The best cable news show on television is about to get even better. Apparently inspired by the Reason Rally, tomorrow’s episode of Up With Chris Hayes is billed as “an unprecedented look at atheism in America,” and will feature a panel with Richard Dawkins, Jamila Bey, Susan Jacoby, and Steven Pinker. Also appearing will be comedian and Reason Rally speaker Jamie Kilstein, journalist Robert Wright (an agnostic), and “a Christian clergyman [who] will reveal himself as an atheist.” The show airs live… Read more
There’s a group called Elements[Chicago] that’s putting together a really interesting event in the city in a couple of weeks. They’re bringing together four different people to answer the questions “What do I believe?” and “Why should I believe it?” As it happens, they were kind enough to invite me to represent the atheist viewpoint. Other panelists include a Christian, a Buddhist, and a Muslim. I’ve worked with this organization before and, despite their theism, they always manage to put… Read more
As I was reading Hemant’s post linking to Rachel Held Evans’ blog, I couldn’t help but feel struck by the similarities in my own experience of backing slowly away from organized religion over the past few years. I, too, felt keenly aware of the exclusivity of the club and the fickle nature of its champions; however, my criticisms of the church eventually led me to reject its foundational beliefs and not just its physical manifestation. When I look back on… Read more
Sean Faircloth asks a simple question: “Can religion justify bullying children?” His answer is yes, and he explains why in this talk. It’s infuriating what religious people get away with because of their faith, isn’t it? Sean’s book is called Attack of the Theocrats! How the Religious Right Harms Us All — and What We Can Do About It. Read more
Earlier this week, this clue appeared in the LA Times’ crossword puzzle: Well, it is A Week, after all… but is “nonbeliever” really the best clue the writers could think of? Your job: Find a 1 or 2-word clue that would lead to the word “atheist”! (Thanks to Ken for the link!) Read more
In anticipation of the Reason Rally this weekend, Scott Romanowski got around to posting his images from the 2002 Godless Americans March on Washington online — it’s like the Big Picture: Atheist Edition! Here’s just a sampling of what he saw that day: You can check out the rest of the pictures here. Read more
Remember when singer Miley Cyrus tweeted a quotation from Lawrence Krauss (“… forget Jesus. The stars died so that you could be here today”) and faced the wrath of many of her Christian fans? Today, she retweeted a Kelly Osbourne quotation about religion…: “Religion. It`s given people hope in a world torn apart by religion. ” -Charlie Chaplin Osbourne wrongly attributes that line to Charlie Chaplin — it’s actually Jon Stewart who said that — but that’s besides the point…. Read more
Barring any schedule changes or bumps, the Freedom From Religion Foundation will be airing the following ad featuring John F. Kennedy’s famous line about church/state separation during Sunday’s “CBS Sunday Morning” as well as Monday’s “CBS Evening News.” It’s set to air nationwide, and if you don’t see it this Sunday, it’ll air the following Sunday. FFRF Co-President Dan Barker, who played the musical accompaniment to the ad, said: “Kennedy was right. Separation between religion and government must be absolute,… Read more
Michael O’Loughlin is a Catholic, but he understands why so many people are walking away from the Church: To those whose lives fit snugly within the constructs the church accepts, this ultimatum [“adjust your beliefs, join our tribe, and all will be well”] might be easy enough to embrace. But in a society where those constructs echo back to a quaint time that never actually existed, where individuals have more choices, where decisions have become mind-bogglingly complex, where women and… Read more
