Atheism

U.S. Asylum Law as a Path to Religious Persecution

by Jack Dolance

(working title)

U.S. asylum law protects against persecution “on account of . . . religion.” But must the law protect a non-believer... more U.S. asylum law protects against persecution “on account of . . . religion.” But must the law protect a non-believer seeking religious asylum in the United States? Many may instinctively answer “no,” for a non-believer is by most definitions not “religious.”

Such a response misses the mark, however—at least in the context of U.S. asylum law, which is subject to the First Amendment. The protection of religious liberty enshrined in the First Amendment embodies freedom from persecution on account of one’s “religion”—in whatever form that religion may take. In the asylum context, then, “religion” must be defined broadly. Protection from persecution on account of one’s “religion” must include protection of one’s religious freedom not to believe in deities of any kind. To hold otherwise would be to inhibit the very religious liberty asylum law is intended to protect.

Yet under current U.S. law, a non-believer’s claim for asylum may well be denied on the ground that non-belief is not enough for religious asylum. This may serve to dissuade a would-be asylee from even attempting to apply for religious asylum as a non-believer—even where she would undoubtedly be subject to religious persecution if forced to return to her native country. She may thus feel the need to feign conversion to a traditional, mainstream religion. Such a result is unacceptable in a nation founded upon religious liberty.

This brief Article argues that if a non-believer is denied religious asylum in the United States, she can succeed on a claim that the law as applied to her violates both the Free Exercise and the Establishment clauses of the First Amendment.

Possibilities of Scientism: Analyzing Science's Ability to Do Everything

by Andrew Tripp

One of the most prevalent debates that occurs time and again amongst thinkers in the freethought/atheist/secular... more One of the most prevalent debates that occurs time and again amongst thinkers in the freethought/atheist/secular movement is that over scientism, the belief that science offers the best possible set of tools to discern truth about the world. However, critics of those who hold that view claim that its true definition is more strident, that science not only can, but will, be able to do and explain everything. Using the debate between Massimo Pigliucci and Jerry Coyne as a starting point, I use analyses of Rudolf Carnap, AJ Ayer, Quine, Donald Davidson, and Thomas Kuhn to detail the issues at hand and determine if it is rational to believe and advocate for science's supremacy of learning.

Report - Non-religiosity, Identity and Ritual

by Christopher R. Cotter

Co-authored with Rebecca Aechtner and Johannes Quack. Preferred citation Cotter, Christopher R., Rebecca Aechtner and Johannes Quack, 2012. EASR: Non-religiosity, Identity and Ritual. NSRN Events Report series [online], NSRN 19 April 2012. Available at www.nsrn.net [accessed xx-xx-xx].

Tasset, José L. “Vivir sin religión.” Ferrol-Análisis 20 (2006): 272-79.

by Jose L. Tasset

Tasset, José L. “Vivir sin religión.” Ferrol-Análisis 20 (2006): 272-79.

Manifiesto ético en favor del ateísmo. Manifiesto ético en favor del ateísmo.

Does Yahweh exist? A critique of realism in Old Testament theology

by Jaco Gericke

An early attempt during my militant atheist phase at showing why realism in Old Testament theology is problematic. Looking back almost a decade after the study began, I would have approached or presented the matter somewhat differently, if at all.

Predicting Atheism: A Test of the Defective Father Hypothesis

by Joseph Langston

Post-hoc controls for age, race, and gender do not render the analysis results significant or substantial.

OBJECTIVE:  To examine relationship between presence/absence of father in childhood or male figure in adolescence... more OBJECTIVE:  To examine relationship between presence/absence of father in childhood or male figure in adolescence and belief/non-belief in God.  Variable of image of God as masculine/feminine was added to assess its potential as a moderator.  Those with absent fathers were hypothesized to evince greater rate of non-belief.

METHODS:  Using secondary data analysis, a path analysis was employed, constituted by two linear regression analyses, to examine data from the 2008 GSS Cross-Section version 2 (N = 2,023).

RESULTS:  Hypothesis was unconfirmed.  No relationships were found to have significance at the .001 level.  Neither linear regression analysis met a .30 threshold for association (LRA 1, R = .09; LRA 2, R = .06) or .001 threshold for significance.  Results were nevertheless generalizable from sample to population due to the large number of cases.

DISCUSSION:  Future research should seek to obtain samples where believers and non-believers are more equally represented.  Inclusion of attachment scales, dynamic religiosity measures, and control and additional variables are recommended.  Results are discussed in light of attachment theory.

Secularization Has Hit Its High Mark

by Taner Edis

Patheos.com, August 30, 2010

Today, it is not so easy to expect that secularization is the wave of the future. In most of the world, most people... more Today, it is not so easy to expect that secularization is the wave of the future. In most of the world, most people live less secure lives, and supernatural belief systems have changed rather than declined.

Review Symposium Essay, Tomáš Halík, Patience With God: The Story of Zacchaeus Continuing in Us. Horizons 38.1 (2011): 112-17

by Brian Robinette

Is the Universe Rational?

by Taner Edis

Free Inquiry, 30:2 27-29 (2010)

Origin of the Universe and Unbelief

by Taner Edis

Entry in Tom Flynn, ed., The New Encyclopedia of Unbelief (Amherst: Prometheus, 2007)

A game of dice: physics, randomness, and naturalism

by Taner Edis

Unpublished; the journal in which this was supposed to appear never got launched. (2006)

An Accidental Critic

by Taner Edis

Version of chapter in Ibn Warraq, ed., Leaving Islam (Amherst: Prometheus, 2003)

Can Secular Philosophy Give Us Objective Morality?

by Taner Edis

The Secular Web, March 2003. [Review of Atheism, Morality, and Meaning by M. Martin.]

Defending Science and Nonbelief

by Taner Edis

Bulletin for the Study of Religion 40:4 14 16 (2011)

An Ambivalent Nonbelief

by Taner Edis

Pre-publication draft

in Russell Blackford and Udo Schüklenk, eds., 50 Voices of Disbelief: Why We Are Atheists (Wiley-Blackford, 2009)

ASUR, Asociaţia Susţinătorilor Unităţii Româneşti?

by Adrian Magdici

published in "Mesagerul Sfântului Anton" 110 (2012) 19

Some thoughts about "Romanian Secular-Humanist Association" Some thoughts about "Romanian Secular-Humanist Association"

Ecohumanism: Principles and Practice

by William Patterson

Essays in the Philosophy of Humanism, Volume 16, Issue 2, 2008

In Defense of Dawkins: A Response to Jason Giannetti

by William Patterson

Published in the Journal of Liberal Religion.

In the previous issue of this journal Jason Giannetti launched a vigorous attack against Richard Dawkins‟s... more In the previous issue of this journal Jason Giannetti launched a vigorous attack against Richard Dawkins‟s best-selling book The God Delusion. Giannetti assailed Dawkins on three primary grounds: his understanding and definition of God, his understanding of truth, and his interpretation of religious morality. In response, I will address each of these three areas in turn and demonstrate how Giannetti's critiques of Dawkins fail.

Toward a Typology of Nonreligion: A Qualitative Analysis of Everyday Narratives of Scottish University Students

by Christopher R. Cotter

This is my MSc by Research thesis which was submitted to the University of Edinburgh in August 2011. Please use as you see fir, but I request that you run any citations by me at this stage whilst I pursue publications.

Citation format: Cotter, Christopher R. 2011. "Toward a Typology of Nonreligion: A Qualitative Analysis of Everyday Narratives of Scottish University Students". Unpublished MSc by Research Thesis. University of Edinburgh, August 2011.

This paper documents a yearlong project amongst the student body of the University of Edinburgh, under the supervision... more This paper documents a yearlong project amongst the student body of the University of Edinburgh, under the supervision of Dr Steven Sutcliffe, focussing on ‘nonreligious’ undergraduates - whether explicitly irreligious/undecided, those occupying the ‘fuzzy middle’, or those termed ‘nominal’ believers.
Similar studies are virtually non-existent in the UK, and in the US, nonreligious students tend to be ignored or treated as a monolithic religious minority. Through questionnaires and in-depth interviews, this study explores this neglected area, examining: if and how religious/non-religious/irreligious identities are constructed; the importance of religion/nonreligion versus other sources of significance; and the subjective meanings ascribed to key emic terms.

In addition to raising informative questions, the author demonstrates that the limited number of current typologies, based on internally and/or externally selected and defined nonreligious identity labels, tend to be inadequate and inaccurate. Nonreligious students are shown to be highly aware of the subjectivity of their interpretations of key identity terms, and in many cases they maintain multiple identities simultaneously, in a situational and pragmatic fashion. These identities also vary in terms of concreteness and salience, and are informed by a wide variety of relationship- and education-based subjective experiences. A more nuanced approach is then proposed, based on students’ personal narratives obtained through questionnaires and interviews, categorising individuals according to the overarching narrative through which they claim to interact with (non)religion.

Feminism and Religion: Where Do Nontheists Fit? By Bridget Ludwa

by Feminism and Religion

originally published on the Feminism and Religion Project.

What is a woman to do when she no longer finds any type of theism relevant to her, but as a human being still needs... more What is a woman to do when she no longer finds any type of theism relevant to her, but as a human being still needs community, ritual and sense of the sacred that theistic religion inherently provides?  The most vocal representatives of atheists are men, such as the voices of Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris, and the late Christopher Hitchens.  I’m happy to have these voices, because they’re brilliant and well-spoken, but where are the women?  My partner shares the same belief system as I do, but he does not feel the same need for community as I do.  Is it gender?  What ratio of women to men do you observe when you look at who is spending their time and energy making sure your local Catholic Church functions?  In questioning if women are more spiritual than men, Caroline Kline observed that women outnumber men in religious observance.  For the sake of argument, let’s accept for a moment that women are more inclined than men to seek community, ritual and a sense of the sacred.  What is a nontheist woman to do?

I wanted to go through some articles posted on here before diving into this question, maybe I would find a satisfying answer and that would be the end of it.  Carol Christ consistently poses the divine gender question, and admittedly I’ve been very drawn to a feminine manifestation of the divine.  The idea of Mother resonates with me more than Father (a father whom many believe could only “save” humanity via human sacrifice).  Part of my rejection of theism does indeed stem from this issue of gender.  For many who find traditional theistic concepts unnerving, Christ’s reevaluation of the divine is gratifying and empowering.  As empowering as this reevaluation is, however, the concept of any deity, male or female, still did not settle with me.