verywide.net » Atheism

Knowledge and Doubt

Moody — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 01:56:38 +0000

The following material, in this and related posts upcoming, draws extensively upon the writing of philosopher Walter A. Kaufmann, whose 1958 book, Critique of Religion and Philosophy, I have lately been re-reading. I have attempted to provide my own take on the material, putting it into my own words, with the idea of saying what [...]

The Hazards of Confronting Believers

Moody — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 21:35:17 +0000

One of the most difficult positions held by atheists—a de facto position following of course from the main proposition of atheism—is that there is no divine aid or comfort to be looked for in difficult times. Religious people are fond of saying that they are “carried through the hard times” by their beliefs, by their [...]

Where’s the line?

Moody — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 06:24:53 +0000

There are bound to be casualties on both sides in the culture wars. Try as we might to be considerate to those whose feelings and opinions matter to us, we are bound to run into some difficulty that either hurts them or us. If we speak our minds to persons close to us whose position [...]

What if… I believed?

Moody — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 21:23:40 +0000

Every now and again I get a wistful feeling when I hear someone talking about how satisfying her or his spiritual beliefs are. Such people are often very sincere, I know; when you have a belief, it feels like certain knowledge. So the heartfelt expression of their words is filled with that sense of “real” [...]

The 33rd Humanist Symposium

Moody — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 20:00:25 +0000

“Many persons have no idea of what constitutes true happiness. It is not attained through self-gratification but through fidelity to a worthy purpose.”—Helen Keller

Mission Statement: [The] purpose of the Humanist Symposium is not primarily to criticize religious beliefs or debunk the latest superstition, but to offer and discuss a positive alternative to belief systems based on [...]

Thanks-Giving

Moody — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 00:33:44 +0000

An atheist is no less grateful than anyone on Thanksgiving Day.

Evolving, A Mind

Moody — Sat, 19 Jan 2008 06:34:33 +0000

“You can’t be a rational person six days a week … and on one day of the week, go to a building, and think you’re drinking the blood of a two thousand year old space god.”—Bill Maher

Let’s make one thing clear from the outset: Whatever I might prefer, I shall have no say in whether [...]

The Broad Theater of a Culture War

Moody — Sun, 08 Apr 2007 23:28:01 +0000

They talk without being criticized nearly enough:

“When the Christian majority takes over this country, there will be no satanic churches, no more free distribution of pornography, no more talk of rights for homosexuals. After the Christian majority takes control, pluralism will be seen as immoral and evil and the state will not permit anybody the [...]

Thoughts on a Sunday

Moody — Sun, 25 Mar 2007 20:00:50 +0000

The weekend comes, the weekend goes; the work week looms on the horizon. I think a lot about my work week for a number of reasons. I recall the lines from the World of Skin song, “24 Hours”: “24 hours split three ways. Because you bought one third, you own everything.” My days at work [...]