A few weeks ago, I posted about how Jon Husted, the Ohio Secretary of State, was holding an online poll to decide which “I voted” sticker will be given out to voters this November. Two of those stickers featured the state’s motto “With God, All Things Are Possible.” For a while, those weren’t even close to being in the lead… but now, that bottom one is nearly overtaking the secular “I Read more
The Atheist Alliance of America (AAA) convention is going to be held in Texas this October 7th-9th. One of the highlights each year the the presentation of the Richard Dawkins Award — and this happens to be a year in which Dawkins will be on hand to make the presentation. The Richard Dawkins Award has been presented annually since 2003 to notable individuals for their work on behalf of promoting atheism and freethought around the world. Past recipients include Susan… Read more
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania is in some economic trouble: According to a recent analysis from the state’s Department of Community and Economic Development, Harrisburg is likely to end the year with a nearly $3.5 million deficit in its $58 million budget, and things are only expected to get worse. By 2015, the deficit is likely to be $10.4 million, which will eat up about 16 percent of the city’s general fund budget. … “The City of Harrisburg is facing a direct, immediate… Read more
I know, I know… you all watch the Daytime Emmy Awards like you watch the Miss USA Pageant… but that never stops us from discussing these things, right? Unlike most of the Miss USA contestants, here’s someone who has a brain! And acting chops to go with it. Scott Clifton is know online for his TheoreticalBullshit videos… … and he’s known in the soap opera world as Liam Cooper on The Bold and the Beautiful. For that role, he won… Read more
It’s a bad idea to treat symbols as if they are the real things. It’s silly to think anyone could “desecrate” a cracker… unless you’re a Catholic who foolishly believes a consecrated communion wafer actually contains the body of Christ. It’s crazy that some Christians would rather die than see a random, generic Bible get destroyed because one book shouldn’t be a stand in for everything you believe and value. It’s incredible, then, that anyone would make a big deal… Read more
Every now and then the Washington Post’s On Faith column asks a ridiculously easy question… The Book of Mormon, a satirical musical by Trey Parker and Matt Stone, the creators of South Park, won nine Tony awards [last] Sunday night. Parker and Stone are known as equal-opportunity offenders when it comes to mocking religion, but for some Mormons the irreverent musical, bearing the name of their holy text, crossed a line. Is faith funny? When it comes to religion, where’s… Read more
American soldiers in Afghanistan were treated to some special cakes around Easter this year. A soldier (wishing to remain anonymous) wrote: I took these from my iPhone back in Easter while deployed in Afghanistan. I couldn’t send them to my email until I got back from the deployment. These cakes were laid out in our combat Forward Operating Base dining facility during Easter, 2011. At least with the top picture, I see hints of the Flying Spaghetti Monster… I’m not… Read more
You know those movies in which the Villain is about to win? His plan has worked, the Hero’s incapacitated, and everything is going perfectly, but before he finishes off the Hero for good, he starts talking about his own brilliance? He goes on and on and on about why he did it, he wants you to understand his motives… and you’re sitting there thinking, “JUST SHUT UP, KILL THE HERO, AND YOU’LL WIN!”… but of course that never happens. They’re… Read more
One of the hardest things about being an atheist is standing up for what’s right even when it’s unpopular. And there’s nothing more unpopular than trying to take away an honor reserved for seven firefighters who died on 9/11. The problem is: To honor those firefighters who were assigned to Engine 202 and Ladder 101 firehouse, who were among the first to arrive on the scene after the Twin Towers were first hit, and who died as a result of… Read more
