Lauren Nelson is an advocate and aspiring ally focused on intersectional justice. When she's not gabbing on social media or chasing after her precocious seven year old, you'll find her researching and writing extensively on the subjects of politics, policy, culture, neurodiversity, and faith for The Friendly Atheist and Rethink the Rant.
Much has been said of the Religious Right’s racist past (and present) over the past year or so, but if we’re being fair, racism isn’t a problem exclusively drawn along party lines when it comes to the faithful. While many Christian leaders are quick to point to the role of churches in the Underground Railroad and their advocacy during the Civil Rights Era, they do so in hopes that we won’t pay attention to Christianity’s much longer defense of slavery and segregation. A few individual churches, at least, are trying to atone for their role in such travesties. Take, for instance, the arguably progressive Episcopalian Diocese of Rhode Island. Read more
“Senator Cruz, start from you. Any word from God?” It was late in the night as debate moderator Megyn Kelly asked the question, her face beginning to crack from a marathon effort at hiding her own disgust with the performances on the stage up to that point. The whole affair had been more akin to absurdist performance art than political discourse, at turns laughable but mostly terrifying. Even Kelly, known for her acerbic tongue, was struggling not to cringe. Read more
For politicos, tonight is a big deal. The first presidential primary debate of the 2016 election cycle is like the start of the NFL playoffs, NBA finals, World Cup, and Olympic Games all rolled into one — except way more entertaining (and horrifying). Tonight, 10 of the 16 mainstream GOP hopefuls will grace the stage with all the pomp, circumstance, arrogance, and ignorance that one might expect from the party, and the expected fireworks are sure to make it must-see-TV. (The remaining candidates will participate in an earlier Trump-less debate.) Every time one of these events rolls around, the Internet becomes saturated with a list of patriotic drinks and drinking game rules to add some spice to the debate-watching festivities. But what about the people actually taking these folks seriously? How can they celebrate? Look no further! If you’re as excited as we are to laugh, cry, and fret over the people supporting these clowns over some strong spirits, you may want to turn elsewhere for some tasty libation recipes. But for those actually rooting for the clown car denizens, we’ve got just the drinks for you: Rand Paul’s Old Fashioned Fool Read more
The fight to defund Planned Parenthood isn’t going very well. The reaction to a series of heavily-edited videos intended to cloud an already maliciously-distorted debate lost steam in the Senate, where the GOP fell short of the votes required to pass the initiative. Not that it really mattered; President Obama pledged to veto any such bill that crossed his desk. Read more
The BBC has really upped the ante over the past decade in terms of quality television. From Doctor Who to Sherlock and beyond, its appeal has grown substantially with a renewed dedication to storytelling and an increased investment in production value. So when they announce a new lineup of shows, people tend to pay attention. Perhaps especially so when one of their new series will focus on atheist leadership. Read more
