Report: Atheism rate growing worldwide

Atheism is on the rise worldwide, and religiosity is falling, according to a recently released poll by WIN-Gallup International.
 
MORE: http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?subjectid=18&articleid=20120825_18_A13_Atheis778117

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Viewpoints: Why is faith falling in the US?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-19262884

Atheists try to make their voices heard
http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/editorials/2012/08/27/atheists-try-to-make-their-voices-heard.html

Second Annual Carolinas Secular Conference -- Charleston, SC, September 28-30, 2012

Beyond its role as a working event, the Carolinas Secular Conference aims to be a joyous celebration of the growing secular movement and culture and an opportunity for nontheists of all stripes to make new friends across the region.

MORE: http://unitedcor.org/national/news/second-annual-carolinas-secular-conference-charleston-sc-september-28-30-2012

Atheist Summer Camp Is Heaven on Earth for Nonbelievers

Most summer camps host kayaking, arts and crafts classes and campfires, but what makes Camp Quest Northwest different is that it is literally "beyond belief."

MORE: http://abcnews.go.com/US/atheist-summer-camp-heaven-earth-nonbelievers/story?id=17067039

Neil Armstrong: 1930-2012

Neil Armstrong, the first man to walk on the moon during the 1969 Apollo 11 mission, has died, following complications resulting from cardiovascular procedures. He was 82.

MORE: http://www.nasa.gov/topics/people/features/armstrong_obit.html

See also...

Astronaut Neil Armstrong, first man to walk on moon, dies at age 82
http://cosmiclog.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/08/25/13478643-astronaut-neil-armstrong-first-man-to-walk-on-moon-dies-at-age-82?lite

Neil Armstrong, 1930-2012: U.S. Astronaut Was First Man to Walk On the Moon
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/08/120825193618.htm

Armstrong's small step a giant leap for humanity
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-205_162-57500439/armstrongs-small-step-a-giant-leap-for-humanity/?tag=cbsnewsSectionContent.10

Footprints on the Moon
http://scienceblogs.com/universe/2012/08/26/footprints-on-the-moon/

Rocks remember, and so do we
http://scienceblogs.com/startswithabang/2012/08/25/rocks-remember-and-so-do-we/

Neil Armstrong's family wants you to look at the moon ... and give a wink
http://cosmiclog.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/08/25/13479969-neil-armstrongs-family-wants-you-to-look-at-the-moon-and-give-a-wink?lite

Complaints cause atheist-funded billboards in North Carolina to come down

American Atheists and Adams Outdoor Advertising are reportedly removing two Charlotte billboards blasting Christianity and Mormonism following an outpouring of complaints and threats.

MORE: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/08/25/complaints-cause-atheist-funded-billboards-in-north-carolina-to-come-down/

See also...

American Atheists Removes Religious Billboards from Charlotte
http://www.atheists.org/american-atheists-removes-religious-billboards-charlotte

Atheist Group to Post 'God Fixation Won't Fix This Nation' Billboards for Party Conventions

The Freedom From Religion Foundation, based in Madison, posted a billboard on Thursday in Tamp, Fla. and will be placing two billboards in Charlotte, N.C.

MORE: http://www.christianpost.com/news/atheist-group-to-post-god-fixation-wont-fix-this-nation-billboards-for-party-conventions-80567/

5 Common Misperceptions About Religion in Public Schools

Despite the Supreme Court’s strong focus on robustly defending the separation of church and state when public schools are involved, there remains a lot of misinformation about this topic in the public sphere.

MORE: http://www.americanhumanist.org/HNN/details/2012-08-5-common-misperceptions-about-religion-in-public-sch

See also...

Ten Commitments: Guiding Principles for Teaching Values in America's Public Schools
http://www.americanhumanist.org/HNN/details/2012-08-ten-commitments-guiding-principles-for-teaching-valu

UCF professor Charles Negy challenges America's 'religious bigotry'

Fred Edwords, national director of the United Coalition of Reason, said the rising profile of non-believers in the United States began around 2004 with several popular books by atheists and humanists such as Christopher Hitchens. Local groups of atheists, agnostics, humanists and freethinkers began springing up throughout the nation, and a movement to unify the different varieties of non-believers started in 2009.

Edwords compares the growing size and visibility of non-believers to the gay-rights movement in its infancy. Non-believers often refer to "coming out of the closet."

MORE: http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2012-08-24/features/os-ucf-charles-negy-religious-bigotry-20120824_1_believers-atheists-edwords

Atheist to give opening prayer at Tulsa City Council meeting

He said he would invoke council members to “open our hearts to the welfare of all people in our community by respecting the inherent dignity and worth of each person.”
 
His invocation will conclude: “We must remember that in the face of adversity, we need not look above for answers but instead recognize the proven potential within ourselves and in each other to overcome any challenges we face.”

MORE: http://newsok.com/atheist-to-give-opening-prayer-at-tulsa-city-council-meeting/article/3704534

Amish Hair-Cutting Hate Crime Trial Set to Begin

The trial of members of a breakaway Amish sect charged with hate crimes for cutting off the beards and hair of other Amish men and women is set to begin Monday in an Ohio court.

MORE: http://abcnews.go.com/US/amish-hair-cutting-hate-crime-trial-set-begin/story?id=17080302

Aiming High: Air Force Advances Freedom -- Despite Carping From Some In Congress

Let us celebrate Gen. Schwartz's brave move to ensure church-state separation and change what was once considered as the Air Force's exclusionary religious culture.

MORE: http://au.org/blogs/wall-of-separation/aiming-high-air-force-advances-freedom-despite-carping-from-some-in

Humanists Challenge Cross War Memorial in Maryland

Forty-Foot Tall Christian Cross in Bladensburg, MD on Public Property is Unconstitutional.

MORE: http://www.americanhumanist.org/news/details/2012-08-humanists-challenge-cross-war-memorial-in-maryland

AHA Supports California SB 9 - The Fair Sentencing for Youth Act

The United States is the only country in the world that imposes life without parole on youth under the age of 18. In the U.S. there are over 2,500 cases of youth sentenced to life without parole and there are approximately 300. In the rest of the world, there are none. This extreme punishment is a violation of international law and fundamental human rights.

MORE: http://www.americanhumanist.org/news/details/2012-08-aha-supports-california-sb-9---the-fair-sentencing-f

Georgia Fringe Fest: Radical Religious Right Group To Hold 'Christian Heritage Day' In Statehouse

It is deplorable that such a radical group is given carte blanche to hold a day-long event in a state capital with the blessing of lawmakers.

MORE: http://www.au.org/blogs/wall-of-separation/georgia-fringe-fest-radical-religious-right-group-to-hold-christian

Showdown In Texas: Legislature Gearing For Debate Over Private School Vouchers

Sen. Patrick doesn't seem to realize that allowing students to attend private schools using taxpayer dollars could lead to serious church-state issues. By their very nature, private schools are not required to maintain strict church-state separation and there is absolutely no way of forcing them to do so.

MORE: http://www.au.org/blogs/wall-of-separation/showdown-in-texas-legislature-gearing-for-debate-over-private-school

Pulpit Politicking Prevarication: For Liberty Counsel's Staver, Truth Is Not An Option

All we want is for churches to know the law and obey it -- or give up their tax exemption. That is not too much to ask.

MORE: http://au.org/blogs/wall-of-separation/pulpit-politicking-prevarication-for-liberty-counsel-s-staver-truth-is-not

Exploiting Tragedy: FRC's Tony Perkins Seeks To Politicize Office Shooting

Perkins' tawdry determination to milk this tragedy for all he can get is more proof of the simple lack of ethics that plagues many Religious Right organizations.

MORE: http://au.org/blogs/wall-of-separation/exploiting-tragedy-frc-s-tony-perkins-seeks-to-politicize-office-shooting

From Bible-Belt Pastor to Atheist Leader

As his wife slept, he fumbled through the darkness for his laptop. After a few quick searches with the terms "pastor" and "atheist," he discovered that a cottage industry of atheist outreach groups had grown up in the past few years. Within days, he joined an online network called the Clergy Project, created for clerics who no longer believe in God and want to communicate anonymously through a secure Web site.

MORE: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/26/magazine/from-bible-belt-pastor-to-atheist-leader.html?_r=3&pagewanted=1&smid=go-share

Atheist group at odds with ethnic festivals

An atheist group is complaining that Mexican Fiesta's discounted admission for attending its Sunday Mass on the Summerfest grounds violates laws barring discrimination based on religious affiliation.

MORE: http://www.jsonline.com/features/religion/atheist-group-at-odds-with-ethnic-festivals-q56kdjk-167452485.html

See also...

Atheists Target Football Coach for Letting Churches Feed H.S. Football Team
http://www.thenewamerican.com/culture/faith-and-morals/item/12609-atheists-target-football-coach-for-letting-churches-feed-hs-football-team

Since 2010, 32 states have restricted abortions

In the first six months of 2012, 15 states passed 39 restrictions on abortion. Last year, 24 states passed 92 restrictions, an all-time record.

MORE: http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-18563_162-57500585/since-2010-32-states-have-restricted-abortions/?tag=exclsv

Bonobo genius makes stone tools like early humans did

Kanzi the bonobo continues to impress. Not content with learning sign language or making up "words" for things like banana or juice, he now seems capable of making stone tools on a par with the efforts of early humans.

MORE: http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn22197-bonobo-genius-makes-stone-tools-like-early-humans-did.html

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More Sophisticated Wiring, Not Just Bigger Brain, Helped Humans Evolve Beyond Chimps, Geneticists Find
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/08/120822124708.htm

Human-Chimp Genetic Differences: New Insights Into Why Humans Are More Susceptible to Cancer and Other Diseases
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/08/120823142735.htm

Most Mutations Come from Dad: New Insights Into Age, Height and Sex Reshape Views of Human Evolution

ScienceDaily -- Humans inherit more than three times as many mutations from their fathers as from their mothers, and mutation rates increase with the father's age but not the mother's, researchers have found in the largest study of human genetic mutations to date.

MORE: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/08/120824103020.htm

Study Reveals Human Drive for Fair Play

ScienceDaily -- People will reject an offer of water, even when they are severely thirsty, if they perceive the offer to be unfair, according to a new study funded by the Wellcome Trust. The findings have important implications for understanding how humans make decisions that must balance fairness and self-interest.

MORE: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/08/120823112934.htm

Sleep Learning Is Possible: Associations Formed When Asleep Remained Intact When Awake

ScienceDaily -- Is sleep learning possible? A new Weizmann Institute study appearing August 26 in Nature Neuroscience has found that if certain odors are presented after tones during sleep, people will start sniffing when they hear the tones alone -- even when no odor is present -- both during sleep and, later, when awake. In other words, people can learn new information while they sleep, and this can unconsciously modify their waking behavior.

MORE: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/08/120826143531.htm

More Exoplanets Discovered: 41 New Transiting Planets in Kepler Field of View

ScienceDaily -- Two newly submitted studies verify 41 new transiting planets in 20 star systems. These results may increase the number of Kepler's confirmed planets by more than 50 percent: to 116 planets hosted in 67 systems, over half of which contain more than one planet.

MORE: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/08/120823150403.htm

See also...

Milky Way Now Has a Twin (or Two): Astronomers Find First Group of Galaxies Just Like Ours
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/08/120822221342.htm

Mars Surface Data: ChemCam Laser First Analyses Yield Beautiful Results
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/08/120824093521.htm

Mars Rover Curiosity Begins Driving at Bradbury Landing
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/08/120822154011.htm

Spacetime: A Smoother Brew Than We Knew

"We have shown that the universe is smooth across the Planck mass," Nemiroff said. "That means that there's no choppiness that's detectable. It's a really cool discovery. We're very excited."

MORE: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/08/120823111507.htm

Missionaries of Hate

Correspondent Mariana van Zeller travels to Uganda, where many question whether the growing influence of American religious groups has led to a movement to make homosexuality a crime punishable by death.

As an anti-gay movement spreads across the continent, gay Africans and their families face an increasingly uncertain future of isolation, imprisonment or even execution.

MORE: http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/missionaries-of-hate/

Mexico cult eyes 'evil' secular schools

(CNN) -- Authorities are negotiating with a religious cult in southwestern Mexico, trying to persuade leaders to allow public schools to operate in the isolated community, state media reported.

MORE: http://www.cnn.com/2012/08/23/world/americas/mexico-cult-school/index.html

Bishop's Extravagant Behavior Triggers Uproar

Bishop Tebartz-van Elst, 52, doesn't only embrace luxury when he travels to India to visit poor children and nuns. He also puts a premium on a pleasant standard of living back home in Limburg, one that befits his status. His new, multi-million-euro bishop's residence right next to the city's cathedral is about to be finished. But the complex has sparked a mix of amazement, rage and resignation among the 600,000 Catholics in the diocese. Many cannot comprehend how they are supposed to live in want while their bishop splurges.

MORE: http://abcnews.go.com/International/bishops-extravagant-behavior-triggers-uproar/story?id=17067033

2 members of Russian punk band flee country

(AP) MOSCOW - Two members of the punk band Pussy Riot have fled Russia to avoid prosecution for a protest against Vladimir Putin that sent three of their band mates to prison, the group said Sunday.

Five members of the feminist group took part in a provocative performance inside Moscow's main cathedral in February to protest the Russian leader's rule and his cozy relationship with the Orthodox Church. The women wore their trademark garishly colored balaclavas, which made it difficult for police to identify them, and only three were arrested.

MORE: http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-202_162-57500534/2-members-of-russian-punk-band-flee-country/?tag=cbsnewsSectionContent.7

Afghan Soldier Kills 2 US Troops in Latest 'Green-on-Blue' Attack

Elsewhere in the country, Afghan officials discovered 17 bodies -- all of them beheaded -- abandoned at roadside in Southern Afghanistan. The civilians were executed by the Taliban after attending a mixed-gender party where there was music and dancing, according to Mullah Sharafuddin, the governor of Kajaki district in Helmand province, where the bodies were found.

MORE: http://abcnews.go.com/International/afghan-soldier-kills-us-troops-latest-green-blue/story?id=17084797

Girl held in Pakistan, accused of burning Quran pages

(CNN) -- An 11-year-old Christian girl has been arrested after being accused of blasphemy by burning pages of the Quran in Pakistan's capital, Islamabad.

MORE: http://www.cnn.com/2012/08/20/world/asia/pakistan-girl-blasphemy/index.html?hpt=wo_bn4

Gunmen Kill 8 in Pakistan's Troubled Baluchistan

Baluchistan is the site of a long-running insurgency by rebels who want a greater share of the region's resources and more autonomy. It's also home to Islamic militants who frequently target Shiites.
 
Shiites make up a sizeable minority in Pakistan, but many Sunni extremists do not view them as true Muslims.

MORE: http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/gunmen-kill-pakistans-troubled-baluchistan-17084787

See also...

'Honor' murderer boasts of triple killing
http://www.cnn.com/2012/08/20/world/asia/pakistan-honor-confession/index.html

Mr. Deity & The Marriage

Atheism on the rise around the globe

According to a new poll, religiosity worldwide is declining while more people say they are atheists. In the United States, a growing number consider themselves non-believers.

MORE: http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Global-News/2012/0815/Atheism-on-the-rise-around-the-globe

New Study Shows Significant Atheist Military Population

As a result of the study, Air Force officials have promised to reform their oversight of chaplain endorsing agencies. There has been no commitment to reaching out to atheists and humanists in the military. Top-level chaplains have declined to address formal outreach MAAF and grass roots development. Humanists have no opportunity to state their religious preference on their official records. Lay leader applications have been pushed aside for over a year. This new demographics study should help to show the growing need for chaplains to support nontheists as well as theists.

MORE: http://militaryatheists.org/news/2012/08/new-study-shows-significant-atheist-military-population/

Atheist group targets presidential candidates' faith with billboards

Washington (CNN) – A prominent atheist group is using next month's Democratic National Convention to take aim at the presidential candidates' religion, putting up billboards targeting Mormonism and Christianity in Charlotte, North Carolina.

MORE: http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2012/08/13/first-on-cnn-atheist-group-targets-presidential-candidates-faith-with-billboards/

See also...

Controversial atheist billboards up in Charlotte
http://www.wsoctv.com/news/news/controversial-atheist-billboards-charlotte/nQ9xW/

NC Atheist Billboards Outrage Charlotte Residents
http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/us/2012/August/NC-Atheist-Billboards-Outrage-Charlotte-Residents-/

Atheists find a new venue for the godless: on film

SAN FRANCISCO -- There were no red carpets, no paparazzi, no celebrities and definitely no God at the recent annual Atheist Film Festival.

Instead, there were more than a dozen films, long and short, about separation of church and state, freedom of religion (and no religion), the conflict between science and religion in public schools and a couple hundred people eager to see them.

MORE: http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/on-faith/atheists-find-a-new-venue-for-the-godless-on-film/2012/08/15/f5f6fe56-e71b-11e1-9739-eef99c5fb285_story.html

Atheist groups protest prayers at Pa. meetings

GREENCASTLE, Pa. (AP) - Two atheists group are challenging a local school board's practice of saying prayers before beginning meetings.

MORE: http://www.wtrf.com/story/19314380/atheist-groups-protest-prayers-at-pa-meetings

Atheist group asks UTC to stop game day prayer

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (AP) - An atheist group has asked the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga to discontinue Christian prayers before football games.

MORE: http://www.wrcbtv.com/story/19305569/atheist-group-asks-utc-to-stop-game-day-prayer

9/11 museum, atheists spar over cross

(CBS News) The National September 11 Memorial and Museum's planned presentation of the World Trade Center cross-shaped steel beam, which became a famous Ground Zero symbol right after the September 11 attacks, is being legally challenged by an atheist group.

Last year, American Atheists sued the museum for the cross' removal, arguing that the steel beam promoted religion. Its legal director, Edwin Kagin, argued that the display represents "a violation of both federal and New York law in that public funds will be used to establish the Christian religion on public land."

MORE: http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-201_162-57494930/9-11-museum-atheists-spar-over-cross/

See also...

Atheists Against Religious Cross at 9/11 Museum
http://news.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474981555384

Megyn Kelly's Continued Defense of WTC Cross Includes Smear Of Atheists
http://www.newshounds.us/20120818_megyn_kelly_continued_defense_of_wtc_cross_includes_smear_of_atheists

Ebay bans magic, psychic readings... and prayers

You can buy a lot of crazy things on eBay, the popular online auction site, but as of August 30th, these will not include magic, psychic readings or prayers. Some of the other newly prohibited items are advice; spells; curses; hexing; conjuring; blessing services; magic potions and healing sessions.

MORE: http://www.examiner.com/article/ebay-bans-magic-psychic-readings-and-prayers

Choice Charade: Lessons From Wisconsin's Voucher 'Experiment'

A miraculous infusion of taxpayer money gives a Lutheran school new life.

MORE: http://www.au.org/blogs/wall-of-separation/choice-charade-lessons-from-wisconsin-s-voucher-experiment

School For Scandal: The Louisiana Voucher Plan Just Gets Worse And Worse -- And Your State May Be Next

Religious schools that receive vouchers are under no obligation to teach evolution. In fact, many of the fundamentalist academies plan to teach creationism instead.

MORE: http://au.org/blogs/wall-of-separation/school-for-scandal-the-louisiana-voucher-plan-just-gets-worse-and-worse-and

Charter For Chicanery?: Texas Oversight Agency Says Shekinah Charter Schools Broke Law

Shekinah Learning Institute was cited by the Texas Education Agency for, among other things, using taxpayer funds for improvement to Shekinah Superintendent Cheryl Washington’s church.

MORE: http://www.au.org/blogs/wall-of-separation/charter-for-chicanery-texas-oversight-agency-says-shekinah-charter-schools

What's (Still) The Matter With Kansas?: 'Revival Workshop' At Statehouse Shows Ongoing Church-State Problems

The statehouse should be devoted purely to public business, not to meetings of fundamentalist Christian revival groups.

MORE: http://www.au.org/blogs/wall-of-separation/what-s-still-the-matter-with-kansas-revival-workshop-at-statehouse-shows

What In Creation?!: Kentucky Legislators Tout Fundamentalism, Assail Modern Science

'The theory of evolution is not science -- Darwin made it up,' says Kentucky legislator Ben Waide.

MORE: http://au.org/blogs/wall-of-separation/what-in-creation-kentucky-legislators-tout-fundamentalism-assail-modern

An Open Letter to the Boy Scouts of America

Just because you CAN be a bigoted organization... SHOULD you be?

MORE: http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-829841?hpt=hp_bn1

A rebirth for "Butter Jesus"

MONROE, Ohio (WDTN) - It's been more than two years since the so-called "Butter Jesus" burned to the ground after it was hit by lightning, but now a new statue is being built at a Miami Valley company.

--snip--

The new statue will be 52 feet tall, weighing about 7 tons with a wing span of 35 feet.

--snip--

It will also contain a lightning rod to try and prevent it from burning down again.

MORE: http://www.wdtn.com/dpp/news/local/montgomery/a-rebirth-for-butter-jesus?hpt=us_bn9#.UC4yt6DI_Zh

Sun Is Roundest Natural Object Known

The sun is the roundest natural object ever precisely measured, astronomers say.

MORE: http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2012/08/120817-sun-shape-round-science-space-nasa

Book written in DNA code

Scientists have for the first time used DNA to encode the contents of a book. At 53,000 words, and including 11 images and a computer program, it is the largest amount of data yet stored artificially using the genetic material.

The researchers claim that the cost of DNA coding is dropping so quickly that within five to 10 years it could be cheaper to store information using this method than in conventional digital devices.

MORE: http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2012/aug/16/book-written-dna-code

Pregnant teen dies after abortion ban delays her chemo treatment for leukemia

(CNN) -- The mother of a pregnant leukemia patient who died after her chemotherapy was delayed over anti- abortion laws is accusing doctors of not putting her daughter's health first.
 
The 16-year-old's plight attracted worldwide attention after she had to wait for chemotherapy because of an abortion ban in the Dominican Republic.

MORE: http://www.cnn.com/2012/08/18/world/americas/dominican-republic-abortion/index.html?hpt=hp_t1

See also...

Analysis: Why it’s irrational to risk women’s lives for the sake of the unborn
http://www.scotsman.com/the-scotsman/opinion/comment/analysis-why-it-s-irrational-to-risk-women-s-lives-for-the-sake-of-the-unborn-1-2467196

Philippines birth control: Filipinos want it, priests don't

In the Philippines, access to contraceptives is limited for the most part to those with the means to pay. The Catholic Church has fought a "reproductive health bill" in the legislature that would change that.

MORE: http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/population/la-fg-population-matters5-20120729-html,0,5897961.htmlstory

Mosque shooting, suicide bombing hit Russia's Caucasus region

Russia blames the attacks on militants who want to establish an Islamic state in the Caucasus region.

MORE: http://www.cnn.com/2012/08/19/world/europe/russia-caucasus-unrest/index.html?hpt=wo_c2

14 Yemeni soldiers killed; officials blame al Qaeda

Sanaa, Yemen (CNN) -- Fourteen troops were killed and seven others injured Saturday in an ambush of Yemen's headquarters of the intelligence service in Tawahi, Aden, the defense ministry and three local security officials said.

MORE: http://www.cnn.com/2012/08/18/world/meast/yemen-violence/index.html?hpt=imi_c2

All coalition troops at Afghan bases now armed around the clock

The Friday green-on-blue attacks follow a claim purportedly from Taliban leader Mullah Mohammed Omar that fighters are infiltrating Afghan security forces to attack NATO-led forces on their bases.

MORE: http://www.cnn.com/2012/08/17/world/asia/afghanistan-taliban/index.html?hpt=wo_c2

See also...

Attacks kill scores in Afghanistan
http://www.cnn.com/2012/08/14/world/asia/afghanistan-violence/index.html

Wave of violence in Iraq claims more than 80 lives

Baghdad (CNN) -- A wave of shootings and bombings that Iraqi officials said bore the hallmarks of al Qaeda killed more than 80 people and wounded more than 270 across the country Thursday.

MORE: http://www.cnn.com/2012/08/16/world/meast/iraq-bloodshed/index.html?hpt=imi_c2

See also...

Blasts kill 10, injure 36 in Iraq's Diyala province
http://www.cnn.com/2012/08/15/world/meast/iraq-bomb-deaths/index.html

9 killed in attacks in Iraq
http://www.cnn.com/2012/08/16/world/meast/iraq-violence/index.html

20 Shiites executed in sectarian attack in Pakistan

Islamabad, Pakistan (CNN) -- Gunmen ambushed a passenger van convoy Thursday in northwest Pakistan and executed 20 Shiite Muslims in an apparent sectarian attack, a police official told CNN.

MORE: http://www.cnn.com/2012/08/16/world/asia/pakistan-violence/index.html

Nigerian troops kill 20 suspected militants

From its base in Muslim-dominated northern Nigeria, Boko Haram has waged a violent campaign of bombings of Christian churches in Nigeria that have killed hundreds and wounded many more. The group is also blamed for an attack on a United Nations building in the Nigerian capital of Abuja last year that killed at least 23 people.
 
The group, whose name means "Western education is forbidden," has referred to itself as the "Nigerian Taliban." It seeks to overthrow the Nigerian government and replace it with a regime based on Islamic law.

MORE: http://www.cnn.com/2012/08/12/world/africa/nigeria-violence/index.html

Chick-Fil-A Promo (Parody)

Atheists fight discrimination too

In the U.S., there are laws protecting them. But laws aren't always obeyed, or enforced.

MORE: http://www.salon.com/2012/08/09/4_reasons_atheists_have_to_fight_for_their_rights_salpart/

Publisher Pulls Controversial Thomas Jefferson Book, Citing Loss Of Confidence

Citing a loss of confidence in the book's details, Christian publisher Thomas Nelson is ending the publication and distribution of the bestseller, The Jefferson Lies: Exposing the Myths You've Always Believed About Thomas Jefferson.

The controversial book was written by Texas evangelical David Barton, who NPR's Barbara Bradley Hagerty profiled on All Things Considered Wednesday. The publishing company says it's ceasing publication because it found that "basic truths just were not there."

MORE: http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2012/08/09/158510648/publisher-pulls-controversial-thomas-jefferson-book-citing-loss-of-confidence

See also...

The Most Influential Evangelist You've Never Heard Of
http://www.npr.org/2012/08/08/157754542/the-most-influential-evangelist-youve-never-heard-of

The Barton Lies: Conservative Christian Scholars Debunk 'Christian Nation' Propagandist
http://www.au.org/blogs/wall-of-separation/the-barton-lies-conservative-christian-scholars-debunk-christian-nation

Pat Robertson Shares Hate with Sikh Temple Shooter

"Pat Robertson reacted to the hate crime in Wisconsin by cultivating his own brand of hate," said American Humanist Association Executive Director Roy Speckhardt. "By blaming atheists for this heinous crime, Robertson deliberately slanders nearly one in five Americans who don't happen to believe in a god.”

MORE: http://www.americanhumanist.org/news/details/2012-08-pat-robertson-shares-hate-with-sikh-temple-shooter

Atheists Banned from Serving in Arkansas

The Arkansas Society of Freethinkers is a secular group made up of people who are Atheists and Agnostics. It holds lectures and hosts social events. These Freethinkers champion reason over religion. They believe the law discriminates against them.

"It's insulting, we realize and we've been told by several people it's not enforceable and that may be the case but to have your name on the constitution as someone who is not competent to sit in a courtroom or public office, it's rather insulting," says LeeWood Thomas, with the Arkansas Society of Freethinkers.

MORE: http://arkansasmatters.com/fulltext?nxd_id=570632

'Evil Is Here': In Bid To Politicize Religion, FRC Demonizes Its Opponents

In the first place, when the FRC talks about "the wall," they aren't talking about the wall of separation between church and state. Just the opposite, in fact. They are talking about moving America as close as possible to a fundamentalist theocracy where their take on religion holds dominion over everyone.

MORE: http://www.au.org/blogs/wall-of-separation/evil-is-here-in-bid-to-politicize-religion-frc-demonizes-its-opponents

Shen rejects atheist threat over two songs

CLIFTON PARK -- A national atheist organization is threatening to sue the Shenendehowa school district over two songs taught to elementary school children that mention God in the lyrics.

MORE: http://www.timesunion.com/local/article/Shen-rejects-atheist-threat-over-two-songs-3780195.php

NASA's Curiosity Beams Back a Color 360 of Mars' Gale Crater

ScienceDaily -- The first images from Curiosity's color Mast Camera, or Mastcam, have been received by scientists at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif. The 130 low-resolution thumbnails, which were received Thursday morning, provide scientists and engineers of NASA's newest Mars rover their first color, horizon-to-horizon glimpse of Gale Crater.

MORE: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/08/120809190005.htm

See also...

Hubble's Close Encounter With the Tarantula
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/08/120811110622.htm

Police free Russian cult kids who reportedly never saw sun

At least 57 members of an Islamist sect, including children, have been discovered living underground in the Republic of Tatarstan, according to Russian police.
 
Many of them have never even seen the sun, authorities said.

MORE: http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2012/08/09/police-free-russian-cult-kids-who-reportedly-never-saw-sun/?hpt=hp_bn2

Egyptian president visits troubled border area

Violence has spiked because jihadists in the region see "an opportunity," said Adam Raisman, a senior analyst with the SITE Intelligence Group, which monitors jihadist groups.
 
"They see that what they wanted from the Egyptian revolution has not come to fruition," Raisman said. "They wanted a Sharia-based government." Angry with Morsy for not building a fundamentalist government, jihadists are "taking advantage of the tumult in the region," the analyst said.

MORE: http://www.cnn.com/2012/08/10/world/meast/egypt-violence/index.html?hpt=imi_c2

Official: Man kills 3 U.S. Marines at Afghan base

The shooter, who is believed to have links to the Taliban, was killed by other policemen, said Baluch. An investigation into the incident continues, he added.

MORE: http://www.cnn.com/2012/08/11/world/asia/afghanistan-unrest/index.html?hpt=ias_c2

Global Index of Religion and Atheism

59% of the world said that they think of themselves as religious person, 23% think of themselves as not religious whereas 13% think of themselves as convinced atheists.

--snip--

Globally, those claiming to be religious, drops by 9%, while atheism rises by 3%.

--snip--

The top ten countries experiencing a notable decline in religiosity since 2005 are Vietnam, Ireland, Switzerland, France, South Africa, Iceland, Ecuador, the United States, Canada and Austria.

MORE: http://redcresearch.ie/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/RED-C-press-release-Religion-and-Atheism-25-7-12.pdf

See also...

Number of atheists around the world is rising
http://www.secularism.org.uk/news/2012/08/number-of-atheists-around-the-world-is-rising

Atheism on the Rise in Asian and European Nations, Poll Finds
http://www.christianpost.com/news/atheism-on-the-rise-in-asian-and-european-nations-poll-finds-79685/

Religiosity Plummets In Ireland And Declines Worldwide; Atheism On The Rise
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/08/religiosity-plummets-ireland-declines-worldwide-atheism_n_1757453.html

Missouri’s Deceptive Amendment 2 Passes: Will Lawsuits Follow?

Many who voted for the amendment probably thought they were merely protecting the right of citizens to express their religious beliefs, guarantee the right of school children to pray and require public schools to display the Bill of Rights.

In reality, Amendment 2 is not so benign. It opens the door for coercive prayer and proselytizing in public schools, allows students to skip homework if it offends their religious beliefs and infringes on the religious liberty rights of prisoners. 

MORE: http://www.au.org/blogs/wall-of-separation/missouri-s-deceptive-amendment-2-passes-will-lawsuits-follow

President Obama, Mitt Romney Agree: Gay Boy Scouts OK

Obama today joined Romney in publicly disagreeing with a controversial ban on gay members of the Boy Scouts of America, one of the nation's largest and most well-known youth development groups.

MORE: http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2012/08/president-obama-mitt-romney-agree-gay-boy-scouts-ok/

New Kenyan Fossils Shed Light On Early Human Evolution

ScienceDaily -- Exciting new fossils discovered east of Lake Turkana confirm that there were two additional species of our genus -- Homo -- living alongside our direct human ancestral species, Homo erectus, almost two million years ago. The finds, announced in the scientific journal Nature on August 9th, include a face, a remarkably complete lower jaw, and part of a second lower jaw.

MORE: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/08/120808132705.htm

See also...

Physics and Math Shed New Light On Biology by Mapping the Landscape of Evolution
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/08/120808132454.htm

Scientists Discover the Truth Behind Colbert's 'Truthiness'

ScienceDaily -- A picture inflates the perceived truth of true and false claims.

--snip--

In a series of four experiments in both New Zealand and Canada, Newman and colleagues showed people a series of claims such as, "The liquid metal inside a thermometer is magnesium" and asked them to agree or disagree that each claim was true. In some cases, the claim appeared with a decorative photograph that didn't reveal if the claim was actually true -- such as a thermometer. Other claims appeared alone. When a decorative photograph appeared with the claim, people were more likely to agree that the claim was true, regardless of whether it was actually true.

MORE: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/08/120808081334.htm

Spain 'al Qaeda cell' may have planned strike to coincide with Olympics

(CNN) -- Three suspected al Qaeda terrorists arrested last week in Spain appear to have been interested in targeting a Gibraltar-area shopping mall in a strike that was likely intended to coincide with the London Olympic Games, an analyst says.

MORE: http://www.cnn.com/2012/08/07/world/europe/spain-terror-arrests/index.html?hpt=ieu_c2

19 killed in attack on Nigerian church

No one has claimed responsibility, but immediate suspicion fell on the militant Islamic group Boko Haram, which has carried out similar church attacks in the past.

MORE: http://www.cnn.com/2012/08/07/world/africa/nigeria-church-attack/index.html?hpt=iaf_c2

11 killed in blast south of Baghdad

Violence has dropped dramatically in Iraq since the peak of Sunni-Shiite clashes in 2006 and 2007 and the withdrawal of U.S. troops from the country in December, but insurgent attacks against civilians and security forces persist in the country, still smoldering with sectarian tension and political infighting.

MORE: http://www.cnn.com/2012/08/08/world/meast/iraq-violence/index.html?hpt=imi_c2

Curiosity Rover Landing on Mars

NASA's Curiosity rover scores touchdown on Mars

Spacecraft survives '7 minutes of terror,' lands safely, sends first pictures.

MORE: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/48511087/ns/technology_and_science-space/?__utma=14933801.1796274438.1343881820.1344143138.1344314932.3&__utmb=14933801.6.10.1344314932&__utmc=14933801&__utmx=-&__utmz=14933801.1343881820.1.1.utmcsr=(direct)|utmccn=(direct)|utmcmd=(none)&__utmv=14933801.|8=Earned%20By=msnbc%7Ccover=1^12=Landing%20Content=Mixed=1^13=Landing%20Hostname=www.nbcnews.com=1^30=Visit%20Type%20to%20Content=Earned%20to%20Mixed=1&__utmk=117094790

See also...

Car-Size Rover Curiosity Lands On Mars: Two-Year Mission to Investigate Red Planet Begins
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/08/120806014143.htm

Mars orbiter captures rover in midair
http://photoblog.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/08/06/13146951-mars-orbiter-captures-rover-in-midair?chromedomain=cosmiclog&lite

NASA's Curiosity Rover Caught in the Act of Landing
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/08/120806141917.htm

Video from rover looks down on Mars during landing
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/48540619/ns/technology_and_science-space/?__utma=14933801.1796274438.1343881820.1344143138.1344314932.3&__utmb=14933801.1.10.1344314932&__utmc=14933801&__utmx=-&__utmz=14933801.1343881820.1.1.utmcsr=(direct)|utmccn=(direct)|utmcmd=(none)&__utmv=14933801.|8=Earned%20By=msnbc%7Ccover=1^12=Landing%20Content=Mixed=1^13=Landing%20Hostname=www.nbcnews.com=1^30=Visit%20Type%20to%20Content=Earned%20to%20Mixed=1&__utmk=153124408

And...

NASA Announces Next Steps in Effort to Launch Americans from U.S. Soil
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/08/120803101756.htm

The National Atheist Party Partners with Foundation Beyond Belief

Florence, KY -- The National Atheist Party (NAP) has partnered with Foundation Beyond Belief, an organization that contributes 100% of donations received to charities around the world whose work is compatible with humanist values. By partnering with Foundation Beyond Belief, the NAP will be able to nominate and engage in discussion regarding the selection of Foundation Beyond Belief’s future charitable organizations. Registered NAP members who are also members of Foundation Beyond Belief when selecting NAP as their designated Partner, those donations accrue to the total given by NAP on their Partners page.

MORE: http://www.pr.com/press-release/432263

Officials: Temple Gunman Page Associated with 'Hate Group'

The Army veteran who opened fire on a Sikh temple in Wisconsin was associated with a white-supremacist organization called Volksfront, described by a watchdog group as "virulently racist," law enforcement officials told ABC News.
 
The gunman, Wade Michael Page, 40, was shot dead by police Sunday, ending a murderous rampage that left six people dead and several wounded, including an Oak Creek police officer.
 
MORE: http://abcnews.go.com/US/wisconsin-temple-gunman-wade-page-hate-group/story?id=16937739

Pat Robertson Concludes Sikh Temple Shooting Because 'Atheists Hate God'

What is particularly striking about Robertson’s conclusion is that, as of yet, there has been no evidence that the alleged gunman Wade Michael Page was an atheist. In fact, neo-Nazism and white supremacy movements often encompass a form of Christianity that emphasizes racial purity and nationalism.

MORE: http://www.mediaite.com/tv/pat-robertson-concludes-sikh-temple-shooting-because-atheists-hate-god/

See also...

Pat Robertson blames atheists for Sikh temple shooting
http://www.examiner.com/article/pat-robertson-blames-atheists-for-sikh-temple-shooting

Pat Robertson: Sikh temple massacre because 'atheists hate God'
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2012/08/06/pat-robertson-sikh-temple-massacre-because-atheists-hate-god/

Satisfying Survey: Evangelical Leaders Reject 'Christian Nation' Designation

The lack of references to Christianity in the Constitution has to me always been fatal to Christian nation adherents. Nevertheless, the myth is still widely believed and in Religious Right circles has taken on near-cult status. Just as Religious Right leaders invented a phony "science" because they refuse to accept evolution, they have also crafted a made-up "history" of our glorious Christian character.

Thankfully, not everyone is falling for it. The National Association of Evangelicals (NAE) recently surveyed it leadership and asked if they believe we are a Christian nation. Sixty-eight percent said no.

MORE: http://www.au.org/blogs/wall-of-separation/satisfying-survey-evangelical-leaders-reject-christian-nation-designation

R.I. Mayor Resists Atheists' Calls to Remove Cross

The mayor of a Rhode Island city has promised to defend a 91-year-old war memorial featuring a Latin cross and other religious symbols, which a national atheist group says must be removed from the monument.

MORE: http://www.christianpost.com/news/r-i-mayor-resists-atheists-calls-to-remove-cross-79471/

Mosque in Missouri burns to the ground one month after arson attack

A mosque in Joplin, Mo. that was the target of an apparent arson attack a month ago burned to the ground on Monday.

About 30 federal investigators from the FBI and Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms were working with local officials to determine whether Monday's fire at the Islamic Society of Joplin was arson. It will take a few days to determine the cause of the blaze, officials said at a news conference Monday afternoon.

MORE: http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/08/06/13146671-mosque-in-missouri-burns-to-the-ground-one-month-after-arson-attack?lite

Church that refused to marry black couple releases apology

(CNN)–After barring a black couple from marrying in its Mississippi facility in late July, the First Baptist Church of Crystal Springs released a statement Sunday apologizing for its actions.

MORE: http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2012/08/06/church-that-refused-to-marry-black-couple-releases-apology/?hpt=hp_t3

Online petition launched after child rejected by school

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. - A faith-based school that refused to admit a 3-year-old because his parents are gay has prompted an online petition asking New Mexico's federal delegation to look into why Hope Christian School can receive federal tax dollars.

MORE: http://www.koat.com/news/new-mexico/albuquerque/Online-petition-launched-after-child-rejected-by-school/-/9153728/15978746/-/7qfwo6/-/index.html?hpt=us_bn10

Orlando Magic, Amway Boycotted for Anti-Gay Marriage Donation

While companies like Amway and Chick-fil-A have been recently ensnared in controversy because of their executives' support for traditional marriage, they are not alone in taking sides in the gay-marriage debate.

MORE: http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/OTUS/orlando-magic-amway-boycotted-anti-gay-marriage-donation/story?id=16812037

Bacteria transform the closest living relatives of animals from single cells into colonies

This raises an obvious question: did bacteria also help the single-celled ancestors of animals to band together? Did they contribute to the evolutionary foundation of every ant and elephant, every fish and finch? "That's my favourite hypothesis," says Rosie Alegado, the lead author on the new study. "Animals evolved in seas teaming with bacteria and have been passively exposed to bacterial chemical cues, intended and unintended." But she cautions that this is still an open question.

MORE: http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/notrocketscience/2012/08/06/bacteria-transform-the-closest-living-relatives-of-animals-form-single-cells-into-colonies/

Egypt's president condemns deadly attack in Sinai

(CNN) -- As Egyptian authorities vowed quick vengeance for a terrorist attack that killed 16 soldiers, officials in Egypt and Israel disagreed as to who was to blame for the bloodshed.

--snip--

Israel blamed militants associated with the group Global Jihad for the violence. Egyptian military officials called the attackers "enemies" of the nation. The Muslim Brotherhood accused the Israeli intelligence agency Mossad for the killings.

MORE: http://www.cnn.com/2012/08/06/world/africa/egypt-violence/index.html?hpt=wo_c2