The cost of being an atheist (Documentary) – BBC News Africa – Nov 6, 2022On April 5th 2022, Mubarak Bala – the president of the Humanist Association of Nigeria – plead guilty to charges attached to blasphemy. The sentence that followed caused shockwaves throughout the country, reverberating around the world, and placing the threats to…
By Dale Hansen, Political Blogger, Detroit News. From the responses to an article I wrote examining the concerns of conservative Christians over Tennessee schools’ teaching the five pillars of Islam…by far the most outrage centered on my statements regarding the separation of Church and State. “Where exactly in the U.S. Constitution does it address ‘separation…
By Ken Bronstein. In our July / August 2016 NYC Atheists newsletter we explained the critical importance of being a single-ticket voter in November. Only an across-the-board Democratic victory can prevent a Republican-controlled Congress from approving conservative Justices (like Antonin Scalia) to the Supreme Court. Note: there may be as many as four seats in…
By Phil Zuckerman. Whenever tragedy strikes in America, some conservative politician or pundit will inevitably blame it on secularism. In the aftermath of the shooting at Umpqua Community College in Oregon, for example, Fox host Bill O’Reilly cited weakening religion as the culprit. “As the world becomes more secular,” he declared, “civilized restraints to bad…
By Tyson Gill. Over the years I have attended a fair number of rallies for various progressive causes. Many frankly left me feeling kind of disheartened and embarrassed. They were often a circus of special interests with everyone vying to draw attention to their own pet causes and showing no apparent interest in the subject…
By Ken Bronstein. The conventions are coming! From July 18-21 in Cleveland (Republican) and July 25-28 in Philadelphia (Democratic), delegates will confirm their Presidential nominees—Trump and Clinton. They will also confirm the vice-Presidential running mates. Their other important business will be to write and ratify their party’s platform. Pay close attention to it—for yourself and…
By Ken Bronstein. Last fall I asked our members to contribute their time and energy, and got them, in spades: Our dynamic newsletter and web site redesigns have drawn increased attention, commitment, and new members. In November/December’s sermon, I pointed out the enormous importance of the single-issue (Separation of Church and State) 2016 voter campaign…
By David Gushee. Religion can do a great job helping believers discern right from wrong and helping them relate kindly and justly to other people. And it can stiffen their will when they face unjust suffering for their faith. I was taught these things when I studied Christian ethics; they continue to motivate me in…
By Tyson Gill. Do you have one of those wacky friends? The ones with a deep, sincere, heartfelt conviction that Elvis still lives. That he is actually in seclusion preparing for his epic comeback? Busy rehearsing for the ultimate Elvis concert that will transform the world? Your friend undoubtedly has an articulate rebuttal for every…
By Deanna Cantrell. With all of the recent threat in the U.S. Legislative branch of another government shutdown, Congress is looking for ways to bring the budget into the black. Republicans are inciting that defunding Planned Parenthood is a stellar way to do this. Why? Planned Parenthood is against their ideology. They provide birth control,…