http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/21/texas-merry-christmas-bill_n_3312786.html?utm_hp_ref=politics

i've got no problem with everyone saying "merry christmas" on christmas day.  however, they've turned it into an entire holiday season where it lasts a month or more.  in those situations it should be perfectly acceptable to say "happy holidays" or call it a…

to fully understand why i'm so proud, i need to offer some background. 

i met my wife about 7 years ago.  at the time, her daughter was 5 years old.  admittedly, i wasn't in the relationship for her, but after a year or so i got hooked.  she certainly helped - she called me "Matty Daddy", and was just too cute to resist.  we had a great relationship until she turned 10.  something changed, and she started to treat me with hostility, and ultimately decided she simply didn't…

"facts are true whether you believe them or not" - Adam Savage (from the Reason Rally)

sadly, it is possible that Mr. Savage was wrong.  sure, on the face of it a statement like that is a no-brainer.  however, in today's world we are seeing a strange phenomena where facts are only as useful as a person wants them to be.  facts are now up for debate.  facts depend on the source from which you acquire them.  lastly, facts are no longer facts if someone chooses not to believe…

I will no longer be referring to the GOP as such.  Grand?  Not.  Old?  Maybe.  Party?  Sweater vests.  I rest my case. 

From now on, I will only be calling them the Grand Theocratic Party, or GTP.  Their wars against science and women are well documented.  Many Atheists have become so due to their interest in and education on science.  The conflicts between the two are also well, if not over, covered. 

The past two years have seen a Conservative revival in…

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/22/alabama-bill-religion-class_n_1294976.html?ref=religion

i'm going to have to say NO FUCKING WAY!  listen, these same kids can get all the access to this information either online or at church.  a public sanctioned class that would be nothing other than teaching the flaws in evolution is both unconstitutional and dangersous. …

http://www.ranker.com/list/the-20-greatest-simpsons-religion-jokes/robert-wabash

http://religiousfreaks.com/2006/07/10/evolution-vs-creationism-simpsons-style/

be sure to watch the video from the 2nd link (an entire episode on Creationism).  i haven't watched the Simpsons in…

"you don't believe in anything." 

Atheists get this all the time.  i've been hearing it from a couple of close acquaintences recently.  it's frustrating, so i thought i would put down in words what i do believe in.  i might even print this up and keep it in my wallet, or maybe make business cards with this on it.  that way i can just hand them one when i get accused of believing in NOTHING.

I BELIEVE IN:

1.  science - one of the key origins of…

DID



YOU



KNOW?

for starters, it would have to be on cable, i.e. HBO, Showtime, Starz, etc.  simple premise:

Atheist person living in a relatively urban/suburban setting, preferably in the deep South.  i'm thinking Atlanta.  he/she should be relatively young, perhaps late 20's or early 30's.  the show depicts the exploits of the protagonist, who is a normal, not combative, Atheist and his/her constant interactions with Theists.  many interactions may be visual and vocal, while others can be…

actual texts to/from actual friends:

(after Tebow's 2nd TD)

Phil:  How's that taste?

me:  Like communion wafer.

Steve:  God is strong today.

me:  he loves the Bronco's jerseys.

Steve:  he loves Tebow.

me:  he should he may be his son.

(after game winning throw from Tebow)

Jon:  Sooner or later.  You will believe. 

me: Maybe if i have an aneurism. 

Phil:  the Mile…

believe it or not, the inspiration for this blog post comes from an article on cracked.com, entitled 4 things both atheists and believers need to stop saying.  the author asserts that Atheists in general have a superiority complex, and think of the Religious as simple minded or stupid. 

while it may be true that many or even most Atheists tend to lean towards this stance, i wonder about the validity of the premise - not whether or not Atheists think they are…

the program was on last night (it was from 2007) and i suspect it will be re-aired from time to time since the death of The Great Leader.  it is must see TV. 

it documents the visit of an American doctor who is in N. Korea to perform 1000 eye surgeries on the blind over the course of just a few days.  however, the purported reason for documenting gets little traction, instead they focus on a visit to one of the patients home, which is where the meat of the story is told.  the…

http://www.philly.com/philly/news/religion/20110517_Atheist_s_dog-sitting_is_a_rapturous_business.html

too funny not to share!

in the days leading up to his passing, my friend posted updates on his status on FB.  i should not have been surprised to find the typical round of comments, roughly 30 strong per update, offering up prayers and hopes for a miracle.  yet, the sheer uniformity of the comments gave me pause.  every single comment was about prayer. 

i could not bring myself to add to the long list of well wishers, so i chose to message her privately, offering "i know this is a tough time, i've…

i recently read an article that said that Creationism and Intelligent Design were dead/dying.  i'm not so sure i agree with the premise, but even if it is, i'm fascinated by the Creation Museum's very existence.  if you're like me, you've watched videos on Youtube about it, and have probably seen where Atheists visit the CM.  it's made me wonder what it would be like to follow a Creationist around as they visit a 'real' museum like the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History.  has this been…

Fundamentally, we Atheists would love to share our secret.  We know how nonsensical religions are.  We feel a collective freedom.  We feel it's a better way to go through life, and we'd love for others to join us. 

But what if this actually does happen.  Atheism catches on, and 15% becomes 50%.  Would this be a good thing?  Maybe, maybe not.  I imagine a scenario where the remaining believers become even more dug in, more fanatical.  It almost has to be that way.  In order to…

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/president-obama-ripped-gopers-leaving-god-thanksgiving-speech-article-1.982870

oh wait, it isn't.  good job Mr. President. 

but just look at the backlash he is receiving about this.  people are up in arms (not literally, thankfully).  can't we be thankful for things besides God? …

When you're going door to door, you never know who's door you're knocking on.  Such was the case yesterday, when a kind-natured pair of women (Jehova's Witnesses, Bible in hand) paid me a visit.  Actually, it was a revisit.  They had stopped by once before and made either physical or mental note of my Atheism. 

Their last visit was brief.  This one was much longer.  The protagonist of the pair had some 'new evidence' that she wanted to share with me.  She handed me a leaflet…