| Title |
Excerpt |
Author |
Date |
Total Comments |
Recent Comment |
| The Joy of Sects |
sect (sekt), n 4. any group, party, or faction united by a specific doctrine or under a doctrinal leader. (Webster’s New Universal Unabridged Dictionary, 1996) I look forward to being at the Women in Secularism conference next week. The line-up is chock-full of smart, interesting speakers, many of… |
Jim Underdown |
05/06/13 |
20 |
05/09/13 |
| From Dr. Who to Mr. Spock: The Perfect Humanist Day |
I left for work at CFI Los Angeles Sunday morning while thousands of Catholics prepared to gather for Our Lady of Guadalupe celebrations at the L.A. Coliseum just down Vermont Ave.Our branch hosted author David Layton who talked about the humanistic and scientific aspects of the long-running British TV series Dr.… |
Jim Underdown |
08/06/12 |
0 |
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| Godless Particle |
It’s a coincidence that I happened to be reading The Grand Design (by Stephen Hawking and Leonard Mlodinow) when news of the confirmation of the Higgs Boson was announced. (I’m trying to fill some holes in a limited physics education.) Many who read these pages probably bristle at that description… |
Jim Underdown |
07/06/12 |
3 |
07/09/12 |
| Dr. Phil, Meet Bitter Psychic |
Part II Skeptics are almost always at a disadvantage when doing major media appearances. Many talk shows seem to cater to heavily believer-based audiences, and seek to entertain more than to inform — despite presenting a façade of scientific or journalistic inquiry. Such was the case with my appearance on… |
Jim Underdown |
05/30/12 |
20 |
06/05/12 |
| Bitter Psychic? |
Maybe you’ve noticed that it’s pretty rare for those of us who appear in the media on behalf of skepticism or secular humanism to get equal time to represent our side. There are exceptions. I got a fair amount of time to speak and a friendly edit on Penn and… |
Jim Underdown |
05/24/12 |
11 |
05/30/12 |
| And another thing, Tebow… |
Let’s get something straight football fans. A recent poll revealed that 43% of those asked thought that God helps Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow win. He (God) does not. God, almost certainly, does not exist. Hold on, believers, there’s another point here! What should have been asked is whether Tim… |
Jim Underdown |
01/12/12 |
3 |
01/17/12 |
| No Justice Scalia |
The L.A. Times article read like a blurb for a dystopian novel, or a story from a third-world country: A death-row inmate is denied an appeal because his attorneys had switched law firms. A letter the court sent to the inmate’s lawyers’ old firm is returned, and the… |
Jim Underdown |
10/05/11 |
1 |
10/07/11 |
| An Atheist in Church |
My Evening Behind the Orange Curtain When I got a call from a woman named Lindsey inviting me to appear at the Moment Church during their Sunday evening service, some warning bells went off in my head. She sounded like a nice enough person, but why would they want me, a… |
Jim Underdown |
08/10/11 |
0 |
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| Top Ten Rapture Excuses |
Crazy as it seems, there are people sincerely buying into the (alleged) biblical prediction that this Saturday, May 21st will usher in the rapture - the taking up to heaven of God’s selected devotees. The rapture will be followed by months of apocalyptic battles that will culminate in the destruction… |
Jim Underdown |
05/18/11 |
20 |
05/23/11 |
| What’s next, Moses’ Red Sea Water Park? |
At first, the announcement earlier today seemed like one of those wacky news stories from primitive lands that David Letterman mocks in his nightly monologue. Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear announced today that Ark Encounter is expected to open in 2014. The creationist theme park will feature a 500… |
Jim Underdown |
12/01/10 |
12 |
12/10/10 |
| Power Balance Bracelets a Bust in IIG Test |
Power Balance Bracelets a Bust On October 21st, 2010, members of the Independent Investigations Group http://www.iigwest.org , 15 volunteers, and former Olympic gymnast Dominique Dawes conducted a test of a product called Power Balance bracelets ($29.95 online) at the Center for Inquiry-Los Angeles. Dominique was there with Yahoo News which … |
Jim Underdown |
11/11/10 |
0 |
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| An Immodest Proposal for Ground Zero |
Build the Center for Inquiry- New York on the site of the World Trade Center land instead of an Islamic Center. No really, it makes sense. Why? CFI represents many of the Enlightenment ideas that formed this country in the 18 th century, namely:… |
Jim Underdown |
08/26/10 |
4 |
08/28/10 |
| Matthew 7:1 |
A recent article in the L.A. Times reconfirms that millions of dollars from churches helped pass Proposition 8, the constitutional ban on gay marriage in California. That well-churched pockets were so deep over this issue is now part of the battle. The Mormon and Catholic churches were the most eager… |
Jim Underdown |
01/26/10 |
9 |
01/31/10 |
| Pat Robertson Is a Nut |
Before I belabor the obvious, let me first say that the hearts, sympathies and best wishes of secular America go out to the good people of Haiti as they struggle through this difficult time. We sincerely hope the emergency workers and medical teams can stem the tide of suffering soon.… |
Jim Underdown |
01/15/10 |
14 |
01/25/10 |
| The Relocation of Awe |
When asked why he attended Catholic Church during his yearly visits to France, Paul Kurtz often said that he likes to see what the opposition is up to. So, partially out of a Kurtz-inspired curiosity and partially to shock my very Catholic Uncle who had no idea I’d arrive next… |
Jim Underdown |
01/12/10 |
4 |
01/30/10 |
| To Beanie, Or Not To Beanie? |
What Do You Do When Someone Hands You A Yarmulke? As the Chanukah season approaches, I’m reminded of my regular moments of discomfort when any Jewish holiday approaches. I get uncomfortable because invariably someone hands me a yarmulke to wear during the recital of some prayer or during an entire… |
Jim Underdown |
12/14/09 |
3 |
12/15/09 |
| The (Even) Newer Atheist Approach: A Letter to Kirk Cameron from an Atheist and a Skeptic |
Dear Kirk, We met last night at the Beverly Hills library after I officially “responded” to David Berlinski’s talk. (The talk, incidentally, was supposed to be about the “New Atheists,” though Berlinski barely touched on that subject during his meandering speech.) When I first saw you there, I asked one… |
Jim Underdown |
10/29/09 |
7 |
11/05/09 |
| Death from Faith |
We of the evidence-based community are well aware of the diversity of religious belief out there, but sometimes the contrary positions within even a single religion are mind-boggling. Take God’s position on health and well-being for instance. Does he heal us, or should we figure out how to heal ourselves?… |
Jim Underdown |
10/15/09 |
7 |
10/22/09 |
| A Secular Memorial |
My father died on August 24th, 2009, of some combination of throat cancer and heart failure. He would have been 77 next month. I won't write a tribute here. The content of his life, with all its successes and struggles, is not the purpose of this entry. I write this… |
Jim Underdown |
09/23/09 |
3 |
09/29/09 |
| Dirty Scientology Tricks in Hollywood…? |
When I started getting reports about the Church of Scientology using city permits and film permits to suppress protests near their buildings in Hollywood, I decided to go have a look for myself. See the full story with photos here at http://www.Hollywoodrealitycheck.com . |
Jim Underdown |
06/18/09 |
2 |
06/19/09 |
| Dear Steve Harvey… |
Dear Steve Harvey, Your recent jaw-flapping about how atheists are idiots and have no moral barometer pissed off a lot of people and has drawn some serious anger toward you. You told Joy Behar on Larry King Live : "...but if you don’t believe in God, then really you’ve… |
Jim Underdown |
06/13/09 |
3 |
06/26/09 |
| By the way… I’m Crazy. |
A perfectly normal-looking woman came into my office recently to compliment CFI and SOS. Then things went terribly wrong… Read the whole story and hear audio from our strange conversation here . ( http://www.Hollywoodrealitycheck.com ) Jim Underdown |
Jim Underdown |
06/11/09 |
0 |
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| Feng Shui for California Nurses? |
This story will eventually appear in Skeptical Inquirer magazine in its entirety. In the meantime, go here for a taste of the craziness in California… |
Jim Underdown |
05/28/09 |
1 |
05/31/09 |
| California Marriage Remains Respectable |
Today, the California Supreme Court upheld Proposition 8, last November’s ballot initiative to amend the California Constitution to define marriage as between a man and a woman. Mormons who financially backed Prop 8 celebrated , incidentally. Me too. In fact, all of us in the Golden State can breathe… |
Jim Underdown |
05/26/09 |
4 |
05/28/09 |
| The 9 Circles of Atheist Hell |
9 Circles of Atheist Hell 5/7/2009 Today is National Prayer Day and I’m feeling a little left out. I haven’t prayed or believed in anything to pray to since I was 10 (though I do some hoping here and there.) But rather than joining my fellow Americans in… |
Jim Underdown |
05/08/09 |
4 |
05/14/09 |
| “When a Priest Preys on Another Priest” Victim Weighs in… |
If this really is the Ben Rodriguez from the story, maybe we have some questions for him… This was a recent comment on the original April 21st post… Hi everybody. I very much appreciate this honest blog. I am the victim. May I answer some of your questions?… |
Jim Underdown |
05/04/09 |
0 |
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| Supreme Court Ruling a Crock of Shit |
"This is a step in the right direction to once again make television a safe form of entertainment." Wendy Wright, president of Concerned Women for America The 5 members of the U.S. Supreme Court who voted in favor of fining broadcasters for airing even a… |
Jim Underdown |
04/29/09 |
14 |
05/08/09 |
| When a Priest Preys on Another Priest |
I have to admit I had a moment of schadenfreude when I read that former Catholic priest Ben Rodriguez accused current Catholic priest, Gordon Pillon of molesting him . Of course, sexual abuse is no laughing matter - especially when the abuser uses… |
Jim Underdown |
04/21/09 |
30 |
05/11/09 |
| Bounce God (and Fred Flintstone) from the Ballpark |
When Bradford Campeau-Laurion was given the bum’s rush from Yankee Stadium last August for trying to leave the stands during the singing of God Bless America , the off-duty cop working the game who escorted him out told him he could leave the country if he didn’t like… |
Jim Underdown |
04/17/09 |
4 |
05/14/09 |
| When the Church Breaks 80… |
My hat’s off to Tony Blair for having the chutzpah to criticize the Pope’s antediluvian views on homosexuality. I’d love to see President Obama challenge the old codger’s ideas too. Of course, the Catholic Church’s views on contraception, abortion, celibacy, and homosexuality are about as current as their outfits.… |
Jim Underdown |
04/08/09 |
5 |
04/24/09 |
| A Bell Tolls for Walter Sartory |
"Each man’s death diminishes me, for I am involved in mankind. Therefore, send not to know for whom the bell tolls, it tolls for thee." John Donne When Walter Sartory left the Center for Inquiry’s Winter Institute in January, I remember hoping to see him at our conference in… |
Jim Underdown |
03/31/09 |
11 |
04/27/09 |
| The ABCs of UFOtos |
Here in Hollywood , the dazzling special effects industry is big business. But impressive images don’t always involve the hi-tech computer wizardry they use in movies like Batman, Spiderman, Iron Man, whatever ... Pac Man. For instance in Star Wars: Return of the Jedi , one of the… |
Jim Underdown |
03/26/09 |
4 |
04/04/09 |