Whether or not you liked Bill Maher’s movie Religulous, no doubt it had impact with people not used to seeing their faith directly challenged: That’s courtesy of PostSecret. By the way… there’s a *chance* I may get to meet Bill Maher on Wednesday night. I’m not sure, but I’m optimistic. If I do, what question or two would you like me to ask him? Read more
In an article in The Wall Street Journal, James Mann talks about how President Ronald Reagan once tried to convince Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev that there was a God. Gorbachev was an atheist (though he had been baptized as a child). It’s an excerpt from Mann’s new book The Rebellion of Ronald Reagan: A History of the End of the Cold War. It seems Reagan used the type of poor logic that only Ray Comfort could appreciate: … Reagan then… Read more
***Update***: The article is now available as a free PDF through the Secular Coalition for America. … A couple months ago, I was at a board meeting for the Secular Coalition for America. There was a reporter who sat in on a bit of our meeting, who asked us questions, spoke to group members individually, and spoke to some of our donors. The reporter’s name is Paul Starobin and he writes for the National Journal, a magazine aimed at Washington… Read more
This story never fades. Last year, Illinois passed a Mandatory Moment of Silence and Prayer Act. After being sued, it was changed it a Voluntary Moment of Silence bill. Even that version was struck down as a “sham” by a judge. That’s old news. Now, Attorney General Lisa Madigan (a possible candidate to be the next Illinois Governor) is appealing the ruling striking down the law. Here’s the kicker. Atheist Rob Sherman, a vocal critic of the bill — his… Read more
Kate Beaton explains Charles Darwin’s original theory of evolution. And if a cartoon says so, then it *must* be true. (via Bookslut) Read more
Well, I guess the atheist bus ad strategy is catching on. Though someone was definitely not thinking strategically in this case. Not only are there now bus ads for Islam, they’re appearing on buses in San Francisco… Two immediate thoughts: First of all, I better not hear of any atheist protesting those signs being allowed on the buses. If we want our ads on buses, we need to support free speech for them, too. Secondly, that sign is *so* ineffective…. Read more
Last year, I mentioned the ever-so-brief political career of Danny Ferguson. He was being considered by the Missouri Democratic Party to run for a seat in the state government. He was taken off their list once they found out he was an atheist (by Danny’s own admission). Danny hasn’t left politics altogether, though. He now has a seat at the table as a city councilman in Adrian: The mayor resigned a few months ago and one of the alderman was… Read more
A couple weeks ago, I mentioned that atheists in Ottawa, Canada were trying to put up bus ads of their own. The Humanist Association of Ottawa’s ads — the same as the popular British ones reading, “There’s probably no god. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life.” — were deemed “too offensive” by advertisers and subsequently rejected. The next meeting of the city council is Wednesday night, March 11th. The motion to reinstate the ad campaign will be discussed and… Read more
At American River Community College in Sacramento, CA, the student council is trying to raise money. So they’re thinking about holding a punk rock concert with a couple popular bands: Former student council member Chuck Stevens has been working for a year and a half on a vision: A punk show on the community college campus that would raise tens of thousands of dollars for scholarships and textbooks. He’s hoping to book some big-name bands — including one called Flogging… Read more
Obviously, several problems in the world would be solved if only atheists were less militant: (via Atheist Cartoons) Read more