Deep Dive

A collection of 1068 posts

Demographics of Religion

Non-religious Shrinking; the World Is Going to Become More Religious

Statistics seem conflicting when discussing the demographics of religion in the world. This is because global analyses must take into account population growth per country, as well as migration, and countless other variables. Last year (April 2015), the Pew Research Center produced data and an incredibly interesting report that stated:

Philosophy

The Philosophy 101 Factfile - Socrates

I had been been thinking, some time back (yes, I know, it hurts). In doing the philpapers inspired Philosophy 101 series (found here, so far), touching on the questions asked in the largest ever survey of philosophers, I thought I would give some nice, basic factfiles explaining what some of

atheism

Ecuador Talent Show Shockingly Lectures Contestant on her Atheism, Gets Sacked

This happened at the back end of last year, but escaped my radar, so sorry if you already knew about this. It's a shocker. I thought it was originally a mistranslated satirical Poe, because it is that bizarre as to warrant disbelief. The Independent reported: Judges on a

Church

Thousands Quit Churuch of Denmark After Atheist Tax Campaign

Some three thousand people have quit the Church of Denmark recently after a campaign by the Atheist Society. Christian Today explains: Nearly 3,000 baptised cancelled their membership last month after Denmark's Atheist Society, Ateistisk Selskab, launched a nationwide campaign advising people they could save money by opting

equality

Bryan Adams Follows Springsteen in Cancelling Show over Anti-Gay Laws

Bryan Adams has followed suit from the example Bruce Springsteen and some large corporations in pulling out of a show in Mississippi. As the BBC states: Bryan Adams has cancelled a concert in Mississippi over the US state's new controversial religious liberty law. The law, which allows some

atheism

Yet Another Bangladeshi Secularist Hacked to Death by Radical Islamists

This depresses me, it really does. How many is this now? The Guardian reports: A Bangladeshi law student who criticised Islamism on his Facebook page has been murdered, police said on Thursday, the latest in a series of killings of secular activists and bloggers in the country. Nazimuddin Samad, 28,

Biblical Exegesis

Harmonising Jesus With Yahweh. Fail.

Harmonising the Old Testament with the New Testament is a tough job. And don't go trying to use Paul to do that job. Circumcision and genocide are slightly different.

bible

Jehovah's Jihad: Christians Abhor the Qu'ran, Ignore Biblical Atrocities

The Bible contains Jehovah's jihads and is more violent than the Qu'ran.

human rights

Animals are legally recognised as 'sentient' beings in New Zealand

Are animals sentient enough to deserve "human" rights?

atheism

The 13 countries where being an atheist is punishable by death

This report in the Independent has been doing the rounds. In this day and age, it's pretty sad. It’s often said that the world is becoming an increasingly secular place. Just last week David Cameron sparked backlash when he used his Easter message to describe the UK

brain

Autism, the Neurotypical Brain and Philosophy

I recently posted on the topic of mentalizing deficits and using this as an example of God's unfairness, and thus arguing that either God does not exist, or he is not all-loving. I used the term "mentalizing deficit" as it was the term used in the

Deep Dive

Quote of the Day - Bruce Gorton on multiculturalism

This comment from Bruce Gorton came on the "Flabby" Liberalism thread a few days back. There is lots to think about and argue over in his comment. Good stuff: I think the thing is to ditch multiculturalism. Okay I look at it from a South African perspective, which

atonement

A Succinct Synopsis of the Nonsense of Easter

Easter is the time for the christian church. Christmas is all lovely and present-y, but Easter is what it's all really about. It is the climax of Jesus' existence. But this is really what is going on: JesusManGod sacrificed himself to himself to sit on his own

creation

Can An Old Atheist With A New, Short And Unassailable Case Be Heard?

A friend of mine, who has a penchant for taking out poignant, atheistic ads to challenge believers, write this as an op-ed for the NYT. They didn't take it - perhaps being incendiary in nature - and I would like to take this opportunity to post it here.

Biblical Exegesis

On the Skepticism of the Resurrection

Christmas is over, time to get on to Easter. Someone in Malawi is about to have a debate on national TV with a Christian about the Resurrection accounts and I have been asked to help provide some ideas for the debate, so here goes.

liberalism

On "flabby liberalism"

Tony Blair featured in a really interesting article on the BBC yesterday, looking critically at liberalism. I think he had a good many points. I will list some of them here: ...he warns that too often the West can "be made to feel guilty about itself" and fails

Bangladesh

After 28 years, Bangladesh revives case to drop Islam as state religion

At a time when the horrific and violent murder of atheist and secular bloggers (much like myself) in the country of Bangladesh has become all too commonplace, it is interesting to read of the idea that there might be a move to reinstate secularism. As Reuters reports: Legal action to

atheism

A Reminder About "Filling The Void"

Here is a reminder that I have just released (in ebook, paperback to follow in a week) a new book that I am really excited about. Filling The Void: A Selection Of Humanist And Atheist Poetry is a wonderful collection of secular and philosophical poetry to give voice to atheists

atheism

What Would It Take Me To Believe? And You?

This is one of those questions that comes up in debates these days, often in the slightly different form of "What is the strongest argument you think the other side has?" I am going to be succinct here. There are no theistic arguments that trouble me. There simply

New Zealand

Weddings Legalised for Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster in New Zealand

Anything you can do, we can do better. Or, if you can hold a wedding in the name of an imaginary being, then so can we. As ABC reports: It's official — New Zealanders can now tie the noodle knot in a legally recognised Church of the Flying Spaghetti

Deep Dive

Quote of the Day - A Sticker

In searching for something to go on the back of my car (I fancy a nice humanist badge, I have decided), I came across this succinct gem: Morality is doing what is right, regardless of what you are told. Religion is doing what you are told, regardless of what is

Epistemology

Philosophy 101 (philpapers induced) #9: Knowledge claims: contextualism, relativism, or invariantism?

Having posted the Philpapers survey results, the biggest ever survey of philosophers conducted in 2009, several readers were not aware of it (the reason for re-communicating it) and were unsure as to what some of the questions meant. I offered to do a series on them, so here it is

consequentialism

God Is A Moral Consequentialist!!

Here is an essay that I wrote some time ago, raising points that William Lane Craig has failed to deal with. This one comes up an awful lot in my discussions on morality. See what you think. See this and other such pieces in my reasonably priced ebook: The Problem

Donald Trump

Trump and the Iowa Wrestlers - Um, Totally Racist...

In case you haven't seen the video taken at a Iowa Trump rally, it is well worth a watch, if only to put your head in your hands and wonder about the modern world. What takes place can only be described as racist. In fact, some commenters to

Catholic sex abuse scandal

Hundreds of child sex abuse complaints made against Christian Brothers

The Royal Commission has their work cut out for them in investigating historic sex abuse from clergy and religious institutions in Australia over previous decades. As the Guardian reports: In Australia, 853 people have made a claim or substantiated complaint of child sexual abuse against one or more Christian Brothers,