fire for Blasphemous Comments

Megachurch minister Joel Osteen’s wife and pastor, Victoria, is under fire for making comments during a recent Sunday morning service that were considered blasphemous by orthodox Christians. [Read more]

These Evangelical Haunted Houses Are Designed to Show Sinners That They’re Going to Hell

Every Halloween, some conservative evangelical churches across the United States offer thrill seekers a faith-based alternative to the haunted house. [Read more]

Man with ‘Strong Christian Beliefs’ Nearly Decapitates Son of Oklahoma State Trooper in Grisly Murder

The victim, 19-year-old Jacob Crockett, was a friend of his alleged killer and his ‘head was mostly severed from his body,’ police said. The pair had argued previously over the victim’s practicing witchcraft. [Read more]

Federal Court: Indiana Must Allow Secular Celebrants to Solemnize Marriages

In a landmark victory for nonreligious Americans, the Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit unanimously ruled that the state of Indiana must allow marriages to be performed and solemnized by Secular Celebrants. [Read more]

The Mars Hill Church Organization Will Be Dissolved by January 1, 2015

In a letter from Dave Bruskas to Mars Hill Church posted on the church’s website, a plan for making all Mars Hill sites independent and dissolving the centralized organization was announced today. [Read more]

‘Constitutional Christian’ Demands Strippers’ Addresses so He Can ‘Pray for Them’

Read Article: http://aattp.org/creeper-of-the-year-constitutional-christian-demands-strippers-addresses-so-he-can-pray-for-them/

Uruguayan Churches Offer Some Resettlement Help to Syrian Refugees

Uruguayan churches in the World Council of Churches say they are working with the government in the South American country and other churches to relocate and settle refugees from the conflict raging in Syria. [Read more]

NSS Calls on Welsh Government to Review Compulsory Collective Worship

A number of parents from Wales have contacted the National Secular Society (NSS) complaining of “excessive worship”, with reports of children being made to pray up to four times a day – without parents being informed. [Read more]

Cracks in the Atheist Edifice

The rapid spread of Christianity is forcing an official rethink on religion. [Read more]

Contested Site in Jerusalem Reopens for Muslim Worship

Though Palestinian protesters clashed with Israeli forces in flash points throughout the occupied West Bank, intermittent rain and a security crackdown by both Israel and the Palestinian Authority appeared to limit the violence. [Read more]

Take It Or Leave It

Iran is the modern world’s first and only constitutional theocracy. It is also one of the least religious countries in the Middle East. [Read more]

Modern Witch Hunting and Superstitious Murder in India

In many parts of the world, elderly widows live in fear of being killed as “witches” when a neighbor becomes ill or livestock die unexpectedly. [Read more]

Science Looks into Immortal Pets

This week, researchers are proposing a different approach to animal testing of life-extending drugs: trials in pet dogs. [Read more]

New Hawking Film Brilliantly Dramatizes Paradox of Modern Science

Based on a memoir by Hawking’s ex-wife, Jane Wilde, the film opens as the two graduate students at Oxford meet and fall in love. [Read more]

Rev. David Rives: Science in the Bible

The rev begins with the myth of the Earth resting on the back of a turtle. Then he tells us of another myth, just as ridiculous, which violates all the laws of nature — the Big Bang.

[Read more]

Bringing the Pew to the Bench: Moment/Newseum Discussion on How Religion Influences Supreme Court Justices

In recent years, political figures have become more outspoken about their religious beliefs, which increasingly influences the discussion of national issues.

[Read more]