By James Zimmerman

Reasonable Atheism, by Scott Aikin and Robert Talisse ©2011,  Prometheus Press, 220 pages.

 

In Reasonable Atheism, authors Scott Aikin and Robert Talisse set out to present a moral case for atheism. They attempt to "show religious believers that atheism is a morally and intellectually responsible position" (9). They do a rather decent job.

 

By Eric Jayne

The brutal practice of slavery was arguably the nation’s most disturbing human rights disaster in the 19th century.  It was a subject that profoundly impacted Mark Twain who grew up in pre-Civil War Missouri.  Even though many Christians today credit their religion for the abolitionist movement and the end of slavery, Twain knew better.  “There was no place in the land where the seeker could not find some small budding sign of pity for the slave”, he wrote.  “No place in all the land but one—the pulpit; it yielded at last [as] it always does.”  Twain went on to say that the Christian pulpit “fought a strong and stubborn fight, and then did what it always does, joined the procession—at the tail end.”  After slavery was finally abolished Twain observed that the biblical authorization for slavery persists: “The slavery text remained; the practice changed, that was all.”  His words remain true today as tolerance is on the rise for gays and lesbians thanks to good old fashioned secular values and “illegitimate Christians.”

 

By Steve Petersen

Our radio program is live every Sunday morning from 9:00 to 10:00 from the KTNF studios in Eden Prairie on AM 950. Minnesota Atheists is the producer and the Director is Mike Haubrich. Hosts include Mike Haubrich and Scott Lohman. Original music is composed, played and recorded by Brent Michael Davids. Live steaming is available on our web page www.mnatheists.org. The six month cost is $5,320.00, each donation to support the program is greatly appreciated. To donate, just send in a donation to our post office box, or donate online at http://mnatheists.org/component/option,com_ civicrm/Itemid,55. All past programs can be accessed via web page.

 

By Steve Petersen

For our May cable program George Kane interviewed Sandhya Bathija on Thomas Jefferson’s Wall of Separation. Bathija is the Communications Associate for Americans United for Separation of Church and State. She joined the staff in May 2008. Bathija previously worked as a reporter for the legal trade publication The National Law Journal, and practiced law for a civil rights firm in Detroit. She holds a law degree from The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law.

 

By Nicole Helget

Nicole Helget is a writer and teacher from the Mankato area. Here, she offers her witty perspective on Jesus, religion, and belief. -ed.

I like Jesus. I imagine he was the kind of guy I would enjoy hanging out with. And I think he’d probably be happy to chill with me. Honestly, if Jesus descended on a cloud today (or, more likely, emerged out of a spacetime shortcut) was hungry, and needed a place to crash for an evening, I believe he’d choose hanging at my house over hanging with some of the priests or preachers we've got around here. I don’t think Jesus would be down with the peacocked nature of their holiness, their sanctimonious robes, the showboating collars, the cries for more and more money and whatnot. Some of these guys should just walk around with floating neon signs above their heads that flash "I'm Here!" and be able to swipe credit cards between their thumb and pointer finger. What would Jesus do if he walked into a church where a bedazzled bishop was holding court? Laugh? Get pissed? Look around and hope he’s in the wrong place? Ask, “Seriously? Looks like I'm going to have to do that crucifixion number all over again.”