By Webmdave  ~ diversity, equity and inclusion: noun A set of values and related policies and practices focused on establishing a group culture of equitable and inclusive treatment and on attracting and retaining a diverse group of participants, including people who have historically been excluded or discriminated against — Merriam-Webster D iversity, equity and inclusion are among the political clarion calls of our modern culture. I read an article today about how the original Star Trek series received criticism for including no female speaking parts in an episode entitled “ The Devil in the Dark ." In the 60’s, Gene Roddenberry’s Star Trek was experimenting with all kinds of possible futuristic scenarios while promoting going beyond current cultural boundaries, but apparently sometimes fell short. Diversity, equity and inclusion has been on the forefront of the minds in the media, politics and the wider culture for quite some time.  The word diversity can rattle some

By Pinkbunion ~    H ello, guys. It's been 4 years since my first post here, which detailed the start of my deconversion, which was on July 2022. So, now, 2 years on from that post, I'm going to give an update. Currently, I am very happy with where I am right now. I have remained agnostic since that 2022 post. I haven't changed much in being agnostic, except that I always change between being an agnostic atheist or spiritual agnostic on different days. I want to remain agnostic because I just want to learn about different belief systems and religions, take whats good in them and discard the things that aren't true or are not beneficial. 

By Raul ~    T his is my first article ever posting on this site. So, if you are reading this, please don't criticize it too much. Thank you. One main Christian belief is that Jesus conquered death through his resurrection. This however contradicts passages in the bible that state god created death himself. Let's have a look at some of them. Genesis 3:19: In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.

by WizenedSage ~    Thanks to Carl S. for the idea. W hen the Mormons and Jehovah’s Witnesses came to my door, this is what I wish I had said… Men lie. We have all lied; most of us many, many times. In fact, lying among humans is so common that there are currently at least 700 different creator deities worshipped in the world today. TODAY! So, when we come across a wild or outrageous religious claim, shouldn’t we always ask, did someone lie? And isn’t that the most likely, almost certain truth of the matter, EVERY TIME?   

By Carl S ~ I 've known my relative and his family for over 25 years now. I decided to share something with him in an email: "I woke up at 5 a.m. with a very peaceful and comforting thought. I don't know if there's an actual Heaven or Hell (no one does), but it doesn't matter because after I'm dead. there won't be a 'me' to experience either one."  (You can imagine the responses to that.) Later on,  "This particular Carl you think you know, will be dead, and won't experience Hell, Heaven, Paradise, Reincarnation, or any other 'afterlives' ignorant men have created." Once again I was chided with his repetitive – over 25 years – interpretation of Pascal's Wager,  "If I'm wrong, I've lost nothing; if you're wrong, you've lost everything."  (WTF?). I told him, “That's ridiculous.”  I knew all the good he'd done, so I couldn't think he wasted his life if he didn't bet on belie

By Webmdave ~ Animals often strike us as passionate machines -- Eric Hoffer, Reflections on the Human Condition A s scientific advancements unveil the mysteries of the universe, it becomes increasingly evident that everything appears to operate mechanistically. Atoms, molecules, stars, planets, cells, and biological systems are fundamentally mechanical. If the existence of a supernatural, invisible soul within my body is negated, then it is undeniable that I too am a machine. Complex machines, including self-programming ones, remain machines nonetheless. Some individuals may contend that life forms are fundamentally distinct from inanimate objects, despite both being composed of atoms and molecules. However, a closer examination reveals that this distinction is tenuous.      

The Tower of Babel by Pieter Brueghel the Elder By Carl S ~ C hildren are still being taught the Tower of Babel tale about building something so high it would enter God's realm in the sky. For thousands of years it's been a warning: Don't ever go there. Be afraid, don't even think of going there. What's up doc? What if we do? Pictures coming from the James Webb Space Telescope are available for the whole world to see. So why aren't the Christians broadcasting them in their megachurches and singing "How Great Thou Art" to the one they claim created everything? Do you suppose it's because there's no relation between their puny biblical deity and reality? And, oh look! No “Heaven" in the Universe with "many mansions," nor Paradises for Muslims, JW's, or Mormons! No god is in control in the billions of light-year distances. Certainly, not their "God" who cares about the sex lives of humans occupying a pin-prick of i

From a series of stories in the Provo Daily Herald in July and August 1985 warned of satanism in Utah County. By Wertbag ~  T he Satanic Panic was at its peak during the 1980's, where preachers around the world jumped on the bandwagon to claim that Satanic cults existed and were inflicting sexual and physical abuse on people as part of Satanic rituals, and that almost every form of pop culture was Satanic and hence evil. Some of these claims developed into anti-elite or anti-government conspiracy theories that exist to this day, including bizarre groups such as Qanon who claim a group of the world's wealthiest people gather to do child sacrifices, sexual abuse and child pornography. It is thought that the start of the Panic was in large part due to the hugely popular movies The Exorcist (1973), Rosemary's Baby (1968) and The Omen (1976). When people who claimed to be victims of such cults were tested, the images they commonly referred to were scenes from the movies,