Debunking religion without apology Richard Dawkins, Daniel C. Dennett and Sam Harris all have come under fire recently for having the temerity to suggest that (a) the god-idea is make believe, (b) religion is irrational, and (c) religious moderates sometimes enable the activities of religious extremists. Harris and Dawkins are especially associated with the latter …
In spite of our best efforts, authors don’t write flawless copy. Sometimes we get things wrong. At other times, we don’t say things as well as we might. Rarely is any text so good that it can’t be improved. However, at some point one must simply turn it loose and move on to other things. …
By George A. Ricker The theocrats of the Religious Right have succeeded in accomplishing something nonbelievers would not have thought possible, let alone attempted. They have divorced “God” from religion. That’s right. In their zeal to get the “God” label plastered wherever possible in our society, the religionists apparently haven’t heard the rationale being used …
A speech delivered at the Space Coast Freethought Association’s first-ever First Amendment Rally on July 1, 2006. By George A. Ricker Congress shall make no law … abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press. The protection given freedom of the press is one of the most unique provisions in the Bill of Rights …
By George A. Ricker A talk delivered at the Second Annual National Day of Reason Banquet, sponsored by the Space Coast Freethought Association on May 4, 2006. Introduction “Ignorance is bliss.” We all have heard that statement. Sometimes it’s meant as a joke. Others use the words to declare their own willful ignorance. Some people …
Why I wrote it: I wrote Godless in America: conversations with an atheist with two goals in mind. The first was to explain atheism, as I understand it, and to show how it can lead to a positive outlook. The second was to address the status of nonbelief in the United States and the dangers I see …
Introduction In December of 1776 the cause of revolution was in serious trouble in Britain’s American colonies. The Rebel army, under the command of General George Washington, had suffered a string of defeats which left the troops demoralized. With many enlistments due to expire, there was the very real fear that, in the absence of …
The reaction of many Americans to the issue of same-sex marriage astounds me. Otherwise liberal or progressive people seem to want to run away from it. During the 2004 presidential campaign, Democrat John Kerry said he “opposed” gay marriage but supported civil unions. A position that was mirrored—though with considerably less fanfare—by Republican George W. …
In case you missed it—maybe you were living in a cave somewhere without any means of communication with the outside world—we’ve been having a bit of a flap about a handful of cartoons that were published in a Danish newspaper last fall. The cartoons contained some caricatures of Muhammad and tried, with mixed success, to …
“No” is such a simple word. Yet, even simple words can have profound consequences depending upon when and how they are used. Rosa Parks was a woman who said “no” more than 50 years ago. I doubt she could have foreseen the ramifications of her use of the word when she said it. I’m sure …