This lawsuit by Catholic nuns is a good example of expanding, erroneous notions of "religious freedom." No nun is required to "participate" in assisted dying or even provide info to patient about this option.They just need to refer person to someone else. www.catholicworldreport.com/2026/07/20/b...

In his last column for Free Inquiry, Ron Lindsay argues that the prevailing notion of gods hasn't changed much from Homer's time: we still need to beg and placate God, and as far as Christianity is concerned, blood sacrifice remains central to the faith. secularhumanism.org/exclusive/pl...

Placating the Gods: The Core of Religion | Free Inquiry

During this month, we are being inundated with promotions for the soon-to-be-released movie, The Odyssey. I hope that whatever the merits of this film, it w ...

secularhumanism.org

A timely reminder that anti-gay discrimination and hatred is a product of Abrahamic religions, and, because Islam holds power in some countries, that hatred is reflected in government policy in some Muslim majority countries. www.thefp.com/p/douglas-mu...

Douglas Murray: How a Gay Cruise Got Stuck Between Islam and the West

‘Right-wing governments’ aren’t the reason Egypt and Turkey rejected gay travelers. But many Westerners insist that every foreign vice is caused by colonialism, writes Douglas Murray.

thefp.com

In his column this week, Ron Lindsay comments on two Supreme Court decisions, one which gave the president the power to remove the heads of regulatory agencies at will & the other which removed one of the last limits on campaign financing. Bad news for democracy. secularhumanism.org/exclusive/ju...

Just What We Need: More Partisanship in Government, More Money in Politics | Free Inquiry

The U.S. Supreme Court finished its term this week and, as expected, delivered rulings on various significant issues. Much media attention has been focused ...

secularhumanism.org

In his column this week, Ron Lindsay uses Josh Hokit's outburst about Michelle Obama's alleged manhood to comment on how ideology, wish-fulfillment, & other factors can lead some to accept absurd claims: Consider the claims about Jesus. secularhumanism.org/exclusive/mi...

Michelle Obama’s Manhood, Washington’s Prayer at Valley Forge, and the Gospels | Free Inquiry

C. S. Lewis, the gifted writer and deeply misguided lay theologian, famously argued that given the statements attributed to Jesus in the New Testament the o ...

secularhumanism.org

Ron Lindsay's column returns with comments on the pope's AI encyclical, with Ron arguing that looking to the pope, or any religious authority, for advice on AI is deeply misguided. secularhumanism.org/exclusive/wh...

Why Listen to the Pope, Speaking as the Pope, on AI? | Free Inquiry

A little over a week ago, Pope Leo XIV issued an encyclical addressing various aspects of artificial intelligence (AI). The issuance of the encyclical recei ...

secularhumanism.org

In this week's column, Ron Lindsay discusses the conditions under which an assassination of a political leader might be justified. (Think of Hitler.) The key is whether change can be effected through the ballot box. secularhumanism.org/exclusive/wh...

When, If at All, Are Assassinations Justified? | Free Inquiry

The reaction to what seems to have been an attempt to assassinate President Donald Trump and perhaps other members of his administration has been what one m ...

secularhumanism.org

In his column this week, Ron Lindsay comments on the dust-up between Trump and the pope, arguing that although Trump is despicable, the institution & policies the pope represents are nothing to cheer about. secularhumanism.org/exclusive/tr...

Trump vs. the Pope: Not Much to Choose From | Free Inquiry

The tiff between President Donald Trump and Pope Leo was a major news story this past week, besides being grist for the mill of late-night comedy. The story ...

secularhumanism.org

The US Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit has narrowly held (9-8) that Ten Commandments displays in classrooms are OK b/c students are not "taught to adopt them." Oh, sure, prominent displays in classrooms are just there for aesthetic reasons; they have no influence on what the kids think.

Ron Lindsay's column will not appear this week, as Ron has been left literally dumbfounded by Trump's post of himself as Jesus followed by the absurd (and cowardly) explanation that it was meant to be a post of a doctor.

We are sincerely concerned about the level of medical care our president is receiving. Apparently, all the physicians who attend Trump wear biblical robes and rely on some purported mystical power of touch to heal. www.nytimes.com/2026/04/13/u...

Trump Posted a Picture of Himself as Jesus. Now He’s Trying to Explain It Away.

nytimes.com

In his column today, Ron Lindsay discusses the anomaly of our use of science to achieve great things (e.g., Artemis II) while simultaneously having our public policy influenced by fundamentalist religion. secularhumanism.org/exclusive/re...

In his column today, Ron Lindsay argues that antisemitism is not the principal reason Israel is losing support among the American public--it's the objectionable actions of Netanyahu's gov't. secularhumanism.org/exclusive/an...

Anti-Semitism Is Not the Principal Reason Israel Is Losing Support | Free Inquiry

That anti-Semitism continues to be a problem, both in the United States and elsewhere, cannot be disputed. Moreover, there is substantial evidence that more ...

secularhumanism.org

In his column today, Ron Lindsay criticizes Mike Johnson's Orwellian redefintion of "separation" as it applies to separation between church and state: the gov't cannot interfere w/ religious institutions, but religion can influence gov't policy. secularhumanism.org/exclusive/sp...

Speaker Mike Johnson: Ideologue and Hypocrite | Free Inquiry

Mike Johnson prides himself on being a “constitutional lawyer” and historian. He is neither. He is a religious ideologue, as shown by the tortuous reasoning ...

secularhumanism.org

In his column today, Ron Lindsay criticizes the Trump administration's May 17 event "Rededicate 250" as an ahistorical, unconstitutional, atavistic obeisance to a tribal god-- but one that serves Trump's politcal purposes. secularhumanism.org/exclusive/be...

Be Sure to Miss It | Free Inquiry

Among the historically inaccurate, tasteless events (e.g., the UFC bout on the White House South Lawn) President Donald Trump has planned for the 250th anni ...

secularhumanism.org

In his column today, Ron Lindsay reviews yet another book-length lament about how atheism leaves us without direction, forcing us to choose how to live. But all of us choose how to live. Atheism is just honest about this. secularhumanism.org/exclusive/an...

Another Lament About Atheism | Free Inquiry

The past couple of years have witnessed several intellectuals (or at least self-described intellectuals) turn away from atheism. Although each person who ha ...

secularhumanism.org

In his column today, Ron Lindsay argues that freedom to criticize religious claims is important. Believers tell us how we should live, what policies we should have, etc. These claims should not go unchallenged for fear of giving "offense." secularhumanism.org/exclusive/we...

We Need to Be Able to Criticize Religion—Including Islam | Free Inquiry

Last week, I wrote about the threats to free speech from the Trump administration. This is a serious problem. Democracy depends on our ability to criticize ...

secularhumanism.org

In his column today Ron Lindsay points out the hypocrisy of those in the MAGA-verse who critcized cancel culture but are now supporting Trump's efforts to use the power of government, including criminal prosecution, to silence critics. secularhumanism.org/exclusive/th...

The MAGA Crowd’s Crocodile Tears on Cancel Culture | Free Inquiry

Beginning around the 2010s, persons deemed to be taking objectionable positions—often allegedly racist or sexist positions—were sometimes shunned, targeted ...

secularhumanism.org

In his column today, Ron Lindsay reflects on the power of prayer -- not on its supposed ability to obtain what the petitioner wants, but on its ability to give people hope, albeit a false hope predicated on an incoherent view of the deity. secularhumanism.org/exclusive/pr...

Prayer—Religion’s Not-So-Secret Weapon | Free Inquiry

Prayer has been in the news recently. Of course, there was the annual spectacle of the National Prayer Breakfast on February 5, made even more meretricious ...

secularhumanism.org

Ron Lindsay's column this week is unusual: he is announcing the search for his replacement. But everything's cool; this was the plan when he became editor. He's leaving at the end of August. secularhumanism.org/exclusive/fi...

FI Editor Wanted | Free Inquiry

Let me get right to the point: Free Inquiry is looking for a new editor, to begin on or about September 1, 2026, although an earlier start might be negotiat ...

secularhumanism.org

In his column this week, Ron Lindsay argues that, whatever one thinks of transwomen participating in women's sports, classifying this as an issue of "religious freedom" is a misguided tactic that ultimately helps the religious right. secularhumanism.org/exclusive/am...

Americans United and the Scope of Religious Freedom | Free Inquiry

What is the scope of religious freedom? For decades now, the religious Right has aggressively pushed an expansive understanding of religious freedom, with t ...

secularhumanism.org

In his column this week, Ron Lindsay points out how the Trump administration has repudiated the core principle that defined the American Revolution: governments derive their authority from the consent of the governed. secularhumanism.org/exclusive/am...

America’s Betrayal of Itself | Free Inquiry

As the United States celebrates its 250th anniversary, it is perhaps fitting that we officially discard the fundamental principle that defined the American ...

secularhumanism.org

Ron Lindsay's column returns today with an analysis of Trump's vision of America: it's a militant Christian nation, dedicated to Jesus Christ and dominance of the Western Hemisphere. secularhumanism.org/exclusive/on...

Onward Christian Soldiers—Trump’s America | Free Inquiry

Both the end of 2025 and the dawn of 2026 underscored the Trump administration’s vision of America: it’s a militant Christian nation, inspired by the Gospel ...

secularhumanism.org

In his column today, Ron Lindsay argues we should not let Christians determine how we celebrate the holidays, incl. Dec. 25. The Catholic Church picked that arbitrary date to take advantage of an existing Roman holiday. Talk about cultural appropriation! secularhumanism.org/exclusive/ch...

Christmas A La Carte | Free Inquiry

It’s that time of year when some committed secularists spend time pondering whether or how to observe the upcoming holiday season, especially December 25. F ...

secularhumanism.org

Ron Lindsay is back with his column and in today's column he discusses the Catholic Church's lengthy consideration of the question whether women can become deacons. You will not be shocked by the outcome. secularhumanism.org/exclusive/th...

The Hamster Wheel of Catholic Reform | Free Inquiry

After ten years and two commissions’ worth of study, the Catholic Church has made the revolutionary decision—to do nothing. Specifically, the Church has dec ...

secularhumanism.org

In this week's column, Ron Lindsay argues that Thanksgiving is, in its origins & rationale, a religious holiday, one that assumes God craves expressions of gratitude, esp. for victories in war. But atheists can secularize the holiday, just like Christmas. secularhumanism.org/exclusive/th...

Thanksgiving Thoughts | Free Inquiry

The Thanksgiving holiday has religious roots. There is no denying that. Religious roots that are revealing. The first thanksgiving proclamation on American ...

secularhumanism.org

In his column today, Ron Lindsay comments on the recent anti-vaccine gathering in Austin and how it united religious fundamentalism with vaccine skepticism--a compounding of ignorance. secularhumanism.org/exclusive/go...

God Is Anti-Vax | Free Inquiry

It’s official. God doesn’t want you to take vaccines. We have this on good authority, namely the solemn assertion of Del Bigtree that “God is an anti-vaxxer ...

secularhumanism.org

In his column today, Ron Lindsay expresses his hope that the Supreme Court will rule against Trump in the tariffs case. There is a need for the Court to act as a check on Trump's power grabs, because Congress has abandoned its role. secularhumanism.org/exclusive/no...

No Checks or Balances? | Free Inquiry

Everyone presumably has some dim memory of civics class wherein the genius of the American separation of powers was discussed. Through the U.S. Constitution ...

secularhumanism.org

In his column today, Ron Lindsay comments on a right-wing singer/preacher's claim that his group & the Trump admin. are planning "revivals" for 2026. Implausible? Not given Trump's record. secularhumanism.org/exclusive/go...

Government Sponsored Revival Meetings? | Free Inquiry

Sean Feucht, a far-right Christian songwriter/singer and preacher, has claimed during a podcast that he has been working with officials in the Trump adminis ...

secularhumanism.org

Back from his trip, in his column this week Ron Lindsay takes issue with a journalist's comment that atheism is "boring." To the contrary, Ron argues atheism opens up our lives whereas religion constrains our autonomy & immerses us in mind-numbing rituals. secularhumanism.org/exclusive/th...

The Tedium of Faith, As Lived and As Promised | Free Inquiry

Yesterday, I read a review in the Wall Street Journal of Charles Murray’s new book, Taking Religion Seriously—a singularly inapt title if taking religion se ...

secularhumanism.org