Category Archives: critique of religion

Yes, the natural sciences and religion do conflict

A first glance at the issue may indicate that there is no conflict between science and religion. They work in different areas of human reality, and do not infringe on each other. But as is often the case, a first glance does not tell the whole story. To tell the whole story, we have to take a closer look at the activities of scientists and the claims of religious people. When we do, we shall find reason for rejecting the claim that there is no conflict between two areas of human activity.

C Rulon: Anti-choice efforts are almost entirely driven by men

Even though a sizable minority of (mostly very religious) women oppose abortion choice[i], the overwhelming majority of anti-choice voices in power (in our pulpits, media and political machines) have always been voices that will never have to experience an unwant­ed preg­nancy — powerful male voices — voices from cardinals, bishops, priests, televangelists and ministers — voices from U.S. congressmen and state assemblymen.

C Rulon: Roman Catholic Church and Emergency Contraception‏

Every year in the U.S. over three million unin­tended preg­nancies occur. About 1.3 million end in abor­tions. But with emergency contraceptive pills (EC) taken within 72 hours of unprotected sex the number of un­intended pregnan­cies might actually be cut in half. Thus, the wide­spread easy availability of EC could consti­tute one of the most important advances in birth control in the last 40 years. Yet, there remains strong religious opposition to EC, mostly from the Roman Catholic Church.

Theology in Retreat?

Whenever I hear this point raised by some theologian, or a theistic philosopher, or any apologist for the theistic line I’m reminded of an episode from “The Simpsons” in which young Bart is confronted with some mischief that points to him as the perpetrator. He makes a series of exclamations of diminishing innocence.

C. Rulon: Science & the Genesis Global Flood

In 1988, a sur­vey was reported involv­ing more than 2000 col­lege students on 41 cam­­puses across the country.[i] About 40% of these students (62% in Texas from a different survey[ii]) said they believed that human life origi­nated in the Garden of Eden in the last 10,000 years, and that the worldwide flood described in Gen­esis was liter­al­ly true, and that dino­saurs and hu­mans lived at the same time.

C Rulon: The U.S. government & the Ten Commandments

House of Representatives passed the Ten Command­ments (10C) Defense Act Amendment by a vote of 248 to 180. This act called for the 10C to be posted in every public school room, court­room and government build­ing across our nation.[i] Supporters in Con­gress claimed that “God’s Laws” formed the basis of the American legal system. . .Yet, posting the 10C is a really bad idea, unless our goal is a medieval Christian theocracy.

C Rulon: Every cruelty has been justified in the name of this god or that god

A conflict of global importance exists today be­tween two fundamentally different views of morality and even of reality, itself. One view is sup­ported by several hun­dred years of solid scientific discoveries, ra­tion­al critical thought, comparative religious studies, and humanistic ethics. The other view is based on narrow inflexible inter­pre­­tations of ancient reli­gious texts. The United States with its Christian Right and their medieval faith-based agenda is a disquieting anomaly in the present indus­trialized world — an anomaly that wishes to turn the clock back and undo not only the scientific and democratic revolutions of our time, but also to repeal the Enlightenment.

C Rulon: Scientific Knowledge Devastates Many God Beliefs

A few centuries ago, physical evidence for an all-powerful God seemed everywhere in the Western world. After all, how else could one explain the existence of our bounti­ful Earth at the center of an awe-inspiring cosmos, with planets and stars circling Earth in perfect God-like circles? . . Then came modern science and over the last 400 years essentially all of the “proofs” for God’s existence turned out either to be false or to have quite natural explana­tions. All of the relevant scientific evi­dence—from astro­physics, to our evolu­tion, to the biochem­istry of life, strongly sup­ported the thesis that there never were any gods in the first place, . .