COGNITIVE SCIENCE: “How Beliefs Resist Change – Christianity and Cognitive Science” / TrustingDoubt / Valerie Tarico


Each religion has what can be called an immune system, a set of teachings and practices that guard against other beliefs or loss of belief. Cognitive dissonance theory and confirmation bias help us to understand how beliefs can remain unchanged in the face of devastating failures of prophecy or moral failings of leaders.

CHRISTIAN BIGOTRY: “After Louie Giglio Bows Out, Some Ask If Conservative Evangelicals Are Welcome In The Public Square” / Jaweed Kaleem

No ChristianityNow that the Rev. Louie Giglio, the Atlanta pastor who was going to pray at President Barack Obama’s inauguration but came under fire for an anti-gay sermon he gave in the mid-1990s, has bowed out, some conservative Christians and evangelicals have began to ask: are they welcome in the public square?

[…]

The inaugural committee says that Giglio’s comments on gay people “don’t reflect our desire to celebrate the strength and diversity of our country at this Inaugural” and is seeking someone else to deliver the benediction. Who should it choose?

Read more . . .

CHRISTIAN MISOGYNY: Matt Dillahunty and Tracie Harris / “Atheist TV host boots ‘piece of shit’ Christian for calling raped girl ‘evil’”

Matt Dillahunty and Tracie HarrisIf I were in a situation where I could stop a child rapist, I would, that’s the difference between me and your God.
~ Tracie Harris

Read article and watch video here . . .

h/t: Kenny in Pacific Grove, CA
h/t: AlterNet.org

ATHEISM: “In Good Company”

Good Companyh/t: The Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and Science