Tag: religion
Two Atheists Walk into a Church…
Would you find it odd for a Texas church to invite atheists to speak to their congregants? That’s exactly what CrossPoint Community Lutheran did, when Ken Chitwood invited former Baptist deacon Donald Wright and myself to speak. I’d have been hesitant if it weren’t Ken that lent the olive branch. His continual push for dialogue and [...]
If I Were an Astronaut
After moving into my own home, I’ve been going through boxes that have been stored in my Mother’s attic for two decades. Rediscovered in a yellowed elementary school notebook, were two class projects from when I was seven and eight. They were excersizes in creative writing; pondering what we would do if we were someone [...]
What Kind of god?
Propagandists manipulate emotions to spread a simple idea. For instance, politicians bring up 9/11 when they want to sway an audience on foreign policy issues. The religious use this strategy at every national tragedy and disaster that presents itself. If that fails, they embellish or outright fabricate stories to stir emotion. Stepping in to proselytize [...]
The Power of Prayer
My family’s prayers have been answered. This past Tuesday, I went to church. As an atheist, what would compel me to do this? It was Election Day in the United States, and the polling place that I’m registered to is Willow Meadows Baptist Church, in Houston, TX. Of the 396 polling places in Harris County, [...]
A View From Afar, with Shelley Segal
According to statistics, the vast majority who frequent this blog are from within the United States. Often, we Americans can become so steeped in our own media and local paradigms, that it becomes challenging to see a clear image of ourselves as a nation. In this blog series, you will be offered a ‘view from [...]
A View From Afar, with Roger Ivan Hart
According to statistics, the vast majority who frequent this blog are from within the United States. Often, we Americans can become so steeped in our own media and local paradigms, that it becomes challenging to see a clear image of ourselves as a nation. In this blog series, you will be offered a view from [...]
Grieving for the Living
The following is an excerpt from my guest contribution to Phil Ferguson’s Skeptic Money: I’ve been estranged from my parents for nearly ten years. It doesn’t impress them that I live a pretty decent life. I’ve never been arrested, don’t do illicit drugs, I have a graduate degree, I’ve been married for 12 years, I [...]
Politically Coerced By Faith
Two weeks ago, at the vice presidential debate, the important issue of abortion was explicitly addressed for the only time out of the nationally televised two-party debates. One candidate gave an acceptable answer, but the other provided a deeply incorrect, callous, and authoritarian response. The latter view particularly highlights a dire intersection of religion and [...]
Sticks and Stones
Today marks the third annual International Blasphemy Rights Day. On this day, my thoughts turn to my pen-pal in Pakistan, the anonymous man that penned his personal tale earlier this year in ‘An Atheist Boy.’ This young man lives in the small town of his paternal family, as an open atheist. His father, also an [...]
I’m Late, I’m Late, For My Graduation Date!
Religion contains the biggest collection of superstitions in existence. People jump out of the way of a cute black kitty, someone’s out there vengefully pricking a voodoo doll, or a self-proclaimed prophet is about to declare the date of the latest doomsday. I have realized recently how far people are willing to go to avoid [...]
