No. 6 | Free Inquiry (original) (raw)
What's Religion Good For?
Introduction Tom Flynn
What is religion good for? For secular humanists on the atheist side of the spectrum, the reflexive answer is often ‘Nothing much.’
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What's Religion Good For?
Christianity Doesn’t Need God Daniel C. Maguire
As humanity faces ecological disaster, we must find wisdom wherever we can—even in religion.
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What's Religion Good For?
An Indictment of the Biblical Deity for the Crime of Genocide Thomas Tandy Lewis
The god of Moses commanded the Israelites (mythically or otherwise) to undertake a campaign of genocide in Canaan.
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What's Religion Good For?
Reason Unhinged: The Religious Subversion of Civil Accountability Andy Norman
Religious thinking systematically defies every rule of rational accountability essential to a robust and healthy political discourse. We need to do better!
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The Untold Story of Africa’s Secular Tradition Leo Igwe
The idea of separating religion and government is not new to Africa. Elements of secularism are identifiable in precolonial African societies.
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Editorial
Annus Horribilis Tom Flynn
Winning future church-state lawsuits may require us to step away from the familiar arena of “religious freedom” and into the more inclusive arena of freedom of conscience.
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Op-Ed
Is Atheism Doomed? Russell Blackford
Predictions of the imminent decline of atheism keep on coming . . . and they keep failing to come true.
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Op-Ed
What’s Good for the Bishop Ophelia Benson
In an authoritarian Facebook post, one Catholic bishop reveals more than he might have meant to.
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Op-Ed
Is It Ethical to Conceal Your Atheism? Greta Christina
On further consideration, there are still specific situations where it is ethical to conceal your atheism.
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Op-Ed
Science Finds an Answer for Parasites Arthur Caplan
There are risks, but the prospect of reducing parasitic diseases through gene-drive genetic engineering seems too good to pass up.
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Op-Ed
Closet Atheism and Tyranny: The Case of Critias of Athens Shadia B. Drury
Critias believed not in religion but only in its utility. His closet atheism made him more reprehensible than many tyrants who were honest theists.
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Op-Ed
Israel, Attacked by Hamas, Annuls Its Free Speech History Nat Hentoff
Uncharacteristically, Israel silences a domestic critic. But Hamas is the real enemy.
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Op-Ed
The Rape of the Classical World Mark Rubinstein
Despite early Christians’ efforts to destroy it, the ancients—especially the Greeks—had much of value that contemporary society could stand more of.
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Op-Ed
The State of American Secularism David Koepsell
Our approach toward a more secular society cannot be solely achieved through the courts.
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Letters in response to the August/September 2014 issue of Free Inquiry.
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Church-State Update
SCOTUS v. Religious Liberty Edd Doerr
Outrage over _Hobby Lobby_—and a priest turns (sort of?) secular humanist.
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Church and State
Where Do We Go from Here? Gary Whittenberger
After the stunning loss in Greece v. Galloway, secularists’ battle cry should now be “No Invocations without Representation!”
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Humanist Soapbox
Money on His Mindfulness: The Real Dalai Lama James Snell
The Dalai Lama carries some serious baggage, which scarcely anyone in an unfairly adoring West will dare to speak about.
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Faith and Reason
When Atheists Mourn: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Chemistry Dale DeBakcsy
The atheist’s understanding of death is only enriched by understanding the neurochemistry of attachment, loss, and mourning.
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God on Trial
The Day God Lied: A D’var Torah (Exegesis) on the Garden of Eden Sheldon F. Gottlieb
Much—so very much—that afflicts humanity today can be traced to the story of the Garden of Eden.
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Humanism at Large
The Learnings of a Secular Humanist Richard G. Dumont
The Fifteen Commandments according to one secular humanist.
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Obituary
Barbara Stanosz 1935–2014, Philosopher and Citizen Bohdan Chwedeńczuk, Andrzej Dominiczak
We honor Barbara Stanosz, Humanist Laureate and philosopher.
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Reviews
The Enduring Value of Philosophy Ronald A. Lindsay
A review of Plato at the Googleplex: Why Philosophy Won’t Go Away, by Rebecca Newberger Goldstein.
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Reviews
Arguing for an Afterlife Wayne L. Trotta
A review of Death and the Afterlife, by Samuel Scheffler.
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Reviews
Uncovering Our Blind Spots Bill Cooke
A review of Philosophy for a Better World, by Floris van den Berg.
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Reviews
Unconstructive Criticism of Public Education Edd Doerr
A review of Teachers versus the Public: What Americans Think about Schools and How to Fix Them, by Paul E. Peterson.
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Poem
The Great War Laura Bonazzoli
The poem from the October/November 2014 issue of Free Inquiry.
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