Cover art: Tom Sullivan summarizes the history of Christmas, from ancient solar festivals (“The Sun is the Reason for the Season”) to the modern commercial convulsion that is so upsetting to Christians -- who fancy they hold an exclusive ptent on midwinter festivals.

Editor’s Desk
    Millennial Feast of The
    Circumcision
    Frank R. Zindler

Blasphemy Laws and the
Fruits They Bear:
The Case of Germany
    Mark R. Hatlie
    A proposed blasphemy law in New
    York prompts our correspondent in
    Germany to examine that country’s
    curbs on free expression.

Keeping Evolution Alive
    Victoria D. McCoy
    An interview with Eugenie Scott,
    director of the National Center for
    Science Education.

Remnants of Christmas Past
    Conrad Goeringer
    The evolution of Christmas
    observances in America.

Privatizing Christmas
    Conrad F. Goeringer
    Richard Ganulin of Cincinnati seeks
    to disestablish Christmas as a
    national holiday.

Churching Santa
    Tony Pasquarello
    No, Virginia, there is no logic in Mr.
    Church’s reply to your question.

Theophagy Tango
    A Dial-an-Atheist® Classic

A Nativity Potpourri
   Frank R. Zindler
    There is much to inspire laughter in
    the conflicting Christmas stories of
    the Bible.

Living in the Light:
Dancing Daze -
Creating Celebrations
    Anne R. Stone
    The author of a new AAP book on
    rearing Atheist children shows how
    to compete with religious holidays.

Sociobiology: The Biological
Basis Of Religion
    Huáscar Terra do Valle
    A Brazilian correspondent argues
    that “God” is in our genes -- or is
    our genes!

From Darkness Into Light
    Margaret Bhatty
    Our Indian correspondent reacts
    to the visit of the pope and reminds us
    of the terrors of the Indian
    Inquisition.

Poetry

A New Argument
   Against the Existence of God
   Reza Saberi
    “God” would be more credible if
    s/h/it helped us with our physics
    homework.

Atheism
    Madalyn Murray O’Hair
    A “Roots of Atheism” contribution
    by the founder of American
    Atheists

In Memoriam: Merrill Holste