Category: Religion

Constitutional Law, Religion

The Myth Of Religious Charity

-Submitted by David Drumm (Nal), Guest Blogger

The concept of charity most people have in mind is “serving the people’s physical needs.” How do religions stack up in performing this work? The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the Mormon Church), which touts its charitable work, spent 0.7% of it overall revenue on charitable causes. Compare that figure with the American Red Cross which spends 92.1% of its revenue on the physical needs of those it helps.

The other side of this coin is the estimated $71 billion in annual government subsidies that are granted to religious establishments.

Continue reading “The Myth Of Religious Charity” →

Bizarre, Religion, Society, Torts

The Rogue Exorcist Defense: Priest Accused Of Sexually Assaulting Woman During Exorcisms

A Virginia woman has filed a lawsuit against the Catholic Diocese of Arlington, its bishop, and an anti-abortion ministry for what she alleges was sexual assault during an exorcism. The woman claims that the Rev. Thomas Euteneuer, then president of Front Royal-based Human Life International Inc., made her repeatedly take off her clothes and then caressed and kissed her — saying that he was “blowing the Holy Spirit” into her. She said it gradually dawned on her that this was not your standard exorcism. The case will apparently explore the difference between showing why “Jesus Loves You” and showing how “Jesus loves you.”
Continue reading “The Rogue Exorcist Defense: Priest Accused Of Sexually Assaulting Woman During Exorcisms” →

Bizarre, Criminal law, International, Religion, Society

Goin’ Hagwalah: Saudi Man Sentenced To Death By Beheading For Car “Drifting”

Saudi police have been dealing with a bizarre form of reckless driving called “Hagawalah” where men (women still are prohibited from driving in the Kingdom) skid their cars at high speeds as crowds cheer. Drifters often skid into opposing traffic or into awaiting crowds. One man identified only as “Mutannish” (or “he who ignores”) has been sentenced to be beheaded for killing two people while drifting.

Continue reading “Goin’ Hagwalah: Saudi Man Sentenced To Death By Beheading For Car “Drifting”” →

Academia, Bizarre, Religion, Science, Society

“And Quantum Mechanical Fluctuations Said Let There Be Light And There Was Light . . . “: Leading Scientists Challenge “Divine Spark” Theory

Alex Filippenko and colleagues have caused a stir by observing that the law of physics can now explain the Big Bang without one common element: God. The University of California (Berkeley) professor observed that . “With the laws of physics, you can get universes.” Before we replace the statement on our money to read “In the Law of Physics, We Trust” there is a fallback. If the law of physics can explain the Big Bang, God may have still invented the law of physics.

Continue reading ““And Quantum Mechanical Fluctuations Said Let There Be Light And There Was Light . . . “: Leading Scientists Challenge “Divine Spark” Theory” →

Academia, Criminal law, Religion, Science, Society

Heaven Can Wait: Study Finds That People Who Believe In Heaven Are More Likely To Commit Crimes

University of Oregon Professor Azim Shariff and University of Kansas Professor Mijke Rhemtulla published an interesting study in the scientific journal PloS One finding that people who believe in heaven are more likely to commit a crime. It appears that the promise of fire and brimstone of hell is a far greater motivator for good conduct than the harps and cherubs of Heaven.

Continue reading “Heaven Can Wait: Study Finds That People Who Believe In Heaven Are More Likely To Commit Crimes” →

Academia, International, Politics, Religion, Science, Society

Ancient Rome, Japan and the Interconnected World
Roman Glass Bead
Photo By Nara National Research Institute/AFP (c) 2012, Used without permission.

by Gene Howington, Guest Blogger

In the 5th Century CE, the world was a much more isolated place than it is today but it was still interconnected. Most people lived and died within 30 miles of where they were born. Yet even then, the world was an interconnected place where the far reaches could touch one another. Travel was restricted to by foot, horseback or boat. Regular communication depended upon trade routes or carrier pigeons. However, distance and geographical isolation did not prevent distant parts of the world from knowing about each other. The impact of foreign countries within a given country in the ancient world, both near and far, raises some interesting questions about interconnectedness, influence and the impact of telecommunications and air travel on the modern world. For context, let’s consider this recent archaeological find announced by the Nara National Research Institute for Cultural Properties.

Continue reading “Ancient Rome, Japan and the Interconnected World” →

Academia, Constitutional Law, Politics, Religion, Science

Loch Ness Monster Disproves Evolution

-Submitted by David Drumm (Nal), Guest Blogger

That’s the kind of science nonsense that Louisiana’s taxpayers are going to be funding this upcoming school year. Governor Bobby Jindal’s bill will divert public school funds to pay for vouchers for students to attend private Christian schools like Eternity Christian Academy, in Westlake, LA.

The Eternity Christian Academy follows the Accelerated Christian Education (ACE) curriculum. What comprises the ACE science curriculum?

Continue reading “Loch Ness Monster Disproves Evolution” →

Criminal law, Politics, Religion

Four Hasidic Men Charged With Attempted Coercion and Bribery Of Victim To Protect Prominent Hasidic Defendant in Child Abuse Case

We previously discussed the decision of prosecutors to grant ultra-Orthodox Jewish defendants anonymity — denied to other defendants — in facing sex-crime charges. It is, in my view, a highly problematic form of favoritism shown to a powerful community in Brooklyn. Moreover, as discussed earlier, it is highly unlikely in this tight-knit community that the identification of both the accused and victims would not be known. Now, four Hasidic men have been arrested for alleged harassment and obstruction of witnesses, including the offer of a $500,000 bribe to refuse to testify against a Hasidic leader. The prominent accused man in the Satmar Hasidic community, Nechemya Weberman, has been accused of 88 counts of sexual misconduct, including oral sex with a child younger than 13 years old. In addition to the money, the men are accused of threatening to withdraw the kosher certification from the restaurant of the boyfriend, Hershy Deutsch, unless the woman dropped her claims.
Continue reading “Four Hasidic Men Charged With Attempted Coercion and Bribery Of Victim To Protect Prominent Hasidic Defendant in Child Abuse Case” →

Bizarre, Religion, Society

Something Not Quite Kosher About ConAgra? Lawsuit Challenges Kosher Claim Of Hebrew National Dogs

ConAgra is facing a legal challenge over its claim that its popular Hebrew National hotdogs are kosher. Employees at the company’s third-party kosher certifier for ConAgra claim that they have witnessed serious breaches in kosher rules at the company’s meat plants.

Continue reading “Something Not Quite Kosher About ConAgra? Lawsuit Challenges Kosher Claim Of Hebrew National Dogs” →

Columns, Free Speech, Politics, Religion, Society

Looking For Socialism? Try Buying A Drink In One of America’s State Controlled Liquor Stores

Below is today’s column on the continued use of state controls over alcohol in the United States. With the decision this month of Washington state to embrace the free market system and drop controls, citizens in other states are rightfully asking why officials keep this form of central planning, including officials in conservative states that purportedly favor free enterprise over government regulations.

Continue reading “Looking For Socialism? Try Buying A Drink In One of America’s State Controlled Liquor Stores” →

Free Speech, Religion, Society, Things That Tick Me Off

The Vatican Goes to War Against the Nuns over the “M” Word

Respectfully submitted by Lawrence Rafferty (rafflaw)-Guest Blogger

We have discussed the alleged War on Women in past blog articles here on Prof. Turley’s blog, as well as the Roman Catholic Church’s attempts to silence the Nuns over their support of Obamacare.  The Vatican is now battling the good Sisters over the alleged evilness of Masturbation!  The Vatican’s watchdog office called “The Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith” has come out against a book written by Sister Margaret Farley’s  in 2006 titled, Just Love: A Framework for Christian Sexual Ethics, because, among other evil statements,  the female author states that masturbation never hurt anyone.  Such heresy! Continue reading “The Vatican Goes to War Against the Nuns over the “M” Word” →

Academia, Free Speech, Politics, Religion, Society

Liberty, Liberal, Libertarian

Submitted by: Mike Spindell, guest blogger

Liber: From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

“In ancient Roman religion and mythology, Liber (“the free one”), also known as Liber Pater (“the free Father”) was a god of viticulture and wine, fertility and freedom. He was a patron deity of Rome’s plebeians and was part of their Aventine Triad. His festival of Liberalia (March 17) became associated with free speech and the rights attached to coming of age. His cult and functions were increasingly associated with Bacchus and his Greek equivalent Dionysus, whose mythologies he came to share.”

Lib·er·ty: [lib-er-tee] noun, plural lib·er·ties. 1. freedom from arbitrary or despotic government or control.2. freedom from external or foreign rule; independence.   3. freedom from control, interference, obligation, restriction, hampering conditions, etc.; power or right of doing, thinking, speaking, etc., according to choice. 4. freedom from captivity, confinement, or physical restraint: The prisoner soon regained his liberty.5. permission granted to a sailor, especially in the navy, to go ashore. (from Dictionary.com)

With the ongoing discussions, cum arguments, that have flowed back and forth for years on our various threads between our Libertarian, Rand influenced commenters and people of other perspectives, I’d like to explore the similarities and differences that distinguish those three title words all obviously flowing from the same Latin Root. As we see Liber was a Roman God associated with freedom. With the definition of Liberty above we can see that the suffix ty (meaning state of) converts this freedom loving God into a concept of freedom. Al as a suffix which means pertaining to, added to Liber creates a noun connoting someone who believes in Liberty, in other words the political view called Liberal.

Now  Tarian as a suffix connotes: “A believer in something. An advocate of something. (rare) A native or inhabitant of somewhere.” Thus we see that Libertarian connotes by its’ structure a noun which means an advocate of freedom. These three title words therefore all have the same root and each is evocative of the support of freedom, so how come there are not only numerous internecine battles between advocates of Liberty?  Dropping etymology, which is not my area of expertise, I’d like to opine on why this disagreement between advocates of Liberty, thus in some ways disciples of Liber, have led to such angry disputations. Continue reading “Liberty, Liberal, Libertarian” →

Free Speech, International, Religion, Science

Indian Rationalist Arrested For Blasphemy

-Submitted by David Drumm (Nal), Guest Blogger

We have previously discussed how black magician Pandit Surinder Sharma repeated attempted to kill rationalist Sanal Edamaruku (the James Randi of India) with a death-causing tantra, here. The still very much alive Edamaruku recently went to an Irla (suburb of Mumbai) Catholic church where he debunked a “miracle” where water was seen trickling down Jesus’ feet. Edamaruku identified the source of the water as a leaky drainage pipe and explained that capillary action was the cause of the water reaching Jesus’ feet.

Continue reading “Indian Rationalist Arrested For Blasphemy” →