With all of the fun and fascination at Skeptrack 2009, a couple of controversies emerged in the conversations there. The first, discussed openly in a few panels, was the role of religion in the skeptic/atheist/freethought movement. This is still a sore spot for some, particularly given the wide range of individuals who fall under the [...] [...more]
Every Labor Day weekend 40,000 or so geeks descend on Atlanta to revel in at least four days of Nerdvana at DragonCon (www.dragoncon.org). It’s the largest fan-based popular culture convention in the U.S. There is a fan track dedicated to almost any science fiction, fantasy, horror, game, comic, art, or geek subculture that you can [...] [...more]
Early in my Junior year of high school, my mom decided to move back “home” to West Virginia. Well, it was still home for her, at least, but after a decade in Florida it was no longer home for me; I felt terribly out of place. I was a strange and lonely kid who read [...] [...more]
“Hello” was the response on the other end of my newly initiated phone call. I knew this voice instantly, from the hundreds of times I’ve heard it on television, podcasts, and YouTube videos. I was shocked that it could be he who answered the phone and believed I might be wrong. “Yes, um, we are vacationing [...] [...more]
America’s secular heritage begins with the founding of the country in the late 1700’s. While 200 years may seem like a long time ago, it’s a blink compared to the history of secularism that has threaded through most civilizations over the past 3,000 years. Freethought is by no means an American invention. It appeared in various [...] [...more]
I’ve belonged to Orlando Atheists & Freethinkers group for a little while now. Previously, I was on like-minded Internet sites for several years. One of the many things I find interesting is the acknowledged need for freethought educational resources for our children. But I see very little conversations or requests for adult continuing education on [...] [...more]
