Superstition in the Supreme Court

Sadly, one can graduate from law school while still believing in Satan.  No word yet on whether the belief in the Tooth Fairy, Cthulu, or leprechauns is required to pass the bar exam.

"What do you think about Satan?" That's not a typical question at the Supreme Court, but those words were indeed uttered by Justice Scalia on January 10. The question drew a near belly laugh from the packed gallery, leaving one to wonder whether the Devil has become nothing more than a joke in modern America...

As I bowed my head to pray, I asked the Almighty (who now is publicly replaced by silence if not yet laughter) to bind a Devil who seems to be quite actively at work (as evidenced by the actions of a deranged young atheist in Tuscon) even while the real possibility of his evil existence is ignored in the hearts of men and the halls of earthly power.

If Satan was a real evil entity, the United States government would have sold him weapons long ago.

Cold Beer Podcast Featured in iTunes

Well, this is mildly exciting for me.  My podcast Cold Beer for the Skeptic's Mind is on the "New and Noteworthy" page in iTunes under the category of "Religion and Spirituality - Other."

Of course, it's probably more accurate for iTunes to call this group "New OR Noteworthy," and that my own effort falls under the former label rather than the latter.  But it's an honor just to be nominated.

Episode 07 - CB4SM - Rabbi Sherwin Wine - Two Visions

This episode of Cold Beer for the Skeptic's Mind features Rabbi Sherwin Wine, 20th century American rabbi and a founding figure of Humanistic Judaism. The passage is called "Two Visions" and highlights two competing visions for the future of America.


You can subscribe in iTunes or get the podcast directly here.

I hope you enjoy it.

Top 25 Living Atheists

A site I'm not familiar with ranks the 25 Most Influential Living Atheists.

Many of these are slam-dunks, but I personally would have included George H. Smith, who was instrumental to my deconversion, whereas some of the names on this list of 25 I've never heard of.

What do you think of the list?  Missing anyone? 

Bill O'Reilly: God of the Gaps explains what I don't understand

Bill O'Reilly knows God exists.  Why?  Because there are tides. 

Mr. O'Reilly apparently worships a moon deity.

Episode 06 - CB4SM - Algernon Black - Call to the Living

This episode of Cold Beer for the Skeptic's Mind features Algernon Black, American teacher and the leader of the New York Society for Ethical Culture, and his inspiration free verse called, "This is a Call to the Living."

You can subscribe in iTunes or get the podcast directly here*.


I hope you enjoy it.

* Apologies.  I originally linked to the wrong file, which has now been fixed.

Jack Chick tract: Uninvited

I never fail to be amused by the hateful self-righteousness of Jack Chick tracts.  A new one is up called Uninvited.

In summary: All homosexual men were molested as children.
All AIDS patients are gay.
God hates gays.

(Never mind that this would mean that all gays have AIDS.)

The Christian figure, a female nurse, having told the AIDS patients that their homosexuality is what put them into the hospital in the first place, retells her own conversion story.  At the age of six, she had been raped, and she staggered into a church for help.  She asks the pastor, "I want to die.  Can Jesus help me?"  To which the pastor answers, "Yes, child, yes!"  (Psst.  Don't ask the barber if you need a haircut.)

Then the nurse announces that if it hadn't been for Jesus allowing her to be raped and brutally beate--that is, for forgiving her of her dreadful sins . . . "I could have become a lesbian--or worse!"  Exactly what is worse than a lesbian is left to the imagination.

Jack Chick is an effective spokesperson for atheism.