TheESP – Ep. #338 – Religion is big business

– a look into the Vatican’s hidden finances

We start by revisiting last week’s sad news about Dr Kellermayr and explore the reactions of other skeptical activists. In TWISH we learn about Peter Atkins, professor extraordinaire in physical chemistry. A deep dive this week in the busines of Pope Francis, both regarding his recent apology and trip to the indigenous peoples of Canada (did he do enough?), and then into the hidden finances of the Vatican which we suddenly know much more about than before. Then we have a look at the news:

• US / UK: Harriet Hall‘s children’s book promotes critical thinking (with illustrations by a fan from the UK)
• UK / US / AUSTRALIA: Olivia Newton-John dies at age 73 – another victim of SCAM?
• UK: School-based Mindfulness training proves not beneficial compared to teaching-as-usual
• RUSSIA / UKRAINE: Anti-vax Twitter accounts pushing food crisis disinformation

To round off, Viktor Orbán and his regime gets the Really Wrong Award for allowing clear-cutting of native forests in Hungary.

Enjoy!

Segments: Intro; Greetings; TWISH; Pontus Pokes The Pope; News; Really Wrong; Quote And Farewell; Outro; Out-Takes;
 
0:00:27 INTRO

0:00:53 GREETINGS

• Reactions to Dr Kellermayr’s death
  • Edzard Ernst: https://edzardernst.com/2022/08/dr-kellermayr-begged-for-help-from-politicians-from-the-police-from-her-medical-association-it-never-came-now-she-is-dead/
  • Edzard Ernst: https://edzardernst.com/2022/08/dr-natalie-grams-nobmann-the-fear-that-you-have-to-endure-when-you-speak-out-on-social-media/
• Join us at the European Skeptics Congress!
  • ECSO: https://www.ecso.org/esc2022/

0:07:20 TWISH – THIS WEEK IN SKEPTICAL HISTORY

• 10 August 1940: Birth of Peter Atkins – professor of Physical Chemistry
  • Humanists UK: https://humanists.uk/about/our-people/patrons/peter-atkins/
  • the Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/books/2007/dec/08/society

0:12:33 PONTUS POKES THE POPE

• Pope Properly Poked by Pontus
  • the Conversation: https://theconversation.com/i-survived-the-60s-scoop-heres-why-the-popes-apology-isnt-an-apology-at-all-187681
  • The Star: https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2022/07/27/pope-to-depart-edmonton-travel-to-quebec-city-for-final-days-of-reconciliation-visit.html
  • FSPX News: https://fsspx.news/en/news-events/news/padre-pio%E2%80%99s-hospital-brink-bankruptcy-65590
  • Instituto per le Opere di Religione: http://www.ior.va/content/ior/en/media/annual-report/annual-report-2019.html

0:30:33 NEWS

• US / UK: Harriet Hall’s children’s book promotes critical thinking (with illustrations by a fan from the UK)
  • Science Based Medicine: https://sciencebasedmedicine.org/announcing-a-new-childrens-book-that-promotes-critical-thinking/
• UK / US / AUSTRALIA: Olivia Newton-John dies at age 73 – another victim of SCAM?
  • Edzard Ernst: https://edzardernst.com/2022/08/olivia-newton-john-1948-2022/
  • NBC News: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/obituaries/olivia-newton-john-battled-breast-cancer-30-years-rcna42113
• UK: School-based Mindfulness training proves not beneficial compared to teaching-as-usual
  • BMJ: https://ebmh.bmj.com/content/25/3/99
• RUSSIA / UKRAINE: Anti-vax Twitter accounts pushing food crisis disinformation
  • the Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/aug/01/anti-vax-qanon-twitter-russia-food-crisis

0:47:36 REALLY WRONG

• Really Wrong: Viktor Orbán’s government for allowing clear-cutting of native forests in Hungary to tackle gas supply issues
  • Bloomberg: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-08-05/hungary-eases-logging-in-protected-forests-to-tackle-gas-crunch
  • Daily News Hungary: https://dailynewshungary.com/the-trees-in-hungarian-national-parks-could-be-cut-down-to-provide-firewood-for-the-winter/

0:51:27 QUOTE AND FAREWELL

“Art is I; Science is We.”
/ Claude Bernard, (12 July 1813 – 10 February 1878), French physician and pharmacologist /

0:53:07 OUTRO

0:54:25 OUT-TAKES

CHARITIES FOR UKRAINE

• Ukraine Humanitarian Fund
  • Ukraine Humanitarian Fund: https://crisisrelief.un.org/t/ukraine
• Razom For Ukraine
  • Razom For Ukraine: https://razomforukraine.humanitru.com/donate
• The Kyiv Independent
  • The Kyiv Independent : https://kyivindependent.com/
• UNICEF
  • UNICEF: https://www.unicef.org/emergencies/conflict-ukraine-pose-immediate-threat-children
• Migration Aid
  • Migration Aid: https://migrationaid.org/