Richard Wade is a retired licensed Marriage and Family Therapist living in southern California. At Hemant’s suggestion, in 2009 he began writing an advice column called “Ask Richard.” He publishes his responses to email letters from people of all viewpoints, not just atheists. These usually deal with challenges or conflicts stemming from believers and nonbelievers living or working together. He tries to reduce unnecessary conflict and suffering on all sides.
He has spoken as a “guest atheist” at several churches to dispel the misconceptions and false stereotypes about atheism and atheists. His goal is to prevent the same unnecessary strife and hardship in families and friendships that he has dealt with in hundreds of “Ask Richard” letters. With accurate information, loving and respectful relationships do not have to be ruined by this difference in beliefs.
He is the President of the Santa Clarita Atheists and Freethinkers, who provide a safe haven and support for non-believers in the area as well as participate in several community outreach activities, charity work, interfaith events, and political activism.
Note: Letter writers’ names are changed to protect their privacy. Dear Richard, I recently moved in with three other girls into a small, one bedroom apartment (we’ve all left home a year early to pursue a very specialized career). Along with the normal problems that accompany living in tight quarters I’ve run into a problem with the music one of my roommates has been listening to- namely Christian rock. She doesn’t wear ear buds and I, raised in a non-religious… Read more
Note: Letter writers’ names are changed to protect their privacy. Hi Richard, How can I learn to be more like you? 😉 What I mean is that you seem to have such a clear-headed framework for dealing with other people in such a thoughtful and compassionate way. You seem to be able to get to the heart of people’s psychological needs, and anticipate what communication strategy will have the most success. So while I recognize that you always know the… Read more
Richard Wade here. The overall I.Q. at Patheos blogs just got significantly higher, and the atheist channel is the immediate beneficiary of that additional brainpower. Dan Fincke (pronounced “fink-eh”) is bringing his blog Camels With Hammers from FreeThought Blogs to Patheos. For the last few years it has been my esteemed privilege and honor to call Dan, and be called by him, “friend.” This is a term that I never use lightly. Now it is my great pleasure to welcome… Read more
Note: Letter writers’ names are changed to protect their privacy. Hi Hemant and Richard, My dad is a fundamentalist Christian who has only recently discovered I’ve become an atheist. Luckily, he has a very logical/curious intellect which I know has been clouded by his own religious upbringing, and now he’s interested in engaging in a decent, sincere discussion with me. I know we have a potential “convert” here… He’s given me a list of starting points. I’ve come to realize… Read more
Note: Letter writers’ names are changed to protect their privacy. Hi Richard, When we married, my husband and I held similar religious beliefs. Through the years, however, we have taken different paths. My husband is atheist and believes that religion and faith are not only limiting to the human experience, but dangerous. I have a deeply rooted belief in God and believe that faith and religious participation are crucial to what it means to be human. Having already been on… Read more
