Can Atheists Please Be Represented in the Boston Interfaith Service on Thursday?

April 16, 2013 By 50 Comments

I just heard on the news that President Obama will attend an interfaith service for the Boston bombing victims and their families on Thursday, April 18th. My thoughts immediately went to the Newtown interfaith service shortly after the Sandy Hook massacre there, and how humanists, atheists, and freethinkers were not represented. I haven’t been able to find out if that was because no group asked to be included, or if they did ask but were turned away.

Nevertheless, I think it would be a very good thing for a Boston-based secular group to at least ask to be included to make some remarks, so that we nonbelievers can add our voice to the support of those who have been harmed. This happens to fall on National Ask an Atheist Day, so it seems to me to be all the more appropriate that nonbelievers be included.

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Filed Under: Atheist/Christian Cooperation, General, Richard Wade 50 Comments

Ask Richard: Young Atheist’s Friendship Challenged by Attempts to Save Her Soul

April 15, 2013 By 19 Comments

Note: The names in this letter are changed to protect people’s privacy. Dear Richard, I am an eighteen-year-old atheist high school student. I would consider myself “semi-out” as many of my friends know of my atheism but most of my relatives do not. (My older brother is also an atheist, and we are both waiting [...]

Filed Under: Advice, General, Richard Wade 19 Comments

Ask Richard: Grieving Atheist Responds to “He’s in Heaven Now.”

March 25, 2013 By 13 Comments

Note: Letter writers’ names are changed to protect their privacy. Dear Richard, Almost a year ago, my cousin killed himself. We were very close and I am still grieving for him. At the time, almost everyone in the family talked about how he was up in heaven with our (mutual) grandmother. This was particularly poignant, [...]

Filed Under: Advice, Death, General, Richard Wade 13 Comments

Ask Richard: Former Catholic Wife Cannot Hide Her Atheism Any Longer

March 18, 2013 By 30 Comments

Note: Letter writers’ names are changed to protect their privacy. Dear Richard, I am married to a Catholic spouse. When we were married, I was Catholic too, but became an atheist about 10 years ago. I kept my nonreligious belief to myself for fear of backlash from my husband. A couple of years ago, though, [...]

Filed Under: Advice, Coming Out, General, Love, Richard Wade 30 Comments