Ben’s immediate family isn’t religious. Neither is his uncle. His aunt is religious, but just barely. So what happens when they all get together on Easter Sunday? … the religious nature of it was completely missing. I only heard one reference to God the whole time, and that was when my dad made one of his usual faux pas comments, asking “Nobody here really believes Jesus died for our sins, right?” I didn’t hear anyone with an affirmative answer. I… Read more
Part one in an ongoing series, I’m sure. Our conversation the other day went something like this: Parents: You know, all of your cousins are starting to get married… Me: Yep. Parents: And you’re not married. Me: Nope. Parents: And you haven’t shown interest in the indian girls we know… Me: Nope. Parents: We have a relative in India who said he’ll start looking for a potential wife for you… Me: Tell him to stop. Parents: We’ll just tell him… Read more
You’ve already read PZ Myers’ take on the Good Friday Fiasco. Now, Richard Dawkins weighs in: The blogs are ringing with ridicule. Mark Mathis, duplicitous producer of the much hyped film Expelled, shot himself in the foot so spectacularly that the phrase might have been invented for him. Goals don’t come more own than this. How is it possible that a man who makes his living from partisan propaganda could hand so stunning a propaganda coup to his opponents? Hand… Read more
Alonzo Fyfe, blogger at Atheist Ethicist, has just published a book called A Perspective on the Pledge. It all began with a post of the same name (go check it out — it’s an excellent piece of writing). Now, that post’s arguments are thoroughly fleshed out. There’s much more in the book, though: The story is about a government that funds, supports, and bars institutions that get public money from excluding an organization that says that you are morally suspect… Read more
We have officially beaten the Bostonians. Much fun was had (and Guitar Hero games lost) in Chicago last night. It helps that we had an impressive turnout — thanks to all who came! We’ll be doing it again soon enough. Some images from the evening: Best. Shirt. Ever. A close-up: A bit of Guitar Hero: Curse you, all those who beat me. (Which turned out to be everyone.) And just so you can see my full decked-out-with-Scarlet-A-pin shirt…: A couple… Read more
I didn’t see this as making fun of the Jesus story as much as it makes a statement about fundamentalist Christianity… (via Mr. Fish) [tags]atheist, atheism[/tags] Read more
Tell the children that everything they’re seeing is false. Says a Christian tour guide from this group: “We’re trained to think like evolutionists. We need to think like Creationists.” BC Tours’ guides say evolution is a religion. They ignore the exhibit on radiometric dating because they “don’t have time” to cover everything. They say the museum doesn’t use good science and then support their own claims by stating, “The Bible says so.” Highlight of the video is at the 7:26… Read more
Congrats to Mojoey, whose Atheist Blogroll just admitted its 600th member! If you’re not on it yet and you should be, just let Mojoey know. [tags]atheist, atheism[/tags] Read more
Annie Nelson of the Columbia Tribune (Missouri) profiles a number of people in the region who are unaffiliated with any particular religious group. They’re not all atheists, but they’re sick and tired of the faith in which they were raised: Columbia atheist Ken Albright was a little boy when he first started questioning the fundamentalist Christian beliefs being taught to him at the Church of the Nazarene after a Sunday school teacher told him the moon would turn to blood… Read more