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 am a life-long atheist and a stay-at-home-mother of two most excellent kids. My oldest, a super smart four-year-old boy, goes to church with my mother most Sundays. He enjoys playing with the other kids and the after-service cookies. Some Sundays he doesn’t want to go, so he stays home, his attendance is voluntary. I am very frank with him, explaining that I don’t go to church because… Read more
Note: The letter writer’s name has been changed, and his location has been made more general to protect his privacy. Hi Richard, I am a Small Groups Pastor at a Christian Church in a mid-sized city in the Midwest. I wanted to say I really appreciate the tone of your website, it is quite refreshing. Our church is doing a series on why you believe what you believe, and I was wondering if you could provide me with the most… Read more
Hi Richard, I have a quick and simple question for you. Since you do not believe in god, why do you capitalize “God” in your texts? I share many of the same beliefs/ideals as you, therefore not seeing a reason to capitalize the word “god”. Thanks! Just Curious Dear Just Curious, I don’t know if there’s a customary etiquette among atheists for handling this, but for myself, it depends on the person to whom I’m writing, and the entity to… Read more
Note: Letter writers’ names are changed to protect their privacy. Richard I recently came out to my mam as an athiest. You see im 15 and at first my mam brushed off my ideas as “teenage hormones”, but when I pushed further saying that I have already decided to be athiest she said that as long as I live here in their house I have to be a catholic and go to mass. Now im just confused and weight of… Read more
Note: Letter writers’ names are changed to protect their privacy. Richard, My wife and I are atheists. Some of our close friends are non-denominational Christians, and are very involved in their church and have active spiritual lives. I’m writing because they (our friends) hold regular discussion/bible study groups in their home, and we have been invited as ambassadors of the faithless. Exciting! We (I think I speak for both of us here) welcome the discourse, and our friends have described… Read more
