ريتشارد دوكنز's Blog, page 47

Christian worship leader brings controversial prayer rallies to cities roiled by protests

By Marisa Iati and Sarah Pulliam Bailey A conservative Christian musician who has been staging worship concerts across the country is performing in Kenosha, Wis., and Chicago on Wednesday as part of a controversial movement he says is intended to bring healing to cities upended by racial unrest. Sean Feucht, a California-based worship leader, opened …

Pastor: California’s COVID Restrictions Are Like How “Hitler Used False Science”

By Hemant Mehta Pastor John MacArthur is now comparing California Gov. Gavin Newsom to Hitler… because the governor is trying to save lives during the pandemic. MacArthur has been in the news lately because of his constant refusals to stop holding massive indoor church services or even take the virus seriously. He’s celebrated the lack of social distancing and face masks …

Trial of Catholic lay leader highlights gaps in church’s sex abuse oversight

By Claire Giangravé The sexual abuse trial of Piero Alfio Capuana, the lay leader of the 5,000-member Catholic Culture and Environment Association, began in this small Sicilian city on Tuesday (Sept. 15), three years after the abuse allegedly took place. Capuana, 75,  known as “the Archangel” by acolytes, is accused of delegating his associates to …

Astronomers Discover First Known Planet to Orbit a White Dwarf Star

By George Dvorsky The unprecedented discovery of a Jupiter-sized planet in orbit around a white dwarf star suggests it’s possible for planets to survive the tumultuous death throes of their parent stars. Imagine a dim, late-stage star roughly the size of Earth with a gigantic Jupiter-sized planet orbiting around it every 34 hours. It would …

Since 2007, the U.S. Has Had the “Largest Move Away from Religion” in the World

By Hemant Mehta In an essay for Foreign Affairs, Ronald F. Inglehart, the author of the forthcoming book Religion’s Sudden Decline: What’s Causing it, and What Comes Next? writes about how he used to think religion was on the rise. With the collapse of Communism and the election of George W. Bush, religious beliefs appeared to be in ascendence. And …

Tennessee school district to stop Christian prayers, Bible distribution

By Nexstar Media Wire A Tennessee school district plans to stop promoting Christianity following a lawsuit by two atheist families, according to the Associated Press. The Smith County School District admitted it delivered Christian prayer over the school’s address system, posted Bible verses on posters in hallways and distributed Bibles to all fifth-grade students, according …

Ohio Parents Say Masks in School Infringe on Religious Beliefs, Sue Health Director

By Jocelyn Grzeszczak A group of more than two dozen Ohio parents are suing the state’s health director over an imposed mask requirement at schools, arguing that the mandate infringes upon their religious beliefs and the ability to raise their children as they wish. The complaint, filed last week in Putnam County Common Pleas Court, …

Prominent Southern Baptists are dropping ‘Southern’ name amid racial unrest

By Sarah Pulliam Bailey Leaders in the Southern Baptist Convention are increasingly dropping the “Southern” part of their Baptist name, calling it a potentially painful reminder of the convention’s historic role in support of slavery. The 50,000 Baptist churches in the convention are autonomous and can still choose to refer to themselves as “Southern Baptist” …

Scientific American Endorses Joe Biden

By the Editors Scientific American has never endorsed a presidential candidate in its 175-year history. This year we are compelled to do so. We do not do this lightly. The evidence and the science show that Donald Trump has badly damaged the U.S. and its people—because he rejects evidence and science. The most devastating example is …

DeVos drops controversial rule giving coronavirus aid to private schools after judge said it was illegal

By Valerie Strauss Education Secretary Betsy DeVos has quietly dropped a controversial rule directing states to give private schools a bigger share of federal coronavirus aid than Congress had intended after a federal judge ruled that it violated the law. The case involved the distribution of about $13.5 billion that Congress included in its $2 trillion …