Linda Harvey is the founder of Mission:America, an organization “whose objective is to equip Christians with current, accurate information about cultural issues such as feminism, homosexuality, education and New Age influences.” And when someone like her says she’s spreading “current, accurate information,” that’s just code for “I’m going to tell you lies and say it’s in the name of Jesus so you won’t call me out on it.” She’s like an Ohio version of Laurie Higgins. Harvey has a list… Read more
Can you tell your religious journey or beliefs in six words? I asked this question on Twitter and Facebook and these were some of my favorite responses: The scientific method is my copilot. (Kerry) Credulous fundamentalist, questioning skeptic, happy atheist. (Butch) Forced into Catholicism. Ran away screaming! (Danene) Accepted because taught, abandoned after thought. (Zach) What was I thinking? So sorry. (GordonGoblin) What’s your story? (via Kate Shellnutt) Read more
I was inspired to write to you after reading a response you gave to someone a few months ago regarding “crazy aunts.” I have one of those, and I have no idea how to deal with her. My aunt is a lonely, childless woman who went through a nasty divorce before I was born. Her ex-husband was an abusive alcoholic, so she has some emotional baggage. About a decade ago she discovered this man named John de Ruiter. This guy… Read more
For months now, I’ve been writing about Foundation Beyond Belief. Foundation Beyond Belief is a new 501c3 charitable and educational foundation created (1) to focus, encourage and demonstrate humanistic generosity, and (2) to support a nationwide nonreligious parent education program. For a while, we’ve been working on getting the website ready, getting the first slate of charities chosen, and building a fan base. We’re finally ready to go: This is a chance for us to prove we’re just as capable… Read more
by Jesse Galef – Baby steps, people, baby steps. Truth Wins Out reports that Focus on the Family president Jim Daly is opposed to the proposed Uganda law which would require killing homosexuals. He’s also against the way the legislation would incite violence against them: “As a Christian organization, Focus on the Family Action encourages pro-family policies. As such, we respect the desire of the Ugandan people to shield their nation from the promotion of homosexuality as morally equivalent to… Read more
***Update***: It was correctly pointed out to me that the main link for this article is a year old. The information is accurate, but outdated. My fault for thinking it was recent news. Thanks to Ed for letting me know! … John Freshwater is the 8th grade science teacher from Mount Vernon, Ohio who was all sorts of fundamentalist: He refused to remove a personal Bible from his classroom He preached his Christian beliefs in the classroom He denounced evolution… Read more
A parent in the Issaquah School District in King County, Washington requested that the school board eliminate the Pledge of Allegiance from their regular business meetings. “It is inappropriate for the school board to ask atheists to stand and proclaim they are ‘under God,’” said [Matthew] Barry, a self-proclaimed atheist. “Atheists don’t believe in gods, so they certainly don’t think they or the nation are under a god.” … “It’s none of the government’s business what our private religious beliefs… Read more
I hear atheists saying both of the following statements and it would be nice to have it cleared up. Which statement should atheists be using? 1. There is probably no god. 2. There is no god. I should note that when I say “probably no god” in #1, I mean any amount less than 100% certainty. I’ve habitually been saying #1 most of my atheist life. A lot of readers argue it ought to be #2. Proponents of #1 include… Read more
Why is this Flying Spaghetti Monster tattoo on a site called “Ugliest Tattoos”? Sacrilege, I tell you. I plan to get an expanded version of this all across my chest one day. Because the ladies will love it. (Thanks to Greta Christina for the link!) Read more
In February, I’m going to be attending a Christian conference that will probably draw several hundred teenagers — maybe even thousands. At every atheist conferences I’ve ever been to, I’ve been shocked to see anywhere close to 100 students. Why is there such a discrepancy? Yes, there are more of them than there are of us… but that alone doesn’t explain the lack of young atheists who participate in events like these. Ait Chapel wonders the same question in an… Read more