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Hi reader!
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Welcome to the April newsletter!
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We are rounding the corner of a year of this newsletter and I would love some feedback!
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I know your time is valuable so everyone who submits a survey will be entered in a drawing for a free silicone bracelet of your choice. You can find the survey here. Limit one entry per person.
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Grief for Atheists has sold internationally with five-star reviews but not enough folks have left a review to help other secular folks find the book. If you haven't left a review, please do. It really impacts search ranking and ensures folks in our community can find this important resource.
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Easter, a major Christian holiday, is upon us. In Christian religion, this is the celebration of Jesus rising from the dead. Interestingly, resurrection is not a new concept. It has happened in myths all over the world.
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This month, I wanted to share my fascination with decorated eggs from a series of blog posts I did. And eggs themselves, as well as their evolution, are simply extraordinary!
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It's astonishing to think that an egg shell takes about 20 hours to form.
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From an evolutionary perspective, eggs represent an interesting reproductive strategy - oviparity (where all nutrients are invested at once in an egg) versus viviparity (the continuous nourishment of gestation). Did you know live birth has independently evolved at least 121 separate times throughout Earth's history?
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But what really captures my imagination is how humans across time and cultures have transformed these utilitarian reproductive vessels into canvases for art and meaning...
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Decorating Eggs
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Decorated egg shells have been found at archeological digs as far back as the Neanderthals some 60,000 years ago. The practice has been found in ancient Egypt as well as in many other places around the world. Since the Neanderthals didn’t leave any written materials, we cannot know for certain what their decorated eggs were for. Archeologists believe they were used to store things and note that not only did different eggs have different decorations, but also that the intricacies of the design changed over time. Neat! (read more)
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While many of us are familiar with the Easter bunny (though personally, I find him the least credible of gift-bringing characters), did you know there's also a springtime fox and stork in other cultural traditions? In some European regions, flying church bells are said to deliver treats! I've collected these fascinating spring customs in my blog series - I hope you'll check it out here.
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This design combines the atheist A symbol with the beauty of the DNA double helix into a classic pattern!
You may have seen the red A around but wondered what it was all about...
In 2007, a bold red letter A was adopted from The Scarlet Letter to represent atheism. In The Scarlet Letter, the main character, Hester Prynne, is an unwed mother in a Puritan community who is tried and convicted of adultery when she has a child but is unmarried. Her sentence is a requirement to wear a large red letter A as a visual mark of her crime.
This book was written during the time of Elizabeth Cady Stanton and a wave of women's rights activism. In literature, it is often seen as a reflection of the demand for autonomy and equality that was brewing in society.
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Made of 95% polyester and 5% spandex, medium weight, very breathable. There are pockets on both sides for your phone, keys and other small items.
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$40.00
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As spring approaches, there are lots of ways we secular folks can celebrate. After all, most of the celebration started well before Christianity and is still relevant today.
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The changing season, renewed greenery, new baby animals, and passage of time are wonderful touch points.
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Some activities to consider:
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*Enjoy a good, Marie-Kondo-style spring cleaning. Donate what you don’t need to an organization that can find them a new, loving home.
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*Dress up a bit if you like. Spring is a wonderful time to wear a fancy dress or make (and rock) an amazing hat!
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*Nourish yourself and your family with fresh foods. Prepare, enjoy, and share a special meal. Include some fresh grains if you like.
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*Celebrate spring all around you. Plant some seeds, celebrate Earth Day (May 22) and the wonders of nature’s renewal.
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*Host a gathering of family and friends. Invite everyone to make or wear an outlandish hat. Make or acquire seed bomb eggs and let them dry in the sun while you dine together on a succulent feast.
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*Create an egg-stravaganza of decorated eggs if you partake. Decorate eggs with plant-based dyes, markers, symbols of nature, or create your own special meanings.
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*Enjoy the sweets of the season. Celebrate benevolent giving with an egg hunt or a basket of goodies from a rabbit, a fox, a stork, or a loving person.
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Finding solace after loss can be agonizing for nonbelievers, and the grief resources out there don't resonate with you as an atheist. You need real, practical help grounded in evidence, not empty fantasies.
Maybe you lost someone you love, or you’re struggling with a major life change. If platitudes and rhetoric ring hollow, this warm, evidence-based guide is for you.
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$15.00
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Do you know someone who would enjoy this newsletter? Sharing is caring!
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