I mentioned that interview I did for Humanistpodden the other day; here it is. Johan is remarkably knowledgeable about inter-atheist quarrels, among other things.
Update: And another thing, as long as I’m in me me me vein. I’m now a columnist for Free Inquiry. The first column will be in the August-September issue.… Read the rest
Chris Stedman is bizarrely indignant that some people disagree with him. Apparently if he writes an article for the Huffington Post, it’s somehow wrong and out of line to write a blog post that disputes it. Why would that be the case? What rule says that Chris Stedman’s articles on the Huffington Post are off-limits to disagreement? I thought it was pretty well known by now that if you write something that gets posted on the internet, there’s always a chance that someone will disagree with it.
Chris did three updates at Facebook to express this “you disagree with me! you really disagree with me!” outrage, along with a good few comments on same. The first, on my post, … Read the rest
Creative figures like Ai Weiwei and his colleagues are often the only ones with the courage to speak truth against the lies of tyrants.… Read the rest
Science recognizes the strong human motivation to believe what we want to be true, and that that drive is a serious impediment in finding out what really is true.… Read the rest
“In our increasingly secular society, many religious people feel their voices are not heard.” Cherie Blair for example.… Read the rest
You don’t say!… Read the rest
Gut-wrenching.… Read the rest
My article on the Afghan Koran protest – an unfortunate incident which left over 20 people dead and many more injured – generated many comments and criticisms on the internet. In fact somebody said the piece was informed by ‘racism and islamophobia’. Well I guess this fellow thought I was a white or a Christian or someone living in the West.
I do not in this article intend to respond to issues raised by those who read the article. For me let the debate continue. I have made my point. What I said in that piece – and in this very one – applies to many Muslims, not all.
So, once again in reaction to the protest over the Koran … Read the rest
Read the whole shocking thing.… Read the rest
I’m going to disagree with Chris Stedman again. Let me preface my disagreement by saying he’s obviously a good guy, a better one than I am. There that’s out of the way; now let me shred him.
No but seriously. He’s a good guy but being a good guy isn’t enough. One has to learn that people have their own plans and projects and ways of doing things. Chris seems to have a missionary streak that prevents him from understanding that.
the last ten years have seen me change my philosophy in several dramatic ways — from born-again Christian to rejectionist atheist to my current work as a Secular Humanist and interfaith activist —
What’s a rejectionist atheist? It sounds … Read the rest
There are serious questions about how millions of dollars have been spent, whether Mortenson is personally benefiting, and whether the stories are even true.… Read the rest
It’s not clear what good work Mortenson has done, with schools that don’t exist, schools built by other people, empty schools, and schools that are cabbage sheds.… Read the rest
“It turns out that Mortenson’s books and public statements are permeated with
falsehoods.”… Read the rest
Another thing about Ruse’s claim.
Most of all I detest the New Atheism because I think it is playing into the hands of the Religious Right.
But if you decide it’s Forbidden to say certain things lest you “play into the hands of the Religious Right” then you are already playing into the hands of the Religious Right. If you give up the right to free speech as a precaution against theocracy then you are already in a theocracy. It doesn’t make sense to give up secular rights in order to hang on to secular rights.
I don’t want the religious Right deciding what I can say. I don’t want to defer to their sensitivities or their unreasonable beliefs. … Read the rest
It was a library book.… Read the rest
About theocratic misogyny, “compassion” and religion, gnu atheism and the backlash.… Read the rest
Thugs shredded Serrano’s “Piss Christ.” Gallery is leaving the destroyed work on show “so people can see what barbarians can do.”… Read the rest
As an ideology, strong atheism tends to emerge under the threat of theocracy.… Read the rest
“Atheism clearly isn’t natural.” Wha?… Read the rest
Many of the 370-plus anti-abortion bills now wending their way through state legislatures are simply about creating misery, anxiety and fear.… Read the rest
