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. Hi Richard, I really appreciate you taking the time to answer these kinds of questions for people, it’s awesome to have this kind of resource. You’re kind of a mentor/role model figure who is accessible to a lot of people in the context of atheism, and that’s really important, because most role models set up for us in society are in the context of religion. As it happens, that’s what… Read more
Note: Letter writers’ names are changed to protect their privacy. Dear Richard, I am a lifelong atheist in my mid-twenties. I have always been in favor of respectful interfaith dialogue. My idea of what “respect” looks like has changed somewhat since high school, as I have learned more about the scary things that some religious people actually believe and actually do in the name of their deities. I think it’s valuable to debate religious beliefs with believers, generally with the… Read more
Note: Letter writers’ names are changed to protect their privacy. I was raised Catholic. I am now a Buddhist. After the death of Madelyn Murray O’Hare (I disliked her abrasive style), I became more sympathetic towards Atheist Rights. Free speech and all that. I find myself “sitting on the fence” with regards to Atheism. Although I don’t believe in the “Christian” god; I do hope that there is a pleasant after-life. But I’m really not sure if one exists. Nonetheless,… Read more
Note: Letter writers’ names are changed to protect their privacy. Hi Richard, I am a young atheist, age 21. I am also the father of the most beautiful one-year-old girl in the world. I am also just recently married. And I am looking for some advice. My wife’s immediate family is very religious. They are not quite fundamentalist enough to be scary religious, but the stories my wife has told me of the things they were and weren’t allowed to… Read more
— by Richard Wade A friend of mine, Richard McNally, editor of Rational Alternative, the newsletter of Atheists United will be one of two speakers at a dramatic reading of selected writings by Robert Ingersoll on Saturday Oct. 16 in Santa Barbara, California. I saw his one-man performance of “A Visit with Robert Green Ingersoll” last February, and it was both fascinating and inspiring. If you’re anywhere within reach, I’m sure this recital by two skilled readers in the elegant… Read more
