I Am Evolution (from NPR’s “This I Believe”)

Holly Dunsworth is a paleoanthropologist and she writes today’s This I Believe segment titled I Am Evolution. Here’s an excerpt: Of course I believe evolution. But that is different from believing in evolution. To believe in something takes faith, trust, effort, strength. I need none of these things to believe evolution. It just is. My [...]

At least some school districts are getting it right

As if my link to AiG in a previous post weren’t enough, I’m going to toss out another to “Creation on the Web” where a former substitute teacher is prattling on about being “expelled” from his part-time teaching gig in a post there titled Censoring Intelligent Design. The author opens his article by boasting about [...]

Creationists Baffled: Why do their “Facts” Get Shot Down in Forums?

If you’ve never visited the Answers in Genesis website, don’t worry. You’ve missed little. But this little gem caught my eye. Apparently, a creation believer wrote in to their feedback asking a rational question: why is it whenever I repeat one of the “facts” I learn in creationist literature in internet forums do I get [...]

The Undercover Atheist, John Hagee, and Speaking in Tongues

Obama had his religious nutter (Rev. Wright) and now McCain seems to have his own in the form of John Hagee, the televangelist and pastor for a Megachurch in San Antonio, TX (Cornerstone) was heard to state “biblical verses made clear that Adolf Hitler and the Holocaust was part of God’s plan to chase the [...]

Failure of Religion: Pastor Barron

Plano, TX minister jailed in child sex sting. Pastor Joe Barron of the Prestonwood Baptist Church, 52, was arrested after he drove to Bryan to hook up with a 13 year old girl. Except the “girl” wasn’t thirteen. And “she” had a badge. This loving Christian was found hymn book, a box of condoms, and [...]

Polls are Fun!

Especially when they suffer the Pharyngula effect: PZ MYers likes to post links to the various unscientific polls that query the popularity of Evolution vs Creation. The latest, from a local television station somewhere (probably in the American south -I really couldn’t be arsed to sort it out), asks, “a school board member in SAD [...]

The Portable Atheist – Some Internet Sources

I recently read The Portable Atheist: Essential Readings for the Nonbeliever, by Christopher Hitchens -well, most of it. A fair amount I’d already read elsewhere, other bits just didn’t grab me. But I have to say its a treasured bit of reading that will stay handy on my bookshelf. I’ve made fair bit of pencil [...]

Atheists on Twitter?

Just curious: how many atheist bloggers are on twitter? I’ve been using Twitter with another username for a while and I’ve got to say it has its advantages. I was skeptical about whether or not I’d find it useful at first, but now I keep a Twitter window open all the time. It’s a great [...]

Point of Inquiry and the Chris Hedges Interview

I just finished listening to the recent interview D.J. Grothe did with Chris Hedges on Point of Inquiry: I don’t believe in atheists (5/2/08). Grothe is an excellent interviewer and I’m always impressed with his ability to engage a guest with smart questions and dialog, resulting in a podcast that gives the listener a new [...]