The stigma of being an American atheist
Sacramento News & Review
The stigma of being an American atheist. By Dave Kempa Read 1 reader submitted comment. This article was published on 02.20.14 . An online version of this essay can be found at www.newsreview.com/sacramento/pageburner/blogs. Advertisement spacer ...

'So tell me about your faith journey': Sunday morning at the atheist church
Spectator.co.uk
I had always assumed that the one thing atheism had going for it was that you could have a lie-in on Sundays. For the past year, however, an atheist church has been meeting in London on Sunday mornings. Founded by two comedians, Sanderson Jones and ...

The Utah legislature is in session. They're doing their best. They've turned down millions of dollars for health care. They're meeting with the teetotalers, the tea partiers, the pyramid schemers. They're meeting with each other trying to figure out how to benefit their own financial interests.

They've decided that the prison should be moved providing them with more real estate deals. They're supporting more technology assuring us that a computer can teach just as well as a human and that it doesn't need healthcare, just a maintenance contract that they can provide. They struggle with facts. They struggle with logic. They're suspicious of science. They're looking for a way to deal with these inconvenient truths.

It's the reason they were now rushing through a bill that will protect them, that will enrich them, that will keep the gravy train on track, a witless protection program. A program that will make the world right.

In its final act of the session, it is prepared to pass the Witless Protection Act. It is based on similar bills passed in like-minded states--Texas, Kansas, Ignorance.

The act will make it easier to defend the climate change deniers, the evolution skeptics, the society for the defense of bigotry.

It is certain to pass constitutional mustard, there being no constitutional dictate of rationality. The Bill of Rights protects ignorance, it protects stupidity, it protects them.

Yes, the Witless Protection Act, it's their defining moment.

I have learned that Vox Day is making a video game. He is consciously and proudly making a design decision that there will be no woman characters in his medieval combat game…which is fine. He can design his own game however he wants to.

However, the reason that there will be no women in his game is because Vox Day has integrity, and he is committed to authenticity and realism, and as we all know, women were never engaged in combat. It is the only intellectually honest choice.

We could, of course, throw out historical verisimilitude. But we’re not going to. Because we value that verisimilitude far more than we value the opinion of a few whiny women who don’t play the sort of games we make anyhow.

Stand tall, Vox Day, stand tall for the truth! Historical verisimilitude!

I am the lead designer of First Sword, a combat management game. The game has orcs and men, elves and dwarves. It has goblins and trolls. But it has no women.

Yes! Historical verisimilitude!

Whiny women wouldn’t play his game, but Vox Day is poised to make a breakthrough into the lucrative orc, elf, dwarf, goblin, and troll market with a game that will appeal to them.

Christian and Atheist Release Film Giving a Rare Glimpse Into a Very ...
TheBlaze.com
Christians and atheists couldn't be further apart when it comes to theological worldviews, which is what makes “My Week in Atheism,” a documentary that captures the unique friendship between a devout Christian and an avid secularist so rare. The film ...
Christian Filmmaker, Atheist Activist Release Their New Film 'My Week in Atheism'Christian Post
Meet the new atheists, same as the old atheists- well almostNews24
“Atheism for Lent”: The Spiritual Practice of DoubtPatheos (blog)

all 5 news articles »

TheBlaze.com
Prominent Theologian Will Face Off Against Atheist Physicist in Debate Over ...
TheBlaze.com
There's a new public debate over cosmology and God's role in the universe — and it's set to unfold this weekend between atheist physicist Sean Carroll and theologian William Lane Craig. The debate, titled “God and Cosmology: The Existence of God in ...

In that silly debate, Bill Nye made a wise tactical decision: to focus exclusively on the specific topic of the debate, whether creationism was a viable scientific model, and to avoid getting bogged down in the question of whether there is a god or not. I think that was a smart move, simply because a “good” debate (it’s debatable whether there is such a thing) addresses a single clear point with rhetoric and logic. Outside of the arena, though, the question of the relevance to evolution is fair game, and unfortunately, some people give the wrong answer.

Phil Plait, for example.

So evolution is not anti-religion in general. But is it atheistic? No. Evolution takes no stand on the existence or lack thereof of a god or gods. Whether you think life originated out of ever-more complex chemical reactions occurring on an ancient Earth, or was breathed into existence by God, evolution would take over after that moment. It’s a bit like the Big Bang; we don’t know how the Universe came into existence at that moment, but starting a tiny fraction of a second after that event our science does a pretty fair job of explanation.

I can’t stress this enough. The conflict over the teaching of evolution is based on the false assumption that evolution is antagonistic to religion. This is why, I think, evolution is so vehemently opposed by so many in the United States. The attacks on the specifics of evolution—the claims about irreducibility of the eye, for example, or other such incorrect statements—are a symptom, not a cause. I can talk about how we know the Universe is old until the Universe is substantially older and not convince someone whose heels are dug in. But if we can show them that the idea of evolution is not contrary to their faith, then we will make far, far more progress.

Are orbital mechanics atheistic? Can we say, well, the orbit of a satellite is entirely compatible with the idea that a god is keeping it aloft — that we could imagine that this god is actually doing all the heavy lifting and flinging of the equipment about, but because he is so lawful, he’s doing it in a way that precisely mimics the movements that it would follow if it were obeying the laws of Newton and Einstein? In a trivial way, sure, you could pretend everything is being directly manipulated by a sentient and anthropomorphic (but invisible and intangible) god, but that’s mere philosophical wanking. We certainly aren’t launching satellites with prayer, and it’s anti-scientific to propose theological excuses for processes that are accurately and entirely explained by math and physics.

Conversely, if you believe that satellites are held aloft by god-power and Newton and Einstein are superfluous, then some astronomer or engineer asserting that the laws of physics describe and explain the motion of orbiting masses is making an anti-religious argument. We understand the forces; we have good descriptions of how they work; we have repeated, independently verified, empirical observations of the mechanisms at work; we make predictions and test them using our godless explanations, and adding a god factor to the equations does not help or explain anything.

Similarly, we understand the forces that drive evolution. We have our equations and measurements and collected observations, too, and nowhere in them do we have a god fudge-factor. Yet somehow, some engineers and physicists (and it’s almost always engineers and physicists; did you notice the background of the ‘experts’ Ken Ham flaunted in little video segments during the debate?) are perfectly happy to wave away the knowledge of biologists and declare, well say there, evolution takes no stand on the existence of gods, and is perfectly compatible with religious explanations … despite the fact that virtually every religion on the planet makes clear claims about the origin of biological organisms, and that virtually every religious person squawks in complaint when a biologist explains the actual processes and mechanisms that drive evolutionary change. Which never seem to involve a super-man nudging nucleotides or making organs out of mud. And also are so chance-driven that you can’t even argue that it was a process begun in a Big Bang that ineluctably led to us.

We have been living under a system in the US for decades, in which scientists have been bending over backwards to avoid bringing up the profound conflict between religious and scientific claims, in which public school classrooms have been stripped of solid scientific discussions of evolution by social and political pressures. And then every time this goddamn apologia for creationists comes up, someone has to lay the blame for why “evolution is so vehemently opposed” on people who point out the true and obvious statement that yes, evolution contradicts religious just-so story, despite the fact that with few exceptions, scientists, like Phil Plait, insist on making these invalid excuses for the compatibility of science and religion. Scientists have largely been intellectual cowards (with exceptions!) on the God issue for decades, and you can’t now blame the publication of The Genesis Flood on our aggressive forthrightness.

The excuses don’t help. The creationists are angry at us because they’re not stupid, and they recognize what is obvious that the accommodating scientists try to deny: that accepting the mechanical and unaware nature of the forces that have brought us into existence directly contradicts their paternalistic idea of a benevolent universe that loves them and created them with conscious intent. I can see through that bullshit, and so can they.

Stop treating everyone like five year olds who see the logical and physical contradictions in the Santa Claus story. We’re all grown ups here, I hope, so why do we have people who are aware of how science works trying to insist that maybe it doesn’t, all to appease people clinging to a cherished lie?

Evolution does take a stand on the origin of life and of human beings, and it is not god-driven, god-dependent, or even god-compatible. So if you’re one of those non-biologists who insists that biologists should just throw out their knowledge of how evolution works to make happy nice with people who are actively opposing science, I give you two choices: either learn some biology so you can actually make an informed contribution to the discussion about what the science says, or shut the fuck up.

If you can’t do either, I could start yelling at you that space travel is impossible because Jebus evolved us to live in a universe made of water, and I’ll sound just as ignorant as you do.

Atheist group set to host rally in support of separation between church and ...
al.com
Those same rights to spiritual freedom also apply equally to atheists, agnostics, Deists, spiritualists, and humanists." Walker said the organization is currently in the process of contacting religious groups from all denominations that are on record ...

So the obscenely rich aren’t just profiting off us, they’re laughing at us. The wealthy scum floating at the top of New York society have an annual dinner at which they dress up and sing parody songs and gloat about their money and privilege, and this year a reporter crashed the party and wrote it up. It’s as disgusting as you might imagine.

He was eventually caught out and escorted out. It’s a good sign that he wasn’t summarily shot or even knouted, but that the frantic billionaires tried to bribe him not to run the story.

I wasn’t going to be bribed off my story, but I understood their panic.  Here, after all, was a group that included many of the executives whose firms had collectively wrecked the global economy in 2008 and 2009. And they were laughing off the entire disaster in private, as if it were a long-forgotten lark. (Or worse, sing about it — one of the last skits of the night was a self-congratulatory parody of ABBA’s “Dancing Queen,” called “Bailout King.”) These were activities that amounted to a gigantic middle finger to Main Street and that, if made public, could end careers and damage very public reputations.

Young, naive, idealistic reporter (they still make those?)! They knew nothing would end careers or damage reputations — they don’t really care that much about what the little people say about them, except that they might face a slight loss of dignity with people they normally just wipe off their shoes.

The press is in their pocket. Nothing will be done. No outrage will follow. The Occupy movement dribbled away into ineffectiveness. The next presidential battle will be an absurdly extravagant event between an array of corporate stooges who are entirely reliant on donations from billionaires to get elected. They can piss on us all they want, and we’ll argue ferociously over which grand protector of the pissoire we should vote for.

Crazy Atheist Faith!
News24
Is atheists' faith stronger than believers' faith? To believe or not to believe, now that is the real question. So yesterday, the faithful follows of News24 were subjected to a barrage of atheist propaganda and doctrine by the atheist hordes. Yes, all ...

Meet the new atheists, same as the old atheists- well almost
News24
Not being one to wade into the atheist versus believer type of article topic as am aware those outside these interactions find them tedious, in addition to a few on the inside of these heated exchanges as well, but I will proceed into the epicentre ...
Christian Filmmaker, Atheist Activist Release Their New Film 'My Week in Atheism'Christian Post
“Atheism for Lent”: The Spiritual Practice of DoubtPatheos (blog)

all 4 news articles »

Christian Post
NC High School Allows Atheist Student Group After Pressure From Nat'l ...
Christian Post
The atheist groups argued in their letters to Haywood County School administrators that by prohibiting Wilson to form a chapter of the SSA, they were violating the Equal Access Act that requires schools receiving federal funds to allow student-led ...
Pisgah student persists, forms secular clubWaynesville Smoky Mountain News

all 12 news articles »

It’s been one of those days. Lots of grading. Lots of meetings. Lots of classes. Lots of labs. I’m tired. I come home, I fire up the laptop, and…everything is awesome!

Rupert Murdoch ends global climate change!

Wild winter in US, UK, etc. no respectable evidence any of this man made climate change in spite of blindly ignorant politicians.

— Rupert Murdoch (@rupertmurdoch) February 18, 2014

Wild winter in US, UK, etc. no respectable evidence any of this man made climate change in spite of blindly ignorant politicians.

You know what happens when the local fracking well explodes?

FREE PIZZA! Chevron actually gave out coupons for free pizza to residents of Bobtown, Pennsylvania, after a colossal explosion of a fracking well killed one person and burned uncontrollably for five days.

Wait, these things explode?

Don’t worry, forget that. Also free 2 liter soft drink! Shut up and stuff your face!

More happy news! Further progress has been made in bringing a little bit of Alberta to America!

You do not think that looks good? Need I remind you: PIZZA. So many many pizzas!

Everything is awesome!

Christian Filmmaker, Atheist Activist Release Their New Film 'My Week in Atheism'
Christian Post
John Christy, a devout Christian filmmaker and student of religion, and David Smalley, an atheist activist and radio host, have released a new documentary film they made together, "My Week in Atheism," about their friendship caught between the two ...
Christian and Atheist Release Film Giving a Rare Glimpse Into a Very ...TheBlaze.com
Meet the new atheists, same as the old atheists- well almostNews24
“Atheism for Lent”: The Spiritual Practice of DoubtPatheos (blog)

all 5 news articles »

Christian News Network
Iowa State University to Boot Bibles from Hotel Rooms Following Atheist Complaint
Christian News Network
AMES, Iowa – Officials at Iowa State University have decided to give the Bible the boot out of its Memorial Union hotel rooms following demands from a prominent atheist organization. The Madison, Wisconsin-based Freedom From Religion Foundation ...
University Hotel Bans Bibles in Bedside Tables After Atheists Deem Them ...TheBlaze.com

all 37 news articles »

Reaching out to atheist and agnostic Jews
Sun-Sentinel
Rabbi Zerin wants us to reach out to Jewish agnostics and atheists: "Theists, atheists and agnostics will continue in the future. The question is: will they be Jewish theists, Jewish atheists and Jewish agnostics?... Reform Judaism's bet worth taking ...

and more »

Why I'm an Olympic Atheist
Huffington Post Canada
Amid the medal counts, terror threats and Norwegian curling flare lies the notion that the Olympics make the world a better place. The goal of "Olympism," says the Olympic Charter, is to "contribute to building a peaceful and better world." Who could ...

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Scientific American
Can an Atheist Be in Awe of the Universe?
Scientific American
When Nyad announced, “I'm an atheist,” Oprah responded quizzically: “But you're in the awe.” Puzzled, Nyad responded: “I don't understand why anybody would find a contradiction in that. I can stand at the beach's edge with the most devout Christian ...

Group vows to keep fighting for atheist monument
Ocala
The Levy County Commission may have denied a request to place an atheist monument beside one for the Ten Commandments on the lawn beside the county courthouse, but the matter is far from settled. Williston Atheists, the local organization that made ...

Group vows to keep fighting for atheist monument
Ocala
The Levy County Commission may have denied a request to place an atheist monument beside one for the Ten Commandments on the lawn beside the county courthouse, but the matter is far from settled. Williston Atheists, the local organization that made ...

and more »