Agnosticism / Atheism (About.com)

It seems that everyone uses Facebook these days, doesn't it? You can't get away from it, but some people have done a nice job using Facebook to promote their causes, ideas, or organizations. Atheists are no exception, so there are lots of atheists on Facebook and lots of Facebook fan pages. Which do you like the best? Nominate your favorite atheist Facebook fan page for the 2012 About.com Readers' Choice Awards!

Submit Your Nomination: Favorite Agnostic / Atheist Facebook Page of 2011

Favorite Agnostic / Atheist Facebook Page of 2011 originally appeared on About.com Agnosticism / Atheism on Friday, February 3rd, 2012 at 15:00:22.

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Nicholas Pfab: Atheists Should Kill Themselves, Save Air for Others

What would you think of a person who said to you that you should just kill yourself and save the air for others? Such a person definitely doesn't think very well of you and certainly couldn't be counted on to even be decent and civil, never mind helpful. Well, that would probably describe Nicholas Pfab, a Roman Catholic who wishes atheists all kinds of ill. ...

Nicholas Pfab: Atheists Should Kill Themselves, Save Air for Others originally appeared on About.com Agnosticism / Atheism on Friday, February 3rd, 2012 at 12:00:25.

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Atheists and agnostics are increasing in numbers in America, especially among the youth. The result is the percentage of atheists and agnostics increases in every successive generation in America. Surveys show that while there are as few as 6% atheists and agnostics among those over 60, they number nearly 20% with those aged 18-22. What does this mean for the future?

Read Article: Agnostic & Atheist Demographics America

Agnostic & Atheist Demographics America originally appeared on About.com Agnosticism / Atheism on Friday, February 3rd, 2012 at 08:00:27.

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My name is Ron Tavalin, and it is no accident that I am quoting from the Rolling Stones' classic Sympathy for the Devil, although it must be admitted that it is due to my sense of irony rather than any alleged wealth or taste I might possess!

I am an atheist, albeit a reluctant atheist. I say "reluctant" because I really wanted to believe in the existence of the Judeo-Christian god to the point that I earned my BA and MA in conservative evangelical schools and taught at one for 4 years. Even so, I had numerous debates with my pastor during that time about the existence of god, and over time felt increasingly pressured to make a break with my faith and come to terms with who I am and what I believe.

Read Article: Out of the Closet: From Professional Theologian to Freethinking Atheist

Out of the Closet: From Professional Theologian to Freethinking Atheist originally appeared on About.com Agnosticism / Atheism on Thursday, February 2nd, 2012 at 15:00:00.

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Brad Pitt has revealed in interviews both atheist and agnostic perspectives. There aren't many famous people willing to come out as an atheist or an agnostic, though it's probably easier for someone like Brad Pitt because he's unlikely to lose a job or lose family members because of it. And, if more people like him do come out, it could make it easier for others as well. ...

Brad Pitt: Agnostic / Atheist originally appeared on About.com Agnosticism / Atheism on Thursday, February 2nd, 2012 at 12:00:40.

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Buddhism is often categorized as a religion, but because it doesn't mandate belief in any gods some argue that it should be treated like a philosophy instead. Buddhism isn't the only 'religion' like this. Are they really philosophies, or is demand that there be a belief in some god the wrong way to define religion?

I find that defining religion exclusively as theistic is very provincial and ethnocentric. It may be standard for religions in the West to be theistic, but this is hardly a sound basis for making declarations about the nature of religion as a whole for all cultures at all times. We might as well say that religion requires belief in a single creator god or belief in a savior figure.

Religion is a very diverse phenomenon and while religions have a number of common elements, no one element -- not even theism -- serves as the sole determining factor for separating religious from secular belief systems.

Weekly Poll: Are Systems like Buddhism Religion or Philosophies? originally appeared on About.com Agnosticism / Atheism on Thursday, February 2nd, 2012 at 08:00:00.

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Twitter is an awfully busy place with lots of real gems and lots of.... well, not gems. Twitter is so busy, in fact, that it's hard to figure out which people are worth following and which aren't. Which atheists do you think are the best ones to follow? Nominate you favorite atheist or agnostic to follow on Twitter for the 2012 About.com Readers' Choice Awards!

Submit Your Nomination: Favorite Agnostic / Atheist to Follow on Twitter of 2011

Favorite Agnostic / Atheist to Follow on Twitter of 2011 originally appeared on About.com Agnosticism / Atheism on Wednesday, February 1st, 2012 at 15:00:45.

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Many atheists are still in the closet about their atheism when it comes to friends, family, and coworkers. They benefit greatly from online interaction where they can be themselves -- though even online they remain anonymous so that their atheism doesn't get back to people they know. So atheists in particular should probably be concerned that, in the near future, we may lose the ability to be anonymous while online. ...

Online Anonymity - Can You Really Count On It? originally appeared on About.com Agnosticism / Atheism on Wednesday, February 1st, 2012 at 12:00:42.

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How many wars have been fought where one or both sides haven't firmly believed that God was aligned with them? How many militaries in the world don't teach, overtly or subtly, that they are dong the work of God? A few, perhaps, but not many -- everyone seems convinced that God is on their side whenever they go to war and engage in the difficult task of slaughtering other human beings.

Indeed, is there any time that people are more convinced of having God on their side but when they are killing other humans in large numbers? This should tell us something about the nature of the relationship between people and the gods they worship -- which is to say, about theists themselves since the gods they worship exist nowhere but their own minds. ...

Forum Discussion: God On Our Side? originally appeared on About.com Agnosticism / Atheism on Wednesday, February 1st, 2012 at 08:00:00.

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Is belief really just a matter of choice? A lot of arguments from Christians seem to assume that it is - they tell atheists that they have "chosen" not to believe in God and that they must now "choose" to be a Christian. But what if belief (and therefore disbelief) really aren't "choices" after all?

Read Article: Belief and Choice

Atheism Basics: Belief and Choice originally appeared on About.com Agnosticism / Atheism on Tuesday, January 31st, 2012 at 15:00:00.

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Do you hate atheists? If so, then OSU football player Jake Russell (#21, punter) might just want to be your friend. He recently posted to Twitter: "my roommate xxx xxx (look him up on Facebook) is an atheist, please show him some hate." I've removed the roommate's name for the sake of his privacy, though you can probably find it elsewhere by now.

I feel very sorry for Jake Russel's roommate. If I lived with someone who sent out a call to the world to show me some hate, and I'm a member of a minority group that has experienced violence at the hands of Christians, I'd fear for my safety. ...

Jake Russel Wants You to Hate Atheists originally appeared on About.com Agnosticism / Atheism on Tuesday, January 31st, 2012 at 12:00:49.

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Some religious believers think that they can use accusations of "blasphemy" to silence critics of their religion. One essential problem with making a legal case out of that, though, is the fact that if anyone is "harmed" by blasphemy, it's not the believers -- they are at best bystanders who are offended and merely being offended is no basis for any sort of legal complaint.

You only have a legal case if you can demonstrate real harm which the courts can remedy. And if anyone is "harmed," it's whatever god is being blasphemed against. So until the god or religious figure at issue comes along to testify in court about the harm they have experienced, no blasphemy case can go anywhere, can it? ...

Comment of the Week: Blasphemy & Slander originally appeared on About.com Agnosticism / Atheism on Tuesday, January 31st, 2012 at 08:00:11.

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Yes, atheist ads are still in the news and they are still getting a lot of attention. I think they might also be getting better, too, as more organizations are getting involved and people are getting more creative. Whatever you think of them, they definitely create conversation. But which one was your favorite atheist ad last year? Nominate your favorite ad for the 2012 About.com Readers' Choice Awards!

Submit Your Nomination: Favorite Agnostic / Atheist Ad of 2011

Favorite Agnostic / Atheist Ad of 2011 originally appeared on About.com Agnosticism / Atheism on Monday, January 30th, 2012 at 15:00:15.

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In London, a man named Sunny Islam has been jailed for sexually assaulting at least four women over the course of several months, all because he wanted to "teach them a lesson" for being out too late alone. One of his victims was just 15. Sunny Islam insists that he's a practicing, observant Muslim and I believe him -- this sort of sexual assault is consistent with how some other Muslims have sought to punish women for getting out of line. ...

Muslim Raped Women for Being Out Late originally appeared on About.com Agnosticism / Atheism on Monday, January 30th, 2012 at 12:00:13.

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Image courtesy
PriceGrabber.com Anyone studying religion is immediately and unavoidably faced with a difficult dilemma: believers report that their religion is a source for morality and values in their lives - and there are many examples of religion inspiring good behavior - but at the same time religion is also demonstrably a source for violence, terrorism, war, and evil. What is it about faith that it can inspire so much negative behavior even while being promoted as a force for good? What is the connection?

 

Book of the Week: Bad Faith: The Danger of Religious Extremism

Book of the Week: Bad Faith: The Danger of Religious Extremism originally appeared on About.com Agnosticism / Atheism on Monday, January 30th, 2012 at 08:00:23.

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Library of Congress Ancient records have nothing at all to say about Baalbek, it seems, though human habitation there is quite old. Archaeological digs reveal evidence of human habitation at least back to 1600 BCE and possibly going to 2300 BCE. The name Baalbek means "Lord (God, Baal) of the Beqaa Valley" and at one time archaeologists thought that it was the same place as the Baalgad mentioned in Joshua 11.

 

Read Article: Baalbek, Temple of Jupiter Baal (Heliopolitan Zeus): Site of Worship of Canaanite God Baal

Baalbek: Temple of Jupiter Baal: Site of Worship of Canaanite God Baal originally appeared on About.com Agnosticism / Atheism on Sunday, January 29th, 2012 at 15:00:33.

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During a recent appearance on Pat Robertson's Christian Broadcasting Network, Newt Gingrich explained why he thinks he's getting more popular among evangelical voters despite being a Catholic, a serial adulterer, and divorced. It's because he more than any other candidate understands that there is a "war on religion" out there and he's willing to do battle on evangelicals' behalf. ...

Newt Gingrich: There is a War on Religion originally appeared on About.com Agnosticism / Atheism on Sunday, January 29th, 2012 at 12:00:17.

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From: Brooks A.
Subject: Nothing I'm not so sophomoric as to point out that the suffix "ism" by definition entails "indicating a belief or principal" (or am I?). I will instead point to the fact that it's true neither in practice nor in the abstract, and that I don't think atheists agree with you. Atheism, ... is the active belief that there is no God. In fact, atheism is such a fervent belief system that it is predicated on the existence of beliefs systems that holds that there is/are gods/ a God, and subsequently that it is wrong.

In order to stake this claim, atheists attempt to presuppose that a lack of existence in God is man's default condition, and, for that matter, that not holding a belief is man's default condition, both of which are, of course, simply not true. ...

Mailbag: Insidiousness Nature of the Cult of Atheism originally appeared on About.com Agnosticism / Atheism on Sunday, January 29th, 2012 at 08:00:18.

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Gay Marriage & Interracial Marriage
Anti-Prop 8 Protest in Pittsburgh
Photo © Bonnie Cline, 2008

A lot of people oppose the legalization of gay marriages because they believe that it poses a serious threat to the institution of marriage itself. What is most disturbing about this position, and what should be disturbing for them as well, is just how similar their arguments are to the ones which were used to oppose interracial marriages and to support anti-miscegenation laws. Both sets of arguments also tend to be religious. What really separates them from the racists of the past?

Read Article: Gay Marriage vs. Interracial Marriage: Why is One a Threat & the Other a Right?

Gay Marriage vs. Interracial Marriage: Why is One a Threat & the Other a Right? originally appeared on About.com Agnosticism / Atheism on Saturday, January 28th, 2012 at 15:00:31.

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It's pretty common to find religious theists accusing atheists of having a religion, but it's a bit less common to see the label "cult" used. Juliane Collins thought it was an appropriate choice of words, though, and added it to the claim that atheism is somehow like a religion. But just how sound are her assertions? ...

Juliane Collins: Atheism is Cult-Like originally appeared on About.com Agnosticism / Atheism on Saturday, January 28th, 2012 at 12:00:48.

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