Yesterday, NPR’s “The Kojo Nnamdi Show” dedicated much of the episode to a discussion about atheism (click LISTEN at the top of the page to hear it). You can download the podcast directly through this page, too. I haven’t heard the discussion, but it features Amanda Knief (Secular Coalition for America), Roy Speckhardt (American Humanist Association), and Edwin Kagin (American Atheists) so I’m guessing the discussion was positive and a chance for the stereotypes against us to be knocked down…. Read more
When comedian Ricky Gervais had the chance to be on the cover of a recent issue of Rolling Stone, he submitted a picture of himself as a sad clown with a gun in his mouth… and he considered submitting this alternative (just in case a suicidal clown was too offensive): (Photo by Nadav Kander) For some reason, the editors didn’t like either one… and they went with Rihanna instead: Too bad. Atheist Jesus would have made for a hell of… Read more
If pastors knew they were going to be called out every time they told a demonstrable lie in the pulpit, would their sermons change? What if a buzzer went off every time they asserted something even they didn’t fully accept? How many pastors says things just because it’s what the people want to hear? (via nakedpastor) Read more
Bad title. Whatever. Two weeks ago, the Freedom From Religion Foundation sued (PDF) over Texas Governor Rick Perry’s upcoming Prayer Rally, calling it a violation of church/state separation. They wanted to know why a governor was using his title to promote a Christian rally. Today, a judge ruled against the good guys. U.S. District Judge Gray H. Miller ruled that the Wisconsin-based Freedom from Religion Foundation did not have standing to sue. The plaintiffs argued that the day of prayer… Read more
South Bend, Indiana is home to the University of Notre Dame — so you can imagine how the city loves its Catholic population. But now they’re crossing the line. The backstory: St. Joseph’s High School is a private, Catholic school. They want to build a new football field and athletic track. So they’re asking donors to contribute, right? Of course not. They want the South Bend Common Council to pay for it with taxpayer money. Instead of saying “No” –… Read more
Americans Atheists named Army Sergeant Justin Griffith their new Military Director, taking over the now-retired First Sergeant Kathleen Johnson (who is now AA’s vice-president). It’s a smart choice — very few people have done more to get the lack of Humanist chaplains and the discrimination of military atheists in the media than Griffith has. Of course, we also know him as the person responsible for the Rock Beyond Belief concert which was halted by military officials earlier this year. You… Read more
It has nothing to do with religion, but this is awesome. You can now let out a collective “Awwwwwwwwwwww!” (Or complain, if you’re the cynical/grumpy sort.) (via The J-Walk Blog) Read more
I knew about the interracial-dating ban that Bob Jones University used to have — they ended it in 2000 — but I’d never seen the actual rule in the handbook until yesterday: Darrell at Stuff Fundies Like points out the significance of the picture: Sometimes it takes actually seeing things written down to make them “real” to those of us who weren’t actually at the school when this policy was in effect. I know that’s the case for me. I… Read more
My friend Matt Lowry is a Physics teacher in Illinois and he recently gave a talk about “Skepticism in the Classroom” at The Amazing Meeting 9 with Barbara Drescher and JREF’s Michael Blanford. Some of the resources from that workshop are now available and they’re really fantastic if you’re an educator. A few of my favorites are below: An Astrology activity (PDF) to demonstrate the Forer effect: Explaining common reasoning errors (PDF) for a probability/statistics class: While we’re talking about… Read more
… and that’s how the character on the left got kicked out of church. (via Mimi and Eunice) Read more
