Atheist Hotline Reaches $30,000 Fundraising Goal and Is Now Ready to Accept Volunteers
A few weeks ago, I wrote about The Hotline Project, a proposed 24/7 hotline for people who were struggling with religious doubt:
In order to get the project off the ground, the group putting it together, Recovering From Religion, needed to raise about $30,000 before the end of this month.
Well, with all the recent media attention given to the project (some, courtesy of Christian ignorance), there’s good news to report: With more than a week to spare, The Hotline Project has raised the money!
And they’re ready to hear from volunteers.
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Ex-Gay Ministry Exodus International Will Shut Down
Given that its President Alan Chambers is already going on Oprah Winfrey’s network Thursday night to offer an on-camera apology to all those members of the LGBTQ community he may have hurt, this may not be a major surprise, but it’s still big news: Exodus International is shutting down:
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Atheists in Mississippi Want to Help Local Families ‘Beat the Heat’
Last summer, I asked readers to help atheists in northeast Mississippi “beat the heat” by donating money so they could buy air conditioners for people in the region:
Because we believe in social justice and we know that no gods are going to solve this problem, we humanists are ready to do something about it! We want to raise as much money as possible to buy air conditioners for these families so they will not needlessly suffer through this incredibly harsh summer. Even a small window unit will make a big difference — especially for those people who have allergies, breathing disorders, or are at high-risk for dehydration. And the best part is that this air conditioner unit will give a family several years of relief. The small investment you make now will pay out immediate and long-term benefits.
You all came through in spectacular fashion, raising over $800, enough for several air conditioning units and then some:
Now, the newly-formed Northeast Mississippi Secular Humanist Association wants to do even more. They want to purchase air conditioners for 10 families, including one with special needs:
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President of Group That Used to ‘Pray Away the Gay’ Apologizes to LGBTQ Community
Alan Chambers, the President of Exodus International, a Christian ministry that, until last year, said they could “pray away the gay,” has issued a formal apology today to all the members of the LGBTQ community who have been hurt by his organization:
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More States Require a Waiting Period to Have an Abortion Than to Own a Gun
A fascinating infographic at The Huffington Post shows that many states have longer waiting periods for abortions than firearm purchases:
In fact, 35 states require that women must undergo mandatory counseling so that they can be “informed” before going through with an abortion, and 26 of those states require an extra waiting period of 24 hours between counseling and the actual procedure. Meanwhile, 8 states have a required waiting period for various gun purchases, with waits ranging from 2-10 days.
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How Not to Be a Christian Around Your Atheist Friends
John Dere at the Christian Post‘s Crossmap blog has some advice for Christians who have atheist friends… Which is strange because, once you hear the tips, it becomes pretty obvious that Dere has no atheist friends.
1) EXPECT CRITICISM.
Don’t take it personally when your atheist friends make fun of your faith in Christ.
People have been persecuting Christians for over 2,000 years, so don’t be blind-sighted by nasty comments and subtle jabs at your faith. Instead pray for your atheist friends as much as you can.
First of all, if people are mercilessly mocking you, they’re not your friends.
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Christian Apologist William Lane Craig Criticizes Atheist Hotline for Something It Doesn’t Do
A few weeks ago, I wrote about The Hotline Project, a phone number where anyone having religious doubts could call in to talk to a trained, trusted individual:
Anyone who read about the project would know that it was not-at-all about converting people to atheism. The entire point was to talk to people who have religious doubts but have nowhere else to turn and no one else to talk to about them.
Christian apologist William Lane Craig didn’t bother to read any of that. In typical fashion, he didn’t listen to what the other side had to say. He just created a straw man and started railing against it.
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Chairman of Irish School Board Resigns After Distributing Pro-Life Propaganda to Children
After spending some time as the spokesperson for now-retired archbishop of Dublin Cardinal Desmond Connell, Eddie Shaw became the chairman of a Catholic school board. Maybe that position makes sense for someone who has spent a long time within the Church environment, but what he did a couple of weeks ago (no, not that) has led to his resignation.
Shaw asked all teachers to send home with students — some of whom were as young as five years old — a leaflet promoting an anti-abortion Vigil for Life rally:
“… The parent body were outraged that the children were being used as vehicle to promote a controversial campaign,” [minutes from a parents' association meeting] said.
Parents who spoke to The Irish Times were very angry at their children being used in this way. One parent of a five-year-old was asked by the child what an abortion was and felt deeply annoyed to have been put in that position.
Shaw apologized at the meeting and admitted that he made a mistake, adding that he really should’ve sent those leaflets home in an envelope, a solution one parent correctly said “[missed] the point entirely.”
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Job Interview Questions About Gay Marriage, Abortion, and Religion Lead to Lawsuit
Back in March, Constable Bobby Gutierrez (sort of like a sheriff) retired, so the commissioners in Williamson County, Texas had to replace him.
They interviewed five candidates and asked them each a series of important, relevant questions:
Are you for or against gay marriage?
Are you pro-life or pro-choice?
Who did you vote for in the last election?
What are your religious beliefs?
Because you have to be a good conservative Christian to be a cop.
Robert Lloyd, who was interviewed for the position but didn’t get it, is now suing the commissioners (along with Williamson County Judge Dan Gattis, who was also involved in the hiring process) over the illegal line of questioning:
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Salafi Muslims in Egypt Are Filing More Blasphemy Cases Than Ever Before
Ben Hubbard and Mayy El Sheikh of the New York Times have a frightening report of how charges against blasphemy — a victimless crime, as the joke goes — are increasing dramatically in Egypt under President Mohamed Morsi.
It’s a witch-hunt, pure and simple. Just take a look at what happened to this teacher who was falsely accused of insulting religion and the government:
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Atheist Alliance of America National Convention Tickets Now Available
The annual conference for Atheist Alliance of America takes place on Labor Day Weekend in Boston this year and early bird registration is coming to a close soon. If you’re able to attend, get your tickets now! Kids are welcome, there’s a strong group of speakers, and the student discounts are terrific:
Court Strikes Down New Hampshire’s Tax-Money-For-Religious-Schools Law
On Monday, New Hampshire was the scene of a state court verdict (PDF) that struck down a recent law allowing tax dollars to flow into religious schools:
The program provided a large tax credit to businesses that contributed to scholarship organizations that paid for tuition at private schools. Though the program was purportedly designed to expand educational opportunities, Justice John M. Lewis held that the program violated the state’s constitution because it had the effect of diverting public funds to religious schools.
“New Hampshire students, and their parents, certainly have the right to choose a religious education,” the Stafford County Superior Court judge wrote in the ruling. “However, the government is under no obligation to fund religious education. Indeed, the government is expressly forbidden from doing so by the very language of the New Hampshire Constitution.”
With that phrase, Lewis was referring to the Blaine Amendment that is enshrined in the Constitution of no fewer than 39 states, including his.
The amendment has a pretty fascinating genesis.
In the 1870s, Ulysses S. Grant, the 18th President of the United States, frequently expressed his commitment to keeping tax money out of religious education. In fulsome tones, Grant praised the separation of church and state, and attacked the idea of government support for “sectarian schools” run by religious organizations.
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Scouting Group Girlguiding UK Revises ‘Promise’ So That Non-Religious Girls Can Join
Two years ago, seven-year-old Maddie Willett was told that she had to pledge an oath to god if she wanted to remain in Girlguiding UK (their version of the Girl Scouts).
The pledge reads: ‘I promise that I will do my best, to love my God, to serve the Queen and my country, to help other people and to keep the Brownie Guide law.’
Her parents, Barry and Juliette Willett, are furious the 2nd Crawley Down Brownies troop in West Sussex has refused to alter the wording so their daughter could make the promise.
‘We don’t have a belief in God and our daughter is yet to make her decision,’ Mrs Willett said.
‘It’s a big decision for her to make and it would be offensive for an atheist to say they love God.’
Much like the Boy Scouts of America still do today, atheists were not allowed to become members of Girlguiding UK — at least not ones who were open and honest about their non-belief.
Unlike the BSA, though, Girlguiding UK has done something wonderful: Today, they announced a revision to the Promise that will allow openly non-religious girls to join the organization without a problem.
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