James Still

Brief Biography of

James Still

Name: James Still

Degree: B.A., Philosophy, University of Minnesota (1998)

Since 1996, James Still has helped to build and maintain the Secular Web. He wrote an analysis of William Lane Craig's kalam cosmological argument for the existence of God that was included in the Naturalism, Theism, and the Scientific Enterprise conferenceat the University of Texas at Austin on February 20-23, 1997. He served as president of the Internet Infidels from 2000 until 2002. Compulsively and deterministically he dwells on philosophical problems and issues, especially the philosophy of Ludwig Wittgenstein, epistemology, religion, and logic. He is an avid yoga practitioner and reads widely in Eastern mysticism. Considering all of the hot air coming out of modern academia these days, he finds it ironic that in 1992 great wisdom came from two unlikely sources. First, Rodney King, whose beating at the hands of Los Angeles police caused a widespread riot asked half-rhetorically "Can't we all just get along?" Then later that year Admiral James Stockdale asked in his Vice Presidential debate, "Who am I? Why am I here?" thus simultaneously summing up the problem both of human beings and of modern democracy in America. Still believes fervently that great philosophy involves asking questions such as these rather than pretending to know all of the answers.

James Still is past president of the Internet Infidels, the nonprofit organization that maintains the Secular Web. He has been an active Infidel since 1996 serving also as secretary and newsletter editor. While an undergraduate at the University of Minnesota, Still wrote an analysis of William Lane Craig's kalam cosmological argument for the existence of God which was included in the Naturalism, Theism, and the Scientific Enterprise conference at the University of Texas at Austin on February 20-23, 1997. While he is a software developer by day, he often burns the midnight oil by reading philosophy and writing articles for publication on the Secular Web.

See also James Still's author page in the Secular Web Library.

Published on the Secular Web

The Evil Atheist Conspiracy

James Still | February 4, 2001

Our opponents discovered our plot to introduce queer values via Teletubbies, teens stopped listening to our backward-masked Satanic rock music, and Alan Greenspan thwarted our attempt to control the world’s money supply. What’s an evil atheist to do?

Death Is Not an Event in Life

James Still | December 4, 2000

We tumble into the world without purpose and when we leave it we are gone forever. But I still believe that, rightly examined and understood, we can experience eternal life.

“No Pray No Play” – What Went Wrong?

James Still | August 18, 2000

In protest against the recent Supreme Court decision against Santa Fe High School, Christian organizers at the school called for a “spontaneous prayer” to begin immediately after the school band played the national anthem. The plan fizzled and few participated in the prayer. Still gives two reason why he thinks it failed.

The Search for Jesus

James Still | May 25, 2000

Last night (June 26, 2000) on ABC, Peter Jennings hosted a two-hour special entitled “The Search for Jesus”. Jennings’ reporting is important because most Americans, ironically, are barely literate when it comes to the historical Jesus in particular and the New Testament texts in general.

Al Gore on Arrogant Atheists

James Still | April 2, 2000

If the message boards are not yet crawling with the news they soon will be: U.S. Vice President and Presidential candidate Al Gore admitted that he was a born-again Christian. During a 60 Minutes interview, broadcast on Dec. 5, he also attacked nonbelievers–or what Gore referred to as the “anti-religious view”– calling them “arrogant” and “intimidating . . . making people who do believe in God feel like they’re being put down and I don’t like that. I’ve never liked that.”

The Society of Humanist Philosophers 1999 Conference

James Still | April 2, 2000

First-hand report of the 1999 Society of Humanist Philosophers conference held at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Pat Robertson’s Big Lie

James Still | February 22, 2000

On February 22, the day of the Michigan state Republican primaries, Christian Coalition Founder Pat Robertson taped a telephone message for a “shadow” campaign in support of Presidential candidate George W. Bush. The message, which went out on phone banks to thousands of Christian Coalition supporters in Michigan, warned that Bush’s rival John McCain was […]