Rev. Jim Moats of Newville, Pennsylvania wore a gold Trident signifying that he was a Navy SEAL. His congregation at Christian Bible Fellowship Church also believed that he had served in Vietnam. But all that was a lie. Even though he knew his church believed it, he never corrected them. He finally came clean when people outed him this past weekend: Don Shipley, a retired SEAL who lives in Chesapeake, Va., said he is one of a few former SEALs… Read more
It seems like every time the media wants a rebuttal to an anti-gay conservative Christian, they go to Jim Wallis, a “progressive” Christian and founder of Sojourners (“Christians for Justice and Peace”). I always hear him referred to as a “voice of reason” from that side of the aisle, the Christian that deserves more attention than the hate-mongerers. So you would think he’d get right on board with a new ad campaign from Believe Out Loud, a group that “promotes… Read more
I’m getting a lot of fantastic Muhammad drawings for next week’s Draw Muhammad Day sequel 🙂 But I want more! We have to find a way to top last year. What’s a good drawing? Anything. Draw a stick figures, draw some beautiful art, draw a cartoon, draw something offensive or non-offensive (though I’d prefer the latter). Be creative and funny and thought-provoking and witty. You can send your drawings to me when you’re done. Your anonymity will be protected unless… Read more
I was looking at my bookshelf last night when I came across a Bible (I have several…) that I hadn’t seen in a long time. And I remember writing about it on this site years ago, but I don’t think most of you were reading this site back then… So I’m going to plagiarize myself. Here’s the background: Around the time I was writing I Sold My Soul on eBay, a Christian who was fed up with the way other… Read more
Note: Letter writers’ names are changed to protect their privacy. Dear Richard, I have been recently asked to chaperone a former pastor’s youth group canoeing wilderness trip. I do not attend his church but have always kept in contact with him after leaving the church of my youth because he is just plainly an excellent human being. He does not know that I am an atheist. I am however an avid outdoors woman who has a lot of youth wilderness… Read more
This story’s creating quite the buzz in atheist circles: Starting this fall, Pitzer College, a small liberal arts institution in Southern California, will inaugurate a department of secular studies. Professors from other departments, including history, philosophy, religion, science and sociology, will teach courses like “God, Darwin and Design in America,” “Anxiety in the Age of Reason” and “Bible as Literature.” … Studying nonbelief is as valid as studying belief, [professor Phil] Zuckerman said, and the new major will make that… Read more
An oldie but a goodie: Your ears cannot unhear that. You’re welcome. (Thanks to Liz for the link!) Read more
A week ago, I posted a cartoon from 1903 that would be in line with the “New Atheism” of today. This one is even better. Keep in mind this was drawn in 1890! It’s from The Freethinkers’ Pictorial Text-Book by Watson Heston. (Click to enlarge) In case you can’t see it, along the “Freethought Road,” via a secular school, you pass Investigation, Reason, Education, Humanity, Justice, Science, Virtue, Love, Liberty, and Truth. Along the “Orthodox Route,” via Sunday School, you… Read more
