godlessness
grrlscientist | September 27, 2009tags: atheists, atheism, famous atheists, satire, zakiechan, streaming video
This video is NOT an argument for atheism... It's a defense of atheists from right-wing religious -- christian, muslim, jewish and other fundamentalist -- hate-mongers. This video received the award for "Excellence in Humanist Communications" from the Harvard University Humanist Chaplaincy.
pharyngula | September 25, 2009The Charlotte Pop Fest '09 is going on right now — it's a music festival that also raises money for charities. You should go. The recipient of the profits this year will be the Richard Dawkins Foundation.
What, you say? They're raising money to promote secular science? In North Carolina?
Yes, they are. And the organizer, James Deem, says he is doing it to raise awareness for science and science education. I blow kisses his way — what a great idea.
Unfortunately, there are problems. Sponsors have pulled out, meaning that they had to cut some bands from the schedule, and of course, some members…
pharyngula | September 22, 2009The results of yet another poll are out, showing that the godless are rising and promise to rise for years to come. In 1990, we made up 8% of the population; now in 2009, we're 15%. They're extrapolating forward and estimating that we will make up 25% of the country in 20 years.
It's not enough, is all I can say. I suppose it's good news, but I am disappointed in my fellow Americans. I will not be content until the number is 100%. (OK, 95%. It's not fair to demand rationality from people who are brain damaged or locked up in asylums.)
The really bizarre news here is the way people are…
grrlscientist | September 17, 2009
Who: Eric Maisel, PhD
What: free public presentation, "Living Well Without Gods"
Where: University Settlement, 184 Eldridge Street (and Rivington St.) [map] 273 Bowery (Bowery & Houston) [map]
When: 730pm, Thursday, 17 September
Eric Maisel, PhD, is the author of more than thirty works of fiction and nonfiction. His latest book is The Atheist's Way: Living Well Without Gods, in which he discusses how to find rich personal meaning in life despite the absence of beneficent gods and the indifference of the universe to human concerns.
In his book, Maisel addresses atheists who don't always…
grrlscientist | September 16, 2009
Who: Eric Maisel, PhD
What: free public presentation, "Living Well Without Gods"
Where: University Settlement, 184 Eldridge Street (and Rivington St.) [map] 273 Bowery (Bowery & Houston) [map]
When: 730pm, Thursday, 17 September
Eric Maisel, PhD, is the author of more than thirty works of fiction and nonfiction. His latest book is The Atheist's Way: Living Well Without Gods, in which he discusses how to find rich personal meaning in life despite the absence of beneficent gods and the indifference of the universe to human concerns.
In his book, Maisel addresses atheists who don't always…
grrlscientist | September 10, 2009
Who: Toni Van Pelt, director of the Center for Inquiry's Office of Public Policy in Washington, D.C.
What: free public presentation, "Lobbying for Science and Reason on Capitol Hill"
Where: University Settlement, 184 Eldridge Street (and Rivington St.) [map] 273 Bowery site (that's at Bowery/Houston, just next door to an excellent Whole Foods branch [map])
When: 730pm, Thursday, 10 September
Toni Van Pelt is the director of the Center for Inquiry's Office of Public Policy in Washington, D.C. She will talk about her work as a lobbyist, promoting and advancing science and secularism. In her…
pharyngula | September 9, 2009I don't speak Spanish, so I'm going to have to rely on the summary that was sent to me. Perhaps some of our bilingual readers can pull out a few details?
Javier Armentia, Spanish astrophysicist and director of the Pamplona planetarium, is hired by the radio station COPE (property of the Catholic Church) as a popularizer of science.
A Catholic website announces (google translation) that Armentia is an atheist and doesn't have kind words for the church.
Armentia is promptly fired after less than a week. Commenters in the same Catholic site congratulate (google translation) COPE and wonder…
grrlscientist | September 9, 2009
Who: Toni Van Pelt, director of the Center for Inquiry's Office of Public Policy in Washington, D.C.
What: free public presentation, "Lobbying for Science and Reason on Capitol Hill"
Where: University Settlement, 184 Eldridge Street (and Rivington St.) [map]
When: 730pm, Thursday, 10 September
Toni Van Pelt is the director of the Center for Inquiry's Office of Public Policy in Washington, D.C. She will talk about her work as a lobbyist, promoting and advancing science and secularism. In her work, she asks our congresscritters to base law and policy on empirical evidence and the scientific…
pharyngula | September 8, 2009The latest Humanist News Podcast is up, and it contains my AHA award acceptance speech. You should listen to it for Norma Ramos's talk on the trafficking of women, though.
pharyngula | September 8, 2009A group of prominent Swedes have come out with a manifesto decrying the influence of religion in the world — which is great, but I do wonder why every time I read about famous Swedes, at least one of them has to be a former member of ABBA. It's a fine statement that promotes humanism as the only valid source of morality.
Anyway, a Danish newspaper ran a poll asking if its readers agree. Here it is:
Tolv fremtrædende svenskere blæser i manifest til kamp mod religioner, som de mener fylder alt for meget i samfundet. Er du enig? (Twelve prominent Swedes fan of manifesto to fight against…
grrlscientist | September 7, 2009
Who: Eric Maisel, PhD
What: free public presentation, "Living Well Without Gods"
Where: University Settlement, 184 Eldridge Street (and Rivington St.) [map] 273 Bowery (Bowery & Houston) [map]
When: 730pm, Thursday, 17 September
Eric Maisel, PhD, is the author of more than thirty works of fiction and nonfiction. His latest book is The Atheist's Way: Living Well Without Gods, in which he discusses how to find rich personal meaning in life despite the absence of beneficent gods and the indifference of the universe to human concerns.
In his book, Maisel addresses atheists who don't always…
pharyngula | September 4, 2009The lucky people near George Washington University get to learn all about godless sex on 16 September.
Fred Edwords
"The Joy of Godless Sex"
7:00 PM - 9:00 PM
The George Washington University
Marvin Center Amphitheater
When it comes to sexuality, two sizes don't fit all. Nor does one institution. That's why a nontheistic, humanist approach recognizes sexual diversity, individuality, freedom, and responsibility. And that's why humanists continue to work for an end to needless guilt and repression and actively call for a broadening of human possibilities and pleasures.
Hosted by SKEPTIC (…
pharyngula | September 4, 2009Fargo, North Dakota has declared 24 September to be Freethought Day, thanks to the Red River Freethinkers.
We're definitely going to have to have a party up North that day.
grrlscientist | September 3, 2009
Who: Toni Van Pelt, director of the Center for Inquiry's Office of Public Policy in Washington, D.C.
What: free public presentation, "Lobbying for Science and Reason on Capitol Hill"
Where: University Settlement, 184 Eldridge Street (and Rivington St.) [map]
When: 730pm, Thursday, 10 September
Toni Van Pelt is the director of the Center for Inquiry's Office of Public Policy in Washington, D.C. She will talk about her work as a lobbyist, promoting and advancing science and secularism. In her work, she asks our congresscritters to base law and policy on empirical evidence and the scientific…
pharyngula | August 30, 2009I'm sorry, you are all required to watch this video before doing anything else today. Don't worry, you'll enjoy it.
Penn & Teller, Bullshit! The Vatican from Brewster on Vimeo.
(via Atheist Media Blog)
pharyngula | August 27, 2009Tonight, at 10:30pm Central time, Innerside Radio will have an interview with FSMDude, the infamous serial desecrator of YouTube. He was recently visited by the Canadian Mounties, who were a bit concerned about this mysterious FSM cult, and wanted to know about his stockpile of firearms.
pharyngula | August 27, 2009I must admit that I quite like the subtitle for this new anti-atheist lament in the New Yorker by James Wood: "A don defends the Supreme Being from the new atheists." I just picture a gigantic graying gentleman in academic robes, his sleeves flapping as he swats aside the helicopter gunships piloted by Dawkins and Dennett and Harris and Hitchens as they swoop in to take out a cowering, defenseless, and semi-transparent Bronze Age patriarch behind him. It's a peculiar arrogance of the true believers that at the same time they fervently follow this imaginary being that they claim is omnipotent…
grrlscientist | August 25, 2009tags: cultural observations, Sam Harris, atheism, human behavior, humor, funny, streaming video
This video is an interesting interview with Sam Harris, author of The End of Faith: Religion, Terror, and the Future of Reason and Letter to a Christian Nation.