atheism



List of Atheist Websites

Many atheist websites take a very critical view of the beliefs and practices of major organized religions. The following list contains descriptions of some of the largest and best known atheist sites. It also includes links to some noteworthy smaller sites and other resources which might be of interest to atheists.


The Evil Bible Website - The main purpose of this well-known site is to spread the horrible truth about Christianity. It points out that the Christian God, according to the bible, has been directly responsible for numerous mass-murders, rapes, enslavements, plunderings, acts of child abuse, and even the murder of unborn children. The articles on the site discuss in detail the specific passages which describe these terrible crimes. There are also descriptions of the mass murders and other atrocities committed by Christians themselves during the past two thousand years.


Atheists for Human Rights - This organization works to defend the basic human rights of people who are being oppressed and persecuted by religious groups. In particular, the organization maintains a Moral High Ground Fund which provides financial aid to individuals who have been harmed or displaced by persecution. The organization also opposes wars, terrorism, and other acts of violence.


American Atheists - This pioneering atheist organization was founded in 1963 by Madalyn Murray O'Hair after her successful legal battle against mandatory prayer in U.S. public schools. Since that time, the group has engaged in many other legal actions to support the separation of church and state, and to end discrimination against non-Christians. Its other activities include publishing books, organizing demonstrations, and providing college scholarships. It also maintains the largest archive of atheist literature in the United States, spanning more than three hundred years of atheist thought. In addition, the website is frequently updated with reports on the latest legal actions, demonstrations, and public controversies relating to atheism.


Freedom From Religion - This non-profit foundation, which was incorporated in 1978, opposes attempts by U.S. religious organizations to use the powers of government to promote religion. Its attorneys have taken part in numerous legal battles on issues such as the separation of state and church, organized prayer in public schools, using taxpayer money to fund religious schools, and protecting the rights of women, gays, and lesbians from attacks by church groups.


Reddit Atheism Forum - With more than 400,000 members, this is probably the largest and most active atheism forum on the web. Even if you don't join and participate in the discussions, it is still an excellent place to keep up with the latest news stories that atheists are talking about. In addition, you will always find many discussions relating to important moral, social, and political issues of modern society, as viewed from an atheistic perspective.


Atheist Alliance International - The goal of this world-wide organization is to create more compassionate and better-informed societies. Its member believe that human activities should be based on reason and science rather than religion or superstition. The alliance, which has affiliates in more than 20 countries, publishes the magazine Secular Nation and conducts an educational program about skepticism, atheism, and freethought. It also attempts to fight legal injustices and violations of basic human rights. The U.S. affiliate, Atheist Alliance America, presents the annual Richard Dawkins Award to individuals who make outstanding contributions to freethought.


Atheist Revolution - This is a valuable resource for skeptics, agnostics, atheists, and anyone who wants to help bring about a better world. The site is especially helpful in revealing the harm caused to society by organized religion, particularly the hate and violence that results from Christian extremism. It points out examples of this harm through frequent posts about recent acts of prejudice, repression, and violence perpetrated by religious groups. It also provides links to other websites and blogs that contain related information.


Clergy Gone Wild - This site collects news reports about modern clergy who have been charged with serious crimes. The types of crimes include child molestation, sex abuse, theft, fraud, murder, illegal drug use, and cult activities. Hundreds of U.S. clergy are arrested for such crimes every year, and reports of new arrests are added to the site quite frequently. Each report describes the main details of the crime, and provides a link to the original news article so that anyone who wants more information can easily find it.


Partial History of Christian Missionary Atrocities - This article describes some of the brutal methods that Christians have used to try to force their beliefs on other people. It recounts the savage atrocities perpetrated against the native peoples of Tahiti, Hawaii, the United States, Thailand, the Philippines, China, India, and various other countries. It also chronicles the plundering of cities by the Crusaders, the repeated persecutions of the Jews, and the horrors of the witch burnings.


Local Atheist Meetup Groups - If you are interested in joining a local atheist organization in your area, you can find a list of more than 500 groups on this website. Most of them are located in the United States, but the site also has information about groups in eight other countries. The site helps people who want to form a new group to find other atheists in their community, and gives guidance on how to get organized. After a new group is registered with the site, it is given its own set of webpages where members can post announcements about future meetings and other activities.


Secular Student Alliance - Check this website if you're an atheist student who is looking for a suitable group to join at your school. Groups for atheists and other freethinkers have already been formed at hundreds of U.S. colleges and universities, so you have a good chance to find one. And if you can't find one, this website contains information and resources that make it easy to start a group yourself. Note that each campus group is basically an independent organization that controls its own activities. The Secular Student Alliance simply facilitates contact between groups, and provides guidance and resources for carrying out their activities. Its website also provides a directory of existing groups, news about events such as conferences, and information about scholarships available to secular students.

Many student freethought groups also use the resources of the Center for Inquiry - Campus Outreach. These resources include activism posters, an original group organizing guide, a lecture and debate guide, a guest speaker bureau, and a video library. NOTE: Freethought groups are now being formed at U.S. high schools as well as colleges, and the movement is also spreading to other countries.


Lifestyles of the Tele-evangelists - This article describes the wealth and opulent lifestyles of some modern Christian televangelists, many of whom live in million-dollar mansions and own private jets, fancy cars, valuable antique collections, and expensive jewelry. The article includes aerial photographs of several of the mansions. There is also a discussion of some of the accounting tricks and other deceptive methods that are used to build up this personal wealth.

A bitter fight between two famous televangelists for control of a lucrative media empire is described in this article.


Think Atheist - This is a news and social networking site which serves as an online meeting place for atheists, skeptics, free thinkers, and anyone else interested in discussing the problems caused by organized religions, and how atheism is a logical alternative. Each person who registers receives his or her own page to post personal information, as well as a site-hosted blog. Each member can also join various groups of people with common interests. In addition, the site includes a forum, a shop, and a wiki. The wiki, which may be edited by any member, has information about a diverse range of topics, including Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism, agnosticism, scientology, the scientific method, "intelligent design", the concept of hell, the "unholy trinity", Satan, original sin, and even the shroud of Turin.


List of Christian Evangelist Scandals - This is a list of more than 30 modern Christian evangelists who have been involved in scandals, with brief descriptions of the accusations against them. These accusations include bribery, adultery, drug abuse, homosexuality, and visits to prostitutes. However, the list doesn't include the thousands of cases of reported sexual abuse by Roman Catholic clergy.


Fundamentalist Christianity and the Religion of the Slave Owners - This article presents evidence which indicates that modern Christian fundamentalism evolved from the religion practiced by the slave owners of the American South prior to the Civil War, and argues that it still retains some of the same basic beliefs and attitudes.


The Atheist Blogroll - The creation of the web has provided a great new opportunity for non-theists to spread the truth about the world's religions. In fact, many people believe that the existence of the web will hasten the demise of religion everywhere. To help bring about this demise, more than 1000 atheists have begun using blogs to express their views and substantiate their beliefs. For a convenient entry point into this active community of bloggers, go to the Atheist Blogroll.


Free Thought Blogs - This is a hub for some of the best-known freethought blogs, including the Atheist Experience, Pharyngula, Greta Christina's Blog, Blag Hag, and Voice of Reason. Most of the blogs on this hub were originally scattered around the web at various other locations, but were later moved here. Their association together in one place improves their visibility on the web, and creates an opportunity for readers of one blog to discover other blogs.


The Secular Web - This well-known site is one of the oldest, largest, and most comprehensive freethought resources on the internet. Established in 1995, it contains many articles by prominent scholars, scientists, atheists, and historians. The articles cover almost every aspect of the atheism vs religion debate, as well as many related topics in the areas of science, religion and history. This could be a useful site for anyone interested in doing research in these areas.


Christian Witch Burnings - The article on this page is taken from the book The Dark Side of Christian History by Helen Ellerbe. Here are some of its main points:
--- The anti-female bias of Christianity was one of the main causes of the witch hunts of the 15th, 16th, and 17th centuries.
--- During this period many thousands of people, mostly women, were tortured until they confessed and then burned alive.
--- Protestants persecuted suspected witches with just as much zeal as Catholics.

Here is a quote from the article:
"Witch hunts were neither small in scope nor implemented by a few aberrant individuals; the persecution of witches was the official policy of both the Catholic and Protestant Churches. The Church invented the crime of witchcraft, established the process by which to prosecute it, and then insisted that witches be prosecuted."

More information about the torture and killing of suspected witches can be found in the book Servants of Satan - The Age of the Witch Hunts by Joseph Klaits.


burning of witches

This drawing by the 17th-century Dutch artist Jan Luyken shows the execution of a group of suspected witches. Each suspect was tied to a wooden post and burned alive as the flames leaped up around her body.


Ask An Atheist - This site contains answers to some frequent questions that people ask about atheism, such as "do atheists have moral values" and "does life without religion have a purpose". There are also articles about inconsistencies in the bible, discovering the historical Jesus, creationism versus evolution, the problem of evil, the lack of evidence for God, and illogical aspects of Christian belief. Another section of the site contains reviews of numerous books that are relevant to these and similar topics.


Rational Response Squad - This well-known site is home to a community of activist free-thinkers who want to promote rational thinking in all matters. Various articles on the site describe the benefits to humanity that have been brought about by logical thought and scientific methods, and compare those benefits to the problems caused by religion and superstition. Anyone who becomes a member can make a contribution by writing articles and participating in an active forum.


Christianity Revealed - This website explores the sordid side of Christianity. Subjects include the tortures of the Inquisition, the witch burnings, the invasions and conquests of the lands of primitive peoples, repeated persecutions of Jews and other non-Christians, and forced conversions. There is also information about the altering of the gospels and other books of the bible in order to hide the true origin of Christianity.


Horrors of the Inquisition - During the Inquisitions of the Middle Ages, church officials tortured and murdered thousands of suspected heretics. This article contains many contemporary eyewitness accounts of the methods and devices that were used. It also includes accounts of how some inquisitors became very rich from the bribes they received and the property they confiscated.


Torture Devices - This website contains descriptions and photographs of some of the most horrifying torture devices in history. The list includes the Heretic's Fork ... the Thumbscrew ... the Rack ... the Breast Ripper ... the Iron Maiden ... The Crocodile Shears ... The Brazen Bull ... and the Judas Chair. Needless to say, many of these devices have been used by Christians to torture heretics, witches, and other non-believers.


Rack

This photograph shows one form of a medieval torture device called The Rack. It was used by church officials to get confessions from suspected heretics and witches.


More Torture Devices - This site contains descriptions of even more torture devices, including the Pearl of Anguish ... the Drunkard's Cloak ... the Iron Gag ... the Splitter ... the Chain Whip ... the Mute's Bridle ... and the Spanish Spider. There is also a list of books that were used as references for the information on the site.


How Christianity Harms Society - The articles on this website reveal how Christians have consistently taken immoral positions on social issues such as slavery, racism, penal reform, physical abuse of women and children, contraception, abortion, divorce, treatment of the mentally ill, aid to the poor, exploitation of natural resources, basic human rights, and persecution of minorities.

Here is a quote from the site:
"For many centuries the Church maintained its position by a combination of fraud and terror, opposing advances in learning and suppressing the truth. Where Christian dogma has been strongest, so has poverty, misery and ignorance. Christian Churches were wholly responsible for the deaths of millions whose only crime was to dissent from their current version of orthodoxy."


The Atheist Scholar - This is an excellent resource for anyone interested in learning about atheism. It contains many well-written articles covering such subjects as the history of atheism, science vs. religion, atheist ethics, atheism and the law, atheist demographics, biblical criticism, and "the new atheism". There are also sections dedicated to atheist films, atheist fiction, and personal narratives of non-believers. All of the articles are very informative, yet easy to read and understand.


Weird Religious Beliefs - From an atheistic viewpoint, most religions contain strange beliefs and practices. You can find brief descriptions of some of these weird beliefs on this page. They include demonic possession, snake handling, religious use of psychoactive drugs, the Grim Reaper, bizarre beasts, the devil's mark, self-whipping, the dance of death, the Rapture, weeping statues, the Antichrist, and incorruptible bodies of saints. Atheists often cite these and other weird beliefs as evidence to support their argument that religions are actually superstitions.


exorcism of demon from possessed woman

One of the weird beliefs found in Christianity is the idea that a demon can enter a human body and take possession of it. The demon can sometimes be expelled from the body later by a process known as exorcism. The above image depicts a demon leaving the head of a possessed woman after being expelled by Jesus. The original source of the image is a medieval book called Les Tres Riches Heures du duc de Berry.


Military Association of Atheists and Freethinkers - The aim of this association is to provide a support network for non-theists who serve in any of the world's armed forces. Actually most of its members are citizens of the United States, and most of its activities center around problems faced by non-theist members of the U.S. military. Many of these problems are brought about by insensitive practices within the U.S. military establishment that illegally promote the Christian religion, or discriminate against non-theists and adherents of minority religions. The organization contends that these practices violate the constitutional requirement for church-state separation, and one of its main goals is to permanently abolish them. Another goal is to dispel the often-repeated myth that there are no atheists in foxholes. In fact, surveys have shown that the proportion of atheists among U.S. military personnel is essentially the same as their proportion among the general U.S. population.


New Testament Errors and Contradictions - One reason many people eventually give up their Christian faith is because the bible is so full of errors and contradictions. You can find discussions of some of them on this site.

For another examination of biblical errors and contradictions, go to Bible Blunders.


Forgeries in the Bible - This article describes some of the evidence that ancient manuscripts of the gospels were intentionally altered in order to make them conform to orthodox Christian beliefs. The article also discusses how some modern English translations of the bible contain intentional mis-translations of certain passages. There is also information about how ancient Christians made an organized effort to destroy all copies of some of the gospels that weren't included in the bible.


The New Atheism - During recent decades atheists have increased their efforts to promote a naturalistic view of the world, and to bring attention to the problems caused by religion. These efforts have gradually coalesced into a movement that is sometimes called the New Atheism. This movement gained added momentum during the first decade of the 21st century, especially after several prominent atheists wrote best-selling books that strongly criticize traditional religious beliefs and practices. These books include The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins, God Is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything by Christopher Hitchens, and The End of Faith: Religion, Terror, and the Future of Reason by Sam Harris. The growth of the internet has also been an important factor in the spread of the movement, because websites and blogs have the potential to reach big audiences at little cost. If the movement continues to grow, it could eventually help bring about the demise of organized religions.


Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests - This is the website of a support group for victims of clerical sexual molestation. Although most of the victims were abused by Catholic priests, the group also accepts people who were abused by Protestant clergy.

Note: According to a 2004 sexual abuse report by the National Review Board, since 1950 there have been more than 10,000 reported cases of sexual abuse of minors by priests. And it is likely that thousands of other cases were never reported due to the shame and fear experienced by the victims. More than 80 percent of the victims were male and over half were between ages 11 and 14 when they were assaulted. Many of these cases were initially covered up by church officials, and some clergy remained in their positions for decades after their abuses were reported.


Stop Baptist Predators.Org - This organization is dedicated to exposing and stopping the sexual abuse of minors by Baptist clergy. For this purpose, the site maintains a frequently-updated list of recent news stories about reported abuses. However, according to the website, the list is incomplete because many cases of abuse are intentionally covered up by church authorities.


Assertive Atheism - Pushy bible-thumpers and obnoxious fundies need to be careful about who they try to spew their nonsense to, because atheists know how to retaliate. In fact, in debates with Christians, atheists always have a big advantage because truth is on their side, whereas Christianity is based on lies and deceptions. Unfortunately, there was a time when anyone who questioned Christian beliefs would likely be tortured and killed. But thanks to the efforts of many brave people, we now live in a more tolerant era. In most modern societies atheists can be assertive without fearing for their lives. For a good example of an atheist who doesn't pull any punches, go to this website.


The Biblical View of Women - As this article points out, the bible contains numerous passages which malign women. In fact, according to Genesis 3:16, even God himself said that a wife should submit to her husband. This verse also suggests that labor pains are a curse that God put on all women as punishment for Eve's disobedience in the Garden of Eden. (Why all women should be punished for Eve's disobedience isn't made clear, but of course the Christian God can do whatever he wants, whether it makes sense or not.)

But perhaps the best-known examples of the bible's anti-female bias can be found in the writings of Saint Paul. He decrees male supremacy over women in several passages (such as 1Timothy 2:11-14 and 1Corinthians 11:8-9), and in a passage at 1Corinthians 14:34-35 he even says that women must not speak in church.

For almost 2000 years, officials of various Christian churches have used the bible to help justify their discrimination against women. Unfortunately, this discrimination hasn't been kept within the church, but also underlies the many legal and social restrictions on women found in all Christian societies until recent times, and which still haven't been completely eliminated.


Arguments for Atheism - If you are looking for a general guide to the major arguments for atheism and against religion, you can find it here. Various articles discuss such topics as the existence of evil, the harmful effects of religion on society, God's silence, and moral values. In addition, the site contains articles about the history of atheism, a page of famous quotations, and a list of references.


Famous Atheists - This page contains a list of hundreds of famous people who rejected God and religion. Many of these people have encountered social and political barriers, yet have still been able to contribute to human progress and help make the world a better place for everyone.


Celebrity Atheists, Agnostics, and Skeptics - This is another list of well-known free-thinkers. But it is really more than just a list, because it offers a separate article about each person, with details about his or her life, accomplishments, and beliefs. Most are writers, actors, musicians, business leaders, media personalities, scientists, politicians, or professional athletes. Prominent names include Bill Gates, Jodie Foster, John Lennon, Jack Nicholson, Lance Armstrong, Andy Rooney, Pat Tillman, Sandra Bullock, Warren Buffet, and Larry King. . . NOTE: Actually, as discussed in some of the individual articles, there is uncertainty about the true beliefs of some of these people. This is because celebrities are often wary of revealing their true views out of fear that their careers will be adversely affected.


Prosperity Gospel Preys on the Poor - This article discusses the "prosperity gospel", which is the assertion that God will reward all truly faithful Christians with health, wealth, and happiness. Many televangelists in the United States preach this gospel to their viewers, and suggest that sending in a donation would be a good way to demonstrate their faith and thereby receive the promised rewards.

Here is a quote from the article:
"Nowhere has the prosperity gospel flourished more than among the poor and the working class. Told that wealth is a sign of God's grace and favor, followers strive for trappings of luxury they can little afford in an effort to prove that they are blessed spiritually. Some critics have gone so far as to place part of the blame for the past decade's spending binge and foreclosure crisis at the foot of the prosperity gospel's altar."


Landover Baptist Church - A spoof of organized religions, this site takes a humorous look at typical Christian attitudes toward race, sex, gay marriage, politics, abstinence, biblical inerrancy, and salvation, as well as beliefs about hell, heaven, angels, demons, the trinity, and the rapture. For example, a section on "Godly Health" contains a fake ad for a "Salvation Pill" which will help strengthen a believer's faith. Another page recommends that Christians try to speed up global warming because it will hasten the approach of the end of the world and the second coming of Jesus. The site also includes a forum, a store, and a news archive.


How to Fake a Faith Healing - This article from Quackwatch.org describes various methods used by Christian televangelists to fake a faith healing. Of course one obvious method is to put a perfectly-healthy man into a wheel chair and "plant" him in the audience, then have him get up and walk on cue.

Another examination of fake healings can be found in James Randi's book The Faith Healers. The book describes how many American evangelistic healers have become wealthy through deception and fraud. Some of the information in the book came from former associates of the preachers who got disgusted with what they had seen.


The Out Campaign - In many societies atheists and freethinkers are a small minority, and would be discriminated against if they openly declared their disbelief in the prevailing religion. The main purpose of the Out Campaign is to provide support and encouragement to those individuals who decide to speak up and inform others of their true beliefs. Unfortunately, in some societies this can be dangerous. For example, in some Islamic countries non-belief is punishable by death, and in some parts of the United States non-Christians have been the victims of hate crimes. But the number of atheists and freethinkers has been steadily growing, and as more and more of them speak out and claim their rights, it becomes more difficult for the rest of society to persecute them.

The Out Campaign was started by Dr. R. Elizabeth Cornwell and subsequently endorsed by prominent atheists such as Richard Dawkins. A special symbol, a scarlet-colored letter "A", was created to represent it, and is now displayed on many websites. The campaign also produces t-shirts, bumper stickers, and lapel pins which display this symbol, and which can be purchased at the Richard Dawkins's online store. Here is one version of the symbol:

Out Campaign


Violent Christian Cults - One of the notable aspects of Christianity is its large number of denominations and sects. Unfortunately, some of the smaller Christian sects occasionally develop into violent cults. Well-known examples of cult violence include the murders of fourteen people by leaders of the Temple of Love Church in Florida in 1992, the mass suicide of more than 900 members of the People's Temple in Guyana during 1978, the deaths of more than 70 members of the Branch Davidian cult during a shootout with law officers in Texas in 1993, and the suicide of 39 members of the Heaven's Gate cult in California in 1997. Some men in the Heaven's Gate cult also underwent voluntary castration in the belief that this was what Jesus called for in his statement in Matthew 19:12 that "there be eunuchs, which have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake" (King James translation).


Un-intelligent Design - Some people believe that the universe was designed by some higher power, but that this higher power did a very bad job of it. One often-cited example of bad design is the existence of mosquitoes, ticks, and other blood-sucking insects, which a better design wouldn't have included. Some also argue that human beings could have been better designed, perhaps by being given more intelligence and less propensity to resort to violence. Skeptics and atheists frequently use this line of reasoning to support their position that there is no God.


Atheist Empire - This website, which was established in 1998, is a good resource for general information about atheism. One especially valuable resource is the "Great Minds" section, which describes the philosophical views of well-known thinkers such as Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, Susan B. Anthony, Sigmund Freud, Voltaire, Aristotle, Albert Einstein, Thomas Edison, Carl Sagan, and Edgar Allan Poe. Another section of the site contains statistical data on the numbers of adherents of various religions in comparison to the number of atheists and other non-believers. There is also a guide to films and movies that express anti-religious views.


Ex-Christian - This website provides an internet-gathering place for former Christians. It includes a "testimonies" section in which people explain why they can no longer accept the fundamental beliefs of Christianity. Individuals can also discuss their personal views and other matters in an active forum. The site also includes videos, articles, and a gallery of images.


Christianity and Slavery - This site outlines the various arguments that Christians have used to justify the buying, selling, and owning of slaves. Not only did the Christian slave-owners of the southern United States use these arguments, they also fought a major war to try to keep their slaves.


Victims of the Christian Faith - This is an attempt to compile a chronological list of major crimes committed by Christians from ancient times to the present day. The crimes include forgeries, book burnings, alterations of the gospels, destructions of pagan temples, arsons, torture and murder of heretics and witches, destructions of ancient libraries, buying and selling slaves, forced conversions, mass murders, persecutions of Jews, abuse of women, plundering of conquered cities, murders of scientists, invasions of other peoples' lands, and exploitation of native peoples.

Another long list of crimes committed by Christians can be found here.


Unreasonable Faith - This website was created by a former evangelical Christian who is now an atheist. It contains articles which point out some of the fallacies in the Christian belief system. It also contains recent news reports, a forum, and a reading list.


Atheist Nexus - This is a social networking site for non-Christians. Each person who joins is given his or her own profile page for displaying personal information and photos. Members may also express their skeptic views in forums, make blog posts, join special groups, announce events, and upload videos.


Frequently Asked Questions about Atheism - This page contains background information about subjects that are often mentioned on atheist websites, blogs, and forums. Examples include Pascal's Wager, the "No True Scotsman" fallacy, Poe's Law, and Strong vs Weak Atheism. NOTE: For anyone who may be curious, Poe's Law states that "it is impossible to create a parody of Christian fundamentalism that someone won't mistake for the real thing."


FreeThought Nuggets - One of the main goals of this site is to help people escape from the prison of Christian dogma. To this end, various articles on the site describe the many depictions of murder and other violent crimes committed by the biblical God, and then connect this to the many persecutions, tortures, and murders that have been committed by Christians themselves. Other articles take a skeptical view of subjects such as original sin, divine revelations, miracles, and salvation. There are also discussions of the numerous discrepancies, inconsistencies, and false statements that can be found in the bible. A special section contains a useful list of some other skeptic and atheistic websites.


Atheist at Large - When atheists attempt to promote their views to the general public, they often encounter hostility from religious and political organizations, especially in the United States. Sometimes the resulting conflict leads to protest demonstrations, legal actions, and even violence. This website provides coverage of many of these conflicts as they arise, often with commentary on what they reveal about the current state of society. There are also some interesting general articles relating to the evolving competition between atheism and religion in the modern world.


The Evil Atheist Conspiracy - This hilarious parody of Christian beliefs about atheism describes how a diabolical organization of the godless is secretly controlling the world and attempting to completely wipe out everything that is honest, decent, and good. Of course no such organization actually exists, but the article describes some of the horrible evil things it would be doing if it did exist.

There are many other interesting articles on this website, including discussions of biblical absurdities, heaven and hell, life on other planets, miracles, why pain and suffering exist, contradictions in the Qur'an, the strange doctrine of the trinity, and original sin. To see a full list of the articles, go to the Ebon Musings Home Page. In addition to the articles, there are also some personal de-conversion stories.


Huge List of Atheist Websites - If you're looking for a really long list of atheism resources on the web, you can find it here. It contains links to hundreds of websites, organizations, blogs and forums. And you can make the list even longer by registering as an editor and adding new entries of your own.


Growth of Secularism in the United States - According to an American Religious Identification Survey released in March 2009, the number of U.S. citizens who say that they have "no religion" increased from 8.2% in 1990 to 15% in 2008. The survey also showed that the percentage of Christians in the U.S. decreased from 86% to 76% during the same period. This growth in the percentage of secularists, and decline in the percentage of Christians, has been confirmed by other surveys as well.

Note: Because different surveys use different methodologies and cover different time periods, the reported changes in American religious views vary from survey to survey. But all major surveys agree that the number of secularists in the U.S. is growing and the number of Christians is decreasing. Note that the term "secularism" can include agnosticism, atheism, skepticism, humanism, or any view that denies the validity of the major world religions. Some surveys don't differentiate between these various types of secularists, and lump all of them together. Atheists are only one part of this group, but there is evidence that their number is increasing at about the same rate as the overall number of secularists.

The trends revealed by these surveys continue to persist despite the fact that Christian organizations in the U.S. spend enormous sums of money to promote themselves. These organizations own hundreds of television and radio stations, thousands of Christian websites, and dozens of publishing companies. They also own and operate thousands of private Christian schools, from kindergarten to the graduate studies level, and have even attempted to get taxpayer money to help pay for their operations. Some Christian groups even try to control what is taught in public schools. In addition, many Christian parents make their children to attend church services so that their young minds can be indoctrinated with the "proper" beliefs.

There are several reasons why secularism is growing in the U.S. despite Christian efforts to stop it. For example, the horrors of modern warfare have led many individuals to wonder why a supposedly-just Christian god has allowed millions of innocent people to be maimed or killed for no apparent purpose. Many also wonder why this god permits earthquakes, storms, famines and other natural disasters to cause so much misery and suffering. The fact that the prayers of paralyzed people and starving children often go unanswered also puzzles many people. Eventually some individuals conclude that the reason the Christian god doesn't prevent or relieve all of this suffering is because he doesn't exist.

Secularism in the U.S. is also growing because modern communications technologies have enabled people in different parts of the world to be exposed to other belief systems and philosophies. Improved communications have also helped spread knowledge of the errors and contradictions that are found in all of the major religions. Finally, the numerous scandals involving priests, televangelists, and other church leaders have severely damaged the image of Christianity in the mind of the U.S. public.




Lost Links

The following websites and articles were removed from the above list because they can no longer be reached through the original links. They were either transferred to unknown locations or deleted from the web entirely.


Christian Destructiveness - According to this article, there is a strong connection between the beliefs of conservative Christians and the exploitation of the earth's human and natural resources. The article describes how many large corporations in Christian countries obtain most of their profits by exploiting the people and resources of other countries, frequently leaving behind broken bodies, destroyed habitat, and a poisoned environment.


Tragic Results of Faith in God - Some Christian parents have such a strong belief in faith healing that they don't seek medical treatment even when one of their children has a life-threatening condition. In one tragic case a thirteen-year-old girl had a tumor on her abdomen, but her mother told her that God would heal it, and wouldn't let her go to a doctor. The tumor kept growing, eventually reaching a weight of more than 30 pounds. Finally the girl made the decision to go to a doctor on her own, but it was too late to save her and she died.

The organization CHILD, Inc actively works to bring an end to these tragic cases in which children die because their Christian parents refuse to seek professional medical treatment for life-threatening conditions.


Statistical Data Shows an Association Between Religion and Immoral Behavior - The statistical evidence presented in this article shows that strongly-religious countries such as the United States tend to have much higher crime rates than less-religious countries such as Denmark and Sweden. The study, which covered eighteen developed countries, found that the United States had the highest rates of homicide, sexually transmitted diseases, and abortion. Other studies have shown that the U.S. also has a much higher rate of drug abuse than most other countries. Thus the available statistical data doesn't support the frequent claim that religious belief leads to better moral behavior, but in fact suggests the opposite.




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Notes

About Christian Wealth - The pope's jewelry collection is probably the best-known example of Christian wealth. Here are some other examples:
... Christian organizations own hundreds of television and radio stations.
... Christian publishing companies annually distribute huge numbers of free books, pamphlets, and other literature.
... Some Christian televangelists own mansions, luxury cars, and private airplanes.
... Christian organizations provide the funding for thousands of websites that promote their views.
... Churches spend millions of dollars annually on steeples, statues, stained-glass windows, and other embellishments.
... Christian groups own and operate thousands of schools and colleges, from kindergarten to the graduate studies level.

No one knows the total value of all the buildings, land, and other properties owned by churches, but it undoubtedly runs into trillions of dollars.


About the Problem of Hell - This term refers to a fundamental contradiction within the Christian belief system, namely the inconsistency inherent in the concept of a God who is all-loving and all-merciful, yet condemns non-believers to eternal torture in hell. The contradiction is obvious, since a truly-merciful God would not condemn anyone to eternal torture. The problem is made even worse by the fact that many people have gone through their entire lives without ever seeing a bible or hearing about Jesus, and thus never had an opportunity to become a believer. It is clearly unfair for God to condemn people who never even had a chance to be a Christian. Because there is no logical way to resolve the inconsistency, it is called "the problem of hell".


About Prayer - Despite the prayers of numerous Christians, thousands of the world's children starve to death every year. Prayers haven't been able to wipe out global diseases either, or restore arms and legs lost on battlefields. In fact, if prayers were effective, there wouldn't be any extended droughts or famines, forest fires wouldn't destroy expensive homes, and many paralyzed people would be able to get up and walk again. Evidently nothing fails like prayer.




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