Life Without a Net
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Atheist Empathy, or “How I Got My Conscience Back.”
I’m going to tread in dangerous territory with this entry. For one thing, I’m going to lay bare a lot of the inside of my brain. And I’m always a little wary of making myself too vulnerable in front of the impersonal, anonymous world of the internet. For another, I’m going to admit something that … Continue reading
Reader Asks: When is the best time to come out as a non-believer?
A reader writes: I didn’t know you took Dear Abby questions, but here’s mine. I’m a recent graduate in a “helping profession.” I have a new job and everyone is a Christian. There’s a local skeptic meet-up group that I’d like to be involved with, but I feel like if I come out as agnostic … Continue reading
Reader asks: I married a Christian, now I’m an atheist. What should I do?
A reader writes: I found out about you from Life Without a Net. I read your post about guilt. THAT is what I am going through. Very conservative religious upbringing, married b/c I felt guilty about sex before marriage. Now I find myself, 8 years later, still married to a woman I don’t truly love, a 4yo … Continue reading
Denialism and the Rise of Extremism
Humans are very good at denialism. We all do it to some degree or another. And in fact, it’s not always a bad thing. Contrary to popular belief, depression isn’t always a sign that a person has an unrealistic view of the world. It’s often the opposite. We need a certain amount of healthy delusion … Continue reading
Economics and Marriage: Making Sense of the Republican Agenda
What does marriage have to do with the political agenda of the Religious Right? Why are Republican Christians so united in their support for both conservative politics and “traditional” sex and marriage? To many non-believers, the two topics seem unrelated. Christians are sexual prudes, and Republicans are hyper-conservatives. It just so happens that most Republicans … Continue reading
Is Rick Perry Like Abraham Lincoln?
I’ve been stewing for a couple of days over John Hagee’s comparison of Rick Perry to Abraham Lincoln. It’s just one sentence, but it’s a very dangerous one: “We pray for our governor Rick Perry who has had the courage today to call this time of fasting and prayer just as Abraham Lincoln did in the darkest … Continue reading
Biblical Jesus: Liberal Hippy or Insane Conservative?
When I write articles about Christian hate, bigotry, misogyny, and general malevolence, I am inevitably chided by “Good Christians” for misrepresenting both them and their holy writ. Jesus, I am told, was a liberal. He advocated love, tolerance, and women’s rights. He came to earth to teach us a better way to live in peace with each other. In … Continue reading
Rick Perry’s Day of Prayer: Reflections
Texas Governor and presidential hopeful Rick Perry’s “Day of Prayer” has come and gone. Pundits the world over are opining, and both sides are claiming both moral and empirical victories. For Fundamentalist Christians, the event marks the potential ascension of yet another evangelical Texan to the White House. For non-believers and religious accommodationists, it is … Continue reading
Kansas Judge: Planned Parenthood Keeps Funding… For Now.
Even if a statute does not appear unconstitutional on its face, it is nevertheless invalid if enacted for an improper discriminatory purpose, and the evidence before the court is that it was enacted precisely for this purpose, Marten said. (LINK) These are the words of the judge in a ruling granting Planned Parenthood an injunction … Continue reading
Apple Joins Delta and Others in Boycotting Christian Values Network
Apple has pulled its iTunes store from the Christian Values Network due to what it sees as the network’s contributions to controversial groups, as tech companies tread carefully in the midst of complicated social issues. (LINK) After what has seemed like weeks of bad news for non-believers, there is a small ray of hope tucked … Continue reading
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