religion
pharyngula | March 18, 2009I find the results of this study to be simply sad, but entirely unsurprising. An examination of dying cancer patients showed that the most religious were also the most likely to ask for very aggressive medical care.
The patients who leaned the most heavily on their faith were nearly three times more likely to choose and receive more aggressive care near death, such as ventilators or cardiopulmonary resuscitation. They were less likely to have advanced care planning in place, such as do-not-resuscitate orders, living wills, and healthcare proxies.
"These results suggest that relying upon…
grrlscientist | March 18, 2009tags: religion, atheism, science, streaming video
Wow, this insightful little video presents indisputable Biblical proof that scientists and atheists are deluded and stupid [3:07]
evolvingthoughts | March 17, 2009I urge people to go read Russell Blackford's submission to the Human Rights consultative committee in Australia. It deals with the changes and challenges to civil liberties in the modern era and although Australia-focussed, it generalises well once you get past our odd spelling conventions and local events.
pharyngula | March 16, 2009In yet another instance in the chronicles of religious pareidolia, people are flocking to gaze in awe at the wrinkles and bumps in a seat cushion They say it looks like Jesus. Does that make Jesus a butthead?
Antoinette, an 82-year-old parishioner, said the face was a "divine phenomenon" as tears welled up her eyes.
"This church is a holy site," added Lise-May, another worshipper.
Ladies, you are going into rhapsodies of ecstasy over the dimples in a pillow produced by some old guy's bony ass. Get real.
grrlscientist | March 15, 2009tags: get religion, religion, godlessness, atheism, streaming video
Here's an ad for one of the world's favorite time and life-wasters: Religion. Presented here as a public service (notice the background music) [1:25]
gregladen | March 14, 2009 On this week's show we're going to try something different. We'll have a discussion between an atheist and a Christian about the current state of morality in this country. Is the decline of religion really leading to a loss of moral values, as the Religious Right claims? Is America going to hell in a handbasket? Join us for what promises to be a lively debate between August Berkshire, past president of Minnesota Atheists, and Robert Dull of The Pearlygate Network.
"Atheists Talk" airs live on AM 950 KTNF in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area.
To stream live, go here.
Podcasts of past…
terrasig | March 14, 2009Even though it's Saturday morning, drinking coffee while getting ready to take the PharmKid to ballet class, I'm not usually one to throw up YouTube videos as blog posts without any context.
However, my dear friend, frequent commenter, and devoted traffic-driver, anjou, passed this along to me.
I've never really gotten into the whole spoken-word / poetry slam movement but maybe it's because I haven't been paying attention. We also don't have HBO so I've never seen Def Poetry, where these Vanessa Hidary performances aired.
Even if you aren't Jewish or a woman, these two are worth every…
grrlscientist | March 14, 2009tags: books, memoir, godlessness, losing faith, William Lobdell
I am most pleased to tell you that William Lobdell, an award-winning journalist from the LATimes, who is also a new book author, as well as a blog writer, college lecturer and public speaker and media consultant, will be in NYC this coming Saturday to talk about and read from his hot-off-the-presses book, Losing My Religion: How I Lost My Faith Reporting on Religion in America -- and Found Unexpected Peace.
When: Saturday, March 14, 300pm - 430pm
Where: The third floor of the Muhlenberg Branch of the Public Library, 209 W.…
sciencepunk | March 13, 2009
For the last few weeks, community action site Amplify Your Voice have been chronicling the extraordinary vestiges of the Bush administration's disastrous policies on sexual health and education: Derek Dye, the Abstinence Clown.
Derek Dye is supported by Elizabeth's New Life Center, a Christian-orientated organisation that received a federal grant of $800,000 in 2007. Dye appears to be a little more reticent to wear these religious overtones during his talks, preferring instead to compare pre-marital sex to juggling with machetes.
For a person whose success depends upon popularity, it was…
pharyngula | March 12, 2009A young man is languishing in an Islamic prison right now, for a terrible crime. Look at this travesty of justice, this product of primitive morality.
Sayed Pervez Kambaksh, the student journalist sentenced to death for blasphemy in Afghanistan, has been told he will spend the next 20 years in jail after the country's highest court ruled against him - without even hearing his defence.
…
It later emerged he was convicted by three mullahs, in secret, without access to a lawyer. The sentence was commuted to 20 years on appeal. At that appeal, in October, the key prosecution witness withdrew his…
pharyngula | March 12, 2009The case of the Brazilian child who was raped, impregnated, and then had an abortion has taken a predictable turn. Sensible, rational people saw this as a tragedy, but one with a simple partial solution: the abortion was necessary to save the life of a young girl who could not possibly bear the burden of an unwanted pregnancy. The Brazilian Catholic church saw it differently and excommunicated everyone associated with the decision. Then the president of Brazil took a public stand against the church's unjust decision. Now at last, we hear from the top of the Catholic hierarchy…and the Vatican…
razib | March 10, 2009One of the issues that often comes up when I report data which show that the young are more secular (or liberal) than the old is that people change with time. And age is presumed to correlate with greater religiosity and conservatism. I'll take politics off the table. The Inductivist suggests that the GSS doesn't indicate that the young become anymore religious with age. In other words, religiosity at age X is a very good predictor of religiosity at age X + n.
Christian Fundamentalist pollster George Barna observes the same in his surveys:
The research data showed that one pattern emerged…
pharyngula | March 10, 2009Adding to my joy of late is a remarkable article predicting the demise of evangelical Christianity in our lifetimes.
Within two generations, evangelicalism will be a house deserted of half its occupants. (Between 25 and 35 percent of Americans today are Evangelicals.) In the "Protestant" 20th century, Evangelicals flourished. But they will soon be living in a very secular and religiously antagonistic 21st century.
Do I believe it will happen? I confess that there's a good bit of wishful thinking on my part that clouds my judgment, but I have high hopes, and I think it entirely possible. This…
pharyngula | March 9, 2009Billy Graham has a column in which he answers letters — he's a kind of evangelical agony aunt, I guess. A recent letter will make you laugh.
DEAR BILLY GRAHAM: Why do people get involved in cults? My cousin has gotten involved in one, and no matter what we say to him, he refuses to listen. He says we are the ones who are in the dark, and he alone in our family has found the truth. -- S. McM.
That's a real problem, and I'm sure we all know someone who has gone off the deep end with some weird belief. That's not the funny part; the good bit is Graham's oblivious reply.
DEAR S. McM: One…
razib | March 9, 2009As noted by a reader the 2008 GSS just came out. I noticed this variable, ANSCITST:
Scientists should be allowed to do research that causes pain and injury to animals like dogs and chimpanzees if it produces new information about human health problems. (Do you strongly agree, agree, disagree, or strongly disagree?)
I checked a few demographics. Results below the fold. I had to label them because the font was so small (also, red = "Strongly Agree," yellow = "Strongly Disagree").
Variables: GOD, BIBLE, SEX, RACE, RELIG, POLVIEWS and DEGREE.
grrlscientist | March 8, 2009tags: books, memoir, godlessness, losing faith, William Lobdell
I am most pleased to tell you that William Lobdell, an award-winning journalist from the LATimes, who is also a new book author, as well as a blog writer, college lecturer and public speaker and media consultant, will be in NYC this coming Saturday to talk about and read from his hot-off-the-presses book, Losing My Religion: How I Lost My Faith Reporting on Religion in America -- and Found Unexpected Peace.
When: Saturday, March 14, 300pm - 430pm
Where: The third floor of the Muhlenberg Branch of the Public Library, 209 W.…
grrlscientist | March 8, 2009tags: atheism, godlessness, religion, Religion in America, streaming video
This streaming video highlights what would happen if all atheists were to leave America. It tells you who would leave, what would change, and gives a look at other countries that have virtually no Atheists. [2:18]