Paul Kurtz has an editorial in the latest issue of Free Inquiry that is worth reading. He’s talking about the slew of attention and controversy brought about by the release of atheist-themed books by Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris, and Daniel Dennett. Kurtz argues that this should not be surprising: We dissenters now comprise some 14 to 16 percent of the population. Why should religion be held immune from criticism, and why should the admission that one is a disbeliever be… Read more
The Secular Student Alliance is looking to hire a part-time Campus Organizer in Southern California. If you’re a college student interested in getting more involved in secular causes, the SSA would love to hear from you. You can find out more information about the position here. [tags]Secular Student Alliance, atheist, atheism, job, Campus Organizer, Southern California[/tags] Read more
According to The Guardian, the “new cultural divide” in Britain is not between different religious sects. It’s between those with faith and those without. Colin Slee, Dean of Southward, says this: We are witnessing a social phenomenon that is about fundamentalism… Atheists like the Richard Dawkins of this world are just as fundamentalist as the people setting off bombs on the tube, the hardline settlers on the West Bank and the anti-gay bigots of the Church of England. Most of… Read more
…in love? Bill is studying to be an Anglican priest. His ex-girlfriend is an atheist. She supported his faith when they were together, but obviously, this discrepancy was a heavy burden on the relationship. They’re on a break, but they’re still in love. (“She joked that I was giving her up for Lent,” says Bill.) Bill said in an email: I won’t pretend our “faith gap” doesn’t complicate things, and at times it does bother me that she can’t personally… Read more
When I go to Memphis in a few weeks, here’s what I want to visit: MegaCrosses are popping up everywhere. Naomi had an interesting post on the matter– describing some of the biggest ones around. She also writes through email: Erecting and maintaining the sites can create dangerous situations, especially if it is an accident-prone area already. Rather than put up crosses, I’d rather they erected metal stars on posts, with high reflectability for both day and night. The more… Read more
I mentioned earlier that the Freedom From Religion Foundation was going to be featured on CBS evening news. You can now see the video of that segment here (to the right of the article). The segment also features Jay Sekulow, Chief Counsel for the American Center for Law and Justice, who I’m sure would have a different opinion if government money was supporting Islam or Scientology or any faith outside his own… [tags]atheist, atheist, Freedom From Religion Foundation, FFRF, CBS… Read more
The Chicago Tribune Magazine ran a cover story today about various summer camps across the country. One of the camps they featured was Camp Quest (CQ), the summer camp for children of atheists. (Stephen Colbert poked fun at it last year.) They interviewed my friend August, the director of one of the regional sites. (Strangely enough, his wife Amanda is the president of the national Camp Quest, overseeing all six CQ sites, but she wasn’t mentioned…) Anyway, here’s the excerpt:… Read more
Yes, I know. You’ve been thinking about this for weeks now. Hemant’s turning 24 today. What should I get him for his birthday? I’ll help you out. A Plasma TV. To watch Joel Osteen. The Intelligent Design vs. Evolution Board Game. A nun. Thongs. (That’s right. Plural. Only because they’re funny.) Copies of I Sold My Soul on eBay. (Ok, I don’t *need* them, per se… I have the manuscript right next to me. But boosting my Amazon Sales Rank… Read more
This will be shot down quickly, I anticipate. James Cameron, of Titanic fame, is promoting a documentary he produced. And in New York on Monday, he will hold a press conference where “he will reveal three coffins, supposedly those of Jesus of Nazareth, his mother Mary and Mary Magdalene.” In a new documentary, Producer Cameron and his director, Simcha Jacobovici, make the starting claim that Jesus wasn’t resurrected –the cornerstone of Christian faith– and that his burial cave was discovered… Read more
