Freethought Today

Vol. 22 No. 4 - Published by the Freedom From Religion Foundation, Inc. -
May 2005

View the Table of Contents for this issue

Letter Box

"The fellow pictured on my shirt is Raymond Burke, St. Louis Archbishop. Although 'everybody' is an exaggeration, he has alienated a large portion of his 'flock.' Some dislike him because of the school/ parish closings which he announced, others because of his involvement with church cover-ups of pedophile priests, others because of his attempt to wrestle property deeds away from a St. Louis Polish church, and many because of his letter last October urging Catholics to vote for 'pro-life' candidate George W.
"The T-shirt gets howls of laughter and 'thumbs up' from many who see me wearing it about town. I've even been asked by a Catholic priest where he can purchase one. " --Al Stanger, Mo.

Lip Service to Status Quo

I caught Dan Barker on Fox News (and I use that term loosely) dueling good-naturedly with a hostile audience and host. I am a member of the gay and lesbian atheists and humanists, so I appreciated his commentary on the late but not lamented Karol Wojtila.

Nothing could be more obvious to me than why this man was so beloved by the elites who benefit from no changes in the status quo. The wall-to-wall TV and print media coverage of him is indicative of interest in a man who paid lip service to love and peace, but baptized the structures of oppression.

I'll send in a membership donation.

Bob Schwartz
Illinois

Hat Off to Dan

I attended the ethics debate at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, and I want to express my thanks to FFRF for making me aware of the debate.

I thought Dan Barker did a terrific job of debunking Mr. Payne, and I learned a fair amount of useful information in the process.

My hat is off to Dan for a stellar performance.

Lance Lubach
Wisconsin

"Keep Up the Good Work"

Thank you for your efforts at voicing disapproval of flying our flag at half-staff for an entire work week for someone who wasn't even an American citizen.

I listened to Annie Laurie Gaylor on the Alan Colmes radio show. What I found quite annoying was that Mr. Colmes kept interrupting Annie Laurie's responses to many of the callers' comments.

Keep up the good work!

Yvonne Barash
New Jersey

Borders on the Unbelievable

There has never been a more important time for us in the Freedom From Religion Foundation. The influence of religion and the full constellation of recent events in our country are depressing and appalling. It borders on the unbelievable (no pun intended).

I draw strength from my membership in our organization and I am convinced that we are making progress in our fight to fortify the wall of separation and protection. Unfortunately that progress is two steps forward and one back.

Ironically, the origin of Ms. Schiavo's problem was an eating disorder that stems from one facet of the oppression of women in our culture, which is in large part a major component of most religions--ironic and incredibly cruel.

Thank you for all you do.

Robert Mohelnitzky
Wisconsin

Debunking Comfortable Lies

One of the most common fallacies in logic is known as "A/B," "Either/Or." Its premise is that there are only two possibilities: this or that. This premise is critical to those who believe. It's either god or the devil, heaven or hell, good or evil, black or white, etc. Those with a basis in critical thinking know that between the bipolar opposites there exists an infinite number of possibilities available to those who want to think.

However, to the religionists, thinking is contraindicated. Why would they want to think when they can just accept anything, no matter how illogical, and be thought a good person? The comfortable lie is not preferable to the uncomfortable truth. To get to the other side of the cave, one has to brave the fire, and that's been true since Plato's time.

Terri Schiavo existed in a state somewhere between life and death. She was, in fact, neither alive nor dead. There was no possibility of her brain rebuilding itself so that meaningful life could become possible again.

Theodore Dent
California

It Pays to Complain

I complained to the Los Angeles Election Division about our polling place being in a church where we had to walk past big signs advertising religion.

Furthermore, the church used their status as a polling place in a petition to the planning commission to waive the zoning restrictions so that they could expand much more than the parking requirements, height restrictions, and square footage restrictions allow.

In my complaint to the city I mentioned that this is precisely why "separation of church and state" is still important.

I received a notice in the mail today that my polling place has been changed to the Botanical Gardens.

I'm going to write the city a thank you note.

Peggy Bacon
California

Brave Stance for Secular Life

Congratulations to Anne Gaylor for a most successful and courageous career as president of Freedom from Religion Foundation for some 28 years. Like many readers, I have admired her from afar--well, I did meet her at two conventions--but mostly I just enjoyed her brave stance for a secular life. She encouraged us all through discouraging times as the power and influence of fundamentalism has grown. No doubt she will still be in the background to make valuable contributions as FFRF rolls into the future.

There is a definition of MOL (Meaning of Life) that is summed up simply in the sentence: "Figure out what you love to do, and do it." I do believe Anne Gaylor found meaning and purpose in life in every positive way and I say "Congratulations." She did it!

I am proud to be a Life Member of FFRF and look forward to the convention in Orlando.

Douglas Reid
Florida

"What an Amazing Woman"

I've been going through the (online) tribute to Ms. Anne Nicol Gaylor. What an amazing woman! I've admired her for a long time, but had no idea she was such an activist for all of us, religious and irreligious alike. I hope the fellow reformer who wrote "No one really believes she''s retiring" [I paraphrase] was correct, although she certainly deserves to lay down the torch. It's time for the rest of us to pick it up and carry it. We all owe her so much.

Julie Johnson
Georgia

The tribute can be accessed here.

News Media Glorifies Pope

The mounds of praise being heaped upon the late John Paul II by the American media, including, to my disgust, The New York Times, borders on the obscene. At a time when reason and secularism are under ferocious attack in this country by the forces of organized religion and rightwing hacks, the news media have chosen to glorify a man whose philosophy of life was structured around unsubstantiated supernaturalist claims disbelieved by a substantial majority of humanity.

This was a man who was opposed to abortion in all cases, all forms of birth control except for the rhythm method, divorce for any reason, embryonic stem cell research, and any restrictions on immigration control. His church allied itself with Libya, Iran and the Bush Administration in fighting U.N. recognition of women's reproductive freedom as a human right. He virtually ignored the sex abuse scandal among Catholic clergy, but did not hesitate to slander millions of decent men and women across the world by labeling atheism and homosexuality as mental illnesses. As an atheist, I do not celebrate this man's death. Neither, however, will I celebrate his life.

Dennis Middlebrooks
New York

New Member Thank You

I just received my first copy of Freethought Today and am very impressed. I practically read the entire paper in one sitting. Every article was well written. However, the most important thing it said to me was, "You are not alone."

I don't believe in a god or higher power. I actually hate labeling people into groups and I have never really been a member of any organized group in my life. Generally, when asked, I always took the Groucho Marx approach: "I wouldn't want to be a part of any group that would have me as a member."

But when Bush was re-elected to office for a second term and I started feeling the hooks of the evangelists' army digging into me in my everyday life, I realized I had to take action, even if it was just something as simple as subscribing to Freethought Today. I am a firm believer in the Constitution and the Bill of Rights and very against the idea of organized religion. I am a big believer in individualism, of which freethinking is the foundation.

Religion is simply a bad byproduct of the search for truth.

Keep up the great and noble work you are doing at FFRF. You've made a friend in Michigan today.

Frank A. Havasi
Michigan

Evangelize for Freethought

A letter writer (Nov 04) tells of having two bible-toting women knock on her door, no doubt hoping to be invited in so they might present the Lord to her and help her be saved. The writer asked them to take their hocus-pocus and superstition and get out of her driveway.

When young Mormons call on me and ask to come in, I gladly welcome them, have them take a seat--and then begin my "debate" with them. I immediately present them with queries such as, "If God is greater than us and completely self-sufficient and above human needs, why on earth did he feel he had to create the earth and then man and woman? Did he perchance have too much time on his hands, and was he just trying to find something to do? Or was it perhaps that God felt the rather human need for love and adoration and created us just so there would be someone to worship him?"

Let me tell you, these saintly young men have no ready answers, and perhaps I have even raised doubts in their minds. At least I enjoy the fun of the debate, and perhaps I can save a soul or two for our side. So don't turn these folks away. Welcome them in, and start to evangelize--for freethought!

Theodore M. Utchen
Illinois

All Fiction, All the Time

When the pope died, public radio was all pope, all the time. Even Cuba was flying its flag at half-mast and Castro went to church services. Is nothing non-sacred?

For years, whenever John Paul II was mentioned in the news, in the first sentence he was called "the pope" and in the second sentence he was called "the pontiff," similar to a comic book superhero. First he's called "Batman" and then he's mentioned as the "Caped Crusader."

Sometimes it's called "the bible" and at others it's "the good book."

Scriptures or comic books, it's all fiction, all the time.

Bill Paci
Pennsylvania

Faith -- Against the Evidence

We often hear and read terms like "faith-based initiatives," "faith-based organizations," and even "people of faith." Just what is "faith"? According to Funk and Wagnalls Dictionary, "faith" means "belief without need of certain proof." Likewise, "belief" means "acceptance of the truth or actuality of anything without certain proof." In other words, people of faith hold their beliefs not only without evidence, but often against evidence that would show they may be wrong. This they call a "moral value." A closed mind is a moral value?

I would like to suggest a better word. A word that requires us to keep an open mind, and to think. That word is "freethought." Freethought is the method we freethinkers use to determine what is true and real. We freethinkers form our opinions on the basis of reason, independent of authority, tradition, or established belief. Freethinkers prefer to know rather than to believe. We prefer to seek for knowledge rather than close our minds with faith. Since reason is not only the best, but the only, way we can find truth and reality, freethinkers use it exclusively.

So-called "moral values" are fine, but let's not make a closed mind (faith) one of them. Let's keep our minds open to discover real values that benefit us all. Only in this way can we make this a better world for everyone.

Louis R. Williams
Colorado

Criminals Fill Pews & Pulpits?

I recently received my second issue of Freethought Today. I was especially interested in the Black Collar Crime Blotter--thanks to Lynn Lau for compiling the up-to-date lists.

It seems like a lot of horrible crimes have occurred among church leaders and members. When you think about it, that might not be surprising, since churches, especially televangelists, seem to encourage a negative view of oneself and actively recruit for membership people who view themselves as having a great many insurmountable personal and behavioral problems.

Churches seem eager to fill their pews and pulpits with folks who have histories of drug addiction, mental illness, chronically turbulent relationships, and antisocial behavior. In the religious setting, one's transgressions can perpetually be forgiven without consequence, yet no real or effective treatment is offered by the church for these serious personal problems.

Is it merely an illusion that it seems there is a higher frequency of this criminal behavior among religionists?

Trip Crumbley
Georgia