After Year Of Atheism, Former Pastor: 'I Don't Think God Exists'

At the start of 2014, former Seventh-Day Adventist pastor Ryan Bell made an unusual New Year's resolution: to live for one year without God — this reflecting his own loss of faith. He kept a blog documenting his journey and had a documentary crew following him.

After a year, Bell tells NPR's Arun Rath, "I've looked at the majority of the arguments that I've been able to find for the existence of God, and on the question of God's existence or not, I have to say I don't find there to be a convincing case, in my view.

"I don't think that God exists. I think that makes the most sense of the evidence that I have and my experience. But I don't think that's necessarily the most interesting thing about me."

Today, Bell has a new job at PATH, an organization dedicated to helping the homeless.

"It's, I think, an expression of really the part of me that hasn't changed. I'm still the same person deep down that I was before. I care about justice and equality, and I want to see opportunities spread more evenly in our society," Bell says.

Bell says he still feels like atheism is "an awkward fit," and also feels uncomfortable around his former Christian friends who are adjusting to his new views.

One of his biggest lessons from the year is "that people very much value certainty and knowing and are uncomfortable saying that they don't know."

Now he thinks certainty is a bit overrated.

"I think before, I wanted a closer relationship to God, and today I just want a closer relationship with reality," Bell says.

Atheist Family in Louisiana Receives Threatening Messages from “Godly” People

Ex-pastor Jerry DeWitt runs a monthly secular gathering in Lake Charles, Louisiana called Community Mission Chapel. It’s one of the more successful “atheist churches,” drawing in a sizable number of atheists who appreciate the camaraderie.

This week, however, the following notes were placed in the mailbox of one of the families that attends the gatherings:

We know who you are. We know where you live. We know where you work. You’re little group of devil worshippers isn’t welcome here. Let the love and message of the Lord filter through you and may you escape from the eternal damnation that you have condemned you and you’re innocent children to. Repent you’re Satanistic ways or you will find that the Lord works in VERY mysterious ways. You are against God and are not welcome in this area and we WILL spread his message to the hearts and minds of your innocent children. To deny His word to your children is abuse, and if you do not learn to love Him and His word then we will have no choice but to take action to protect your children from your devil-enabling ways. Do not even try to report this to the police — we are every where and His work will be done in His name thru us, the true beleivers.

Beautiful Irony: Noah’s Ark Theme Park Loses $18 Million in Tax Breaks Unless They Hire Atheists!

Seems Answers in Genesis hasn’t found many Answers in Kentucky…at least as far as tax credits are concerned. While religious institutions have long been taking advantage of tax exemption to make money, the $170 million Ark Encounter theme park planned for construction in Kentucky may not get the tax breaks its founders are used to. Unless they’re willing to hire non-Christians.

The $18 million in tax incentives offered to AIG (the eternal insurance company) for building the Ark Experience have been controversial from the day the Kentucky Tourism Department gave preliminary approval for them in July. These kind of tax breaks are pretty typical for those looking to build attractions, on the basis that they make for jobs and tourism dollars. Such sites are rewarded a 25 percent sales tax rebate.

However, that tax credit has since been put on hold…because of a job application.

The application for a computer design artist was found on AIG’s site and sent along to the state by Americans United for the Separation of Church and state. The application for The Ark Experience was pretty standard, except for two little requirements:

A letter of “Salvation Testimony,” and a “Creation Belief Statement.”

Tourism Arts and Heritage Cabinet Secretary Bob Stewart said that such a job posting would violate Kentucky’s state and federal hiring laws.

“Therefore we are not prepared to move forward with consideration of the application for final approval without the assurance of Ark Encounter LLC that it will not discriminate in any way on the basis of religion in hiring for the project and will revise its postings accordingly.” 

A couple days later, Ark Encounter attorney James Parsons lied backpedaled by saying the posting was for AIG, not The Ark Encounter. Stewart called him out on it though, stating that the application was explicitly for the Ark Encounter. Ouch. Stewart gave AIG an out, though. The department will require

“…express written assurance from Ark Encounter that it will not discriminate in any way on the basis of religion in hiring for the project.”

They also required AIG revise all job postings to comply.

Answers in Genesis hasn’t responded as yet, but they’re expected to. Like most religious fundamentalists, profit for Ken Ham comes well before principle; expect Satan leading the Noah’s Ark tour soon.

Virginia Court Official Tells Atheist Couple They Have No Right To Get Married Because They Don’t Believe In God

Marriage is a right that belongs to any consenting adults. But an over-religious court official in Virginia has a message for atheists and any other non-Christian: you have no right to get married if you don’t believe in God.

Bud Roth is a court appointed officiant in Franklin County, Virginia. He performs wedding ceremonies for couples who go to the courthouse to get married. Atheists, however, have no right to get married as far as he’s concerned.

When Morgan Strong and Tamar Courtney contacted the county courthouse to seal their love for each other after six years together, they were directed to Roth. Roth refused to perform the ceremony at the courthouse and only agreed to marry the couple if they tied the knot at his church. A deal was struck and the cost and date were set. Strong and Courtney would go through the legal part of the ceremony at Roth’s church. That’s when the whole situation turned ugly.

Roth asked the couple about their religious beliefs and upon hearing that he would be performing a ceremony for an atheist and an agnostic, turned the couple away. Why? Because they “didn’t know where God was.” That’s right, Roth refused to marry the couple out of sheer religious bigotry. Disappointed, Morgan and Courtney decided to discuss the situation with Roth and they kindly recorded the conversation.

Upon asking why Roth denied them their right to wed, he replied:

“Because she’s agnostic and you’re an atheist. I will not marry you. You don’t believe in God… I just don’t marry anyone who does not believe in God [or] believes that there is a God someplace. So I’m not going to talk the issue over with you and I’m not going to argue about it, okay? I’m just not going to marry you. Correct?”

The couple contacted the county clerk, who was floored by their story. She suggested they contact the judge who appointed Roth in the first place. So they wrote a letter to Judge William Alexander who didn’t see any problem at all with a court officiant refusing to marry a couple simply because they don’t share his religious beliefs. The judge referred the couple to the other court appointed officiant who agreed to perform the civil ceremony this coming Monday.

But this incident raises serious concerns. First, a civil servant is supposed to serve the public. That means anyone. As long as a couple has a marriage license, there shouldn’t be any problem. Second, religious discrimination is wrong no matter the venue, but for it to occur at a courthouse by a court official is totally unacceptable. People go to get married at a courthouse to avoid religious pomp and circumstance and because it’s quicker. They don’t go there to have religion shoved down their throats. That’s why my wife and I married at a courthouse. Not because we didn’t believe in a god, but because we didn’t want religion to dominate our day.

Roth was wrong to refuse to perform the ceremony just because Morgan and Courtney don’t share his beliefs. He was also wrong to require them to get married at his church. He’s a COURT-APPOINTED OFFICIANT, for crying out loud! He’s a courthouse employee. Therefore, anyone who wishes to marry at the courthouse should be married at the courthouse. Even if he’s the one asked to perform the ceremony. He’s paid by taxpayers to do this task. He’s not paid to drag couples to church or to refuse to marry a couple because of his own religious beliefs. Separation of church and state is clearly being violated here by both Judge Alexander and Roth. If Roth were a private citizen, then he could refuse to marry anyone. But in this case, he’s NOT a private citizen. The people of Franklin County, Virginia should be embarrassed and outraged by this and they should demand a change be made. Because once religious discrimination infects our courts, anyone is at risk to have their rights and freedoms trampled on by self-righteous pricks in the name of Christianity.

Saudi Arabia declares atheists terrorists under new laws targeting citizens who 'call for secular thought in any form

Saudi Arabia has officially identified atheists as terrorists in sweeping new laws that threaten up to 20 years in prison for almost any criticism of the government or Islam.

The regulations place secular citizens who commit thought crimes in the same category as violent terrorist groups such as Al-Qaeda's Yemen branch and Saudi Hezbollah.

Under the new decree by King Abdullah, Saudi Arabia will jail for up to 20 years anyone who fights in conflicts abroad - an apparent move to deter Saudis from joining rebels in Syria.

But the law also applies to any Saudi citizen or a foreigner residing in the kingdom that 'calls for atheist thought in any form or calls into question the fundamentals of the Islamic religion on which this country is based.'

The laws have been denounced by human rights groups for making no distinction between religious expression and violent extremism.

'Saudi authorities have never tolerated criticism of their policies, but these recent laws and regulations turn almost any critical expression or independent association into crimes of terrorism,' said Joe Stork, deputy Middle East and North Africa director at Human Rights Watch.

The counter-terrorism measure have also been mocked by Al Qaeda's Yemen branch which said they would not deter the Islamist group's fighters and that they proved the kingdom was in the pay of the United States.

In an online statement, Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) also said Riyadh's designation of the Muslim Brotherhood - a group whose political wings have contested elections in several countries - as a terrorist organisation proved that secular authorities would never tolerate Islamist groups.

Atheists Come To The Rescue After Oklahoma Church Ruins Poor Family’s Christmas

The FOX News manufactured secularist War on Christmas has taken another unexpected turn. Tiffany Wait, an Oklahoma woman, along with her husband and seven month old child, visited their local Bible Baptist Church’s toy shop on Christmas morning so that their infant could have a gift for the holiday. Wait says that she “would not be able to celebrate Christmas this year without their charity.”

However, a church volunteer wanted to hold her baby while she shopped. Wait’s child does not like strangers, so the mother demurred. Rather than understanding that it’s a mother’s right not to give up her child to a stranger if she does not wish to do so, the volunteer became insistent. Wait was told that if she did not comply, the family could not participate in the toy giveaway. “I stood there, fighting back tears and asked, ‘You would turn a baby away on Christmas?’” Wait said of the incident.

She says the volunteers stated that it was the “rules,” and refused to make an exception. One volunteer tried to take her child from her, because every mother wants those to whom she goes for charity to attempt to take her infant by force. Eventually, another woman passed a toy to Wait, but the day was marred by the experience for some inexplicable reason.

Wait told her story on social media, where it was noticed by Oklahoma Atheists. The group scurried to raise funds for the underprivileged mother and her child. “Her Christmas was ruined,” said the group’s director Red McCall. He added that “if someone needs help we are going to help them. It doesn’t matter what their beliefs are.” Several members sent money through Paypal, and others donated items.

Watt was extremely grateful for the help. The Christians turned my baby and I away, and a group of atheists showed us compassion, kindness, and charity,” she said. “They brought us toys, dinner, gift cards, donated money and really saved our holiday.”

Since the church was publicly shamed for the actions taken by volunteers Shayla Clemmons, a member of Bible Baptist Church stopped by Wait’s home to explain that volunteers acted inappropriately, and told her there are no “rules.” The church’s pastor has attempted to contact Wait multiple times.

If there truly is any sort of war surrounding Christmas, it would seem the Atheists are winning.

Atheist 13-Year-Old Kicked Out Of Arkansas Home By ‘Christian’ Parents

Atheists are people, too. Like most people, atheists move out of their parents’ home when they are somewhere in their early twenties. It’s not because they don’t want to, but they realize that living out in the world by themselves is no easy task.

Now imagine, if you will, getting kicked out at the young age of thirteen, before you even stepped foot into any high school. No job, no car. No means of supporting yourself.

This happened to a 13-year-old atheist living in Arkansas just this week. What could have possibly caused this? Did this girl steal all of her parents’ money and spent it all on drugs? Did she sneak out so often that her parents gave up on trying to keep her safe?

No, not even close. After constant questioning from her Christian mother about what religion she believed in, the young teen finally exclaimed “I’m an atheist, mom!”

An atheist! How dare she be one of those…things!

The girl’s parents were so angry to have raised an atheist they kicked her out of the house. Never mind she is only 13-years-old and anything could happen to her. The only reason her parents might be sad is because their daughter doesn’t have Jesus to guide her through this terrible time in her life.

After seeing the girl walking around tearful at school all day, a teacher called her into a conference room to talk about what had happened.

Atheist Sent To Jail For Rejecting God, In Blatant Violation Of The Constitution

The Constitution doesn’t apply, apparently, when it comes to atheists. Barry Hazle, an avowed atheist from California, has had his parole revoked, and you’ll balk at why. According to Courthouse News Service, Hazle rightfully sued his parole officer, several corrections officials with the state of California, and Westcare Corp. for revoking his parole after his “congenial” refusal to acknowledge a higher power in a required 12-Step Program.

Hazle said that he had already expressed discomfort with participating in religiously based drug treatment programs after a plea of “no contest” to a methamphetamine possession charge. Despite the fact that everyone involved knew he was was an atheist, Hazle was released from prison into a 90-day treatment facility, where all of the programs available followed the 12 step method, which requires the acknowledgment of a higher power. When Hazle refused to participate, the staff reported him to his parole officer, and he went back to prison for 100 days.

Hazle filed a Federal civil rights suit seeking damages for false imprisonment and other civil rights violations. San Francisco U.S. District Judge Garland Burrell found the defendants in Hazle’s case liable for civil rights violations. However, when he turned the case over to a jury, they awarded Hazle zero damages.

Hazle appealed for a new trial, and was denied. Finally, a three- judge panel of the 9th Circuit found that Hazle was entitled to damages in his civil rights suit. From Judge Stephen Reinhardt:

The district judge’s finding of liability establishes that Hazle suffered actual injury when he was unconstitutionally incarcerated. Given this undisputed finding that Hazle’s constitutional rights were violated, and applying the rule that the award of compensatory damages is mandatory when the existence of actual injury is beyond dispute, we hold that the district judge erred in refusing to hold that Hazle was, as a matter of law, entitled to compensatory damages. We therefore reverse the district judge’s denial of Hazle’s motion for a new trial.

I’ll say he is entitled. And if the damages awarded are something insanely small, we’ll know where this nation stands with regards to the First Amendment: it only applies to some. Then again, we already knew that, didn’t we?