Heaven is a Place on Earth

Heaven is a place on Earth, at least for this groups of non-believers who have a place to go now. Free of prayers over their meals, or faith based initiatives, and Sunday church services.

"We would encourage them to read, to go to church," said Chuck Wolber, one of Camp Quest Northwest's founders. "The best way to become an atheist is to study the Bible, and I definitely recommend the kids do that."

The secular sleepaway camp rents the area from another camp, and camp counselors used masking tape to cover any signs with religious or deity words on them, such as "Lord," "God," or "Gaia," and replaced those words with fantasy-like words, such as "Flying Spaghetti Monster," which they use to emphasize the imaginary nature of God.

Here is their website


Sounds pretty good to me!

Sometimes Atheists have nothing better to do

If you are following the news, you know of the intense drought that is plaguing the mid-west. It's horrible and will do a lot of economic damage across the country, especially for the hard hit farmers.

The Obama Administration recently said they are "praying for rain".

While USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack said he was praying everyday for rain, he told Obama the drought is not as bad as in the last great drought of 1988.

"I get on my knees everyday and I'm saying an extra prayer right now," Vilsack said. "If I had a rain prayer or a rain dance I could do, I would do it."

Much to the chagrin of Atheists 

The Council for Secular Humanism is attacking the Obama administration for Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack saying he prays for rain to end the nationwide draught.

“I get on my knees every day,” Vilsack said at the White House press briefing on Wednesday. “And I’m saying an extra prayer now. If I had a rain prayer or a rain dance I could do, I would do it.”

In a statement, Tom Flynn, the executive director of the Council for Secular Humanism, said Vilsack's mention of prayer "sends the wrong message to distraught farmers."

“[Praying] for rain? That’s not just government entangling itself with religion, that’s government publicly practicing it, and wallowing in superstition,” he said.

Now come on, even I don't have a problem with someone saying they are praying for rain, and I run an Atheist blog. It's an expression, and a social-ism to say that.

Do NOT hire a Muslim

At least that is what Republican lawmakers are saying in Tennessee after the governor of that state hired a Muslim as a state's attorney.

Aggregated news items here.

They have circulated petitions and passed resolutions in regard to her hiring.

Now the good Christian men and women of the state who are against her hiring claim it is because she was a former Obama appointee, but really; would we be having this discussion if she were Christian? We certainly would if she were atheist.

It goes to show you the ignorance of many Christians, who claim to be so loving and open minded, but are really closed minded closeted bigots. They routinely denigrate those with opposing religious tendencies but claim bigotry against them if you even mention or question their beliefs.

Something to fear more than radicalized Islam?

After settling her divorce from record time, Katie Holmes has since rejoined the Catholic church and renounced the "church" of Scientology of which Tom Cruise is a famous member.

From examiner.com's account

 If the couple had failed to work out the terms of their divorce, they would have headed to court on July 17, 2012 for a very public divorce battle. The announcement that Holmes returned to the Catholic Church coincides with a statement toRadar Online that the divorce had nothing to do with the Church of Scientology.

I find it interesting that Katie went to all these great lengths to spring this on Tom Cruise as suddenly as possible. She met with lawyers in three states, contacting them with disposable phones. The news took Cruise and his handlers by surprise.

Despite what could have been a long drawn out divorce, it was settled out of court in about a week.

How bad must Scientology be for her to take these measures to break from it, and her husband. Reports have even been circulating stating that there has been measures set up to keep their daughter, Suri, from being raised in the church  cult.

People do read billboards

People do read billboards, and in the case of an atheist billboard in Omaha, people don't like  Christians don't like it.

Thousands pass by it on a given day and everyone we spoke with has an opinion. 

Gina Jensen said, "I didn't know there was a club that didn't believe in God."

Emlyn Forsuh added,  "I was raised to believe in god and now someone says they don't believe in god so I don't like it."

Tough. I'm not here to reassure your beliefs in an imaginary friend. I'm here to feel open and safe to express my skepticism and non-belief in a deity.

I am amazed at the amount of Christians that spout their beliefs at the drop of a hat, ask you to pray at their dinner table, mention god and more, but express outrage if someone simply states they do not believe.

It is not as if the billboard is ignorant of belief, or that it is condescending to believers, or uses the name of the lord in vain, it simply reaches out to people who do not believe to let them know they are not alone.


Not everyone is totally ignorant, a commenter  on the page says:

This group has every right to display the billboard in question; it appears they went out of their way to avoid making it offensive. I thank God for the fact that they have this right. I will continue to pray for them; that's MY right.

Well said.
Well, except for the praying stuff...

Atheist Tracts

I'm sure all people, believers and non believers alike have been inundated with the Christian version of the tracts.

These are the small booklets believers hand out to tell you that you are going to hell/committing a sin/ or other infraction they believe in.


You never know when you get them and they are not a welcome gift.

Funny enough, a stand at a farmer's market near my house has the whole collection, plus a guy there to answer your questions.










But what do the non-believers have to offer?  Well look no further than the atheist tracts from our friends at Atheism UK.

The Freedom from Religion Foundation has tracts you can order. 

Plug for a Friend

Well, not really a friend, per se. I've never met Seth at The Thinking Atheist, but I do follow him regularly, read his postings, and follow his wonderful podcast.

He has a new shirt for sale, one I wish I could wear in public.

Personal Relationship with Reality Shirt