“Sean Faircloth is doing such important work. There's not a doubt in my mind that if he was (suddenly, inexplicably) zapped back in time to meet Thomas Jefferson, that the Founding Father would clap him on the back and say ‘Thanks.’”
—Adam Savage, co-host and executive producer of MythBusters

About the Book

At no time in history has the United States had such a high percentage of theocratic members of Congress—those who expressly endorse religious bias in law. Just as ominously, especially for those who share the values and views of Thomas Jefferson and James Madison, at no other time have religious fundamentalists effectively had veto power over one of the country's two major political parties. As Sean Faircloth argues in this deeply sobering yet highly engaging book, this has led to the crumbling of the country's most cherished founding principle—the wall of separation between church and state.

While much of the public debate in the United States over church-state issues has focused on the construction of nativity scenes in town squares and the addition of "under  God" to the Pledge, Faircloth, a former politician and current director of strategy and policy for the Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and Science (U.S.), moves beyond the symbolism to explore the many ways federal and state legal codes privilege religion in law. He demonstrates in vivid detail how religious bias in law harms all Americans—financially, militarily, physically, socially, and educationally—and directs special attention to the outlandish words, views, and policy proposals of the most theocratic politicians, a group he labels the Fundamentalist Fifty. Sounding a much-needed alarm for all who care about the future direction of the country, Faircloth concludes by offering an inspiring ten-point vision of an America returned to its secular roots and by providing a specific and sensible plan for realizing this vision. Both his vision and his plan remember and remind that the United States is, above all else, one nation under the Constitution.

About the Author(s)

Sean Faircloth is the director of strategy and policy for the Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and Science (US). He served for a decade in the Maine State Legislature, where he successfully spearheaded over thirty pieces of legislation. He was elected majority whip by his colleagues in his last term. Richard Dawkins (foreword by) is a Fellow of the Royal Society and was the inaugural holder of the Charles Simonyi Chair of Public Understanding of Science at Oxford University.

Details

ISBN: 9780984493258
Format: paperback
SRP: $14.95
Page count: 168 pages
Trim size: 6 x 9
Pub date: October 2012

Also available in hardcover (ISBN: 9780984493241; SRP: $21.95)

"Many people are nonplussed by the surge of wokery, social justice warfare, intersectionality, and identity politics that has spilled out of academia and inundated other spheres of life. Where did it come from? What ideas are behind it? This book exposes the surprisingly shallow intellectual roots of the movements that appear to be engulfing our culture."
—Steven Pinker, Johnstone Professor of Psychology, Harvard University, and author of Enlightenment Now

About the Book

Have you heard that language is violence and that science is sexist? Have you read that certain people shouldn’t practice yoga or cook Chinese food? Or been told that being obese is healthy, that there is no such thing as biological sex, or that only white people can be racist? Are you confused by these ideas, and do you wonder how they have managed so quickly to challenge the very logic of Western society?

In this probing and intrepid volume, Helen Pluckrose and James Lindsay document the evolution of the dogma that informs these ideas, from its coarse origins in French postmodernism to its refinement within activist academic fields. Today this dogma is recognizable as much by its effects, such as cancel culture and social-media dogpiles, as by its tenets, which are all too often embraced as axiomatic in mainstream media: knowledge is a social construct; science and reason are tools of oppression; all human interactions are sites of oppressive power play; and language is dangerous. As Pluckrose and Lindsay warn, the unchecked proliferation of these anti-Enlightenment beliefs present a threat not only to liberal democracy but also to modernity itself.

While acknowledging the need to challenge the complacency of those who think a just society has been fully achieved, Pluckrose and Lindsay break down how this often-radical activist scholarship does far more harm than good, not least to those marginalized communities it claims to champion. They also detail its alarmingly inconsistent and illiberal ethics. Only through a proper understanding of the evolution of these ideas, they conclude, can those who value science, reason, and consistently liberal ethics successfully challenge this harmful and authoritarian orthodoxy—in the academy, in culture, and beyond.

About the Author

Helen Pluckrose is a liberal political and cultural writer and speaker. She is the editor of Areo Magazine and the author of many popular essays on postmodernism, critical theory, liberalism, secularism, and feminism. A participant in the grievance studies affair probe, which highlighted problems in social justice scholarship, she is today an exile from the humanities, where she researched late medieval and early modern religious writing by and for women. She lives in England.

James Lindsay is a mathematician with a background in physics. He is interested in the psychology of religion, authoritarianism, and extremism and is the author of Everybody is Wrong about God. His other books include Life in Light of Death and How to Have Impossible Conversations. His essays have appeared in the Wall Street Journal, Los Angeles Times, Philosophers’ Magazine, Scientific American, and Time. He led the grievance studies affair probe that made international headlines in 2018, including the front page of the New York Times. He lives in Tennessee.

Details

ISBN: 9781634312028
Format: hardcover
SRP: $27.95
Page count: 352 pages
Trim size: 6 x 9
Pub date: August 2020

“The Necessity of Secularism discusses one of the most vital issues facing America and the world, and it does so with the logic and respectful tolerance for differences that itself expresses the very spirit of secularism. No matter what one's views on the existence of God, this is a unifying book. I can only hope that it will be read by all those for whom it is intended, which is, in a word, everyone.”
—Rebecca Goldstein, author of Plato at the Googleplex

About the Book

For the first time in human history, a significant percentage of the world’s population no longer believes in God. This is especially true in developed nations, where in some societies nonbelievers now outnumber believers. Unless religion collapses completely, or undergoes a remarkable resurgence, countries across the globe must learn to carefully and effectively manage this societal mix of religious and irreligious. For in a world already deeply riven by sectarian conflict, this unprecedented demographic shift presents yet another challenge to humanity. Writing in an engaging, accessible style, philosopher and lawyer Ronald A. Lindsay develops a tightly crafted argument for secularism—specifically, that in a religiously pluralistic society, a robust, thoroughgoing secularism is the only reliable means of preserving meaningful democracy and rights of conscience. Contrary to certain political pundits and religious leaders who commonly employ the term secularism as a scare word, Lindsay uses clear, concrete examples and jargon-free language to demonstrate that secularism is the only way to ensure equal respect and protection under the law—for believers and nonbelievers alike. Although critical of some aspects of religion, Lindsay neither presents an antireligious tirade nor seeks to convert anyone to nonbelief, reminding us that secularism and atheism are not synonymous. Rather, he shows how secularism works to everyone’s benefit and makes the definitive case that the secular model should be feared by none—and embraced by all.

About the Author

Ronald A. Lindsay is president and CEO of the Center for Inquiry and of its affiliates, the Council for Secular Humanism and the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry. He has a PhD in philosophy from Georgetown University, with a concentration in bioethics, and a JD from the University of Virginia. He is the author of the essay “Euthanasia” in the International Encyclopedia of Ethics and of the book Future Bioethics: Overcoming Taboos, Myths, and Dogmas. He lives in Alexandria, Virginia.

Details

ISBN: 9781939578129
Format: paperback
SRP: $16.95
Page count: 224 pages
Trim size: 6 x 9
Pub date: December 2014

"Parents of children who announce a transgender identity often find themselves in a world of confusion and contradiction. These brilliant, clear-eyed authors — all with extensive clinical experience — have written the emergency survival guide for families."
—Abigail Shrier, author of Irreversible Damage: Teenage Girls and the Transgender Craze

About the Book

Being the parent of a gender-questioning child is confusing. You want to do what’s best for your child, but doctors and therapists might make recommendations that conflict with your instincts as a parent, the person who best knows your child’s unique history, challenges and struggles. Do you immediately affirm a newly professed gender identity, watch and wait, or pursue some other path? While many books have been written for parents who choose to facilitate their child’s gender transition, there are almost no books for parents who do not think that social or medical transition is the best option for their child. Written by Sasha Ayad, Lisa Marchiano and Stella O’Malley – three mental health professionals who collectively have decades of experience working with trans-identified adolescents and their families – When Kids Say They’re Trans is a resource designed explicitly for those parents who do not think that hasty affirmation or medicalization is the best way to ensure the long-term health and well-being of their child. It is also for those who simply aren’t so sure about the best course of action and want to learn the facts before committing to a particular approach. At a time when schools, institutions and governments increasingly promote ideas about gender that confuse children and even encourage kids to keep secrets from their parents, the authors celebrate parental love and engagement as the bedrock that children need to move out into the world. As the authors make clear, parents who have successfully helped their children navigate gender distress without resorting to surgery and hormones have done so by actively taking the reins – not by reflexively outsourcing this responsibility or waiting until they found the ideal therapist or doctor. When Kids Say They’re Trans tells you all you need to know as a parent to help your child struggling with gender issues – and will give you the confidence to trust your own instincts as you guide and support your child on the path toward growth, acceptance and maturity.

About the Author(s)

Sasha Ayad is a licensed professional counselor in private practice who works with teens and young adults struggling with issues of gender dysphoria and gender identity. She also runs a robust parent coaching membership group to help parents navigate their child's identity exploration with discernment, wisdom, and compassion. Sasha is cohost of the podcast Gender: A Wider Lens. 

Lisa Marchiano is a licensed clinical social worker and a certified Jungian analyst. She consults with parents of trans-identifying teens and detransitioners and is the author of Motherhood: Facing and Finding Yourself. 

Stella O’ Malley is a psychotherapist and best-selling author whose work focuses on teenagers, parenting, and family dynamics. In addition to facilitating a parent coaching site that provides practical help to parents who are navigating their child’s gender-related distress, she is the cohost of Gender: A Wider Lens podcast and director of Genspect, an international organization that offers a healthy approach to sex and gender.

Details

ISBN: 9781634312486
Format: paperback
SRP: $19.95
Page count: 304 pages
Trim size: 6 x 9
Pub date: October 2023