Wednesday, March 06, 2024

Podcast for Inquiry S03E05: Julien Musolino asks, Who cares if Libertarian Free Will is scientifically incoherent?

Dr. Julien Musolino is a cognitive scientist and author of The Soul Fallacy. He explains why the intuitively, commonly-held notion of free will - known as “libertarian” or “contra-causal” - is scientifically incoherent. This has some implications for how we view ourselves and how we treat others, but on many levels it also doesn’t matter. Julien restores the concept of free will by providing a different definition of free will at a higher level of abstraction. Along the way, Julien and I delve into ideas from philosophy, morality, politics, and sociology.

Publications referenced in the conversation:

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Thursday, February 22, 2024

Podcast for Inquiry S03E04: Maryam Namazie and The Paris Appeal

Maryam Namazie (@MaryamNamazie) is the spokesperson for One Law for All and the Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain. In December 2023, the CEMB released The Paris Appeal, calling for Laics of all countries to unite. Maryam explains the purpose and content of The Paris Appeal, and along the way gets into the difference between laïcité and secularism, and reveals the religious court system in England that denies many women the rights they ought to enjoy. Maryam also talks about World Hijab Day, what the hijab means, and concludes with a passionate analysis of Québec’s religious symbols law.

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Wednesday, February 07, 2024

Podcast for Inquiry S03E03: Sandra Dunham asks: Why does Canada give $5.6 billion annually to religious charities?

Canada allows organizations that do nothing but “advance religion” to be classified as charities. This policy decision costs Canadians at least $5.6 billion every year, according to the Centre for Inquiry Canada's Cost of Religion reports. Sandra Dunham explains what this amount includes, how it was calculated, and the many benefits that religious institutions enjoy in addition to this figure.  

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Sunday, February 04, 2024

Podcast for Inquiry Diatribe #3: Insurance and Pharmacy Companies Collude to Coerce

Canadians with group benefits covered by Manulife will soon be able to fill certain prescriptions only at Loblaw-owned pharmacies, such as Shoppers Drug Mart.

In my third Podcast for Inquiry Diatribe, I fulminate against this blatantly anti-competitive, coercive arrangement that harms everyone it affects except for the profits of two of Canada’s largest companies. I explain why this deal ought to be a violation of Canadian law, and predict that, if allowed to stand, much more - and worse - is to come. 

As with all Diatribes, the opinions expressed are mine alone and do not represent CFIC or any other ogranization. 

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Wednesday, January 24, 2024

Podcast for Inquiry S03E02: The life of a refugee in exile: “Omer” shares his story

“Omer” (a pseudonym) was born and raised in Pakistan, but his life was threatened when he expressed doubts about the inerrancy of Islam. He survived a manhunt by the Pakistani government, and now lives as a refugee in Nepal. Omer is the first Pakistani atheist to reach 100,000 subscribers on his YouTube channel. He has been accepted by Canada as a permanent resident, but exit permit issues mean Omer cannot leave Nepal for an indeterminate period. You may contribute to supporting Omer (who is not allowed to work in Nepal) by making a donation to CFIC

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Wednesday, January 10, 2024

Podcast for Inquiry S03E01: Liberalism a post-liberal world, with Russell Blackford

 A new year, a new season of Podcast for Inquiry!

Podcast for Inquiry starts 2024 with a deep discussion into the philosophical concept of liberalism, and of how Western culture has strayed from it as an ideal. Russell Blackford (@Metamagician) is a philosopher, literary critic, and widely published author. Russell talks about how the philosophical principle of Liberalism runs through his two most recent books, The Tyranny of Opinion and How We Became Post-Liberal. Our conversation starts with a definition of how Liberalism emerged over the past few centuries, and delves into two of its core concepts: free speech and toleration. We also discuss how group dynamics can lead to polarization and how society can return to liberal values. 

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Saturday, January 06, 2024

Two Incredible Years of Podcast for Inquiry

The following article was initially published in the January 2024 edition of the Centre for Inquiry Canada's monthly newsletter, Critical Links.


It's been two amazing years of Podcast for Inquiry, and it continues to be a source of tremendous pride to host fascinating conversations, every two weeks. We brought you 25 discussions in 2023, plus three bonus episodes featuring Leslie defending secular principles in various contexts. 

Here are some highlights: 

We kicked off the year with a passionate defense of morality on secular grounds from Phil Zuckerman. This remains one of my favourite conversations to date. At one point, professor Zuckerman launches into a defense of secular values and governance with a passion and eloquence that rivals anything I've heard from Dawkins or Hitchens. If you haven't already listened to this episode, you're missing out.

The topic of religion and cults was a recurring theme in 2023, including conversations with:

Science 
featured prominently:

Podcast for Inquiry delved into Politics:

Economics was scrutinized:

A couple episodes demonstrated the benefits of Research and Critical Thinking: 

Finally, three bonus episodes where I expound upon Secular Values in various contexts:
  • debate on God's Role in Politics (against a Catholic scholar and lawyer)
  • presentation to an International Humanist Conference on Humanism in Children and Women's Rights
  • diatribe about what Canadian Catholic Hospitals consider Ethics

We have a couple incredible episodes to kick off 2024: a conversation with an Australian philosopher about our post-liberal world, and an intimate view into the life of Omer, a Pakistani refugee (sponsored by CFIC) waiting to come to Canada.


I'd love to hear your feedback. Let me know what you loved, how we can improve, and what you want to hear on Podcast for Inquiry. I can always be reached at podcast@centreforinquiry.ca

Leslie Rosenblood, your host on CFIC's Podcast for Inquiry 

Monday, December 18, 2023

Despite a facelift, the Salvation Army hasn't changed

Ten years ago, I implored people not to donate to the Salvation Army

This was because, at the time, the Canadian chapter was evangelical and despicably homophobic. I decided to check whether they had changed in the decade since.

Unfortunately, it has not.

The Salvation Army Canada's  Official Position Statements (2007) (the most recent version I could find) shows they believe that not just marriage, but also sexual intimacy, should be limited to between a man and a woman.

  • "We believe that the family is ideally rooted in the biblical concept of a marriage covenant of one man and one woman." (Page 7) 
  • "biblical standards calls for chastity outside of heterosexual marriage and faithfulness within it." (Page 9)
  • "The Salvation Army believes marriage is the covenanting together of one man and one woman for life in a union to the exclusion of all others." (Page 13)
  • "The Salvation Army affirms the sanctity of sexual relationships based on the teaching of Scripture. The Bible presents sexual intimacy as a gift from God that is ordained and blessed exclusively within the context of heterosexual marriage." (Page 14) 
That is an explicit denial of same-sex equal marriage. The Salvation Army Canada affirms that no LGBT people should have sexually intimate relations.

But that was over a decade and a half ago - well before I wrote my initial essay. Perhaps they are no longer (quite as) homophobic.

Three years ago, Forbes published The Salvation Army Wants You To Believe They’ve Changed, citing the organization’s "long and horrid history of discrimination." They have quite the history of anti-LGBT actions. 

What of the Salvation Army in Canada today?

Their current mission statement begins with, "The Salvation Army exists to share the love of Jesus Christ". Similarly, the Salvation Army Vision ends with, "building communities that are just and know the love of Jesus." So it's clearly a proselytizing Christian organization. Any organization that wants to appeal to all segments of Canadian society (such as police services, grocery stores, and retailers) should steer clear. 

Though the Salvation Army's Values emphasize non-discrimination and valuing everyone, this one of their four values: "Hope: We give hope through the power of the gospel of Jesus Christ." This not very welcoming to non-Christians.

Further proof that The Salvation Army is a proselytizing organization, trying to get as many people as possible to accept Jesus as their Lord and Saviour, can be found by looking at the "Corps Health Stream" portion of the program of their 2023 Inspire conference. It includes workshops such as, "God Space: Making the Most of Every Opportunity to Start Spiritual Conversations" and "Faith Formation: Helping People with Disabilities Connect with Jesus". It also includes biblical apologetics: "But Didn't You Know the Bible Says...? A Study of the Scriptural Texts Often Used to Challenge Women in Ministry". Their leadership stream has a workshop called, "Jesus-Centred: Serving with Jesus at the Centre of Who You Are and What You Do". 

The Salvation Army is clearly an organization by Christians, for Christians, seeking to convert as many non-Christians to Christianity as possible.

Anyone who doesn't believe that to be the case need only look at the Salvation Army's Doctrines page, any line of which will be sufficient to convince any reasonable observer. 

I'm not the only one who thinks so. Canadians are tiring of the Salvation Army's bigotry and proselytization: they are critically short of volunteers in Winnipeg, BurlingtonVictoria, and West Kelowna.

To be clear: as a religious organization, the Salvation Army is perfectly within their rights to use their resources to spread the "Good Word" in an attempt to get more people to accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour. It is inappropriate, however, for any governmental entity (including those operating at arm's-length, such as police services or the LCBO in Ontario) to partner with a sectarian group like the Salvation Army. In addition, private corporations should rethink their partnerships with the Salvation Army. Any organization that wants to give presents to the poor (a genuinely charitable aim) should find another group that does charitable works (there is no shortage) and partner with them instead.  

If someone from the Salvation Army asks for a donation, politely decline and tell them you will make a contribution to a genuinely charitable organization - one that does not endorse bigotry and seek to convert the world to their faith. 

Wednesday, December 06, 2023

Podcast for Inquiry S02E25: A century of Humanism with Gordon Precious

 Gordon Precious was born in Hamilton, Ontario in 1924. As a teenager he became a born-again Christian but as he travelled the world he began to question why he believed his faith was the only true one. As his 100th birthday approaches, Gordon shares his insights on vaccines, technology, humanism, and death. 

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Monday, December 04, 2023

Calgary Police Service provides Honour Guard to Calgary Leadership Prayer Breakfast

I wrote the following article for the December edition of Critical Links, the monthly newsletter from the Centre for Inquiry Canada

Calgary Police Service provides Honour Guard to Calgary Leadership Prayer Breakfast

You might recall "Bob", the Calgary Police Service Sergeant who has had his complaint with the Alberta Human Rights Commission officially recognized (see articles from the June and August Critical Links). While we wait for his case to be heard, CFIC learned from Global News that "On Oct. 19, members of the [Calgary Police Service] honour guard escorted keynote speaker Nigel Hannaford to his seat at the Calgary Leaders Prayer Breakfast, as part of the opening ceremonies." There are several things problematic about this decision by the CPS:
  • According to Global News, last month was the 55th year of the Calgary Leadership Prayer Breakfast. There has been no demonstrated safety or security need for a police presence at any previous event.
  • The purpose of the CPS Honour Guard is to represent the service. Some events, such as the Stampede parade and Remembrance Day, always have an Honour Guard. Other events are at the discretion of the Honour Guard Executive and the Chief. That the leadership of the Calgary Police Service gave its implicit endorsement to an organization that "affirms our faith in God through prayer, testimony, scripture reading, and fellowship" lends credence to Bob's claim that the CPS favours Christianity over other faiths. The police service must remain neutral in such matters of religion, as the Supreme Court ruled in the Saguenay case in 2015 (listen to or watch the Podcast for Inquiry episode on this topic) and affirmed in the Trinity Western University decision in 2018 (read my analysis of the TWU ruling). While the CLPB has every right to endorse Biblical teachings and exhort government to follow Christian precepts, CPS providing an Honour Guard to the CLPB is a violation of state neutrality and should not recur. 
  • The content of this year's keynote address, by Nigel Hannaford, contains much that must make many active Calgary Police Service officers uncomfortable (at best):
    •  Hannaford rails against many Canadian laws. He describes Medical Assistance in Dying as "Doctors killing people", in violation of the commandment "Thou Shalt Not Murder". He pities the "Christian doctors [who] find themselves up against the government" about abortion. He even takes aim at the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, lamenting that "The Bible-based morality that you grew up with, that once informed Canadian law, was quietly but explicitly rejected in 1982 [when the Charter was adopted]." CPS officers are sworn to uphold the law. Why would it endorse someone who is asking his audience to reject it?
    • He claims that there is "No proof that Christians murdered indigenous children" in residential schools. While there is much to be learned about the extent of abuse, there are thousands of documented deaths at residential schools (see the final report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission). And while he does call for "these sites to be examined," referring to unmarked graves, notably absent was a call for the release of records from the Catholic Church, which continues to refuse to allow access to its voluminous documentation relating to Canada's residential schools. First Nations members of the Calgary Police Service (among others) doubtless would not approve of Hannaford's remarks.
    • Hannaford calls for Canada to become (or return to) a theocracy. He says, "Once, Canada's laws reflected a Biblical understanding of truth. [...] Then Canada adopted the Charter. Their [nine Supreme Court justices] job now is to interpret the law with the Canadian consensus, not the Bible." Later, Hannaford regrets that "We are now finding that Canadian law is often, and increasingly, at variance with our Bible-based worldview." Again, while individual Calgary officers are welcome to attend such an address as private citizens on their own time, why did the CPS endorse the Calgary Leadership Prayer Breakfast, and by extension its keynote speaker's call for Bible-based law in Canada? 
The decision to provide an honour guard to Nigel Hannaford at the Calgary Leadership Prayer Breakfast shows tremendous disrespect to the diverse community CPS is tasked with protecting, as well as offending a sizable proportion of its own members.

Bob's human rights complaint against the Calgary Police service because of its "Christian-default" practices continues to wind its way through the system. If you know an Alberta lawyer with human rights experience, please contact Leslie Rosenblood, CFIC Secular Chair.