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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

In his column today, Ron Lindsay expresses his concern that at a time when democracies are under serious threat from a bloc of authoritarian countries (Russia, China, N. Korea, Iran) the U.S. has an incoherent foreign policy led by a man-child. secularhumanism.org/exclusive/de...

In his column today, Ron Lindsay says there is no longer any doubt that the Christian Right is now the dominant force in the MAGA coalition -- and that's not good news. secularhumanism.org/exclusive/th...

In his column today (written before the Jimmy Kimmel suspension), Ron Lindsay speculates about how far Trump & Co. will go in exploiting the murder of Charlie Kirk. secularhumanism.org/exclusive/th...

In his column this week, Ron Lindsay discusses the irrationality of turning one's life over to self-proclaimed prophets. secularhumanism.org/exclusive/th...

Unprayerful Reflections has a guest columnist today: Nicole Scott, our managing editor. Nicole dissects the recent, bizarre push for "household voting" by Christian nationalists. On the road to Gilead? secularhumanism.org/exclusive/is...

In his column today, Ron Lindsay envisages a future where the combination of ideologically shaped perceptions & gov't pressure make Trump's claim of a rigged 2020 election the "official" version of that event. secularhumanism.org/exclusive/th...

In his column today, Ron Lindsay criticizes Trump's efforts to whitewash American history. He notes, however, that Trump's cultural counter-revolution is, in part, an (over)reaction to the excesses of the Left's identity politics. secularhumanism.org/exclusive/co...

Ron Lindsay's column will not appear today. Instead Ron invites you to read Katherine Stewart's stirring speech at the recently concluded Scopes Centennial conference, if you have not already done so. secularhumanism.org/exclusive/ka...

In his column today, Ron Lindsay discusses the puff piece the New Yorker ran on the "pope's astronomer." No conflict between religion & science. How could there be when God is just that nice feeling you get when the data plot lines up perfectly. secularhumanism.org/exclusive/ha...

We are pleased to post a forceful, timely speech by Katherine Stewart, recently delivered at CFI's Scopes Centennial Conference. You may not be fined nowadays for teaching evolution, but the threats to science & education from the Trump administration are serious. secularhumanism.org/exclusive/ka...

In his column today, Ron Lindsay discusses the claim of the Religious Right that the separation of church and state is a "myth," arguing that this claim shows a complete misunderstanding of the wording and structure of the Constitution. secularhumanism.org/exclusive/th...

No Ron Lindsay column today. He's working on his Trump Deflection Index, correlating the intensity of Trump's deflection efforts w/use of certain words, such as "Barack HUSSEIN Obama" In the meantime you should read this excellent essay by @nathanlents.bsky.social secularhumanism.org/2025/07/how-...

Free Inquiry is pleased to post on its website a timely, excellent essay by biologist Nathan Lents, professor at CUNY, demolishing a creationist's recent attack on the Smithsonian for allegedly misleading the public. secularhumanism.org/2025/07/how-...

In his column today, Ron Lindsay discusses and laments the role that religious fundamentalism -- Jewish, Muslim, and Christian -- has played in the Mideast conflicts. secularhumanism.org/exclusive/th...

In his column today, Ron Lindsay criticizes the IRS policy reversal allowing religious organizations to endorse candidates. Not only is this inconsistent with their nonprofit status, but injecting (more) religious zealotry into politics is a singularly bad idea. secularhumanism.org/exclusive/en...

In his column today, Ron Lindsay argues -- surprise! -- that the Trump administration has been very selective when it comes to pursuing its goal of making Americans "safe." What matters is what helps Trump. secularhumanism.org/exclusive/th...

Ron Lindsay's column will not appear today. Ron's brain has undergone a temporary meltdown, either from the heat wave or as an effect from reading Ross Douthat's collection of bad arguments in Believe. (See review here: secularhumanism.org/exclusive/ex...) Ron should recover by next week.

Because of the Juneteenth holiday, Ron Lindsay's Thursday column is posted today. This column is an extended review of Ross Douthat's book Believe. Ron finds the book's arguments provide no reason for believing in a deity. secularhumanism.org/exclusive/ex...

In his column today, Ron Lindsay argues that the debate over the wisdom of physician-assisted dying for the terminally ill should be over, but different considerations do apply for those who are not terminally ill. secularhumanism.org/exclusive/as...

In today's column, Ron Lindsay argues that if we do not want kings to rule us we should modify the one provision in the Constitution that expressly allows the president to act like a monarch: the pardon power. secularhumanism.org/exclusive/a-...

In today's column, Ron Lindsay discusses the renewed push for official prayer time in public schools and how the cry of "religious freedom" serves as a mask for religious coercion. secularhumanism.org/exclusive/th...

Ron Lindsay's column will not appear this week. Instead he invites you to read a Free Inquiry exclusive: a journalist's illuminating first-hand, contemporaneous account of the Scopes trial (100th anniversary this year). secularhumanism.org/exclusive/un...

In his column this week, Ron Lindsay ponders why the pope receives such lavish praise from the mainstream media when other religious leaders with similar views on key issues (abortion, birth control, same-sex marriage) are often characterized as extremists. secularhumanism.org/exclusive/th...

Now that the media frenzy is subsiding perhaps we can focus on reality: Leo XIV is just another leader of an archaic institution, selected exclusively by a group of celibate men. In 1st sermon, Leo laments "de facto atheism," as if that's the biggest problem in the world www.wsj.com/world/europe...

In his column this week, Ron Lindsay imagines what Trump would say if, in line with the image he posted of himself, he were actually elected pope. secularhumanism.org/exclusive/ma...

In his column today, Ron Lindsay comments on Trump's gutting of civil rights protections for those who need them, while instructing DOJ to focus on the phantom of "anti-Christian bias" secularhumanism.org/exclusive/tr...

In his column today, Ron Lindsay comments on the death of Pope Francis. He suggests the praise being heaped upon him is largely unwarrated. A few kind words about gays & migrants does not make a person who continues to enforce medieval dogmas a "progressive." secularhumanism.org/exclusive/cu...

Ron Lindsay's column did not appear last Thursday because he was in England, contemplating whether to join the Royal Navy. Ultimately, he decided not to after he found out they no longer offer grog. His column will reappear tomorrow, with thoughts on Pope Francis's death.

In his column today, Ron Lindsay discusses the unlawful deportation of Kilmar Abrego Garcia and how the Trump administration's refusal to afford him due process contrasts sharply with Trump's cruise through the legal system. secularhumanism.org/exclusive/un...

In yesterday's column, Ron Lindsay argued it's absurd to try to base policy on scripture, as it can be mainpulated to justify anything. As if to prove his point, screwball Tim Barton has claimed the Bible supports Trump's tariff policy. See transcript at 19 minutes wallbuilders.show/2077254/epis...

In his Thursday column, Ron Lindsay criticizes the religious Right--but also criticizes the religious Left. Appeals to religious beliefs have no place in public policy debates. secularhumanism.org/exclusive/th...

In his column today, Ron Lindsay argues that the Trump administration's objections to DEI are undercut by its own flagrant disregard for merit in its appointments & its conditioning of important gov. jobs on accepting Trump's false claims about the 2020 election. secularhumanism.org/exclusive/de....

In his column today, Ron Lindsay argues that the Trump administration may be conflating antisemitism with criticism of Israeli policies or pro-Palestinian advocacy. secularhumanism.org/exclusive/fr...

Ron Lindsay's column will not appear this Thursday. Rumor has it he's otherwise engaged : developing a smuggling operation bringing Canadian maple syrup to the US and bourbon to Canada.

In his column today, Ron Lindsay comments on the effort by WV legislators to enshrine in their state constitution a declaration that the Bible is "inerrant" and "foundational" for their government. WV's dismal stats show that "foundation" is wretched. secularhumanism.org/exclusive/go...

In his column today, Ron Lindsay looks at the latest Pew survey & the data showing the decline in religion has leveled off. Should atheists be concerned? For the most part, no. secularhumanism.org/exclusive/de...

In his column today, Ron Lindsay speculates that Trump's drive to reshape our culture will not stop with the Kennedy Center, Hollywood, & geography & history textbooks, but will encompass nursery rhymes. Here are the first drafts: secularhumanism.org/exclusive/tr...

Would the spineless GOP majority in the Senate approve just about anybody for a cabinet slot? Ron Lindsay says the answer is "yes" as he imagines a scenario in which Trump nominates a ham sandwich. secularhumanism.org/exclusive/th...

In his column this week, and in light of Trump's plans for Gaza, Ron Lindsay comments on the bizarre alliance between American evangelicals & right-wing Israelis, both of whom claim religious justification for expelling Palestinians from their land. secularhumanism.org/exclusive/je...

Secular humanism is not a religion or ideology and has no sacred texts or authority figures. For humanists, no assertion has any more validity than the reasoning and evidence offered in support of it, or so Ron Lindsay argues secularhumanism.org/2025/01/huma...

In lieu of a column this week, Ron Lindsay invites you to read the free content at the Free Inquiry site secularhumanism.org including much of the latest issue & his own editorial in which he discusses the key principles of humanism secularhumanism.org/2025/01/huma...

The Catholic charter school at issue in this case has proudly claimed that religion is woven into every subject, math, chemistry, history, etc. Galileo-- who's he? www.washingtonpost.com/education/20...

This case is concerning. Sadly, the Supreme Court has step-by-step been demolishing the wall between Church and State. Public funding of religious schools may be next, with our tax $$ telling kids gays are immoral, women should be subordinate, etc. www.washingtonpost.com/education/20...

Latest issue of Free Inquiry now online. Several articles are available for free, incl. an analysis of the claim that Christianity is primarily responsible for end of slavery. Plus our entire symposium on transgender controversies. But why not subscribe & read the entire issue secularhumanism.org

In his column today, Ron Lindsay comments on Trump's declaration that he is God's chosen instrument. Unfortunately, with Trump as the Messiah, it may be the United States that is crucified. secularhumanism.org/exclusive/or...