Probably you’ve heard that John is leaving SIN. Whenever someone leaves a network like this there is always speculation about bad blood, whether warranted or not. I’d like to make it clear that I haven’t seen any of that here and that I support John and wish him all the best in his future efforts at Debunking Christianity. I’ve enjoyed his books, I’ve enjoyed his company, I enjoyed having him on the Godcast back in 2010, I enjoyed tabling for Skeptic Ink with him at TAM a couple weeks back. I am truly sorry to see him go, but I’ll still be reading and commenting on his blog and recommending his work to my friends who need to bone up on Christianity.
Religion can be one of the most toxic forms of woo, particularly when it makes bold and testable claims to lure people in. The skeptic movement needs people who are willing to apply skepticism (in both the narrower and broader sense) to the various unproven claims and harmful aspects of religion, and I expect that many of the writers here Skeptic Ink will continue to do just that. Personally, I intend to step up my writing against Christian evangelicalism in particular, because of how it convinces otherwise good-hearted people to act hatefully towards their own friends, neighbors, and families.
In my twelve years of activism within the Oklahoma Atheists, I’ve seen countless families torn apart by Christian dogma, usually people deliberately estranging themselves from ‘sinners’ or apostates in line with Jesus’ own anti-family values and Paul’s rampant homophobia. Debunking Christianity is not merely a name for a website, then, given the harm that Christian doctrine manifestly causes to unbelievers and other oppressed minorities. It is a moral imperative. I wish John the very best in continuing to pursue this worthy mission, in whatever way he sees fit.
