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• RichardDawkins.net – All Content

  • James Shapiro goes after natural selection again (twice) on HuffPo - Jerry Coyne - Why Evolution Is True August 22, 2012
  • Viewpoints: Why is faith falling in the US? - - - BBC News August 22, 2012
  • From Bible-Belt Pastor to Atheist Leader - Robert F. Worth - New York Times August 22, 2012
  • Does this set a record for smug nastiness? - Richard Dawkins - RichardDawkins.net August 22, 2012
  • Missionaries of Hate - - - Top Documentary Films August 22, 2012

For several years, Air Force Major named Jonathan Dowty , a.k.a. JD the Christian Fighter Pilot, has been making false statements and harassing subordinate military personnel who are either atheists or followers of non-Christian religions. Dowty is a Christian officer who belongs to the Officers’ Christian Fellowship (OCF), an organization that thinks the real duty of a military officer is to raise up “a spiritually transformed military, with ambassadors for Christ in uniform, empowered by the Holy Spirit.” While in the service the subordinates he attacked with his words were not free to defend themselves. One of the, recently out of the service, is finally speaking up. Read his response to Dowty here.

This link comes from SSA founding president  Andy Hudgins who says “Star Trek didn’t make me an Atheist but it taught me to use logic instead of superstition.”

Cyborgology offers a range of views on whether the internet has fostered a “geek culture” that opposes experts and produces an anti-intellectual online culture.

The Supreme Court will take up church employment disputes and the “ministerial exception.”   The case could help determine how much latitude religious organizations have in making employment decisions about clergy and others who perform religious duties. The Supreme Court has never expressly ruled on the doctrine, but judges in lower federal courts have used it to exempt religious organizations from anti-discrimination laws and other statutes that regulate how employers treat their workers.  The Court will decide whether a teacher who devoted part of her day to religious duties should be considered a ministerial employee in a wrongful dismissal suit. More importantly, Hosanna-Taboroffers the court an opportunity to shrink or expand the reach of the ministerial exception, thereby putting its stamp on an important doctrine that has been applied in different ways by lower federal and state courts. Read a detailed discussion at the Pew Forum for Religion and Public life here.

 

Thanks to Chris McGee for this link. CNN reports  on a new decade-long survey of American congregations shows religious health and vitality are weaker than they were 10 years ago.  While the survey showed that many congregations are adopting new technologies and innovative worship, there were steep drops in financial health and attendance at weekly worship services. Read the full story here.

This podcast from the BBC program In Our Time consists of experts discussing the history and basic tenets of Taoism, a Chinese philosophy and religion. Members of SSA might find the general discussion informative, but of particular interest is the focus on the naturalistic philosophy at its core.

An emerging Christian movement that seeks to take dominion over politics, business and culture in preparation for the end times and the return of Jesus, is becoming more of a presence in American politics. Listen to the story on Fresh Air from WHYY.

Boy refuses to wrestle female athlete at state championships because of his religion. Read an interesting essay here.

Read Ricky’s Holiday message here.

And listen to his interview on CNN here.

Rigby sent me this link the other day.  I think it might makes some interesting points.

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