Frequently Asked Questions

A: Freethought is a philosophical viewpoint that holds that opinions should be formed on the basis of science, logic, and reason and should not be influenced by authority, tradition, or any other dogma (including religion). Freethinkers utilize freethought and generally contend that there is insufficient evidence to support the existence of supernatural phenomena.
A: It rhymes with “Gleeful.”
A: No. We independently identify the charities that we support. Further, we focus our resources on national organizations and those local to our base of operations in Raleigh, NC. The Foundation does not offer support to local charities in other parts of the country and does not offer grants or scholarships to individuals.
A: No.  The foundation does not invest in films or donate to them.
A: We do not have any employees. Not even the president of Stiefel FF is employed by the Foundation. We believe it is best to focus our resources on special projects and helping existing organizations that do work related to our mission.
A: Yes, in several ways. In seven countries, atheism is punishable by death: Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Afghanistan, Sudan, Mauritania, and the Maldives. In the U.S., there are seven states with provisions in their constitutions that prohibit nontheists from holding elected office: Arkansas, Maryland, Mississippi, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and my home state of North Carolina. These provisions have been found by the courts to be unenforceable and unconstitutional (under the U.S. Constitution), but remain on the books serving as a reminder to all nontheists that their government views them prejudicially. Further, in a 2012 Gallup survey, atheists scored as the group that would be the most discriminated against by voters.