Free Inquiry
@freeinquiry.bsky.social
The journal of secular humanist ideas. http://linktr.ee/freeinquiry
In his column today, Ron Lindsay reflects on the power of prayer -- not on its supposed ability to obtain what the petitioner wants, but on its ability to give people hope, albeit a false hope predicated on an incoherent view of the deity. secularhumanism.org/exclusive/pr...
Prayer—Religion’s Not-So-Secret Weapon | Free Inquiry
Prayer has been in the news recently. Of course, there was the annual spectacle of the National Prayer Breakfast on February 5, made even more meretricious ...
secularhumanism.org
February 12, 2026 at 1:56 PM
In his column today, Ron Lindsay reflects on the power of prayer -- not on its supposed ability to obtain what the petitioner wants, but on its ability to give people hope, albeit a false hope predicated on an incoherent view of the deity. secularhumanism.org/exclusive/pr...
Ron Lindsay's column this week is unusual: he is announcing the search for his replacement. But everything's cool; this was the plan when he became editor. He's leaving at the end of August. secularhumanism.org/exclusive/fi...
FI Editor Wanted | Free Inquiry
Let me get right to the point: Free Inquiry is looking for a new editor, to begin on or about September 1, 2026, although an earlier start might be negotiat ...
secularhumanism.org
January 29, 2026 at 3:36 PM
Ron Lindsay's column this week is unusual: he is announcing the search for his replacement. But everything's cool; this was the plan when he became editor. He's leaving at the end of August. secularhumanism.org/exclusive/fi...
In his column this week, Ron Lindsay argues that, whatever one thinks of transwomen participating in women's sports, classifying this as an issue of "religious freedom" is a misguided tactic that ultimately helps the religious right. secularhumanism.org/exclusive/am...
Americans United and the Scope of Religious Freedom | Free Inquiry
What is the scope of religious freedom? For decades now, the religious Right has aggressively pushed an expansive understanding of religious freedom, with t ...
secularhumanism.org
January 22, 2026 at 2:41 PM
In his column this week, Ron Lindsay argues that, whatever one thinks of transwomen participating in women's sports, classifying this as an issue of "religious freedom" is a misguided tactic that ultimately helps the religious right. secularhumanism.org/exclusive/am...
In his column this week, Ron Lindsay points out how the Trump administration has repudiated the core principle that defined the American Revolution: governments derive their authority from the consent of the governed. secularhumanism.org/exclusive/am...
America’s Betrayal of Itself | Free Inquiry
As the United States celebrates its 250th anniversary, it is perhaps fitting that we officially discard the fundamental principle that defined the American ...
secularhumanism.org
January 15, 2026 at 10:40 PM
In his column this week, Ron Lindsay points out how the Trump administration has repudiated the core principle that defined the American Revolution: governments derive their authority from the consent of the governed. secularhumanism.org/exclusive/am...
Ron Lindsay's column returns today with an analysis of Trump's vision of America: it's a militant Christian nation, dedicated to Jesus Christ and dominance of the Western Hemisphere. secularhumanism.org/exclusive/on...
Onward Christian Soldiers—Trump’s America | Free Inquiry
Both the end of 2025 and the dawn of 2026 underscored the Trump administration’s vision of America: it’s a militant Christian nation, inspired by the Gospel ...
secularhumanism.org
January 8, 2026 at 1:48 PM
Ron Lindsay's column returns today with an analysis of Trump's vision of America: it's a militant Christian nation, dedicated to Jesus Christ and dominance of the Western Hemisphere. secularhumanism.org/exclusive/on...
In his column today, Ron Lindsay argues we should not let Christians determine how we celebrate the holidays, incl. Dec. 25. The Catholic Church picked that arbitrary date to take advantage of an existing Roman holiday. Talk about cultural appropriation! secularhumanism.org/exclusive/ch...
Christmas A La Carte | Free Inquiry
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 ...
secularhumanism.org
December 18, 2025 at 4:44 PM
In his column today, Ron Lindsay argues we should not let Christians determine how we celebrate the holidays, incl. Dec. 25. The Catholic Church picked that arbitrary date to take advantage of an existing Roman holiday. Talk about cultural appropriation! secularhumanism.org/exclusive/ch...
Ron Lindsay is back with his column and in today's column he discusses the Catholic Church's lengthy consideration of the question whether women can become deacons. You will not be shocked by the outcome. secularhumanism.org/exclusive/th...
The Hamster Wheel of Catholic Reform | Free Inquiry
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 ...
secularhumanism.org
December 11, 2025 at 3:23 PM
Ron Lindsay is back with his column and in today's column he discusses the Catholic Church's lengthy consideration of the question whether women can become deacons. You will not be shocked by the outcome. secularhumanism.org/exclusive/th...
In this week's column, Ron Lindsay argues that Thanksgiving is, in its origins & rationale, a religious holiday, one that assumes God craves expressions of gratitude, esp. for victories in war. But atheists can secularize the holiday, just like Christmas. secularhumanism.org/exclusive/th...
Thanksgiving Thoughts | Free Inquiry
The Thanksgiving holiday has religious roots. There is no denying that. Religious roots that are revealing. The first thanksgiving proclamation on American ...
secularhumanism.org
November 20, 2025 at 1:58 PM
In this week's column, Ron Lindsay argues that Thanksgiving is, in its origins & rationale, a religious holiday, one that assumes God craves expressions of gratitude, esp. for victories in war. But atheists can secularize the holiday, just like Christmas. secularhumanism.org/exclusive/th...
In his column today, Ron Lindsay comments on the recent anti-vaccine gathering in Austin and how it united religious fundamentalism with vaccine skepticism--a compounding of ignorance. secularhumanism.org/exclusive/go...
God Is Anti-Vax | Free Inquiry
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 ...
secularhumanism.org
November 13, 2025 at 1:43 PM
In his column today, Ron Lindsay comments on the recent anti-vaccine gathering in Austin and how it united religious fundamentalism with vaccine skepticism--a compounding of ignorance. secularhumanism.org/exclusive/go...
In his column today, Ron Lindsay expresses his hope that the Supreme Court will rule against Trump in the tariffs case. There is a need for the Court to act as a check on Trump's power grabs, because Congress has abandoned its role. secularhumanism.org/exclusive/no...
No Checks or Balances? | Free Inquiry
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 ...
secularhumanism.org
November 6, 2025 at 1:45 PM
In his column today, Ron Lindsay expresses his hope that the Supreme Court will rule against Trump in the tariffs case. There is a need for the Court to act as a check on Trump's power grabs, because Congress has abandoned its role. secularhumanism.org/exclusive/no...
In his column today, Ron Lindsay comments on a right-wing singer/preacher's claim that his group & the Trump admin. are planning "revivals" for 2026. Implausible? Not given Trump's record. secularhumanism.org/exclusive/go...
Government Sponsored Revival Meetings? | Free Inquiry
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 ...
secularhumanism.org
October 30, 2025 at 12:33 PM
In his column today, Ron Lindsay comments on a right-wing singer/preacher's claim that his group & the Trump admin. are planning "revivals" for 2026. Implausible? Not given Trump's record. secularhumanism.org/exclusive/go...
Back from his trip, in his column this week Ron Lindsay takes issue with a journalist's comment that atheism is "boring." To the contrary, Ron argues atheism opens up our lives whereas religion constrains our autonomy & immerses us in mind-numbing rituals. secularhumanism.org/exclusive/th...
The Tedium of Faith, As Lived and As Promised | Free Inquiry
Yesterday, I read a review in the Wall Street Journal of Charles Murray’s new book, Taking Religion Seriously—a singularly inapt title if taking religion se ...
secularhumanism.org
October 23, 2025 at 12:36 PM
Back from his trip, in his column this week Ron Lindsay takes issue with a journalist's comment that atheism is "boring." To the contrary, Ron argues atheism opens up our lives whereas religion constrains our autonomy & immerses us in mind-numbing rituals. secularhumanism.org/exclusive/th...
In his column today, Ron Lindsay expresses his concern that at a time when democracies are under serious threat from a bloc of authoritarian countries (Russia, China, N. Korea, Iran) the U.S. has an incoherent foreign policy led by a man-child. secularhumanism.org/exclusive/de...
Democracy—The Good News and the Bad News | Free Inquiry
My wife and I are off to Spain in a few days, so this will be my last column for a couple weeks. I mention Spain not that you’re especially interested in my ...
secularhumanism.org
October 2, 2025 at 1:03 PM
In his column today, Ron Lindsay expresses his concern that at a time when democracies are under serious threat from a bloc of authoritarian countries (Russia, China, N. Korea, Iran) the U.S. has an incoherent foreign policy led by a man-child. secularhumanism.org/exclusive/de...
In his column today, Ron Lindsay says there is no longer any doubt that the Christian Right is now the dominant force in the MAGA coalition -- and that's not good news. secularhumanism.org/exclusive/th...
The MAGA Movement—A Conservative Christian-Dominated Coalition | Free Inquiry
Fundamentalist Christians have always been an important part of the MAGA movement. Although perhaps not a majority of Donald Trump voters, they have been hi ...
secularhumanism.org
September 25, 2025 at 1:07 PM
In his column today, Ron Lindsay says there is no longer any doubt that the Christian Right is now the dominant force in the MAGA coalition -- and that's not good news. secularhumanism.org/exclusive/th...
In his column today (written before the Jimmy Kimmel suspension), Ron Lindsay speculates about how far Trump & Co. will go in exploiting the murder of Charlie Kirk. secularhumanism.org/exclusive/th...
The Murder of Kirk—Trump’s Reichstag Fire? | Free Inquiry
As should be obvious coming from the editor of a magazine with the name of “Free Inquiry,” I condemn Charlie Kirk’s murder, which appears to have been polit ...
secularhumanism.org
September 18, 2025 at 12:50 PM
In his column today (written before the Jimmy Kimmel suspension), Ron Lindsay speculates about how far Trump & Co. will go in exploiting the murder of Charlie Kirk. secularhumanism.org/exclusive/th...
In his column this week, Ron Lindsay discusses the irrationality of turning one's life over to self-proclaimed prophets. secularhumanism.org/exclusive/th...
The Madness of Following ‘Prophets’ | Free Inquiry
The Messiah—or, if you prefer, the Mahdi—has arrived. Mooresville, Indiana, native Abdullah Hashem is a founder of the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light. A ...
secularhumanism.org
September 11, 2025 at 12:45 PM
In his column this week, Ron Lindsay discusses the irrationality of turning one's life over to self-proclaimed prophets. secularhumanism.org/exclusive/th...
Unprayerful Reflections has a guest columnist today: Nicole Scott, our managing editor. Nicole dissects the recent, bizarre push for "household voting" by Christian nationalists. On the road to Gilead? secularhumanism.org/exclusive/is...
Is Household Voting Another Step toward Gilead? | Free Inquiry
Last month, CNN interviewed Douglas Wilson, the senior pastor of Christ Church in Moscow, Idaho. During the interview, Wilson stated that he supported votin ...
secularhumanism.org
September 4, 2025 at 12:46 PM
Unprayerful Reflections has a guest columnist today: Nicole Scott, our managing editor. Nicole dissects the recent, bizarre push for "household voting" by Christian nationalists. On the road to Gilead? secularhumanism.org/exclusive/is...
In his column today, Ron Lindsay envisages a future where the combination of ideologically shaped perceptions & gov't pressure make Trump's claim of a rigged 2020 election the "official" version of that event. secularhumanism.org/exclusive/th...
The Resurrection of Jesus and the 2020 U.S. Presidential Election | Free Inquiry
Although there are some who claim Jesus was not even an actual person, I believe the more likely reality is that there was a guy from Galilee who attracted ...
secularhumanism.org
August 28, 2025 at 1:14 PM
In his column today, Ron Lindsay envisages a future where the combination of ideologically shaped perceptions & gov't pressure make Trump's claim of a rigged 2020 election the "official" version of that event. secularhumanism.org/exclusive/th...
In his column today, Ron Lindsay criticizes Trump's efforts to whitewash American history. He notes, however, that Trump's cultural counter-revolution is, in part, an (over)reaction to the excesses of the Left's identity politics. secularhumanism.org/exclusive/co...
Comments on the Continuing Cultural Counter-Revolution | Free Inquiry
A few months ago, I wrote about how the Trump administration was determined to bring about a cultural counter-revolution. In the next issue of Free Inquiry ...
secularhumanism.org
August 21, 2025 at 12:45 PM
In his column today, Ron Lindsay criticizes Trump's efforts to whitewash American history. He notes, however, that Trump's cultural counter-revolution is, in part, an (over)reaction to the excesses of the Left's identity politics. secularhumanism.org/exclusive/co...
Ron Lindsay's column will not appear today. Instead Ron invites you to read Katherine Stewart's stirring speech at the recently concluded Scopes Centennial conference, if you have not already done so. secularhumanism.org/exclusive/ka...
Katherine Stewart's Scopes Keynote Speech | Free Inquiry
Editor's note: This is the keynote speech Katherine Stewart delivered at the recent Scopes Trial Centennial conference. We publish it here with the gra ...
secularhumanism.org
August 14, 2025 at 1:08 PM
Ron Lindsay's column will not appear today. Instead Ron invites you to read Katherine Stewart's stirring speech at the recently concluded Scopes Centennial conference, if you have not already done so. secularhumanism.org/exclusive/ka...
In his column today, Ron Lindsay discusses the puff piece the
New Yorker ran on the "pope's astronomer." No conflict between religion & science. How could there be when God is just that nice feeling you get when the data plot lines up perfectly. secularhumanism.org/exclusive/ha...
New Yorker ran on the "pope's astronomer." No conflict between religion & science. How could there be when God is just that nice feeling you get when the data plot lines up perfectly. secularhumanism.org/exclusive/ha...
Hallmark Catholicism | Free Inquiry
A recent issue of the New Yorker published a piece about the “pope’s astronomer.” Inevitably, the essay, besides providing some interesting biographical det ...
secularhumanism.org
August 7, 2025 at 12:56 PM
In his column today, Ron Lindsay discusses the puff piece the
New Yorker ran on the "pope's astronomer." No conflict between religion & science. How could there be when God is just that nice feeling you get when the data plot lines up perfectly. secularhumanism.org/exclusive/ha...
New Yorker ran on the "pope's astronomer." No conflict between religion & science. How could there be when God is just that nice feeling you get when the data plot lines up perfectly. secularhumanism.org/exclusive/ha...
We are pleased to post a forceful, timely speech by Katherine Stewart, recently delivered at CFI's Scopes Centennial Conference. You may not be fined nowadays for teaching evolution, but the threats to science & education from the Trump administration are serious. secularhumanism.org/exclusive/ka...
Katherine Stewart's Scopes Keynote Speech | Free Inquiry
Editor's note: This is the keynote speech Katherine Stewart delivered at the recent Scopes Trial Centennial conference. We publish it here with the gra ...
secularhumanism.org
August 6, 2025 at 12:54 PM
We are pleased to post a forceful, timely speech by Katherine Stewart, recently delivered at CFI's Scopes Centennial Conference. You may not be fined nowadays for teaching evolution, but the threats to science & education from the Trump administration are serious. secularhumanism.org/exclusive/ka...
In his column today, Ron Lindsay discusses the claim of the Religious Right that the separation of church and state is a "myth," arguing that this claim shows a complete misunderstanding of the wording and structure of the Constitution. secularhumanism.org/exclusive/th...
The Myth About ‘The Myth of the Separation of Church and State’ | Free Inquiry
House Speaker Mike Johnson, a self-proclaimed “constitutional attorney and history buff,” has flatly stated that the separation of church and state is a “mi ...
secularhumanism.org
July 31, 2025 at 2:45 PM
In his column today, Ron Lindsay discusses the claim of the Religious Right that the separation of church and state is a "myth," arguing that this claim shows a complete misunderstanding of the wording and structure of the Constitution. secularhumanism.org/exclusive/th...
No Ron Lindsay column today. He's working on his Trump Deflection Index, correlating the intensity of Trump's deflection efforts w/use of certain words, such as "Barack HUSSEIN Obama" In the meantime you should read this excellent essay by @nathanlents.bsky.social secularhumanism.org/2025/07/how-...
How Similar Are Human and Chimp Genomes, Really? Quantifying Genetic Difference Isn’t Straightforward | Free Inquiry
The Trump administration seems determined to gut the scientific research establishment in the United States. Despite the fact that vaccines have likely save ...
secularhumanism.org
July 24, 2025 at 1:04 PM
No Ron Lindsay column today. He's working on his Trump Deflection Index, correlating the intensity of Trump's deflection efforts w/use of certain words, such as "Barack HUSSEIN Obama" In the meantime you should read this excellent essay by @nathanlents.bsky.social secularhumanism.org/2025/07/how-...
Free Inquiry is pleased to post on its website a timely, excellent essay by biologist Nathan Lents, professor at CUNY, demolishing a creationist's recent attack on the Smithsonian for allegedly misleading the public. secularhumanism.org/2025/07/how-...
How Similar Are Human and Chimp Genomes, Really? Quantifying Genetic Difference Isn’t Straightforward | Free Inquiry
The Trump administration seems determined to gut the scientific research establishment in the United States. Despite the fact that vaccines have likely save ...
secularhumanism.org
July 21, 2025 at 2:06 PM
Free Inquiry is pleased to post on its website a timely, excellent essay by biologist Nathan Lents, professor at CUNY, demolishing a creationist's recent attack on the Smithsonian for allegedly misleading the public. secularhumanism.org/2025/07/how-...