The Fat Line Between Free Speech and Defamation

Stuart Whatley / Truthdig Mar 6, 2010 When criticized, many followers of one faith or another mistakenly perceive a personal attack, and tend to elevate the sacredness of their own individual beliefs at the expense of universal free expression, thus sullying the discourse before it can even begin. Dig deeper ( 5 Min. Read )

Tilikum, According to the Book of Exodus

Staff / Truthdig Mar 5, 2010 Last month's trainer tragedy at SeaWorld has taken on biblical proportions. According to an evangelical pastor evidently given to consulting the Old Testament in reference to theme park disasters, the book of Exodus suggests that Tilikum, the orca responsible for killing handler Dawn Brancheau, should have been dealt with in the manner of a murderous ox. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Larry’s List: Gay Animals Edition

Staff / Truthdig Dec 9, 2009 Today on the list: the power of same-sex liaisons, poetry in the Bible and more. Update Dig deeper ( 2 Min. Read )

Jonathan Kirsch on ‘The Woman Who Named God’

BLANK Oct 23, 2009 Is the biblical tale of Hagar “a creation story as important as the Garden of Eden,” as Charlotte Gordon argues in her provocative new book?Is the biblical tale of Hagar “a creation story as important as the Garden of Eden,” as this new book argues? Dig deeper ( 4 Min. Read )

God Gets the R. Crumb Treatment

Staff / Truthdig Oct 19, 2009 Drawing God is an age-old challenge, but ultra-quirky illustrator R. Crumb was up for it -- although it took a lot of white-out to do the job, which seems fitting somehow. Crumb tackled the first 50 chapters of the Old Testament in his latest creation, simply titled "The Book of Genesis Illustrated by R. Crumb," and lo, it is good. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Conservatives Stripping ‘Liberal Bias’ From the Bible

Staff / Truthdig Oct 7, 2009 A group of conservatives is working on "a thought-for-thought translation" of the Bible "without corruption by liberal bias." Yes, that Bible. The organization seeks to create a document that, among other things, is "Not Emasculated," that "Express[es] Free Market Parables" and that favors "conciseness [over] the liberal style of high word-to-substance ratio." That Jesus was such a wordy socialist. Dig deeper ( 2 Min. Read )

The Bible Is Not Safe for Children

BLANK Aug 11, 2009 If public schools are to teach the "literature and history" of the Bible, as some Texans desire, will they leave out the parts that say it's OK to kill your slaves and disobedient children? Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

God Is Not a Fan of the Banking Industry

Staff / Truthdig Apr 7, 2009 Do a quick Google search and you'll find that God, as worshipped by Jews, Christians and Muslims, has some strong feelings about interest charges -- or usury, as it's known in the Hebrew Bible. Here's a doozy from Ezekiel: "Hath given forth upon usury, and hath taken increase: shall he then live? he shall not live: he hath done all these abominations; he shall surely die; his blood shall be upon him." Ouch. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Gratuitous Hegemony

Mr. Fish / Truthdig Sep 22, 2008 Dig deeper

And God Said, ‘Let There Be Roller Coasters’

Staff / Truthdig Jun 7, 2008 Imagine if you could learn about the Great Flood, or experience a high-tech interpretation of heaven and hell (Disney's goofy infernal montage, complete with pop-up demons, from "Mr. Toad's Wild Ride" notwithstanding), by plummeting down a hair-raising roller coaster ride. Not your idea of a good time? Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Bill Maher Defends Elitism

Staff / Truthdig Apr 21, 2008 The "Real Time" host offers his own unique take on the bitterness fiasco: "If you think the Democrats are going to take away your Bible, you're an idiot. If you think they're going to take away your gun, you're an armed idiot. And if you think they're going to take away your gun and give it to a Mexican to kill your god, you're Bill O'Reilly." Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Huckabee on the Slippery Slope of Gay Marriage

Staff / Truthdig Jan 18, 2008 Here's further evidence that Mike Huckabee isn't exactly worried about currying favor with Log Cabin Republicans: In an interview with Beliefnet.com, the conservative presidential candidate made the woefully familiar argument that condoning gay marriage is akin to condoning bestiality. Dig deeper ( 2 Min. Read )