It’s tough for me to answer that question because I’m not one of them. Writer Lauri Lebo wrote an article last month about the “social cost of atheism” — and there’s something to that. We’re distrusted, virtually unelectable, automatically accused of being immoral, etc. After reading that post, a family member asked her to write a piece about the social cost of being a Christian. Lebo wasn’t sure what to do: When I asked this person to identify how she… Read more
So this is the secret Phil Plait has been hiding from us this whole time… That looks all sorts of awesome. Massive congrats to Phil on this — can you imagine a viewing block of this + Mythbusters? Nerdgasms will erupt everywhere. (via Skepchick) Read more
I’m off for the next several days to the Secular Student Alliance annual conference in Columbus, Ohio. It’s one of the most exciting conferences I attend each year and it definitely gets students excited about going back to school so they can get to work with their student groups. Even if you’re not registered, the Saturday evening sessions are free and open to the public. That includes the acceptance of the Freethought Backbone Award by Dr. Ellery Schempp and the… Read more
Tonight at 10:00 p.m. (ET), several YouTube activists will be on “God Discussion” to “talk about their experiences which led to non-belief and/or activism.” All the details about how to listen, how to call in with a question, and how to chat with others during the episode can be found here. The show lasts for two hours and you know you love the subject matter 🙂 … My friend and fellow activist Todd Stiefel recently appeared on the Ethics Matters… Read more
Leave it to Christians to teach the world how to show love. To mark the anniversary of September 11th this year, the non-denominational Dove World Outreach Center church in Florida will host an “International Burn A Koran Day.” Pastor Terry Jones says he got the idea from “Everybody Draw Muhammad Day” and that since the announcement was made, people have been sending him copies of the Koran for the event. According to the Facebook Event page, the purpose of this… Read more
In Bhutan, a new law may penalize Christians who proselytize and try to convert you: The amendment bill would punish “proselytizing” that “uses coercion or other forms of inducement” –- vaguely enough worded, Christians fear, that vigilantes could use it to jail them for following the commands of Christ to feed, clothe and otherwise care for the poor. “Now, under section 463 [of the Penal Code of Bhutan], a defendant shall be guilty of the offense of proselytization if the… Read more
Here’s Blair Scott, of American Atheists, referring to the Shirley Sherrod incident: Critical thinking skills and the ability to use rational thought are vital to the survival of the species. We saw that break down this week as every politician (right, left, and center) and every news outlet (right, left, and center) took the word of a single person and ran with it. There was no verification of facts, no burden of proof, no skepticism, no questioning of the source,… Read more
Here’s your brief lesson in Islamic fashion (via The Islamic Standard and the BBC): And here’s the big question right now: Should Muslim women be allowed to wear burkas, niqabs, and hijabs? It’s possible your answer is Yes — Muslim women have the right to choose what they wear. No one should take that right away from them. It’s possible your answer is No — This clothing is oppressive and subjugates women. In the words of French Parliamentarian Andre Gerin,… Read more
After hearing about the Catholic Church’s recent misogynistic declaration that female ordination is in the “same category of crime under church law as clerical sex abuse of minors,” the Denver Post’s Mike Keefe drew this: I don’t know whether to laugh or weep. Anyone who still remains in the Catholic Church should have to explain why they belong to this awful organization and why they accept this (misguided at best, horrific at worst) treatment of women and children. (via Humanist… Read more
There’s a meetup next month on the south side of Chicago for anyone who might be in the area: Where: Jenny’s SteakHouse (20 Kansas Street Frankfort, IL 60423) When: Friday, August 13th, 6:00-11:00 p.m. You can just show up, but it’d be great if people could sign up on Facebook or Atheist Nexus. (Thanks to William for the link) Read more
