• OPEN DISCUSSION - For the first 30 minutes of the Thursday night forums we will have informal open discussion. This will allow for late arrivals, food & drink ordering, and new attendees to become acclimated.
• ANNOUNCEMENTS - Any events, news, or other items that you feel are of interest to the group can be announced at the start of Free Inquiry Forum.

TOPICS for Thursday (4/28/05) & Monday (5/2/05):

1. Marine 2nd Lt. Ilario Pantano killed two unarmed Iraqis last April. The Marines are calling the killings premeditated murder. Pantano says his actions were done in self-defense. If he is found guilty in a court-martial, Pantano could face the death penalty. Should a United States Marine face the death penalty for killings he committed in Iraq during wartime? Is the military making an example out of one of its own to show the world that it can police itself following the humiliations of Abu Ghraib?
2. Jeffrey Lundgren was a cult leader who convinced his followers to conspire to murder five members of an Ohio family back in 1989. Lundgren's followers were whipped into such a religious frenzy that they were willing to commit a mass murder in the name of God. Should cult followers be held accountable for crimes committed or directed by their leaders?
3. Many doctors and hospitals around the country are clamping down on the videotaping of births in the delivery room out of concern that the videos could be used in malpractice suits. Other concerns include: contamination, unwanted distractions, and privacy. Some argue that doctors should welcome videotapes if they are concerned about liability and frivolous lawsuits, since the videotape proves what exactly happened. Should hospitals and doctors have policies prohibiting photography and videotaping of births?
4. OPEN DISCUSSION.

Quote of the week: "The true critical thinker accepts what few people ever accept -- that one cannot routinely trust perceptions and memories." [Jim Alcock, "The Belief Engine"]

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