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 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 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,…
By Tyson Gill. Have no doubt: Atheism is a movement. It is every bit as much a movement as the Gay Rights Movement, the Feminist Movement, and the Civil Rights movement. It involves a large number of people working to advance an idea; the idea that religion and magical beliefs are not only unnecessary but…
By Tyson Gill. I am really, really frustrated by the spineless unwillingness of my fellow atheists to just say simply, clearly, and without qualification that god does not exist. Period. End of story. Not worth debating. Drop the mic. Instead, most are Agnostic Atheists who have followed the misguided lead of Richard Dawkins. Like him,…
As reported on December 2, 2014 in the Religious News Service (RNS): Should clergy divorce themselves from civil marriage? In a survey of 2,000 American adults, the Nashville-based Christian research company (LifeWay Research) found that 36 percent of them said that clergy should no longer be involved in the stateʼs licensing of marriage. LifeWay also…
We’re New Yorkers, citizens of the greatest city in America! And since we represent the saner people in our city, we’re also the most enlightened and influential of New Yorkers! We are a large and united voice to be respected and reckoned with! We cannot be ignored. Hear us roar! Well, not so much. Our…