Strangely enough, wearing an atheist shirt tends to accomplish the same thing… (Thanks to Donna for the link!) Read more
When you write a letter-to-the-editor, it helps to know what you’re talking about. Robin Smith, a resident of Bloomington, IN, is a Christian who doesn’t like the notion that an atheist bus ad may have been seen in her town. (Bloomington Transit rejected the ad which stated “You Can Be Good Without God.”) I agree with Bloomington Transit’s decision to not display the message, “You Can Be Good Without God.” Even though I strongly disagree with the statement, I feel… Read more
I’ve always said: When babies attack you, you must attack back. Imagine all 239423 of your children coming after you like this little hellion: [Mother Hilary Wheeler] Miller also got a fat, black-and-blue lip when [son] Nicholas bit her as an infant. During a later roller-skating outing, he pulled her down and she shattered her right wrist, requiring a cast for two months. Miller also has been sickened with various illnesses that her son picked up at daycare, including strep… Read more
Whenever I get into the driver’s seat of a car with my mom in the passenger seat, she still tells me to pray as the engine starts. I don’t — I can calm myself in other ways when I drive. So she’ll pray on my behalf. Prayer is nothing more than a placebo. Even if you believe in it, it has no power other than in your own mind. So it was depressing to see this on PostSecret yesterday: It… Read more
Dwight Howard and the Orlando Magic lost in the NBA Finals… The same Dwight Howard who had quite a bit to say about God going into the series… Dwight Howard confidently declared his team, the Magic, would win the NBA championship because of his god. The exact words were, “God. That’s the reason, I’m telling you.”… But he lost. I’m still waiting for any reporter to call him out on it. I’m not holding my breath. Read more
When I heard of Jerry Coyne’s book Why Evolution Is True, I had to pick it up. Then it sat on my shelf while I failed some students. Now, I’m done with it. It’s a good, thorough analysis of the evidence behind evolution. Easy to read and easy to understand, for sure. Is it as good as Richard Dawkins’ The Ancestor’s Tale? No. Dawkins’ gift is that he can be humorous, personable, and educational at the same time. Coyne’s book… Read more
When programmers make games like this, I imagine they think about who their audience will be… Surely, atheists are a muse for this programmer… (Ok, some of you won’t like the game. In which case, move along, there’s nothing to see here…) (Thanks to Alan for the link!) Read more
A collection of more local government agencies with God on their websites, all courtesy of Barry McGowan. In the city of Rose Hill, Kansas, the police link to the Police Officer’s Prayer: That same prayer is linked to in the left sidebar of the Cornwall Community Police Service in Ontario, Canada. It’s also featured on the page of the Sheriff’s Office in Fauquier County, Virginia. The Junction City Police Department in Oregon just piles it all onto one page. And… Read more
As of last week, the members of the Secular Coalition for America — the group in Washington D.C. that lobbies on behalf of the non-religious — included the following nine organizations: American Ethical Union American Humanist Association Atheist Alliance International Camp Quest Freedom From Religion Foundation Institute for Humanist Studies Military Association of Atheists and Freethinkers Secular Student Alliance Society for Humanistic Judaism As of this afternoon, there is a new group to add to that list: American Atheists. The… Read more
Just as I did last year, I gave my math students (mostly sophomores, some seniors) a brief questionnaire at the end of the year. It’s a self-reflection where I gauge what they thought of my class and me as a teacher. I promised them I wouldn’t read their responses until after final grades were submitted. Let’s see what this year’s more entertaining responses say (spelling and grammar is unchanged): Name (optional): Alec Baldwin Drew Peterson Did you look forward to… Read more
