Live on Live - Saudi Author in Exile, Rana Ahmad

RFI's Sarah Elzas talks to activist and author Rana Ahmad about her childhood in Saudi Arabia, why she fled - and what life's like as an athiest in Germany. Ahmad's first book, "Women Aren’t Allowed to Dream Here" has been published in both German and French.

Muslim Revert Stories - From Jewish Atheist to Islam

1. A revert to Islam describes his early life born in a Jewish family but strongly atheist and his first encounters with Muslims. 2. Early encounters with Islam. Spiritual awakening and seeking proof Islam is the truth. 3. Born to a Jewish family but throughout life atheist in belief a Muslim revert describes how he finally accepts Islam and becomes Muslim. 4. Muslim revert born to a Jewish family gives advice to Muslims as well as Jews, Christians and other non-Muslims.

Bible Belt Atheist | Op-Docs | The New York Times

In this short documentary, a former Pentecostal preacher starts a secular congregation in the heart of the Bible Belt.

Seth Andrews: From Religion to Reason

Seth Andrews chronicles his personal story for a live Minneapolis audience, the event sponsored by Minnesota Atheists.

Debate: Atheist vs Muslim (Christopher Hitchens vs Tariq Ramadan) | 2013

Debate: Atheist vs Christian (Richard Dawkins vs Cardinal George Pell)

Seth Andrews: Christianity Made Me Talk Like an Idiot

Seth Andrews gave this speech June 3, 2017 in Toronto at the Imagine 7 conference. It's a humorous (and perhaps therapeutic) romp through Seth's religious past...and the often bizarre words and attitudes that reflected his Christian faith.

Brad Pitt Mocks His Parents Speaking in Tongues; Talks Frustration With Christianity's 'Don'ts'

CHRISTIAN POST: Actor Brad Pitt, who has identified as an atheist despite his Baptist upbringing, opened up in a recent interview about how his parents moved toward the charismatic tradition, and about some of his frustrations with Christianity.

"We grew up First Baptist, which is the cleaner, stricter, by-the-book Christianity. Then, when I was in high school, my folks jumped to a more charismatic movement, which got into speaking in tongues and raising your hands and some goofy-a** [expletive]," Pitt told GQ magazine in an interview released on Wednesday.

When asked whether he witnessed the speaking of tongues himself, the actor replied:

"Yeah, come on. I'm not even an actor yet, but I know ... I mean the people, I know they believe it. I know they're releasing something. God, we're complicated. We're complicated creatures."

Pitt has left Christianity and is now an atheist, The Telegraph reported in 2015 in a separate interview with Pitt, where the actor said that since an early age, he was instilled "with all the Christian guilt about what you can and cannot, should and shouldn't do.” » | Stoyan Zeimov, Christian Post Reporter | Saturday, May 5, 2017

Georgia Pastor's Mind Blown by European Atheists

A Finnish television network recently filmed a Southern Baptist pastor as he visited secular Nordic countries and struggled to come to grips with widespread LGBT rights and atheism.

Douglas Murray & Maajid Nawaz on Atheism within Islam

Non-Believers in the Muslim World: A Tale of Two Identities | Ali A. Rizvi

Ali A. Rizvi is a Pakistani-Canadian writer, physician, and musician who resides in Toronto. He is currently writing his first book, The Atheist Muslim: A journey from religion to reason.

This talk is about the experiences of non-believers and apostates in the Muslim world. Ali’s communication with hundreds of ex-Muslims in Muslim-majority countries as well as in the West has provided valuable insights into how secularism could be promoted in the Muslim world.

Atheist Richard Dawkins vs Emotional Muslim Journalist on Islam and Atheism

Atheist Richard Dawkins Debate Emotional Muslim Journalist on Islam, Religion and Atheism.

Atheist Richard Dawkins vs Muslim Journalist on Islam and Atheism

Sam Harris’ Response to Reza Aslan Calling Him a Fundamentalist Atheist

Reza: "The most literal literalist in the world doesn't read the Bible more literally than Sam Harris does."

Saudi Arabia Declares Atheists Terrorists under New Laws Targeting Citizens Who 'Call for Secular Thought in Any Form'

MAIL ONLINE: Saudi Arabia has officially identified atheists as terrorists in sweeping new laws that threaten up to 20 years in prison for almost any criticism of the government or Islam.

The regulations place secular citizens who commit thought crimes in the same category as violent terrorist groups such as Al-Qaeda's Yemen branch and Saudi Hezbollah.

Under the new decree by King Abdullah, Saudi Arabia will jail for up to 20 years anyone who fights in conflicts abroad - an apparent move to deter Saudis from joining rebels in Syria.

But the law also applies to any Saudi citizen or a foreigner residing in the kingdom that 'calls for atheist thought in any form or calls into question the fundamentals of the Islamic religion on which this country is based.'

The laws have been denounced by human rights groups for making no distinction between religious expression and violent extremism.

'Saudi authorities have never tolerated criticism of their policies, but these recent laws and regulations turn almost any critical expression or independent association into crimes of terrorism,' said Joe Stork, deputy Middle East and North Africa director at Human Rights Watch. » | Simon Tomlinson | Tuesday, April 01, 2014

Atheists in Egypt Say They Struggle to Have Their Views Heard

BBC: A leading Egyptian cleric says Islamic extremism is motivating some people in the country to reject religion entirely.

Atheism is widely considered a taboo topic in Egypt and non-believers say that they often feel the need to keep their discussions private.

In the coastal city of Alexandria, the BBC spoke to a group of atheists about the difficulties they face living in a conservative society.

Hadya Alalawi reports (+ BBC video) » | Tuesday, February 11, 2014

Is America Losing Faith? Atheism on the Rise But Still in the Shadows

American Way: Atheist activists' numbers are growing in the US as they take on Big Religion, but many keep quiet for fear of alienation in one Bible-minded Virginia town

Read the Telegraph article here | Peter Foster, Blacksburg, Virginia | Saturday, February 08, 2014

Atheist Afghan Man Granted Asylum in UK to Protect Him from ‘Religious’ Persecution

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: An Afghan asylum seeker who become an atheist has been granted leave to remain in Britain because he would face ‘religious’ persecution for abandoning Islam

A young Afghan man who became an atheist after coming to Britain has been granted asylum on the grounds that the threat to his life for having no faith would amount to “religious” persecution.

In what is thought to be the first case of its kind in the UK, the Home Office accepted that sending the man back to his country of birth could put him in danger specifically because of his lack of religious beliefs.

The man, who is not being named for safety reasons, was born a Muslim but abandoned his faith after coming to the UK as a teenager around five years ago.

Apostasy – or abandoning the faith – can be punished with the death penalty under Afghan law.

Central to his case to the Home Office was the example of Abdul Rahman an Afghan man who was put on trial and faced death in 2006 for converting to Christianity. » | John Bingham, Religious Affairs Editor | Monday, January 13, 2014

Religious People Are Less Intelligent Than Atheists, Analysis of Over 63 Scientific Studies Stretching Back over Decades Concludes

THE INDEPENDENT: Study found 'a reliable negative relation between intelligence and religiosity' in 53 out of 63 studies

A new review of 63 scientific studies stretching back over decades has concluded that religious people are less intelligent than non-believers.

A piece of University of Rochester analysis, led by Professor Miron Zuckerman, found “a reliable negative relation between intelligence and religiosity” in 53 out of 63 studies.

According to the study entitled, 'The Relation Between Intelligence and Religiosity: A Meta-Analysis and Some Proposed Explanations', published in the 'Personality and Social Psychology Review', even during early years the more intelligent a child is the more likely it would be to turn away from religion.

In old age above average intelligence people are less likely to believe, the researchers also found. » | Rob Williams | Monday, August 12, 2013

Godless Gatherings: Lust for Life Drives UK Atheists to Church
In challenging times many join to the church for solace and support. But in Britain the great number of atheists has lead to the creation of an essentially new congregation in which religion is taken out of the equation. RT's Polly Boiko asked them what drives non-believers to use the House of God anyway?