Open letter to a creationist kid

At The Friendly Atheist there is an amazing open letter to a creationist. Here is a taste:

If you do lose your faith one day, know this: eventually, you stop being afraid of the demons. You stop being afraid of the fires of Hell. At some point, you will go home to an empty house and not worry that all of your loved ones have been raptured. Someday, you’ll just live, and love, with no restrictions, no fears, no rules from above. I’m making up the rules as I go, and that’s scary at times. But it’s okay.

You can read the rest of this touching letter here

Stephenson - A Vampire Movie

Okay, this is something I want to see:

The Gospel According to Stephenson is a vampire movie with a secular message. I learned about it from The Friendly Atheist.

 The basic story concerns the appearance of what appears to be a supernatural being in our modern society — Stephenson — and how the worldview of the people he comes in contact with colors their perception of him.

    Those with a supernatural worldview — “The Believers” — see him as an evil being needing to be stopped in the name of God and morality. Those with a naturalistic world view — “The Skeptics” — see vampirism as a disease that needs to be understood, and if necessary, cured. The Believers call in armies of Christians armed with crosses, wooden stakes and holy water. The Skeptics call in reason and science in the form of the CDC.

Stephenson is possibly the first movie to deal with the vampire myth from a skeptical POV. It is going to be partially crowd funded, so you should chip in! Help make this happen!

The Atheist Pig

The Atheist Pig is my new favorite comic. Funny and on the money every time. You should check it out.

They are killing us in Bangladesh

Atheist bloggers are being hacked to death in Bangladesh. Why isn't this at the top of every newscast? Why isn't the internet bubbling over about this. Silence isn't an option. I'm glad someone is talking about it.

The Friendly Atheist has more on the horror

P.Z. Meyers Gets it Wrong

Let me start by saying that P.Z. Meyers is a really smart guy. I am a big fan and generally find myself an agreement with most of his opinions. But, even really smart people can get something totally wrong.  P.Z. does that here

But I have to wonder…are atheists literally making a deal with the devil by ignoring the whole “let’s put up a statue of children worshipping an imaginary demon” thing? I knew a few Satanists way back when, and I’d say exactly the same thing about them I would about Baptists: generally nice people, but hoo boy, they really believed in some incredible bullshit. That they are serving the cause of highlighting conservative misappropriation of some good principles shouldn’t mean we stop questioning them.

The Satanic Temple isn't a religious group. It isn't even a group of religious people. It is a group of Atheists working toward a secular society by forcing the fundies to face their own shit. They use these statues to push Xians into either backing down, or accepting religious iconography that will offend them. When other Atheists join forces with ST (a group of Atheists) they are not making any sort of deal with the devil . 

Transmissible spongiform encephalopathies

Transmissible spongiform encephalopathies

(Just for us)
by Nathan Tyree

The rhythms of their breath, looped together in twin syncopations, were like venal sin without repentance. Damp scents filled the dark room and the single candle cast shadows about like playful ghosts.

“Here” she said, placing the flat of her palm against his chest and pushing so that he rolled off her and tumbled onto his back.

“What?” He strained to see her in the low, shifting light.

She straddled his pelvis and worked herself down. As he entered her again she said “I don’t believe in God.”

“Not even now?” he asked.

She thrust her hips forward, grinding hard against him. He reached up and gripped her nipple giving it a powerful twist.

“Especially not now,” she said as she quickened her movements drawing closer to orgasm.
“I . . . I . . . Need to . . . “ he tried to make a clear sentence but she clasped her hand over his mouth.
“Shut up,” she said. “Don’t you dare come yet.” Her breathing was changing, they were no longer creating harmony. She was conducting. Then spasm. Release. Her body quaked in waves. The sky seemed to collapse around her.

When she was done she rolled off him and spread her legs. “Here, finish” she said.

He climbed atop her and did just that. When he had exhausted himself and pulled out she said to his receding form “that’s why”.