Ultra-Orthodox Shun Their Own for Reporting Child Sexual Abuse
Ultra-Orthodox Shun Their Own for Reporting Child Sexual Abuse via NYTimes From the page: “Abuse victims and their families have been expelled from religious schools and synagogues, shunned by fellow ultra-Orthodox Jews and targeted for harassment intended to destroy their businesses. Some victims’ families have been offered money, ostensibly to help pay for therapy for the victims, but also to
Atheism to Defeat Religion by 2038
Atheism to Defeat Religion by 2038 From the page: Using the average global growth rate of GDP for the past 30 years, of 3.33 percent (based on International Monetary Fund data from their website), the atheist transition would occur in 2035. …Contrary to the claims of religious leaders, godless countries are highly moral nations with an unusual level of social
Vatican: Too much helping the poor, not enough abortion and gay bashing
This might be funny if it weren’t so sad… Catholic nuns group ‘stunned’ by Vatican slap From the page: A prominent U.S. Catholic nuns group said Thursday that it was “stunned” that the Vatican reprimanded it for spending too much time on poverty and social-justice concerns and not enough on condemning abortion and gay marriage. In a stinging report on
BP Oil Spill Aftermath
BP Oil Spill Aftermath: Eyeless Shrimp, Clawless Crabs and Fish with Oozing Sores From the page: How bad is it? The effect that the oil spill and its reckless cleanup has on sea life is frightening, damning and sad. Here’s a list of deformities that Al Jazeera found in its report: *Shrimp with tumors on their heads *Shrimp with defects
Clean Tech Could Disappear
Clean Tech Could Disappear — But It Doesn’t Have to From the page: The end goal is to allow wind and solar to compete with natural gas—or electric cars with gas-powered ones—without the need for any government support. These technologies can’t stand on their own quite yet, which isn’t surprising: Wind and solar are competing against the oil and gas
Tennessee parents and lawmakers fight to keep their kids mean and ignorant
What’s up with the Uber-Christians in Tennessee? First, they approve the Anti-Science Bill, now this? Christians Fight for Their Children’s God-Given Right to Bully Gay Kids From the page: …but in Tennessee, lawmakers are now attempting to make it legal for jerkhole kids to bully other kids based on their religious preference — or lack thereof.
A Short Rant about Con-artist, Thomas Kinkade
Not to speak ill of the dead, but some of you asked why I dislike Thomas Kinkade so much. As an average hard-working American, I find it reprehensible that he could make millions from his art alone, scam galleries out of millions of dollars, and still declare bankruptcy to prevent paying creditors the $6 million+ he owed them. As an
Romney’s cousin: Mormonism is a ‘fraud’
From the page: Mitt Romney’s second cousin, Park Romney, once was once a Mormon high priest, but he is now denouncing the religion as a cult. Park told BBC recently that he left the church because “I became convinced that it’s a fraud.” “There’s compelling evidence that the Mormon Church leaders knowingly and wilfully misrepresent the historical truth of their
Church Puts Legal Pressure on Abuse Victims’ Group
Via The New York Times “If there is one group that the higher-ups, the bishops, would like to see silenced,” said Marci A. Hamilton, a law professor at Yeshiva University and an advocate for victims of clergy sex crimes, “it definitely would be SNAP. And that’s what they’re going after. They’re trying to find a way to silence SNAP.”
So this is what “Pro-Life” looks like…
The Austin Chronicle From the page: By the numbers, this is what “pro-life” looks like: • 22: Texas clinics – providing preventive health care services to women – completely defunded • $19 million: Remaining annual state budget for family planning, down from $50 million • 60,000: Women whom the Department of State Health Services estimates can be served with that
Florida Senate Passes Student-Led Prayer Bill
via The Christian Post From the page: The Florida Senate passed a bill on Wednesday allowing student-led prayer or other inspirational messages at public school events, drawing mixed reaction from residents… …”This legislation could give schools free reign to make students feel like outsiders in the classroom, alienated from their peers, or compelled by peer pressure to engage in religious
Suspects arrested in exorcism killing
Associated Press – Bolivia – An evangelical pastor and his sister have been arrested by police in Bolivia after they purportedly killed a sibling during a bathtub exorcism, officials said Monday. “An evil spirit entered me, took control of my hand and began to submerge my little sister,” Marca purportedly told police. “Satan was inside the tub.”
Winter Solstice Sign Comes to Mississippi State Capitol
From the page: “We don’t think religion, or irreligion, belongs in state capitols. But if a state is going to permit a nativity display, then we want to be sure that the views of the 16 percent of the U.S. population that is not religious are also represented.” – Annie Laurie Gaylor, Co-President of Freedom From Religion Foundation
The Tragic Story of St. Nun Who Feigned Madness
I stumbled upon the story of St. Isadore, the Nun Who Feigned Madness. She was cruelly beaten and mistreated by her fellow sisters at the convent who thought she was an ignorant fool. She ate only the crumbs of their bread and when she did so, she ate alone. She wore a dishrag on her head. She was made to