Monthly Archives: December 2011

A Pastor Helps a 9-Year-Old Girl Discover the Truth About Santa… and She Brilliantly Takes It a Step Further

Posted on December 7, 2011 by Hemant Mehta

Cristina Ramos-Payne didn’t like what happened at her daughter’s religious education class this past weekend. The night before, the pastor at her church spoke about how, as a child, he discovered his parents putting Christmas presents under their tree… One … Continue reading →

Posted in General | 18 Comments

Atheists as ‘Future Targets’

Posted on December 6, 2011 by Hemant Mehta

Sometimes, it pays to track online mentions of the organization you work for. The Secular Student Alliance’s Jesse Galef (who also contributes to this site)

Posted in General, Secular Student Alliance | 38 Comments

Why Scooby Doo Should Matter to Atheists

Posted on December 6, 2011 by Hemant Mehta

I’d never seen the show enough to make the connection but Chris Sims makes a strong case that Scooby-Doo is like a morality tale for Secular Humanists (emphases his): Because that’s the thing about Scooby-Doo: The bad guys in every … Continue reading →

Posted in General, Pop Culture | 41 Comments

Johnny Depp is on a Highway to Hell for ‘Jesus Stag Night Club’

Posted on December 6, 2011 by Emileigh

Johnny Depp is hell bound, according to the Christian Coalition. His new song with indie band Babybird, “Jesus Stag Night Club,” has the extreme religious group full of righteous indignation. Lee Douglas, spokesman for the religious pressure group The Christian … Continue reading →

Posted in General, Pop Culture | 17 Comments

A New High School Atheist Group in Brooklyn

Posted on December 6, 2011 by Kelley

There’s a new secular group at Midwood High School at Brooklyn College in New York and they recently got coverage in their school newspaper! Hooray! They’re known as the Midwood Freethinkers Club, and their three meetings (thus far) have been … Continue reading →

Posted in Education, General, Secular Student Alliance | 7 Comments

College Atheists Donate Gifts to Families in Need

Posted on December 6, 2011 by Kelley

Getting into the giving spirit of the holidays, the Illini SSA at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign teamed up with some of their friends to brighten up some families’ day for the second year in a row! They participated with Interfaith … Continue reading →

Posted in Atheist Generosity, Secular Student Alliance, War on Christmas | 3 Comments

A Primer on RLUIPA

Posted on December 6, 2011 by katherine

Gary Mortara, pastor at the Faith Fellowship Church in San Leandro, CA, wanted to move his congregation into a bigger building (PDF). The plans he submitted to the city, though, called for use of a building located in an area … Continue reading →

Posted in General, Lawsuits, Politics | 18 Comments

The Root Interviews Prominent Black Atheists

Posted on December 6, 2011 by Hemant Mehta

The Root, a site with articles from an African-American perspective, is in the middle of a fantastic and fascinating series called “On Black Atheism.” Jenée Desmond-Harris has interviewed several black atheists and their responses are must-reads for everyone interested in … Continue reading →

Posted in General | 13 Comments

Who Benefits From Posthumous Honors?

Posted on December 6, 2011 by Megan Wells

On Monday morning, the Baseball Hall of Fame’s Veterans Committee confirmed what Chicago Cubs fans have known for a long time: Ron Santo, legendary third baseman, belongs in Cooperstown. Ronnie was an elite player in his own era, despite a … Continue reading →

Posted in General, Sports | 15 Comments

Can You Help Her Out?

Posted on December 5, 2011 by Hemant Mehta

Tiffany, a young leader in the secular community in Michigan, could use some help right now. Her mother has cancer but no health insurance. Tiffany is trying to raise money to help cover some medical costs and explains the situation … Continue reading →

Posted in Atheist Generosity, General | 8 Comments