Many people believe that science is strictly the domain of mute facts. What is. And it consequently has nothing to say about values and morality. About what should be. Many religious folks, or simply thinkers friendly to religion, will claim that values and morality are a special category addressed best or exclusively by religion. I …
Tag Archive: skepticism
Sep
20
The Skeptrack Experience at DragonCon – Part 2
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 …
Sep
16
The Skeptrack Experience at DragonCon – Part 1
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 …
Jun
20
Being “Saved” By The Baptists
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 …
Jun
01
My Amazing Meeting with James Randi
“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 …
Apr
29
Foundations of Freethought
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 …
Apr
27
Education is Not Just for Kids
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 …