Thoughts of a Freethinker

Science is closing in on a no-human world. As more knowledge of the universe comes into the view of more powerful telescopes more histories of other stars and their "orbiting earths" can be seen. Now a particular burned out star and orbiting ash of an "earth" are being studied. The theory is this pair represents the future of our sun and earth. It suggests we have a billion years of humans on earth, then we're gone.  Christianity needs to reconcile this. Christian propaganda has been successful by playing to the most basic of human fears. That fear is, "I fear I am not important. I do not want to die and be forgotten." We all know the Christian answer, "There is an unseen (imaginary) God who knows your name. If you do as you are told, he has a place for you after you are dead so you can live on for eternity and not be forgotten." Sold! The link article makes the case there were other stars with orbiting "earths." The story of the on...

The book I'm reading and which I have discussed earlier carries the message that there have been many ways humans changed their thinking over time. Invaders thought they would change those they conquered but often it was the invaders who changed, or both changed. As more and more preserved artifacts show up the diversity of events expands. Certainly, these things happened when Europeans invaded North America and they coexisted for a long time before conquering those living here before them. They both have stories of human origin. The Europeans brought origins that began with the gods of Rome. By the time the arrived here those had morphed into a God of the Middle East. The Americans living here had their dreamtime. Both had in their history an indefinite concept of the difference between man and animals. They were not completely separate. The European's Bible had snakes that talked. Americans saw the same spiritual forces acting on both animals and humans. We know from the Bibl...

The liberal magazine, Mother Jones, published the apologies of a former Christian Nationalist. When on the inside of the corrupt efforts to put Christianity into government the author raised countless millions to stack the Supreme Court with anti abortion Christians and advance the political career of Donald Trump. While his activities spilled into the House and Senate, his focus was on the Supreme Court. The operating mantra of his organization was that, while good Christian government was making strides among elected people in the Congress and Presidency, the Christian mission was being undercut by the Judicial branch. Christian Judges were badly needed.  The author formed an organization to put Christianity into the Supreme Court. While we know a little about the money and luxuries provided Clarence Thomas by those with cases pending, the author outlines the vast amounts of luxury provided all the conservative judges. There continues a steady stream of favors and gala events pai...

The journey to understand prehistory will, I would guess, go on forever. I wish I would live forever to follow all that is discovered and argued about. My Face Book scroll introduced me to the "Fuente Magna." This refers to a quite large and heavy bowl found in Bolivia by a farmer in 1950. The farmer thought it strange but needed a container just that size to water his pigs, so he used it that way for several years. Eventually, it was found and moved to a museum in Bolivia where it sat unnoticed for decades. Someone interested in ancient artifacts eventually spotted it and the conflicting theories about its origin began. What set off the different theories are the many inscriptions that remain in the face of the bowl. The Face Book page provided the views of people who sounded knowledgeable about ancient artifacts and inscriptions. These sources forcefully advanced the theory the inscriptions, while not understood, resemble well the inscriptions of societies of what is now Ir...

For a decade I've been saying here on this insignificant blog site that a prohibition of abortions would be identical to the prohibition of alcohol that happened in the 20's-30's. The alcohol prohibition failed. It introduced a profitable crime opportunity. The product was easy to make or import from Canada and so costly to enforce it mostly was not enforced. Many lives were lost in fights for markets and in law enforcement. Alcohol prohibition failed and when it did Roosevelt raised a glass to celebrate. The prohibition of abortion is different only in that it is even easier to hide and more profitable. Add to this the majority of voters opposes the prohibition.  This decreases the enthusiasm of elected people to enforce as well as the law enforcement people they hire to do that. This week's news is about the criminal elements now bringing abortion pills into the U.S. and the lack luster law enforcement against it. Welcome, Forced Birthers, to reality and inevitability...

Recently, a conference was held which included many specialists to help churches figure out what to do with their non used or under used properties.  Decades ago, children's rooms in churches began to be rented to day care operators. This started when I was a mayor and I objected to the various fire and safety codes city staff said applied. It seemed to me if they were safe enough for children on Sunday mornings they were safe enough for children the rest of the week. The reason for all of this was churches were exempt from all kinds of codes and laws but some kicked in when childcare used the same space and charged for the service. After childcare, working week coffee shops started locating in church social rooms. I suppose there are music lessons and other ideas. Now, the entire buildings are being sold. Sometimes a church retains ownership and the church becomes a low income housing place. The church can still meet in a rec room. Something like four churches every week in the U....

I've been wanting to learn about the views from inside Forced Birth. Do they really understand they are in trouble and if so, who do they blame? Finally, a national writer interviewed a series of the Forced Birth leaders.  The conclusions are that, yes, they are now behind and slipping. Their explanations as to why, however, vary and are interesting to contemplate. There are two explanations from Forced Birth operatives. One is that Forced Birth advocates in their organizations and in state legislatures overreached with abortion bans and this is what has caused the problem. The other is that it's all about money and organization in political messaging. That is, if Forced Birth could be as well organized and had as much money as abortion rights laws against abortion would be happening today instead laws ensuring abortion rights. There is no understanding inside Forced Birth as to why it is now losing. An old adage in politics is, "First win the argument, then win the electi...

I've come to wonder how or why Christians focus on details but not the big picture. That is, they are forever preaching about some specific thing that happened or some specific thing a person, like Jesus or Paul, said about the event. I've come to learn this is a characteristic of Christianity called "The Particular."  My summary of what "The Particular" is and is not goes like this. Countless times on this blog and every day on Christian sites believers explain particulars. I hate to spend readers time going over the particulars because everyone already knows what they are: On a specific date, Jesus said he would die for our sins. Then he did, then he came back to life, yada yada. Then there is the God who is so particular he knows every bird and every hair on your head. Contrast that version of "particulars" to the version of Christianity written and spoken about by the late Episcopalian Biship John Shelby Spong. He maintained the God is so large...

I'm reading a book, The Dawn of Everything by Graeber and Wengrow, 2023. It is a big book with small print so it's slow going. The authors are (were, one died young) an anthropologist and archeologist. Their perspective is so refreshing I'm having trouble doing anything but reading this book. The book is about a topic others may know all about but new to me. Mostly, it is about voluminous records and essays written by French Jesuits on the North American continent in the 1600's. Recall for reference that the War of Independence and the Constitution came along much later, in the mid 1700's. I'm not conversant on the timing and location of French settlements but they included Eastern Canada, the Great Lakes region, Florida and the Mississippi River to the Gulf. Much of the French/Native relations were peaceful and included intermarriages. The French settlements began in the mid 1500's and went on to the mid 1700's. The book took note of pages and pages of ...

It was amusing to see how angry one evangelical is about the group of Christians supporting Harris. Mad is an understatement. Forced Birth nut cases believe no one can be a "Christian" unless he/she is against abortion. To them, Forced Birth and "Christianity" are one and the same. So far as I can tell, Prohibitionists had the same view about alcohol. Way back when I was a mayor I attended a meeting of the Women's Christian Temperance Union. I wondered what the topic would be since alcohol is so widely accepted. The young woman who spoke spoke only about anti abortion. I looked just now at the WCTU website and it has nothing about Forced Birth. Perhaps there are some in the WCTU that want it to pivot to anti abortion but leaders don't seem to be buying. There is no legitimate argument for saying "Christianity opposes abortion." Plenty of Christians, the majority of Catholics included, favor abortion rights. Nearly all Protestant denominations favor...

One of the oldest arguments used against abortion rights people, even used against me, is that abortion rights stands for abortion up to the moment of birth. Trump liked this so much he said abortion doctors kill babies after birth. There has never been a healthy woman about to give birth to what will be a healthy baby request an abortion. By the time birth is ready a woman wants the birth. When there is a death in the womb or the woman is about to die herself, life saving measures are taken. A rational person understands this. Killing a baby after it is born is normally considered a murder. We all know there are babies born who will live only a short time. There is some disagreement over what doctors are to do in these circumstances. In any event, Trump's blanket accusation is not getting the traction it once did.  Back before Roe, Republicans were the party that did not oppose abortion. Why should it endorse big government that poked into people's lives. Protestants, includin...

Governor DeSantis is Forced Birth crazy. He knows full well the polls that show a petition measure that will put abortion rights on a state-wide ballot is polling near the 60% margin needed for approval. The only way to win is to use state funds and state employees to bend events and maybe tie the measure up in the courts. That is, to use every means at his disposal to prevent the public from voting on this.   He created a fake department with a name like "Election Integrity." It has a million $ budget and its staff has fanned off around the state with copies of the petition with the names and addresses of signees. These state employees are knocking on doors asking people if they remember actually signing their names, perhaps challenging the handwriting. One assumes they will find a handful of people who want their names off or can't remember signing and DeSantis will go to court trying to stop the vote. He is also using taxpayer funds to pay for ads urging a no vote on t...

There was a news item today about the death of a huge figure in the history of the Moody Bible Institute. Moody is located in downtown Chicago and must be on some of the most valuable real estate in the U.S. The Institute itself has been through storms of controversy in recent years. One controversy I remember is an allegation by conservative alums that the college was allowing liberal theology in the classrooms.  A house cleaning was demanded and some high level officials were forced out. On-going controversies involve women at Moody. One young woman applied for the seminary school and was told it was not available for women. Moody falls under Title IX which prohibits discrimination of any kind. The young woman pressed charges and the matter went through several widely publicized phases.  Another started with an enthusiastic young woman who loved her life at Moody. About 2020 she began to date a Moody male student. When he attempted a rape she broke off the relationship. But ...

How are Catholics to decide? The Pope says one will turn away children at the border. The other supports "murder" by abortion. He refused to advise Catholics on which candidate they should vote for. As the Pope well knows, the majority of Catholics ignore advice from the Vatican. Nearly all practice unapproved forms of birth control. The majority votes with the Democratic Party instead of the Republican Party which has a history of anti-abortion. The Republican Party has traditionally opposed government help for the low income.  Certainly, there are Catholic clergy beating their chests about the importance of their own views on politics. Plenty of Protestant preachers do the same. Standing in front of people behind a pulpit seems to affect some people's brains giving them an elevated sense of importance. Mostly, the Pope has done a good job stressing the role of clergy as helpers of those in the pews, not political advisors. Perhaps by not endorsing he himself is trying t...

  I don't know about you, but to me some of the most bizarre notions don't come from weird politicians, children or the very old but from long-standing Christians. It's weird that they believe there are invisible gods, the Trinity, and that Jesus was stone dead and came back to life. Far out there is the belief we all live on condemned or victorious after we ourselves are stone dead. Once in a while someone prays and another person recovers unexpectantly from an illness. Prayer has been tested and found not to help sick people but, oh, never mind about that say the faithful. Today there is an article featured on a Catholic site going on and on about long dead saints whose bodies have not exhibited the usual decomposition. Of course, the explanation is all about religious forces moving in and protecting against normal decay. Not mentioned is whether all the internal organs were removed. That has always been the practice that preserves corpses. Then waxes are applied to preve...

Memory of Reagan is sort of hazy. Stuff that appears about him today highlights his off and on peace efforts with Gorbachev. The New Yorker this week reviewed yet another book about him. His evolution into right wing thinking had a force that affected Trump also. It is the world of art that surrounds the screen: movies and TV. Reagan was always interested in politics. As a young actor he was deeply liberal. Government could not be big enough, regulation was good. He was a staunch union member. His first "acting" job was broadcasting baseball. He was not at the game but received balls and strikes by teletype and filled in fake observations about what the players were doing. He went to California and got parts in several low budget and insignificant films.  Reagan then went to television by being hired to do commentary. He was paid to travel constantly giving speeches about the coming wonders of electricity. His audiences were mostly business people. He learned what they liked ...

A very religious professor at a very religious college publishes and speaks around the country on what he calls "ethics" or "Christian ethical standards." He says that if our country had better ethical standards it would benefit. It is no surprise the highest ethical standards are ones that help him and other old white men. I've seen the words ethical standards tossed out often by Christian men in high places. One consistent theme is that men understand ethics best and the standards are clear men are to be in charge of not only the pulpit but the home.  All of us who follow this stuff know men are to always be dealt the best hand and women the worst. This is great material for Christian parody sites--they milk the male superiority to the max.  In the Harris/Trump campaign the gender aspect is fun to watch. Certainly, the best chance for a woman to win the U.S. Presidency is to have as her opponent an older and hapless man. Trump's lifelong treatment of women...

Sen. Josh Hawley, a Missouri Republican, was given an award by a right wing group from Florida. Hawley received the award because of his book,  Manhood; The Masculine Virtues America Needs. The group giving the award is call the Center for Christian Statesmanship. Hawley's award was for being a distinguished "Christian Statesman." Then in his remarks, Hawley riffed about how masculinity holds together the family and the liberal assault on masculinity is "destroying the family." Connecting all these dots, "statesmanship," "masculinity" and "family" is hard for me. They don't seem to have anything to do with each other.  A book chest-beating about "masculinity" does not seem like what we mean generally when we think of the term "statesmanship."   One nice definition of "statesmanship" is "evidence of wisdom and skill in conducting national and international affairs." We have now entered the ...

Several times in the past 20 years Catholics world-wide have hoped the abuse and schemes by Bishops or hide the abuse would finally end and the news about all of this would end. Instead, it seems to grow . The past few years in Ireland has seen political up evil. Abortion rights were voted in. Membership in the Catholic Church has plummeted. The considerable influence of church officials on public officials has fallen as well. It's about to get worse. Widespread publicity about sexual abuse by clergy started it all. As this played out in the headlines the public responded predictably by heaping scorn on the denomination and its clergy. There remained, however, no deep investigation nor prosecution by the Irish government. The opening of an official investigation has been authorized and this will feed stories of Catholic abuse to the world.  Until recently, it seems Ireland was one of the countries left over from a previous era. It was a country where laws and such were brought up f...

On a liberal Christian site a writer told of a young performer who makes light of Eve's bratty behavior and sin, saying women are still sinning and having fun. In Christianity we learn women know they must lean on men because women carry impulses they themselves cannot control. Eve knew she should not eat the apple. Yet she did it and used her beguiling ways to persuade the more rational and responsible Adam to then eat the apple. The result of Eve's misdeed is what we have today, sin everywhere. Eve is a gift to Christian parody that never stops giving. Any unfortunate news that comes along, bad weather, shootings and accidents can be blamed on Eve. If we who engage in Christian parody believed in a god we would thank that god for Eve. But now, thank goodness, Eve can serve as a fun mythical figure for gender equality. Eve can also be used to poke fun at Catholicism and conservative Protestants like the Southern Baptist Convention and Lutheran Missouri Synod for their refusal ...

My most recent issue of Freethought Today had several essays from nonwhite students. The essays told of their ancestors. The students had been told stories by their parents and grandparents and then looked up historical information about the broader picture of what happened in their families. The essays told the sad stories of black and native people who were browbeaten into Christianity. Their previous spiritual life was, in some cases, beaten out of them. Native children were taken from their parents and placed in boarding schools. There, Christianity was poured on and previous beliefs shamed.  History is sort of repeating itself in Africa. Christians are being hunted down and are either killed or renounce Christianity. Apparently, some in Nigeria think Christianity is bad and does not belong in their country. They are trying to get rid of Christianity, thinking they are also helping Christians. To me, this seems like what white Christians did to native people and slaves. After w...

It was almost 200 years ago Han Christian Anderson wrote a tale where a child says this about the naked Emperor. What a great parallel to today's puffed-up Christians. Year after year people leave the faith. Those who remain behind shouting, "Read the Bible you sinners," are like the emperor who was told he was wearing beautiful garments that were invisible. Like puffed-up Christians today, he was naked. Wearing the Bible and pretending it is the finest of royal clothing is coming to an end. Surveys confirm people are reading the Bible less and less. And for good reason. Evidence has been piling up for decades the Bible is not historically accurate and was used to control the poor by the rich. As time has moved along, there has been more skepticism about walking on water and the dead coming back to life. If the Bible is used to disguise Christianity and people see through it, we have a modern day example of the naked emperor. It's fun to follow the different responses...

While stories about women leaving the faith is have been discussed here and reported a lot, it seems the magnitude and importance of this change is being underestimated and under stated. While the society is marching in one direction toward equal rights, much of Christianity is marching in the opposite direction. If there is one single thing that could cause God to disappear, it is women leaving God to be buried in the sands of time. They are no longer organizing the potlucks and getting the kids up and dressed for church. They see opportunities in the society around them, but in church the rug is pulled out from under them. One of the sources in the link who studies this change was asked if big majority of the faith which puts women down will change. His reply is probably it will not change. If there ever is a change, it will be because denominations with older members die out. Changing minds of current conservatives is unlikely. The podcasts of clergy in Lutheran Church Missouri Syno...

While churches are closing every day, there are many so there will be thousands for a long time. There are lots of articles in the Christian press about the struggles churches face but not many get to the core of the problem. That is paying the preacher and a single use building.  Videos generated by dissident preachers from the Denomination Lutheran Church Missouri Synod have been discussing the need to start new churches. The problem is that most of the time there is not enough money to secure a building and pay a preacher. Further exasperating its problem is a requirement men (no women) attend in person a denomination's seminary. All of that together, the dissidents conclude, is there needs to be a way to run small churches without paid preachers or expensive buildings. Yet, so far, the older leader in that denomination prefer to see numbers fall instead of developing an economic model that might work.  Traditional church buildings are used only a few hours a week. Traditio...

If you were looking for a way to improve your spells, Yale Divinity can help. The Master's that includes extra courses in  Witchcraft will give graduates a running start in a growth industry. I've always wondered what the next big thing in religion will be. Could it be Witchcraft? Looking at the course offerings, they include the history of witchcraft and the various branches and spinoffs over time. We all know it was practiced in Europe and came to this country with the Europeans.  As with other religions and/or belief systems training is required before one can conduct the ceremonies and rituals. If you want to know how to be a "clergy", maybe it is called a witch, you can learn about in these courses. The standard definition of witchcraft is the ability to use supernatural powers do to harm to others. It has been referred to since the beginning of recorded history so must have existing deep into prehistory. While modern versions of witches include men and are seen ...

While I've been involved with Atheist groups for some decades, I know very little about the many ways people go forward after leaving the Christian faith. Apparently, there are a gazillion different groups that form around arm's length study of philosophy and mythology. They don't advocate any belief but try to understand a variety of beliefs. Reading about this variety of groups, I'm reminded they are similar to what I know to be Universal Unitarianism. We're seeing that skeptics are just like believers, each has his/her own version of the deal. I'm no different. I've attended several Unitarian groups, been a speaker a few times, but it just doesn't speak to me as something to attend regularly.   What is refreshing, however, is that all these groups to off doing and believing their own thing and they do not, or cannot, force everyone else to suffer prayers at public events and all the other garbage Christian push on society. Among the groups meeting are...

A "motor home" retrofitted for abortions did business near the Democratic Convention Center in Chicago. It also travels to small cities near the border of states which have outlawed abortion. The concept seems to work well and could be a concept that will become even more popular. The rolling surgery bus and at home pills will make abortion widely available no matter how many states pass laws against abortion. What remains a problem is transportation for women who need to travel out of state for their abortions.   Transportation to health care has been addressed in different ways during my lifetime. When I was growing up here in Iowa the hospital considered most advanced was at the University of Iowa in Iowa City. The University cleverly painted vehicle with unique signage so they were easily identifiable. I recall seeing them frequently. Today. every large hospital has helicopters reducing highway vehicles. With the financial resources available today to the abortion rights ...

A publication that focuses on the Catholic Church but is independent of it is predicting the pattern of sexual relationships by priests will expand not subside. These involve not just the children of the past but adults who feel they are victims. The link says Catholic bureaucracy has mostly focused on priests who have abused children. It has put into place some rules and precautions. Adult women, however, who have made charges of sexual abuse by clergy have not received nearly as much attention. They do not seem to be seen as victims. Can an adult woman seduced by a priest make the claim of victim? Since the beginning of man, my guess is that men have used religion to seduce women. I've read testimony a gazillion times, "God wants us to do this." While male bosses who make moved against females who depend on them for a job are sometimes successful in prosecution of sexual abuse, I'm not aware clergy are seen as having positions of power over women. Certainly, they sh...

While "the housing crisis" is discussed endlessly, it doesn't seem like there is a "solution." People are living in cities under bridges and in tent cities. City leaders get complaints so they pass laws. Police and social workers try to remove them or find housing and some agency to pay the rent.  It is well known a lot of people living on the streets or in shelters have had medicine to mental problems prescribed but are not well enough mentally to take the meds. A string of bad luck dooms others. While the number of homeless in cities today is at record levels, demographics tell us much bigger problems lie ahead. This the millions of people approaching retirement who do not have adequate retirement saving. They will receive social security which, if people pay today's market rent is not enough to live on. I follow on You Tube a series of people who live in their vehicles and post videos talking about their success or lack of it. Many people receive about $2...