Author: Bill Flavell
Why heaven could be hell
If there is eternal life and you sign up for it, you’ve signed a contract with no termination clause. No matter what happens to you, there is no way out. You can’t change your mind. Your contract is forever. And this contract has no specifics—just vague promises. You’ve signed the ultimate blank check. Employment For example, will you have to work in heaven? Can you do any job yo...
Say goodbye to Christianity in 2019
If you are a Christian, there is a lot that you have to take on faith; was Jesus born of a virgin? Did Jesus die and resurrect? Did Jesus ascend to heaven? Is Jesus alive today? You have no way of knowing if these things, and many other things, are true but if you set your threshold for belief low enough, you can believe them on faith. However, there are two facts, (one from the Old Testament and ...
AAI Atheist Calendar 2019
There are plenty of calendars on sale featuring kittens or mountains but calendars with atheist aphorisms and memes are as rare as hen’s teeth. Not anymore! AAI has produced an atheist calendar for 2019 and it’s free to download right here. Download it for your PC or phone or, better still, print it onto nice paper and proudly display it on your office wall (ahem, if this is allowed wh...
How myths undermine God
It is uncontroversial that the Sumerians invented their pantheon of gods and their elegant myth explaining the creation of the world. They believed the goddess Nammu gave birth to her husband Anki. They had a son, Enlil, who then made the world from his own parents. It is uncontroversial that the Aztecs invented their pantheon of gods and their bellicose creation myth. In their myth, the god Omete...
The true horror of indoctrination
You want your kids to grow up sensible, right? You’re educated and have experience of the world, and this has led you to choose the best political party. You know better than your five-year-old daughter, of course you do. But when she grows up she might be deceived, led astray or mistaken, so what can you do to make sure she stays loyal to the only party that makes sense? Here are a few sugg...
How a clown-god fails Christians
Let’s be honest, God is not a star when it comes to the brains department. Apparently, within days of creation, he was outwitted by a crafty snake. Soon everything went pear-shaped and he regretted making humans. So he decided to try again and drowned almost every living thing. That meant unnecessarily killing millions of innocent creatures but worse than that, he kept eight of the original ...
Is slavery wrong?
Recently a Muslim asked me, “Why is it bad to own slaves?” It’s a good question and it needs an answer. What religions tell us Both Christians and Muslims can answer this question from their holy scriptures, and both would find similar answers. The Bible, in the Old and New Testaments, permits slavery. Islam also permits holding slaves, especially those won as “booty”...
Six awkward questions on Biblical morality
Religious people tell me atheists have no basis for morality–all we have are opinions and no one’s opinion is more valid than anyone else’s. Instead, they point me to a book they say was inspired by our creator. They insist God is the only true moral authority. God can give us perfect moral laws for eternity. So I read the Bible but I came away with questions I couldn’t ans...
Ten bad reasons to be an atheist (and one good one)
I am an atheist but I often find myself disagreeing with other atheists. There are good reasons to be an atheist and there are bad reasons. Here are ten commonly heard bad reasons: “My mum got sick, we all prayed for hours but she died” “I’ve never seen God.” “I prayed daily for God to reveal himself but he didn’t.” “There are contradictions in...
Are you creative?
WINNERS ANNOUNCED December 12, 2018 Congratulations to our WINNERS! Jason Gregory (first prize), Dominic Omenai and William Murdick. Very many thanks to everyone who submitted slogans and to our external judge, Adam Tilford. Jason Gregory scooped first prize for his light-heartedly challenging “WARNING I ask questions.” Dominic Omenai was a runner-up with his amusing quip, “TESTE...
Summons served on the Government of Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria
On October 25, the High Court of Akwa Ibom State, formally served a summons on the Government of Akwa Ibom state in Nigeria. The suit was brought by our affiliate, the Atheist Society of Nigeria (ASN), and alleges that the government’s involvement in the building and promotion of an 8,500-seat worship center is ultra vires, unconstitutional and unlawful. ASN issued a press release today exp...
Why Christianity’s most important story is 100% wrong
Christianity’s most important story set in the Garden of Eden, tells us that God left innocent humans, who had no knowledge of good and evil, in the company of a crafty serpent. God told the humans not to eat fruit from a certain tree. When the humans were deceived by the serpent and tasted the fruit, God was very, very angry. Ask yourself, who should God punish in this situation? If God was...