WHEN Oz’s PM Julia Gillard expressed her heartfelt sympathy for the families of the victims of the Greymouth mine disaster, which occurred on November 19, she pointedly avoided religious language. In a recorded statement, Ms Gillard simply expressed her: Condolences . . . best wishes, sympathy and support. This omission has apparently pissed off the [...]
AUSTRALIAN atheists have gone on the offensive following the latest attempt by Cardinal George Pell, Catholic Archbishop of Sydney, to demonise the growing number of Australians who live without religion. Speaking at a Mass celebrating the appointment of General Peter Cosgrove as Chancellor of the Australian Catholic University, Pell preached that atheists “are frightened by [...]
PITTED against former Prime Minister and Catholic convert Tony Blair, atheist Christopher Hitchens yesterday emerged the clear winner of a debate on religion. The two went head to head in Toronto to debate whether religion is a force for good in the world. During the Munk debate, Hitchens, author of God is not Great: How [...]
A Somali-born Muslim fanatic plotted to carry out a car bomb attack at a crowded Christmas tree lighting ceremony in downtown Portland yesterday, but the bomb turned out to be a dud supplied by undercover agents as part of a sting, federal prosecutors said. Mohamed Osman Mohamud, 19, was arrested at 5:40 pm just after [...]
A UN General Assembly committee has once again voted to condemn the “vilification of religion”, but support narrowed for a measure that Western powers say is a threat to freedom of expression. The non-binding resolution, championed by Islamic states and opposed by Western countries, passed by only 12 votes in the General Assembly’s Third Committee, [...]
Continue reading about UN again votes to condemn vilification of religion, but support is shrinking
FEARS that Muslim fanatics may harm Asia Bibi, the Pakistani woman accused of blasphemy, have forced her family into hiding. Following the news that her death sentence may not be carried out after an intervention by the country’s President, there was an angry reaction from Muslim militants. Fearing a violent backlash, Asia’s family has now [...]
Continue reading about Muslim fanatics in Pakistan force blasphemy woman’s family into hiding
The Freethinker was founded in 1881 by GW Foote, an outspoken critic of religion. After the publication of 
