ريتشارد دوكنز's Blog, page 73

Michigan pollster: Trump’s Bible photo op caused immediate drop in support

By Malachi Barrett President Donald Trump’s support among Michigan voters took a sharp dive in polls taken immediately after protesters were forcefully removed so Trump could have his photo taken holding a Bible outside a historic church. Two surveys of Michigan voters taken by Lansing polling firm EPIC-MRA found a widening gap between Trump and …

Pastor condemned for comparing bisexuality to white people ‘pretending to be Black’ in ‘deeply disturbing’ rant

By Josh Milton A millionaire pastor in New Zealand has sparked outrage after comparing bisexuality to white people “pretending to be Black” in a sermon dubbed “deeply disturbing” by critics. Murray Watkinson, the founder of Christchurch’s Celebration Centre church based in the Wainoni neighbourhood, preached a 50-minute-long sermon on June 9 that touched off the death of George …

Franklin Graham on Supreme Court’s LGBTQ Ruling: “My Rights Should Be Protected”

By Beth Stoneburner Never one to miss an opportunity to remind us how much he despises civil rights, evangelist Franklin Graham took to Facebook to express his utter dismay over the Supreme Court’s recent 6-3 decision saying sex discrimination laws apply to gay and transgender people. I believe this decision erodes religious freedoms across this country. People of sincere faith who …

Are there really 36 alien civilizations out there? Well, maybe.

By Stephanie Pappas How many intelligent alien civilizations are out there among the hundreds of billions of stars in the spiral arms of the Milky Way? According to a new calculation, the answer is 36. That number assumes that life on Earth is more or less representative of the way that life evolves anywhere in the universe …

A Pastor Wants to Replace “White Privilege” With the “White Blessing” of Slavery

By Beth Stoneburner On Sunday, Passion City Church in Atlanta, Georgia live-streamed a conversation about race and racism featuring Pastor Louie Giglio, Christian rapper Lecrae, and (hey, why not?) Chick-fil-A CEO Dan Cathy. Things took an odd turn, though, when Giglio suggested that white people like himself consider replacing the phrase “white privilege” — which rubs some people the …

For Sale: The Hair of the Virgin Mary

By Mattia Ferraresi For a little more than $2,000, you can buy a small silver-plated case containing some hair of the Virgin Mary, a relic venerated by Catholic believers. Add a few hundred dollars, and you’ll get a wax-sealed reliquary carrying pieces of clothing worn by St. Peter and St. Paul, together with a yellowed record, handwritten …

Christian conservatives rattled after Supreme Court rules against LGBT discrimination

By Sarah Pulliam Bailey In a landmark decision on Monday, the Supreme Court ruled that the federal law barring employment discrimination on the basis of sex also applies to sexuality and gender identity. The ruling was met with widespread praise among LGBT rights groups, which have long argued against such employment discrimination. The decision was …

Einstein’s core idea about gravity just passed an extreme, whirling test in deep space

By Rafi Letzter Once again, physicists have confirmed one of Albert Einstein’s core ideas about gravity — this time with the help of a neutron star flashing across space. The new work makes an old idea even more certain: that heavy and light objects fall at the same rate. Einstein wasn’t the first person to realize this; …

Why People Kill in the Name of God

By David Ludden Ph.D. All of the world’s major religions share a basic tenet, namely some form of the Golden Rule, which tells us to do unto others as we would have them do unto us. Many religious believers find peace of mind in the teachings of their faith, which gives them solace in times …

Here’s what the science says about the links between religion and health

By Erica Evans In April, a Virginia pastor died from the coronavirus after telling his congregation to ignore physical distancing rules. Even after the story made national news, some religious leaders continued to defy public health orders and hold services, including a Louisiana pastor who told his church members, “God gave you an immune system to kill that virus.” …