Note: When letter writers sign with their first names instead of a pseudonym or nickname, I randomly change their name for added anonymity. Hi, I’m 33 and going back to college. Right now I’m working on an associate’s degree, and I intend to transfer to a university to get my bachelor’s. There’s a university here that’s got a good reputation, and I can easily meet the entrance requirements. There are a bunch of good reasons to go there — everything… Read more
For a while now, there’s been a climate of religious intolerance at the Air Force Academy in Colorado. For example, non-Christians have been subject to proselytization from their commanding officers. The AP reports that things have gotten much better over the past five years. “This is the first time we feel positive about things there,” said Mikey Weinstein, founder of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation, which battled the academy in court over claims that evangelicals at the school were imposing… Read more
The new mayor of South Portland, Maine is Tom Coward, and one of his first duties was to decide who would deliver the invocation at the ceremony in which other new city officials would be inaugurated. He made a surprising (and welcome) pick: Andrew Lovley, a college senior who founded the Southern Maine Association of Secular Humanists (SMASH) on his campus. [Lovley] told city officials, “In the face of adversity, we need not look above for answers.” Instead, he said,… Read more
I’m no Bible expert, but I don’t remember the verse where Santa kneels in prayer over the baby Jesus…: North Carolina. Need I say more? 🙂 (Thanks to Bella for the link!) Read more
by Jesse Galef – Someone tried to rob me last night. I was on Metro and had just struck up a conversation with some strangers when we arrived at a stop and the doors opened. Someone walking by jumped in, snatched my iPod from my hands, and started running away. I chased and caught him, at which point I said something along the lines of “Just give it back” and he did. Of course, by then I had left my… Read more
Oral Roberts died a couple days ago. Atheists had quiet a bit to say about him. The criticism is deserving — Roberts was a fraud and a liar. For evidence, look no further than a 1987 article from Christianity Today: This time, according to Roberts, God is taking the initiative. Roberts has stated in a fund-raising appeal letter and on television that unless he raises a total of $8 million above regular ministry expenses by next month, he will die…. Read more
A billboard about religion is causing controversy and, this time, atheists have nothing to do with it: This billboard went up in New Zealand, courtesy of the St Matthew-in-the-City church. They say they put it up to encourage dialogue with non-believers. I’m not sure how that billboard is going to make me believe the Bible, or go to church, or get closer to a god, or anything like that… but I’m amused, nonetheless. The Catholics? Not so much. But the… Read more
The Golden Compass movie took in about $380,000,000 worldwide. By just about any measure, that would be considered a success. So why are the sequels (The Subtle Knife and The Amber Spyglass) not being made? Because of the Catholic Church, say several people associated with the first film. Asked what had happened to the two remaining films, [Sam] Elliott, 65, who played a Texan aeronaut called Lee Scoresby in the film, said: “The Catholic Church happened to The Golden Compass,… Read more
by Jesse Galef – Tomorrow is my first Cafe Inquiry discussion group! The topic is “Does Skepticism Require Atheism?” We’re meeting at the CFI-DC chapter at 7:00PM (Thursday). It’s right by a metro (map) so those of you in the DC area have every reason to attend! But for those of you outside the DC area, we can start having the discussion here! This question was inspired by a talk titled “Skepticism Includes Atheism (So Deal With It)” given at… Read more
The other night, Rachel Maddow did a segment about the Cecil Bothwell case — it’s worth watching just to hear him not take an oath to God when swearing in to office. Maddow interviewed Katy Parker, the legal director of the ACLU of North Carolina. So to summarize: The NC state constitution says atheists cannot run for public office. The United States Constitution says that “no religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public… Read more
