(redated post originally published on 9 July 2007) After five years of planning, preparation, and work, the Internet Infidels will officially announce on July 1 the first installment of its “Great Debate” project, God or Blind Nature? Philosophers Debate the Evidence. (I’ve been given the OK to post this early.) The project, coordinated by agnostic … I.I. Sponsors Internet Debate on God’s Existence: God or Blind Nature?

James J. Buchanan of the Christ Life Church in Tempe, Arizona, defrauded 30-40 people out of over $5 million over the last ten years. He claimed to be a financial planner, and took many people’s life’s savings, as well as money from the church. The Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office says it’s hard to tell where … Phony financial planner defrauds churchgoers

While past studies have shown religious believers to be happier than nonbelievers, some new analysis shows that it’s not quite so simple. Luke Galen has found that the convinced non-religious are also quite happy, but people who are uncertain are the ones who are dissatisfied. Adam Okulicz-Kozaryn has analyzed data from the World Values Survey … Bad news for agnostics?

Former evangelical Christian and Bible college attendee Daniel Florien has put together a list of common Christian clichés, along with translations of the real meaning behind them, along with “acceptable” and “unacceptable” responses to each. (Via Pharyngula.)

Dutch Member of Parliament Geert Wilders’ film, “Fitna” (Arabic for “strife” or “challenge”), has been released, first on LiveLeak (from which it has been removed) and now on YouTube (below). The film depicts unethical statements from the Koran and by Muslim leaders, as well as photographs of terrorist atrocities committed by radical Islamists. The government … Geert Wilders’ film “Fitna”

Rob Boston has a post at AlterNet, “Theocracy Rejected,” reporting on how and why Frank Schaeffer, John Whitehead, and Cal Thomas have publicly repudiated their involvement with the religious right. All three now challenge the idea that Christians should seek political power in order to impose their ideas on American culture. A few quotes from … Former religious right leaders recant

The Catholic Church has announced a new updated list of seven deadly sins for the twenty-first century, which are: 1. accumulating obscene wealth2. polluting the environment3. genetic engineering4. drug dealing5. abortion6. pedophilia7. causing social injustice This has been a topic of discussion on the SKEPTIC mailing list, with many observing that the Catholic Church itself … The new seven deadly sins

A survey by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life of 35,000 Americans found that 44% of them have changed affiliations between “major faith traditions,” such as from Baptist to Methodist. 28% have switched between traditions. Protestants make up a bare majority of Americans–51.3%. 16% classify themselves as not affiliated with any faith (despite … Pew Forum survey on American religion

After complaints from religious villagers for forty years, Reeves, Louisiana’s telephone prefix has been changed from 666 to 749. I added a smartass comment on the story that “In other news, Satan has announced that the Antichrist is now going by the number 749,” but a much better response comes from Daniel Rutter on the … Reeves, Louisiana ditches 666 prefix