I’m proud to be part of tomorrow’s (Sat., Feb. 2) interview on FreeThought Radio. Here’s the blurb:
Guest: biologist Jerry Coyne
Jerry CoyneThe Boy Scouts may be considering allowing gays, but they still deserve a Badge of Dishonor for excluding atheists. Annie Laurie and Dan discuss FFRF’s Action Alert about the Boy Scouts, complaints about religion in schools, vouchers for religious schools and patriarchal religious attitudes toward women. Then, to celebrate Darwin’s upcoming birthday, they interview biology professor Jerry Coyne, author of Why Evolution Is True.
And you can find all the information about listenening live or via podcast here. My segment is short: about 15 minutes in toto, I think, but I do talk about this website.
I almost had a panic moment there when I read that as, “Guest: bloggist Jerry Coyne”….
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Hope you enjoy your tour, Jerry! Hopefully the debates will be recorded so we can watch them later on.
The BSA don’t seem to be the only ones. When I was at jury duty, they made everyone promise “so help them god.” This seemed counterproductive for any atheists in the audience though. Which promise are you more likely to keep?
A) You promise to do XYZ
B) You promise to do XYZ or THOR will strike you down!
For me, I’d probably keep both, but B makes it seem like I have an out as I’d be happy to accept the threat of Thor in exchange for very little personal benefit. And a plausible interpretation of B is saying you can break the promise if you want to accept Thor striking you down.
They might have had a secular option, they just didn’t tell you about it. And in the USA, if you used it, they’d probably kick you off the jury – because everybody knows atheists can’t be trusted (only hypocrites).
Don’t you have the option to “affirm” in the US?
In the UK we can “swear by almighty doG…” or “solemnly swear and affirm…”
Of course, the legal penalty for perjury is the same either way.
This seems to depend upon the part of the U.S. you’re in. I’ve been on jury duty several times in the Philadelphia area, including one jury at a federal level. While I don’t recall the exact wording of the oath for jurors, I do remember that there was nothing objectionable and was pleased to have a counterexample should anyone insist that such proceedings could not be conducted without a religious oath.
I do remember having to tell the woman processing me that I could not swear the religious oath that was initially presented to me as part of the paperwork for starting a job with the federal government back in 1983. She made a face but provided me with alternative language.
Well, I’m glad your proud to be on Frethought Radio, Jerry, ’cause I’m proud to be a member of FFRF. I’ll be listening.
now.msn.com/catshaming-meme-funny-cat-photos
Jerry, since I’ve not figured out how to email these cute kitteh thingz, I’m posting it here.