Which would be a greater shock to this person’s parents…? (via PostSecret) [tags]atheist, atheism, Barack Obama[/tags] Read more
Just returned from the World Humanist Congress in Washington, D.C. With the sole exception of printing my boarding pass last night, I just spent four days without using a computer or reading the news. It was the most wonderful sabbatical ever. Now, to hell with that. Back to my normal life 🙂 Read more
This isn’t anything new. In fact, some of you have brought it up before (and thanks to Krista for reminding me about it). Dilbert creator Scott Adams has some interesting (and wrong) views on evolution and religion. But he wrote a book some years back that had nothing to do with cartoons. It’s called God’s Debris. It’s available as a free ebook (PDF). As Adams writes about it: … God’s Debris is emphatically not for everyone. Although there’s no sex… Read more
I found these instructions very helpful. Because one day, I’m going to be a father. And some of this stuff is simply not common sense. I have *so* much to learn. There are several other images and instructions here. (Thanks to Frank for the link!) [tags]atheist, atheism, dead babies, baby jokes[/tags] Read more
The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at the University of Illinois at Chicago puts out a biannual magazine for alumni/friends. In the Spring issue (PDF), there’s an article on me (page 4) — sandwiched between the stories of the guy who starred in Make Me a Supermodel and a Nobel Prize winner. Which, as we all know, is precisely where I belong… 🙂 [tags]atheist, atheism, Virginia Tunnicliff[/tags] Read more
You know you’re not going to get much useful or accurate advice on sex from the Christian Right. Even when conservative Christians say masturbation is not a sin, they add rules to when and how it must be done. Dale McGowan, author of Parenting Beyond Belief, offers much more realistic, honest advice about teaching your children about masturbation in the latest Humanist Network News: In the absence of communication on the issue, children are guaranteed to feel tremendous shame and… Read more
Here’s a great article in the campus newspaper covering the Secular Student Union at the University of Washington. One thing the SSU does really well is connect with religious groups on campus for real discussions where both sides feels comfortable grilling each other on their respective beliefs: Last quarter, the SSU’s theme was religion outreach. [Group officer Xianhang] Zhang said the group invited different religious [registered student organizations] every week for a Q&A session. They hosted groups representing the Jewish,… Read more
If you happen to be in the Philadelphia area next Friday (the 13th!), you may want to stop by the Freethought Society of Greater Philadelphia’s 2008 Anti-Superstition party! Here’s the info: It’s James Randi! How could you miss this? Hell, if you live on the West Coast, just buy a plane ticket and head to Philly this weekend. (via The Science Pundit) [tags]atheist, atheism[/tags] Read more
School is over, grades have been turned in, and I survived my first year of teaching! Woo! Tomorrow morning, I’m off to DC for the World Humanist Congress (also the joint annual conference for several groups). Then, Monday is Lobby Day with the Secular Coalition for America (a day that tends to be relatively uneventful when your representatives include senators Barack Obama and Dick Durbin. Apparently, those guys are “busy” or something… ) So postings will be minimal. Emails will… Read more
A year ago, Matthew Lincoln was up at the church altar receiving prayer from a visiting pastor. Normally, there are “catchers” in the area in case you faint, fall, or “feel the Spirit.” But when minister Robert Lavala touched Lincoln’s forehead, Lincoln fell into the arms of… no one. No one caught him. Unless you count the “carpet-covered cement floor.” He says he had pre-existing conditions in his neck and back which are now much worse. Yesterday, he filed a… Read more