For a couple of years now, the Center For Inquiry has been putting together a conference to discuss issues of importance to non-religious women. It’s the only secular conference you’ll find where all of the speakers are women — and they have some incredible ones this time around, too, including Katha Pollitt, Barbara Ehrenreich, Rebecca Goldstein, and Susan Jacoby. Read more
A pastor in Troy, New York perhaps took a cue from the Kentucky Baptist Convention when he decided that a great way to promote the Lord Jesus was to give away an AR-15 rifle. The flyer that the Rev. John Koletas has been distributing shows a picture of the fierce-looking firearm below a Biblical quote, from John 14:27, that reads “My peace I give unto you.” Read more
This may not be exactly earth-shattering or groundbreaking, but after Foundation Beyond Belief teams raised more than a quarter-million dollars for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society through their Light the Night Walk, it was a pleasant surprise to see this full-page ad in USA Today earlier in the week (red box is mine): Read more
This display of “comedy” at the National Young Fundamentalist Conference in Kentucky is cringe-inducing for two reasons. One is that none of it is funny. The other one is that — well, see for yourself. Read more
I have no idea how a “Family Video” rental store is still in business… but I do know that they’re not doing a very good job of categorizing movies. Like this DVD of “Noah and the Great Ark.” Read more
Creationist Ken Ham wants to make sure you don’t see the movie Noah because — *gasp* — it’s not biblically accurate. In an interview, he explained his fear and gave the greatest sound bite ever: Read more
A United Church minister in Ontario, Canada, accused of criminal negligence in the manslaughter death of his wife, was sentenced to three years in jail yesterday. The judge left no doubt as to the intention of the verdict. [T]he message to the public has to be loud and clear: In this type of case, the sentence must be denunciatory and exemplary and reflect society’s abhorrence in letting someone die in such a horrific manner. The reverend Nico Vanderstoel had pleaded guilty to the charge, which came after his wife of 44 years, Heather, became bedridden with the effects of multiple sclerosis. Vanderstoel soon stopped providing adequate care, neither requesting medical nor social help for his wife. By the time the state intervened, Heather Vanderstoel’s fate was sealed. She died of complications from decubitis ulceration, or bedsores. The facts of the case require a seriously strong stomach. On March 15, 2011, a For Seniors Only employee arrived at the home to do paperwork for the provision of homecare help for Heather and “the smell of rotting flesh was overwhelming,” said assistant Crown attorney Karen Lische. The employee talked to Heather, but could only see her face as the rest of her body was covered by blankets. The next day, For Seniors Only employees arrived to start providing homecare services and found Heather immobile, “living in a state of squalor and filth” and her body covered with infected bedsores. Read more
Georgia legislators, in their infinite wisdom, are trying to imitate Oklahoma, which is rarely a good idea. Republican Rep. Greg Morris is sponsoring a bill to install a Ten Commandments monument on or around the state Capitol grounds… and it just passed through the House on a 138-37 vote. One Democrat attempted to warn him about what’s going to happen… Read more
Shanon Nebo became pregnant with her second child at about the same time her brother’s wife got pregnant with their first. Simultaneous joy in the family, right? Well, everyone was thrilled… for a few weeks. That’s when Shanon got some heartbreaking news: Read more
In 2012, Jaber Mejeri (pictured below) was convicted to seven years in prison for posting cartoons critical of Islam that a Tunisian court deemed “disturbing [to] public order and public morals.” Now, he’s out of jail, but not out of danger: The lawyer for a Tunisian blogger sentenced to seven years in prison for posting cartoons deemed insulting to the Prophet Muhammad says her client was freed late Tuesday. Read more
