The following sections contain links to more than 200 sites, organizations, blogs, forums, and other web resources that might interest an atheist. This is an ad-free directory.
General Websites
American Atheists - This pioneering atheist organization was founded in 1963 by Madalyn Murray O'Hair after her successful legal battle against mandatory prayer in U.S. public schools. Since then the organization has engaged in numerous other legal actions to support the separation of church and state. It also maintains the largest archive of atheist literature in the United States.
Freedom From Religion Foundation - This non-profit foundation, which was incorporated in 1978, is a leader in the fight against attempts by U.S. religious groups to use the powers of government to promote religion. It is one of the largest and best-known secular organizations in the U.S.
Atheist Alliance International - With affiliates in more than 20 countries, this is the biggest international atheist organization. The U.S. affiliate is Atheist Alliance of America.
The Secular Web (Infidels.org) - Established in 1995, this is one of the oldest, largest, and most comprehensive freethought resources on the internet. It contains many articles by prominent scholars, scientists, and historians.
Center for Inquiry - This nonprofit umbrella organization oversees a diverse group of projects intended to promote science, freedom of inquiry, and secular humanist values. It has offices in many U.S. cities as well as other countries. The organization also supports the work of two major affiliates, the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry and the Council for Secular Humanism.
Update (01-24-2016) -- In January 2016 a merger was announced in which the Richard Dawkins Foundation became a new division of the Center for Inquiry.
Atheist Revolution - This top site is a valuable resource for skeptics, atheists, progressives, or anyone who wants to help bring about a better world. It is especially helpful in revealing the harm caused to society by organized religion.
Rational Response Squad - This well-known site is home to a community of activist free-thinkers who want to promote rational thinking. Various articles on the site describe the benefits to humanity that have been brought about by logical thought and scientific methods, and compare those benefits to the problems caused by religion.
The Freethought Society - Founded in 1993 by Margaret Downey, this soon became one of the most active and influential freethought organizations in the United States.
Atheist Empire - This resource, which was established in 1998, is a good place to find general information about atheism. One especially valuable part of the site is the "Great Minds" section, which describes the philosophical views of famous thinkers such as Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, Susan B. Anthony, Sigmund Freud, and Voltaire.
American Humanist Association - This organization was founded in 1941 for the purpose of promoting humanism, especially in the United States. Its specific activities include advocating for the full separation of church and state, improving public education, promoting scientific research, and creating a true American democracy.
The Atheist Scholar - This is an excellent resource for anyone interested in learning about atheism. The many well-written articles cover such subjects as the history of atheism, science vs. religion, atheist demographics, and "the new atheism".
The Freethinker - This is the website of The Freethinker magazine, which has been continuously published in England since its launch in 1881, and is generally regarded as the world's oldest surviving freethought publication.
Evil Bible Website - The main purpose of this well-known site is to spread the terrible truth about Christianity. It describes numerous instances of how the Christian God, according to the bible, has been directly responsible for numerous mass-murders and other atrocious acts. There are also descriptions of horrible atrocities that have been committed by Christians. Many of the articles on the site were written by Charlotte Schnook.
Ask the Atheist - Do you have a question for an atheist? This website provides a simple fill-in form that allows you to ask it, and a reply will normally be posted on the site within a few days for everyone to read. Several very knowledgeable individuals help to provide answers, and the discussions can be expanded by comments from readers. In addition to asking new questions, you can also search for a specific topic in an archive of hundreds of previously-answered questions. Many of these archived questions relate to problems that atheists may encounter in everyday life when dealing with people of different belief systems.
Online Communities
Reddit Atheism Forum - With more than a million members, this is undoubtedly the largest and most active atheism forum on the web. Even if you don't join and participate in the discussions, it is still an excellent place to keep up with the latest news stories of interest to atheists. In addition, you will always find many discussions relating to important moral, social, and political issues of modern society, as viewed from a secularist perspective.
Ex-Christian - An online community for former Christians, this site includes a "testimonies" section in which people explain why they can no longer accept the tenets of their previous religion. Members can also discuss their personal views and other matters in an active forum. The site also includes videos, articles, and a gallery of images.
Atheist Zone - This prominent news and social networking site serves as an internet gathering place for atheists, skeptics, liberals, and anyone else interested in talking about the problems caused by organized religions, and how atheism is a logical alternative. The site includes a forum, a retail shop, and a wiki which may be edited by any member. Note: This website was previously called "Think Atheist".
Atheist Republic - This online community has attracted a diverse group of contributors from many different backgrounds. Its website provides opportunities for blogging, participating in forum discussions, uploading images, and other activities. There are also news stories, a section of statistics about atheism, and a store. One of the strengths of this community is its international composition, which makes it a place where atheists from different societies can meet and exchange ideas.
Internet Infidels Discussion Board - This is one of the better-known and most active freethought forums on the internet. In addition to the usual discussions about philosophy, science, religion, and morality, there are sections devoted to secular lifestyles, popular culture, and humor. Note: This site was formerly called the "Talk Freethought Forum", but was re-launched under the current name in 2021.
Richard Dawkins Foundation - The well-known atheist scientist and author Richard Dawkins created the Foundation for Reason and Science in order to promote critical thinking, and to combat ignorance, superstition, and religious intolerance. This popular site covers a broad range of topics not only in religion, but also in science, politics, and current events.
Update (01-24-2016) -- In January 2016 the Richard Dawkins Foundation and the Center for Inquiry announced that the two organizations are merging, with the Richard Dawkins Foundation becoming a new division within the Center for Inquiry.
Atheist Discussion - As would be expected, a major section of this forum is devoted to discussions of atheism, theism, and related matters. There are also sections covering pseudoscience, literature, history, politics, and various other topics. This is a very active community.
AtheistForums.com and AtheistForums.org - These are two of the oldest and best-established basic atheist forum sites on the web. Although they have the same name, "Atheist Forums", they were created independently, and there is no connection between them. But they are similar, and some people have joined both of them and visit both regularly. There are often some very knowledgeable participants in basic forums of this type, and some of the best discussions take place in them.
Skeptic Friends - This site was created to promote logic, critical thinking, and science as the best way for a person to arrive at his or her personal beliefs and moral values. Members may conduct polls, submit articles for possible publication on the site, and discuss various religious issues in a group of forums.
Happy Atheist Forum - This is another well-established atheist forum site. There are many individual discussion sections where members can express their views in areas such as social issues, current events, and politics.
Debating Christianity and Religion Forum - This forum is specifically designed to encourage discussions about various human belief systems. Many atheists have joined for the purpose of engaging in direct debates with Christians.
Other Online Communities:
Skeptics Guide to the Universe Forums
Atheist Nexus -- This forum is now defunct but its facebook group is still active
Blogs and Blog Hubs
Debunking Christianity - As its name suggests, this top blog focuses on exposing the illogical and fallacious aspects of the Christian religion. There are also links to many similar blogs and websites, as well as to the sales pages of dozens of books that might be of interest to atheists.
Free Thought Blogs - This is a hub for some of the best-known freethought blogs, including the Atheist Experience and Pharyngula.
The Orbit - Many of the bloggers at this hub try to encourage more activism within the secular community, especially in confronting social injustices and other problems of modern society.
Skepchick - This was originally the website of Rebecca Watson, who launched it in 2005, but it was later expanded to include contributions by other writers. One of the goals is to promote skepticism and critical thinking among women around the world. In recent years additional sites have been added to form the Skepchick Network, which includes Queereka (LGBTQ issues), School of Doubt (education), Mad Art Lab, and Teen Skepchick. Although most of the writers are women, men can also contribute.
Center for Inquiry Group Blog - This blog includes posts from leading members of the Center for Inquiry staff as well as other prominent freethinkers and guest posters. There is also a daily digest of atheist news reports called "The Morning Heresy".
OnlySky - A relatively-new website, launched in 2021, which features many excellent writers. The name "OnlySky" expresses the secular view that there are no gods above us, but only sky.
Daylight Atheism - This well-known blog was created by writer Adam Lee in 2006, with the goal of helping to bring nonbelief out into the daylight. In mid-2018, veteran newspaper editor James A. Haught joined the blog as a regular contributor.
Pharyngula - Another well-known blog. Its focus is on the intersection between science and atheism.
The Friendly Atheist - One of the oldest and best-known atheist blogs, this resource is especially valuable for its comprehensive coverage of atheist-related news, including many stories you probably won't find on other secular websites. Author Hemant Mehta does an excellent job of finding and writing about these less-widely reported stories.
Atheist Ethicist - This prolific blogger often writes about the ethical choices we must make in our lives, and how they are affected by both basic human nature and the influence of culture and society.
Skeptic Ink Network - A diverse group of writers from many different countries and backgrounds can be found at this site.
Humor and Satire
Landover Baptist Church - A spoof of organized religions, this site takes a humorous look at typical Christian attitudes toward race, sex, abstinence, biblical inerrancy, and salvation. For example, a section on "Godly Health" contains a fake ad for a "Salvation Pill" which will help strengthen a believer's faith. The site also includes a forum, a store, and a news archive.
The Evil Atheist Conspiracy - This hilarious parody of Christian beliefs about atheism describes how a diabolical organization of the godless is secretly controlling the earth and trying to wipe out everything that is honest, decent, and good. Of course no such organization actually exists, but the article describes some of the horrible evil things it would be doing if it did exist.
Note: Un-intelligent Design - Some people believe that the universe was designed by some higher power, but that this higher power did a really lousy job of it. One often-cited example of bad design is the existence of mosquitoes, ticks, and other blood-suckers, which a better design wouldn't have included. Some people also argue that human beings could have been better designed, perhaps by being given more intelligence and less propensity to resort to violence. Many atheists regard such design defects as just more evidence that there are no gods.
Jesus and Mo - Launched in 2005, this satirical weekly comic strip features the "holy roomies" Jesus and Mo (Mohammed). This is one of the best-known irreligious cartoon sites on the web.
19th-Century Comics of Watson Heston - The atheistic cartoons on this page were drawn by the 19th-century artist Watson Heston. You might find it interesting to look at the style of humor that was popular in that era.
Note: God's Mistakes - If, as some believe, the Christian god originally intended to create a perfect earthly paradise for all humankind, then his efforts apparently went awry. But his lack of success might be partly due to his own blunders. Here are four of his possible mistakes.
1. He Created the Devil -- Many people have wondered why God created Satan. But whatever his reasons, he may have later regretted doing so, because the bible says that Satan will eventually be brought to justice and punished with eternal torment in hell. But this hasn't happened yet, and in the meantime the loathsome fiend has roamed free for thousands of years, and has used that time to pursue his evil activities all over the earth.
2. He Didn't Give Adam and Eve Enough Willpower -- When God made Adam and Eve, he didn't give them enough willpower to resist the temptations of the talking serpent. Many Christians regard the resulting "Fall of Mankind" as the basic cause of all the misery and suffering subsequently experienced by the human race. Of course God could have avoided the whole thing by not creating the talking serpent in the first place.
3. He Didn't Reveal Himself to Everyone -- God wants all people to worship him and to obey his commandments. But instead of telling this to everyone directly, he initually only revealed it to the ancient tribe of Hebrews, and told them to carry the message to everyone else. But due to wars, enslavements, and other difficulties, the Hebrews and their descendants weren't able to take the message to most parts of the world. As a result, millions of people have lived and died without ever getting the message.
4. He Hasn't Let Jesus Finish the Job -- Evidently Jesus wasn't able to get everything done during his first appearance on the earth, because he told his followers that he would return later to finish the job. He didn't explain why he couldn't do everything in one visit. At any rate, many Christians expect his Second Coming to miraculously bring an end to all violence, oppression, injustice, and misery. But humankind has suffered through 2000 more years of those same problems, with everyone wondering why he still hasn't returned.
Atheist Jokes on LaffGaff - You can get some quick laughs from this list of about 30 short jokes.
Atheist Jokes on Angelfire - Here's another page of atheist jokes. From the early years of the web.
Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster - Members of this church devote themselves to what is probably the only edible god known to humankind. This god was secretly worshiped by pirates for hundreds of years, but became known to the general public in 2005, and the church now has thousands of members called Pastafarians.
The Invisible Pink Unicorn - This goddess is another deity who has recently been gaining many devotees. Oddly, although she is invisible, she is also pink. Some Christians have claimed that she doesn't really exist, but none of them have proved it.
Note: The Omphalos Hypothesis - Some Christians interpret the bible to mean that God created the earth about 6000 years ago, but geological evidence indicates that our planet is more than four billion years old. When this discrepancy is pointed out, a common Christian response is that God intentionally made the earth look much older by "planting" fake evidence such as bogus dinosaur fossils, and that God did this in order to find out who can be tricked into adopting false beliefs like evolution. Any people who can be tricked in this way obviously don't have enough faith, and God will deal with them accordingly.
The idea that God planted fake evidence about the earth's age, as a way to trick people into false beliefs, is known as the Omphalos Hypothesis. But some Christians have wondered why God would need to resort to tricks in order to determine who doesn't have sufficient faith. This line of thought has led to the theory that it must have actually been Satan who created all of this fake geological evidence, so that he could use it to lead people astray.
Archive of Some Classic Religion Jokes - Laugh your way to atheism
Mr. Deity - Most of the episodes in this well-known series of short witty films are parodies of Christian beliefs about their God. The role of Mr. Deity (God) is played by Brian Keith Dalton, who is also the original creator and main script writer. The first episode appeared on Youtube in 2006, and the whole series is still available for viewing there.
Question: Why was Jesus crucified?
Answer: God wanted to forgive everyone's sins, but somebody had to pay for them first.
The Satanic Temple - This atheist group stages public events which use parody to fight religious hate and bigotry. It is best-known for designing and creating a large solid-bronze statue of Baphomet (Satan).
More Humor Sites
Anti-Religious Jokes On Thought Catalog
Famous Atheists
Celebrity Atheists, Agnostics, and Skeptics - This is a list of well-known free-thinkers. But it is really more than just a list, because it offers a separate article about each person, with details about his or her life, accomplishments, and beliefs. Prominent names include Bill Gates, Jodie Foster, Jack Nicholson, Pat Tillman, Sandra Bullock, Brad Pitt, Johnny Depp, and Ayn Rand. Note: Actually, as discussed in some of the individual articles, there is uncertainty about the true beliefs of some of these people. This is because many celebrities, especially Hollywood atheists, don't like to reveal their true views out of fear that their careers will be harmed.
Note: Atheist Contributors to Human Progress -- Although atheists, agnostics, and other freethinkers have always been a small persecuted minority in most countries, many of them have still managed to make important contributions to human progress and the improvement of society, and some have also had a big impact on the course of history. Here are some examples:
Andrew Carnegie (1835-1919) -- American businessman who made a fortune in the steel industry, then gave most of his money away to establish libraries, schools and universities all over the United States.
Thomas Edison (1847-1931) -- The most famous U.S. inventor, he developed the first practical light bulb, as well as the phonograph and the motion picture camera. He reportedly said that "religion is all bunk."
Sigmund Freud (1856-1939) -- Austrian psychiatrist known for his studies of the subconscious mind and its influence on behavior. He considered religion to be a mass-delusion.
Simon Bolivar (1783- 1830) -- Great revolutionary leader who led the fight to liberate six South American countries from Spanish rule. The country of Bolivia is named after him. After he made his atheist beliefs public, he was excommunicated from the Catholic Church.
Charles Darwin (1809-1882) -- English naturalist who collected evidence that supports the theories of evolution and natural selection.
Susan B. Anthony (1820-1906) -- This American social reformer was an important leader in the suffrage movement which eventually won voting rights for women. Another major leader in this movement, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, was also an atheist.
Samuel Clemens (1835-1910) -- Using the pen name "Mark Twain", he became the most famous American writer of the 19th century. Some of his writings are strongly anti-religious.
Thomas Paine (1737-1809) -- Fiery writer whose pamphlet Common Sense was a major factor in inspiring the people of the American colonies to declare their independence from England in 1776. But despite the major role Paine played in gaining American independence, later Christian writers have tried to downplay his contributions, and Theodore Roosevelt even called him "that dirty little atheist".
Irving Berlin (1888-1989) -- American composer and lyricist, generally regarded as one of the greatest song writers in U.S. history.
Margaret Sanger (1879-1966) -- Social activist who founded Planned Parenthood. The motto of her newspaper The Woman Rebel was: "No Gods -- No Masters."
Frank Lloyd Wright (1869-1959) -- This famous American architect was a major influence on 20th-century architectural styles. He designed hundreds of office buildings, skyscrapers, hotels, schools, and museums.
Pierre and Marie Curie (1867-1934) -- European researchers whose studies of radioactivity led to the discoveries of radium and polonium. They shared a Nobel Prize in Physics, and she was later awarded a separate Nobel Prize in Chemistry. Both of them were atheists.
James Cameron (born 1954) -- Canadian director, producer, and writer whose films Titanic and Avatar are among the highest-grossing films ever made.
William Lloyd Garrison (1805-1879) -- This 19th-century activist played a leading role in the growth of the movement to abolish slavery in the United States. He was a co-founder of the American Anti-Slavery Society (1833), and for many years his publication The Liberator was regarded as the most uncompromising American anti-slavery journal. Partly because of his efforts, the movement to abolish slavery grew rapidly, finally leading to the election of Abraham Lincoln in 1860, followed by the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863 during the Civil War.
Warren Buffet (born 1930) -- In 2008 this U.S. businessman and investor was rated by Forbes Magazine as the richest person in the world. He has also become one of the world's biggest philanthropists, having pledged to give most of his vast fortune to charity.
Note: Was Abraham Lincoln An Atheist? -- Many scholars have investigated this controversial subject, but questions still remain. For more information, see these articles at History.com and FFRF.org. Lincoln's possible atheism is even more carefully examined in an entire chapter of the book Freethinkers: A History of American Secularism by Susan Jacoby. This excellent book also contains extended discussions of the skeptical views of many other well-known Americans, including some of those mentioned in the above list.
Famous Atheists through the Ages - This is a list of well-known non-theists from ancient times up to the present day. It includes many scientists, philosophers, political leaders, actors, and authors.
List of More than 300 Atheist Celebrities - Includes atheists in film, radio, television and theater. Clicking on a particular name takes you to a wikipedia article about that person. Below the list are references to supporting evidence for the beliefs of most of these celebrities.
More lists of well-known atheists:
Celebrities - Angelina Jolie, Charlie Chaplin, Katherine Hepburn, Sarah Bernhardt, more.
Notable People - Richard Branson, Kathy Griffin, George Soros, Bill Maher, more.
Artists - Picasso, van Gogh, Matisse, more. Includes images of famous paintings.
Philosophers - David Hume, Bertrand Russell, Jean-Paul Sartre, Noam Chomsky, more.
Scientists - Alan Turing, Francis Crick, Stephen Hawking, Richard Dawkins, more.
Musicians and Composers - John Lennon, Bela Bartok, Billy Joel, Richard Rogers, more.
Openly Atheist Musicians - Another list of musical artists and bands.
Atheism vs. Religion
Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous Televangelists - This article discusses the wealth and opulent lifestyles of some modern Christian televangelists, many of whom live in million-dollar mansions and own private jets, fancy cars, and expensive jewelry. There is also a discussion of some of the accounting tricks and other deceptive methods commonly used to build up this personal wealth.
Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests - This is the website of a support group for victims of clerical sexual molestation. Although most of the victims were abused by Catholic priests, the group also accepts people who were abused by Protestant clergy.
Note: According to a 2004 sexual abuse report by the National Review Board, since 1950 there have been more than 10,000 reported cases of sexual abuse of minors by priests. And thousands of other cases were probably never reported due to the shame and fear experienced by the victims. More than 80 percent of the victims were male and over half were between ages 11 and 14 when they were assaulted. Many of these cases were initially covered up by church officials, and some clergy remained in their positions for decades after their abuses were first reported.
Strange Religious Beliefs and Practices - From an atheistic perspective, nearly all religions contain bizarre beliefs and practices. This site describes more than 60 examples from all over the world, including devil worship, doomsday cults, human sacrifice, hungry ghosts, and the devil's mark. Some of the descriptions, such as those about witch burnings, crucifixion re-enactments, demonic possession, and Christian snake handlers, are accompanied by images.
Violent Christian Cults - One of the notable aspects of Christianity is the large number of denominations and sects. Unfortunately, some fringe Christian sects occasionally develop into violent cults. Well-known examples of such cult violence include the murders of fourteen people by leaders of the Temple of Love Church in Florida in 1992, the mass suicide of more than 900 members of the People's Temple in Guyana during 1978, the deaths of more than 70 members of the Branch Davidian sect during a shootout with law officers in Texas in 1993, and the suicide of 39 members of the Heaven's Gate cult in California in 1997. Some men in the Heaven's Gate cult also underwent voluntary castration in the belief that this was what Jesus called for in his statement in Matthew 19:12 that "there be eunuchs, which have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake" (King James translation).
The Biblical View of Women - As this article points out, the bible contains numerous passages which disparage women. In fact, according to Genesis 3:16, even God himself said that a wife should submit to her husband. This verse also suggests that labor pains are a curse that God put on all women as punishment for Eve's misbehavior in the Garden of Eden. Why all women should be punished for what Eve did isn't made clear, but of course the Christian God can do whatever he wants, whether it makes sense or not.
Note: Some Christians believe that God exempted the Virgin Mary from this punishment, so that she didn't feel any labor pain when Jesus was born.
For almost 2000 years, officials of various Christian churches have used the bible to help justify their discrimination against women. Unfortunately, this discrimination hasn't been kept within the church, but also underlies the many legal and social restrictions on women found in all Christian societies until recent times, and which still haven't been completely eliminated.
The Witch Burnings - The article on this page is taken from the book The Dark Side of Christian History by Helen Ellerbe. Here are some of the main points:
--- The anti-female bias of Christianity was one of the main causes of the witch hunts of the 15th, 16th, and 17th centuries.
--- During this period many thousands of people, mostly women, were tortured until they confessed and then burned alive.
--- Protestants persecuted suspected witches with just as much zeal as Catholics.
Here is a quote from the article:
"Witch hunts were neither small in scope nor implemented by a few aberrant individuals; the persecution of witches was the official policy of both the Catholic and Protestant Churches. The Church invented the crime of witchcraft, established the process by which to prosecute it, and then insisted that witches be prosecuted."
Additional information about the torture and killing of suspected witches can be found in the book Servants of Satan - The Age of the Witch Hunts by Joseph Klaits.
Fundamentalist Christianity and the Religion of the Slave Owners - The evidence presented in this article shows that modern Christian fundamentalism evolved from the religion practiced by the slave owners of the American South prior to the Civil War, and that it still exhibits many of the same basic beliefs and attitudes. This is a subject that new atheists could find especially interesting.
No Longer Quivering - Some evangelical Christian families in the U.S. adhere to a belief system which gives the husband full authority over the other members of the household, and condemns the wife to a life of submission and near-constant pregnancies. It is sometimes called the quiverfull movement because each new child that the woman bears is regarded as another "arrow" in the quiver that she is trying to fill. Many of these families have a dozen or more children, and some members of the movement believe that these large families will help to spread Christianity. This website has a good description of the movement and also contains the stories of some of the women who have managed to escape from it.
Prosperity Gospel Preys on the Poor - This article discusses the "prosperity gospel", which is the assertion that God will reward all true Christians with health, wealth, and happiness. Many televangelists in the United States preach this gospel to their viewers, and suggest that sending in a donation would be a good way to demonstrate their faith and so receive the promised rewards. Most of the viewers are poor people who imagine that they will eventually become wealthy because of their belief.
New Study Reveals that Religion Does Not Lead to a Healthier Society - This article discusses the results of a statistical study of possible correlations between religious belief and the general "health" of a society. These results show that strongly-religious countries such as the United States tend to have much higher crime rates than less-religious countries like Sweden. The study, which covered 18 developed countries, found that the United States has the highest rates of murder, sexually transmitted diseases, and child abuse. Various other studies have shown that the U.S. also has a significantly higher rate of drug addiction than most other developed countries. Thus the available information doesn't support the frequent claim that religious belief leads to better moral behavior, but in fact suggests the opposite.
How to Fake a Faith Healing - This article from Quackwatch.org describes various methods used by Christian televangelists to fake faith healings. Some American evangelistic healers have become very wealthy through the deception and fraud that they perpetrate.
New Testament Errors and Contradictions - One reason many people eventually give up their Christian faith is because the bible is so full of errors and contradictions. Some atheists have said that "reading the bible" raised their first doubts about its sacredness.
Contradictions in Gospel Accounts of Jesus' Resurrection - Not surprisingly, the majority of Christians don't know that the biblical accounts of the resurrection of Jesus are full of inconsistencies and contradictions. Most people would expect the description of such an important event to be clear and definite, especially since the gospel writers were presumably guided by God, who surely would want the accounts to be as convincing as possible. But in fact there are major discrepancies among the various gospel accounts of what happened on that first Easter morning when Jesus was supposedly resurrected. For a discussion of some of these discrepancies, and why they can't be plausibly explained, see this article.
Horrors of the Inquisition - During the Inquisitions of the Middle Ages, church officials tortured and murdered thousands of suspected heretics. This article contains many contemporary eyewitness accounts of the methods and devices that were used.
Victims of the Christian Faith - This is an attempt to compile a chronological list of major crimes committed by Christians from ancient times to the present day. The crimes include arsons, torture, forced conversions, mass murders, persecutions of non-Christians, and exploitation of native peoples.
How Religion Harms Society - The articles on this website reveal how Christians have consistently taken immoral positions on social issues such as slavery, racism, physical abuse of women and children, contraception, divorce, aid to the poor, exploitation of natural resources, and persecution of minorities.
Here is a quote from the site:
"For many centuries the Church maintained its position by a combination of fraud and terror, opposing advances in learning and suppressing the truth. Where Christian dogma has been strongest, so has poverty, misery and ignorance."
Atheists Face Death Penalty in 13 Countries - According to this study of religious discrimination around the world, thirteen countries, all of them Muslim, officially prescribe the death penalty for anyone who openly embraces atheism or rejects Islam for any other reason. Fortunately these death penalty laws aren't always strictly enforced, although other forms of punishment such as prison sentences are quite common.
But Islamic societies aren't the only places where religious discrimination takes place, for the study found that it occurs in some form in almost every modern country. In fact, according to the report, many countries have laws that revoke the citizenship of atheists, restrict their right to marry, bar them from working for the government, and even deny their right to exist.
After School Satan - One of the most insidious practices of American Christians is to create after-school "good news clubs" which get permission to recruit in public schools and hold meetings in public facilities. Most of these "good news" clubs give children an evangelical message that includes dire warnings about the risk of eternal torture in hell. To fight against this mis-use of our public schools, some atheists and secularists have launched an effort to create "After School Satan" clubs that promote freethought, science, and rationalism. For the latest news about this effort, go to this website.
Partial History of Christian Missionary Atrocities - This article describes some of the brutal methods that Christians have used to try to force their beliefs on other people. It recounts the savage atrocities perpetrated against the native peoples of Tahiti, Hawaii, the United States, the Philippines, India, and various other countries. It also chronicles the plundering of cities by the Crusaders, the repeated persecutions of the Jews, and the horrors of the witch burnings.
Bible Verses Rarely Read on Sunday - There are numerous passages in the bible which are seldom mentioned in church services because they would be very embarrassing to most modern Christians. This website contains discussions of some of these passages, conveniently divided into categories such as bizarre laws, weird stories, evil acts of God, and strange moral values.
Child Deaths due to Religion-Based Medical Neglect - Hundreds of children in the U.S. have died because their Christian parents refused to seek professional medical treatment, deciding instead to put their trust in prayer and faith healing. This website contains numerous reports of such cases, and it also describes some current efforts to protect children from this fate.
Unreasonable Faith - This website was created by a former evangelical Christian who is now an atheist. The articles point out some of the fallacies in the Christian belief system.
List of Christian Evangelist Scandals - This is a list of more than 30 modern Christian evangelists who have been involved in scandals, with brief descriptions of the accusations against them. These accusations include adultery, drug abuse, fraud, homosexuality, and visits to prostitutes. However, the list doesn't include the thousands of cases of reported sexual abuse by Roman Catholic clergy.
Note: The original Wikipedia page that contained this list of scandals was deleted from the Wikipedia website in August 2013, for unexplained reasons. However, a copy of the page is preserved in the Internet Archive, and the above link takes you to that archived page.
An Atheist Manifesto - In this essay the well-known author Sam Harris explains the importance of actively opposing organized religions.
501 Reasons Why Christianity Is False - This isn't just a list, but instead is a long detailed discussion of numerous inconsistencies, errors, deceptions, and just plain nonsense relating to the Christain belief system. Author Michael Runyan has obviously spent a great deal of time researching the various subjects and determining the best ways to present the information, with the result that all the arguments are carefully laid out, as well as fully documented with many references and links. For anyone with enough time to read all of it, there is enough here for a full-length book. Or you may just want to skim through each of the 501 reasons, stopping to read the sections which interest you the most. Update: The list has now been expanded to more than 1600 reasons why Christianity is false.
Christianity and Slavery - This site outlines the various arguments that Christians have used to justify the buying, selling, and owning of slaves. Not only did the Christian slave-owners of the southern United States use these arguments, they also fought a major war to try to keep their slaves.
Christianity's Role in the Rise of the Nazis - As this article clearly demonstrates, the vast majority of Hitler's supporters in Germany were Christians, as were most members of the Nazi party and virtually all of the soldiers in the German army. The article also provides many examples of how leading church officials, both Catholic and Protestant, cooperated with Hitler and the Nazis throughout their rise to power.
Here is a quote from the article:
"Most German Christians supported the Reich. Many continued to do so in the face of mounting evidence that the dictatorship was depraved and murderously cruel. Elsewhere in Europe the story was often the same. Only with Christians' forbearance and frequent cooperation could fascistic movements gain majority support in Christian nations. European fascism was the fruit of a Christian culture. Millions of Christians actively supported these notorious regimes. Thousands participated in their atrocities."
Where Do Atheists Get their Morality? - Do you have to believe in a god in order to feel compassion for other people, or to think that killing is wrong? For a simple answer, see this article. Although it was written for kids, most adults will find it to be very enlightening as well.
Why There Is No God - Not only is this an excellent resource for anyone who is just starting to learn about atheism, it can also be quite useful to long-time free-thinkers. It covers 46 specific subjects that often arise in discussions between theists and atheists, and in each case presents simple clear arguments for why the atheist view is much more likely to be correct. In addition, there are numerous images, cartoons, quotations, and links to supporting materials. Overall, this is a great resource, very informative yet easy to understand.
Note: Nothing Fails Like Prayer - Despite the prayers of numerous Christians, thousands of the world's children starve to death every year. Prayers haven't been able to wipe out many of the world's worst diseases either, or restore arms and legs lost on battlefields. Observations such as these led Anne Nicol Gaylor, a co-founder of the Freedom From Religion Foundation, to coin the adage "Nothing fails like prayer", which has become one of the best-known atheist quotes.
The Christian Nation Myth - The words "God" and "Christian" do not appear anywhere in the United States Constitution. Also, the First Amendment says that "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion." Yet modern fundamentalist Christians repeatedly claim that the U.S. was founded as a "Christian nation", and use that claim to try to pass laws which impose their "values" on everyone else. But as this article clearly shows, many of the founding fathers, including Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and possibly even George Washington, probably were not Christians, and in any case certainly didn't intend to establish a government based on Christianity. In fact they anticipated that Christian groups might eventually attempt to take control of the government, and tried to make sure that couldn't happen.
FreethoughtPedia Article on How Religion Damages Society - There are many ways in which modern American Christians hinder efforts to improve the lives of people, not only in their own country, but all over the world. For an excellent discussion of this subject, including numerous striking examples, see this article from FreethoughtPedia.
Rapture Theology - This article by blogger Rosa Rubicondior discusses the arrogance, hate, heartlessness and absurdity that underlie the Christian concept of the Rapture.
Note: The Epicurus Trilemma - One of the oldest critiques of belief in a god is usually attributed to the ancient Greek philosopher Epicurus, although it was probably actually written by someone else. It has a logical form known as a trilemma, and can be translated into English as follows:
Does God want to prevent evil, but isn't able? Then he is not omnipotent.
Is he able, but not willing? Then he is malevolent.
Is he both able and willing? Then where does evil come from?
Is he neither able nor willing? Then why call him God?
Note: De-baptism Ceremonies - Most American atheists were raised as Christians and didn't see the truth until after they became old enough to start thinking for themselves. A de-baptism ceremony gives them an opportunity to "undo" their earlier baptisms as infants or young children. Some atheists have even tried to get their names removed from old church baptismal rolls because they were infants at the time and didn't give their consent.
Miracles, Disasters, and the Uselessness of Prayer - Does God sometimes use tornadoes and earthquakes to punish wicked people? If an airplane crashes and most of the passengers die, should we praise God because a few people survived? When children pray for their sick mother, but she dies anyway, is it because God always knows what's best? If you have ever thought about questions like these, then take a look at this article. It discusses the strange thinking that often leads modern Christians to illogical, even absurd, interpretations of news events.
Note: Some Questions to Ask Christians
-- When Jesus came to earth, why did he arrive in the form of a human baby?
-- Did Mary feel labor pains when she gave birth to Jesus?
-- Could God have saved Joan of Arc from being burned alive?
-- When God created men, why did he put nipples on their chests?
Digital Freethought - Many of the articles on this site examine common misconceptions and false beliefs that American atheists encounter in discussions with Christians. A variety of other interesting subjects are also explored. Overall, this is an excellent resource for Theists and other freethinkers who want to increase their general knowledge and improve their debating skills.
Note: This site is dedicated to the ancient Greek scholar Hypatia. She was a mathematician, scientist, and philosopher who eventually became the director of the famous ancient Library of Alexandria. In 415 AD she was flayed and killed by a mob of fanatical Christians. Some accounts say that Christians also burned down parts of the great library, destroying almost half a million ancient books.
Apologetics Exposed - Dictionaries define apologetics as a branch of theology devoted to the defense of Christianity. Of course such a defense wouldn't be needed if history, logic, and science supported the basic Christian beliefs. But because this support is lacking, over the centuries many theologians have felt a need to develop apologetics arguments, and a huge accumulation of their abstruse writings now exists. Some modern Christian book authors have tried to convert these writings into forms suitable for the general public, and in doing so, have carved out very successful careers for themselves. But as this article shows, apologetics arguments have always been heavily dependent on deception and dishonesty.
Secular Frontier - Contains numerous articles which explore controversies in the fields of secularism, atheism, and traditional religions.
The Problem of Evil - Many people have wondered why the Christian god allows so much evil, injustice, and suffering by innocent victims to exist in the world. After all, since the Christian god is all-powerful, he surely has the ability to do something about it. And since he is morally perfect, he certainly should want to do something. Yet he apparently does nothing. The difficulty that arises in trying to explain these observations is often called "the problem of evil". Of course for an atheist the explanation is simple -- the Christian god doesn't do anything about the problem because the Christian god doesn't exist. But Christians need to find a different explanation. For a thorough discussion of their futile attempts to do so, see this article.
Note: The problem of evil is sometimes called "the problem of pain and suffering", because many innocent people have experienced terrible pain and suffering not just from the evil actions of others, but also from accidents, epidemics, famines, and natural disasters. So in this formulation of the problem, the question is why did God create a world in which so many innocent people have to experience so much pain and suffering.
The Problem of Hell - Many Christians believe that their god is all-loving and all-merciful. Yet they also believe that this same god condemns some people to eternal torment in hell. The inconsistency is obvious, since an all-loving and all-merciful God would show mercy to everyone, and not condemn anyone to eternal torture. This inconsistency becomes even starker in cases in which a person is supposedly condemned to eternal torment merely because he or she has doubts about some common Christian beliefs. In fact, in the traditional Christian view, people who never saw a bible or heard of Jesus, and therefore never had the chance to be "saved", are punished with eternal torture in hell. The inconsistency between these various beliefs is sometimes called "the problem of hell". You can learn more about this classic theological issue by reading this article.
More Resources for this Category:
The (Real) Christian Heritage - archived copy of an old Geocities website
Scrivenings by Edward Babinski
The Growth of Atheism
According to an American Religious Identification Survey released in March 2009, the number of U.S. citizens who say that they have "no religion" increased from 8.2% in 1990 to 15% in 2008. The survey also showed that the percentage of Christians in the U.S. decreased from 86% to 76% during the same period. This recent growth in the percentage of secularists and the corresponding decline in the percentage of Christians has been confirmed by other surveys as well.
Note: Because different surveys use different methodologies and cover different time periods, the reported changes in American religious views vary from survey to survey. However, all major surveys agree that the number of secularists in the U.S. is growing and the number of Christians is declining. Note that the term "secularism" can include agnosticism, atheism, skepticism, or any view that rejects organized religion. Atheists are only one part of this group, but there is evidence that their number is rising at about the same rate as the overall number of secularists.
The trends revealed by these surveys have been sustained despite the fact that Christian organizations in the U.S. spend enormous sums of money to promote themselves. These organizations own hundreds of television and radio stations, thousands of Christian websites, and dozens of publishing companies. They also own and operate thousands of private Christian schools, from kindergarten to the graduate studies level, and have even attempted to acquire taxpayer money to help pay for their operations. Some Christian groups also try to control what is taught in public schools. In addition, many Christian parents force their children to attend church services so that their young minds can be indoctrinated with the "proper" beliefs.
Obviously there are many people in the U.S. whose livelihoods will be threatened if the number of Christians keeps declining. Such people are likely to have a strong motivation to do whatever they can to protect their sources of income.
Yet despite all of the efforts to stop it, secularism in the United States continues to grow. There are several reasons for this. For example, the horrors of modern warfare have led many individuals to wonder why a supposedly-just Christian god has allowed millions of innocent people to be maimed or killed. Many also wonder why this god permits earthquakes, storms, famines and other natural disasters to cause so much misery and suffering. The fact that the prayers of paralyzed people and starving children often go unanswered also puzzles many people. Eventually some individuals conclude that the reason the Christian god doesn't prevent or alleviate all of this suffering is because he doesn't exist.
Secularism in the U.S. is also growing because modern communications technologies have enabled people in different parts of the world to be exposed to other belief systems and philosophies. Improved communications have also helped spread knowledge of the errors and contradictions that are found in all of the major religions. Finally, the numerous scandals involving priests, televangelists, and other church leaders have severely damaged the image of Christianity everywhere.
UPDATE (05-22-2015) -- The results of an extensive new Pew Research survey, released in May 2015, indicate that the number of Christians in the U.S. continues to decline at a significant rate. The survey found that only 70.6% of U.S. adults described themselves as Christians, a drop of more than 7% from the results of a previous large-scale Pew survey conducted in 2007. In contrast, the percentage of religiously-unaffiliated in the U.S. jumped from 16.1% to 22.8% during the same period. (Note: Other groups, such as adherents of Judaism, Islam and Hinduism, had a combined total of less than 7% in both surveys.)
NEW UPDATE (04-07-2021) - A recent Gallup Poll report indicates that U.S. church membership has now fallen below 50% of the adult population. The report contains an interesting chart of more than 80 years of Gallup polling on this question, from 1937 to 2020. It shows that U.S. church membership remained relatively stable at more than 70% until the late 1990s, but then a rapid decline started which still continues. The latest polling data also indicate that current church membership is significantly lower among younger adults than among older adults. Related article: More churches closing than opening
Leaving Religion Behind: A Portrait of Nonreligious America - This article discusses the continuing growth of secularism in the modern United States, and suggests that it is partly a reaction to the efforts of conservative Christian groups to impose their extremist agenda on the rest of American society.
Large List of Awesome Female Atheists - Occasionally someone tries to criticize atheist organizations by making the false claim that most of them don't have many women in leadership roles. This claim is often made by clergymen or officials of religious groups which themselves have few women in leadership roles, and indeed have a long history of official discrimination against women. But in fact many women are taking active roles in the modern atheist movement, and several major atheist organizations were actually founded by women. To learn more, check this list of awesome female atheists compiled by Jen McCreight, which includes more than 100 prominent authors, journalists, bloggers, and other activists.
Atheists of Color - This list, compiled by Greta Christina, includes prominent African Americans, Hispanics, Asian and mid-eastern Americans, Native Americans, and other atheists "of color". There is also an attached list of more than 25 associated groups, organizations, and blog hubs.
Recovering From Religion - When people in the U.S. turn away from Christianity, they often find themselves rejected by friends and co-workers, and sometimes even by members of their own families. Some have even been dis-owned, divorced, or had custody of their children taken away. In addition, a new atheist often has to go through a long process of psychological adjustment, not only to changes in their personal lives, but also to their new view of the society around them. For people in these situations, this website could be helpful.
Most/Least Religious States in the U.S. - The recent growth of secularism in the U.S. has been faster in some regions than in others. These poll results rank the states according to the percentage of residents who claim to be religious.
How Many American Atheists Are There Really? - The research described in this article suggests that the number of U.S. atheists is considerably larger than conventional surveys indicate.
Least Religious Countries - This is a ranking of countries by estimated percentage of the population who don't believe in the existence of gods. The estimates are based on a study of several different surveys.
Humanist, Atheist, Agnostic and Nonreligious Elected Officials - The number of non-religious elected U.S. officials continues to grow. This list of elected officials who openly identify with the atheist and humanist community is sorted by federal, state, local, and former officials.
Aid Organizations
GO Humanity: Giving and Organizing for Humanity - This charitable organization raises money for selected humanitarian relief agencies and groups. It has also created its own network of humanist volunteer teams. The main goals are to improve education, fight poverty, increase access to healthcare, and defend basic human rights throughout the world.
International Humanist and Ethical Union - Founded in 1952, this is a union of dozens of secular, atheist, and freethought organizations from more than forty countries. One of its main activities is to provide assistance to victims of religious persecution. Another goal is to improve the social and economic status of women.
Secular Rescue - provides emergency assistance to atheists and freethinkers who exercise their basic human right of freedom of speech, and who are being persecuted as a result of their public actions or statements.
Popular Culture
The Film Atheist - Many Christian movie reviewers attack any film that encourages free thought or makes fun of religious beliefs. This website contains reviews written by an atheist who wants to counter the influence of Christian film critics. Actually, very few American-made movies attack religion openly, but some do it in a subtle way. The list of films reviewed on this site includes both types. Note: Although there are a number of atheists in Hollywood, including actors, actresses, and directors, most prefer to keep their true beliefs to themselves and tend to avoid movies that have a strong religious element.
Openly Atheist Musicians - This is a long list of musical artists and bands, including some of the most famous, who are open about their true beliefs.
Top 50 Atheist T-Shirt and Bumper Sticker Aphorisms - This is a list of the most popular catch phrases used on atheist clothing, bumper stickers, billboards, and posters.
Atheism in Song and Art - In past centuries religious themes played a dominant role in the music and art of western societies. But in recent decades the influence of religion in these societies has significantly diminished, and this change is especially apparent in the popular music of recent times. The creator of this site illustrates this by discussing a number of late twentieth-century songs that criticize religion and promote free-thinking.
Atheism Symbols - At least half-a-dozen different symbols have been used by atheists to represent their movement. This article discusses some of the best-known, including the Darwin Fish, the Scarlet "A" of the Out Campaign, and the "Atomic Whirl" logo used by American Atheists. Perhaps one particular symbol will eventually become predominant, but the present diversity of choices isn't necessarily a bad thing.
Note: The Final Battle - As all true Christians already know, the Forces of Good and the Forces of Evil are currently fighting a great battle for the Soul of America. Prophecies in the Bible predicted this battle, and signs that it has finally begun are clearly visible to all godly people.
Aside: For anyone who isn't godly enough to recognize these signs, here is a list of some of them:
- Storms and earthquakes are becoming more violent.
- Communists and atheists are trying to destroy the country.
- Wickedness and depravity are spreading through society like cancers.
- Political turmoil has created the perfect opportunity for the Antichrist to appear.
Although this great battle is still in an early stage, the Forces of Evil are already using nefarious tricks and vile tactics to try to gain an advantage. Christians need to realize that this will be a long desperate struggle, and that the final fate of all humankind is hanging in the balance. Luckily the prophecies say that the Forces of Good will ultimately triumph, and that all the wicked people will be condemned to eternal torture in hell. Of course true Christians don't have to worry anyway, because they know that sooner or later the Rapture will occur and take them to the safety of Heaven. But in the meantime the battle rages on, and true believers must learn to see through the media's deceptions to gain a full understanding of what's really happening in this great struggle for the Soul of America.
The New Atheism
Note: During recent decades atheists have become more active in their efforts to promote a naturalistic view of the world, and to bring attention to the problems caused by organized religions. These efforts have gradually coalesced into a movement known as the New Atheism. This movement gained additional momentum during the first decade of the 21st century, especially after several atheist-authored books became best-sellers. These books include The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins, God Is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything by Christopher Hitchens, and The End of Faith: Religion, Terror, and the Future of Reason by Sam Harris. The growth of the internet has also been a major factor in the spread of the movement, because websites and blogs have the potential to reach large audiences at little cost.
Atheists, the Next Generation: Unbelief Moves Further into the Mainstream - This 2013 article from Publishers Weekly discusses the impact of the New Atheism movement on the publishing industry, which in recent years has been releasing more and more books relating to non-belief. Some of the most successful recent books are mentioned in the article.
Atheist Voter - This project of American Atheists, launched in 2014, is intended to encourage more secularists to participate in U.S. politics
Congressional Freethought Caucus - Founded in 2018, this is a separate caucus for members of the U.S. Congress who support government policies based on reason, science, and moral values. It also actively opposes efforts to discriminate against atheists, agnostics, humanists, and other freethinkers.
Assertive Atheism - See the list of Removed Sites.
Center For Freethought Equality - Launched in 2013, this political action organization intends to support humanists and atheists who openly run for public office in the United States. It will also support individuals who favor the separation of church and state, regardless of their personal beliefs. Created by the American Humanist Association, this is the first nontheist U.S. political action committee to have a full-time paid staff.
Note: The Out Campaign - The main purpose of the Out Campaign is to provide support and encouragement to atheists and other freethinkers who decide to speak up and inform others of their real beliefs. The campaign was started by Dr. R. Elizabeth Cornwell and subsequently endorsed by prominent atheists such as Richard Dawkins. A special symbol, a scarlet-colored letter "A", was created to represent it, and is now displayed on many websites.
Update: The Out Campaign has been replaced by the Openly Secular project described in the next entry.
Openly Secular - This coalition of several leading secular organizations was formed in 2014 to encourage non-religious Americans to be more open about their beliefs. Its other goals include bringing an end to discrimination against the non-religious and gaining greater public acceptance of their place in U.S. society. The website contains helpful information for those who decide to "come out".
Local and Regional Groups
Local Atheist Meetup Groups - If you are interested in joining a local atheist organization in your area, you can find a directory of more than 700 groups on this website. The site also helps people who want to form a new group to find other atheists in their community, and gives guidance on how to get organized. After a new group is registered with the site, it is given its own set of webpages where members can post announcements about future meetings and other activities.
You can find another list at Local Secular Meetup Groups.
Secular Student Alliance - Check this resource if you're an atheist student who is looking for a suitable group to join at your school. Groups for atheists and other freethinkers have already been formed at hundreds of U.S. colleges and universities, so you have a good chance to find one. And if you can't find one, this site contains information and resources that make it easy to start a group yourself. Note that each campus group is basically an independent organization that controls its own activities. The Secular Student Alliance simply facilitates contact between groups, and provides resources for carrying out their activities. Its website also contains a directory of existing groups, news about events such as conferences, and information about scholarships available to secular students.
Center for Inquiry - Campus Outreach - This is another website used by many student freethought groups.
Huge List of Atheist Websites -- One part of this page contains a very large list of local U.S. groups arranged by state. You can find it in the section called "Real Life Communities".
Note: Because there are hundreds of local and regional freethought organizations in the United States, it isn't practical to include individual entries for most of them in this directory. The following list includes some of the larger and more active groups.
Atheists United (Los Angeles Area)
Iowa Atheists and Freethinkers
Secular Hub (Denver/Boulder metro area)
Metroplex Atheists (Dallas-Fort Worth)
Atheists and Other Freethinkers (Sacramento area groups)
Atheists, Skeptics, Humanists of San Diego County
Humanist Society of Greater Phoenix
Louisville Atheists and Freethinkers
Central Florida Freethought Community
Washington Area Secular Humanists (Washington D.C.)
Charlotte Coalition of Reason (An allaince of groups in North Carolina)
Triangle Freethought Society (Raleigh Area)
Atheist Family Life
Kids Without God - This website was created by the American Humanist Association to encourage curiosity, rational thinking, and tolerance among young people. It is divided into separate sections for kids, teenagers, and parents, each with content designed to reflect the interests and intellectual abilities of each group. Much of the focus is on providing accurate information with regard to traditional religions, evolution, the scientific method, and other issues that young people usually think about when developing their world view.
Camp Quest - This organization provides summer camp experiences for the children of atheists, freethinkers and humanists. Typical activities include hiking, swimming, dancing, and sports competitions. The first camp, serving 20 kids, was held in Boone County, Kentucky in August of 1996. Since then many other camping locations have been created throughout the United States. The camps provide an alternative to the thousands of camps operated by churches and pro-religious groups such as the Boy Scouts.
Godless Mom - Some of the everyday situations encountered by an atheist wife and mother are described in this well-known blog.
Secular Web Kids - Intended to foster critical thinking in children of all ages, this site covers various aspects of secularism, atheism, agnosticism, and humanism.
Grief Beyond Belief - If you are a secularist who has recently lost a loved one, you can find support from other non-believers at this Facebook community.
Humanist Celebrants Directory - Secularist couples in the U.S. who prefer to get married in a non-religious ceremony may choose to have their wedding conducted by a "humanist celebrant" instead of a clergyman. These celebrants can legally perform weddings, baby-namings, funerals, and other life-cycle events. A program for the training and certification of celebrants in the U.S. was initiated in 1939 by an organization now called the Humanist Society, which became a branch of the American Humanist Association in 1991. If you would like to find a currently-certified celebrant in your area, check these listings.
The Center for Inquiry also has a celebrant certification program and a list of available celebrants in each state.
Atheist News
Atheism News Media Center - Atheism news section of the Freedom From Religion Foundation website.
American Atheists Activist News
Atheist Republic News Section - News that affects atheists in countries around the world.
TheHumanist.com - This news hub is the online companion of the Humanist print magazine, which has been published by the American Humanist Association since 1941. This online version includes more up-to-date news reports and more-detailed coverage of recent events.
Major Secular Events
Skepticon - This well-known gathering, held every November in Springfield, Missouri, typically attracts more than 1000 skeptics, atheists, and other freethinkers. The first gathering was held in 2008 under the name "Skeptics", and the present name "Skepticon" was adopted in 2009. Many prominent leaders in the modern secular movement have appeared as speakers, and there are also workshops, a film festival, and various social activities. Because most of the organizational work is done by volunteers, donations and money earned from videos have been sufficient to cover expenses. This event is known for its friendly atmosphere and the diversity of the attendees.
Note: The Reason Rally of 2012 -- On March 24, 2012, thousands of atheists and other freethinkers assembled on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. to promote secular causes. This event, which was jointly sponsored by a number of leading secular organizations, is generally regarded as the largest organized gathering of freethinkers in U.S. history. The program featured speeches by well-known atheists such as Richard Dawkins, but also included musicians, comedians, and other entertainers. One main purpose of the rally was to show the American public that the number of non-believers is large and growing, and by the end of the day most participants believed that this goal had been achieved. Although the organizers planned it as a one-time-only event, many hope that it can be repeated in the future. In the meantime several local and regional atheist groups have held smaller "reason rallies", and these will probably continue to take place.
Note: An earlier but smaller demonstration in Washington D.C., known as the Godless Americans March on Washington, took place on November 2, 2002.
Update -- Another national reason rally, sponsored by a coalition of more than twenty U.S. freethought organizations, was held in Washington, D.C. over a four-day period beginning on June 2, 2016.
Sunday Assembly - Sometimes misleadingly called "atheist church", these gatherings provide an opportunity for secularists to meet, enjoy coffee and snacks, listen to popular music, and generally celebrate life. At many events a "secular preacher" will deliver a short "sermon". The first Sunday Assembly was held in London in January, 2013, but they now regularly take place in numerous cities around the world. The website provides a list of these locations.
Note: Major Conventions and Gatherings - Several large secular organizations hold an annual convention for their members. Most will also allow non-members to attend, but their ticket price is usually higher. The schedule of events normally includes speeches, workshops, dinners, and various types of entertainment. For more information about a particular event in the list, visit the organization's website.
-- American Atheists National Convention (Normally held in April)
-- American Humanist Association Annual Conference (June)
-- Freedom from Religion Foundation Annual Convention (Usually in October)
-- Atheist Alliance International Sponsored Conventions (Worldwide: times and countries vary from year to year)
-- Women in Secularism (An annual conference, sponsored by the Center For Inquiry, first held in 2012.)
-- World Humanist Congress (sponsored by the International Humanist and Ethical Union and held every three years)
-- The Amazing Meeting (Held annually since 2003, the focus is on skepticism)
-- Gateway to Reason (annually in Saint Louis)
-- Imagine No Religion (This annual Canadian conference attracts attendees from other countries as well.)
-- Apostacon (Held in Nebraska)
-- Reasonfest (Held in Kansas)
Note: In addition to the major U.S. and international events, there are also many local and regional gatherings. Information about a particular event can usually be found on the group's website.
Long List of Secular Holidays - This page contains descriptions of modern secular holidays such as Darwin Day, Freethought Day, International Human Rights Day, and Banned Book Week. Each entry includes a link to more information about the event.
Note: Some Secular Occasions
-- Religious Freedom Day (January 16)
-- Darwin Day (Observed on February 12, the birthday of Charles Darwin, as a celebration of reason and science)
-- International Women's Day (March 8, first observed in 1908)
-- World Atheist Day (March 23)
-- National Ask an Atheist Day (Third Thursday in April)
-- Earth Day (April 22, first celebrated in 1970)
-- National Day of Reason (First Thursday in May)
-- Atheist Solidarity Day (June 21)
-- World Humanitarian Day (August 19)
-- Women's Equality Day (August 26)
-- Blasphemy Day (September 30) First observed in 2009, this event became rather controversial, even among atheists, because of negative publicity generated by displays of signs and posters that mock religion.
-- International Human Rights Day (December 10) Commemorates the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by the United Nations in 1948.
-- HumanLight Day (Celebrated on December 23, this serves as a year-end holiday for humanists.)
Various Other Websites
The Skeptics Society - The Skeptics Society is a large nonprofit organization devoted to promoting critical thinking, and to exposing false claims in fields such as science, medicine, and religion. Many of the investigations are carried out by top scientists, scholars, historians and other experts, who report their findings on the website and in the journal Skeptic.
Secular Woman -- Founded in 2012, this organization is dedicated to advancing the interests of all non-religious women. It advocates for equal pay and equal opportunities, gives awards and grants, maintains a speakers bureau, and encourages women to publish articles on its website. The site also includes an interesting section called "Her/Story", which contains biographies of notable secular women, both past and present. Although the focus of the organization is on non-religious women, anyone (including men) who supports its goals may become a member.
Freethought Trail - Most Americans know very little about the major role that atheists and other free-thinkers played in the fights for past progressive causes such as the abolition of slavery and the women's suffrage movement. This site is a great resource for anyone interested in learning more about this subject. You could spend many hours reading the dozens of excellent articles and looking at the numerous old photographs.
One article that might be of special interest to atheists describes the history of the American Association for the Advancement of Atheism, which was probably the first atheist organization in the United States.
Military Association of Atheists and Freethinkers - The aim of this association is to provide a support network for non-theists who serve in any of the world's armed forces. Actually most of its members are citizens of the United States, and most of its activities center around problems faced by non-theist members of the U.S. military. Many of these problems are brought about by insensitive practices within the U.S. military establishment that illegally promote the Christian religion, or discriminate against non-theists and adherents of minority religions. One of the goals is to dispel the often-repeated myth that there are no atheists in foxholes. In fact, surveys have shown that the proportion of atheists among U.S. military personnel is essentially the same as their proportion among the general U.S. population.
Military Religious Freedom Foundation - In 2007 this organization brought public attention to a Christian evangelical extremist group's unconstitutional distribution of a bigoted "Left Behind" videogame to U.S. troops serving in Iraq. Since then this organization has uncovered many similar efforts by Christian groups to spread their "message" to U.S. military personnel, and it has used publicity, informal pressure, and legal actions to bring an end to many of them. A long list of their successes can be found on one of the website's pages (see it here). Anyone who reads through this list will come to understand the pervasiveness of religious influences within the U.S. military, and the difficulty of the task of completely eliminating them.
African Americans for Humanism - This organization was founded in 1989 to offer support to African Americans who reject religion and religious institutions. It has assisted in forming local groups in cities and on campuses, and its website provides a special page for each group. The site also contains a blog, a news page, and information about upcoming events.
Black Non-Believers - Originally founded in Atlanta, this organization now has affiliate groups in several other U.S. cities. One of its main goals is to provide fellowship and support for all non-believers within its reach, and for this purpose each local group regularly arranges events, projects, and social activities for members and guests. The website includes a blog, a calendar of events, and a store. There is also a page which contains a nice collection of cartoons that make fun of the weird Christian concept known as "the Rapture".
Hispanic American Freethinkers - This nonprofit national organization serves as a voice for U.S. Hispanic secularists. It also provides resources for anyone who may want to educate American Hispanics about humanist values, critical thinking, and scientific methods.
Ex-Muslims of North America - Members of this group were born or converted into the Islamic faith, but now renounce it. There are local chapters in more than a dozen Canadian and U.S. cites, plus affiliate organizations in several other countries. The website features numerous blogs, a media center, and a newsletter.
National Atheist Party - This organization was originally formed in March 2011, but in 2013 changed its name to Secular Party of America. However its website disappeared in January 2014 and it was removed from this directory at that time. You can see my original description of it on the page for Sites Removed from this Directory.
But the organization later re-appeared on the web under its original name, National Atheist Party. The link will take you to its Facebook page.
Stiefel Freethought Foundation - The goal of this non-profit private foundation is to make the world a better place for everyone. To this end, it provides guidance and financial assistance to selected charities and groups, especially those associated with the freethought movement. However, it generally doesn't accept unsolicited requests for grants, but instead independently identifies the projects and organizations it chooses to support. The president and founder, Todd Stiefel, provides most of the funding, and also promotes the freethought movement by publishing articles, giving speeches, and participating in media interviews.
The Brights' Net - This is the website of the Brights Movement, which is an attempt to rid the world of superstitions and false religious beliefs.
The Secular Community - An international organization with chapters in more than 100 countries, it takes a secular approach to issues such as human rights, poverty, and health care.
Americans United for Separation of Church and State - This organization was founded in 1947 with the main goal of defending religious freedom in the United States. Over the years it has won numerous legal battles against efforts to use government powers and taxpayer money to support particular religious institutions or promote particular religious views.
Right Wing Watch - Many right-wing U.S. politicians don't believe in the separation of church and state. Instead, they want government policies and laws that are based on so-called Christian principles. They also want policies and laws that will enable Christian organizations to use government money to help fund their operations. As part of their effort to achieve their goals, these politicians and their proxies spend enormous sums of money to relentlessly disseminate lies and mis-information to the U.S. public. To gain a better understanding of their goals, and the threat they pose to American freedom and democracy, go to this website.
The Clergy Project - This website was launched in March 2011 to provide a confidential online meeting place for active and former clergy who have given up their religion. Because some participants are still practicing ministers, they aren't required to reveal their real names. One purpose of the site is to help these non-believing ministers cope with their current dilemma, as well as provide guidance on how to leave their ministry and adopt a new way of life. To prevent pretenders from mis-using the site, prospective new members must undergo screening by current members before they can join and participate.
Ebon Musings Archive - This is an archived collection of thought-provoking articles that were originally published on the Ebon Musings website, but are now stored on archive.org under the name Daylight Atheism Essays. Ebon Musings (ebonmusings.org) was an unusual website with unique original content.
Positive Atheism - See the page for Removed Sites.
American Civil Liberties Union - For more than 100 years this organization has been fighting to protect religious and other basic individual freedoms.
Skeptic's Annotated Bible - This site contains explanatory notes for all the verses in the Bible, but from a skeptical viewpoint.
OnlySky Archive - An archive of what was once a major secular website, but which became dormant in 2024. Its coverage was very wide, including sections for news, culture, science, research, and humor. The site also featured many excellent writers. The name "OnlySky" expresses the secular view that there are no gods above us, but only sky.
Secular Coalition for America - Headquartered in Washington, D.C., this is a lobbying arm of a coalition of major American freethought, humanist, and atheist organizations. Its staff tries to educate and influence members of the U. S. congress on issues such as religious freedom and personal liberties. Prominent member organizations include American Atheists, the Institute for Humanist Studies, and the Council for Secular Humanism.
Note: Many atheists in the U.S. are liberal progressives who take part in the fierce battles being fought over various political, social, environmental, and scientific issues. For more information about some of these issues, go to the following websites.
Southern Poverty Law Center Hate Watch
Guerrilla Skepticism on Wikipedia
Alternet - independent news and commentary
Lists of Recommended Books
Unholy Books - These books are definitely NOT suitable for sensitive or religious people. For example, one of them starkly describes the torturing and burning of suspected witches during the era of the witch hunts. Another presents evidence that the "virgin birth" of Jesus actually resulted from a rape. Others contain descriptions of devil worship, doomsday cults, human sacrifice, and numerous other weird religious beliefs and practices. One anonymous work outwardly appears to be an innocent Christian book but is actually a disguised attack on Christianity. Several of the books on this list are available for free in ebook format.
Top Atheism Books - A list of 30 books for atheists chosen by voters at Goodreads.com
100 Best Atheism Books of All Time - Another good list. This one is based on recommendations from world experts, sales data, and millions of reader ratings. May be more up-to date than most lists.
Bank of Wisdom - This is an amazing treasury of old and rare freethought books, most of them available as free downloads. These electronic versions were created by Emmett Fields, who painstakingly scanned old paper copies of the books and pamphlets. The available material includes works by Annie Besant, Watson Heston, John Draper, J. M. Wheeler, D.M. Bennet, and G.W. Foote.
Essential Freethought Library - This page contains a good selection of the most important freethought books of the last three centuries. In addition to modern best-sellers, there are older works by writers such as Bertrand Russell, Robert G. Ingersoll, and Thomas Paine.
Notable Atheist Books - Many famous authors, both past and present, are represented in this list of more than 500 books.
More Useful Resources
Rational Wiki - This very comprehensive wiki covers science, religion, philosophy, and various other subjects. It is especially noteworthy for its detailed articles about such obscure topics as the Drake equation, the satanic temple, the Quiverfull movement, the celestial teapot, and numerous others. This is a great resource for anyone seeking a broad knowledge of atheism and related subjects.
The Skeptic's Dictionary - This interesting resource contains descriptions of hundreds of strange beliefs, humorous deceptions, and crazy delusions.
Large List of Arguments for Atheism - Divided into numerous categories. Many of the arguments are individually very convincing. When taken together, the full scope is most impressive.
Huge List of Atheist Websites - If you're looking for a long list of atheism resources on the web, you can find it here. It contains links to hundreds of websites, organizations, blogs and forums. And you can make the list even longer by registering and then adding new entries of your own. If you are launching a new atheist website, this provides an easy way to get a link to it.
Secular Organizations - Here you can find links to the sites of hundreds of freethought organizations, both large and small, located all over the world.
Audio and Video
The Atheist Experience - This weekly cable television show is produced by the Atheist Community of Austin, Texas. Because it is a live broadcast, viewers can call in and ask questions or participate in discussions. One purpose of the show is to try to expose the broader public to atheist views.
The Thinking Atheist - Many of the video podcasts in this popular series consist of public debates between prominent freethinkers and religious figures.
Ardent Atheist - In this well-known series of podcasts, launched in 2011, atheists Emery Emery and Heather Henderson conduct entertaining interviews with notable guests. The show is known for its good mix of serious debate and humor.
More Links:
Atheist Analysis YouTube Channel
Special Lists
Creating lists is a popular way to present information on the web, and many lists relating to atheism can be easily found by searching. The following selection is intended to supplement the entries in the other categories of this directory.
More than 10,000 Atheist Quotes - This enormous collection has been carefully assembled over a ten-year period, and includes quotes from luminaries past and present, such as Carl Sagan, Voltaire, and Galileo. One especially valuable feature is that the quotes are listed in the order of their popularity as determined by the votes of visitors to the site.
Top 50 Atheist T-Shirt and Bumper Sticker Aphorisms - These are some of the most popular catch phrases used on atheist clothing, bumper stickers, and posters. Although these types of phrases obviously need to be very short, many are still very insightful. And some of the best aren't just insightful, they are also funny.
Notable Atheism Quotes - Some of the most famous atheists contributed to the quotes in this large list.
Note: You can also find some lists in the Famous Atheists, Audio and Video, Recommended Books, and Popular Culture categories.
Easy Ways to Promote Atheism
I've written a short article which outlines some easy simple ways to promote atheism. Most don't require any money. To read the article, go to How to Promote Atheism.
Removed Entries
Most new websites survive for less than two years before disappearing from the web. The main reason for this is that a large majority of new sites get very few visitors, and this lack of traffic is so discouraging to an owner that he or she eventually quits working on the site and stops paying the registration and hosting fees.
Of course some sites are successful, and in fact most of the resources listed in this directory have already survived for much longer than two years. Even so, occasionally a listed site does disappear and I have to remove its entry from its original category. But instead of deleting these entries entirely, I've kept a record of them on another page of this website. To see a list of these removed entries, go to Removed Sites.