Reading Time: 8 minutes There’s a common idea in dogmatic religious circles, that “there are no atheists in foxholes”: that the moment an atheist is in serious peril, they’ll call out for divinity. That hasn’t been true to my experiences as an adult: even when robbed at gunpoint, or unfortunately when violently assaulted, I’ve never magically flipped a switch […]
prayer
Posted inThe Secular
Is secular life bereft when tragedy strikes? Not for a minute
Reading Time: 4 minutes In the week since NFL player Damar Hamlin’s near death on the field, prayer has had a big moment: players bowing their heads and circling to pray before games, ubiquitous signs and social media posts bearing messages like “Pray for Damar,” TV commentators speaking of prayer—and in at least one case actually praying during coverage—with […]
Posted inReligion
God as Donald Trump: Trying to make sense of praise and worship
Reading Time: 3 minutes Praise and worship is the last thing that you’d think an all-wise god would want (unless it’s a god in the mold of Donald Trump).
Posted inSatire
LEAKED: Curriculum for Kanye West’s private Christian school
Reading Time: < 1 minute In an exclusive for OnlySky, our reporters have managed to obtain details of the notoriously secretive private school, Donda, founded by music mogul Kanye West. Some of the information summarized below has been shocking to say the least: Every class begins with a Christian prayer. All references to Jesus are replaced by “Yeezus” Civics 101 […]
Posted inReligion
Not even CHRISTIANS take Christianity seriously
Reading Time: 4 minutes If Christians actually believed it, they wouldn’t cry at funerals. They’d expect prayers to be answered. They wouldn’t insure churches. And they’d take their religion seriously.
Posted inParenting & Family
Why thanking those who offer their prayers isn’t always the best idea
Reading Time: 4 minutes Earlier this week, OnlySky contributor Kristen Chase offered her take on how we should respond when well-meaning religious people offer their blessings and prayers to atheists. She suggested nonbelievers such as myself respond with one simple phrase: Thank you. I partially agree, while pointing out Kristen’s essential qualifier: well-meaning. Yes, when well-meaning, not passive-aggressive, people […]
Posted inReligion
Are Christians distinguishable from the rest of humanity?
Reading Time: 3 minutes If God answers prayers, shouldn’t there be some evidence of these blessings on God’s people? Why is God so eager to stay out of the spotlight?
Posted inReproductive rights
Roe didn’t fall due to answered prayers
Reading Time: 3 minutes Those who support the demise of Roe’s legal protection for abortion said the decision was the effect of Christian prayers. And yet it took God 50 years to answer the prayers? At a million abortions a year, God was so offended by the termination of pregnancies that he allowed 50 million abortions to occur while […]
Posted inPolitics
Christian activist: I ‘pray with’ Supreme Court justices ruling on my cases
Reading Time: 6 minutes If someone whose cases were in front of the Supreme Court had dinner and drinks with some of the justices right before the oral arguments took place, and then the Supreme Court voted in that person’s favor, would that be ethical? Of course not. There shouldn’t be any substantive interaction between judges and the people […]
Posted inPolitics
Republican Rep. Louie Gohmert: ‘More prayers’ would stop mass shootings
Reading Time: 3 minutes During a floor speech on Wednesday, Rep. Louie Gohmert of Texas argued against gun safety legislation, saying that prayers to the Christian God were a better alternative to stop mass shootings. (It’s the same thing he said a decade ago after another massacre.) It’s probably not shocking to hear a Republican member of Congress reflexively […]