In a press release issued by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (aka “Mormon” or “LDS church”), the LDS church proved how difficult it is to serve two masters - in this case, the basis of their beliefs of denying civil rights to others, and the obligation not… Read full post »

Rick Warren resembles a giant teddy bear. Just look at the man. He looks like that big, fuzzy uncle you always wish you had. Not the creepy “let’s me know you a game played in the basement”, or the loud drunken kind. But the cool kind – the one that you… Read full post »

When I was growing up, my friends were obsessed with sports. Baseball cards (which they were certain would lead to riches to pay for college) or tracking the stats of any given team. As their fervor grew, there came to be camps favoring one team over the other.

If… Read full post »

On any given day of the week, I try not to talk about negative things about religion. It gets old. And really, it's not like every believer does this kind of thing. I'd no sooner judge all of Islam for one shooter as I'd just all Christianity from the KKK or… Read full post »

When I came out of the atheist closet, a few months went by before my wife and I were having a conversation about the Founding Fathers and their religious beliefs. About how people like Jefferson or Washington had spiritual beliefs, but were clearly distrustful of organized religion.

“Is that… Read full post »

Preface: This is part of an ongoing series about a former Mormon turned atheist attempting to visit 52 different religious groups within a year. Every episode is caught in a podcast that you can subscribe to at 52 Weeks, 52 Religions with John Hummel . This post is part of… Read full post »

Growing up LDS (aka Mormon),  I was instilled with a set of rules practically from the time I was old enough to toothlessly gnaw on the Scriptures. Swearing? Bad. Smoking? Bad. Unmarried sex? Next to murder[1].Smoking and drinking alcohol? May as well just be struck dead right then and there.… Read full post »

Very sad news from Fort Hood in Texas - a shooting has taken place. As of this writing, 7 dead, 20 injured with authorties searching for the shooters.

 I think I speak for everyone in saying that our thoughts are with the victims and their families.

UPDATE (1640 EST): Just… Read full post »

Ted Haggard, the former gay bashing mega-church running pastor of New Life fame brought down by accusasing he was having a sexual affair with another man, is starting up anther church .

As the article mentions, this time he hopes to simply start small, maybe 20 odd people… Read full post »

Back when I was still a Mormon, I was considered something of a rebel. No, not because I drank coffee or had an earring. I was a rebel, because I (duh-duh-duhhhh) voted Democrat.

During the Obama campaign, I had an elderly gentleman in the church approach me.“Don’t you know… Read full post »

Preface: This is part of an ongoing series about a former Mormon turned atheist attempting to visit 52 different religious groups within a year. Every episode is caught in a podcast that you can subscribe to at 52 Weeks, 52 Religions with John Hummel . This post is part of a… Read full post »

For the better part of a year, I've been visiting a different religion a week to interview ministers about what they beleive in. I've tried to be polite and respectful to each one in finding out what they believe and why.

As I've been doing this project, people ask… Read full post »

When I left my religion of 35 years, the religion I had been born into, I ended a 10 year stint as an in closet atheist. And started a year of attending 52 different religious services.

The genesis of my leaving the Latter-Day Saint (LDS, aka Mormon) church really started around… Read full post »