The American Humanist Association is putting ads on buses in Washington D.C. which say
Why believe in a god? Just be good for goodness’ sake.
(h/t Hemant)
In case you don’t recognize it, “be good for goodness’ sake” is a quote from the Christmas song Santa Claus is coming to town.
According to a Fox News article
The humanists’ entry into the marketplace of ideas did not impress AFA president Tim Wildmon.
“It’s a stupid ad,” he said. “How do we define ‘good’ if we don’t believe in God? God in his word, the Bible, tells us what’s good and bad and right and wrong. If we are each ourselves defining what’s good, it’s going to be a crazy world.”
Tim’s comment seems to be based on the belief that the Bible clearly defines goodness. Which hasn’t been my experience.
I like the ad Read the rest of this entry »
11-12-2008 |
46 Comments »Last year I posted about the Leaving Eden blog. This was the blog of a Wheaton student who had become an atheist while at Wheaton and was anonymously posting about their life. I enjoyed reading LE’s blog because LE is very articulate. Also I could relate to a lot of LE’s experiences of moving away from conservative Christianity towards atheism and how the world looks (and reacts) when that happens to you.
LE stopped posting after graduating but has recently been posting again.
Now a friend of LE’s is writing a book about Wheaton culture and is including a chapter about LE becoming an atheist at Wheaton, using quotes from LE’s blog.
11-11-2008 |
5 Comments »Rick Warren on Nightline this week (h/t Hemant)
Interviewer: [...] test that you’re giving these two men?
Rick Warren: I’m testing their character, I’m testing their convictions, I’m testing their confidence –
Interviewer: A religion test?
Rick Warren: No, absolutely not. I’m totally opposed to religious tests for the Presidency. I think it’s appropriate to know what a person believes, what their religion is; but I don’t think that’s the test for the Presidency.
Interviewer: I’ve heard you say you want to understand what their personal relationship with Jesus is. Does that mean a Jew or a Muslim would be out as far as you’re concerned?
Rick Warren: Not at all, not at all. I could vote for a Jewish President easily. The only kind of President I don’t think I could vote for would be an atheist. I could not vote for an atheist President because I just think that’s pretty arrogant. I think that the Presidency is too big for any human individual and I think we do need God.
You can see the video excerpt here (I can’t embed this particular clip – embedding is disabled)
The way some Christians equate arrogance with not believing in God has bothered me for a while. Read the rest of this entry »
08-20-2008 |
28 Comments »Karen, a regular commenter and occasional guest poster here, has posted her deconversion story over on our ebay atheist blog.
Check out how Karen went all the way from Bible-believing Christian to atheist.
05-29-2008 |
Comments OffDo you remember Josh and Karlene’s request for atheist conversation partners that I posted a few months ago?
Elizabeth is a classmate of Josh and Karlene. She teamed up with Amy, one of the respondents to Josh and Karlene’s request, to do the same project Josh and Karlene were doing. I just interviewed Amy and Elizabeth over on our ebay atheist blog about how the project went. Go check it out!
05-21-2008 |
Comments OffI thought this was interesting (h/t Hemant): My Argument with God by Ricky Gervais.
I liked his description of what he believed about Jesus, as a child
I loved Jesus. He was my hero. More than pop stars. More than footballers. More than God. God was by definition omnipotent and perfect. Jesus was a man. He had to work at it. He had temptation but defeated sin. He had integrity and courage. But He was my hero because He was kind. And He was kind to everyone. He didn’t bow to peer pressure or tyranny or cruelty. He didn’t care who you were. He loved you. What a guy. I wanted to be just like Him.
I especially liked “He was my hero because He was kind.” Read the rest of this entry »
04-22-2008 |
9 Comments »People regularly ask me what I mean when I say I’m “almost an atheist”.
One of my more concise attempts to explain that is here.
04-13-2008 |
10 Comments »
I also posted this on Friendly Christian today
A few years ago I realized acceptance is essential to living a happy life. It also occurred to me that acceptance may be simpler for atheists.
When Christians encounter personal suffering or tragedy, there’s always a ‘why’ question that has to be dealt with, namely:
“Why did God, who is all-powerful and claims to love me, allow this to happen?”
When atheists encounter personal suffering or tragedy (any type which isn’t directly caused by another human), it’s ‘just the way it is’. There’s no person behind it to ask ‘why?’ to.
I think this makes such things easier to accept (not easy, but easier) than if God is in the picture. What do you think?
10-29-2007 |
15 Comments »Debbie posted this comment on An atheist in Christian college today.
I have served in Christian ministry for over 20 years and have been a pastor’s wife for nearly 10 of those. I am now separated and awaiting divorce. During my time of healing over the past 2 years of separation, therapy, and abuse at the hands of my so-called “Christian” friends, I found one very special friend. She is an atheist, and a very convicted one. At first meeting, you would have thought a pastor’s wife and an atheist would have little in common. She remains my closest friend, my greatest support, and my most valued support-sister. And it has NOTHING to do with religion – which we agree to disagree on. That doesn’t mean we don’t talk religion – we do. We just don’t try to sell each other anything. We just listen, and support. It’s a beautiful relationship. When I say “praise God,” she smiles for me. When she gets angry and says screw God, I give her a shoulder to rest on.
Just love keeps us connected. Isn’t that what Jesus really asked us to do anyway? He doesn’t need anyone to advertise His name – God, if we think we need to do that for Him we must have a tiny God who is incapable and we myst think very highly of ourselves!
I love my girlfriend. She is an atheist. I am a Christian. We have much to share and offer each other.
10-07-2007 |
3 Comments »I’m also posting this on Friendly Christian today
What would it be like to be an atheist at a Christian college? If you want to know, read the blog Leaving Eden. The author of it is at Wheaton College and is an atheist.
Last week it felt very lonely:
I walked across campus today after a conversation that signaled the end of another friendship. Thinking, this is what it feels like to be alone. It sucks.
If Jesus was the friend of non-religious people, shouldn’t Christians be too? Why does admitting to being an atheist end this person’s friendships with Christians?
09-26-2007 |
19 Comments »