29 May Religion and Atheism News Digest

Tags

1st amendment, abuse, affiliation, allah, america, atheism, bible, budgets, christian, church, climate change, community, conservatives, creationism, evolution, faith, florida, gangs, government, hannah ettinger, homeschooling, ISIS, israel, josh duggar, lawsuit, lgbt, montana, murder, museum, myths, non-belief, pew research, politics, pope francis, quiverfull, religion, schooling, science, scotland, sexuality, SOCAS, society, terrorists, tolerance, values, west virginia, women

America is Losing Religion — And Why More and More Women Are Embracing Non-Belief

Atheists were abuzz this month over Pew Research releasing new numbers showing that the number of “nones” in the U.S. is soaring to record levels, making up a whopping 56 million Americans.

Agnostics Anonymous

My religious transformation was difficult, but I’m grateful to know both sides of the spiritual coin.

No Politics in Church? Not So Fast.

American Christians are increasingly aware that the church has a political image problem, and are increasingly eager to repair it.

A Look at What’s Driving the Changes Seen in Our Religious Landscape Study

The Pew Research Center’s 2014 Religious Landscape Study presented a detailed portrait of an America where changes in religious affiliation have affected all regions of the country and many demographic groups.

What It Was Like to Grow Up Quiverfull

Hännah Ettinger was raised in the ultra-conservative Christian movement (most frequently associated with the Duggars). Now she has a completely new life.

Regarding the Myths of Atheism

One long-held assumption is, as scientific fact replaces superstition, society will move away from religion.

West Virginia Lawsuit Filed to Ban Teaching Evolution Since it’s a “Faith”

To paraphrase Clarence Darrow, creationism is always busy and needs feeding, and their lawsuits and incursions into the schools won’t stop until religion is no longer with us.

Scottish Victory Over Creationism Gets 300,000 FB Likes, International Attention. What Next?

What has happened is that the Scottish Government has moved from merely saying that creationism is not part of the syllabus, to saying that it should not be taught in science classes.

Sins of the Father: Is Part of Josh Duggar’s Sexual Deviancy a Result of His Upbringing?

I read another article that showed where Josh’s dad, Jim Bob Duggar (yes, that’s his real name), said back in 2002 that incest and rape should be capital offenses. The irony’s pretty thick.

Forget the Numbers. The Big Story is That Religion Has Lost Social Influence

I doubt those headlines would have garnered the attention the Pew Center recently received with its subtitle “Christians Decline Sharply as Share of Population.”

Glendive, Mont., Students to No Longer Visit Creationist Museum

Glendive third graders will no longer visit their town’s creationist museum amid concerns that the annual school trip to learn about dinosaurs violates the constitutional separation of church and state.

Christian Schools in Israel Say Budget Cuts Hurt Community

Private Christian schools are among Israel’s highest ranked educational institutions, established by churches in the Holy Land hundreds of years ago — long before Israel’s own creation.

Respectfully Resolving Tensions Between Religion, Law is Possible

Today’s struggles on behalf of gays, lesbians, bisexuals, and transgender people mirror protracted struggles by Catholic, Mormon, Jewish, Muslim, and other religious groups to secure freedom and tolerance in schools, workplaces, and daily life, including marriage.

Religious Change in America’s Swing States

Using the American Values Atlas, which is based on 50,000 interviews, we examined religious changes occurring in nine key swing states.

Climate of Change: The Catholic Church’s Dance with Science

From Galileo to genetics, the Roman Catholic Church has danced with science, sometimes in a high-tension tango but more often in a supportive waltz.

Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Americans Differ from General Public in Their Religious Affiliations

Although many lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) adults feel that most major faiths are unwelcoming to their community, a majority of LGB adults are religiously affiliated, according to a new Pew Research Center study.

How I Became a Disillusioned Homeschooler: Elisheba’s Story

I used to be a good homeschooler. I used to be a good Christian. I used to be a model daughter. Then something happened. I’m not sure what it was, I’m not even sure how it happened.

Group Still Waiting for UF Response on Bible Verse Complaint

University of Florida officials have yet to respond to a complaint filed by a national nonprofit church-state watchdog group objecting to a Bible verse carved into Heavener Hall, saying the inscription violates the First Amendment.

The Carnage Committed in the Name of Allah (GRAPHIC, NSFW)

The picture is one of many appearing on Arabic social media concerning the Islamic State’s barbarism and sadism, where those deemed “infidels” are treated as pieces of meat to be carved up for “fun.”

Religion Doesn’t Create Terrorists. Society Does

The Midwest Outlaw Motorcycle Gang Investigators Association called these biker gangs domestic terrorists, and data show that many of the things that lead people to join extremist groups like ISIS are very similar to what leads people to join violent gangs.