AOF Online - Freethought News

The Assassin Who Shot MN Lawmakers Is a Christofascist Pastor

This will come as no surprise, but the assassin is Vance Boelter - a right-wing evangelical pastor. He supports the Christofascist "Alliance for Defending Freedom", an American conservative Christian legal advocacy group that works to expand Christian religious practices within[…]

Pray for food, Nigerian government tells its staff amid mockery

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“Leave the children out of it”

How is it that messages of diversity and inclusion are lambasted as propaganda to corrupt or groom children yet religion always gets a pass? Apparently children shouldn’t even know about the existence of gay or trans people until they’re 18,[…]

Anyone else ever wonder how many people in the bible were just having psychotic episodes and all these “miracles” were just hallucinations?

what if some of those “visions” and miracles were just undiagnosed mental illnesses? Ezekiel saw flying eyeball wheels. Paul heard voices and went blind. Feels like we’d call that a mental health crisis today. Just a thought. submitted by[…]

MAGA Pastor Cheers: Iran Strikes Hasten End Times. “What wonderful days these days are before the coming of the Lord.”

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

‘No Kings’: The Rise Of Religious Authoritarianism In America

(OPINION) As a historian of Christianity, I have studied how religion has been manipulated to bless empires. In the year 325, Constantine declared himself Christian and forged the Christian Empire. In 800, the Pope crowned Charlemagne, merging the power of[…]

Sri Lanka’s New Mass Grave Reveals Failure Of ‘Peace’ Through Violence

(ANALYSIS) To this day, there are no national memorials for the victims. Instead, triumphalist military monuments, many of them built in Tamil-majority areas, celebrate a victory in a war whose collateral damage amounted to war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Truly, the opium of the masses

Was watching TV news with my grandma. There was a plane crash in Ahmedabad, India. Tragic stuff — only 1 survivor. Grandma (with full conviction): “God saved him!” Me: “What about the others?” Grandma: “Maybe he was a great devotee.[…]

Christian role model Michael Tait (DC Talk, Newsboys) just confessed on IG to 20+ years of cocaine & alcohol abuse and said the recent reports of him sexually assaulting boys “are sadly largely true”.

Christian role model Michael Tait just confessed on IG to 20+ years of cocaine & alcohol abuse and said the recent reports of him sexually assaulting boys “are sadly largely true”. Michael is one of the most famous Christian singers,[…]

2024 Election Post-Mortem: Jews

(ANALYSIS) Maybe what stands out here is that no matter how much the country has changed socially, religiously and politically, none of that has really shifted the overall relationship between Jews and the Democratic Party.

‘He stole a piece of our souls’: Christian music star Michael Tait accused of sexual assault by three men

The member of DC Talk, who moved to Newsboys, and was the main character in !Hero The Christian Rock Opera has skeletons in his closet that honestly in hindsight...sadly don't surprise me. But would have deveststed me at a younger[…]

Setting the Bible Straight on Its Flawed Condemnations of Same-Sex Love

Gay pride in defiance of Bible nonsense It baffles me that devout Christians consider the apostle Paul a source of wisdom and moral guidance. A careful reading of his authentic letters in the New Testament (that is, deemed authentic by scholars)[…]

How Trump’s Executive Orders Threaten Faith-Based Institutions’ Public Witness

(ANALYSIS) This is not a moment for faith-based institutions to retreat or sanitize their convictions. It is a moment to reclaim their voice and affirm their rightful in shaping a public life capacious enough to hold true difference, including sacred[…]

Is anyone else fucking STRUGGLING with being an American right now?

Between religious debates, racism, fascism, homophobia, and ICE, it all feels suffocating right now. I’ve struggled with being a childfree, bisexual, atheist woman in the south all my life. Most of that has been tied to the homophobia and oppression[…]

Carlo Acutis And Pier Giorgio Frassati To Be Canonized Together

The canonizations of the two young saints — one from the early 20th century, the other the first 21st-century saint — have been greatly anticipated due to the great devotion among the faithful.

Crossroads Podcast: Democrats Courting Men Amid New ‘Culture Wars’ Era

In other words, the moral battle lines at the heart of America’s “culture wars” continue to shift and evolve. Maybe the editors at the Times should assign a religion-beat professional to the team that is covering these trends?

5 Takeaways From Dallas: SBC Seeks Same-Sex Marriage Reversal And More

At its annual meeting in the Dallas, the nation’s largest Protestant nomination tackled social issues such as same-sex marriage, online porn and sports betting.

Their baby died of jaundice because they wanted to leave it in the hands of Jesus, and they said they would do it again.

https://share.google/pL85AlUmuYzASgzN7 Man, my oldest (8) had jaundice. It was so easy to knock out with the doctor's help. She is such a funny, athletic, brilliant, fun little mama's girl. She loves kawaii food plushies and is the most amazingly loving[…]

As Israel Attacks Iran, Jews Around The World Open Their Psalmbooks

As the evening crowd arrived for services Thursday evening at Young Israel of Century City, Benny Factor watched for updates on his phone, which was leaned against a tissue box on the table in front of him. The chyron of[…]

My Father Survived WWII, And (Thanks Be To God) That’s Why I’m Here

(OPINION) I’m sure I am not the first person to think along these lines, but did you ever consider that you might not exist if certain things had happened or not happened?

100 Years Ago, The Social Gospel Movement Helped Workers — And Promoted A Christian America

(ANALYSIS) Trump has praised the Gilded Age as a time of national prosperity thanks to tariffs, no income tax and few regulations. Similar to today, the late 19th century was a time where a small group of men enjoyed immense[…]

An AI model did something last month that no machine was ever supposed to do: It rewrote its own code to avoid being shut down!

By Mr. Rosenblatt, CEO of AE Studio. Wall Street Journal:An artificial-intelligence model did something last month that no machine was ever supposed to do: It rewrote its own code to avoid being shut down.Nonprofit AI lab Palisade Research gave OpenAI’s[…]

Honest Sermons on the Gospel of Mark: Chapter 6

More cult expectations, and the embrace of magic/miracle folklore Devout Christians have always been coached by their clergy to believe—to accept without question—that the gospels tell the true story of Jesus. Apparently this works pretty well, as long as the faithful[…]

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.

Talking Points Opposing The Educational Choice for Children Act (ECCA) in the Senate Reconciliation Bill

View Fullscreen Download PDF The post Talking Points Opposing The Educational Choice for Children Act (ECCA) in the Senate Reconciliation Bill appeared first on Secular Coalition for America.

BIBLICAL MIRACLES UNDER THE TEST OF REASON

Reasonable people need sufficient objective evidence to transform the alleged negligible amount of human testimony found in the Bible into verified or corroborated eyewitness testimony when it comes to miracles. But such evidence does not exist.David Hume argued that “No[…]

Rethinking Inerrancy so as to Take Account of all the Errors in the Bible:

Rethinking Inerrancy so as to Take Account of All the Errors in the Bible: Hopeful Theism used to be an agnostic, however these days he seems to have converted to some sort of High-Church Christianity; possibly Roman Catholicism. I cannot[…]

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.

Careful Bible Study Shows It’s Not a Divinely Inspired Book

If it is, god must have had a lot of really bad days Especially among evangelical and fundamentalist Christians, this remains a deeply cherished claim: that the Bible is true and trustworthy because it was dictated by god. In Caravaggio’s 1602[…]

"David Hume and the Logical Case Against Miracles" is Excellent!

This is an excellent video! I highly recommend it on David Hume’s Part 1 argument against miracles. It looks like my arguments on behalf of the outsider test for faith are included. It cuts to the chase. Now consider my[…]

New Testament Authors Get Low Marks for Common Sense and Sanity

That is, from our perspective, our knowledge of how the world works I’m pretty sure many devout Christians have found themselves saying—not out loud, of course—when reading some Bible verses: “That’s crazy!” Not even Jesus-script is exempt. In Matthew 10:37, we[…]

American Humanists Respond to St. Isidore Supreme Court Ruling

"Christian Nationalists failed, and the Supreme Court held the line." The post American Humanists Respond to St. Isidore Supreme Court Ruling appeared first on American Humanist Association.

American Humanist Association Wins First Amendment Case Against City of Ocala

It is never appropriate to use taxpayer dollars to promote religious beliefs. The post American Humanist Association Wins First Amendment Case Against City of Ocala appeared first on American Humanist Association.

"How to Become a non-Christian" by James Aames is a Brilliantly Conceived Book!

I met James Aames at the 2025 American Atheists National Convention where I learned of his book. I wish I had thought of such a thing. In it Aames takes believers through the fears they might have--whether real or imagined--that[…]

SCA and it’s Coalition Members Write Letter Urging Ways and Means Members to Oppose Inclusion of Two Bills

The inclusion of the Educational Choice for Children Act (ECCA) and the Healthcare Sharing Ministry Tax Parity Act would do irrevocable harm to the separation of church and should not be included in the Ways and Means reconciliation package. ECCA[…]

An Honest Sermon about the Gospel of Mark, Chapter 5

More episodes of pious superstition to boost holy hero JesusIt would seem that one of the primary goals of the author of Mark was to promote the idea that Jesus was a superior being from the spiritual realm. Indeed the[…]

American Humanists to Award Journalist Jelani Cobb Humanist of the Year Award

"For his secular commitment to shared humanity and collective liberation." The post American Humanists to Award Journalist Jelani Cobb Humanist of the Year Award appeared first on American Humanist Association.

House Weasels Pathway to Privatize Education into Reconciliation

Voucher programs don’t serve the needs of students. The post House Weasels Pathway to Privatize Education into Reconciliation appeared first on American Humanist Association.

Heretic on the Hill: Two Things the President Doesn’t Know

“I do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.” President Trump has sworn that[…]

Buying Less of What I Don’t Need: A Progress Report

It has been about a month since I wrote a post called "We Are People and We Reject Being Labeled as Consumers." At the end of that post, I said I planned to buy less of what I don't need.[…]

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[…]

May 4 Is the National Day of Reason

Today, May 4, is the National Day of Reason. Secular organizations like the American Humanist Association have been promoting it for years. Have these efforts made a difference? Should they? Would you like to see more reason? Does it make[…]

American Humanist Association, Center for Freethought Equality Praise Introduction of National Day of Reason Resolution in Congress

“America needs reason more than ever in an age of rampant nonsense.” The post American Humanist Association, Center for Freethought Equality Praise Introduction of National Day of Reason Resolution in Congress appeared first on American Humanist Association.

Center for Freethought Equality Applauds Introduction of Health Share Transparency Bill in Congress

Bring much-needed clarity to consumers about HCSMs operating in the US. The post Center for Freethought Equality Applauds Introduction of Health Share Transparency Bill in Congress appeared first on American Humanist Association.

Heretic on the Hill: Religion and Public Schools Go Back to Court

Unfortunately it’s time to talk about the Supreme Court again. Two decisions are coming soon that could have huge implications for religion in schools. This week the Court heard arguments on a case about whether parents should be allowed to[…]

Why Isn’t the Resurrection a Bigger Deal?

"He died for your sins, bro!" It doesn't matter how many times I hear this. It still doesn't make any sense to me. I didn't know him, and I didn't ask him to die. Everybody dies, so that part seems[…]

Making Sure Our Memories Are Accurate

How much of what we remember from our childhood is accurate? How many of those memories reflect what happened? We know that some of our memories are not accurate. What we remember may be closer to what we wished would[…]

Heretic on the Hill: Bill Would Formalize Politics in Churches

At the Secular Coalition we try to stay in our lane, and our lane is not trade and tariffs. However, when someone with a high school understanding of trade deficits blows up $8 trillion in market value, changes his mind[…]

From the Intern’s Desk: Book Banning

One of the spaces with the most debate surrounding the First Amendment is schools. From Engle v. Vitale, who found that a mandatory nondenominational school prayer was unconstitutional, to recent debates surrounding education vouchers, this has always been a highly[…]

We Are People and We Reject Being Labeled As Consumers

I found myself watching some TV news the other day, which is something I've been avoiding lately. The story that stood out started as a broad examination of the state of the U.S. economy. The commentators highlighted some of the[…]

Heretic on the Hill: It’s Not in the Constitution, But…

Arizona is one of several states considering legislation that would allow chaplains to join or replace licensed school counselors in public schools. Texas, Louisiana, and Florida have already passed this travesty of an effort to bring religion into schools through[…]

When Does the Irrational Belief Become Harmful?

Suppose we have two worlds. World A and B are identical in every way but one. In World B, there is evidence that haunted houses are real. What kind of evidence, you ask? That's a good question! The evidence of[…]

American Humanists Denounce Trump’s Executive Order Attempting to Close the Department of Education

Not sit idly by while public education is torn away from children. The post American Humanists Denounce Trump’s Executive Order Attempting to Close the Department of Education appeared first on American Humanist Association.

Center for Freethought Equality Proudly Supports Bill to Empower New York Consumers and Bring Greater Transparency to Health Care Sharing Ministries

HCSMs often deny or reject coverage based on religious or moral grounds. The post Center for Freethought Equality Proudly Supports Bill to Empower New York Consumers and Bring Greater Transparency to Health Care Sharing Ministries appeared first on American Humanist[…]

Heretics on the Hill: Last Tuesday

Last year I called it our Superbowl so this time I’m saying that last weekend was the Secular Coalition’s March Madness. On Sunday and Monday the 20 executive directors of the member organizations, plus the SCA board of directors, met to hear from speakers, talk government affairs, plan, collaborate,[…]

Arguments for the Existence of Gods Aren’t Needed in a Post-Truth Era

I used to enjoy learning about the arguments Christians had put forward in support of their god. The philosophy of religion was a favorite topic while studying philosophy in college. We'd learn each argument and examine the various rebuttals against[…]

Secularism Keeps Us Free From Imposed Religion

There's a person out there somewhere who has religious beliefs. His religious beliefs are different from yours. You do not share his faith. Whatever he believes is different from what you believe. So why should his religious beliefs affect you[…]

Heretic on the Hill: The Events of February 6th, and Yesterday

If you have been following current events, and there have been a ton of them in the last three weeks, you start getting overwhelmed. It’s important to take the time to decide which events are unlikely, which are insignificant, and which[…]

SCA Urges Senators to to Oppose the Nomination of Linda McMahon to be Secretary of Education.

The Secular Coalition for America, on behalf of its twenty member organizations dedicated to the separation of church and state, freedom of religion or belief, and the rights of the nonreligious, is writing to urge Senators Bill Cassidy and Bernie[…]

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[…]

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