Gage Pulliam Wins $1,000 Student Activist Award
When Gage Pulliam saw that his high school had plaques with the Ten Commandments on them in every classroom, he wasn’t sure what he could do about it, so he told the Freedom From Religion Foundation. At the time, his name wasn’t known to the public. But after identifying himself on this site, Gage has shown himself to be a brave activist, speaking to news crews about why he supports church/state separation and letting the public know that he’s not anti-Christian; he’s just pro-equality.
Now, the FFRF has awarded him with their first “Strong Backbone Student Activist Award,” worth $1,000:
[Click headline for more…]
What Has Religion Done for Us This Month? Episode 6
Daniel is back with another montage of some of the awful things done in the name of God over the past month:
(via ConversationWithA)
Liberty University Offers Scholarship to Student Who Brought Shotguns to School
Cole Withrow, a high school senior from North Carolina, brought guns onto school property two weeks ago.
It was an accident, he told school authorities. They were unloaded and in his car after a weekend skeet shooting trip. He only noticed when he went to his car during the school day to grab his bookbag and a drink.
In response, Liberty University and Harding University (both ultra-Christian schools) offered Cole a scholarship. (Because Jesus loved his guns.)
[Click headline for more...]
The Number of Immigrant ‘Nones’ Has Been Steady Over the Past 20 Years
On Friday, the Pew Research Center’s Forum on Religion & Public Life released its analysis on the religious affiliation of immigrants to the United States.
When it comes to legal immigrants who are religiously unaffiliated — atheists, agnostics, and those who may be spiritual-but-not-religious — the estimates are pretty steady:
[Click headline for more…]
These Christian Kids Think They’re Being Persecuted… Now Watch Them Get Called Out On It
A group called Reach America released a video last month called “The Thaw” — because “Christianity is being ‘frozen’ out of the… public square” and it’s time to fix it! — in which young Christians talk about how they are being persecuted for their faith:
Their questions are completely absurd (“Why can’t I pray in school?” “Why do they teach every other theory in science except Creation?”) and I was tempted to refute them…
[Click headline for more…]
Atheist Literature Is About to Be Distributed in Georgia State Parks
It’s one thing to find a Bible in your hotel room since hotels are privately-owned businesses.
But why would there be one in a rented cabin at a state park?
That’s what Ed Buckner, the former American Atheists president, wanted to know after finding one at Amicalola Falls State Park in Georgia. It’s not that he was offended so much as he didn’t see how it was legal for a Christian book to be offered in a taxpayer-funded place.
[Click headline for more…]
Camp Quest Kansas City Is Ready for Action
Of all the places Camp Quest is needed, Kansas City may be at the top of the list. This year marks the camp’s first year of existence and they’re preparing one hell of an awesome adventure for the campers:
Camp Quest Kansas City is a place for fun, friends and freethought for kids ages 8 through 17. We provide a traditional sleepaway summer camp experience with a wide range of activities, including sports, crafts, games, swimming and campfires.
In addition to traditional summer camp activities, Camp Quest offers educational activities focused on critical thinking, ethics, scientific inquiry, philosophy and comparative religion.
[Click headline for more…]
Boston Archbishop Boycotts Commencement Ceremony at Catholic School Because Pro-Choice Politician Will Be Speaking
Sean O’Malley, Archbishop of Boston, has decided to skip this Monday’s commencement ceremony at Boston College (a Catholic university) because the chosen speaker, Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenney, supports abortion-rights legislation in Ireland.
[Click headline for more...]
Harvard Atheists Team Up to Write About Godless Congregations
James Croft and Greg Epstein, both of the Humanist Community at Harvard, just signed a book deal to write The Godless Congregation:
[Click headline for more…]
The Subtext of Mark Driscoll’s Pseudo-Apology
I appreciate David Hayward‘s take on Pastor Mark Driscoll‘s fake apology:
… when you instruct me on how or when I am supposed to laugh, you’ve already lost. I don’t care how long or biblical your instruction is.
Damn right.
Why Star Wars is Like Religion
Star Wars isn’t as good as it’s supposed to be. The stiff acting is often a match for the poor scripting. The once-groundbreaking special effects are no longer breathtaking. Many of the plot points — suspension of disbelief notwithstanding — don’t hold water.
But that’s not to say I’m not a fan. I love Star Wars. I always have. For as long as I can remember, I’ve been an unrepentant Star Wars geek with unbalanced tendencies toward anyone who begins to speak poorly about the Holy Trilogy or kindly about Episodes I, II, or III. I’ve spent the last 30 years as a Star Wars fanboy. I’m not even sure how I ended up married to a woman who had never even seen the films.
I’m also formerly Christian.
[Click headline for more...]
This School Has the Worst Fire Safety Policy You’ve Ever Seen
The other day, I posted a story about a former Pensacola Christian College student who had awful recollections of the school’s fire drill policy:
Of course PCC isn’t known for really caring much about fire safety anyway. For years the rule has remained on the books that all female students must be in “proper” attire before they leave their rooms for a fire drill. If you happen to be sleeping in pajama pants, you must take the time to put on a skirt before you try to escape the flames. If you should perish then at least you’ll know you died for the cause of not tempting the fire fighters to lust after you.
It seemed pretty unbelievable, so I sent an email to PCC asking them what their actual policy was in the case of a fire. Did they really require proper attire?
This was the response I got back:
[Click headline for more…]
Power to the Apostates
The Apostasy Project, starting by the UK-based Rationalist Association, is kind of like the Clergy Project for all those leaving their faith:
[Click headline for more…]
Follow Patheos
Atheist: