- The Case for a Creator: Meet Your Ancestors
The Observatory • July 31, 2009
The Case for a Creator, Chapter 3
In the final section of chapter 3, Strobel and Wells turn to the evidence that creationists loathe above all else: the fossil hominids that make up the human family tree. Human ancestors are not only a clear, obvious transition that even a layperson can understand, they directly demonstrate that [...]
- Strange and Curious Sects: Raelism
The Library • July 29, 2009
As humanity's understanding of the universe evolves, our religious beliefs change along with it, and the result is that every new religion bears the stamp of the time and place in which it first arose. Mormonism is an example - Joseph Smith used "seer stones" to translate the Book of Mormon, and claimed that the [...]
- On the Morality of: Military Spending
The Library • July 27, 2009
I've been following, with some incredulity, a battle brewing in Congress over a military-spending bill and whether it will include money to buy more F-22 Raptors, a jet fighter used by the Air Force during the Cold War. Even though Defense Secretary Robert Gates insists that these planes are not needed, a contingent of Congresspeople [...]
- Another Cult Leader Convicted
The Rotunda • July 25, 2009
I've got to give the government credit: they've been doing an excellent job cracking down on criminals who try to hide behind religion. Between Kent Hovind, Warren Jeffs, and now a new conviction, federal prosecutors have been diligently enforcing the law against creeps, con men, and petty tyrants who claim that the law of God [...]
- Benevolent Business
The Loft • July 23, 2009
Back in 2007, I wrote a post on optimistic populism, or how free markets can be a force for good: by spurring efficiency and innovation, they increase the total amount of wealth in the world, making it possible to raise the standard of living for all people. I also noted the irony that libertarians, the [...]
- The Anti-Semitism of the New Testament
The Library • July 20, 2009
The history of anti-Semitism in the Christian church is a long, sad story. Ironically, this faith which began as a sect within Judaism has been responsible for many more atrocities against the Jewish people than any of their other enemies.
For centuries, Christian Europe reviled Jewish believers as Christ-killers, and Jews were accused of ludicrous [...]
- Poetry Sunday: Tor House
The Foyer • July 19, 2009
This month's Poetry Sunday features another poem by Robinson Jeffers, an American poet of the early twentieth century. Born 1887 in Pennsylvania, Jeffers was the son of a Presbyterian minister who taught his son Latin and Greek. Nevertheless, Jeffers did not follow in his father's footsteps. Rather than theology, he became enthralled at a young [...]
- Dignity in Dying: An Atheist's View
The Garden • July 18, 2009
By way of Dangerous Intersection, I came across this sorrowful, beautiful story:
He spent his life conducting world-renowned orchestras, but was almost blind and growing deaf – the music he loved increasingly out of reach. His wife of 54 years had been diagnosed with terminal cancer. So Edward and Joan Downes decided to die together.
Edward Downes, [...]
- The Case for a Creator: Ancient Wings
The Observatory • July 17, 2009
The Case for a Creator, Chapter 3
Up until now, Jonathan Wells' critiques of evolution, although misguided, have been fairly sophisticated, touching on topics such as abiogenesis, the Cambrian explosion, and embryology. That's about to change. In this section, Wells and Strobel haul out the most breathtaking, shameless lie bandied about by creationists: that there are [...]
- The Contributions of Freethinkers: Zora Neale Hurston
The Loft • July 15, 2009
I've been reading this essay from Sikivu Hutchinson in the L.A. Watts Times, which calls on black atheists to come out of the closet while acknowledging the difficulties they face in doing so. The cultural barriers, she says, are even greater than for white atheists: African-American culture is "heavily steeped" in Christian dogma, the legacy [...]
- The Science Gap
The Rotunda • July 13, 2009
While we're on the topic of science and the public, I came across another opinion poll worth mentioning: a survey released this month by Pew, Public Praises Science; Scientists Fault Public, Media, which analyzes how the public views scientific achievement and what professional scientists think of how their work is covered in the media (HT: [...]
- Send a Blogger to Antarctica
The Foyer • July 12, 2009
I was asked in e-mail to pass along news of this contest, which some Daylight Atheism readers may be interested in.
Quark Expeditions is sponsoring a "Blog Your Way to Antarctica" contest. Anyone can submit a 300-word essay explaining why they should be the one to join a voyage to Antarctica scheduled for February 2010, and [...]
- Clinic Escorting Journal: Day One
The Garden • July 11, 2009
"Ignorance, poverty and vice must stop populating the world. This cannot be done by moral suasion. This cannot be done by talk or example. This cannot be done by religion or by law, by priest or by hangman. This cannot be done by force, physical or moral.
To accomplish this there is but one way. [...]
- The Case for a Creator: The More Things Change
The Observatory • July 10, 2009
The Case for a Creator, Chapter 3
Strobel's discussion of embryonic similarities with Jonathan Wells leads into a broader discussion of homology, which deserves its own post.
I've been harder on Wells than I otherwise would because he, unlike the vast majority of creationists, has a legitimate degree in biology. It's impossible that he doesn't understand some [...]
- Answering the Accommodationists (Again)
The Garden • July 8, 2009
A great deal of flak has been flying back and forth across the blogosphere in recent weeks on, once again, the issue of compatibility between science, atheism and religion. The latest round was sparked by a Pew study on how the public views conflicts between science and faith, with Jerry Coyne arguing for incompatibility, Chris [...]
- Book Review: Misquoting Jesus
The Library • July 6, 2009
Summary: An eye-opening look at just how much the text of the Bible has changed over the centuries. Not to be missed.
I've read two other books by Bart Ehrman, Jesus, Interrupted and God's Problem, and while they were both competent, readable works explaining the principles of biblical textual criticism, neither one really floored me. But [...]
- The 39th Humanist Symposium
The Garden • July 5, 2009
Welcome to the 39th edition of the Humanist Symposium! This is a blog carnival for atheists and agnostics with a mission: not considering yet more arguments for or against the existence of God, but taking that as settled, to demonstrate how nonbelievers find happiness and meaning in life, and how a rational perspective informs our [...]
- Making Progress Toward a Secular America
The Rotunda • July 4, 2009
The Fourth of July should be a time for patriotic Americans to reflect on the progress our country has made and to rededicate ourselves to the cause of making it better where work still needs to be done. We can find material for both of those avenues in this article by Katrina van den Heuvel [...]
- Hooker Hunting in God's Country
The Loft • July 3, 2009
By Sarah Braasch
[Editor's Note: Please welcome Sarah Braasch back to Daylight Atheism for her second guest post! You can read Sarah's bio from a post last month.]
A few months ago, through some fault of my own, I found myself on a driving tour of Naples, Italy, assiduously avoiding the unwanted sexual advances of some US [...]
- To Those Who Doubt Their Religion
The Garden • July 1, 2009
This post isn't for confirmed atheists, nor for confirmed theists. It's not for people who've already made up their minds, one way or the other.
No, this post is for the seekers, the in-betweeners, the tormented doubters. It's for the uncertain agnostics, people who aren't certain what they believe; it's for people who feel like they [...]
