Recent Comments
Dan Bionic Bidondi on Bible Contradictions #23: Can… Dan Bionic Bidondi on Bible Contradictions #23: Can… Dan Bionic Bidondi on Bible Contradictions #23: Can… Mare on But I’ve been to Tyre: T… comfortablytrev on Self-immolation: Is religion t… -
Author Archives: Ryren Cadora
Clashes, Sex, and Cognitive Dissonance
Later this month I’m giving two public presentations (one at a conference and one in a small, 10-person room) about a paper I’ve been working on for about six months (it gets moved around the burners depending on my workload). … Continue reading
Posted in Political Science
Tagged Atheism, cognitive dissonance, Islam, political science, Religion, Sexuality
Leave a comment
Existential and Spiritual Threats: Why the Church Still Exists
Traditionally speaking states serve one purpose—to protect its subjects from internal and external threats. Without an existential threat from across the border or within it, for what purpose does the state exist? In order to protect its subjects the state must … Continue reading
Posted in Atheism, Uncategorized
Tagged Atheism, Christianity, political science, Religion
Leave a comment
Should Atheists Lie about Beliefs for Love?
My girlfriend is Christian. She holds no judgements against me for not believing in god. Religion is never a topic of discussion, unless it’s in an academic sense or if it’s necessary to discuss a current event. She not only … Continue reading
Posted in Atheism, Uncategorized
Tagged Atheism, Christianity, God, Relationships, Religion
6 Comments
Santa Myth is Not the Same as Religious Myths
For as far back as I can remember atheist bloggers and others have been drawing a comparison between telling your children Santa is real and telling your children they can literally live forever if they believe in Jesus. I’ve repeated … Continue reading
Posted in Atheism, Uncategorized
Tagged Atheism, Christianity, Christmas, Religion, Santa Claus
1 Comment
Hunger (Strikes) Games: Palestinian Prisoners in Israel
This post has little to do with religion (aside from the Israel/Palestine debate), but I thought the subject worthy of an article on this blog. In 2012 Palestinian prisoners being held indefinitely in Israeli jails staged a massive and highly … Continue reading
Posted in Political Science
Tagged Atheism, game theory, Israel, Palestine, political science, Religion
Leave a comment
The Best Way to Convert an Atheist to Religion Is to Become an Atheist
The title above is probably not only provocative; it’s also highly counterintuitive. But please bear with me. Before I approach the religious part of this post—that it’s easier to convert an atheist to religion if you’re an atheist—I’m going to … Continue reading
A Quick Quote from a Research Project I’m Working On
One of the main projects I’m tasked with this semester is to empirically analyze Islam in contemporary Europe since March 11, 2004. To do this I’m using World Values Survey data. Doing this as someone who is biased against Islam is … Continue reading
Posted in Politics
Tagged Atheism, Islam, political science, radical Islam, Religion
Leave a comment
Want to Legally Stop Evangelism? Become the State
I work for a publicly funded university. My office is small and windowless and has three computers shared between considerably more than three grad students. Whenever I feel cramped or frustrated I go outside and sit in the sun, watching all the … Continue reading
Using Bayes’ Rule to Disprove Jesus Is a Double-Edged Sword
Last year historian Richard Carrier published On the Historicity of Jesus: Why We Might Have Reason for Doubt. While I haven’t read it (and therefore don’t plan on critiquing it now), it is on my reading list. As a grad student … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized
Tagged Atheism, Christianity, God, Jesus, Religion, the bible
Leave a comment
On Tempting Fate: Not Even Skepticism Can Cure My Irrational Fears
I’m a Ph.D student. I don’t write this to brag or infer that I’m an authority on any subject matter. Instead I write this because it’s central to this one cognitive failure I make again and again. Despite thinking of … Continue reading
The Atheist Papers 