-Mahalo

Stephen Hawking says afterlife is a fairy story - Yahoo! News

Seeded on Mon May 16, 2011 7:18 PM EDT (Yahoo! News)

Renowned physicist Stephen Hawking recently explained his belief that there is no God and that humans should therefore seek to live the most valuable lives they can while on Earth.

religion, heaven, hell, afterlife, fairy-tale, stephen-hawking

How to build a religion

Seeded on Tue Apr 26, 2011 10:27 AM EDT (The Economist)

FANCY founding a religion? Keen to reform a flagging faith? Here a few tips on how to attract and retain followers, thus ensuring that your gospel spreads far and wide, affording spiritual solace to as many souls as possible.

religion, faith, cult, how-to, logic

In Politics, Sometimes The Facts Don't Matter

Seeded on Wed Jul 14, 2010 11:53 AM EDT (NPR)

New research suggests that misinformed people rarely change their minds when presented with the facts -- and often become even more attached to their beliefs. The finding raises questions about a key principle of a strong democracy: that a well-informed electorate is best.

debate, science, facts, misinformation, disbelief, anecdotal-evidince

Supreme Court extends gun rights

Seeded on Mon Jun 28, 2010 11:33 AM EDT (The Detroit Free Press)

WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court ruled today that the Constitution's "right to keep and bear arms" applies nationwide as a restraint on the ability of the federal, state and local governments to substantially limit its reach.

constitution, supreme-court, us-news, gun-rights, 2nd-amendment

Court Sides With Business in Arbitration Case

Seeded on Wed Jun 23, 2010 12:51 PM EDT (Wall Street Journal)

The Supreme Court assigned a broad scope to binding arbitration agreements in a 5-4 vote that saw the court's conservative majority siding with business.

scalia, discrimination, civil-rights, supreme-court, us-news, conservative, judicial-activism, employment-law

AG: Proposal to create 'Jesus is Lord' license plate probably unconstitutional

Seeded on Tue Apr 20, 2010 8:40 AM EDT (wreg.com)

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The state's attorney general says a proposal to create a specialty license plate in Tennessee that says "Jesus is Lord" is probably unconstitutional.

religion, free-speech, license-plate, first-amendment, free-expression, coercion, establishment, free-exercise

Court Denies Mother's Bid for Religious Exemption to Vaccinations

Seeded on Thu Apr 8, 2010 10:35 AM EDT (Law.com)

A woman who claimed she saw "God in everything" and feared immunizing her daughter because it would inject "disease" into her "perfect" and "divine" human form failed to establish religious grounds sufficient for an exemption from New York state's mandatory vaccination rules, a f …

constitution, us-news, first-amendment, injunction, vaccination, anti-vaccination

Faith groups to be key policy advisers [in Britain]

Seeded on Thu Mar 18, 2010 9:43 AM EDT (Telegraph)

John Denham, the communities secretary, said the values of Christians, Muslims and other religions were essential in building a "progressive society". He attacked secularists who have called for religion to be kept out of public life.

britain, religion, government, first-amendment, faith-based-initiatives

Texas education board rejects in-depth study of First Amendment

Seeded on Fri Mar 12, 2010 8:43 AM EST (The Dallas Morning News)

AUSTIN – Republicans on the State Board of Education soundly rejected a Democratic-backed proposal Thursday that would have required Texas students to be taught the reasons behind the prohibition of a state religion in the Bill of Rights.

constitution, religion, indoctrination, establishment-clause, free-exercise

Jeffrey and Marci Beagley sentenced to 16 months of prison for their son's faith-healing death

Seeded on Tue Mar 9, 2010 4:45 PM EST (OregonLive.com)

OREGON CITY -- Clackamas County Circuit Court Judge Steven Maurer sentenced Jeffrey and Marci Beagley to 16 months in prison this afternoon, calling the couple's decision to not seek medical care for their 16-year-old son, Neil Beagley, a "crime that was a product of an unwil …

religion, murder, child-abuse

A test of same-sex custody rights: Nonbiological parent fighting for children

Seeded on Mon Mar 8, 2010 10:04 AM EST (The Detroit Free Press)

For 19 years, Renee Harmon says, she and Tammy Davis lived as if they were married.

marriage, us-news, same-sex-marriage, child-care

Extra small condoms for 12 year-old boys go on sale in Switzerland

Seeded on Fri Mar 5, 2010 10:40 AM EST (Telegraph)

Called the Hotshot, the condom has been produced after government research showed 12 to14-year-olds did not use sufficient protection when having sex. The study, conducted on behalf of the Federal Commission for Children and Youth, interviewed 1,480 people aged 10 to 20.

world-news, condoms, hilarious, adolescent, safe-sex

In Utah, a move to seize federal land [by the State]

Seeded on Thu Mar 4, 2010 8:42 AM EST (The L.A. Times)

The state House passes a bill allowing the use of eminent domain to take protected land from the federal government. Utah wants to develop a stretch outside Arches National Park and other areas.

us-news, eminent-domain, takings-clause, constitutional-law, 5th-amendment, supremacy-clause, property-power, intergovernmental-immunity

Wiccan altar puts teacher, officials at odds

Seeded on Wed Mar 3, 2010 8:05 AM EST (The Des Moines Register)

Guthrie Center, Ia. - A high school senior's desire to build a Wiccan altar in shop class has forced a community debate about free expression.

religion, first-amendment, free-expression, establishment-clause, free-exercise

Judge upholds teacher's right to hang God banners

Seeded on Tue Mar 2, 2010 8:07 AM EST (mercurynews.com)

SAN DIEGO—A federal judge has ruled that a San Diego school district violated a teacher's constitutional rights when it ordered him to remove two patriotic banners from his classroom because they "overemphasized God."

religion, free-speech, first-amendment, public-schools, indoctrination, free-exercise, content-discrimination

JUVENILE JUSTICE IN MICHIGAN 2nd chance for killer kids?

Seeded on Sun Feb 28, 2010 12:25 PM EST (The Detroit Free Press)

Dontez Tillman and Thomas McCloud were 14-year-old middle schoolers in Pontiac in the summer of 2008. Neither was old enough to drive, drink, nor apply for a video store membership.

prison, murder, us-news, juvenile, criminal-sentencing

Maryland Can Recognize Same Sex Marriages

Seeded on Fri Feb 26, 2010 8:16 AM EST (The Baltimore Sun)

Attorney General Douglas F.

gay-marriage, baltimore, us-news, first-amendment, fundamental-rights

Starved toddler may have been possessed, mother says at [murder] trial

Seeded on Thu Feb 25, 2010 8:13 AM EST (The Baltimore Sun)

The mother of a dead child testified Wednesday that she followed orders to starve her toddler son, even though it "didn't feel right," to rid him of a demon that she believed her own mother placed there by offering the boy to the devil.

murder, child-abuse, us-news, first-amendment, child-neglect, endangerment, free-exercise

[Summum]Sect asks to erect monument while suit is pending

Seeded on Sun Feb 21, 2010 10:10 AM EST (Salt Lake Tribune)

Pleasant Grove on Friday asked a federal judge to throw out a lawsuit by a Salt Lake City religious group seeking equal space for its own marker in a city park that has a Ten Commandments monument.

us-news, first-amendment, christianity, establishment-clause, summum, free-exercise

All Haitian 'Orphans' With Baptists Had Parents

Seeded on Sun Feb 21, 2010 10:06 AM EST (ABC News)

There is not one orphan among the 33 children that a U.S. Baptist group tried to take from Haiti in a do-it-yourself rescue mission following a devastating earthquake, The Associated Press has determined.

haiti, religion, orphans, kidnapping

Catholic Group Ends Foster-Care over Gay Marriage

Seeded on Fri Feb 19, 2010 8:54 AM EST (cbn.com)

The Catholic Archdiocese of Washington, D.C., will no longer provide foster care services because of the city's gay marriage law.

religion, gay-rights, catholic, first-amendment, homosexual, bigotry

Half of world's primate species endangered, report says

Seeded on Wed Feb 17, 2010 10:13 PM EST (CNN)

Nearly half the world's primate species are in danger of extinction, according to a report released Wednesday by a major conservation group.

science, conservation, primate

Planned Parenthood license plates bill clears Va. Senate

Seeded on Wed Feb 17, 2010 7:54 AM EST (The Washington Post)

The Virginia Senate, controlled by Democrats, has passed a measure that would create a specialty state license plate with the message "Trust Women/Respect Choice." Some of the application fee money paid by drivers who select the plate would go to the Virginia League of Planned Pa …

abortion, religion, first-amendment, pro-life, planned-parenthood, pro-choice

Controversial [Colorado] public schools religion bill ends in a whimper

Seeded on Wed Feb 17, 2010 7:52 AM EST (The Colorado Independent )

DENVER– A controversial bill that sought to expand space for religion in Colorado's public schools failed to make it out of committee Monday. Even before the hearing began, the bill's sponsor, Christian conservative state Sen.

religion, first-amendment, christianity, coddling

Ugly divorce, custody fight turns into religious battle-Man violates restraining order by taking daughter to church

Seeded on Wed Feb 17, 2010 7:45 AM EST (Chicago Sun-Times)

An already ugly divorce and child custody fight in Chicago has given way to a battle over religion.

children, religion, divorce, 1st-amendment, religious-training

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Comments & Feedback

Family is great, job is going good so no complaints. Who are you interning for?
— dwolfkeeper

Just dropping a note to see how school is going and if you were taking the Summer off? See ya on the Vine!
— dwolfkeeper

Lono.
I respect your intellect even though we clearly differ in mindset. I suppose the best we can do is agree to disagree :-) I hope to hear from you in other articles. Clearly we have similar interests even though we are coming from different perspectives.
— dabonboza