“Ignorance is bliss” ~ Thomas Gray Intellectual capabilities are by far the greatest of gifts that a human being can possess. No matter what your personal flaws may be, the ability to be analytical, creative, rational, logical, and to see through what is arbitrary and trivial about human behavior and society is more valuable than…
Alexander Gerst has been observing the violence in Gaza from a distance—a distance of 205 miles. The German astronaut, currently aboard the International Space Station, sent out a tweet yesterday describing what he called “my saddest photo yet.” How strange—and depressing—it is that a human who has traveled to space through the wonders of science,…
There are a few issues that are near and dear to my heart. One of them is my love and support of US military veterans, especially those who have served in Operation Enduring Freedom or Operation Iraqi Freedom. It has become my life mission to help my brothers who suffer from the oftentimes debilitating effects…
The above question was the topic posed at a debate in Tennessee at the Marriott Memphis East on Saturday, May 31st, between opponents Sye Ten Bruggencate & Matt Dillahunty. “My name is Sye Ten Bruggencate. I live in Ontario, Canada. I was born in Toronto, grew up in a loving Christian home, and am the…
Historically marriage has been a social contract between two people under the guidance of their religious institution. If they chose to live their lives together and make their promises to one another through the avenue of religious ceremony they were considered “married.” The legal aspect of marriage is a modern invention created so that governments can…
In this exciting new edition of FWBI we take a look at Deuteronomy 13:6-10! Do you have any friends who are devoutly Christian but are married to a non-believer or someone who practices a different religion? Or perhaps they have a child who decided to strike out on their own path and adopt a faith…
A Halloween message from your friend, Duncan Trussell: It’s Halloween…and most of you are aware of the fact that this holiday was originally called Samhain and that the door of the spirit world opened up and fairies and spirits were most active during the night of Halloween and the preceding days. So, this is probably…
During our early religious indoctrination, most of us were told stories from the Bible about Satan. He was an evil, demon-man, a fallen angel lording over the underworld of Hell while causing mischief in the upper world, patiently awaiting sinners, backsliders, and non-believers so he could torture their souls forever. And God, being omnipotent and…
Skepticism is my Nature, Freethought is my Methodology, Agnosticism is my Conclusion, Atheism is my Opinion, and Humanism is my Motivation, – Jerry DeWitt, Hope After Faith “Jerry DeWitt’s ministry began when he was seventeen. After twenty-five years of preaching, including pastor-ship of two fundamentalist congregations, he became an atheist.” “I’d bounced from denomination to…
“If today you can take a thing like evolution and make it a crime to teach it in the public school, tomorrow you can make it a crime to teach it in the private schools, and the next year you can make it a crime to teach it to the hustings or in the church.…
A Reflective Stroll With H.L. Mencken In the humid summer days of middle Tennessee, in the year of someone’s lord or some such commonly known as the year 1925, a grand charade which surely would’ve rivaled the likes of Shakespeare was planned and conducted for publicity which still manages to drive economic activity in the…
“Interestingly enough, I have found that the prayers I offer to the sun and the prayers I formerly offered to God are all answered at about the same 50% rate.” ~ George Carlin I was talking to a friend today who told me a story about answered prayers. Their only car broke down, and they…
If you’re looking for a Messiah, you will eventually get one. Then, you’ll find out that you didn’t actually get a savior, but rather fell prey to a really good con. But, it’s okay; most human beings do. There really doesn’t have to be any shame for those who realize we’ve been duped, unless one…
“I’m proud we are standing up for religious freedom in our state. Freedom of religion doesn’t mean freedom from religion.” ~ Rick Perry 13 June 2013 Rick Perry, who has been the governor of Texas for what feels like an eternity, signed the “Merry Christmas Bill” into law today. The bill—HB 308—authored by Rep. Dwayne…
the chaos section 