From the Richard Dawkins Foundation Newsletter. Subscribe here.
Hello!
The mission of the Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason & Science has always been two-fold. We work to promote scientific literacy and a secular worldview. The stories we’ll look at this month illustrate how and why those two goals are inextricable and why it’s important to employ a variety of tactics to achieve those ends.
When we talk about the growing population of nonbelievers and “Nones,” much of that conversation is focused on one-time believers who’ve moved away from their faith background. Less emphasis is sometimes given to how secular parents and teachers can foster humanist values in children from an early age. We’ll look at a new Oxford University research paper that seeks to understand how the combination of “push” and “pull” has paved the way for an increasingly atheist Britain.
One of the most obvious “push” factors alienating rational people from religion is the violence perpetrated by the zealous faithful to punish blasphemers and apostates. The New York Times recently looked at the growing danger of blasphemy-fueled mob violence in Pakistan and how often authorities look the other way.
We’ll also look at how the Center for Inquiry (CFI) and other organizations are pushing back on efforts to bring religious chaplains into public schools as counselors, chipping away at the foundation of public education free from religious proselytizing.
Getting students, and people of any age, to appreciate the transformative power of science is a key part of our mission. I’m delighted to share details about how CFI’s ScienceSaves program is highlighting the lifesaving impact of science this month through its 2024 Science Clash Tournament.
Finally, we’ll look at how the Darwin Project has worked to make the contents of Charles Darwin’s personal library available online, allowing us to better understand the writings that influenced his paradigm-changing scientific work.
While the pathway and tactics may change, our mission never will. The Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason & Science will always look for the best and most effective ways to elevate science and secularism. Thank you for your continued support of that mission.
Robyn E. Blumner,
CEO and President, Center for Inquiry
Executive Director, Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason & Science
