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Atheism
News, opinions, blog and forum posts about the reality based Lifestyle Choice™
#7: Muslim Mafia: Inside the Secret Underworld that's Conspiring to Islamize America
Muslim Mafia: Inside the Secret Underworld that's Conspiring to Islamize America
by P. David Gaubatz, Paul Sperry
(53)
Buy new: $25.95 $17.13
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(Ranking is updated hourly. Visit the Bestsellers in Church & State list for authoritative information on this product's current rank.)
Read more [Church & State]
#9: Atheist Universe: The Thinking Person's Answer to Christian Fundamentalism
Atheist Universe: The Thinking Person's Answer to Christian Fundamentalism
by David Mills, Dorion Sagan
(226)
Buy new: $14.95 $10.17
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(Ranking is updated hourly. Visit the Bestsellers in Church & State list for authoritative information on this product's current rank.)
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#3: America's Prophet: Moses and the American Story
America's Prophet: Moses and the American Story
by Bruce Feiler
(41)
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#4: The Family: The Secret Fundamentalism at the Heart of American Power
The Family: The Secret Fundamentalism at the Heart of American Power
by Jeff Sharlet
(157)
Buy new: $15.99 $10.87
83 used & new from $6.39
(Ranking is updated hourly. Visit the Bestsellers in Church & State list for authoritative information on this product's current rank.)
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#1: Son of Hamas: A Gripping Account of Terror, Betrayal, Political Intrigue, and Unthinkable Choices
Son of Hamas: A Gripping Account of Terror, Betrayal, Political Intrigue, and Unthinkable Choices
by Mosab Hassan Yousef, Ron Brackin
(25)
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16 used & new from $15.77
(Ranking is updated hourly. Visit the Bestsellers in Church & State list for authoritative information on this product's current rank.)
Read more [Church & State]
#5: Letter to a Christian Nation (Vintage)
Letter to a Christian Nation (Vintage)
by Sam Harris
(677)
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#6: The Family
The Family
by Jeff Sharlet
(157)
Download: $9.99
195 used & new from $9.99
(Ranking is updated hourly. Visit the Bestsellers in Church & State list for authoritative information on this product's current rank.)
Read more [Church & State]
#10: America's Prophet
America's Prophet
by Bruce Feiler
(41)
Download: $9.99
195 used & new from $9.99
(Ranking is updated hourly. Visit the Bestsellers in Church & State list for authoritative information on this product's current rank.)
Read more [Church & State]
#8: The Illuminati: Facts & Fiction
The Illuminati: Facts & Fiction
by Mark Dice
(12)
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Read more [Church & State]
#2: Son of Hamas
Son of Hamas
by Ron Brackin
(25)
Download: $9.99
197 used & new from $9.99
(Ranking is updated hourly. Visit the Bestsellers in Church & State list for authoritative information on this product's current rank.)
Read more [Church & State]
#10: Original Intent: The Courts, the Constitution, & Religion
Original Intent: The Courts, the Constitution, & Religion
by David Barton
(100)
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#9: Money, Greed, and God: Why Capitalism Is the Solution and Not the Problem
Money, Greed, and God: Why Capitalism Is the Solution and Not the Problem
by Jay W. Richards
(16)
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Bible Commentary: Children and the Bible: Status of Children in Old Testament Laws
Let's turn our attention now to that group of any society which is perhaps its most defenseless: children. A society can often be judged by how it treats its children. Unfortunately, the laws supposedly handed down by this 'god' to the ancient Hebrews were not always very 'kid-friendly'.
Read Article: Children and the Bible: Status of Children in Old Testament Laws Bible Commentary: Children and the Bible: Status of Children in Old Testament Laws originally appeared on About.com Agnosticism / Atheism on Wednesday, March 10th, 2010 at 15:00:00.
Read more [About Agnosticism and Atheism]
Religious Experiences & God
Apologists who try to use science and logic to "prove" the existence of their god inevitably run into a variety of problems and all their arguments become revealed as weak at best, if not outright false or fallacious. It's thus no wonder that so many ultimately end up trying to argue on the basis of personal, emotional, religious experiences. The hope appears to be that since we normally accept reports of personal experience as a legitimate basis for rational beliefs, then we will do so in these cases as well.
The truth is, though, that arguments from "religious experience" are probably far worse than whatever else apologists might choose to use. Although we might usually rely upon personal experiences as the foundation for our beliefs, that's because we have developed a long history of our personal experiences being generally reliable when it comes to mundane, natural matters. When it comes to an alleged god, though, what sort of "personal experience" could possibly justify any sort of conclusions about it?
Read more... Religious Experiences & God originally appeared on About.com Agnosticism / Atheism on Wednesday, March 10th, 2010 at 12:00:28.
Read more [About Agnosticism and Atheism]
Forum Discussion: America as a Christian Nation
I wish I had a nickel for every time I encountered a Christian going on about how America is a "Christian Nation." I'd surely be rich, but I'm not sure the riches would be sufficient to balance out the annoyance it keeps causing. There's no legitimate excuse for the ignorance, the misrepresentations, and even outright lying that I see from Christians on this subject -- but nevertheless, some do strive to put a less negative spin on it all.
Read more... Forum Discussion: America as a Christian Nation originally appeared on About.com Agnosticism / Atheism on Wednesday, March 10th, 2010 at 08:00:33.
Read more [About Agnosticism and Atheism]
#9: Speaking of Faith: Why Religion Matters--and How to Talk About It
Speaking of Faith: Why Religion Matters--and How to Talk About It
by Krista Tippett
(30)
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#10: American Fascists: The Christian Right and the War on America
American Fascists: The Christian Right and the War on America
by Chris Hedges
(192)
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#10: Underground: The Tokyo Gas Attack and the Japanese Psyche
Underground: The Tokyo Gas Attack and the Japanese Psyche
by Haruki Murakami
(38)
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Abortion Rights & Privacy Rights: Political, Religious, and Ethical Debates
Abortion is a contentious issue in American society. Some regard it as an immoral abomination while others regard it as fundamental to reproductive liberty and privacy. Contraception is starting to be treated in a similar manner. Is there a fundamental right to abortion? Is there a right to privacy that protects contraception and use of contraceptives?
Read Article: Abortion Rights & Privacy Rights: Political, Religious, and Ethical Debates Abortion Rights & Privacy Rights: Political, Religious, and Ethical Debates originally appeared on About.com Agnosticism / Atheism on Tuesday, March 9th, 2010 at 15:00:00.
Read more [About Agnosticism and Atheism]
Believer or NonBeliever? Depends on Your Perspective
Some atheists criticize the label "atheist" because it appears to define people by what they don't believe rather than by anything positive. The same argument can be made -- and perhaps made more strongly -- about the label "nonbeliever." Although "nonbeliever" is probably perceived as carrying less negative baggage by atheists themselves, it does suggest that atheists don't believe anything -- a myth that atheists themselves have to dispel too often.
Read more... Believer or NonBeliever? Depends on Your Perspective originally appeared on About.com Agnosticism / Atheism on Tuesday, March 9th, 2010 at 12:00:47.
Read more [About Agnosticism and Atheism]
#9: Son of Hamas: A Gripping Account of Terror, Betrayal, Political Intrigue, and Unthinkable Choices
Son of Hamas: A Gripping Account of Terror, Betrayal, Political Intrigue, and Unthinkable Choices
by Mosab Hassan Yousef, Ron Brackin
(22)
Buy new: $29.99 $21.59
13 used & new from $21.59
(Ranking is updated hourly. Visit the Bestsellers in Church & State list for authoritative information on this product's current rank.)
Read more [Church & State]
Comment of the Week: Civilized vs. Uncivilized Humans
Many Christians who like to crow about how important their religion is for morality or law may introduce the idea that Christianity is a "civilizing" influence. If that raises red flags to you, it should. Even most Christians who try to talk like this recognize, at least dimly, what sorts of problems they are getting themselves into and so won't say it directly. Instead, they will reverse the language and wring their hands over how people behave if not appropriately "civilized" -- with the implication being that religion generally and Christianity in particular are necessary for being "civilized."
Read more... Comment of the Week: Civilized vs. Uncivilized Humans originally appeared on About.com Agnosticism / Atheism on Tuesday, March 9th, 2010 at 08:00:17.
Read more [About Agnosticism and Atheism]
Let's Play "Let's Pretend" - Science & Religion in Texas Schools
SW_atheist has been watching developments in Texas and submitted the following to help people better understand what's going on...
The Texas School Board and Texas education have come under fire recently for policies that have resulted in problems and some well-deserved national ridicule.
This extends beyond Texas because Texas is a major purchaser of educational materials. So, if a book's content is driven by Texas, it is not cost-effective for the publisher to alter it more than necessary to put a generic cover on it, and sell it as generic content to other states. So, if Texas asks for a page devoted to "The Alamo"--publishers may keep the Alamo coverage in the books as it offers them for sale to smaller states-- with smaller budgets--that can't afford their own custom content. In this way, the Kansas school board fiasco was far more isolated than what is happening in Texas.
Read more... Let's Play "Let's Pretend" - Science & Religion in Texas Schools originally appeared on About.com Agnosticism / Atheism on Monday, March 8th, 2010 at 18:00:54.
Read more [About Agnosticism and Atheism]
#10: Taliban: Militant Islam, Oil and Fundamentalism in Central Asia
Taliban: Militant Islam, Oil and Fundamentalism in Central Asia
by Ahmed Rashid
(155)
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(Ranking is updated hourly. Visit the Bestsellers in Church & State list for authoritative information on this product's current rank.)
Read more [Church & State]
Agnosticism Basics: Strong Agnosticism vs. Weak Agnosticism
Agnosticism may simply be the state of not knowing whether any gods exist or not, but people can take this position for different reasons and apply it in different ways. These differences then create variations in the ways in which one can be an agnostic. It is thus possible to separate agnostics in two groups, labeled strong agnosticism and weak agnosticism as analogs to strong atheism and weak atheism.
Read Article: Strong Agnosticism vs. Weak Agnosticism Agnosticism Basics: Strong Agnosticism vs. Weak Agnosticism originally appeared on About.com Agnosticism / Atheism on Monday, March 8th, 2010 at 15:00:00.
Read more [About Agnosticism and Atheism]
Science as Liberation from Superstition and Powerlessness
Religion is often presented by apologists as an important, if not the best, means for escaping fear, worry, depression, etc. Looked at in a more critical light, though, religion appears to only provide "solutions" to problems which originate with religion itself. Christianity, for example, purports to offer salvation from the consequences of sin but it's only because of Christianity that one has any notion of "sin," much less might worry about eternal punishment for it. Should you really trust any organization trying to sell you a cure for an illness they infected you with to begin with?
We can contrast this with science, a system of developing real knowledge about the universe we live in. Science doesn't just provide us with accurate information about our world, but also thereby provides the means for overcoming problems we encounter. Whereas religion might teach us that illness stems from supernatural forces we cannot control or comprehend, and thus we need to pray for deliverance, science teaches us what the real cause of disease is and thus gives us the tools for preventing, ameliorating, and even eliminating a disease. Whereas religion teaches us that we are ultimately powerless in the face of supernatural forces, science gives us power over the forces of a very natural and material universe.
Read more... Science as Liberation from Superstition and Powerlessness originally appeared on About.com Agnosticism / Atheism on Monday, March 8th, 2010 at 12:00:26.
Read more [About Agnosticism and Atheism]
Book of the Week: Fear: The History of a Political Idea
Fear is an ubiquitous part of the human condition. It is a basic, primal emotion which can motivate a person to act reasonably in defense of their safety and well-being or act irrationally in a manner that threatens the well-being of others. Because of its effectiveness as a motivator of action, it's only natural that it would become part of politics; unfortunately, it's an aspect of politics which is seldom engaged in a critical, skeptical manner.
Book of the Week: Fear: The History of a Political Idea
Book of the Week: Fear: The History of a Political Idea originally appeared on About.com Agnosticism / Atheism on Monday, March 8th, 2010 at 08:00:00.
Image courtesy
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Read more [About Agnosticism and Atheism]
#10: The Family: The Secret Fundamentalism at the Heart of American Power
The Family: The Secret Fundamentalism at the Heart of American Power
by Jeff Sharlet
(157)
Buy new: $25.95 $18.68
54 used & new from $6.43
(Ranking is updated hourly. Visit the Bestsellers in Church & State list for authoritative information on this product's current rank.)
Read more [Church & State]
Religious Privilege: How Religion, Religious Groups, and Beliefs are Privileged
The history of human culture can be recounted as the rise and decline of privileges for various groups over other groups in society. The Enlightenment was the beginning of the end for most forms of privilege in Western societies, though it has taken centuries to develop. White privilege and male privilege remain in subtle ways but are in steep decline. Religious privilege, the favoring of religion, religious beliefs, and religious figures, has been much more difficult to kill.
Read Article: Religious Privilege: How Religion, Religious Groups, and Beliefs are Privileged Religious Privilege: How Religion, Religious Groups, and Beliefs are Privileged originally appeared on About.com Agnosticism / Atheism on Sunday, March 7th, 2010 at 15:00:00.
Read more [About Agnosticism and Atheism]
Conservative Religious Caricature of Liberalism
It can be simultaneously amusing and depressing to read certain conservative descriptions of liberalism. The descriptions are so far divorced from reality that it's inexplicable. Have these people never sat down and talked with religious liberals? Some of this is due to sheer ignorance -- for example the inability of so many to differentiate socialism from communism or either from liberalism -- but some is also due to the broad generalizations being made about all who question authority: political, religious, familial, etc. Atheists, for example, will recognize that many of the assumptions and myths about liberals also get made about atheists. Coincidence? I don't think so.
Read more... Conservative Religious Caricature of Liberalism originally appeared on About.com Agnosticism / Atheism on Sunday, March 7th, 2010 at 12:00:00.
Read more [About Agnosticism and Atheism]
#10: Unholy Alliance: Radical Islam and the American Left
Unholy Alliance: Radical Islam and the American Left
by David Horowitz
(158)
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(Ranking is updated hourly. Visit the Bestsellers in Church & State list for authoritative information on this product's current rank.)
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Mailbag: Evolution vs. Creationism
From: "Yaakov" Mailbag: Evolution vs. Creationism originally appeared on About.com Agnosticism / Atheism on Sunday, March 7th, 2010 at 08:00:00.
Subject: Evolution
As the phenomena of evolution to complex organisms has never been witnessed and is intrinsially unreproducible, it is clearly not a science and not given to scientific experimentation. It is therefore a religion.
Read more...
Read more [About Agnosticism and Atheism]
Because Nothing Brings People Together Like Religion – Unless Of Course, You’re Gay In Uganda
(Hat tip to Andrew Brown at the Guardian)
A gay witch hunt in Uganda
Why are the English archbishops silent over Uganda’s grotesque anti-homosexuality bill?
A bill currently before the Ugandan parliament (pdf) proposes seven year prison sentences for discussing homosexuality; life imprisonment for homosexual acts; and death for a second offence. Sober observers believe it will be [...]
Read more [God is for Suckers]
Anti-Gay Party of Jesus CA State Senator Busted for DUI After Leaving Gay Club
State Senator Roy Ashburn has always opposed gay rights. As a member of the Party of Jesus it is his religious duty to badmouth gays at every opportunity and to exploit the fear of homosexuality to win elections. The mayor of West Sacramento, an out gay man elected by voters because he is honest, stated in front of TV cameras that he often sees anti-gay Senator Ashburn in gay bars in the company of gay men. Praise Jeebus! Senator Ashburn, who enjoys the company of a certain sort of man, has always been an outspoken opponent of equal rights for gay men. He is a Roman Catholic, he votes against gay rights during the day and visits gay bars in the evenings. During his daytime career as a not-gay-at-all Party of Jesus legislator he has voted against a law recognizing same sex marriages and against a bill honoring Harvey Milk (source). Until his DUI arrest with another man in the vehicle he had a talk radio program on a Kern County radio station, oddly since his bust the web link for details of his show produces a 404, not found error. We expect Senator Ashburn will soon hold a press conference and announce "I am not gay, I never have been gay", after all, he's a Republican.
A Party of Jesus State Senator from California, known to frequent gay bars in Sacramento, has been arrested on DUI charges after leaving a gay nightclub with another man, that, well you know, wink wink nudge nudge.
Read more [Party of Jesus]
Church/State Fundamentals: Abington School District v. Schempp & Murray v. Curlett (1963)
Both of these cases dealt with state-approved reading of Bible passages before classes in public schools. Schempp was brought to trial by a relgious family who had contacted the ACLU. Murray was brought to trial by an atheist: Madalyn Murray (later O'Hair), who was working on behalf of her sons, William and Garth. Murray challenged a Baltimore statute that provided for the "reading, without comment, of a chapter of the Holy Bible and/or of the Lord's Prayer" before the start of classes. The Court ruled 8-1 against requiring the recitation of Bible verses and the Lord's Prayer.
Read Article: Abington School District v. Schempp & Murray v. Curlett (1963) Church/State Fundamentals: Abington School District v. Schempp & Murray v. Curlett (1963) originally appeared on About.com Agnosticism / Atheism on Saturday, March 6th, 2010 at 15:00:00.
Read more [About Agnosticism and Atheism]
