Outmanned Atheist Blog » Friendly Atheist

Ask Richard: Praying at the Table Breaks an Engagement

Thu, 29 Jul 2010 15:00:26 +0000

Note: Letter writers’ names are changed to protect their privacy. I will try to make this short; I am a non-believer (atheist). I recently got engaged to get married with the mother (Christian) of my son, I have known her for over 3 years.

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Ask Richard: Praying at the Table Breaks an Engagement

Ask Richard: Praying at the Table Breaks an Engagement

Thu, 29 Jul 2010 15:00:26 +0000

Note: Letter writers’ names are changed to protect their privacy.

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Ask Richard: Praying at the Table Breaks an Engagement

Anne Rice Still Believes in Nonsense

Thu, 29 Jul 2010 11:00:18 +0000

Anne Rice , the author of Interview with the Vampire and several other vampire-y books, once made headlines for returning to the Roman Catholic Church . Yesterday, she made headlines for posting the following on Facebook : For those who care, and I understand if you don’t: Today I quit being a Christian. I’m out.

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Anne Rice Still Believes in Nonsense

Can She Be a Christian Counselor?

PiroNiro — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 23:00:11 +0000

Jennifer Keeton wants to be a school counselor when she graduates from her grad school program at Augusta State University in Georgia. If a student ever tells her he’s gay, though, she’s going to tell him he’s living a life of sin and needs to be “cured.” At least that’s what I can gather from the lawsuit she plans to file against the college. Keeton claims that she has voiced her Christian beliefs inside and outside the classroom on homosexuality and other biblical teachings.

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Can She Be a Christian Counselor?

Louisiana School Board Wants to Teach Creationism

Wed, 28 Jul 2010 20:00:11 +0000

In Louisiana, the Livingston Parish School Board wants to teach Creationism in the public schools and unanimously voted in favor of continuing discussion on this. This type of thing only happens when a school board is taken over by people who don’t know the law and don’t care about the education students receive.

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Louisiana School Board Wants to Teach Creationism

He Submitted His Paper to a Journal… Are You Happy?

Wed, 28 Jul 2010 17:00:19 +0000

I’m not a scientist and I don’t claim to be one. At least I can admit that. Dr

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He Submitted His Paper to a Journal… Are You Happy?

Another Child Suffers at the Hands of Christian Parents

Wed, 28 Jul 2010 14:00:25 +0000

A major problem with religion is that it causes believers to accept nonsense over reality. Sometimes, it’s just silly. Other times, that can lead to disaster

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Another Child Suffers at the Hands of Christian Parents

An Unnecessary Death from an Unnecessary Ceremony

baneoffafnir — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 11:00:25 +0000

A six-week old baby has died in Moldova. The culprit?

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An Unnecessary Death from an Unnecessary Ceremony

Aldi’s Christian Eggs

Wed, 28 Jul 2010 01:00:26 +0000

It happens at In-N-Out Burger , Alaska Airlines , and Forever 21 — Christians verses popping out at you when you least expect it. No, it’s not a big deal, but it’s a little off-putting when you find out your sandwich and sweater are made of Jesus. Now, it’s happening in Aldi stores

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Aldi’s Christian Eggs

My Weekend at the Secular Student Alliance Conference

IntellectualAtheist — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 19:00:59 +0000

My Weekend at the Secular Student Alliance Conference

december1live — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 19:00:59 +0000

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My Weekend at the Secular Student Alliance Conference

My Weekend at the Secular Student Alliance Conference

Alonzo Fyfe — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 19:00:59 +0000

I’m finally back home (and rested) from the annual Secular Student Alliance conference in Ohio. I’ve been involved with the organization for several years and this was by far the best conference our staff has put together. A few thoughts on why it worked — and other thoughts about the weekend — are below… The start time for events on Saturday and Sunday was 10:30 a.m.

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My Weekend at the Secular Student Alliance Conference

Salman Rushdie Will Write His Memoirs

admin — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 15:00:32 +0000

Whenever Salman Rushdie ‘s memoir comes out , I’m going to stop whatever I’m doing to read it.

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Salman Rushdie Will Write His Memoirs

Baby Cake with Feet

dawkinschannel — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 13:00:03 +0000

Normally, I’m all for baby cakes. But this one is a bit creepy… Oh, wait! I get it. It’s Upside-Down (Baby) Cake.

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Baby Cake with Feet

Baby Cake with Feet

Alonzo Fyfe — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 13:00:03 +0000

Normally, I’m all for baby cakes. But this one is a bit creepy… Oh, wait! I get it.

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Baby Cake with Feet

Dogs of Glory

Mon, 26 Jul 2010 21:00:12 +0000

If someone would pitch this song by Jim Steager to a megachurch, I’m pretty sure they’d go along with it. It’s not like churches pay attention to lyrics, anyway… that’s how they end up with bland, boring songs that mention Jesus 32845492 times. (Thanks to Todd for the link!)

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Dogs of Glory

Ask Richard: An Atheist From a Different World

motifake.com — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 15:00:55 +0000

Note: I responded to this letter by email, offering the kind of caution and encouragement that I usually give to young people who are in very vulnerable positions. The advice itself is not remarkable; what you might expect for this situation. I decided to publish it to raise awareness about atheists in developing countries, where sometimes poverty combines with inducements by missionaries to create unique social pressures, and conflicts between native culture and imported religions complicate things even more

Atheist Cupcakes

Mon, 26 Jul 2010 11:00:48 +0000

These are adorable … and perfect for your next atheist function: (via Epicute — Thanks to Gemma for the link!)

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Atheist Cupcakes

Cheap Kids

Sun, 25 Jul 2010 21:00:39 +0000

Reader John was traveling in West Virginia when he passed by a restaurant serving children. What an incredible price! In Illinois, they cost at *least* $11. Unfortunately for him, it was a Sunday and the restaurant was closed.

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Cheap Kids

Not Moral Relativism!

Sun, 25 Jul 2010 16:00:50 +0000

There’s nothing to be ashamed of if you claim moral relativism. Not everything in life is good or bad, right or wrong, all the time: Read the full comic here . (via @MykDowling )

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Not Moral Relativism!

The Fusing of the Chromosomes

Sun, 25 Jul 2010 11:00:56 +0000

Here’s a great video from Dr. Ken Miller explaining solid proof in favor of evolution and against Intelligent Design/Creationism: (via The Religion Virus )

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The Fusing of the Chromosomes

God Wants to Help You Bowl

Sat, 24 Jul 2010 22:00:52 +0000

New York comedian Hari Kondabolu explains why praying to God about the small things (like your bowling score) may actually work: (via Sepia Mutiny )

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God Wants to Help You Bowl

An Iowa College’s Response to Blasphemy Day

Sat, 24 Jul 2010 17:00:01 +0000

Trevor Boeckmann was the president of the University of Northern Iowa Freethinkers and Inquirers (UNIFI) this past year and he tells the story of what his group did for Blasphemy Day in the latest issue of Free Inquiry . His group chalked the campus that day with the understanding that “religion does not deserve any special protection from criticism.” What happened as a result

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An Iowa College’s Response to Blasphemy Day

Interview with Pastor Terry Jones, the Man Behind “International Burn A Koran Day”

Sat, 24 Jul 2010 10:00:08 +0000

A couple days ago, I posted this story about how the non-denominational Dove World Outreach Center church in Florida was going to host an “International Burn A Koran Day” on September 11 th. I had a chance to ask the pastor of that church, Dr. Terry D

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Interview with Pastor Terry Jones, the Man Behind “International Burn A Koran Day”

Interview with Pastor Terry Jones, the Man Behind “International Burn A Koran Day”

Sat, 24 Jul 2010 10:00:08 +0000

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Interview with Pastor Terry Jones, the Man Behind “International Burn A Koran Day”

The Secular Coalition for America Announces Capitol Hill Scholars

Sat, 24 Jul 2010 03:00:38 +0000

The Secular Coalition for America has started its Capitol Hill Scholars program — a fantastic step to get young atheists and Humanists involved in national government. … Our goal is to encourage the best young minds within the secular community to work within the Washington, D.C. political system and establish a presence where federal policy is formed

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The Secular Coalition for America Announces Capitol Hill Scholars

Christmas in July

Fri, 23 Jul 2010 23:00:53 +0000

It’s that time of year again — time to revamp the “religious winter holiday display on public property” debate.

Breast Ironing in Cameroon

Fri, 23 Jul 2010 19:00:46 +0000

When I was a child, I remember hearing a myth that if I pushed down on my sister’s head, she wouldn’t grow taller. (She never liked when I acted on this hunch…) Of course, it made no sense. If people are going to grow, they’re going to grow.

Do Christians Feel Social Stigma?

Fri, 23 Jul 2010 15:00:41 +0000

It’s tough for me to answer that question because I’m not one of them. Writer Lauri Lebo wrote an article last month about the “ social cost of atheism ” — and there’s something to that. We’re distrusted, virtually unelectable, automatically accused of being immoral, etc.

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Do Christians Feel Social Stigma?

Phil Plait’s Bad Universe

Fri, 23 Jul 2010 11:00:38 +0000

So this is the secret Phil Plait has been hiding from us this whole time… That looks all sorts of awesome. Massive congrats to Phil on this — can you imagine a viewing block of this + Mythbusters ? Nerdgasms will erupt everywhere.

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Phil Plait’s Bad Universe

Off to the Secular Student Alliance Conference

Fri, 23 Jul 2010 03:00:59 +0000

I’m off for the next several days to the Secular Student Alliance annual conference in Columbus, Ohio. It’s one of the most exciting conferences I attend each year and it definitely gets students excited about going back to school so they can get to work with their student groups.

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Off to the Secular Student Alliance Conference

A Couple Radio Shows You Should Hear…

Fri, 23 Jul 2010 01:00:03 +0000

Tonight at 10:00 p.m. (ET), several YouTube activists will be on “God Discussion” to “talk about their experiences which led to non-belief and/or activism.” All the details about how to listen, how to call in with a question, and how to chat with others during the episode can be found here

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A Couple Radio Shows You Should Hear…

And We Get in Trouble for Stick Figure Muhammads?

Thu, 22 Jul 2010 23:00:21 +0000

Leave it to Christians to teach the world how to show love. To mark the anniversary of September 11 th this year, the non-denominational Dove World Outreach Center church in Florida will host an “ International Burn A Koran Day .” Pastor Terry Jones says he got the idea from “Everybody Draw Muhammad Day” and that since the announcement was made, people have been sending him copies of the Koran for the event. According to the Facebook Event page , the purpose of this event is: To bring to awareness to the dangers of Islam and that the Koran is leading people to hell

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And We Get in Trouble for Stick Figure Muhammads?

Bhutan’s Anti-Conversion Law

AtheistExperience — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 19:00:58 +0000

In Bhutan, a new law may penalize Christians who proselytize and try to convert you: The amendment bill would punish “proselytizing” that “uses coercion or other forms of inducement” –- vaguely enough worded, Christians fear, that vigilantes could use it to jail them for following the commands of Christ to feed, clothe and otherwise care for the poor.

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Bhutan’s Anti-Conversion Law

The Shirley Sherrod Incident Underscores Our Lack of Critical Thinking

Thu, 22 Jul 2010 16:06:35 +0000

Here’s Blair Scott , of American Atheists, referring to the Shirley Sherrod incident : Critical thinking skills and the ability to use rational thought are vital to the survival of the species. We saw that break down this week as every politician (right, left, and center) and every news outlet (right, left, and center) took the word of a single person and ran with it. There was no verification of facts, no burden of proof, no skepticism, no questioning of the source, etc

Should Burkas, Niqabs, and Hijabs Be Banned?

AtheistExperience — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 11:00:06 +0000

Here’s your brief lesson in Islamic fashion (via The Islamic Standard and the BBC): And here’s the big question right now: Should Muslim women be allowed to wear burkas, niqabs, and hijabs? It’s possible your answer is Yes — Muslim women have the right to choose what they wear. No one should take that right away from them

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Should Burkas, Niqabs, and Hijabs Be Banned?

One More Thing About Women in the Catholic Church…

Thu, 22 Jul 2010 02:56:59 +0000

After hearing about the Catholic Church’s recent misogynistic declaration that female ordination is in the “same category of crime under church law as clerical sex abuse of minors,” the Denver Post ‘s Mike Keefe drew this : I don’t know whether to laugh or weep. Anyone who still remains in the Catholic Church should have to explain why they belong to this awful organization and why they accept this (misguided at best, horrific at worst) treatment of women and children.

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One More Thing About Women in the Catholic Church…

Southside (of Chicago) Atheists Meetup in August

Thu, 22 Jul 2010 02:00:30 +0000

There’s a meetup next month on the south side of Chicago for anyone who might be in the area: Where : Jenny’s SteakHouse (20 Kansas Street Frankfort, IL 60423) When : Friday, August 13 th , 6:00-11:00 p.m. You can just show up, but it’d be great if people could sign up on Facebook or Atheist Nexus

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Southside (of Chicago) Atheists Meetup in August

For Those of You Attending Comic-Con…

FFreeThinker — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 23:00:13 +0000

Fred Phelps’ Westboro Baptist Church will be picketing outside Comic-Con in San Diego Thursday afternoon from 1:15 -2:00 p.m. You may be asking: Why

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For Those of You Attending Comic-Con…

Why Are Any Women Still Catholic?

Wed, 21 Jul 2010 19:00:53 +0000

The Catholic Church has issued a declaration which puts “female ordination in same category of crime under church law as clerical sex abuse of minors.” [ Insert your own joke about how that means the Church will simply ignore it. ] But think about that one: Ordaining a woman is now in the same category as raping a little boy . Phil Ferguson has written a brief but straight-forward letter to the women who remain in the Catholic Church

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Why Are Any Women Still Catholic?

Is Liberal Religion Really Part of the Problem?

Wed, 21 Jul 2010 14:44:12 +0000

Hi Friendly Atheist friends! Mike Clawson here. I know it’s been forever since I’ve posted (that’s the problem with graduate school – it doesn’t leave you much time to write anything not class related), but I recently came across an interesting article on AlterNet.org that I wanted to share with y’all.

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Is Liberal Religion Really Part of the Problem?

Note to Wichita: There’s No Prayer at City Council Meetings

Wed, 21 Jul 2010 11:00:15 +0000

Vickie Sandell Stangl , the president of the Great Plains (Kansas) Chapter of Americans United for Separation of Church and State , gave a godless invocation before a meeting of the Wichita City Council recently. Believe it or not, some council members weren’t happy about it … Council member Sue Schlapp later blessed the meeting since the invocation didn’t. And people who oppose prayers during city business meetings and council members debated the issue during the public comment period a few minutes later

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Note to Wichita: There’s No Prayer at City Council Meetings

Note to Wichita: There’s No Prayer at City Council Meetings

Wed, 21 Jul 2010 11:00:15 +0000

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Note to Wichita: There’s No Prayer at City Council Meetings

A Perfect Baby Prison

Wed, 21 Jul 2010 00:00:51 +0000

To survive, he must eat his way out: Who needs a crib, anyway? (via Cynical-C Blog )

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A Perfect Baby Prison

ABC News Airs Segment About North Carolina Atheist Billboard

Tue, 20 Jul 2010 20:24:55 +0000

In a matter of days, there were two different segments on ABC about atheism. First, we had the horrible, embarrassing, people-should-be-fired-if-they-think-this-is-journalism piece on Nightline . And last night, Diane Sawyer discussed the “One Nation Indivisible” billboards in Asheville, North Carolina.

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ABC News Airs Segment About North Carolina Atheist Billboard

Constance McMillen Gets School to Change Discrimination Policy

Tue, 20 Jul 2010 17:23:22 +0000

Constance McMillen , the girl whose prom was canceled so that she couldn’t attend it with her girlfriend and wear a tuxedo, finally has a victory after all that she’s been through. [The Itawamba County School District] agreed to implement a policy banning discrimination or harassment on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity , the first policy to do so at a public school in the state of Mississippi. The school also agreed to pay McMillen $35,000 in damages and pay for McMillen’s attorneys’ fees.

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Constance McMillen Gets School to Change Discrimination Policy

Children Aren’t the Problem

Tue, 20 Jul 2010 11:00:00 +0000

It’s the adults who buy into all the superstitious nonsense, not the kids.

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Children Aren’t the Problem

A Lovely Lullaby

Tue, 20 Jul 2010 01:00:42 +0000

When tucking your young children into bed at night, don’t forget to tell them this sweet bedtime story: And remember: God loves you

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A Lovely Lullaby

A Christian/Atheist Dialogue in Bloomington

FlowerandPenis — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 22:00:31 +0000

Last night, I was at the Evangelical Free Church in Bloomington, IL for an atheist/Christian dialogue (I don’t do debates). I sat alongside Dr. Todd Daly (left, below) of the Urbana Theological Seminary, and we were moderated by Pastor Brett Miley

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A Christian/Atheist Dialogue in Bloomington

Facing Mecca Doesn’t Matter When You Pray, Says Islamic Leader

admin — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 19:35:56 +0000

There are two stories here and only one is being reported. The first story is that Indonesian Muslims have been praying in the wrong direction

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Facing Mecca Doesn’t Matter When You Pray, Says Islamic Leader

Ask Richard: Will My Christian Boyfriend Ever Marry Me?

dawkinschannel — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 18:00:12 +0000

Note: Letter writers’ names are changed to protect their privacy. Dear Richard, I am sure you have probably heard this question before, but I’m new to your advice column and hope you could help me. For over six years I have been dating a wonderful man who I love with all my heart.

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Ask Richard: Will My Christian Boyfriend Ever Marry Me?

How is Christopher Hitchens Doing?

Mon, 19 Jul 2010 15:16:57 +0000

Christopher Hitchens , author of God is Not Great and Hitch-22 , appeared on the Hugh Hewitt show late last week to talk about his memoir and his health . HH : Now Christopher, since we last spoke, your illness you disclosed on the web, and people will want to know off the bat how you are doing, and how your treatment is going. CH : Oh well, I have, in case people are just tuning in, I have cancer in my esophagus, which has I think spread a little to my lymph nodes as well.

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How is Christopher Hitchens Doing?

Atheists and Business Practices

Mon, 19 Jul 2010 11:00:23 +0000

I received an email from someone who had a few questions for atheists who work in the business world. I’m purposely not mentioning others details from the email, but I think the questions can stand alone, and I’m especially curious how atheists would respond to 2, 4 and 5. 1.

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Atheists and Business Practices

I Don’t See the Light

Mon, 19 Jul 2010 02:00:59 +0000

Gizmodo hypes science-free lightbulbs : The commenters there are not too happy with it. I get the underlying message of the picture: The lightbulb won’t turn on until you ditch faith. Yep.

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I Don’t See the Light

Food for Freethought 2010

Sun, 18 Jul 2010 21:00:37 +0000

The Metro State Atheists in Colorado are running their annual Food for Freethought event September 28 th -30 th .

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Food for Freethought 2010

Why Do Pastors Hire Gay Escorts?

Sun, 18 Jul 2010 16:00:47 +0000

Mike Jones is the former male escort and personal trainer who exposed Ted Haggard ‘s hypocrisy years ago. He did an interview for this site a while back. Last week, another pastor, Kevin J.

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Why Do Pastors Hire Gay Escorts?

FOX News Reacts to the Nightline Segment

admin — Sun, 18 Jul 2010 11:00:32 +0000

Well, after that horrendous Nightline segment aired, you knew FOX News would have something to say about it. They didn’t disappoint.

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FOX News Reacts to the Nightline Segment

Frisco Atheists Meeting with Pastor

PiroNiro — Sun, 18 Jul 2010 01:00:05 +0000

Mark Johnston ‘s group in Texas, the Frisco Atheists , runs an interesting series of events: they meet with local pastors to show them that atheists are part of their community. The Frisco Atheists occasionally meet with local pastors to help them to become aware that some of their neighbors are atheists and to give local atheists a chance to be completely honest about their beliefs in a non-threatening environment

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Frisco Atheists Meeting with Pastor

Frisco Atheists Meeting with Pastor

PiroNiro — Sun, 18 Jul 2010 01:00:05 +0000

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Frisco Atheists Meeting with Pastor

Anti-Gay-Marriage Group Couldn’t Find a Happy Family of Their Own?

SinuousStudios — Sat, 17 Jul 2010 20:00:32 +0000

The National Organization for Marriage has been touring the country in a bus , peddling its anti-gay agenda. As one blogger points out, though, NOM couldn’t even find any families to pose for those bus images

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Anti-Gay-Marriage Group Couldn’t Find a Happy Family of Their Own?

Would Atheists Donate Money to a Peace-Seeking Religious Organization?

Sat, 17 Jul 2010 16:00:52 +0000

Every three months, Foundation Beyond Belief picks charities in nine different categories and encourages atheists to donate money to them.

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Would Atheists Donate Money to a Peace-Seeking Religious Organization?

Reza Aslan and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Article

AtheistExperience — Sat, 17 Jul 2010 11:00:32 +0000

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Reza Aslan and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Article

Reza Aslan and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Article

Sat, 17 Jul 2010 11:00:32 +0000

Reza Aslan — a guy I normally liked watching when he appeared on The Daily Show and The Rachel Maddow Show — has a horrible piece up at the Washington Post website regurgitating every nasty atheist stereotype you can think of . He starts off with a plain old mistake when he explains the London Atheist Bus Campaign: … a friend informed me that the driving force behind the London bus ads was none other than the dean of the so-called “new atheists” — Darwin’s Rottweiler, himself — Richard Dawkins. If you are wondering what an esteemed evolutionary biologist and respected Oxford University professor is doing placing billboards around London proselytizing atheism, you are not alone.

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Reza Aslan and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Article

Liveblogging the Nightline Segment About Edwin Kagin

Sat, 17 Jul 2010 03:45:32 +0000

I hate Nightline . I used to have big hopes for them — like when they said they would air a debate between atheists and Christians, but ended up airing nothing that was useful for further dialogue. Now, they’re doing a piece on American Atheists’ former legal director Edwin Kagin .

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Liveblogging the Nightline Segment About Edwin Kagin

Where Science Meets Pseudoscience

Sat, 17 Jul 2010 02:25:00 +0000

Crispian Jago has created a wonderful Periodic Table of Irrational Nonsense : See? I *told* you Buddhism was woo.

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Where Science Meets Pseudoscience

The Amazing Jesus – He Should Turn Professional

Fri, 16 Jul 2010 23:00:04 +0000

by Jesse Galef – Rowan Atkinson had such a great sketch as the devil , I went looking for more. And lo and behold, I found another hilarious bit of him as a vicar extolling the amazing entertainment of this Jesus character: Wouldn’t it be fun to perform this

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The Amazing Jesus – He Should Turn Professional

Audio Interview with Phil Plait

pangeaprogress — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 19:00:11 +0000

During The Amazing Meeting 8, Robin Ferguson and I sat down to talk with Phil Plait from Bad Astronomy . I had planned to transcribe it, but there’s so much interesting stuff Phil discussed — ranging from his “super secret project” to PepsiGate to not being a dick — that it was much easier to upload the audio and just put it out there. (Speaking of not being a dick, here’s a a decent transcript of Phil’s TAM8 talk.) You can listen to the interview here

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Audio Interview with Phil Plait

Why I Care About Prayer

AtheistExperience — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 15:00:56 +0000

by Jesse Galef – Yesterday I asked how you would react to someone praying for you . Your reactions spanned the gamut, as I expected.

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Why I Care About Prayer

The Response I Wish More Christians Would Give

randomslice — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 11:00:52 +0000

The night before I left for The Amazing Meeting, I saw this segment on The Daily Show and cracked up. The Daily Show With Jon Stewart Mon – Thurs 11p / 10c

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The Response I Wish More Christians Would Give

Math Meets FSM

Fri, 16 Jul 2010 00:00:24 +0000

M.C.

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Math Meets FSM

Atheist in the Maldives Kills Himself

Thu, 15 Jul 2010 20:57:55 +0000

When one man in the Maldives confessed that he was no longer a Muslim, all hell broke loose . That’s what you would expect in a country that requires its citizens to be Sunni Muslims

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Atheist in the Maldives Kills Himself

Atheist in the Maldives Kills Himself

Thu, 15 Jul 2010 20:57:55 +0000

When one man in the Maldives confessed that he was no longer a Muslim, all hell broke loose . That’s what you would expect in a country that requires its citizens to be Sunni Muslims

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Atheist in the Maldives Kills Himself

Yay, Feminism! Boo, Feminism…

Alonzo Fyfe — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 19:00:52 +0000

Who do you think gave this nod to feminism in an interview? Feminism certainly addressed problems that needed to be addressed

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Yay, Feminism! Boo, Feminism…

Yay, Feminism! Boo, Feminism…

Thu, 15 Jul 2010 19:00:52 +0000

Who do you think gave this nod to feminism in an interview? Feminism certainly addressed problems that needed to be addressed. Before the late 1960s, when the women’s movement came into full force, women were treated like sex objects, and there was not equal pay for equal work.

The rest is here:
Yay, Feminism! Boo, Feminism…

When They Pray For You

Thu, 15 Jul 2010 15:00:32 +0000

by Jesse Galef – How do you feel when people say they’re praying for you?

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When They Pray For You

City Council Prayers Cause Trouble

richarddawkinsdotnet — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 11:00:59 +0000

A number of city councils are heading for disaster. I swear, all these problems would stop if local mayors just did away with pre-meeting prayers… but they won’t

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City Council Prayers Cause Trouble

For the Weekend Stalkers

Thu, 15 Jul 2010 00:00:48 +0000

I’m doing a couple events this weekend for those who might be interested.

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For the Weekend Stalkers

Nuts and Bolts: An Illusion by Jerry Andrus

Wed, 14 Jul 2010 23:00:53 +0000

Jerry Andrus was an American magician who created a lot of terrific optical illusions in his day. I met a guy named Rex Young at The Amazing Meeting 8 who demonstrated a few of Andrus’ illusions to me

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Nuts and Bolts: An Illusion by Jerry Andrus

Humanist Association of Ottawa Educates Psychic-Visiting Crowd

Wed, 14 Jul 2010 19:00:00 +0000

Last week, the Humanist Association of Ottawa found out that there was an event in their community that they really needed to attend — “The Psychic Experience” with Matthew Stapley . Basically, Stapley was going to perform cold readings (a la John Edward ). So the Humanists decided to take action

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Humanist Association of Ottawa Educates Psychic-Visiting Crowd

Interview with David Javerbaum, Former Executive Producer of The Daily Show

Alonzo Fyfe — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 15:03:36 +0000

One of the personal highlights for me at The Amazing Meeting was the chance to interview David Javerbaum , the former head writer and executive producer of The Daily Show with Jon Stewart . He was one of the lead authors of America (The Book): A Citizen’s Guide to Democracy Inaction and the sole author of What to Expect When You’re Expected: A Fetus’s Guide to the First Three Trimesters . Thursday was his last day on the job

Originally posted here:
Interview with David Javerbaum, Former Executive Producer of The Daily Show

University of Illinois Professor Fired for Being Anti-Gay

Wed, 14 Jul 2010 11:00:29 +0000

My mind is being blown. The Illinois Family Institute and several atheists are on the same side of a controversial issue. The issue is that Dr.

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University of Illinois Professor Fired for Being Anti-Gay

What Should Secular Students Do?

Wed, 14 Jul 2010 00:00:27 +0000

Dave Niose , the President of the American Humanist Association, has some excellent advice at Salon about what secular students ought to do . He goes into more depth in his piece, but here are the bulletpoints: [Stand] up for what’s right Identify openly Talk about the concept of religious identity Join a national group Join or start a local group Remember your secularism when it comes time for ceremonies Question friends who “drift back” insincerely Defend all secular identities Speak up and take action Learn about secular issues and be prepared to discuss them I know the Secular Student Alliance pushes for just about all of these things when we interact with our affiliates. #7 may be the toughest — confronting a friend who slides back into religion for the wrong reasons — but it may also be the most important

What Do We Know About Hell?

Tue, 13 Jul 2010 20:00:07 +0000

by Jesse Galef – Yesterday, Hemant implied that we can’t know anything about the afterlife, and called out the evangelical Charisma magazine for printing an FAQ about Heaven . (Turns out we have jobs in Heaven…) Well, I don’t read Charisma magazine, so I don’t know what it said about Hell. But I already know what it must be like

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What Do We Know About Hell?

To Be or Not to Be… a Dick

FlowerandPenis — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 15:00:47 +0000

One of the most discussed issues from The Amazing Meeting this past weekend was Phil Plait ‘s talk about how we treat people who disagree with us. In essence, “Don’t Be a Dick.” Here’s the gist of it: Phil says (and I agree) most of us believed in something ridiculous at one point or another — whether it was homeopathy or horoscopes or god or psychics

Church Members Sue after Doomsday Fails to Occur

Tue, 13 Jul 2010 11:00:54 +0000

by Jesse Galef – Someone is suing the church.

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Church Members Sue after Doomsday Fails to Occur

Nothing Happens When You Lose Your Faith

Mon, 12 Jul 2010 23:00:33 +0000

David Hayward points out how times have changed for atheists: Has God gotten nicer? Of course not.

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Nothing Happens When You Lose Your Faith

Atheist Billboard Vintages

AtheistExperience — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 19:00:59 +0000

by Jesse Galef – The funniest thing about the atheist billboard campaigns is that it almost doesn’t matter what they say. The message gets bypassed and the signs turn into a lightning rod for all the religious arguments about atheism. “Don’t believe in God?

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Atheist Billboard Vintages

Ask Richard: Grieving the Loss of Belief

Mon, 12 Jul 2010 15:00:06 +0000

Note: Letter writers’ names are changed to protect their privacy. Dear Richard, I have a friend who until very recently identified as Catholic. Her entire family is Catholic, and she had a rather liberal interpretation of the faith, but she believed in God all the same

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Ask Richard: Grieving the Loss of Belief

What Do We Know About Heaven?

Mon, 12 Jul 2010 11:00:40 +0000

A couple years ago, I started receiving Christian magazines in my mailbox. (I guess anonymous Christians felt if I read them, I’d get converted or something.

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What Do We Know About Heaven?

A Hawaiian Delicacy?

Benfish — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 02:00:18 +0000

“ Keiki ” is the Hawaiian word for “Baby.” Keep that in mind as you look at the menu that reader Allison and her husband saw at a restaurant during their recent vacation there … we ate at this little restaurant with terrible service, but we had to forgive them once we found out they serve Baby Burgers! And only $6. What a deal! I’m paying at least $19 in Chicago.

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A Hawaiian Delicacy?

Atheist Parent Sends Children to Religious Preschool

andrewc1337 — Sun, 11 Jul 2010 22:00:37 +0000

At Rational Moms, mother Aerin explains why she and her husband sent their twins to a religious preschool despite neither parent being actively religious: Because the program was associated to a church, it was significantly less expensive than other programs. It was also NAEYC accredited (National Association for the Education of Young Children) .

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Atheist Parent Sends Children to Religious Preschool

Liveblogging The Amazing Meeting 8: Sunday Morning Sessions

Sun, 11 Jul 2010 15:41:47 +0000

It’s so early… but I’m up for you ! So many questions this morning… Were there cats at the Skepchick party last night? Because I can’t breathe

Originally posted here:
Liveblogging The Amazing Meeting 8: Sunday Morning Sessions

Liveblogging The Amazing Meeting 8: Saturday Afternoon Sessions

Benfish — Sat, 10 Jul 2010 20:44:30 +0000

***If you want instant updates, I suggest reading the #TAM8 Twitter feed *** Thanks to @UAJamie for the great pictures! You can read previous sessions here , here , here , and here . … First up: David Javerbaum , the (now-departed-to-pursue-wonderful-other-career-options) Executive Producer and head writer of The Daily Show . Between him and emcee Hal Bidlack , they have an average of 5.5 Emmys

Excerpt from:
Liveblogging The Amazing Meeting 8: Saturday Afternoon Sessions

Liveblogging The Amazing Meeting 8: Saturday Morning Sessions

december1live — Sat, 10 Jul 2010 16:09:47 +0000

***If you want instant updates, I suggest reading the #TAM8 Twitter feed *** Thanks to @UAJamie for the great pictures! You can read previous sessions here , here , and here . … Massimo Pigliucci is the first speaker this morning. He’s introduced as a man who has three PhDs… (Take *that*, all of you working on your first.) He’s talking about the limits of skepticism.

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Liveblogging The Amazing Meeting 8: Saturday Morning Sessions

Support the Damsels

Sat, 10 Jul 2010 16:00:24 +0000

The Damsels of Dorkington — the group behind the I Kissed a Nerd video — are doing a 12-hour webcam-o-thon today from noon till midnight (CST). They’re hoping to raise money for some of their publicity material (shirts, buttons, artwork, etc). Even if you can’t donate, they’re an entertaining group of people and they’d love your company.

Follow this link:
Support the Damsels

If Everyone Vandalized the Billboard…

motifake.com — Sat, 10 Jul 2010 15:55:57 +0000

Christian Chrissy Satterfield advocated vandalizing billboards you disagree with, so Atheist Cartoons shows us that thought taken to the next level … Oh, yeah. I like where this is going…

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If Everyone Vandalized the Billboard…

Liveblogging TAM8: Friday Late Afternoon Sessions

Alonzo Fyfe — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 22:32:30 +0000

You can read previous sessions here and here . … This is Jen from Blag Hag again – Hemant is off doing interview-y things, so I’m still liveblogging away! The next speaker is Pamela Gay , skeptic and astronomer. There are more clergy in the United States than Scientists — 1 in 3,280 for clergy, 1 in 3,750 for scientists.

The rest is here:
Liveblogging TAM8: Friday Late Afternoon Sessions

Liveblogging TAM8: Friday Afternoon Sessions

baneoffafnir — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 20:42:09 +0000

***If you want instant updates, I suggest reading the #TAM8 Twitter feed *** Thanks to @UAJamie for the great pictures! … What’s one major difference between Skeptic conferences and Atheist conferences? Lunch. Skeptics’ lunch = not very vegetarian friendly

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Liveblogging TAM8: Friday Afternoon Sessions

Liveblogging TAM8: Friday Morning Sessions

Fri, 09 Jul 2010 16:17:45 +0000

James Randi isn’t on stage right now because he’s doing an interview for Playboy .

Liveblogging TAM8

Fri, 09 Jul 2010 16:06:59 +0000

I’m at The Amazing Meeting 8 in Las Vegas and the people at the James Randi Educational Foundation were kind enough to give me the Internets so I can liveblog some of the talks.

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Liveblogging TAM8