Evolution Basics: Segraves v. California (1981)
Read Article: Segraves v. California (1981)
"Controversial" Sign Recognizes Humanity of Atheists; Christians Protest
There are Christians in Fort Lauderdale, however, for whom such simple statements are just horrible — and the presence of such a billboard near Christians is utterly intolerable. It's not merely "controversial" to say that atheists exist and that atheists can be good people, but it is in fact an insult to these Christians to learn that they don't have a lock on morality and that there might be atheists lurking in their midst. How do they manage to sleep through the night now? Read more...
Book of the Week: Philosophers Without Gods: Meditations on Atheism and the Secular Life
Critics of atheism and contemporary atheists complain about the tone of so-called 'New Atheism' and insist that it can only have negative effects for atheists in society - as if atheists used to be the subjects of universal adulation and praise. Well, one positive effect of the atheist books which everyone loves to hate is the vastly increased public profile of atheists in society - and thus also the market for even more books by atheists about atheism.
Book of the Week: Philosophers Without Gods: Meditations on Atheism and the Secular Life
Does God Exist? God & Gender - Is God Really Male?
Christian Soldiers: Militant, Militarized Christianity in the American Military
There is little to nothing good to be said about these developments in the military, but it's not clear that the government is concerned enough to do anything about them. The sad fact is that backers of Christianization of the military have been placed in offices of significant power and influence in the military and they have no incentive to turn against their own religious ideology. Read more...
Mailbag: No Truth Here, Part 4
Subject: Re: Atheism
I never believed in a god, but after experiencing God for the first time after a near death experience. I could never and can never deny the experience I had with God and the fulfilment since then.Read more...
Epistemology: Truth as Emotions, Intuition, & Instinct
Read Article: Truth as Emotions, Intuition, & Instinct - Criteria of Truth from Inside Us
Making War on God in Iran
Hernandez v. Commissioner Internal Revenue Service (1989)
If a person pays a religious or other non-profit group for services rendered, do those payments count as a charitable contribution that can be deducted from taxes? This ruling emphasized the difference between paying a non-profit group for its services and giving that same group a free gift. Just because the services are claimed to be religious in nature does not therefore mean that payments for those services qualify as a gift. However, this decision was made moot when the IRS made a deal with the Church of Scientology to allow payments for auditing and training sessions to be tax deductible as charitable contributions.
Read Article: Hernandez v. Commissioner Internal Revenue Service (1989)
Bible Commentary: Apocalyptic Gospels: New Testament Gospels and Apocalyptic Literature
Read Article: Apocalyptic Gospels: New Testament Gospels and Apocalyptic Literature
Carry Nation: On a Mission from God to Fight Alcohol
The original prohibitionist organization was the Anti-Saloon League of Ohio which was founded in 1893. The national Anti-Saloon League of America was founded just two years later in 1895. It probably won't surprise people familiar with the Religious Right that even this movement was characterized not just by its anti-alcohol agenda, but also by strong currents of anti-immigration, conspiracy theories, and anti-Catholicism. Whatever the era, there are certain themes which the Religious Right keeps returning to. Read more...
Why did Mike Huckabee Leave the Pulpit and Enter Politics?
Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee
March 2, 2008 in Houston, Texas
Photo: Dave Einsel/Getty Images
Although Mike Huckabee may not have a theology degree, he has been and continues to be an ordained Baptist minister. Why did he make the move from the pulpit to political life? According to Huckabee, he wanted to bring Jesus Christ to the nation: "I didn't get into politics because I thought government had a better answer. I got into politics because I knew government didn't have the real answers, that the real answers lie in accepting Jesus Christ into our lives." He also said "I hope we answer the alarm clock and take this nation back for Christ." Although he admits that he would phrase it differently today, he doesn't repudiate his original views.
Read Article: Why did Mike Huckabee Leave the Pulpit and Enter Politics?
C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien
Read Article: C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien
Intelligently Designed? Chaos and Catastrophe in our Solar System
Weekly Poll: Should Religion get Special Privileges, like with Anti-Blasphemy Laws?
Religion, and especially Christianity, is often treated as though it should be immune from criticism, much less harsh attacks. Blasphemy laws are a primary means used by religions to control critical speech and ideas. Criminalizing blasphemy uses both the power of the state and the idea of sin to suppress both the expression of ideas as well as the contemplation of those ideas. This causes people to self-censor before the state has to get involved by imposing censorship.
Blasphemy laws have lost a lot of credibility over the years, but some believers continue to support them as valid and effective. For some, just calling into question whether Christianity is true or rational is scoffed at by — and these same people think nothing of lambasting political ideologies like liberalism or socialism. Is such a double-standard justified? Do you think that religion should be protected by anti-blasphemy laws? This may sound like an odd question on an atheism site, but even some atheists seem to believe that religion should be treated differently from other ideologies and belief systems — though not many advocate going so far as to provide legal protection for religion alone.
Atheism Basics: Is Atheism Morally & Intellectually Significant?
Confidence vs. Uncertainty: Confidence Sells, Even When You're Wrong
Defenders of science will normally respond that the provisional nature of science is an advantage, not a disadvantage, because it allows science to take into account new ideas and new evidence. This, in turn, helps ensure that science adheres to reality rather than to our expectations, assumptions, and ideologies. This seems like a reasonable defense, but it seems that human psychology isn't prepared to accept it.
According to recent research, people are more likely to believe someone who makes their claims with more confidence regardless of how wrong they have been in the past. Read more...
Forum Discussion: Proving Logic & Fallacies
Sometimes, though, you might encounter a person who simply denies that recognized principles of logic apply to them or to their arguments. What can you do with such people? Read more...
Philosophy Fundamentals: Philosophy of Religion: Religious Belief, Theism, Practice
Francis Collins' Conversion from Atheism to Christianity: What's the Truth?
Comment of the Week: Are Believers Entitled to their Own Facts?
Evolution Basics: McClean v. Arkansas (1981)
Read Article: McClean v. Arkansas (1981)
Correlation: Secularization and Honesty
One implication of this is that religion improves honesty, though not necessarily in a good way because the effect seems to be entirely based on fear. Would this, however, mean that society as a whole would be better off with more religion? This is certainly what a lot of religious apologists believe and argue, but the empirical evidence tells us a different story. Around the world secularity correlates highly with honesty whereas religion correlates highly with public corruption. Read more...
Book of the Week: Conversations with Carl Sagan
Carl Sagan was one of the most important scientists of the latter half of the 20th century - not so much because of original research or ground-breaking discoveries, but because of his passion for sharing his love of science with the rest of the world. Through his lectures, books, and videos, innumerable people came to better appreciate science and what it can tell us about the universe we live in. Many went on to become scientists themselves and his impact on science will be long remembered.
Book of the Week: Conversations with Carl Sagan
Atheism Basics: Definition of Atheism for Early Freethinkers
Read Article: Definition of Atheism for Early Freethinkers




