AOF Online - Freethought News

This Creepy Christian Truck is a Mobile Baptism Unit

All that's missing is a sign saying "Free Candy."

I need to get surgery and when I explained it to my mom she said "you see what happens when you don't believe"

I fairly recently informed my parents that I'm an atheist. It went well considering that both my parents are pastors but my mom especially wasn't happy about it. I went to the doctor today and was informed I need surgery[…]

Youth minister slaps horrified female reporter on the behind during live broadcast at 5km run

submitted by /u/Neosynephrine [link] [comments]

Zealots in High Office

Religious kooks in high office are an absurd facet of the Republican Trump administration.

In Rebuke of GOP Cruelty, Church Puts Jesus, Mary, and Joseph in Separate Cages

"What if this family sought refuge in our country today?"

Sitting in "Religion" Class. Expected something about religion without any preference or whatever, wrong. Its just disguised Christian Lessons

FML submitted by /u/Mikarana [link] [comments]

"You're only an atheist because you're disabled".

Someone actually said this to me today. As a wheelchair user, I'm used to lots of slurs. But this one is a new one on me. submitted by /u/ZebraWheelie [link] [comments]

It finally happened. Advice needed.

I had a 5 year old in public school. Her mom and I are both atheists. We also live in the bible belt (north west Florida). A few days ago, she is in the living room, practicing the song they've[…]

Actually heard an argument from a theist that's at a level of denial I've never heard before.

tl;dr Until you convert and god gives you the secret decoder ring, heathens literally cannot understand the sentences written in the bible. I was raised for 18 years in the Church, been atheist for most of the time after that[…]

Came home to a "Jesus is coming are YOU ready?" flyer tape to my door. Called the number on the back and they hung up on me in under 1 minute.

Just like the title said I came home to a flyer posted on my door. I called the number on the back to have some fun, and the guy operating the line didn't like that I wasn't "actively seeking a[…]

No, Nazis were not pagans or atheists. Fox News is lying to you. Nazis were Christians who attended Christian churches. They followed the viciously antisemitic teachings of protestant reformer Martin Luther, who promoted a Holocaust hundreds of years before Hitler was even born

submitted by /u/BanksyFan1 [link] [comments]

Indian Guru on the Run from Rape Charges Starts His Own Island Nation

This is a whole new level of delusion.

Church's nativity scene depicts Jesus, Mary, and Joseph as a family separated at the border

submitted by /u/goodatdrinkingbeer [link] [comments]

Roy Moore Justifies Candidacy by Comparing Himself to Brett Kavanagh and Clarence Thomas

If his goal is to distance himself from abuse allegations, it's not working.

This Jesus Christ Video Game Trailer Doesn’t Make Any Sense

If you don't get crucified... can you even win?

Catholic Bishop Charged with Stealing $142,000 from Elderly Church Member

These stories aren't even surprising anymore.

Coping With Religious Family Over the Holidays

By Marlene Winell ~ At this time of year it’s hard to avoid dealing with the differences you have with your family. If you are a “reclaimer” (reclaiming your life after being religious) who has been raised in a religious household,[…]

Without God I Am Nothing?

By Carl S ~ Here's one of my favorite jokes: A cruise ship was thrown off course in a storm. After the storm passed, the captain noticed a small island in the distance, not found on his maps. He ordered[…]

Amy Klobuchar Says, Weakly, “I Believe Very Strongly” in Church/State Separation

Her words and actions tell a very different story.

You Don't Have to Be Christian

As strange as it sounds today, it took me several years to realize that I did not have to be a Christian. I was raised Christian, told that I was Christian, and told repeatedly that the collective...

There’s Something Different About This Joel Osteen Sermon…

How long will it take you to spot it?

A woman was nearly kicked off a flight for wearing a "Hail Satan" shirt. American Airlines told her the shirt was offensive. She had to change her shirt or get off the plane. She is a member of The Satanic Temple and was wearing the shirt to support them.

submitted by /u/mepper [link] [comments]

Fears of Right-Wing Violence Lead N. Carolina Towns to Cancel Christmas Parades

Right-wing racists only have themselves to blame.

Michael Brown Shows Exactly Why Evangelicals Are “Foolish” for Backing Trump

This guy has a new religion. He worships Donald Trump.

Facebook’s reporting system being used to suppress religious freedom, says bipartisan Congressional letter

Facebook faced accusations this morning of enabling censorship on their platform through a letter from Rep. Jared Huffman (D-CA), co-signed by Reps. Jamie Raskin (D-MD), Susan Wild (D-PA), and Paul Gosar (R-AZ). Huffman, a co-chair and founding member of the[…]

Humanists Call on Congress to Uphold Constitutional Duty in Impeachment Process

A moral obligation to speak out in support of truth and fairness.The post Humanists Call on Congress to Uphold Constitutional Duty in Impeachment Process appeared first on American Humanist Association.

Christianity: Ten Knockout Punches, Number 3

The scripture fallacyIt took me a long time to detect the fatal flaw in the claim that the Bible is the revealed Word of God. I was well beyond my teenage-Bible-geek years when it happened. While I had never been[…]

Commonwealth, XII: Merciless Summer

As New York smolders in a relentless summer, Rae's best friend gets devastating news.

Missed Opportunities in Horror: The Bigfoot Film

Alexander Migl [CC BY-SA 4.0], via Wikimedia CommonsThis post contains Amazon.com affiliate links, and I receive small commissions for purchases made through these links. This is one of the ways...

A Substitute Teacher In Utah Went On A Religiously Tinged Anti-LGBTQ Rant. Three Students Put A Stop To It.

A Substitute Teacher In Utah Went On A Religiously Tinged Anti-LGBTQ Rant. Three Students Put A Stop To It. bostonThu, 12/05/2019 - 08:35Authored byRob BostonImagePublic schools have a legal obligation to keep preaching out of classrooms and to treat all[…]

Director of Communications & Campaigns steps down after 7 years

After seven and a half years at Humanists International, and twelve years total working within the humanist movement, Bob Churchill is stepping down from his role as Director of Communications & Campaigns.The post Director of Communications & Campaigns steps down[…]

More Government-Sponsored Religion In The Public Square Is A Holiday Gift We Don’t Need

More Government-Sponsored Religion In The Public Square Is A Holiday Gift We Don’t NeedbostonWed, 12/04/2019 - 09:05Authored byRob BostonImagePope Francis has issued a call for more nativity scenes in public spaces, a move that could escalate church-state conflict in the[…]

Richard Carrier Loses His Lawsuit (Again)

This is a sequel that should never have been written, but it has a happy(ish) ending.

Social Loafing for Jesus

Even if you have never heard the phrase social loafing before, you have almost certainly experienced it many times. In the briefest possible terms, social loafing refers to our tendency to expend...

Doesn't It Take Just as Much Faith to Be an Atheist?

[The following is an excerpt from my small book, Atheism: Q & A, the Kindle version of which is, for promotional purposes, free December 4 through December 8. The book consists of short entries (like this one) that answer common[…]

Greg Koukl's "Tactics" Strategy is to Obfuscate the Truth By Substituting Fallacies for Sound Reasoning

This meme is floating around apologetics sites with a huge number of likes and positive comments. It is the brain child of Greg Koukl, who is training Christians in the tactics of debate.The pointof this meme is that we believe[…]

This Giving Tuesday, Double The Impact Of Your Support Of Americans United

This Giving Tuesday, Double The Impact Of Your Support Of Americans UnitedbostonTue, 12/03/2019 - 09:11Authored byRob BostonImageToday is Giving Tuesday, which means it’s a great time to remember one of the most important things about the work of Americans United:[…]

Humanists UK publishes parties’ policies on humanist issues

Humanists UK is urging its supporters to ask their election candidates where they stand on humanist issues including assisted dying, humanist marriage, inclusive education, religious discrimination in schools, and other issues ahead of the general election on 12 December. It[…]

Let’s Say It Again: Yes, Church-State Separation Is Part Of Our Constitution

Let’s Say It Again: Yes, Church-State Separation Is Part Of Our ConstitutionbostonMon, 12/02/2019 - 09:26Authored byRob BostonImageOne of the most pernicious, and persistent, untruths peddled by the forces that want to merge religion and government is that there’s no such[…]

The Birth of Freethought

The philosophers of ancient Greece fought against theocracies of their day to pioneer the Western freethought tradition.

My Ten Books

With the recent release of my anthology, "The Case against Miracles", I've noticed a small spike in sales of my other books. So if you want more of them here are all TEN, listed in order of publication date.Read more[…]

OK Boomer and the Changing Face of Atheism

I am neither a Boomer nor a Millennial, two tribes that some are now depicting as being at war with one another. I belong to Generation X, a generation that was frequently maligned by the Boomers and...

Take action! Help secure safe and accessible abortion in Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland Humanists is encouraging its members and supporters to respond to a UK Government consultation on new regulations for abortion in Northern Ireland, which will come into force next year. The consultation closes on 16 December. Abortion was legalised[…]

Humanists UK welcomes new patrons Sally Le Page, Hannah Peel, and Catie Wilkins

Humanists UK is pleased to announce the appointment of three new patrons from the fields of science education, music, and the arts. They are Sally Le Page, popular evolutionary biologist and YouTuber; Hannah Peel, artist, producer, and composer; and well[…]

There Aren’t Any Winners in the Miracle Contest

The on-going erosion of Christianity“When was the last time you offered your condolences to a neighbor whose son is demon-possessed? Demons are just not encountered in everyday life, contrary to what one would expect if the New Testament worldview still[…]

Commonwealth, XI: One Nation Under Money

Rae and Owen debate the merits of incremental versus revolutionary change.

A Resounding Yes To Separation: AU Poll Shows Affirming Results

A Resounding Yes To Separation: AU Poll Shows Affirming ResultsbostonWed, 11/27/2019 - 08:31Authored byRachel LaserImageEditor’s note: This blog post by AU President and CEO Rachel Laser originally appeared in the November 2019 issue of AU's Church & State magazine.I fear,[…]

Humanists UK mourns Sir Jonathan Miller CBE

Humanists UK is deeply sad to report the death of its patron, the author and polymath Sir Jonathan Miller CBE. Sir Jonathan Miller was born into a Jewish family in 1934 and grew up in Hampstead. He studied natural sciences[…]

Dystopia Journal #35: Racist in the White House

We can't allow ourselves to accept this as the new normal.

Thankful I Was Exposed to Skepticism

When I was a kid, I was fascinated by all the mythical creatures (e.g., Bigfoot, the Loch Ness Monster, aliens) and unexplained phenomena (e.g., Bermuda Triangle, ESP) that traditional skeptics used...

Atheists Call Out Kentucky Sheriff’s Religious Promotion

Sheriff's public Facebook page posts an explicitly Christian prayer.The post Atheists Call Out Kentucky Sheriff’s Religious Promotion appeared first on American Humanist Association.

Let’s Not Forget The Human Cost Of Trump’s Denial Of Care Rule

Let’s Not Forget The Human Cost Of Trump’s Denial Of Care RulebostonTue, 11/26/2019 - 11:24Authored byRob BostonImageAs we’ve noted on this blog several times, Americans United is in court defending patients from the Trump administration’s reckless Denial of Care Rule[…]

Humanists UK publishes guide for parents on requesting alternative to collective worship

Humanists UK has published a guide for parents including a template letter to schools on how to request a meaningful alternative to collective worship if they have concerns about their children taking part. After the success of the recent case[…]

Court imposes permanent ban on anti-LGBT protesters at Birmingham school

Humanists UK has today welcomed the High Court’s decision to uphold an injuction which permanently prohibits anti-LGBT protesters from holding intimidating rallies near Anderton Park Primary School in Birmingham. The High Court in Birmingham today ruled that a temporary injunction[…]

Egyptian secularist facing arbitrary travel ban, now on hunger strike

Denied permission to travel despite their being no official court order, Ahmed Harkan has begun a hunger strikeThe post Egyptian secularist facing arbitrary travel ban, now on hunger strike appeared first on Humanists International.

Jesus Did it Again

By James Wilhelm ~ (The following is a true story - one of many I have personally come across during my 40+ year journey through Christianity.)I have a good friend - a dependable, devout, genteel type of guy. Regularly attended[…]

Robert Peston delivers the Holyoake Lecture 2019: ‘Mending a fractured society’

Robert Peston, journalist, broadcaster, and Political Editor at ITV News delivered the Holyoake Lecture 2019 to an audience of over 300 in central Manchester on Thursday 21 November. No politician was spared criticism in a fast-moving and wide-ranging lecture on[…]

"Crying Won't Help you, Praying Won't Do You No Good"

Here is a discussion I had with a guy who continues to pray for me despite the fact that I have committed the unpardonable sin of blasphemy the Holy Spirit. I inform him that his faith will eventually die and[…]

More Harm Than Good

An important theologian and Catholic scholar says all religions do more harm than good.

You Can Be an Atheist

I was sitting in church around the age of 15 because my parents were still forcing me to go even though I had already told them I no longer believed in their god(s) and that compulsory church...

You Can Now Look Inside the Book On Amazon At "The Case against Miracles"

From what I saw you can read the first 93 pages before you decide. LINK

A painful lesson in life

By James W ~ I grew up in a strict Catholic family of seven children.Fear was always present – fear of God - fear of my very abusive parents – fear of life – fear of myself.At 15 years old[…]

Hell, is no one asking the children?

By Carl S ~ When wars are planned, when invasions begin, when atrocities are committed, when religious and other ideologies seek domination, who considers the impact and ravages on children? Driven by adult fanaticism, who among those fanatics cares how[…]

Spreading Reason Through Name-Calling

When I am interacting with people offline, I can usually tell whether they are children or adults. I can often tell whether they understand me when I speak to them, and it is easy to tell whether...

Jesus killed my mother

By Lisa ~ I feel like I need to get this out so what better place then among other non-believers.My mother died of Gallbladder cancer 5 1/2 years ago.She was a type II Diabetic, Charismatic Christian.My mother (the narcissist) proclaimed[…]

The Trump Administration’s Reckless Denial Of Care Rule Is Not Going Into Effect Today

The Trump Administration’s Reckless Denial Of Care Rule Is Not Going Into Effect Today LHayesFri, 11/22/2019 - 10:35Authored byRob BostonImageThe Trump administration’s dangerous Denial of Care Rule, which would invite anyone who works in the health care profession to cite[…]

St. Peter Flunks Anger Management

His private versus public personaHow bad does the Bible have to get before you toss it? “That’s quite enough of that!” The Bible has been so well sold that laypeople usually are unprepared to be that brazen. But theologians and[…]

Commonwealth, X: A Toast to the Future

Rae's friends have a major announcement to make.

Catholic Church contradicts itself on approach to new school’s admissions

The Roman Catholic diocese proposing a Catholic school that, if approved, will be the first of a wave of religiously selective voluntary aided (VA) faith schools, has said that one-fifth of its places will be ‘allocated on the basis of[…]

My Interview With Freethought Radio About "The Case Against Miracles"

Here's the LINK to my Freethought Radio interview with hosts Dan Barker and Annie Laurie Gaylor. I talk about my new book being released tomorrow, The Case Against Miracles.

Americans Really Don’t Want Houses Of Worship To Endorse Candidates

Americans Really Don’t Want Houses Of Worship To Endorse CandidatesbostonWed, 11/20/2019 - 09:47Authored byRob BostonImageThe Pew Research Center recently released a new poll about Americans’ views on the role religion plays in society. As usual, there’s a lot to digest,[…]

We’ve Already Reached Peak Child

This is one environmental issue that may solve itself.

The Flat Earthers

How concerned should we be that flat-Earth belief appears to be on the rise? Obviously, most of us wish this was not the case. At a minimum, it would seem to reflect anti-intellectualism and...

School concedes in collective worship legal case – will provide alternative assemblies

Parents Lee and Lizanne Harris successfully challenge compulsory collective worship in school assembly on human rights grounds In a shock climbdown, Oxford Diocesan Schools Trust agrees to provide a meaningful alternative assembly of equal educational worth for all pupils withdrawn[…]

Phil Newby refused permission by High Court to challenge ban on assisted dying

Phil Newby, who has motor neurone disease, has today been refused permission by the High Court to challenge England and Wales’s prohibitive law on assisted dying. Humanists UK has expressed disappointment at the decision, but hopes it doesn’t affect the[…]

Ohio’s ‘Student Religious Liberties’ Bill Doesn't Protect Rights -- It Violates Them

Ohio’s ‘Student Religious Liberties’ Bill Doesn't Protect Rights -- It Violates ThembostonTue, 11/19/2019 - 12:28Authored byNik NartowiczImageLast week, the Ohio House of Representatives passed HB 164, a bill that is designed to encourage students to pray and proselytize in public[…]

"The Case against Miracles" Will Be Released This Friday, 11/22/19

This new anthology just may be the crowning work of my publishing career. It should be interesting to watch apologists deal with it. Here are links to the paperback edition, and the Kindle edition, which at this time is ranked[…]

President of Zambia declares “fools think there is no God” – reports

Humanists and atheists in Zambia are stigmatised for not believing in GodThe post President of Zambia declares “fools think there is no God” – reports appeared first on Humanists International.

The Supreme Court Is Considering Forcing You To Fund Religious Education

The Supreme Court Is Considering Forcing You To Fund Religious EducationbostonMon, 11/18/2019 - 11:11Authored byRob BostonImageOne of the most important things that separation of religion and government does is ensure that Americans are free to give financial support only to[…]

Proofs That Don’t Prove

Theologians' arguments for the existence of God all fall short.