Freethought News

Is Newt Gingrich America’s King David?
With Newt Gingrich sharply rising in the polls, more and more Religious Right activists are saying that his personal background of serial adultery and multiple divorces will not be a deal breaker for social conservative voters. Bob Vander Plaats cited ... Related articles:
Jesus and Paul: Figurehead and founder of Christianity?

When the facts of comparative religion and history are known, typical perspectives of Christian origins and history sometimes sound unsophisticated and uninformed. For example, in the article below Huffington Post writer Robert Orlando raises up a number of "Christian" elements that derive from pre-Christian Paganism. However, he also comments: "There were no models for dying and rising Messiahs..." The reality is that, while the numerous pre-Christian "dying-and-rising" or "birth-death-rebirth" gods and goddesses may not have been deemed "messiahs" per se, there did exist plenty of models from which to draw.

Moreover, Orlando asserts: "Paul never intended to begin a religion himself..." It is not possible 2,000 years later to determine what Paul "intended," "thought" or "felt," unless he specifically stated as much in writings from the day we currently possess. Otherwise, we are simply speculating, as is the case with other assertions in this article, such as that Jesus "would not have put aside his religion in light of a lawless Gentile mission or a new cosmic encounter with a Holy Spirit or Holy Trinity--which would have been polytheism!"

According to Christian fathers and theologians over the past nearly two millennia, the idea behind Christianity was to introduce a...
Old Whine in New Bottles
The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops has launched a campaign against a supposed war on religion. Right here in the United States! Related articles:
1. Birthers Whine That No One Takes Them Seriously Anymore
FFRF announces “Atheists in Foxholes Support Fund”
The Freedom From Religion Foundation, a 501(c)(3) educational charity which has a careful track record of administering scholarships and student activist awards for decades, is announcing the creation of a special fund, "The Atheists in Foxholes Support Fund", to provide scholarships and assistance to persons who exhibit bravery in furthering the cause and experience hardship because of that stand. Related articles:
In the front lines of the “climate wars”
Here's another book to look out for -- The Hockey Stick and the Climate Wars: Dispatches from the Front Lines. It will be published at the beginning of March 2012. Related articles:
It’s a Bird, It’s a Plane, It’s ‘Bible Man’: Alabama School Board Makes Super-Bad Decision
No parent should be asked by a government official to homeschool a child because she has the “wrong” views about religion. Related articles:
Bible-Based Bombast: Kansas House Speaker Prays For The President’s Days To Be Few
I hope Kansas House Speaker O’Neal resigns – or at least repents. Should Americans pray for the death of the president? Related articles:
Mitt Romney – Bio and Updates
Brief bio, poll positions, delegate counts, and regular news updates on GOP Candidate Mitt Romney. Related articles:
Newt Gingrich – Bio and Updates
Bio, poll positions, delegate counts, and news updates on GOP Presidential candidate Newt Gingrich. Related articles:
Ron Paul – Bio and Updates
Biography, poll positions, delegate counts, and news updates about 2012 GOP Presidential candidate Ron Paul. Related articles:
Rick Santorum – Bio and Updates
Bio, poll positions, delegate counts, and regular news updates for Presidential candidate Rick Santorum. Related articles:
Why presidents should boycott prayer breakfasts
Statement by Annie Laurie Gaylor FFRF Co-President President Barack Obama’s 2,562-word speech to the National Prayer Breakfast yesterday was an exercise in pure unadulterated political pandering. Blithely ignoring FFRF’s formal requests that he not participate, he’s given similar talks the past two years at the National Prayer Breakfast — a private event with a public name organized by the shadowy Christian-right Fellowship Foundation. Many other presidents, Cabinet members and high-ranking politicians since the 1950s have “taken a knee” at this event. Yet seeing and reading Obama’s speech on Thursday (view video here and transcript here) was still a shock, even to this veteran separationist. Obama did throw a few bones to unbelievers, Jews and Muslims (sometimes almost humorously). Whole paragraphs are basically secular generalities. Obama can’t quite put aside his law professor pedigree, fortunately. He observes: “We know that part of living in a pluralistic society means that our personal religious beliefs alone can’t dictate our response to every challenge we face.” He admits caring for the poor is espoused “among many believers and among many nonbelievers.” When he quotes the Golden Rule, he correctly adds it is “found in every major religion and every set of beliefs” (although he left out Confucius). Obama mentions growing up “in a household that wasn’t particularly religious . . . before finding Christ.” But he plays his part as the pious politician with disturbing gusto, schmoozing with theocrats, establishing his daily routine of prayer, indulging in a little “only God is perfect” self-deprecation and reveling...
FFRF asks West Point to rethink prayer breakfast
The Freedom From Religion Foundation has written a Jan. 31 letter to the U.S. Military Academy calling for it to do some "soul searching" over West Point's annual so-called "National Prayer Breakfast," after a controversy about Lt. Gen. Jerry Boykin's invitation to speak. FFRF is a national state/church watchdog with over 17,500 members nationwide, including 24 percent who are active duty military and veterans. Boykin has been a polarizing figure, known for giving pro-Christian, anti-Muslim speeches in churches ("my God was bigger than his"). FFRF said Boykin's reckless statements have consequences for National Security and he should never have been invited. Although Boykin withdrew yesterday from the Feb. 8 event, FFRF pointed out that this debacle is part of a larger problem: military endorsement of religion. "We request that you cancel these 'National Prayer Breakfasts' and issue a statement repudiating Boykin’s comments. Boykin’s divisiveness has shone a light on this annual National Prayer Breakfast, which goes beyond the proper role of the Office of Chaplains. The message is received loud and clear by cadets: the Academy prefers and endorses one religion. We need military leaders who are willing to protect the rights of conscience of all," charged FFRF Co-Presidents Dan Barker and Annie Laurie Gaylor. FFRF wrote: "Boykin was invited to speak by the academy despite his record of fundamentalist and bigoted statements made during speaking engagements. Boykin consistently attacks Islam, criticizes a secular view of government, and couches such statements with references to a religious war. The Academy’s invite...
FFRF protests misuse of federal, presidential Seals by National Prayer Breakfast backers
The Freedom From Religion Foundation has contacted four federal agencies over what appears to be egregious violations of federal law by publicizers of the National Prayer Breakfast, who are appropriating the Presidential, Congressional and Great Seals of the United States to promote the breakfast. The misuse gives the false impression that the infamous National Prayer Breakfast, which takes place tomorrow in Washington, D.C., is sponsored and approved by multiple layers of the federal government. FFRF has already asked President Barack Obama to boycott the annual theo-political event, where he is once again scheduled to appear and speak. FFRF, a Madison, Wis.-based state/church watchdog, wrote on behalf of its 17,500 nonreligious members nationwide. In separate letters to Attorney General Eric H. Holder, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Secretary of the Senate Nancy Erickson and Clerk of the U.S. House Karen Lehman Haas, FFRF Senior Staff Attorney Rebecca Markert noted that the appearance of these seals “give the false and misleading appearance” that the National Prayer Breakfast sponsors have “close ties to the U.S. government.” FFRF notes the private prayer breakfast costs attendants $650 per person. The 2010 990 Form for the hosting organization, The Fellowship Foundation, reveals it raked in $1,053.468 in 2009. The National Prayer Breakfast is put on by the notorious and shadowy Fellowship Foundation, aka The Family, which does not have its own website. The National Prayer Breakfast event is promoted at the website of the Leadership Development Seminars (LDS), an organization that works to further “Jesus centered leadership.” The LDS website is peppered...
FFRF hails long overdue Alaska Airlines announcement
Statement by Annie Laurie Gaylor FFRF Co-President Today, at long last, Alaska Airlines will cease a much-protested-by-us practice of distributing “prayer cards” to its airline customers. Late last week Alaska Airlines announced it has been providing those cards for “more than 30 years,” but has finally reconsidered. A statement signed by Bill Ayer, Chair and CEO, Alaska Air Group, and Brad Tilden, President, Alaska Airlines, announced that they believe eliminating the cards is “the right thing to do in order to respect the diverse religious beliefs and cultural attitudes of all our customers and employees.” (Practicalities also intervened — Alaska Airlines stopped providing the cards to coach six years ago, when meal tray service ended.) May I say “Hallelujah?” It took 30 years, but Alaska Airlines finally listened! As long as Alaska Airlines has been providing the prayer cards, the Freedom From Religion Foundation has been receiving complaints about them, and acting on those complaints. Pre-Internet, starting back in the mid-1980s, I used to head our “Target List,” whereby we would send out monthly or periodic lists of people, columnists or corporations who needed to be educated. A loyal group of highly articulate members participated and it was always a joy to read copies of their replies. Honestly, I feel our cumulative letters (sent, in those slow-paced days by mail, sometimes arriving weeks after the fact) can take credit for turning at least one religious-right columnist into an agnostic, helping to wean an editorial cartoonist (who shall not be named) away from religion, and affecting some major state/church...
FFRF to sue over Catholic Shrine on federal land
The Freedom From Religion Foundation will be suing the U.S. Forest Service over the unconstitutional presence of a Knights of Columbus shrine to Jesus in Flathead National Forest in Montana. FFRF has readied a legal complaint and plans to file it shortly in federal court in Montana. In an official memo released today by the US Forest Service, it announced it will reauthorize a special use permit for the Knights of Columbus to maintain a Jesus shrine in Flathead National Forest for the next decade. The Knights of Columbus first applied for a permit for the purpose of erecting "a Statue of our Lord Jesus Christ" on the public mountain in 1953. It has sanctioned the looming presence of the six-foot statue of Jesus overlooking Big Mountain ski run since 1954. Chip Weber, Flathead National Forest Supervisor, determined last year after complaints from FFRF and others that the religious shrine was inappropriate. But after a backlash led by U.S. Rep. Denny Rehberg, R-Mont., who is campaigning for Senate, the Forest Service began back-pedaling. The Forest Service announced a "public comment" period, which ran through Dec. 8, 2011, on whether to continue the unconstitutional lease. "A federal agency should not hold a vote on whether to obey the Constitution!" said Annie Laurie Gaylor, FFRF co-president. "The U.S. Forest Service has unlawfully misused federal land owned by all of us to further Christianity in general, and Roman Catholicism in particular. This diminishes the civil and political standing of nonreligious and nonChristian Americans, and shows flagrant governmental preference...
World running out of clean water, food and fuel, as population explodes?

Nothing to see here, move along. Is it time for local hemp-based economies yet, or do we need to wait until hundreds of millions have died? I blame the oilmongers and assorted other greedy and shortsighted individuals for this mess. We could have had the "people's plant" all along. Those who banned hemp globally should be considered criminals who have committed massive crimes against humanity. Hemp can be used for food, fuel/biomass, fabric, plastics and thousands of other purposes, such as pollution remediation, which could clean up the water as well. Growing hemp locally would also reduce warfare and strife over resources, as well as the global "carbon footprint" and the spread of oppressive ideologies empowered by oil money.

Many people have been predicting this highly serious problem of population explosion and resource deprivation for decades, including the much-maligned Stanford University biologist Dr. Paul Ehrlich, whose book The Population Bomb became a bestselling influence after its publication in 1968. Because of such dire warnings, some measures were taken, and Ehrlich's science-based prognostications did not occur earlier to the extent predicted at the time. However, despite the best hopes of economists and others, it appears that the temporary bandage is now failing.

Prayer breakfast serves up an unlawful mixture of state/church
The Freedom From Religion Foundation has sent a cautionary letter to President Barack Obama asking him to once again disassociate the Oval Office from the so-called annual "National Prayer Breakfast" taking place on Thursday, Feb. 2. Obama is scheduled to once again participate. "The National Day of Prayer Breakfast lends the unmistakable appearance that the White House itself is cosponsoring the event, working hand in glove with the ultra-right-wing Christian group, The Fellowship Foundation, also known as 'the Family.' This group, apparently originated the breakfast to mix religion and state in the early 1950s," wrote FFRF Co-Presidents Dan Barker and Annie Laurie Gaylor. FFRF noted the event sends a message that the president prefers and endorses the Christian faith. These actions exclude and offend the significant portion of the population that is non-Christian (24 percent) including nonreligious (15 percent). "The inclusion of other faiths at the government-promoted or sponsored National Prayer Breakfast still excludes those of us with no religious faith — the fastest-growing segment of the U.S. population by religious identification," noted FFRF. FFRF maintains that the entanglement of the Office of the President with the National Prayer Breakfast is inappropriate and unnecessary. "We request that you honor the oath you took to uphold our godless Constitution, leaving religion to the private sphere, and cancel your plan to 'bless' this sectarian event," wrote FFRF. The Foundation has taken issue with the president's appearance at this event for years. After writing a series of letters last year, FFRF Staff Attorney Stephanie Schmitt...
Arabic word for 'nakedness,' 'shame' also means 'woman'

Do we wonder why there is so much sexism and misogyny in the Arab world and elsewhere? It's embedded in the language: In Arabic, for example, an important word for "shame" and "nakedness" - which represents a grievous sin in Islam - also commonly connotes "woman," according to Wikipedia and other sources cited there and below:

Awrah or Awrat (Arabic: عورة‎) is a term used within Islam which denotes the intimate parts of the body, for both men and women, which must be covered with clothing. Exposing the awrah is unlawful in Islam and is regarded as sin. The exact definition of awrah varies between different schools of Islamic thought.

Etymologically, the term awrah derives from the root ‘a-w-r which means "defectiveness," "imperfection," "blemish" or "weakness." However, the most common English translation is "nakedness."

In Persian and Kurdish (Persian: عورت) as well as Urdu, the word awrat derived from the Arabic awrah, had been used widely to mean "woman." Consulting Mohammad Moin's dictionary of Persian, awrah leads to two significations:

1. Nakedness, shame
2. Young woman.

Other derivatives range in meaning from blind in one eye, false or artificial, among others^. Traditionally the word awrat, alongside the word za'ifeh (which derives from Arabic za'if, meaning weak) has been associated with femininity and women who lived under the protection of a man. In modern day Iran, using the two words (awrah and za'ifah) to refer to women...

Rhode Island student follows American Founders, gets hate speech, death threats

Bring back the witch burnings! The brouhaha involving Rhode Island high school student Jessica Ahlquist, 16, who requested her school remove a prayer banner invoking '"Our Heavenly Father," serves to illustrate how the ideals of the American Founders have been trampled and corrupted by religious fanatics in this country.

Ahlquist made a simple request to preserve what is called the "separation of Church and State," based on the "Establishment Clause" of the American Constitution. For her efforts, she's been viciously attacked with all kinds of insults, hate speech and threats of violence, including death, with a Rhode Island state representative suggesting she's an "evil little thing."

However, it is Ahlquist's Constitutional right to attend a secular public school. If others wish to attend religious schools, there are plenty of those in this country. Our public schools must be kept secular, teaching religion only from a dispassionate and uninvolved perspective. Otherwise, religion must be barred from public schools. No proselytizing, no school prayers - nada.

This Constitutional "wall of separation" was further solidified by a woman named Vashti McCollum, who sued her local school board over religious indoctrination and won, in a Supreme Court ruling in 1948:

Vashti McCollum, a self-described humanist from Champaign, Ill., challenges the practice of allowing students...

Pennsylvania bible resolution is ‘sinfully’ unconstitutional
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is protesting an unconstitutional resolution naming 2012 the "Year of the Bible," unanimously passed (193-0) in the Pennsylvania General Assembly this week. House Resolution 535 arrogantly exhorts citizens to "study and apply the teachings of the holy scriptures.” What a discredit to the legacy of William Penn, one of the earliest champions of freedom of conscience, FFRF charges in a joint letter to Speaker of the House Samuel Smith and House Minority Leader Frank Dermody. The Pennsylvania Assembly is strictly prohibited by the Pennsylvania Constitution from controlling or interfering with "the limits of conscience," or showing any preference "by law to any religious establishments or modes of worship." "It is no more permissible for members of the Assembly to 'bless' the bible than it would be for them to endorse the koran," wrote FFRF Co-Presidents Dan Barker and Annie Laurie Gaylor. Pennsylvania legislators have no right to endorse the bible as "the word of God," much less to direct state and national citizens to study and apply it. Most perniciously, the resolution implies our nation was founded on the bible, when in fact our nation is founded on an entirely secular and godless constitution, whose only references to religion are exclusionary, such as there shall be no religious test for public office. "Our constitution grants sovereignty not to a deity or a 'holy book,' but to 'We, the People.' There is no reference to God, the bible, the Ten Commandments or Jesus in the U.S. Constitution, just...

American Sikhs sue Jay Leno for 'libel' over Golden Temple joke

These Sikhs have just lumped themselves in with Muslim extremists - not a good way to bring attention to yourself and to make friends. Newsflash: America isn't India, where your ethnocentric cult is coddled by the law - and RELIGION IS NOT A RACE. The "racism" and "defamation" cards are really getting old.

This lawsuit needs to be thrown out and the plaintiffs made to bear the costs - telling jokes is surely a First Amendment right on the part of Leno. Can we sue supremacist and male-dominant religions for libeling and defaming humanity, especially the female half? Criticizing and ridiculing sexist and bigoted religious ideologies is part of my religion - who can I sue for oppressing me in my religion?

I have always liked Sikhs, a number of whom I've been friendly with over the years (some funny stories), but this wisdom-less brouhaha is very disappointing. I do have a question for Jay, however: Would you dare ridicule Islam and Muslims?

Jay Leno sued over 'Tonight Show' joke

Jay Leno's really taking it on the chin over his joke about Mitt Romney last week.

Leno has taken heat from a religious group after cracking that presidential contender Romney keeps the Golden Temple...

Maine Prayer Caucus issues immoral “call to prayer”
The Freedom From Religion Foundation has sent a memo to Gov. Paul LePage and the Maine Legislative Prayer Caucus highlighting a few of the historical fallacies, contradictions and inaccuracies in the “Call to Prayer for Maine” signed on Jan. 17. FFRF is a nonprofit, educational organization representing over 17,000 members across the country including members in Maine. It represents a viewpoint shared by the 25 percent of Maine citizens who self-identify as nonreligious. The memo discusses how this prayer is a misuse of civil power and how it ignores the 45 million Americans who "do not draw hope, strength, or comfort by supplicating to invisible means of support." FFRF, with the help of Constitutional Consultant Andrew Seidel explained that "it is a perversion of history and our Constitution to claim that it was founded on, 'faith-based principles.' " "Our government is not based on faith or on god; our government is based on the idea, an anti-biblical idea, that 'Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just Powers from the consent of the governed.' Both the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution repudiate the idea of a god-given government. The [Prayer] Proclamation renounces the democratic ideal in favor of the divine right to rule that our country rebelled against in 1776," noted FFRF. The Prayer Proclamation cites the bible as a reason to pray, but it ignores the fact that the bible commands believers to "go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in...

Kentucky pastor asks God to trim budget
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is troubled over an illegal blending of religion and politics by Buck Run Baptist Church Pastor Hershael York prior to Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear's Jan. 17 budget address. FFRF is a national state/church watchdog with 17,000 members nationwide, including many members in Kentucky. York's overtly Christian prayer began with, "Heavenly Father, I ask you to..." and ended "In the name of God the Father, and of his Son, Jesus, and of the Blessed Holy Spirit we pray, Amen." This clear constitutional violation, along with dissatisfied Kentucky citizens, prompted FFRF Co-President Annie Laurie Gaylor to write an advisory letter to Beshear: "Government officials represent more than just Christians; they represent all their constituents including atheists, agnostics, Jews, Muslims, Wiccans, Hindus and other minority religious views. Your active participation in Christian prayer in your official capacity unabashedly promotes that religion over other religions and over nonreligion." The prayer also took advantage of the political nature of the event. Several references were made to York's position on the expanded gaming amendment that was to come before the legislature. York insinuated God's wish was to have government officials vote against such legislation. York urged officials to listen to God as they contemplate the gaming amendment. "May they never resort to leveraging vice and avarice to pay our bills. Help us to admit that we cannot truly love our neighbor as ourselves and then scheme to get his money by enticing him with vain hope." During the prayer, York used spiritual...

Join me in the Yucatan for a December 21, 2012 celebration!

Happy 21st! Just a reminder of this momentous occasion - I'm told spaces are filling up, so if you want to meet me in Mexico, check it out now!

Okay, folks. It's a very rare occurrence when I make a public appearance - and this "coming out" party is going to be a doozy!

In December 2012, I am scheduled to speak at the archaeological site of Chichen Itza in the Yucatan, Mexico, and you are invited!

This fabulous gathering will occur from December 13-22, 2012 and includes access onto the site on the very day of the winter solstice, a date claimed by some modern analysts to represent the end of the Mayan Calendar. This particular day is not represented in native Maya literature and tradition as the end of the calendar, but the winter solstice/"December 25th" has been celebrated in the northern hemisphere for thousands of years - and what a spectacular place to celebrate it!

The year 2012, of course, is notorious because it represents the end of one cycle in the Mayan calendar - not the end of the world. In fact, 2012 is the beginning of another cycle; thus, my talk at this gather in the Yucatan will be titled, "2012: A New Beginning." Here's the promotional summary:

At the gathering in December 2012, D.M. Murdock will be presenting a talk entitled, "2012: A New Beginning." As a specialist in...

Florist shops violate Rhode Island public accommodation statute
FFRF arrangement sent to Jessica. The flower shop issued this warm statement on their Facebook page: "Glimpse of Gaia fully supports our First Amendment and will not be bullied by those who do not. Here's to you, Jessica Ahlquist!" The Freedom From Religion Foundation this afternoon filed a formal complaint (scroll to end of story to view FFRF's newly added complaint with Flowers by Santilli) with the State of Rhode Island Commission for Human Rights, alleging “illegal discrimination based on religion” when a flower shop in Cranston refused, on the basis of religion, to fill an order to send a dozen roses to Jessica Ahlquist. Jessica, 16, has been treated as a pariah by many in her Cranston community for being the lead plaintiff in a federal lawsuit that resulted last week in a court order to remove an illegal prayer banner at her high school auditorium. The complaint, filed by FFRF’s Senior Staff Attorney Rebecca Markert, notes that FFRF, based in Madison, Wis., is “the nation’s largest association of freethinkers — atheists, agnostics and skeptics,” and that “Ms. Ahlquist is an outspoken atheist who has made national headlines because of her involvement in a federal lawsuit against the Cranston School District.” Markert lays out the facts, noting that on Tuesday, FFRF Co-President Annie Laurie Gaylor, wishing to send a bouquet of roses to congratulate Jessica, contacted a shop based in Madison, Wis., to assist with the delivery. FFRF understands at least three florists in Cranston were contacted on Wednesday. • Floral Express, in Cranston,...

Please respect my religion! New video!

Note from the author: Thank you for watching my video - I hope you enjoyed it. I am planning to do many more videos, including a full-length documentary based on my book The Christ Conspiracy. However, I am in need of better computer equipment to do so and do not have the funding. If you liked this effort, please consider donating to the cause of obtaining proper equipment for my new enterprise, FreethoughtFilms.com. Your support is greatly appreciated: $5, $10, $20, $50 or more - any amount will be helpful. Thank you.

Please respect my religion!
by D.M. Murdock/Acharya S

We are often asked to "respect people's religions." In the first place, many religious ideas are very disrespectful to human beings and are not worthy of respect. Secondly, what about people respecting our religion in return?

The word "religion" comes from the Latin noun religiō, which means, among other things, "scrupulousness" or...

American Muslim: Islamic law prescribes death for apostates and gays, promotes pedophilia and wife beating, must be banned

Do U.S. courts justify Sharia-based Crimes?
By Dr. Tawfik Hamid
www.tawfikhamid.com

A federal appeals court has blocked an Oklahoma voter-approved measure barring state judges from considering Islamic and international law in their decisions.

Muneer Awad, the executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) in Oklahoma, sued to block the law from taking effect, arguing that the Save Our State Amendment violated his First Amendment rights.

The court stated "When the law that voters wish to enact is likely unconstitutional, their interests do not outweigh Mr. Awad's in having his constitutional rights protected."

Awad argued that the ban on Islamic law would likely affect every aspect of his life as well as the execution of his will upon his death. The appeals court pointed out that Awad made a strong depiction of how this ban would be potentially harmful.

"This is an important reminder that the Constitution is the last line of defense against a rising tide of anti-Muslim bigotry within our society and it is pleasing that the appeals court recognized that fact," Awad claimed. "We are also hopeful that this decision serves as a reminder to politicians wishing to score political points through fear-mongering and bigotry."

Speaking after Judge Miles-Lagrange's decision in 2010, Mr Awad said the ruling provided an opportunity to "demonstrate that Oklahoma's Muslim community simply seeks to enjoy the civil and religious rights guaranteed to all Americans."

The above comments about...

In God We Trust documentary

Here's a new Church/State documentary by artist Scott Burdick that features me several times, along with some comments by others that will surely ruffle a few feathers. In the video sidebar, Scott says:

When I was given a DVD of a protest rally in the small town of King, near where I live, I was shocked by the sight of five thousand people waving Christian Flags and cheering one of the speakers when he said that everyone there should "encourage" those who weren't Christian in the area to move somewhere else.

My first reaction was anger and I told my wife, Susan, we were going to put our house up for sale the next day and move somewhere more tolerant. But the next morning, I decided that I would do something else first. I took my video camera down to the Veteran's Memorial in King's Public Park and started interviewing people....

Here are the direct links to a few places where I appear (there are more):

1:29:41

1:30:23

1:31:43

1:39:31

Here's a "funny" bit, in response to the question of whether or not someone would kill his or her own child if God told him/her to:

1:02:53

30 million women and children trafficked globally

Makes one feel like crying. What a world. It's just shocking to the system to consider that I'm breathing the same air as these vile sex slavers and their depraved clients.

Human Trafficking: Modern Day Slavery Affecting 30 Millions Women and Children

Most people think that slavery is a crime of the past. However, this notion couldn’t be any further from the tragic reality of a well organized criminal activity which victimized more than 30 millions women and children worldwide. As matter of fact, there are more people being enslaved today than at any other time in human history....

Sex slavery is not limited to brothels is Thailand, Cambodia, the Philippines or the Dominican Republic. In countries where prostitution is legal, like Germany, traffickers, pimps and dangerous organized crime organizations such as the Russian mafia or ethnic Albanians are controlling most sex workers, even the ones who claim to be “independent”. According to recent estimates, there are currently around 200,000 children between the age of 12 to 15 who are sold for sex by pimps/traffickers every year in the United States....

...the information super-highway has given criminal organizations the tool to turn sex trafficking into a multi-billions a year enterprise. It is more profitable than drug and weapon trafficking...

Often...

Cruise ships massively pollute our oceans and air
According to a petition being circulated on the activist site Care2.com, the world's ocean liners and cruise ships contribute massively to pollution of not only our air but also our seas. The petition, "Tell Cruise Ships...

Join me in the Yucatan for a December 21, 2012 celebration!
Okay, folks. It's a very rare occurrence when I make a public appearance - and this "coming out" party is going to be a doozy!In December 2012, I am scheduled to speak at the archaeological site...

Star Worship of the Ancient Israelites
There's an interesting entry in the Jewish Encyclopedia under "Star Worship." Despite the fact that this important and fascinating information is not widely known - and even denied in some quarters - this older, mainstream...

ArcLight Cinemas holds Documentary Film Festival vote, October 17-23
ArcLight Cinemas in Los Angeles is conducting a vote for films to be included in its upcoming Documentary Film Festival, to be held at its Hollywood cinema on November 7-11, 2011. Using a great idea that incorporates the &quot...

California Governor Jerry Brown vetoes industrial hemp production
In a move seemingly designed to appease Federal authorities, California's governor Jerry Brown has vetoed the industrial hemp legislation, Senate Bill 676, proposed by Sen. Mark Leno, D-San Francisco.This bill was designed to create an &...

God in the Box documentary at Heartland Film Festival in Indianapolis
On October 17, 18 and 22, the Heartland Film Festival in Indianopolis, Indiana, will air the fascinating new documentary "God in the Box." The event is located at the Indianapolis Artsgarden, and screening times for "God in...

The hidden history of religion
I'm delighted to announce that the book Man Made God by the fabulous Barbara G. Walker has been chosen as a textbook in a comparative religion course at an American college! As you may know, I edited and...

What we are facing on planet Earth
According to various predictions by numerous people, including many scientists, the following is a list of problems we humanity as a whole are facing, both now in many places as well as in the future in others. Many of these...

Point of Inquiry program on Jesus mythicism
My recent radio program with Dr. Robert M. Price is now live at the Point of Inquiry website, hosted by Center for Inquiry:D.M. Murdock - The Christ ConspiracyIn this rare audio meeting of minds, Bob and I discuss the...

Radio discussion of the Mythicist Position and Religious Origins, 6/17/11
Tomorrow, June 17, 2011, from 7:00 to 9:00 PM EST/4:00 to 7:00 PM PST/12:00 AM GMT, I will be appearing on a Blogtalk radio show, "The Stench of Truth," to discuss...

D.M. Murdock on the radio tonight, 6/7/11, from 10-12 PM EST/7-9 PM PST
Tonight, June 7, 2011, I will appear with guest host Jerry Wills on the Kevin Smith Radio Show from 10:00-12:00 PM EST/7:00-9:00 PM PST/2:00 AM GMT. We'll be talking...

Is Jesus coming soon? Is the end near?
As many have seen globally for the past several days or weeks, an American Christian group has predicted the Rapture and Judgment Day for tomorrow, May 21, 2011. I have commented on this subject in an article, "Is Jesus...

In defense of America
I had to say something about this brouhaha over the reported death of Osama bin Laden, which includes loud crying about "Americans celebrating the murder of a fellow human being." Frankly, I find it reprehensible that anyone would...

How the U.S. should deal with the Muslim Brotherhood
Muslim reformer Dr. Tawfik Hamid recently created a multipoint memo addressing the problems with the Muslim Brotherhood, who are quickly rising to power in Egypt, where MB spokesmen have stated they will impose sharia law.Among other things, Dr....

Research shows the Greek god Dionysus shares many similarities with Jesus Christ
The Greek god of wine, Dionysus or Bacchus, also called Iacchus, has been depicted as having been born of a virgin mother on December 25th; performing miracles such as changing water into wine; appearing surrounded by or one of 12...

Archaeologist describes astronomical alignments of American churches and mission
One of the more important aspects of my work is to bring to light the ancient religious practice of aligning sacred sites with astronomical events, such as the daily, weekly, monthly and annual movements and phases of the sun, moon...

Curbing Islamic radicalization in post-Mubarak Egypt
In his latest article, ex-radical Muslim Dr. Tawfik Hamid sets out several ways in which the further Islamic radicalization of Egypt can be prevented, in the wake of President Hosni Mubarak.How Further Radicalization of Egypt in Post-Mubarak...

Cold weather due to Iceland's volcano?
We're hearing all kinds of reasons for the cold snap and severe weather globally, with the result that the global-warming thesis is being raked over the coals, so to speak. But is anyone discussing the Icelandic...

D.M. Murdock on Zeitgeist Movement Philadelphia radio
Following the big premiere of Peter Joseph's "Zeitgeist: Moving Forward" on Saturday, I will be appearing on the radio show of the Philadelphia chapter of the Zeitgeist Movement on Sunday, January 16, 2011, from 7:00...

Muslim reformer to speak in D.C. area on 1/19
Islam reformer and former jihadist Dr. Tawfik Hamid will be speaking on January 19, 2011 at the Potomac Institute in Arlington, Virgina. His website describes him thus:"Dr. Tawfik Hamid, is an Islamic thinker and reformer, and one time...