Category: Op-Ed

Greta Christina responds to Kristine Harley’s critique of her column “Trigger Warning.”

“There is a need right now to break this cycle of violence and support a third-party government, even if it currently doesn’t have enough popular support currently to function on its own.”

Humanist and atheist organizations can’t solve every problem in society; maybe they should stick to the issues on which they can make the largest difference.

Still think of Turkey and India as secular democracies? Think again: both countries are close to theocracy.

Pigeonholing can be dangerous, but it’s nonetheless true that commentators upon Islam tend to belong to one of six groups.

Identity is a far more complicated concept than it appears at first glance.

Far from bewailing the legitimation of same-sex marriage, conservatives might celebrate that so many same-sex couples find matrimony desirable.

American democracy needs sweeping and, yes, socialistic reform, or the nation will stumble into empire.

If we count biblical inconsistencies as subjects on which God voted against himself, the scope of biblical errancy becomes stunningly clear.

America’s great satanism scare has faded to a footnote of history, but we must not forget its lessons.

A foundational research paper underlying the field of positive psychology has been, well, positively refuted.

Destruction is the fanatic’s way of clearing away reality for a better view of the nonexistent divine.

The Christian concept of grace has pernicious effects for morality—and for world affairs.

The case for “trigger warnings” and similar content notes.

The commitment to free speech may admit of exceptions. But a more important principle may be to be vigilant for dishonesty and disingenuity, not only in our opponents’ positions but in our own.

Alleged encounters with the miraculous aren’t simply common; they’re way too common.

“In less than six months, four
secular bloggers have been attacked and killed by machete-wielding men in Bangladesh.”

Science settled the question whether altruism is real, and most of us never noticed.

I am an atheist and very public about it; if I had been living in the Middle East and caught by the government or an Islamic militia, I could be in Badawi’s position.

Having an open mind doesn’t—and mustn’t—mean willingness to engage in dispassionate debate over reprehensible ideas.

A scrap from the dawn of the New Testament. Um, not really.

For the critical thinkers of Bangladesh, Avijit Roy will stand as a very special hero.

A widowed victim’s cry for justice.

Countries such as Saudi Arabia hide behind a Declaration of Human Rights in Islam, which isn’t about human rights at all.

Atheists don’t live up to the myth about their being angry. Rather they get blamed for the anger that even gentle atheist commentary stirs in some believers.

Postmodernism is inclined to embrace the Islamic State’s demand for submission and its reliance on terror. This is not a virtue!

Christian writer C. S. Lewis is not right; he is just much better than you are at inventing literary comparisons.

America is riding the secular wave that previously swept Europe, Canada, Japan, Australia, and other advanced democracies.

Calling all freethinkers to honor Robert Ingersoll on his birthday, August 11.

The recent merger into CFI marks a culmination of two movements’ histories.

Charlie Hebdo can be subjected to criticism but should not be blamed for the tragedy that befell it.

Condemning the Charlie Hebdo assassins while praising Saudi Arabia’s late King Abdullah makes no sense—they’re on the same side.

The massacre at Charlie Hebdo highlights not only the menace of religion but also the shortcomings of liberalism.

How might a follower of Jesus write about the events surrounding his death? Be prepared for some surprising revelations.

Americans are fooling themselves if they think they can escape disease threats in far-off lands.

Getting atheists to talk about death is hard—but vitally important for the movement.

The concerns of those worried about insulting Islam are seriously misplaced.

A look back at thirty years of skipping Christmas and at how things are different now.

Considering the wonders that science reveals, why does anyone need the supernatural?

It’s all obvious and predictable enough: of course high status tends to confer immunity from the social pressure and sanctions that keep the rest of us in line.