In an effort to increase our membership and spur new activism, effective July 1 we will be lowering our dues to $20/year for a person and $35 for a family.
This blog, this web page, the board (with few exceptions), the State Directors, Regional Directors are all volunteer. I’m a volunteer. We are here for a cause, and we need your help. If you’re not a member, please join. If you are a member, please help us find new members!
This work is important, time-consuming, and expensive. Your help is greatly appreciated!
Dave
You know what you have to do to get me donating again. Eliminate your bias and I will donate $1000.
Im with you on this. Lets see some fair and balanced treatment of “gods chosen people” within AA.
WOW…AA taking a conservative approach to falling revenue. Let’s see…give a tax break and the revenue will increase…
I guess Dave is a LINO…
Phreeandethal, it’s called a recession, and you can thank that ideology you ascribe to for it.
Say Rat…I can see that not only do you not major in history, but economics isn’t your forte either…
Is that all you have phreeanderthal? OK, history lesson for you: Harding, Coolidge, HOOVER. All three ascribed to conservative fiscal policy that, in the end, destroyed the American economy and led to the great depression. The Smoot-Hawley tariff was just the final nail in the coffin.
Now go back to watching Faux News and get lied to some more. Hopefully you’ll be dead soon so your offspring can’t hear you spew your bullshit, and the world won’t have to repeat history.
Again.
(Chuckle) Whutthole’s Nazi head rears itself out of the sewer again. Dave has not expressed a position on Israelli policy, other that the idea that religion causes war. I would like to make a statement to the effect,”fuck you,” on behalf of Dave, but, thus far he has remained neutral, and I assume he’d rather I didn’t.
But, you and godless, wouldn’t you like to see Dave take responsibility for Bernie Madoff again? You want to see Dave renounce the evil Jews? Hilarious, there are no evil races you piece of shit amoebas!!!!!! The world is full of idiots, but the most pathetic are the ones who pretend to be freethinkers. That would be you.
NeoWolfe
Neoplasm
It is apparent and always has been apparent that you think it perfectly acceptable for Dave to hold religious jews to one standard and all other religions to another.
What bias, what?
I think the price change is a good idea on the short term (like through the end of the year.) I think we’ll gather members. Now those of us who are members can suggest it to people we know would love to join but haven’t much money.
I think I’ll get a membership for my niece. This girl is 19 and God is being shoved down her throat every day all day. I think she’ll appreciate it. I have to wait til I get paid again. My neice appears to be really tired and practically choking on all the bible/God/Jesus crap. I can tell she’s tuned them out. She has peeked over the fence to look at some of my atheist posts on facebook and smiled. I think she’d like a membership card.
I’ll tell her friend about the change in price and see if she wants one, too. She strongly supports separation of church and state.
What,
Jews suck (except the secular ones and my wife and family).
Please make your check out to American Atheists.
PS Please don’t let the above comment hijack the thread!
Dave
Name calling isn’t what I want. You have a long way to go.
Then I take it back.
Good. I’m glad you are not one of Neoplasm’s “Nazis”
So then what you are saying is that religious jews don’t “suck” and you are affirming a commitment to your usual bias.
Practitioners of Judaism suck just as much as practitioners of Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, etc.
Perhaps you are confusing practitioners of Judaism with people of the Jewish lineage?
American Atheists has spoken out against Judaism in the past and I have done so many times as well. What exactly are you looking for? Do you want American Atheists to deny the Holocaust? Do you want American Atheists to go after the lineage of Judaism instead of the religion?
All gods and all religions are stupid: even “the chosen people’s” god(s).
Blair
No such confusion.
What I want is even handed treatment of all religions on this blog. As I have pointed out on many occasions that is not the case here.
There are plenty of stories in the news about the atrocities commited by religious jews and zionists in the name of judasim and zionism which I and others on this blog have no trouble finding and posting but for some reason AA seems to always miss. This is why I send my money to FFRF (Freedom From Religion Foundation) rather than American Atheists because of their more even handed criticism of all religion.
If you find a legitimate news story that is not racist propaganda or Zionist conspiracy theories then send them to me at bscott@atheists.org or alabamaatheist@gmail.com and I will look into them. If they are, in fact, legitimate, then I will post them.
The majority of the “news stories” that are sent to use about this issue are conspiracy theory nutjob stories and not legitimate news stories by actual news agencies. Someone even sent me an Iranian news item one time about Zionism, etc and it went on and on about how the “Elders of Zion” were legitimate. Conspiracy theory wackos will get no place here. Legitimate news will.
And will stories about muslims be run through your legitimacy filter as well. And what about Dave’s comments about the stories? Will those be run through your legitimacy filter. I can and have cited many cases of Dave’s bias run wild. I have cited many such legitimate news stories but they go untouched by AA.
Who are you kidding?
“And will stories about muslims be run through your legitimacy filter as well.”
Of course. All stories that I post run through my legitimacy filter.
“And what about Dave’s comments about the stories? Will those be run through your legitimacy filter.”
Dave’s comments are his own, as are mine and yours.
“I have cited many such legitimate news stories but they go untouched by AA.”
As I said, send them to me if you honestly think there is a bias. Based on past circumstances and events, when we usually hear people railing against the Jews and Zionism what follows is racist rhetoric and conspiracy theory stupidity. I think on only one occasion when I received something was there a legitimate newsworthy issue there.
“Who are you kidding?”
Well, I gave you your chance. Are you going to keep railing on about it or man up and do something about it? You can whine all day and accomplish nothing or you can take me up on my offer. Your choice.
Blair
I am not going to send you an email. These stories aren’t hidden. They are in plane view. One does not need my help in finding them or seeing their relevance. Unless,of course, one’s bias is at play. Instead I will continue to point out Dave’s bias in choosing stories and his comments about such stories.
Blair
Dave is a spokesperson for AA. His comments should reflect the official positions of AA. His comments should not show tribally motivated favoritism toward a particular religion. To compare his comments with mine shows a great lack of awareness of the importance of Dave’s position within AA.
Is AA losing members?
what: “I am not going to send you an email. These stories aren’t hidden. They are in plane view.”
I have over 50 different Google News Alerts set up and I have only received a couple in over a year, and both of those were innocuous, and one was about the Holocaust Museum.
How come every time I make an offer to people like you, you never follow through? Is it because you cannot adhere to my rules of nothing from racist propaganda sites and conspiracy theory wingnuts?
You had your chance. My offer was legitimate.
what: “Instead I will continue to point out Dave’s bias in choosing stories and his comments about such stories.”
Or you could have taken the mature approach and taken me up on my offer. C’est la vie!
what: comments should reflect the official positions of AA.”
Only when annotated. It should be obvious that Dave has some leeway to allow his personality come through on his posts, such as his jab earlier about “Jews suck” toward you. Those of us that represent AA are not robots.
what: “His comments should not show tribally motivated favoritism toward a particular religion. To compare his comments with mine shows a great lack of awareness of the importance of Dave’s position within AA.”
Only in your mind.
what: “Is AA losing members?”
Nope.
If you can’t stand Dave as much as you say and you think there is a bias, etc, etc., then why the hell are you here other than to stir crap up when you can?
Live every other Jew-hater in the past, when I’ve offered a legitimate chance to redeem yourself (either with data or legitimate news stories) you refuse to comply or come up with stupid excuses to avoid it.
I challenge you to send me one legitimate story that does not come from a racist propaganda site, does not contain conspiracy theories by morons, and does not mention the debunked “Elders of Zion.” C’mon… now is your chance to show the rest of the Blog that you’re not a stupid Neo-Nazi. Can you do it?
Blair
Yet, as one recent example, you (and Dave) missed these front page New York Times stories:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/16/nyregion/16jail.html?ref=nyregion
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/12/nyregion/12jail.html?ref=nyregion
And just who are “people like me”.
Excuse me. When have I ever posted anything from a “racist propaganda sites and conspiracy theory wingnuts”? Put-up our shut-up with your nasty allegations!
I have pointed out on these pages on numerous occasions the bias Dave shows in choosing what he blogs about. I have linked to many news worthy stories involving the bad behavior by religious jews that have been completely overlooked on the pages of the NoGodBlog. So, you would like me to send you an email. To what purpose? I can point out the bias to you alone in an email – which may or may not be addressed by AA – or I can point it out on this blog to fellow atheists and members of AA. Which course of action do you think is more effective? Which course of action is more open?
Blair
“Jew hater”? You can’t follow the simple argument I am making in regards to Dave’s bias so you pull out the “jew hater” crap. Is that an example of your “mature” behavior?
Blair
In a recent discussion with KA on these pages on pointed out religious jews involved in supporting Madoff’s ponzi scheme. These criminals, their behavior and their religion were no more and no less intertwined than the countless, and usually insignificant, bad behavior of xians and muslims that Dave blogs about with gusto. But their is no mention about the catastrophic bad behavior of these jews.
When Israel recently attacked Gaza, an event which Dave admitted was religiously motivated, all he had to say about it was that he would not want to vacation there. This was an extremely significant news story and very consequential to the lives of many but it got no attention from Dave. Dave did find time to blog about a single arab (we don’t even know that he is muslim) TV executive that beheaded his wife.
How much more obvious does Dave’s bias have to be?
I applaud the membership dues reduction! Thank you! I suggested that several years ago to Ellen and others, and it always seemed impossible.
I am convinced that this will help encourage more Atheists to join. There are other methods, but this one will work, mark my words.
)
Joe Zamecki
Austin
PS – For some reason I can log in, but not as Joe Zamecki. Hmm. Need ID? “This is me!” lolol
Dave,
Howzabout a physical address? There’s some of us that detest banks and credit cards, and still rely on the good ol’ all-American socialist organization called the US Postal Service.
American Atheists
ATTN: New Membership
PO Box 158
Cranford, NJ 07016
thanx! you’ll see my $20 in the snail mail.
Ah nevermind. It worked okay. Cool!
Kool
how important is it?…. to hang on to cultures that hopefully would change into something forward which I would guess would be not something backward…..
saying jews suck except for the non religious ones….is like hanging on to a culture that you really careless about anyway…..
Im half Irish and Italian…..fuck those cultures…..I dont care about being described by any culture ….the stupid catholic religion is so intertwined with those groups that as an atheist….I dont care about them…fuck them….
cloaks, smokes, robes, funny hats and spooky language…..wtf
Giordano Bruno and Galileo Galilei were Italian.
I still enjoy my Scottish culture now and then. If it were to go away tomorrow I would not be sad, but I do enjoy it when I get a chance, such as the more rare Scottish Festival that used to come around here more often. It was always great to get a real Bridy or Haggas!
As to the whole Jews thing… people should remember that there are three different definitions of the word Jew: 1) followers of Judaism, 2) people of the Hebrew lineage, and 3) people from Judea.
Jews, in the sense of followers of Judea, are just as silly as Christians, Muslims, Hindus, etc.
Jews, in the sense of the Hebrew lineage, are no different than someone saying they are Native American or Hispanic. It’s ridiculously silly to knock someone for saying that.
Blair
Do you think religion is dangerous? If so than what aspect of religion makes it so?
Instead of asking baited questions in order to get the response you’re looking for to give an answer you want to give, why not just come right out and say it?
Huh? It’s a question of fundamental importance to atheists. Paranoid much?
And say what?
And nobody is! Strawman diversionary tactic.
“Huh? It’s a question of fundamental importance to atheists. Paranoid much?”
In the right context, yes, but you are clearly digging for something. Quit digging and just come out and say what you want to say. I am no mood to play stupid games with people.
I’m digging for the answer to the question I asked of you. You can answer the question our continue playing your “stupid game”.
Blair: “Jews, in the sense of the Hebrew lineage, are no different than someone saying they are Native American or Hispanic. It’s ridiculously silly to knock someone for saying that.”
what: “And nobody is! Strawman diversionary tactic.”
Yawn… actually Charlie did.
There are a lot of cultural Jews who do not practice or believe in Judaism, but still enjoy their culture. There are a lot of cultural Native Americans who do not practice Ancestor Worship or Shamanism, but still enjoy their culture and participate in rain dances, etc.
I participated in a Scottish wedding two years ago in full royal guard costume, but that did not make me a Christian. I participated because I enjoy the culture.
I can’t speak for Charlie so you are addressing your comments to the wrong person. Speaking for myself I will once again ask the question: Do you think religion is dangerous? If so than what aspect of religion makes it so?
what: Speaking for myself I will once again ask the question: Do you think religion is dangerous? If so than what aspect of religion makes it so?
Your question is irrelevant to the topic at hand. I am not going to be side-tracked any more than this thread already has.
Blair – more often than not (in fact, all the time!), What & I disagree quite strongly & forcefully about Israel. Chances are very strong that we’ll never agree. I can tell you this: I am a staunch supporter of Israel.
However, it does seem that we see little criticism of Jews (especially the Madoff scandal) on this blog. It took me a while, but David does seem to skim over the news items regarding Jews.
I can also tell you that I don’t think What is an anti-semite: godless sodomite most definitely is, & in spades. In fact, GS can be quite accurately labeled a hater.
Blair
And what is the topic at hand? And where should it lead? Apparently certain topics are off-limits.
Dave,
3% of atheists are Republicans, and a further 11% are Libertarian. I’m just saying… AA’s image and leadership need work.
I’d be willing to bet that it’s much higher than 11% for Libertarians. Every atheist I know personally is essentially a Libertarian afraid to say for fear of connection to Ron Paul or the darker side of the Republican Party.
The libertarians are only half right. Their economics suck.
AR
Where did you get those numbers?
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/14/AR2007091402200.html?referrer=digg
The source cited is a 2005 Baylor University Religious Survey and Barna.
I can’t back the figure for Libertarians, yet. I don’t know where I got that one.
The link you provided said 3% are “strong republicans”. So I would imagine there are weak republicans not counted in the 3%.
Me sorry.
I keep meaning to get around to this.
I’ll do a family membership next pay cycle.
I’ll pay up as soon as I can. They cut us back to 32 hrs at my plant so times is tough.
Alert OFF TOPIC: Check out what somebody wrote to me trying to justify the ways of god to man. “Does God command the murder of anyone? This is a tricky philosophical question going back to what I mentioned earlier about the sort of “catch 22″ that arises when talking about morality and God. If God is Who He says He is, He gives us life and He can freely take it when, where and why He chooses to do so. I realize this is the old “you-can’t-do-it-but-if-God-does-it-its-OK” excuse. The reason why I bring it up is that its nothing less than the truth. God either is Who He says He is, or He doesn’t exist. The Bible presents us with a picture of a God who expects His creation to obey Him and if we don’t He feels completely justified in punishing us, even destroying us. That’s the nature of the God we have. Again, we can reject Him, but that doesn’t do us any good.”
This person is serious. She’s saying it’s ok for god to destroy us if we don’t obey him. Sinners in the hand of an angry god!!
Or as it says in one of the letters of “Paul”: “Does the pot say to the potter, Why did you make me so?”
What these nuts don’t consider is that god made his pots with feelings of their own. We don’t need a potter to tell us when we’re being treated wrong, because we can see it for ourselves.
atheist_republican,
our acceptance of political parties needs work in my opinion.
BTW, aren’t you now like a double whammy being an atheist and a republican?
Also, I used to be Libertarian sided until I heard some of their uba-Xtian candidates.
LOL
Joe Z is right.
I think maybe AA can also offer eternal Non-Damnation
Freedom from deital tyranny. After all, aren’t they only accepted in other orgs if they ‘believe’?
Don’t want to go to hell like everyone else you know is going to? Join AA. I like it that slogan.
David, lots of Jews I know are cool and some spend money freely. You are the king of the Jews in my book and I know some close seconds.
Yes, it is sort of a double whammy. Even more so than black Republicans or gay Republicans (two groups I greatly admire). It is very lucid. And forces me to become twice as strong a debater. Do twice the research. Learn twice as much. Basically, I’m Spock.
Gay republicans confound me as a gay man who is an independent. How much self loathing can a person possibly have?
I agree with Charlie,
I’ve really grown tired of Italian culture.
I want to like the Irish and I think they are evolving, albeit a lot slower than their more evolved European cousins.
Besides I still haven’t met an Irishman that can outdrink me.
I have a red-headed friend who thinks she’s Italian because her last name is Italian.
Back to lowering the price.
GREAT IDEA!! Just need to go public with it somehow.
Take it easy on the Irish, I’m one myself. We might be dumbass catholic wife-beating drunks but we have the gift of gab and beautiful singing voices.
***OFF TOPIC***
And it’s sure to rile many on this board…but I’m using AA’s method of condemning an entire group of people by the mere act of an individual…
Exactly why Gay’s should never be allowed to adopt…
You’re right Phree, he just needed to have the homosexual demons beat of him. This guy was a child predator not a gay having consensual sex with other adults. Why not just ban all Duke University students, alumni, and employees from ever coming within 200 feet of a child again. Problem solved, good thinking.
Now PROOF…you know, sometimes one has to do a little bit of work to discover the truth…Tell me, how much more in life have you missed?
I should change my statement- This guy was a child predator as well as a gay having consensual sex with other adults. The latter being perfectly acceptable to those not trying to protect the “sanctity of marriage.”
Either way, would you also argue that Priests should not be allowed access to children? They seem to have a much greater track record with this sort of perversion. How about those few Christian nuts who drown their kids in a bathtub? Is that sufficient reason to ban adoption by all Christians?
Give me an example of where I have condemned an entire group based on one nut. I’m sure you could find a few cases where an atheist here has been guilty of such a thing, but they are few and far between. It is a ridiculous conclusion to make.
Ah…and even that is not complete. He was trying to pimp his 5 year old to another man…
Hmmm…I’m not sure why I should? My statement was…
But you did prove my point with your question…
I have no idea how I could have proven your point, unless your point was that a few thousand priests and a few freaks molesting children don’t take away the rights of others in their group. This guy was clearly a fuck up and I’d like to see him spend much longer than 20 years in prison, however, many gay couples are much better parents than people like Sanford who are supposedly protecting the sanctity of marriage.
I’ll assume you’ve already purchased a lifetime membership to AA and don’t have to worry about the fluctuation in yearly rates, which is why you throw in a claim like that.
feed the predator to the inmates
So phreeanderthal, you’re comparing one psycho to an entire global conspiracy to cover up child abuse and molestation?
I mean, we don’t have to discredit faith. The religions do that all without our help. And you are definitely no help to your own cause. Do you represent “god’s love”? If so, i ain’t feelin’ it, bub.
Yes, love is not the word i would use to describe your demeanor on here. Contempt is closer, and if you’re actually here to show us god’s love, you’ve failed. Old bitter curmudgeon. that’s you.
By the way, have you seen the latest Pew research? Your kind are rapidly losing ground. you can thank Bush, Ensign, Sanford, Craig, Foley, Osama, Iran, and the rest of the fascist theocrats.
Oh and where’s that rapture thing that you’ve promised at least SEVEN times in the last 2000 years?
Phreeanderthal, your uppance hath come. Your kind can’t win without threats, intimidation, fear and violence. it’s all unraveling for you.
Uppance hath come.
A single case of a gay man abusing his adopted child no more makes the case against gay adoption than do susan smith or andrea yates make for not allowing heterosexual xian women to have children. Get a grip on reality.
Some of the ironies I find to all this madness are…
Take notes please.
Man created gods. gods did not create men. (actually women did. someone must argue this point I know)
Don’t we live in the land of the Brave?
How courageous is praying?
How courageous is fearing something that doesn’t exist !!!! (in the tone of Lewis Black W-T-F-??)
And then fearing that other people think you don’t believe.
The Emperor doesn’t have any Zeus-damn clothes on!!!
OK I’m calming down now.
David in these tough economic times this is a good idea.thanks btw to all you volunteers.
the budget decisions by AA board will be more important than ever.It is time for AA members to take off the rose colored glasses and see obama for what he is a [fraud] with his shady chicago gang in the white house driving the economy into the ground.get over the fairy tale obama is atheist he is a muslim convert to christian faith he is not our ally.
Reason
How may times are you going to fail the same economics test. If you have a better way to fix an economy up against the interest rate lower bound amidst a recession then I would like to hear it. Obama’s only mistake is that he is not spending enough!
Why do you want to spurn new activism?
Every man needs active sperm.
Heh. Couldn’t help it.
Spawn.
I’m sure he meant ’spur.’
Dave deliberately misspelled the word to attract your attention and spark a lively debate. That’s his story and he’s sticking to it.
Good point. But was he trying to spur debate or spawn debate?
Ah. Spark.
[...] “In an effort to increase our membership and spurn new activism, effective July 1 (or sooner) … [...]
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Personally, I never thought the annual membership fees were too high. I have thought the $1,500 cost of a lifetime membership was too high though; $1,000 would be more appropriate.
Off Topic: Archdiocese To Probe Annapolis Cancer Cure
http://www.wbaltv.com/cnn-news/19886136/detail.html
There you have it. The only explaination (except for the chemo, of course) is that gawd did it!
Lower fees might help, but I wonder if more people would join AA if they were given some control over the direction of the organization, for example by being able to vote on members of the Board of Directors?
I will consider coming back to AA if that ever happens.
Every dollar helps keep the religious from forcing their beliefs on the country. With that in mind if you don’t care to join you can still donate.
I personally prefer to donate to support the legal actions of AA. Until all the deluded can be deprogrammed from their respective cults we will hear their hateful BS (Believe or Suffer forever). Atheists it looks like it is up to us to save the world. The religious have have given up hope for this world believing the end is near.
Donate or risk losing the right to free speech. You know “the right” to call religions mythology. The right to speak up without being threatened or worse.
I am donating $1500 because this cause is very important to me and more importantly to ALL Americans.
As a fellow AA member I thank you! I, myself, can only afford membership dues at this time. Hopefully I will be able to donate in the near future.
Dave, please pass on my gratitude to all at AA for their continuing efforts to keep this a free country and use my donation towards that end.
Die ignorance Die.
Ms. Mitzman, Thank you kindly for matching my donation.
OT ALERT
Dems now have 60. Get er done!
http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/06/30/court-rules-franken-has-won-senate-seat/?hp
What: Lets floor the gas pedal on this spending freight train and see what it tops out at, Eh. :Get er done!
Huh? That’s to cryptic for me.
I think lowering prices are a great idea! Now I can afford to renew my membership for even more years! I’ll do my part to spread the word!
P.S. I’m a new member and my name is Kevin. I’m very proud to be an American Atheist!