The San Antonio Coalition of Reason in Texas has put up a digital billboard on I-10, near the Wonderland of the Americas Mall, through the Memorial Day weekend: Reaching out to the like-minded isn’t the only goal of the coalition: “We hope folks will realize that we are a part of their community,” said Jim Parker, coordinator of the San Antonio Coalition of Reason. “Atheists and agnostics like us live all over Texas. We’re your coworkers, your neighbors, your friends… Read more
Remember Ron Brown? He’s the University of Nebraska assistant football coach who believes very strongly in the literal truth of the Bible. So strongly, in fact, that he spoke at a City Council meeting in Omaha back in March, opposing a law that would have banned discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. Brown has a long history of using his platform as a coach in a prestigious football program to trumpet his bigotry, leading a number… Read more
Justin Griffith, the force beyond Rock Beyond Belief, was able to talk to Pastor Sean Harris, the Christian who made headlines when he preached the following: So your little son starts to act a little girlish when he is four years old and instead of squashing that like a cockroach and saying, ‘Man up, son, get that dress off you and get outside and dig a ditch, ’cause that’s what boys do,’ [laughter] you get out the camera and you… Read more
The Creationists at Answers in Genesis think they know why Libby Anne — who was raised in a fundamentalist family — is now an atheist. Obviously, she just didn’t understand the Bible. Or she attended a secular school. Or she took a wrong turn somewhere down the line. It’s insulting and demeaning and Libby Anne has responses to all of it: … if the only way to preserve your creationist beliefs is to not have them challenged — i.e. not… Read more
This Wednesday night, I’m participating in a two-person panel discussion on the intersection between religion and secularism (and how they’re opposed) at Northwestern University. The event goes from 7:00-9:00p in Harris Hall 107. It’s sponsored by the Secular Student Alliance and Northwestern University Interfaith Initiative (NUii). Stop by if you’re in the area! And as I write this, there’s no second panelist. So I think I win by default! Score one for the firebrands. Read more
Republican women are finally speaking out! Republicans, Get In My Vagina! from Kate Beckinsale (via Silver Outlined Window) Read more
I know a lot of you are unhappy with him right now, but I’ll tell you what I like about Sam Harris. He doesn’t shy away from talking about controversial topics and he doesn’t back down from his critics. Instead, he’s continuing an interesting discussion. In his latest piece, he’s categorizing most of the assumptions held by his critics and responding to two of the more popular ones. He begins with a thought experiment: Imagine that you work for the… Read more
Tomorrow, people of North Carolina will have a chance to vote on Amendment 1 — an awful bill that would not only deny same-sex marriage, but also civil unions… which also could imperil “some children’s health insurance benefits, along with child custody arrangements and safeguards against domestic violence” (according to the New York Times). Please vote against Amendment 1 and urge your friends and family members to do so. It would be irresponsible of you not to. We know most… Read more
Bradford County, Florida just got a present, courtesy of the group Men’s Fellowship. It’s a Ten Commandments monument to put outside the county courthouse! “It’s not only important for this community,” [leader of the group Harry] Hatcher said of the Ten Commandments. “It’s important for any community. It’s important for individuals.” The Decalogue enshrined in a monument on display in the community “is very symbolic of God’s love for mankind,” he said. God “knew what was best by giving us… Read more
There have been a couple of updates on Forest Heights Community School senior William Swinimer, the Nova Scotia student who wore a shirt reading “Life is Wasted without Jesus” and got in trouble for it. He returned to school today after his five-day suspension — wearing the same shirt — but his father quickly pulled him out: John Swinimer said he wants Forest Heights Community School in Chester Basin, Lunenburg County, to only teach the basic courses, leaving religion out… Read more
