03 December 2015 Religion/Atheism News

Tags

american, arabs, atheists, cairo, canaan, christian, church, curse, david silverman, disbelief, europe, fundamentalism, george pataki, ham, iceland, israel, jihad, liam fraser, lindsey graham, murder, mythology, new atheism, nones, pastors, philosophy, politics, religion, secular, terrorism, theology, tim throckmorton, USA

It’s that time of the year! 2015 is wrapping up. We need YOU to nominate this year’s eAtheist “Person of the Year” on our Facebook page. Also, if you have it in your heart to donate an end-year dollar or two, now is the time to do it. Go to our About page for the contribution link. Finally, there’s a pretty active Debate Religion group on Goodreads. …And now, your news:

Invisible Atheists: The Spread of Disbelief in the Arab World

Last December, Dar Al Ifta, a venerable Cairo-based institution charged with issuing Islamic edicts, cited an obscure poll according to which the exact number of Egyptian atheists was 866.

A Religious Philosopher Argues That New Atheism and Fundamentalism Are “Secretly Sympathetic”

Liam Fraser, a Ph.D candidate in systematic theology at the Divinity School of the University of Edinburgh, and is well on the way to making his career on the backs of New Atheists.

Atheist Battles Religion in ‘Fighting God’

David Silverman wants you to know he is not a jerk. As president of American Atheists, the most vocal of the roughly half-dozen U.S.-based nonbeliever groups, it’s just his job to act like one.

I’m a Somethingist — Or Something

Nearly a quarter of all Americans now check the box “None” when asked their religious affiliation.

Why is Christian Terrorism Downplayed in the U.S.?

When Muslims commit violence against the innocent to further their ideological or political agenda, they are called, appropriately, “Muslim terrorists.”

Mass Murder and the Problem with Prayer

From Senator Lindsey Graham to Governor George Pataki, Twitter and Facebook were peppered with comments from conservatives who promised their “thoughts and prayers” to the victims affected by the shooting.

Unabashed Church Pastors Put Politics Front and Center

In the coming months, the Rev. Tim Throckmorton will step up to his southern Ohio pulpit and declare before hundreds of heedful churchgoers the candidate he wants to win the 2016 presidential election.

Christian Group’s Survey Finds That Christians Have the Most Abortions in U.S.

It won’t be surprising to most on the left that the Christians that kill people in order to protest killing are hypocrites.

The Curse of Ham/Canaan: A Mythological Mystery

The fact that Ham’s crime was noticeable to Noah and the punishment severe suggests that Ham’s offense was originally more serious than glimpsing his father’s nudity.

Secular Saga: Icelanders Form New Religion To Protest Church Subsidies

According to the BBC, thousands of Icelanders have registered as Zuist in recent weeks and they don’t appear to be motivated by the faith’s Sumerian roots.

Terrorism Science: 5 Insights into Jihad in Europe

Terrorism is tough to study, but researchers have gleaned insights from the current generation of Islamist extremists.

Why Are There So Few Atheists in Israel?

The debate over faith has been particularly robust in the West following a chain of major events over the course of the past two decades – except for Israel.