I open the debate on the idea that, more or less 30 years have passed since the issue of climate change and global warming arised in the general press and mass media, and despite all the...
by Dianne M. Leonardposted: 18 Feb 2013
Category:
Religion38
I have gotten into an on-going discussion with a Jehovah's Witness at the laundromat (me doing laundry, him handing out his tracts.) He seems to be a very nice young man, about half my age,...
Hello everyone! I am an ex-preacher recently 'converted' to atheism. That means I know nothing about everything. I want to change that. I am frustratingly inept in the most fundamental scientific areas. I am the end...
by RocketManposted: 16 Feb 2013
Category:
Atheism10
Initiating an Atheist movement in a religious countryI'm a student in South Africa. I was raised very religiously(Dutch Reformed as most of the white population). The country is rife with Christian religion mostly. Especially lately...
by Esperanzaposted: 15 Feb 2013
Category:
Atheism25
So I'm an 18 year old girl who became an atheist about 2 years ago (I used to be a pantheist), and I've noticed again and again that upon being incapable of defending their religious beliefs or...
by crookedshoesposted: 15 Feb 2013
Category:
Science18
I offered extra credit on a test today. I asked the students to draw me a fish to earn a couple extra points on our first honors test of the year. The kids responded with...
Many of the 6th graders at the the school where I teach now carry smart phones. Often times when I present them with information that they consider remarkable, or perhaps suspect, out comes the iPhone...
As far back as I can remember I’ve always had a phobia for all things religious. However through the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune I’ve found myself teaching 6th grade Astronomy at a Catholic...
Does anybody have info/link on any important case related to the science versus religion wars in the USA during the sixties?Thank you for any help,Helio
by Gil Henriquesposted: 13 Feb 2013
Category:
Science5
Hello,I realise that this might be a bit too narrow in scope to spark an interesting decision, but I find myself in need of some advice. I am graduating on Evolutionary and Developmental Biology and,...
While this is not perhaps the most thought provoking, nor indeed original post, I thought I would share my happiness with the wonderful folks here who gave me some advice over the past month or...
I was watching a documentary of an interview of Professor Dawkins with Al Jazeera in Oxford University. (Here is the link for those interested: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=U0Xn60Zw03A#!)There was an interesting question in it which was the following:(with a bit of...
by Albanistposted: 11 Feb 2013
Category:
Politics53
Hello fellow atheistI am a 17 year old Student and English is my second foreign language so sorry for any errorsAlbania(Europe,Western Balkans) the country i come from was during Stalinist times the only...
by juwakaliposted: 10 Feb 2013
Category:
Atheism83
It took me an embarrassingly long time to come to grips with the fact that religion has no truth to it. For some time after that I was OK with being labeled a catholic even...
by Merlin Dewizeposted: 09 Feb 2013
Category:
Pseudoscience25
Dear Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and Science,I was born in Poland and remember seeing Pope John Paul II when 3 years old. I am now 26 and one of my...
by bumphilosopherposted: 08 Feb 2013
Category:
Religion66
As a homeless atheist, the Christian Shelters and Kitchens barred and banned me after objecting to hour long sermons in order to receive a meal or bed. There really is no help other than the...
This topic may end up straddling to Education and Pseudoscience.As a matter of curiosity, I wanted to do a little research into the phenomena of chimpanzee DNA vs. Human DNA and the possibility of genetic...
by sbooderposted: 06 Feb 2013
Category:
Politics10
I was made to realise yesterday how spoiled for choice we are in accessing this type of site and video in freer countries. I noticed a tweet from someone called @RationalSaudi who said...
by questforknowledgeposted: 05 Feb 2013
Category:
Atheism174
Can anyone be an atheist and also believe in an afterlife? just because one might not believe in a god does not rule out the existance of a continuation of the human soul?
by Nebelmannposted: 04 Feb 2013
Category:
Religion30
When you look at the properties of gods you will soon notice that the more gods you have in a pantheon the more fallable they are, the more gods, the more human the gods. The...
by Bert Cappelleposted: 03 Feb 2013
Category:
Education50
I'm looking for some comforting words to tell our 6-year old son. We don't believe in an afterlife and don't want our children to believe in this either. (We do allow him to believe in...
by Zeuglodonposted: 02 Feb 2013
Category:
Science25
At present, I find most persuasive the philosophical notion of monism, which is the notion that the brain's activity is not just correlated with consciousness, but effectively is consciousness. From what I can tell, there's...
Hi all,I'm pretty new to this site, having found it after being given RD's wonderful book 'The Greatest Show on Earth' for Christmas, which opened my eyes further to the wonder of scientific discovery.Last night...
by Julianneposted: 01 Feb 2013
Category:
Atheism23
I wanted atheist checks, so I got permission from the Author of Jesus and Mo to have some printed with the bottom halves of 4 strips. After much go-around with artisticchecks.com,...
by daniellesebireposted: 31 Jan 2013
Category:
Politics38
HelloI was hoping to get some help in developing some articulate points on why praying before a public meeting is inappropriate. I live in Guernsey (Channel Island in UK)and the lords prayer is said as...
by nathanlhposted: 30 Jan 2013
Category:
Education46
I have been distraught by a deep moral issue lately. There is no way I will ever teach, or let my children follow religion. But I commonly relate religion and santa clause. I have been...
Few have been quoting Gandhi & his views recently. I would like to shed some light on Gandhi's view on women. Mohandas Gandhi held India back when it came to women's rights – and...
I have been in contact with a 16 year old (let’s call her Y) who is a member of the ultra orthodox and insular Jewish community “The Chassidim”. She is appealing for...
by sandeepn81posted: 27 Jan 2013
Category:
Atheism19
It is my observation that a large number of people are affiliated to various religions for the primary reason of the sense of community, gathering and ceremonies they get by going to churches, mosques and temples.We...
by cyberveganposted: 25 Jan 2013
Category:
Science129
I'm trying to clarify my thoughts and reasons for being vegan, from a scientific and moral perspective, rather from the standpoint of "beliefs".I'm a committed vegan, and have been for over 20 years now. I'm...
To the moderators: I have chosen the category 'science' because I believe it is a question which has been/will be answered by scientific inquiry but you might think it more appropriate to post as Atheism;...
by JayPii1994posted: 23 Jan 2013
Category:
Science71
I came across this website by the name of "Creation.com", which appears to present strong-worded and fairly supported articles. One of them is titled, "The Flood, the Ice Age and the age of the Earth".Throughout it are several...
by siladityaaichposted: 22 Jan 2013
Category:
Religion45
Hey,i'm an atheist from India. While having a discussion with my muslim friend on religion,he told me that the qurran talks about the big bang theory and things about embryology and that the qurran even talks...
by Cory Suydamposted: 21 Jan 2013
Category:
Atheism39
Well, first let me introduce myself. My name is Cory Suydam, im 21 years old, and am an Atheist. I grew up with my family being pastors and deacons of both Catholic and Christian faiths. My...
by Sjoerd Westenborgposted: 20 Jan 2013
Category:
Science28
Dear friends, there are plenty of things going on in the world that make me weep for humanity, and I'm sure many of you feel the same. Issues like parents refusing vaccination for their children, YEC,...
by tardisrideposted: 19 Jan 2013
Category:
Atheism177
As a fairly recent de-convert, I am trying to wrap my head around the concept of free will versus no free will and would like to appeal to the wisdom of the RDF...
by frontiertegposted: 19 Jan 2013
Category:
Science67
I am not a creationist.I believe the world is 14 billion years old and that man evolved in the last 500 million years along with the tuna fish.It has come to my attention that people...
by Boomerang Nebulaposted: 18 Jan 2013
Category:
Atheism73
Hi.I know this question is strange since atheism is all about doubt, but have you ever wondered if you were wrong? Particularly if you come from a religious background, do you have any residual religious...
by Astinscienceposted: 17 Jan 2013
Category:
Education15
Hey everyone,I'm an 8th grade science teacher. We will be coming up in a couple of months in my curriculum on geologic time and evolution. I have been looking for some sort of a graphic...
by GentlemanXposted: 16 Jan 2013
Category:
Religion32
Strangers, colleagues - I'm in a bit of a crisis. This past year I fell in love with a girl who happened to be a devout Christian. I am myself an agnostic, but because of how...
by Russell Wposted: 15 Jan 2013
Category:
Science26
While I realize this topic often comes up, it is also one which is often in need of updating as new scientific research becomes available, and as new writers and publications come out. I wanted to know...
by JonPerryposted: 14 Jan 2013
Category:
Education28
I work with a group that teaches science online via YouTube animations. Our past projects have dealt with the topic of genetics which is typically not a religiously controversial...
by Eddie Brazilposted: 13 Jan 2013
Category:
Atheism40
Hello, everyone.I have been a fan of Prof. Dawkins for years and I absolutely admire him for everything he's done to make people aware of the delusion of religions and all the harm they cause.I...
by mikenlynnposted: 12 Jan 2013
Category:
Religion11
I was wondering what other world religions, besides Christianity, has an end-time narrative? It doesn't have to be apocalyptic. It can be anything that is a course of events which culminates in the world as...
by RobertCallan316posted: 11 Jan 2013
Category:
Politics27
There's not many things that I can say that I'm not proud of being a British citizen. This country has done me well as a 19 year old athiest, but the one thing that deeply saddens me...
Hi everyone.First off, I want to apoligize for my relatively weak english.I'm a 17-year-old female high school student in Finland. When it comes to religion, I'd say that out of all the young finnish people...
by Shawn Warrenposted: 10 Jan 2013
Category:
Education22
It is possible to have free higher education (with many other improvements in the civic enterprise). We do not have to suffer under the current system of institutions (universities/colleges), governments (federal/state or province) and unions...
by Jc Pierreposted: 09 Jan 2013
Category:
Science52
Hello everyone,I'm a new user and a admirer of Richard Dawkins for a long time, and I really love this website. Very complete, and very enriching. First of all, I must warn you : I am French,...
by TheRationalizerposted: 08 Jan 2013
Category:
Religion36
Many of you may already be familiar with Usama Hasan, a UK Imam who received quite a negative response for suggesting to a Muslim audience that humans share a common ancestor with modern apes.Seemingly undeterred...
Hi there,I was wondering if anyone would be so kind as to recommend me a book on the Israeli Palestinian conflict. I have scoured the web and the books that I have found are not very...
by draymunozposted: 05 Jan 2013
Category:
Science23
I have a question. Would an animal like a pinniped (seal) be considered a living transitional animal? That is to say an animal that harbors physical traits of two vastly different species, in the seals case...
Before I explain my dilemma I think it is necessary to very briefly explain my current world views. I do not believe in anything. I estimate statistically where...
Is the male variant of species an evolutionary modification of the female variant? Preamble:[References are available on request] The Anti-Müllerian hormone, (abbrev: AMH), is a glycoprotein hormone that in humans, is encoded by the AMH gene.It is...
by CdnMacAtheistposted: 01 Jan 2013
Category:
Religion83
One of many websites on this issue http://www.worldpopulationbalance.org/3_times_sustainable I have not seen much discussion here on RDFRS on the subject of sustainable population projections, ...
I shall endeavour as much as possible to keep this topic on point, avoiding all unnecessarily heavy descriptions that seem to ask you to be 'free psychologists' (although I am fairly certain that some among here...
by tardisrideposted: 31 Dec 2012
Category:
Religion41
Just this year a personally sad event caused me to acknowledge my absolute rejection of the fundamental Christianity of my parents, and to seek understanding and knowledge partly through forums like these. In the last eight months...
by TyroneAByrneposted: 30 Dec 2012
Category:
Atheism33
Hi, my name is Tyrone Byrne. I am making this to try and spur discussion of what I believe is a big issue in the way in which the arguments for atheism are presented to...
If life on earth came from a single point of origin – does this indicate life elsewhere in the universe is highly unlikely? If all known life on earth has one common ancestor,...
by Kimberly Dannerposted: 27 Dec 2012
Category:
Religion29
Death, Funerals, Church, and Loss by Suicide.Experiencing the whole process of loss and death is quite different as an Atheist. The obvious difference is we do not believe in an "afterlife" whether it be good...
by truthrealityposted: 26 Dec 2012
Category:
Atheism22
Many of the discussions here have highlighted a shared sense of being isolated, ostracized or feeling uncomfortable living in communities among the highly religious. Which leads to a question that I have often pondered: Where would I (or any free thinking...
