AOF Online - Freethought News

Stellan Skarsgård's Religious Beliefs

After reading this on Wikipedia, it has stayed with me. "Skarsgård was brought up by humanist, atheist parents, and had an atheist grandfather and a deeply religious grandmother. According to Skarsgård, this never led to any problems because of the[…]

The Bahai faith is a sexist and homophobic religion too, we need to raise awareness.

I wanted to speak about the Bahai faith a little, very shallowly it seems like a cool religion, as it wants to unite all religions (spirally Abrahamic ones) and its more progressive compared to other Abrahamic religions. They also do[…]

How do you debate someone whose only argument is "but the Bible says so"?

So, I meet this guy, he seems very fun, we hit it off, start having some deeper conversations until he drops the "we were all made in god's image" line, as a way to say how he doesn't understand how[…]

The Pope Made Him A Bishop, But The Local Diocese Has Rejected Him

Even though Emmanuel Ngona Ngotsi was appointed by Pope Francis as the bishop of the Democratic Republic of Congo’s Wamba Diocese in January 2024 and consecrated eight months later by Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo, he has yet to fully assume his[…]

Some Renaissance Paintings Of The Virgin Mary Have A Secret: Islamic Calligraphy

Because Mary herself was from the eastern Mediterranean, the subtle incorporation by Renaissance painters of abstractly rendered Arabic or Hebrew in religious art linguistically linked their sacred subjects to the region’s Biblical past as well as its bounteous wealth.

Meet Religion Unplugged’s Joseph Holmes: Faith-Based Movies Get A Tough Critic

Film and culture critic Joseph Holmes knows a good film when he sees one, but he hardly ever sees one — or at least that’s the running joke among Religion Unplugged staff.

I have out-Christaned my Christian family

Every Christmas, my super religious relatives have a family secret santa gift exchange. There’s a $50-60 limit. Lately, a lot of people have started asking for cash or gift cards, which I personally feel takes the fun out of it.[…]

Why the Right’s Religious Revival Won’t Work.

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It appears that God dislikes the Bible Belt & smites with tornados.

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California pastor faces felony charges for trying to meet teen

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How do you explain why you still participate in Christmas?

Title pretty much says it. I still celebrate Christmas. Definitely not in a Jesus way. We’re all elf on a shelf and Santa. But apparently I’m offending people by still enjoying the holiday that has been a huge part of[…]

God visited earth two thousand years ago and didn’t even mention CPR. Thanks God.

Obviously satire, but when Christianity’s “all-powerful, all-knowing” God visited Earth, he somehow left behind zero new knowledge… no hint of space, medicine, physics, or anything humanity didn’t already know. Almost like he wasn’t God at all. Edit: Several commenters provided[…]

A Christian mom who tried to ban LGBTQ books just got arrested for kidnapping her own daughter

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Supreme Court Hears Arguments About Pregnancy Center Donor Information

The U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments in a case involving pregnancy resource centers in New Jersey that have been fighting a legal battle to prevent the subpoena of its donor records.

What The GSS Tells Us About American Religion

(ANALYSIS) One of the most important cyclical events in my life as a data analyst of American religion is the semi-regular release of the General Social Survey.

Make Religion Unplugged A Preferred Source In Your Google Search Feed

What you choose to read matters. Only together can we can combat misinformation and uplift reporting that informs rather than inflames.

Crossroads Podcast: The New York Times Offers A Mixed Bag On Orthodox Converts

Certain corners of the Orthodox internet are not just conservative or traditionalist, but openly racist and antisemitic, with several far-right figures converting in recent years. In the South, there is a strain of neoconfederate Orthodoxy that marries white supremacy and[…]

The Case for Jesus as a Real Historical Person Continues to Erode

“But I feel Jesus in my heart” is evidence for what you’re feelingIn my most recent articles here I explained why we no longer need to pay much attention to the Sermon on the Mount and the Ten Commandments. Most devout churchgoers seem unaware of the[…]

‘Full Court Faith’: Former NBA Team Owner George Shinn Opens Up

A quarter-century ago, the millionaire businessman who brought the NBA’s original Charlotte Hornets to North Carolina’s largest city became embroiled in a sex scandal. Now he has published a book chronicling his stumbles and triumphs.

How Holocaust Movies Help Us Understand Rising Antisemitism

(ANALYSIS) These films give us hints as to potential “whys” behind rising Western antisemitism. When you look at the lessons the historical dramas teach, and the movies made about their legacy today, you see deep tensions. These tensions suggest that[…]

A Preacher Became President — Then Came His Stunning Fall From Grace

It was a stunning reversal of fortunes. In October, Lazarus Chakwera, Malawi’s charismatic preacher-turned-politician who once promised to “serve both God and the people,” lost his presidential re-election bid to long-time rival Peter Mutharika, who was formerly president himself from[…]

Should We Really Pay Attention to the Latest Research?

Well it depends. When evangelical apologists/theologians claim liberals, agnostics, and atheists should pay attention to their latest research, they really mean we should pay attention to their latest obfuscations, special pleadings, and theological gerrymandering.

Why We Shouldn’t Pay Much Attention to the Ten Commandments

Among other reasons, it’s a very defective listNot too long ago I saw a funny comment on social media, in the wake of recent pressures to have the Ten Commandments displayed in school classrooms: “The adultery rate among teenage boys[…]

Happy Thanksgiving!

I'm happy to share this interview of me on YouTube. Happy Thanksgiving! LINK.

Heretic on the Hill: The Law of Unintended Consequences Can’t Be Repealed

If this goes down as the “Pay Me” presidency with President Trump playing the role of mafia boss, demanding payments from universities, tech companies, networks, and whomever else he can shake down, then Stephen Miller will undoubtedly be the consigiliere. Miller[…]

The Problem of Evil Will Pulverize Theism into Oblivion Thanks To James Sterba, Paul Draper, and My New Book On Horrendous Suffering!

This latest book by Paul Draper should be very good! This should lead to a triple thumping to take place against Christian theism! It's coming from books by Sterba, Draper, and Loftus! The 2nd edition of mine comes out in[…]

Why We Shouldn’t Pay Much Attention to the Sermon on the Mount

Do the devout read it much anyway—and take it seriously? When we hear the words, Sermon on the Mount, we might be tempted to think it’s the pinnacle of moral teaching. Well, that’s been the church hype for centuries, but this doesn’t[…]

Honest Sermons about the Gospel of Mark: Chapter 12

An argumentative holy hero promotes the Jesus-cult Many religions insist that their spiritual truths derive from divine inspiration. Christianity especially. The Bible is revered, indeed worshipped, because of its supposed origin. In many churches, a splendid copy of the Bible is[…]

My peer-reviewed paper, "An Atheist Morality Without God", has been published at Religions.

My peer-reviewed paper, "An Atheist Morality Without God", has been published at Religions. Atheists now have an objective morality without God! 😉 Yay! Click Here To Enjoy! Please please share!

The Great Lisbon Earthquake of 1755

On Sunday, November 1, 1755, in Lisbon, Portugal, a great earthquake took place while Christians were worshipping their good all-powerful God. Since it was All Saints Day more Christians were in church than on other Sundays. Known as the Great[…]

As Belief in God(s) Fades, Does Morality Diminish As Well?

John Loftus and Russell Blackford make the case for atheist moralityMany years ago I knew a devout Catholic woman who would tolerate no questioning of her faith, because—full stop—she was eager to see her mother again in heaven. I recently[…]

Heretic on the Hill: Groups Like SCA Are Calling the Shots, Says Important Republican Senator. We Try.

Not long ago the Office of Personnel Management, the government’s HR department, released new guidelines for religious activity in federal offices. We thought they were so inappropriate, counterproductive, and counter to established federal employment policy that we put together our[…]

The Office of Personnel Management’s “Protecting Religious Expression in the Federal Workplace” Memorandum: What You Need to Know

The Office of Personnel Management’s “Protecting Religious Expression in the Federal Workplace” Memorandum: What You Need to Know Recently, Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Director Scott Kupor issued a memorandum detailing the rights and permissible behavior of religious federal employees[…]

Heretic on the Hill: Working Around the Shutdown

You’ve heard there’s a government shutdown. Most federal offices are closed and the “essential workers” are working without getting paid. Members of the military will miss a paycheck on October 15 which is the first event that might get one[…]

Humanists Applaud Introduction of Separation of Church and State Resolution in Congress

Real religious liberty can’t be taken for granted. The post Humanists Applaud Introduction of Separation of Church and State Resolution in Congress appeared first on American Humanist Association.

Heretic on the Hill: The Water’s Getting Hot

Tom Cruise has a good story about the incredibly dangerous stunt he did climbing the side of the world’s highest building in Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol. He had been dreaming about doing that stunt himself for years, finally got to the[…]

After Court declares that grant to Ohio religious school was unconstitutional, no funds to be spent on religious education

State funds cannot be spent on religious instruction. The post After Court declares that grant to Ohio religious school was unconstitutional, no funds to be spent on religious education appeared first on American Humanist Association.

Heretic on the Hill: A Thoughtful Presidential Statement on Building the Wall

Sixty-five years ago today President John Kennedy said about the Wall of Separation, “I believe in an America where the separation of church and state is absolute, where no Catholic prelate would tell the president (should he be Catholic) how to act, and[…]

Secular Coalition for America’s Stance on Political Violence

Secular Coalition for America’s Stance on Political Violence WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Secular Coalition for America unequivocally condemns all forms of political violence. A healthy democracy depends on vigorous debate, peaceful protest, and fair elections—not intimidation, threats, or bloodshed. Violence[…]

Heretic on the Hill: Judicial Activism, and the Treaty of Tripoli?

It’s the August recess in Washington and Members of Congress left town faster than a Texas Democrat. So Congress is not threatening to pass any bad legislation at the moment, which is nice. And it’s a good time to meet with Congressional[…]

Do Our Souls Require a Gender?

Do you regularly operate a motor vehicle of some kind? If so, is your motor vehicle male or female? This will seem like a nonsensical question to some. Machines don't have a gender! Others might think of their vehicle as[…]

How Does One Become a Christian Today?

Suppose I woke up tomorrow morning and decided that I wanted to be a Christian. I realize that seems unlikely, but that's not the point here. And because it isn't the case that I want to be a Christian, we[…]

The Federal Workforce is now Allowing Proselytizing. Here’s how Secular Groups are Taking a Stand

The Office of Personnel Management, in partnership with the White House Faith Office, has released a memorandum on “Religious Expression in the Federal Workplace.” The memo is filled with policies that support religious coercion and proselytizing in the workplace, which[…]

Heretic on the Hill: Telling Your Federal Co-worker They’re Going to Hell OK Now

The federal government has about 2.3 million employees, not counting postal workers. It’s difficult to get an exact count because so many have been fired this year and their firings are being appealed in court. 2.3 million is slightly larger[…]

Dying Without Withdrawing From Your Faith Savings Account

Imagine that your parents set up a savings account for you when you were a child. They did so to teach you about money, the importance of savings, and whatever else. Every month, they required you to make a small[…]

Some Lessons Learned During My Angry Atheist Phases

I've gone through at least two prolonged "angry atheist" phases in my life so far. I regret one of them. I knew it was counterproductive and hard to justify at the time. This insight wasn't enough to stop me, but[…]

I Live My Life As if Bigfoot Does Not Exist

Do Bigfoot creatures exist? I don't know, but it strikes me as quite unlikely. It would be cool if they did, but that isn't an adequate basis for believing that they do. And yet, it would not occur to me[…]

I Have Known Few Atheists

Living in the United States, it comes as no surprise that most of the people I've met have been Christians. I recently started to wonder how many atheists I've known. This question is much more difficult to answer than it[…]

VICTORY: Court rules grant to out-of-state Catholic Institution violates West Virginia Constitution

“Public dollars should always serve the public good." The post VICTORY: Court rules grant to out-of-state Catholic Institution violates West Virginia Constitution appeared first on American Humanist Association.

American Humanists Decry the Death of the Johnson Amendment

"All bets are off" The post American Humanists Decry the Death of the Johnson Amendment appeared first on American Humanist Association.

Is Identifying Oneself as an Atheist a Claim About Reality?

Suppose someone proclaimed that there were no gods or insisted that gods don't exist. They would have made a claim about the world, right? Well, maybe not our world since gods aren't supposed to inhabit our world but to transcend[…]

American Humanist Association Admonishes School Privatization Program, Other Heartless Provisions in Senate Reconciliation Package

"This bill is as un-American as it is un-humanist." The post American Humanist Association Admonishes School Privatization Program, Other Heartless Provisions in Senate Reconciliation Package appeared first on American Humanist Association.

Humanists Incensed By Supreme Court Ruling on Curriculum Opt-Outs

"A betrayal of public school students across the country." The post Humanists Incensed By Supreme Court Ruling on Curriculum Opt-Outs appeared first on American Humanist Association.

American Humanists Say “No War With Iran”

"Choose diplomacy over destruction." The post American Humanists Say “No War With Iran” appeared first on American Humanist Association.

The Wheres and Whens of Growing Up Atheist

What's it like to grow up in the United States and realize at some point along the way that one is an atheist? It depends a great deal on where one lives, doesn't it? The influence of religion varies a[…]

Humanists Outraged at SCOTUS Decision on Gender-Affirming Care for Minors

"Gender-affirming care saves lives, period." The post Humanists Outraged at SCOTUS Decision on Gender-Affirming Care for Minors appeared first on American Humanist Association.

When Uncomplicated Grief is a Luxury

"Everybody grieves in different ways." This sentence has been replaying in my head since my mom died a week ago. It reminds me that it is okay to grieve and that I will do it sooner or later. I'll do[…]

Implications of Supreme Court Ruling Could Be Broad and Dangerous, Warn Humanists

"Today’s decision is yet another wake-up call for secular Americans." The post Implications of Supreme Court Ruling Could Be Broad and Dangerous, Warn Humanists appeared first on American Humanist Association.

ICYMI: Center for Freethought Equality Testifies in Support of Legislation to Protect Oregon Consumers

Read Fish Stark's testimony warning against health care sharing ministries. The post ICYMI: Center for Freethought Equality Testifies in Support of Legislation to Protect Oregon Consumers appeared first on American Humanist Association.

Finding the Balance Between Staying Informed and Sinking Into Despair

If you ask most people why they interact with news sources, you'll hear some version of the same answer. We do it to stay informed. We want to know what's happening, and that's why we interact with the news. This[…]

France Declares Scientology a Fraud, Not Religion

Isn't this a bit link saying the Strawberry ice cream isn't really ice cream? Link: http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/europe/france/120202/france-labels-scientology-business-not-church

In Honor of Black History Month: Ex-Slave Tells Ex-Master to "Shove it"

This is brilliant and really needs minimal comment Dayton, Ohio, August 7, 1865 To My Old Master, Colonel P.H. Anderson, Big Spring, Tennessee Sir: I got your letter, and was glad to find that you had not forgotten Jourdon, and[…]

Indiana Slouches Toward Idiocy

As was mentioned in an earlier post, the Indiana state senate was scheduled to vote on allowing school districts to require "creationism", aka religious drivel, to be taught in public schools. They did, and it pasted with 28 out of[…]

Keep your Temples; We Have Greater Things

Alain de Botton, wants to build an Atheist Temple in London. Alain de Botton has announced plans to construct a 150 foot high temple to atheism in the heart to London. He claims that it is a terrible thing that[…]

A Review of "A Universe From Nothing"

From the AVClub: "With an afterward by Richard Dawkins, A Universe From Nothing: Why There Is Something Rather Than Nothing is solidly in the New Atheism camp, a cosmologist’s version of Dawkins’ The Blind Watchmaker. Krauss takes several jabs at[…]

The Myth of Jesus

UCF Professor Tells Ignorant Students What Higher Education is Really About

Charles Negy Charles Negy directly address the impact of students' religious bigotry, small mindedness and irrationality in the college classroom. Anyone who has ever taught a college class, especially in the humanities, knows that every word he wrote is accurate. Negy[…]