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In God We Trust: How One Satanist Proved a Point About Religious Bias

Kenneth Mayle, a self-declared Satanist, argued that the motto on US currency–’In God We Trust’–espouses a religious view in opposition to his own. The federal court determined, however, that the motto is not in violation of the Constitution, setting a worrying precedent.

By Luke W.

Recently, there was a ruling regarding the removal of the motto from United States currency. Kenneth Mayle, a self-declared Satanist, argued that the motto ‘In God We Trust’ espouses a religious view in opposition to his own. The federal court determined, however, that the motto does not amount to an endorsement of any religion and, thus, is not in violation of the Constitution.

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Inequality, the Role of Society, and Tribalism: How Bloodworth’s ‘Hired’ Persuaded Me

James Bloodworth’s book ‘Hired’ inspires the profound reflections of a young writer on the roles of the individual, the atheist community, and the government in reducing income inequality and bridging the gap between political parties.

By Ross Paton

When issues of inequality are politicised, the solution becomes mired in partisan debates. To what can we attribute income inequality? Is it simply the fair conclusion of meritocracy, or a product of privilege, passed down generationally?

Bloodworth’s book Hired gives us an account of his time as a low-income worker to settle this debate. His experience spanned six months, during which he lived on the money he earned from low-wage, soulless jobs, and talked to those who, unlike him, had no reprieve from this drab and anxiety-riddled existence. How could we more accurately reach the truth than through talking to and living the lives of those who find themselves at the bottom?

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Going Godless: a Perspective on Atheism from Iran

By Dariush Afshar (Mohammad Hekmat Afshar)

In Iran, according to the Islamic regime’s birth registry statistics, 98% of the Iranian population is Muslim. This means that even the writer of this article and millions like him, are per force considered to be adherents to the religion, which is absolutely false, unilateral, and obscure.

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Why are Taxpayers Funding Faith-Based Programs?

Tax dollars are going to faith-based programs that discriminate against, mislead, and manipulate our most vulnerable. Are there benefits to favoring community organizations over faith-based ones?

by Rachelle Groves

“Faith is more powerful than government, and nothing is more powerful than God.” This was the proclamation made by Trump when he signed his new faith-based executive order. Faith-based programs are nothing new, and every president since Clinton has signed them.

There are obvious problems with putting social services into the hands of religious organizations. First and foremost is the separation of church and state that prohibits federal money from funding the agenda of religious groups. Second, is the fact that they can engage in discriminatory hiring practices that are illegal by federal standards.

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Bedfellows: the Steady Infiltration of Evangelicals in the White House

Trump’s voter base made easy bedfellows of politics and religion, blurring the line of separation between church and state. But as white evangelicals shrink to a smaller fringe in the Secular Age, will their political power also decline?

By James A. Haught

White evangelicals put Donald Trump into the White House.  They swarmed to the 2016 election in high numbers and gave an amazing 81 percent of their votes to the vulgar, obnoxious, race-baiting, gambling billionaire who favors the rich, tries to take health care away from 20 million, and brags about grabbing women by their genitals.

Although he once seemed to favor women’s rights, Trump campaigned on a promise to appoint only pro-life Supreme Court justices–those who would jail women and doctors for ending pregnancies. 

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Black Nonbelievers, Inc: Is the African American Community Ready for Atheism?

An overwhelming majority of African Americans self-identify as Christians, putting them ahead of both whites and Latinos. Black Nonbelievers, Inc, aims to revolutionize the community and its deeply entrenched relationship with religion through community-building events like the one here discussed.

By Scott Douglas Jacobsen

Mandisa Thomas is the Founder of Black Nonbelievers, Inc., one of, if not the, largest organizations for African-American or black nonbelievers or atheists in America. The organization is intended to give secular fellowship, provide nurturance and support for nonbelievers, encourage a sense of pride in irreligion, and promote charity in the non-religious community. It is affiliated with the Center for Inquiry, Ex-Muslims of North America, and the Freedom from Religion Foundation, among other associations.

From the page:

“We connect with other Blacks (and allies) who are living free of religion and other beliefs, and might otherwise be shunned by family and friends. Instead of accepting dogma, we seek to determine truth and morality through reason and evidence.”

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