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When Love Is a Sin and a Crime – Part III

By William Sierichs Jr. As early as 1437, conversos complained they were being discriminated against. Segregation increased in the 1440s in Castile. Despite critics who argued that a Christian was a Christian whatever his or her ancestry, the drive to keep society “pure” of “tainted” Jewish blood increased through the 1400s, leading to the general expulsion order of 1492. The Inquisition was a major force behind this. A 1483 papal edict required inquisitors to be “Old Christians.” The infamous 15th-century [...]

When Love Is a Sin and a Crime – Part II

By William Sierichs Jr. Similarly, in 1092, the Hungarian King (St.) Laszlo prohibited marriages between Christians and Jews. At least through the 1880s, Hungary barred civil marriages (ferociously opposed by the Roman Catholic Church, a powerful lobby), and continued to prohibit an unconverted Jew from marrying a Christian. The Hungarian Parliament rejected an attempt to enact civil marriages in 1881. The theme that marriage with a non-Christian polluted a Christian was exemplified in a tale by the English writer [...]

When Love Is a Sin and a Crime - Part I

By William Sierichs Jr. Despite Christianity’s routine claim that, at its heart, it’s all about some abstract concept of love, Christians historically were among the worst real-world enemies of that powerful, universal emotion. The struggle over gay marriage is simply one facet of an old, vicious, theocratic tyranny. Christians have always obsessed over controlling who should be allowed to love and/or marry whom. Driven by theological paranoia and authoritarianism, combined with an often-intense misogyny that is unfortunately not specific [...]

History Is Not So Simple – Part II

Continuing essay from William Sierichs Jr. HATTI’S ALLIES Ramesses’ Kadesh inscriptions listed 19 Hittite allies, identifiably from all over Anatolia and northern Syria. A key factor in identifying Hatti’s allies in the Egyptian account is a long controversy over “A(k)hhiyawa,” “Millawata/Millawanda,” “Truisha/Taruisha” and “Wilusa/Wilusiya,” suggestive names that appear repeatedly in Hittite records. The Ahhiyawa were longtime pains in the butt for the Hittites. While relations sometimes were cordial, the two powers repeatedly clashed in western Anatolia, and the Land of [...]

History Is Not So Simple - Part I

As a sidenote: In 1989, I went on a tour of Egypt in which I saw two sets of Ramesses II’s Kadesh inscriptions, in Luxor and Abu-Simbel. That trip ended with a visit to Turkey, where I toured Hittite sites, notably their former capital, Hattusas. By William Sierichs Jr. Literalist Bible worshipers have often pointed to real historical evidence to argue that miracle stories in their book could be true. Even many non-literalists play this game, rewriting the “sacred” text [...]

A series of articles from NOSHA member William Sierichs

NOSHA will be posting a series of articles by member William Sierichs, who was a copy editor with The Advocate, the daily newspaper in Baton Rouge, and who also published in Free Inquiry, the national magazine for the Council for Secular Humanism. "These articles were written for several secular and humanistic publications from 1991 to a few years ago. A number are derived from a book I wrote attempting to explain why Christianity is one of the most murderous [...]

The New Morality (1917)

Upton Sinclair was an author, political candidate, and progressive activist just about 100 years ago. His book, “The Jungle”, was an exposé on the unsanitary conditions in the meatpacking industry, which ended with laws enforcing clean and safe operations in the industry. On the other end of the spectrum, he published “The Brass Check”’ which was an extended diatribe against “yellow journalism”— which publisher William Randolph Hearst abused—leading to to the creation of a journalist code of ethics, which guides [...]

The New Orleans Archdiocese Digs Its Own Grave

“NOSHA brought in 49 pounds of food for Second Harvest Food Bank for Saturday’s program.” This bulletin showed up on last week’s NOSHA Facebook page, as have many others similar following the third Saturday meetings. Several years’ worth third Saturday meetings, in fact. It has been a tradition our generous humanists/humanitarians started a few years before COVID broke out and paused during the period of isolation, and then resumed after a green light was given to resume public gatherings. [...]

We Can Be Heroes, Just for One Day

Comedian and banjoist Steve Martin collaborated with members of roots band Steep Canyon Rangers on writing and performing “Atheists Don’t Have No Songs” over a decade ago, and the humorous acapella verses remain a haunting enigma for atheists—no songs equals no love, no hate, no friends…well, you know: no purpose, no anything. It’s a musical shaming of atheists, if ever there was one (but probably not). Add to the list of things under the heading of No, the conclusion that [...]

Thoughts: We Got 'Em

The New Orleans Secular Humanist Association expresses its condolences to all of New Orleans' visitors and citizens and their families who were victims of the terrorist attack in the early morning of January 1, 2025. The event became the predominant mainstream media and cable news network story of the day, and resulted in the postponement of a major football game. The brutal killing field littered with 15 bodies equaled those that have occured in Europe and other parts of the [...]