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Atheists find strength in numbers
By Jacqueline L. Salmon
Washington Post
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WASHINGTON, D.C. -- A legion of the godless is rising up against the forces of religiosity in American society.

"People who were ashamed to say there is no God now say, 'Wow, there are others out there who think like me,'" said Margaret Downey, president of the Atheist Alliance International, whose membership has almost doubled in the past year to 5,200.

Focusing fresh attention on atheism in the United States was the publication late last year of a book about Mother Teresa that lays out her secret struggle with her doubts about God. "Mother Teresa: Come Be My Light" has led some high-profile atheists to say that her spiritual wavering was actually atheism.

"She couldn't bring herself to believe in God, but she wished she could," said Christopher Hitchens, a Washington-based columnist and author of "God Is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything," the latest atheist best seller.

In the past two years, five books touting atheism have hit the best-seller lists, outselling such religious tomes as Pope Benedict XVI's book on Jesus, and popular Christian novelist Tim LaHaye's latest book, "Kingdom Come," according to Nielsen BookScan.

Representatives of atheist and humanist groups say the books probably haven't converted many religious people. But, said Lori Lipman Brown, a lobbyist for the Secular Coalition for America, which represents eight atheist or humanist organizations, the books "tremendously increase the visibility of nontheist rights."

Nontheist is another term for atheist, or someone who does not believe in a supreme being.

A study released in June by the Barna Group, a religious polling firm, found that about 5 million adults in the United States call themselves atheists. The number rises to about 20 million -- about one in every 11 Americans -- if people who say they have no religious faith or are agnostic (they doubt the existence of a God or a supreme deity) are included.

They tend to be more educated, more affluent and more likely to be male and unmarried than those with active faith, according to the Barna study. Only 6 percent of people over 60 have no faith in God, and one in four adults ages 18 to 22 describe themselves as having no faith.

For the younger generations, charter schools based on humanist principles have opened in New York City and Florida. CampQuest, an Albany-based group, runs five overnight camps around the country for atheist kids.

The budget of the Council for Secular Humanism has climbed 40 percent in the past two years, approaching $8 million last year.

The council opened a public-policy think tank in Washington last year to push leaders of both parties for policies based on the humanist principles of "science, reason and secularism" instead of religious faith, said Paul Kurtz, the council chairman.

In March, Congress had its first self-avowed atheist when Rep. Pete Stark, D-Calif., said he does not believe in a supreme being.

The movement formed its first political action committee in 2005, when American Atheists, which advocates for the separation of church and state, formed the Godless Americans PAC.

Despite atheists' increased vocalism and visibility, it seems that the rest of America isn't buying in.

In a nationwide poll last year by University of Minnesota researchers, Americans rated atheists below Muslims, recent immigrants and other minority groups in "sharing their vision of American society." They also associated atheists with everything from criminal behavior to rampant materialism.

According to a recent USA Today/Gallup Poll, more than half would not vote for an atheist for president.

Maggie Ardiente, 24, of Silver Spring, Md., faced the disapproval of her family and some friends because of her atheist beliefs.

"It's hard for them even to comprehend," she said.



European atheists now more vocal



By Mary Jordan | Washington Post

BURGESS HILL, England -- Every morning on his walk to work, high school teacher Graham Wright recited a favorite Anglican prayer and asked God for strength in the day ahead. Then two years ago, he just stopped.

Wright, 59, said he was overwhelmed by a feeling that religion had become a negative influence in his life and the world. Although he once considered becoming an Anglican vicar, he suddenly found that religion represented nothing he believed in, from Muslim extremists blowing themselves up in God's name to Christians condemning gays, contraception and stem cell research.

"I stopped praying because I lost my faith," said Wright, 59, a thoughtful man with graying hair and clear blue eyes. "Now I truly loathe any sight or sound of religion. I blush at what I used to believe."

Wright is now an avowed atheist and part of a growing number of vocal nonbelievers in Europe and the United States. On both sides of the Atlantic, membership in once-quiet groups of nonbelievers is rising, and books attempting to debunk religion have been surprise bestsellers, including "The God Delusion," by Oxford University professor Richard Dawkins.

New groups of nonbelievers are sprouting on college campuses, anti-religious blogs are expanding across the Internet, and in general, more people are publicly saying they have no religious faith.

More than three out of four people in the world consider themselves religious, and those with no faith are a distinct minority. But especially in richer nations, and nowhere more than in Europe, growing numbers of people are saying they don't believe there is a heaven or a hell or anything other than this life.

Many analysts trace the rise of what some are calling the "nonreligious movement" to the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. The sight of religious fanatics killing 3,000 people caused many to begin questioning -- and rejecting -- all religion.

"This is overwhelmingly the topic of the moment," said Terry Sanderson, president of the National Secular Society of Britain. "Religion in this country was very quiet until Sept. 11, and now it is at the center of everything."

Since the 2001 attacks, a string of religiously inspired bomb and murder plots has shaken Europe. Muslim radicals killed 52 people on the London transport system in 2005 and 191 on Madrid trains in 2004. People apparently aiming for a reward in heaven were arrested in Britain last year for trying to blow up trans-Atlantic jetliners. And earlier this month in Germany, authorities arrested converts to Islam on charges that they planned to blow up American facilities there.

Many Europeans are angry at demands to use taxpayer money to accommodate Islam, Europe's fastest-growing religion, which now has as many as 20 million followers on the continent. Along with calls for prayer rooms in police stations, foot baths in public places and funding for Islamic schools and mosques, expensive legal battles have broken out over the niqab, the Muslim veil that covers all but the eyes, which some devout women seek to wear in classrooms and court.

Christian fundamentalist groups who want to halt certain science research, reverse abortion and gay rights and teach creationism rather than evolution in schools are also angering people, according to Sanderson and others.

"There is a feeling that religion is being forced on an unwilling public, and now people are beginning to speak out against what they see as rising Islamic and Christian militancy," Sanderson said.

Though the number of nonbelievers speaking their minds is rising, academics say it's impossible to calculate how many people silently share that view. Many people who do not consider themselves religious or belong to any faith group often believe, even if vaguely, in a supreme being or an afterlife. Others are not sure what they believe.

The term atheist can imply aggressiveness in disbelief; many who don't believe in God prefer to call themselves humanists, secularists, freethinkers, rationalists or, a more recently coined term, brights.

"Where religion is weak, people don't feel a need to organize against it," said Phil Zuckerman, an American academic who has written extensively about atheism around the globe.

He and others said secular groups are also gaining strength in countries where religious influence over society looms large, including India, Israel and Turkey. "Any time we see an outspoken movement against religion, it tells us that religion has power there," Zuckerman said.

One group of nonbelievers in particular is attracting attention in Europe: the Council of Ex-Muslims. Founded earlier this year in Germany, the group now has a few hundred members and an expanding number of chapters across the continent. "You can't tell us religion is peaceful -- look around at the misery it is causing," said Maryam Namazie, leader of the group's British chapter.

She and other leaders of the council held a news conference in The Hague to launch the Dutch chapter on Sept. 11, the sixth anniversary of the terrorist attacks in the United States. "We are all atheists and nonbelievers, and our goal is not to eradicate Islam from the face of the earth," but to make it a private matter that is not imposed on others, she said.

The majority of nonbelievers say they are speaking out only because of religious fanatics. But some atheists are also extreme and want, for example, people to blot out the words "In God We Trust" from every dollar bill they carry.

Gaining political clout and access to television and radio airtime is the goal of many of these groups. With a higher profile, they say, they can, for instance, lobby for all religious rooms in public hospitals to be closed, as a response to Muslims demanding prayer rooms because Christians have chapels.

Associations of nonbelievers are also moving to address the growing demand in Britain, Spain, Italy and other European countries for nonreligious weddings, funerals and celebrations for new babies. They are helping arrange ceremonies that steer clear of talk of God, heaven and miracles and celebrate, as they say, "this one life we know."



By the numbers



• 28 percent of atheists have post-graduate degrees or professional training.

• 15 percent of non-atheists have post-graduate degrees or professional training.

• 1.3: Atheists' average number of children.

• 1.95: Non-atheists' average number of children.

• 3 percent of atheists are "strong Republicans."

• 16 percent of non-atheists are "strong Republicans."

SOURCE: 2005 Baylor University Religion Survey and Barna Group

Take a look
Maggie Ardiente of Silver Spring, Md., said her family and some friends disapprove of her beliefs -- or lack thereof. A study released in June by the Barna Group, a religious polling firm, found that about 5 million adults in the United States call themselves atheists. (Washington Post/JAMES M. THRESHER)
High school teacher Graham Wright, 59, at home in Burgess Hill, England, with the prayer book he used to read each day. Now an avowed atheist, Wright once considered becoming an Anglican vicar. (Washington Post/MARY JORDAN)
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Reader comments on this story - 51 total

Note: All views and opinions expressed in reader comments are solely those of the individual submitting the comment, and not those of the Pantagraph or its staff.

nobpanta wrote on Mar 17, 2008 12:25 PM:

" Guys, honestly I wouldn't hire a religious employee for a high profile position. Sorry for being brutally honest, but religious people don't think rationally in most cases, they have a blurred sense of fairness, lack ambition, very poor moral values and arguments(the list goes on). Everybody who puts faith in first place isn't a good decision taker too.

Although of course it's possible to a christian or whatever to reach a high level position depending a lot on what he does, company, etc... we have several examples over the world. I just find it harder to happen. My brother is Christian so as my entire family and if I had a company like Microsoft in my hands I'd never put any of them past senior positions, if not junior. "

Shared Thought wrote on Mar 13, 2008 10:59 AM:

" I think that believers, Christian believers and non-Christian believers, and non-believers should live in mutual respect of one another. There are some individuals who are willing to make disparaging remarks to atheists, such as, "You don't believe in God? Oh, so you think all of this was just an accident," or, "Oh, you don't believe you're accountable to a God? So, you to feel you can just decide for yourself to do whatever you want to do," etc. On the other hand, in some cases, atheiests have belittled people of faith. Everyone ought to respect one another. "

Meh wrote on Mar 7, 2008 10:17 AM:

" Political Heretic: Such sad stories, but it goes to show that, for many, being a Christian is more about being in club than any of the reasons they give for their supposed faith. I'm fortunate that my current employer has a very diverse group of employees, both religious and racially, so me being an atheist isn't an oddity. At my previous employer, I made the mistake of bringing it up. One of my fellow employees made it his mission to win me back to the flock. Luckily I have a thick skin! "

Political Heretic wrote on Mar 3, 2008 10:13 PM:

" To Meh. I don't know about atheists, but I can tell you being anything but Christian in BN opens you up to a wide range of adversity you wouldn't have to endure otherwise. My wife was victimized and fired from a job because of it. I was denied a potentially good job when my potential employer outright asked me if I was a Christian. A manager at my current job tried painting a bullseye on my back when he heard me express an opinion contrary to his on religion while others that agreed with him expressed themselves freely. Fortunately, we know the law and we know THEIR religion better than any of them, so we survived and prospered nonetheless. Trust me, the point of the story of the Good Samaritan, that people of other cultures and religions can be virtuous too, is COMPLETELY lost on them. "

Political Heretic wrote on Mar 3, 2008 10:05 PM:

" To. MRS. Disappointed that the people they've demonized won't be put through the extensive torture and torment they were hoping they'd get while they are in paradise enjoying the show. Yes, most conservative Christians I've known DO have THAT much hate in their hearts. "

Meh wrote on Mar 3, 2008 8:44 AM:

" It wouldn't surprise me if there were far more atheists than these surveys actually report. Especially in more religious parts of the country, being a known atheist would make you into an outcast and have possibly serious repercusions in daily life. Even in Bloomington-Normal, I sometimes feel safer dodging the religion question rather than answering honestly. "

ateo75 wrote on Mar 3, 2008 3:08 AM:

" I am an atheist and happy to be.
Religion is only a human invention, a fantasy, an illusion.
It does not tell the truth. It preaches falsehood.
God doesn't exist.

Antonio de Giorgio
(Member of UAAR - Unione degli Atei e degli Agnostici Razionalisti - Italian Union of Rationalist Atheists and Agnostics www.uaar.it )
"

chubbyalaskagriz wrote on Mar 2, 2008 11:06 PM:

" Folks are really over-thinking this and many from both sides are getting downright accusator, rude and mean. The way I see it, in this country many have faith. Many do not have faith but are fearful for their destinies so they fake faith. Others don't have faith and are pretty honest and courageous about voicing their lack of faith. As I see it no one is wrong- it's simply personal perspective. Why can't people just accept this? Must we all be the same? "

MRS. wrote on Mar 2, 2008 7:28 PM:

" RE:Political Heretic: Disapointed about what? If the body dies and that is the end what is their ti be disapointed about. On the other hand, if the body does indeed have an everlasting soul(and it does) then those that are truely God's children will be with God in Heaven but those that are not God's children will be someplace else. "

Political Heretic wrote on Mar 2, 2008 7:40 AM:

" To My 2 Cents. It is a mere accident of history that Arianism didn't wind up the dominant paradigm of Christianity. Had Antioch been more persuasive and well represented at the Council of Nicea in 325, it might have been.

Christians crack me up. Most of them are convinced that the form of Christianity they inherited is straight from Jesus' mouth when it was the choices of flawed, mortal men that shaped it. Take Revelations. It was included in the Bible because it was thought that the apostle John, who of course is thought to have also written the gospel bearing his name, composed it. Yet the writing styles of the two books are utterly different. They must have been written by two authors. The Book of John is fantastic Greek Linear B. Revelations is written like is was from the pen of a High School dropout. Yet it was included in the canonized Bible anyway and has been highly influential in Christian thought ever since. Meanwhile, conservative Christians remain oblivious to these facts and salivate like Pavlov's dog at the thought of the torment non-believers have coming to them. Boy, are they going to be disappointed. "

Omikrom Seti wrote on Feb 29, 2008 9:47 PM:

" As I read thru some of the threads here I wonder is this really what life has come to...god or no god, heaven and hell? I will be first to admit I've never seen a "supreme" being and quite frankly nor do I want to. I have no desire to "bow" before something and beg for forgiveness when I really have nothing to be forgiven for. If you really think about it, why would we? Are we really that bad? What said we are bad...a book or sin? Did I miss something in my almost 50 years on earth and a supreme being showed up and I didn't see or hear it? Why must I believe or have faith in a supreme being...no one can tell me why, well not yet anyway. The Bible doesn't tell me so and neither can the Billy Grahams of the world...have they seen it? "

My 2 cents wrote on Feb 29, 2008 4:19 PM:

" Arianism is heresy, not Christianity, although it was labelled as such. "

The Happy Cynic wrote on Feb 28, 2008 4:27 PM:

" To Mrs. Ah, you simple country folk and your charming superstitions! I bet you don't even know the history of the Satan character! I'm willing to bet you know nothing of how the Jewish faith didn't even have an "adversary" to Jehovah before Zoroastrian influence infiltrated Judaism during the Babylonian exile. I willing to bet your concept of Satan mixes Biblical accounts with Goethe's Faust, Dante's Inferno, Milton's Paradise Lost, and other non-Biblical sources that would have never passed the canonization process. I'm willing to bet your religious beliefs have plenty of ideas that originated amongst pagans and heathen AND YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW IT! Please educate yourself better before calling others tools of evil. Ignorance is the worse evil of all, and in that respect, you put Satan to shame. "

To RW wrote on Feb 28, 2008 3:51 PM:

" It's called free will, and no we can't ever be good enough to make it to heaven. That's where grace and mercy come in to play. You see, with christanity, eternal life is free. There are no strings attached. Even the bible clearly states that we have all fallen away and our righteousness is like filthy rags. If you're looking for a merit system to get into heaven then maybe you should try one of thoses side track religions. "

To matt wrote on Feb 28, 2008 3:42 PM:

" Of course there was no athesist group, we don't need to prove ourself to something like god like some do in church, a group for those religious folk. I bet there were those who lack faith helping without a group. "

The Happy Cynic wrote on Feb 28, 2008 3:37 PM:

" "To Happy Cynic" Germanic history is my specialty! Enough so that I see the glaring flaw in your argument. Guess what, buddy? THE GOTHS WHO INVADED ROME UNDER THE COMMAND OF ALARIC WERE CHRISTIANS!!! Kind of screws your argument, doesn't it? Care to try again? "

By the Numbers Bias wrote on Feb 28, 2008 3:29 PM:

" Interesting that they provide stats on Republicans with regard to atheism, but not Democrats. "

to: Mrs. wrote on Feb 28, 2008 3:09 PM:

" How can we be a tool for something we don't believe in? Meaning Satan. I don't believe in God, therefore I don't believe in Satan or any of the other myths dealing with religion. Your bible was written by man NOT some God just like those "rags" you see in a supermarket check out lane. Just because something is in print doesn't make it true. I know a lot of athiest people who act more "Christian" than most so-called Bible-thumping, gotta cram my religion down your throat, so-called Christian church goers. "

RW wrote on Feb 28, 2008 2:17 PM:

" I love how religious people use the word of god or the bible to justify their behavior. That is exactly what the problem is, the bible was written by man, many of them in fact, not god, because god does not dictate how we must act. We, dictate how we act. If god is infallible, how come man finds it necessary to change, adjust, and interpret god's word according to their own agenda and place in time. Why would God be metaphorical or vague about what he wanted? He wouldn't because that would make it almost impossible to do right and I don't believe a loving god would make it nearly impossible to follow his word. "

To Happy Cynic wrote on Feb 28, 2008 2:13 PM:

" Don't you ever get tired of just making stuff up? Historians widely agree that the general decline of the Roman Empire (with many causes) "created" the so-called Dark Ages. It was not the Christians who sacked Rome, it was the Goths, who along with dozens of other Germanic tribes essentially ended Roman political control of Europe. "

To Mrs. wrote on Feb 28, 2008 1:04 PM:

" Wow, you are right. I am a tool for Satan. Wonder what that makes those that believe in God that sat on their couches watching the suffering in New Orleans thinking they should do something but didn't.
As to being lost I have to say I am far from it. Coming to terms with my lack of faith gave me clarity. Thinking there are only two ways to go is living life looking through horse blinders and unable to see life around you and only being able to see where you are pointed.
I think it would be wise to point out that judging people is the work of your Satan too. Isn't it up to your God to judge people. Looks like Satan is a sneaky guy working through those who seek to judge their fellow man. "

MRS. wrote on Feb 28, 2008 10:58 AM:

" Well that is just wonderful, you do better than some Christians. That said, you are just as lost after you did those wonderful things as before. There are only two ways you can go believe it or not. If you weren't doing those things for the glory of God you were a tool for Satan. Satan can and does work through people like you. "

Let's see... wrote on Feb 28, 2008 9:34 AM:

" being an Atheist I volunteer each year at the Salvation army as do my kids. I participate in Habitat for Humanity, I used my vacation from work to volunteer in New Orleans after Katrina, etc, etc.

The only difference is I don't need to use it as a tally sheet to get into a heaven. I do it because of who I am and what I believe is the right thing to do for people in need. "

to I say. wrote on Feb 28, 2008 1:21 AM:

" I agree. I was raised Catholic and turned away from the church because of the blatant hypocrisy I saw. Years later, a friend took me to her church, which was non-denominational and I thoroughly enjoyed going and did not notice intolerance for others. Then I moved to B-N and though I have tried a number of churches, have not found one that does not make me claustrophobic from being surrounded by hypocrites. I work with many people who profess to be Christians, yet they are some of the most insensitive, selfish & arrogant people I've ever known. I firmly believe in God, but I do not believe he will only listen to my prayers if I am in a formal church setting. I think some people are actually more agnostic than atheist, but they call themselves atheist because they are not familiar with the term agnostic. "

The Happy Cynic wrote on Feb 27, 2008 6:27 PM:

" My apologies to Luther! It seems that we are saying the same things here. Glad to find another human being with a clue. Once again, my humblest apologies. "

Luther Billis wrote on Feb 27, 2008 5:23 PM:

" Since several people seem to have misread my comment, let me restate: I was responding to comment #2 from Al Weaver which read "Imagine what it would be like without the influence of reason and science." To which I responded "No need to imagine, Al, that world was called the Dark Ages." "

I say. wrote on Feb 27, 2008 3:38 PM:

" Sadly yes, there is hypocrisy in the church. There are also mean spirited and bigoted people in the church but that doesn't mean all christians are that way. Real christianity is about a relationship not a religion. Just because you have had bad dealings with phony christians, don't assume that I am the same way. You are given free will to live as you choose. Even I disagree with the legalistic religious bodies around this area. I'm not sure how a dress code is going to make God love me anymore than he already does. "

Newsflash wrote on Feb 27, 2008 3:19 PM:

" For some reason, Christians think they have a monopoly on being good people and that the reason is because the bible says so. Think for yourselves and use common sense. I went to church for a lot of years and guess what, mostly good people located there. I don't go anymore and mostly hang around other people that dont and guess what, they're still all mostly good people. Just not dillusional. "

The Happy Cynic wrote on Feb 27, 2008 3:13 PM:

" By the way, LOOK AT THOSE STATS!!! The connection is obvious. More education equals less God and less being Republican. What the story fails to mention is that atheism is also highly correlated with a lower tendency to wind up in trouble with the law and a higher tendency to ascribe to a highly developed ethical code. So much for the "atheist are aweful people" mentality. Just more Christian bigotry exposed! "

The Happy Cynic wrote on Feb 27, 2008 11:30 AM:

" To Luther Billis. Nice try, DUDE! Guess what? Christianity CAUSED the dark ages! Rome, once the proud pagan empire it was, decided to become Christian, and then decided that meant burning every piece of "pagan" writing it could. Mathematics, astronomy, medicine, art, literature, all destroyed because their authors didn't worship Jehovah. It wasn't until a thousand years later that the tattered remnants were found, thus starting the renaissance. If it wasn't for the rise of Christianity, we wouldn't be watching movies about people in space, WE WOULD BE IN SPACE! I suggest a wonderful book called "The Closing of the Western Mind" by Charles Freedman. "

Bring On The Cynics wrote on Feb 27, 2008 10:57 AM:

" Funny how the people that are so worried about "organized religion" adversely affecting their lives are the same people organizing themselves to make sure their view of the world is considered in all aspects of the public realm as a viable belief system, wanting to position themselves in the future to be a political power to be reckoned with. I frankly care little for what happens to anyone outside of my own family. "

to matt wrote on Feb 27, 2008 10:24 AM:

" Atheists don't need groups to volunteer. Enjoying that pride of yours? "

matt wrote on Feb 27, 2008 8:07 AM:

" I"M not a church goer, but im no Atheist. I only know 1 person that will claim to be an Atheist..Maybe if you Atheist start doing more community things, some people might start thinking differently about Atheists...Four years ago in may, my little community was hit by a tornado (South Pekin il) we must have had 15 church groups the day after the storm come help rescue and clean up our little town. NOT ONE Atheist GROUP CAME TO HELP..If your Atheist group was there to help,please forgive me. "

Train wrote on Feb 27, 2008 3:41 AM:

" "We're only here for a short time, and to spend our lives planning for heaven is the worst possible thing we can do. "

This is not the only motivation a religious person has. Treating others well gets rewarded, but that doesn't mean it's done only for reward. And ideally the preparation involves love, hope, mercy, responsibility, and kindness to those suffering. Those I knew "planning for heaven" often have a life fuller than any atheist I've known. I mean where is the atheist version of Salvation Army or CARITAS? "

just what wrote on Feb 26, 2008 8:02 PM:

" the Bible says, it speaks of unbelievers. I for one, do believe, I know about God, He is in my life, He has performed miracles that I have seen with my own eyes. "

love of pasta wrote on Feb 26, 2008 5:03 PM:

" Pastafarian, you're the only that always makes sense, and makes me laugh. thanks, "

To Bro. Kamal wrote on Feb 26, 2008 4:22 PM:

" I'll tell you what feels good. I feel good knowing daily that my actions are mine to choose and I do them out of free will to be a better person and treat people justly. I don't need a conscience named God to force me to want to be a better person for fear of burning in a mock furnace in the afterlife.

As to needing strength in numbers. I am proud to tell people I am an Atheist. It's funny how the god faring folks judge me for not believing in their god. If they want to look at it that way according to most faiths the majority of the world is going to their version of hell because everyone elese doesn't believe in their exact representation of their god. Funny how most worship the same god and can't even come to terms on what (s)he wants them to be or do and bicker amoungst themselves about who's right. "

Bro. Kamal wrote on Feb 26, 2008 2:58 PM:

" Someone wrote "It feels truly wonderful and so much more meaningful to be free of the God concept." What fells so good? Thinking your not going to be held accountable for your actions in this life? "

molly wrote on Feb 26, 2008 12:07 PM:

" It feels truly wonderful and so much more meaningful to be free of the God concept. Realizing that we are responsible for creating our own purposes and meanings is a vastly richer experience than simply falling back on the bronze-age concept of “God wants me to act like this.”

We're only here for a short time, and to spend our lives planning for heaven is the worst possible thing we can do.

Please don’t waste the tiny sliver of life you have on Earth because you somehow think you’re going to get another one. You’re not. One per customer, please, and enjoy it to the fullest; morally, ethically and completely.
"

their only strength wrote on Feb 26, 2008 11:21 AM:

" If you're an atheist you can only find strength in numbers. The existence of religious terrorists and extremists proves nothing. The Bible acknowledges the existence of a super terrorist, Satan- an angel gone terribly bad. Denying God is not the way to deal with terrorism in this world. In fact, it makes Satan's job of deceiving this world easier. "

Pastafarian wrote on Feb 26, 2008 11:17 AM:

" Luther,

A thousand apologies for my comment to you. I misread your comment and apologize profusely. "

Pastafarian wrote on Feb 26, 2008 11:16 AM:

" Not all religious influences are bad such as charity and the basic tennants of loving thy neighbor. It is when religion is used to justify repression (you don't believe in my God so you don't get anything), discrimination (you believe in the wrong God so I won't hire or serve you), and violence (my God said this land is mine, so now I must kill you) that it is bad. If you want to pray 14 times a day, not eat meat, not use contraception, et all, go ahead. If you want to start telling me and others that we must follow your rules, bug off. I know that many good laws are based on religion (murder, stealing, etc...), those I agree with. I don't agree with laws that restrict freedoms (abortion, stem cell research, working or buying alcohol on Sunday, gay marriage, etc...). If you don't want to have an abortion, get married to a homosexual or work on Sunday, don't. Lastly, Luther, the dark ages were dark because of religion. Read up on history and the repression of artists and scientists during those times. The church ruled with an iron fist and prevented society from moving forward. "

Beth wrote on Feb 26, 2008 10:57 AM:

" God never said it is okay to kill in his name. He never said life would be easy and he never said he would send you a mircale. He said do good and good will come to you. "

Farmer Ted wrote on Feb 26, 2008 9:46 AM:

" They should tax churches and heathen organizations...just like any other business. "

FYI wrote on Feb 26, 2008 9:44 AM:

" So, I guess they'll start the 'First Church of Dis-belief'? "

Phil Ferguson wrote on Feb 26, 2008 8:35 AM:

" Great story - Thank you.
there is a new group in Bloomington-Normal. please look for our facebook page. Bloomington Normal Freethinkers or check out the web page of our freinds at Champaign Urbana Freethinkers CUFREE.net
Phil Ferguson "

Wow wrote on Feb 26, 2008 7:23 AM:

" Graham Wright claims to be an athiest yet stills holds his daily prayer book. Apparently he forgot that christians are guaranteed to have their faith tested. Its part of the deal. There is no smooth sailing. "

Coco wrote on Feb 26, 2008 7:01 AM:

" Thanks for your hate filled, Christophobic words, Al. "Not in my town." "

Luther Billis wrote on Feb 26, 2008 12:18 AM:

" No need to imagine, Al, that world was called the Dark Ages. "

Al Weaver wrote on Feb 25, 2008 2:14 PM:

" Agreed Brian.
Religion has made a business of intollerance and extremism. If the world were rid of the influence of religion it would clearly be a better place. Imagine what it would be like without the influence of reason and science... "

Brian Westley wrote on Feb 25, 2008 1:03 PM:

" Let's compare "extremists" in this story:
1) murders 3000 people
2) crosses words off currency

Yeah, both of those deserve the epithet "extremist," no doubt about that.... "
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