Chris Stedman: Faitheist
Instead of hating on social justice, atheists should tackle STEM segregation
By Chris Stedman — November 21, 2014
As a racially polarized nation awaits the grand jury decision on the officer who killed unarmed teen Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, atheists and Humanists must step up on addressing STEM segregation and racism.
Why atheists should follow Carl Sagan’s lead
By Chris Stedman — November 9, 2014
What we celebrate when we recognize Carl Sagan Day is not only Sagan himself. We are really celebrating this amazing cosmos in which we live—and our capacity within it to experience beauty, make meaning, and find purpose.
Why I’m trying to be the military’s first Humanist chaplain: An interview with Jason Heap
By Chris Stedman — November 6, 2014
"It feels as if there is no consistency in the decisions being made—and as such, it rings alarm bells in my mind," Dr. Jason Heap, the first Humanist chaplain applicant for the U.S. Navy, tells RNS.
Is the U.S. military anti-atheist? An interview with Jason Torpy
By Chris Stedman — November 5, 2014
"There is a very powerful minority—about 19 percent—of military personnel representing evangelistic and anti-atheist constituencies in the military." Former U.S. Army Captain and President of the Military Association of Atheists and Freethinkers Jason Torpy speaks with RNS.
Atheist author Peter Boghossian suggests gays shouldn’t be proud. Is he proud to be an atheist?
By Chris Stedman — November 4, 2014
In a time when more and more atheists are encouraging their fellow nonbelievers to be "openly secular," I wonder if Boghossian sees any parallels between the celebratory spirit of LGBTQ pride and the joy many atheists find in being honest about what they believe.
Do skeptics kill Halloween fun? Ask ‘The Shining’ hotel paranormal investigators
By Chris Stedman — October 30, 2014
Does skepticism take the fun out of Halloween? Paranormal investigators Bryan Bonner and Matthew Baxter tell RNS about about their strangest investigations and what they discovered when they investigated the hotel that inspired 'The Shining.'
Thomas Page McBee on his brush with death, transgender stories, and his agnostic mother
By Chris Stedman — October 23, 2014
Author Thomas Page McBee tells RNS about the religious themes of "Man Alive," the influence of his agnostic mother, religion and the transgender community, and how men can address their own privilege.
Jeremy Messersmith wears his atheist heart on his sleeve
By Chris Stedman — October 20, 2014
Atheist musician Jeremy Messersmith tells RNS how his experiences as a former Christian inspired his most recent album, what he believes now, and why relating to his religious family can feel like going to a Renaissance Festival.
In new atheist children’s book, belief is for the dogs
By Chris Stedman — October 13, 2014
New children's book "Me & Dog" is certainly unusual—but, by comparing belief in God to the relationship between a dog and his owner, is it unfair to believers? Author Gene Weingarten speaks with RNS.
Atheism and social justice: Sikivu Hutchinson on the first People of Color Beyond Faith conference
By Chris Stedman — October 9, 2014
"Despite frequent tokenistic calls for 'diversity' within the 'movement,' there are virtually no people of color in executive management positions in any of the major secular, atheist, or Humanist organizations." Author and activist Sikivu Hutchinson tells RNS how a new conference is working to change that.
What was missing from the Ben Affleck and Bill Maher Islam debate
By Chris Stedman — October 6, 2014
Ben Affleck, Bill Maher, and Sam Harris debated Islam over the weekend. But their debate was lacking something incredibly important: The voices and perspectives of Muslims and ex-Muslims.
Why would a Christian pastor help an atheist start a ‘godless congregation’?
By Chris Stedman — October 3, 2014
Last weekend the number of "godless congregation" Sunday Assembly locations more than doubled. Here's why their rapid growth is a welcome reminder of the value of working with and learning from others.
The original ‘atheist church’: Why don’t more atheists know about Ethical Culture?
By Chris Stedman — October 1, 2014
Unfamiliarity with Ethical Culture—a nontheistic, Humanist religion—is more common among some atheists than it should be. Anne Klaeysen tells RNS about the history of Ethical Culture, the challenges it faces today, and what the atheist movement can learn from the original "atheist church."
Listen to Joseph Gordon-Levitt: Stop trying to replace feminism with Humanism
By Chris Stedman — September 25, 2014
Joseph Gordon-Levitt isn’t the first to be told that we should replace the word feminism with Humanism; in fact, it’s a relatively common refrain. But as he learned, Humanism already means something else.
If just 1 in 7 atheists are anti-religious, who speaks for atheism? An interview with Dale McGowan
By Chris Stedman — September 24, 2014
"There's more power to change minds in that moment than in a thousand debates." Dale McGowan tells RNS why so many people conflate atheism with anti-theism and what atheists can gain from interfaith work.
