Free Inquiry

Free Inquiry The journal of secular humanist ideas.

Ronald Lindsay writes: "Secular people should feel free to do whatever they feel comfortable with and whatever will brin...
12/18/2025

Ronald Lindsay writes: "Secular people should feel free to do whatever they feel comfortable with and whatever will bring some moments of joy to themselves and those close to them. But one thing for sure: we should not let Christians determine for us what is the correct way to celebrate the holiday."

It’s that time of year when some committed secularists spend time pondering whether or how to observe the upcoming holiday season, especially December 25. F ...

"The Church’s dilemma with any major doctrinal change is that if it reverses course on one doctrine, the faithful may qu...
12/11/2025

"The Church’s dilemma with any major doctrinal change is that if it reverses course on one doctrine, the faithful may question the validity of other doctrines, and if the Church cannot keep up the pretense of being the repository of TRUTH, the whole edifice may collapse."

After ten years and two commissions’ worth of study, the Catholic Church has made the revolutionary decision—to do nothing. Specifically, the Church has dec ...

"It is a fact, however, that all modern states have criminal justice systems and punish those who contravene the law. Ca...
12/04/2025

"It is a fact, however, that all modern states have criminal justice systems and punish those who contravene the law. Can this practice be defended on moral and practical grounds?"

Whether the punishment of criminals is morally acceptable and, if so, how it can be justified is something that interests everyone. But because it is such a ...

"Fundamentally, the practice is incompatible with reason itself and any civilized or responsible concept of the relation...
12/04/2025

"Fundamentally, the practice is incompatible with reason itself and any civilized or responsible concept of the relationship between citizen and state."

You have to appreciate that the justices are engaged in a process of trying to help themselves decide the case correctly. So, they are going to ask hard que ...

Many readers of Free Inquiry were religious earlier in life, and for some of them, giving up their belief was a long, em...
11/26/2025

Many readers of Free Inquiry were religious earlier in life, and for some of them, giving up their belief was a long, emotionally wrenching process. Imagine how even more difficult this process is for a dedicated fundamentalist Christian missionary, whose professional life is premised on beliefs he no longer holds. We present here the story of one such individual.

Editor’s note: Many readers of Free Inquiry were religious earlier in life, and for some of them, giving up their belief was a long, emotionally wrenching p ...

"Whether the punishment of criminals is morally acceptable and, if so, how it can be justified is something that interes...
11/24/2025

"Whether the punishment of criminals is morally acceptable and, if so, how it can be justified is something that interests everyone. But because it is such an emotional issue, it has unfortunately given rise to a great deal of confused thinking."

Whether the punishment of criminals is morally acceptable and, if so, how it can be justified is something that interests everyone. But because it is such a ...

"The business of state-sanctioned death has evolved over time, even if its more strident supporters remain resistant to ...
11/24/2025

"The business of state-sanctioned death has evolved over time, even if its more strident supporters remain resistant to any evolution of mind. It’s neither fatuous nor facetious to say that distancing ourselves from yesterday’s barbarism gives hope for tomorrow."

You have to appreciate that the justices are engaged in a process of trying to help themselves decide the case correctly. So, they are going to ask hard que ...

The December 2025/January 2026 issue of Free Inquiry deals focuses on "Examining Criminal Justice." Editor Ronald Lindsa...
11/24/2025

The December 2025/January 2026 issue of Free Inquiry deals focuses on "Examining Criminal Justice." Editor Ronald Lindsay's essay introduces the latest issue's pair of cover features and tees up the broader conversation (which starts, but certainly does not end, here).

Both articles in this issue on the topic of criminal justice focus on punishment of criminals. Christo Roberts discusses the possible justifications for pun ...

Ron Lindsay: "We atheists do our best to drain Thanksgiving of religious significance—why pass up a holiday? To the exte...
11/20/2025

Ron Lindsay: "We atheists do our best to drain Thanksgiving of religious significance—why pass up a holiday? To the extent we incorporate “giving thanks” into our observance, it is by giving thanks to those who have actually helped us in some fashion, not to imaginary, all-powerful beings."

The Thanksgiving holiday has religious roots. There is no denying that. Religious roots that are revealing. The first thanksgiving proclamation on American ...

"When one thinks about it, this apparent alliance between religious fundamentalists and vaccine opponents makes perfect ...
11/13/2025

"When one thinks about it, this apparent alliance between religious fundamentalists and vaccine opponents makes perfect sense: both groups share a deep mistrust of science and rely on hearsay, anecdotes, and reinforcement from their own circle of true believers to confirm their unfounded beliefs. And both pose a danger to Americans."

It’s official. God doesn’t want you to take vaccines. We have this on good authority, namely the solemn assertion of Del Bigtree that “God is an anti-vaxxer ...

Ron Lindsay's latest "Unprayerful Reflections" column considers the value of checks and balances.
11/06/2025

Ron Lindsay's latest "Unprayerful Reflections" column considers the value of checks and balances.

Everyone presumably has some dim memory of civics class wherein the genius of the American separation of powers was discussed. Through the U.S. Constitution ...

"Religious revival meetings would just be the next step in President Donald Trump’s efforts to harness religion in servi...
10/30/2025

"Religious revival meetings would just be the next step in President Donald Trump’s efforts to harness religion in service of his agenda.

"But you say government sponsorship of revival meetings would be unconstitutional? Oh, yeah, this is an administration that really worries about respecting the Constitution."

Sean Feucht, a far-right Christian songwriter/singer and preacher, has claimed during a podcast that he has been working with officials in the Trump adminis ...

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