Religion

Religious dissent goes back at least as far as ancient Egypt. Records indicate that a pharaoh name Akhenaten tried to establish a monotheistic state religion centered on the worship of the Sun god Ra, but the priests of the other anciemt gods opposed him and eventually overthrew his dynasty. And in ancient Greece the famous philosopher Socrates express doubts about the existence of the gods of Greek mythology, and this was one of the charges against him that led to his execution.

The early Chrisrians were a small minority in the Roman empire and were persecuted for their refusal to worship the emperor or the Roman gods and goddesses. Later, after Christianity became the dominant religion in Europe, the Catholic church carried out inquisitions against suspected heretics, and many of them were tortured and burned to death. Most Protestant denominations started out as small dissenting groups which were persecuted by established powers. Many of the Pilgrims who came to the American colonies were fleeing from religious persecution in England. Other groups that have been persecuted in the past include Jews, gypsies, atheists, and suspected witches. In more modern times devastating wars have broken out over religious disagreements in places such as Ireland and Bosnia.

This page describes some websites which oppose efforts by members of large religious organizations to use government funds for promoting particular religious beliefs. It also includes sites which express views on controversial issues such as abortion, evolution, same-sex marriage, and church-state separation. A common intent of most of these sites is to promote toleration of various religious views. Some of the listed sites may also represent the viewpoints of skeptical groups such as agnostics, humanists, or atheists, while other sites may challenge traditional views about the bible and other religious texts.

Secular Web
The Secular Web is a non-commercial organization which doesn't recognize the existence of any supernatural beings, including the theistic God. Its purpose is to promote a naturalistic worldview on the Internet and encourage all people to think rationally, in the hope that this will lead to more compassion and toleration among all people in the world. This organization also supports efforts to keep religion separate from government.

Unsolved Bible Mysteries
This website explores some puzzling mysteries about certain events and individuals described in the New Testament gospels. For example, one article discusses the issue of who should be blamed for the crucifixion of Jesus. Another page examines the story of the discovery of the true cross, and questions whether its wood really has a supernatural power to heal, as some Christians believe. A third article discusses the meaning of the teachings of Jesus, and why some of them are still controversial. Other articles explore such subjects as the original ending of the gospel of Mark, the location of Golgotha, the last words from the cross, the mystery of Barabbas, and the existence of the Devil.

Skeptic Wiki
This is an encyclopedia of skepticism, science, and reason created through the collective efforts of many anonymous individuals. It is an ever-expanding encyclopedia because the wiki software allows anyone to create a new article or edit an existing article. The main subject categories include aliens and UFOs, natural medical treatments, conspiracy theories, frauds and scams, pseudo-history, illusions and delusion, atheism, agnosticism, logical fallicies, paranormal phenomena, relics, pseudo-science, strange religious beliefs, and medical quackery. Many of the articles are enhanced by the presence of images amd videos.

Skeptic's Annotated Bible
This site contains explanatory notes for all the verses in the Bible, but from a skeptical viewpoint. It includes the books of the Old Testament, the gospels, the letters of Paul, and other parts of the New Testament. There are notes on subjects such as the teachings of Jesus, his entry into Jerusalem, his betrayal by Judas Iscariot, his death on the cross, the true location of hell, and possession by demons.

Atheist Alliance
Atheist Alliance International is a world-wide organization of atheist groups and individuals committed to promoting and defending science and reason. Its goal is to fundamentally transform society so that everyone bases their behavior on the values of reason, empiricism, compassion, purpose, science, knowledge, progress, freedom, ethics, and responsibility. Its principal activities are education, advocacy, and community-building. Resouces available on the website include book reviews, podcasts, a freethought directory, news reports, and a list of links to other sites.

Skeptic's Guide to the Universe
This website offers a weekly podcast from the New England Skeptical Society in association with the James Randi Foundation. Each podcast discusses the latest news from the world of the paranormal, fringe science, religious belief, and controversial claims, but always from a scientific point of view. The site also contains an article called the "Top 20 Logical Fallacies", which describes various logical errors that people sometimes make, as well as tricks that people sometimes try to use in their arguments. There is also an archive of images, videos, and past podcasts.

Other Categories

• Alternative Information Sources
  Websites that publicize news and information ignored or suppressed by the major mainstream media. Also includes groups that fight against governmental and private censorship.

• Skeptical View
  This page lists websites which express doubts about majority opinions or offer counter-arguments to conventional beliefs. This can include commonly accepted ideas about political systems, religious practices, and social policies.

• Glossary of Weird Religious Beliefs
  The definitions in this glossary describe some of the weird and odd beliefs that are incorporated into many traditional religions. These include evil spirits, ghost hauntings, possession by demons, stigmata, mysterious powers of wood from the true cross, and faith healing.

• Nature and Environment
  Websites and organizations that fight to protect the natural world from human exploitation and encroachment. This could include the advocacy of animal rights, the protection and expansion of park lands, and opposition to commercial development of unspoiled land.

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The image at the top of this page is the painting The Uprising by Honore Daumier. This painting is a public domain work reproduced courtesy of WikiMedia Commons.

The Other Voices Directory of Dissent is a non-commercial website. Advertisements are not allowed and no products are offered for sale. In web directories, the site is usually listed in the categories of society, social issues, activism, religion, skepticism, or dissent.