American Atheist Magazine Fourth Quarter 2011

OUGHT

THE

CHRIST-MYTH THEORY and Its Problems By Robert M. Price

In the opinion of many believers and scholars alike, the final chapter of this book says it all: "Worse han Atheism." It is one thing to say "There are no gods" or "Jesus was not a god, just a man." It is quite another thing to say "Jesus of Nazareth never existed at all" or that "Christ is a myth." But scholars have been saying exactly that since at least 1793 when the Enlightenment scholar Charles Dupuis began to publish his 13-volume Origine de Taus les Cultes, au Religion Universelle, which elucidated the astral origins not only of Christianity but of other ancient religions as well. New Testament scholar Robert M. Price, one of America's leading authorities on the Bible, here summarizes much of the scholarship that has led him and a growing number of modern scholars to conclude that Christ-a partial synonym for Jesus of Nazareth-is mythical. Most usefully, Price has assembled evidence that shows that almost the entire "biography of Jesus" has been created from Greek Old Testament stories and themes and even incorporates motifs from Homer, Euripides, and perhaps Aesop. Because readers will have a hard time "taking it on faith" that the Jesus biography is merely a reworking of previous material, broad swaths of Old Testament context are quoted in association with each New Testament equivalent, so readers can judge for themselves whether or not Dr. Price's claim is true: that the "life of Christ" was not the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies; it was, rather, a conscious reworking of earlier literature.

American Atheist Press To order go to atheists.org/store, amazon.com, or ca11908-276-7300.

AMERICAN ATHEIST A Journal of Atheist News and Thought

4th Quarter 2011 Vol. 49, No.4

ISSN 0516-9623 (Print) ISSN 1935-8369 (Online) EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Pamela Whissel [email protected]

AMERICAN ATHEIST PRESS MANAGING

EDITOR

Frank R. Zindler

Cover: A UHPA roadside memorial in its present altered state, with the beehive painted over. The officer's name remains, but we removed it here because the lawsuit was never about the fallen troopers. Photo by Eric Daenitz

[email protected] LAYOUT AND GRAPHICS EDITOR

Rick Wingrove

In This Issue

rwi ng [email protected]

4

Editor's Letter: What Would Hitchens Say? I Pam Whissel

Published by American Atheists, Inc.

5

George Washington

Mailing Address: P.O. Box 158 Cranford NJ 07016 Phone: 908.276.7300 FAX: 908.276.7402 www.atheists.org

©2011 American Atheists, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. American Atheist is indexed in the Alternative Press Index. American Atheist magazine is given free of cost to members of American Atheists as an incident of their membership. Annual Individual Membership with subscription for one year of American Atheist print magazine: $35. Online version only: $20. Couple/Family Membership with optional print magazine: $35. Sign up at www.atheists.org/aam. Discounts available for multiple year subscriptions: 10% for two years, 20% for three or more years. Additional postage fees for foreign addresses: Canada and Mexico: add $10/year. All other countries: add $30/ year. Discounts for libraries and institutions: 50% on all magazine subscriptions and book purchases.

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6 10 12 16 20 22 26 32 33

I Ed

Buckner, Michael Buckner

Deconstructing Dominionism

I Becky Garrison

An Interview with Penn Jillette

I Pam

Whissel

Writers Contemporary to Jesus? I Michael B. Paulkovich Why Christianity Is a Cult I Marvin Brown Breaking Their

wuu

Interview

with Janet Heimlich

Permanent Legal Victory in Utah

I Brian

M. Barnard

Three Lives of a Warrior: Part 2 I Phillip Butler Parading Atheists

I Ernest

Perce

Life with the Senior Nones

I Gil Gaudia

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Letter

from the

Editor

D

ingdong the Hitch is dead. Offensive? Inapprorpriate? Poor taste? All of the above? None of the above? Who gets to decide? Well, you and I both. I choose this epitaph because it exemplifies Christopher Hitchens' work-and why our own work is now more urgent without him. First of all, no one is better at word play, especially vicious word play, than he was. This one probably occurred to him before he finished hearing the original song for the first time. His most notorious pun is the title of his expose of Mother Teresa of Calcutta. Missionary Position is as provocative and, in some circles, as offensive as it gets. It's also quintessential Hitchens: not very nice on the surface, but stay with it and discover a point of view that is an education in itself. Contemplate his point of view and discover the enormous good it can accomplish. And in the case of this book's content, you'll admire the restraint in his choice of title. He did it again with god is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything. He didn't even let up in the subtitle there. There's a more productive way to read the epitaph. This time the bell tolls a warning: Hitch is dead, so Atheists are short the equivalent of an army. Now what? The big shoes here that need filling are the big words that will go unsaid unless we all ask, What would Hitchens say? Take, for example, recent public opinion polls consistently showing Atheists to be the least trusted demographic. We no longer have the luxury of the genius of Hitchens to refute this absurdity for us, so it's time to strap on the WWHS bracelet. I know many people have yet to say out loud what Hitchens said all the time: I am an Atheist. They haven't said it yet because if they do, it will, to those around them, sound as offensive, provocative, and disrespectful as a Hitchens book title. And the response will be the same one Hitchens got all the time: How dare you say that? It might also be another response he got all the time: I'm so glad you spoke up. As I said in the last issue, the cause of civil rights for non-believers-let alone the cause of removing the stigma-is not dear to the hearts of everyone, so I want this magazine to be a handbook on how to show someone the way out or how to come out yourself. We're in excellent hands with two of this issue's contributors. Michael Paulkovich has previously written for American Atheist under a pen name. After sufficient reflection, he dedcided it's time to use his real one. He expects to survive. After reading Phillip Butler's account of eight years as a P.O.W. in North Vietnam (most of them full of routine torture), you'll agree with me that we need a new word for survive. This time Hitchens isn't around to think of it for us, but you are. I'd love to hear from you, and your neighbors need to hear from you. More than anything, you need your neighbors to hear from you. Hitchens is gone, but so are this nation's founders. They left behind some pretty good writing too. The Constitution is on our side, so let's use it. And start telling your religious neighbors that it's on their side too. Let them know that nothing will take better care of their religion than the wall of church/state separation. Pamela Whissel [email protected]

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Atheist Hero? I /.~

by Ed Buckner,

Ph.D.,

and Michael

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astissue, in our article "Shores of Tripoli," we suggested that people such as the first American president, George Washington, should probably not be considered Atheist or freethought heroes. But maybe a more nuanced conclusion is in order. Washington, like many other "Foun dimg Fat hers, " wrote a number of things that qualify him as a supporter of secularism who would be appalled at today's attempts to declare the U.S. a Christian nation. While there is apparently no record of Washington's specific opinion on the 1796-97 Treaty with Tripoli, which declared that "the government of the United States is not in any sense founded on the Christian religion," it was agreed to during his administration. And it was declared to be the law of the land by his successor,John Adams, with no known objection from Washington. Exactly what Washington's personal religious beliefs were cannot be confidently determined. For much of the contradictory evidence on the subject, see the Wikipedia article "George Washington and Religion." He never denounced religion or declared himself to be an Atheist. Like others of his day, he was known to have thought that religion is useful for society, for keeping the common man well behaved. His most famous and public expression of this was in his "Farewell Address," drafted for him by

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DECONSTRUCTING by Becky Garrison

ven before Rick Perry's maple syrup slurs in New Hampshire made Howard Dean's "I Have a Scream" speech seem downright normal, the man dubbed by the late Molly Ivins as "The Coiffure" and "Governor Goodhair" espoused views on issues such as economics, human sexuality, foreign policy, and evolutionary science that put him alongside other religious right-wing presidential candidates like Sarah Palin

M ic h elle Bachmann,

'

and

Pat Robertson. In addition to flaunting HairThat-Praises-Jesus personas, these 6

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"Christians" espouse a God 'n' country rhetoric that seeks to drape the cross on the American flag using the text of G enesis 1:28, whereby their god gave them dominion over the earth. Those outside the evangelical Christian bubble might see such praiseworthy politics as fodder for Iate night comics. True, the sight of any political candidate running for office who deep-sixes science by embracing creationism and praying away the gay sounds more like the premise for a Saturday Night Live sketch than an actual presidential campaign platform. But the message behind these megawatt smiles and bizarre statements is downright dangerous. One can hear in the lingo of Perry, along with Bachmann and Palin, the stirrings of this Puritan spirit of Christian dominionism that

www.atheists.org

employ scriptural mandates to bring about godly rule in every aspect of society including education, business, health care, and government. As reported by Chip Berlet, Senior Analyst at Political Research Associates, author Fred Clarkson lists three characteristics that define dominionism: 1. Dominionists celebrate Christian nationalism, in that they believe the United States once was, and should again be, a Christian nation. In this way, they deny the Enlightenment roots of American democracy. 2. Dominionists promote religious supremacy, insofar as they generally do not respect the equality of other religions, or even other versions of FOURTH QUARTER 2011

Christiani ty. 3. Dominionists endorse theocratic visions, believing that the Ten Commandments, or biblical law, should be the foundation of American law, and that the US. Constitution should be seen as a vehicle for implementing Biblical principles (Alternet.com, "Inside the Christian Right Dominionist Movement That's Undermining Democracy,"September 1,2011). Dominionism breaks down into two main branches: Christian reconstructionism and Kingdom Now theology. Rousas John Rushdoony popularized reconstructionism in The Institutes of Biblical Law (Ross House Books, 1973). This viewpoint continues to be advanced by David Barton of Wallbuilders, who is a frequent guest on the Fox News Channel. Those who fall into this camp espouse "theonomy," a belief system of three levels of government, which start with the nuclear family, where the man is the head of the household. Next in line is church governance, followed by civil governance. All three levels are subject to Biblical authority, in that their interpretation of God's word is the sole authority that governs human ethics. The Kingdom Now theology influenced the New Apostolic Reformation which Religion Dispatches Senior Editor Sarah Posner describes as "one strand of neo- Pentecostalism that draws on the ideas of dominionism and spiritual warfare. Its adherents display gifts of the spirit, the religious expression of Pentecostal and charismatic believers that includes speaking In tongues, prophecy, healing, and a belief in signs, wonders, and miracles. These evangelists also preach the 'Seven Mountains' theory of dominionism: FOURTH QUARTER 2011

that Christians need to take control of different sectors of public life, such as government, the media, and the law" (Salon.com, "The Christian Right's 'Dominionist' Strategy,": August 21, 2001). Posner also offers this succinct analysis of dominionism: "For the Christian right, it's more a political strategy than a secret 'plot' to 'overthrow'the government, even as some evangelists describe it in terms of 'overthrowing' the powers of darkness (i.e. Satan), and even some more radical, militia-minded groups do suggest such a revolution. In general, though, the Christian right has been very open about its strategy and has spent a lot of money on it: in the law, as just one example, there are now two A.B.A.accredited Christian law schools, at Regent (which absorbed the O.R.U law school) and Jerry Falwell's Liberty University. There are a number of Christian law firms, like the Alliance Defense Fund, formed as a Christian counterweight to the A.C.L.U Yet outsiders don't notice that this is all an expression of dominionism, until someone from that world, like Bachmann, hits the national stage (ibid.)." Thanks to the prayer-led entries of Palin, Perry, and Bachman into the presidential race, dominionism quickly became a political buzz word bandied about by pundits and journalists. In this faith -based frenzy, they tended to run roughshod over the historical antecedents to this movement. So when journalists like Washington Posts Lisa Miller express concern for her profession to display a certain amount of dispassionate coverage of religion, citing that '''dominionism' is the paranoid mot dujour," she downplays the history of dominionism, as well as its ongoing influence on the contemporary US.

: • : : : • : •• • : : • : : • : : : • : : • : : : • : : • • • : : • : : • • • : : • : : •• • : : • : : •• • : : • : : : • : : • : : : • : : • :

Signs Your Poli.tician Might be a Dominionist Anointed by God to run for public office, blames sagging poll numbers as an attack by "the enemy." Labels global warming a myth, since Earth was already saved 2,000 years ago. Overcame power of darkness by leaving homeschooling to attend Patrick Henry College. Celebrates "[esusween" on October 31 by dressing up in full Armor of God pajamas (a bargain at only $6.66). Calls the death penalty God's mighty judgment against rebellious deceivers and false teachers who think it's a-okay to murder sacred stem cells. Exhibits "love" for homosexuals "trapped" in a state of deception and doomed be thrown into lake of fire. Wrangles invitations to tea parties hosted by Fox & Friends. Hires A. Larry Ross Communications to pimp their product. Talking about enacting God's law into civil society makes them go all Santorum inside. Thinks Episcopalians are commie homo-loving liberal Atheists destined for eternal damnation. Prays to win the world through Christ and free market economic liberty. Says not to worry about caring for the planet cuz we'll all be gone come October 21, 2011 ... oh, uh, never mind. Proudly displays vintage Christian Coalition "Poor, Uneducated, Easy to Command" button, despite diploma from Liberty University. Preys away the Matthew 5-7.

Beatitudes

from

"Refudiates" godless heathens and militant radical homosexual activists who "misunderestimate" their godly plan of action to restore America. When caught with pants down, claims interns were groped by God's Right Hand.-B.G.

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political landscape ("Be Not Afraid of Evangelicals,"August 18,2011). Jim Wallis, C.E.O. of the social justice advocacy organization, Sojourners, expresses similar sentiments in his blog, "God's Politics," on Sojo.net ("Defining Evangelicals in an Election Year" Sept. 29, 2011). A. Larry Ross, publicist to such evangelical powerhouses as the National Association of Evangelicals, the Southern Baptist Convention, and Cru (formerly Campus Crusade for Christ) takes this analogy one step further by penning a piece for The Daily Beast website entitled

they can spin out in 800 words" ("Beyond Alarmism and Denial in the Dominionism Debate," August 29,2011). So, lest anyone feel this represents a new movement in American Christianity, any student of U.S. history can easily discern that this 21st-century mantra for the U.S. of A to become a Christian nation has been repeated in various incantations starting with the 17th-century debates between Massachusetts Governor John Winthrop and Roger Williams, founder of the state of Rhode Island, when Winthrop anointed

the late 1970s. Also during this time one saw the rise of more populist groups like the Moral Majority, cofounded in 1979 by the Rev. Jerry Falwell and Tim LaHaye, co-author of the apocalyptic Left Behind fiction series. With the publication of LaHaye's book The Battle for the Mind (Fleming H. Revell, 1980), one can find the beginnings of a battle specifically against the evils of secular humanism with the ultimate aim to create a Christian global worldview. More recently, in early 1990s, Peter Wagner created the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR) after he left Fuller Seminary

Dominionism breaks down into two main branches: Christian reconstructionism and Kingdom Now theology. "Dominionism is a Myth" (Aug. 21, the Massachusetts Bay Colony to and Ralph Reed led the Christian 2011). be a beacon of light and a Christian Coalition to recapture Congress in Gone are the dayswhen one could "city on the hill" while Williams 1994. simply gauge the religious right's argued for liberty of conscience. In my book, Jesus Died for This?, th In the 20 century, this strand of I reflect on how the right wing's old position on agivenissuebyprocuring a sound bite from a spokesman with American exceptionalism could be guard is appearing to fade into the an established organization like seen post-Great Depression with sunset, yet their demise does not the American Family Association, the emergence of the right wing indicate that their ideas no longer the Christian Coalition, or organization The Family, sponsor have any currency. This movement Focus on the Family. In Religion of the National Prayer Breakfast. remains embedded at the grassroots Dispatches, religion scholar Athena In his research of this organization level. These Christian cockroaches Butler observes, "If journalists documented in his books The know how to burrow their way into and others want to understand Family and C Street, Jeff Sharlet even the most innocuous-looking the last ten years of the religious exposed The Family's ultimate goal church casserole.Through the power right movement, they will need to as "a government built by God"with of the electronic media, they tug at pay attention to the theological, laissez-faire economics at the heart America's heartstrings like a wellreligious,and ethnic diversity among of their gospel message. worn country song pining for the evangelicals,Pentecostals, and nonWebsites like The Revealer, return of an imaginary Americana denominational churches. They Religion Dispatches, and Alternet that only exists in TV Land. will at least need to recognize the post articles which chronicle the Here one must be careful not old and new leaders of the religious alliances between non-charismatic to paint all evangelicals with the and the neo- same unbiblical brush. For example, right, and the complex network of evangelicals leaders, conferences, and teachings Pentecostals in a quest to secure not everyone who spoke at The if they want a reductionist argument God's reign here on earth starting in Response (Rick Perry's all-day 8

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event of prayer and fasting last August, which was repeated in Iowa on December 6 and is scheduled for three more cities in 2012) or at the 2011 Values Voter Summit could be classified as a dominionist. Most members of the religious right choose to distance themselves from these more radical views, lest they be tarnished as"Christian crazy" a la Glenn Beck. For example, most godly soulswould never advocate the killing of another person-unless they were on death row or fighting to destroy their Christian freedoms. So while they would never come out and say "homosexuals should die," their rhetoric demonizes LGBT teens to the point where they get bullied to death. Examine the flight patterns and funding streams of those orchestrating many of these events, and it's utterly creepy to see who functions as the wingmen beside many of these wing nuts. The political players may change, but this Christian chessboard remains the same. Check out People for the American Way's online "Right Wing Watch" for the latest news on this front. Also, while one can find "dominion" language present in the work of more moderate evangelical thought leaders like Gabe Lyons, author of the bestselling book UnChristian: What aNew Generation Thinks of Christianity ... and Why It Matters, their stances on social justice issues such as poverty and the environment tend to reflect a collaborative willingness to engage with others that runs counter to dominionist beliefs. However, these "moderates" utilize scripture to justify an affirming, but not welcoming, issue towards LGBT people that sex columnist Dan Savage describes FOURTH QUARTER 2011

as "God Hates Fags with a Smile." Also, they remain ambivalent toward issues relating to gender equality such as reproductive rights. Unfortunately, in a country where John Winthrop's view of a Christian nation continues to eclipse Roger Williams' cries for "soul liberty," U.S. politicians feel they must play the God game when speaking to specific demographics. In this current socio-political climate, one must distinguish between spin designed to garner votes and belief in a system that will set us back to the 1950s, replete with a resurfacing of McCarthyism. Given the increasingly pluralistic nature of global politics, any presidential candidate's faith must be examined in order to ascertain if they intend to do a reach-around of the U.S. Constitution because they got the A-OK from the Almighty. As former presidents John F. Kennedy and Jimmy Carter demonstrated, someone who professes to believe in God can govern the United States without

imposing their personal religious beliefs on the world. Along those lines, one can find a long history of those from liberal religious traditions like the Interfaith Alliance and Believe Out Loud, whose members have taken the road less traveled by following Roger Williams in choosing to actively engage with a range of voices, including Atheists. However, should Perry or someone of his mindset get elected to higher office, they will govern the country according to the laws of their particular brand of the faith, without even scant regard for the liberty and conscience of anyone who subscribes to a different belief system. Hence when politicians strike up the band and start singing "Onward Christian Soldiers," journalists need to illuminate how these leaders march to the beat of a deadly drummer. • Garrison is the author of six books including Jesus Died for This? She's a panelist for The Washington Posts "On Faith" and contributes to The Guardian, Killing the Buddha, and other outlets.

W

ile the name A. Larry Ross may not be familiar to most Americans, his client list reads like a who's who of purposedriven power players. Since establishing a role as Billy Graham's spokesperson in 1981, he's branded himself as the go-to guy for Bible believers looking to sell their Christ-centered messages to unsaved secular souls. He helped engineer the negative spin on religion scholar Jeff Sharlet's research connecting The Family to the "kill the gays"bill in Uganda and other ungodly atrocities (see "Inside C Street-Six Questions for Jeff Sharlet," Harpers, September 29, 2010). Ross is so influential that Mel Gibson's Icon Productions enlisted his help in selling The Passion rf the Christ to evangelicals and conservative Catholics, two crowds that don't frequent mainstream movie theaters. .In addition to downplaying the dominionist influences in the 2012 election and hawking creationist-backed ventures like Answers in Genesis, Ross tries to sell a kinder, gentler version of evangelicalism by serving on the steering committee for An Evangelical Manifesto (online at anevangelicalmanifesto.com) and repping emergent theology guru Peter Rollins. Despite all this responsibility, Ross still finds time to pass off press releases as editorial opinion via The Huffington Post and The Daily Beast. -B.C. www.atheists.org

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He is not preaching to the choir. By not reading this book you'll miss his alternatives to the Ten Commandments-he offers "One Atheist's Suggestion," for each of them. You won't learn about his take on Richard Nixon (it involves superhuman strength) either, or why he can't so much as look at a hair dryer anymore. In God, No! his stellar ability as an entertainer is matched only by his stellar ability to articulate his opinions so that even disagreeing with him is enjoyable.He's mastered the craft of stating a point of view as well as he's mastered the craft of magic. No matter how often you see things differently, you'll never tire of his lucid delivery. It would be like getting tired of watching magic tricks. Someone who has no trouble saying "I don't know" when they really don't, or admitting they're wrong when they learn they are, is someone worth listening to. Penn does all of that really well too. And true to form, he kicks it up a notch. Not only does he not mind being wrong, he calls it a wonderful feeling. So I asked him if it would feel wonderful to be proven wrong about Atheism. "Boy, it would sure be hard core. The doubt is there for me theoretically, but it hasn't crossed my mind in any real way. I think

An

Intervie~~i!~PENN here have always been God, No! Signs You May Already be Atheists in foxholes, an Atheist and Other Magical Tales, just like pretty much and kicks it up a notch- it's an everywhere else. Take Atheist choir robe. choir robes, for example. Don't judge this book by its Penn Jillette wears one cover. If you can already tell on the cover of his book you're an Atheist, read it anyway.

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JILLETTE there are some people, when they're early into Atheism, that kind of have a titillation of "it's scary to believe this," and I don't have that at all anymore. ''At one point in my life I was a liberal, and I went from there FOURTH QUARTER 2011

to libertarian, and that was pretty profound and pretty cool and pretty wonderful, and I'm sure that if there were compelling evidence to convince me to believe in god, I think it would be a pretty wonderful expenence. "But you have to answer that question carefully. When I say it would be a wonderful experience, you can take that to mean that I long to believe in god-and I don't. I've heard some Atheists say they wish they could believe in god. I have no desire whatsoever. To me it would be horrible to imagine that there is some omniscient, omnipotent force in the universe that chose to make my mother die in pain. What the

praying could do anything. Does rights movement. It started with that mean you didn't pray enough? flamboyant, outspoken, powerful What a horrible nightmare." people and then it grew very Have you experienced any shortly-not very shortly if it's you discrimination toward Atheism in who are suffering, but historically your professional life? lias it ever for a social movement. Ten, fifteen gotten in the way of'your goals? years later it was the people next "Just the opposite-I seem to be door coming out. This movement rewarded for it. Every time I pursue can be the same way." a project around Atheism it seems What about a specific step someone to be even more successful. I'm sure should take, even if it's just a baby there's discrimination, even though step? I'm not experiencing it. But I'm not "Lean on morality as being against that. It's okay if somebody more important than faith. I think who doesn't agree with me doesn't Atheists don't often enough claim want to hire me. the moral high ground. Instead they "But I tend to be very, very tend to say we're okay too. We can flippant off the top of my head follow the rules and be good people about how easy it is to say you're just like someone who believes in

I asked him if it would feel wonderful to be proven wrong about Atheism. fuck is up with that?" When you write about the deaths of your parents and your sister, you say Atheism was a real comfort to you during those times, and if there was a shred of religion in you, it would have been impossible to take the pain. "I don't know how you can get through the death of a loved one if you believe in a spook show. It seems so horrible to think there's someone with the power that didn't do anything. When I wrote that, I hadn't heard other people say it, but since then a lot of people who have lost loved ones have told me that they didn't know what I meant until it happened to them, and they really felt the same way.I don't know how you get through the death of a loved one when you believe that FOURTH QUARTER 2011

an Atheist, because I have a tremendous amount of power. I work for myself, I'm the producer, I'm the writer, I'm the boss. There was a family tonight [at the book signing where this interview took place] from the Bible belt, who had driven a long way to be here. They were in tears because the Atheist t-shirts they had on they can't wear at home. Their daughter is the only kid in her class who is an Atheist. It's times like this that I feel like a shmuck because it's really not easy at all." I strive to make this magazine resourcefor people who want to come out but don't know how or don't think it's possible. What would you say to encouragethem? "I always to compare it to the gay

god. And they shouldn't be doing that. They should be saying we follow the rules better than you. That's provable. "Madalyn Murray O'Hair said a wonderful thing on one of her appearances on Johnny Carson, and when I heard it as a kid it was very moving to me. They were talking about morality and if an Atheist can be moral. And she made the argument that no one but an Atheist can be moral. If you are doing something for reward and for punishment it's not morality. It's fear or it's greed. Doing something because it's the right thing is something only an Atheist can do. I think it's time Atheists really lean on that." •

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Writers Contemporary to 1esus? by Michael B. Paulkovich

Editor's note: American Atheist has previously published articles by this contributor under his pen name, Michael Paulk. By choosing this time to use his given name, he is coming out as a nonbeliever. Thank you, Michael, for- choosing these pages as the place to do it. Congratulations and welcome.

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ou may have been confronted, from time to time, by Christians claiming a number of reliable writers outside the Bible, who, as contemporaries of Jesus, supposedly wrote about the fabled messiah. In our twenty-first century, many Christians seem desperate to find proof that their first century "son of God" was who he said he was-or, simply, that he even existed. Proofs thereof are few, always apocryphal, and far between. Books, however, are plentiful. Just one example is bestselling author Lee Strobel,* who has produced over a dozen such titles, including special editions for children. In modernity, we have no knowledge of any texts about Jesus written during his lifetime. None. No gospels, no epistles, no biographies, no histories, no iconography. There were dozens of writers contemporary to Jesus, living alongside the holy lands, and they are all suspiciously silent on Herod's supposed decree to kill all male children in Bethlehem (Matthew 2:16). Could the reason be that this edict is nothing more than New Testament fiction? Moreover, no writer contemporary to Jesus (nor many scores of others, along several generations that followed) mentions any miracle or even a simple story of Jesusnot of his natural life, nor the conjuring of darkness over all the land, earthquakes, and zombies (Matthew 27)-events that surely would have been noticed and recorded by every person in the near east who was simply able to write. The list of claimed "contemporary" sources typically includes some combination of Josephus, Pliny, Tacitus, Suetonius, Phlegon, Thallus, Mara bar-Serapion, Lucian, Celsus, FOURTH QUARTER 2011

and the Talmud. (Funny how they never include Philo, Sotion, Seneca, Scribonius, or Cornutus and also ignore scores of other reliable writers contemporary with the non-events proposed by the New Testament.) Let us explore these claims.

Josephus Flavius Josephus lived 37 to 100 C.E., so the contemporary claim holds no holy water. There is one paragraph in all of his voluminous works that mentions Jesus, in The Antiquities of the [etos and it's a proven interpolation, an outright forgery. In context with the rest of his book, it was obviously not written by him: Now there was about this time Jesus, a wise man, if it be lawful to call him a man; for he was a doer of wonderful works, a teacher of such men as receive the truth with pleasure.

sidebar-he mentions Christ, saying he arose after "the third day," and that prophets foretold "ten thousand other wonderful things"-things like what? The forged text does not give a hint. Next, Josephus casually goes on to write about the temple of Isis at Rome, a total non sequitur. That paragraph is clearly an interpolation by later Christians who attempted to make Josephus appear aware of Jesus. Had Josephus actually known anything of the Son of God, and believed the "miracles," he surely would have dropped all other efforts, to research all that he could, hunting down apostles and their comrades and offspring, and spending the rest of his life writing exhaustively and even exclusively about the magical miracle worker, Jesus Christ. In this forged segment,Josephus

mention Jesus of Nazareth, Jesus of Bethlehem, Jesus son of Mary, or Jesus son of Joseph even though he lived shortly after the supposed time of Jesus in the same geographical region-right around the stony corner from the places of biblical tales and famed miracles. In another Christian interpolation, Antiquities mentions James, bother of Jesus. How can we be sure this is also a forgery? A century after Josephus, Origen, in his Contra Celsum (I, XLVI!), laments that Josephus does not believe Jesus was "the Christ" (whereas the interpolation in Antiquities claims that he so believed). Moreover, Josephus was a shifty liar, writing, for instance, of magical plants Uewish War, Bk. VII, IV:3). The "baarus," wrote Josephus, "sends out a certain ray like

Can you imagine Pontius Pilate referring to Jesus as our Lord? He drew over to him both many of the Jews and many of the Gentiles. He was [the} Christ. And when Pilate, at the suggestion of the principal men amongst us, had condemned him to the cross,those that loved him at thefirst did not forsake him; for he appeared to them alive again the third day; as the divine prophets hadforetold these and ten thousand other wonderful things concerning him. And the tribe of Christians, so namedfrom him, are not extinct at this day (Antiquities, XVIII 3.3). Compared to the rest of the text, this paragraph sticks out like a sumo wrestler in a basketball lineup: nothing fits. Before this passage, Josephus writes about Pilate, then-almost as an offhand FOURTH QUARTER 2011

absolutely praises this Jesus. Unless presented with solid evidence, Josephus would never have done so; in his Jewish Wars, II 13:4-6, he makes it clear he detests all men claiming to be prophets: There was also another body of wicked men gotten together, not so impure in their actions, but more wicked in their intentions, which laid waste the happy state of the city no less than did these murderers. These were such men as deceived and deluded the people under pretense of Divine inspiration ... But there was an Egyptian false prophet that did the Jews more mischief than the former; for he was a cheat, and pretended to be a prophet also... Nowhere does Josephus

lightning: it is not easily taken . but recedes from their hands . until either the urine of a woman, or blood, be poured upon it ..." Josephus actually believed Lot's wife was turned into salt; this first-century huckster claims "for I have seen it, and it remains at this day" (Antiquities, Bk. 1, XI:4). It is no surprise he makes no effort to provide a geographical reference point so his reader may view this fabled salt- henge. A true believer in the Hebrew myths, our credulous "historian" Josephus writes at great length of Adam and Eve, claiming to know much more about their legendary adventures than even his sacred Torah. In the same Josephan opus www.atheists.org

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(1, 1:4), he claims that all animals in Eden were able to speak-not just the well known talking snake tommyrot. Josephus declares that God punished Adam "because he weakly submitted to the counsel of his wife." Thus, anything claimed by Josephus must first be corroborated by a second, reliable source. Even better: a third and fourth. Interpolations within his texts, of course, must immediately be stricken from the "evidence."

Suetonius

C. Suetonius Tranquillus, a close friend of the younger Pliny, lived c. 70-130 C.E. His Lives, XXV, mentions a man named Chrestus, but not Christ or Christus. Apologists often claim Chrestus is Latin for Christ (not true), and thus proof Suetonius wrote of Jesus. But Suetonius mentions this Chrestus during the time when Claudius donned The Purple-some twenty years too late. Suetonius wrote c. 125 C.E. of: Christians ... a class of men given to Pliny the Younger a new and mischievous superstition Pliny was not a Christ of Jesus" (Twelve Caesars, "Nero," contemporary, having lived from XVI). Like Pliny, Suetonius writes 61 to 112 C.E. He wrote, c. 111 of Christians, but never ofJesus. C.E., in a letter to Rome, that Christianity was a "degenerate Phlegon sort of cult carried to extravagant Phlegon lived in the second lengths," being "wretched" (Bk. 10, century. None of his works survive, Letter XCVI, Radice translation). but prolific Christian Father Origen He wrote of Christians, but never of Adamantius may have written that Jesus of Nazareth, or Bethlehem. It Phlegon had written of Jesus, in beats me why Christian apologists Against Celsus, 11:14. so often claim that Pliny wrote of More likely, this is a later Jesus, or that he was a contemporary. interpolation inflicted upon Origen's Examples include Strobel in The work. Eusebius, well familiar with Case for Jesus, Charles Guignebert Origen, and writing about him in in Jesus, and Robert E. Van Voors the fourth century, strangely does in Jesus Outside the New Testament, not record this in his Ecclesiastical among many others. History. Thus we must conclude that

Tacitus Another non-contemporary, Tacitus, lived from 56 to 117 C.E. His Annals were never quoted until many centuries afterward. The one passage, 15:44, Christian apologists use to "prove"Tacitus wrote of Jesus is clearly forged. He interpolates the word "Christ" only one time; in other places his word Chrestians refers to "d goo peop I"e, not «c1011owers 0 f Christ" (or followers of Chrest). It has been conjectured that the Annals were forged by Poggio Bracciolini in the 15th century (Fomenko, 388; Brewer, 382; and Ross). 14

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Thallus We do not know when Thallus (or Thallos) lived; only that ninthcentury monk Georgius Syncellus wrote that Julius Africanus (160 240 C.E.) briefly mentions him. Syncellus, in his Extract of Chronography, claims that Africanus claimed that Thallus claimed that there was an eclipse in the first century, which, it seems, we are to connect to Matthew 27, which claims that when Jesus died, there was a "darkness over all the land" (three hours, mind you; the longest of solar eclipses may last eight minutes). This third-hand, or fourth -, or fifth- ... or tenth- or twelfth-hand legend originated with a man who probably lived in the second century, and then brought to us as far ahead and asunder as the ninth. At any rate, we have no evidence that Africanus ever mentioned Christ, or the crucifixion, so we truly have non-sequitur upon nonsequitur. Moreover, all these are non-contemporary accounts, and thus apologists can claim nothing at all reliable from Thallus.

Mara har-Serapion

What Serapion wrote-some time between the Jewish Wars (after the corruption of Origen's writings 73 CE) and the third century-was occurred some time after Eusebius. a letter to his son, mentioning a The integrity of Eusebius, and "wise king" of the Jews, whom the the veracity of his writings have Jews "wrongly" executed. Serapion been questioned by many, including never mentions this wise king's Edward Gibbon, and one can name. see why. Eusebius attempted to cite various "proofs" of the life of Lucian Lucian (c.125 - 180 C.E.) may Jesus, including his own obvious inventions. Eusebius claimed, for or may not have written of "...the example, that Pontius Pilate sent man who was crucified in Palestine Emperor Tiberius "an account of because he introduced this new the circumstances concerning the cult into the world ..." Regardless, resurrection of our Lord from the the act of introducing cults or even dead" (Ecclesiastical History, IL 2). claiming to be a messiah did not Can you imagine Pontius Pilate violate Roman law,and certainly was referring to Jesus as our Lord, or to not an offense worthy of crucifixion his "resurrection?" (Mason, 167). Thus, the crucifixion FOURTH QUARTER 2011

power "f"M 0 enan d er t h e sorcerer " (EH 3.26.1-4). Then Eusebius No contemporary writers, you opines regarding somebody (or some obvious lies of the New Testament. say,sir? What about the Bible? Christians have a back-up plan, thing) he called "the evil demon" Celsus which the wisest of them are loathe (EH 3.27.1). Eusebius is referring, Greek philosopher Cornelius to deploy: Matthew, Mark, Luke, of course, to the deviL This might Celsus wrote around 177 C.E. and John. Most apologists realize give you an idea of the primitive and against the Christian dogma. Thus that this horse stumbles and falls credulous mind of Eusebius, and he was a century and a half too late. right out of the starting gate, just about all other pious leaders Do not confuse this Celsus with because none of those books were of that era. From such simple and Aulus Cornelius Celsus, Roman written by the men whose names ignorant minds was borne, ladies encyclopedist, physician, and prolific are affixed thereupon. In fact, they and gentlemen, the holy Bible. writer who was a contemporary were composed by anonymous of "the Christ" (Targa, V). Born writers late in the first century to Epistles How about the various letters sent some 25 years before Jesus, Celsus mid-second century. back and forth among "Christians" overlapped both temporal endpoints Ignatius' Epistle to the by living for 20 years beyond the Smyrnaeans is the earliest known after Jesus' time? Paul was the crucifixion. This Celsus certainly reference to Matthew's Gospel, 110 earliest Christian writer (c. 55)should have but did not write of years after Jesus' lifetime. Mark is but "apostle" Paul never met Jesus. Jesus. first mentioned by Papias around Moreover, Paul was clearly tripping 140 C.E. Yet Papias, "a man of very his brains out. He claimed he saw The Talmud limited intelligence" according to magical phantasms, and spectacular For some reason this is often the Eusebius in Ecclesiastical History lights shone from "heaven" (Acts knock-down blow for Christian (iii. 39), merely uses the word christ 9:3-4, 12:7-10, 16:29, 22:1-22, apologists: if Jesus is mentioned in ("anointed," and not anybody's 26:13-16; and GaL 1:11-17,2 Cor. an ancient Jewish holy book, it must name) and Papias never wrote the 12:1-3). And Paul believed his be true history! name "Jesus." It is thus clear from (supernatural) visions were reaL Or What does the Talmud chronicle Papias' words that he never saw did he? He expresses his own doubts about the Christ? From Sanhedrin a written work of our "gospels" in 1 Cor. 12:2. Methinks Paul protesteth too 43a, we have: "Our Rabbis taught: (Farmer, 15-25; Strauss, 71-75). Yeshu [Jesus] had five disciples, Why hadn't earlier historians much when he swears he is not Matthai, Nakai, Nezer, Buni and heard of Jesus, or any of his now- lying (Romans 9:1, 2 Cor. 11:31, Todah." "Matthai" seems close, but famous twelve apostles? We do GaL 1:20). who are these other "disciples?"And not conclusively know that Papias where are the remaining seven? wrote of any apostle, as his works Lost Writings It is possible there were And then we have Shabbat are lost, and we have only Eusebius' reliable Christ 104b, also mentioning Jesus, and accounts of Papias. In the fourth independent, indicating he was the bastard son century, Eusebius believed that witnesses and chroniclers during of Roman soldier Pandira, and that this particular religious movement, the life and times of Jesus, whose his mother Miriam was "unfaithful Christianity, was a very recent works were lost and do not come to her husband." So much for the phenomenon: "But although we are down to us. But if we believe virgin birth; Christian apologists new and this clearly fresh name of the Bible, Jesus' miracles were proportions: the typically skip over this reference. Christians has only recently become of fantastic Moreover, the two parts of the known among all nations ..." (EH, tremendous earthquakes, the threehour darkness, and the dead people Talmud, the Mishnah and the Bk. I, Ch. 4, 4., italics mine). who "came out of the graves after Gemara, were written around 200 Immediately after Eusebius' his resurrection, and went into the and 500 C.E., respectively.They are words in his Ecclesiastical Histor~ not even remotely contemporary, regarding which scriptures were to holy city, and appeared unto many" and were clearly gathered via oral be "maintained" and which "rejected" (Mt 27:51-53). If this were true, tradition and urban (nay, desert) from the soon-to-be official and thousands of people would have legend. legal Christian canon-he writes (in written about these events, and we of Jesus, for the offense of claiming to be a messiah, is one of the most

Gospels

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Why Christiani

Is a

by Marvin Brown

he 2012 race for president of the United States is expected to be the costliest ever and, if early debate among Republican candidates is any indication, one of the most bitterly contentious. Pastor Robert Jeffress of the First Baptist Church of Dallas, Texas, set the tone early on when he labeled Mitt Romney's Mormon religion a "cult from the pit of hell" and Catholicism a "cult-like counterfeit religion" representing "the genius of Satan." While the good pastor's sincere and well-intentioned remarks may be justifiable, in his zeal he conveniently overlooked the cult aspects of virtually every organized religion extant today, including, of course, his own. Let's examine a timeline depicting the history of religions and practices from prehistoric heathen times to current heathen times. Aboriginals throughout the world developed their own myths, sacred practices, and customs in attempts to explain natural phenomena over which, as mere mortals, they had no control.

Early forms of religion may have begun as early as 70,000 years before the birth of Christ, with animal worship in Neanderthal societies. Different primitive civilizations throughout widely separated settlements improvised rituals and practices in their own distinctive ways as part of the universal search for the answer to "Why?" It is remarkable that so many pagan myths and superstitions, created in early civilizations, where scientific knowledge was absent, still survive in various religious denominations today, notwithstanding our supposed superiority in education, knowledge, and sophistication. Today, for example, we still pay homage to the ancients in our names for days of the week, to wit: Sunday and Monday for the sun and moon gods of many religions, Tuesday for the Germanic war god Teiwaz, and Wednesday and Thursday for Norse gods Odin and Thor. The word for Friday in most Romance languages originates from worshipping Venus Photos from Wiki

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(venerd{ in Italian, viernes in Spanish, and vendreti in French, for example), and Saturday is the day of Saturn, the Roman god of fertility and agriculture. The immediate predecessors most closely linked to our modern occidental religious factions developed in the Middle East, Greece, Rome, and northern Europe, all of which featured polytheistic forms. Then along came Judaism, which gave the world monotheism and a "divinely inspired" Bible and a set of rules and regulations, including the Ten Commandments as well as tales of the miraculous with the earmarks of similar practices from ancient mythologies, including animal sacrifice and elaborate rituals. Some 3,000 years after the appearance of Judaism came the presumed birth ofJesus, an itinerant preacher who, if he really existed, could have been the Billy Graham of his time. Because he was deemed a threat to the established clerical hierarchy, this reputed son of

monotheism back to the pagan practice of worshiping multiple deities, and is therefore the beginning of a cult, which my tattered but reliable copy of Webster's Collegiate Dictionary defines as "a system of worship of a deity; the rites of a religion; a sect."The latter synonym in turn is defined as "a party dissenting from an established or parent church." Quod erat demonstrandum, despite the rantings of Jeffress and his brethren believers.

Idolatry Catholic forms of paganism include not only the holy trinity, but also the symbols of Jesus and the cross of crucifixion, which are themselves objects of worship. Since, as stated above, the mortality of Jesus must be deemed an established fact, such worship became the then-modern form of idolatry and what now seems obvious: a personality cult. Furthermore, the cross in various forms was a standard icon in a number of

"I wonder about bringing a class action lawsuit accusing god of misfeasance or malfeasance." god delivered by a virgin was put to death on a wooden cross. Inasmuch as he bled and died, and despite the myths created long after his death, he could not have been anything but mortal.

Offshoots of Offshoots After the death ofJesus and his reputed resurrection, his adherents and fellow travelers began the process of veneration that led to what became known as Christianity, which professed to be monotheistic but solemnized the holy trinity of the father, son, and holy spirit: one entity in three mutually exclusive beings. This concept marked the first of an almost endless series of offshoots of Judaism that, over the course of 2,000 years, has seen dozens of occidental offshoots of this original Christian offshoot. Apparently there was a shortage of theologists and writers in those days, or god may have been on vacation because the Christians felt the need to revise the "divinely inspired" bible of the Jews to 'suit the aims of its proselytizing proponents, and although they plagiarized from it heavily, they apparently did not upset god because he/she/it did not smite the authors. The major departure of Christianity from Judaism was the holy trinity and the fable that Jesus was the son of god. This departure is clearly a regression from strict FOURTH QUARTER 2011

primitive religions thousands of years before Christ. Today these icons of Christian cults exist not only in places of formal worship, but also in hospitals, cemeteries, atop mountains, on highway berms and, if fundamentalist Christians had their way, in every government building and public school.

Rituals of the Righteous To keep their flocks under control, the clergy of churches, synagogues, and temples have developed ornate rituals with elaborate vestments and procedures that create not only an atmosphere of awe and reverence but an air of mystery as well. Mysticism can include special incantations, symbolism, smoke (and mirrors?), and rods and staffs in ceremonies inside imposing cathedrals. These eventually become long-hallowed and traditional practices, willingly accepted by gullible congregants who themselves draw comfort from such observances. The prospect of an everlasting afterlife persuades many to accept dogma, although the hordes who stray still believe that they will qualify anyway, through eventual repentance and salvation. The rituals of the mother Catholic church include a suggestion of cannibalism in the practice of eating a wafer and drinking wine that, through consecration www.atheists.org

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top echelon of Muslim leaders who sect didn't alter their principles and are able to convince underlings practices that much, it cannot be to undertake suicide missions on anything but a cult, Pastor Jeffress, behalf of Islam curiously avoid such sir, drastic action themselves. It seems Nineteenth-century spinoffs in 1830, reasonable to conclude that these include Mormonism worthies already have access to their Seventh-day Adventism in 1845, in 1870, own coterie of virgins in this world, Jehovah's Witnesses so there is no necessity to seek them Christian Science in 1879, along with dozens of sects formed and in the next. led by "inspired" and inspiring individuals who influenced easily Separation of Church and Church persuadable and gullible followers to Although Christianity didn't join and support them. Interestingly, get the boost it needed for global Jehovah's Witnesses differ from expansion until Roman Emperor their sister sects by contending that Constantine converted in the year there is no biblical basis for worship 313, conflicts eventually arose, of the cross, a practice they consider culminating in the east/west idolatry. schism of 1054, when the Eastern When Christianity was first Orthodox church split from Rome expanding, a threat to its existence while keeping most of the pagan sprung up in the middle east in the year 610 when the self-proclaimed Virgin Obsessions practices. In 1505 came the reformation prophet Mohammed established Some pagan practices involve virgins, usually adult males and of Martin Luther, which marked Islam and, while referencing his females. In the century before the the beginnings of the protesting "people of the book," produced his labeled logically own holy tome, the Quran, again reputed birth of Jesus, the Roman movement, vestal virgins, celibate priestesses, enough, Protestantism. The word with no objecting or smiting by carried out functions that were did not initially apply to the reform god. The paganism of Islam is considered necessary for the movement; it came into later use as best exemplified by its adherents' continued welfare of the Roman a description of any group opposing belief-more bizarre than that of Catholic orthodoxy. Although Jesus' resurrection-that empue. upon his Today we know that predators the Catholic church claimed to be death Mohammed rode to heaven in the modern world, ostensibly the only true church, this offshoot astride a white winged horse and is celibate and in the guise of agents also qualifies by definition as a revered as the one true messenger of of the lord as Catholic priests, were cult. Luther retained belief in the god. so determined to have their share divinity of Jesus, but produced yet All the while, other forms of of virgins that they preyed on pre- one more new version of the Bible, religion with their own deities were pubescents to satisfy their repressed which apparently a willing god also developing in the orient. The oldest lusts. If god failed to strike those tolerated. of the modern eastern religions miscreants dead, then god is a wimp The pace of offshoots picked is Hinduism, dating from 1500 and simple laypeople with similar up in the next few centuries, first B.C.E., followed by Buddhism and unrestrained yearnings should have with the Church of England and Taoism in the sixteenth century nothing to fear about everlasting its split personality of one foot B.C.E. Baha'i came along in 1844 iri Catholicism and the other in and Hare Krishna, an offshoot of hellfire. Islam promises its adherents a Protestantism, and the advent of Hinduism, in 1965. While these heaven replete with 72 virgins for the Baptists in Holland-followed religions may have their own pagan those who willingly sacrifice their by Southern Baptists splitting off qualities, they are more introspective in the U.S. in what was inarguably and less intolerant of other faiths lives in the war on infidels-every non-Muslim in the world, to be a portent of the American Civil than are the occidental religions. precise. It is noteworthy that the War. Since the Southern Baptist by a priest, are not symbols-they're not even bread and wine anymorebut the true body of and blood of Christ, who supposedly died for "our sins." It's uncanny that the early church hierarchy would so accurately anticipate that we, who are alive two millennia later, would all be sinners. In similar pagan religions like the Incas of Peru in the second century, the Mayans of the Mexican Yucatan peninsula in the third century, and the Aztecs of the sixteenth century, ritual human sacrificewas common. Victims were usually prisoners of war or young virgins. Their often inhumane deaths were believed to have been pleasing to their gods, who must have been really bloodthirsty dudes.

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God as Overseer

a class action lawsuit charging god Most pious church, synagogue, with misfeasance and malfeasanceand temple congregants accept the or at the very least absence without concept of god, whether in physical leave-and claiming damages. But I or spiritual form, as an all-seeing, don't know any attorney who would all-knowing deity responsible for take on the case on contingency, and the creation and broad oversight of I don't have the millions of dollars planet Earth and the vast universe, for the legal fees. Also there is the which sets moral standards for matter of what jurisdiction could the world's inhabitants. These hear and decide such a case. congregants accept as normal the While getting a judgment for tenuous state of the globe, with its damages might be possible, the many geological faults that cause question arises as to the source of earthquakes, tsunamis, tornadoes, payment for such an award. That's floods, droughts, and other hazards easy.Just put liens on and seize the to life. And, despite the incessant assets of any and all clergy who wars for territory, power, or riches in claim to speak with and for god as addition to these natural disasters, his/her/its chosen representatives. the pious thank god profusely for The supply of such egoists and bestowing so many blessings upon charlatans is plentiful. them. Despite the hazards faced by Cults are Alive and Well earthlings, the planet is in pretty Despite the rantings of Pastor fair shape, considering that it was Jeffress and his brethren believers, thrown together in only seven days, cults and paganism are alive and possibly by the lowest bidder among well today. Being more than just symbolic, the Catholic church's the various contractor gods. How long, though, do you think wafer and wine ritual suggestive of a corporate executive or board of cannibalism is perhaps the most directors or elected political leader egregious example. In fact, his would remain in office if their contention that religions other than reigns and responsibilities were as his are cults is false only in the sense badly mismanaged as are global that he excludes his own particular ecclesiastic affairs? Demands for offshoot. As the good book asks in impeachment and/or malpractice would not be long in forthcoming. Matthew 7:3, "Why do you see the In recent months we have seen speck in your brother's eye but fail despots in Tunisia, Egypt, and to notice the beam in your own eye?" And let us say,"Amen." Libya ousted by fed-up constituents. Efforts to depose others in Syria, Yemen, and other oppressed Timeline lands continue as this is written. Evidence of the worship of But fortunately for god, and the animals, objects of nature, even leaders of the various flocks who mortals, dates back as far as some 70 depend on deism for their own millenia before the birth of Christ. personal welfare, he/she/it has for Current census figures place the all these millennia been forgiven for number of religious practitioners egregious instance after instance of worldwide at approximately seven billion persons. The largest single mankind's inhumanities. I have of late been wondering religious bloc is Christianity with about the practicality of bringing some two billion members of the FOURTH QUARTER

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Catholic faith and Protestant denominations. Christianity is not the "majority" religion that many of its adherents claim it to be. The combination of Islam and Asian religions outnumber Christianity by a ratio of more than two to one. 1,900 B.C.E. - Judaism 1,500 B.C.E. - Hinduism 500 B.C.E. - Confucianism 560 B.C.E. - Buddhism 550 B.C.E. - Taoism 30 C.E. - Christianity 150 C.E. - Inca 250 C.E. - Mayans 610 C.E. - Islam 1515 C.E. - Protestantism 16th Century C.E. - Aztecs 1830 C.E. - Mormonism 1872 C.E. - Jehovah's Witnesses 1879 C.E. - Christian Science 1955 C.E. - Scientology This timeline shows the relative relationship of past and existing religions. Evidence of the worship of animals, objects of nature, even mortals, date back as far as 70,000 B.C.E. Dates are approximate inasmuch as different methods of calculation are used to trace the beginnings of many religions, including the first monotheistic one, Judaism. The second century B.C.E. for the start of Judaism is the date related to the time of Abraham and his compact with god, but the current Jewish year of 5771 is based on the traditional belief in the time of the planet's creation. Abraham is also revered as the patriarch of Christianity and Islam. Brown is a retired advertising and publishing executive. He resides in Columbus, Ohio. • www.atheists.org

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.a.N••. Volo. lor aD OldProblelD by Pamela Whissel

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lthough religiously motivated child abuse and neglect has been around as long as religion has, it didn't have a name until Janet Heimlich began the research for her book Breaking Their Will: Shedding Light on Religious Child Maltreatment. Hers is one of the very few books to look at this problem in a comprehensive way. Raised in a family where religion was almost entirely absent, Heimlich did not become interested in children's issues until she became a mother at age 41. When she enrolled her daughter in a Montessori school in 2006, she was struck by how compassionately the teachers interacted with their students. She began talking to friends and colleagues about their upbringings and was surprised to learn that not only had many of them been raised in very religious households, but the experiences of those who had been raised in the most pious homes were, for the most part, negative. As an independent journalist and former freelance reporter for National Public Radio, Heimlich was used to keeping an ear out for news stories that were relevant to a particular topic. But, she says, tracking stories that dealt with FOURTH QUARTER 2011

cases of abuse that involved religion became overwhelming. "It took hours each day to read up on these cases,"she said. After coming across a particularly sad case, in which a toddler was starved to death by a cult in Baltimore because the boy did not say "amen" at mealtimes, Heimlich decided she would write a book on how certain religious beliefs and cultures in the United States are harming children. She narrowed her focus to the three Abrahamic faiths of Christianity, Judaism, and Islam, and called the problem "religious child maltreatment." Breaking Their Will is not a diatribe against all faith, or any one religion in particular. Rather, it

warns that children living in certain kinds of religious cultures-ones Heimlich notes are authoritarianare at an especially high risk for religious maltreatment. What's especially problematic about these cultures is perpetrators are often convinced that their abusive acts are righteous expressions of piety. Heimlich's book is receiving national attention and praise, and she continues to report on religious child maltreatment in the blog on her website, breakingtheirwill.com. She recently talked with American Atheist about her work. You believe the biggest push to end religious child maltreatment needs to be legislative, and Atheists can certainly be involved at that level. What specific FOURTH QUARTER 2011

legislation should we bepushingfor?

Number one for me is mandating that clergy report child abuse. Many states don't require that. Others do, but their laws have loopholes that allow clergy and religious institutions to get around reporting abuse.To a great extent, these abuses are still being kept just within the walls of places of worship-if they're discussed at all. I would like there to be an opening up where places of worship not only talk about religious child maltreatment but are proactive in setting up prevention policies, which include the reporting of abuse to outside authorities. Is there any other way someone can contribute to the solution, even if they

don't belong to a religious faith?

The ultimate solution lies with the religious leaders themselves. They are the ones who can take the message to the people who need to hear it. People of faith will pay attention to someone they consider an authority. So I urge all those who are concerned about this problem to link up with local religious leaders, to find a common ground, and put aside theological discussions or arguments. People of faith often get defensive if they feel that their religion-which can be their entire identity, everything they were brought up with-is under attack. If Atheists want to raise awareness of religious child maltreatment, the discussion has to be very focused

on the issue at hand. Theological discussions have their place, but in this context, they will only get in the way of progress. Are you leaders?

working

with

religious

I've formed some very good connections with faith leaders who strongly reject what's going on in their conservative cultures. I'm working with a rabbi named Gary Moskowitz, who used to be a police officer in New York City. He travels around the country talking about problems In Orthodox Jewish communities, where powerful rabbis tell their congregations to not report child abuse to police and instead tell them to report to their

rabbis. [Moskowitz blogs at http:// theunorthodoxjew. blogspot.com ] Ever since I began my research, I've been talking with an Austin, Texas, Presbyterian pastor named Keith Wright. I highly recommend his book, Religious Abuse, which has a chapter on child maltreatment. Keith's mother, a Christian Scientist, died when he was a boy. She became very ill and went to a hospital, but the people in her church community convinced her to leave the hospital and just seek faith healing, which she did, and she died. That really affected him emotionally and in terms of his spirituality. (Cant. on page 36) www.atheists.org

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Permanent Legal Victory

Uta

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by Brian M. Barnard

Six-yea r battle removes 12-foot crosses from government land.

Barnard next to a memorial, altered in an unsuccessful attempt to avoid the court-ordered removal. The officer's name remains, but is redacted here because the lawsuit was never about the fallen troopers. Photo by Krista Stoker.

n the last day of October 2011, American Atheists won a major legal victory when the United States Supreme Court declined to consider a case involving 14 roadside memorials in Utah. The memorials are in the form of twelve-foot-high crosses, placed by the Utah Highway Patrol Association (UHPA), a private group that advocates for and supports highway patrol troopers and their families. This program began in 1998 to memorialize highway patrol troopers who lost their lives in the line of duty. 22

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There is no question that these troopers, who gave their lives in service to the state, should be honored and remembered. But if they are. to be honored and remembered with a state-approved memorial, that memorial cannot emphasize one religious faith to the exclusion of all others, and it must represent those who are not religious as well as those who are. In other words, it must be inclusive. The stark white steel crosses bear the name, rank, call number, and date of death of the trooper. There is also a small plaque with a biography

of the trooper. At the intersection of the beams, now painted over,was the official beehive-shaped logo of the Utah Highway Patrol (UHP), which is distinct from the private UHPA. The beehive logo is the same size and shape as the symbol on troopers' vehicles. That emblem is trademarked and its use restricted by the Utah Highway Patrol. Each cross stood near the spot where the memorialized trooper was killed. The first three crosses went up on private property, because the Utah State Legislature had denied the UHPA special permission to FOURTH QUARTER 2011

erect the crosses on government land. Shortly after the program started, Chris Allen, a resident of Utah at the time, and a member of the American Atheists Board of Directors, complained to the State and to the UHPA about the misuse of the obviously religious symbol. His concerns were dismissed by designers of the memorial and the UHPA, which stated "we knew those people" would complain. The UHPA was adamant that the memorial had to be in the form of a Roman cross, and that no other shape or symbol would be appropriate. UHPA was unable to find private land near the sites of other troopers' deaths, so they sought and were granted permission from the Utah Department of Transportation for the fourth cross to stand on a

allowed for additional crosses to be erected on that site.

The Challenge

Begins

In December 2005, American Atheists, along with three individual members living in Utah, Mike Rivers, a former Utah State Director of American Atheists; Richard Andrews, President ofU tah Atheists and then a member of the Board of Directors of American Atheists; and Stephen Clark, brought a civil rights action in federal court, challenging the crosses as a violation of the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment. The suit alleged that the prominent placement of the crosses on state property and the official UHP logo on the monumental crosses constituted an improper mixing of church and state.

the future. UHPA was represented by attorneys from the Alliance Defense Fund of Scottsdale, Arizona, a religious-right legal advocacy group that provides free representation to defend the rights of people to practice religion and display religious symbols. In November 2007, the federal trial court in Utah dismissed the case. That court did not see the State's involvement with the crosses as unconstitutional. The written decision contains little discussion or analysis. In March 2008, we took our appeal to the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver, Colorado. Several groups including Americans United for Separation of Church and State and the AntiDefamation League flied amicus briefs in our favor. An amicus brief

The State argued that these crosses were no longer religious symbols. prominent knoll in a state-owned rest area of an interstate highway near the UtahlWyoming border. Because the department was aware of the potential problems, UHPA was required to sign an agreement stating that if the State were ever sued over the memorials, UHPA would pay the State's legal fees. That agreement also says that the State neither approved nor disapproved of the cross shape, and could order the memorial removed at any time. Emboldened by their lack of challenges, UHPA eventually requested permission from the State for two crosses to stand on the front lawn of a UHP field office in a Salt Lake City suburb. The permission that was granted to them also FOURTH QUARTER 2011

The first ten Amendments to the U.S. Constitution protect civil rights. The protection they provide to the people is from the power of the government. The rights granted are only against actions taken by government officials, generally referred to in the Constitution as "the State." Therefore, American Atheists brought the suit against state officials, and not the UHPA, because as a private organization, its actions are not restricted by the First Amendment. They are party to the lawsuit only as a result of their asking permission to be so, on the grounds that the outcome of the case would have an effect on the locations of their crosses, and on their ability to erect more crosses in

is a written argument flied by people or organizations that have no legal right to be involved in the lawsuit, but have an interest in the outcome. When making their decisions, judges are not obliged to consider arguments of an amicus brief, but they may do so. Among the five amicus briefs flied in opposition to our appeal were those by the American Legion and the infamous former Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore. Justice Moore was removed from the bench in 2003 after refusing to remove a monument to the Ten Commandments placed inside his courthouse. In the years before his election to the Alabama Supreme Court, Moore successfully resisted attempts to have a display www.atheists.org

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of the Ten Commandments in his courtroom removed. (Moore is also an attorney for the opposition in American Atheists' current appeal in a lawsuit against the Kentucky Department of Homeland Security.) I argued the case before a threejudge panel of the 10th Circuit in March 2009. In August 2010, the judges decided in our favor. Their decision is thorough, detailed, and well reasoned. It follows Supreme Court precedent based on what a "reasonable observer" would understand upon encountering one of these monumental-sized crosses standing alone at a state highway rest area or on the front lawn of a UHP building. The appeals court held that the special and exclusive permission granted these crosses, as well as the presence of the official UHP logo on them, improperly gives the appearance of Utah endorsing Christianity. No other person or entity in Utah is allowed to erect similar towering religious monuments on government land. The State argued that these monumental-sized Roman crosses were no longer religious symbols. They claimed the addition of the UHP logo along with information about the trooper transformed them into non-religious markers. Some of that information could be seen from a vehicle passing at 60 miles per hour. But the small plaque of biographical detail could be read only if the cross was approached on foot. The appeals court still found the memorials overwhelmingly religious in nature. The main thing one sees when driving by on the highway is the cross-not the name, not the logo, and not the plaque. The court determined that the longstanding religious meaning of the Roman cross cannot be nullified 24

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or diluted by simply calling it a memorial and adding a logo. The Supreme Court has long held that such conspicuous government action, having the primary effect of advancing religion, especially one religion, violates the First Amendment. In accordance, the appeals court held that the crosses constitute an improper religious endorsement by the UHP and the State of Utah.

This

and not generic symbols of death, honor, and remembrance. The Alliance Defense Fund regularly and unabashedly advocates for the display of religious icons in the public square. The Utah Attorney General consistently argued in the case that the Roman cross is merely a generic symbol of death, honor, and remembrance. To emphasize the non-religious nature of the Roman

U.s. military cemetery in Normandy, France, is often mistaken for Arlington

cross,he told the court that the State would never allow a religious symbol When Is a Cross Not a as a roadside memorial. Apparently Cross? During the course of the there is no commandment against litigation, the UHPA took a denying that a religious symbol is position that directly conflicted with religious in order to keep it in the that of the State. That ultimately public square. Denying that the Roman cross aided in their defeat. The Alliance Defense Fund attorneys argued for is a religious symbol or arguing UHPA that the memorial crosses that in certain contexts it loses its were chosen by the families of the religious nature are ploys often used deceased troopers, and that the in response to challenges under the families of non-Christian troopers Establishment Clause. Such defenses were free to select other religious have been used successfullyin some memorial symbol. Thus a Jewish cases dealing with the display of the trooper would be memorialized by Ten Commandments on government the UHPA with a Star of David property. An argument in this case and not a Roman cross. Taking was that the Roman cross has lost so this position, UHPA made it clear much of its religious meaning that that the crosses are indeed icons it is now comparable to a Christmas displaying the faith of the trooper, tree as a secular symbol. In our case, FOURTH QUARTER

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the appeals court saw through the State's subterfuges. The judges found the Roman crosses still to be poignant and overwhelmingly religious symbols as acknowledged, at least in part, by UHPA.

Supreme Court Says No In December 2010, the full Court of Appeals was asked to reconsider the appeal and the August 201 a decision, but by a 5-4 vote they denied a rehearing and let the earlier ruling stand. After that decision, the state and the UHPA each made separate requests to the U.S. Supreme Court to review the case. Eleven amicus briefs were filed against us and urged the Supreme Court to review the case. The Supreme Court, even with its current majority of Republicanappointed conservative justices, declined to review the case. Each year, the Supreme Court receives over 8,000 requests (in legal terms the request is called a petition for a writ of certiorari [pronounced sir-shuh-RARE-eeJ), but hears only 50 to 70 of them. When a case is accepted for review, it is usually for one of two reasons. The first reason is if a very significant constitutional issue of national import is involved. Since our case is limited to Utah, the issue does not affect the rest of the nation. No other state has a similar government-approved memorial program for its fallen law enforcement officers. And no other state allows crosses of similar size, adorned with state emblems, to stand in front of its government offices. The second reason to review a case is if separate lower appellate courts hand down conflicting decisions on the same issue. There

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Reliance on Almighty God Still Required in Kentucky ... for Now by Ed Hensley, Kentucky State Director for American Atheists

O

n October 28, 2011, a three-judge panel of the Kentucky Court of Appeals, in a split decision, ruled that the Commonwealth of Kentucky could lawfully display a plaque declaring "dependence on Almighty God as being vital to the security of the Commonwealth" and order the governor and director of the Emergency Operations Center (EO C) to annually make the same declaration. This appeal reversed the 2009 decision of a circuit court judge who agreed with American Atheists that the law is unconstitutional. The Kentucky Homeland Security laws were enacted following the horror of the faith-based September 11,2001, attacks on our country. The facts that had resulted in a successful constitutional challenge by American Atheists and individual plaintiffs began in 2002, when Democratic state representative, and Southern Baptist minister, Tom Riner, inserted religious opinion language into the statutes as part of a "finding," supposedly made by the Kentucky Legislature, that the security of Kentucky could not be assured without reliance on ''Almighty God." In 2006, not satisfied with this "finding" alone, Reverend-Representative Riner persuaded the state to go even further into unconstitutional establishment of religion, by passing a law ordering a plaque to be public ally displayed that lets everyone know that Kentucky cannot be safe without relying on a god. Further, the epiphany that Kentuckians must rely on (and presumably believe in) an entity known as "Almighty God" to be safe must be inserted by Riner law into state training manuals. Further, state employees are ordered by the law to publish annual affirmations by the governor, and the department's director, in reports and educational materials, showing that the religious duties demanded by the Riner laws have been fulfilled. (When Riner's wife, Claudia, was in the legislature, she caused the State to lose a lot of money trying to defend an unconstitutional scheme she had gotten passed for requiring the Ten Commandments to be displayed in each public school classroom. The case, Stone v. Graham, was heard by the U.S. Supreme Court, who in 1980 found the requirement unconstitutional.) On December 2, 2008, the National Legal Director for American Atheists, Edwin Kagin, filed a lawsuit in Franklin County, Kentucky, on behalf of American Atheists and 11 individual plaintiffs, alleging church-state violations under both the U.S. and the Kentucky Constitutions. On August 26, 2009, after briefing and oral arguments, Judge Thomas Wingate held the laws unconstitutional, but also ruled that American Atheists did not have the same standing to bring the action that was enjoyed by the named plaintiffs. The attorney general of Kentucky appealed the ruling that the laws are unconstitutional, and American Atheists cross-appealed the finding that the organization lacked standing. The case was argued before a three-judge panel of the Kentucky Court of Appeals on February 24, 2011. They held, by a two-to-one vote, that the laws were indeed constitutional, and the three judges unanimously held that American Atheists lacked standing. In a dissenting opinion on the constitutional issues, Senior Judge Ann O'Malley Shake said the laws cross a constitutional line, describing the law as "active" when compared to other "passive" laws regarding religious statements. She noted the law has criminal penalties, including up to 12 months in jail, for anyone who fails to comply. Shake wrote that Kentucky's law "is a legislative finding, avowed as factual, that the commonwealth is not safe absent reliance on Almighty God. Further, [the law] places a duty upon the executive director to publicize the assertion while stressing to the public that dependence upon Almighty God is vital, or necessary, in assuring the safety of the commonwealth ... [the law has an] impermissible effect of endorsing religion because it was enacted for a predominantly religious purpose and conveyed a mes.sage of mandatory religious belief."In a motion filed on November 18,2011, in the Kentucky Supreme Court, American Atheists, and the named plaintiffs have asked the Kentucky Supreme Court to grant Discretionary Review of the rulings by the Court of Appeals and to hold that Judge Shake's dissenting opinion more correctly states the law than the majority opinion. At the time of this writing, it is not known if the Supreme Court will agree to hear the case. Stay tuned.

• •• • • For a much more detailed report on this case, including arguments and the full text • • of pleadings and opinions, go to http://kysecurity.wordpress.com. • (Cont. on page 37) •• www.atheists.org I AMERICAN ATHEIST I 25 FOURTH QUARTER 2011

Three Lives of a Warrior: During the War by Phillip Butler, Ph.D.

All photos provided by the author

American Atheists life member Phillip Butler is a warrior with three lives. In our last issue he talked of hisfirst life, which included a devout Baptist upbringing that was no matchfor his early skepticism, his love offlying, and four years as a midshipman at the US. Naval Academy. He continues here with his second life as a prisoner ofwar in North Vietnam for eight years. Thefollowing is an adaptation from his book, Three Lives of a Warrior.

was a different person from today. I had just returned from hell and missed eight important years of my life. This account is as true to my original debriefing as possible in order to retain that snapshot of myself. It might be offensive to some readers that I use the word "Cooks." I thought about changing it in the book, but then the narrative wouldn't be true. That 26

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dehumanizing and racist term reflected my hostility toward my captors. If they ever sensed weakness on the part of any P.O.W., that guy's fate would be to suffer even more. We also had to keep up our stiff resistance in order to keep up our morale. Calling them Cooks objectified them. It's one necessary part of the disgusting nature of war: to get normally, good people to kill each other. When my plane went down on April 20, 1965, I was only the seventh pilot to fall into enemy hands. As FOURTH QUARTER 2011

my luck would have it, I was the Navy's around, fighting the brush and running into first "test pilot" for the Mark-81 "VT" a blind alley or two. I covered probably ten electrically-fused bombing system. The miles when I settled down on a wooded knoll "test" was a disaster. When I released the that afforded good protection. bombs I instantly blew myself right out At daybreak I heard strange music, like of the sky. Out of my peripheral vision I a woman chanting. Later I learned this saw both wings and the tail empennage was a national radio station, broadcast over fall away. I was now just in the cockpit, loudspeakers placed throughout the country which immediately started a forward at half-mile intervals. It was part of the tumble with my head and neck plastered incredible control system the government to the canopy. had over the people. They'd start off their I reached between my legs and pulled mornings with an exercise recording. the emergency ejection handle. The seat Everyone was supposed to get up at 5:15 and A Hanoi Hilton door rockets fired and punched me out of the do four minutes of exercise. Then Vietnamese cockpit. I was lucky I didn't break my back. I experienced music came on. As the music played I peered out from 12 times the force of gravity from the ejection seat and my hidden position in the brush. I was right in the only sustained compression fractures in my spine and middle of two enormous farming communes. one back muscle rupture. At six in the morning the people came out to work My final descent was slowed by my parachute in the fields. I watched them for a while and then slept snaggmg on a canopy until I woke up to the of trees. When I hit roar of aircraft-two the ground my seat t A1s grinding along

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pack crashed down on me, sprammg my ankle. I was so wound up in parachute lines and briar bushes that I couldn't go anywhere. This helped me settle down a bit. I stood there in the dark and resisted my first inclination to start running. I pulled out my compass to figure out which direction was what. I decided to travel west into the foothills to reach Laos. I knew the North Vietnamese tracked downed pilots with dog units, so as a diversionary """"'"...... __ ----' maneuver I left my flight helmet, seat pack, and torso harness behind and started back towards the west, retracing my first steps, hoping the dogs would go in my original direction. I walked for two or three hours without stopping. When the initial adrenaline rush finally tapered off, I stopped in heavy brush jungle, The flight took out my survival knife, dug a hole in the ground, and buried my flight patterns, radio frequencies, and all the other information I carried on missions. That first night I did quite a big of zigzagging

at about six thousand feet. They flew right over me. I tore into my survival pack for my radio, pulled the antenna out and started talking my head off: "Mayday, mayday, this is Beefeater Four, downed Navy pilot Phillip Butler!" Nothing. I asked them to make turns if they heard me. I couldn't get anything out of them. I sat there on the ground and watched them tool off into the blue. The day wore on and it got dark around 7:00. The radio broadcast over the loudspeakers ended at about 9:30. When the radio shut off, so did the farmers. I took off and covered close to 20 miles that second night until I came to the spot in the brush where I thought Icould hide the next day. On that second day I woke around noon to sounds coming from a nearby stream. I was able to see some motion through the brush helmet downstream about 30 or 40 feet away. It sounded like children, but as they came closer into view I saw two men. Barefoot with short pants and no shirts, they each

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frozen in my position. I maintained an eye-to-eye stare had a bamboo pole about ten feet long. Slung over their with the cobra until finally, after what seemed like an backs were what appeared to be potato sacks. As they eternity and probably was no more than ten seconds, walked along they would occasionally beat the stream he folded his hood in, dropped his head to the ground with their poles. I watched in amazement. For a minute and started to move away from me. I couldn't figure out what they were doing until finally He rolled away down the length of my body and one of the guys yelled, jumped over to where he had just as his head got down to about where my feet were he beat his pole down and picked up a little fish he had hit. made a turn away from the stream. When he made his I knew then that fish had to be very plentiful in the turn, with his head down around my feet and his tail stream if they could just walk along with a bamboo pole passing right by my head, I saw that he was seven or and knock them in the head. I had fishing gear with me, eight feet long with a body of about an inch and a half so I was going to be able to feed myself. Fishing would in diameter. have to wait a couple of days, though. I was first going With the cobra and Cooks finally gone, all the gas to try to make as much time and distance as I could suddenly went out of me-I had to take a big shit. from my original down point. But it was nonetheless an I guess that's where the expression comes from. I encouraging sight. literally had it scared out of me. When I was done I I was lying on my side, my head propped up on my bedded down again right hand, peering but it took another down towards my Tap Code 30 minutes before I feet as these two men Second First got my heart back made their way some to a normal beat and 20 or 25 feet away 1 3 4 2 5 managed to sleep from me. I was well until nightfall. camouflaged and C D A B E 1 On the third they couldn't see me. day, after I found a But as I lay there, I H I J F G 2 place to hide, I was suddenly had that N P M 0 L 3 really exhausted but feeling of somebody or was careful to cover something watching Q T R S U 4 myself with brush me. If you've never after putting my had the experience, it's X Y Z V W 5 poncho down to unique. It's something sleep on. I hadn't slept more than an hour when I heard you often learn when hunting. You never forget it. You a noise coming toward me. I froze there in the bush also learn that it's probably more than just a feeling. and almost got stepped on by a water buffalo being At that moment, my focus was down the length of my herded by a small kid along the path I had traveled on body toward the men. For some reason I didn't move. I the night before. In my exhausted state I didn't see that just shifted my eyes so that I was looking straight ahead I had stopped for the day only a few feet away from of me. That's when I saw the face of a huge king cobra, the path. Neither of them saw me so I got away with it. about eight inches from mine. He was coiled right there The following night I passed Vinh City and found in front of me with his hood spread and his tongue a place to hide and sleep during the coming day. darting in and out. He was smelling me and trying to Screaming jet engines woke me on that fourth day. A figure out what I was. flight of four FlOSs came so close that I could feel I was scared stiff but that was probably a good thing. the ground shaking and rocking with the impact of There was no way I could have moved without him their bullets. I grabbed my radio and screamed at them striking me. And at that short dista~ce he couldn't to stop shooting. I knew they heard me because they have missed. The chance of surviving a cobra bite was went into a circular orbit above me. I asked them to smaller than if! had stayed with my plane. Even if there roger my messages if they could hear me, but I got no had been room to move, any ruckus I made would have response. Then I told them to light their afterburners alerted the men in the stream and for sure I would have if they read me. They probably gave me 50 burner been captured. lights, banging them on and off as fast as they could. I had no choice but to be still and remain that way, 28

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It was exhilarating. I told them my condition was still good and I would make it to Laos in about three days. They kept rogering with lots of burner lights, but finally they had to go home. They joined up to give me the saddest, slowest wing wobble you can imagine as they tooled off into the distance. Boy I sure wished for some kind of magic skyhook that day,to pick me up and take me with them.

Capture

We left shortly after and as best I can remember, they walked me through four or five different villages where the same thing happened in each one. They would bring me to an outdoor meeting place where several hundred people stood in a ring. There were several men and women with red armbands. They were cadres with the Vietnam Workers Party-the framework of the social life and existence of the people. They were spread throughout the country to bring people around to Communist ideology. The cadres would shake their fists in the air and yell a chant and get the crowd all whipped up into hate and anger. Then, just as suddenly as it started, the cadres would hold their hands to turn off the noise, just like a faucet. Then came a propaganda speech with me as the one-man sideshow. To these Asians, you look like a bad guy. You're a hell of a lot bigger than they are. And I had a real short butch haircut. I looked pretty much like a mean old ogre, and they were showing me off to be that. I was the ugly enemy. It reminded me of how Hitler, Mussolini, and Tojo were depicted in World War II posters. After the last village we drove for a couple of hours to the Vinh way station prison. They searched my clothes and body before bringing me to my cell, approximately four feet wide and six feet long with an old wooden bucket and a

I was in and out of sleep for the next few hours until I heard a lot of people running toward me. As I crouched behind a bush to get a look at them, a black shape suddenly jumped over it. Two German shepherds pulled me around and pinned me to the ground. Within a second or two the lead guy came roaring down the pathway firing bullets, hitting the ground just below my feet. They traveled up my right side, skipped over my arm and passed down the my left side. This spray of bullets, from an automatic weapon at a distance of ten feet, missed me entirely! He tossed the weapon aside and the rest of his team leaped on me-one regular officer, several militia guys, and about 40 peasants. The officer tried to talk to me in French. At that time I didn't speak French, but even if! had I wouldn't have talked with him. The guy who handled the dogs handed me what they used to track me down: my Butler (right) on a forced march, 1966 board to sleep on. They clanged the iron door shut and went away. helmet. The dogs picked up my Exhausted, I fell asleep and immediately had wild scent from it, and had been after me for four days and dreams about things grabbing hold of me and crawling nights. on me. They tied my hands behind my back and we started I woke up to discover rats swarming all over me. across the rice paddies to a little village. As we were I jumped off the bed and the rats all scurried away. I making our way along, there were people all over the began to feel around and discovered that the boardplace. It looked like they had come from miles around and I-were covered with giant bugs. I was in a pretty to see what I looked like. bad way so I figured I might as well try to forget about They took me into somebody's horne with a dirt them and go to sleep, and I was so tired I did. floor and little wooden beds. They brought in a meal. I spent two nights there, and at about 2:00 the I couldn't believe it when I saw it. It must have been second morning I was awakened by some guards who enough for about sixteen men. Boy they were really bound my hands behind my back very tightly and putting on the dog. There was rice fixed different ways shoved me into a jeep. I didn't know it at that moment, and pieces of meat were cooked up in little dishes, and but I was on my way to Hanoi. it was all weird looking to me. The first bite was spicy After driving for about nine hours, we pulled off enough to knock your head off and I really couldn't eat it. FOURTH QUARTER 2011

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Then came a huge surprise. It was a large glass, full of an iced orange dessert. I couldn't believe my eyes. It was made from real oranges, and frozen around a wooden stick was something popsicle-like made of orange juice. God almighty, I couldn't believe it. I wolfed it down in about three seconds! I can still remember how good it tasted. Later I told my buddies in prison about this and they just couldn't believe that there was any ice cream in Gookland. I guess I was the only P.O.W. to ever have any. Then they cranked up the jeep and drove back to the prison where the big iron gate swung open for us. As we drove in I felt, for the first time in my life, the icy fingers of despair encircling my heart. I fought back the tears. Fornearlyfourandahalfoftheeightyearsofhiscaptivity, Butler was shuttled aroundfour prisons nicknamed Hanoi Hilton, Briar Patch, The Zoo, and Little Vegas. The following account combines abbreviated descriptions and stories from all four. Butler's full chronology in Three Lives of a Warrior gives much more detail than what can fit in thesepages.

Butler in Hanoi 1965 the road and the guys got out. They laid cloths on the ground and two of the guys plopped down to take a siesta. The third one stayed awake to watch me. Siestas are very important to the Vietnamese. Even if you are being tortured for five days in a row, everything stops for a siesta. As we went on, I saw a sight I'll never forget. We were driving along a river as dusk was falling. There were a whole bunch of junks moving up the river toward Hanoi. The sun was setting behind them. In spite of my circumstances and my fears about what was in store for me, I still remarked to myself that this was one of the most beautiful scenes I had ever witnessed. It was breathtaking. The sails on those junks caught the final rays of the setting sun and turned all different colors. The reds and purples were just beautiful. We continued until dark, when we finally drove into downtown Hanoi and past the Hoa Lo prison, the "Hanoi Hilton." But instead of stopping we drove on to a little restaurant. Two guards went in and came back with a bowl of noodle soup that really tasted outstanding. It wasn't just that I was hungry, it really was delicious. I wolfed it down and they gave me some tea. 30

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That first night I sat in my cell, pretty irritated at my plight. When I heard a tin cup clang from a few cells down, my heart leapt to my throat. I thought there must be another prisoner around-maybe even an American. I hollered out, "Is anyone else here?" No answer. I hollered again. Still no answer. Then I yelled out, "How in the hell do you turn the light off in this place? I want to go to sleep!" Then a voice answered, "You don't, that's the general idea." I said, "Who are you?" And the voice came back, "I'm captain Scotty Morgan." I told Scotty who I was and we said howdy and glad to meet you. Scotty was shot down on April 4, just 16 days before me. The next day I had my first interrogation, or "quiz" as we called them, in a room with three Vietnamese sitting behind a table. They sat me down on a stool and one of them started by rambling on for around 30 minutes about the 1954 Geneva Conventions. Then he asked for my name rank and serial number, which I gave him. I wouldn't answer any other questions. He went on about the Geneva Conventions for almost two more hours while I sat there on that damn stool. My ass was killing me. Through an interpreter they told me for another halfhour my government had no way of helping me here. I was completely within their power. Then they told me to stand up and leave FOURTH QUARTER 2011

the room. So there it was. My first interrogation. I wasn't blindfolded or tied up in the early interrogations, nor did they use any physical force other than the occasional slap. About a week into my imprisonment I was getting about 12 hours of quiz a day. Then they started quizzing me in the middle of the night. They would double up on me, with the quizzers switching off so they wouldn't wear themselves out.

Staying Sane Most of my attention was focused on making and maintaining contact with my fellow prisoners, and we all took considerable risks to stay in touch. Our communications were rudimentary at first. We'd pick up little pieces of paper here and there out in the yard when the guards weren't looking. They would be just tiny scraps of paper we'd write on with the burnt carbon from our cigarette matches. We established a note drop area in the crapper and we would exchange notes to each other by hiding them under a brick. Pretty soon I was in regular contact with two other prisoners without ever having seen them. Our communication, as limited as it was, really and truly meant our sanity. It was essentiaL They knew we would be a stronger force to reckon with if we had unity, so they did everything they could to keep us isolated from each other. The first thing you're confronted with in solitary confinement is yourself.The next thing you discover is that this self is going to be one of two things: either your best friend or your worst enemy. And it's going to be up to you to decide which. What you need to do is resolve to talk things out within yourself and ultimately find out that you really FOURTH QUARTER 2011

for two, etc. To get in touch with a new guy and let him know we were American, we would tap out the rhythm of "shave-and -a-haircut," something the Gooks never heard of. If a Yank heard that coming through the wall he'd know damn well there was a Yank on the other side. The reply to this was of course "two bits." We became fluent in the tap code and it saved our lives because we could talk to our neighbor next door as much as we wanted to during the day. We became very sophisticated with this code. It got to the point where it would sound like a typewriter. It worked better than Morse code because everything was a dot and there weren't any dashes. We could do it while working outdoors. If we had a hoe in our hands and wanted to talk to a guy in a certain room, we could send one-way communications to him by stroking the hoe in the tap code. The guards standing around had no idea what we were doing. If we had a broom in our hands we could talk to a whole gang of guys in another building, make arrangements for note drops, or just pass any kind of Codes Out of necessity, we invented information. When a new P.O.W. came in, ways of communicating that the we'd start off by just tapping to him Gooks couldn't intercept. One of the prisoners taught us a tap code the number of digits to illustrate one he learned in Air Force survival letter of the alphabet. For instance, schooL You arrange the alphabet in A was one tap and Z was 26 taps. five groups of five starting with A,E, So after getting a "two bits" reply and C running horizontally on the from the new guy, we would send 8 first line. Continue this through Z, taps, then 9. Most guys would soon and leave out the letter K.This gives get that we had sent H and I, or in you.a five-by-five matrix. In order to other words, "Hi!" Then using this tap the letter D for instance, you tap laborious method we could explain our tap code. once to indicate the first horizontal row and then you tap four times to indicate the fourth letter in the row. Torture For over four years of my captivity, For the letter K you just tap a C, because that works just as welL For (Cont. on page 34) numbers you tap once for one, twice do like yourself and that you can enjoy being alone. I occupied my mind with thousands of projects-everything from number games to serious endeavors like making plans for the rest of my life. No matter how bad things looked, I would plan my release to be within six months to a year, and I tried to keep this up for all eight years. With that outlook, I spent lots of time planning vacations with my family,day by day,minute by minute. It all turned out completely different when I came home, but that didn't matter because I maintained my sanity over the years by keeping my mind active with vacation planning. I spent days on end doing this, and the time would go by without my even thinking about it. I went through periods where I'd stay up late and get up early in the morning because I had things to do. I was busy.The next day I'd get up and not feel like doing a damn thing. I was tired of my projects. I might spend the next two or three weeks sleeping all the time.

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Parade Organizers Quickly Reverse

Decision to Exclude Atheists by Ernest Perce, Pennsylvania State Director

T

he Parading Atheists of Central Pennsylvania is an ad - hoc group whose members march in parades around central Pennsylvania, wearing costumes that represent various religious gods, saviors, messengers, and prophets. Members have dressed up as the pope, a priest, nuns, Mohammad, Satan, and Satan's spawn. This is all done for the purpose of pointing out that blasphemy is a victimless crime. On September 30, 2011, the group applied to march in the annual community parade in Millersville, an event they applied for and participated in just one year prior, in 2010. It is a government-sponsored event, in that the parade committee received $2,000 from the Borough of Millersville. Millersville University, another sponsor, is a part of the Pennsylvania State system of higher education. By virtue of these two facts alone, this parade represents a partnership with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Steven D. Guiseppe, an employee of Millersville University who also functions as the parade committee organizer, replied to our group's coordinator, American Atheists member Carl Silverman, with this letter: The Millersville Community Parade LS organized and operated by the Millersville Community Parade Committee, which is composed of individual members of the community. The parade isfunded by organizations, businesses and members of the greater Millersville Community. As stated on our entry form, "all entries are subject to approval by the parade committee," 32

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which retneios each and every entry. I regret to inform you that the parade committee has NOT approved your entry. Therefore, you will not be receiving any additional information pertaining to parade day specifics or c; line-up. Upon receiving this response, Silverman contacted me, and I sent Giuseppe my own letter citing discrimination as well as violations of the First and" Fourteenth Amendments to the United States Constitution. The letter made the following points: the Parading Atheists have a right to participate in a municipally sponsored parade, especially since the event receives grants from the local taxpayers; Millersville University has a strict policy against discrimination, and is known for welcoming a variety of beliefs and lifestyles; and by denying our group participation, Millersville University is violating its own policy of non-discrimination, in addition to violating the constitutional amendments. The university and the Borough realized they would suffer financial and public relations losses if American Atheists had filed a lawsuit. One day after Guiseppe received my letter, the committee reversed its decision. As it turned out, something else really did keep us and other groups from marching: bad weather. But an important fight was won and we're expecting no resistance next year. I have assisted many local Atheist

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groups with a variety of issues related to discrimination, and I have been featured on several local and national newscasts. However, this event is my favorite so far. We Atheists have a duty and a right to dress up as gods and messengers of religion, if we so chose, even if it's blasphemous and offensive. Freedom of speech is a right every citizen is born with in the United States. And in this wonderful nation, I am a proud American Atheist! Do you or someone you know have an issue with being discriminated against because you choose not to believe in a god or gods? If so, it is time to get acquainted with your state director. State directors are qualified and prepared to deal with constitutional issues involving free speech and church/state separation. These men and women are the most qualified and capable Atheists in your state and region. Take a moment to look on page 43 and find out the name of your state director, or visit the American Atheists website at atheists.org/ statedirectors. They are eager to meet you and await your contact. • FOURTH QUARTER 2011

Life with the

Senior Nones by Gil Gaudia, Ph.D.

in

the November/December2010 issue

of

American Atheist, I described

an experience my wife, Jeanne, and I had after moving into an Oregon retirement facility of 180 residents. As in the rest of American society, the majority are Christian. Many of them attend weekly Bible sessions held at the facility. Often at dinner, when meeting and dining with other residents-who are very friendly and often ask us to join them-we were asked, "What church do you attend?" In my article "What is an Atheist to Do?'" I described an incident, not an isolated one, in which we were faced with the dilemma of speaking out or suffering in silence while listening to an unexpected Christian agenda or walking out. In the following issue several readers shared how they would have handled the situation. Being an activist at heart, I decided to take an activist approach and inquired of some of the other residents whom I suspected viewed things somewhat the way Jeanne and I do. To my surprise, there was considerable agreement, so we sent all residents a brief announcement about holding a meeting of "people who are freethinkers, skeptics, or humanists." We hesitated to use the word ''Atheist'' at first, so in the announcement we suggested calling ourselves the "Nones," explaining that it has come to be used to describe people who select the box marked "none" when asked about religious preference. To our surprise, 13 people showed up and we had a brief informal discussion which was at times overheard by other residents who were seated or walking nearby. 'Xl "non- b e 1· vvor d s lik 1 e "~h· ,I,l-t erst, "" agnosnc,." lever, " an d

FOURTH QUARTER 2011

"skeptic" were bandied about. We decided then to try to form a group which would meet every Sunday. When I spoke to the manager of the facility she congratulated me on the idea and informed me that "we have already had our first complaint about your group." I was astonished. "What's the problem?" I asked. She replied, "Mrs. So-and-So wanted to know why we allowed such a meeting." "What did you say to her?" I asked. The manager grinned slyly and chuckled, "I just looked at her and said, 'Well, you have your Bible classes, don't you?'" Our manager believes strongly in freedom of speech and is definitely not a fundamentalist. Each Sunday after that, the group became larger. Now anywhere from 14 to 31 people join us. Our discussions range from simple descriptions of each person's belief system and how they arrived at that point, to philosophical and possibly boring explorations about life after death. On one recent Sunday, one of the residents brought a guest, a retired minister. He had told him about our group, and the minister was very interested in what we had to say. This was in addition to our own resident ex-minister who had announced at an earlier meeting that he had preached from the pulpit for 30 years and finally decided to give it up because he could no longer be comfortable with what he was telling his flock. If anyone had told me earlier that an average of two dozen people out of 180 would be interested in attending a meeting of non-believers, I would've bet that they were wrong. In a senior community there is good reason to believe that traditional viewpoints and values would predominate. On the other hand, our numbers reflect almost exactly the percentage of the population (15%) that recent polls indicate are nonbelievers of some sort. Other than the 92-year-old widow and widower who are "going steady," we are now the most talked (Cont. on page 39)

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I AMERICAN ATHEIST I 33

Three Lives

(Cont. from page 31 )

I was repeatedly beaten and tortured in numerous ways. The first time I was tortured for a confession was on August, 11, 1966, my 28th birthday. They walked me into the quiz room and told me to confess my crimes in writing. I told them to get fucked and one interrogator said, "I will allow you to think about it tonight. Tomorrow morning I will come back, and then you must write." I sat on the stool all night and the next morning another interrogator came and said, "You must write as ordered by the camp commander." And I told him I declined that offer.Then three guards came in, yanked me off the stool and shoved my face against the wall. They got behind rpe and brought my arms around behind my back. They pushed them up into a hammerlock and held them up as high as they could, lifting me off the floor. Then they took the handcuffs with a chain link between them and put one cuff on my right arm about midway between my wrist and elbow. They inserted a little bar into the ratchets of the cuff and pried it down as tight as they could, breaking the skin on my arm. It smashed down into the flesh, against bone. It instantly cut off all circulation. They twisted my other hand as far as they could, about 180 degrees, and hooked the other cuff in that position up to my left arm and then pried it down with a bar too. My arms were forced up behind my back so that my hands were clear up above my head with the cuffs on my mid-arms. Then they let go of me, so gravity and my shoulder muscles pulled my arms down against the cuffs. That created a twisting movement because my arms were worked into a chain -link configuration. Then they wound straps around my upper body and pulled them tight. We called this torture "hell cuffs."The pain went into unreal. It was the worst I had to endure. They walked to the door, said they'd be back when I was ready to write, and locked the cell. A couple of guys in the next cell tapped on the wall. I walked over and kicked it twice. They started tapping, "Phil, we know you're in there and you are the seventh guy so far that has come through. We know what you're going through. You've got those hell cuffs on and we are going to be with you. If you start yelling, you just listen to this walL" They kept up that kind of chatter. They said, "Give it a fight, Phil. Give it all you have. Go ahead and give it the full works." I told them I would, that I would go all the way on this one. They said, "You know, Phil, all you have to do is please yourself." And I said, "Right, and I have to be proud of myself when it's over." In about 15 minutes my hands had no feeling whatsoever. After about 30 minutes it felt like somebody was holding cigarette lighters to my hands. This is when the nerves started dying. This peaks after about an hour, and from that point on the pain was exactly like someone was burning me. It just got worse and worse and my hands and arms swelled up huge. After a while I started screaming, kicking, and crying. 34

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Then I was vomiting, urinating, and defecating in my pants. I ran around the room like a wild man! This went on for about six hours. In this kind of torture you will not pass out-that would have been a blessing. After about three or four hours I decided to try to kill myself, and the only way I could do it was to bash my brains out. I went to one corner of the room and lowered my head. I ran across the room and smashed my head into the wall. All I did was knock the shit out of myself and I wound up in more misery and pain than before. I guess I have a hard head. I tried calling up witches, demons, god, Buddha, and everybody else I could think of but nothing worked. Finally after six hours I'd had it. I had thrown up all over myself and all over the cell. I felt like I was losing my mind. I finally yelled for the guard, who came in only to turn right around and walk away. It was the most terrifying, desperate feeling I ever had in my entire life. They left me there for another two hours, just for a general "I'll show you." Finally, they came back in. I was a blithering idiot. They yanked me up and set me down on the stool. They said, "Now will you write the confession?" I said, "Yes, yes, get them off!" When they took those things off the circulation started again, and then the pain started again! The pain of the sensation coming back into my hands and arms was almost as bad as what I had experienced for the past eight hours. It was so extreme I went out of my mind, falling to the floor, screaming for about ten minutes. They just sat and watched me. When I got over my fit I got back up on the stool again. They handed me a pencil and paper. My arms and hands were absolutely enormous and blue from swelling and I couldn't move them at all. I took the pencil and just by pushing my hand down against the table, locked it between my fingers and started scrawling something he told me to write. The guard saw I couldn't write and said, ''All right, you will write tomorrow morning." The next morning two guards and a quizzer came into the cell and told me to start writing. My hands and arms were still dead. The nerves were all killed. I had no sensation , so they were just completely paralyzed. I started writing by using my hands as a holder and my arms to write. I wrote a ridiculous confession with absurd sentence structure, no punctuation, and incorrect spelling. It said that this wasn't a confession at all. I gave it to the guard and he took it out. About two hours later he came back and said , "You have tried to deceive us. This is garbage. You have not written what we told you to write." The camp commander had taken my "confession" and marked it all over in red ink, just like my first grade teacher. So I wrote another version and then the same deal. This went on through five different "edits" until they got one they would accept. All the time they were threatening to put me back in the cuffs. I knew I couldn't do that, even for an instant. I thought I'd already lost control of my hands for the rest of my life. But I continued the poker game until the last version. The final one stated "that I was an FOURTH QUARTER 2011

· Contemporary

Imperialist Aggressor criminal and had 'crimed' against the Vietnamese people and that the Vietnamese people had 'blowed up'my airplane when I was 'shooted down.'" I got some more bullshit like that in, and I also said I had "strafed women and children and old folks and bombed school yards and hospitals." The only thing I could think of as I wrote was how furious I was. I guarantee that if I had been the pilot of an A4C loaded with bombs and rockets, with a school yard in sight, I would have creamed it! So that was my confession. As I walked back to my cell a strange feeling came over me. I was so god damn proud of myself and still am today. They were going to get their nickel's worth of propaganda. We were helpless and they were going to get it if they wanted it. But we certainly made them work for it. Since we all knew what kind of torture was coming, we had each other to compete with. It was like, "I lasted three hours," and another guy would tap over and laugh, "I only hacked it for two hours. Jesus, you guys must not have any feeling at all." It was a macabre competition but a big morale boost. At the Briar Patch there were 54 men, and I spell MEN with capital letters. They were all tortured until they just blew their gourds for these silly-ass confessions. I'm certain every last man who walked out of there is proud of himself to this day for the confession he wrote. Our government should have announced to the world that American prisoners of war were ordered to say and do anything necessary to keep from being harassed, degraded, or tortured. This would have invalidated anything we were made to say or do. It would have made it ridiculous for our captors to continue with the mistreatment, and it would have removed a reason for them to torture us. I continued to endure these conditions until September 1969, when one of the most beautiful mornings of my life began with funeral music over the loudspeaker. Later we learned that Ho Chi Minh had died. This brought the country an entirely new regime with new policies and a whole new phase of captivity for me, but the hellfire and brimstone years of my prison life were over. Nevertheless, I would still serve three and a half more years of continued deprivation and isolation in captivity, never knowing when, or even if, I would survive to return home. In all, I would spend 2,855 days and nights of my life-nearly eight years-as a P.O.W. until I was finally repatriated on February 12, 1973. •

•

(Cont. from page 15)

••• would surely have whole texts, as well as extant scraps •"•• of their hasty and frightened scrawlings. We have no e

•• evidence of any such writings .

•• •• ••

.. e

•• •

"• • •• ••

• ••. •: •. .. : : : : : : : : : : : : • •. • : : : : : : : : : : " : : : •• • .: : :

• "

The next issue of American Atheist will bring the final excerpt from Three Lives of a Warrior. Butler's website, phillipbutlerphd.com, contains more photos, relevant links, and additional writings. From there you can go to threelivesofawarrior.com to find out how to order the book or download it in any e-format.

Writers

"" : : : : : " "

..

Eternal Enigma Even the scholarly and revered Catholic Encyclopedia suggests that miracles and legends from earlier pagan religions were plagiarized and incorporated into Christian tradition and history, producing "an abundance of heroes." The Encyclopedia admits that they "found their way from Hellenism to Christianity," and that "this explains the great number of similarities between [pagan] gods and [Christian] saints." (Vol. 9,

130.) That about wraps it up for "contemporary writers" of the Christ. This should be of use the next time you encounter someone asserting the false claims of extrabiblical writers of Jesus during his lifetime. Jehovah's Witnesses or Mormon interlopers pounding on your door may grant you the first opportunities to refute such absurdities. Be cordial, but have fun with the discourse! If they hand you a Jesus pamphlet upon their departure, consider handing them a copy of this article as your gift to them. (Don't forget to be green: place their pamphlet directly into your recycle bin.) *Strobel's first such title, The Casefor Christ, was published in 1998. Last year American Atheist Press published The CaseAgainst the Casefor Christ: A New Testament Scholar Refutes the Reverend Lee Strobel by Robert M. Price.

Michael Paulkovich has been a space systems engineer at NASA for 20 years. Raised Protestant, his skepticism started around age ten.

References Brewer, Ebenezer Cobham, The Reader's Handbook of Famous Names in Fiction, Allusions, References, Proverbs, Plots, Stories, and Poems. (Philadelphia: l B. Lippencott, 1899.) Farmer, William Reuben, The Synoptic Problem. (Mercer University Press, 1976.) Fomenko, Anatoly, History: Fiction or Science? Chronology 1. (Bend: Delamere Publishing, 2003.) Mason, Steve, Flavius Josephus: Translation and Commentary. (Brill, 2001.) Radice, Betty, The Letters of the Younger Pliny. (Penguin, 1969.) Ross, j.W; Tacitus and Bracciolini, the Annals forged in the XVth century. (London: Diprose & Bateman, 1878.) Strauss, David Friedrich, The Life ofJesus, Critically Examined. (London: Chapman Brothers, 1846.) Targa, Leonardo, A Translation of the Eight Books of Aulus Cornelius Celsus on Medicine. (Collier, 1840.) •

"• FOURTH QUARTER 2011

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Breaking Their Will

(Cant. from page 21)

How have non-religious organizations, like welfore agencies,respondedtoyour book? I've been a little disappointed after reaching out to organizations that deal with child abuse and neglect. For the most part, they haven't really responded to my offer to educate caseworkers. In some pockets of the country where religious child maltreatment is severe, for example in areas where there is a lot of polygamy and especially where the practice of child brides has been happening, there is more interest there, and I've been scheduling some talks. I just spoke at a conference in Phoenix put together by Defenders of Children, an advocacy organization that helps abused kids, particularly those who have left or been kicked out of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Why do you think you haven't received the positive responsesyou were hopingfor? I think it's because the profession trains case workers to take a different approach. The laws that they work within hardly ever say anything about religiously motivated child maltreatment. The only time religion enters the picture is in defining what sort of child maltreatment is okay if you're doing it for religious reasons. So there is education and training to recognize those religious exemptions. This is a very new area to many organizations that, as committed as they are to preventing child abuse and neglect, have their focus in a different place. What has beenthe most surprising reaction toyour book? The surprises actually occurred during my research. We've all read about high-profile, bizarre incidents based on superstitious belief systems. But I was really bowled over by what I learned. At the top of the list is how popular exorcism is in this country. To my knowledge it's mostly practiced on adults, who seek the exorcism themselves. But when it's practiced on children, it's due to an overwhelming fear that many religious people have about demons, devils, and evil spirits. Anything negative in their lives they will attribute to demonic possession. In the 1980s and early 1990s this country saw the "satanic panic," where there was a widespread fear of ritual child abuse within satanic cults. When there's a fear of something going on in a place where people believe something different than someone else, then there will be attention paid to the child abuse in a

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religious community. But once we found out that there weren't these huge satanic cults abusing children in that way,ritual abuse was pretty much forgotten even though it certainly does go on in this country. But when it does, it happens mostly within Christianity, which isn't under suspicion. When exorcisms are performed on children, it's to rid them of autism, sickness, homosexuality, whatever needs to be "cleansed." I interviewed a number of people who had frightening exorcisms performed on them when they were kids. I also saw a YouTube video of a whole church performing an exorcism on a boy to rid him of being gay.It was awful to watch. Have there been negative reactions from religious communities? Has anyone told you to mind your own business? Many people of faith who have reached out to me greatly appreciate the book, but they tend not to be from conservative religious circles. I think the book is too new to have reached that world yet. One blogger who has a big Christian following, and who recently wrote about Breaking Their Will, said that one of her readers said she suspected that I had an "agenda." I told the blogger to tell her reader yes, I do: I want to educate the public about religious child maltreatment so we can eradicate it. I've gotten nasty emails from people accusing me of attacking Christianity. Others who read about my opposition to male circumcision think I'm attacking Judaism, but I'm not on either count. In fact, I make the point that religion is often not harmful for children, a position that has rankled some Atheists. If there is one message I want my book to carry, it is how important it is that we look at faith with a critical eye. While religion can bring children great comfort, it can also turn their lives into a living hell. What's more, the problems are not in all faith communities and households, but those whose beliefs systems and social structures are authoritarian. That's where we should all be looking if we want to protect children from religiously motivated harm.

Breaking Their Will- Shedding Light on Religious Child Maltreatment, published by Prometheus Books, is available in bookstores and through amazon. com. Go to breakingtheirwill.com to read Heimlich's blog and subscribe to her email updates. •

FOURTH QUARTER

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Utah Decision

decision. The poignant religious nature of a cross is neither lessened nor diluted when it stands alone in a prominent and exclusive place. are no conflicting decisions from other courts involving Some Utah officials are now publicly bemoaning that similar memorial crosses. Research for this litigation small homemade roadside memorial crosses are banned showed that no other law enforcement agency in the nation in Utah. But the typically two or three feet tall, temporary uses monumental roadside crosses as memorials to officers crosses have never been allowed in Utah. The Department killed in the line of duty. Most agencies have memorials in of Transportation prohibits all private memorials near any one form or another to fallen officers, but none of them are Utah Highway. Department employees are instructed to conspicuous religious symbols along the side of the road or promptly remove and dispose of any private memorials. The in front of government offices. rules specifically state: "Religious symbols may not be placed For a case to be heard, four of the nine justices must on state rights-of-way" as part of a memorial program. vote in favor of granting certiorari. When the Supreme Such private small roadside markers are allowed and Court declines to consider a case, it does not indicate why. even protected by law in some states, but not in Utah. Only It simply issues a short order stating "petition denied"with the UHPA was granted this privilege, and this was another no explanation. But in our case Justice Clarence Thomas factor contributing to the 10th Circuit's decision. took an unusual extra step and wrote a lengthy dissenting A loud negative public outcry occurred in opinion, an action usually reserved for final -. Utah when we first filed the case in 2005. Public rulings. He begins his dissent by saying, rallies with much wailing and gnashing of teeth "Today the Court rejects an opportunity were held next to some of the crosses. Negative to provide clarity to an Establishment RICHARD P comments filled the newspapers. With the Clause jurisprudence in shambles" (His M A SON appeals court ruling and the recent decision by entire dissent is posted on the Supreme COL USA WQRlD WAR n the Supreme Court not to become involved, the Court's website at www.supremecourt.gov/ KOREA public indignation has somewhat subsided. A opinions/llpdf/10-1276.pdf). VIETNAM c AUC :5 1909 rew Uta h po Iiticians are still using this case as No Rows of Crosses at Arlington A'R 9 fOOT a campaign issue, but the general public and the Many people believe that military Utah newspapers appear to have a little better cemeteries in our country routinely honor . D understanding of the need for separation of all fallen soldiers with stand-alone crosses church and state. as grave markers. This is not true. When Atheist grave marker at Arlington People are now suggesting other ways to you see pictures of a military cemetery with honor the troopers. The court's ruling does not row upon row of Roman crosses, you are looking at a U.S. prevent anyone from honoring these troopers. The decision military cemetery overseas such as the one in Normandy, restricts how the State may participate in doing so. France. However, amongst them are graves marked by Influence Beyond Utah Stars of David which instantly inform the observer of the This decision of the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals will religious affiliation of the soldiers there buried. have an effect beyond Utah, because its ruling must be Rows of crosses do not exist at the National Cemetery in followed by the federal courts in Oklahoma, Kansas, New Arlington, Virginia. Most graves in that revered veterans' Mexico, Colorado, and Wyoming. cemetery are marked by a round-top tombstone displaying The decision will affect future court cases throughout a small bas relief of a religious symbol chosen by the family the nation as guiding, but not controlling, legal authority. of the deceased. Among the 35 symbol choices available Judges outside the 10th Circuit have the option to consider is the Atheist atomic symbol. Therefore, Roman crosses the decision when making future decisions. The decision at Arlington are not generic universal symbols of death, provides more and strong legal analysis and precedent for honor, and remembrance, as the Utah attorney general future cases to challenge government support for religion. would like all to believe. Very visible religious icons have been removed from public The routine use of religious symbols in governmentspace in Utah and a state imprimatur has been removed from owned cemeteries differs greatly from a 12-foot cross poignant religious symbols. As these crosses are moved, a prominently displayed in a nontraditional place like a few more bricks are put back into that wall between church highway rest stop or the grounds of a government building. and state. Government neither endorses nor supports religion when it allows religious symbols in its cemeteries, where, by Brian M. Barnard is a Salt Lake City civil rights attorney longstanding tradition, our culture accepts them. who represented American Atheists in this case, as well as The UHPA crosses stand alone. They are not part of many others over the last two decades. Our website, atheists. larger displays. That solitary placement and lack of context was important to the appeals court judges in making their org, contains more information about this victory. • (Cont. from page 25)

aR~N~ti~R

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George Washington

(Cant. from page 5)

that "[aJs president, Washington regularly attended Christian services, and he was friendly in his attitude toward Christian values. However, he repeatedly declined the church's sacraments. Never did he take communion, and when his wife, Martha, did, he waited for her outside the sanctuary. Even on his deathbed, Washington asked for no ritual, uttered no prayer to Christ, and expressed no wish to be attended by his representative. George Washington's practice of Chris-

Washington did mention Atheists in one letter, though it shows the spelling was not yet standardized. He wrote to his administrator, Tench Tilghman, in 1784, seeking workers: "If they are good workmen, they may be of Assia [sicJ, Africa, or Europe. They may be Mahometans [Muslims], Jews, or Christian of any Sect-or they may be Athiests [sicJ-I would however prefer middle aged, to young men and those who have good countenances & good characters on ship board;" The clear implication of this request is that Washington saw no necessary connection between religious (or irreligious) views and "good character."

To Washi~gton, to be a good citizen was a secular matter tianity was limited and superficial because he was not himself a Christian. In the enlightened tradition of his day,he was a devout deist-just as many of the clergymen who knew him suspected." Because Washington had motive-his support for religion as useful-for encouraging religiosity, there is no way to know whether what he said or wrote of religion was completely sincere. One of the enduring conventional conclusions about Washington and religion is that he was the American official who began the unofficial but supposedly consistent practice of adding "so help me God" after taking the Oath of Office. But, according to Wikipedia, that well known and widely accepted story may be false: "Washington is widely credited with first adding the words 'so help me, God' after the presidential inaugural oath, but none of the detailed contemporaneous eyewitness accounts of the first inauguration supports this belief. These words are Touro Synagogue not part of the Constitutional oath. The first authors to state that Washington added the words were Rufus Wilmot Griswold in 1854 and Washington Irving in 1857, and neither cited a source." Historian Peter R. Henriques has weighed in on the side of those who say Washington likely did not add those words." Those interested in this aspect of the George Washington story would do well to read the entire Wikipedia articles and then to follow up on the sources cited there. Like Jefferson, Washington served as a church vestryman-but it must be remembered he lived in a time of no separation of church and state in Virginia, a time when anyone wanting to lead a community would be likely to need to serve as a church leader. 38

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In 1790 President Washington wrote the following to the congregation ofTouro Synagogue in Newport, Rhode Island: "The Citizens of the United States of America have a right to applaud themselves for having given to mankind examples of an enlarged and liberal policy: a policy worthy of imitation. All possess alike liberty of conscience and immunities of citizenship. It is now no more that toleration is spoken of, as if it was by the indulgence of one class of people, that another enjoyed the exercise of their inherent national gifts. For happily the Government of the United States, which gives to bigotry no sanction, to persecution no assistance requires only that they who live under its protection should demean themselves as good citizens, in giving it on all occasions their effectual support."? The synagogue still stands and the letter is read aloud annually at a ceremony. It is . widely recognized as a key stili stands today document defining secularism and religious liberty under the U.S. Constitution. This letter was an important rejection of the notion of official "toleration" of religious "dissenters" in favor of freedom of religion for all; Washington's words also show the possibility of a definition of "good citizenship" free of any sectarian baggage. To Washington, to be a good citizen was a secular matter, a question-of the acts one did in this world, not of one's beliefs, if any, about any "next" world. A less well known but still important letter from President Washington was sent a few years later to the New Church in Baltimore in 1793 where he said, "We have abundant reason to rejoice that in this Land the (Cant. on page 40) FOURTH QUARTER 2011

Senior Nones

(Cant. from page 33)

about people in the facility. As we have more and more discussions about our beliefs (or non-beliefs) and use words like ''Atheist,'' "agnostic,""non-believer," or "skeptic," more and more people seem willing to refer to themselves as Atheistsabout six so far.The rest seem content with agnostic or "none" and we are okay with that. The caliber of the discussions is exceptionally high, as we have men and women who are professional and working class retirees, retired professors, Jews, exChristians, many people who are interested in science, and even a few who probably still consider themselves to be Christian or Jewish. I used to hand-deliver weekly notices entitled "None Sense" (Jeanne's idea). Now, our meeting notices appear in the facility's weekly newsletter. We're right next to the listings for the Bible study and rosary recitation. I've since expanded our newsletter presence with a regular column. As the Republican presidential candidates began holding their "debates" and revealed

more of their blatantly religious agendas, our theological topics have become more intertwined with politics. In a recent newsletter I wrote that "if you can get Americans to worry about the Bible and not economic fairness, then they can be directed away from the country's real issues. Although our meetings generally focus on religious subjects and not political ones, 'shall the twain fail to meet' in light of the political pandering to the religious right on social issues? Fundamentalist, Evangelical, Jewish, and Roman Catholic leaders distract their flocks from economic and political justice with red herrings like abortion, school prayer, evolution, and gay rights and thus the poor are tricked into voting against their own economic and political self-interests." • Gil Gaudia is a professor emeritus of psychology at State University of New York, College at Fredonia where he taught for 15 years. His novel, Outside, Looking In, is available on xlibris.com. Jeanne Gaudia is a retired artist and 1997 Women's National Senior Olympics Archery champion.

What Your Preacher Didn't Tell You The evidence is "hiding in plain sight" in the gospels.

.W1i

Jf)[OOli :nJiACTrliEIl' OIJ)af1f nr..ll. )[00

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&alfy Ought 10 MOll'

Some preachers like to debate the existence of God - because God's existence can neither be proven nor disproven. What they don't want to debate is whether Jesus believed that he was God's son. Jon Winsor's book demonstrates that, according to the gospels, Jesus expected to rule a new "Kingdom of Heaven" that Yahweh would establish right here "on earth as it is in heaven." He and his disciples expected the kingdom to come during their lifetimes.

John Winsor

Available Now in Bookstores and Online

www.no-gods.com

FOURTH QUARTER

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George Wash i ngton

(Cont. from page 38)

light of truth and reason has triumphed over the power of bigotry and superstition, and that every person may here worship God according to the dictates of his own heart. In the enlightened Age and in this Land of equal liberty it is our boast, that a man's religious tenets will not forfeit the protection of the Laws, nor deprive him of the right of attaining and holding the highest Offlees that are known in the United States."!"

Compared to Newt Gingrich, Mitt Romney, or most other current political leaders, Republican or Democrat, George Washington perhaps does deserve to be considered something of a hero for Atheists, even if not an Atheist hero.

Endnotes Flexner,James Thomas,

1

Washington: The Indispensible Man.

(Boston: Little, Brown and Co. 1974), p.216. 2Washington, George, "Farewell Address," in MortimerJ. Adler (ed.), Volume 3: 1784 - 1796, Organizing the New America.

Nation;

The Annals

of

(Chicago: Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc., 1968), p. 612. 3Boller, Paul F., George Washington & Religion. Dallas: Southern Methodist University Press, 1963, p.85. 4Ibid., pp. 14-15. 5Schwartz, Barry, George

Washington: The Making of an American Symbol, (New York: The

Free Press, 1987), pp. 174-175.

University's History News Network, http://hnn.us/articles/59548.html, accessed November 10, 201l. &Washington, George (J ohn Rhodehamel, ed.), "To Tench Tilghman, March 24, 1784," in Writings. (New York: The Library of America, 1997), pp. 555-556. "Washington, George, "To the Hebrew Congregation in Newport, Rhode Island," August 18, 1790, in Writings, p. 767. lOWashington, George, "To the Members of the New Church in Baltimore," January 27, 1793, in Writings, pp. 833-834.

6"George Washington and Religion,"

Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/ wiki/George_ Washington_and_ religion, accessed November 7, 201l. 7Henriques, Peter R, "'So Help Me, God':A George Washington Myth that Should Be Discarded," George Mason

Ed Buckner, Ph.D., was president of American Atheists from 2009 to 2011, and is a current member of the Board of Directors. Michael Buckner, his son, is vice president the Atlanta Freethought Society.

if

Examine the secret scandal at the heart of Christian theology!

T E AY 'CHRIST LIED In Christian theolo~

it is a fundamental assumption that Jesus

was incapable of lying. In fact, the entire theological edifice depends upon it. How is it, then, that New Testament scholars will hide or only reluctantly admit that a variant reading in which Jesus appears to tell a lie may be authentic? By their futile efforts through the ages to justify and explain this little know variant, theologians betray the fragility of their entire religious enterprise.

JOHN 7:8 AND ITS CRJTICS

by John H. Arnold, M.D iv.,J.D. John H. Arnold. M.Div.• J.D.

Available at amazon.com and buybooksontheweb.com 40

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FOURTH QUARTER 2011

NEW LIFE MEMBERS PLATINUM LIFE MEMBERS

SILVER LIFE MEMBERS

LIFE MEMBERS

Laurie Jean Linder

Richard Gilberg

Scott Romanowski Robert Finch Michael Byrnes

Sam Simon

DONORS Borden Applegate John Bachert Maria Banta Gordon Batesole Thomas Bauch James Bauer Anthony Beaver Steve Biever William Bloom Willard Bolinger Elizabeth & Stanley Bradley Laurie Brown Matthew Bruns Deward Buchanan John]' Burgeson Carla Burris Dave Condo Scott Danesi Mario De Oliveira Ronald Deaver Chris Dodds Joseph Dorsey Robert]. Drabek Carl Dye Richard Ehring Edwin Ewing Mark Farris S. Richard Fine Thomas Foddrill Betty Fournier Ricci]. Frambach

Timothy Garcia Mimi and Conrad Geller Richard Gilberg David Glassner Jason Goldsmith Jean Phillip Gourdine Norman Greer Janet Griffin Richard Haynes Robert Henning Bari Hill William Hooks Robert Hooper Eileen Hoyt W.S.Huff Matt Jahnke Richard James Clavis Janes James Jensen Emma Johnston Franco PJona Larry Jones Andy Junde Aleck Karis Dennis M. Kery Desmond Kilkeary Derek Kong Jerry Koutsky Vinay Kumar John Leach Raoul LeBlanc

Carl Scheiman Alan Scheinine Paul Schenck Michael Schimpf Eric Schultz Jack Schweitzer Brad Simpson Felicia Smith Scott H. Smith Jewel Snow Charles F. Sommers Linda Spaulding Dr. Edward Stephens Arthur T. Stultz Joanne Styles Maxwell Taub Michael Teply Holly Valinotti Rex Vance David Ventrilio Michael Walls N aima Washington Simeon Westbrooke Hayward M. Widener Steve Williams Howard Wilson Karl Winkelman Lisa Yacuzzo Indra Zuno

Glenn Lewis Jon Lindgren Philip Loatman Glen Love D.B. and A.L. McKown Phillip Meade Kenneth Middleton Mark Miletich Frank A. Mokisel Mark Motte Norbert Nerney Richard Olmstead Daniel Opler Marilyn Palacios Richard Parmentier Raymond Peger Ronald L. Pelley Steve Petersen John Ward Phelps John Quickley Sandra Rader Jagdish Rajan Jim Rapp David Reichert Walter Rhoades Richard Rockwell Jeorgia Rodriguez John Roland Babak Saberi Judy Saint Edward Sanchez

Corrections to the previous issue: Pages 20-21: In "Does God Exist? Does It Matter?"bl Nicholas Christie-Blick, the number of stars in the observable universe is estimated to be 1022. There are 3.16 x 10 seconds per year. Both superscripts were omitted in the online version, and the second superscript in the print version. The first sentence at the top of column 6 should read, "Indeed, the inherent complexity and role of feedbacks in those systems renders them not directable unless every interaction at every timescale and length scale is prescribed in advance." Page 24: In "Deconstructing Mormonism" by Tom Riskas, the caption may inadvertently imply its subject to be Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of Mormonism. The photo is of the founder's nephew Joseph Fielding Smith, Sr., (1838 -1918) the church's sixth president. Page 33: American Atheists President Ed Buckner served from 2009 to 2011.

FOURTH QUARTER 2011

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by Al Stefanelli, Georgia State Director

G

reetings fellow Atheists, in this edition of "State Directors Spotlight" it is my pleasure to feature Ernest Perce V, the state director for Pennsylvania as of October. One would be hardpressed to find a more active member of the Atheist community. Ernest has been around the block a time or two, or as they say where I live in Georgia, this ain't his first rodeo. Ernest brings a rather unique skill set to our organization. If I were introducing him to you on Facebook, I would invite you to meet Joe Black. If the venue were the innumerable protests that he's engineered nearly . everywhere he has lived, I would compel you to meet The Saint's Revenge. If you were wondering who that man was that you've heard confronting everyone from the local magistrate all the way up to the office of the Vice President of the United States on the issues that affect all Atheists, I would urge you to get to know Ernest Perce V. After the introductions were made, I would tell you that your next Perce at the Pennsylvania Nonbelievers' September 11 remembrance in the rotunda of the state capitol

step should be to tune into his TV talk show, Atheist Perspectives on News and Events, online at wcrt.tv. Oh, and if you happened to have been in one of several towns in the Keystone State this past Halloween, I would tell you Ernest was one of the Parading Atheists of Pennsylvania. Read about their successful fight against discrimination on page 32. It would be well enough if Ernest's experience as an activist were all that he brings to the table, but there is another perspective that he adds, one which is not common amongst unbelievers. He spent 17 years as a Pentecostal preacher and faith healer, which gives him a keen insight into the inner workings of that church, their efforts to find ways around the First Amendment, anc their programs designed to indoctrinate our children. American Atheists is proud to have Ernest as part of the team. His enthusiasm and no-holds-barred method of calling out those who choose to act with impunity in their abrogation of our Constitutional rights is hard to match-and even more difficult to surpass. Contact Ernest at [email protected].

New State Director in Ohio

Welte with PennJillette, who's interviewed on page 10

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American Atheists life member John Welte has been a nonbeliever since he was a teenager But he did not become outspoken until 2006, when he was finally "fed up with the increasing intrusion of religion into government and politics." He searched the internet for national anc local groups of fellow secularists and thus discovered, among others, a national organization American Atheists, and a local one, the Free Inquiry Group (FIG) of Cincinnati and Northerr Kentucky. In 2007,John became an activist. He stood up for science, and actively opposed dangerou: mythological explanations of how the world works, by helping to achieve the great impaci and success of the Speak Out and Rally For Reason protests held by FIG in response to the opening of the Creation Museum in Petersburg, Kentucky. John was elected president of FIG in 2008. That same year the mayor of Cincinnati, a' John's request, proclaimed February 12 as Darwin Day in Cincinnati. John is a volunteei counselor at Camp Quest Ohio, as well as the Assistant Director of Camp Quest Michigan. Contact John at [email protected].

www.atheists.org

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STATE DIRECTORS MILITARY DIRECTOR Justin Griffith [email protected] DIRECTOR OF STATE OPERATIONS Ken Loukinen (S. FL Reg. Dir.) 7972 Pines Blvd., #246743 Pembroke Pines, FL 33024 954-907-7893 [email protected] ALABAMA Scott Savage P.O. Box 12486 Huntsville, AL 35815 256-426-6473 [email protected] ARIZONA Don Lacey P.O. Box 1161 Vail, AZ 85641 520-370-8420 [email protected] CALIFORNIA Larry Hicok P.O. Box 277 Pinole, CA 94564 510-222-7580 [email protected] CONNECTICUT Dennis Paul Himes 860-454-8301 [email protected] FLORIDA Greg McDowell P.O. Box 680741 Orlando, FL 32868 [email protected]

FOURTH QUARTER 2011

GEORGIA Al Stefanelli P.O. Box 3531 Peachtree City, GA 30239 256-496-5777 [email protected] IDAHO Susan Harrington P.O. Box 204 Boise, ID 83701 208-631-5012 [email protected] IOWA Randy Henderson P.O. Box 375 Ankeny, IA 50023 [email protected] KENTUCKY Edwin Hensley P.O. Box 6171 Louisville KY 40206 502-713-8354 [email protected] MASSACHUSETTS Zach Bos [email protected] MICHIGAN George Shiffer, Asst. Dir. [email protected]

NORTH CAROLINA Wayne Aiken P.O. Box 30904 Raleigh, NC 27622 919-954-5956 [email protected] OHIO John Welte [email protected] OKLAHOMA Ron Pittser [email protected] PENNSYLVANIA Ernest Perce [email protected] RHODE ISLAND Brian Stack [email protected] TEXAS Dick Hogan, Regional Dir., Dallas/Ft. Worth [email protected] VIRGINIA Rick Wingrove Leesburg, VA 20178 703-433-2464 [email protected]

MINNESOTA Randall Tigue [email protected]

WASHINGTON Wendy Britton 12819 SE 38th St., Ste. 485 Bellevue, WA 98006 425-269-9108 [email protected]

MISSOURI Greg Lammers P.O. Box 1352 Columbia, MO 65205 573-289-7633 [email protected]

WEST VIRGINIA Charles Pique P.O. Box 7444 Charleston, WV 25356 304-776-5377 [email protected]

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AIMS AND PURPOSES American Atheists, Inc. is a nonprofit, nonpolitical, educational organization dedicated to the complete and absolute separation of state and church, accepting the explanation of Thomas Jefferson that the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States was meant to create a 'wall of separation' between state and church. American Atheists is organized:

To stimulate and promote freedom of thought and inquiry concerning religious beliefs, creeds, dogmas, tenets, rituals, and practices; To collect and disseminate information, data, and literature on all religions and promote a more thorough understanding of them, their origins, and their histories; To advocate, labor for, and promote in all lawful ways the complete and absolute separation of state and church; To act as a 'watchdog' to challenge any attempted breach of the wall of separation between state and church; To advocate, labor for, and promote in all lawful ways the establishment and maintenance of a thoroughly secular system of education available to all; To encourage the development and public acceptance of a humane ethical system stressing the mutual sympathy, understanding, and interdependence of all people and the corresponding responsibility of each individual in relation to society; To develop and propagate a social philosophy in which humankind is central and must itself be the source of strength, progress, and ideals for the well-being and happiness of humanity; To promote the study of the arts and sciences and of all problems affecting the maintenance, perpetuation, and enrichment of human (and other) life; and To engage in such social, educational, legal, and cultural activity as will be useful and beneficial members of American Atheists and to society as a whole.

to the

DEFINITIONS Atheism is the comprehensive world view of persons who are free from theism and have freed themselves of supernatural beliefs altogether. It is predicated on ancient Greek Materialism. Atheism involves the mental attitude that unreservedly accepts the supremacy of reason and aims at establishing a life-style and ethical outlook verifiable by experience and the scientific method, independent of all arbitrary assumptions of authority and creeds. Materialism declares that the cosmos is devoid of immanent conscious purpose; that it is governed by its own inherent, immutable, and impersonal laws; that there is no supernatural interference in human life; that humankind, finding the resources within themselves, can and must create their own destiny. It teaches that we must prize our life on earth and strive always to improve it. It holds that human beings are capable of creating a social system based on reason and justice. Materialism's 'faith'is in humankind and their ability to transform the world culture by their own efforts. This is a commitment that is, in its very essence, life-asserting. It considers the struggle for progress as a moral obligation that is impossible without noble ideas that inspire us to bold, creative works. Materialism holds that our potential for good and more fulfilling cultural development is, for all practical purposes, unlimited. 44

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American Atheists Affiliates For detailed Affiliate information, please visit atheists.org/affiliates or contact Blair Scott at [email protected] for additional detailS and information. ALABAMA Alabama Atheists & Agnostics (UA) Auburn Atheists and Agnostics Birmingham Atheists Montgomery Area Freethought Association North Alabama Freethought Association West Alabama Freethought Association

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MISSOURI

Atheist Humanist Society of CT & RI Connecticut Valley Atheists

Columbia Atheists Community of Reason Joplin Freethinkers MU Skeptics Atheists Secular Humanist Agnostics Rationalist Society of St. Louis Springfield Freethinkers St. Joseph Skeptics

Gator Freethought (UF) Rebirth of Reason in Florida Saint Petersburg Atheists Treasure Coast Atheists

Chattanooga Freethought Association Memphis Freethought Alliance ashville Secular Life Rationalists of East Tennessee

Atheist Community of Austin Atheists Helping the Homeless Denton Atheists Meetup Freethinkers Association of Central Texas Freethought Oasis of Amarillo Houston Atheists Meetup Kingwood Humble Atascocita Atheists Lubbock Atheists Meetup Metroplex Atheists San Antonio Atheists UNT Freethought Alliance

Great Southern Humanist Society Gulf Coast Atheist and Freethinking Association Mid-South Humanist Society

"Affiliate of the Year:2008"

TENNESSEE

Campus Atheists & Secular Humanists Minnesota Atheists

COLORADO

Atheist of North Florida Florida Atheists & Secular Humanists

of Low country

MINNESOTA

Atheists and Freethinkers of Denver Boulder Atheists Metro State Atheists Western Colorado Atheists

FLORIDA

RHODE ISLAND

Freethinkers Union at McDaniel College Maryland Freethinkers

UTAH Atheists of Utah Salt Lake Valley Atheists

VIRGINIA Beltway Atheists NOVA-Atheists

NEBRASKA Lincoln Atheists Omaha Atheists

GEORGIA

WASHINGTON Seattle Atheists

"Affiliate of the Year: 2009'NEVADA

Atlanta Freethought Society Macon Atheists & Secular Humanists

Reno Freethinkers

IDAHO

NEW JERSEY

Idaho Atheists

New Jersey Humanist Network

ILLINOIS

NEW YORK

Bradley Atheists Chicago Atheists & Agnostics IWU Atheist, Agnostic, and Non-Religious

Freethinkers of Upstate New York Hudson Valley Humanists Long Island Secular Humanists New York City Atheists Science Club of Long Island

Tri-City- Freethinkers

WESTVIRGINIA Morgantown

Atheists

WISCONSIN

IOWA

NORTH CAROLINA Charlotte Atheists & Agnostics

KANSAS

NORTH DAKOTA

First Church of FreethoughtiFort Riley Atheists

Red River Freethinkers

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AMERICAN

ATHEIST

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MILITARY (APOjFPO) Southeast Asia 379thAEW

Freethought

Association

NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS

Iowa Atheists & Freethinkers Iowa Secularists Siouxland Atheists

46

Southeast Wisconsin FreeThinkers

www.otheists.org

Atheist Atheists Atheists Military

Nexus for Human Rights United for a Rational America Ass'n of Atheists & Freethinkers

FOURTH QUARTER

2011

~(/,.Starting

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on the Day after Reason Rally

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American Atheists

36th Annual Convention Bethesda North Marriott & Convention Center To reserve your room at the Marriott call 800-266-9432 (use promotion code "American Atheists Mar 2012" for the specia I rate of $149/ night) !tZ.,;;;;.II .• IIL.

Registration and Information at

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atheists.org

I American Atheists 36th Annual Convention Registration I , Individual Registration $199 _ Student Registration (valid studentID required) $30 life Members only - discount registration $189~ Fundraising Dinner (optional) Friday 3/23 $200 Group Buffet Dinner (optional) Saturday 3/24 $45 CostumeParty & Awards Banquet(optional) Sunday 3/25 $49 _

I I (Number Attending)

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Chicken Please choose:

late Night Comedy Show (optional) Sunday 3/25 $25 Make a gift to American Atheists! _$'--_ Total: _$

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(Please make check RPYable to: American Atheists)

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Name(s):

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Address: City: Phone:

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State: Email:

Questions? Call 908-276-7300 or email: [email protected] ,_~1\0_=

Mail to: American Atheists • P.O. Box 158

• Cranford, NJ 07016

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Zip:

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BUY YOUR BUS TICKETS NOW PRIVATE, COMFORTABLE TRANSPORTATION ~

AND

RIDE CAREFREE TO DC

SAME DAY ROUND TRIP ~

SAVE ON GAS, TOLLS, & PARKING

• For the best price, please purchase your round trip tickets before January 24, 2012 • Visit the Tickets website for information about convenient departure locations • Bus size, departure and return times will vary according to requests received

Tickets can be purchased at http://reasonrally.dcrallybus.com/