Tags: Atheism, US, You+Tube

Radio 4 joins CERN on 10 September 2008 as scientists attempt to discover more about the origins of the Universe by recreating the aftermath of the Big Bang. The experiment is one of the most complex and significant of modern times – and one that raises a lot of questions! BBC – Radio 4 – Big Bang Day. BTW, no need to panic; the world will not end, as some silly people seem to think.

A statue by Terence Koh of a tumescent Christ in Gateshead has led to predictable howls of outrage, followed by the now familiar scratchy noise of lines being drawn in the sand. “Enough gratuitous offence to believers!” says one side; “enough kowtowing to religious sensitivities!” say the other. I suspect a lot of people on both sides actually like a good blasphemy row. It gives both the opportunity to express that most satisfying of moral emotions: righteous indignation.

Americans have an unhealthy desire to see average people promoted to positions of great authority. No one wants an average neurosurgeon or even an average carpenter, but when it comes time to vest a man or woman with more power and responsibility than any person has held in human history, Americans say they want a regular guy, someone just like themselves. President Bush kept his edge on the “Who would you like to have a beer with?

Children start their new schools this week for the 12th year under Labour. Who could have predicted that more pupils than ever will be going to religious schools this term, as the churches boasted gleefully? Pews empty but faith schools multiply. There are about 14,000 non-religious schools, and nearly 7,000 faith schools. This year the figure has risen again as new academies open: a third are faith-run – and religions have taken over some community schools.

Three teenage girls have been buried alive by their tribe in a remote part of Pakistan to punish them for attempting to choose their own husbands, in an “honour” killing case. After news of the deaths emerged, male politicians from their province, Baluchistan, defended the killings in parliament, claiming the practice was part of “our tribal custom”. The girls, thought to have been aged between 16 and 18, were kidnapped by a group of men from their Umrani tribe.

SO CARDINAL Sean Brady still expects us to believe that the Catholic Church has no desire to interfere in the political process. The Church’s often-repeated mantra to that effect is about as objective and accurate as the mendacious and misleading statement that secularism is hostile to religion. It can be argued that secularism and relativism, the Cardinal told the Humbert School last Sunday, “enjoy an uncritical acceptance which would never be accorded religious faith”.

Republican vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin wants creationism taught in science classes. In a 2006 gubernatorial debate, the soon-to-be governor of Alaska said of evolution and creation education, “Teach both. You know, don’t be afraid of education. Healthy debate is so important, and it’s so valuable in our schools. I am a proponent of teaching both.” McCain’s VP Wants Creationism Taught in School | Wired Science from Wired.com. Tags: America, US+Election, Sarah+Palin

Accord is a new coalition calling for inclusive schools and an end to special arrangements for state funded religious schools. Its members include the ATL, the BHA and Ekklesia. Its supporters include Baroness Blackstone, Prof. Bernard Crick, Rabbi David Goldberg and Prof. A C Grayling. Accord is a wide coalition of organisations which includes religious groups, humanists, trade unions and human rights campaigners. The campaign launched on 1 September 2008 and aims to promote inclusive schools through local and national campaigns.

A baby died after his parents denied him conventinal medical treatment. Just one example of “a lack of critical thinking”, according to the website What’s the harm? An inquest in London on Tuesday recorded a verdict of death by natural causes on six-month-old Cameron, who died of a treatable disease after his parents refused to allow him to be given conventional medicine. Increasingly, with the rise in popularity of complementary medicine these situations are going to arise.