Here’s Christian Right leader Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council speaking with Fox News’ Mike Huckabee the other day (1:39 mark): Read more
I learned a great new word from Daniel Dennett recently, one that I can see myself using rather a lot from now on (you’ve been warned): deepity. Deepity is the quality found in a statement whose author takes a failed stab at profundity. It seems deep at first glance, but it’s actually squishy and meaningless when you examine it. Deepity is probably the most useful neologism since Stephen Colbert’s “truthiness.” Here’s some deepity for you: Read more
Eager to join the ranks of GodTube, Christian Mingle, Faithbook, and FaithLauncher, there’s now a D-rated Christian version of Pinterest. Because we all know how Pinterest was just a haven for godless heathens and their Satanic images… It’s called Godinterest (very original, I know) and it’s exactly as dull and uninspiring as you think it would be: Read more
Last week, Biltmore Baptist Church in North Carolina did something that’s genuinely awesome for the elementary school students in Macon County: They gave new pairs of Nike shoes to 1400 kids: “I’m unbelievably proud of the people of Biltmore Franklin,” said [Pastor Patrick] Trawick. “A lot of them took the day off work, sacrificing pay so they could serve their community. I’m thankful that Dr. Baldwin and all of the principals allowed us to serve them this way. We’re looking forward to more opportunities to serve Franklin in the future. That’s why we’re here.” Again, that’s a great project, helping out students whose families might not be able to afford shoes like that. But… the whole thing just makes me feel uncomfortable. Read more
It doesn’t matter how atrociously written the prose is, how unlikely the story, or how obscure or unreliable the site. Even if you put the word HOAX over the headline, hordes of people will still treat a made-up tale as if it were real. This dystopian fantasy, recounted here by a site called Top Info Post, started last year (possibly with this Italian web publication) and is still doing the rounds on Facebook. Read more
One of the most disheartening facts to come out of the shootings in Overland Park, Kansas, where a former KKK leader murdered three people at a Jewish community center, is that hate crimes against Jewish people are hardly uncommon. In fact, notes Tobin Grant of Religion News Service, “Anti-Jewish hate crimes are the most common religious hate crime in the United States.” Obviously, any number is too high, but those results (from a 2012 FBI report) are surprising to me for a couple of reasons: I never would have predicted Jews would be the victims of hate crimes at a higher rate than Muslims. And I didn’t realize atheists were so rarely victimized. Read more
When it comes to trans women in the media, religious pundits’ ignorance and willful bigotry truly know no bounds. It hardly matters what news story Matt Barber and Mat Staver were discussing on the radio broadcast “Faith and Freedom” this week. It could have been the debate over whether RuPaul’s Drag Race creators used transphobic language; it could have been the recent explosion of fame for trans women like Laverne Cox or Janet Mock; it could have been a discussion of one of many “bathroom bills” like a recently-signed law in California, which allows trans students to use bathrooms that align with their gender identity. This time, the gentlemen were riled up about long-standing guidelines on respecting transgender people in the federal workplace, and they stated outright that transgender equality is a form of sexual harassment. Have a listen: Read more
Skeptical Inquirer has published an exclusive first-hand account by Bill Nye the Science Guy regarding why he decided to participate in a Creationism debate against Ken Ham, how he prepared for it, and how he thought it went: Read more
Last month, Christian Right leader Bryan Fischer said that the only reason God was keeping comedian Bill Maher alive was so he would have a chance to repent. It stemmed from a Real Time segment in which Maher mocked Christians who believed in a literal Noah’s Ark: In all this time, we have yet to hear God’s take on the matter… but that’s been taken care of, courtesy of Mr. Deity. Turns out God doesn’t like that Maher called Him a “psychotic mass murderer”: Read more
In 2012, David Niose published a wonderful book called Nonbeliever Nation about our society’s changing demographics away from organized religion. I’m thrilled to announce that his next book will be published later this year. It’s called Fighting Back the Right: Reclaiming America from the Attack on Reason and you can pre-order it now: Read more
