ريتشارد دوكنز's Blog, page 213

Leaked Air Force Legal Opinion Approves Religious Expression

By Paul Rosenberg In apparent defiance of its own regulations and the First Amendment, the judge advocate general (JAG) of the Air Force has issued an opinion approving religious expression during an official change of command ceremony. The opinion, which was leaked to the Military Religious Freedom Foundation(and a copy of which was shared with this …

Conservative Christians Claim Ocasio-Cortez Is A Witch Leading Attack Against Trump

By Michael Stone She scares them: Conservative Christians claim Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is a witch guided by demons and leading an attack against President Donald Trump. Frightened by a smart, articulate, attractive young woman, conservative Christians panic, worried that Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is really a witch leading a demonic attack against President Trump. Earlier this month, …

CA Lawmaker’s Bill Would Force Catholic Priests to Report Child Sex Abuse

By Hemant Mehta Yesterday, in a move that would be a welcome change to the law, California State Sen. Jerry Hill said he would file a bill to remove clergy members from a list of those exempt from reporting child abuse. As it stands, if someone walks into a confessional booth and admits to molesting a child, the priest doesn’t …

Some anti-vaccination parents cite religious exemptions. Measles outbreaks could change that.

By Sarah Pulliam Bailey Recent measles outbreaks in states such as Washington, New York and New Jersey have cast a spotlight on a group of Americans who receive exemptions from immunizing their children on the grounds that the vaccines violate their religious freedoms. Now the states that suffered outbreaks are taking aim at those exemptions. …

Climate Change Doubter Is Leading Effort to Advise President Trump on Climate Security

By the Associated Press WASHINGTON — The Trump administration is exploring the idea of forming a special committee to look at climate change and security risks, with the effort being coordinated by a 79-year-old physicist who rejects mainstream climate science. A “discussion paper” obtained by The Associated Press asks federal officials from an array of …

Newly Decoded Great White Shark Genome Hints at Why They’re So Indestructible

By Ed Cara The great white shark is impressively terrifying (though not actually much of a threat to humans). But a new study shows that the animal is also an impressive feat of evolution. For the first time, scientists say they’ve fully unspooled the genome of the great white, a discovery that will help us better understand …

Faster, better, cheaper: the rise of CRISPR in disease detection

By Amy Maxmen An epidemic of Lassa fever in Nigeria that has killed 69 people this year is on track to be the worst ever recorded anywhere. Now, in the hope of reducing deaths from Lassa in years to come, researchers in Nigeria are trying out a new diagnostic test based on the gene-editing tool CRISPR. …

‘The pope ignored them’: Alleged abuse of deaf children on two continents points to Vatican failings

By Anthony Faiola, Chico Harlan, and Stefano Pitrelli LUJAN DE CUYO, Argentina — When investigators swept in and raided the religious Antonio Provolo Institute for the Deaf, they uncovered one of the worst cases yet among the global abuse scandals plaguing the Catholic Church: a place of silent torment where prosecutors say pedophiles preyed on the …

Supreme Court Won’t Hear Case Involving Catholic Church and Texas Abortion Law

By Hemant Mehta This morning, the Supreme Court said it would not hear the case of Whole Woman’s Health vs. TX Catholic Conference, preserving a victory for the anti-abortion Right. That case is worth revisiting in part because of how disturbing the twists and turns have been. For all their complaints about “activist judges,” the Religious Right doesn’t …

Washington Lawmakers Advance Bill to Ban Vaccine Exemptions for Personal Reasons Amid Measles Outbreak

By Catie Keck A measles outbreak in Washington state has prompted outcry over exemptions that allow residents to opt out of vaccinations for personal or philosophical reasons. On Friday, a state House committee advanced a bill to bar these exemptions for the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine for school-age kids. The Health Care and Wellness Committee approved …