ريتشارد دوكنز's Blog, page 128

Trump Asks Pastor Who Says Jews Are Going to Hell To Speak at Hanukkah Reception

By Hemant Mehta In a bizarre moment during the White House’s Hanukkah Reception yesterday, Donald Trump invited Pastor Robert Jeffress — Southern Baptist Pastor Robert Jeffress — to address the crowd. In case you’re not familiar with him, that would be the same Robert Jeffress who once said “you can’t be saved being a Jew” during a rant in which he also …

Atheist nurse wins fight to end mandatory 12-step addiction treatment for health staff in Vancouver

By Bethany Lindsay Health-care professionals who work in Vancouver-area hospitals and medical clinics will no longer be required to attend 12-step programs if they want to keep their jobs after being diagnosed with addiction. The change comes as a result of a settlement between public health authority Vancouver Coastal Health and former nurse Byron Wood, …

Suspect in Jersey City Linked to Black Hebrew Israelite Group

By Michael Gold and Ali Watkins An assailant involved in the prolonged firefight in Jersey City, N.J., that left six people dead, including one police officer, was linked on Wednesday to the Black Hebrew Israelite movement, and had published anti-Semitic posts online, a law enforcement official said. The violent rampage on Tuesday took place largely at …

We Just Got an Updated Estimate For The Age of The Milky Way

By Matt Williams Like many other spiral galaxies in the Universe, the Milky Way Galaxy consists of two disk-like structures – the thin disk and the thick disk. The thick disk, which envelopes the thin disk, contains about 20 percent of the Milky Way’s stars and is thought to be the older of the pair …

NY Judge Throws Out Lawsuit Calling Vaccine Mandate ‘Religious Discrimination’

By Michael Stone Good News – Science and Secularism Wins: In good news for public health and the cause of reason, a New York judge has tossed out a lawsuit by anti-vaxxers claiming the state’s law mandating vaccines for school children constitutes “religious discrimination.” The lawsuit objected to a new state law in New York …

Marianne Williamson’s Vaccine ‘Adviser’ Is an Anti-Vaxx Lawyer

By Kelly Weill Long known for her science-defying stances on health issues, presidential candidate Marianne Williamson says she has advisers guiding her vaccine policy. On Tuesday, she named one: Jim Turner, a longtime lawyer for the anti-vaccine movement. He says he has no official ties with the campaign. Williamson, a self-help guru running for the Democratic nomination, …

“Empty the Pews” Gives Voice To Those Who’ve Escaped Toxic Christianity

By Chrissy Stroop and Lauren O’Neil What inspired you to put together Empty the Pews: Stories of Leaving the Church? Chrissy Stroop: When I first approached Lauren with the idea, it seemed to me that capturing this moment of major generational conflict and shift around religion and identity would be a valuable thing to do. We …

NASA’s Finally Completed The Next Rocket to Take Us to The Moon, And It’s Glorious

By AFP NASA has completed the giant rocket that will take US astronauts back to the Moon, the space agency’s head announced Monday, pledging the mission would take place in 2024 despite being beset by delays. Towering 212 feet (65 meters), the equivalent of a 20-story building, The Space Launch System (SLS) is the tallest …

‘An outright lie’: Ohio lawmaker shown to be linked to group pushing rightwing Christian bills

By Jessica Glenza An Ohio legislator who said he had “no knowledge” of a right-wing Christian bill mill called Project Blitz is, in fact, the co-chair of the state branch of an organization behind the campaign. The Ohio state representative Timothy Ginter sponsored a bill called the Student Religious Liberties Act. Opponents argued the bill would provide …

Priest at one of the country’s largest Catholic parishes put on leave after 25-year-old abuse allegation reported

By Michelle Boorstein A priest at St. Matthew in Charlotte, one of the country’s biggest Catholic parishes, was put on leave Monday following a report that he sexually abused a minor 25 years ago, before he became a priest. The Rev. Patrick Hoare denied the charge of abuse in Pennsylvania, which the alleged victim reported …