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.
Richard Wade here. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled unanimously today that the city of Pleasant Grove, Utah does not have to allow a little known religious group called Summum to install their privately funded monument in the city park, despite the fact that there is already a Ten Commandments monument there. From the New York Times: (emphasis mine) The case is of keen interest to local and state officials across the country for several reasons. Not least is that officials… Read more
Funny how three little words can make a difference. I watched President Barack Obama’s inaugural address today, very much moved by his message of dizzy hope balanced by sober acceptance of responsibility, of grim acknowledgment of our flawed past balanced by inspired resolve to build a better future. When in his speech he addressed the rest of the world, talking to friends and foes, to the great and the small, I was very happily surprised to hear myself included in… Read more
A little whimsy by Richard Wade When the British atheist bus ad campaign came out, some people were puzzled about the qualifier “probably” on the banner. There were those who complained it weakened the statement as if it was hedging. Others said it was included for intellectual honesty. Still others said it was put there to avoid breaking laws about unprovable claims in advertising. (How many religious ads make unprovable claims?) Whatever the reason, I started to wonder what it… Read more
Your roving reporter, Richard Wade here. Several news services are reporting that the surprisingly successful bus advertisement campaign in the UK featuring banners saying “There probably is no god, now stop worrying and enjoy your life.” has been picked up in two other European countries. The British Humanist Association aimed to raise enough money to run the atheist campaign adverts on a CBS Outdoor central London bus route; instead, public donations to the value of £130,000 mean the advert will… Read more
