If You Learn Nothing Else about Bayes’ Theorem, Let It Be This

26 April 2014

There are two things one learns from Bayes’ Theorem that are the windows to everything else Bayesian reasoning can ever teach you. And there is a lot it can teach you besides these two things. But here I’m cutting to the chase of the two that are most...

Big Win! 'Humanists' Now Recognized by the US Army

22 April 2014

Are you a nonbeliever in the US Army or know someone who is? Let them know you can now identify as “humanist” on dog tags and military records. Unfortunately the other four services still don’t allow this (absurdly), but you have a chance to change...

Time to Buy Greta Christina's Awesome New Book!

18 April 2014

Greta Christina’s new book, Coming Out Atheist: How to Do It, How to Help Each Other, and Why, is superb. I am confident it will be the definitive read on its topic for decades. She researched the hell out of it and covers nearly every conceivable angle. For...

Help Ed Brayton Battle a White Supremacist

17 April 2014

Our colleague Ed Brayton is being sued by a white supremacist for calling him a white supremacist. It’s a case that Ed is sure to win. But the guy attacking him has minimal expenses (since being a lawyer, he is representing himself) and Ed needs to cover enough...

A Note for My Transgender Fans…

16 April 2014

Are you a trans woman? (Or otherwise gender queer or trans feminine?) Then you might be interested in supporting our colleague Zinnia’s petition (if you agree with her), to have your voice counted. See her Open Letter: 100+ Trans Women Stand Against Calpernia...

Major Godless Chicago Conference: Last Chance to Get Discount Rate!

14 April 2014

From Ed Brayton: The Foundation Beyond Belief, the nation’s largest humanist charitable organization, is holding its first national conference, “Humanism at Work,” this July 18-20 (2014) at the Hilton Rosemont in Chicago, Illinois. This conference,...

I’ll Be at ReasonCon: North Carolina

12 April 2014

Although it’s almost sold out already, I will be the keynote speaker at ReasonCon in Hickory, North Carolina, in early May. Details here (also tickets and wait-list options there). As I write, there are only VIP tickets left, and those include the VIP launch...

Online Course on Naturalism in May

10 April 2014

Back by popular demand, I am teaching my online course on naturalism as a philosophy and worldview this May (just a few weeks away). Learn about all aspects of naturalism as a philosophy of life, and how to use it in practical ways and improve on it. In the process...

Appearing in San Luis Obispo

9 April 2014

On Saturday, April 19 (2014), at 4pm (until 6pm), I will be presenting my case that a historical Jesus probably didn’t exist for Atheists United of San Luis Obispo (California), and taking questions from the audience. They say seats are limited, so it would help...

I Support the SSA, MRFF and MAAF. So Can You, So Easy to Do!

2 April 2014

Today I renewed my support for the Secular Student Alliance as a Bronze Member. Just a mere $35. Many of us in the US can afford that per year for the things we value most. So everyone who can do even so little as that, and believes in what the SSA does for our...

Scripture Index Madness

1 April 2014

For the moment I am afflicted with SIM (Scripture Index Madness). And I’m only up to Matthew. For a 684-page book mainly about the New Testament. Bible geeks will get the joke. And nod their head in commiseration. What’s SIM? A thing that doesn’t...

Help a Leading Skeptic Fight Her Sexual Harasser

27 March 2014

Karen Stollznow has been harassed for years by an ex-boyfriend, who was eventually disciplined by his employer for it (CFI), and she finally wrote about her experience, and apparently to harass her further, he is suing her. It looks like he is counting on the fact...

I'll Be Debating the Historicity of Jesus in Ottawa, Canada

26 March 2014

The Center for Inquiry Canada is hosting two events with me in early April in Ottawa (Ontario, Canada), sponsored by CFI Ottawa. The first will be a debate between myself and Zeba Crook, professor of religious studies at Carleton University, on whether it’s...

Appearing in San Jose Next Week

25 March 2014

I will be speaking and taking questions on the best case to be made that Jesus didn’t exist, for the Atheist Community of San Jose next week, Wednesday, 2 April 2014, from 6:30 to 9:30pm (although I’d love to hang out later with anyone who’s free to...

Minor Corrections to Crossley's Jesus in an Age of Neoliberalism

24 March 2014

When Proving History came out, I had cited in it James Crossley’s well-known book Jesus in an Age of Terror as among several astute books criticizing the ideological biases of Jesus scholars–producing Jesuses that conveniently were just exactly what each...

On Skeptic Fence Live Tonight

22 March 2014

Tonight at 9pm Eastern Time I’ll be a live guest on the Skeptic Fence web show. Promo and details here. The show will air here. It starts at 8. But they’ll be covering news items the first hour, then bringing me in for the second hour. We’ll be...