The site is zippier now than it was earlier today and for the last few months.  Oh and I'm still back.

Hey folks, if you have facebook you might want to check my profile over the last few days.  I've spoken about Kelly and I breaking up for good about 3 weeks ago, and have recently started a dialogue addressing any rumors that people might have been convinced of over the last few years.  Generally when a claim was ridiculous I would ignore it as I deemed it as too stupid to respond to, however Rook persuaded me via phone tonight to answer my friends on any rumors that they were curious about.  I started the conversation on facebook because I wanted to see what actual fan/friends want to know about as opposed to the enemy types who just want to ruffle feathers.  A few questions were in fact asked, and I was rather thorough.  If the conversation continues well there, I'll likely post the relevant rumor answers on this site soon.

Here's the thread: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?&new_box_added_id=2448182852#/note.php?note_id=170805010311&ref=mf

If you want to find me on facebook, look up "Brian Sapient" and send me a friend request.  If you are new to facebook or you have to wait for me to accept your friend request you can make a post below with your facebook name, if I recognize you from this site, I'll approve you.

What is "Food for Freethought"?

Food for Freethought is a food drive that also encourages freethought, freedom of expression, and free inquiry.  We plan to accomplish this by giving "Banned" and Freethought books away in exchange for non-perishable food donations, that will be going to Food Bank of the Rockies, during "Banned Books Week", September 26 - October 3 (specific dates TBA).  Our goal is to raise an enormous amount of food for those in need.  Most food drives are done during the holidays and tons of food is raised and distributed.  That is all well and good, but when about the majority of the time that it isn't the holiday seaon?  The hungry don't stop being hungry after the holidays, they are hungery now too!  Given the existing goals of Metro State Atheists, it is only natural that we would attempt to help the hungry by promoting freethought, freedom of expreesion, and free inquiry.  With the proper support,  we can  have an immeasurable positive community impact!

The event will be taking place at the Auraria Campus (1201 5th St, Denver, CO 80204).

Keep checking this page for offical dates and times.

I don't have the joke yet.

An atheist, evangelist, born-again, and youth pastor enter a bar...  [YOU FINISH IT]

This weekend I'll be spending some time with an evangelist, born-again, and a youth pastor.  We'll likely not be discussing religion, although it could come up.  The situation seems like a joke I've heard before, or at least wish I had.  Is there a joke out there that could be edited slightly to fit the bios of the men?  Can you come up with a joke for it?  If your joke doesn't work in a bar, feel free to change the location.  

Hit me with your funny. 

The Historical Unreliability of Jesus: A Review of Robert VanVoorst’s Jesus Outside The New Testament

by Sarah Schoonmaker

Robert VanVoorst’s Jesus Outside the New Testament claims to provide evidence for Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection from non-Christian historians and Jewish writings. Jesus Outside the New Testament refers to the following classical writers in order to defend the historical reliability of Jesus: Thallos, Pliny the Younger, Suetonius, Tacitus, and Josephus. The purpose of this review is to address the historical writers that remain lauded as evidence for the historical Jesus and demonstrate how they all fail to bolster any historical support for Christianity.

Thallos:

What Would that Carpenter Do?

by Noah Mann-Engel

Have you ever had an argument with a Christian?

Don’t worry! This essay is not about specific opinions held by believers and nonbelievers, but an examination of how believers choose to view and argue matters with the latter. I, unfortunately, have and let me tell you it is not a fun experience. First of all one needs to understand that for the Christian (or Jew, or Muslim, or Hindu or Satanist, etc.) an argument with a nonbeliever is in actuality not an argument at all, but a TEACHING opportunity. Their thought process is as follows; if, a nonbeliever, [you] have the temerity to approach [me] a Christian then you must be seeking the truth of [our] Lord. Why would they want anything else from [me]? This is the first, or, “Jesus be praised a soul to save!” stage.

AN ATHEIST’S GUIDE TO BECOMING RELIGIOUS

by Troy Conrad

Lately, I’ve had many atheists write to me, asking if now is a good time to become religious again.  It seems that the departure of the Bush Administration has awoken the vast majority of the atheist community to the simple fact that theocracy is no longer a threat here or abroad. It is high time to embrace what we once called superstition, dust off that Bible lifted in protest from the Holiday Inn, and delve once more into the church, dear friends.  

For some, a conversion or reconversion to reverence seems a daunting task.  As freethinkers, we’ve gotten a bit rusty in the worship department.  When working out the faith muscle, we must start slowly so it doesn’t get overtaxed.  Start out at the Joel Osteen level, before you consider going full Falwell.  If you’re one of the 5% still on the fence about taking this sacred surge, ponder the inarguable, massive benefit of taking the faith train to Godville.

I lost a friend over the weekend. He was HIV positive for 15 years; AIDs the last 5 years brought him a variety of ailments ~ most recently Central Nervous System Lymphoma.

His partner and I found this poem written in one of his notebooks and will read it today during the life celebration. He can only guess that it was written sometime over the last few months ; when diagnosed with the CNS lymphoma;

I found out today
It feels like a veil of black has been lowered,
Over my head

How do I tell you, what do I say
I have never been good at bad news

With the words falling from my lips
You looked at me
and cried; and then I with you

Our son
How do we explain
Ten years old seems so young;
Can death be understood by someone still
so close to birth?

With the words falling from my lips
He looked at me
And said; I will miss you
 

Chalmer Wren, Metro State Atheists former Vice President, was recently invited to write an article for The Reed Secular Alliance about their Freethought Books Project. That article can be found at http://reedsecular.org/2009/06/13/chalmer-wren-book-projec/.

My Examiner page: http://www.examiner.com/x-11708-Philadelphia-Reason--Religion-Examiner

My WordPress page: http://shaunphilly.wordpress.com

My website: http://www.geocities.com/shaunphilly