What if I was vegan? What if I was vegan and you weren't? Let's imagine that both of these things are true for a moment. Not only are you not vegan, but you enjoy all the foods vegans don't eat. You are happy with the status quo and have no desire to change your diet. I show up one day and demand that you become vegan. Why? Because of my religious beliefs. Based on these beliefs, I've decided that everybody should be vegan. Copyright © 2005-2023 Atheist Revolution ..read more

We've all heard of people who identify themselves as "spiritual, but not religious." Who are they? What do they believe? We should have many opportunities to find out in the coming years. After all, a recent Gallup poll shows that 33% of Americans describe themselves this way. Some atheists will celebrate this. They'll consider it more evidence of the declining influence of organized religion. Others will question whether this reflects progress. They'll argue that "spiritual, but not religious" is replacing one type of woo with another. Who's right? Copyright © 2005-2023 Atheist Revolution ..read more

In the United States, we have a controversy raging around gender-affirming health care. Some conservatives would like to charge physicians who provide it with crimes. Many of those who wouldn't go that far still hope to discourage this care. In other parts of the world, we see a different controversy involving physicians and the care they provide. What role, if any, should doctors have in church-sanctioned exorcisms? Copyright © 2005-2023 Atheist Revolution ..read more

There's a common argument that one can expect to hear from some on the political left in the United States. The two major political parties are so similar, they say, that there's little reason to support one over the other. I can understand why someone might say this. I find it to be inaccurate in the best of times and harmful in the worst of times. This argument is an expression of dissatisfaction with today's Democratic Party. I can understand it because I share this sentiment. The Democrats seem to have lost their way and often appear ineffective or even hapless. But more to the point, the ..read more

I have seen some speculation about why Christians are disliked. I've noticed that many of those speculating do identify themselves as Christians. I wouldn't mind sharing my thoughts on the topic, but it seems like there's a question we'd want to address first. Are Christians disliked? Most of the speculation I've seen has come from Christians living in the United States. Are Christians in the United States disliked? And if so, who dislikes them? Are we to imagine that most non-Christians dislike them? I haven't seen much evidence that leads me to think this is true. Copyright © 2005-2023 At ..read more

"Why are you an atheist?" I open my mouth as if to begin my answer, an answer I've given countless times before. But the words don't materialize this time. And now I suspect I've made a mistake by answering the question all those times. I don't mean to suggest that there isn't an answer. I know why I'm an atheist. What I mean is that I am beginning to suspect that giving an answer is unwise. In fact, I'm wondering if it is worse than unwise. Copyright © 2005-2023 Atheist Revolution ..read more

We've all seen signs encouraging people to wash their hands in restaurant restrooms. Many of us appreciate these prompts. We don't like to think about the people who are preparing our food disregarding this advice. The idea of such a reminder hanging on the wall of a public school restroom doesn't seem like a bad idea. These are high-traffic areas, and illness spreads quickly. One sick kid leads to many sick kids, and they bring whatever they catch home with them. It seems like another good place to encourage hand washing. What don't picture is a sign like the one here. It says, "Wash your HA ..read more

There's a group of people in your local community working hard to bring about a state of affairs you find undesirable. They aim to limit your access to ideas they do not favor. They want to take away some of the rights you've taken for granted. They might even aspire to criminalize some aspects of who you are. In short, they seek dominion over you. This group is well organized. They meet at least 1-3 times each week. They know each other well, share many goals, and support one another in the process. Few have close friends outside their group, and prefer it that way. Their group provides plen ..read more

What do evangelical Christians in the United States do when they have a hard time finding support for their more extreme beliefs at home? They export them to some unlikely places. According to the National Secular Society, one of those places is Wales. An American church partnered with over 20 schools in Wales and exposed students to homophobic beliefs and creationism, a new documentary by The News Movement has revealed. Members of the evangelical, Louisiana based First West Baptist Church visited the schools as part of a "cultural exchange" between 2009 and 2018. First West Baptist claim th ..read more

I did not grow up in a religious cult. That is, most people around me didn't consider it to be a cult. No, the religion of my childhood was "normal." But what does that even mean? It was common enough that lots of people lived inside it. They never bothered themselves with thoughts of how others might view it. They had no reason to do so. It was normal to them. Many religious beliefs seem quite strange to those outside the religion. I remember the first time I encountered Catholic beliefs about transubstantiation. They believe what? If they think the wafers turn into flesh, why would they eat ..read more