From Blair Scott…Over the years, local Atheist groups have found innovative ways to become involved in their communities, such as adopting a highway and blood drives. These are great ideas to bring positive attention to Atheists. I would like to suggest another way for Atheist groups to get involved.Florida Atheists and Secular Humanists (FLASH) have formed a team for the American Cancer SocietyÂ’s “Relay for life.” Ken Westervelt, a representative of FLASH, formed the FLASH Team by finding other members of FLASH that wanted to walk. FLASH created its team page on the “Relay for Life” Web Page and then began asking for donations of ten or twenty dollars. FLASH also printed out info sheets from the “Relay for Life” Web Page to hand out with the groupÂ’s name on it.The “Relay for Life” will be held all over the country on April 17th, 2009. Each location will choose an appropriate location for the walk, which will take place all day and night. Teams should have at least one member walking at a time for the entire 24 hours. Why 24 hours? The American Cancer SocietyÂ’s slogan for this year is, “Cancer doesnÂ’t sleep, neither does the cure.”As of January 2nd, the FLASH team was leading in their local area for participating members and donations received.It would be wonderful if other local groups, including American Atheists Affiliates across the country could do the same! Imagine if across the country local Atheist groups are named in the American Cancer SocietyÂ’s newsletter, are listed on the “Relay for Life” Web Page, and receive mention in the local newspapers? How many theists might begin to question their idea of what an Atheist is, or more importantly, what an Atheist is not?For too long, Atheists have been incorrectly and unfairly defined by theists and religionists as uncaring, selfish, and self-centered individuals. Atheists know that such is simply not true. Perhaps the best way for Atheists to define themselves is by example and action. When theists and religionists see us Atheists cleaning a highway, organizing a blood drive, raising money for a worthwhile cause, or walking all night in the “Relay for Life,” they see by our actions that yes, Atheists do care and are involved in their communities: positively and selflessly. This is heightened even more when they realize we are doing so because it is the right thing to do and not because we are seeking a false reward of Heaven or afraid of an imaginary punishment of Hell.If the local group in your area would like to join FLASH and get involved, please check out the “Relay for Life” Web Page and find the event close to you and form a team!An additional way for local groups to get involved is DonorsChoose.org. The site lists schools in need of different items that they need or want. The donor group chooses the location they want to help and then helps the school get their specific need or want. The goal can be achieved through monetary donations or by donating the exact want or need that the school has. The local group gets the recognition for doing good deeds in their community. FLASH recently paid for over half the costs of a model solar system and eclipse models for a local science teacher.Ken Loukinen, the Southern Florida State Director and president of FLASH said, “When our group formed, our number one concern was the image of atheists and how to change it. As Madalyn Murray O’Hair said, “An Atheist believes that a hospital should be built instead of a church. An atheist believes that deeds must be done instead of prayers said. An atheist strives for involvement in life and not escape into death. He wants disease conquered, poverty vanished, war eliminated.” I love these words and think that if we do what Madalyn said, we can define ourselves. This is a great way to achieve equal status in America for its large non-believing population.”

High schools say they are finding Bible classes an increasingly popular student option.Eight local schools offer them, at least two more in Columbia County could join the list next year, and Richmond County is considering adding more.Creation of new classes is based on several factors, educators say.”It depends on student interest and it depends on whether or not schools can fit it into their schedules,” said Jene Kinnitt, the curriculum coordinator for language arts in Richmond County. “Sometimes, study skills courses may take precedence over other electives.”Columbia County maintains an 18-student minimum enrollment before any elective course is added, said Rose Carroway, the director of high school student learning.Both Dr. Kinnitt and Dr. Carroway said they hope more students consider the Bible classes because they often boost a student’s academic performance in other areas.“Based on research, it seems that (Advanced Placement) exams use a lot of biblical allusions,” Dr. Kinnitt said. “Students who don’t have prior knowledge of the Bible don’t do as well on those standardized tests that require critical thinking and analogies to biblical references.”Beyond improved test scores, Dr. Carroway said Bible studies also promote higher-level thinking skills.”When you read the Bible, and it’s a tough read, and try to interpret and understand it, your critical-analysis skills are heightened exponentially,” she said. “That’s the value of the course.”

1) What research? I looked, and can’t find any such research to support the claim that reading the bible promotes critical thinking, or has a positive correlation on AP tests. Critical-thinking skills are “heightened exponentially” when you read the Bible? Truly a laughable LIE so they can LEGITIMIZE PUBLIC SCHOOLS TEACHING RELIGION. Isn’t there a commandment about lying?2) Let’s put this to the test and compare religious and nonreligious test scores. Maybe we should also correlate religion with crime. Oh wait — it’s already been donehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T27kB4BjbEg&eurl=http://friendlyatheist.com/2008/04/05/atheist-statistics-2008/&feature=player_embedded3) Check out this article from on the Philly Bible Wars. http://www.atheists.org/The_Battle_of_PhiladelphiaHow long will it be before they start complaining about which Bible version is used? Then what?4) And on that line, isn’t this blatant discrimination against minorities (of any ilk)? If you have to have 18 kids to have a class, what about the 15 Muslims that want to read the Koran as literature? Pretty conveniently high minimum, don’t ya think?

Yes, this is why we’re hated. We’re so evil sometimes. All around the world, We atheists start trouble, spew hatred, and push bigotry. Terrible.

VIJAYAWADA: Delegates at the seventh World Atheist Conference in the city adopted a declaration affirming their stance on atheism and humanism as an alternative life stance (a way of life). “We recognise that critical thinking, scientific temper and the spirit of inquiry are essential for development of society. We uphold gender equality, we demand that legislations be based on common concerns rather than religious beliefs and we demand separation of religion from politics, the State, the law and education,” said the declaration. The collective statement reiterated the leaders’ stand on secular state, secular values, environmental issues and their commitment to the cause of promoting democracy and human development.

Neale Donald Walsch, best-selling author of Conversations with God, said Tuesday he unwittingly passed off another writer’s Christmas anecdote as his own in a recent blog post. As a result, Walsch’s blog on the spirituality website Beliefnet.com has been shut down. The website said in a statement Walsch failed to properly credit and attribute material from another author.

This happens to me all the time. I wrote in my book “Letter to a Christian Country” (not yet published): Although we can’t prove there isn’t a magic coffeepot floating around Jupiter, there is no reason to believe it’s there. Yes, it was stolen from me.I also just came up with something new — what if ideas were passed off from one person to another like… like a virus? Wow. I’m a genius.

Have you noticed all the new affiliates? Local clubs are popping up all over the place. This is thanks in part to our own Blair Scott, who leads the affiliate outreach. Check out his page and see if there is an affiliate near you at http://www.alabamaatheist.org/al/And a shout out to Dr. Angie McQuaig, a recently-outed activist who has started the Augusta Freethought Society We hope to count the AFS as an affiliate soon.