I’m not sure how to take this… Calvin Wayne Inman used to be a youth minister at a church until this past December. That’s when he confessed about a crime he committed nearly 14 years ago (He’s 29 now). In 1994, he and a friend robbed a convenience store and Inman stabbed the clerk. Now that he has confessed, Inman’s in jail without bail. What’s the proper reaction to this? Do you condemn him for keeping this secret hidden (making… Read more
NBA analyst and former player Charles Barkley called out “fake Christians” on CNN. What are fake Christians? BARKLEY: Well, I think they — they want to be judge and jury. Like, I’m for gay marriage. It’s none of my business if gay people want to get married. I’m pro-choice. And I think these Christians — first of all, they’re supposed to be — they’re not supposed to judge other people. But they’re the most hypocritical judge of people we have… Read more
Susan Jacoby is the author of Freethinkers: A History of American Secularism. She appeared on Bill Moyers Journal to discuss her new book: The Age of American Unreason. It’s a really fascinating interview. Jacoby talks about how our society is ignorant and apathetic and there are drastic consequences to this. Here is just one telling excerpt (there are many, but this exchange stood out): BILL MOYERS: What does it say to you, Susan, that half of American adults believe in… Read more
A man supposedly spent 23 minutes in hell. He lived to tell about it. And (of course) wrote a book about the experience. Sean Hannity wasted airtime on his show giving Bill Wiese a platform to spread his lunacy. Did you know: Hell has fire. And there are deformed, twisted creatures there. No way he could have made that up. (via Atheist Media Blog) [tags]atheist, atheism[/tags] Read more
My local CBS affiliate ran a special report about atheists. Overall, it’s a positive piece. Local atheists were interviewed, including my alma mater’s campus group, the Rationalists and Freethinkers (RAFT), and Sandra Van Maren, the Illinois State Director of American Atheists. Note, though, how the piece builds up to the revelation of an atheist family: By all appearances, the Lows are a tight-knit, loving family. Ron and Alice are devoted parents. Daughters Morgen and Maddy are good students involved in… Read more
The Humanist Symposium can be found this week at Café Philos. Go read it! The next HS is at Glittering Muse in three weeks. Submit your entries here! [tags]atheist, atheism[/tags] Read more
I love this story. It involves atheists meeting in a (former) church. Alcohol plays a role. The Atlanta Freethought Society just purchased what used to be the Collins Springs Primitive Baptist Church. (Tip: If you’re in charge of naming a church, don’t call it “Primitive”… you’re just asking us to make fun of you) “We’re not taking over a church,” said longtime society leader Ed Buckner. “We bought a building that used to be a church.” In fact, Buckner said,… Read more
The new Carnival of the Godless is at Greta Christina’s Blog. Go check it out! That’s the dirty version, though. The clean version is here 🙂 The next CotG is at Life Before Death in two weeks. Submit your entries here! [tags]atheist, atheism[/tags] Read more
A little over a week ago, Matt Pulle of the Nashville Scene newspaper wrote an article about Carolyn Baldwin Tucker, a Christian woman who was running to be Nashville’s next school director. That alone wouldn’t be a problem. It’s her bigotry and idiocy that’s the issue: … Tucker’s tenure in office featured a series of old-fashioned histrionics, including her angry and often inane opposition to a proposed anti-discrimination ordinance that would have given equal rights to gay city employees. Calling… Read more
A lot of people who read atheist blogs are familiar with Shalini Sehkar’s Scientia Natura blog (which then became her personal site). Neither are in commission anymore. She’s going through some things I don’t feel any need to elaborate on, but it has required her to shut down her websites. I don’t agree with her name-calling, but it’s always nice to read another outspoken atheist. It was especially nice to see a female doing it. It was even better that… Read more
