Comment

Comment by Chris on April 30, 2012 at 8:43pm

Listen to Teresa MacBain, a methodist pasture who comes out as an atheist at the March 25 American Atheist convention. There is also a transcript.

Comment by doone on April 30, 2012 at 11:05am

How Homing Pigeons Get Home

A survey of the science:

Decades of studies with frosted lenses, magnetic coils or scent deprivation show they use pretty much every clue available. The most difficult one for us to comprehend may be the earth’s magnetic field.

Birds see it, but what it looks like to them, nobody knows. Work by Roswitha and Wolfgang Wiltschko in Germany, among others, suggests that this sense relies on quantum mechanics—that is, birds detect something happening in the eye at a subatomic level. Light striking the retina seems to stimulate chemical reactions that produce pairs of molecules with electrons that are "entangled," meaning they share certain quantum properties. One of those properties, called "spin," is affected by a magnetic field. That effect could tell the bird which way is north.

The above image is from an installation called "Suspended Together," by Saudi Arabian artist Manal Al Dowayan. Kawlture explains:

[E]ach dove carries on its body a permission document that allows a Saudi woman to travel. Notwithstanding their circumstances, all Saudi women are required to have this document, issued by their appointed male guardian.

Comment by Hope on April 30, 2012 at 8:35am

LOLz :D

Comment by doone on April 29, 2012 at 3:10pm

Comment by doone on April 29, 2012 at 3:10pm

Why God Never Recieved a PhD

Comment by doone on April 29, 2012 at 3:05pm

Sad Jesus is Sad.

Comment by Neal on April 29, 2012 at 1:34pm

Red Garter bar; intriguing name. =)

Don is right about other interests besides atheism being useful for social integration. What I find with atheist groups is a desire to be active. They will protest, they will affiliate themselves with a political party, but they only do so to promote their secular beliefs. That is slightly different than sports, hobbies or other interests.

Comment by Don on April 29, 2012 at 12:14pm

Secular gatherings need not have anything to do with non-belief, of course, to be comforting, supportive, and invigorating emotionally and intellectually.  Sports--both watching and taking part in them--certainly have that effect.  Clubs for gardeners, book lovers, birders, canoeists, hikers, cyclists, and so on, as well as political parties, and social cause organizations, all help us stay engaged with the culture and with one another.  As a teacher, a writer, a sports lover, and a lifelong atheist, I have never needed a religion or a regular Sunday gathering to feel I am part of a valuable community.  To me the religious have always seemed drawn into a shallow and artificial affiliation, a tribal attachment that owes its persistence to indoctrination more than to sanguine, heartfelt interest.

Comment by Neal on April 29, 2012 at 11:56am

That's a great article doone. Secular gatherings I think would provide a function if they were at all interesting. I don't hang with my local atheists, who are having a meeting tonight, because I don't care for most of them. =(

Probably a personal problem I have. =)

I get tired of chinese buffets in dry restaurants; sorry, I like a glass of wine with my socializing. But I do still support what they do, since it is better than nothing. There are other small gatherings I have to check out, CFI's "Skeptics in the Pub" have interested me. I should go to a couple to see if they have that community feeling to them, and of, advertise AU. 

If we weren't so spread out, it would be great to be able to meet live; though then I probably wouldn't like anyone as well as I do now. (teasing). =)

Comment by doone on April 29, 2012 at 11:27am

From Epiphenom http://epiphenom.fieldofscience.com/2012/04/are-secular-alter

Are secular alternatives to religious gatherings any good?

Posted: 28 Apr 2012 01:41 PM PDT

It's often suggested that religion benefits people by bringing them together and helping to create and bind communities. Since most humans are highly social, having a mechanism to strengthen social groups could be expected to have psychological and even health benefits.

Indeed, this have often been shown to be the case. People who go to church more often seem to be happier on average, and any health benefits of religion are related to church going, rather than religious beliefs.

Now, there are complex cause and effect problems here – perhaps it’s simply that people go to church are happier and healthier to start with. These issues are hard to untangle.

However, given the controversy over Alain de Botton’s proposals in his recent book (that atheists should form secular ‘Churches’, to provide that social service provided currently by religion), it’s worth taking a look at whether secular alternatives to religion actually have any measurable impact on happiness.

The most obvious secular parallel to religion is organised sport – and in particular membership of clubs that support particular teams.

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