No re-write today, just a straight pull from the Americans United for Separation of Church and State site.

More evidence has come to light that the Internal Revenue Service is cracking down on religious ministries that violate federal law by endorsing or opposing candidates for public office.



The…

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A few weeks back I posted a blog on how theists fear of the unknown is what causes them to oppose science. The author I pulled the source material from, Paddy Shannon, points out that reason and logic are pushing superstition out the window, but leaving behind an empty room. "What we need to do … is recognize the emotional vacuum this is creating, and strive to fill it, before… Continue

What is Valentine's Day to you? A special day with your sweetheart? An excuse to wear red and pink? A chance to eat chocolate all day? A day to exchange gifts with the special people in your life? Just another Hallmark-Holiday?





For me personally it's a day to do something special for my sweetheart. I do also feel that it is a bit too… Continue

Religious Extremist So Crazy He Doesn't Even Know His Own Kind

Not breaking news, I know; but since I can't find any other posts about Bonestroo, thought I'd share.



Derik Bonestroo was the ski lift operator who fatally shot the general manager of the Eldora ski area in Colorado on December 30th. He entered one of the ski area buildings, fired his gun, and said "If you're not Christian, you're going to… Continue

Ray Comfort is one of the kings of spreading lies about atheists. Apparently his latest tactic is to counter the Freedom From Religion Foundation's billboards.



He continuously spouts this rhetoric of "no watch without a watchmaker" analogies. He is a self-proclaimed expert on atheism, and unfortunately that… Continue

The bus ads in the UK were spawned as a response to christian ads that said non-believers would suffer eternal damnation. Three religious groups want to have the last word, so they are starting their response-to-the-response.



How hypocritical! A few weeks ago those same religious groups were clamoring that the ‘There’s probably no God’ message was offensive, and they appealed to the ASA (Advertising Standards Authority) that the ad violated truth in advertizing codes,… Continue

The California Fair Political Practices Commission has been investigating the Mormon Church for allegedly underreporting its spending on behalf of Proposition 8. Scott Trotter, a spokesman for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, has repeatedly stated that the allegations made against the church were false.



The allegations relating to how much involvement, how much money was spent, and were employees of the church paid for their support… Continue

Most of us who have deconverted have knowledge of some of the horrible laws the bible has. Many of us have probably encountered at least one believer who was completely oblivious to those additional obscure laws. Or if they are vaguely aware of them will dismiss them as being from the old testament. Someone has created a questionnaire on GoToQuiz.com that tests to see if your morals are biblically aligned.

"It is often said that…

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Published in The Socialist Party of Great Britain, Paddy Shannon points out that what motivates many on the side of religion to appose science is fear. Cliché but true: "People fear what they do not understand." In a recent survey (New Scientist, 27 Sept 2008, p.76) people were asked about a substance that can corrode iron and even kill humans if inhaled, known… Continue

Lauruhhpalooza posted the article a few days ago about the parents who killed their daughter because their religious beliefs prevented them from seeking medical help. The brief recap: Kara Neumann died of diabetic ketoacidosis on Easter Sunday 2008; she could have been easily saved by known medical procedures but her parents let her die because of their religious beliefs. They killed their child for fear of… Continue

Not an action packed blockbuster and no Oscar winner either; but a very compelling thought provoker. The Man from Earth (IMDB) is the last work of writer Jerome Bixby (of Twilight Zone and Star Trek fame); and it is… Continue

In his inaugural address, President Barack Obama celebrated America as a "nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus -- and nonbelievers." Some Christians are taking issue with the approach to inclusiveness, saying the president misrepresented America's culture and heritage.



By mentioning, for the first time in an inaugural address, the 16.1…

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Tufts University professor Daniel Dennett compares “religious ideas to viruses, which thrive by replicating and passing themselves from one generation to the next.”



Dennett is the co-director of Tufts’ Center for Cognitive Studies. On Tuesday he lectured at Dartmouth Hall on his recent study: Religion as a “Natural Phenomenon.” He… Continue

A far cry better than the quote by former president George HW Bush back in 1987. President Obama pointed out that “We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus - and non-believers.”

For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a…

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When and if you get into a civilized discussion with a theist, this question seldom fails to arise sooner or later: "What if you're wrong?"



This question always makes be smirk because of the condescending tone that usually accompanies the question; which to me implies “I know I’m right and you’re wrong.”



So how do you handle this question?



My answer (more-or-less):… Continue

There are several of these "suggestions for the new president" sites out there, and its tough to keep track of them all. The main ones I've seen though are:

change.gov

change.org

opposingviews.com



Weather-or-not chiming in on these sites will make a difference, or weather-or-not the ideas will even make it to… Continue

Today I stumbled upon a transcript on the National Public Radio site. It was a speech made by John F. Kennedy, given to a group of Protestant ministers a few months before the election. JFK was a devout Catholic, but he was also a big proponent of the separation of church and state; this speech has some excellent excerpts that exemplify this. JFK was the first Catholic elected president, and during the elections other religious groups (primarily the Protestant group) were concerned… Continue