Author: Daniel Libit

Source: POLITICO

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0609/23488.html

How much faith should the faithless put in Barack Obama?

The president said in his inaugural address that the United States is “a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus and nonbelievers.” And in his commencement speech at the University of Notre Dame, he said that the Golden Rule binds “people of all faiths and no faith...

Author: Staff Writer

Source: The Detroit News

Wire Service: AP

http://www.detnews.com/article/20090528/LIFESTYLE04/905280485/1041/LIFESTYLE04/Atheists-lose-lawsuit-over-Detroit-s-downtown-aid

A federal appeals court says Detroit did not violate the Constitution when it partially reimbursed churches for renovations before the Super Bowl and...

Author: Victoria McGrane

Source: POLITICO

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0509/22832.html

When the clock strikes midnight on Dec. 31, 2009, Rep. Paul Broun (R-Ga.) hopes you’ll be ringing in “the Year of the Bible.”

It’s probably just wishful thinking.

Broun’s simple congressional resolution aimed at honoring the Good Book has produced a push-back of biblical proportion in the blogosphere, with...

Author: Ryan J. Foley

Source: Examiner.com

Wire Service: AP

http://www.examiner.com/a-2000823~Obama_defends__curtails_National_Day_of_Prayer.html

President Barack Obama is scaling back White House plans for Thursday's National Day of Prayer even as his administration defends the tradition in federal court in Wisconsin.

Obama's position has disappointed Christian conservatives...

Author: Henry McDonald

Source: The Observer

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/may/03/atheist-ireland-blasphemy-legislation

A group that claims to represent the rights of atheists in Ireland has launched a campaign to expel God from the Irish constitution, starting with an attempt to block plans for a new blasphemy law.

Atheist Ireland, which is led by a Bono impersonator and the writer of a hit musical about...

Author: Laurie Goodstein

Source: The New York Times

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/27/us/27atheist.html?_r=1&emc=tnt&tntemail1=y

Two months after the local atheist organization here put up a billboard saying “Don’t Believe in God? You Are Not Alone,” the group’s 13 board members met in Laura and Alex Kasman’s living room to grapple with the fallout.

The problem was not that the group,...

Author: Staff Writer

Source: The New York Times

Wire Service: Reuters

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/11/world/europe/11briefs-brfVATICAN.html?emc=tnt&tntemail1=y

A campaign promoting atheism on London buses this year ultimately “served God’s cause” by reminding people of the importance of faith, especially to those who suffer, a papal preacher said Friday. The...

Author: Joe Borlik

Source: Central Michigan Life

http://media.www.cm-life.com/media/storage/paper906/news/2009/04/08/News/Losing.Our.Religion.Agnosticism.On.The.Rise.Around.Cmu-3701458.shtml

Not everyone believes in God.

One registered student organization on campus wants people like this to feel welcome at its meetings.

The Nonreligious,...

Author: Le Roy Standish

Source: The Grand Junction Daily Sentinel

http://www.gjsentinel.com/news/content/news/stories/2009/04/06/040709_1a_Prayer.html

Those fighting to keep God out of public meetings have been attending the meetings themselves.

Armed with note pads, laptops and digital audio recorders, members of the Western Colorado Atheists and Free Thinkers have been filling the pews at Mesa County...

Author: Staff Writer

Source: Hinduism Today/Religion News Service

http://www.hinduismtoday.com/hpi/2009/4/5.shtml#1

A secular organization in Britain that backs an atheist ad campaign on London's buses is now producing "certificates of de-baptism" for people wishing to renounce their Christian faith -- and claims it is getting thousands of takers. The National Secular Society says more than 100,000 ex-worshippers have downloaded the de-baptism...

Author: Holly Yan

Source: The Dallas Morning News

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/localnews/stories/DN-atheists_04met.ART.State.Edition1.4a53fd0.html

For 35 years, Terry McDonald was a devout Catholic, going to Catholic schools and participating in the parish council. Now he's recognized as something that confuses and even frightens some – he's an atheist.
...

Author: Holly Yan

Source: The Dallas Morning News

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/religion/stories/040109dnmetbillboards.3b5b112.html

These clearly aren't signs from God.

This week, drivers in Dallas and Fort Worth will notice billboards sponsored by local atheists and agnostics.

"Don't believe in God? You are not alone," the billboards read. The signs, featuring a...

Author: Michael Conlon

Source: Reuters

http://uk.reuters.com/article/lifestyleMolt/idUKTRE52T47G20090330

For some atheists in the United States it's a bright new day with the election of President Barack Obama and a move away from religion-shaped government policies of past years.

Others aren't so sure, and it remains to be seen whether a friendlier climate translates into more people publicly embracing an atheist or non-...

Author: Staff Writer

Source: The Associated Press

http://www.kansas.com/197/story/746921.html

A nonprofit group that promotes separation of church and state and challenges faith-based initiatives has placed a billboard in Wichita praising Charles Darwin.

Annie-Laurie Gaylor of the Freedom From Religion Foundation says the billboard shows a picture of Darwin and the words, "Praise Darwin, evolve beyond belief."

A second billboard being...

Author: Scott Wyman

Source: Sun-Sentinel

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/content/state/epaper/2009/03/21/0321busislamad.html

In the wake of controversial bus ads saying Jesus followed the principles of Islam, Broward County inspection reports commissioners are considering a ban on advertising religious messages on public transportation and all other government property.

The new policy would still permit...