ريتشارد دوكنز's Blog, page 35

Lindsey Graham says women ‘have a place in America’ and ‘can go anywhere’ if they are against abortion

By Yelena Dzhanova On the campaign trail Saturday night, Sen. Lindsey Graham said women are welcome anywhere in the country — provided that they’re anti-abortion. The Republican senator took the stage at a campaign event in Conway, South Carolina, his home state, and praised Amy Coney Barrett, the newly appointed Supreme Court justice. “You know what I …

‘They All Got Careless’: How Falwell Kept His Grip on Liberty Amid Sexual ‘Games,’ Self-Dealing

By Maggie Severns, Brandon Ambrosino, and Michael Stratford When Jerry Falwell Jr. and his wife Becki strolled around the Lynchburg, Va., campus of Liberty University, the evangelical school which Falwell led as president, they would play a secret game called “Would you rather.” The middle-aged couple would point to students, men and women, and imagine …

OPEN DISCUSSION NOVEMBER 2020

This thread has been created for discussion on themes relevant to Reason and Science for which there are not currently any dedicated threads. Please note that our Comment Policy applies as usual. There is a link to this at the foot of the page. If you would like to refer back to previous open discussion …

Evolution of Dogs

By Steven Novella The evolution of dogs from wolves is a long and complex one. A recent study adds some further information to this tale – as long as 11,000 years ago there were already at least five different distinct breeds of dog. These different breeds partly tracked along with human populations, but not completely. But let’s …

DeVos will let religious groups apply for charter grants, opening up new legal battlefront

By Matt Barnum The law is clear: In order to be eligible for federal charter grants, charter schools must not be “affiliated with a sectarian school or religious institution.” But Education Secretary Betsy DeVos said earlier this week that she will no longer enforce this prohibition. Religious organizations should feel free to apply for federal money to open charter …

Pope Francis, 83 and missing part of one lung, shrugs off covid-19 mask mandates

By Chico Harlan and Stefano Pitrelli Pope Francis indeed has a mask. It’s unadorned and white, just a shade paler than his papal cassock. But he almost never wears it. He goes maskless in public appearances. He goes maskless when hosting visitors. His aversion is deep enough that even guests seem to take the cue: …

‘Religious Equality’ Is Transforming American Law

By Zalman Rothschild The U.S. Supreme Court is poised to decide a case this term that, once again, pits religious freedom against the rights of the LGBTQ community. Earlier this month, Justice Clarence Thomas, in a concurrence written on behalf of himself and Justice Samuel Alito, attacked Obergefell v. Hodges, the decision that established a constitutional right …

An Earth-size planet is careening untethered through the galaxy, scientists find

By Brandon Specktor Earth orbits the sun like a ship sailing in circles around its anchor. But what if someone — or something — cut that ship loose? Unbound from any star or solar system, what would become of a tiny world flying helplessly and heedlessly through interstellar space? What happens when a planet goes rogue? …

The new Supreme Court’s first LGBTQ case is set for right after the election

By Juwan J. Holmes The next landmark case for LGBTQ rights before the Supreme Court of the United States will be heard the day after Election Day. The Court in Fulton v. City of Philadelphia will rule on the question of whether religious foster care agencies have a First Amendment right to refuse to work with LGBTQ …

Jerry Falwell Jr. is suing Liberty University after his forced resignation over sex scandal

By David K. Li Former Liberty University President Jerry Falwell Jr. filed a state lawsuit Wednesday against the evangelical school founded by his father, claiming he was wrongly ousted from his leadership post. Falwell had led the school for 13 years before he resigned under pressure in late August amid a series of embarrassing scandals. In a complaint …