Daylight Atheism » Optimism

Goodbye Religion? How Godlessness Is Increasing With Each New Generation

Ebonmuse — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 11:05:28 +0000

This essay was originally published on AlterNet.

Something strange is happening to American teenagers. If you believe popular wisdom, young people are apathetic, cynical and jaded; or, they're supposed to be conformists whose overriding desire is to fit in and be popular. But if you've been paying close attention over the past decade, you might have ... [visit site to read more]

To Win, We Just Have to Show Up

Ebonmuse — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 10:55:28 +0000

In the wake of marriage equality's victory in New York State last Friday, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary president Albert Mohler posted the following to Twitter:

Now, fully 1 in 9 Americans will live in a state with legalized same-sex marriage. Our mission field is getting more complicated.

On the surface, this is ... [visit site to read more]

Marriage Equality on the March

Ebonmuse — Tue, 03 May 2011 11:26:16 +0000

At the end of last month, the Delaware legislature voted to approve a civil union bill. If Democratic Governor Jack Markell signs the bill, as he's said he will, Delaware will become the newest state to grant same-sex partnerships all the same legal rights as heterosexual couples - joining, by my reckoning, ten others: Vermont, Connecticut, New Jersey, Illinois, Oregon, Washington, New Hampshire, ... [visit site to read more]

Atheism Is Breaking Out All Over

Ebonmuse — Wed, 02 Mar 2011 11:45:14 +0000

Right around the time I received James A. Haught's editorial "Fading Faith", I was working on a similar post of my own. It was motivated by the brutal murder of Salman Taseer and the other signs that religious eliminationism is growing throughout the world, which drove me to wonder if there's any reason left to hope. Although visit site to read more]

Fading Faith: The Rise of the Secular Age

Ebonmuse — Fri, 04 Feb 2011 11:20:57 +0000

By James A. Haught

[Editor's Note: I'm proud to feature the writing of James Haught on Daylight Atheism. Mr. Haught has been an editor and columnist for the Charleston Gazette for over fifty years, as well as an eloquent and prolific freethinker and author of books like Holy Horrors. I've been a fan of his ever since I discovered him, through the Freedom from Religion Foundation, soon after becoming an atheist myself. You can read more of his work at his own website, visit site to read more]

The Beginnings of an Arab Enlightenment?

Ebonmuse — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 11:42:36 +0000

I've written recently about the vicious, dispiriting murders of human-rights advocates in Pakistan and Uganda. I'm an optimist by temperament, but stories like these are enough to drive me to the edge of despair. In my worst moments, it makes me wonder: is it possible for liberal, secular democracies to survive over the ... [visit site to read more]

Britain Defends the Enlightenment

Ebonmuse — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 00:24:29 +0000

Despite the ongoing schism of the Anglican church, which I wrote about in my last post, I'm happy to see that there's still plenty of good sense and reason in the U.K. One outstanding example is this story from last month, where the British Medical Association voted to stop funding homeopathy in public hospitals. (UK readers, do you know if is this a binding vote or just advisory?) There's been some ... [visit site to read more]

Happy Holidays! Atheism Is Growing!

Ebonmuse — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 17:50:32 +0000

As we ring in the new year, here's some news to give you a sense of optimism for 2010. This holiday season, we can add another piece of evidence to the growing pile which indicates that atheists are becoming more numerous and more successful:

This Christmas season, 78% of ... [visit site to read more]

In Defense of Optimism

Ebonmuse — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 15:14:18 +0000

Among the writers who oppose the New Atheists, one common theme in their criticism is that we're too optimistic about the possibility of human progress. For example, take this essay by Terry Eagleton attacking Richard Dawkins, in which the sneering condescension drips from every word:

It thus comes as no surprise that Dawkins turns out to be an old-fashioned Hegelian when it comes to global politics, believing in a ... [visit site to read more]

Making Progress Toward a Secular America

Ebonmuse — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 21:15:43 +0000

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 in the Nation, Rediscovering Secular America (HT: visit site to read more]

Hold and Build

Ebonmuse — Fri, 08 May 2009 10:58:12 +0000

Although there's been plenty of good news for atheists in recent weeks, stories that showcase our growing influence and assertiveness, this is no time for us to become complacent. We still have significant work to do to shore up the foundations of our movement, as this visit site to read more]

Dreams of a Better World

Ebonmuse — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 22:38:26 +0000

As I've written in the past, I'm an optimist when it comes to human progress: I'm confident that we can overcome the problems that beset us. This isn't to say that I think our triumph is inevitable, or even that optimism is the only possible position for a rational person to take. There are plenty of reasons to despair, for those who seek them out. Nevertheless, I think there's one major, counterbalancing reason for ... [visit site to read more]