So I'm guessing when Pope Francis fills out his bracket his final four will be Gonzaga, Georgetown, Marquette, and Creighton.#godspicks

— Brian Ehman (@Behman1123) March 14, 2013

Pope Francis I said: "gay adoption was a form of discrimination against children." #notimpressed #adopt

— Nicole (@niccichenet) March 14, 2013

#Pope #Francis seriously highlights the contradictions between the social and fiscal conservatives in the #GOP

— Common Man (@CommonestMan) March 14, 2013

Shout out to pope Francis for bringing transitions lenses to the Vatican #G #swag #vision #blessed

— Sebastien Dumont (@SeabassDumont) March 14, 2013

Clergy sexual abuse victims urge Pope Francis to declare "zero tolerance" for sex crimes as first official act bit.ly/YbRXwG

— Agence France-Presse (@AFP) March 14, 2013

#PopeFrancis says you shouldn't get communion if you have a different opinion on abortion/euthanasia/etc than the church. How welcoming.

— Forrest Smith (@Forrest_R_Smith) March 14, 2013

"gay adoption is a form of discrimination against children." -Pope Francis.Good job cardinals! picked a winner this time...#NOT

— Seneca Schwenning (@SenecaPrattles) March 14, 2013

I don't wanna hear about #popefrancis until there's been reparations and jail sentences in the global #sexscandal and #crimesagainsthumanity

— Martin Belk (@MartinNYID) March 14, 2013

I guess I became pope today! First order of business: God is not real. Go and live your life. #popefrancis

— William Control (@williamcontrol) March 13, 2013

"From so simple a beginning endless forms most beautiful & most wonderful have been, and are being, evolved" #Darwin twitter.com/lauraleebiolog…

— Laura Hubbard (@lauraleebiology) February 12, 2013

Why are there no dragons? Didn't fire-breathing evolve? #darwin #evolution #dragons ow.ly/hF28n

— Plasma Engineer (@plasma_engineer) February 12, 2013

"A man who dares to waste one hour of time has not discovered the value of life." Happy Birthday Charles Darwin #darwin #entrepreneur

— Dana (@zigzagger105) February 12, 2013

Happy 204th birthday, Charles Darwin! Thanks for observing and following the evidence wherever it lead #science #darwin #evolution

— Skeptical (@RC_Skeptic) February 12, 2013

Happy #Darwin Day!!! Or, as I like to call it, Evolution Awareness Day. Brush up on your knowledge today! twitter.com/CaraColeen/sta…

— Cara Coleen  (@CaraColeen) February 12, 2013

"I am not apt to follow blindly the lead of other men." ~ Charles Darwin ow.ly/hF5G7 #Darwin

— an cailín cainteach (@Trillian_01) February 12, 2013

Ohio Atheist is featuring a year in review on atheism in 2012. Since it’s equal parts conclusive, funny and true, it’s worth posting in its entirety:

Atheism 2012: The Year in Review

*Warning* Adult language below. 

Now that 2012 has passed, I thought I’d share with you what I learned about atheism in 2012, through Twitter, YouTube, blogging, etc. Since I am relatively new to the “community,” some of the events that triggered what I learned in 2012 occurred before 2012, but I learned them myself in 2012. As a premise to my list, please note that I am a man, and thus, a misogynist asshole.*

1. I may only go into elevators alone. If a woman enters the elevator with me, I must leave immediately.*
2. As a man, my brain is that of a damaged woman. Unfortunately, because my brain is damaged, I am too stupid to realize what a misogynistic asshole I really am. Any woman (who is not a “chill girl”) who tells me I am a misogynistic asshole is inherently correct, and I must immediately apologize and modify my behavior.*
3. When crossing the street and a female approaches, I must immediately run away. If I am in a crowded area full of many females, I had no business being there in the first place.*
4. Virtual hugs are bad. Really bad.*
5. Even though I have never raped a woman, or ever desired to, I will rape you, if you are a woman. Come here, it’s rapey time.*
6. If I am drunk and have sex with a woman, she has been raped. If she is drunk and I am sober, I am still a rapist. Only women can be raped, and only men can rape. Actually, sobriety is irrelevant. All sex is a man raping a woman, even if it’s two men having sex. It’s all rape. Rape!*
7. Social justice is a well-defined term that everyone agrees on. There is no room for interpretation. Thank goodness.*
8. All atheists are mature. No atheists result to name calling, profanity, false DMCAs, or doc dropping. It never happens. We’re all upstanding hallmarks of a good society.*
9. When commenting on blogs and tweeting, saying ‘fuck’ a lot of writing in all caps is an effective communication technique and should be used whenever possible.*
10. If you disagree with a feminist about anything, you are a misogynist.*
11. ‘Mansplaining’ is a real word. Seriously, go look it up in the Webster’s dictionary. It’s there.*
12. When selecting speakers for an atheist/secular/humanist conference, you must select an equal number of men and women, or more women. Qualifications such as experience, education, scientific acclaim or knowledge, speaking ability or number of best sellers about atheism are irrelevant. It’s best to just pick some random bloggers – but not me, I’m a guy.*
13. It’s OK to tell others to “check their privilege” when using your own for personal gain.*
14. Blogging is ‘real’ activism. Don’t waste your time working with legislators, volunteering at a soup kitchen, or helping battered women. Stay behind your computer screen and affect real change.*
15. Atheism + is a raging success. It is not a self-proctored form of therapy, as some detractors have claimed.*
16. Atheism naturally leads to feminism and social justice (as well-defined as it is).*
17. Equality only means equality for women. Men cannot claim inequality under any circumstances. And other minorities, such as African Americans and Hispanics? Forget about it, especially if you’re a man. You already have equality, so shut up, you misogynist asshole.*
18. The true definition of atheism is “equality for women.” All that lack-of-belief-in-any-gods stuff is irrelevant.*
19. Silencing critics and name calling are logical forms of argument.*
20. Logical fallacies and claims without evidence only matter when debating theists.*
21. There is only one brand of feminism.*
22. I’m a man, so I should go fuck myself.* **

*Upon critical analysis, I determined these claims were in fact, false.

**Does not apply to PZ Myers.

(Yes, this is satire. Don’t call your mom if you don’t like it. Just keep blogging and let the slactivism flow through you…and don’t forget to use the word ‘fuck’ a lot in your comment.)

Credit: Will Oremus

Via Slate:

Original sin makes no sense whatsoever biblically or logically.#atheisthotline #atheism #atheistrollcall

— James of the Lepus (@NullGodPointer) December 4, 2012

If Jesus is the light of their life why do Christians not pay less for power? #atheism

— Godless Atheist (@GodlessAtheist) December 4, 2012

I'm at 2,557 days since becoming an #atheist.Still haven't committed a rape, murder or theft. Soon though, I'm sure.#atheism

— Jake Farr-Wharton (@JakeFarrWharton) December 4, 2012

If there is life on other planets did god have to save them too? And does he communicate with them thru archaic writings? #atheism

— Sean Quinton (@sean_quinton) December 4, 2012

A personal god to the 15 billion humans that have ever lived, plus the countless other planets that likely support life. Really??#atheism

— Sean Quinton (@sean_quinton) December 4, 2012

"'Faith' means not wanting to know what is true." Friedrich Nietzsche #atheism #skeptic #christian #bible #jesus #god #islam #muslim

— Flying Free (@FlyingFree333) December 4, 2012

How pathetic, the only thing that the perfectly "forgiving" God of Christianity could not forgive was the original sin?! #atheism #religion

— B.S Knight (@truthfulheretic) December 4, 2012

pascal's wager is like going to a horse race and betting on a unicorn, just in case #atheism #atheists #god #bible #jesus

— Christian Burket (@ChristianBurket) December 4, 2012

Why be good? Because the smile of a relative, friend, neighbour, colleague, or stranger outweighs the promise of heaven. #Atheism

— Donovan (@MrOzAtheist) November 17, 2012

How do you know God's a perfectionist?Just look at the state he got into over that little mistake with foreskin design. #Atheism

— Rosa Rubicondior (@RosaRubicondior) November 18, 2012

I find it very disturbing that " #godhates fags" yet is perfectly ok being represented by paedophiles#atheism #teamjesus #CatholicChurch

— clearminded (@secularbloke) November 18, 2012

I guess iMessage is working about as good as iPrayer today.#atheism

— Frank (@Atheism_Tweets) November 18, 2012

If the bible's authors were mistaken on telling us where we came from, how can we trust them to tell us where we're going? #Atheism #Skeptic

— Dr. Reason (@DrJReason) November 18, 2012

If you think your afterlife will be better than your current life, you're not really living. You're just waiting to die. #atheist #atheism

— Another atheist (@kaimatai) November 18, 2012

“Nothing could be more dangerous to the existence of this Republic than to introduce religion into politics” Robert G. Ingersoll #atheism

— Flying Free (@FlyingFree333) November 18, 2012

In my opinion, a feature of an "All-loving" being should not be damning people to an eternity of torture. But that's just me!#Atheism

— Melissa (@Mel_in_Canada) November 18, 2012

Via Twitter:

Questions to worry Christians.If you don't know right from wrong without the Bible, how do you know Satan didn't write it? #Atheism #Bible

— Rosa Rubicondior (@RosaRubicondior) November 12, 2012

Pray to me! I already know what you want; I just want to hear you beg. — God. (◕‿~)✿#atheism #atheist #AtheistRollCall #prayer #god

— Monica Salcedo (@Monicks) November 12, 2012

Surveying the behavior of humans in history, one should feel great relief that there isn't an immortal deity masterminding it all. #atheism

— Marco the Atheist (@marco_iO9) November 12, 2012

Any entity able to effortlessly cure cancer in babies but chooses not to, cannot in any sense be called loving or moral. #atheist #atheism

— Another atheist (@kaimatai) November 12, 2012

Denial of #evolution is entirely irrational because it is an observable natural event. This fact is irrefutable. #atheist #atheism

— Another atheist (@kaimatai) November 12, 2012

Romney thanks everyone for their prayers...proving once again nothing fails like prayer.#atheism #Obama2012

— NoDogma13 (@DDiamond13) November 7, 2012

@mrozatheist When did snakes stop talking? Or maybe they've just got nothing interesting to say anymore #Atheism

— Nick Holmes (@NickHolmes88) November 12, 2012

Stories from the #Bible. God made the sun & moon stand still in the sky.No one in Greece, Persia, Egypt, India or China noticed. #Atheism

— Rosa Rubicondior (@RosaRubicondior) November 12, 2012

The WoolyBumblebee ‏@WoolyBumblebee #Atheismplus has 2044 users – 13 mods – 3 admin – 38 banned users = 1990. Of which only 831 ever made MORE than ONE post on the forums.

Atheism+ ‏@atheismplus #atheismplus inclusiveness. Everyone is welcome, just so long as you’re not foreign. Or if you are, you’d better have PERFECT English.

Atheism+ ‏@atheismplus In #atheismplus we have special words. Objections are ‘hate’. Objectors are ‘angry at outspoken women’. Dislike of us/A+ is ‘misogyny’.

Atheist Smeghead ‏@AtheistSmeghead My question about #atheismplus STILL hasn’t been answered: What do those social issues have to do with a lack of belief in any deity?

Renee Hendricks ‏@reneehendricks Really? http://atheismplus.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=26361#p26361 … WTF is wrong with those mods on #AtheismPlus? Gigantic asshats, I swear.

The post she is referencing:

Re: Men: Are You Willing To Be Called A Potential Rapist?

by maiforpeace » Sun Oct 07, 2012 11:34 pm

Specimen, bonjour!I speak several languages including French, and I’m afraid you don’t possess the English language skills to communicate properly in such a serious and mindful discussion. I think you are better off just reading right now, and maybe you can get a buddy who writes English better to help you write posts so you can participate and offer your own contributions to this thread.

So I will ask you politely to desist from posting further in this thread. Thank you, Mai

A reader was asked to quit posting because they don’t speak perfect English? Wtf.

And further down in the thread:

by Flewellyn » Mon Oct 08, 2012 1:19 am

MOD NOTE: This topic is no longer serving a useful purpose. It has been locked.

So an admin just locks a conversation whenever they subjectively feel it’s no longer serving a purpose? Stunning.

More Tweets:

Stormye Weather ‏@Nuclear_Wynter Can you imagine a room full of black men pontificating on being labeled “potential criminals” to make white people feel safe?!#atheismplus

Maria Maltseva ‏@bluharmony @Stefanelli is my hero: Q&A about Atheism Plus, White Male Privilege, Guilt by Association, Schrodinger’…http://freethoughtblogs.com/alstefanelli/2012/10/09/qanda/ … …

Za-zen ‏@Zaminuszen Next time that homeless wanker logs on to his laptop, somebody please point him to #AtheismPlus forums so we can correct his privilege.

Jamie Stanton ‏@finalcontext Just told by #atheismplus mod that treating people equally regardless of gender, race etc makes me “part of the problem” *head explodes*

Here I respond to some criticism I received regarding a post on Jen McCreight quitting Free Thought Blogs:

Referenced links:

1. http://furiouspurpose.me/of-jen-mccreight-trains-and-white-towels
2. http://www.jeremystyron.com/2012/09/mccreight-throws-in-the-white-towel
3. http://freethoughtblogs.com/blaghag/2012/09/goodbye-for-now