Big name atheists

". . . most big-name atheists are ex-Protestants or products of Protestant cultures. For Protestants, you actually have a core, inner self – one who either believes or doesn’t believe. So a few days (or years) of doubt can convince you that your identity is “atheist.” A Catholic or Orthodox upbringing, on the other hand, tends to give you the impression that things are messier. You might doubt one day and believe the next, but if you keep going to Mass, then at least part of your identity is religious – because your identity isn’t some inaccessible, unchanging inner “self.” Instead, it’s is shaped and fundamentally defined by your context and social relationships. This way of doing things, while it has its own problems, is less likely to lead to disillusioned atheism than Protestantism is."

I'd never thought about it.

 http://www.patheos.com/blogs/scienceonreligion/2016/01/think-the-muslim-world-needs-to-reform-think-again/

Carson comeback to an atheist

Book burning in the 21st century

University of Wisconsin at Madison has caved to pressure from atheists.  It has removed the Gideon Bible from hotel rooms.  Apparently, atheists become apoplectic and panic at the sight of one.

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/university-removes-bibles-guest-rooms-complaint-article-1.1582450

On antenna TV I can get 4 different channels in Arabic, all evangelizing Islam.  Should I complain or change channels?

Also known as atheists

The mission of the Center for Inquiry is to “foster a secular society based on science, reason, freedom of inquiry, and humanist values.”  Oh, are they (all 10 of them if that many) upset that there are religions represented in the military. No freedom for the men and women who protect their rights to be atheists.  That's how they are.

Hitchens the atheist is dead

When I heard on Catholic radio this morning that Christopher Hitchens had died from cancer I thought, well, now he knows. When I stand before God, He will see only the righteous of Jesus Christ. Hitchens knows for sure now, but I pray that he accepted the Lord's hand at the final moment. It's never too late; God is merciful. He waits. But, Oh what a waste of a life for the one who waits to the end.

Rueters announcement of death

Atheist Pat Condell speaks out on free speech

It's not often I agree with an atheist about religion, but this be one of those times.



Our First Amendment rights are under attack.

How Atheists and Agnostics voted

According to the George Barna poll:

"The second largest faith group in America, trailing only the Christian segment, is atheists and agnostics. These religious skeptics represent about one out of every ten adults. About four out of ten skeptics were registered as Democrats, four out of ten as independents and just two out of ten as Republicans.

Three-fourths of atheists and agnostics (76%) gave their vote to Sen. Obama, while only 23% backed Sen. McCain. That is a step up from the level of support Democrats have previously received from skeptics. In 2004, 64% of atheists and agnostics voted for Democratic challenger John Kerry."

Banned Books Week

BBW is over for another year (wasn't that the name of a magazine for large women?). Banned books goes on all year at my library because banning begins at selection by the staff, not complaints from the patron. Today, I picked up a magazine, AudioFile June July 2007. Glancing through it, I noticed it had a religious section, so I decided to see if my public library had any of the religious audiobooks reviewed in the issue. The first one I tried was a James Dobson, Focus on the Family issue. Didn't surprise me that they didn't have it. Even though his company produces top-notch audio and video, he is politically a conservative--an anathema at this tax supported, public library**. So I read the review of R.C. Sproul's audio book The Holiness of God read by Grover Gardner (6.5 hours, unabridged). Reviewer noted that the print version published 20 years ago had become a standard work, and that the audio did justice "to a deep work on a subject often taken for granted."

I bring up the catalog again (which doesn't work well and is an aggravation) and punch in "Sproul, R.C." One item--a contribution to a King James Bible version. A search of Amazon.com brings up over 200 titles, because Sproul, a Presbyterian, is extremely prolific (note: his son uses "R.C. Sproul, Jr," although they don't have the same name). Although he focuses on theological themes, he has also written for children and youth, and I think has tried his hand at fiction. He has written books on home schooling, cultural issues, biography, Bible studies, The Westminster Confession, marriage, apologetics, the reformation, death, and the life of Jesus. He is a well known as a Christian author, teacher and speaker. There are a few duplicates on the Amazon listing--some titles are published both in Spanish and English; several have audio; some are both paperback and hard cover.

However, I counted 46 distinct titles with publication dates between 2000 and 2008 (it's possible some could be his son's--hard to tell). Forty-six titles in eight years, and Upper Arlington Public Library couldn't find a spot on the shelf or in the budget for even one! Richard Dawkins, the non-religious bigot who sees religion as a human construct and the source of much evil in the world is much more acceptable at UAPL. His Blind watchmaker has 3 copies; The God delusion has 7 print copies and one audio.

And this, dear readers, is what I call banned books.
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** If you check the UAPL catalog by publisher, you will find Focus on the Family, all from the early to mid-1990s--the library staff was a bit less "focused" and rigid in those days.

Get a church!

Yesterday I was reading a chatty, well-paced blog by a self-identified atheist librarian. She was ridiculing the fashion tastes of the Christians who were gathering in the meeting room of the library. They must have been more joyful than allowed to be in the halls of the inner sanctum of a public library, because she said, "Get a church!" I wonder if she says "Get a kitchen" to the amateur chefs, or "Get an agent" to the wanna-be writers, or "Get a concert hall" if they sponsor the very loud hip hop groups for the teens that gather at my suburban public library as part of their "reach out to youth" program.

I truly wish the women I see at church were as modestly and attractively dressed as the ones she described and found so hilarious. I'd much rather see a floral print and lace collars than tight jeans and skinny tee's that leave the cleavage and muffin tops bursting in all their fullness for God.

Of course, what is really funny is a librarian, even me, giving out fashion advice. We're known for being tenacious, directional and investigative, but somewhat fashion challenged. And we're proud not to be taken for Paris or Rosie or some other clothes-hanger type. There are exceptions, of course. There's Matthew, the Well Dressed Librarian, and then there's Pam over at Health Sciences, and I'm sure there's more, but it's a pretty short list.

I recently saw some Christian women dressed similarly to the group she described. They were part of a prison ministry--feeding and clothing and job mentoring for some ex-cons. I wonder if atheist-librarians do that?