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Religion
Scallop shells have accompanied pilgrims to and from Santiago de Compostela for centuries, for more than one reason
Only have sex with a person you love — a novel concept!
Fire-breathing dragons may represent chaos and the human impulse to conquer that threat.
The Arabic word fatwa can mean “explanation” or “clarification.”
“The very best arguments against God have been formulated by believers.”
John Templeton Foundation
We're still using 800,000 gallons of embalming fluid a year, but burials are becoming far less common.
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Some scientists see religion as a threat to the scientific method that should be resisted. But faith "is really asking a different set of questions," says Collins.
John Templeton Foundation
When justice isn’t tempered by something such as mercy, forgiveness, or nonviolence, efforts to make society more equitable often backfire.
John Templeton Foundation
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There is no evidence for God as a “big being.” Is God something else?
John Templeton Foundation
While becoming a monk is an evolutionary dead end for the individual, celibacy reaps benefits for the group as a whole.
Just as there are many types of believers, there's not only one type of atheist.
John Templeton Foundation
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From superstition to religion, we are surrounded by supernatural thinking. Is that a bad thing?
John Templeton Foundation
Ideas often taken for granted in the United States and Europe about what it means to be a person are, quite simply, not shared with other cultures.
Is "The Garden of Earthly Delights" by Hieronymus Bosch a condemnation of sin or a celebration of hedonism? Art historians still aren’t sure.
In the wake of the pandemic, the crystal industry boomed, with customers hoping the stones might relieve a little anxiety.
The role of the Devil’s advocate was to argue against the beatification of mystics. Contrary to popular belief, they did not wear Prada.
It might seem like science and faith are at war, but the two have a historical synergy that extends back in time for centuries.
John Templeton Foundation
Three out of four Russians accused of witchcraft were men.
In the Canaan religion, Yahweh was a lesser god, who was assigned the land of Israel. Here's how he became "God Almighty."
You can love a romantic partner, but also a pet, a book, God, or the sound of someone’s voice. We need many more words for love.
The sonnenrad is a Heathen symbol composed of 12 repeated runes.
Bernini created art for 8 different popes. In the process, he helped reinforce and redefine Christianity’s visual culture.
Human sacrifice appears to be as old as humanity itself. Still, experts disagree on how and where the practice first originated.
Speculation about the existence of aliens goes all the way back at least to the Greek philosophers. Their arguments will sound familiar.
Mathematics and religion both embody awe-inspiring, eternal truths.
John Templeton Foundation
"Immodest Acts" tells the story of Benedetta Carlini, a lesbian nun who claimed to be a mystic visionary but failed to convince the leaders of her faith.
Benjamin Franklin's lightning rod saved countless lives, but some religious leaders denounced his invention.
Many atheists think of themselves as intellectually gifted individuals, guiding humanity on the path of reason. Scientific data shows otherwise.
John Templeton Foundation