Note: Letter writers’ names are changed to protect their privacy. Hi Richard, I’ve got a bit of a problem with my family. I’m only 16 and I’m currently enrolled in college but due to my age I’m living with my mother. Most of my family lives out here in the bible belt and I’m a non-believer. I’m the only one in my family who does not have any shred of faith left, and everyone else is deeply religious. I went… Read more
Another religious couple from the Followers of Christ Church. Another attempt at “faith-healing.” Another dead child. Another guilty verdict, though, if that’s any consolation to anyone. Dale and Shannon Hickman were found guilty of second-degree manslaughter on Thursday after they let their newborn son die: Prosecutors provided a timeline that showed there was as much as 45 minutes between the time the baby’s condition noticeably changed and his death, more than enough time to get emergency medical help. Instead, Dale… Read more
This is a guest post by Kimberly Danner, the co-founder and Vice President of the Atheists @ Oakland University. … Atheists @ OU is the first secular organization at our conservative school. A fellow student and I (both female) founded the group this past January and we now have 30 regular members at our weekly meetings. Our school awarded us the “Best New Student Organization” of 2011 after only four months in existence. Our faculty advisor, Dr. Todd Shackelford, has… Read more
Jason Bachand at A Bright Blog has a nice interview with Jessica Ahlquist in anticipation of her upcoming trial to remove the religious banner from Cranston High School West. ABB: Let’s talk about the growing phenomenon of atheist bullying. As more young people come “out” about their atheism, there’s been a concurrent rise in hateful, often violent responses from their communities. (The case of Damon Fowler from Louisiana comes to mind.) What has been the lowest or most difficult moment… Read more
It’s reader Jessica’s birthday (Happy birthday!) and her boyfriend made her a nice mix CD of atheist-themed songs! I know, I know, you’re surprise that anyone still makes mix CDs… whatever. It’s sweet. Here’s the playlist: 1 The Great Disappointment – AFI 2 Theologians – Wilco 3 Won’t Somebody (Acoustic) – Bad Religion 4 What if No One’s Watching – Ani DiFranco 5 Evangeline – Matthew Sweet 6 Best God In Show – NoFX 7 The Answer – Bad Religion… Read more
George Clooney’s new movie The Ides of March opens this Friday. In it, he plays Mike Morris, a sitting governor who’s running for president. Ryan Gosling plays his campaign strategist: From what I can tell, the movie doesn’t make a big deal about this, but I will: Clooney is described as “an agnostic or atheist who refuses to discuss religion.” Another source points out this line of dialogue: “I am neither a Christian, nor an atheist, I’m not Jewish or… Read more
This was the cartoon published by Turkish cartoonist Bahadır Baruter in the weekly humor magazine “Penguen”: The guy on the phone is talking to God, “asking to be pardoned from the last part of the prayer because he has errands to run.” More importantly, the part circled in red is a somewhat-hidden message that says “There is no Allah, religion is a lie.” For all that, Baruter is now on trial and faces prison time: The Istanbul chief public prosecutor’s… Read more
Michael Park is an atheist who’s trying to raise money for the Special Olympics Connecticut by doing something you will never ever ever see me do: rappel down a tall building: … when my employer offered the opportunity to support Special Olympics by rappelling down a 30 story building, there was no way I could say no. I get to swing down the side of a building AND help people?!? This is about as close to being Batman as I’m… Read more
Usually, when I get an email from an atheist about a group of Christians, it’s rarely positive… but reader Ryan sent along this story that makes you appreciate how tolerant some people can be. It’s about his Catholic friend “Sarah” (emphasis is mine): Sarah’s birthday celebration was at a restaurant with ten other people in attendance. I guessed that her other friends at the table were also Catholics or Christians, because most of her close associations come through the church… Read more
Remember a couple months ago when the Freedom From Religion Foundation put this billboard (and several others) up in Columbus, Ohio? Matrix Media Services, working with Clear Channel, placed that particular billboard in a location that turned out to be on Christ Cathedral Church’s property. If it was public property, then there should have been no reason to remove the billboard. But since the church owned the space (and rented it out to the billboard company), the billboard went to… Read more
