Around the World in 80 Faiths – Part 3

Here’s the third episode in this BBC series. Let me know what you think of it.

Smoked and Cured Meats Linked to Increased Risk of Leukemia In Children

One of the groups whose nutritional and diet information I trust is The Physicians’ Committee for Responsible Medicine. PCRM regularly conducts and reports on scientifically valid research into the health impact of diet. I receive regular updates about recent studies and have decided to pass these along on my blog. Here’s one I received today.

What Are The Limits of Tolerance?

I have just finished watching the fourth episode of the BBC series, Around the World in 80 Faiths. (There is a Youtube video of Episdoe 1 in an earlier blog entry. You will find Episode 2 embedded at the end of this blog entry.)
I have had several responses to the content of this series. The [...]

Pope Reinstates An Excommunicated, Holocaust-Denying Bishop

An article published yesterday in The New York Times reveals that Pope Benedict XVI has reinstated four excommunicated Bishops who were part of a schismatic group that formed in 1970 in opposition to the reforms of Vatican II. Among them is Richard Williamson who has repeatedly denied the holocaust (and claimed that the US staged [...]

A Poignant and Thoughtful Piece About the Right to Die

The following is a reprint from Times Higher Education.
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It is monstrously wrong that patients cannot ask for euthanasia
8 January 2009

Soran Reader, a moral philosopher facing the prospect of losing her life, memory or thought, is outraged that the law bars living wills
Last month I was told I had a brain tumour – a low-grade glioma [...]

A BBC Series on Religion – Around the World in 80 Faiths – Episode 1

The BBC is running a program entitled, “Around the World in 80 Faiths.” The host of the show, an Anglican vicar, is planning to experience 80 faiths in 80 days.
The diversity of beliefs is fascinating. I’d love to hear your reactions to the series. I’ll be posting youtube of the series over the next few [...]

Give Peace a Chance

Two weeks ago I had the fortune of meeting a remarkable woman named Glenys Babcock.
Several things impress me about Glenys. She is clearly highly intelligent. She posseses multiple graduate degrees. She has consulted with world-preeminent organizations like the RAND Corporation, the World Bank, the US Army and the Intelligence Secretariat of the Privy Council Office [...]

A Pilgrim’s Progress – My Journey from Fundamentalism to Naturalism

Below is a link to a PDF version of my article that was just published in Progressions, the newsletter of the Canadian Centre for Progressive Christianity. It details in brief some of the key factors in my journey from Baptist fundamentalist to freethinking naturalist.
A Pilgrim’s Progress

10 myths—and 10 Truths—About Atheism by Sam Harris

Sam Harris is a compelling and controversial author who has written two best-selling books about atheism in the last few years, The End of Faith and Letter to a Christian Nation. I highly recommend both of them.
Below is a recent article Harris wrote for the LA Times. I’d love to hear your reactions and comments.
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10 [...]

20-20 Vision for the World

I came across this article earlier today and was moved and excited by it. With so much discouraging news in the world, it’s great to see a good news story. And, I must admit, I love that science is so clearly involved in bringing good to people’s lives. I hope you find this story as [...]