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New report finds nonreligious people face stigma and discrimination

May 6, 2020

 

For more than 35 years, Jayrod Garrett’s life was immersed in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

He fondly remembers going on a missionary trip to Hawaii, participating in a scouts program and making lifelong friends. He also recalls how hurt he felt when a church leader didn’t believe him when a group of kids called him the N-word or how tough it was grappling with the church’s stance against gay marriage.

In 2016, after years of feeling conflicted, Garrett left the church.

Now, he identifies as an atheist.

He...

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During coronavirus crisis, Congress’s first caucus for nonreligious belief seeks a larger role in promoting science

April 10, 2020

 

When Rep. Jared Huffman (D-Calif.) found out that a Trump administration rule that restricts research using fetal tissue from elective abortions was hampering scientists seeking treatments for the novel coronavirus, he had a coterie of like-minded members of Congress ready to help him protest.

The group is called the Congressional Freethought Caucus — the first caucus for...

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Kentucky Atheist Awarded $150,000 In Fight Over Vanity License Plates

February 21, 2020

If you’re looking for God, keep your eyes peeled for a white Jeep Grand Cherokee with custom Kentucky plates that read “IM GOD.”

You may not find the Almighty behind the wheel, but you’re likely at least to encounter Ben Hart. The self-identified atheist sued the state in 2016 after he was denied the vanity plate because it was “vulgar or obscene.”

A U.S. District Court...

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Fla. county agrees to let atheists give invocations; pays $490K in legal settlement

February 12, 2020

A Florida county will now allow atheists to give invocations at the start of government meetings and was ordered to pay $490,000 as part of a recently agreed upon legal settlement.

The Brevard County Board of Commissioners reached a settlement with a group of plaintiffs who were prohibited from giving invocations at the meeting.

The plaintiffs will now be allowed to give invocations, according to an...

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Humanism in Boston

Humanism has a vital, and growing, presence in Greater Boston today. The first Humanist Chaplaincy, now known as “The Humanist Hub,” was established at Harvard University decades ago. Today, The Humanist Hub works with humanist, interfaith, and secular groups at Harvard and MIT and hosts public programming on ethical leadership and related topics. Humanists in Greater Boston connect through this “Hub,” as well as a variety of local groups, including the Concord Area Humanists and...

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Freedom From Religion Group Speaking Out Against Kanye West Program in Jail

December 2, 2019
The Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF) is speaking out against a jail’s showing of Kanye West programming because of the religious message with in it. The Harris County Sheriff’s Office in Houston, Tx has drawn the ire of the organization for two surprise concerts for inmates and staff in mid-November. FFRF says West coordinated the performances with jail officials and explained to the media that since his ... Read more about Freedom From Religion Group Speaking Out Against Kanye West Program in Jail

secular humanism

Secular humanism is the belief that ultimate values reside within the human individual and possess no supernatural origin; it has been shaped by Enlightenment rationalism, Darwinian science, and later by Freudian and post-Freudian psychology. The humanist movement gained currency in the United States during the late nineteenth century and was expressed through the programs of the Ethical Culture Society and the nontheistic wing of Unitarianism; was popular among the intelligentsia. In the twentieth and 21st century, the Humanist movement has produced three “Humanist Manifestos” which were... Read more about secular humanism

Stedman, Chris

Chris Stedman (1987-) is an openly gay atheist, interfaith activist, and Assistant Humanist Chaplain at Harvard University. He is founder of the blog Non-Prophet Status and is a regular contributor to The Huffington Post. Stedman is author of the 2012 memoir Faitheist: How an Atheist Found Common Ground with the Religious.

Humanism

Humanism is a belief system that values reason, compassion, and hope. Emphasis is placed on human concerns and that which can contribute to human flourishing. Dogmas or creeds that in any way impede these foci are disregarded and humanity is thought to be responsible for its own destiny.

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