A Brief History of Exorcism

The belief that spectres and evil spirits can invade a body and take agency over a person’s actions has been found in almost every culture throughout human history. Stories of crazed lunatics performing supernatural acts like climbing up walls and shampooing a buffalo are abundant, but most can be dismissed as undiagnosed psychiatric conditions that release stress hormones, such as cortisol and adrenaline, which can cause abnormal feats of hysterical strength, like when a terrified mother lifts a bus off the ground to save her Kenny Chesney CDs, or when my uncle Leonard inexplicably ran onto the track and won the Belmont Stakes.

There are, however, rare instances in which medical science and psychiatric treatments are not enough, and the subject may require spiritual intervention. One must look no further than scripture, to the Gospel of Mark, which describes Jesus’ time in the Gerasene region where he cast a legion of demons out of a man using only a mackerel and a bazooka. The Pharisees accused Jesus of being in league with Satan because of his ability to command demons so easily, to which Jesus replied, “I’m the best aroundeth, nothing’s gonna ever keep me downeth.” Then he got on his donkey, gave the deniers yeast infections, and rode back to Nazareth giggling and asking his Apostles if they saw what he did back there...

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AJ DiCosimo

Afterlife

What's the point?

 https://www.instagram.com/p/CxxuA2uuIHV/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igshid=ZGUzMzM3NWJiOQ==

A happy atheist

"I want to show people, look, the magic of life as evolved, that's thrilling!" says philosopher Daniel C. Dennett. "You don't need miracles."

"...In his new memoir, I've Been Thinking, Dennett, a professor emeritus at Tufts University and author of multiple books for popular audiences, traces the development of his worldview, which he is keen to point out is no less full of awe or gratitude than that of those more inclined to the supernatural. 'I want people to see what a meaningful, happy life I've had with these beliefs," says Dennett, who is 81. "I don't need mystery...'" nyt

Fwd: Celebrate the birth of the Great Agnostic

"Give me the storm and tempest of thought and action, rather than the dead calm of ignorance and faith! Banish me from Eden when you will; but first let me eat of the fruit of the tree of knowledge!"                                                                        Robert G. Ingersoll, The Works of Robert G. Ingersoll, Vol. III

Today we celebrate the 190th birthday of Robert Green Ingersoll. The Center for Inquiry is the caretaker of Ingersoll's birthplace home in Dresden, New York, and we consider it an honor to be the guardians of The Great Agnostic's early home and personal artifacts.    Although Ingersoll's name has, sadly, been lost to history for many Americans, he was a celebrity in his time and remains a hero to freethinkers everywhere. He crisscrossed the country delivering nearly 1,500 speeches on freethought, reform, politics, and the arts to sold-out audiences that sometimes numbered in the tens of thousands! These speeches were three to four hours in length and were delivered by memory.   He was, for all intents and purposes, a rockstar in the Victorian era. In fact, during his time, no human being had been seen or heard by more Americans—or would be until the advent of motion pictures, radio, and television.    Although Ingersoll is no longer with us, CFI has picked up the torch of reason and freethought and carries it forward in his name.

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Today, on the anniversary of his birth, we have an opportunity to reflect on how far we have come since Ingersoll's legendary life—and yet how far we still have to go.    At this very moment, we find ourselves in the midst of a populist movement—fueled by the ideology of Christian nationalism and determined to dismantle the institutions of American democracy. I am reminded of the words of Robert Green Ingersoll, words that I wish would enter the hearts and minds of those who are so lost to their religion that they have forgotten their oath to the Constitution and their commitment to freedom of conscience … for all. He states:    The truth is, our government is not founded upon the rights of gods, but upon the rights of men. Our Constitution was framed, not to declare and uphold the deity of Christ, but the sacredness of humanity. Ours is the first government made by the people and for the people. It is the only nation with which the gods have had nothing to do. And yet there are some judges dishonest and cowardly enough to solemnly decide that this is a Christian country, and that our free institutions are based upon the infamous laws of Jehovah.  Robert Green Ingersoll, "Individuality" (1873) from "The Gods and Other Lectures"      It shocks me that Ingersoll's words are as true and applicable today as they were over 100 years ago. I wish that we could celebrate this birthday milestone by proclaiming, "job done," but we still have many miles to go.    We will continue to work toward Ingersoll's and CFI's shared vision of a better world where people confront challenges using the tools of science and reason guided by compassion and respect for the dignity of every individual.     If you share this vision, I hope you will partner with us by making a donation to this important work.     And, if the name Robert Green Ingersoll is new to you, I hope you will learn more about this great man by reading this brief biography or by viewing this video.   Thank you for all you do for CFI and for taking a moment to honor the life and legacy of the "most remarkable man most people never heard of," Robert Green Ingersoll.   Yours in reason,

Debbie Allen   Director of Development, Center for Inquiry

Mortality is key

https://www.instagram.com/p/CvGOt3uOpEU/?igshid=MTc4MmM1YmI2Ng==

Secular caucus grows

"..,this isn't an "atheist club" for Congress, as some critics have suggested. This is just a group of lawmakers dedicated to promoting reason-based public policy, keeping church and state separate, opposing discrimination against non-religious people, and championing freedom of thought around the world. There's really no reason anyone should be against this. That's why there's nothing hypocritical about the fact that nearly every member of this Caucus is religious…"

https://open.substack.com/pub/friendlyatheist/p/two-more-house-democrats-have-quietly?r=35ogp&utm_medium=ios&utm_campaign=post

Survey: Belief in God, Heaven, Hell, angels, and the devil is lower than ever before

Belief in the supernatural is at an all-time low, according to a new survey from Gallup. While the majority of Americans still believe in God, angels, Heaven, Hell, and Satan, those majorities continue to dwindle, which could be bad news for the religious institutions that treat fiction as fact.

https://open.substack.com/pub/friendlyatheist/p/survey-belief-in-god-heaven-hell?r=35ogp&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web