Rejecting religion can be dangerous. In some places one merely risks career and family ties, in others, life and limb. We focus on two news items that highlight the danger: The case of a Conservative British MP, who says he can finally be open about his disaffection from religion now that he’s not running for reelection. The pressure to not express religious doubts “is very similar to the pressure that there has been about keeping quiet about being gay, he said, during debate of a bill that would allow public prayer in council meetings. And we bring you the disgraceful case of an atheist couple in Egypt who were beaten in the street for being public about their nonbelief. Then, when they went to file charges at a police station, they were hit and harassed by officers for their trouble. In more positive news, atheists who are seeking help for addictions can take heart -- some 12-step programs are more accommodating to those who don’t embrace a higher power. In science news, read how West Virginia (a coal state) presented itself as a leader of stricter standards for science education and got caught quietly softening the consensus science of climate change. Conservatives may seek to deny and misteach climate change science, but it just keeps getting hotter and the problem more dire, with 2014 the hottest year on record. Robyn Blumner Executive Director Richard Dawkins Foundation
Posted on: Wed, 21 Jan 2015 14:16:44 +0000
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