No, not that one. It seems that before Sam Harris, there was Sam Harris. But their paths have crossed! Here is Sam Harris (the singer) performing the (ironically-named) song “Satan’s Little Lamb”: I’m amused. Though I do think Letter to a Christian Nation: The Musical would be a Broadway smash hit… (via Heathen.tv) [tags]atheist, atheism[/tags] Read more
One more interview! This one, from The Eloquent Atheist, is with Herb Silverman, president of the Secular Coalition for America and former candidate for governor of South Carolina. The interview includes a detailed backstory/history of the SCA, if you’re interested. Some other highlights: Q: You once ran for office in South Carolina, where you live and teach, to test the law stating that no atheist could hold public office. You then spent 8 years in court to overturn this religious… Read more
The Freakonomics Blog has a great interview with Mythbusters stars Jamie Hyneman and Adam Savage. Question include: Q: Do you have a set budget for each myth, or does it depend on the size of the myth? How often do producers tell you that an experiment will be too expensive? … Q: You mention often on the show that many viewers point out flaws in your methodologies. Which myth has created the most controversy? … Q: When testing a myth,… Read more
A. J. Jacobs writes about his visit to the Creation Museum in The Year of Living Biblically. I’ll have more on that when I post my interview with him soon. But he did write a post today for Mental Floss where he shared the five things he learned from the visit: 1. Creationists are not idiots 2. The ark had baby dinosaurs? 3. Moderation is a relative term 4. There is an unexpected beauty and dignity in the creationist worldview… Read more
Last year at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, Rabbi Elazar Bogomilsky wanted to see an 8-foot-tall menorah on display. The airport already had giant Christmas trees in place. Madness ensued. To avoid that situation, airport personnel are done with all things Christmas-y: “We’re featuring peace and harmony,” said Mike Feldman, deputy managing director of the airport. “We’re using lights. Winters are so dark and dreary.” That means no Santa Claus at the airport. No Christmas tree. And no menorahs. Nothing that smacks… Read more
The organization I chair, the Secular Student Alliance, was featured in The (Daily) Gazette of Schenectady, NY. Unfortunately, the article is inaccessible online, but enjoy the copy I received through email: Not too long ago, August Brunsman IV was working out of computer labs and coffee shops in Columbus, Ohio, trying to build a network of atheists and agnostics on campuses throughout the world. Then the Institute for Humanist Studies, an Albany-based think tank, made Brunsman an offer he couldn’t… Read more
Spain’s Federación Internacional de Ateos, a.k.a. International Federation of Atheists (coolest name for an atheist organization *ever*), is holding the first “Council of Atheists” in a Toledo church this December. I don’t think I got the invite. Curses to them. (Here’s a translated version of FIdA’s website, by the way.) What will occur at this council? … [FIdA] will present a pornographic and blasphemous exhibit entitled Sanctorum, which features images of Christ, the Virgin Mary and the saints. At first,… Read more
It’s happening: … though the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the school’s assertion that [Joseph] Frederick was promoting drug use, it seems Frederick is now the one with the last laugh. He is, after all, the one who’s recently received a fat wad of cash from Paramount and MTV Films to make a movie based on this incident. Suck on that, Juneau-Douglas High School and then-principal Deborah Morse. Mark Poirier will be scripting the film’s not-at-all subtle moral messages…. Read more
If you missed the Freedom From Religion Foundation convention a couple weeks ago, you can now watch videos of everything here! The videos showcase Julia Sweeney, Christopher Hitchens, and Ellery Schempp. [tags]atheist, atheism[/tags] Read more
Last week, I asked this question: What should atheists scream out in bed? Here are the Top 5 answers (with submitters)! 5| “Oh, God (in whom I don’t believe)!” (The Exterminator) 4| “…punctuated equilibrium!” (Kate) 3| “Suck it Jesus, this is my god now!” (Vincent) 2| “Jesus isn’t coming, but I am!” (Craig) 1| “Touch me with your noodley appendage!” (Polly) And I had to include this one from Kate: Honorable Mention| “Hemaaaaaaaaaaaant!!!!!!” Congratulations to the winners! The top three… Read more
