AOF Online - Freethought News

‘Avatar: Fire and Ash’ Defines Hollywood’s Take On Spirituality

(ANALYSIS) One of the things few people discuss about the “Avatar” films is how deeply “faith-based” they are. In fact, their spirituality may be one of the most influential things about the franchise in Hollywood. Since the first film graced[…]

✝️ Preacher And ‘Pop’: Remembering Marshall Keeble’s Faith And His Humor

To Gwen Cummings, the late Marshall Keeble was more than a famous traveling evangelist. He was her “Pop.” Cummings shared her personal memories of Marshall and Laura Keeble, her great-grandparents who were more like grandparents to her.

Crossroads Podcast: Philip Yancey And ‘New York Times Evangelicals’

Anyone who has followed religion news published by the Gray Lady in the years since January 22, 1973, knows that when debates linked to evangelicalism must be covered, The New York Times knows how to tell “good” evangelicals from “bad” evangelicals, as in the evangelicals[…]

Exhibit Honors Renowned Evangelist Who ‘Touched Tens Of Thousands Of Lives’

Nearly six decades after a renowned evangelist’s death, hundreds of Christians lined up at a Nashville, Tennessee, church — where the son of former slaves preached his first sermon in 1897 — to see a new exhibit honoring his legacy.

The Murder of Renee Nicole Good is another Impact of Christian Nationalism

Renee Nicole Good was murdered in cold blood by an ICE agent, aka one of Trump's Gestapo cops, after dropping her child off at school. Based on the evidence I could gather, she wasn't there to stop them from carrying[…]

Justice ministry seeks to end jail terms for blasphemy in Poland

Poland’s justice ministry is seeking to change the law so that anyone convicted of “offending religious feelings” cannot receive a prison sentence. The crime currently carries a potential jail term of up to two years. submitted by /u/Gamebyter[…]

19 Buddhist monks are on a 'Walk for Peace' from Texas to Washington DC. Churches have mobilised to protest them along the entire route. One of the protest ring leaders is a former who teacher who was fired for an inappropriate sexual relationship with a student.

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I forget how loud Christians need to make themselves sometimes.

This is just a bit of a rant (I do believe those are accepted here? Forgive me if I’ve misinterpreted the rules). Over the holidays, I spent some time with my extended relatives. Most of them are fairly low-key Christian.[…]

Amid A Violent Fight For Statehood, One Community Finds Interfaith Solidarity

Rather than answering blood with blood, many residents in one part of India turned to prayer, ritual and mutual care. This response has become as much a political statement as a spiritual one. In the days after deadly clashes took[…]

If "God" can exist without a creator, we can also exist without a creator.

Religious people hate when I bring this up. They will adamantly say "Nothing can exist without a creator." By their logic "God" would require a creator. Then they will say "Well God is the exception to our rule because everything[…]

Bestselling Christian Author Phillip Yancey Admits Years-Long Extramarital Affair and Retires from Writing and Public Speaking

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Hate pastor & neo-Nazi influencer say that maybe Hitler wasn't so bad after all. Holocaust atrocities "were probably not as bad as we've been told."

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

Why Christians Ignore What The Bible Says About Immigration

(ANALYSIS) Nothing can provoke anger quicker than mercy, when it’s directed to the wrong kind of people.

Evangelical preacher claims God backed Trump’s invasion of Venezuela, shows how Christian Nationalism can turn greed and war into extensions of 'God’s will'.

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

Christian Author Philip Yancey Admits To 8-Year Affair And Announces Retirement

Popular Christian writer Philip Yancey has confessed to “a sinful affair with a married woman” that lasted eight years. The 76-year-old author of “What’s So Amazing About Grace?” and “Where Is God When It Hurts?” said he would not share[…]

‘We’re All on the Clock’: Ben Sasse on Death, Faith and Hope

Former U.S. Sen. Ben Sasse of Nebraska, 53, said in an X post just before Christmas that said: "I'll cut to the chase: Last week I was diagnosed with metastasized, stage-four pancreatic cancer, and am gonna die.”

Does anyone else cringe whenever people pray out loud?

I try to be respectful and not immediately out myself as atheist (I'm in a bible belt state) but the secondhand embarrassment I feel around people praying out loud at the dinner table or at a funeral makes me cringe[…]

New Poll Finds Faith Divide Over Mamdani’s Criticism Of Israel

A majority of New York voters believe that Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s harsh criticism of Israel is a legitimate policy disagreement and that elected officials should challenge U.S. support for Israel, even if it upsets some voters, a new poll found.[…]

Renee Nicole Good, murdered by ICE, was a prize-winning poet. She wrote about problems with faith and the vaccum left behind. Really great stuff.

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Young Mormons Aren’t Blue — Just A Little Less Red

(ANALYSIS) The most important piece of data analysis in that post came from the Nationscape survey — a weekly study conducted between 2019 and early 2021. The total sample size was over 477,000 respondents, which means there were nearly five[…]

The United States Was Not Founded As A Christian Nation

You may have seen claims that the Founding Fathers created the United States to be a "Christian nation". This Christian nationalism narrative rewrites history and ignores America's Founders' mission to create a secular government where religious freedom is protected but[…]

American Humanists: “No More Regime-Change Wars”

“This is an issue of humanity." The post American Humanists: “No More Regime-Change Wars” appeared first on American Humanist Association.

Announcing the First Draft of the Cover To My Last Book:

As I said it's just the first draft. I love the concept. You can read the Preface, Blurbs, Contents and Introduction to "God and Horrendous Suffering" 2nd Edition RIGHT HERE.

Christians: Please Read the Gospels, Think, Ponder—Non-Stop

Which is precisely what the clergy don’t want you to doIt is especially important to study the origins of the Christian faith, and—above all—the origins of Jesus. It doesn’t take all that much effort to discover that the four gospel[…]

The Christian Faith Makes No Sense At All

My latest article at the Secular Web. You're welcome. Please share! The Christian Faith Makes No Sense At All.

The Best Cure for Christianity Is Reading the Bible, Essay No. 7

Big problems with the apostle Paul: please stop calling him a saintJust how did the apostle Paul become convinced that Jesus was the key to salvation? He assured one of his congregations that he heard this news directly from Jesus[…]

Humanists Denounce Pete Hegseth’s Attacks on Religious Pluralism in the Military

"No right to tell anyone what to believe or how to pray." The post Humanists Denounce Pete Hegseth’s Attacks on Religious Pluralism in the Military appeared first on American Humanist Association.

Honest Sermons on the Gospel of Mark: Chapter 13

How can devout Christians take this ancient superstition seriously? If Mark 13 were printed alone as a pamphlet—with the names changed—and handed out by goofy cult fanatics on street corners, churchgoers would be horrified by the cruelty, the promised violence[…]

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[…]

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[…]

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[…]

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[…]

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[…]