AOF Online - Freethought News

How The 2026 Academy Awards Was Able To Pit Faith Against Religion

This year’s nominees’ bias toward personal faith over organized religion reflects the move our own society is making in that direction. It remains, however, to be seen whether that spirituality will evolve to meet the challenges of hyper-individualism, or if[…]

South Korea’s ‘Peace Island’ Christians Stand With Palestinians

The residents of Jeju Island remember what it is like to resist imperialism and outside interests. Groups that were formed to protest the U.S. naval base construction have now shifted their focus to seek peace in Palestine following the year-long Israel-Gaza war.

Dearborn Michigan mosque holds memorial for 'martyr' Ayatollah Khamenei, accuses US of worshiping Satan.

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Texas lawmakers tried to sneak prayer into public schools. 99% of districts rejected it.

The FFRF Action Fund is celebrating the fact that school districts across Texas have recently rejected the legislative imposition of Christian nationalism. To comply with Senate Bill 11, an unconstitutional measure that the Texas Statehouse passed in 2025, school districts[…]

Tennessee MAGA Pastor: "There are kitty litter boxes in the public schools for the boys that – for the girls who identify as furries. This is in the Bible Belt so we have to be watchmen on the wall."

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Johnson: US Must Wage War With Iran Because of Its “Misguided Religion”

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Today on “religious people are weird af” from someone living in the South.

I went to Walmart today to get a few things. When I got out of my car, I heard loud music, my walmart sometimes plays music out of the building speakers so I just assumed it was that at first.[…]

Michele Bachmann Says America Will Be 'Blessed' By God For Attacking Iran.

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Pastor Arrested On Multiple Animal Cruelty Charges.

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South Carolina Honors Rev. Jesse Jackson as Presidents Plan to Attend Funeral

The Rev. Jesse Jackson was honored at the South Carolina Statehouse as national leaders, civil rights veterans and family members paid tribute to his life and legacy. Presidents Barack Obama, Bill Clinton and Joe Biden were invited to attend his[…]

Investigation finds decades of sexual abuse among Catholic priests in Rhode Island

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As Middle East Tensions Spike, Women At Malta Summit Urge New Conversations On Iran’s Future

The summit unfolded against a backdrop of escalating geopolitical tension, coinciding with U.S.-Israeli airstrikes on Iran that resulted in the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and the prospect of regime change in a country gripped by Shi’a rule[…]

Trump fails to 'bring back religion' as church attendance in America death spirals

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Texas Republicans passed a bill creating prayer time at school. 99% of districts rejected it. Only 15 out of roughly 1,200 school districts adopted SB 11, exposing the manufactured crisis behind the Christian Nationalist push.

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Hispanic Church Planters Face Unique Advantages And Obstacles

A Lifeway Research study found the average new Hispanic church work starts with 31 people in attendance but grows consistently. By the eighth year, the church sees an average of 85 people at the weekly worship service. All through that[…]

‘Bringing People Together’: A Church Concert Echoes The Paralympic Spirit

Before the start of the Winter Paralympics, a 70-member choir from Abbiategrasso performed in Milan, promoting inclusion of people with disabilities. Backed by the archdiocese’s outreach, the concert highlighted unity over segregation, echoing Paralympic values and urging communities to “change[…]

Why Loki, Thor And Other Norse Gods Are Making A Comeback

Over 1,000 years ago, Norse gods like Odin, Loki, Thor and Freya were worshipped across Scandinavia. Now there are indications that Norse Paganism is becoming a significant force once again. The number of believers is steadily rising, with new temples and[…]

The Sunni-Shi’a Muslim Divide: Why It Matters In The War Against Iran

(ANALYSIS) Understanding this distinction can help get past oversimplified narratives. The Middle East’s conflicts are not simply ancient religious feuds. They are modern political struggles shaped by history, identity and political interests. Here’s what you need to know about Sunni[…]

What Maduro’s Capture Means For Religious Freedom in Venezuela

Venezuela's president has been in U.S. custody for two months now. But has the situation in Venezuela improved, and what does it mean for religious freedom? We talk with human rights experts about concerns for Latin American liberty at large.

The Measure Of Our Walk With God Isn’t In Results, But Faithfulness

(Opinion) It’s all about being faithful. You do what you can, and what you should, even if the results are out of your hands. Of course, the results are always out of your hands. You plant flowers even if the[…]

"Why Adam and Eve Sinned & Problems with Free Will" by Edouard Tahmizian

"Why Adam and Eve Sinned & Problems with Free Will" by Edouard Tahmizian is Secular Web's Editor's Choice, Kiosk Article! Congrats goes to Edouard who is the Vice President & Social Media Manager of Internet Infidels! LINK

For Good Reason, Respect for Clergy Has Been in Decline

The clergy themselves are to blameMany times on this blog I have wondered, “Why isn’t membership in the Catholic church down to zero by now?” Are its faithful members just not paying attention? Their church has paid more than four billion dollars[…]

American Humanists Launch “How to Humanist” Podcast

Introducing humanist conversations to major streaming platforms. The post American Humanists Launch “How to Humanist” Podcast appeared first on American Humanist Association.

"Christian Nationalism—The Danger That It Poses to Our Democracy" by John W. Loftus

The following link will take you to Google Slides for my presentation on this topic. It was sponsored by CFI Indiana this past Saturday. LINK. Let me know this works. I press on the down arrow to switch slides. If[…]

Convincing Evidence for a Real Jesus Still Can’t Be Found

Close study of the Bible and other ancient texts isn’t helpingMy very devout mother was born in southern Indiana in 1905. It was always a puzzle to me that she was not a fundamentalist. I recall vividly that she never watched Billy[…]

The Warsaw Ghetto vs. God-Is-Good Theology

Horrendous suffering can never be ignored to protect god(s) Not too long ago, a post quoting Bertrand Russell popped up on social media. It was an excerpt from his 1930 essay, Has Religion Made Useful Contributions to Civilization? Much of this essay[…]

American Humanists Launch the American Empathy Project

"Our response to the crisis of cruelty plaguing our communities." The post American Humanists Launch the American Empathy Project appeared first on American Humanist Association.

Here is a Visual of the Book "God and Horrendous Suffering"

In case you need a visual this is a very B.I.G. book! 600+ pages! Just released! You’ll get your money's worth. Get it. Review it. Laud it. Praise it. Love it. Hate it. It should challenge most readers to consider[…]

Honest Sermons on the Gospel of Mark, Chapter 15

The origins of anti-Semitism in this first gospel These 47 verses of chapter 15 should be read carefully, with curiosity fully engaged. How did the author of Mark’s gospel know—how did he find out about—any of what he depicts here? There[…]

2026 National Prayer Breakfast Opposition Letter – Organizational and Community Leaders Sign On

The Secular Coalition for America has joined several nonprofits, including the Freedom From Religion Foundation, to oppose the National Prayer Breakfast. The National Prayer Breakfast harms our national unity, the separation between religion and government, and the rights of the[…]

The Best Cure for Christianity Is Reading the Bible, Essay Number 8

There is far too much mediocre, alarming Jesus-script in the gospels On social media especially, there is[…]

Some Disturbing [Preconciliar] Catholic Art:

Some Disturbing [Preconciliar] Catholic Art: Figure 1: Some disturbing Preconciliar Roman Catholic art that I discovered on Pinterest. ‘Passiōnis Īnstrūmenta’, ‘The Instruments of the Passion’. Bad News About Christianity has some excellent posts about Christianity’s obsession with death. We have ‘[Christianity[…]

Horrendous Suffering Cannot Be Ignored in Guessing about God

Religious delusions no longer serve the needs of humanityIn my article here last week, I described three brick walls that Christian theology collides with, and which, in fact, demonstrate that it faces insurmountable problems: 1. Horrendous suffering, 2. Catastrophic superstition,[…]

Heretic on the Hill: Help Us Fight Preachers Endorsing Politicians

The Johnson Amendment is under attack. The legal prohibition against preachers endorsing candidates from the pulpit would be repealed if bills in the House and Senate pass this year. When you see a bill with a vague and seemingly patriotic title, like the Free Speech Fairness[…]

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.

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.

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[…]

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[…]

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[…]

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.

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[…]

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[…]