Atheist Internet Outreach Newsletter
SUMMER 2001 NEWSLETTER
LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT
This is the first issue of the Atheist Internet Outreach newsletter since the Winter of 1999. Following the last newsletter, the editor of the newsletter and Vice President and Secretary of Atheist Internet Outreach, Sandy Feroe, started to experience health problems which prevented her from working on the newsletter. She was also responsible for responding to many e-mails which came to both the Atheist Internet Outreach and the Atheist Alliance e-mailboxes. On July 22nd, Sandy lost a battle with cancer. Sandy was a very active member of the Atheist community. She had been very involved with Atheist Alliance, the Internet Infidels, Atheists of Colorado, Atheist Internet Outreach, and other Atheist and Freethought organizations. We will miss her.
Mynga Futrell is the new editor of this wonderful newsletter. Atheist Internet Outreach appreciates very much the hard work Mynga has taken on in producing this newsletter. We welcome contributions to the future editions. Bobbie Kirkhart has taken over the e-mail responses for the Atheist Alliance. She has done an excellent job with this.
As Sandy was the Vice President and Secretary of the Atheist Internet Outreach, we now have an opening for the Vice President and Secretary of the Atheist Internet Outreach. Between now and the next newsletter (this fall), we will take nominations. In the next newsletter, all members are allowed to vote for the candidates who have been nominated. The election is for two different positions, which can be occupied by the same or different people. This position is an interim position, and will last until out next regular election, which is at the next Atheist Alliance convention (hosted by the Metroplex Atheists in Dallas/Fort Worth on March 29-31, 2002).
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SUMMER CONFERENCE PROMOTING "NEW ENLIGHTENMENT"
The Secular Students Alliance is hosting its 2nd annual national conference in Columbus Ohio, August 9-12, 2001. The SSA is the only independent, international, non-profit, student organization dedicated to promoting scientific reason, humanist education and freethought activism. The theme of this year's conference is activist education. Conference organizers proclaim the goal to be helping transform campus groups into "lean, mean freethought machines." Students who have registered early are getting free accommodations!
Energy levels are high for this conference. As organizers say, "We've busted our butts so you'll leave this conference chomping at the bit to go kick ass for the new enlightenment." The conference kicks off with a free Thursday night concert with "Polycentric," "Breakdown," and "Kopaz." Besides the lineup of workshops and speakers, the conference offers opportunities for campus groups to share what they have been up to over the last year and to elect representatives.
This conference is not only for students, by the way. The SSA
welcomes and encourages others to participate, too, declaring that
their student movement, which benefits the whole community, can
succeed only when the whole community gets behind it. Organizers
back up this proclamation with a very low day-of-registration
conference price of $45 for non-students. Such a low
cost for a four day-convention with a nice lineup of speakers (Babu
Gogenini, Fred Edwords, Reid Johnson, Herb Silverman, Molleen
Matsumura, Sharon Fratepietro, Tim Kelley and more) should entice
many others to show up at what promises to be a hot summer get-
together!
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WISCONSIN FAIRGOERS TO ENCOUNTER ATHEISTS!
Contributed by James Dew, Atheists and Agnostics of Wisconsin
The Freethought Coalition of Wisconsin will host a table at the 2001
Wisconsin State Fair. The fair is held August 2 - 12. The Coalition
is composed of local groups in Wisconsin, including the Atheists and
Agnostics of Wisconsin, Humanist Quest of Milwaukee, and the North
East Wisconsin Humanists of Green Bay. Some national organizations
will be helping with literature, including the Freedom From Religion
Foundation, the Council for Secular Humanism, and the Atheist
Alliance International (AAI). Some matching grant support will be
provided by AAI.
The table will be in an air-conditioned building on the Fair Grounds
and occupy a 5' by 10' booth (10' exposure). The purpose of the
table will be to increase visibility of atheism and science among the
mainstream public and to reach out to non-religious persons in
friendship. The table will host an exchange of alternative religious
views, but "No fighting, arguing, bickering, crucifying, or the like"
will be allowed. Names, addresses, and e-mails of individuals
interested in obtaining more literature and information about
atheism, agnosticism, humanism, and freethought will be
obtained and shared only amongst member groups in the coalition.
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SEPTEMBER CONFERENCE IN THE WORKS
Contributed by August Berkshire, Minnesota Atheists
Central Minnesota Atheists, with help from the Friends Free of
Theism, is making plans to host the Northland Atheist Conference
("Get the N.A.C.") in St. Cloud, MN at the St. Cloud Civic Center the
weekend of Sept. 28-30. 2001. The event is the first Upper Midwest
regional atheist gathering ever! Sixteen groups from Minnesota,
Wisconsin, Iowa, North Dakota, and Manitoba will be attending.
Speakers include Stephen Mumford (author of "The Life and Death of
NSSM 200"), Earl Doherty (author of "The Jesus Puzzle"), and Marie
Alena Castle (President of Atheist Alliance International). There
will be a debate between Dan Barker (Freedom From Religion
Foundation) and a theist. Dan Mayo will play guitar, sing irreverent
songs, and perform his famous "Unindoctrination" ceremony.
The Northland Atheist Conference is open to everyone, so get the
N.A.C.! Skoal to the Northland!
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LOTS OF HOT ACTION IN FLORIDA
Contributed by Ed Golly, Atheists of Florida
Atheists of Florida is back into the video production ballgame:
Studio space has become available for the production of the "Atheists
of Florida Forum." Tampa atheist Joe Redner, who has his own cable
access live program shown on Time- Warner in Hillsborough County, has
facilities available which he has offered to let A of F use. The
current studio will be somewhat makeshift, but Redner plans to
eventually construct a permanent studio in warehouse space directly
adjoining the control room. Hosting of the series will be
divided between Brent Yaciw and Ed Golly. Half the programs will
cover topics of immediate newsworthiness while the other half will
involve non time-sensitive subjects so they may be included in the
Atheist Alliance TV Outreach pool and broadcast around the country.
In Miami, Chapter Director Patrick Bens is negotiating with Miami
Cable TAP to produce the first 12 programs in their professionally
staffed facility. Upon completion of those, production will revert to
Tampa.
Atheists of Florida is preparing textbook covers! When printed, they
will be distributed at all their public functions, offered free on
the A of F Forum and Website, and even distributed in front of public
schools. The covers contain the Bill of Rights on the front while the
Ten Commandments appear on the back. The intriguing element is the
inclusion of the proscribed punishment for violating the
Commandments, Biblically referenced, which appears alongside.
Hopefully, the contrast between commandments and the rights will be
lost on few recipients of the covers. The covers have been
designed to be useable by any other Member Society by simply printing
a sticker with identifying name and contact information and applying
it over top of A of F contact info on the inside of the back flap.
This is the only place where A of F is identified as the sponsor of
the cover. An ample supply will be printed, so that any Member
Society may request them.
President Nan Owens has completed the A of F Chapter Operations and
Guidelines manual. This 20-page document is a guidebook for all
chapters, existing or forming, to use so they may become completely
familiar with the guidelines of the organization as established by
the Board of Directors and defined in the Bylaws. Other Member
Societies of the Atheist Alliance International may want to use it as
a model for their own chapter guidelines. A copy is available to all
who request it from A of F / PO Box 130753 / Tampa FL 33681.
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REMEMBERING ETTA
Contributed by Jo Ann Mooney, Heartland Humanists
On Saturday, May 26th, Etta Semple (1855-1914) finally received her
headstone. Over 50 people from as far away as Wichita and Kansas
City attended the ceremony held at Hope Cemetery in Ottawa, Kansas.
After the very touching ceremony, led by John Lamberston and Deborah
Barker, the Heartland Humanists and Franklin County Historical
Society hosted a reception at the Old Depot Museum.
Etta was a pillar of freethought at the turn of the century. She was
editor of the Free-Thought Ideal from the 1890's until she had to
take care of her sick husband. At the memorial, Liz Gerber read a
passage from The Free-Thought Ideal that had been published May 1,
1899.
Etta was not only a staunch supporter of freethought and civil
liberties but was an osteopathic physician who ran the "Natural Cure
Sanitarium" in Ottawa where anyone could receive treatment.
Known for her quick wit and clear writing, she spoke out for women's
rights and the labor movement and freethought. The Free-Thought
Ideal ran the following "A Reward of $1,000 will be Given to the Man,
Woman, or Child, who will Furnish Positive Proof Of A God, the Holy
Ghost, Jesus Christ, (as a savior) the Soul, the Devil, Heaven or
Hell, or the Truth of the Bible."
Etta's advocacy of freethought was unparalleled. Read her own
words: It has been claimed by many that Freethought does away with
churches, creeds, Christs and even a God. So it does to a certain
extent, but not as feared by Christians. Freethought has never said
pull down your churches, burn up your creeds, crucify your savior or
reject your god. No one ever knew a Freethinker to try to make laws
to control people. All their efforts have been the other way, trying
to tear down laws already made which control by "Thou shalt"
and "thou shalt not." -"Liberty of Conscience Is All That We Ask,"
The Free-Thought Ideal (ca. 1898)
Ottawa, Kansas, claims her now-she was one of its most unique
characters. And, in her time, she was indeed very well respected.
It has been said that her funeral was the largest ever held in
Ottawa. In fact, the crowd was so big, the ceremony had to be moved
from inside the house to outside, where the streets were filled with
those wanting to share their condolences.
Here is what Etta, who was buried in an unmarked grave, had asked to
be on her headstone (she died penniless): Here lies a woman that,
through her peculiar disposition, lived a life of turmoil, as did all
who knew her." (by Etta)
How glad we are that she finally has that headstone!
Editor's Note: Look over Etta's end-of-century perspective on
freethought, which is reprinted in this issue of Atheist Outreach
News.
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NEW AD STRATEGY TO BOOST VISIBILITY
Contributed by Marie Alena Castle, Minnesota Atheists
For a long time, Minnesota Atheists has been aiming our public
visibility efforts at the general public, running ads, distributing
public access TV programs, and expressing our views in newspaper
letters and commentaries.
Our 27 December 2000 Minnesota Secular Council meeting with Gov.
Ventura initiated an additional strategy-making our community visible
to the people who make our laws and public policy. Public officials
who are not part of the politically predatory religious right do not
realize atheists exist as a significant and viable constituent group.
We need to change that to get consideration from them. The ad below
attempts to do that.
We ran it in the convention booklet for the May 5 Minneapolis DFL
[Democratic party] city convention, the largest political convention
in the country, attended by about 1,000 delegates, all politically
aware, activist, and unfriendly to the religious right. The ad cost
$140 and had excellent placement in a booklet essential to convention
participation and certain to be read.
Because Minnesota Atheists is non-partisan, we worded the ad to be
suitable for any political party that supports the First Amendment
and rejects bigotry. In this case, the potential for visibility and
reaching a large, reasonably supportive audience was too good to pass
up.
At the convention, we made a number of useful contacts with
politicians and activists (including a representative from Gov.
Ventura's office who was there to observe). All had noticed our ad
and were receptive to us and willing to discuss issues of concern,
such as religious proselytizing in public schools.
We will be following up on this initiative, seeking meetings with
public officials to let them know we exist as a viable constituent
group, and that our views deserve respect and consideration. The
Minnesota Atheists ad below reflects a strategy we expect to be
increasingly effective in moving atheism into the social mainstream.
Text of Ad (nice graphics left out):
Best Wishes for a Great Convention from Minnesota Atheists
We are your friends, family, neighbors and co-workers. We represent
the 11% of the population with no religious beliefs. We share your
interest in state-church separation. We oppose bigotry in all its
forms. Working together, let us end the senseless hatreds that create
divisions within the human family. (contact info followed)
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EMINENTLY QUOTABLE: STEVE ALLEN (1921-2000)
During the years of my fervent belief, I simply had no idea how many
sorry and embarrassing passages there are in the scriptural record.
I had encountered a few instances of critical literature, but it had
largely bounced off the armored shell of my bias and loyalty to the
Catholic church. I had unthinkingly accepted the argument that
critics were atheistic and evil men who wished only to attack good,
decent believers.
Now that I'm older, at least somewhat wiser, and certainly better
informed, I am deeply ashamed of having held opinions so unconnected
to reality. I've known very few atheists but, without exception, they
have been men and women of principle, and admirable as citizens. Of
the few truly despicable human beings I have encountered, I regret to
report that almost every one of them was at least a nominal believer
in one religion or another."
-in Steve Allen on the Bible, Religion & Morality (Prometheus Books,
1990)
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GISH NO LONGER TO DEBATE
Creationist Duane Gish's long debating career ended on June 1 in
Phoenix, Arizona, in a creationism/evolution face-off with Michael
Shermer, Editor of Skeptic Magazine. As with most Gish debates, it
was held at a church and the fundamentalists were out in force.
According to Shermer, writing in the e-Skeptic newsletter, "there
were about 600 people total present, with a small contingent of about
30-40 skeptics and humanists that came as an organized block to
support me, which I deeply appreciated so I would have some people to
look at occasionally for a nod while the rest were shouting out
their `read the Bible' and `Amen' and `Jesus is the answer' etc."
Gish is well known as a creationist and a leading debater for the
Bible-based, "young earth position." He has traveled all across the
U.S. and into many countries debating and speaking on behalf of the
Institute for Creation Research (ICR), where he has served as
Associate Director and Vice President since the early 1970s.
Gish first put forth his perspective on origins almost thirty years
ago in his work, Evolution: The Fossils Say No, and it has
not "evolved." The book has become a "classic" in the creationist
movement. According to Gish: "God used processes which are not now
operating anywhere in the natural universe. This is why we refer to
divine creation as special creation. We cannot discover by scientific
investigation anything about the creative processes used by God." (p.
42)
What happens now that Gish is bowing out of the debating ballgame
(his wife wife has amyotrophic lateral sclerosis)? There will
doubtless be others to assume his place of prominence
in "spearheading Biblical Christianity's defense against the godless
dogma of evolutionary humanism." ICR makes clear it is a "missionary
organization, funded by God's people (who) believe God has raised up
ICRä"
One might ask, if scientists and freethinkers need waste time doing
debates with such creationists? Skeptic Shermer is self-reflective
with respect to the June debate with Gish: "My hope is that for the
kids, teenagers, and young folks in the audience (and that was about
half the people) I was able to plant a meme of tolerance for other
belief systems, and a basic understanding of how science really works
(contrary to how Gish says it works)."
Transcripts of noted Gish debates are posted at varied web sites
(e.g., the 1990 debate with Frank Zindler of American Atheists).
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EVANGELISM ON SCHOOL PROPERTY GETS SUPREME COURT OK
By Vicki McCoy and Mynga Futrell
On June 11 The U.S. Supreme Court handed down a decision regarding
the use of public school facilities by a community religious group
for after-school religious activities. Justice Thomas delivered the
opinion of the Court in Good News Club v. Milford Central School
permitting the use of the facilities.
With its 6-3 decision, widely hailed by religious groups, the Supreme
Court held that the exclusion of religious groups from the limited,
after-hours public forum that had been established by the school
district to facilitate student clubs was an unconstitutional
viewpoint discrimination against religious views (in violation of the
Free Speech and Free Exercise clauses of the First Amendment). The
Court rejected Milford's claim that it was required to discriminate
against religious clubs in order to avoid violating the Establishment
Clause of the First Amendment.
Here's a bit of background on the decision from Time magazine:
According to Time, an organization called the Child Evangelism
Fellowship, which has been preaching to children between the ages of
4 and 12 since 1937 through its Good News Clubs, has been gradually
worming its way into public elementary schools by using classrooms
right after classes are over. "Hundreds" of schools accepted
applications from these clubs; some schools refused them. One of
those that refused was the Milford Central School District in upstate
New York. The leader of the local Good News Club, the Rev. Stephen
Fournier, fought back, using the argument that, if the Boy Scouts
could preach their moral message in the school, the evangelism clubs
should be able to also. He lost in lower courts, but he got the ear
of U. S. Supreme Court justices. Justice Stephen Breyer, considered
a liberal, told a lawyer for the Milford school, "[It] sounds to me
as if you are discriminating in free-speech terms against
religion."
Sounds to us like the Good News Clubs should be banned for health
reasons, both mental and physical. They teach small children that the
color gold is for heaven and black is for sin, that nonbelievers will
burn in everlasting fire and that Satan is real. And they ply
youngsters with "mountains of sugar." One club starts cookies all
around, another pelts kids with candy from a spring-loaded catapult
when they answer scriptural questions. And all kids get $1 in fake
money just for showing up and $2 for bringing a friend; the "money"
can be redeemed for-guess what?-candy!
DECALOGUE STORY REACHES HAPPY CONCLUSION
It has been a rather grim Supreme Court season, but at least one saga
ends happily. This story concerns a six-foot tall 2,500-pounds slab
of granite-a replica of the Ten Commandments. The slab, with its
message supposedly "authored by God," had been standing before the
Municipal Building of Elkhart, Indiana since 1958. Somebody in this
northern Indiana factory town challenged its presence, and atheists
can delight that the slab's enormity and mass was insufficient to
overcome the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment.
In May the principle of church/state separation won out. The U.S.
Supreme Court voted 6-3 not to hear the city's appeal of a prior
decision that the monolith must be removed. In December, a federal
appeals court in Chicago had declared the city's display of the
tablet an unconstitutional establishment of religion. Rather than
move the monument, though, the city had appealed the ruling. Jay
Sekulow of the American Center for Law and Justice, a conservative
advocacy group, represented Elkhart in its appeal. The justices, like
the appeals judges, were apparently not satisfied that there had been
secular purpose as claimed in arguments. Mr. Sekulow had vouched for
the city's display. He said it was illustrating the "foundations
of our law" and that the slab showed "not only a secular purpose, but
an economic one at that"-"promoting a movie."
Promoting a movie? Yes. An April New York Times article by Jess
Bravin offers some interesting background on the downtown Elkhart
Decalogue. It appears that the monument owed its existence, in part,
to Cecil B. deMille, whose epic film, "The Ten Commandments," made
Charlton Heston into an "Honorary Moses" for life. Apparently,
around the time of the film's release in 1956, the Hollywood producer
had forged an alliance with a juvenile-court judge from St. Cloud, MN
to erect several thousand Ten Commandments monoliths in public spaces
across the country. Ten years earlier, in 1946, a 16-year-old had
been hauled in before the judge for reckless driving. In lecturing
the miscreant about proper behavior, a Judge Ruegemer, had mentioned
the Ten Commandments. He was stunned when the youth asked, "What are
they?"
Bravin's article notes that the now 98 years old, retired Judge E.J.
Ruegemer even today proclaims the Commandments "not just a religious
rule, but a good code of conduct which can be followed by everyone,
regardless of creed."
So, you see, the dual purpose of the monuments was promoting the epic
and instructing the citizenry in conduct (acceptable to God). We can
speculate as to the Elkhart citizens' behavior all those years.
[Perhaps the slab's ten-point message to the people was for a while
overtaken by shrubbery?] Fortunately, some folks became
sufficiently concerned about the mingling or religion and government
to bring legal action, and the slab's presence as part of what the
city called its "civil display of historical artifacts" is no more.
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POEM-"STAND"
By Michael Bristor
My memories drift every day to the year that I was in first grade.
The teacher looked so smart and stern she looked ready to teach and I was eager to learn.
But when I saw the prayer upon the wall I realized I wasn't going to be taught math after all.
I knew my rights so I began to shout, and then was sent to time out.
When I went to the cafeteria to eat, I saw my friends at a different seat.
I sat down and wondered why, trying my hardest not to cry.
I was called the Antichrist, a weirdo, a geek, a satanist, a devil worshipper, a queer and a freak... but I stayed quiet till honor roll week.
All my feelings I brushed off and ignored, trying so hard to win that award.
But through all the names and constant applauds, Michael Bristor was never called.
The tears started to come on strong, why did this happen? What did I do wrong?
My mom and I made a group of friends, who stuck by us to the end.
People like Marie and Steve, made me feel comfortable with my belief.
My friends were there to hold my hand, but there were so many things I didn't understand . . . Why did I lose my honor roll?
There wasn't an assignment that I missed, and why would a grownup hurt me like this?
Why was I hated because of my belief? There were three more years of continuous grief.
Three long years, why all the fits? All I wanted was my certificate.
The case kept running like a leaky faucet, until it was finally awarded to me . . . in a janitor's closet.
I'm sixteen now and my honor roll's framed, but so many things are still the same.
The same things happen when kids don't pray, they are harassed and assaulted every day.
I put on my shoes and go for a walk, to ease my memories and my painful thoughts.
Up ahead I see three sixth grade jocks, Spitting on a kid and throwing rocks.
They punch him and call him the antichrist, I run in to stop the fight.
I pick the crying boy up off the street, and in his eyes I see what I used to be,
I wipe away his tears with my sleeve, and tell him it's okay to have a different belief.
He looks so scared and so alone, he asks if I will walk him home.
When we reach his driveway I let him know, what I was told when I was six years old.
I told him to never be afraid to take a stand, and that I would always be there... holding his hand.
Background (from Steve Peterson of Minnesota Atheists): Mike wrote the above poem about being forced to pray in first grade in Wilder public school in Minneapolis and meeting with us to help him and his family deal with the school board. The meeting came about as a result of our TV program. Mike's mother, Mary Lou Bristor, saw Marie Castle and me, realized there were other atheists out there, and called us. With help from the Minnesota Civil Liberties Union, three years of stonewalling by the Minneapolis School Board were ended and justice for Mike was achieved.
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SCHOOLHOUSE QUIZ: IS ENVIRONMENTALISM RELIGION?
What is and is not religion as it concerns schools and public money
is something that persons interested in church/state separation may
well have to sort out. At the very least, atheists need to be
prepared to do so in the face of the arguments being used to chip
away at the wall between religion and government. An article in
Forbes Magazine a while back can be helpful to spur such a mental
workout. It summarizes Robert H. Nelson's views on environmentalism
as religion. Nelson has written on this topic in various places,
arguing that environmentalism has become a "state religion." With
respect to public schools, he challenges their exclusion of teaching
traditional religion while establishing environmentalism within the
curriculum.
Recall the Ohio Court of Appeals ruling against a Cleveland pilot
program offering government vouchers to 2,000 students to attend
private elementary schools? The court had cited separation of church
and state because so many students (four out of five) were using
their vouchers at Catholic schools. Thus, according to the court's
ruling, government money was subsidizing religious schools. When
Nelson commented on that, he called the ruling "misguided" and
identified what he sees as a problem: "many public schools
have been teaching religion for years without calling it that. In
their recent book, Facts Not Fear, Michael Sanera and Jane Shaw
studied 100 children's books on the environment being used in
schools. What did they discover? That many of the books advocate a
kind of salvation through environmental activism. Is this religion?
Of course it is."
Elaborating, Nelson offers a number of specific examples of
environmentalists using religious language and shaming people into
better behavior with respect to their stewardship of earth and its
resources. He argues: "The environmental gospel teaches that
excessive consumption is bad for the soul, that a new reverence for
the earth is required and that the people of the world must repent
their wasteful ways. Recycling has become an environmental
religious ritual, analogous to keeping kosher kitchens or eating fish
on Friday."
Calling church/state separation a "cover" for the public school lobby
(his politics is showing), Nelson concludes: "Whether values are
taught in the name of old or new religions, they are still religious
values, not facts. If we are serious about not subsidizing religious
teachings, how can we let the public schools preach a more modern
form of faith? Some parents may want their children to be instructed
in an environmental ethic that instills a sense of religious
stewardship with respect to the earth. Fine. But if public
money can be spent on this, why not on Catholic or Jewish or, for
that matter, Muslim schools?"
If you want to read more than excerpts, see a more extensive argument in:
Robert H. Nelson, "Religion as taught in the public schools." Forbes
Magazine, 07-07-1997.
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FREETHOUGHT-AN 1899 PERSPECTIVE
Etta Semple (1855-1914)
Freethoughtämeans liberty of thought, science, mental activity, and
justice. It teaches that no written creed is elastic enough to
stretch into the next century-it teaches freedom of the mind as
relating to religion-it teaches morality-it teaches truth and is
willing to go over rough and dangerous paths when in search of it-it
teaches its true followers to do good to all, because of the
happiness it affords both the doer and the receiver-not for the sole
purpose of shunning an endless hell; it offers no reward here or
hereafter save the reward of a good conscience.
True conscience is being sacrificed every day by a spirit which tends
to destroy it, just as our occult powers were destroyed years ago.
It is the same tyrannical, bigoted, oppressive spirit. Our
consciences are so trained that what is absolutely right is thought
of with "fear and trembling." The mandate, "thus far and no
farther," "thou shalt not," and "obey my laws," are so constantly
before the mind that conscience is almost driven out or
crushed.
Freethought strives to reinstate conscience-dispel fear-shut out
superstition-ease the mind when death comes, and even robs the grave
of its terror. It cries out NOW, NOW, NOW! Happiness and joy here
on earth now-not waiting until death robs us of our consciousness and
nature claims our body to mingle again with the elements an
unconscious matter.
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ABOUT THE ATHEIST OUTREACH NEWSLETTER:
Atheist Outreach Newsletter is an online publication of Atheist
Outreach, a member organization of Atheist Alliance International.
We are volunteers whose goals are to promote issues concerning
separation of government and religion, to provide a means for
atheists around the world to communicate with each other, and to
support the aims of Atheist Alliance and its member
organizations.
Atheist Outreach officers are:
Joe Zemel, President/webmaster
Dave Feroe is Atheist Alliance/Atheist Outreach web designer.
Membership in Atheist Outreach is free. Simply send your name and
email address to AtheistOutreach@atheistalliance.org. Should you
prefer not to receive future issues, send an "unsubscribe" message to
AtheistOutreach@atheistalliance.org.
All newsletter subscribers have permission to use the articles on
thematically appropriate internet discussion groups, websites, and
organizational newsletters. Always give credit to Atheist Outreach
when doing so. We would appreciate your citing the Atheist Outreach
Web address (below), although this is not required.
Thoughtful submissions reflecting an atheist point of view are
invited. Original submissions from young atheists and college
students are especially encouraged. Please send items for
consideration to AON Editor@aol.com.
Mynga Futrell, Editor
AtheistOutreach@atheistalliance.org.
Note: Unless otherwise noted, contents of the Atheist Outreach newsletter are written by Mynga Futrell (AON Editor@aol.com).
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