Michael Sullivan, a former U.S. attorney and current Republican candidate for Senate from Massachusetts, used a throwaway line the other day to describe the Boston bombers… but in the process, he slandered all of us who are law-abiding, patriotic atheists: [Click headline for more…] Read more
After seeing article after article claiming Sam Harris and the New Atheists who criticized Islam were guilty of “Islamophobia,” Andrew Zak Williams at New Stateman argues that the atheists have a point. It’s possible that criticism of Islam could be perceived as criticism of Muslims, it’s possible that the statements they make are wrong, but none of that should deter anyone from pointing out that the beliefs of religious people, whatever they are, may be (a) wrong and (b) harmful: [Click headline for more…] Read more
Biola University, an evangelical Christian school in southern California, is also home to a secretive LGBT group. It’s brave of those students since the school would expel them if their sexual orientations were ever made public. Still, the Biola Queer Underground is thriving and they’re now going after a professor who made some horrible remarks at the school. Dr. Erik Thoennes — Biola’s “Professor of the Year” in 2003 and 2007 — sat on a panel called “Sexuality Matters” (a panel formed in response to the BQU group) and proceeded to: 1) Compare LGBTQ identities to racist identities. 2) Responded to the question of why there weren’t any Christian pro-gay representatives on the panel by saying, “I wouldn’t want a pro-racist person on this panel if the question were racism.” 3) Called the transgender identity a “dysfunction” and “perversion.” Seriously, listen to the 1:42 mark of this video: [Click headline for more…] Read more
It’s no surprise that newspapers are struggling, and one way they’re bringing something of value to their readers is by offering opinion pieces written by locals, something you can’t get anywhere else. So if you’ve ever wanted to get published in The Roanoke Times, now’s the time to try it since it appears they’ll publish just about anything. Clonnie Yearout, a retired fire department captain, wrote a piece that is based in so much scientific ignorance, you have to wonder how he ever got the job he had: [Click headline for more…] Read more
If a church catches on fire, the city fire department comes in to help. If there’s a crime on church property, the city police will come in to investigate. The church pays no taxes for this, of course, but they benefit from being part of a city. So what about city-mandated safety inspections? They can’t get around that in East St. Louis, Illinois, so the City Council assessed all churches and non-profit groups a $100 fee. Now, the pastors are flipping out… partly over semantic issues since the city is calling this a “fee” which the churches are calling it a “tax”: [Click headline for more…] Read more
The James Randi Educational Foundation just released the first in a series of videos featuring magician Jamy Ian Swiss as the “Honest Liar.” This one tackles homeopathy: Homeopathic medicine: The only thing it cures is a fat wallet. Read more
Not that kind. Southern California Public Radio has been running a series called “God is in the garden,” exploring the intersection of religion and environmental values. Molly Peterson writes that atheists responded to the series, too, because there’s plenty to say about how religion has hurt the environment and how a godless outlook can alter how you feel about the world you live in: [Click headline for more…] Read more
A couple of months ago, I posted about a project that was the brainchild of Kile Jones and Tia Carley. Their idea was to invite pastors to interview an atheist during church. Not a debate. Just a public dialogue to let the congregation understand where the atheists were coming from and to help dismantle stereotypes about us. Kile just posted an update to the project and it looks like it’s taking off! Admittedly, there are *way* more atheists than pastors interested… but hats off to the pastors who are willing to participate: [Click headline for more…] Read more
The Borough Council of Greenville, Pennsylvania has been reciting prayers at their meetings for decades. So when a local resident finally told the Freedom From Religion Foundation about it, you know exactly how council members reacted when they got the complaint letter: It’s tradition! Why would anyone complain about this?! We have freedom OF religion, not freedom FROM religion! [Click headline for more…] Read more
