Freedom of religion is a fundamental aspect of liberty, the pursuit of happiness, and the dignity of being human.

Freedom of religion is under threat—in the United States and around the world—from religious nationalists, religious extremists, theocrats, fascists, and others, including the merely greedy who pursue their own selfish interests by manipulating the masses through religion.

This blog is an effort to shine a light on these issues, to combat religious nationalism and religious extremism, to promote freedom of conscience, and to be a safe haven for like-minded folks who want to think and talk about what it means to be human.

Although I’m an academic, this site isn’t targeted at academics. Together, we’ll do accessible and informative philosophy for the public at the intersection of politics and religion.

Some of the big topics here are whether and how we can have knowledge of the supernatural, the extent to which religious ideas do or don’t belong in government, the philosophy behind religious toleration, and the separation of church and state. My approach is mainly philosophical (ranging across metaphysics, epistemology, philosophy of science, ethics, philosophy of religion, and more), but since these topics often intersect with the law, politics, and modern culture, I discuss them, too.

Comments, discussions, ideas for future posts, and disagreements are all very welcome and encouraged. But note that the Comments feed is moderated: Abuse, being a jerk, trolling, and otherwise acting in bad faith or with bad manners will mean your comments won’t appear. We are looking for productive, useful, kind, and helpful interactions that drive the conversation forward. The world is a strange, difficult, and confusing place. Together, let’s make it better, not worse.