The Taliban wants American investment: Will it get it?
[ 5 minutes to read] Five years after returning to power in Afghanistan, the Taliban has an unexpected message for the…
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Where did belief in God decline? And the sad news: The 21st century will still be a century of religion
[ 6 minutes to read] For anyone expecting religion simply to disappear as education, science and technology advance, the first decades…
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The world is normalizing the Taliban. Half of surveyed Afghan women barely leave home
[ 9 minutes to read] Five years ago, the Taliban marched back into Kabul. Governments condemned them. Western politicians promised that…
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The spectrum of religious repression: From social pressure to death
[ 23 minutes to read] Religious repression does not always arrive with police officers, prison cells or executioners. Sometimes it arrives…
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God loves you and has a list of conditions
[ 8 minutes to read] God loves you. This is probably one of the most comforting sentences Christianity has ever produced….
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Tech Bros: One algorithm elects president
[ 7 minutes to read] “Today, an oligarchy is taking shape in America of extreme wealth, power and influence that literally…
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The curse of privilege: Why I don’t believe in free will
[ 19 minutes to read] Every successful person enjoys hearing that they deserve everything they have achieved. Society constantly celebrates hard…
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The Amish, the Hasidic, and the Taliban: Who is more extreme?
[ 14 minutes to read] It is a comparison that appears surprisingly often. Images of Amish horse-drawn buggies, Hasidic Jews in…
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The Global South’s silent secularists: Voices often overlooked
[ 5 minutes to read] The Global South is not one voice. It is millions. And among them are those who…
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Human rights violations in the name of religion
[ 5 minutes to read] Religion claims to guide morality, but its history often tells a darker story. When belief gains…
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Religions are best at plagiarizing
[ 5 minutes to read] Religions claim to reveal eternal truths. They promise to explain the universe, morality, and destiny. But…
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Women’s rights in conservative religious communities
[ 6 minutes to read] Religious traditions have shaped civilizations, guided morality, and provided meaning for centuries. Yet in conservative religious…
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Russia tortures POWs. India and China don’t care
[ 2 minutes to read] Ukrainian prisoners freed from Russian camps describe cruelty that no country can ignore. Their accounts come…
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The politician who mentions atheists – And what happens
[ 6 minutes to read] Atheists are among the least spoken groups in political life. Politicians refer to every kind of…
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The case of developing countries: Religion as a detriment
[ 6 minutes to read] Religion is often described as a source of morality, community, and identity. Yet in much of…
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Religion still shapes politics, even when we think it doesn’t
[ 5 minutes to read] Modern societies like to believe they have left religion behind. They speak of secular states, rational…
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Impact of New Atheism
[ 3 minutes to read] For decades, atheism lived in the margins. It spoke in footnotes, whispered in cafes, or lived…
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History of Chinese disregard of human rights
[ 12 minutes to read] China’s ascent to global power dazzled the world. With record-breaking infrastructure, a booming tech sector, and…
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Religious power vs secular policy: Who wins?
[ 4 minutes to read] Throughout history, human societies have swung between religious authority and secular governance. The lines have never…
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How can science know? Here’s everything you need to know
[ 10 minutes to read] People have always asked what is true. But few stop to ask how we know. Science…
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How far can nationalism go? And its fake origin
[ 5 minutes to read] Nationalism often begins harmlessly. A song. A flag. A map on a school wall. It speaks…
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9/11 terrorists didn’t envision 4.5 million deaths
[ 4 minutes to read] September 11, 2001. Nearly 3,000 civilians died within hours. The images pierced the world’s mind. Skyscrapers…
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Convincing to be atheist? IQ and fallacies prevail
[ 6 minutes to read] People often assume that religious belief disappears once intelligence rises. They imagine that with enough education,…
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Nationalize churches? One agency promoting atheism
[ 5 minutes to read] First, they asked us to respect religion. Then, they demanded tax exemptions. Eventually, they bought real…
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Should we Westernize non-Western freethinkers?
[ 5 minutes to read] Freethinkers International has evolved into a global community. Its members now come from radically different cultural,…
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What happens when faith challenges the collective?
[ 4 minutes to read] Imagine a world where questioning deeply held beliefs within your own community leads to ostracization. It…
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Religious fundamentalism and political power
[ 4 minutes to read] Religious fundamentalism has always influenced political power. It shapes laws, social norms, and governance. Leaders use…
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Religion in Flux: From Personal Spirituality to Political Weaponization
[ 4 minutes to read] Is religion evolving, eroding, or simply transforming? The answer, judging from global headlines, appears to be…
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India’s Restrictions on Press Freedom
[ 2 minutes to read] India’s press freedom has come under increasing scrutiny as new laws and government regulations expand state…
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The Right to Sleep: India’s Courts Just Redefined Human Dignity—But Is It Enough?
[ 2 minutes to read] The Bombay High Court has affirmed what should be obvious: the right to sleep is a…
