Atheist Revolution Religious belief is a destructive force that causes far more harm than good. Atheist Revolution is a blog dedicated to breaking free from irrational belief and opposing Christian extremism in America. Statistics Unique Visitors: Total Unique Visitors: Outgoing: Total Outgoing: 0 0 54 8842

Articles from Atheist Revolution

Christian Extremist Exploits Tragedy to Bash Atheists 2007-12-12 16:27:00 The church shootings in Colorado were a tragedy no atheist I've known would wish on anyone. And yet, Christian extremist Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council believes that "the secular media" is at least partially responsible. Not to exaggerate my own importance or anything, but I figure I'm part of the closest thing there is to any sort of secular media in America, an atheist blogger. Thus, I hope you'll grant me my right to feel more than a little aggravated over this.First things first, what exactly did Perkins say?It is hard not to draw a line between the hostility that is being fomented in our culture from some in the secular media toward Christians and evangelicals in particular and the acts of violence that took place in Colorado yesterday. But I will say no more for now other than that our friends at New Life Church and YWAM are in our thoughts and prayers.Forget that the shooter was a Christian, aggressing against his own church. Forget that he was known to be unstab ...

Freethought Radio Interviews Foxhole Atheist SPC Jeremy Hall 2007-12-12 05:11:00 You may recall the disturbing story of SPC Jeremy Hall, an atheist soldier serving in Iraq who is now suing the Pentagon due to the anti-atheist discrimination he faced there. He was actually threatened with "fragging" (a "friendly fire" murder) after word of his suit became public. If you have not heard Hall's story in his own words, you should do so. Freethought Radio interviewed Hall in November, and the interview can be heard here.H/T to Atheist Media BlogTags: Jeremy Hall, Iraq, military, atheists in foxholes, atheist, atheism, soldier, discrimination, law, interview, Pentagon, Freethought Radio ...

An Atheist Xmas in Connecticut 2007-12-11 05:36:00 Seems like I just posted about the secular "Tree of Knowledge" in Philadelphia, doesn't it? It appears that a similar holiday display has been set up in Connecticut. A sign sponsored by Connecticut Valley Atheists asking passersby to "Imagine No Religion" is causing controversy and drawing attention to the high cost of religion. I applaud the group for their willingness to express an unpopular opinion and put the good of humanity over their own safety.The sign went up on December 1st alongside a Christmas tree which stands across from the town hall. The townspeople responded by putting up an even bigger Christmas tree even closer to the atheists' sign. While they denied any intent to conceal the sign, I find this rather difficult to believe.According to Dennis P. Himes, coordinator for Connecticut Valley Atheists, it would have been preferable to have no religious displays on public property whatsoever. However, since this was not an option, the sign provided by his group seems to be ...

Why Focus On Christianity? 2007-12-10 07:54:00 There are some things I do reasonably well but quickly responding to e-mail from readers is not one of them. I enjoy hearing from readers, and I do generally respond, but it often takes me awhile to do so. In this post, I want to address a thought-provoking e-mail I received recently because the question, why I choose to focus on Christianity here, has come up before and will probably continue to do so.The e-mail posed a couple excellent questions:Why do I focus this blog on Christianity? Is it simply because this is the most common religion in the United States where I live, or do I have other reasons?Wouldn't the blog be more effective if it were framed as a broad defense of reason which responded to religion in general instead of focusing so much on one specific instance of religion (i.e., Christianity)? After all, there are many religions across the world, all equally deserving of being labeled as mythology.I think my e-mailed response to this reader may have been something of a c ...

The Constitutional Right To Juggle Snakes 2007-12-09 10:09:00 When attempting to respond to extreme forms of religious idiocy, I often feel as if I am attempting to empty the oceans with a spoon. Well, it is time to again visit Kentucky for some more snake-handling fun!It seems that a Kentucky couple is suing a foster-care agency after the agency revoked their foster-care license for refusing to steer clear of snake-handling religious services. The couple claims that they have never taken their foster children to the services but refuse to say whether they have handled snakes themselves. Now they are alleging that the foster-care agency has violated their Constitutional freedom to practice their religion after taking back their foster children and revoking their license. I certainly hope a foster-care agency has the right to screen potential foster parents for serious mental illness and to respond accordingly when a mentally ill couple demonstrate the dangerous nature of their delusion.Tags: religion, Constitution, snake-handling, Christianity, c ...

Romney Reveals Bigotry Toward Non-Theistic Americans 2007-12-08 11:29:00 It is high time I weigh in on the recent speech from Willard "Mitt" Romney in which he demonstrated his willingness to pander to Christian extremists, his ignorance of the Constitution, and what sounds at least a little bit like a theocratic vision for America. I've held off for this long because I was so disgusted to see how far we have fallen since JFK's famous "its okay to vote for a Catholic" speech.Romney's speech can be viewed here or read here (be sure to add your comments as well). I should probably start by saying that I understand why he felt the speech was necessary, and I do not begrudge him that. He had an opportunity to assuage the reluctance of many Americans to vote for a Mormon by explaining his Mormon beliefs and stating clearly for the record that they will not influence how he would govern America. If you've heard anything about his speech, you'll already know that he did not do any of this. Instead, Romney chose to reassure Christian extremists that he agrees ...

An Atheist Xmas In Pennsylvania 2007-12-08 08:21:00 Faced with religious Christmas displays in public, the Freethought Society of Greater Philadelphia asking to have the displays removed. Their efforts failed, so they decided to do the next best thing - insist that they be allowed to add their own holiday display. Could this be a strategy for secular groups across America to emulate?I think this is a great idea. If their request is granted, the courthouse in West Chester, PA, will show their "tree of knowledge" along with a Christmas tree, Nativity scene, and Menorah. According to this editorial by Tony Phyrillas,The group's display is entitled "The Tree of Knowledge" and it will feature a 15-foot evergreen with color copies of book covers as "ornaments." Some of the book covers will include the Bible, the Quran, "Ethics Without God," "Why I Am Not a Christian," and "Freethinkers: A History of American Secularism."Something tells me we haven't heard the end of this one.Tags: church and state, Christmas, atheist, Pennsylvania, freethou ...

Atheist Sunday School? A Baptist Responds 2007-12-07 05:24:00 Christians do not like it when atheism receives attention in the mainstream media. After all, this might lead people to learn what atheism is and to discover that religious delusion is not a necessary condition. So when news of atheist Sunday schools broke, it would just be a matter of time until Christians felt it necessary to respond.Writing for Baptist Press, R. Albert Mohler Jr. summarized the Time article before providing his undeniably Christian perspective on the matter. Mohler's brief reaction offers two points. First, atheist Sunday schools are doomed to fail because children are too gullible not to believe in his god.My guess is that these atheist Sunday Schools will not be as successful as these parents hope. "I'm Unique and Unrepeatable" just can't really compete with "Jesus Loves Me." Children have not yet developed cynicism and, in general, are quite eager to believe in God. Children taught from the Bible in Sunday School learn that they were made by a loving God who c ...

Responding To Anti-Atheist Bigotry: Offense or Defense? 2007-12-06 05:11:00 When I encounter bigotry, I feel obliged to speak out. I feel this way not just in the case of anti-atheist bigotry but also in cases of racism, gay bashing, sexism, and the like. I suppose it is the realization that by remaining silent, I am implicitly condoning the behavior that motivates me to speak out. Still, I'm not always sure how best to respond in these situations. This recently started me thinking about the way the secular community should respond to bigotry directed at us.When confronted with anti-atheist bigotry, what is the atheist to do? Since I have rejected silence as an option, this leaves me with the need to respond, but what sort of response is optimal?I realize that what I am about to say is a gross oversimplification and that the choice of how to respond will depend greatly on the specifics of the situation, but I believe this may provide a tentative starting point. It seems to me that responses can be primarily offensive or defensive in nature. An offensive respo ...

Insult Religion, Go To Jail 2007-12-05 05:30:00 Reading this story in The Independent makes me glad to live in a country that has not yet fully embraced theocracy. It seems that the Turkish publishers of Dawkins' The God Delusion are being threatened with various legal consequences for "insulting believers."Erol Karaaslan, the founder of the small publishing house Kuzey Publications, could face between six months and a year in jail for "inciting hatred and enmity" if Istanbul prosecutors decide to press charges over the book, which has sold 6000 copies in Turkey since it was published this summer.It looks like banning a book is not enough in Turkey; the publisher should also be held responsible. I picture the Pat Roberstsons of America looking on with great envy. They are doing their best to turn America into the sort of country where this sort of thing could happen. Fortunately, they aren't quite there yet.H/T to Boing BoingTags: Richard Dawkins, The God Delusion, Turkey, atheism, atheist, secular, jail, America, Pat Robertson, t ...

Atheists in the Military 2007-12-04 05:35:00 Atheists living in America are well aware of the hostile attitudes with which our neighbors regard us. Those of us living in the more conservative regions may be reminded of this on a near daily basis. But our plight pales in comparison to the brave men and women serving in America's armed forces. They face a system which has long been attractive to civilian Christian extremists looking to expand their influence. Moreover, according to what the American public regularly hears from the mainstream media, they belong to a group which does not actually exist: foxhole atheists.The intent of this post is not to rail against anti-atheist discrimination, the success with which Christian extremists have infiltrated the American military, or even to point out that the regular denial of foxhole atheists is a slap in the face to the brave soldiers and marines who are trying to do their part for America. Rather, I simply want to remind everyone about Operation Foxhole Atheists, an effort to suppor ...

Sweatshop Crucifixes 2007-12-03 05:35:00 A new report issued by the National Labor Committee (NLC) accuses Christian retailers and churches in the United States of selling crucifixes produced by Chinese sweatshops. From Democracy Now!With Christmas just over a month away a new report by the National Labor Committee accuses US-based Christian retailers and churches of selling crucifixes made under sweatshop conditions in China. The labor rights watchdog announced Tuesday that the crucifixes were made by young women working 14- to 25-hour shifts for less than half of China’s legal minimum wage. The report implicated the New York City-based St. Patrick’s Cathedral and Trinity Church, and, at the national level, the $4.63 billion dollar Association for Christian Retail.Tags: National Labor Committee, Christian, church, crucifix, China, sweatshops, Democracy Now, Christmas, labor, sweatshop ...

Victory For Church-State Separation In Texas 2007-12-02 14:43:00 It is not too often that the forces of reason prevail over those of ignorance in Texas, so we must celebrate this one. The U.S. Supreme Court has declined to hear the Harris County v. Staley case on appeal, meaning that the lower rulings will stand. In brief, this means that it will remain unconstitutional to display a neon-lit bible in front of the Harris County Courthouse. For more about this case and its significance, see this press release from Americans United for Separation of Church and State.Tags: church and state, Constitution, law, legal, Texas, bible, religion, Americans United for Separation of Church and State ... Texas

Atheist Revolution Hits 1,000 Posts 2007-12-01 07:51:00 When I started Atheist Revolution in February of 2005, it never occurred to me that I might still be at it more than two years later or that I would ever even come close to celebrating this milestone, the 1,000th post. Now that I'm here, my commitment to continuing this blog has never been stronger. In fact, I expect I'll manage another thousand posts.If there was ever a good time to be an atheist in America, that time is now. Despite some of my past grumbles about how few of the ideas being expressed under the "new atheism" banner are truly new, it is undeniable that there is something new in the air. The resurgence of interest in atheism is being accompanied by an invigorating sort of energy that is different from anything I've experienced previously.Nonbelievers are becoming more vocal and less willing to overlook Christian privilege. We are learning more about the philosophical underpinnings of atheism and the unacceptably high cost of religion on our modern world. We are beginn ...

Eight Examples of The Christian Mind 2007-11-30 08:56:00 What does the public think about atheists and what we believe? Negative attitudes toward atheists have been well-documented, but if they are to change, we must reveal the ignorance beneath them. Case in point is this article by Rev. Steve Cornell in The Morning Call. In his attempt to provide 8 reasons he is not an atheist, he instead serves up priceless examples of the Christian mind you are sure to enjoy.Let's go through these one-by-one.1. An atheist assigns himself to life without ultimate purpose.While Cornell acknowledges that we "enjoy smaller meanings of life," he insists that we "cannot allow for ultimate meaning." Evidently, he would dismiss a desire to leave the world a better place than one found it as "ultimate" enough. But he also thinks atheists have a void where "ultimate meaning" should be. "If the atheist is honest, he will admit to feeling that there is something more to existence, something bigger." Really? And how exactly does he know this? I'm not sure I've eve ...