Apostasy Now

Guardian Writer Proposes Manifesto For Heathens

Wed, 28 Mar 2012 21:27:03 -0400

This evening I stumbled across a pretty interesting read from our pals across the pond at The Guardian, an article entitled “Atheists, Please Read My Heathen Manifesto” by Julian Baggini.

While I appreciate his effort to give most sensible nonbelievers one common constitution to operate under, I don’t much agree with his arguments. For one, and it’s a trivial matter, he claims that we need to all unite under the label “heathen.” Because, according to him, that label doesn’t have as negative connotation as “atheist.” I think it does. I think the phrase “heathen” is on a lot of people’s mind when they start killing in the name of their god. It’s synonymous with “infidel” in a lot of ways.

Anyhow, Baggini also goes on to claim that “heathens,” as he’s calling us all now, have “belief in Naturalism” and pursue Truth with a capital T and that heathens can actually be religious in some degrees. The bit about naturalism reads like a rancid pile of mumbo-jumbo to me, but his talk about Truth with a capital T and toned-down religious belief doesn’t sit with me at all.

I don’t think nonbelievers/atheists/etc. should be concerned with Truth, I think they should be more concerned with Fact. Indiana Jones taught me the difference between Fact and Truth a long time ago, and it’s been a guiding principle ever since. The “Truth” can waiver, but facts remain firm. I acknowledge that when he’s talk about “Truth” he means something on a emotional level that can’t be qualified by facts, but my point still remains. People live and die for something they think is a truth, and often that truth get muddled over the course of history or it even ends up fading away.

I appreciate Baggini’s attempt to give the nonbeliever culture a few central points to rally around, because I think most of us can agree we need it. We need to become organized and more involved and unashamed. That’s what last weekend’s Reason Rally in D.C. was all about. However, I think he missed the mark here.

~M.B.

This is worthwhile, right here. ~ M.B.

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 21:26:46 -0400

This is worthwhile, right here.

~ M.B.

So the Reason Rally happened in D.C. this past weekend and...

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 21:22:59 -0400

So the Reason Rally happened in D.C. this past weekend and “Mythbusters” host Adam Savage, whom I’ve had the pleasure of hearing speak in person before, was a highlight from the event. While Dawkins, Hitchens, & Harris get a lot of credit, and rightly so, I connect with Savage much more because he brings a clearly more positive vibe, and I dig it. ~ M.B.

I’m a refugee from Alabama, and I so wish I had thought of...

Wed, 21 Mar 2012 22:50:22 -0400

I’m a refugee from Alabama, and I so wish I had thought of this when I still lived there.

~M.B.

New Book Argues Atheism Needs to Remember Religion's Contributions

Thu, 15 Mar 2012 16:25:03 -0400

A few days ago I stumbled across Alain de Botton’s new book Religion for Atheists at my local big box bookstore and picked it up for an admitedly brief moment. The title caught my eye because, as I’m sure most atheists would agree, religion and religious practice is a notably absent factor in atheism. The premise behind the title was so ill-informed and outdated to me I didn’t think it could possibly be a new publication, but yet I’d never seen it on the shelves of the philosophy section before.

That should have been my clue that it was in fact a new publication. I stumbled across a review of the book today on NPR, and was compelled to get a more detailed insight into this book. I should have known better than to judge a book by its cover in the first place, right?

After reading the review and checking out a bit more about “Religion for Atheists,” apparently the gist of this book is to explore exactly what there is that’s valuable in religious practice and whether or not it’s worth saving. But don’t take my word for it, let Alain explain his curiosity to you:

“the real issue is not whether God exists or not, but where to take the argument once one decides that he evidently doesn’t. The premise of this book is that it must be possible to remain a committed atheist and nevertheless find religions sporadically useful, interesting and consoling –- and be curious as to the possibilities of importing certain of their ideas and practices into the secular realm.”

It’d be good for a laugh to put on the “Snarky Hat” and make some comment about what a great idea it is to import ideas about illogical dietary habits and the spiritual merit of hot cutting your hair into secular society, but let’s be a bit more constructive.

This premise is fundamentally flawed because one of the primary functions of religion is to promote and maintain tradition. This, in and of itself, isn’t necessarily a bad thing. But, starting from there, you’re already entering into contradictory territory to want to include ancient religious practice, ritual, or morality into the modern discourse. Progress and tradition constantly struggle against each other in a bid to determine human destiny. Religion isn’t concerned with progress because change is thematically and inherently oppositional to tradition. Allowing outdated, inefficient traditions to continue just because we have difficulty accepting change and feel nostalgia for them isn’t justifiable to me.

He states that religion taught us how to work together as a community and that it helped us find a way to cope with suffering. As compelling an argument as that might be, you can make just as strong an argument that agriculture and science did far more for normalizing society and giving us a greater understanding of physical and emotional pain.

For as long as we’ve been able to think and rationalize, humanity has come up with ideas and then adapted new, better ones to replace the old. Religion was a great idea for keeping us from slitting each other’s throats when civilization was in its infancy, but we’ve moved on from those times.

Nevertheless, I’m willing to give this guy a chance to state his case. This is going to get added to the reading list for the near future.

~ M.B.

"The ethical behavior of man is better based on sympathy, education and social relationships, and..."

Wed, 14 Mar 2012 10:00:06 -0400

““The ethical behavior of man is better based on sympathy, education and social relationships, and requires no support from religion. Man’s plight would, indeed, be sad if he had to be kept in order through fear of punishment and hope of rewards after death.””

- ~ Albert Einstein, Religion and Science, 1930

Happy Birthday, Albert. Born today, March 14th, 1879

tastefullyoffensive:[via]

Sat, 10 Mar 2012 08:05:05 -0500

tastefullyoffensive:[via]

Print this out and start putting them up everywhere. Awareness...

Fri, 09 Mar 2012 20:05:42 -0500

Print this out and start putting them up everywhere. Awareness is an important issue.

This one is extra funny because actor Wallace Shawn (Vizzini) is...

Fri, 09 Mar 2012 19:11:28 -0500

This one is extra funny because actor Wallace Shawn (Vizzini) is a socialist. No, really, he admitted it to the Internet. Meanwhile, Inigo Montoya’s wit and wisdom echoes through the ages.

"American Atheists ‘Celebrate’ Year of the Bible in Harrisburg with Outrageous Billboard" ~ Philadelphia Weekly

Fri, 09 Mar 2012 18:58:00 -0500

"American Atheists ‘Celebrate’ Year of the Bible in Harrisburg with Outrageous Billboard" ~ Philadelphia Weekly:

American Atheists are quite possibly the most adept trolls out there in the debate. They know beforehand these billboards are going to get the kind of negative attention that they do. But they put them up anyway. It’s masterful, in its own way, the work they do…

What would Don Draper say about their campaign, I wonder?

~ M.B.

safarizone: Academy Award winner Jim Rash. We really love Gay...

Fri, 09 Mar 2012 16:05:05 -0500

safarizone:

Academy Award winner Jim Rash.

We really love Gay Marriage, chainsaws, Satan, and Jim Rash.

Dear Coquette: On your doctorate in philosophy.

Fri, 09 Mar 2012 13:08:12 -0500

Dear Coquette: On your doctorate in philosophy.:

dearcoquette:

I have a doctorate in philosophy, and I still think theism is a logical stance. You’re a cunty little ignoramus who is so certain about something which I’m willing to bet you know very little about.

I’d rather be a cunty little ignoramus than the kind of monumental douche-nugget who refers to their PhD as a “doctorate in philosophy.”

We get it. You wrote a dissertation. Whoop-de-fuckin’-doo. Everyone still thinks you’re an asshole when you tell them to call you Doctor.

As for your logical stance on theism, thanks for writing in with your opinion. The line for people who want a cookie starts outside by the dumpster full of all the fucks I don’t give.

At Apostasy Now, we enjoy some CokeTalk/Coquette from time-to-time.

The Most Astounding Fact Words by Neil DeGrasse Tyson Video...

Fri, 09 Mar 2012 09:38:00 -0500

The Most Astounding Fact

Words by Neil DeGrasse Tyson

Video by Max Schlickenmeyer

disconnectmyhead: sothatsatlanta: fox theatre on peachtree...

Thu, 08 Mar 2012 22:48:06 -0500

disconnectmyhead:

sothatsatlanta:

fox theatre on peachtree st

i love atlanta.

Apostasy-Now also loves Atlanta.

maxistentialist: A new requirement before sharing the Kony...

Thu, 08 Mar 2012 22:46:59 -0500

maxistentialist:

A new requirement before sharing the Kony video.

Ahh, skepticism.

Welcome to Apostasy Now!

Thu, 08 Mar 2012 22:38:00 -0500

Welcome to Apostasy Now, a Tumblr dedicated to secular thought and practice in America. We’re not interested in catering to a specific audience of like-minded people who are going to clap their hands and nod approvingly at everything we say. We don’t want to be trolls. We don’t want to be dicks. We just want to talk.

It’s our goal to create a forum that revolves around the broad topic of religion-free life and thought in America. On Apostasy Now, you’ll sometimes see news stories about things related to skepticism, debunking, science, and the like. Other times, we’ll be presenting you with personal stories and opinions from our own lives, relating them to modern non-religious thought and practice. And, of course, you’ll get in-depth analysis of pop culture and media, and how atheism fits into it.

And if that wasn’t enough, a time or two we’ll probably just end up shooting the shit and talking about whatever is on our mind. And occasionally reblogging funny cat gifs. Because this is the internet, after all.

Apostasy Now!

- M.B. & Courtney

missspectatrice: HAHAHAHAHAHA sweet!

Thu, 08 Mar 2012 22:33:20 -0500

missspectatrice:

HAHAHAHAHAHA sweet!

Photo

Thu, 08 Mar 2012 22:33:06 -0500