Austin Cline from GooglePlus

Austin Cline
at Dec 24, 2012 3:19:34 PM
"Concern for rape victims is a red herring because conceptions from rape occur with approximately the same frequency as snowfall in Miami."

Today in History: 24 December 1980: Judge James Leon Holmes: Rape Almost Never Results in Pregnancy
Judge James Leon Holmes, a federal judge on the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas, says that rape almost never results in pregnancy and therefore there doesn't need to ...

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Austin Cline
at Dec 24, 2012 3:18:41 PM

Today in History: 24 December 1865: K.K.K. Founded in Pulaski, Tennessee, by Confederate Veterans
The Ku Klux Klan is founded in Pulaski, Tennessee, by six veterans of the Confederate Army. Known for a short time as the Kuklux Clan, the name is derived from the Greek word kuklos, which means "circ...

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Austin Cline
at Dec 24, 2012 3:18:27 PM
"This sectional combination for the submersion of the Constitution, has been aided in some of the States by elevating to citizenship, persons who, by the supreme law of the land, are incapable of becoming citizens; and their votes have been used to inaugurate a new policy, hostile to the South, and destructive of its beliefs and safety."

Today in History: 24 December 1860: Political Leaders in South Carolina Confirm Slavery is Reason for Seceding From U.S.
In "Declaration of the Immediate Causes Which Induce and Justify the Secession of South Carolina from the Federal Union," political leaders in South Carolina affirm that a fundamental reason for seced...

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Austin Cline
at Dec 24, 2012 3:14:14 PM
"God's authority alone can make one person the administrator over others."

Today in History: 24 December 1933: Cardinal Theodor Innizter Rejects Idea that Power Comes From the People
A letter signed by the Austrian bishops and written by Cardinal Theodor Innitzer is read in all Catholic churches denouncing the "false doctrine" that all power emanates from the people and exhorting ...

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Austin Cline
at Dec 22, 2012 9:35:14 PM

Santa Claus: Should Parents Perpetuate the Santa Claus Myth?
Although Santa Claus was originally based upon the Christian figure of Saint Nicholas, a patron saint of children, today Santa Claus is wholly secular. Some Christians object to him because he is secu...

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Austin Cline
at Dec 22, 2012 6:23:13 PM

Celebrating a Secular Christmas
Many Christians believe that Christmas is inherently religious and Christian, which means that it cannot be celebrated in a secular or otherwise non-Christian

Austin Cline
at Dec 22, 2012 4:29:09 PM

Today in History: 22 December 1977: Madalyn Murray-O'Hair Loses Attempt to Remove Nativity Scene From Texas Capitol Rotunda
Madalyn Murray-O'Hair loses her attempt to get a Nativity scene removed from the Texas Capitol Rotunda. U.S. District Court Judge Jack Roberts rules that while the nativity scene has religious origins...

Austin Cline
at Dec 22, 2012 2:30:42 PM
"All told, Christmas is mainly a public nuisance. People would be better of if they paid no attention to it."

Today in History: 22 December 1938: Clarence Darrow Criticizes How Christmas is Taking Over American Culture
Clarence Darrow criticizes how Christmas is taking over American culture, especially with its materialism and the pressures of consumer consumption.

Austin Cline
at Dec 22, 2012 2:26:32 PM

Today in History: 22 December 1894: French Military Officer Alfred Dreyfus is Wrongly Convicted of Treason
Alfred Dreyfus, a French military officer, is wrongly convicted of treason for passing artillery secrets to the Germans. A trainee in the French Army's General Staff, he has only been accused because ...

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Austin Cline
at Dec 22, 2012 2:25:56 PM

Today in History: 22 December 1860: South Carolina Secession Convention Delegate Says Slavery is the Cause of Secession
The Charleston, South Carolina, Courier reprints a speech by Lawrence Keitt, formerly a Congressman from South Carolina and now a delegate to the South Carolina secession convention. Keitt's speech is...

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Austin Cline
at Dec 22, 2012 2:25:18 PM

Today in History: 22 December 381: Roman Emperors Order Anyone Making Pagan Sacrifices or Prayers Lose Their Property
Roman emperors Gratian, Valentinian II, and Theodosius I order that anyone found making pagan sacrifices or prayers be penalized with the confiscation of property.

Austin Cline
at Dec 21, 2012 5:00:36 PM

Today in History: 21 December 1925: Birth of Paul Kurtz, Responsible for Secularizing Humanism in U.S.
Humanist leader Paul Kurtz is born in Newark, New Jersey. Kurtz will be the person primarily responsible for secularizing humanism in the United States.

Austin Cline
at Dec 21, 2012 4:59:42 PM

Today in History: 21 December 1907: Death of Hitler's Mother Klara From Breast Cancer
Klara Hitler dies from breast cancer at the age of 47. She has been treated for the past several years by Eduard Bloch, a Jewish doctor whom Hitler will personally help leave the country safely many y...

Austin Cline
at Dec 21, 2012 4:32:43 PM

Today in History: 21 December 1603: Birth of Protestant Theologian Roger Williams
Roger Williams is born in London, England. A Protestant theologian, he will be regarded as a troublemaker by many his contemporaries because of his strong, uncompromising defense of religious freedom ...

Austin Cline
at Dec 21, 2012 4:25:07 PM

Today in History: 21 December 1951: Reverend Refuses to Tell What He Knows in Lawsuit Over Dismissal of Atheist from Fairmont State College
Rev. James Clair Jarvis, pastor of the First Methodist Church in Fairmont, West Virginia, refuses to testify about what he knows and has been told in a $100,000 slander suit brought by a teacher who s...

Austin Cline
at Dec 21, 2012 3:30:58 PM

Today in History: 21 December 1988: Pan Am Flight 103 Explodes Over Lockerbie, Scotland
A Pan Am jet flying from Frankfurt and London to New York explodes over Lockerbie, Scotland, killing all 259 people on board and 11 on the ground. Libya is blamed for the terrorist attack on Pan Am Fl...

Austin Cline
at Dec 21, 2012 3:12:39 PM

Today in History: 21 December 2002: Catholic Church Excommunicates Seven Women and the Man who Ordained Them
In a decree approved of by Pope John Paul II, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (better known by its original name, the Inquisition) excommunicates Christine Mayr-Lumetzberger, Adelinde R...

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Austin Cline
at Dec 21, 2012 3:01:38 PM

Today in History: 21 December 1118: Birth of Thomas Becket, Future Lord Chancellor of England and Archbishop of Canterbury
Thomas Becket, future Lord Chancellor of England and Archbishop of Canterbury, is born in Cheapside, London. He may be a relative of Theobald of Bec, for whom Thomas works while the former serves as A...

Austin Cline
at Dec 21, 2012 2:49:31 PM

Today in History: 21 December 72: Thomas the Apostle Believed to Have Died in Mylapore (India)
Thomas the Apostle is believed to have died in Mylapore (modern day India). He is believed to have come to India in 52 in order to spread Christianity among the Jewish diaspora community living in Ker...

Austin Cline
at Dec 21, 2012 2:49:12 PM

Today in History: 21 December 69: Vespasian Declared Roman Emperor by Roman Senate
The Roman Senate declares Vespasian as Roman emperor, though he won't enter Rome to receive this personally until next year. Vespasian, at one time a general under Emperor Nero who has made a name for...

Austin Cline
at Dec 21, 2012 3:02:07 AM

InstaCam iPhone Photo App - Review & Rating of InstaCam, iPhone Photography App
Square, retro photos are very popular on the iPhone right now and InstaCam deserves to be regarded as one of the leaders among iPhone apps that create square retro photos. InstaCam offers a bunch of d...

Austin Cline
at Dec 21, 2012 3:01:14 AM

C-64 Cam iPhone Photo App - Review & Rating of C-64 Cam, iPhone Photography App
There's a nostalgia market for apps that take your high-resolution photos and knock them down to the sort of image that you would have had on an old computer. C-64 Cam reproduces the effects you&#...

Austin Cline
at Dec 21, 2012 1:57:25 AM

Chastity vs. Sexuality: Grant me Chastity and Continence, But Not Yet!
In a sense, chastity could be treated as an indicator of just how obsessed a religion is with sex. The more a religion emphasizes chastity, the more they are effectively talking about and referencing ...

Austin Cline
at Dec 21, 2012 1:57:11 AM

Zombie Jesus: Only the Living Dead Can Give You Eternal Life
If Jesus died and was buried, but rose from the grave after three days, does that mean Jesus was an Original Zombie (OZ)? New Testament accounts describe him as having wounds you could stick your hand...

Austin Cline
at Dec 21, 2012 1:54:48 AM
According to Franklin Graham, the son of Rev. Billy Graham, the only reason Barack Obama won and Mitt Romney lost the 2012 presidential election is that America is becoming more secular. This, according to Graham, means that America is turning its back on God.

Franklin Graham: Romney Lost Because America Turned Its Back on God

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Austin Cline
at Dec 21, 2012 1:54:36 AM

Atheists & Christmas: What do Atheists do During Christmas Holidays?
Christmas can be a difficult time of the year for atheists. Although it has become highly secularized in recent years, the holiday has retained strong religious aspects. Many family celebrations of Ch...

Austin Cline
at Dec 20, 2012 7:10:59 PM

Today in History: 20 December 1996: Death of Carl Sagan, Astronomer and Humanist
Astronomer and humanist Carl Sagan dies of pneumonia in Seattle at the age of 62. Sagan received his doctorate in astronomy and astrophysics at the University of Chicago and became a famous figure on ...

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Austin Cline
at Dec 20, 2012 7:05:07 PM

Today in History: 20 December 1996: Jerry Falwell Says He Would Have Preferred Using Physical Violence Instead of Law Against Larry Flynt
Reflecting on his failed lawsuit against Larry Flynt because of the parody Flynt published in the magazine "Hustler," Jerry Falwell says that he would have preferred to use physical violence rather th...

Austin Cline
at Dec 20, 2012 7:02:21 PM

Today in History: 20 December 2005: Kitzmiller v. Dover: Teaching Intelligent Design With Evolution is Ruled Unconstitutional
Decided: Kitzmiller v. Dover Area School District — According to U.S. District Court Judge John E. Jones III, it is unconstitutional to present Intelligent Design alongside evolution in a public schoo...

Austin Cline
at Dec 20, 2012 6:48:19 PM

Today in History: 20 December 1984: Death of American Psychologist Stanley Milgram
American psychologist Stanley Milgram dies of heart failure in Manhattan at the age of 51. A social psychologist, Milgram has become famous (or infamous, depending on the source) for his controversial...

Austin Cline
at Dec 20, 2012 6:47:28 PM

Today in History: 20 December 1979: Madalyn Murray-O'Hair's Attacker, Allen Hunter, Found Guilty of Assault
Allen R. Hunter is found guilty of assault for shoving a pie in the face of Madalyn Murray-O'Hair when she visited Albuquerque, New Mexico, in October. He faced 90 days in jail and a $300 fine, but is...

Austin Cline
at Dec 20, 2012 6:38:10 PM

Today in History: 20 December 1971: Coit v. Green: Black Families Sue Against Tax-Exempt Status of Whites-Only Private Schools
Affirmed: Coit v. Green — In Mississippi, a group of black families filed suit to get the tax-exempt status of whites-only private schools revoked. During the litigation, the IRS revised to code to ma...

Austin Cline
at Dec 20, 2012 6:36:45 PM

Today in History: 20 December 1967: Garry DeYoung Harassed by Christian Neighbors After Challenging Religious Songs at School
Garry DeYoung reports having his property vandalized and getting threats from his Christian neighbors after he pointed out to the local school board that the school's annual Christmas program was domi...

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Austin Cline
at Dec 20, 2012 6:19:31 PM

Today in History: 20 December 1922: N.Y. Times Runs Story That Henry Ford is Financially Backing Hitler's Nazi Party
The New York Times runs a story on reports that Henry Ford is financially backing Adolf Hitler's Nazi Party. There is little in the way of evidence to support the claim, but there are enough parallels...

Austin Cline
at Dec 20, 2012 6:15:15 PM

Today in History: 20 December 1902: Birth of American Philosopher and Humanist Sidney Hook
American philosopher and humanist Sidney Hook is born in Brooklyn, New York, to Austrian-Jewish immigrants. Sidney Hook's work will be predicated upon the notion that a philosopher must engage in the ...

Austin Cline
at Dec 20, 2012 6:03:53 PM

Today in History: 20 December 1879: Future Pope Pius XI, Achille Ratti, is Ordained a Priest
Achille Ratti, the future Pope Pius XI, is ordained as a priest. Born Ambrogio Damiano Achille Ratti, he will pursue an academic career in the church hierarchy rather than a pastoral career. He will o...

Austin Cline
at Dec 20, 2012 6:02:27 PM

Today in History: 20 December 1552: Death of Martin Luther's Wife, Katherine von Bora
After 27 years of marriage, Martin Luther's wife, Katherine von Bora, dies. A member of the Saxon gentry, little is known about her personal life, but she set the example for clerical marriages and ex...

Austin Cline
at Dec 20, 2012 6:02:13 PM

Today in History: 20 December 1522: Hospitallers Surrender to Ottoman Turks at the Siege of Rhodes
Siege of Rhodes: After a siege of six months, the Hospitallers on Rhodes formally surrender to Suleiman the Magnificent and are able to secure the right to evacuate to Malta, despite having killed ten...

Austin Cline
at Dec 20, 2012 2:29:12 PM

Beware the Dangers of Christmas
Is there anything dangerous about Christmas? Perhaps. Most Christians and even most non-Christians regard Christmas as being at least innocuous if not a positive good. This is not a universally shared...

Austin Cline
at Dec 20, 2012 2:28:50 PM

Oh, Christmas Tree: Christmas Tree as a Secular Symbol of a Secular Christmas
The most popular symbol of Christmas, except perhaps for Santa Claus, may also be the least Christian: the Christmas Tree. Originally derived from pagan religious celebrations in Europe, the Christmas...

Austin Cline
at Dec 20, 2012 1:51:16 PM

We Have to Stop Christmas
This image is taken from a World War I poster depicting a British soldier standing over the body of a dead German, demanding that the reader 'Come On' and do their part in the war against the Huns. Th...

Austin Cline
at Dec 20, 2012 1:50:41 PM

Secular Santa Claus is Coming to Town: What's so Christian about Santa Claus?
Christians treat Christmas as a Christian holiday, and it certainly started out that way, but we can tell a lot about the real nature of holidays by how they are represented in popular culture. The mo...

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Austin Cline
at Dec 20, 2012 1:50:21 PM

Imitation of Culture; Culture of Imitation
Is American politics following American culture by creating images and ideas that have no basis in reality? Postmodernist critiques of American culture as

Austin Cline
at Dec 20, 2012 1:49:55 PM

Forum Discussion: Are You Offended by "Merry Christmas"?
One of the curious features of the so-called War on Christmas is how the Christian Nationalists misrepresent others. For example, they act like people try to

Austin Cline
at Dec 20, 2012 1:48:57 PM
"Since 9/11, there have been almost twice as many terrorist plots from non-Muslims as there have been from Muslims... but you'd never know that if you got all your news from Fox or other right-wing Christian sources. It's true that terrorism from Muslim extremists is a threat -- but so is terrorism from non-Muslims."

Religion and Terrorism in Europe and America

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Austin Cline
at Dec 20, 2012 2:46:19 AM

Merry Christmas vs. Happy Holidays
This image is based upon a World War II poster designed to frighten people about what might happen in America if the Nazis weren't defeated. This is an appropriate theme for this topic because the rhe...

Austin Cline
at Dec 20, 2012 2:38:24 AM
In Australia, an investigation has discovered that Catholic institutions are funding the legal defenses of priest who have already been convicted of child molestation and who are being tried on further molestation charges. Defending priests the first time may be reasonable, depending on what the circumstances are, but once you get to the fourth time...

Catholic Church Paying to Defend Convicted Child Molesters

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Austin Cline
at Dec 20, 2012 2:36:20 AM

Christmas Lights & Saudi Oil: Don't Twinkle for Terror
This image is taken from a World War II poster of a soldier dying on a beach because 'Loose Talk' got their first, thus warning the enemy and allowing them to prepare an ambush. Americans were advised...

Austin Cline
at Dec 20, 2012 2:31:45 AM

Today in History: 19 December 1568: Death of Miles Coverdale, Publisher of the First Complete Translation of the Bible in English
Miles Coverdale, who created the first complete translation of the Bible into English in 1535, dies at the age of 80 in London. Originally a priest who studied canon law, Coverdale knew his knowledge ...

Austin Cline
at Dec 20, 2012 2:31:31 AM

Today in History: 19 December 1938: Herschel Gynsszpan Tells Investigators About His Assassination of Ernst vom Rath
Herschel Grynszpan tells an investigating magistrate about his assassination of Ernst vom Rath, the third secretary of the German diplomatic legation in Paris last month. The assassination of vom Rath...