americanatheists

http://washingtontimes.com/national/20070525-124030-2881r.htm

The jobs don’t pay a lot, and you take most of your pay in self-esteem, but somebody is always trying out for village idiot or village atheist. Often they’re one and the same. Lately we’ve seen fresh pursuit of these positions, fueled by a rash of books about atheism, or more accurately, irrational screeds mocking those who have the faith the authors clearly envy. Atheists are organizing. They have their registered lobbyist now on Capitol Hill, and they’re planning a revival meeting in Arlington in September.

Please don’t take this as hate. This is not hate — it’s fear. They lie, exaggerate, and deliberately misquote what they fear most: verbose Atheists and their evil mouths with their stupid science that answers so many of the questions they wish they could. Those poopy-heads!Imagine a world without us. How ignorant the world would be without the logically-inclined.

Camp Quest was specifically designed for children of agnostics,atheists, brights, freethinkers, humanists, Unitarians, or whatever terms might be applied to those who maintain a naturalistic, not supernaturalistic, world view. Our campers are girls and boys ages 8-17. Our 2007 camp will be July 8 – 15 at Camp Watanda (about 70miles north of Sacramento, in the California Gold Country). Seecampquestwest.org for details.Please direct info requests to the Camp Director, Chris Lindstrom at:(650) 949-3192 campdirector@campquestwest.org

I did it last year, and I’ll be doing it again this year. It’s a great experience and the bugs aren’t that bad. Please consider this wonderful experience, alone or with your kid.

28 May 2007OPREP: Speak Out and Rally for Reason in KentuckyWHAT: Speak Out and Rally for Reason in demonstration against the new Creation ?Museum?WHERE: Speak Out at the Hilton in Florence, KY and the Rally for Reason in Petersburg, KYWHEN: Speak Out on 27MAY07 and Rally for Reason on 28MAY07WHO: Supporters of scienceThe Speak Out and Rally for Reason were put together to protest the opening of the new Creation ?Museum? by Answers in Genesis.I attended the Speak Out on May 27th at the Hilton in Florence, KY. The Speak Out was a sort of Pep Rally for those attending the next day?s Rally for Reason. A host of wonderful speakers talked to a crowd of over 100 people. Organizers had to open up the room?s partition to access the room next to the original room.The speakers at the Speak Out included Frank Zinder (American Atheists), Chuck and Nicole Smalkowski, Dr. Gretchen Mann, Carly Nichols and Melissa Hartman (Rally for Reason), Dr. Gene Kritsky (Evolutionary biologist), Dr. Helen Kagin (Camp Quest), Rev. Mendle Adams, Hemant Mehta (I Sold My Soul On E-Bay), Arene-Marie (American Atheists, Michigan), Blair Scott (American Atheists, Alabama), and Edwin Kagin (American Atheists, Kentucky).The next day we headed out to Petersburg to demonstrate outside the iron gates, roving creationism guards, and guard dogs of the Creation ?Museum.? The head count during the peak period of the demonstration was over 200 participants there supporting science and speaking out against mythology and superstition.The Smalkowski family band entertained the participants. Additional speeches as well as an open-mic period kept the participants excited about the event. We also had the pleasure of hearing from Dr. Lawrence Krauss, a professor of astronomy and physics at Case Western University and author of ?The Physics of Star Trek.?Press were everywhere at the event, including NPR (interviewing for Morning Edition), PBS (interviewing and filming for a documentary), Ohio and Kentucky newspapers and TV news channels. Video of the demonstration was also piped to CNN and was covered on Anderson Cooper during the 5 PM (EST) broadcast.We had an excellent time at the Rally for Reason and speaking out in support of science and against mythology and superstition. It was an honor to stand alongside so many supporters of science and reason.A gigantic kudos needs to go to the organizers of the Rally for Reason. Their professionalism showed through in one of the best-organized events I have ever attended. They arranged for a shuttle service between the designated parking area and the rally point, had visible vests to easily identify Reason for Rally staff members, and worked directly with the Boone County Sheriff?s office and with local land owners to secure our parking and staging area. The combination of the Speak Out and Rally for Reason was a powerful combination and served a great purpose for the scientific community.Well done ladies and gentlemen, it was a pleasure meeting some of you for the first time and seeing others again.As an added bonus, the Rally for Reason prompted the formation of a new atheist group in northern Kentucky, the Northern Kentucky Secular Society.On the Net:Rally for Reason: http://www.rallyforreason.comRally for Reason recap video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rDPP2EtJ4W0Blair Scott?s speech at Speak Out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fPRLI5roUlENorthern Kentucky Secular Society: http://atheists.meetup.com/570Answers in Genesis: http://www.answersingenesis.orgCreation Museum: http://www.creationmuseum.org/

Memorial Day is a special holiday to me. I liken it to Xmas, as it has lost some of its meaning. To most people, it’s about Summer, beach openings, changes in clothing, car sales, etc. It’s also my anniversary (16 years!)Have a great weekend everyone. Just take a moment to remember our veterans who died so we could have our freedom. Also take a moment to remember the 10K Atheists who serve our armed forces right now.THANK YOU!

Another in a line of great Onion stories. See what we are missing? The Jesus Universal Health Insurance Plan described in the link to the title of this post.Pretty much says it all.Peter Nuhn

The RALLY FOR REASONhttp://www.rallyforreason.com Media: Edwin Kagin859-384-7000 or edwin@edwinkagin.com COALITION SUPPORTING GOOD SCIENCE, SOUND TEACHINGTO SPEAK OUT AT OPENING OF CREATIONIST MUSEUMSun-Mon. May 27-28, 2007 A broad coalition of secularist, religious, and educational groups and other advocates of “good science” will be protesting this Memorial Day weekend at the opening of a Creationist Museum in Kentucky. The Answer in Genesis Creationist Museum is a 60,000-square-foot facility that will feature state of the art exhibits and other presentations arguing on behalf of an Old Testament view of how human beings and the universe came into existence. It is meant as a statement against Darwinian evolution, and scientific findings that the cosmos is billions of years old, and that human beings evolved, along with other present-day creatures, from earlier life forms. Instead, “young Earth” creationist groups like AIG preach that the Earth is only about 6,000 years old. The museum will reportedly have exhibits reflecting the dubious claim that dinosaurs and human beings co-existed, contrary to scientific evidence. The RALLY FOR REASON includes groups and individuals who support objective science and high standards for science instruction in public schools. It includes religious and non-religious groups ranging from the Clergy Letter Project to the Institute for Humanist Studies and American Atheists. Edwin Kagin, organizer of the Rally stated that the protest does not challenge the right of AIG to present its views. “They can teach that things fall up if they wish,” said Mr. Kagin. “We’re simply trying to show that their views are based on a particular and narrow religious doctrine, not on good scientific evidence.” The RALLY FOR REASON will take place on Monday, May 28 2007 beginning at 9:00 AM in front of the Creation Museum, Petersburg Rd., Boone County, KY. More information can be found at http://www.rallyforreason.com. There will be a RALLY FOR REASON SPEAK-OUT hosted by the Free Inquiry Group of Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky on Sunday, May 27, 200 at the Hilton Cincinnati Airport Hotel, 7373 Turfway Rd., Florence, KY beginning at 7:00 PM. Speakers will include Rev. Mendle Adams; Frank Zindler (biologist, geologist); Dr. Gene Kritsky (evolutionary biologist); Helen Kagin, physician and others. For info on that event, visit http://www.gofigger.org . Media: For commentary and further information on the RALLY FOR REASON, contact Edwin Kagin (edwin@edwinkagin.com) — phone: 859-384-7000 or visit http://www.rallyforreason.com

Read Frida Berrigan’s piece called We’re Number One! America Leads the World in War Profits Frida is with the War Resisters League.Hear we live in this so-called Christian Nation, at least that is what the conservative religious minority would try to make us believe, and we are the first in the entire world in oil consumption – 20.7 million barrels per day; first in the world in external debt – 10,040 trillion; 5.8 billion metric tons of CO2 pollution into the atmosphere or more than China, Russian and India combined; first in military expenditures; first in weapon sales; first in sales of surface to air missiles; first in sales of military ships; first in military training; and first in private military personnel or what we used to call mercenaries. With this as our legacy, how do we call ourselves a Christian nation? Or is this what being Christian really means? I have never been a Christian. Neither of my parents participated or even mentioned religion once in all the time they were raising me. So as far as I am concerned, being a nation of first in WAR and first in Selling WAR to the rest of the world could just be what the conservative religious minority mean by America is a Christian nation. Anyone care to comment?Peter Nuhn

ATLANTA, Georgia (AP) — A traveling minister who served two years in prison on bigamy charges has been jailed again after at least four women said he proposed to them.Officials also say there is no evidence that Bishop Anthony Owens, 35, divorced the eight wives he had married before going to prison.A judge will decide whether Owens should go back to prison. Owens, who turned himself into the Gwinnett County jail April 30, declined to be interviewed.But his new fiancees aren’t keeping quiet.Betty Dixon, 38, met him last March in a casino near Memphis.”He was a slick talker,” the nurse said. “He told me God had sent him to me and I needed help.”Nurse Cheryl Selmon, 48, says Owens proposed to her last October. A month later, he proposed to Darlene Keeler, 42, a manager of a gospel group.Then he met 43-year-old Karen Ward, a mother of two young children, and proposed to her.”He said God gave him a message that he was going to move my family to California for a better life,” Ward said. “I gave up my apartment. I took my children out of school. He said he is a real man of the Lord. But he is just a mess. I hate the day that I met him.”According to police reports, Owens’ first marriage was in 1990 in Memphis, Tennessee, Owens’ birthplace. At the age of 18, he married 43-year-old Joanna Hill.He said the marriage was troubled from the start and that a misunderstanding of Mormon teachings led him to marry 41-year-old Earleen Mabien in 1992, even though he was still married to his first wife.After Earleen, Owens married six other women from 1995 to 2002 in South Carolina, Alabama, Tennessee and Georgia. The last of those wives learned about the others and called police. Owens has said he did divorce some of the wives, but he can’t remember which ones.

And, while we’re talking about people misusing religion…

A woman blames the devil and not her husband for severely burning their infant daughter after the two-month-old was put in a microwave, a Texas TV station has reported.Eva Marie Mauldin said Satan compelled her 19-year-old husband, Joshua Royce Mauldin, to microwave their daughter on May 10 because the devil disapproved of Joshua’s efforts to become a preacher.”Satan saw my husband as a threat. Satan attacked him because he saw (Joshua) as a threat,” Eva Mauldin told Houston television station KHOU-TV.

You call it religion, I call it attempted infanticide.Same diff.Thanks to those who sent me this

http://www.nj.com/ap/stories/index.ssf?/base/national-85/117962215436220.xml&storylist=topstories

LYNCHBURG, Va. (AP) ? Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich told Liberty University’s graduating class Saturday to honor the spirit of school founder Jerry Falwell by confronting “the growing culture of radical secularism” with Christian ideals.Gingrich, who is considering a 2008 presidential run, quoted Bible passages to a mournful crowd of about 17,000 packed into the university’s football stadium four days after Falwell’s death.Despite the somber tone of the day, graduates who covered the football field chanted “Jerry! Jerry!” in tribute to Falwell.

Gee Newt, Maybe these Christian Ideals are wrong. Maybe your constant stream of hate, bigotry, and thoughtlessness isn’t sticking in the real world anymore, eh?Oh yeah… Did anyone at Liberty University mention the extramarital sex you had when you were in office? Or the divorce against your sick wife?