Our Featured Advisor
Hi, I am the editor of this site. I live in North Carolina and I work for the site, editing questions, moderating, handling abuse reports, promoting people to advisor, and generally making sure everything runs smoothly.
Feel free to funmail me for anything, whether it be problems or suggestions, or just to say hi!
eleni's Advice
Because believing things without sufficient evidence is a good way to end up scammed or injured. I like to know exactly what I'm getting into.
I'm from the deep South USA where racism was born and people here don't generally hate Asians. In fact, I wish we had more in my area so I could make some friends.
The media generally does a poor job of reporting science news. One study does not a fact make so you have to wait around for these things to be tested more to see if indeed the results are valid. Don't worry too much about the alarmists - they are just...
Yes and you may need to enlist the help of your doctor, school nurse, teacher or counselor to talk with your aunt and make her see how important this is. Bipolar disorder is very hard to live with and proper medication is essential. Good luck!
It's easy to say that no true Christian hates atheists but it never fails that if we stand up for our rights, we get lots of death threats (talking about higher profile stuff here). What is going on? If these "Christians" aren't real Christians, what a...
I'm not sure how graduation exercises are not a school-sponsored event. And if that school is public, then prayers were illegal. Someone should certainly step up but that takes a lot of guts.
Nowhere in our Constitution or our history have we defined a "developing human" as a citizen with full rights. Even children don't have full rights until a certain age. Why would we change this now based on Scriptures? Certainly, we can discuss these q...
If anyone's making a mistake, it's your dad. I have felt like you before but now I've come to realize that parents aren't perfect and sometimes they get caught up in their own drama just like we do. I know that doesn't make it all better but I hope ...
Even if his father was a polygamst, what does that have to do with Obama himself? My great grandfathers were Confederates who believed in slavery. That doesn't mean that I do. So what's your point please?
You should believe whatever has the most and best supporting evidence. In this case, I feel neither book has anything going for it.
The Supreme Court has already ruled that students cannot be forced to say the pledge.
Those who think that suicide is "selfish and stupid" have obviously never been severely manic or depressed. Suicide is the symptom of a larger disease and not something that a healthy person just wakes up one day and decides to do for attention or fun....
Did you mean to say "Illiteracy"?
I think America has the problems it has because we have grown complacent and used to luxury. We have forgotten our history lessons. But I have great hope that we will remember them in the future when they are needed.
Are we voting for a president or a preacher? Give me a break already!
The Constitution does not set forth any sort of requirements for "experience" so why are we making that the biggest issue?
Intercession for the dead isn't that unusual. Didn't the Book of Macabees talk about it? I know Catholics do it. Any road, Goodgurl, I don't know the doctrines of your church on forgiveness but I would think that any God is greater than a church's r...
Regardless of your beliefs in religion, you can teach your children to believe in values and principles -- I'm sure you believe in those. That's what counts the most, in my opinion. Those are the things that have the power to truly transform our world....
There was no pain during the surgery and I had it easy afterward. They give you some good pain meds to help.
Go to your doctor or clinic and discuss options with them. Talk to them about proper birth control - how to get it and how to use it. Good luck!
My fathers fought on the Confederate side of this war. Their first goal was to protect their families from "Yankee" invasion - and we really had it tough there with burnings, rapes, assaults, etc. Their second goal was to keep the black man in his plac...
Amblessed is right. These folks are either frauds or people who have deluded themselves into thinking they are psychic. They don't have any real answers for you.
When we all ratified the U.S. Constitution, we agreed that the government would be neutral on religion so that we could all be free. Government has broken its promise on the pledge and the money. It has nothing to do with Satan or disbelief or ill will...
Actually, an employer has to make a reasonable accommodation for an employee's religion. However, the employer can't and doesn't have to let everyone off on Sunday who wants it. That's true in America, at least.
There is a passage in the Bible where God struck down Onan for puling out. However, that was punishment for not fulfilling his familial obligation under law (Amoeba, correct me if I'm wrong) and not for an attempt at birth control per se. Besides, t...
I'm an American atheist and I don't get offended. People can have whatever holidays and greetings they want. It's no skin off my teeth. Just don't be offended if I say "happy holidays" right back at ya. That's what I hear the Religious Right getting in...
I see the creationist trolls are giving out zero ratings again. How sad.
It makes more sense to me that people created all these gods and the somewhat arbitrary rules that go with their worship.
Although we do have access to more calories and we do enjoy them, I think one reason why we are getting bigger is because we don't have to do as much physical activity to make money or grow food any more. Our genes are programmed for physical labor but...
There are mountains of evidence. In fact, we've been collecting evidence since the mid 1800's and it confirms the theory of evolution (remember that a scientific theory is the best explanation for a body of data and not just some guess). As I said befo...
Sure we are all evolving now - rather, our populations are evolving. And evolution isn't always a slow process - sometimes it happens rather quickly. It's not too hard to find the studies if you really want to read up on it. Google is your friend.
One reason why some atheists know more about (all the various types of) Christianity than most Christians is because we grew up believing and, as part of our break with the faith, educated ourselves in all aspects. For example, if Jill continues to be ...
The whole fall from grace thing makes no sense to me anyway. The sin was disobedience but they had not yet eaten from the Tree of Knowledge (of Good and Evil) yet in order to even understand they were disobeying. They could only realize the wrongness o...
I say yes. We aren't given the choice whether to live but we certainly should be able to decide when we die. If an individual cannot make that most basic and important of choices, how can he possibly be a free person?
It is a sin for Christians. Whether it's right or wrong for you depends on your situation and your morality. That's something you have to decide.
Maybe ghosts don't exist and that's why we don't feel them.
There are some churches that believe the races were created before Adam and Eve. They say that this is what is meant by the 2 different creation accounts in Genesis (God makes male and female at one time; later he makes Adam, then Eve separately). ...
If you want serialized books, try Podiobooks.com. If you want it all together, try Librivox.com.
Yes, rickd. Like the day Bush was playing golf and said he didn't know where Osama bin Laden was and didn't care...
Let me also say that I'm very sorry for the pain you and your family have gone through. Although I don't believe in hell, I also don't believe that God would send a person to hell for suicide. As someone who has attempted suicide 3 times, I can tell yo...
I agree that ignorance and prejudice accounts for most of this hatred. However, we should be honest that some atheists behave badly and do not represent our community well. Although I know firsthand the frustration and anger that comes from being hated...
Silverwings, I believe the idea did originate with Catholics but the teaching appears to have changed over time.
rnealw, That's probably one of the most ignored verses in the New Testament. Thank you for sharing it with us.
When I was Catholic, I was taught that suicide was not unforgiveable because anyone who would take his/her own life was obviously ill and unable to make a competent decision.
I think it's exciting and I wish I had enough intelligence to be able to see the data and analyze it myself. I do not think it's going to cause any serious harm.
I agree. It's ridiculous to think that the world will end when the Mayan calendar stops. It's equally ridiculous to think that anyone can predict the exact day or time. I figure when the end comes, it will be a shock to everyone.
I don't recall any of my liberal friends saying Obama is special. I've never said it either. Like amoeba said, I just try to make an informed choice.
I wondered why I got some zeroes on good answers. LOL I rate answers based on how helpful, informative and on topic they are. Lots of answers that I totally disagree with have gotten good ratings from me.
I don't believe that any religion is 100% stable and true in that they have all changed and almost all of them are demonstrably false. If you want to get closest to the truth, you'll have to study them closely and find one that does not contradict esta...
Silverwings, nice post and interesting idea. Rickd, if we all behaved as if we'd be treated tomorrow the way we are treating each other today, wouldn't this be a great world?