Barrett-Lite: The Supreme Court Takes Up Major New Religion Clause Case With One Notable Exception

On Friday, the Supreme Court agreed to review a potentially blockbuster religion clause case in Oklahoma Charter School Board v. Drummond. However, there is a catch. While the lawyers representing St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School may need every vote they can get in this heaving contested area, they may have to prevail without Justice […]

Barrett-Lite: The Supreme Court Takes Up Major New Religion Clause Case With One Notable Exception

Consortium of secular organizations attack scientists deemed transphobic, The Center for Inquiry responds

This will be the next-to-last item I write about my entanglement with the Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF)—I hope. I am pretty sure that the joint statement below resulted from the fracas that ensued after the FFRF took down my post about biological sex, followed by my resignation and those of Richard Dawkins and Steve […]

Consortium of secular organizations attack scientists deemed transphobic, The Center for Inquiry responds

How an Archbishop of Canterbury is appointed

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, has decided to resign after an independent report into the Church of England’s handling of abuse allegations against John Smyth found that Welby “could and should” have referred the matter to the police back in 2013. This post looks at the complex process for choosing Welby’s successor. Declaring the […]

How an Archbishop of Canterbury is appointed

Men less self-controlled than dogs?

A taxi driver in Sydney told us he was fasting for Ramadan and it was harder in the southern hemisphere when it was summer when the time between sunrise and sunset was longer. Discussion continued on what was required of a good Muslim and got on to why women are required to cover up. He […]

Men less self-controlled than dogs?

The New Zealand government unites indigenous knowledge with “western science” by claiming that gods cause earthquakes

A comment by reader Chris Slater called my attention to this article from GeoNet, an organization described as providing “geological hazard information for Aotearoa New Zealand.”  It’s also . . . . sponsored by the New Zealand Government through its agencies: Natural Hazards Commission Toka Tū Ake, GNS Science, Toitū Te Whenua Land Information New Zealand […]

The New Zealand government unites indigenous knowledge with “western science” by claiming that gods cause earthquakes

Health New Zealand “encourages” its employees to say Māori prayers daily

This item, from the Breaking Views website in New Zealand, is one of the rare cases of a Kiwi speaking up against forcible adherence to Māori customs on the job—in this case, saying Māori prayers. First, “Health New Zealand,” the organization in question, is a government agency that, according to its own description: . . […]

Health New Zealand “encourages” its employees to say Māori prayers daily

Why Religious Beliefs Are Irrational, and Why Economists Should Care

In 2005, I debated my then-colleague Larry Iannaccone on the economics of religion. The turnout — around 300 people at GMU back when it was clearly a commuter school — surprised me and totally shocked Larry. I still remember his eyes bugging out when he entered the auditorium! Though perhaps he was just astounded to…

Why Religious Beliefs Are Irrational, and Why Economists Should Care

Response from Devin Pope, on religious attendance

All of this is from Devin Pope, in response to Lyman Stone (and myself).  Here was my original post on the paper, concerning the degree of religious attendance.  I won’t double indent, but here is Devin and Devin alone: “I’m super grateful for Lyman’s willingness to engage with my recent research on measuring religious worship…

Response from Devin Pope, on religious attendance

What Time Is The Protest March To The Iranian Embassy?

Waddayu mean Nothing planned. Surly hundreds of drones rockets including some quite big ones will get the Mintos out protesting the assault on a little democratic nation in the Middle East. The barrage of hundreds of weapons including drones, rockets including some large ones were thwarted by IDF countermeasures with only under 1% reaching Israeli […]

What Time Is The Protest March To The Iranian Embassy?

No holding back

https://www.facebook.com/share/9kvzj9S6gj44oG3Z/?mibextid=xfxF2i

Claims about Iran (from the comments)

I’ve chatted with a lot of Iranians online in the past few years (they’re in Iran). Some of their takes (always subject to the “plural of anecdote is not “data”)… 1. Islam is seen by younger people as the doctrine of a failed government staffed by a bunch of crooks. 2. And it’s a foreign, […]

Claims about Iran (from the comments)

Māori force indigenous prayer on secular district-council meeting

Meanwhile, the fun continues in New Zealand, as this article from Te Ao, which conveys Māori news, attests.  In fact, there’s a video, so you can see the whole episode, as well as a transcript of the video. Here’s what happened: A local district council met and one of the participants wanted to recite a […]

Māori force indigenous prayer on secular district-council meeting

The trouble with ghostwriters

https://www.facebook.com/share/Y6s5fQdZ4QVAmHbw/?mibextid=xfxF2i

Māori official in New Zealand’s Coast Guard insists that prayer to a god is the key to reducing drowning

This very short article appeared in Waatea News, which I gather is a purveyor of news related to the Māori of New Zealand. (It also runs, I believe, the country’s only Māori radio station.) I’m putting it up for one reason, and then we’ll get a break from the Kiwis and the iwi for a […]

Māori official in New Zealand’s Coast Guard insists that prayer to a god is the key to reducing drowning

December 29, 1170: Assassination of Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury. Part I.

Thomas Becket, also known as Saint Thomas of Canterbury, Thomas of London and later Thomas à Becket (December 21, 1119 or 1120 – December 29, 1170), served as Lord Chancellor from 1155 to 1162, and then notably as Archbishop of Canterbury from 1162 until his death in 1170. He engaged in conflict with King Henry […]

December 29, 1170: Assassination of Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury. Part I.

Previous Older Entries Next Newer Entries

Bassett, Brash & Hide

Celebrating humanity's flourishing through the spread of capitalism and the rule of law

Truth on the Market

Scholarly commentary on law, economics, and more

The Undercover Historian

Beatrice Cherrier's blog

Matua Kahurangi

Celebrating humanity's flourishing through the spread of capitalism and the rule of law

Temple of Sociology

Celebrating humanity's flourishing through the spread of capitalism and the rule of law

Velvet Glove, Iron Fist

Celebrating humanity's flourishing through the spread of capitalism and the rule of law

Why Evolution Is True

Why Evolution is True is a blog written by Jerry Coyne, centered on evolution and biology but also dealing with diverse topics like politics, culture, and cats.

Down to Earth Kiwi

Celebrating humanity's flourishing through the spread of capitalism and the rule of law

NoTricksZone

Celebrating humanity's flourishing through the spread of capitalism and the rule of law

Homepaddock

A rural perspective with a blue tint by Ele Ludemann

Kiwiblog

DPF's Kiwiblog - Fomenting Happy Mischief since 2003

The Dangerous Economist

Celebrating humanity's flourishing through the spread of capitalism and the rule of law

Watts Up With That?

The world's most viewed site on global warming and climate change

The Logical Place

Tim Harding's writings on rationality, informal logic and skepticism

Doc's Books

A window into Doc Freiberger's library

The Risk-Monger

Let's examine hard decisions!

Uneasy Money

Commentary on monetary policy in the spirit of R. G. Hawtrey

Barrie Saunders

Thoughts on public policy and the media

Liberty Scott

Celebrating humanity's flourishing through the spread of capitalism and the rule of law

Point of Order

Politics and the economy

James Bowden's Blog

A blog (primarily) on Canadian and Commonwealth political history and institutions

Science Matters

Reading between the lines, and underneath the hype.

Peter Winsley

Economics, and such stuff as dreams are made on

A Venerable Puzzle

"The British constitution has always been puzzling, and always will be." --Queen Elizabeth II

The Antiplanner

Celebrating humanity's flourishing through the spread of capitalism and the rule of law

Bet On It

Celebrating humanity's flourishing through the spread of capitalism and the rule of law

History of Sorts

WORLD WAR II, MUSIC, HISTORY, HOLOCAUST

Roger Pielke Jr.

Undisciplined scholar, recovering academic

Offsetting Behaviour

Celebrating humanity's flourishing through the spread of capitalism and the rule of law

JONATHAN TURLEY

Res ipsa loquitur - The thing itself speaks

Conversable Economist

Celebrating humanity's flourishing through the spread of capitalism and the rule of law

The Victorian Commons

Researching the House of Commons, 1832-1868

The History of Parliament

Articles and research from the History of Parliament Trust

Books & Boots

Reflections on books and art

Legal History Miscellany

Posts on the History of Law, Crime, and Justice

Sex, Drugs and Economics

Celebrating humanity's flourishing through the spread of capitalism and the rule of law

European Royal History

Exploring the Monarchs of Europe

Tallbloke's Talkshop

Cutting edge science you can dice with

Marginal REVOLUTION

Small Steps Toward A Much Better World

NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW THAT

“We do not believe any group of men adequate enough or wise enough to operate without scrutiny or without criticism. We know that the only way to avoid error is to detect it, that the only way to detect it is to be free to inquire. We know that in secrecy error undetected will flourish and subvert”. - J Robert Oppenheimer.

STOP THESE THINGS

The truth about the great wind power fraud - we're not here to debate the wind industry, we're here to destroy it.

Lindsay Mitchell

Celebrating humanity's flourishing through the spread of capitalism and the rule of law

Alt-M

Celebrating humanity's flourishing through the spread of capitalism and the rule of law

croaking cassandra

Economics, public policy, monetary policy, financial regulation, with a New Zealand perspective

The Grumpy Economist

Celebrating humanity's flourishing through the spread of capitalism and the rule of law

International Liberty

Restraining Government in America and Around the World