Blog Archive | Center for Inquiry

Blog Archives for September, 2009

Former Muslims United

Dino from the Sands with Ibn Warraq
September 30, 2009

Just got back from Washington D.C. where my friend Nonie Darwish, originally from Egypt, and I launched Former Muslims United...

4 Comments

Two Different Understandings of Blasphemy—Two Different Visions of CFI

No Faith Value with Ronald A. Lindsay
September 29, 2009

Ronald A. Lindsay Defends CFI's Commemoration of Blasphemy Day -- Against CFI Founder Paul Kurtz

34 Comments

Penn Jillette Celebrates Blasphemy Day in “Penn Says”

Guest Blog from Debbie Goddard
September 29, 2009

Magician, entertainer, and gadfly Penn Jillette introduces the history of Blasphemy Day, then blasphemes (of course!).

4 Comments

A Dissenting View About Blasphemy Day

Guest Blog from Paul Kurtz
September 29, 2009

The celebrating of "Blasphemy Day" by the Center for Inquiry by sponsoring a contest encouraging new forms of blasphemy...

34 Comments

Why can’t Humanism supply the Ethics of Environmentalism?

It’s Only Natural with John Shook
September 29, 2009

If humans are the problem, maybe humanism can't be the solution?

4 Comments

Dan Brown’s “The Lost Symbol” Good on History, Lost on Science

True North Strong & Free Thinking with Justin B. Trottier
September 28, 2009

The novel gets a lot of history right, but it gets a lot of science very, very wrong.

5 Comments

CFI Report Objects to Taxpayer Funding for Therapeutic Touch, Alternative Medicine Therapies

Reasonable Doubt with Derek C. Araujo
September 28, 2009

The Senate's health care reform bill would cover non-evidence based "treatments" that have no grounding in science.

2 Comments

Insurer Pays Settlement for Discrimination Against Atheists and Agnostics

Reasonable Doubt with Derek C. Araujo
September 28, 2009

A DesMoines-based insurance company has paid a $74,000 settlement for discriminating against non-believers.

2 Comments

New Canadian Lake Monster on Vancouver Island?

A Skeptic Reads the Newspaper with Ben Radford
September 27, 2009

A Canadian researcher, in cooperation with the local tourism board, looks for a lake monster

Religion Battles Medicine in Kenya

Guest Blog from Jefferson Seaver
September 26, 2009

The story bears repeating.

3 Comments

Ghost Hunters Spooked at Dragon*Con

Investigative Briefs with Joe Nickell
September 24, 2009

Angry response reveals emotional basis of belief in ghosts.

4 Comments

Story Time with Pastor Matutis: Mandatory demon-filled swine flu vaccinations coming soon

Guest Blog from Debbie Goddard
September 23, 2009

A pastor shares his prophetic end-time anti-vax vision with the Center for Inquiry

7 Comments

The Importance of Blasphemy

No Faith Value with Ronald A. Lindsay
September 23, 2009

Religion should not be immune from examination and criticism

4 Comments

A Secular Memorial

Hollywood Reality Check with Jim Underdown
September 23, 2009

One man's version of how to bury the secular dead...

3 Comments

The Exuberant Life

Freethought from the Heartland with Reba Boyd Wooden
September 23, 2009

An inspiration at 80+, Paul Kurtz and the exuberant life.

1 Comment

Nonreligion winning out over major religious denominations

Out of My Skeptical Mind with D.J. Grothe
September 22, 2009

New research published today suggests the nonreligious could soon outnumber the U.S.'s major denominations, including Catholics

2 Comments

CFI Indianapolis

Dino from the Sands with Ibn Warraq
September 22, 2009

I spent an exhilarating weekend-12 and 13 September- at CFI Indianapolis, Indiana talking alongside my old friend Bob Price...

3 Comments

Psychic Detectives’ Failure Lets Killer Escape Death Penalty

A Skeptic Reads the Newspaper with Ben Radford
September 21, 2009

Over 500 self-proclaimed psychics gave information about a missing woman; if any had been right, a killer would get justice.

3 Comments

Does the Universe Revolve around You?

It’s Only Natural with John Shook
September 21, 2009

Is life essential to the Universe? Stem-cell pioneer Robert Lanza makes biology the fundamental science.

Geeking out and reaching out: Dragon*Con grows as venue to advance skepticism

Out of My Skeptical Mind with D.J. Grothe
September 21, 2009

At the largest sci-fi/fantasy convention in the U.S., the skeptics come out en masse

4 Comments

Scalia Knocks Church-State Separation in Jewish Newspaper

Reasonable Doubt with Derek C. Araujo
September 21, 2009

Antonin Scalia tells Hamodia that government neutrality between religion and non-religion is "not the American tradition"

4 Comments

Frank Schaeffer on how Evangelical Christianity is ruining this country

Out of My Skeptical Mind with D.J. Grothe
September 18, 2009

Frank Schaeffer, son of Francis Schaeffer, the leading figure in Christian-political activism, speaks out

7 Comments

Angels-Magazine Stories

Investigative Briefs with Joe Nickell
September 18, 2009

Angels on Earth is weak in critical thinking.

10 Comments

Captain . . . Kirk . . . is . . . godless!

Out of My Skeptical Mind with D.J. Grothe
September 17, 2009

With Star Trek on my mind because of Dragon*Con etc., I was happy to read of Shatner's atheism

6 Comments

Patrick Swayze and the Fallacy of Dying Celebrity Wisdom

A Skeptic Reads the Newspaper with Ben Radford
September 17, 2009

Why do the public and news media think that dying celebrities have special wisdom about life and death?

1 Comment

Atheist. Rapper. Homophobe. Should the “atheist movement” withhold support?

Guest Blog from Debbie Goddard
September 17, 2009

Recent creative efforts by "atheist rapper" Charlie Check'm have led many atheists to turn their backs. Should we?

268 Comments

Putting the Secular Humanist Chair at the Table of Opinion in the Media

Freethought from the Heartland with Reba Boyd Wooden
September 17, 2009

Why do articles about religious skeptics engender so many negative comments? Why is "balance" needed in these articles?

1 Comment

Get off the cross, somebody else needs the wood

Out of My Skeptical Mind with D.J. Grothe
September 16, 2009

A minor controversy ensues at a St. Louis grocery store over the manager pushing his faith with a crucifix

39 Comments

Atheists and Religious Garb

No Faith Value with Ronald A. Lindsay
September 16, 2009

Clothing is a form of expression; let the religious wear what they want

7 Comments

Reflections on Dragon*Con 2009

Investigative Briefs with Joe Nickell
September 16, 2009

Joe Nickell participated in four skeptical panels at last weekend's Dragon*Con, and one XTrack event as a guest...

2 Comments

Are There Any Religious Humanists Anymore?

It’s Only Natural with John Shook
September 16, 2009

If there really aren't any religious humanists, then there's no point in talking about "secular" humanism.

2012: Never Before Have So Many Lies Been Concocted About Such a Random Date

True North Strong & Free Thinking with Justin B. Trottier
September 10, 2009

2012 Hollywood blockbuster manages to abuse science, history, religion and those poor Maya at the same time.

3 Comments

Creationists Tout “Nessie”

Investigative Briefs with Joe Nickell
September 09, 2009

An evangelical course treats the Loch Ness Monster as fact.

5 Comments

Churches put faith in advertising

Guest Blog from Jefferson Seaver
September 07, 2009

Australia's major Christian churches decided to pool their marketing activities.

5 Comments

Mr. Deity and the Planes

Guest Blog from Jefferson Seaver
September 07, 2009

Perhaps the best non-television show ever.

1 Comment

Maybe religion is the answer claims atheist scientist

Guest Blog from Jefferson Seaver
September 07, 2009

The world may have to turn to God to save itself from climate change, claims one of Britain’s most eminent scientists.

3 Comments