Is It Child Abuse to Teach Religion to Your Children? The Atheist Voice 2024-10-16 | Is It Child Abuse to Teach Religion to Your Children?
I Have a New Channel! The Atheist Voice 2019-10-03 | Thanks to everyone who watched me on this channel for so many years! My new channel is: youtube.com/friendlyatheist1I hope you'll consider subscribing there for more of my videos about atheism, politics, current events, and more!- Hemant
How Fighting the Ban on Gay Blood Donations Could Hurt the Christian Right The Atheist Voice 2018-10-03 | Hemant Mehta (http://www.friendlyatheist.com, http://www.patreon.com/Hemant , facebook.com/friendlyatheist)http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2018/07/19/a-gay-catholic-could-overturn-the-fdas-restriction-on-blood-donors-maybepapers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3206854This video's a little long, but I found the topic really interesting, and maybe you will too, even if it's a bit tangential to atheism.When it comes to donating blood in the United States, you might be aware that gay men aren’t allowed to do it if they’ve had sex in the past year. Technically, the ban applies to men who have had sex with men, which is slightly broader than just gay people, but I'll use the terminology interchangeably for the sake of this video.The one-year “deferral” is actually a recent change; in the past, sexually active gay men couldn’t donate at all. A version of that FDA regulation has been in place for decades as a result of the AIDS crisis in the 1980s — even though technology has now evolved to let us screen blood for HIV much more quickly and effectively.So why hasn’t the U.S. taken a hint from other countries that have either shortened that deferral period (like Japan and the UK) or eliminated it completely (like Italy and Spain)? Excuses range from imperfect screening tests to opposition from the Religious Right.It’s silly, in some ways, because a straight man who sleeps with many women is much more of a health risk that a gay man who’s monogamous. Yet only the gay man is prevented from donating blood.But we live in a country where same-sex couples can now get married and where LGBTQ equality is on much firmer footing than it used to be (even though Republicans are in power). So why not sue the government on grounds that the FDA’s restrictions discriminate against gay people?The simple answer is that a lawsuit like that probably wouldn’t get anywhere.The FDA’s ban isn’t in place because the government is actively discriminating against gay people; it’s a safety issue, they’ll say. If we could test the blood for HIV in an instant, we’d let everyone donate. But since we can’t, we’re screening out the people with the greatest likelihood of having it. That's their argument.But maybe there’s another way of winning the legal battle.In an absolutely fascinating paper, Professor Brian Soucek of the UC Davis School of Law thought of an alternative approach to overturning the ban.Even if it didn’t work, he wrote, the end result could still weaken the “religious freedom” laws that Christian Right groups have been using to great effect. As he says, “the case is a coin toss: heads, gay rights advocates win; tails, religious conservatives lose.”....Join the conversation. Leave your questions and comments below and we'll try to address them in future videos. Don't forget to subscribe for more!Also, follow us at ...twitter.com/atheistvoicesfacebook.com/TheAtheistVoicesplus.google.com/u/0/b/106662137332631352312/106662137332631352312/posts/p/pubhttp://theatheistvoice.tumblr.comhttp://www.theatheistvoice.comThe Atheist Voice provides a platform for discussion for atheist leaders, authors, bloggers, activists, and everybody else who is passionate about atheism, and secularism. Join the discussion by commenting under the videos or submitting video responses. If you'd like to collaborate on this channel or if you'd like to appear in our videos please visit our website www.TheAtheistVoice.com
Why Christians Shouldnt Say Im Sorry at Gay Pride Parades The Atheist Voice 2018-09-18 | Hemant Mehta (http://www.friendlyatheist.com, http://www.patreon.com/Hemant , facebook.com/friendlyatheist)I recently heard about a group of Christians who attended a gay pride parade. They weren't there to protest. They were there with signs saying "I'm sorry." They were sorry for judging gay people, for rejecting them in the name of "family values," for not listening, for seeing them as a sex act instead of as human beings.They wanted to apologize for all the harm Christians had caused the LGBTQ community and they were there to give out hugs.That seems really beautiful. What a kind loving gesture. That's the sort of thing Jesus might do. Now here's why all of that is bullshit.I appreciate that they're sorry. They have a lot to be sorry about. Still, whenever you hear about these stories, or if you run into these people, you should ask yourself two questions.Are they saying they support same-sex marriage?Do they think homosexuality is a sin?You almost never see those answers on their signs. There's a reason for that. They know the answers, but they don't want you to know their answers. They want credit for being good people even though they still hold these despicable views. So next time you see them, don’t hug them. Don't praise them. Not unless you ask those questions and get the right answers in return. Do not give them credit for views they don’t hold.Christians who sincerely want to “apologize” to the LGBTQ community should hold signs that say things like, “I’m sorry for judging you, and I fully support your civil rights.” Or "I'm sorry for thinking being gay was a sin, and I don't think that anymore." Or "I'm sorry I attended a church that supports conversion therapy, and I stopped going there."Don’t leave out the most important part of the statement. Saying sorry is just the beginning and it is not enough.Join the conversation. Leave your questions and comments below and we'll try to address them in future videos. Don't forget to subscribe for more!Also, follow us at ...twitter.com/atheistvoicesfacebook.com/TheAtheistVoicesplus.google.com/u/0/b/106662137332631352312/106662137332631352312/posts/p/pubhttp://theatheistvoice.tumblr.comhttp://www.theatheistvoice.comThe Atheist Voice provides a platform for discussion for atheist leaders, authors, bloggers, activists, and everybody else who is passionate about atheism, and secularism. Join the discussion by commenting under the videos or submitting video responses. If you'd like to collaborate on this channel or if you'd like to appear in our videos please visit our website www.TheAtheistVoice.com
Thanking God after surviving a tragedy is cruel The Atheist Voice 2018-09-04 | Hemant Mehta (http://www.friendlyatheist.com, http://www.patreon.com/Hemant , facebook.com/friendlyatheist)http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2018/07/21/god-spared-my-child-says-mother-after-branson-boat-tragedy-that-killed-17You may have heard about a recent tragedy in Branson, Missouri where 17 people died after the boat they were on for a special tour was caught in a storm, flipped over, and trapped people underneath. It was just horrific. Fewer than half the people on there survived. One of the survivors was a 15-year-old girl. As you can imagine, her mother, who wasn't on the boat, was so thankful to learn her daughter was alive. And she said something to reporters that sounds perfectly normal. She said she felt fortunate that "God spared my child." God spared her child.Now, look, I have no desire to criticize anyone whose emotions have been through hell and back, but I think that statement needs to be analyzed because it’s a common sentiment.If God spared her child, the implication is that God chose not to spare the lives of any of those 17 other people. In this mother's mind, the same God who killed those people allowed her daughter to make it out alive, and she’s praising Him for it.Do you know what the other side of that tragedy looked like? 9 of the people who died were from the same family. Imagine what it must be like for the surviving members of that family to hear someone else thanking God for the decisions He supposedly made in that storm.Obviously, the mother wasn't intentionally trying to say something awful. But that doesn’t mean it’s not a completely warped way of thinking. If you're thanking God after a tragedy, then God deserves blame for the death and destruction, too. Or (hear me out here) maybe a better God would've stopped the storm from happening in the first place. Or, better yet, blame someone who actually deserves it, like the captain who didn’t make everyone wear life jackets.As someone else once said, thanking god for sparing you in a disaster is like sending a thank-you note to a serial killer for stabbing the family next door.Join the conversation. Leave your questions and comments below and we'll try to address them in future videos. Don't forget to subscribe for more!Also, follow us at ...twitter.com/atheistvoicesfacebook.com/TheAtheistVoicesplus.google.com/u/0/b/106662137332631352312/106662137332631352312/posts/p/pubhttp://theatheistvoice.tumblr.comhttp://www.theatheistvoice.comThe Atheist Voice provides a platform for discussion for atheist leaders, authors, bloggers, activists, and everybody else who is passionate about atheism, and secularism. Join the discussion by commenting under the videos or submitting video responses. If you'd like to collaborate on this channel or if you'd like to appear in our videos please visit our website www.TheAtheistVoice.com
The Disturbing Details About the Catholic Churchs Abuse Scandal The Atheist Voice 2018-08-24 | Hemant Mehta (http://www.friendlyatheist.com, http://www.patreon.com/Hemant , facebook.com/friendlyatheist)http://friendlyatheist.patheos.com/2018/08/15/here-are-the-worst-abuses-by-catholic-priests-from-the-pa-grand-jurys-reportAs you may have heard, a Pennsylvania grand jury recently released a report about the child sex abuse scandal in the Catholic Church. They only looked at 6 of the 8 dioceses in the state and still produced a report that was more than 1300 pages long and implicated more then 300 priests and bishops and other Catholic leaders.Many of them are dead. Some of the stories were heavily redacted because the priests are alive and haven’t been charged with a crime. In some cases, the statute of limitations has long expired. But this was always about documenting the abuses more than anything. When you read this report and realize it’s just one group of priests in one state, you have to wonder what the stories would look like if a similar document was produced across the country, if not the world.And I want to tell you some of what they found. Not because it's disturbing -- and it's really disturbing -- but because this stuff had been going on for decades. The Church knew about it. They covered it up. They transferred priests to different parishes. They told families they would take care of the problem and never did.If you are giving money to the Catholic Church, or you attend Mass, or you even call yourself a Catholic at this point, you should know what it is you're supporting.Here's just a sampling. And if this is too much to take, click away now. This is your warning.One priest fondled at least 12 different boys by saying he was just showing them “how to check for cancer.”One priest raped an underage girl, got her pregnant, then paid for her abortion. His Bishop later wrote in a letter, “This is a very difficult time in your life, and I realize how upset you are. I too share your grief.” That letter was addressed to the priest, not his victim.One priest admitted to molesting approximately 35 boys because sex with girls was “sinful” but raping boys didn’t violate them.One priest tried having sex with a 17-year-old at a high school he worked at by saying God wanted them to express love for each other that way. When she said God would punish them, he told her, “there is no Hell.”One priest forced a nine-year-old boy to give him a blowjob, then washed his mouth out with holy water “to purify him.”There was a priest who dragged a child across a room by his underwear and beat him with a metal cross. He eventually quit the priesthood… but not before receiving a letter of recommendation from the Church for his new job… at Disney World.One priest molested a 12-year-old boy. That victim is 83 now, and he said he's fought in wars, but because of what that priest did to him, he could never hug or kiss his own children, who were boys. He can’t shake hands with men to this day. He can’t even see male doctors or dentists.One priest was known to take pictures in a boys’ locker room and maintained a book of “crotch shots.”One priest fondled a boy and stuck his finger up the kid's ass. Then he said to the boy that if their secret ever got out, the child and his mother would both burn in hell. Then he gave the boy a nickel....Join the conversation. Leave your questions and comments below and we'll try to address them in future videos. Don't forget to subscribe for more!Also, follow us at ...twitter.com/atheistvoicesfacebook.com/TheAtheistVoicesplus.google.com/u/0/b/106662137332631352312/106662137332631352312/posts/p/pubhttp://theatheistvoice.tumblr.comhttp://www.theatheistvoice.comThe Atheist Voice provides a platform for discussion for atheist leaders, authors, bloggers, activists, and everybody else who is passionate about atheism, and secularism. Join the discussion by commenting under the videos or submitting video responses. If you'd like to collaborate on this channel or if you'd like to appear in our videos please visit our website www.TheAtheistVoice.com
The Problem With Confession Booths The Atheist Voice 2018-07-23 | The Problem With Confession BoothsHemant Mehta (http://www.friendlyatheist.com, http://www.patreon.com/Hemant , facebook.com/friendlyatheist)http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2018/06/21/australian-tv-host-slams-catholic-bishop-who-plans-to-defy-anti-child-abuse-lawIf you grew up Catholic, then you're familiar with the Confession Booth. That's when you're supposed to go on a regular basis to confess all the sins you've committed since the last time you were there. These could be smaller sins, like you cheated on a test, to unforgivable sins, like "I'm gay and my boyfriend and I got it on and it was amazing." Seriously, the Catholic Church says that act is "intrinsically disordered"Anyway, the priest hears you out, and then suggests a way to make amends for your sins. It could be as simple as saying some prayers, some Hail Marys or Our Fathers. It could be telling you to volunteer at a soup kitchen. The idea is, sure, Christ died for our sins, and sure, you have to genuinely be repentant, but you should also do something else to make up for what you did.But here's the really important thing about Confession. It is a secret between you and the priest. The priest cannot tell anybody what you told him. That's part of the deal. Priests are bound by the Seal of Confession. They promise to die before revealing what you told them, and to break that would mean getting kicked out of the Church. Which sounds great to me, but they wouldn't want that. It's that promise that's been a problem for Catholic priests lately. In South Australia, for example, they just passed a law requiring priests to go to the authorities if someone confesses, for example, that he molested a child.And the priests don't want to do it. They say secular law is not as important as the Seal of Confession. The irony in this situation is that the acting archbishop who said that got his job because the actual archbishop was convicted of covering up child abuse.In another case, a priest named Michael McArdle apparently confessed to molesting kids 1,500 times, to 30 different priests, over 25 years. No one reported him to the police. He was just forgiven 1,500 times.That's what the new law is designed to stop. So the question is: What should take precedence: Religious beliefs or secular law? It's the same argument we have when a pharmacist doesn't want to give a patient birth control because he thinks it's abortion, or when a baker won't serve gay customers because it'd violate his conscience.Just like in those instances, secular law has to win. We are not governed by religious rules no matter how seriously some people take them. I used to be a teacher, and if a student confided in me that she was cutting herself or I noticed marks on her arms, I had a legal obligation to tell her counselor about that. It didn't matter that I was breaking a trust. And that makes sense. My silence would have meant more harm to that student.Priests should have that same obligation. No number of Hail Marys is as important as stopping an abuser before he commits another crime.To paraphrase an Australian TV host, by staying silent, they're just protecting predators in God's name. Join the conversation. Leave your questions and comments below and we'll try to address them in future videos. Don't forget to subscribe for more!Also, follow us at ...twitter.com/atheistvoicesfacebook.com/TheAtheistVoicesplus.google.com/u/0/b/106662137332631352312/106662137332631352312/posts/p/pubhttp://theatheistvoice.tumblr.comhttp://www.theatheistvoice.comThe Atheist Voice provides a platform for discussion for atheist leaders, authors, bloggers, activists, and everybody else who is passionate about atheism, and secularism. Join the discussion by commenting under the videos or submitting video responses. If you'd like to collaborate on this channel or if you'd like to appear in our videos please visit our website www.TheAtheistVoice.com
Ultra Orthodox Jews and Planes The Atheist Voice 2018-07-09 | Ultra Orthodox Jews and PlanesHemant Mehta (http://www.friendlyatheist.com, http://www.patreon.com/Hemant , facebook.com/friendlyatheist)Suppose you're on an airplane. You have your seat. And someone asks you to switch. For the most part, unless you have some really good reason not to, I think you should do it. It's polite. It's not really asking for much, and it makes the other person really happy. Sometimes, they might need to switch for an important reason. Maybe they're traveling with a family member and they just want to sit together. All the more reason for you to accommodate them.But for years now, some ultra-Orthodox Jewish men have been making that request specifically to women. The Jewish men have their seats, they realize they're sitting next to a woman, and they ask the woman to leave -- to change spots with some other guy.Because according to their religion, they can't be near women who aren't their wives. They might accidentally touch shoulders... and that's forbidden.As you can imagine, this has not always gone well. A lot of women have basically said, "hell, no" -- I'm not switching because your religion makes you sexist. And then the Jewish men argue they're being discriminated against. Flights have been delayed if not entirely held up over this, especially flights directly between the U.S. and Israel, where you might have several ultra-Orthodox Jewish men on the plane.So what's the right move in this case? Do we say, "I respect your religious beliefs and I'll move?" Or do we say, "Your religion doesn't trump my existence?" Personally, I'm all for the second option. If your religious beliefs are crazy, I shouldn't be under any obligation to help you out, especially when, without religion, it would be obvious that you're just being a dick. These women are minding their own damn business, not trying to get close to you.All of this really hit the fan recently when the CEO of an Israeli tech company called "Nice" said he was banning all employees' travel on El Al, the Israeli national airline that often accommodates the men, because the CEO said he didn't want to do business with companies that discriminate -- in this case, against women.El Al responded by saying, guess what? We're no longer accommodating faith-based sexism. If ultra-Orthodox Jews want to fight about where they sit, they will -- and I quote -- "immediately be removed from the aircraft."Now, that's great. It's also a little weird.El Al didn't care when people complained on social media about this. They didn't budge when someone filed a lawsuit over this problem. But when a major tech company complained, they bent over backwards to make sure religious bigotry didn't win. Still, it's the right move.If ultra-Orthodox Jews want to fly without the possibility of sitting next to a woman, let them buy two seats and keep one empty. If they can’t handle sitting next to a female stranger, that’s their problem. Flying is hard enough when you're next to a crying infant. No airline should be rewarding more of them.Join the conversation. Leave your questions and comments below and we'll try to address them in future videos. Don't forget to subscribe for more!Also, follow us at ...twitter.com/atheistvoicesfacebook.com/TheAtheistVoicesplus.google.com/u/0/b/106662137332631352312/106662137332631352312/posts/p/pubhttp://theatheistvoice.tumblr.comhttp://www.theatheistvoice.comThe Atheist Voice provides a platform for discussion for atheist leaders, authors, bloggers, activists, and everybody else who is passionate about atheism, and secularism. Join the discussion by commenting under the videos or submitting video responses. If you'd like to collaborate on this channel or if you'd like to appear in our videos please visit our website www.TheAtheistVoice.com
Justice Anthony Kennedys Spotty Legacy on Church State Separation The Atheist Voice 2018-07-02 | Justice Anthony Kennedy's Spotty Legacy on Church State SeparationHemant Mehta (http://www.friendlyatheist.com, http://www.patreon.com/Hemant , facebook.com/friendlyatheist)As you've surely heard by now, Anthony Kennedy is retiring from the Supreme Court. A lot of the discussion has revolved around what this will mean for abortion rights, LGBTQ rights, affirmative action, the death penalty -- basically, all the issues on which the conservative Kennedy sided with liberals in 5-4 decisions.But because Kennedy was pivotal on a lot of cases involving church/state separation, I wanted to talk about his legacy there. Because it's mixed. Let's start with the good.In 1992, he wrote the 5-4 majority opinion in a case called Lee v. Weisman, which said formal prayers at public school graduations were unconstitutional. The reason you don't have an opening prayer at your graduation ceremony is because of him.In 2000, he was part of a 6-3 majority in a case called Santa Fe School District v. Doe that said prayers over the loudspeakers before high school football games, even if they were student-initiated, were illegal. Kennedy agreed that those prayers were still school-sponsored because it's a school event, you're using school equipment, etc. And by the way, besides Kennedy, only two other justices from that majority remain on the Court.So that's great! Good on him!But then there's the other side of the story.In 1989, in a case called County of Allegheny v. ACLU, there was a question about whether a stand-alone Nativity Scene outside the Allegheny County Courthouse was legal. It was a complicated case for a number of reasons, but the 5-4 majority correctly said the display was illegal. The government was clearly promoting Christianity. Justice Kennedy? He was one of the four who didn't think it was a problem.In 2005, there were two separate cases involving a Ten Commandments monument on government property. In one case, in Texas, the Commandments were part of a larger display with a lot of other monuments. Taken as a whole, those displays didn't focus on Christianity even if that was kind of the point of the Commandments. Kennedy was part of the 5-4 majority that said that was legal.The other case, in Kentucky, involved a stand-alone monument outside a courthouse. It didn't matter that it had been there for decades. That was absolutely a promotion of Christianity. And the court said, 5-4, that that was illegal. Yay! But Kennedy was part of the minority that was okay with it. Just like he was okay with the Nativity scene. What the hell......Join the conversation. Leave your questions and comments below and we'll try to address them in future videos. Don't forget to subscribe for more!Also, follow us at ...twitter.com/atheistvoicesfacebook.com/TheAtheistVoicesplus.google.com/u/0/b/106662137332631352312/106662137332631352312/posts/p/pubhttp://theatheistvoice.tumblr.comhttp://www.theatheistvoice.comThe Atheist Voice provides a platform for discussion for atheist leaders, authors, bloggers, activists, and everybody else who is passionate about atheism, and secularism. Join the discussion by commenting under the videos or submitting video responses. If you'd like to collaborate on this channel or if you'd like to appear in our videos please visit our website www.TheAtheistVoice.com
Why the Masterpiece Cakeshop Ruling is bad for Christians The Atheist Voice 2018-06-18 | Why the Masterpiece Cakeshop Ruling is bad for ChristiansHemant Mehta (http://www.friendlyatheist.com, http://www.patreon.com/Hemant , facebook.com/friendlyatheist)We wrote about the issue here: http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2018/06/04/todays-supreme-court-victory-for-a-christian-baker-is-bad-news-for-christianityLet's talk about one of the biggest stories in the past few weeks: The Supreme Court ruled on a case involving a Christian baker refusing to make a cake for a same-sex couple.If you're not familiar with the backstory, the gay couple and the mother of one of the guys visited Masterpiece Cakeshop in Colorado, and before they could even pick out a cake, the owner of the place, Jack Phillips, realized the cake would be for the gay couple and said he wouldn't sell to them because it would violate his Christian beliefs. Now, he didn't say, "I'm not making a special cake for you with two grooms figurines on the top, because that would violate my beliefs." He refused to even sell them the same cake he would've easily sold to a straight couple.Don't let anyone tell you this was about the baker's artistic creativity or his refusal to endorse a same-sex marriage. They didn't even get to that part of the conversation. He found out they were gay. He decided he didn't want them as customers. That's the textbook definition of anti-gay discrimination. No one was asking him to do something he wouldn't have done for other customers.To me, that's straight-up faith-based discrimination. It's wrong. It shouldn't be legal. That's what a Colorado commission said. That's what an appeals court agreed with. And it's what the Supreme Court, in all its "wisdom," decided to overturn. They sided with the baker.But I really believe that, even though the baker won the case, this was quite possibly the worst outcome for evangelical Christians for a couple of reasons.- First, they won. Not even by one vote. They won 7-2. They can't even tell their donors that liberal activist judges are coming after their freedoms. Honestly, it would've been so much better for them, strategically, to have lost the case and tell people, "We need your money to fight back because liberals are after us."(...)Join the conversation. Leave your questions and comments below and we'll try to address them in future videos. Don't forget to subscribe for more!Also, follow us at ...twitter.com/atheistvoicesfacebook.com/TheAtheistVoicesplus.google.com/u/0/b/106662137332631352312/106662137332631352312/posts/p/pubhttp://theatheistvoice.tumblr.comhttp://www.theatheistvoice.comThe Atheist Voice provides a platform for discussion for atheist leaders, authors, bloggers, activists, and everybody else who is passionate about atheism, and secularism. Join the discussion by commenting under the videos or submitting video responses. If you'd like to collaborate on this channel or if you'd like to appear in our videos please visit our website www.TheAtheistVoice.com
Queer Disbelief Now Available The Atheist Voice 2018-01-22 | Queer Disbelief Now AvailableLink to book: http://amzn.to/2E41CSIHemant Mehta (http://www.friendlyatheist.com, http://www.patreon.com/Hemant , facebook.com/friendlyatheist)...A few months ago, I came on this channel to tell you about a big project I was working on. It was a book called Queer Disbelief, written by a friend of mine Camille Beredjick and which I edited, all about the intersection of atheist activism and LGBTQ rights.It's about how our two worlds overlap, where those comparisons break down, how religion can hurt and (surprisingly) help LGBTQ people, and why anyone who's passionate about church/state separation and critical thinking should be on the front lines of defending civil rights for LGBTQ people. In the book, we cover everything from marriage equality to conversion therapy to bathroom bills. We also call out politicians who pretend they took an oath on the Constitution and swore to uphold the Bible instead of the other way around. I'm happy to say our Kickstarter was fully funded and we were able to complete the book. I'm going to brag and say I think it looks amazing. It's also on sale right now at Amazon if you search for Queer Disbelief. I'll leave a link in the description, too.If you care about atheism and politics and social issues, I think you'll really appreciate this book. It is absolutely not a collection of blog posts that have been previously published. It's an original book, with a lot of research behind it, and it's a book even religious people who care about these topics will enjoy. So get your copy today! Camille and I have spent about a year and a half creating this and we're so excited for you to finally read it. After you do, I'd love to know what you think.Join the conversation. Leave your questions and comments below and we'll try to address them in future videos. Don't forget to subscribe for more!Also, follow us at ...twitter.com/atheistvoicesfacebook.com/TheAtheistVoicesplus.google.com/u/0/b/106662137332631352312/106662137332631352312/posts/p/pubhttp://theatheistvoice.tumblr.comhttp://www.theatheistvoice.comThe Atheist Voice provides a platform for discussion for atheist leaders, authors, bloggers, activists, and everybody else who is passionate about atheism, and secularism. Join the discussion by commenting under the videos or submitting video responses. If you'd like to collaborate on this channel or if you'd like to appear in our videos please visit our website www.TheAtheistVoice.com
These Atheist Activists Are Picking the Wrong Battles The Atheist Voice 2018-01-08 | These Atheist Activists Are Picking the Wrong BattlesHemant Mehta (http://www.friendlyatheist.com, http://www.patreon.com/Hemant , facebook.com/friendlyatheist)http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2017/12/21/oregon-atheist-may-sue-over-religious-street-banner-spoiler-hell-losehttp://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2017/12/26/kenyan-atheists-want-to-reward-kids-who-failed-their-religious-studies-exams...I've seen a couple examples recently of atheist activists who think they're fighting the good fight and defending church/state separation, but they're really getting it completely wrong. The first one took place in Oregon over the holidays. In the city of Eugene, an atheist noticed a banner hanging over a street that said in large print "Christmas" and "Jesus," and underneath those words, it said, “Attend a Church of Your Choice” and “Celebrate His Birth.” The atheist told a reporter that he felt like he was "being assaulted" by the banner. He assumed this was government promotion of religion and threatened to file a lawsuit over it. But here's why he's wrong. The city allows people to put up those street signs as long as they follow some basic guidelines and pay for the permit. There are three places, in fact, where they can have a sign. Some Christian put up this banner with a religious message, and that's fine, as long an atheist or Muslim or Satanist has the same opportunity. And guess what? They do. The city doesn't even seem to care what anyone's banner says. One city councilor even said they would permit banners from the KKK, which seems like a horrible idea, but the point is this is an open forum.If the atheist really wanted to complain about discrimination by the government, what he should've done was try buying his own banner with a pro-atheism message. If it got rejected, then he'd have a case. He didn't do that, and that's why he just came across as a whiner.The other instance of atheists getting activism wrong took place in Kenya. If you're in high school, there are standardized exams you can take in a variety of classes. If you do well, it'll help you get into a good college. Well, some of those exams in Kenya are optional and they test you on your understanding of Christianity, Islam, or Hinduism. Do you really know what those religions teach?A group called Atheists in Kenya recently offered a reward for students who performed poorly on those tests. Essentially, if you could show proof that you flunked your religious education exams, they were going to reward a couple of those students with a cash prize worth approximately $100 U.S. dollars.Here's why that's misguided. If I were religious, my beliefs would not be threatened by the atheist who fails an exam asking questions about my faith. I would be far more afraid of an atheist who gets a high score on that exam and still proudly proclaims that she believes none of it.Atheists in Kenya shouldn’t reward the kids who did poorly on those tests. They should reward the kids who scored the highest and who are also willing to publicly proclaim that the entire subject matter is absurd. We’re atheists not because we’re ignorant about religious beliefs but because we’ve examined them closely.I don't enjoy picking on atheists who I typically agree with, but in these cases, these people are just handing an easy talking point to religious people who think they're being persecuted.Join the conversation. Leave your questions and comments below and we'll try to address them in future videos. Don't forget to subscribe for more!Also, follow us at ...twitter.com/atheistvoicesfacebook.com/TheAtheistVoicesplus.google.com/u/0/b/106662137332631352312/106662137332631352312/posts/p/pubhttp://theatheistvoice.tumblr.comhttp://www.theatheistvoice.comThe Atheist Voice provides a platform for discussion for atheist leaders, authors, bloggers, activists, and everybody else who is passionate about atheism, and secularism. Join the discussion by commenting under the videos or submitting video responses. If you'd like to collaborate on this channel or if you'd like to appear in our videos please visit our website www.TheAtheistVoice.com
Make This Your Atheist New Years Resolution The Atheist Voice 2018-01-01 | Make This Your Atheist New Year's ResolutionHemant Mehta (http://www.friendlyatheist.com, http://www.patreon.com/Hemant , facebook.com/friendlyatheist)Happy new year! It's been a while. An infant will do that to you. I hope you're well.Since the new year is here, and you may be thinking about resolutions, I wanted to make one suggestion for something all of you can do this year: Try spreading reason, in some way, to people who aren't using it.That doesn't mean you have to start an argument or convince a religious relative to abandon Jesus. Good luck with that. But maybe you come across a friend spreading a picture on Facebook that contains misinformation. I want you to politely explain why that information is wrong. Back it up with a citation. I know they might dismiss it or ignore it, but do it. Maybe you read a news story that gets the facts wrong. Write to that newspaper or reporter and politely let them know what they screwed up. (Better yet, share that letter on social media.)Maybe someone you know promotes alternative medicine, or some mid-level marketing scheme, or thinks your astrological sign has something to do with how you act, or wants to go on a detox diet. Talk to them. Guide them to a path of reason. Do it privately if that's easier. You don't have to publicly shame them. The point is: Try to spread critical thinking in some way, especially if that's something you don't do already. You don't have to be a jerk about it. You don't have to do it all the time. But don't be afraid of it. We could use more critically thinking people out there willing to push back when they see something that's false.If there's one thing I've learned from making videos like these for a few years, it's that you're bound to get pushback when you try to spread what you think are reasonable arguments -- I see your downvotes and nasty comments -- but I also get a lot of really wonderful messages, privately, from people who says these videos made a difference. You don't need a platform like this to do that yourself.And even if your corrections don't change the mind of the person who made the comment in the first place, there's a good chance you might change the mind of a stranger who's reading it. You never know. Join the conversation. Leave your questions and comments below and we'll try to address them in future videos. Don't forget to subscribe for more!Also, follow us at ...twitter.com/atheistvoicesfacebook.com/TheAtheistVoicesplus.google.com/u/0/b/106662137332631352312/106662137332631352312/posts/p/pubhttp://theatheistvoice.tumblr.comhttp://www.theatheistvoice.comThe Atheist Voice provides a platform for discussion for atheist leaders, authors, bloggers, activists, and everybody else who is passionate about atheism, and secularism. Join the discussion by commenting under the videos or submitting video responses. If you'd like to collaborate on this channel or if you'd like to appear in our videos please visit our website www.TheAtheistVoice.com
Your Thoughts and Prayers Wont Help After the Texas Church Shooting The Atheist Voice 2017-11-08 | Your Thoughts and Prayers Won't Help After the Texas Church ShootingHemant Mehta (http://www.friendlyatheist.com, http://www.patreon.com/Hemant , facebook.com/friendlyatheist)As I'm sure you've all heard by now, a young man walked into a Texas church recently with a semi-automatic weapon he never should have had access to and killed 26 people inside. It's heartbreaking and upsetting for obvious reasons.One thing that bothered me specifically was that screenshots of the shooter's Facebook profile said he "liked" my Friendly Atheist page. You may have read other accounts, some of which are fake, that said he was an atheist. I've also seen screenshots of a LinkedIn profile that said he taught Bible school. I don't know if that's accurate. But that's not the point.Now, I don't know if he "liked" my page because he was a fan of what I wrote. But if he was, he would know I would never advocate violence or anything close to it when it comes to a religious disagreement. I think I'm right about the whole atheism thing, but that means I should be able to convince you I'm right using my words and whatever logic or reason I possess. So if the shooter liked me, well, he clearly didn't read anything I wrote.It's also possible he liked my page because he wanted to troll me or keep tabs on me. I follow several Christian pages just to know what they're saying, not because I actually like them. I can tell you I never got an email or message from the shooter. As far as I can tell, he never commented on my stuff either.I would also add that the police have made very clear that there's no evidence at all that this was a religiously motivated attack. This is not a story of an atheist walking into a church to kill Christians. All the available evidence says this was an unstable guy who wanted to go after his mother-in-law and he thought she was inside the church. It was a "domestic dispute," to use the official terminology, not a religious attack.Okay, enough about that. I wanted to raise one other thing that's bothering me about the response to the shooting, and that's the standard line we now hear after every tragedy like this. A lot of politicians, especially Republicans, will say they're sending their "thoughts and prayers" to the victims and their families.It's a way of saying you care... just not enough to do anything meaningful.Prayers are the only thing those families are gonna get from the GOP.The politicians aren't going to push for gun safety reforms. They won't push for more resources to address mental health. They won't do any of the things that could actually prevent mass shootings from happening with the same frequency they are right now.Paul Ryan said in a recent interview about this incident that "prayer works." No it doesn't. 26 people were murdered in church while they were praying. God wasn't listening to them. God wasn't listening to the people who prayed for these senseless murders to stop after Las Vegas. And God's not paying attention to people who offer their prayers now. There's no need to pray for help to the same God who allowed innocent people to die. Or, depending on what you believe, the same God who planned for it to happen.Prayers won't stop mass murders. Prayers will, at most, comfort the people saying them. That's it. For politicians who say it, it's the lazy way out....Join the conversation. Leave your questions and comments below and we'll try to address them in future videos. Don't forget to subscribe for more!Also, follow us at ...twitter.com/atheistvoicesfacebook.com/TheAtheistVoicesplus.google.com/u/0/b/106662137332631352312/106662137332631352312/posts/p/pubhttp://theatheistvoice.tumblr.comhttp://www.theatheistvoice.com
Do Atheists Believe in Love? The Atheist Voice 2017-10-10 | Do Atheists Believe in Love?Hemant Mehta (http://www.friendlyatheist.com, http://www.patreon.com/Hemant , facebook.com/friendlyatheist)I can't believe people ask this question, but I've heard it many times: Do atheists believe in love?The argument here, I think, is that we don't believe in God because we can't see Him or hear Him or touch Him. There's no tangible proof. Love is also something we can't technically see or hear or touch. So we must not believe in that either, right?No. Of course atheists believe in love, and there is proof of that. There's a sentimental answer, a non-sentimental answer, and a scientific answer. The sentimental answer here is that we know love exists because we see what people do when they're in love. They would do anything for their partner. They would take a bullet for their kids. They feel awful when they think about certain people who are no longer in their lives. They treat their loved ones better than they treat themselves. That's what love does to people. And by the way: Unlike religious experiences, we don't have to take other people's word for it. We can experience it ourselves. Hopefully. If you've ever been in love, you know what that does to you. The non-sentimental answer is that love is an idea for all of us, religious and non-religious people. It only exists in the way we act and feel. And saying love is real is very different from saying "I believe in Cupid and his arrows." There's nothing supernatural going on when you say you love someone. Atheists have emotions, too. Sometimes.There's also a scientific answer to this question. When I love someone and I'm around them, my hormones act in different ways. The way chemicals react in my body changes in response to my emotions. Different parts of our brain act up. So, yes, you can essentially measure love in the lab. But religious people might say the same thing about God, and they'd be right. I think the big difference between love and God is that when people say they believe in God, they're not talking about how they feel in response to their faith. They're referring to some Higher Power that they think actually exists. They think that God hears their prayers, and watches over them, and wants what's best for them. They think God speaks to them. That's now what we're talking about when we talk about love. If someone said God is nothing more than a euphoric feeling -- the sort of thing some secular people will tell you they experience during meditation -- okay, we could compare that to love. But there's no comparison between the feeling of love and a God that watches over you.Join the conversation. Leave your questions and comments below and we'll try to address them in future videos. Don't forget to subscribe for more!Also, follow us at ...twitter.com/atheistvoicesfacebook.com/TheAtheistVoicesplus.google.com/u/0/b/106662137332631352312/106662137332631352312/posts/p/pubhttp://theatheistvoice.tumblr.comhttp://www.theatheistvoice.comThe Atheist Voice provides a platform for discussion for atheist leaders, authors, bloggers, activists, and everybody else who is passionate about atheism, and secularism. Join the discussion by commenting under the videos or submitting video responses. If you'd like to collaborate on this channel or if you'd like to appear in our videos please visit our website www.TheAtheistVoice.com
Queer Disbelief The Atheist Voice 2017-09-26 | Hi, Atheist Voice viewers! I've been working for a while now on a new book with my friend Camille. It's all about the intersection of the LGBTQ and atheist communities: Where they overlap, where the comparisons break down, how religion hurts (and helps!) LGBTQ people, and why atheists can't ignore this issue.It's a subject that means a lot to both of us and we would love to have your support. Please consider pre-ordering the book via our Kickstarter right now:http://kck.st/2hhSAKKThank you!The left speaker's sound didn't come through in the video! My apologies!
Atheists Are Helping with Hurricane Disaster Relief The Atheist Voice 2017-09-16 | Atheists Are Helping with Hurricane Disaster ReliefFBBGive: fbbgive.orgFFRF Nonbelief Relief: ffrf.org/donateHumanists of Houston: http://humanistsofhouston.orgHouston Oasis: houstonoasis.orgSouth Texas Atheists for Reason: http://www.southtxatheistsforreason.orgBeaumont Humanist Society: gofundme.com/bhs4harveyCorpus Christi Atheists: fundrazr.com/HarveyCCAHumanist Fire Ants: gofundme.com/humanistfireants....A few years ago, tornadoes devastated parts of Oklahoma. I think a lot of atheists remember the aftermath of that disaster in particular because CNN's Wolf Blitzer interviewed a woman in the middle of the wreckage and asked her if she thanked God that she survived. And she responded, "I'm actually an atheist." Here's something else that you might not remember: Time magazine ran a cover story about the relief efforts in Oklahoma. And reporter Joe Klein said in his piece that it was “funny how you don’t see organized groups of secular humanists giving out hot meals” at ground zero. The sarcasm wasn’t appreciated since he completely ignored all the volunteer work done and donations made by atheist groups that were helping people in the wake of the disaster.It's happening all over again in the wake of Hurricanes Harvey and Irma. I saw a letter to the editor even ask straight-up: How come no atheists are helping out in Houston? We know there are Christian groups doing relief work. Maybe not Joel Osteen's church, but a lot of others! So what about atheists?There are so many ways to respond to this…One answer is that you’re not going to see as many atheist groups because we don't pressure members to give us 10% of their income and don’t have the sort of infrastructure that allows us to pool resources quickly for relief efforts. But that's a flimsy excuse. There are plenty of people helping out who don't have lots of money at their disposal. Another answer is that there ARE a lot of atheists helping out with relief efforts, but they’re doing it out of the goodness of their hearts and don’t feel the need to broadcast their lack of religion in the process. It’s not like every godless volunteer is wearing a shirt that says, “God didn’t cause this hurricane!”But you know what? There are organized atheist groups collecting money for relief efforts and there are open atheists helping people on the ground. And I know that because I actually looked for them. Let me give you a brief rundown of what some atheist groups are doing for victims of Hurricane Harvey. And I'm only talking about Harvey because, as I make this video, it's too soon for me to give you details about relief for Irma. Foundation Beyond Belief has been raising money from atheist donors since the hurricane hit. The first group to receive a check from them is All Hands Volunteers, a non-profit that assists with disaster recovery. At least one more group will be receiving funds as well.The Freedom From Religion Foundation’s charity agency, Nonbelief Relief, donated $10,000 to the Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund. They’re also “collecting hygiene and cleaning products and donations” to give to a local Boys and Girls Club working with their national organization to help people in Houston.The Humanists of Houston are coordinating relief efforts with their members.Members of Houston Oasis were cleaning strangers’ homes and serving food at shelters. They’re still accepting donations and volunteers for relief efforts.The South Texas Atheists for Reason have volunteered at a diaper bank and announced that they plan to “adopt” a family, providing them with whatever resources they need to get through this difficult time...Hemant Mehta (http://www.friendlyatheist.com, http://www.patreon.com/Hemant , facebook.com/friendlyatheist)Join the conversation. Leave your questions and comments below and we'll try to address them in future videos. Don't forget to subscribe for more!Also, follow us at ...twitter.com/atheistvoicesfacebook.com/TheAtheistVoicesplus.google.com/u/0/b/106662137332631352312/106662137332631352312/posts/p/pubhttp://theatheistvoice.tumblr.comhttp://www.theatheistvoice.com
The misguided protest at Liberty University The Atheist Voice 2017-09-05 | The misguided protest at Liberty Universityhttp://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2017/08/21/returning-your-diploma-to-liberty-university-in-protest-is-a-waste-of-timeHemant Mehta (http://www.friendlyatheist.com, http://www.patreon.com/Hemant , facebook.com/friendlyatheist)...One of Donald Trump's closest Christian allies throughout his campaign and presidency so far has been Jerry Falwell, Jr., the president of Liberty University.And while we can assume most of the conservative Christian students who attend Liberty have no problem with that, Falwell rubbed a lot of people the wrong way after the recent events in Charlottesville. Remember Trump's speech where he blamed "both sides" for causing violence? And then his bizarre press conference when he doubled down on those words?Falwell tweeted that he was proud of Trump for his "bold and truthful" statement. In response, a few dozen graduates of Liberty got together in a private Facebook group and decided they would protest by sending Falwell their diplomas. Here. Take it back. We don't want it. It's a powerful symbolic move... but it won’t make one damn bit of difference. Let's talk about why.First, of all, the last student protest over Falwell’s support of Trump went nowhere.Back in October of 2016, not long after the Access Hollywood tape came out and Trump was caught talking about grabbing women without consent, Falwell defended him. In fact, he said the tape must have been leaked by “establishment Republicans.” (As if the leaker’s identity was the real issue…)At the time, an ad hoc group of students -- not graduates but current students -- calling themselves “Liberty United Against Trump” issued a statement saying they did not share Falwell’s political views (at least this particular endorsement) and were frankly embarrassed he was using the school’s credibility to boost Trump’s campaign. Or should I say "credibility."And then what happened? Nothing.Hell, a week later, when a student wanted to publish an article denouncing Trump in the school’s newspaper, Falwell personally nixed it. Life went on. Falwell has backed Trump ever since. He even said he was being considered to run the Department of Education but he couldn't accept the offer because he didn’t want to leave Liberty for that long.In other words, the students’ protests before the election changed nothing. So why would this gesture by alumni move Falwell in a different direction now? Another problem: Why would Charlottesville be the final straw for the people sending back their diplomas?The graduates said to the media that “the Chancellor’s recent comments on the attack upon our neighbors in Charlottesville have brought our outrage and our sorrow to a boiling point… This is incompatible with Liberty University’s stated values, and incompatible with a Christian witness.”I’m glad they’re condemning Falwell over what he said… but why is THIS the tipping point? There’s a long, long list of horrible things Trump has done that contradicts Liberty’s (and Christianity’s) supposed values. He’s torn apart tight-knit families. He’s blocked Muslims from entering the country, contradicting the idea of religious freedom. He’s defunding programs that reduce teen pregnancy. which means more teens will get pregnant, which means they'll have more abortions. He bragged about sexual assault. And there has always been evidence that Trump is racist.These graduates could have sent back their diplomas years ago. They didn’t. Were they not bothered enough by any of those things?Also, why would Jerry Falwell care about diplomas from graduates?These students have already paid their tuition. Their résumés still list Liberty on them, and if they don’t, maybe that’s because they have a job and where they graduated from is now irrelevant. They’re statistics to him now.If they were making large donations to Liberty, and now they're not, that's a different story. But just sending Falwell a piece of paper? Who cares....Join the conversation. Leave your questions and comments below and we'll try to address them in future videos. Don't forget to subscribe for more!Also, follow us at ...twitter.com/atheistvoicesfacebook.com/TheAtheistVoicesplus.google.com/u/0/b/106662137332631352312/106662137332631352312/posts/p/pubhttp://theatheistvoice.tumblr.comhttp://www.theatheistvoice.com
Gods Not Keeping You Safe in Hurricanes The Atheist Voice 2017-08-29 | God's Not Keeping You Safe in HurricanesDonate at FBBGive.orgHemant Mehta (http://www.friendlyatheist.com, http://www.patreon.com/Hemant , facebook.com/friendlyatheist)First of all, if you or your family were in the path of destruction for Hurricane Harvey, I sincerely hope you're all okay. I hope you're able to go back home and get back to your regularly scheduled lives as soon as possible. And for those looking for a way to help, I have suggestions for you at the end of this video.But I wanted to talk about something else.After the hurricane hit, I saw a number of tweets and Facebook posts that say the same things we tend to hear after every natural disaster.Thank God we survived. God spared our house. God made sure our roads were safe. In one case, I saw a picture of a Virgin Mary statue that was still standing in the middle of destruction, as if God was sending a message that He loves us.And I understand the desire for comfort in the middle of a tragedy, so it's not like I'm going to start fights with these people online -- now's not the time for that -- but I always want to ask them:What about the damage? The same God who supposedly spared you killed other people. Does that not matter? What about all the debris around the Virgin Mary statue? I know you think God works in mysterious ways, but you don't send a love letter to someone whose life you just ruined.The God who didn't destroy your house left billions of dollars of destruction in the hurricane's wake. Were all those people affected by it sinners who deserved it? I mean, this was Texas. You can't walk three steps without running into a devout Christian. Even in Austin.And if God really wanted to help, couldn't He have just blown the damn hurricane on a different course so it didn't hit land? What sort of God sits back, watches all this, and does nothing? Even if God existed, that is not a God worthy of respect. If I saw a bully walking up to my daughter on the playground, I'm not just gonna sit there and wait for him to throw a punch before I intervene. And when I do intervene, I'm not just drawing my name in the sand.Calling these coincidences a miracle is ridiculous. That's like pointing to the sole survivor of a plane crash and saying God was looking out for her... even though the same God just made everyone else die a horrible death.How many people in Texas have to suffer until people stop thanking God that their community wasn't as flooded as the one a couple miles over?You know what I saw in the news? I saw people helping other people. I saw news anchors finding help for people trapped in their vehicles. And people taking boats to rescue as many strangers as they could. It was truly beautiful and amazing and it shows you that it's up to us to take of each other. We can't wait around for a higher power to step in.So if you see someone thanking God in the middle of this disaster, or any disaster in the future, first of all, don't be a jerk and start a religious fight with people who have other priorities right now. You wouldn't do that in the funeral home when a pastor brings up Heaven. There's a time and place. But I want YOU to think about what that means. The same God religious people thank in a tragedy is the same God they believe caused that tragedy.God keeping a cross up during a natural disaster is like a deadbeat dad who sends you $5 on your birthday while ignoring you the rest of the year. He's not someone worth looking up to.Now, if you want to do something to actually help, here are two things you can do that don't involve sending thoughts and prayers. No matter what, make sure you are voting for politicians at all levels who understand and respect science and climate change. Elect people who want to invest in infrastructure to protect cities that might have to deal with natural disasters, not ones who ignore what the experts are saying. That's just smart in the long-term.But if you want to do something right now, I would strongly urge you to donate to FBBGive.org. That stands for Foundation Beyond Belief and your donations will go toward recovery efforts that do not involve handing out bibles or proselytizing. I've worked with this organization before. They're good, trustworthy people, and 100% of your donations will go toward recovery efforts. Thank you for your help. By making that donation, you are doing so much more to help the people of Texas than God ever will.Join the conversation. Leave your questions and comments below and we'll try to address them in future videos. Don't forget to subscribe for more!Also, follow us at ...twitter.com/atheistvoicesfacebook.com/TheAtheistVoicesplus.google.com/u/0/b/106662137332631352312/106662137332631352312/posts/p/pubhttp://theatheistvoice.tumblr.comhttp://www.theatheistvoice.com
43 Questions About Heaven The Atheist Voice 2017-07-25 | 43 Questions About HeavenHemant Mehta (http://www.friendlyatheist.com, http://www.patreon.com/Hemant , facebook.com/friendlyatheist)There are many things that don't make sense about the Christian concept of Heaven -- or at least the popularized version of it. And I wish religious people could give me a clear answer on the following questions, because I don't think they've thought this through.- When we're up there, are we frozen at a certain age? I imagine old people wish they could be back in their younger bodies. Do they get that option?- What about babies who die? Do they remain babies in Heaven, or are they some older, wiser, talkative versions of themselves? - If you're a parent who tragically lost a baby, wouldn't you want to see your baby in heaven instead of some 20-year-old version of that baby you never knew?- What about unborn children? Christians say they've living, which is why we shouldn't abort them, but they also don't think those fetuses are going to be punished with Hell for their mother's decision. So is Heaven just littered with the remains of partially formed babies?- Does jealousy exist in Heaven? Because jealousy develops when people are better than you or have more things than you... but the only way to avoid that is to make everybody the same in Heaven. They say "variety is the spice of life" but it sounds like uniformity is the norm in Heaven, which sounds really boring.- What do people eat in Heaven? Can you be a carnivore? Because eating meat would still require the death of animals... and where would those animals come from? The places around you, I assume. So if I have this right, these animals died, then went to Heaven, only to be slaughtered again to provide food for hungry angels.- What about bugs? Do I have to deal with spiders on my cloud?- If I have a disability, do I still have it after I die? Can I get out of my wheelchair in Heaven? And what if I embraced it? There are deaf people who don't want cochlear implants. Does God fix their hearing against their will?- What if the person who killed me accepted Jesus and made it to Heaven. Would I run into that person?- What if I really don't want to see certain family members again in the afterlife? We always talk about how we'll be reunited with our loved ones after death... but I can think of a few people I don't want to see ever again, especially for eternity.- Speaking of loved ones, what if someone I loved didn't accept Christ? They'd go to Hell. But how happy could I be in Heaven if someone I loved was burning forever? Or would I just forget about that person?- Do people have sex in Heaven? Can they? Do they get privacy?- What if you're a guy who died at an old age? Does your dick work again?- If Islamic terrorists say you get 72 virgins in heaven, what happens when martyrs run out of them? Can they replenish their stash of virgins? And honestly, wouldn't they want to be with 72 people who know what they're doing? Or just one?- And wouldn't Heaven for those terrorists really be Hell for those virgins?- Where do we live? Do I get a house? Is it a mansion? - How do I go to sleep? Do people even get tired in Heaven?- Do I finally get to drive a Tesla? Does Heaven have roads?- Are we smarter in Heaven? Will I finally be able to understand things I never figured out on Earth? Will I be able to play the piano? Can I finally prove things that are elusive to the best mathematicians?- What's the weather like? Because when I visit my parents, we can't even agree on what the thermostat to be at. So is there temperature control? Is it individualized?- Would we be happy all the time? Because that could get really old after a while. Have you ever eaten pizza when you're really hungry? It's great for the first slices but then it starts to make you sick. And if you keep going you won't like it. You need a break. Happiness is great, but that's partly because we all get sad sometimes. It makes the good times that much more memorable. - Do we have to go to church in Heaven? If I'm there, it's presumably because God actually exists, but then are we supposed to worship Him for all eternity? That doesn't sound like a good time. You thought church was boring now? Wait till the services last literally forever.- Do I have to spend an eternity around other Christians who can't stop talking about God? Because I try to avoid that now. ...Also, follow us at ...twitter.com/atheistvoicesfacebook.com/TheAtheistVoicesplus.google.com/u/0/b/106662137332631352312/106662137332631352312/posts/p/pubhttp://theatheistvoice.tumblr.comhttp://www.theatheistvoice.com
Why Do Atheists Fight Over Small Things? The Atheist Voice 2017-07-11 | Why Do Atheists Fight Over Small Things?Hemant Mehta (http://www.friendlyatheist.com, http://www.patreon.com/Hemant , facebook.com/friendlyatheist)Someone asked me recently why atheists so often pick petty fights. They'll sue cities over things like Christian prayers at city council meetings or a Nativity scene outside a courthouse in December. Maybe, to you, those don't seem like five alarm fires.Even the Daily Show once made fun of the Freedom From Religion Foundation because they wrote a warning letter to the owner of a small diner who was giving customers a 15% discount if they openly prayed before a meal. Those things may be illegal, by the letter of the law, but c'mon. Do these things really bother atheists? Can't we just let these little things go?No. We shouldn't. I think we need to go after every single violation of church/state separation.Here's the simple reason why: Whenever we let these things slide, Christians begin doing it more often. If we don't speak up about the Nativity scene, the city will think that promoting Christianity is okay. They'll put Bible verses on government documents. They'll begin official events with Christian prayers. And eventually, this stuff becomes tradition -- making it even harder to stop in the future.It's like the Broken Windows theory of policing. If you take small acts of vandalism seriously, and people know you're going to come after them for even minor problems, it'll stop more serious crimes from taking place.Think back to the 1950s, when "In God We Trust" became our official motto. Atheists didn't raise a big fight back then -- we couldn't. We were unpopular, we were already associated with those "godless Communists," and the motto was adopted. And now? That phrase is in city halls, on police cars, and there's no legal way for atheists to fight against it because it's considered ceremonial. Same thing with the phrase "Under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance. It's been there so long that the courts say it's not an establishment of religion. They say it's not about promoting Christianity... even though it's totally about promoting Christianity. That's why church/state separation groups go after every infraction they think they have a valid case against. Better to stop these things now because later may not be an option.That's why I encourage all of you to speak up if you can if your teacher is proselytizing in the classroom or your coach is encouraging prayers before a game. It's not okay, but it won't stop unless someone has the courage to call them out on it.And the funny thing about this is that the people who tend to complain about atheists fighting these battles, are the very people who would freak out if a Muslim did anything like it. When they do it, it's Sharia Law. But when Christians do it, it's just tradition.Join the conversation. Leave your questions and comments below and we'll try to address them in future videos. Don't forget to subscribe for more!Also, follow us at ...twitter.com/atheistvoicesfacebook.com/TheAtheistVoicesplus.google.com/u/0/b/106662137332631352312/106662137332631352312/posts/p/pubhttp://theatheistvoice.tumblr.comhttp://www.theatheistvoice.comThe Atheist Voice provides a platform for discussion for atheist leaders, authors, bloggers, activists, and everybody else who is passionate about atheism, and secularism. Join the discussion by commenting under the videos or submitting video responses. If you'd like to collaborate on this channel or if you'd like to appear in our videos please visit our website www.TheAtheistVoice.com
If Atheists Sounded Like Christians (Continued) The Atheist Voice 2017-06-27 | If Atheists Sounded Like Christians (Continued)Hemant Mehta (http://www.friendlyatheist.com, http://www.patreon.com/Hemant , facebook.com/friendlyatheist)You're a Christian? Did you not get enough love from your father so you went looking for another one?Why do you hate science so much? God tells you what to do? Then how do you create your own purpose in life?What would Neil deGrasse Tyson do?You're burning a Richard Dawkins book?! That's... fine. I got another copy at home.Tide goes in, tide goes out. And we know exactly how that happens. Of course walking on water isn't a miracle. Just wait till December.Christopher Hitchens died for your ignorance.Dark Matter works in mysterious ways.Being Agnostic is a choice. And I don't approve of that lifestyle. They should really teach the basics of Islam in Sunday School. I mean, you gotta teach the controversy.I wouldn't get too close to those atheists across the street. They don't believe in God the wrong way. At the end of a lecture, we all drink this wine together. It's not symbolic and it's not the blood of anybody. It's just really damn good wine.He is risen. Because that's what helium does.I heard she's dating a Lutheran. She must not be a true Atheist.I just found a parking spot. Thank you, city planners!I'm so proud of my little girl. She's dating a Satanist from a really good family.Thanks to everyone who made suggestions for this list.Join the conversation. Leave your questions and comments below and we'll try to address them in future videos. Don't forget to subscribe for more!Also, follow us at ...twitter.com/atheistvoicesfacebook.com/TheAtheistVoicesplus.google.com/u/0/b/106662137332631352312/106662137332631352312/posts/p/pubhttp://theatheistvoice.tumblr.comhttp://www.theatheistvoice.comThe Atheist Voice provides a platform for discussion for atheist leaders, authors, bloggers, activists, and everybody else who is passionate about atheism, and secularism. Join the discussion by commenting under the videos or submitting video responses. If you'd like to collaborate on this channel or if you'd like to appear in our videos please visit our website www.TheAtheistVoice.com
The Hypocrisy of Evangelical Christians on Abortion The Atheist Voice 2017-06-20 | The Hypocrisy of Evangelical Christians on AbortionHemant Mehta (http://www.friendlyatheist.com, http://www.patreon.com/Hemant , facebook.com/friendlyatheist)We've always seen an incredible amount of hypocrisy from the anti-abortion crowd, but one story in particular really hammered this home recently.A girl named Maddi Runkles just graduated from Heritage Academy, a Christian school in Maryland. She was a good student by any measure, but this was a Christian school. So it's not enough that you get good grades and do extracurricular activities. You also have to abide by their honor code which polices your personal life. She didn't do that. She had sex with a guy who goes to a different school. And she got pregnant. And because this is a Christian academy, this is now everybody's business. They punished her by saying she couldn't attend graduation with the rest of her classmates. They'd mail the diploma to her house.Think about what that means.If Maddi had chosen to get an abortion, there's a good chance no one would've known about it except her, the guy, and whoever else needed to know. And she would've walked across that stage like everybody else.But because she chose to keep the baby, which is exactly what conservative Christians always want women to do, she was punished.What message does that send? They're totally against abortion... but if she had one, everything would've been fine? They would've forgiven her and moved on?We know exactly why they punished her. Because she's literally pregnant right now, and everyone can see that. That's what the school was really afraid of. Their reputation, not abortion. Their scare tactics didn't work on her.This is one of the biggest problems with Christian “morality.” Evangelicals are not more moral than everyone else. But they sure as hell want to act like it. So they only really get mad when people “sin” in ways that are obvious.That’s why being gay isn’t necessarily a problem in many churches, but being in an open same-sex relationship, which people notice, is. That’s why televangelists can scam people out of their money behind the scenes while acting pious in front of the camera. That’s why pastors like Ted Haggard have to resign after their sex scandals get a lot of attention... but megachurch pastors who inflict abuse out of the spotlight stay in their positions for years. That’s why evangelicals talk out loud about treating women as equals... but get furious when female Christian bloggers openly call them out on their bullshit. You know what's really crazy? Next year, Maddi will be attending Bob Jones University, the Christian school that banned interracial dating until the year 2000 -- in part, I assume, because they felt it was a slap in the face to God if the public saw a mixing of races.So this isn't a controversy about abortion. This is a controversy over a student who's visibly pregnant. And her school is shaming her for it. It's appalling. But this is routine for the anti-abortion crowd. If they really cared about preventing abortions, they would celebrate her decision to keep the baby even if it meant admitting that she did with her boyfriend what so many other high-schoolers do. They would do everything they can to make sure that baby is cared for and help Maddi make the transition into motherhood.Listen: I have a baby. I'm older than Maddi is, I'm done with school, I have all the resources in the world to take care of the baby. But it's still really, really hard. I promise you she's gonna need some help. Not shame from her own community.At the very least, maybe they can start teaching real sex education at that school instead of abstinence-only nonsense.. By the way, just to add one more point to all this, one study in 2014 found that 13% of women who have abortions are evangelicals. Because that's a self-reported number, I don't know how accurate that is, but it's likely that some of the people who fight to shut down places like Planned Parenthood are among their patients. If you took all the women who have had abortions out of Christian schools and out of the churches, those places would be a whole lot emptier. Join the conversation. Leave your questions and comments below and we'll try to address them in future videos. Don't forget to subscribe for more!Also, follow us at ...twitter.com/atheistvoicesfacebook.com/TheAtheistVoicesplus.google.com/u/0/b/106662137332631352312/106662137332631352312/posts/p/pubhttp://theatheistvoice.tumblr.comhttp://www.theatheistvoice.comThe Atheist Voice provides a platform for discussion for atheist leaders, authors, bloggers, activists, and everybody else who is passionate about atheism, and secularism. Join the discussion by commenting under the videos or submitting video responses. If you'd like to collaborate on this channel or if you'd like to appear in our videos please visit our website www.TheAtheistVoice.com
Bernie Sanders Was Wrong to Punish a Nominee for His Religious Beliefs The Atheist Voice 2017-06-16 | Bernie Sanders Was Wrong to Punish a Nominee for His Religious BeliefsHemant Mehta (http://www.friendlyatheist.com, http://www.patreon.com/Hemant , facebook.com/friendlyatheist)http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2017/06/08/bernie-sanders-was-wrong-to-challenge-a-christian-nominees-theologyBernie Sanders did something recently that really bothered me, and I don't say that lightly because I really like him as a politician. I like that he's not especially religious and that he's a liberal who makes other liberals look conservative. I voted for him in the Democratic primaries last year and I hope he moves the party more to the left. But imagine this: You're an open atheist nominated to a high-level government position. You go in front of a Senate subcommittee for your hearing. And instead of asking you about your job qualifications or how you'd treat people you'll swear an oath to help, they just pick apart your atheism. They ask you if you think religious people are wrong, which you do, but who cares?I think most of us would say our beliefs are irrelevant. We can uphold the Constitution and think we're right about the whole atheism thing. They shouldn't punish you for what you think. They should criticize you, if it's warranted, for how you act.And yet Bernie Sanders basically said he wouldn't vote for a nominee because he was an evangelical Christian.Let me explain what happened. A couple of years ago, at Wheaton College, the evangelical school in Illinois, a professor got into a lot of trouble when she posted a picture of herself wearing a hijab, in solidarity with Muslim women whom she felt were oppressed. She also said Christians and Muslims worshipped "the same God." That was not okay to say, according to the administration -- and, I'm sure, a lot of donors to that school. They suspended her and began putting together a case to fire her. And she wasn't just a typical professor, either. She was an African-American woman. You don't see a lot of those professors at evangelical campuses. So this wasn't just about theology, this got to the heart of how a well-known Christian school would treat a black woman who dared to push back against evangelical orthodoxy.Well, a guy named Russ Vought graduated from Wheaton, and he felt the school was right to punish her. He wrote an article for a conservative website taking the side of the school, and he also used the opportunity to basically say evangelicals are right about God, and Muslims are wrong about God, and they are absolutely not the same God. In fact, he said Muslims have a "deficient theology." Weird wording, but I'm sure he thinks that about everyone who doesn't believe in his form of mythology.That brings us to what's happening now.Russ Vought was nominated by Donald Trump to be the Deputy Director of the White House Office of Management and Budget. That's a big deal. He was in his confirmation hearing when Bernie Sanders blasted him for what he said about Islam.Let me quote you what Sanders asked him: - Do you believe that statement [about Muslims have a deficient theology] is Islamophobic?- Do you believe that people in the Muslim religion stand condemned?- What about Jews? Do they stand condemned too?- Do you think that people who are not Christians are gonna be condemned?- Do you think that’s respectful of other religions?Vought kept giving him the same response: He didn't say yes to anything. He just said he was a Christian. An evangelical Christian. Which is to say of course he believes others are condemned. And I can't believe I'm saying this, because I think Vought's ideology is harmful, but none of his personal beliefs matter here. Unless! Unless someone can show they'll impact how he does his job....Join the conversation. Leave your questions and comments below and we'll try to address them in future videos. Don't forget to subscribe for more!Also, follow us at ...twitter.com/atheistvoicesfacebook.com/TheAtheistVoicesplus.google.com/u/0/b/106662137332631352312/106662137332631352312/posts/p/pubhttp://theatheistvoice.tumblr.comhttp://www.theatheistvoice.comThe Atheist Voice provides a platform for discussion for atheist leaders, authors, bloggers, activists, and everybody else who is passionate about atheism, and secularism. Join the discussion by commenting under the videos or submitting video responses. If you'd like to collaborate on this channel or if you'd like to appear in our videos please visit our website www.TheAtheistVoice.com
If Atheists Sounded Like Christians The Atheist Voice 2017-05-30 | If Atheists Sounded Like ChristiansHemant Mehta (http://www.friendlyatheist.com, http://www.patreon.com/Hemant , facebook.com/friendlyatheist)http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2012/04/16/if-atheists-talked-like-christiansCan you imagine what it would sound like if atheists started talking like Christians?I'm not an atheist. I'm just a follower of reason.Oh, hi, new neighbor. What library do you go to?I love believers. I just hate their beliefs.I have a personal relationship with reality.You're religious...? Oh... well, I'll think for you.You don't act like a Christian. You're really open minded. Oh, God loves me? Well, Darwin explains you.Axial tilt is the reason for the season.I do good in the world because it's the atheist thing to do.The universe works in non-mysterious ways.Oh, stop complaining about my beliefs. You just hate reason. But it's okay. Reason loves you anyway.I just found a great parking spot! Thanks, random chance!We all have a truth-shaped hole in our brain.Conservatives are waging a war on science!... (wait, that one makes sense.)I know it's frustrating that your glass shattered on the floor, but remember: Gravity has a plan for you.I would like to thank great genes for my team's victory tonight.A lot of people reject atheism because they just don't want to obey the laws of physics.With science, all things are somewhat probable.You don't accept evolution? Then what's stopping you from murdering people if you don't think altruism guides your biological fitness?Just because you don't believe in evolution doesn't mean you didn't evolve.Deep down, I know you really believe in the scientific method. You don't accept science? That's just because you haven't gone to the right natural history museum yet.If you don't accept evolution, then why do you talk about it so much?I'm not worried about death thanks to the grace of my telomeres.A peer-reviewed journal said, I have no reason to doubt it, that settles it... unless new evidence becomes available.Before we eat, let's bow our heads and give thanks to the farmers who cultivated and harvested this food.Just you wait. When you're on your deathbed, you'll finally ask for medicine. I heard Thomas Aquinas recanted right before he died.There will be fire and brimstone and Earth will be destroyed!... in several billion years.Why don't you just try not being delusional? Behold! The Christian's nightmare. Now if you study a well-made banana, you'll find that it's a consequence of evolution. Artificial selection, in this case.I'll spare you all my screams of "Oh, Darwin!"The point is that we'd sound like jerks. Arrogant. Condescending. And that's what a lot of Christianese sounds like, too. And credit where it's due. I didn't write these -- most of them came from readers of my website who suggested them when I asked for ideas years ago. You can check the link below for the full article.Now share this video with 100 people... God won't love you and nothing will happen. It'd just be really nice of you.Join the conversation. Leave your questions and comments below and we'll try to address them in future videos. Don't forget to subscribe for more!Also, follow us at ...twitter.com/atheistvoicesfacebook.com/TheAtheistVoicesplus.google.com/u/0/b/106662137332631352312/106662137332631352312/posts/p/pubhttp://theatheistvoice.tumblr.comhttp://www.theatheistvoice.comThe Atheist Voice provides a platform for discussion for atheist leaders, authors, bloggers, activists, and everybody else who is passionate about atheism, and secularism. Join the discussion by commenting under the videos or submitting video responses. If you'd like to collaborate on this channel or if you'd like to appear in our videos please visit our website www.TheAtheistVoice.com
The Supreme Court Will Decide a Major Church State Separation Case The Atheist Voice 2017-05-16 | The Supreme Court Will Decide a Major Church State Separation CaseHemant Mehta (http://www.friendlyatheist.com, http://www.patreon.com/Hemant , facebook.com/friendlyatheist)http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2017/04/07/supreme-court-justice-neil-gorsuch-may-be-the-deciding-vote-in-a-major-churchstate-separation-caseThe Supreme Court now has a new justice not named Merrick Garland, and the appointment of Neil Gorsuch may have huge implications for church/state separation.One of the first cases heard by the full bench recently involved that issue and it's worth talking about that case so you understand what's at stake.It involves the Trinity Lutheran Church of Columbia in Missouri. The church runs a Christian preschool and wanted to renovate the playground. Instead of gravel on the ground, where kids always scraped their knees and elbows, they wanted to replace it with rubber made from recycled tires. Makes a lot of sense, and as it turned out, the Missouri Department of Natural Resources had a special program offering money for just that reason. Literally. They were giving away money to renovate playgrounds with safer rubber surfaces. So the church applied for a grant in 2012. There were 44 applicants that year, but the state only had cash to fund 14 of them and the church didn’t make the cut… but reports later came out that the church ranked 5th out of the 44 applicants. On merit, they should've gotten the money.So why didn't they? Well, the Program Director Sara Parker Pauley told church officials that the reason they were denied the grant was because the state wasn’t allowed to give money to churches.She cited Article I, Section 7 of the Missouri Constitution, which says “no money shall ever be taken from the public treasury, directly or indirectly, in aid of any church, section or denomination of religion.”To no one’s surprise, the church felt this was an injustice and filed a lawsuit against the state. They said it was wrong for the state to deny its application just because they were religious. This was a playground, after all, not like a pastor training program. They literally said, "Seeking to protect children from harm while they play tag and go down the slide is about as far from an ‘essentially religious endeavor’" -- to quote the legal term -- "as one can get.”There were some other technical problems with their case, but the end result was that the lawsuit failed. So the church filed an appeal… and that, too, was decided in favor of the state in May of 2015. The judges basically said, in a 2-1 vote, that of course the state didn’t have to fund a church playground, just as the state wasn’t on the hook to fund the training of pastors. It all went back to how the state shouldn't be supporting a church.The church filed another appeal, asking the entire Eighth Circuit to consider the case, and they did. But the judges were split, 5-5, so the earlier decision stood.Point is: The church lost. Many times. But they had one last option: Asking the Supreme Court. The church leaders and their lawyers argued that there was no compelling reason for the state to exclude churches from applying for an otherwise neutral program. It's just a playground, they argued.That's true... but think about this: Let's say the state gave them $10,000 for the playground instead of asking the church to use its own money. Now the church has an extra $10,000 in its bank account. What are they going to do with that money? Probably use it to promote Jesus. So funding a church playground is, in an important, indirect way, like promoting religion.And there are conservative Christians who don't like that line of logic -- they'll say it's unfair -- but it's the exact same argument they make against taxpayer money funding anything Planned Parenthood does, even if it's not abortions.They say funding mammograms or cholesterol screenings frees up money for abortions, therefore no taxpayer money should be given to the organization. Gotta love that religious hypocrisy.In any case, the church asked the Supreme Court to review their case. That is always a long shot since the Court hears less than 1% of the requests it gets, but it worked. At least four justices, including, presumably, Justice Antonin Scalia right before he died, said they wanted to hear this case. That's all you need! And while church/state separation groups may have felt some relief with an 8-person Scalia-less court, Gorsuch's confirmation means we're right back to where we started. We have a Supreme Court that may rule in favor of the church. And that ruling could essentially say that secular aspects of religious institutions can be funded with public money. So if, say, Liberty University wanted to build a new gym on campus (which, on paper, would be open to the public), taxpayers could theoretically pay for it.
We Should All Be Concerned About the Alabama Church Police The Atheist Voice 2017-05-04 | We Should All Be Concerned About the Alabama Church PoliceHemant Mehta (http://www.friendlyatheist.com, http://www.patreon.com/Hemant , facebook.com/friendlyatheist)http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2017/04/12/alabama-senate-passes-controversial-bill-allowing-church-to-create-its-own-police-forceAlabama legislators are on the verge of passing a bill that would allow a Christian megachurch to create its own police force. Because why pray to God when you have guns and tasers at your disposal, right?Now maybe you think churches can already do this. After all, if there's a big church near where you live, you may have seen cops directing traffic outside the church on Sunday mornings. But those are almost always off-duty cops who are hired by the church to perform a service. That's legal. That's fine. This is different. This request was made by Briarwood Presbyterian Church in Vestavia Hills. They want more power than they currently have. And this bill to allow them to create and maintain their own police force has already passed in the State Senate. The whole premise, though, raises so many questions.Like why does a church need its own cops? They say it’s “a way to create a safer campus in a fallen world,” but there are a whole host of constitutional concerns.Does the state have authority over this police force, especially if something goes wrong? And if they do, are they getting entangled in a church matter?If the police act unlawfully, despite the required training, who has the power to discipline them?Do they have any power over people who aren't members of the church?Can you get out of a ticket if you pray with the cop?Should we be worried that the church police won't take action on someone like the pastor because that might make the church look bad?Can any religious institution demand its own police force? Would we even be having this conversation if a large mosque wanted a police force? You know Christians would be whining about Sharia Law taking over the country if that ever happened... but Christian Sharia is okay, I guess.Do the police have to sign statements of faith, pledging their agreement with the church's beliefs?Can citizens challenge what these cops do? Can they take them to court?Why can’t the church, like every other organization, just ask for protection when needed?Would the church police have to abide by government regulations, like anti-discrimination laws?Are these church police going to check up on members missing a few Sunday services? Are they gonna shake people up if they don't pay their tithes?One of the state representatives made very clear just how powerful this police force would be. She said they would conduct their own investigations, conduct their own security, and make their own arrests. The only time they'd work with the actual police would be to use their jail cells. Just like Jesus dreamed of.You think the police have it rough now? Wait till the church police start making headlines.Join the conversation. Leave your questions and comments below and we'll try to address them in future videos. Don't forget to subscribe for more!Also, follow us at ...twitter.com/atheistvoicesfacebook.com/TheAtheistVoicesplus.google.com/u/0/b/106662137332631352312/106662137332631352312/posts/p/pubhttp://theatheistvoice.tumblr.comhttp://www.theatheistvoice.comThe Atheist Voice provides a platform for discussion for atheist leaders, authors, bloggers, activists, and everybody else who is passionate about atheism, and secularism. Join the discussion by commenting under the videos or submitting video responses. If you'd like to collaborate on this channel or if you'd like to appear in our videos please visit our website www.TheAtheistVoice.com
Lets Thank Pastor Greg Locke The Atheist Voice 2017-04-27 | Let's Thank Pastor Greg Lockehttp://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2017/02/28/this-christian-pastor-is-furious-that-someone-donated-to-planned-parenthood-in-his-namehttp://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2017/04/07/the-christian-pastor-whose-anti-planned-parenthood-video-backfired-just-made-the-same-mistake-again1) Just click here: http://bit.ly/GregLocke 2) Make the donation of your choice ($5 minimum).3) Click on the box that says “Yes, my gift is in honor or in memory of someone special.”4) Make your gift in the name of:Pastor Greg Locke2060 Old Lebanon Dirt Rd.Mt. Juliet, TN 37122(That’s his church’s publicly available address, not his personal one. No doxxing going on here.)...There is this evangelical Christian Pastor Greg Locke from Tennessee. And he's soooo angry because a couple of months ago, someone made a donation to Planned Parenthood in his name. And then he got a thank you card from the organization. And he hates abortion. Which is probably why someone did that. A lot of people make donations to spite people who oppose certain groups. They'll give money to the NAACP in the name of Jeff Sessions, the Attorney General with a long history of racism. They'll give money to ProPublica, a group that does amazing investigative journalism, in the name of Sean Spicer who can't get through a press conference without lying. They'll buy New York Times subscriptions to spite Donald Trump. You get the idea.So someone gave to Planned Parenthood in the name of Greg Locke, and he was mad. His skinny jeans tightened up. He even made a video complaining about it, claiming that Planned Parenthood has killed more people than radical Islam, and they sell baby parts on the black market, and they're just in it for the money, and other lies that conservatives tend to believe about the group because accepting lies is what they do. They believe Donald Trump. They believe their pastor. They believe the Bible. You get my point. Fact-checking isn't really in their toolbox. One atheist even commented on his video: Poor guy! Probably helped a low-income woman get a mammogram. The horror!”But here's the beautiful thing. Greg Locke clearly has no idea what the Streisand Effect is. He has no idea that calling attention to a minor thing no one else cares about -- like a thank you card -- might actually bring it even more attention.So after he posted his video, more people started donating to Planned Parenthood in his name. And guess what? He recently posted another video in which he held up a giant box of thank you cards from Planned Parenthood. And he was even angrier than before!And here's the best part. He said that he was going to fight back. Because on April 27, he's gonna head down to Planned Parenthood in Washington D.C. And then he's gonna pray... and then -- wait for it -- he's gonna give them back the thank you cards!I'm sure they'll reconsider their baby-killing ways after that...But look. If Pastor Locke gives them back his thank you cards, that means he won't have any more back home. And that's where I need your help.I want you to make a donation to Planned Parenthood in Greg Locke's name. It doesn't matter how much. There's a $5 minimum.In fact, underneath this video, I posted instructions so you can do it.Because there's nothing I love more than thanking evangelical pastors for their support of Planned Parenthood. Which, by the way, does incredible work in so many areas, in addition to providing abortion services. If Greg Locke got his way and Planned Parenthood went out of business, he wouldn't stop abortions and millions of women would not have access to basic medical care. It's not surprising that a Christian pastor doesn't give a damn about women and spreads lies to achieve his goals, but that doesn't mean we can't restore justice in some small way.So make a donation. And in the comments below, let us know that you did and tell us how much you gave. And be sure to tell Greg Locke thank you. You know, just until his cards arrive.Hemant Mehta (http://www.friendlyatheist.com, http://www.patreon.com/Hemant , facebook.com/friendlyatheist)Join the conversation. Leave your questions and comments below and we'll try to address them in future videos. Don't forget to subscribe for more!Also, follow us at ...twitter.com/atheistvoicesfacebook.com/TheAtheistVoicesplus.google.com/u/0/b/106662137332631352312/106662137332631352312/posts/p/pubhttp://theatheistvoice.tumblr.comhttp://www.theatheistvoice.com
The Differences Between Cults And Religions The Atheist Voice 2017-04-11 | The Differences Between Cults And ReligionsHemant Mehta (http://www.friendlyatheist.com, http://www.patreon.com/Hemant , facebook.com/friendlyatheist)Every time I see an article about the Jehovah's Witnesses, or Scientologists, or any other relatively small but powerful religion, there are inevitably commenters who chime in and say, "It's a cult!"Which makes you wonder: How come those groups are cults but the Catholic Church or the evangelical megachurch next door are not?What's the difference between a religion and a cult? Is it brainwashing? Because I would argue that teaching kids evolution is a lie or being gay is a choice qualifies. Is is about abuse? Because we've seen abuse in the Catholic Church.There's a saying that religion is an old cult. And a cult is a new religion.But that's not exactly accurate. So, really, what's the difference? Is it just about popularity? Unpopular, newer religions are cults? There's not necessarily a set difference, but here's what you should look out for:1) A cult doesn't let you leave. A good religion, if we can call it that, lets you come and go without a problem. Sure, they want you to stay, but they're not gonna come after you if you stop believing. 2) A cult only lets you associate with other cult members. Do you have friends who aren't atheists or Christians or whatever you are? Good! A cult doesn't let that happen. And if you leave the faith, they're done with you. 3) A cult may require you to live with other cult members. Like in a single home or commune. With religions, you live on your own and come together every so often to worship.4) Cults have singular leaders with all the power. He has special access to the truth and no one else does. That's different from megachurch pastors, who might love the spotlight, but even they won't say the road to salvation goes through them. 5) Cults don't let you disagree. If you challenge the teachings or disagree with the theology, you should be able to have a discussion and debate about it. Most churches are okay with that. There are Christian apologists who run around trying to defend the faith from its critics, which is good, because it means they're comfortable having that conversation! Questioning your beliefs is a good thing. I mean, if your religion can't handle your questions, then you should leave it.6) Cults are exclusive, even from within. You might be part of a cult, but that doesn't mean you're saved. You might have to be more dedicated. Or give them more of your money. Religions don't work that way. Accept the divinity of Jesus and you're golden. Follow the tenets of Islam and that's that. 7) Cults are secretive. Only some people have access to all the cult's information. Their finances. Their leadership hierarchy. Their beliefs, in some cases. You have to pay money and level up to learn Scientology's biggest secrets. Most religions aren't like that. ...When it comes down to it, not all religions are cults. But they sure as hell dabble in it every now and then. There are religions, like Jehovah's Witnesses, that will disfellowship you -- shun you -- if you leave them. Your family won't even talk to you anymore. There are evangelical churches that do not share any information about where the tithing money goes, or how much the pastor gets paid. There are churches that act like questioning your beliefs is a sin. That you just have to have faith.So there's some overlap every now and then. But it's usually not complete overlap.Also, what's an acceptable religion in the U.S. might be considered a cult in another country and vice versa.I'm sure Christianity was considered a cult around the time of Jesus. Scientology operates like a cult, but the IRS considers it a religion.What I'm getting at is that it's not clear cut. And the list I gave you is not comprehensive -- I'm sorry if I missed something obvious.But that also means it's unfair to use the word "cult" as a pejorative every time a religion does something you don't like. Don't make that mistake.Join the conversation. Leave your questions and comments below and we'll try to address them in future videos. Don't forget to subscribe for more!Also, follow us at ...twitter.com/atheistvoicesfacebook.com/TheAtheistVoicesplus.google.com/u/0/b/106662137332631352312/106662137332631352312/posts/p/pubhttp://theatheistvoice.tumblr.comhttp://www.theatheistvoice.comThe Atheist Voice provides a platform for discussion for atheist leaders, authors, bloggers, activists, and everybody else who is passionate about atheism, and secularism. Join the discussion by commenting under the videos or submitting video responses. If you'd like to collaborate on this channel or if you'd like to appear in our videos please visit our website www.TheAtheistVoice.com
5 Reasons Why There Isn’t More Atheist Representation in Congress The Atheist Voice 2017-03-28 | 5 Reasons Why There Isn’t More Atheist Representation in CongressHemant Mehta (http://www.friendlyatheist.com, http://www.patreon.com/Hemant , facebook.com/friendlyatheist)Let's talk about something political that has nothing to do with Donald Trump. Okay, just a little.The current Congress -- everyone in the House and Senate -- doesn't have a single open atheist. Only one Congress member, Rep. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona, is “unaffiliated,” and even her staff has said she feels the label of “atheist” is “not befitting of her life’s work.”A common reaction to this news, when it was first reported in January, was that atheists are merely underrepresented in Congress. Strictly looking at the numbers, this is true. Americans without organized religion make up about 23% of the country, according to the Pew Research Center, but have only 0.2% representation on Capitol Hill. That more than a hundred-fold difference. (This ignores the 10 politicians who chose not to answer the religion question.) Christians, on the other hand, are 71% of the country but 90.7% of Congress.So why does this continue to happen? Why aren’t there more — or should I say any — open atheists in Congress? Let me offer a few theories…1) We don’t voteAccording to The Atlantic, the “Nones” were approximately a quarter of the population over the past several years, but we made up only 12% of the electorate in both 2012 and 2014. We’re not electing people like us because we’re not electing people, period.I should mention we don't have numbers specifically on atheists. Just the Nones, which is a much larger group that includes anyone and everyone who doesn't belong to an organized religion. Despite our percentage gains as a group over the past decade, our voter turnout has remained frustratingly steady. And while the Religious Right is growing smaller, they remain as engaged as ever. It’s that sort of apathy on our side that gives them so much power.2) We don’t vote as a bloc3) We would never listen to someone telling us how to vote4) We don’t have atheist candidates to choose from5) Atheist candidates wouldn’t necessarily have a “pro-atheism” platformJoin the conversation. Leave your questions and comments below and we'll try to address them in future videos. Don't forget to subscribe for more!Also, follow us at ...twitter.com/atheistvoicesfacebook.com/TheAtheistVoicesplus.google.com/u/0/b/106662137332631352312/106662137332631352312/posts/p/pubhttp://theatheistvoice.tumblr.comhttp://www.theatheistvoice.comThe Atheist Voice provides a platform for discussion for atheist leaders, authors, bloggers, activists, and everybody else who is passionate about atheism, and secularism. Join the discussion by commenting under the videos or submitting video responses. If you'd like to collaborate on this channel or if you'd like to appear in our videos please visit our website www.TheAtheistVoice.com
The Father of Ex-Gay Therapy is Dead The Atheist Voice 2017-03-15 | The Father of Ex-Gay Therapy is DeadHemant Mehta (http://www.friendlyatheist.com, http://www.patreon.com/Hemant , facebook.com/friendlyatheist)Joseph Nicolosi died recently at the age of 70 of complications from the flu. He was considered the father of gay conversion therapy -- the idea that you could change your sexual orientation if you really wanted to -- and that means his life was defined by the gay and lesbian people whose lives he ruined. He never accepted the reality that people are born gay. He believed it was a choice — one that could be altered for people who “suffered” from same-sex attractions. He even founded the National Association for Research and Therapy of Homosexuality in order to promote his discredited, unscientific beliefs. His “reparative” approach is now considered so harmful, it’s been banned in five states and multiple cities.This was a man who wrote in 1991, “I do not believe that any man can ever be truly at peace in living out a homosexual orientation.” In 2002, he wrote a book called A Parent’s Guide to Preventing Homosexuality, as if there was something parents could do to stop their kids from being gay.What’s especially disturbing is how far and wide his false beliefs were accepted. Many conservative Christians and evangelical churches perpetuate the idea that being gay is a choice. And as so many LGBT will tell you, that’s utterly false.Who knows how many people hated themselves — or were driven to suicide — because Nicolosi ignored all the evidence that contradicted his beliefs?He may be gone now, but his ideas will unfortunately live on among Christian bigots who insist homosexuality is a sin that can and must be cured.What a shitty legacy to leave behind.As always, I’m sure there are people who mourn his loss. I'm sure his family is grieving. I’m sure you could mine his life for happier stories. But no obituary of the man can be complete without pointing out the countless people he hurt. To paraphrase several commenters online, there are people who improve the world through their existence. There are others who improve it by leaving. Guess which group Nicolosi was in?The world is a slightly safer place now for LGBT people. It’d be even safer if more Christians would denounce the ideas that Nicolosi spent his life promoting.And as people said on Twitter, maybe Nicolosi should just try not being dead.Join the conversation. Leave your questions and comments below and we'll try to address them in future videos. Don't forget to subscribe for more!Also, follow us at ...twitter.com/atheistvoicesfacebook.com/TheAtheistVoicesplus.google.com/u/0/b/106662137332631352312/106662137332631352312/posts/p/pubhttp://theatheistvoice.tumblr.comhttp://www.theatheistvoice.comThe Atheist Voice provides a platform for discussion for atheist leaders, authors, bloggers, activists, and everybody else who is passionate about atheism, and secularism. Join the discussion by commenting under the videos or submitting video responses. If you'd like to collaborate on this channel or if you'd like to appear in our videos please visit our website www.TheAtheistVoice.com
A Rant About the Man in Charge The Atheist Voice 2017-01-20 | A Rant About the Man in ChargeHemant Mehta (http://www.friendlyatheist.com, http://www.patreon.com/Hemant , facebook.com/friendlyatheist)I wanted to get something off my chest. It's really been bothering me for a while now, especially over the past couple of months.Because it's so weird to feel like you know something that so many people are wrong about. It's frustrating when you feel like you studied, and you have so much information, and you made an educated decision... and the low information, highly gullible people seem to be as strong as ever.Some people, it seems, just live in a bubble and they don't want to hear information that may contradict what they already believe.We can point out all the ways they're delusional. The obvious hypocrisy. The never-ending stream of lies. The misogyny. The cult of personality. The ridiculous things they wear on their heads.The accusations of sexual assault. The inability to see where their money is going.The way the guy on stage seems to put his kids in charge of everything. This wacky idea that if you just put your trust in one person then He alone can make your life great again. How they seem to believe whatever they read even if the source isn't worth trusting.How just because thousands of people are shouting His name doesn't mean they're right.How certain groups of people claim to be persecuted even though they're the ones in power.And for a lot of people, none of this will make one damn bit of difference.They'll say we focus too much on reason, but we don't understand emotion. They say we take things too literally when we should be looking at the overall ideas. They say we don't inspire them.They will find plenty of absurd reasons for dismissing us. They'll say we're smug, arrogant, elite. They have apologists ready to rationalize any criticism of their ideas.They say we live in cities and ivory towers, but we don't understand what "real" America is all about. They say that being around people like themselves is the only way they can be honest about their views.They'll say we don't get that there are still a lot more of them then there are of us, and we can't just write them off.Sure, the demographic shifts in our country suggest everything is going our way, but every now and then you get a healthy dose of realityBut here's the thing. There are people out there who know deep down that their side is wrong on the most important issues. They know their side is even harmful on issues like science, LGBT rights, sex education, church/state separation. They know they're not really being persecuted by the other side. But they can't bear to break away. They just fall in line.If there's one thing we've learned recently, it's that being open about where you stand is important but it's not enough. That's just step one. We have to find a way to reach out to those people on the other side who know deep down in their hearts they're with us and we have to help them come over.But enough about Christianity.What, who'd you think I was talking about?You Might Also Like ...7 Things That Prove God is Realyoutube.com/watch?v=EQ50omyWziE&list=PLZGLqPtxUOKEZxzukuev1YpLUQp-CtKDq&index=12878 Questions for Christiansyoutube.com/watch?v=SI-_FJuTPns&index=138&list=PLZGLqPtxUOKEZxzukuev1YpLUQp-CtKDq4 Creative Ways to Deal with Preachers.youtube.com/watch?v=u3kHcV36dak&index=133&list=PLZGLqPtxUOKEZxzukuev1YpLUQp-CtKDqJoin the conversation. Leave your questions and comments below and we'll try to address them in future videos. Don't forget to subscribe for more!Also, follow us at ...twitter.com/atheistvoicesfacebook.com/TheAtheistVoicesplus.google.com/u/0/b/106662137332631352312/106662137332631352312/posts/p/pubhttp://theatheistvoice.tumblr.comhttp://www.theatheistvoice.com
The Richard Dawkins Atheism Scale The Atheist Voice 2017-01-03 | The Richard Dawkins Atheism ScaleHemant Mehta (http://www.friendlyatheist.com, http://www.patreon.com/Hemant , facebook.com/friendlyatheist)I received a request to talk about Richard Dawkins' Atheism Scale. I hadn't done a video on it, and it's something I've seen referenced a lot of times, so let's talk about it.In his book The God Delusion, Dawkins talks about how we can place our belief in God on a spectrum, ranging from 1 to 7.1 means you don't just believe in God. You know with 100% certainty that God exists. That sounds kind of silly. I mean, even religious people refer to their beliefs as "faith." They have faith that God exists, even if they can't prove it. They believe in God's existence.And yet I'm sure we all know religious people who would easily say they're a 1 on the Dawkins Scale. They can't prove God's existence to you, but they're totally sure He's real.If you think being a 1 makes no sense, then I hope you say the same thing about a 7. That means you know for sure that God doesn't exist.And yes, that's a ridiculous thing to say, too. It requires this sort of absolute knowledge that none of us possesses. We don't know for sure God doesn't exist. All we can say is we've looked at all the evidence available to us, and there's no reason to believe in one. I can't prove to you God doesn't exist.Also, saying you're a 7 basically means no amount of evidence could ever convince you that you're wrong. That sort of dogmatism seems to go against everything atheists claim to stand for.There are religious apologists who wrongly assume all atheists are at a 7. We're not. It's worth noting that Richard Dawkins himself said he's not a 7. He said he was more like a 6. That is, he felt there was a really low probability of God's existence and he chose to live his life on the assumption that God's not there.When pressed on it, he later admitted, okay, fine, I'm probably more like a 6.9.So here's a question for you. What does it mean if you're right in the middle? What if you're a 4?Well, it means you're smack dab in the middle. You think there's a 50/50 chance of God existing. Which makes it sound like God's existence is as likely as getting tails in a coin flip. That would be silly, of course, because I also can't prove the existence or non-existence of the Flying Spaghetti Monster, but it's not like the chance that he's real is the same as calling heads. So I don't really understand people who say they're a 4.Here's what a 4 doesn't mean: It doesn't mean you're "agnostic." Agnosticism isn't on the spectrum. It's wrong to think Agnosticism means you're halfway between belief and atheism.Agnosticism refers to a different question entirely: Could you ever know that God exists? Not do you believe He does, but is it even possible to answer that question? If you don't think it's possible, then you're an agnostic. Maybe you're an Agnostic believer or an Agnostic atheist. The point is, Agnostic isn't on that scale, and anyone who says otherwise doesn't understand it. It's a separate issue.All the other numbers? Varying degrees of belief ranging from strongly believing in God's existence to strongly doubting it.Personally, I'm with Dawkins here. I'm as close as you can get to a 7 without, of course, going that far. I'd love to know in the comments where you would place yourself.And then think about this: Where would the religious people in your life place themselves? Because while it would make sense for them use a low number, I suspect a lot of them would go all the way down to 1. And if they do that, they're lying to you and they're lying to themselves.You Might Also Like ...7 Things That Prove God is Realyoutube.com/watch?v=EQ50omyWziE&list=PLZGLqPtxUOKEZxzukuev1YpLUQp-CtKDq&index=12878 Questions for Christiansyoutube.com/watch?v=SI-_FJuTPns&index=138&list=PLZGLqPtxUOKEZxzukuev1YpLUQp-CtKDq4 Creative Ways to Deal with Preachers.youtube.com/watch?v=u3kHcV36dak&index=133&list=PLZGLqPtxUOKEZxzukuev1YpLUQp-CtKDqJoin the conversation. Leave your questions and comments below and we'll try to address them in future videos. Don't forget to subscribe for more!Also, follow us at ...twitter.com/atheistvoicesfacebook.com/TheAtheistVoicesplus.google.com/u/0/b/106662137332631352312/106662137332631352312/posts/p/pubhttp://theatheistvoice.tumblr.comhttp://www.theatheistvoice.com
Christmas is All About Lying The Atheist Voice 2016-12-21 | Christmas is All About LyingHemant Mehta (http://www.friendlyatheist.com, http://www.patreon.com/Hemant , facebook.com/friendlyatheist)Christmas is coming and you know what that means: It's the season of lies. Being dishonest may be the biggest tradition we have surrounding this holiday.We lie to children this time of year more than any other.-- We lie about someone having a list of who's naughty and nice.-- We lie when we say Santa is watching over you, even while you're sleeping.-- We lie when we tell children that if they send a personal message to Santa, like with a letter, that he'll pay attention to it. (He doesn't get the letters.)-- We lie if we say that everyone believes in Santa. They don't. -- We lie when we say he'll only reward you if you've done good things.-- We lie when we say he'll punish you if you've been bad.-- We lie when we say Santa has magical powers that no one else has.-- We lie when we say he'll come and visit you. If you just believe, or stay up late, you can see him!-- We lie when we say Santa is everywhere. He's at every mall in America, simultaneously. Amazing.-- We lie when we say Santa can defy the laws of physics by visiting every home in a single night. Or grant everyone's wishes.-- We lie when we say we know where Santa lives. You can't visit him at the North Pole. But trust us. He's totally there.-- We lie when we pretend Santa cares about our material gifts to him. As if he really needs cookies and milk from everybody. -- We lie when we act like Christmas isn't really about money. We spend a lot of it, the people who run businesses want your cash, and they'll say whatever they need to say to get it.-- We lie when we say Christmas is really about generosity... but do nothing on our end to confirm that. You don't get to say Christmas is about giving, and then NOT give money to charity or donate things you don't need anymore.The truth is we only talk about Santa because it's tradition. It's a story that's been passed down -- and altered -- generation after generation. And maybe this time of year is comforting. It's brings you joy. Maybe you love the music. Or the atmosphere. There's nothing wrong with that. As long as you can acknowledge it's not real. It's fun, but it's not something adults should take seriously.What's funny, though, is that some adults believe the lie even after they learn the truth about Santa. They just replace his name with God.You Might Also Like ...7 Things That Prove God is Realyoutube.com/watch?v=EQ50omyWziE&list=PLZGLqPtxUOKEZxzukuev1YpLUQp-CtKDq&index=12878 Questions for Christiansyoutube.com/watch?v=SI-_FJuTPns&index=138&list=PLZGLqPtxUOKEZxzukuev1YpLUQp-CtKDq4 Creative Ways to Deal with Preachers.youtube.com/watch?v=u3kHcV36dak&index=133&list=PLZGLqPtxUOKEZxzukuev1YpLUQp-CtKDqJoin the conversation. Leave your questions and comments below and we'll try to address them in future videos. Don't forget to subscribe for more!Also, follow us at ...twitter.com/atheistvoicesfacebook.com/TheAtheistVoicesplus.google.com/u/0/b/106662137332631352312/106662137332631352312/posts/p/pubhttp://theatheistvoice.tumblr.comhttp://www.theatheistvoice.com
A Christian Pastor Ruined Santa for a Bunch of Kids The Atheist Voice 2016-12-18 | A Christian Pastor Ruined Santa for a Bunch of KidsHemant Mehta (http://www.friendlyatheist.com, http://www.patreon.com/Hemant , facebook.com/friendlyatheist)Recently, a self-described Christian “pastor,” David Grisham Jr., went to a mall in Texas, went up to the place where parents and kids were waiting in line to take a picture with Santa, and yelled out that Santa isn't real… because Jesus is the true reason for the season.I think we can all agree that that guy's a jerk. Even if you're one of those atheists who doesn't play the whole Santa game with your kids, I hope you'd agree that telling kids the truth about Santa is something parents should get to decide for themselves.But let's talk about the irony here. Grisham was basically encouraging parents to substitute one myth for another. He said Santa was a lie... so he wanted parents to tell their kids about a guy born of a virgin mother, who performed all sorts of miracles, then rose from the dead. Santa is more realistic than that.At least with Santa, there's the expectation that kids will eventually grow out of it. It's kind of fun to listen to them work out why the myth is so illogical. There's no way Santa could visit all those homes in one night. Reindeer don't fly. The writing on the tag looks suspiciously familiar... They'll figure it out eventually. But there are some myths, like the supernatural Jesus, that even a lot of adults never grow out of. I hope Grisham is alone in his stupid endeavor, and I hope even Christians can find joy in letting their kids believe in Santa for the few years they can.But let's not forget that Jesus is no different. It's all wishful thinking. It's all based on obvious lies. And Grisham is just as gullible as the people he wants to save.You know what you won't see, though? Atheists running into churches screaming to the congregation that the Bible is fiction. We can make our arguments without being assholes about it.Don't get any ideas, YouTube.You Might Also Like ...7 Things That Prove God is Realyoutube.com/watch?v=EQ50omyWziE&list=PLZGLqPtxUOKEZxzukuev1YpLUQp-CtKDq&index=12878 Questions for Christiansyoutube.com/watch?v=SI-_FJuTPns&index=138&list=PLZGLqPtxUOKEZxzukuev1YpLUQp-CtKDq4 Creative Ways to Deal with Preachers.youtube.com/watch?v=u3kHcV36dak&index=133&list=PLZGLqPtxUOKEZxzukuev1YpLUQp-CtKDqJoin the conversation. Leave your questions and comments below and we'll try to address them in future videos. Don't forget to subscribe for more!Also, follow us at ...twitter.com/atheistvoicesfacebook.com/TheAtheistVoicesplus.google.com/u/0/b/106662137332631352312/106662137332631352312/posts/p/pubhttp://theatheistvoice.tumblr.comhttp://www.theatheistvoice.com
The Prayer Paradox The Atheist Voice 2016-11-15 | The Prayer ParadoxHemant Mehta (http://www.friendlyatheist.com, http://www.patreon.com/Hemant , facebook.com/friendlyatheist)There are religious people who believe God has their entire life already planned out for them. He knows what your career will be. He knows who you'll fall in love with. He knows when you'll die. And He knows what's in your heart. It's all preordained. A lot of those same religious people, though, also believe that God listens to them when they pray. Which is weird.Because most people pray for certain outcomes. They want to do better on that test. They want a promotion at work. They want to improve their health.Prayer is really just another way of asking God to revise His plans for you.So either prayer works, and God changes your life... or prayer is useless because God already knows how everything's gonna play out. Which is it?To put it another way, if you really believe God is omniscient and knows everything, then praying is kind of a dick move. Because you're saying, "God, I don't trust the plan You have for my life and I want You to change it."People who pray are really just making God angry, aren't they?You Might Also Like ...7 Things That Prove God is Realyoutube.com/watch?v=EQ50omyWziE&list=PLZGLqPtxUOKEZxzukuev1YpLUQp-CtKDq&index=12878 Questions for Christiansyoutube.com/watch?v=SI-_FJuTPns&index=138&list=PLZGLqPtxUOKEZxzukuev1YpLUQp-CtKDq4 Creative Ways to Deal with Preachers.youtube.com/watch?v=u3kHcV36dak&index=133&list=PLZGLqPtxUOKEZxzukuev1YpLUQp-CtKDqJoin the conversation. Leave your questions and comments below and we'll try to address them in future videos. Don't forget to subscribe for more!Also, follow us at ...twitter.com/atheistvoicesfacebook.com/TheAtheistVoicesplus.google.com/u/0/b/106662137332631352312/106662137332631352312/posts/p/pubhttp://theatheistvoice.tumblr.comhttp://www.theatheistvoice.com
How to Secretly Speak Up About Atheism The Atheist Voice 2016-11-01 | How to Secretly Speak Up About AtheismHemant Mehta (http://www.friendlyatheist.com, http://www.patreon.com/Hemant , facebook.com/friendlyatheist)I've received messages from a lot of you who want to talk about atheism publicly -- on YouTube, or on a blog, or on Facebook, but you can't.Maybe you live at home and you're afraid your parents will find out. Or you're married and don't want your spouse to find out. That's awkward.Or you live in a conservative Christian majority state and you're afraid going public will hurt your job prospects.Whatever the reason, let me offer two quick tips:First, and this sounds obvious, I know, do it anonymously. I know a lot of ex-Muslims who use a fake name online because they're saying some very critical things. I know some famous atheists who use fake names because they were concerned at first, and then the name just stuck. You can do that on a blog. You can do that on Twitter. Even on YouTube, there are many atheists who don't put their faces in front of the screen when they speak.When it comes down to it, what's more important? Getting your story and your message out there, or making sure your real name is attached to it? No contest, it's the first.And if you ever get to the point where you can be public about your beliefs, great! But if you're afraid of putting anything out there, for fear someone may figure out it's you, there is another option.Keep educating yourself. Keep reading books and articles about religion. Watch debates. Learn about the issues. Understand how various religions work, and how they control and influence people,So that when the time comes that you can speak out, you're as informed as you possibly can be. It's so annoying when people talk about topics they seriously don't know much about. We all know people who do it. I know many of you feel I fall in that category.But you can fix that. Become an expert in some area of religion that you think people don't really get -- whether it's a particular faith that doesn't get talked about much, or a certain belief that does far more harm than good.I have learned so much from listening to or reading articles written by people who really understood the Jehovah's Witnesses, or Mormonism, or specific branches of fundamentalist Christianity, or how children specifically suffer from harmful religious beliefs, the list goes on. I've learned a lot from atheists who really know how to debate Christians.You don't necessarily need a Ph.D. to understand these topics in depth, either. You just need to read up on it -- and know what the other side says -- and know how to respond. Again: Just educate yourself. Eventually, it will pay off.Whatever you do, don't tell yourself, "I don't know enough. I'm not good enough. I shouldn't say anything." It's just wrong. The more honest, sincere, voices we have out there, the better.I know a lot of people who talk about atheism for a living and as a hobby. I'm telling you: No matter how small their YouTube subscriber base was, or how few people they thought were listening to their podcasts, they always heard from people who took something valuable away from it.Always.Just put yourself out there, anonymously or not. It will help people.You Might Also Like ...7 Things That Prove God is Realyoutube.com/watch?v=EQ50omyWziE&list=PLZGLqPtxUOKEZxzukuev1YpLUQp-CtKDq&index=12878 Questions for Christiansyoutube.com/watch?v=SI-_FJuTPns&index=138&list=PLZGLqPtxUOKEZxzukuev1YpLUQp-CtKDq4 Creative Ways to Deal with Preachers.youtube.com/watch?v=u3kHcV36dak&index=133&list=PLZGLqPtxUOKEZxzukuev1YpLUQp-CtKDqJoin the conversation. Leave your questions and comments below and we'll try to address them in future videos. Don't forget to subscribe for more!Also, follow us at ...twitter.com/atheistvoicesfacebook.com/TheAtheistVoicesplus.google.com/u/0/b/106662137332631352312/106662137332631352312/posts/p/pubhttp://theatheistvoice.tumblr.comhttp://www.theatheistvoice.com
The Catholic Churchs Cruel Response to Assisted Suicide in Canada The Atheist Voice 2016-10-25 | The Catholic Church's Cruel Response to Assisted Suicide in CanadaHemant Mehta (http://www.friendlyatheist.com, http://www.patreon.com/Hemant , facebook.com/friendlyatheist)http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2016/09/28/despite-legal-euthanasia-canadian-catholic-doctors-did-nothing-as-an-old-man-sufferedhttp://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2016/10/01/catholic-bishops-in-alberta-tell-priests-to-refuse-funerals-for-patients-who-choose-assisted-suicide...Religion always has a way of taking the least loving side when it comes to controversial issues.Love between two people? If they’re gay, pastors will throw a hissy fit. Women seeking an abortion after being raped? Some Christians argue they shouldn’t be allowed to have that option.And when it comes to people who choose to end their lives on their own terms, an idea known as euthanasia, Catholics in Canada are adding insult to injury.Let me back up for a second. Last year, the Canadian Supreme Court ruled — unanimously, I might add — that patients with severe medical problems could legally ask their doctors to help end their lives.Physician-assisted death is now legal in Canada as long as you're 18, a Canadian citizen, mentally competent, suffering from an incurable problem, and have no chance of getting better. It’s not a perfect law. For example, you can't choose death unless it’s “imminent,” so people with horrible chronic disabilities are just stuck. The law also allows doctors to say no to helping those patients, which is very convenient for doctors who oppose euthanasia for religious reasons.That became really important recently, when an 87-year-old man wanted to end his life... but he was at a Catholic hospital that wouldn't allow him to die on his own terms.He spent the last several hours of his life trying to transfer to a new hospital, but the ambulance was three hours late and the ride was bumpy enough to amplify his pain. He died with a doctor's help only after suffering much longer than he wanted to. And he was lucky because there was another secular hospital nearby. What if there wasn't one?The Catholic doctors said they wouldn't help him die even when life was nothing but agony for him. They would rather see people tortured than help people die in peace. It's barbaric. And then, to make matters worse, the Catholic Bishops of Alberta and the Northwest Territories are now telling priests to refuse to conduct the funerals of patients who choose assisted suicide. Even if those patients were Catholic.They don't want to act like ending your own life is a good thing by rewarding you with a Church-sanctioned funeral.It’s not just cruel to refuse to do this one last thing for dying patients, you could argue that it's a threat: These priests are sending the message that if you take your own life, God will punish you in the afterlife. As if things didn't suck already.Keep in mind funerals aren't even for the deceased. They're for everyone else. These Church leaders are punishing the victim's family -- the people who might have just said their final goodbyes to a loved one -- because of how that person died. Look: The Catholic Church has every right to set its own rules. What they’re doing isn’t illegal. It’s just unethical. It’s immoral. This is a religious institution that sees people at the worst times in their lives — when they’re literally ready to pull the plug — and refuses to give them the closure they seek.How cruel can you be?When you're making medical decisions based on your religious beliefs instead of what's best for the patients, you should not be making decisions for a hospital.It's one thing to be pro-life. It's another to watch people suffering with no chance of getting better and tell them, "We're gonna let you keep suffering because it's what Jesus wants."We sometimes call out the Catholic Church for things like the sexual abuse scandal, as we should, but Church leaders will say those are problems with a handful of rogue priests.This isn't a handful of Catholic doctors making these decisions. This is atrocious policy coming from the top down and the doctors working at these Catholic hospitals are obligated to follow it. Join the conversation. Leave your questions and comments below and we'll try to address them in future videos. Don't forget to subscribe for more!Also, follow us at ...twitter.com/atheistvoicesfacebook.com/TheAtheistVoicesplus.google.com/u/0/b/106662137332631352312/106662137332631352312/posts/p/pubhttp://theatheistvoice.tumblr.comhttp://www.theatheistvoice.com
Why I, as an atheist, cant vote for Donald Trump The Atheist Voice 2016-10-18 | Why I, as an atheist, can't vote for Donald TrumpHemant Mehta (http://www.friendlyatheist.com, http://www.patreon.com/Hemant , facebook.com/friendlyatheist)I would love to tell you all how to vote in the upcoming election, but I know that if I suggest anything, even with plenty of reasons behind it, people will push back. "How dare you tell me to do anything? You're not the atheist pope!"Okay. Fine. In that case, let me just lay out for you why I, as an atheist who cares about issues related to atheism, cannot possibly vote for Donald Trump. Despite what some other YouTubers may tell you...- I care about science. I don't want someone in the White House who denies climate change. Or thinks it's a hoax perpetrated by the Chinese.- I don't want a Vice President who denied climate change for so long. - I don't want a Vice President who doesn't accept evolution.- I don't want a President who couldn't even explain evolution.- I don't want a President who believes the conspiracy that vaccines cause autism and used his charity to give Jenny McCarthy's anti-vaccination group a $10,000 donation.- I care about church/state separation. I don't want a President who believes the Religious Right is persecuted, as if Christians are the ones who really have it hard in the U.S.- I don't want someone who threatens to repeal the Johnson Amendment, which prevents churches from endorsing candidates from the pulpit while keeping their tax-exempt status.- I don't want someone who thinks all Muslims are in cahoots with the terrorists and wants to take away their civil liberties.- I don't want someone who thinks forcing employees to say "Merry Christmas" instead of "Happy holidays" will solve more problems than it creates.- I don't want someone who thinks there really is a War on Christmas.- I don't want someone whose proposed Supreme Court nominees are hell-bent on merging Christianity with the government.- As an atheist, I care about LGBT rights, because they're directly threatened by conservative Christians. And Trump wants to put those Christians in positions of power so they can undo any progress we've made over the past decade.- I don't want someone who still, in 2016, opposes marriage equality. And Trump does, no matter how much he thinks he's a friend to the gay community.- I don't want a President to tell trans people where they can and can't go to the bathroom.- I don't want a Vice President best known for telling Christian business owners they have a special right to discriminate against gay customers, which he did in Indiana.- Or a President who thinks Kim Davis had every right to deny a gay couple their marriage license in her Kentucky county.- I care about women's rights, since it's usually conservative Christians who oppose them. And I don't want a President who thinks women who have abortions deserve to be punished.- I don't want a President who wants to defund Planned Parenthood because they offer abortion services in addition to all the other amazing things they also do.- I don't want a President who can't tell fact from fiction, who seems to believe anything you tell him. If I wanted to hear people whose best evidence for their beliefs was "Some people have said," then I'd go to church.Now, maybe you're hearing all this and rolling your eyes. You're saying, "Yeah, Trump is bad, but you're not giving me any reasons to vote for Hillary Clinton."Well, here it is: She isn't perfect, but she's on the right side of every single one of those issues I just mentioned. That's why she's getting my vote, and that's why I'm going to be proud as hell to cast it.If you feel differently, then by all means, I can't wait to hear your comments about why science, and church/state separation, and LGBT rights, and women's rights don't matter to you. Donald Trump is a man with no ideas who surrounds himself with people who have bad ideas. He would be a disaster for anyone who cares about evidence and reason and the encroachment of religion into our politics.And if you think he's just playing the part, and he doesn't really believe any of these things that he's saying, well just look at who he's surrounding himself with. The people pulling his puppet strings are Christian conservatives. Join the conversation. Leave your questions and comments below and we'll try to address them in future videos. Don't forget to subscribe for more!Also, follow us at ...twitter.com/atheistvoicesfacebook.com/TheAtheistVoicesplus.google.com/u/0/b/106662137332631352312/106662137332631352312/posts/p/pubhttp://theatheistvoice.tumblr.comhttp://www.theatheistvoice.com
Its Not Disrespectful to Protest the National Anthem The Atheist Voice 2016-10-11 | It's Not Disrespectful to Protest the National AnthemHemant Mehta (http://www.friendlyatheist.com, http://www.patreon.com/Hemant , facebook.com/friendlyatheist)http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2016/09/24/nc-teacher-suspended-for-10-days-after-stepping-on-flag-during-lesson-on-first-amendment-rightshttp://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2013/03/27/did-a-student-really-get-suspended-for-refusing-to-stomp-on-jesus...If you were a high school history teacher trying to show students what the First Amendment is all about — what it allows you to do and what it doesn’t — especially in the wake of the National Anthem protests spurred by Colin Kaepernick, how would you do it?Because if there's one thing we've learned in the wake of his protests, it's that people clearly don't understand the First Amendment. Or patriotism. It's not unpatriotic not to stand for the Anthem.It's almost funny how his critics claim he should have to stand for the Anthem because people died for his rights... the rights he's exercising by not standing up for the National Anthem.They don't seem to have any respect for the people who want our country to be better, so they're willing to draw attention to its flaws in the hopes that we can fix them. That, to me, is patriotic. Far more than people who think patriotism amounts to nothing more than obedience and ritual.So in North Carolina, a high school teacher by the name of Lee Francis taught a lesson o the subject by invoking Texas v. Johnson, the 1989 Supreme Court case that overturned bans on desecrating the United States flag.Before that ruling, you could theoretically get punished for burning the flag or ripping it up. It was considered, like, a sacred symbol.And then, to show students what the Supreme Court now allows, the teacher desecrated a flag. Specifically, he stepped on it three times.A couple of students who clearly didn’t understand the point of the lesson walked out of class after it was over, and complained to the principal. But they really missed the point here. If they didn't like what he did, that's fine. They can argue against it. Their discomfort isn't a reason to ban what he did.As the ACLU said, the freedoms and principles that the flag represents include the freedom to step on it. The administration, unfortunately, didn't see it the same way. They initially put the teacher on paid administrative leave, then suspended him for 10 days without pay.So how’s that for a lesson, kids? The First Amendment only protects popular speech! A teacher who makes you feel uncomfortable in class will be punished for it! What a horrible takeaway.Now let me add a caveat here. The First Amendment doesn't let you get away with anything. You can't yell fire in a crowded theater. And teachers, especially, are limited in what they're allowed to do. They can't preach in the classroom, for example. But what this teacher did wasn't dangerous and it wasn't advocacy. He wasn't telling the students they should step on flags. He was merely demonstrating the fact that some people take symbols so seriously that they'll go after someone else who doesn't. Which is exactly what happened to him.I remember a few years ago, there was a similar true story of a college professor who asked students to step on a piece of paper with the word “Jesus” on it. Most of them, he predicted, wouldn't do it. They would hesitate or refuse. That’s because the symbolic nature of the paper was so powerful.We see this type of thinking everywhere. A lot of Christians would never want to rip a page out of the Bible... even if there are tons of copies around. They think they're doing something wrong.You could give me 5 copies of a picture of my baby and I would feel kinda weird ripping one of them up. I feel weird deleting a blurry picture of my baby from my phone.But that's the power of symbolism. And we have to get over it. There's a difference between a symbol and the idea it's meant to convey. Let's stand for the ideas, not the icons.By the way, that college professor? He got punished for even trying that lesson. For doing his job and getting the students to think critically.This is an issue atheists ought to care about because many of us fight against symbols all the time. We’re told to say the Pledge of Allegiance, and some of us remain seated when that happens because we don’t want to pledge to a nation “under God” or one that falsely states we have “justice for all.” Join the conversation. Leave your questions and comments below and we'll try to address them in future videos. Don't forget to subscribe for more!Also, follow us at ...twitter.com/atheistvoicesfacebook.com/TheAtheistVoicesplus.google.com/u/0/b/106662137332631352312/106662137332631352312/posts/p/pubhttp://theatheistvoice.tumblr.comhttp://www.theatheistvoice.com
Should you get confirmed in the Catholic Church? The Atheist Voice 2016-09-05 | Should you get confirmed in the Catholic Church?Hemant Mehta (http://www.friendlyatheist.com, http://www.patreon.com/Hemant , facebook.com/friendlyatheist)http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2010/06/14/ask-richard-teen-atheist-faces-pressure-for-confirmationI've gotten emails from some of you asking whether you should go through with your confirmation in the Catholic Church.Your parents want you to do it, but you don't actually believe in what Catholicism is selling... so what should you do?First of all, for those who don't know, Confirmation basically tightens your bond with the Catholic Church. It's a requirement, a Sacrament, of the Church. You're supposed to do it after you've hit the age of reason, which the Catholic Church says could be as young as 7. (Which is really when we hit our peak logical reasoning abilities...)So what happens if you don't believe in God? Should you go through with it? The nice thing about this is that if you're an atheist, it's just a waste of your time. It doesn't really mean anything to you. But I know, no one wants to go through a ritual like that when you know it's all bullshit.Here's the biggest question I'd consider:How are your parents going to react if you don't go through with it?If they're going to make your home life a living hell, I don't think it's worth it to take a principled stand. Just bite your tongue and deal with it. If you have to live with them for years to come, why make things worse?You could fight them on it, and you'll feel good about doing that, but it might make things more difficult for you down the road.And here's another upside to going through with it. When you go through confirmation firmly believing God doesn't exist, it kind of makes you a stronger atheist. You realize it's just a big show with no real power over you. You'll be able to speak about that from experience. That's important.Same thing with CCD classes. If your parents are making you take those leading up to confirmation, it's like a crash course in the religion. You realize just how much nonsense is baked into the faith.You can almost make a game out of it, figuring out all the things that are patently untrue. And later on, when you're independent, you can always officially resign from the Church. Or just not go anymore.I would love to say you should all take a stand and refuse to get confirmed. I know that's the more inspirational thing to say. But there's a reality here we can't forget. This isn't just your decision. This is about putting on a show for your parents, your relatives, their friends, and the Church community. It's the reason some couples have a big wedding when they might be perfectly happy saving money and getting eloped.The last thing I want to see is a young atheist get financially cut off from their families as they're entering college because they didn't play the religion game. There are times when we all have to decide which battles are worth fighting for. I just don't think that, for most people, this one's worth it.I'd love to hear from those of you who went through this situation. What did you do? Am I right or wrong? Let me know.You Might Also Like ...7 Things That Prove God is Realyoutube.com/watch?v=EQ50omyWziE&list=PLZGLqPtxUOKEZxzukuev1YpLUQp-CtKDq&index=12878 Questions for Christiansyoutube.com/watch?v=SI-_FJuTPns&index=138&list=PLZGLqPtxUOKEZxzukuev1YpLUQp-CtKDq4 Creative Ways to Deal with Preachers.youtube.com/watch?v=u3kHcV36dak&index=133&list=PLZGLqPtxUOKEZxzukuev1YpLUQp-CtKDqJoin the conversation. Leave your questions and comments below and we'll try to address them in future videos. Don't forget to subscribe for more!Also, follow us at ...twitter.com/atheistvoicesfacebook.com/TheAtheistVoicesplus.google.com/u/0/b/106662137332631352312/106662137332631352312/posts/p/pubhttp://theatheistvoice.tumblr.comhttp://www.theatheistvoice.com
Atheists Should Be Organ Donors The Atheist Voice 2016-08-29 | Atheists Should Be Organ DonorsHemant Mehta (http://www.friendlyatheist.com, http://www.patreon.com/Hemant , facebook.com/friendlyatheist)http://www.organdonor.gov/about/data.htmlWith this image you can let people know that you're a donor:http://i.imgur.com/BRkxyEr.jpgLet me ask you a question: If you're an atheist, how does that play out in your life? How does it guide you? Because if it doesn't influence your actions in some meaningful way, does it really matter that you're an atheist?I don't think so. And one clear cut example of how your atheism ought to inform your decision making is organ donation.What happens when you die? We know we're not going to heaven. Or hell, for that matter. Maybe you'll be buried. Maybe you want a cremation -- save some space. But for the life of me, I cannot think of one good reason for atheists not to be organ donors. What the hell do you think you're gonna do with your body after you're dead?You won't need it anymore. Any of it. The least you can do is let everyone know that you're willing to help others survive by giving them whatever parts of your body may still be working. According to government data, 22 people die every day waiting for transplants that they can't get because there aren't enough donated organs to go around. You could literally help save someone's life even if you're no longer alive. It doesn't get any more generous than that.Atheists don't believe in an afterlife, but this is one way to live on long after you're gone. Why would you not do that?So if you're not one already, please make sure you are a registered organ donor. In most places, you can do it when you get or renew your drivers license. Or better yet, just go right now to Organdonor.gov and they'll tell you what you need to do in your state.Anyone can do it. It doesn't matter how old you are. And I'm almost positive some of you are not donors yet, because only about 40% of Americans are signed up on the registry.Look: This doesn't just apply to atheists. Even if you're religious, I promise you God will not need your kidneys up in heaven. If you donated your heart, you won't be sent to hell.But for atheists, this is a no-brainer. Which is good, since I'm pretty sure you can donate that, too.It's more than just a personal decision, too. This is a public policy issue for atheists. Right now, organ donation is something you have to opt into. You have to say "I'm willing to donate my organs" -- or your family has to say that about you after you die -- before doctors can take them. Either way, someone has to do something.That's a problem. It would be so much better if the government could just assume everyone was an organ donor, and people had the option of saying no if they didn't want to be on the list. If you're already an organ donor, thank you. But if you're not, and this video changed your mind, please let us know in the comments below. In fact, we have a link to an image you can share on social media to let people know that you're a donor, because it is something you should be proud of. There are way too many people out there who hold these superstitious ideas about their bodies. They're afraid of anyone taking their organs, even after death, because they think they need them. They don't. It's a completely irrational belief.So please make sure you're a donor. Do it now. There's nothing wrong with signing up early.You Might Also Like ...7 Things That Prove God is Realyoutube.com/watch?v=EQ50omyWziE&list=PLZGLqPtxUOKEZxzukuev1YpLUQp-CtKDq&index=12878 Questions for Christiansyoutube.com/watch?v=SI-_FJuTPns&index=138&list=PLZGLqPtxUOKEZxzukuev1YpLUQp-CtKDq4 Creative Ways to Deal with Preachers.youtube.com/watch?v=u3kHcV36dak&index=133&list=PLZGLqPtxUOKEZxzukuev1YpLUQp-CtKDqJoin the conversation. Leave your questions and comments below and we'll try to address them in future videos. Don't forget to subscribe for more!Also, follow us at ...twitter.com/atheistvoicesfacebook.com/TheAtheistVoicesplus.google.com/u/0/b/106662137332631352312/106662137332631352312/posts/p/pubhttp://theatheistvoice.tumblr.comhttp://www.theatheistvoice.com
After School Satan Clubs are coming to a district near you The Atheist Voice 2016-08-22 | After School Satan Clubs are coming to a district near youHemant Mehta (http://www.friendlyatheist.com, http://www.patreon.com/Hemant , facebook.com/friendlyatheist)http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2016/07/31/thanks-to-christians-after-school-satan-clubs-may-be-coming-to-an-elementary-school-near-you...There was a time a few decades ago when Christians sued for the right to be able to have Bible studies and religious groups at public colleges and high schools. It seems like a given now, since there are so many of them, but that wasn't always the case. And here's the amazing thing: Because religious conservatives fought to have Bible clubs at schools, it opened the door to all sorts of clubs. Including the Gay Straight Alliance and the Secular Student Alliance. Because once you let one religious group in, how can you say no to a non-religious club? Or one that welcomes people of different sexual orientations? You can't. And now, those laws are being challenged in elementary schools. In thousands of schools throughout the country, Christians have formed "Good News Clubs" for little kids. They're basically ways to indoctrinate children into Christianity before they're old enough to think for themselves and ask critical questions.They've been around for a long time. And they've never really had competition. Until now.The Satanic Temple is trying to start up After School Satan clubs in all the same districts where these Good News Clubs already exist. They will follow all the same rules, fill out all the same forms, etc. Except Jesus ain't involved in this group.And here's the beauty of it.If they can pass those hurdles, the school only has two options if they want to avoid a lawsuit. They can say yes to the Satanists and allow the group to meet... or, if they want to prevent the Satanists from meeting, they can cancel all the clubs at the school... including the Christian ones.Jerry Falwell is spinning in his grave right now.Liberty Counsel, a Christian legal group, already admitted that the Satanists have a right to meet. But they also sent letters to all these school districts saying that if the Satanists are disruptive, the schools have every right to kick them out!They also told school officials that they could basically create a legal obstacle to the After School Satan clubs by forcing students to get their parents' permission before attending a meeting. Because while parents will gladly say yes to a Christian club, odds are they'll resist the Satanic club.Again, if the Satanists are playing by the same rules as Christians, let the chips fall where they may.And maybe you're wondering what they learn at these After School Satan -- or ASS -- clubs. That's a good question.It's not indoctrination. And it actually has nothing to do with Satan.These clubs teach kids to ask questions. Think rationally. Appreciate science. You could be religious and join the club -- they don't exclude you. They also don't try to make you believe in something irrational upon fear of eternal torture. That's what Christians do.It'll be interesting to see how successful they are, or even if any of these groups get off the ground. But the point is: The Satanic Temple has some people freaking out... because they're only now realizing that religious freedom applies to other religions, too. You Might Also Like ...7 Things That Prove God is Realyoutube.com/watch?v=EQ50omyWziE&list=PLZGLqPtxUOKEZxzukuev1YpLUQp-CtKDq&index=12878 Questions for Christiansyoutube.com/watch?v=SI-_FJuTPns&index=138&list=PLZGLqPtxUOKEZxzukuev1YpLUQp-CtKDq4 Creative Ways to Deal with Preachers.youtube.com/watch?v=u3kHcV36dak&index=133&list=PLZGLqPtxUOKEZxzukuev1YpLUQp-CtKDqJoin the conversation. Leave your questions and comments below and we'll try to address them in future videos. Don't forget to subscribe for more!Also, follow us at ...twitter.com/atheistvoicesfacebook.com/TheAtheistVoicesplus.google.com/u/0/b/106662137332631352312/106662137332631352312/posts/p/pubhttp://theatheistvoice.tumblr.comhttp://www.theatheistvoice.com
Hello Science Advocates! (Video for the Ark Encounter Protestors) The Atheist Voice 2016-07-12 | Hello Science Advocates! (Video for the Ark Encounter Protestors)Hemant Mehta (http://www.friendlyatheist.com, http://www.patreon.com/Hemant , facebook.com/friendlyatheist)When Ark Encounter (the Noah's Ark theme park) opened in Kentucky on July 7, I couldn't be there in person to join the protest, but I sent along this video to show my solidarity. Hello science advocates --For once, the rational people are the ones outside Noah's Ark.I'm sorry I can't be there in person today, but I wanted to join you in sending a message to the country about how embarrassed we are by this park. And when I was putting together my thoughts, I pulled up the speech I gave at opening day of the Creation Museum and realized I don't have to change very much.I'm still embarrassed that people might walk away from this Park thinking it's a legitimate replica of something that actually happened. I'm still embarrassed that Kentucky officials speak positively about this attraction without bringing up all the scientific misinformation inside of it.I'm still embarrassed that this park is marketed to children who might accidentally think this is a part of history.And as an Indian person, I'm still embarrassed that, according to the exhibits inside, my people didn't even exist 6,000 years ago.The only thing anyone will learn after touring this boat is that Creationists have waaaay too much money at their disposal. It is hard to fight faith with facts when the other other side has nearly $100 million dollars at their disposal, in part thanks to the help of state officials. We can do it, though. It just means not letting them get away with these lies. Those of you who live nearby would be doing everyone a huge favor by creating a website, documenting all the exhibits inside, what's wrong with them, and what science actually tells us.I would love for someone to make a scientific walking tour through the Boat, so that I could listen to someone who actually understands reality as I look at exhibits made by people who don't.And I want to make very clear: The problem here isn't Christianity. We know this is bad science, and plenty of Christians agree with us.Many pastors will tell you that this Ark is a perversion of the Bible. They'll say the Book of Genesis was never meant to be taken literally. We need to hear their voices more than ever.And we need them to convince their congregations to appreciate science instead of Ken Ham's fantasy world. You're all here because you support critical thinking and you know that young people would be in awe of science if only they had a proper understanding of it. Think about all the children whose curiosity and imagination will be stifled because their parents are taking them to this Ark and the Creation Museum instead of a place where they might actually learn something.This place takes childlike curiosity and rips it apart by telling kids (and uneducated adults) lies about how our world and all the species in it came to be. It's unfair to them and it's up to all of us to undo the damage.I haven't even walked into the Ark, obviously, but I can tell you what you won't see inside: Unanswered questions. And that may be the most depressing thing of all.Ken Ham and his team pride themselves on the idea that the Book of Genesis answers everything we ever needed to know about Creation. ...Also, follow us at ...twitter.com/atheistvoicesfacebook.com/TheAtheistVoicesplus.google.com/u/0/b/106662137332631352312/106662137332631352312/posts/p/pubhttp://theatheistvoice.tumblr.comhttp://www.theatheistvoice.comThe Atheist Voice provides a platform for discussion for atheist leaders, authors, bloggers, activists, and everybody else who is passionate about atheism, and secularism. Join the discussion by commenting under the videos or submitting video responses. If you'd like to collaborate on this channel or if you'd like to appear in our videos please visit our website www.TheAtheistVoice.com
Whats the fastest way to make someone an atheist? The Atheist Voice 2016-07-05 | What's the fastest way to make someone an atheist?Hemant Mehta (http://www.friendlyatheist.com, http://www.patreon.com/Hemant , facebook.com/friendlyatheist)Someone asked me recently what I thought would be the fastest way to make someone an atheist.As if there was one argument that was better than all the others.A few thoughts ran through my mind: Read the first page of the Bible.Realize that every major religion teaches that all the other religions are wrong. They can't all be right.Ask yourself why a good God would allow so many horrible things to happen in the world.But the more I thought about it, the more I realized I didn't really want to answer the question. Because if all it takes for you to shed your faith and become an atheist is, like two minutes of thinking, maybe you haven't really thought this through.I would take someone much more seriously if she told me she became an atheist over a period of a year, in which she read books, listened to what atheists had to say, heard Christian apologists embarrass themselves, and studied up on evolution and sociology.If you do all those things, you're really convincing yourself of how right you are. It's not just an emotional reaction that makes sense for a moment. All of us might believe something silly for a minute or two. You might think Donald Trump is a good outsider candidate for President for a minute.But if you change your mind at the drop of a hat, odds are someone else with a flashy smile who knows how to play with your emotions can get you to change it again.I want people to be atheists forever. I want to convince you I'm right. And one argument, even if I'm the one making it, shouldn't do that. I hope you become an atheist because of all the evidence, from all different areas convinces you it makes sense -- the big bang, religious hypocrisy, biblical contradictions, the fact that pastors lie to you all the time, etc. It's kind of like evolution, in a way. The greatest scientists in the world accept it, not because a textbook or teacher told them to, but because they've seen the evidence a million different ways.Ken Ham's Creation Museum or Noah's Ark theme park isn't going to sway a smart person because there's no way for Creationists to counter all the evidence. They can build a flashy boat that might mesmerize gullible people, but that's all they got.And when you're an atheist because all the evidence in the world convinces you that there's no reason to believe God exists, then one story of a supposed miracle or one church service isn't going to sway you. And good. They shouldn't.I want you to think this through, because religion is a serious topic. Don't believe something because I said so. Don't believe it because Richard Dawkins wrote a good chapter in a book. Believe it because maybe that stuff got you started on a road to questioning your faith, and you studied it and you realized religion just doesn't make sense. That's how you know it's gonna stick. So what's the one argument I could make to convince someone to become an atheist? There isn't one, and honestly, if there was one, I probably wouldn't take you seriously if you deconverted because of it.There are plenty of reasons you should be an atheist. And the more you study them, the more convinced you'll be that it makes sense. Some people aren't brave enough to question religion. I hope you're curious, and I hope your journey is lifelong. Because then, you won't just be an atheist, you'll become an advocate for atheism. And we could use a lot more of those.Join the conversation. Leave your questions and comments below and we'll try to address them in future videos. Don't forget to subscribe for more!Also, follow us at ...twitter.com/atheistvoicesfacebook.com/TheAtheistVoicesplus.google.com/u/0/b/106662137332631352312/106662137332631352312/posts/p/pubhttp://theatheistvoice.tumblr.comhttp://www.theatheistvoice.comThe Atheist Voice provides a platform for discussion for atheist leaders, authors, bloggers, activists, and everybody else who is passionate about atheism, and secularism. Join the discussion by commenting under the videos or submitting video responses. If you'd like to collaborate on this channel or if you'd like to appear in our videos please visit our website www.TheAtheistVoice.com
Are Atheists Going After Soft Targets? The Atheist Voice 2016-06-28 | Are Atheists Going After "Soft" Targets?Hemant Mehta (http://www.friendlyatheist.com, http://www.patreon.com/Hemant , facebook.com/friendlyatheist)http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2016/05/17/skeptics-conference-speaker-criticizes-audience-for-going-after-soft-targets-like-bigfoot-and-god...Recently, at the Northeast Conference on Science and Skepticism conference in New York, better known as NECSS, the science journalist John Horgan gave a talk in which he asked skeptics to look beyond their traditional targets.He said that skeptics were critical of -- and I quote -- "God, ghosts, heaven, ESP, astrology, homeopathy, and Bigfoot." He also said skeptics go after global warming deniers and vaccine deniers.That's all well and good, he said, but he called all of these things "soft targets" -- that's because he felt we were only preaching to the choir. People outside our bubbles tended to ignore us. He urged skeptics to instead go after the hard targets: Like “multiverses, cancer tests, psychiatric drugs and war, the hardest target of all.”I’m not opposed to fighting against bullshit in all its forms, including faulty reasoning that leads us to war or sham treatments. But his whole argument seems to boil down to, “I don’t like your priorities; follow mine instead.”While Horgan’s at it, why not tell Lambda Legal to stop defending LGBT rights because there are black people being discriminated against in places like Ferguson, Missouri? Why not tell the NAACP that their focus is too narrow because there are many oppressed minorities? Why not tell the ACLU to stop caring about the First Amendment because, in Syria, the people have no rights at all?You can’t solve every problem in the world. We should consider ourselves lucky that people are willing to dedicate their lives to fighting whatever injustices they see, even if it’s not your personal pet project.We may not be able to solve the problem of war — but we might be able to convince people not to give their money to self-proclaimed “psychics.”We may not know enough to criticize string theory — but we can proudly debunk the lies conservative Christians spread about LGBT people. (And science. And sex. And God.)We may not care about “gene-whiz science” — but we’re passionate about our atheism and we’re damn good at responding to Christian apologists.And by the way — the people who criticize these “soft targets” aren’t necessarily silent about bad science and our country’s involvement in multiple wars. They can criticize President Obama‘s use of drones just as they can down a bottle of homeopathic sleeping pills in a protest that will get the attention of the media. It’s not one or the other. It’s a matter of what you’re passionate about and where you think you'll be successful.Religion and pseudoscience and the afterlife are by no means “soft” targets — and damn near every skeptic I know who speaks about these topics publicly has helped people outside our “tribe” change their minds. We’re not just living in an echo chamber. We’re making a difference. If you don't believe me, look at the numbers. The percent of non-religious people in this country continues to go up, and I think that's in large part due to more of us speaking out against faith and irrational thinking.We’re helping people ask better questions, and challenge conventional wisdom, and think more rationally, and all of these things will help our society tackle the larger issues that no one group can ever solve.I’m grateful that people are out there speaking out against whatever form of nonsense they see, even when I wouldn’t spend any time on it myself. (Especially when I wouldn’t spend any time on it myself.) The more people who do that, the better off we all are.The problem isn’t that skeptics are tackling small issues.The problem is that most people don’t care enough to tackle any issues.Join the conversation. Leave your questions and comments below and we'll try to address them in future videos. Don't forget to subscribe for more!Also, follow us at ...twitter.com/atheistvoicesfacebook.com/TheAtheistVoicesplus.google.com/u/0/b/106662137332631352312/106662137332631352312/posts/p/pubhttp://theatheistvoice.tumblr.comhttp://www.theatheistvoice.comThe Atheist Voice provides a platform for discussion for atheist leaders, authors, bloggers, activists, and everybody else who is passionate about atheism, and secularism. Join the discussion by commenting under the videos or submitting video responses. If you'd like to collaborate on this channel or if you'd like to appear in our videos please visit our website www.TheAtheistVoice.com
39 Problems with the Noahs Ark Story The Atheist Voice 2016-06-21 | 39 Problems with the Noah's Ark StoryHemant Mehta (http://www.friendlyatheist.com, http://www.patreon.com/Hemant , facebook.com/friendlyatheist)Link to this video: youtube.com/watch?v=0r9OuPaoqt8....By now, you probably know that Creationist Ken Ham and his Answers in Genesis ministry are about to open Ark Encounter, better known as the Noah's Ark Theme Park. Essentially, this $100 million park wants to convince you that the story of Noah building the ark, and inviting two of each living thing on it, and rebuilding society is literally true.I just have a couple of questions about that... - Where did Noah find enough wood in the Middle East to build a ship of that size?- When did Noah learn how to build a ship? Who taught him?- How did the Ancient Egyptians need an army of slaves to build the pyramids, but Noah just needed his three sons to build the Ark? - How did a family of eight care for all those animals? - Why did a loving, caring God have to kill off all but two of every species? How did God decide which ones lived? What did those other llamas ever do to Him?- Assuming God killed off all the other people besides Noah's family, didn't he also murder a bunch of unborn babies? And if God can do it, how come the Religious Right says women today can't?- Where did Noah's Ark go? We've never found the remains. Not on Mt. Ararat. Not anywhere. - Since the story of Noah's Ark wasn't written down for thousands of years after the events happened, isn't is safe to assume the authors got some details wrong? The Gospel writers couldn't even agree on the details of Jesus' life, and they wrote that stuff mere decades after his death. - Why does the story of Noah's Ark so closely resemble the Epic of Gilgamesh? They're practically identical stories, but they're obviously not talking about the same event. We shouldn't think of Noah's Ark as a story about obeying God and saving the world. We should think of it as the world's most famous example of plagiarism.- Where's the evidence of a global flood that large, only 4,000 or so years ago?- Because we have evidence of dinosaur fossils, we know dinosaurs had to be on that Ark, too. How the hell did they fit on there?- Why did the meat-eating animals not eat all the other animals?- What did all the animals eat, if not each other? And where was all the food stored? And how did it stay preserved for so long without a refrigerator?- Did the animals go to the bathroom at all during the journey? And where did it all go?- How did Noah's family not get all sorts of diseases with what had to be giant piles of shit building up on the ark?- How did Noah collect the tens of millions of insect species alone, especially when those species don't live near each other geographically?- Who inspected the insects to make sure you had one male and one female of each?- How did they get the koalas from Australia and the penguins from Antarctica to come to the Middle East?- And after the Flood, how did they get back there?- How did they get all those animals onto the Ark that quickly? With all the species they needed to bring on board in a limited amount of time, and snails moving as slowly as they do, how fast were they boarding? - How come when people draw pictures of the Ark, they never include the plants? Because there are a *ton* of plant species that also had to be on the Ark to survive. They wouldn't have survived the flood otherwise.- Which animals on the ark had lice? Because, you know, those are living creatures, too.
The Friendly Atheist at the Reason Rally The Atheist Voice 2016-06-15 | The Friendly Atheist at the Reason RallyHemant Mehta (http://www.friendlyatheist.com, http://www.patreon.com/Hemant , facebook.com/friendlyatheist)This video was made possible by Aurora Creative Media and Half Lit Smile Productions, a Boston area video production company. Please check out their sites below: http://www.auroracreativemedia.com http://www.halflitsmile.comDP: http://www.brendanriel.comFollow us at ...twitter.com/atheistvoicesfacebook.com/TheAtheistVoicesplus.google.com/u/0/b/106662137332631352312/106662137332631352312/posts/p/pubhttp://theatheistvoice.tumblr.comhttp://www.theatheistvoice.comThe Atheist Voice provides a platform for discussion for atheist leaders, authors, bloggers, activists, and everybody else who is passionate about atheism, and secularism. Join the discussion by commenting under the videos or submitting video responses. If you'd like to collaborate on this channel or if you'd like to appear in our videos please visit our website www.TheAtheistVoice.com
The Boy Scouts Are Accepting Atheists... Sort Of The Atheist Voice 2016-06-14 | The Boy Scouts Are Accepting Atheists... Sort OfHemant Mehta (http://www.friendlyatheist.com, http://www.patreon.com/Hemant , facebook.com/friendlyatheist)youtube.com/watch?v=Q1_gdcnJa2whttp://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2016/03/30/why-did-the-unitarian-universalists-sign-a-pact-with-the-anti-atheist-boy-scoutshttp://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2016/05/04/after-compromise-atheists-will-finally-be-allowed-to-join-unitarian-universalist-boy-scout-troops...We've made a video before about the problems with the Boy Scouts of America, but let me summarize the two big issues: For a long time, they didn't accept scouts who were openly gay or atheist. If they found out you were one or the other, they kicked you out. Now, they're a private group, so they’re legally allowed to do this, but they get plenty of support from the government and public schools, which is a problem.In 2013, they finally lifted the ban on gay scouts. And a couple years later, they lifted the ban on gay scout leaders. Great! But the ban on atheists is still in effect.Here's where it gets interesting. Consider the Unitarian Universalist Association. They’ve long been on the side of civil rights and have many non-religious members. In 1998, they cut all ties with the BSA because of all the bigotry. And even as the barriers went away these past few years, the Unitarians maintained that separation, showing solidarity with atheists. That's fantastic.That's why it was extremely disappointing a couple of months ago when the UUA reconciled with the Boy Scouts. They signed a “Memorandum of Understanding” that will lead to more cooperation between the groups.In effect, the UUA would once again establish Boy Scout troops in their own churches. Their rationale at the time was that it would be easier to create change from the inside. Maybe that sounds strategic, but plenty of scouts complained about the BSA's anti-gay policies for years and got nowhere. It wasn’t until the public pressure from the outside became so overwhelming, threatening the very existence and livelihood of the group, that things finally changed.And let’s be honest: The Scouts’ anti-atheist bigotry isn’t nearly as well-known. That pressure isn’t going to be there from the outside. So on a practical level, it’s hard to see how the UUA high-fiving the Boy Scouts would ever lead to a change in policy.More recently, after a lot of internal pushback, the UUA clarified it's memorandum with the Boy Scouts. They said that if atheists were in these Unitarian-affiliated troops, it would be okay. They wouldn't be kicked out.But I'm not sure that's a good policy, either. The Boy Scouts are basically saying, here, little doggy. Have a treat and shut up. Meanwhile the other doggies are starving.I don't know if that's a great analogy, but the fact is atheists are still discriminated against in the Boy Scouts, unless they happen to belong to the right church. Which, if you think about it, doesn't necessarily make a lot of sense. There are two solutions here: Either the Boy Scouts changes the whole anti-atheist policy for everybody... or atheists and the people who claim to be on our side continue boycotting the BSA.A bandaid isn't enough. And this temporary solution shouldn't be acceptable. It's just an attempt to silence some of the most vocal critics of the BSA's bigotry. The BSA needs atheists far more than we need them. Let's not settle for an under-the-table concession.Join the conversation. Leave your questions and comments below and we'll try to address them in future videos. Don't forget to subscribe for more!Also, follow us at ...twitter.com/atheistvoicesfacebook.com/TheAtheistVoicesplus.google.com/u/0/b/106662137332631352312/106662137332631352312/posts/p/pubhttp://theatheistvoice.tumblr.comhttp://www.theatheistvoice.comThe Atheist Voice provides a platform for discussion for atheist leaders, authors, bloggers, activists, and everybody else who is passionate about atheism, and secularism. Join the discussion by commenting under the videos or submitting video responses. If you'd like to collaborate on this channel or if you'd like to appear in our videos please visit our website www.TheAtheistVoice.com
Stop worrying about transgender people in bathrooms The Atheist Voice 2016-06-07 | Stop worrying about transgender people in bathroomsHemant Mehta (http://www.friendlyatheist.com, http://www.patreon.com/Hemant , facebook.com/friendlyatheist)http://religionnews.com/2016/05/14/3-reasons-conservative-christians-will-lose-the-transgender-debatehttp://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2016/05/14/conservatives-cant-answer-this-simple-question-about-transgender-people-and-bathrooms...I know I'm a little late to this, but I still wanted to make this video because we're still talking about transgender people in bathrooms, as if this is some big, scary issue. The American Family Association has a petition against Target for the company's trans-inclusive bathroom policy. (Because how dare a big company treat all their customers with some basic human decency...)North Carolina is dealing with dueling lawsuits with the federal government over HB 2. And all of this for what? Because some people want to pee, and a lot of Christians can't handle it. Look: I'll be honest with you even if it gets me in trouble. When I first learned about gay people -- that they existed -- I thought it was weird. It's not something we ever talked about in my family. I didn't know any gay Indian people growing up, and I wasn't using the internet so I was in a bubble. But it wasn't long before I knew several gay people. (It happens when you do theater throughout high school and college.) And I listened to them. And I learned more about what they were dealing with. And I quickly realized I was making a big deal out of nothing, just because I happened to be unfamiliar with it. That's what's happening now with transgender people. For a long time, they had to remain in the closet. The ramifications for coming out were too harsh so they kept it to themselves. Transgender people have existed as long as lesbian, gay and bisexual people, but only recently have trans issues made it to the mainstreamBut that means a lot of conservative Christians, who didn't even know being transgender was a "thing," have to reckon with what that means. They think it's a big deal if a trans person shares a bathroom with them. They think it's weird if someone in grade school or high school *knows* his gender identity doesn't match his genitalia. You know what, though? I think most of us would agree that sharing a bathroom with a gay person isn't a big deal. You don't even think about it. You don't walk into a bathroom and wonder what everyone else's sexual orientation is. You just do your business and get the hell out.And I think most of us also understand that people know they're gay from a very young age. They don't just turn on a gay switch when they become teenagers. So when I hear these arguments from certain Christians -- that trans people are pedophiles or perverts or confused -- I know they're coming from a place of ignorance. They're saying the same things about trans people today that they said about gay people yesterday. (And still say today, in some places.) When Republican Mike Huckabee says he totally would've pretended to be a girl in high school if he knew he could shower with them, I hope everyone cringes because it shows what a creep Mike Huckabee is. Trans people aren't faking it just to get a glimpse of something they shouldn't see. Mike Huckabee is way more dangerous in a girl's bathroom than a trans woman.The truth is trans people have been in bathrooms with you before, and you didn't know, because you weren't even thinking about it. And nothing bad happened. More Republican politicians have been arrested in public bathrooms than trans people. Hell, more children have been sexually assaulted by Catholic priests than by trans people.
You Dont Need a Ph D to Criticize Religion The Atheist Voice 2016-05-10 | You Don't Need a Ph D to Criticize ReligionHemant Mehta (http://www.friendlyatheist.com, http://www.patreon.com/Hemant , facebook.com/friendlyatheist)Read more here: godlessmama.com/2016/03/29/your-theology-isnt-sophisticated-so-just-stop-it...I've often heard Christians complain when an atheist talks about theology even though they're not theologians. Or atheists will slam the Bible and the response is, "You don't really understand it. You're not a pastor. You didn't go to seminary." So your criticism doesn't matter.The idea here is that you need to be an expert in a particular religion in order to criticize religious beliefs. That's an absurd idea.We're not talking about virgins writing sex advice columns even though they have no idea what they're talking about. We're just calling out bullshit where we see it. You don't always need a specialized degree for that.You don't need a Ph.D. in order to say the emperor's not wearing any clothes. Or that it doesn't make sense for a woman to give birth without having sex. Or that snakes don't talk. Or that God didn't cause whatever natural disaster just happened because there are, you know, natural reasons for it. It's a funny argument, too. Because speaking on subjects without authority is something religious people do all the time.Evangelical pastors will talk about how evolution is a secular conspiracy. And man's effect on climate change is negligible. And being gay is a choice. They're not scientists or climatologists. And I promise you they don't even have gay friends no matter what they tell you. You don't need to be an expert to state the obvious. The burden of proof is on religious people to justify their wacky beliefs. We're not the bad guys for saying, "That wasn't really a miracle."Look: if you want to criticize, say, the history of how the Bible was written because you think our understanding of it is wrong, then sure, you should know what you're talking about. But saying reincarnation makes no sense, or a consecrated communion wafer isn't really the body of Christ, or Adam and Eve weren't the first humans ever? You don't need a college education for that. You just need to, like, reach the age of 6.By the way, we do it all the time for religions we all think are silly. We'll laugh at Scientology and Xenu and no one ever says, "You didn't read Dianetics. Go study it for several years and then your laughter will have merit." I'll tell you what: If you think i need a sophisticated understanding of theology to debunk bad religious ideas, then you better criticize everyone who believes that nonsense without an expert-level understanding of it. Join the conversation. Leave your questions and comments below and we'll try to address them in future videos. Don't forget to subscribe for more!Also, follow us at ...twitter.com/atheistvoicesfacebook.com/TheAtheistVoicesplus.google.com/u/0/b/106662137332631352312/106662137332631352312/posts/p/pubhttp://theatheistvoice.tumblr.comhttp://www.theatheistvoice.comThe Atheist Voice provides a platform for discussion for atheist leaders, authors, bloggers, activists, and everybody else who is passionate about atheism, and secularism. Join the discussion by commenting under the videos or submitting video responses. If you'd like to collaborate on this channel or if you'd like to appear in our videos please visit our website www.TheAtheistVoice.com
