I was in bed the other night, checking Twitter one last time before falling asleep. That’s how I learned Senator Ted Kennedy had died. There have been a lot of wonderful things said about him by progressive groups over the past couple days, but I haven’t seen a lot of coverage about one of the speeches he gave. In 1983, Kennedy spoke at Jerry Falwell’s Liberty Baptist College (now Liberty University). While respectful of religious faith, it was proudly in… Read more
Last year, New Humanist magazine gave their first Bad Faith Award to Sarah Palin. The award goes to “the person who has made the year’s most outstanding contribution to talking unadulterated (and often destructive) nonsense about matters of religion.” Who should be nominated this year? Let them know! Read more
It looks like the blatantly unconstitutional law in Kentucky was struck down today. Took a while. Check it out: Judge: Homeland Security can’t require dependence on God: A judge on Wednesday struck down a 2006 state law that required the Kentucky Office of Homeland Security to stress “dependence on Almighty God as being vital to the security of the commonwealth.” Franklin Circuit Judge Thomas Wingate ruled that the law violated the First Amendment’s protection against the establishment of a state… Read more
Last Winter, the Freedom From Religion Foundation began a media controversy when they decided to put their own pro-atheist plaque next to a nativity scene in the Washington state Capitol building The reason they did it was to make a point: You cannot allow one religion’s beliefs to be represented on government property while rejecting another. Either they all stay or they all go. It took a while, but Washington learned its lesson: The Christmas tree can stay — but… Read more
I would totally wear this t-shirt: It’s not offensive, it raises questions, and it could begin many a discussion. Perfect. (via nakedpastor) Read more
Nathan Black of The Christian Post is reporting on the war of words between Laurie Higgins of the Illinois Family Institute and myself. At least Black mentioned my book title… unlike *some* Christian “family” groups I know… And he gets bonus points for noting that certain comments I made in my original posting were sarcastic. Since my last posting on the topic, I haven’t heard anything from IFI. Maybe they figured out they have no real argument to use against… Read more
This post is by Jesse Galef, who works for the Secular Coalition for America. He also blogs at Rant & Reason … When Bruce Ledewitz (author of “Hallowed Secularism”) found out who I work for, he said with a grin that soon we would soon consider people like him, not the religious right, to be our worst enemy. He and I might be intellectual opponents at the worst, for Bruce is far too nice of a person to consider a… Read more
Keith Lowell Jensen has made a name for himself as an “atheist comedian” with the Co-Exist comedy tour. His latest album, To The Moon… Live at Luna’s, is available for purchase today. I had a chance to hear it and I liked it — It’s nice to hear the work of a comic still working his way up the popularity ladder. While he doesn’t tackle religion on this particular album, he does have a fantastic bit about Jenny McCarthy and… Read more
I had to think for a moment about why this comic strip was both funny and tragic. I finally figured it out. It’s the “haha” in the second panel. That’s what gives it that special little kick. (via Comic Blasphemy) Read more