Woo! I was quoted in this article in the Tri-Valley Herald (California) about the Spring Bunny controversy. This blog is legit, I tell you! [Michael Runzler’s letter-to-the-editor] was posted on friendlyatheist.com, a site run by Chicago-based Hemant Mehta, who is the chair of the board of directors of the Secular Student Alliance. Mehta said people are free to have their own Easter celebrations, but were (for) removing the religious element from a government-sponsored event. Woo! There was also this gem:… Read more
No, not the NCAA one. Your 2007 Science Spring Showdown one! Download your bracket (PDF) here. I’m stuck on who to pick in the first round match between Logic vs. Logic. Personally, the d-orbitals look like they could take it all the way. I have them beating dark matter in a hard-fought match. The question is: Who will beat Darwin…? (via Stacia’s Spot) [tags]science, NCAA, 2007 Science Spring Showdown, logic, Jesus, Charles Darwin, Stacia’s Spot[/tags] Read more
There are a lot of guessing games going on as to what “nontheist” actually means. In Congressman Pete Stark’s case, here’s what happened: When the Secular Coalition for America wrote to him, he filled in the choice that read: “I am a nontheist* and describe myself as: _________________. I also agree to allow the Secular Coalition for America to release this information to the general public.” In the blank, he filled in “Unitarian.” The footnote from the * asterisk read:… Read more
On Monday, March 12, the Secular Coalition for America announced that Congressman Pete Stark (D-CA) is the first openly nontheistic congressperson in history. Congressman Stark has served in Congress for California’s 13th District since 1973. He is currently a senior member of the Ways and Means Committee and the Chairman of its Health Subcommittee. He graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and received his MBA from the University of California, Berkeley. I spoke with SCA’s lobbyist Lori Lipman Brown… Read more
After the Secular Coalition for America announces the first openly nontheistic congressperson in history tomorrow, stay tuned here for a behind-the-scenes look at how the announcement happened from start to finish, along with the names of the other openly nontheistic elected officials! (Oh yes, there are others!) [tags]Secular Coalition for America, atheist, atheism[/tags] Read more
Recent comments: …you’re entirely too nice and not forthright enough in your attacks on religious belief. You also seem to cozy up with the delusional too much and aren’t willing to engage them or challenge their inane ideas. Sarcastic comments like the ones you often provide don’t force the religious to examine their faith. Cut the not-holier than thou stuff, Hemant. I can’t believe I have to defend myself for not acting like a douchebag. Not every discussion with religious… Read more
Mike Jones, the male escort who serviced Ted Haggard, is putting the infamous Haggard massage table on eBay. Proceeds from the auction go to Project Angel Heart. They provide meals to people living with life-threatening illnesses. According to Jones, the table has a few tears but is totally usable… [Insert your own inappropriate gay joke here.] (via Boing Boing) [tags]atheist, atheism, Mike Jones, prostitute, Ted Haggard, massage table, eBay, Project Angel Heart, Boing Boing[/tags] Read more
Congratulations to the winners/runners-up/honorable mentions for this year’s American Atheists scholarships! To win, these students showed evidence of their atheist activism (be it through essays, articles, letters-to-the-editor, or all of the above). A handsome stud named Hemant won the scholarship last year. Now, his reign is over. *sigh* But yay for the new crop! Let’s run through some of these names… The $2000 scholarship winner was Meghan Regis of the Atheist Agenda student group at the University of Texas at… Read more
The foreword to I Sold My Soul on eBay is written by a pastor named Rob Bell. If you’re an atheist, maybe you haven’t heard of him. I hadn’t until last summer. Same deal if you’re a Christian over 30. But in the past several months, I’ve run into a large number of younger Christians who love this guy. Their ears perk up at the sound of his name. You know that feeling of instant connection you get as an… Read more
The New York Times has an unprecedented five books with a secular viewpoint currently on the Hardcover Nonfiction bestsellers list (top 35 books in the country): #7: Ayaan Hirsi Ali’s Infidel #12: Richard Dawkins’ The God Delusion #13: Chris Hedges’ American Fascists #21: Victor Stenger’s God: The Failed Hypothesis #24: Sam Harris’ Letter to a Christian Nation And more secular books are coming to the list! I hope… Including Taner Edis’ An Illusion of Harmony (available now!) and Chris Hitchens’… Read more
