17 June 2015 Religion and Atheism News Digest

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anne nicol gaylor, army, bible, candidates, catholic church, child abuse, christian, christianity, church of england, constitution, controversy, criticism, deceased, disciples, education, evangelicals, experiments, extinction, faith schools, god, gospels, israel, jesus, justice, michael martin, morality, NDE, parapsychology, play, pulpit, religion, schools, science, scientific, tristram hunt, truth, vatican

Anne Nicol Gaylor, Prominent Feminist and Atheist, Dies at 88

Anne Nicol Gaylor, a pioneering Madison businesswoman and abortion rights activist who was the principal founder of the Freedom From Religion Foundation died Sunday at Agrace HospiceCare in Fitchburg.

Michael L. Martin, Philosopher and Author, 1932–2015

Michael L. Martin, an American analytic philosopher and one of the most formidable academic champions of atheism, passed away unexpectedly at the age of eighty-three in Boston on May 27.

A New Play (In Development) – Caught in the Pulpit

Dan got the play idea back in 2009 then he was reading transcripts, thinking that the dialogue between me and the clergy would make great drama.

Stop Telling Me to Be Respectful of Others’ Beliefs

As an outspoken atheist I’ve come across the “be respectful of others’ beliefs” sentiment many times when expressing my thoughts.

Did Jesus’ Disciples Write the Gospels?

Who wrote the gospels of the New Testament? It’s common for Christian believers to act as though the gospels were written by the disciples whose names appear at the top of the first page.

No God in the Fight: Why a Christian Army is a Terrible Idea

As a former military service member, I’m fascinated by the idea of a “Christian Army” explicitly formed to fight ISIS, as reported by Mother Jones.

Evangelicals Hope to Find Candidates in the Pulpit

Disappointed at the lack of progress on their political agenda, a group of evangelical Christians think they might have found the best candidates for office — their pastors.

Catholic Church Child Abuse Cover-Ups: Vatican Justice is No Justice At All

The National Secular Society has dismissed Pope Francis’ new tribunal to hear the cases of bishops implicated in covering up child sex abuse as a “PR stunt” and has accused the Vatican of continuing to assist clerics escape justice over child sex abuse allegations.

The Bible v. the Constitution

Politicians, school boards, principals, and teachers are pushing creationism on kids.

Church of England ‘One Generation Away from Extinction’ After Dramatic Loss of Followers

The number of people in the UK who describe their beliefs as being Church of England or Anglican dropped from 21 per cent to 17 per cent between 2012 and 2014– a loss of around 1.7 million followers.

Canadian Freedom of Religion Case

In Loyola High School and John Zucci v. Attorney General of Quebec the Supreme Court of Canada addressed the issue of religious freedom in the context of teaching religion and ethics in a private Catholic school.

Tristram Hunt Criticises “Absurdities” Caused by Having Faith Schools in the Education System

Labour’s Shadow Education Secretary Tristram Hunt has warned that faith schools leave little hope for an integrated education system in the UK.

The Slow Death of Syrian Christianity

What horrors must ISIS commit before the world will stop the murderers?

Israel’s Funding Policy on Christian Schools Spurs Controversy

Hundreds of Palestinian high school students demonstrated in front of Israel’s Ministry of Education last week, protesting government attempts to force private Christian schools into the state system by starving them of funds.

Are Near-Death Experiences Supernatural?

NDEs are conscious experiences that people have in near-death contexts—situations in which their lives are in danger (or they believe this to be the case).

Are Science and Religion Compatible?

You’re all familiar with the position taken by Ken Ham. He fanatically says you’ve got to choose one or the other — see Ken Ham Is Engaged in a War.

Parapsychology and Scientific Experiments

In the long run of many, many experiments, the chances are high that a few will produce anomalous results — i.e., results which are not expected by sheer chance.

The Dunghill Origins of Morality

While vast numbers of people across the world (and Australia) continue to equate godlessness with a lack of morality, unbelievers can feel confident in their virtues, writes Michael Collett.

Do We Follow the Truths of a Religion, Or Shop for a Religion That Suits Us?

Kristen Stepanczuk discusses her switching from the Catholic Church to the Episcopal Church because the teachings of her church differed from how she lived her life (“When 2+2=5: It All Adds Up to Taking Pride in Yourself”).