During the 1990s, evangelical Christians started wearing bracelets with the letters “WWJD.” The letters stand for “What Would Jesus Do?” This is supposed to serve as a reliable ethical guide for Christians. (Some skeptics have had fun with the question. Some have suggested that the letters actually represent “We Want Jack Daniels!”)
Rush Limbaugh is the latest reactionary icon to come to the defense of government efforts to control women’s sexuality. According to Associated Press reports, Georgetown University law student Sandra Fluke was invited to testify about her university’s health plan—which excludes contraception—before a House committee. Republican lawmakers prevented her from testifying. However, Democrats invited her to speak to them at an unofficial session.
For 50 years, the anthropologist Joel Augustus Rogers researched Black history throughout the world. He traveled to 60 countries, mostly at his own expense. Rogers, a secular humanist, embraced evolutionary theory, promoted good science, and brilliantly critiqued pseudoscience. He routinely proclaimed, “there is but one race, the human race.” He spoke at rallies of Marcus
There are many religious objections to the fact that human beings have evolved from primitive apes. For example, many, if not most, religionists believe that human beings were created in their present form. However, even if one rejects the fossil evidence, the DNA evidence clearly demonstrates that human beings share a common ancestor with chimpanzees. In the past, it was reported that humans share 99.6% of our genes with chimpanzees. Recently, estimates have been lowered to 98.5%, 97.5% and 95%. However, the fact remains that humans and chimpanzees are very close cousins. Indeed, humans and chimpanzees even share “pseudo-genes,” or genes that served functions in the distant past.
Over the past few years, many people throughout the world have celebrated Charles Darwin’s birthday. This year, February 12, 2012, marks his 203rd birthday. His contributions to the world of ideas were many. However, he is best remembered for collecting important data that led the scientific world to embrace the theory of evolution by natural selection.
Men routinely objectify women, and many women willingly objectify themselves. This is obvious in the world of advertising, where men use women’s bodies to sell goods and services. Many people assert that boys and men are more visual than girls and women when it comes to mate selection. Certainly, boys and men generally tend to be more polygamous than girls and women.
Millions of people throughout the world have observed or heard about the Tim Tebow phenomenon. Tim Tebow is the ultra-religious quarterback of the Denver Broncos. He is generally regarded as, at best, a mediocre passer. Many current and former professional football players and coaches do not believe he will ever succeed over the long haul.
Like a belief in God, there is hardly anything that cannot be justified in the name of culture. What better place to begin examining this idea than the U.S.? During antebellum times, White supremacy and slavery were deeply ingrained characteristics of Southern culture (and U.S. culture in general). Southern White males from all classes were astounded and offended that some White Northerners criticized their deeply cherished (and thoroughly racist) values and traditions.
For the past several years, reactionary Christians have been whining about the alleged “War on Christmas.” There is no shortage of letters to the editors of publications all over the U.S. complaining that Christmas is under attack. Bill O’Reilley has been particularly riled by efforts to respect non-Christians and to make the U.S. more inclusive. How dare non-Christians intrude upon the unwelcoming party of Christians as they celebrate the birthday of their Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ? Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Not many years ago, I spoke at a standing room only event at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, a division of the New York Public Library System, in Harlem, New York. I was invited to discuss humanism and great humanists of African descent. As I was speaking, it dawned on me that I could have given a whole lecture discussing great non-religious Harlemites.
On November 3, 2011, the Associated Press reported that the offices of the satirical weekly publication, Charlie Hebdo, in Paris, France, were firebombed. The director of the weekly publication issued an "invitation" to the Prophet Muhammad to be its guest editor. Evidently, some Muslim extremists did not find the joke to be very amusing.
On October 11, 2011, the Associated Press carried a news story about a conservative Christian minister's condemnation of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (LDS), also known as the Mormons. The Rev. Robert Jeffress, minister of the First Baptist church in Dallas, told news reporters that presidential contender Mitt Romney is "not a Christian," and called Mormonism a "cult."
