First, let's suppose that Jehovah God is real. Good News for the religious, right? Then, let's twist it a bit and see what happens should Jehovah die. This would cause a major problem for at least the Abrahamic religions. After all, how could we hope for eternal life if the Provider Himself is subject to mortality? The guarantee of eternal life in His Presence would at that time become null and void. Steps must be taken and a coverup must be carried out. Hiding bodies is difficult enough, but when the body of Jehovah falls from Heaven and turns out to be two miles long, complications multiply. The beauty of novels is that they allow absurdities to shed light on reality, and James Morrow uses the device of the dead god to illuminate our notions on religion and philosoophy. Scott Lohman, President of the Humanists of Minnesota, will interview Morrow on our show.
"Atheists Talk" is produced by The Minnesota Atheists Mike Haubrich
is the host and director for today's show.
Weblinks for the show:
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By James Zimmerman
If we take the word Cinema at its root (from the Greek kinesis,
meaning "movement"), then pure cinema has been dying since the advent
of synchronized sound. Too many movies are simply footage of people
talking, or of a camera sitting idly by recording whatever happens to
be going on in front of it. In its purest form, perhaps film continued
to exist only in the creations of those (such as Chaplin and Hitchcock)
who first mastered their trade and came to prominence during film's
silent era.
But Pixar does an admirable job of bringing audiences a delicacy for the eyes. In a style first explored in Toy Story, expanded upon in Monsters, Inc., and brought to perfection in WALL·E, the animation studio succeeds in telling a tale via visuals with its latest offering: Up.
In the first fifteen minutes of Up, we are treated to a narrative - told almost entirely without words - of love found, promises made, and decades lived in the lives of Carl and Ellie. It's
a poignant story, and the promises made and dreams lost in the
picture-perfect montage bring equal parts laughter and tears.
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Is there a direct correlaton between atheism and liberalism? Why do so many atheists lean towards the left of the poltical spectrum? Many of our past shows have focused on the Conservative Christian influence over American politics, but does that necessarily mean that one needs to oppose their views in all areas? Politics, philosophy and atheism are the topic for today's show. Our guest is Massimo Pigliucci, who contacted us following our interview with Sunsara Taylor, because he wanted to address a few of the points she had made in regards to socialism and atheism. As a philosopher and an evolutionary biologist, Massimo regularly addresses the intersections of politics and religion. George Kane will lead the discussion.
Relevant Weblinks for Today's Show:
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On Saturday, June 6 in Tuscon, AZ at the 68th Annual Conference of the American Humanist Association, Minnesota Atheists member, PZ Myers, author of the blog Pharyngula, and professor at the University of Minnesota, Morris, received the Humanist of the Year Award. PZ Myers has been a vocal advocate for science education in schools and a staunch critic of "Intelligent Design" Creationism. Dr. Myers should serve as motivation for anyone who wonders what they can do to make the world a better place.
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Skepchick is a group of female (and one "deserving" male) bloggers
dedicated to the idea that skepticism and fun can and should coexist.
They turn sharp wit and sharper intellect on subjects such as religion,
UFOs, medical quackery, and credulous and sensational reporting. At the
same time, they dismantle the idea of skepticism as a dry, intellectual
exercise at their many events and meetups, such as their Drinking
Skeptically and Skeptics in the Pub events.
This July, they're
combining both strengths by hosting a series of panels and other events
at Convergence, the Twin Cities largest current science fiction and
fantasy convention. Many of the Skepchicks will attend, and special
guests include astronomer Pamela Gay and MN Atheists own PZ Myers.
In
the studio, Stephanie Zvan will interview Skepchick Carrie Iwan about
the Skepchick organization, Convergence and other ways to have fun
while thinking skeptically.
"Atheists Talk" is produced by The Minnesota Atheists. Mike Haubrich, Director and Host.
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 By Bjorn Watland
Americans
who do not believe in any gods (we would call them atheists, although
they may not) are a large part of the population. Some polls would say that there are more atheists in America than Mormons and Jews combined, however, we are either
underrepresented, or our politicians are lying about their religious
beliefs.
If nearly one in five of us are atheists, as some polls suggest, why are we treated as a much smaller minority? Much of that has to do with numbers and organization.
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 By Vic Tanner
Believe
every word it says, or dismiss it all as bunk, there is no question
that the Judeo-Christian Bible is one of the most controversial and
perplexing books ever compiled. Conservative Christians commonly claim
that all events in it are factual, yet any attempt to study the true
historicity of the text is met with suspicion and cries of persecution
by the True Believer. Their position is a truly unfortunate one,
because critical analysis of the Bible is when it becomes truly
interesting. It allows us to unravel the mystery of who the Hebrews
were and what goals they were attempting to achieve when writing their
scriptures.
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 By Crystal Dervetski
When
people think of activism, they can sometimes get overwhelmed. A lot of
work goes into volunteering for an organization and promoting a cause,
but there are many things that you can do to help promote atheism!
First, be positive!
There's nothing worse than a negative atheist, mostly because that is
exactly the atheist stereotype: doom and gloom, mean-spirited, angry
with the world. So don't be! It is actually that easy. Being positive
is a choice. Now, I can already hear it; so if there's a medical cause
for your orneriness, please go see a doctor. (No hoo-doo vitamin
therapy over here, unless it's used in conjunction with an MD.) But
seriously, other than that, you just need to shake it off. You will
have a more enriched life if you are positive, and you will also help
others have a better life just by giving them a smile every once in a
while. Being a positive person puts a nice perspective on exactly what
an atheist is: the world doesn't fall apart without any gods, so prove
that to people! (For those of you who haven't heard the story, my
blood type is B+. Awesome.) If you fall into the negativity trap, be
aware of it, and make a conscious effort to stop yourself and at least
be neutral. Watch how much better people respond to you. A wise man
once told me “You can't out-Hitchens Hitchens, so you might as well be
nice.” He also said that I sound like Mary Poppins, which I totally
acknowledge.
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By Eric Jayne
In
August 2008 I started working for a nonprofit agency that administers a
federally funded early childhood education program serving low-income
families with children 3 and 4 years old. I have the pleasure to work
with families from all kinds of different cultural backgrounds
including many Somali Muslims.
The early childhood education program I work under mandates that
monthly family events and education classes need to be offered to
families enrolled throughout the year (nutrition workshop, financial
literacy, dinner, stories, etc.). The families look forward to these
events because there is valuable information, activities for kids, and
socializing opportunities. However, many of the Somali Muslim families
I work with are conspicuously missing when these events are held in
churches.
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By Matthew Richardson
When I first met my new friend from Sierra Leone, we quickly got on to the subject of religion. To make a point, he asked me to touch to my nose.
I looked at him without moving. Insistently, he said again, "Point to your nose!"
So, I put my index finger on my nose.
Then he said, "Okay, now point to God."
Well, I didn't know where to put my index finger, so I dropped it back onto my lap. Later into the evening, he described what African animist religions were, but before that, we further explored where "God" was.
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