A few months ago, the Illinois legislature had passed a law requiring public schools to observe a moment of silence in the classroom.

The law was called the “Silent Reflection and Student Prayer Act.”

Atheists Rob Sherman and his daughter Dawn Sherman filed a lawsuit against the bill leading to an injunction.

We’ve been in limbo regarding the law until now…

But there’s finally some good news to report!

A new version of the law — stripped of the “prayer” reference and making the moment of silence optional for educators — was voted on in the Illinois House today.

Here’s the revised version of the bill, sponsored by Rep. John Fritchey (D-Chicago):

1        AN ACT concerning education.

2        Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3   represented in the General Assembly:

4        Section 5. The Silent Reflection and Student Prayer Act is
5   amended by changing Sections 0.01 and 1 as follows:

6        (105 ILCS 20/0.01) (from Ch. 122, par. 770)
7        Sec. 0.01. Short title. This Act may be cited as the
8   Student Silent Reflection and Student Prayer Act.
9   (Source: P.A. 92-832, eff. 1-1-03.)

10        (105 ILCS 20/1) (from Ch. 122, par. 771)
11        Sec. 1. In each public school classroom, the teacher in
12   charge may conduct shall observe a brief period of silence with
13   the participation of all the pupils therein assembled at the
14   opening of every school day. This period shall not be conducted
15   as a religious exercise but shall be an opportunity for silent
16   prayer or for such silent reflection as may be desired by each
17   individual pupil on the anticipated activities of the day.
18   (Source: P.A. 95-680, eff. 10-11-07.)

19        Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
20   becoming law.

Much better, I say.

This version of the bill passed (PDF) in the Illinois House: 72-31 (6 voted “Present”).

That is some welcome news for those of us who saw this mandatory moment of silence as a waste of time and a manipulative way to force religion into the classroom.

The bill now goes to the Illinois Senate. It won’t have an easy path there, but the new version should pass regardless.


[tags]atheist, atheism, HB 4180[/tags]

In an op-ed piece for the LA Times, John Allen Paulos (the author of Irreligion: A Mathematician Explains Why the Arguments for God Just Don’t Add Up) tries to explain the discrepancy between two recent studies which discussed atheism.

One study from the University of Minnesota in 2006 said that atheists are the least trusted minority as well as the type of people you’d least want your child to marry.

Another study which just came out said that people are becoming less religious. They’re not necessarily becoming atheists (though many are), but they’re willing to switch religions and become unaffiliated (or “none”).

Paulos says this:

Let me put the two studies together and speculate a bit. Given the negative attitudes toward atheists documented in the Minnesota study, and considering that most people probably don’t see much advantage in incurring the distrust of their religious neighbors and colleagues, the testimony of many people formally classified as religious is suspect. Some nonbelievers, it seems to me, are likely either to lie and say they belong to some established creed, or to fudge their responses by saying they’re spiritual and believe in a nebulously defined God, or are simply unsure.

…

The conclusion I draw is that the number of nonbelievers in a conventionally described God is in the tens of millions and is not limited to angry “neo-atheists” and Madalyn Murray O’Hair clones. Moreover, I think a more fruitful distinction than the one between atheists and theists is the one between those who acknowledge that there are no compelling logical arguments for believing in God (even if they choose to believe anyway) and those who are sure of their God and the literal truth of their particular holy book.

However it is defined, things are looking up for rational, evidence-based thinking, and religious bigots (who would distrust us because we’re atheists) are losing their stronghold, especially on the youth.


[tags]atheist, atheism[/tags]

According to Benny Shanon, a professor of cognitive psychology at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Moses was on drugs when he heard the Ten Commandments:

“As far Moses on Mount Sinai is concerned, it was either a supernatural cosmic event, which I don’t believe, or a legend, which I don’t believe either, or finally, and this is very probable, an event that joined Moses and the people of Israel under the effect of narcotics,” Shanon told Israeli public radio on Tuesday.

Moses was probably also on drugs when he saw the “burning bush,” suggested Shanon, who said he himself has dabbled with such substances.

The UK Daily Mail provides this helpful graphic:

The whole notion makes me rethink all those people who “got stoned” in the Bible.

(Thanks to Lexi for the link!)


[tags]atheist, atheism, Christian, God, Jesus[/tags]

Skepchick Elyse and I are wondering if any atheists in (or willing to travel to) the Chicago area might be interested in meeting sometime this month. (If so, where?)

It’s not fair that the East Coasters and Pharyngulites get to have all the fun outings… We want in on the action!

(Oh, and when I speak on IM, I sound like Randy Jackson.)


[tags]atheist, atheism[/tags]

Don’t masturbate.

The Mormons don’t like that.

This one offers suggestions on how to tame your aching loins.

1. Never touch the intimate parts of your body except during normal washing and using the bathroom.

2. Avoid being alone as much as possible. Find good company and stay in this good company, especially when you are feeling particularly weak.

3. If you are associated with other persons having this same problem, YOU MUST BREAK OFF THEIR FRIENDSHIP. Never associate with other people having the same weakness. Don’t suppose that two of you will quit together, you never will. You must get away from people of that kind. Just to be in their presence will keep your problem foremost in your mind. The problem must be taken OUT OF YOUR MIND for that is where it really exists. Your mind must be on other and more wholesome things.

4. After you bathe, don’t admire yourself in the mirror. Stay in the shower just long enough to clean yourself. Then dry off and GET OUT OF THE BATHROOM into a room where you will have some member of your family present.

5. When in bed (especially if that is where you masturbate), wear pajamas or other clothes so that you cannot easily touch yourself (and so that it would be difficult to remove those clothes. The time it takes to remove your clothing gives additional time to controll your thinking and overcome the temptation).

6. If the temptation seems overpowering while you are in bed, GET OUT OF BED! Go into the kitchen and make a snack, even if it is in the middle of the night, and even if you are not hungry. The purpose behind this suggestion is that you GET YOUR MIND ON SOMETHING ELSE. You are the subject of your thoughts, so to speak.

7. Never look at pornography on the internet or elsewhere. Never read about your problem (even on sites claiming to be “educational”). Keep it out of mind. Remember — “First a thought, then an act.” The thought pattern must be changed. You must not allow this problem to remain in your mind. When you accomplish that, you soon will be free of the act.

8. Put wholesome thoughts into your mind at all times. Read good books, scriptures, talks of church leaders. Make a daily habit of reading at least one chapter of Scripture, preferably from one of the four Gospels in the New Testament, or the Book of Mormon. The four Gospels — Matthew, Mark, Luke and John — above anything else in the Bible can be helpful because of their uplifting qualities.

9. Pray. But when you pray, don’t pray about this problem, for that will tend to keep it in your mind more than ever. Pray for faith, pray for understanding of the Scriptures, pray for members of your family who need help. Pray for your friends, BUT KEEP THE PROBLEM OUT OF YOUR MIND BY NOT MENTIONING IT EVEN IN YOUR PRAYERS. KEEP IT OUT of your mind! The attitude of a person toward his problem has an affect on how easy it is to overcome. It is essential that a firm commitment be made to control the habit. As a person understands his reasons for the behavior, and is sensitive to the conditions or situations that may trigger a desire for the act, he develops the power to control it.

Reading through that, a whole slew of responses came to mind…

But it’s so much easier to reproduce the list in full and let its complete insanity shine through.

The Mormon even offers some additional suggestions (you know, just in case the first batch didn’t do the trick).

Ok, a *few* comments got through…:

Exercise daily. Exercise reduces emotional tension and depression and is absolutely basic to the solution of this problem. Double your physical activity when you feel stress increasing.

I thought masturbating did just that.

When the temptation to masturbate is strong, yell STOP to those thoughts as loudly as you can in your mind and then recite a prechosen Scripture or sing an inspirational hymn. It is important to turn your thoughts away from the selfish need to indulge.

You tell your thoughts who’s boss of you!

Be aware of situations that depress you or that cause you to feel lonely, bored, frustrated or discouraged. These emotional states can trigger the desire to masturbate as a way of escape…

Avoid life. It’s harmful to your health.

This is too fun.

Read the list and play the snarky remark game yourself!

(via Cynical-C Blog)


[tags]atheist, atheism[/tags]