Pathfinders Project: A New Global Aid Initative

A new project has been launched by the humanist charity Foundation Beyond Belief to send people on year long service projects to nations around the world. The initiative is called the Pathfinders Project, and Foundation Beyond Belief is using this project to hopefully be the launching pad for a humanist Peace Corps style organization in the future.

My good blogging friend, and blogging inspiration, Godless Poutine, was recently given the opportunity to interview one of the organizers, Conor Robinson.

Here's a few excerpts from the interview:

Blogging Fatigue and Some Writers Worth Reading

I haven't written new posts for the blog as often as I would like to. I haven't gotten around to writing, because I simply haven't had anything to say. Blogging is getting kind of tiring, and old.

 I've haven't had new topics to discuss in depth, and even when I do, I haven't had the time to go into them as deeply as I would like to. I'm kind of a perfectionist in that way, I want a post to be the best writing that I can do, and if I don't feel I can do that, then it kills all the motivation to write.

For instance, I've had a guest post that I need to finish for the blog for the site Homeschoolers Anonymous, it's a great site, they have already re published  a post I wrote several months ago for the blog Reason Being, and the creator of the site said that he thought it would be a great idea for me to write an original guest post for them.

I've been working on that post for several weeks now, and I've got writers block. I think in many ways it's important for former fundamentalists like me to share our stories with the world, but it gets tiring. Rehashing the past, bringing up all those old memories again, and then struggling to find a way to keep the writing fresh, and to keep from repeating the same thing over and over. However, at the same time, that's what people want to hear about the most often, my story, my past. Such is the paradox of being a former fundamentalist blogger.

Oh well, I should quit complaining..... Though I haven't been able to write recently, there's a few items of note in the blogging/commentary world that I want to share with everyone in the meantime.

Turkish sociologist thinks there's a link between atheism and autism, and that's not a good thing to him:

From My Secret Atheist Blog, written by my good blogging friend, Godless Poutine. (Read full story here):

A Turkish sociologist, Fehmi Kaya (pictured at left), sincerely believes that that autism and atheism are one and the same, and that autistic children "lack a section for faith in their brains"

A few quotes from the post by Godless Poutine that I really love in response to this, he has a son with autism, and has personally experienced some of the more bizarre beliefs regarding autism and "cures" for it that have been floating around both in the outside culture, and within the autism community in Canada:

This, naturally, caused a great deal of outrage among autism associations around Turkey. Now, I find it outrageous because there appears to be no credible scientific study to back it up.  And if it is true that people with autism are statistically more likely to be atheists, then what's the problem?  In this sense they likely see the world more clearly than many neurotypical people who's brains seem to fall prey to superstitious mumbo jumbo. 

But I suspect many people in Turkey (and pretty much everywhere outside of Sweden) find it downright threatening.  Because being identified as an atheist there is unlikely to help anyone who already has the sufficiently burdensome challenges of being on the spectrum or caring for someone who is autistic.  It's more than likely going to compound any problems you would already have navigating the healthcare system trying to find plausible treatments.

 If people in a highly religious nation like Turkey start thinking of autistics as atheists, that's just going to make discrimination and misunderstanding more prevalent, since atheists  aren't viewed in a highly positive light in predominantly Muslim nation.

"Alternative Medicine" Site Thinks That Baking Soda Can Cure Cancer

Sometimes I have to remind myself that insanity isn't just limited to fundamentalism, and I've found no finer example of this than the website Collective Evolution, a pro alternative medicine and conspiracy theory site.

In a post on this site, which I saw a link to circulating on Google +, they claim that baking soda can cure, well, just about anything. Here's a quote from the post, they are quoting from a book on the topic by a man named Mark Sircus.:

“When taken orally with water, especially water with high magnesium content, and when used transdermally in medicinal baths, sodium bicarbonate becomes a first-line medicinal for the treatment of cancer, kidney disease, diabetes, influenza and even the common cold. And importantly, it is also a powerful buffer against radiation exposure, so everyone should be up to speed on its use.”

Guest Post at My Secret Atheist Blog

Yesterday the guest post I submitted to one of my great online friends, Montreal blogger Godless Poutine, was posted on his blog. It's a great honor to be a guest poster, he is the blogger who inspired me to start writing.

My post there is about a day in my childhood I would much rather forget. I've been having more of those moments in recent months, because blogging about my past, though it has helped me to move in many ways, has also brought back memories long buried, for better or in this case worse.

My post, now up on his blog, is called Confronting My Past, I think Poutine did a great job of editing the post, it was a hard post to write, believe me.

As always, if you have a topic in mind that you would think would make for a great guest post, read my submission guidelines first, then send me an e-mail at ramblingsofsheldon@gmail.com.

Take the time to stop by the guest post page as well, my archive of past guest post posts published here, as well as guest post I have written for other blogs. There's some great reading there for everyone.

Insanity Knows No Limits

This is an actual screen shot from Google + from a fundamentalist, I think it speaks for itself:

If you want to read the originial post instead of a screen shot, here it is.

It gets better, he calls a person who says he's going to report him a "pedophile" 

Are There Any Atheists In Barbados?

I always enjoy reading My Secret Atheist Blog, written by Quebec blogger Godless Poutine.

Today, he talks about his apprehension about possibly moving with his wife to Barbados. His late father in law was originally from there, and his wife still has quite a few family members on the island.



He has been there to visit before, and talks about his experiences. He loves the island and it's climate, but one thing concerns him. The nation is heavily Christian, 95 % of the people claim Christianity as their faith, and it is deeply embedded in the culture.

He wonders if he will be fully accepted into the culture there if people find out that he and his wife are atheists Read his post, The State of Atheism in Barbados for more information.

Don't just stop with that post, keep reading through his blog, he's a great blogger, and he is the man that inspired me to start blogging, his help when I started out, including letting me write a guest post series on my life, helped to get my blog off the ground, and heading towards where it is today.

Part 2 of My Guest Post Has Been Published At My Secret Atheist Blog

Godless Poutine of My Secret Atheist Blog has published the second and final installment of my guest post series on my life from childhood to giving up Christianity two years ago. From Christian Fundamentalist to Closeted Agnostic Blogger (Part 2) goes more into detail of my de-conversion, and how a Wiccan friend played a role in it, and how I got started blogging.

Make sure to check it out, and remember that I also accept guest posts here at Ramblings of Sheldon. Read my submission guidelines before submitting, and check out past guest posts. I would really enjoy receiving more guest posts, the last two I have published were quite a success.

I'm Proud to Announce My First Guest Post At My Secret Atheist Blog

I've already notified the followers of my Google + page about this, but if you don't follow me there, I want you to know that my long awaited guest post is up at My Secret Atheist Blog, due to it's length, it had to be split up into two posts, part 1 has been published, and you can read it by clicking here. He also has a tradition on his blog of creating bio pages for guest bloggers, check that out as well. I find the picture he used for the bio page to be rather funny. "Not this Sheldon Cooper".

Stop by his blog, read his other great posts as well, and tell him thanks for rolling out the welcome mat for me on his blog. Part 2 of my post, which will be a bit longer, is tentatively scheduled to be released next weekend, keep a watch out for my announcement that it has been published.

Happy reading

--Sheldon

To My Readers: I Have Not Forgotten About You! (An Update on the Blog)

Hi, readers, I haven't posted to the blog tonight, which is unusual for a Saturday, I know. I have been writing a guest post for My Secret Atheist Blog, about my past fundamentalist life, and my "de-conversion" out of Christianity, that took up quite a bit of time, as the post started becoming quite long, and rather personal. I just sent it to Godless Poutine literally minutes ago, keep a watch out for the announcement that it has been published, I think you all will enjoy reading it. It gets very detailed into my past life, and what caused the crisis of faith that led to me leaving Christianity once and for all. I am highly honored to do this for Poutine, and it's a great opportunity to introduce myself and this blog to his readers.

I have made an update to the blog, for your convenience, if you are a regular reader, you will be familiar with my posts on the IFB movement, now links to all posts relating to the IFB movement well be saved to a new page, Exposing the IFB. If you are a regular reader, it makes it easier to go back and find past posts, and if you are new readers, it's a great way for you to find them, and read them anytime.

Also, I want to take the time again, to remind everyone that I am open to having guest posts on my blog, read my guidelines before sending. I want to hear from you, you do not have to be an atheist/agnostic to send in a guest post, as I explain in my guidelines, but fundamentalists of any variety need not apply ;)
Guest posts also can be about topics other than religion.

I would love to have guest posts on this blog, it would be a welcome sight around here, especially if you have a more positive personality than I do, I can get quite negative around here.

Godless Poutine's Wife Tells Her Story

If you have been a fan of the blog for any length of time, you have seen me talk about  My Secret Atheist Blog, it's one of my favorite blogs, I always enjoying reading his perspective on atheism, and everyday life on Montreal. Like most Americans, I'm really not all that familiar with Canada, and his blog is rather enlightening on daily life up there. His post for today is a guest post, written by his wife, Kelly, who is also a blogger herself (check out the bio landing page for her blogs).
She writes about her life story, her childhood, becoming a neo-pagan as a teen, marrying a fellow Wiccan, (the author of My Secret Atheist Blog, Godless Poutine), and then the both of them losing their faith. It's a great story, check it out!. Losing My Religion? Or Shit Happens.

Atheists and agnostics making a positive difference in the world (and how you can help).

Atheist blogger Godless Poutine of My Secret Atheist Blog is one of my favorite bloggers, and is also the man who inspired me to start my own blog, he said blogging is "good therapy", and he was sure right.

Godless Poutine is a big supporter of the atheist charity Foundation Beyond Belief, and in recent weeks started encouraging people to contribute to one of Foundation Beyond Belief's main projects, the Kasese Humanist Primary School in Uganda. Due to the fund raising efforts of the followers of his blog, and other people on the internet, they were finally able to build a much needed chicken coop, so that students could have breakfast before classes.

It's great that people have come together to make a difference in the world. Check out the website for Foundation Beyond Belief to see the great projects that they sponsor, and how to donate.

If you see references on My Secret Atheist Blog or Foundation Beyond Belief's website for voting to get the school donations from the credit card company Chase, unfortunately, voting is now closed, it ended at midnight last night.

A shout out to some of my favorite atheist and former Christian bloggers

There are so many great bloggers out there who are atheists, agnostics, and former Christians, and I want to introduce you to some of them. Some are completely atheist, some are fellow fundamentalism survivors like me, but are still searching/confused as to what they currently believe (but know that they don't want any part of Christianity).

One of my favorite qualities in a blogger is when they take the time out of their day to respond to readers and their comments, concerns, and questions. If I had to give out a "most responsive blogger" award, it would hands down go to Godless Poutine of My Secret Atheist Blog. Not only does he respond regularly to comments from readers, despite having a busy life that includes being an IT professional, a husband, and a father of a 3 year old son who has autism, but he actually devoted an entire blog post to giving a well thought out response to my comments on a previous post on Freethought blog's recent controversies and their proposed Atheism + movement. Read the post and comments following here .

Taking the time to do that shows just how seriously he takes his blog, and it's readers, and that's a great quality in a blogger.

My favorite informative blog on atheism is Debunking Christianity by John Loftus. John gives a unique perspective on Christianity from an academic prospective. He was a Phd theology student in the Church of Christ denomination before leaving the faith. He is an avowed atheist, and you can read his full intro story here. If you have been looking for a good resource of Christian doctrine/ the Bible and it's flaws, as well as good atheist arguments, look no further.

My award for quirkiest former Christian blogger would have to go to Joe at Incongruous Circumspection .
He is a former fundamentalist and was part of the extremist "Quiverfull" movement which feels that birth control of any form is immoral, and that having many children is a sign of divine blessing. He and his wife have 6 children, and he now considers himself an agnostic

 His posting style is hilariously erratic, and at times full of snark. Sometimes he can go from a long response to the sexism and horrible child raising techniques of  fundamentalist leaders Ed Baker and John Piper, to this post, in which he states his opinion on abortion in just 8 words, and that includes the title of the post! He also enjoys talking about on the random insights on life that only raising children can give you. Sometimes the shortest statements are the most profound, as seen by his abortion post, there's many great comments there, including a great rebuttal comment from a reader to my comment.

A good blog for looking at Christianity from the perspective of someone who has lived it is Past Tense, Present Progessive by blogger "Latebloomer". She presents a very raw, real, personal look at her homeschooled upbringing, and how it effects her still to this day. Read the full series on her life from childhood to early adult years here. She also does a great job of exposing extremists like author Reb Bradley, (distracted OCD moment here, but seriously, a first name of "Reb"? that's just begging for some redneck jokes......) . His books on child raising give a very frightening look at how fundies view their children and their ideas on how to raise them. Her critical review of his 1995 book "Child Training Tips" is very much worth reading. Posts, Introduction , A Parent Who Assumes The Worst , and  An Extremely Controlling Parent  are her posts so far on the subject, check back every couple days for more, it's an eye-opening series.

I could post some more of my favorite blogs but I don't want this post to get too long, I might make a part 2 sometime soon, and I'm also considering expounding more on Latebloomer's criticism of Reb Bradley, my thoughts on what she has exposed about his views, and how much of his views reflect how I was raised as well.

If you don't see any more posts on these topics by Labor Day (September 3rd), you may have to wait for a while, since I will be out of the St. Louis area the week of September 4th, and are unsure how much time I will have to post.

I noticed that people are linking to my blog and reading it from some varied places, including Canada, England, and even Russia. If you are reading this, let me know! Comment, tell me what can be improved, suggest topics, tell me how you found out about my blog. I thank you for reading my thoughts here, but I want you to join me in the discussion.