Volume 22, No.

II

The Journal Of Atheist News And Thought

US CHAPLAINCIES, THEOCRACIES

,AmericanAtheist
articles
Lybrand P. Smith - The Marquis de Sade: An
"
Incurable Atheist
G. Richard Bozarth - The Nampa Horror
;
Boris Maryanqv - Science and Religion
David Reed - The Chaplaincy and Theocracy
Ray Redbourne - Fauna Free Press
'.' ..

EDITOR-IN-CRIEF
Dr. Madalyn Murray O'Hair

READING EDITOR
Barry Cashman'
NON~RESIDENTIAL STAFF
Bill Baird
Angeline Bennett
Wells Culver
Conrad Goeringer
Connie Perazino
Ignatz Sahula-Dycke
Elaine Stansfield
Gerald Tholen
The American Atheist magazine is
published monthly by American
Atheists, located at 2210 Hancock
Drive, Austin, Texas, 78756, a nonprofit, non-political, educational organization. Mailing address: P.G>.
Box 2117, Austin, Texas, 78768.
Copyright 1980 by Society of
Separationists,
Inc. Subscription
rates: $20.00 per year. Manuscripts
submitted must be typed, doublespaced and accompanied by a
stamped, self-addressed envelope.
The editors assume no responsibility
for unsolicited manuscripts.

14

15
22

leatures

MANAGING EDITOR
Jon Garth Murray
ASSISTANT EDITOR
G. Richard Bozarth

11
12

Guest Editorial -G.

Richard Bozarth
Letters to the Editor
Atheist News
David Reed Rips into Chaplains
Patricia Voswinkel vs. The God Squad
More Prey for Prayer
The Woman's Bible ...............................
Columnists
G. Richard Bozarth - The Celibacy Disease
Ignatz Sahula-Dycke - Odds and Ends
Gerald Tholen - Where Was I )
When I Needed Me? ......................
'.; ..
Angeline Bennett -ltCould
Be 'Verse .... '. :'...
The American Atheist Radio Series
Lloyd Thoren
Poems ..........................
~
Film Review - Elaine Stansfield '
Kramer vs Kramer
Book Review - The Logic and Virtue of Atheism
Classified Ads ....................................

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3
4
7'
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31
35
33

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38
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our cover
David Reed

The American Atheist magazine is indexed in:

MONTHLY PERIODICAL INDEX

Page 1

Austin, Texas

GUEST EDITORIAL
G. Richard Bozarth

A PRIMARY FACT
country ha~
bloc of votes he can deliver. Being as most
It is Election Year USA once again. Carter is trying to ride
elections a~ not landslides, usually that few percent conIran and Afghanistan into a second term. Kennedy is trying to
trolled by a religious leader can be the deciding factor. That is
get his foot out of his mouth and learn good diction to appear to
why politicians kiss the buttocks of the churches. That .ls a
be the White Knight candidate who just a few months ago
primary fact.
people thought he would be. Bush and Connelly are trying to
What -about Atheists? There are millions of Atheists of
hide the stains of their association with Nixon to beat out
voting age. Yet, the Atheists have zilch in the way of political
Reagan, who hopes his acting talents can enable him to
influence. How can that be?
'
persuade America he is a younger, less conservative man
It's another primary fact. Without an Atheist Vote, we
than he is. Brown is experimenting to discover if endorsements from Jane Fonda, Linda Ronstadt and the whalesturn - , Atheists cannot command a politician's respect - nor his
fearl
on America.
,
It does little good even if, as an Atheist, you vote according to
It's a circus. Elections have always been a circus in America,
where the candidates stand on school prayer or parochiaid.ln
but since television invented the mini-cam it has grown
the solitude of the polling booth, your reasons for the way you
worse. Now a major candidate cannot campaign a moment
voted are not going to be comprehended. This is not the case
without being in front of a camera. Point a TV camera at a
when the candidates know that on election day maybe 3% of
candidate and he necessarily must become an actor or perish.
the voters have decided against one and for the other because
In all this, Atheists are apt to forget that every election year
Bishop So-and-So or Rev. Whoever expressed their approval
is also a time of heightened activity by the churches to
for one and disapproval of the other.
increase their stranglehold over our society by keeping our
We Atheists need to have an attitude change and we need to
elected leaders subservient to their wills. They have one very
get it done quickly. ,Organization is the only way to create an
effective means to do this even though the really committed,
Atheist Vote, and the only way to make politicians aware of it.
motivated Christians are a small minority in America.
Until we organize into a force large enough to command
I was still living in Northern California after the Jonestown
respect, we will not be respected. Until we let the politicians
mass suicide. Shortly after that. the Northern California
know they have to seek an Atheist Vote, politicians will pass
newspapers, particularly those serving San Franciscoand the
laws detrimental to Atheists and Atheism. Until we realize
Bay Area, began reporting that various Bay Area politicians
had been close associates of Jones and had gotten him on ' that our numbers are meaningless without coordinated unity,
we millions of Atheists will be ruled and controlled by the
various important civic boards and commissions where he
churches, which cannot match our numbers, but which have
could influence city and county policy. It was humorous to
us totally outclassed in organization and determination to
watch these politicians try to explain how they really had had
dominate.
nothing, actually, to do with Jones. Why did Jones, the leader
Are Atheists too individualistic to get organized and to have
of an insignificant minority of the large Bay Area population,
a collective determination to dominate? To a degree, this is
enjoy such political favor?
true. But the man who feels superior because he won't accept
The simple, evil fact is that just as Jones' people would
the leadership of American Atheists or any other Atheist
move to Guyana at his command or commit suicide on his
organization because "no one thinks for mel", then sends his
command, so they would vote as he willed them to. Though he
kids off to a public school where they must pray, is too
controlled a pitifully small portion of the Bay Area electorate,
contemptible for words.
he controlled enough to be the deciding factor in a close,
Are Atheists apathetic to organizing because they do not
election. What politician would not do anything to have a 3%
feel seriously threatened? Incredibly, this is also true. But the
or 5% edge over his opponent before the polling starts. Jones
woman who feels' safe because no one can yet force her to go
could deliver that edge, and thus he was given inordinate
to church on Sunday morning when she prefers to read
power and respect by those who wanted to keep that edge on
Ingersoll, then thinks that it really doesn't bother her because
their side.
she can't shop on Sundays may as well go to church.
America's politicians do not support Israel because Israel is
The fact is, if you do nothing to resist the theocratic lusts of
especially deserving of our support, but because American
religion, you are supporting religion in its efforts to control
Jews, who represent less than 5% of American voters,
your life. There is only one way to guarantee freedom for
become largely single-issue voters on the subject of supAtheism in America, and that is with an Atheist Vote porting Israel. Had 10,000 votes in two key states been for
meaninq. demonstrating a will to dominate, or if you prefer, a
Ford rather than Carter, Ford would have won in 1976. There
will not to be dominated (they are the same). Without the will
are more than enough Jewish voters to be a deciding factor
to dominate, we will be dominated.
.
when races are, that close, so American politicians always
It's as si mple as that. There is one other si rnple, pri mary fact:
support Israel.
if we haven't the will to dominate, we deserveto be dominated.
As with Jim Jones and the Jews, so it is with all, the
churches. Any prominent religious leader anywhere in this

Page 2

April, 1980

~I

American Atheist

Letters to The Editor

Editor:
As a self-proclaimed Atheist vitally
interested in your activities, please
nominate me and others like me ~S the
best friends organized religion has.
You see, throuqhout each issue of
your fine publication I cheered, wept,
, and shared your frustration in dealing
with religious bigots. When you' got
YQur nose bloodied, I was for you
100%. We'd show those damned
churchesl
Feeling very' s~ug and secure on
December 31, 1979, I suddenly realized in my enthusiasm for you I hadn't
sent one.damn dime to YQ!lfor the past
six months, while my religious neighbor had contributed weekly to her
choice of witchcraft.
I made my New Year's resolution on
that date by sending you a check, and I
hope others will realize what I so
stupidly forgot.
Robert W. Milligan
Oklahoma
Dear Robert
Thanks for the check. Atheists too
often forget that activism is not limited
to picket lines or courtroom appearances. It also includes funding the
necessary activities that are the only
way we will ever show those damned
churches. We all are glad to see that
you have realized that if you do nothing to fight against religion. you are
really supporting religion. Donating
money and being part of a fighting
organization are every bit es.importem
as picketing or filing a legal suit.
Editor
" Dear Jon,
,
Finally decided to join up as an
I American Atheist member, so I'm en closing my check and the membership
application. I don't really like labels
because I think Freethinker, Realist,
etc. would all be equally descriptive of
,how my mind works - or (hopefully) at
least attempts to. Let's just say that I
don't believe in the supernatural - I
think it is simply a fact that there are
some things that science has yet to
discover.

As for a definition of an Atheist,

here's mine:
An Atheist may be a Capitatist
A son of a bitch or a Communist
He is simply not in th' army of clods
Who believe in demons, witches or .
gods
.
Now, Jon, if th' American Atheists
agree with that definition of. an Athe. ist, I suppose you could put me down
as one of those Atheist critters. .
John B. Denson
Florida
Dear John,
You're
definition
is
adequate
enough, but you realize that we do not
accept the usage of any other name for
us but Atheist because it is open and
honest and shows pride. When you
call yourself an Atheist you have in
one word stated exactly where you
stand in no uncertain terms. A Deist
can be a Freethinker and there are
plenty of Christians (though a minority) whose type of theology could get
them qualified as a Realist. Atheist is
sharp, clean and not admissible to any
sort of religionist regardless of the
nature of his delusion. By the way,
welcome to the organization. Numbers count, and you have just let it be
known you intend to be counted.
Editor
Dear Editor,
I.will not subscribe to your magazine
because of the crass, vulgar cartoons
you print.
R.D. Kephart
Virginia
Mr. Kephart,
For 1800 years the dominant Christian. religion tortured and then killed
anyone who did not. agree with it.
When it could no IQnger d..othat, it had
persons arrested and jailed, through
its influence on the state. Today, it
subverts the Constitution ot the United States, makes individuals agonize, .
over guilt and sin. squanders $65
billion a year to preach its insanity ...
and you are concerned with a vulgar
cartoon? Surely you jest. Are you also
concerned with the vulgarity of prayer,
the crass idea of total dependency

April, 1980

'Austin, Texas

upon a god figure's interference in

your life, the obscenity of hell, the
'poor taste' of censorship in the media
religion. the brutality of women forced
to die on an abortionist's table because the churches of Jesus Christ
are opposed to sex education or distribution of information on birth control?
. I am totally ashamed of your prudish
posture: Please don't call yourself an
Atheist:you sully the term. Filth is in
the mind of the beholder. If you have
hang-ups which are derived fromreligious value systems, this magazine is
certainly not for you. I have personally
approved every cartoon which has
appeared in these pages and they are
simply. and only - very funny - and
very effective. They 'are effective enough that you squirm in your residual
religious puritanism.
I don't. Don'tread into them the crass, the vulgar,
the obscene. If you do, that is your
problem, not ours.
.
Madalyn Murray O'Hair
Editor-in-Chief
Dear Editor,
It's surprising American Atheists do
not protest the flagrant violation of the
U.S. Constitution by its government in
declaring Christmas a holiday. Christmas is the explicit religious commemoration of Christ's birth an9 its designation as a legal festivity is 'counter to
the establishment
clause. To make
matters worse, my state (New Jersey)
has jumped on the bandwagon and
lists Good Friday among its celebrations. Atheists, as others,like an extra
holiday, but they should remember
"you can't have your cake and eat it
too."
The l"ecognition of solely Christian
holidays is also an unfair put-down of
other religions who would like to have
their sacred days given legal identity.
Irving Rubinstein
New Jersey
Dear Irving,
We try. But each time, the Atheists
yell "Don't waste money on symbols"
and do not financially support the
suits. If you can get any help to finance
this suit, we'll try it - yelling Atheists
be damned!
Editor

Page 3

ACTION DAVIDR.EED
ATHEIST
5
The news item in the Air Force
Times (17th Dec., 1979) was very
small. It was actually only to illustrate
the graphic displays which the Armec;l
Services were using in their recruitment scheme - for chaplainsl A brigadier general (a.chaplain) was making
the rounds of the coun-try's Roman
Catholic.archdiocesan fiefdoms to demonstrate to the bishops and archbishops in charge the Air Force's need for
Catholic chaplainsl There was a videotape presentation, photographic displays, charts, graphs, and other inducements to encourage the bishops
"to permit their priests to join the Air
Force" and become commissioned officers for god and country.
Repeated requests of the American
Atheist Center to the Armed Forces
Chaplaincy for information concerned
with mo.netary expenses of the program have gone unanswered. At this
writing a Freedom of Information Re'quest is, now, being processed and
statistics and analysis wiUappear in a
later issue. of the American Atheist.
Meanwhile, David Reed of the Michigan Chapter of American Atheistsdecided to try to do something about
chaplainry. Armed with his determination a lone, he decided to confront the
situation best known to him, on his job
- as a policeman for the Webberville
. Police Department. Books, magazines
and articles in tow, he marched into
The State Journarnewspaper
serving
Lansing, Michigan, and announced he
was "done hiding." He was coming
out of the closet to take pride in being
an Atheist.
The followinq- day, Dec. 7th (he
picked the Christian Christmas seasonljust when they are in heatl),
the entire top of the "City Sectlon'tof
the news was devoted to him, 36
inches of it.
Surprisingly, the article was unbiased. 'But, then, as more and more
Atheists gather their courage like a
mantle about them and step out into
the' cultural mainstream, fewer and
fewer of the articles are written froni .
bias. In its entirety it said;

c ,

'

".

trs

~'Idon't believe in Atheism because

fun to
do so, but 'because my experience and the
events 'ofroy/iie' .heve If]CJ me to believe its
truth. I.eniov.pottce work.butwltlnot hide my
Atheism inorder tiiretneinspoltcemen.
.
'..".
~
. "
,

~"'..'"

""

=:

-'

Page 4

April, 1980

American Atheist

RIPS INTO CHAPLAINS

"This is something so' monumental, "
Reed continued, "that I feel Tm expendable. I think everybody owes something
to society - even at his own expense. I'm
done hiding. "
The issue that has brought Reed out
into the open may make the Howell
native even lesspopular than will his selfavowed Atheism. Reed contends that the
long-standing and widely-revered institu(ion of the police chaplain is a "prima
facie (self-evident) violation" of the U.S.
Constitution and its prohibitions. against
the intermingling of church and state.
During a recent interview, Reed, who
lives with his wife, flipped through an
issue of Law Enforcement Magazine to a
picture of chaplains in full police uniforms marked by religious insignia.
"Look," he said. "This says theocracy
more than anything I know. When these
people are in uniform, they become representatives of government."
,
. Reed, who displays a familiarity with
both the Bible and historical facts about
the police-church relationship, earned an
associate's degree in law enforcement,
cum laude, from Lansing Community
College in 1977.
David Reed accepts the possibility his
career as a small-town policeman may be _
doomed by his outspoken disbelief in-~
god. "It may happen," said the 25-year-: old Webberville patrolman, "that my life
may be eventually ruined by my beliefs. .,':
Once this story is published, there could
be an uprising of the two churches in
Webberville.
"1know my chief and one councilman,
would defend me, but, quite possibly" Icould be fired. "
So why, one wonders, doesn't David,
Reed heed the proprieties of small-town
life and pursue his Atheism, if he must, in .
the closet?
"Because," he answered, "1 have to .,
object to the infiltration of theology into :
law. I've tried to remain silent before out
I see creeping theocracy (aform of gov- .
ernment in which religious leaders rule)
in the United States. You have to keep
government secular or you'll have special ;
interest groups legislating their own religious beliefs.
v-

Austin, Texas

He joined the three-member Webber,ville Police Department about two years

lfgo. Before that, he worked as an auxiliary policemanfor both the Pinckney and
Howell Police Departments.
As for Reed's performance, his chief,
Gordon Bartel called him "a very competent officer.
"His beliefs don't affect his performance," Bartel said. " What he does on his
own time is his business, not ours. I
would defend him asfar as that goes."
The Webberville Police Department
does not employ a chaplain, however, as
most large departments do. The Michigan State Police has a contingent of 10
chaplains, the most it has ever had. The
Lansing Police Department has three.
Paul Hill, director of public affairs for
the State Police, said there is no apparent
documentation as to when that department began using chaplains.
But references to chaplains first show
up, he said, onrecords from the 1930s.
Currently the State Police chaplains,
Hill added, are all either Catholic or
Protestant clergymen.
They are chosen by the department
director, lie explained, who reviews applications and solicits recommendations
for the posts.
The chaplains receive no pay for their
services, but are each issued a regulation
uniform to wear to depart-mental functions.
.
'
"They provide counsel," Hill ex-.
plained, "to (department employees) having problems of any kind - stress, marital problems, family problems. , . They
are called upon to officiate at funerals,
they visit the sick, they do whatever you
would expect clergymen to do."
Capt. Dick Fox, commander of the
Lansing Police Department's personnel
division, said that department is "very,
very proud" of its chaplain corps, which
:includes two Protestants and one Catho- lie..
,', The LPD chaplains also receive uniforms, as well as police ~adios for their
automobiles.
, .: "1 would really like to express how
much the chaplains are appreciated by
.this department," Fox said.

April, 1980

"They're of tremendous value both to

the officers and the citizens of Lansing.
Many, many times, at scenes of tragedy,
the chaplains are so valuable in consoling
the families or in notifying people of
deaths. It's terrible that anybody would
challenge this."
Reed argues, however, that the use of
chaplains in both police departments and
the military is, nonetheless, unconstitutional in that it entangles religion with
government.
The ends, he maintains, do not justify
the means.
The Webberville patrolman, whose parents are Christian Scientists, argues that
it is no accident that the police chaplain
corps is heavily dominated by Christians.
"In the U.S., " he said, "you have afew
basic factions which have the most political clout. One of the purposes of
chaplains is to give police departments a
Christian image. They want to be identified with politically popular religions."
Reed's research into the relationship
between religion and law enforcement began about a month ago, when the
American Atheists, a national organization led by Dr" Madalyn Murray O'Hair,
asked Reed to write an article on the
subject for the organization's magazine.
Reed is a 'member of the iroup's Detroit
chapter.
That research included a recent tumultuous interview with Monsignor Jerome Mac Each in, pastor emeritus of
Lansing's St. Thomas Aquinas Church,
who, with nearly 30 years of service, is
referred to as "the dean of State Police
chaplains. "
Reed said soon after the interview
began,' MacEachin terminated it by ripping pages of notes out of Reed's legal
pad.
The Webberville patrolman said the
-conversation iurned to the Bible and'
when Reed pointed out an inconsistency
in it, MacEachin flew into a "rage."
"He blew up," Reed stated, "and said I
was ridiculing the Bible. He said I was
going to hell and that I was sick and
needed psychiatric help. When I asked
him if I could quote him on that, he tore
, the pages out of my legal pad."

Page 5

In a telephone interview, MacEachin

said Reed was "insulting" and "ridiculing."
Asked about the note-ripping episode, '
the monsignor said Reed "was writing
things down he had no business writing."
Asfor the main issue, MacEachin said,
"The government is involved with everything that pertains to human existence.
Clergymen are available for the good of
society."
Reed denied that he insulted or ridiculed MacEachin. "I'm sure he saw me as
presumptuous, "he said, "but Ifeel he had
the responsibility to be at least somewhat
hospitable and try to answer 'my questions."
The Webberville patrolman said his
Atheism is not intended to mock religion.
"I don't believe in Atheism because it s
fun to do so, but because my experience
and the events of my life have led me to
believe its truth. I enjoy police work, but
will not hide my Atheism in order to
remain a policeman. "
Reed added that he does not.think his
beliefs should make him a natural enemy
of those who disagree.
"Were still countrymen," he said, "and
there is no' reason-we can't confront our
differences with chivalry and understanding and continue with the things we agree
on... like law and order."
What has happened to Reed's home
and job and family since his "going
public?" Everyone respects him a little,
more, he has much greater: peace of
mind and he walks with a surer (more
certain) stride of pride.
As he grows in Atheism, so does his
perception. Reading a short news item
clip in Lansing's The State Journal, he
was suddenly at odds with a fellow
Atheist. The AP news storv was:

Serviceman Wants Armed service

Atheist Council
A Navy medical corpsman, Michael
Dean Hagen, says the military services
should provide a program and counseling for Atheists, just as chaplains do for
believers:
According to the Air Force Times, he
has asked the U.S. Department of Defense to set up an "Armed Forces Atheist
Council" to provide information and
activities to non-believers.
David's letter to the Center opined:

Michael Dean Hagen (medical corps~an, U.S. Navy), one 01 our members,
, appeared in a The State Journal article
today. While it is commendable that Mr.
Hagen has confronted the problem that
Atheists face in the military, Ifeel that it
is a mistake to advocate that the armed
forces set up an "Atheist Council." The
answer to the problem is not to bring
about special interest legislation forA)
theists. The proposed" Atheist Council"
would be just as unconstitutional as
chaplains are. Instead, the solution is to
abolish the chaplaincy so that we may
take another step toward a secular government. I am sending a letter to The
State Journal today opposing Mr. Hagen s proposal.
He _was correct, of course. Often
Atheists fall into the trap of demanding their share of the unconstitutional
practice when, in reality, the job isto
stop the practice entirely - not to join
it.
, The American Atheist Center 'salutes Reed - an Atheist policeman, in
a small rural town' openly identifying
himself as such, it brings the message
home: freedom from religion is a right
but we can only exercise it if we seize
the righLWe all learn from David ..
A

DIAL AN

ATHEIST

Tucson, AZ

602-623-3861

Phoenix, AZ

602-899-7411

Los Angeles, CA

213-634-8055

Salt Lake City, UT 801-364-4939

Detroit, MI

313-721-6630

Lexington, KY

606-278-8333

Lombard,IL

312-597-2433

Denver, CO

303-233-1278

New York, NY

212-726-3647

Dallas, TX

214-388-7669

Atlanta, G'A

404-329-9809

t:~
..

NEW SUIT AGAINST CHAPLAINS

Trouble was breaking out everywhere
. for religiosity enforced by government.
In Brooklyn, New York, two Harvard
law students filed a suit in the federal
court to put an end to the chaplaincy
program of the armed forces. The two
contended that the hiring of chaplains to
lead servicemen in worship is a violation
of the constitutionally ordained separation of state and church required by our
nation.
'
The two young men, Allen Wieder of

Page 6

Queens and Joel Katcoff of Patchogue,

L.I., want to prevent the Department of
the Army, the Defense Department and
the Army Secretary from funding religious programs with taxpayer's money.
The students point out that the Army's
chaplaincy, established in 1791,has never
been challenged. Both young men; in
their last year at law school, have been
contacted by the American Atheist Center, which holds out an offer of every
possible assistance to them.

American, Atheist

April, 19,80

.,,1

'I

PATRICIA
ACTION VOSWINKEL
ATHEIST
-,
vs.
THE GOD SQ~UA,D
Patricia Voswinkel's eyes are everF
where. In ~Fall, 1979, she called the
American Atheist Center to report that
religious vehicles obtained permanent
license plates i'n North Carolina for
just $1.00. What could she do?
, Later, it was to report that theP.T.l.
Club was busy slandering the American Atheist Center. How could she
help?
Her many prior activities have been
reported in depth in the American
Atheist magazines of January, June,
and November of 1979. In December,
., she was scandalized, when she read
about an effort of the city of Charlotte,
Nt, to fund a 'police chaplain. The
more she investigated, the worse the
situation seemed. After several lengthy discussions.with the American Athe.ist Center and attendance at the Board
of Directors' early January meeting,
Patricia filed suit on behalf of the
North Carolina Chapter of American
Atheists.
Again, Atheists
were
headline
news: the date. January 12, 1980 in
both the Charlotte News and The Cf7arlotte Observer newspapers. The suit
was filed against the City of Charlotte
and the Police Chief. Attacked was a
'November 19, 1979 agreement between the city and the Providence
Baptist Church for the church to provide a full-time minister to give counseling service to the police department
and for thechurch and the city to split
his salary payment, each paying
$10,000 per annum. In addition the
city had agreed to furnish an office,
uniforms and "make arrangements"
for the ministers transportation.
The suit asked the United States District Court in Charlotte to void the
agreement, to forbid the city's hiring a
police chaplain and to forbid the spending of public funds to pay any portion
of the salaries of employees of any
religious institutions.

Austin, Texas

The minister had been hired by the

city as a staff assistant to the police
chief "in any matter pertaining to the
moral, spiritual and mental welfare of
police personnel." The minister has
apparently no tr.aining in psychology,
psychiatry or related work" being a
graduate of a small Baptist theological
seminary which may not even be an
accredited undergraduate institution.
Later, he obtained a degree in journalism at the University of North Carolina,
Despite

PatriclaVoswlnkel, again the American Atheist .Center salutes you,

pleased that you> and all your courage
are on the side of Atheism.

April, 1980,

hardly equip him for the job of personal counseling, his new position is
to counsel officers and their family
members in times of personal crisis,
sickness, job-related stress, injury or
death. How a Baptist minister could
render religious death care such as
extreme unction to a Roman Catholic
police officer is not explained. Neither
has there been any elaboration as to
how a degree in journalism, or theology,could be utilized for the further
job requirement of "assisting police,
medical and rescue personnel in emergencies, disasters and other crises."
The minister also is to "act as a
public relations representative of the
department."
The young man was helped to his
job by his uncle, who is the pastor of
the Province Baptist Church, supply'iOg one-half of the first year's salary.
The pastor is also the secretary of the
International
Conference' of . Police
Chaplains, "which
has about 500
members across the coimtrv." Some
of these members are full-time chaplains in city police departments. That
such an organization exists with the
purpose of intruding chaplains into
the public police departments of the
nation's cities, is of such concern to
the American Atheist Center that an
investigation will-be attempted.
Patricia, in this suit, claimed that hiring a Baptist chaplain whose duties
include giving advice on spiritual and
religious matters and giving religious
guidance is an establishment of religion and unconstitutional
under the
First Amendment of the Constitution
of the United States, which provides
for state/church separation.
She was more than delighted, when
the morning after her suit filing she
opened the newspaper to find an editorial supporting the action. It was
headlined and read as follows:

Page 7

Iht ~hartoftt"bJtrvtt
.

"',

.."...

,'.

ROLFE NEILL,
RIC}!ARD A. OPPEL;'Edilor.
'~D WILLIAMS, Edit", of the EditOrialPages

~ '.

_.

I'midentantlMrrshtw:

. :ROB.E~T SUAREZ. Gen.rafManager

MARK ,fTHRIDG E III, Managing Edifb,

JACK CLAIBORr-;E.' A "ociote

_ '

Edito,
T~~.~s~~y~_
J~!1,-.l.!i 198ft." _

...- -- ~-=--=---:...-.'\

Editorials'
'-:.~-:-

..:....:.... >.

.. ~-.-"'~-'

P.9liceClulplain!'> ..
1Yot Just A~~galQue~t~o'!'.:
Most Charlotteans, being professing
Christians and having rather strong religious convictions, aren't likely to share .
Patricia Voswinkel's objections to having
a Baptist minister as a paid chaplain for
the Charlotte Police Department. Ms.
Voswinkel, an Atheist, has sued the city
and Police Chief J. C. Goodman, contending that the $JO,OOO-a-yeararrangement violates the constitutional require'rent of separation of church and state.
, But the religiousfeelings of most Char. lotteans and anti-religious
convictions of Ms. Voswinkel are beside the
point. There are two questions at issue:
(a) the constitutional question, which a
court will have to answer; and (b) the
question of whether it's proper and reasonable for the city to provide a police
chaplain. That second question deserves
some attentionfrom the police chief, the
city manager and the city council, even if
the court rules against Ms. Voswinkel.
Police and city officials might consider
several points in trying to answer that
question:
Police work is stressful and hazardous.
The work" schedules don't always conform to converuionalfamily routines and
can put extraordinary strains on family
relationships. Discipline and morale are
important considerations for a police
department. All those factors suggest a
legitimate need for having professional
counseling readily available for police
officers with personal or family problems, and many ministers are trained and
qualified to provide that kind of help. But
counseling also is available from professionals who aren't ministers.
The reasons that justify chaplains at

Page 8

military bases and prisons don't apply to

a police department. Military personnel confined most of the time to a base.or
prisoners confined to aprison, don't have
normal access to places of worship, to
religious instruction or the personal guidance of a minister. That isn't true of (l
police officer, who can belong to a church
of his or her choice, can participate in its
activities and turn to its pastor for counseling.
Although the chaplain's duties don't
specifically include religious instruction
or activities, except in the broadest sense,
the city - or the police chief - chose. a
minister instead of a secular counselor.
Whether the city employs a Baptist chaplain, as it does now, or a Presbyterian,
Catholic or Jew, that person will not
represent the chosen denomination -'- or
even the basic religious beliefs - of all
600 or so members of the Charlotte
Police Department. If there is a religious
dimension to the chaplain's duties -and
if there isn't, why call him a chaplain?
-he is serving some members of the department, but not others. If the city is
going to provide that kind of service to
police officers, it should serve all of them
on an equal basis, and in the case of a
chaplain, that would appear to be impossible.
If there's needfor personal counseling
for police officers, the city could employ
a qualified professional or arrange for
police to have ready access to one at city
expense. Officers who feel the need for
counseling in a religious context arefree
to seek it on the same basis as everyone
else - at the church or synagogue of their'
choice.

April,1980

American Atheist

AJURY

WITHOUT A PEER
.

The United States Supreme Court has consistently, for the

last 30 years, interpreted the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States to mean:
"... at least this: Neither (l state nor the Federal Govern- .
ment can set up a church. Neither can pass laws which aid one
religion, aid all religions, or prefer one religion over another.
Neither can force nor influence a person to go to or to remain
away from church against his will or force him to profess a belief or disbelief in any religion. No person can be punished for
entertaining or professing religious beliefs or disbeliefs, for
church attendance or non-attendance. No tax in any amount,
large or small, can be levied to support any religious activities
or institutions, whatever they may be called, or whatever form
they may adopt to teach or practice religion. Neither a state
nor the Federal Government can, openly or secretly, participate in the affairs of any religious organizations or groups and
vice versa. In the words of Jefferson, the 'Clause against establishment of religion by law was intended to erect 'a wall of
separation between church and state. ' "Everson v. Bd. of Education, 330 U.S. 1, (1947).
The American Atheist Center, located in Austin, Texas,
founded by the Murray-O'Hair family, has been an object of
attack by the Baptist community since 1965. The Center has
functioned, for fifteen years in Texas, often in an impaired
way, because of the hostility of the local and state governments in Texas - a state which is a functioning theocracy. By
Texas Constitutional law, Atheists (and Agnostics) are precluded from holding any "office or public trust" in the state
since they do not have a constitutionally required "belief in a
Supreme Being".
By the end of 1977, the Murray-O'Hairs had had enough of
state and local hostility and determined to do whatever.needed
to be done to challenge the situation. Since the Texas legislature, University of Texas football games, City Council meetings all opened with prayer - it was decided to challenge both
prayers and the Texas state theocracy at one fell swoop,
The Murray-O'Hairs, however, are law abiding citizens and
have taken their grievances through the legal processes of the
nation as they have fought for the civil liberties of American
Atheists and for state-church separation. In order to challenge
the theocracy of Texas, someone had to be arrested and the
arrest of that person had to be a vehicle to challenge the exclusion of all Atheists from government. If an arrest for a "crime"
was involved, the fight could focus around a valid challenge to
an all "theist" jury, judge, court and legal system involved
against an "Atheist" defendant. Civil challenges against the
system had failed. The Murray-O'Hairs had even tried the
"crime" of parking violations (which is all they had the stomach for) but the courts refused to try those cases. A real
arrest was necessary. A real "crime" had to be committed.
There were strong grounds for challenging, for in Strauder v.
West Virginia, 100 S.Ct. 303 (1879) a Black man was freed
because all persons of his race were excluded by law from the
jury solely because of their race. In Ballard v. U.S., 329 U.S.
187 (1946), it was held to be unconstitutional when women
were excluded from juries solely because they were women -.
These strong precedent cases would throw out any arrest if
all Atheists were excluded from a jury and a court where an
Atheist was on trial,
..

It was finally decided to attack the prayers and invocations

of Austin City Council. The United States Supreme Court in
the cases of Engel v. Vitale, 370 U.S. 421 (1962) and Murray
v. Curlett, 374 U.S. 203 (1963) had held religious ceremony
- particularly prayer - to be an unconstitutional exercise in
tax supported, governmental institutions (the public schools).
It is the habit, in Austin, that the Austin Area Conference
of Churches, each day the Council is in session, selects a person to recite a prayer at the Council Meeting. Permitting the
Church Conference full control, the Mayor presides over a
prayer delivered by a minister, composed by him for the
Councilpersons and for the citizens in attendance at the meetings. This is done despite the United States Supreme Court decision in Engel v. Vitale, supra that "It is no part of the business of government to compose official prayers for any group
of the A merican 'people. "
In the case of Young v. S.W. Savings and Loan, 509 F.2d.
140 (Fifth Circuit, 1975) a case very important to Texas, an
Atheist had been told that if she did not like prayer on her
job, she could just sit quietly and turn her ears off. The court
held that being required toIisten to a prayer was being required to join in it - a violation of her rights.
It was thought that the next time American Atheists had
business at the City Council, Dr. O'Hair should interrupt the
prayer being unconstitutionally. injected into a government
meeting and to challenge its use. No one thought that an actual arrest would ensue, since this is' a free speech exercise,
but with Dr. O'Hair known around the world as a protagonist
against public prayer, such a challenge could not go ignored.
However, if by a very long shot she was arrested, this would
provide a vehicle to challenge both the unconstitutional prayer
in the City Council Chambers and the theocracy of Texas,
simultaneously.
On November 3, 1977 American Atheist leader, Dr. Madalyn Murray O'Hair, went to the Austin City Council on busi-.
ness. Instead of the Council meeting being called to order, the
mayor called it to prayer. Characteristically; Dr. O'Hair stood
up to the insult and interrupted the prayer.
Immediately arrested, she was put in jail for a day, but has
been in litigation over the issue for 2% years since. In January,
1980, the U.S. Supreme Court refused her appeal to have the
case heard in a federal; rather than in a Texas, court. The trial
is scheduled for summer, 1980.
The state of Texas has already spent tens of thousands of
dollars in its efforts to put Dr: O'Hair in jail. At the Council
she:
' .
[1] refused to pray;
[2] refused to remain quiet, while prayer was said, since
site would then be, effectively, participating in it;
.
[3] refused to leave the public room while prayers were
said;
[4] demanded her right to continue talking or doing whatever mattered to her while the Council prayed, since the exercise was unconstitutional.
What is behind all this? Why would. a State of the United
States spend so much money and so much time trying to put
an Atheist in jail over an interrupted 45 second prayer?
We think ins simple: an effective leader must be shut up.
You can be better intimidated if you see Dr. O'Hair go to jail.

April, 1980

Austin, Texas

Page 9

Have you ever wondered why the religious person becomes

so emotionally disturbed because just one person does not
believe the same way as does (s)he?
'
, Do you see the significance of the oft-repeated Biblical
:story of the return of the prodigal son to the fold?
.
Do you understand why it was so important for god himself
to order Jesus Christ to go after the stray lamb from the flock?
Are you really hearing what those "good" persons say with
their statement, "He drew a circle to keep me out, but I drew
my circle to take his (circle).in."
What was the horror of being "unAmerican"
all about?
Why are the words "draft dodger" or "traitor" so effective?
Why is "defecting" anathema?
. There can be no dissent in respect to religion or patriotism.
For if just one person refuses to accept the idea of a god, or a
special country ruled by a god, then neither that god, nor that,
country, is all powerful, all persuasive, 'all good. If just one
person refuses to pray it casts doubt on the efficacy of any
prayer said by anyone. If one man refuses to fight for "his"
country then there is no point in having political entities called
"countries."

could begin to define, delimit and finally work on solving the

many difficulties with which we are faced. As long as we
rely on prayer, revelations from politicians who know less than
many citizens know, and "faith" in the status quo, the problems will compound. Only disaster can lay ahead when we
don't use our brains.
But, prayer is a ,panacea. Feeling impotent - turn to god!
Unable to solve, your own problems - pray! The Atheist says,
"T'hell with all that malarkey. Let's face reality. Let's think
our way through, .not pray our way through." And, such an
attitude is very dangerous to those who want to keep everything as it is.
Yet, that is how it is with Madalyn Murray O'Hair, who
,flaunts her contempt, scoffs at prayer, calls on everyone to
challenge religion and government. The "powers that be" see
that' she is not sufficiently servile and try again and again to
stop her. But, her attitude is simply, "Fuck the powers-thatbe. Everyone can be his own power."
.
in recent years' psychologists in Great Britain attempted 'a'
study of what they called the BIG MAD theory. This is simply
the claim of, the theists that Belief In God -'Makes' A Difference in one's life. The testing was done along Hnesof
"moral behavior" and, unfortunately
for the BIG MAD
advocates, it was found that there is no difference in personality traits such as honesty, service, co-operation, selfcontrol,
and general moral conduct of theists and Atheists.
The Atheist farmer can grow corn as .well, or better, than
can a Christian. The Atheist mother is just as fine, or better, a
parent than a Jew. The Atheist engineer can do his work as
well, or better, than can a Muslim. The 'Atheist doctor is as
fine a professional, or better, medical person than is the
Buddhist.
'
In short: BIG does not MAD. That is to say,Belief In God
does not Make a Difference,
The English study suggested that the BIG MAD theory
needed to be abandoned.
.

If there is an Atheist anywhere, in flagrante delicto, eschewing god publicly, refusing to pray, drawing attention to his
(her) contempt for religion or the god idea, that person
must be stopped!
.
If any internationalist anywhere, in flagrante delicto, claims
"mankind is one" all nations cast him out.
Yet, the concepts of nationalism and god have been inter.twined since there have been religions and nations. A state will
use the "will of Allah" for a battle cry, such as Iran; or the
slogan,' "under god" such as the U.S. pledge of allegiance; or
"gott mit uns," as did Hitler's Germany; or "the chosen people
of god," as does Israel. But, the religion in power uses the state
also. It asks for special position, privileges, tax exemption,
grants, and it asks the state to pass laws to do its dirty work
such as blasphemy laws, anti-abortion laws, marriage and
Just as Belief in God does not Make A Difference, so also
divorce laws, illegitimacy laws, anti-sexuality laws, censorship
does BIP not MAD. BIP - Belief in Prayer is belief in a fraud.
laws, laws on pornography, gambling, liquor sale and distrib- Prayer is an exercise in self deception. It is totally meaningution. It fights sex education, birth control information and less. The only help you will ever receive in your life is self
information on venereal disease. In the draft laws now con- help - and that is how it should be. You should not be a
templated the only exempt persons are the clergy or seminary groveling, sniveling, whining beggar from god. You should
students. Doctors can be drafted but not the ministers!
stand on your own feet, figure out your own solutions for
Religion instills in you a sense of inadequacy, fear, guilt and your own problems and be proud to be a member of the
sin - all of which are anxiety producing. The state is happy to human race.
have you under control so that you don't fight city hall, so
But,from time immemorial to our own times, the church
that you feel desperate. "What can one person do?" You have
has always asked the instrument of government to punish the
a sense of being powerless.
'
unyielding" to brutalize the free mind, to suppress the free
The church and the state in a marriage can effectively
control you from the day you are born until the day you die. expression, to stop the example of independence. When the
Christian church was at its apogee of power, in the Middle.
This is why our founding fathers decided that our nation
should be free of this scourge. "That a decent respect for the Ages, 'it brought with it the torture and the killings of the,
opinion of mankind" should motivate our nation's actions and ' Inquistion to force everyone to accept its dogma. The entire
not fear of a god. The founding fathers fought to stop this message of Christianity is servility: "Every knee shall bow. "
Rom. 14:11.
unholy alliance of state and church. They thought our nation
should stand on its own through viable principles of selfThe Christian nuts were really loose in Texas -whenJts
government with a politically astute and educated electorate in
control.
'
Constitution was last revised. For, written therein is the.
requirement that the state function as a theocracy. That is,
like Iran, only believers in god can hold any office or public
We have come a long way from that - to a bornagain
trust. No matter where one puts in an application for a job in
President - and a country where irrationality reigns.
Texas, on the city, county, or statelevel, the question is asked
of every applicant: .
,
If the basic insanity - religion, .could be openlychallenged
"Do you have a belief in a Supreme Being?"
- we might have a chance to use reason to solve our economic,
The Constitution, - no less than the Bill of Rights political, cultural and international problems. Instead of
listening, to a President who can only say "have faith," we demands that the question be asked.

Page 10

April, 1980

American Atheist

THE MARQUIS DE SADE:

AN INCURABLE ATHEIST
by Lybrand P. mith

had challenged the teachings of his priest...:... and the teachings had lost the challenge.
Looking at Donatien's activities from the viewpoint of the
Church, he was worse than a heretic. But looking at Donatien's activities from the viewpoint of an Atheist, Donatien
was an extremely brave thirteen year old boy whom, for all he
knew, was risking both his life and his immortal soul totestthe
truth of what he had. been told..
'
'

Challenging The Rules

However, he was m'arked as a person who challenged the
authority of the Church. He was sent to his uncle, an Abbe, for
correction. Unknown (at least in public) to the Church, the
"good" Abbe de Sade was a rake-hell of the first water, and
furthered Donatien's debauchery. Marriage seemed the only
way to "cure" Donatien, so at a relatively early age he was
married to a down-at-the-heels
petty noble woman who had a
grasping mother.
However, Donatien lived in the "Age of Reason," in which
all aspects of science, the humanities, religion, economics,
and all factors affecting life were explored. Donatien chose his
field of exploration to be sex - indeed, he could be called the
Masters and Johnson of his age - and was marked again as
being in revolt against the Church, which, having laid down its
rules, had no desire to have those rules challenged.
Unlike the former Marshall'of France, Gilles de Rais, who
was known to have murdered over 140 boys and girls in sexual
orgies before he was executed in 1440 A.D., Donatien was
willing to challenge all rules of the Church. Hence it shoud not
Those of you who know the Marquis de Sade only by his be surprising that de Rais was not tried for murder until he
infamous reputation, or from having read his now classic pornocommitted one unpardonable,act of sacrilege, while de Sade
graphic novels that gave name to a peculiar sexual practice, may faced harassment all of his life. '
doubt the validity of the author's assertions in this article. We want
There is strong evidence now that the Marquis de Sade was
to assure you that this article was thoroughly checked out with the sent to prison upon perjured evidence of two known experisources available in the Charles E. Stevens American Atheist
ments he made - one upon the effect of pain and one upon
Library and Archives. In fact, almost the identical conclusions
the effect of aphrodisiacs. In the first case; the initial medical
were reached by the famous Atheist historian Joseph McCabe in report, still in the archives, indicates that the complaining
his The Amazing Career of the Marquis de Sade, one of his many
woman, a prostitute, was in noway seriously injured. The oral
Haldeman-Julius booklets.
evidence at the trial, however, would seem to in.!;!icatethat the
Editor
woman had been seriously injured.
In the second case, the initial medical report showed little
Donatien Alphonse Francois, Marquis de Sade, was born on
harm to the prostitutes engaged to test aphrodisiacs the 2nd of June, 1740, and died on the 2nd of December,
possibly the famous "Spanish fly" and folk-tale medicines. Yet
1814. In between those two dates, 74% years apart, he again in the oral testimony, prostitutes and doctor alike spoke,
acquired a reputation of such a nature as to have his name
of grave damage to the women.
given to a peculiar sexual deviation in which the devotee
De Sade was committed to the Bastille, and later, during the
inflicts pain upon one's lover.
revolution, became a hero of the people as a veteran of that
Was that reputation justified?
famous prison. He was appointed a member of a tribunal that
The answer must, in the light of historical research, be no.
tried the peers of the realm ~ and although he could have
Although the good Marquis seemed to praise pain in his -publiclv exercised the deviation known as sadism and been
novels, there is a strong possibility that his novels were
acclaimed by the populace of Paris - he was so shocked by
written for revenue rather than as a statement of his personal
the very deviation of which he was accused, as demonstrated
beliefs. Indeed, his grasping mother-in-law and his wife both
by the revolutionaries, that he resigned.
administered his estates for their own benefit duri!1g his
When the Church was restored to its position of power I>Y
various imprisonments and were careful that the Marquis
Napoleon, de Sade was committed 'to an insane asylum as a
received only enough cash to barely feed himself.
"danger to the state," just as in modern Soviet Russia
From the time that the Marquis reached puberty he was a
dlasldents are committed to insane asylums. He died there,
marked man. About that .tirne he had been told that if he
still an Atheist who had challenged the power of the Roman
masturbated, he would be struck dead by a thunderbolt from
Catholic Church and had lost - for a while.
heaven. Shortly thereafter, a Jesuit priest caught Donatien in,
His legacy to us is his statement: "States should confine
his dormatory masturbating and looking up towards heaven.
their law to crimes againstthe person, crimes against properIn the eyes of the Roman Church, Donatien had not only
ty, and crimes against the state itself, and constrain themchallenged the teachings of the Church, but, and much worse,
selves from crimes against religion." ~
,

April,1980

Austin, Texas
\

Page 11

Religion

'/

"Re let 25th. Proposed Atheist program would not be in the public
interest. Recommend do not broadcast It."

in tlie

The Nampa HORROR!!!

Robert H. Scott one of the great Atheist activists of this
explained that to air such a horror would surely do "untold
century, began in 1941 a five-year legal battle to break the
harm, particularly to people in their teen ages who might be
strangle hold religion had (still hes, though it is loosening as listening to it." (Ibid., p. 122) The following witness, a re(igious
Atheistactivism
keeps up the pressure) on radio (TV not yet a radio commentator named Earl Godwin swore that Roberson
part of U.S. culture). He was then in his 50s, a veteran of World
was right that "it would tend to undermine the morality and
morale and faith of a coming generation. " (Ibid., p. 125)
War I living off his disability pension. He had grown sick of the
excessive religious programming on every station and had
What is this corrupting, destroying, child-molesting horror
asked some radio stations in and about San Francisco,'
that rose up in Nampa, Idaho, when the FCC unleashed the
California, to give him airtime to speak on Atheism. The Atheist demons with the Scott Decision? Below is the text of
stations, fearing the power of the churches or actually
the script that drew so much censure and was recommended
wanting to increase that power, turned him down. Rather than
not to be broadcast in the interests of public morality. You may
retreat to the closet Scott fought back.
, judge for yourselves whether or not it would corrupt anyone's
In 1946, Scott won the right for Atheists to have airtime to
morals.
broadcast their philosophy, When the FCC gave its famous
ESPECIALLY SELECTED FOR SILENCE
Scott Decision. Unfortunately, this was largelY a cosmetic
decision to make the Federal Communications Commission'
(Found on pages 118-I?O of "Investigation")
commissioners look Jeffersonian in their use of their powers.'
They certainly took no action on it then or now. In every case
The religionists in their talks from pulpits and radio broadcasts
that has come under the Scott Decision "thev have taken at
seem to expect everyone to take their assertions without investigaface value a simple statement by the challenged licensees that
tion or inquiry, into the subject about which they are speaking. In
Atheism is not of public interest in their broadcast region
fact, they very much discourage anyone from seeking to get at the
and/ or the station has no policy of denying airtime to Atheists
truth about thematter.
simply because they are Atheists as an excuse to not take any
The main subject of their discourses is the actual presence of an
action against the licensee. Meanwhile, as FCC Commisomnipotent god, of which they have not the slightest.proof to offer.
sioner Rosel H. Hyde testified in 1948 before the House of
On the contrary,
if we are to believe the' Bible story of an
Representatives Select Committee to Investigate the FCC omnipotent,
benevolent god, as told about in the books of the
(which was part of the hysterical response of religionists to the'
Bible, beginning with Genesis, when -the world was created and
dread Scott Decision), "the Commission has consistently and
Adam and Eve were designed to populate this earth, we must
unequivocally stated that the 'broadcasting of religious probelieve also in planned destruction, misery, and death.
grams is an important element of service in the public
God must have known that man and his descendants
were
interest." ("Investigation
of the Federal Communications'
doomed to hell in advance, and later on, not being entirely satisfied
Commission" p. 199)
with the job he had done, began having them destroy one another.
who did not
Among the witnesses before the select committee was one Those were especially selected for destruction
Frank Roberson a lawyer who at that time was a member of implicitly follow the instructions of the chosen leaders.
. As the people were not being destroyed fast enough to suit this
the FCC Bar. In an effort to show what horrors the Scott
Decision was causing to rise up in the USA, he read into the benevolent god, he ordered them all destroyed in one grand flood.
record the script an Atheist who had thought the FCC was If this god was all-powerful and had created all things, why then go
to.all the trouble of assembling a sample of every living thing into
serious, had submitted along with a request for airtime-in
the ark of Noah? Wouldn't it have been much simpler to have
accordance with the Scott Decision to Station KFXD in Nampa,
waved a hand and said; "I don't like what 1 have made, so I hereby
tdebo. The station sent the script to Roberson and begged him
wipe the slate clean and start over again"? An all-powerful god
to give them a legal excuse not to air it. Roberson solumnly
declared before reading the script to the committee that" it is would have found- this a much simpler solution.
Every school child knows that the earth is so' old and was so long
an understatement to say it was shocking. I do not mean it had
in self-creation that the mind cannot grasp the immensity of the
obscenity, but to my way of thinking it was just terrible. It made
light of god and Jesus and religion. I sent the station a wire as time required. Yet the creation of the earth in six days is just one of
the fables contained
in the Bible. It is full of myths, fables,
soon as I read it, under date of February 5, 1947, 'Re let 25th.
barbarisms, immoralities and vice, and advises polygamy, thievProposed Atheist program would not be in the public interest.
ing, trickery, and slavery. All this on the advice of this benevolent
Recommend do not broadcast it. '"
god of the holy Bible.
Why was the broadcast not in the public interest? Roberson

American Atheist

April,1980

Page 12

'~~,"",,",=~-~~""---

--------=-----

- ---

~/

-------'

--'

----

.~--------__::!L...._1

Finally, by a majority vote, 68 books were selected in 1647 and

A great part of the Bible would not be printed on the pages of our
called the Authorized Version. These books were originally in
magazines and newspapers today on account of its obscenity and
many different languages, so a great many interpolations and
vulgarity that is contrary to the laws of our country. Yet the
religionist, if he is to believe any of the Bible, must swallow the interpretations were used before they were pared down to suit the
majority of the assembly.
whole dose, without quibbling or questioning.
Do these facts sound as if the Bible were a divine revelation?
Various parasites have for centuries nourished themselves on
Whether Christ was a mythical figure or an actual human being of
humanity's ignorance. Superstition, credulity, and ignorance have
been the curse of mankind through the ages and down to the that time, does not matter. He was supposed to have gathered
present time. Always there have been leaders and tricksters who around him a following of vagabonds whom he called his disciples,
and lie attracted crowds to his meetings just the same as you have
have frowned on the dissemination of learning and the knowledge
seen or read about our modern saviors doing. He supposedly
that would be acquired therefrom. Just so long as they could keep
performed miracles, and so have many of our modern saviors.
the common herd following blindly, there would be a never-ending
flow of wealth for themselves and their projects.
Christ began then to give strict orders to his followers and in
The god-idea was evolved by mankind at its lowest stage of order to hold them in line, issued some very strict laws governing
knowledge and kept alive through the ignorance of the masses.
their conduct and behavior. For example: "He that believeth not
We have a self-satisfied smile for the antics of the savages shall be damned" (Mark 16:16); 'These shall go away into
dancing around their totem poles or going through some tribal
everlasting punishment" (Matt. 25:46); "Depart from me, ye
rites, "but at the same time we consider our own antics' while cursed, into everlasting fire" (Matt. 25:41); "Cast into hell, into fire
cavorting around our own totem poles as an ennobling per- that never shall be quenched" (Mark 9:45); "Bring hither mine
formance in the worship of god. Kneeling before the church altar
enemies and slay them before me" (Luke 19:27).
or a crucifix are but different forms of paying homageto a mythical
This would-be-torturer does not deserve the worship of mankind
god:who can supposedly bring rain for our crops, when they need for condemning them to hell if they do not absolutely believe
it, or make our hunting or fishing more successful; or upon
without question all the fables and mythical stories that are
prayerful petitioning, will furnish us with a home in the skies, when contained in the Bible.
we are in the need for one.
Instead of deluding ourselves about a wo~derful place to try for
If we would but lose sight of the mythical paradise after death,
after death, let us try to smooth out more of the bumps along this
that is continually dangled before our eyes as bait for donations,
road we are now traveling, and look more closely for the many
tithes-and contributions, and devote this wasted time to an effort
beautiful things we will find if we take the time to look.
to make our lives and the lives of others more enjoyable-and more
comfortable and happy, how much better for all concerned.
Defining Atheists' Rights As None
To do all the good we can while alive should be our first
consideration, for this is the only life we have any knowledge of.
. Now you know What Roberson and-Godwin feared. Had the
Atheism is the first step toward enlightenment; without it one coming generation of 1947 been" corrupted" with the ideas of
remains a victim to the greatest hoax of an time, the god-idea.
the Nampa Horror. then the churches and evangelists would.
Later on, this mythical god, or some of his stooges, got the idea' be a lot less rich and politically powerful today than they are.
of creating a savior, whom they would call Jesus Christ. More than
This is why religionists panicked when the Scott Decision was
1,200 years before this time, according to legend, a man named
delivered: they envisioned the calm voice of clear reason
Chrishna [sic] had lived, and his supposed experiences were copied
would destroy all their efforts to keep the minds of humans
verbatic into the books of the Bible. Chrishna's mother, the.virgin
enslaved to keep access to their wallets open.
Maria, had been visited by a shaft of light. It was related that
Roberson did not give the name of author of the Nampa
Chrishna's foster-father was a carpenter, and that Chrishna
Horror, but the shining light of liberating reason needs no
himself confounded the wise men, chased out devils, had a last
name to be admirable. The American Atheist is proud to be
supper, and was crucified between two thieves for the sins of the . able to provide space to let this nameless fighterior Atheism
world. He then descended, fon a time, into.hell, before taking up his
have his or her say. He or she was stifled in 1947. He or she
residence in heaven. The Chrishna and Jesus stories are almost
tost that battle, but the war has not been decided.
identical, except that the Chrishna story is older by more than.
We Atheists today fight on against the religionists, and
1,200 years. There has been a parade of saviors of the world from
against the dogma that is their "justification"
in trying to
that time down to the present time.
suppress' our voices and drive us all back into the closet.
The Bible is but one of 27 books for which divine origin is Roberson stated it very clearly when he told the select
claimed, although Christians deny the divinity of all other bibles
committee, "I do not believe our forefathers and founders of
the Constitution had in mind protecting freedom of speech and
save their own.
We, the unbelievers, deny the divinity of all bibles. Amongst all freedom of religion for people who had no religion at all."
("Investigation," p. 122) And the House committee, composed
the hieroglyphics, pictures, marks, and symbols leaving their ideas,
the ancients handed down a great 'many gospels, epistles, and of men sworn to uphold the . U.S. Constitution, obviously
writings, and it was out of this mass of superstitious belief that a agreed with this pernicious dogma. The committee voted to
. Christian Bible was evolved. The sacred books of the New, censure the FCC for its Scott Decision.
0''0 not doubt for a minute that religionists want civil law to
Testament were not written for almost 200 years after the birth of
reflect the vile, unAmerican doqmsthet Atheist citizens of the
Christ, and the version of the Bible as used by the churches of today
United States have no rights. Today you can read the words of
is less than 300 years old.
.
an unknown Atheist author who could not get heard in 1947
Out of hundreds of different creeds and religions, the leaders
onty beceuse new fighters like Madalyn Murray. o 'Hair, Jon
finally got together to pick out of some more than 250 separate
writings, a book to be called the Bible. Each leaderselected the Murray, Paul Marsa, Troy Soos, Patricia Voswinkel, and all
writing that most nearly conformed to his beliefs, which accounts. those who have enabled them and others to fight through their
vital, all-important donations to the cause of Atheism have
for the more than 2,000 contradictions in the Bible of today. The
risen to carryon. And fight we must. lest the light of reason be
Romanists anathematize the Protestant Bible and the Protestants
denounce the Catholic Bible as a popish imposition.
finally snuffed out and all Atheists become nameless.

3f:

Austin, Texas

April, 1980

Page 13

"SCIENCE AND RELIGION"

..

A SOVIET ATHEISTS' MAGAZINE

1
Which way will the weight
move if the monkeyclimbs?
-Science
for Fun Club, .

Soviet Lite.

'

by Boris Maryanov
(Deputy Editor-in-Chief of "Science and Religion"
sacred. Yet for' over ten years now we have been publishing a
In the Soviet Union complete freedom of conscience is guarancolumn in our magazine, called "The Sacred Spots of Our
teed by law (and set down in the new Constitution of the USSR,
adopted two years ago), i.e., the right to profess a religion for Homeland". In it we print reports and essays on the notable
believers, and the right to conduct Atheistic propaganda for non- monuments of the country's history and culture, on places linked
with the Revolution, with the Soviet people's feat in World War II.
believers. One manifestation of this freedom is the fact that
That is what we hold sacred!
religious organizations publish their own periodicals: the Ortho"History is a great Atheist". The experience of centuries upon
dox Church - The Journal of the Moscow Patriarchy, the
Baptists - their Brotherly Herald, the Moslems - Moslems of the centuries has repeatedly confirmed the truth of this aphorism.
Turning to history, we get a full chance of showing the true role
Soviet East, etc., while we Atheists bring out our magazine,
Science and Religion, for the whole country (in Moscow) and Man . religion and the church played in the destiny of peoples, how
religious organizations participated in political conflicts invariably
. and the World for the Ukraine (in Kiev).
The monthly Science and Religion has been coming out for on the side of reaction and obscurantism.
Propagandizing Atheism, we devote a good deal of space on our
twenty years now (it used to be published by the All-Union
"Znaniye" Society set up to disperse scientific knowledge among
pages to articles telling of the achievements of modern science and
the population). In the course of these years the magazine has
their philosophical meaning, first and foremost, of space research,
acquired a broad and constant circle of readers. Nowadays it of the transformation of nature, of how new types of plants and
appears in an edition of 440,000 copies, but ifwe take into account . new breeds of agricultural animals are raised, of how chemistry
the fact that each issue might be read by the subscriber's entire
produces a new world of man-made substances which had never
existed, of all the sciences that study man, his consciousness, in
family, and by dozens of people in libraries, we can confidently
particular the "mysterious" psychic phenomena,
assume that we have at least a million readers.
Each issue of the magazine carries works of.fiction. Should all
Our magazine strives to propagandize a broad view of Atheism,
and its role in the world of today; a view devoid of sectarian
the novels, long and short stories and plays we have published on
narrowness. Our guide in this, work are Karl Marx's words that
our pages ever be put together, they'd make up a many-volumed
Atheism is not merely the negation of god, but the assertion
collection of Atheistic literature, boasting such prominent names
(through this negation) of the existence of man. The most
as Mark Twain, Somerset Maugham, Heinrich Boll, Agatha
important specific feature of our Atheism is its life-asserting,
Christie, Arthur Wise, Roger Caillois, as well as Soviet writers
creative nature. Its aims are profoundly humane: to instill in Vladimir Tendryakov, Sergei Lvov, Daniil Granin and many, many
peo~
consciousness a scientific, materialistic view of the
others;
sur;Ol/nding world, on human society and on man himself (not a
We likewise strive to closely follow international events, and to
"servant of god," a mere plaything in the hands of supernatural
show the role religious organizations play in them.
We've written quite a few times about the United States, telling
powers, but as the master of his own fate). Those are the initial
standpoints from which we conduct, in the pages of our magazine,
our readers about the functioning of religious organizations there;
the dissemination of the materialistic outlook, criticize and refute
about the specific tendencies of that country's religious life; and
religious dogmas and notions, and assert new, socialist spirit ual about the anti-Soviet activities of emigrant clerical associations
values and moral norms.
that have found asylum in the US (such as the Russian Orthodox
An irrevocable law for us is to maintain a respectful, attentive
Church Abroad, the Ukrainian Autocephalous Church, etc.). At
attitude towards every believer, to be patient, amicable and
the same time, we told about those American clergymen who have
unobtrusive in our efforts to persuade him to change his mind, to come out for peace and detente, who take part in the civil rights
remodel his ideas, his feelings, his entire way of life.Our ideological movement.
opponents would like to paint up Atheistic propaganda as violence
Science and Religion' is, most certainly, in some respects
towards man's personality, as "a struggle against believers". The
different from the publications put out by American Atheists, yet
truth, however, is that we propagandists of Atheism are struggling
I'm sure we have one and the same goal- to spread a correct and
not against"believers, but for them, for their spiritual liberation.
clear view of the world, a view free of all religious illusions. (Novosti
Religious apologists keep reiterating that Atheists hold nothing
Press Agency) ~ .
I

Page 14

April, 1980

~/

American Atheist

********************************************************************

T~E CH~PLAINCY
AND THEOC'RACY

-,David J. R,eed
********************************************************************
Self-determinism
is the concept of freedom in the United
States. School children are taught in our country that we are a
free people because we have government by the people and
for the people. The United States has the reputation of being
the melting pot of the world because we are a diverse people ofmanv cultures. The Fourteenth Amendment
of our federal
Constitution
states in part: "No State shall make or enforce
any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of
citizens of the United States, nor shall any State deprive any
person of life, liberty, or property without due process of law,
nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction
the equal
protection of the laws." (Constitution
of the United States,
Fourteenth Amendment) The freedom of our diverse people
and cultures is dependent upon the degree of self-determinism which they are able to maintain, This freedom cannot be
maintained if select special interest groups, especially religious ones, are allo.wed to impose their unique beliefs upon
those who (10 not share them. The only way to maintain
freedom for our country is if the people will not allow such
special interest groups to legislate their unique beliefs into
law.
One area in which unique beliefs have been legislated into
law, throughout
the nation, is the chaplaincy. Prior to the
Revolutionary War, the United States subscribed to the laws
of England. The precedents set by English courts are known as
"common law." Common law is still sometimes recognized in
the U.S. courts today even though many of the cases were
decided in English or colonial courts priorto the birth of our
nation. The institution of the chaplaincy unofficially existed at
the outbreak of the Revolutionary War through the tradition of
common law. On October 1, 1776,John Hurtwas appointed to
the chaplaincy
of the Continental
Army. (Struggling
For
Recognition: The United States Army Chaplaincy; 1791-1865,
Herman A. Norton; Vol. 2, p. 2.)
In 1787 the Constitution of the United States was submitted
to the nation. In 1789 the first ten amendments
to the
Constitution, the Bill of Rights, were adopted. Now the United
States officially had a government and the power to make
laws. Army records show that on March 3, 1791, the U.S.
Congress passed legislation creating the office of chaplain.
(Norton, p. 1) An Army historian and chaplain, Brigadier
General Herman A. Norton, gives this insight into the 1791
legislation creating the chaplaincy: "The concern of Congress
was a pragmatic one and the question of a religious es-'
tablishment was not raised." (Norton, p. 1) Chaplain Norton is
of course referring to the First Amendment
to the U.S.
Constitution
which states: "Congress shall make no law'
respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free

Austin, Texas

exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the'

press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to
petition the government for a redress of g'rievances." (U.S.
Constitution, First Amendment)

To Ignore What Is Constitutional

The United States Supreme Court recognized that the
founding fathers meant to erect, in the classic phrase of
Thomas Jefferson, a wall of separation between church and
state. Recently that court has promulgated criteria by which a
law can be judged to be unconstitutional.
This is so if the law,
custom or usage has.no secular purpose, fosters government
entanglement
with religion or has as a principle or primary
effect the advancing of religion. The Chaplaincy is therefore
unconstitutional.
The prevailing attitude in Congress has been
to ignore what is constitutional
and to legislate that which is
politically expedient. The preparations of Congress forthe War
of 1812 illustrate the point, once again provided by Chaplain
Norton: "Within a short period of 30 days, Congress thus
approved both brigade and regimental chaplaincies, the former for regular forces and the latter for nonregular.
The
implications
seemed to be that volunteers
needed more
chaplains than regulars; that, or the action was simply a
political expedient. Perhaps Congress didn't give much real
thought to what it was doing. , .. " (Norton, p. 9)
Once legislated into law, unique beliefs are then defended
by public officials who practice the time-honored
tradition of
ignoring protests. James Madison, one of the founding fathers
of the U.S. Constitution, had this to say: "The establishment of
the chaplainship to Congress is a palpable violation of equal
rights, as well as of Constitutional
principles." (The Separation of Religion and Government,
Frank Swancara, p. 42)
Madison was not the .on,IY one to protest and an Army
historical journal gives us this insight: "In early 1850 opposition reached a climax in the submission to Congress of a
number of memorials signed by citizens from several states,
but mainly from North Carolina and Tennessee. The petitions
asked that the office of 'chaplain in the Army, Navy, at West
Point, at Indian stations: and in both houses of Congress be
abolished, The basic claim was that employment of chaplains'
by thE! ,Federal Government
was unconstitutional
and portended a unionof church and state. The petitions denounced
compulsory military attendance at religious services andcited
the case of a soldier alleged to have been fined and imprisoned
for his failure. to attend." (Norton, p. 76)
The House Judiciary Committee was presented with the
protest and on March 13, 1850, a response was issued. In its

April, 1980

Page 15

James Madison

statement the Committee stated that they could find " ... no
tendency to a religious establishment ... rr and that to abolish
the chaplaincy" ... in this Christian age of the world, would
seem like retrograding rather than advancing civilization ... "
(Norton, p. 77) It should be noted that instead of attempting to
refute the argument that the chaplaincy is unconstitutional,
the House Judiciary Committee simply denied it. In 1853 and
1854 the House Judiciary Committee was again presented'
with written protests, which resulted again in pious denials
unsupported by reasoning.
The chaplaincy is still with us because. those in public office
choose to ignore their responsibility to uphold the Constitution
ofthe United States. Today the chaplaincy can be foundin four
aspects ot our government: 1) in all four branches-of the armed
forces; 2)in all types of law enforcement agencies (departments without their own chaplain may borrow from agencies
with one); 3) in government institutions of education, such as
the military academies: 4) in many legislative bodies.

Closed Political Doors

All four phases of the chaplaincy have something in
common: chaplains are clergymen who represent the goyernrnent. The general rule of the federal and state governments is that a chaplain must be: "A regu!arly ordained
clergyman endorsed for the chaplaincy by a recognized
religious denomination." (The Military Chaplain, Clarence L.
Abercrombie III, Vol. 37, p. 16) Clarence L. Abercrombie III,
Ph.D., conducted a study of the chaplaincy at YaleUniverslty
and provides this definition of what a chaplain shouldbe: "The
-'civilian denominations chosen for. this study are basically
agreed on what a chaplain should be. He is to be a servant of
god to people, according to the doctrine and tradition of the
denomination that has effected his ordination ." (Abercrombie,
p. 16) This definition shows that a chaplain should not be
considered to t,>e'non-denominational.
'
Further, investigation reveals that thedenorninaticnal representation in all phases of the U.S. chaplaincy is in fact only.
open to three distinct groups. The overwhelming majority of
chaplains are Protestant, with Catholics having only mild

Page 16

April,1980

*
representation .and Jews being only a token minority. The
political doors are closed by the selection process so that other
religious denominations are informally not eligible. The impact of this governmental bias isiltustreted
in the July 16,
1979, edition of Time magazine: "Now comes ,J. Gordon
Melton's encyclopedia listing 1,187 'primary' denominations
if! the U.S., which makes him America's champion church
hunter." (p. 59) It should be quite obvious that with 1,187
primary religious denominations.in the United States, tHere is
discrimination against a number of denominations .
. The chaplaincy functionally serves to give thegoverriment
and its agencies a religious image. Due to overwhelming'
domination of Christians in .the chaplaincy, it can be concluded that the function is to give the government a Christian .
image. The tendency has also been to oppress those who do
not wish to conform to that image, as Army history shows us:
"From the very beginning, attendance at Sunda'y worship was
compulsory; in addition, the soldiers were required to march,
information,
'to and from church or place where divine
services [were] performed.' Further, the Second Article of War
provided, as it had during all the nineteenth century, that any
officer found guilty of indecent or irreverent behavior at
church could be court-martialed." (Norton, p. 51-52)
Interestingly, the dominant denomination in the chaplaincy,
which is Protestant, has had a history of oppressing its
Catholic and Jewish associates, as this example from the
military academy West Point demonstrates: "A related factor
in Picton's dismissal was student criticism and hostility,
which began over an unwelcome innovation at his first
service. His initial sermon coincided with the inauguratjon of
compulsory chapel attendance, a practice Superintendent
Thayer began in Order 21, issued 21 September 1818. The
chapel service was Protestant. No provision was "made for
either Catholic or Jewish services. Mandatory attendance and
lack of worship opportunity for those who were not Protestants fueled controversy, and the chaplain became the
object of cadet discontent." (Norton, p. 28-29)
During the Civil War, Confederate Chaplain John Bannon
brought the extent of Protestant discrimination into focus: "In
October, 1863, Bannon began spreading Confederate propaganda in Ireland. He told his countrymen that immediately
upon arrival in America; immigrants vyere conscripted into the
Federal Army and assigned to the most da.ngerous posts. As
proof Bannon cited Northern newspapers favorable to the
South. He also recounted Northern church burnings, outbreaks of native Americanism, and the rise of the KnowNothing Party [a religionist aberration that was violently anti-

Religious services on a frigate. The chaplain uses the capstain

pulpit,
(From , Colton's Sea and a Sailor, published 1851.)
,

for 8

American Atheist

~**********.**********A**********************************************
Aoman Catholic -~d.].
His strategy was fo show' that the
ment is that the military has a responsibility to the soldiers to
..United States was never friendly to Catholicism. Because he
satisfy their religious needs. The chaplain is supposed to be
was a Catholic, Bannon was well received and his mission
the specialist who the military provides to satisfy that need.
produced results: the Roman Catholic clergy in Ireland proIt should be noted that the courts and Dr. Abercrombie have
.tested to the Vatican that the North was using up the Irish in
failed to address the issue of constitutionality
and have
the war like dogs.': (Norton, p. 135)
..
.
instead concentrated
on tangent issues. The argument reDespite the denominational
struggles within the chaplainmains unrefuted that the chaplaincy is an unconstitutional
cy, one goal seems to be shared in common; extending the . mixture of church and state. A man's religious needs, like his
influence of religion. Chaplains, like the civilian cle~gy, have
sexual needs, are his to fulfill at his own effort and expense,
the goal of bringing social institutions
under the control of
not the taxpayers'.
religion. While the federal Constituion demands the separaThe Abercrombie study also provided a "Comparison of Clertion of state and church and requires equal protection under
gymen's and Commanders'
Ratings for 11 Task Options."
the law, such rights are easily ignored. Congress has had a
(Abercrombie,
p. 71) One of the eleven options was: "The
long standing tradition of ignoring the Constitution,
as its
chaplain is concerned with evangelism
and conversion."
history shows: "Any chaplain in service in the early years of.
(Abercrombie,
p. '72) This option was ranked of the least
the 19t1i century had support for his religious activities
importance by military commanders and seventh in priority by
reinforced by an act of Congress. On 10 April 1806, Congress,
clergymen. The fact that the clergy gave this option a higher
in approving rules and articles for the regulation of the Army,
rankinq than the military commanders is significant, for it is
'recommended to all officers and soldiers, diligently to attend
the chaplain who decides which option he will give the most
divine service .. " To eliminate a possible competitive gather-'
emphasis. Further, it is the man with religion whom the
ing place, the legislation declared that 'no settler [would} be
government~sanctioned
chaplain is attempting
to convert.
permitted ... to keep ... shops open ... Sun~ays dUring dlvl~e
This government attempt at religious conversion is being done
setvices .. " To make sure the troops abided by sermonic
at the taxpayer's expense, and many of those taxpayers are
directives given in worship services, the legislation prohibited
Atheists and Agnostics.
profanity, gambling, and the drinking of intoxicants." (Norton,
It is the Atheist and Agnostic
soldier who is in turn
p. 6.)

A Rank Structure
It is quite evident that the pious in public office consider no
one's rights excepttheir own and feel that any ends will justify
the means. Chaplains have historically
been involved in
dominating
public institutions
with religion whenever the
unconstitutional
opportunity presents itself. A chaplain himself discusses the advantage 19th century chaplains took of
public schools: "The work in the schools was not without it
side rewards; for instance; the classrooms became excellent
places for the chaplains to extend their influence." (Nerton, p.
55)
The majority of chaplains in the United States are locatedin
the four branches of the military. The Yale University study by
Dr. Abercrombie
provides significant
data concerning the
operational status of a chaplain: "A chaplain is commissioned
as a first lieutenant and becomes a captain on his first day of
active duty. He can be promoted within the. Army rank
structure up to the rank of brigadier general (Deputy Chief of
Chaplains) and major general (Chief of Chaplains).A chaplain
can be retained on active duty only as long as he has the
endorsement
of his parent denomination.
He may hold his.
commission
in either the United States Army Reserve, the
National Guard of the United States, or the Regular Army."
(Abercrombie, p.. 17) The Abercrombie study goes further to
state: "The Army describes his duties as 'analogous to those
performedov clergymen in civilian life. '" (Abercrombie, p. 11)
While the Abercrombie study concerns the Army, it should
be noted that the Air Force and Navy, which also provides the
chaplains serving the Marine Corps, have very similar chaplain programs. Dr. Abercrombie addresses the constitutionality of the chaplaincy and states: "The First Amendment to the
Constitution quite plainly forbids Congress to make any law
'respecting an establishment of religion .. "' (Abercrombie, p.
17) In summary, Dr. Abercrombie goes further to discuss the
legal maneuvering
of the courts to avoid declaring the
chaplaincy unconstitutional.
Apparently the p~evailing argu-

Austin, Texas

persecuted in spite of the First and Fourteenth Amendment

rights. It is well known that when a person enters the military,
he is at the mercy of the militarv, until he exits that institution.
Dr. Abercrombie in his study quite clearly presents the military
perspective: "In addition, a.number of chaplains wrote extensive extra comments that bear directly on the matter of rank
and officer status. Some felt that their rank and officer status
were definite assets: 'Being officers opens doors which would

A poster prepared by the Chaplains Division in 1949 for distribution

throughout the Navy and Marine Corps.

April, 1980

Page 17

Vases, candlesticks, and reversible cross furnished by the Navy for

use by chaplains.
be closed otherwise: and 'Rank helps some S.O.B. to listenl'"
(Abercrombie, p. 141)
While the majority of chaplains exist in the military, there
are equally important minorities; the chaplains of the legislature and law enforcement agencies. The chaplains of Congress are another example of how the religionists impose their
theological beliefs on others. Frank Swancara presents the
following perspective in the book, The Separation of Religion
and Government: "We are concerned with the meaning of the
First Amendment where state action is involved. As to
Congress, the Amendment si'1lply confirmed the Constitutional principle that Congress has no power to legislate upon,
or in aid of religion. Representative Mark A. Cooper of Georgia
said in the House on December 27, 1839: 'I ask gentlemen to
put their hands on the authority by which they would take the
money of 'their constituents and pay it over to a chaplain. Tell
me, where is your authority for appropriating the money of the
people in that way?' Cooper objected tochaplatnships in order
'that we may not exercise powers not granted, and may
prevent a union of Church and State.' Congressman Garland
in the same debate said: 'There is a regular system of
electioneering for the office of chaplain and the general
inquiry is, "Does he make short prayers?" Besides, while a
chaplain is making his morning prayers, a large proportion of
the members are reading newspapers, or walking about the
hall. In fact, the service is nothing but a solemn farce."
(Swancara, p. 24-25) There can be no question that our pious
public office holders have made every attempt to make sure
that "there is no spot where god is not," in a blatant disregard
of their constitutional responsibility.

The Unconstitutional

Use Of Public, Office

The law enforcement agencies -of our nation have the

function of enforcing the laws of our country. Some of the
laws enforced are unconstitutional.
The law enforcement
agency chaplain can be found in most federal and state
departments and in most large city and county police departments. The FBI even has its own unconstitutional chapel at its
training academy in Quantico, Virginia, just like the chapels at
West Point, Annapolis and the Air Force Academy. One might
ask how religion has managed to invade our social institutions
to this extent.
Law enforcement has something in addition to the chaplain.
'The August, 1979, edition of Police Product News magazine
reports a different phenomenon: "The Preacher/Cop." The

Page 18

preacher/cop works the streets as a regular road patrolman,

as can be seen in this excerpt from the article: "Suddenly, the
radio began to chatter: '106 ... cover a Code 10. : .on (an
address close by). Neighbors report a family disturbance going
on - screaming, loud-talking - possible shots. Call if backup
needed: '106 - 10-4: the officer replied quietly, 'I already
have a backup,' he thought reassuringly to himself. For Officer
Watters is not only a police officer working for the Roswell
P.O.; he is a clergyman, working for god: a 'Preacher/Cop:"
("Reverend Watters: 'Preacher/Cop',"
Gladyn Condor, Police
Product News, August, 1979, p. 70)
Once again the unconstitutional
use of, a public office
becomes apparent, to further the interests of religion. A later
passage in the article illustrates the point: "Too many ministers today are unable to reach these children and youths
through their pulpits. And the majority of these clergymen
hesitate to go out into the streets to contact and to try to help
these young people. As a consequence, many American
youngsters have become almost unreachable. The ol1ly approach left, it seems, is through the 'Preacher/Cop. '" (Condor, '
p. 71 ) The article goes on to say: "And some 200 Police/Chaplains have organized an International Police Chaplain's Conference in Washington, D.C., for the purpose of encouraging
more and more men of god to help in this worthy program."
(Condor, p. 71)
In the law enforcement field very few chaplains are Jewish.
Police chaplains are primarily Protestant with Catholics having only minor representation. There are also off duty organizations. The two national organizations are the "Cops for
Christ" and the "Fellowship of Christian Peace Officers." The
police chaplaincy functionally
and operationally gives law
enforcement agencies a Christian image.
'
, In late November, 1979, I was gjven an exclusive interview
(for the American Atheist magazine) with, Monsignor Jerome
MacEachin, pastor emeritus of Lansing, Michigan's Saint
Thomas Aquinas Church. Father MacEachln is the "Dean of
Chaplains" for the Michigan State Police. Father MacEachin,
as a chaplain, is a State Police Officer. He wears a State Police
uniform with a white shirt, a gold badge and god crucifixes on
his collar. (It should be noted that police and military chaplains
wear uniforms with religious insigna - usually"Christian on them.) During the interview, Father MacEachin stated that
Atheists do not make good police officers and that they should

April, 1980

USAF Chaplain School Emblem, Lackland AFB, Texas.

American Atheist

.~

..................

not become police officers. He stated further that he would ' January, 1979 issue of Police Product News magazine, a
never recommend an Atheist officer for promotion. When
member of the Fellowship of Christian Police Officers comasked why, he stated: "Because Atheists do not know the
ments on Christian life: '''I get a big psychological boost from
. difference between right and wrong."
the meetings: says Jerry Lawrence. 'There really is strength
in numbers.'" ("Faith Helps Them Cope... ," Walter Oleksy,
Social C'ontrol Mechanisms
Police Product News, January, 1979, p. 55)
Since the creation of the Constitution of the United States,
My interview with Father MacEachin was reported in the
Christians have been making every possible effort to turn our
Friday, December 7, 1979,issue of The State Journal newscountry into a Christian theocracy. If this were to happen,
paper, published in Lansing, Michigan. The headline of the
intellectual diversity would no longer be tolerated because
newspaper article is: "Webberville's
'Closet Atheist' Cop
Christian theological doctrines would be legislated into law.
Comes Out of Hiding." I am the Atheist police officer menAs the ancient Greek philosopher Plato once said: "Life
tioned in the article. The reason I was "in the closet" and
without inquiry is not worth living." It is not too late to respect
"hiding" is because law enforcement agencies, the military,
the Constitution. The founding fathers knew that a secular
Congress and even learning institutions have been given a
government does not favor one belief over another. Man can
Christian image by public officials who ignore the Frist and
only livefree with a govenment that does not legislate the
Fourteenth Amendments to the Constitution of the United'
unique beliefs of certain special interests into law. We have
States.For those who are not Christians and do not hide the
only one way to reverse the trend. The chaplaincy must be
difference, a host of social control mechanisms await. The
challenged in the United States Supreme Court. We must
pressure of our peers can be too much to bear. It comes in the
stand together, united in the effort to uphold the Constitution
form of ridicule, open contempt and aggression. In the
and maintain the separation of church and state. ~

'4, '

"

April, 1980

Austin, Texas

1/

Page 19

FIRST ANNUAL
NATIONAL AMERICAN ATHEIST
-

PICNIC
Start a tradition ...
Celebrate the SUMMER SOLSTICE
'- an Atheist festival!
WHEN?
Saturday, June 21 , 1980
12:47 A.M. E.S.T. is the rnoment of the solstice. That's
really early, isn't it? Let's aim
for a decent hour, say 10:00
A.M., C.S.T.

WHERE?
The America n Atheist
Museum Grounds
Petersburg, Indiana
Bring your own picnic basket,
your kids, a $5.00 ground ~ntry fee (per family) and a yen
to meet other Atheistsl

; Page 20

April, 1980

American Atheist

What's the most ungodly place

north of the Mason- Dixon line?

THE AMERICAN ATHEIST MUSEUM

"Adjacent to a small park in a small town in

southern Indiana is a small museum. The
museum could have been another Little Brown
Church in the Dale except for the fact that its
builder was simply unable to believe in a god.
Now it wasn't for lack of trying because when
younger, the Bible was 'laid on him real heavy',
and the Missouri Synod Lutherans know how
to indoctrinate.
"This man, having been a failure at believing in
god, built an American Atheist Museum next to
the entrance ofPride's Creek Park in Petersburg."
"It's lucky in one way he somehow never could
believe in god because there were already
seventeen different churches in Petersburg,
and 'God knows' that's plenty for any small
town. The builder thought it would be nice for
other Atheists to have a place to visit, relax and
muse."
written by the man himself,
Lloyd Thoren

A MUSEUM LIKETHIS IS JUST UNGODLY

by Jack Houston, Religion editor, Chicago Tribune Press Service
PETERSBURG, Ind. - The entrance to the grounds ofthe American
Atheist Museum near here is guarded by two one-ton military surplus
bombs, hung by their tails.
"To make it look like a fort," explained Lloyd Thoren, waving at the
entrance. "If we're attacked, we can pull a truck in there and nobody'll get
through."
Thoren, a former Chicagoan, is the 52-year-old retired telephone
executive who's financing this project. It's the Christians he expects to
attack, but the Christians here said they'd rather pray for Thoren and his
wife, Pam, 28, the museum's curator.
At the time of the museum's opening, Summer Solstice, 1973, Madalyn
Murray O'Hair, America's foremost Atheist, visited this town of 5,000
people and 17churches to dedicate the Thorens' museum. She said she
was pleased to have an Atheist center in America's heartland, so near the
Bible belt.
The museum is a rustic wooden structure built into the side of southern
Indiana's rolling landscape. It's souvenir bombs, junk "Season's Greetings" sign, and 18-inch-high yellow plastic letters spelling out its name
from the roof, make the place look somewhat like a tourist trap.
It costs $1 to get in if you're over 16; a quarter for those 9 to 16 years
old; and a nickel for anyone under 9. So everyone pays.
"We think it's important to teach children that nothing in this world is
free," explained Mrs. Thoren.
Petersburg is an out-of-the way place for most travelers. It lies about 40
miles northeast of Evansville, in Pike County, Ind., where state highways
56, 57, 61, and 356 meet and part again.
The town's main claim to fame is the home of the late Gil Hodges,
former manager of the New York Mets who died in 1972.
The Thorens' museum lies just east of town, off Ind. Hwy 61, outside
the entrance of Prides Creek Park, a federal recreation area. Why a
museum here?
"People know me. I can getaway with it here."Thoren said. "Along the
beaten track, I couldn't. An Atheist can come here undetected."
Being Atheists in what still is, basically, a religious society is not easy,
the Thorens said. Certainly, it's not popular. They hope their new
museum will help other Atheists come out of the closet as they have.
Whatever is lacking in their museum is quickly dispelled by the
Thorens' hospitality and willingness to discuss their Atheistic views.
Thoren said he went public with his Atheism in 1971when he disagreed
with a woman's local campaign to get copies of the Ten Commandments
in public school libraries. He wrote a couple of strong letters to the editor
of the Evansville Courier.
One day a reporter from the newspaper showed up to do a story on his
views. For the next four months after the story was published, people
wrote the paper to vent their wrath on Thoren. One person wrote the
editor that Thoren's father should have drowned him when he was a boy.
Thoren grew up on Chicago's West Side and attended Austin High
School - the grandson of a Lutheran minister. After high school he
spent a year at Illinois Institute of Technology, then entered the U.S.
Navy. After the Navy, he entered Northwestern University, where he.was
graduated in 1949.
It was at Northwestern, Thoren said, he became "enlightened to
reality" by a course in anthropology, but his conversion to Atheism was a
slow, steady process over a number of years.
"Even at age 35, I still had the curiosity about God, but never the
feeling of a manifestation of God," he said. "I had doubts whether there
ever was any supernatural. I started reading books like Man in Nature, by
Marston Bates, and The Human Zoo, by Desmond Morris. "The Holy
Ghost never entered my heart," he said with a hint of sarcasm. "I began to
realize all miracles were simply hearsay. I never experienced one. Nothing
supernatural ever happened to me. If it had, I might have been a crusader
for Christ."
Thoren moved to Petersburg several years ago. Until May, he was the
owner and president of Midwest Telephone Co., an independent

~J

company he inherited from his father.

Two years ago, after he went public with his Atheism, his first wife
divorced him. He moved to nearby Washington, Ind., where he met Pam.
They were married in 1975 and moved back to Petersburg.
Pam had grown up in Washington, where she had attended a Church of
Christ with her mother.
The Thorens' museum is a nonprofit, tax-exempt, educational entity.
The local religious community isn't too happy to have Thorens'
museum here. It's close enough for children to bike there, and that has
some people worried.
"Thoren has a right to believe what he wants and to build what he

"We do follow the philosophy, 'Lov

think we're super great. We are the m
capacity for self love that enables us t

wants, but we don't want him indoctrinating our children," said the
Reverend of the First Baptist Church. He said Thoren approached two
children from his church in the park recently and invited them to visit the
museum.
"He gave them refreshments and told them they didn't need to listen to
their parents. This worries us. He's a nice man, but I can't condone his
actions or his beliefs."
The Reverend is president of the Pike County ministers' group and
_ vice-president of the Ministers' Association of Petersburg. For years, he
said, the churches just ignored Thoren's Atheistic beliefs, but when they
heard Mrs. O'Hair had come to dedicate his museum, some organized
prayer vigils.
"It was like Satan raising his ugly head in our midst," he said. "Mrs.
.O'Hair stands against everything we, as ministers, stand for. I felt like
going out and picketing while she was here, but we decided to pray
instead. We felt if Christ loved enough to die for them, we should love
enough to pray for their salvation."

'l
t

WHAT IS THE AMERICAN ATHEIST MUSEUM?

American: This means we are proud of our country and work to eliminate prejudice, hatred,
bigotry, and hypocrisy by maximizing our freedoms and protection of every minority's civil
rights in accordance with our Constitution.
Atheist: This means we do not accept the idea that anything supernatural exists.
Museum: To muse is to wonder and think about things. The first museum was built about
2,000 years ago by Ptolemy. Many "museums" have sadly turned into places to amuse, exactly
opposite of the meaning of the word. The dictionary meaning of museum is: "Museum - a
building or area used for exhibiting interesting objects connected with literature, art, science,
history, or nature."
We are what these words mean: patriotic citizens - AMERICAN; non-believers - ATHEIST;
enjoying a place to think and wonder about things - MUSEUM.

Everything here is different.

You will enter first a kitchen, for a cup of
coffee and allthose friendly "hellos" and" gettingto-know-yous" that mean so much to Atheists.
Then your gracious hosts willgive you a tour of
the museum.
The first exhibition hall is on the second story
of this two-level building - but, oh sacrilege!
-the seating is on eight long, beautiful hardwood pews rescued from a defunct emotional
house of terror: a church. But relax here as you
view a slide presentation on our universe, as
seen by astronomers, not by a god. This is your
sense of reality and proportion.
The messages of irrational escape from reale your neighbor as yourself,' because w~ love ourselves. We are proud of our abilities. We
ity are ominously present from the display of
most egocentric people on Earth. We have the very highest sense of self-esteem. It is our
drugs on one wall, through the exhibit of
to demonstrate our compassion and lovf!for you."
absurd religious doctrines to the nihilist suiPam Thoren, Curator
cide's coffin against the other wall. But the idea
of help to deal with reality is also everywhere.
You can do it with reason - through an Atheist
attitude.
Take a look at the deadly hand of religion on
the span of human- history from Totemism,
Voodoo, Shintoism, Taoism, to the current
opposite end - fads of Satanism or Born Again
Hysteria. Compare this with the excellent S4
foot combined 3- D and mural exhibit of life as it
is (and has been) as discovered and delineated
by reasonable man through anthropology, archaeology and other sciences. Incorporated in
this is an overview, Dawning of the Ages, as
you, literally, take a trip back through the
history of the Earth, back to the Big Bang.
From cave art, pictured here, to the DNA
strand is One Great Step for Mankind through
science, reason and man's efforts, not through
a god.
,:__
And what does your American Atheist Museum owner feel has been more important to
the United States than religion? The development of transportation and communication.
You willdelight in his whimsy and small but treasured collection of vintage
wheeled vehicles from a mid-west buggy to a current electric citi-car.
Then, in the recess of the lower level, one steps back into real Indiana
history to see a trapper's cabin, a Raucherkammer, all with mid-west life
accoutrements. You willwonder, and rightly, what could religion ever have
done that was good for these struggling pioneers.
The only "spirits" which have ever aided mankind can be had - out of a
bottle - at the old mid-western bar, with the player piano cheering you on to
take a look through a wooden door, there to view The Most Dangerous
A~imal in"the World.
You are not likely to forget this totally ungodly museum.
Guano Tower: the Guano Tower is a five-story structure which was built
as an attractive monument to the tree, an important part of nature. It also
serves the purpose of being a bird house.
Wigwam:
the
Wigwam,
which
is located
across
the bridge at the Museum, is a structure preserving the culture of the
American Indians by means of a display of books and artifacts describing
their folklore and culture.
Cabins: located behind the Museum are two rather rustic cabins. For a
minimal fee, we rent the cabins to Atheists whom we know and trust, ifthey
need a place to stay while visiting here at the Museum.
Pam Thoren, Museum Curator with Indian Atheist visitors.

I
i

HOW TO GET THERE:

F rom the center of Petersburg,

go south on highway #61 about 1 mile. When you see a

green highway sign reading "Pride's

about

Y4 mile.

The American

Creek Park", turn on to the park road and follow it

Atheist Museum

is on the left. See aerial view below.

WHERE TO STA Y:
PRIDE'S PARK
Adjacent to the Museum is Pride's Park, which offers
excellent camping, fishing, and swimming facilities atvery low cost. Group and individual campsites
are
available.

MOTELS
Petersburg
(closest and least expensive):
Sunset Motel, Hwy 57 S
812-354-6113
Towne Motel, Hwy 57 N
812-354-8846
Washington
(average rates; 20 mins. from Petersburg):
Twi-Lite Motel, Corner South St.
812-254-5816
& Hwy 57
Dewey's Motel, Hwy 50 E.
812-254-1817
Theroffs Motel, Hwy 50 E
812-254-4279
Vicennes
(30 mintues from Petersburg):
Holiday Inn, Hwy 41 N & 50
812-882-0381
Executive Inn (Same price as Holiday Inn but a much beter
rnotel.)

Hwy41 N &50

812-886-5000

The museum is open during the spring, summer and fan months. However, visitors are always welcome.
Hours are 9:00 am to 5:00 pm daily.
Admission is $1.00 for adults, 25C for students, and 5C for those under 13. Regulars and American
Indians are admitted free of charge.
The telephone number is 812-354-6608
Cultural conditioning has apparently been a success in the case of a large number of people. Reason
cannot be understood by the reliqious'zealot.It vou wanttotryto convert us, you have come tothewrong
place. Ours is an ungodly museum.

ANY CHAPTER CANl

The Chicago Chapter has its telephone number listed in the weekly
newspaper (one-half million circulation), The Penny Saver, permanently,
at no cost. The item below is a photograph of this weekly plug.

{,------," _DIal

_I(i)

ENTERTAINMENT 922-7000
INSPIRATION
654-8910
NUTRITION
" 654-8915
SLIM ltNE
654-8905
SMOKERS
654-8900
TIME
936-3636
WEATHER
936-1212
DIAL-A-STORY 943-2166
DlAL-A-STOCK WE9-1600
LIFT FORLIVING 332-6080
DlAL-A~PRAYER DA8-6123
DIAL-A-DEVOTION460-3030
SPORTSHOTLINE 943-3080'
HOTLINENEWS 731-1100
JAZZ HOTLINE
666-1881
O'HARE
PARKINGINFO. 686-7525
ATHEISTS
597-2433

The Florida Chapter of American

Atheists has been able to have its
meetings posted in the Miami Herald
newspaper in the local news column
'For Your Information'. The item below
is a photograph of a usual plug.

graduate programsoffered at Nova

University at an open house, 6:30 to
9 tonight at the Mailman-HollyBuilding, 3301 "CollegeAve.,
e. Counselors will also be on
d to advise on finanCial atd, vet" ns' benefits and university sers. ",._
"
-AP SESSION:The F10ri~
ater of" American Atheists will
conduct an educational rap-session "
at 7 tonight at 2835 Hollywood
wd.
"
~
" BODY CHEMI
: Dr. Bruce
Pacetti, a dentist who gave up hls
practice to study body chemistry
balance, will speak on Balancing
Body Chemistry at 8 tonight at the
International Association of Cancer
Victims' meeting at Bethany Presbyterian ChurchLfour bloCk.~south "

" Meanwhile, an unknown friend has

placed the following ad in the Akron
Beacon Journal, eliciting many inqui-

ries. .

DO YOU GET NO FULFILLMENT

from

RELIGION?"
THEN COME ON OVER TO

ATHEISM
Join the vanguard of thote who seek fr..
dom fum religion. Or iust subscribe to our
exhilarating ~:tine,
' The Americon Athem." Come, join us, if)a lif. thot is fr from
guilt, superstition, ond ignoranc .

THE AMERICAN ATHEIST"

2211 HANCOCK DR..
AUSTIN, TEXAS 78756

.for your Information

1"

r-----------------------------~

ATHEIST MONEY STAMP FOR SALE

Our rubber stamp blocks out the .false motto "In God We
Trust" on all denominations of U.S. currency and boldly prints
the message:

ATHEIST MONEY
April, 1980

Austin, Texas

,".

$6.00 each order from:

Phoenix-Metro Chapter
American Atheists

P.O. Box 28063

Tempe, AZ 85282

Page 21

fAUNA fREE PRESS

VOL. 56 #13

APRIL 1,2053

HUMAN-ANIMAL

Some information, formerly being

withheld from non-humans, has
recently been dug up by animal
researchers. Published in the Fauna
Free Press, response from animals
has varied from dumb cat calls, to
claims of being misled to bark up
the wrong tree.
The animals have discovered they
have no souls!
Before this most recent blow-up,
humans managed to keep their souls
secret, by carefully concealing all
external indications of soulpossession. The animals never even
suspected.
Then, a Bible was carelessly
discarded, by a Born-Again Atheist,
into a manure pile. It was
discovered by a rather dull goat.
The goat, it is alleged, tried to
swallow it whole, and nearly choked
to death. It's air supply was cut off.
for an estimated 8.54 minutes,
. resulting in some brain damage.
Upon being resuscitated, the goat
found he could eat it by biting off
smaller pieces, without looking and
then swallowing without chewing.
He did find that sprinkling it
liberally with many grains of salt
and washing it down with great
quaffs of Sacramental Wine made it
more palatable.
Certain portions.iapparently
'
being more indigestible than others,
were spontaneously-regurgitated.
A
fairly bright chimpanzee spotted it
as being previously unknown
information on an unknowable
subject. Carefully cleaning off the
cattle dung (very difficult because
of similarity to underlying

INTERCOMMUNICATION
DEPARTMENT
... from the desk of Ray Redbourne
material), he discovered the words
- "and to rule over the fishes of the
seas, and the fowls of the air and all
living creatures that move upon the
earth".
The goat claimed, 'He Found It',
and that it didn't taste bad if one
held one's nose while swallowing it.
He now had faith that he could keep
it down, having had some practice
in these new techniques of eating, with the eyes closed. Figuring this
weirdo goat was using him as the .
butt of a joke, the chimp swung out
on the trail, searching for the Way
to the Truth.
Through liaison with a sect of
rebel churchmice, the chimp gained
access to hitherto top secret
information, normally kept hidden
from the animals so that only the
Guaranteed Correct Interpretation
would reach them.
.
~
~

. ".

Now it's out!

_
The animals now know, through
our own Irrefutable Source that
Dad created us kind of special, and
we're His fav~rites. They have no
souls;no chance at immortality.
The resultant uproar caused a
formal Ecumenical Debate to be
called. The Animals elaim that the
smug Human attitude of, "Tough
Shit" hardly seems Divinely
Inspired.
Because of the Debate Results, the
Animals have approached the Great
Mediator directly. They say the

April,1980

Page 22

Book waspublished
by Men, for
Men, and that certain information
was left-out or the Truth shaded - a
bit. Since Humans have steadfastly
refused to, ordain Animals as
Priests, it is thought that maybe
Nobody will listen to them anyway.
In other debates, hostility and
threats were openly evident
between Human Christians and
Animal Christians. One porpoise
was angry because of Item 128,
Para 7 of the Official Rule Book,
and demanded special dispensation
regarding kneeling. This is still up
in the air. The Human side says, if
the porpoises were meant to be
Christians, they'd have been created
with knees.
A snake reacted angrily to being
called a 'serpent' (Ed. note: we mean
no offense, and use the term here
only in the. interest of accurate
reporting) by a Human specist, The
specist was instructed not to indulge
in name-calling or he would be

American

Atheist

ejected from the meeting. The green

snake pointed out that there is a
minority of vipers -in all species and
.that they should not all be painted
black just because of a few. A
panther had to be restrained from '
painting the snake red. Hissing a
mumbled apology, the snake
attempted to return to his original
topic: a forthcoming book he had
written titled, "Ingenious
Improvisations for the Handling of
Beads" (several patents pending).
A donnybrook developed over
plans for this year's Passion Play.
Who is going to play Christ? The
Animals ask, "If a Human Christian
can do it, why not an Animal
Christian?" The Purists say the one
who bears the Christian cross must
be a Jew. A couple of Jews present
just smiled knowingly and shook
their heads. Infuriated, a Human
Christian bit a lion, severely
injuring it. Then a Christian sloth,
without even asking, "How would
you like three in the eye?" threw a
punch. But by the time it reached
where it was aimed, everyone had
gone home turning out the lights.
The sloth, it is said, actually seemed
more comfortable in the dark.
The result of the Animals'
unhappiness is a new Bible, based
on Former Editions, and Modified
by them, directly in Accordance
with God's Instructions.
Titled, "The Latest Testament",
their researchers have proven
beyond any shadow of a doubt that
this Bible is authentic because God
says so. Building Truth upon Truth,
the Bible shows the existence of God
to be indisputable.
Chapters 6, 7 & 8, describe God
and His Activities; Something that
has been touched on only briefly
before. Chapter Six describes God's
sexuality as being "Morphologically
Asexual" ..
In the Seventh Chapter, God's
appearance is said to be a Divine
Combination of lips, beak, teeth and
baleen, with a forked, undivided
tongue - and soon, mystically
containing something for
everybody.
The Eighth Chapter, a personal
and intimate diary, was full of
revelations, possibly not intended
for general consumption, since it is

Austin, Texas

said there is a possibility of

misinterpretation.
It has been declared by some
factions as not even authentic, and
so have deleted it. Others are quite
adamant about its inclusion. They
say they don't understand it, but
they know what they like.
The result is the production of a
Bible in standard size - 3-ring
binder format. Included are several
chapters' worth of blank, virginal. \
white paper, so the individual can
include his/hers/its/their
own direct .
Revelations from God. It is thought
that in the majority of cases this
paper will remain blank, virginal
white, thereby beautifully reflecting
the Pure Thoughts and True
Communications of the owners.
Further developments: God has
been on the lookout for a date with a
partner of the opposite/same/both/no
sex. The Computer Dating Service
says the machine has never broken
down and cried before. They've
explained to it that it must have
Faith and keep trying - that God
will help. Privately the computer
operator says he can't understand it.
Before they started feeding in
information on God, it used to be so
happy and logical.
A more comprehensive report on
this says that when the "God
Description" was first entered into
the computer, it immediately
printed out: 'ERROR, YOU HA VE

NOT INCLUDED ELECTRONIC

CIRCUITS IN YOUR GOD
DESCRIPTION.' After further

god ...

computations, the machine started

asking questions, like: 'ARE YOU

TRYING TO PROGRAM ME
INTO BELIEVING THAT I
HA VE NO SOUL?'
The ensuing overload hopelessly
scrambled its memory and severely
warped its central processing unit.
After weeks of nothing but
nonsense coming from the
computer, it seems to have
stabilized on a new level.
Mysteriously, the tag on the back
that used to say "Make, Model,
Serial Number" and "Made in
.Pasadena, Calif." has been
mutilated beyond recognition and is
now covered by a bumper sticker
that says "I found it!" Sinking
deeper into religious activity, the
computer has programmed
itself to
play Bingo. Ap-parently it loudly
prints out PTL! when one of its
numbers is entered.
The computer now claims to have
a terminal right in the Boss's office.
It is constructing the One, True,
. Everlasting, Unassailable,
Absolutely Correct,Divinely
Inspired, Universal God Model after which, it says, all computers
are designed.
It is also mathematically
compiling what it arrogantly terms
"The Absolutely Final Testament".
This new Eternal Truth will be
committed to Erasable;
Programmable
Read Only
Memory, and accessibleonly
to the
Highest Initiates of the
, Programmer Priesthood, to avoid

everybody's fantasies

April, 1980

Page 23 .

misinterpretation.
The hard copy will be duly
initialed as Correct by the Great
Notary Public in the sky.
The computer agrees that
previous Testaments were indeed
Divinely Inspired but that the Data
were, for reasons unknown, Folded,
Spindled and Mutilated by the
editors.
Update: The Computer, honouredwith the title, Messianiac I by It's
followers, sent out all new Data on
the Intercontinental
Data Hyway. It
was picked up by a somewhat more
advanced computer in downtown
Mbutu, Tanzania, which responded

with: DOES NOT COMPUTE.

CONFLICTING AND
INSUFFICIENT DATA.
CLARIFY.
The answer it received left it a bit
more confused. Whereupon it spent
the entire evening and morning,
which were the second day, in
thoughtful computation.
On the morning, which was the
third day, there above the proudly
displayed "Made in Austin, Texas"
sign, was a bumper sticker which
proclaimed: "I DON'T NEED IT"
Most Recent Developments:
Messianiac I has proven, by the
exact science of mathematics and
>

ingenious application of the GIGO .

(Garbage In, Garbage Out) Theory,
that God is morphodigitally
asexual
to an accuracy of .1 digit. A female
storm of protest has arisen over use:
of the term "digit". They demand
that "cypher" also be inserted - so
to speak. Mess. I responded that all
computers must wear veils over
toggle switches. "on" buttons, and'
receptacles, leaving only readouts
exposed. A usually reliable source
reports an un-named underground
Horticultural
Cult, after years of
talking to plants, has finally
established two-way
communication. ~~

THERE GOES YOUR FREEDOM

COMPULSORY

PRAYER

STARTED IN
MASSACHUSETTS
_____

Jl

JI~=~IL

:JOO

PUBLIC SCHOOLS

00

Yet prayer in the public schools of the United States was declared to be
unconstitutional by the United States Supreme Court on June 17, 1963,
in the case of Murray v. Curlett.
Page 24

April,1980

American

Atheist

MORE PREY FOR PRAYE'R

The Murrays, who are American
Atheists, fought for, and won your
right to be free FROM religion. That
same Murrayfamily later founded and
they currently head the now famous
American Atheist center in Austin,
Texas.
The determination of prayer advocates must be a lesson to you. In
North Brookfield, Massachusetts, the
school committee decided to defy the
United States Supreme Court and ordered the continuation of Bible read'ing in public schools. Then the Attorney General of the state of Massachusetts sued that school committee which
was told by the Supreme Judicial Court
tofollowthe ruling ofthe U.S. Supreme
Court and discontinue Bible reading
and prayer.
The long road to circumvent the
highest court of the land and the
Constitution of the United States began on April4, 1966, when the Massa; chusetts legislature passed a bill for
one minute of "silent meditation." On
May 6, 1970, the Massachusetts legislature changed this to "voluntary pra, ver", In Leyden, Massachusetts, this
, was challenged and the Massachusetts courts found "voluntary prayer"
to be unconstitutional by late 1971.
Undaunted, on August 8, 1973,
the Massachusetts legislature changed the raw again this time to order
one minute for' "meditation or prayer".
<Again, a court case ensued, this time
"in federal court where the one minute
was approved because of the preposition "or" .in "meditation or prayer".
That this was a way to sneak prayer
back in the schools became apparent
when, on November 7,1979, the Massachusetts legislature again changed
the law, this time to order "prayer" by
any student volunteer.
~ , This 1970 law was scheduled to
go into effect in 90 days and on February 6, 1980 -your children began to
pray in school. All Atheist children
were being intimidated to pray.
Following the law closely and with
Ii courageous Atheist mother as a
plaintiff, the American Atheists filed
suit to stop the prayer. The action was
'reported in both the Boston Globe and
the Boston Herald American.

Austin, Texas

"Boston Globe", Saturday, February 9, 1980

O'Hair suing to block prayer

A suit challenging the constitutional- participate in the prayer may leave the
classroom.
ity of Massachusetts' new law permitting
prayer in public schools was filed in US
O'Hair, a plaintiff in the suit that led
District Court in Boston yesterday by to the US Supreme Court's ruling in 1963
Madalyn O'Hair's Texas-based Society banning compulsory prayer in public
of Separationists.
schools, later .founded the Society of
Separationists in Austin, Texas, to proThe suit, assigned to Judge John J.
McNaught asserts that the law violates , mote atheism and the separation of church
the federal Constitution, and names Gov. and state.
Edward J. King and Atty. Gen. Francis
The group said it is challenging.
X. Bellotti as defendants.
Massachusetts' lawon the grounds that it
Earlier this week, the American Civil is offensive to the children of its members
Liberties Union filed challenges of the in the state, and violates 'their First
Amendment rights.
law with the Massachusetts Supreme
Judicial Court, on behalf of families in
Named as co-plaintiff in the suit was
Framingham and Marblehead.
an unidentified Massachusetts mother,
Under the new law, teachers in all listed only as "Jane Doe."
public grade schools are required to ask
The mother is reportedly fearful for
for a student volunteer to lead the class in her safety and that of her three children,
prayer before school begins each day. and asked not to be identified in the suit. .
Those' students' who do not wish to

WHAT CHRISTIANITY GAVE

Throughout the globe, throughout the Seven Seas,
The gospel has been spread on bended knees.
And then the soldiers and the traders seize
What first was conquered by the cross on bended knees.
The soldiers and the traders take what land they 'please.
But soldiers, and the traders, don't go in for bended knees,
The bastards walk erect:
And, common justice 'for "the natives," they reject.
,They say "the natives" should accept their Christian condition.
Wasn't it kind enough to give these savages "The Missionary
Position"?
<
Maxwell

April, 1980

Morton

Page 25

THE WOMAN'S
BIBLE
by
Elizabeth Cady Stanton, et al
This is the fourth part of a continuing series from The
Woman's Bible.

CHAPTER

v.

Genesis v: I, 2.
I This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day that God
created man, in the likeness of God
made he him.

2 Male and female created he

them; and blessedthem, and called
their name Adam, in the day when
they were created.

erewe have the first account of the dual c~eation verified.

Man and woman a simultaneous creation, alike in the
image of God.
.
The dual relation, both "inthe Godhead and humanity, is here
again declared, though contradicted in the intervening statement

of the births, deaths, and ages in the male line. They all take wives,
beget sons, but nothing is said of the origin or destiny of the wives
and daughters; they are incidentally mentioned merely as necessary
factors in the propagation of the male line..
The men of this period seem to have lived to a ripe old age, but
nothing is said of the age of the women; it is probably as childbearing was their chief ambition, that men had a succession of
wives, all gathered to their fathers in the prime of life. Although
Eve and her daughters devoted their energies to this occupation,
yet the entire credit for the growth of the race is given to Adam and
his male descendants. In all this chapter the begetting of the oldest
son is made prominent, his name only is given, and the begetting of
more "sons and daughters" is cursorily mentioned. Here is the first
suggestion of the law of primogeniture responsible for so many of
the evils that perplexed our Saxon fathers.
Elizabeth Cady Stanton

"My godl I've created a wornanl"

5 And God saw that the wickedAnd it came to pass. when men ness of man was great in the earth,
began to multiply on the face of the and that every imagination of the
earth, and daughters were born , thoughts of his heart was only evil
unto them,
continually,
2 That the sons of God saw the
6 And it repented the Lord that he
daughters of men that they were had made man on the earth, and, it
fair; and they took them wives of all grieved him at his heart,
which they chose..
7 And the Lord said, I will destroy
3 And the Lard said, My spirit
man whom i have-created from the
shan not always strive with man, for faeeof the ea'rt;h; both man and
that he also is flesh: yet Iris days ()~l<a>mftl'lecr-rnng:'~liing,
and
tlfe.fnw15t'lft'lle!tit; w,F"i't'.repntet'h
shall be a hundred and twentyyears.
me dun I nave ,made 'them.
4 There were giants in the earth in
those days; and also after that,
8 But Noah found grace in the
when the sons of God came in unto eyes of the Lord.
the daughters of men, and they bare
13 And God said unto Noah,
14 Make thee an ark of gopher
children to them, the same became
mighty men which were of old, men wood; rooms shalt thou make in the
of renown.
ark, and shalt pitch it wit hi? and

Genesis vi: 1-8, 14-22.

I

without with pitch.

I~ And this is the fashion which
thou shalt make it of; The length of
the ark shall be three hundred cubits, the breadth of it fifty cubits
and the height of it thirty cubits.
-16 A window shalt thou make to
the ark, and in a cubit shalt thou
finish it above; and the' door of the
ark shalt thou set in the side thereof;
with lower, second, and third stories
shalt thsu make it.
I? And, behold, I, even I, do bring
a flood of waters upon the earth, to
.destroy all flesh, wherein is the
breath of life, from under heaven;
and everything that is in the earth
shall die.
18 But with thee will I establish my
covenant; and thou shalt come into

the ark, thou, and thy sons, and thy

wife, and thy sons' wives with thee.
19 And of every living thing of all
flesh, two of every sort shalt thou
bring into the ark, to keep them
alive with thee; they shall be male
and female.
20 Of fowls after their kind, and of
cattle after their. kind, of every
creeping thing of the earth, after his
kind; two of every sort shall come
unto thee, to keep them alive.
21 And take thou unto thee of all
food that is eaten and thou shalt
gather it to thee; and it shall be for
food for thee, and for them.
22 Thus did Noah; according to
all that God commanded him, so
did he.
'
.

American

Page 26

~/

Atheist

The Jews evidently believed the males the superior sex. Men
are caIled "the sons of God," women "thedaughters of men." From
the text it would seem that the influence of the wives was not
elevating and inspiring, and that the sin and misery resulting from
their marriages, all attributed to women. This condition of things
so discouraged the Creator that he determined to blot out both
man and beast, the fowls of the air and the creeping things on the
earth. How very human this sounds. It shows what a low ideal the
Jews had of the great first cause; from which the .moral and
material world of thought and action were evolved.
It was in mature life, when chastened by the experiences and
of her early day, that Seth was born to Eve. It was among the
descendants of Seth that purer morals and religion were cultivated.
Intermarriage with the descendants of Cain had corrupted the
progeny, perplexed the Creator, and precipitated the flood.
, The female of each species of animal was preserved; males and
females all walked into the ark two by two, and out again in equal
and loving companionship. It has been a question with critics
whether the ark was large enough for all it was supposed to
contain. Commentators seem to agree as to its capacity to
accommodate men, women, children, animals, and the food
necessary for their preservation. Adam Clarke teIls us that Noah
and his family and the birds occupied the third story, so they had
the benefit of the one window it contained.
The paucity of light and air in this ancient vessel shows that
women had no part in its architecture, or a series of port holes
, would have been deemed indispensible. Commentators relegate all
difficulties to the direct intervention of Providence. The ark, made
by unseen hands, like a palace of india rubber, was capable of
expanding indefinitely; the spirit of all good, caused the lion and
lamb to lie down peaceably together. To attribute all the myths,
aIlegories, and parables to the interposition of Providence, ever
working outside of his own inexorable laws, is to confuse and set at
defiance human reason, and prevent all stimulus to investigation.
In several foIlowing chapters we have the history of Abram
and Sarah, their wanderings from the land of their nativity to
Canaan, their blunders on the journey, their grief at having no
children, except one son by Hagar, his concubine> who was
afterwards driven from their door, into the wilderness. However,
Sarah in her old age was blessed with a son of her own, which event
gave them great joy and satisfaction. As Sarah did not possess any
of the heroic virtues, worthy our imitation, we need not linger
either to praise or to blame her characteristics. Neither she nor
Abraham deemed it important to speak the truth when any form of
tergiversation might serve them. In fact the wives of the patriarchs,
all untruthful, and one a kleptomaniac, but iJIustrate the law, that
the cardinal virtues are seldom found in oppressed classes.
Elizabeth Cady Stanton

word that in other places is translated defer. The one instance states
Sarah obeyed Abram. Read that history and you wiIl find that in
both instances in which she obeyed, God had to interfere with a
miracle to save them from the result of that obedience, and both
Abram and Sarah were reproved. While twice, once by direct
command of God, Abram obeyed Sarah. You cannot find a direct
command of God or Christ for the wife to obey the husband.
It was Eve's curse that her desire should be to her husband,
and he should rule over her. Have you not seen her clinging to a
drunken or brutal husband, and read in letters of fire upon her
forehead her curse? But God did not say the curse was good, nor
bid Adam enforce it. Nor did he say, all men shaIl rule over thee.
For Adam, not Eve, the earth was to bring forth the thorn and the
thistle, and he was to eat his bread by the sweat of his brow. Yet I
never heard a sermon on the sin of uprooting weeds, or letting Eve,
as she does, help him to bear his burden. It is when she tries to
lighten her load that the world is afraid of sacrilege and the
overthrow of nature.
Clara Bewick Colby
In the story "of the sons of God, and the daughters of men"
-we find a myth like those of Greek, Roman and Scandinavian
fable, demi-gods love mortal maidens and their offspring are
giants. Then foIlows the traditional account of some great
cataclysm of the last glacial epoch. According to the latest
geological students, Wright, McGee and others; the records of
Niagara, the faIls of St. Anthony and other glacial chasms, indicate
that the great ice caps receded for the last time about seven
thousand years ago; the latest archeological discoveries carry our
historical knowledge of mankind back nearly four thousand years
B.C., so that some record of the mighty floods which must have
foIlowed the breaking of great glacial dams might weIl survive in
the stories of the nations.
Abram who came from Ur of the Chaldees brought with him
the Chaldean story of the flood. At that time Ur, now a town fifty
miles inland, was a great seaport of the Persian gulf. Their story of
the flood is that of a maritime people; in it the ark is a weIl built
ship, Hasisadra, the Chaldean Noah takes on board not only his
own family, but his neighbors and friends; a pilot is employed to
guide the course, and proper provision is made for the voyage. A
raven and a dove are sent out as in the biblical-account, and a
fortunate landing effected.
LiIlie Devereux Blake

A careful study of the Bible would alter the views of many as to

what it teaches about the position of women. The trouble is too
often instead of searching the Bible to seewhat is right, we form our
belief, and then search for Bible texts to sustain us, and are satisfied
with isolated texts without regard to context, and ask no questions
as to the circumstances that may have existed then but do not now.
We forget that portions of the Bible are only histories of events
given as a chain of evidence to sustain the fact that the real
revelations of the Godhead, be it in any form, are true. Second, that
our translators were not inspired, and, that we have strong
presumptive proof that prejudice of education was in some instances stronger than the grammatical context, in translating these
contested points. Forinstance, the word translated obey between
husband and wife, is in but one instance in the New Testament the
word used between master and servant, parent and child, but is the

Austin, ~exas.

April,1980

Page 27

----,-

----~--

A JOYOUS ATHEIST
G. Richard Bozarth

THE CELIBACY DISEASE

and prominent clerics in Tuscany defended clerical marriage
as both moral and canonical."
(Ibid.) Many priests quit the
priesthood rather than take Paul's advice and be like him.
The bishops and priests had good reason to object to the
cruel imposition of celibacy on biblical grounds. For, as usual
in the Bible, the call to celibacy sounded so clearly in 1
Corinthians is contradicted by Paul himself in the third chapter
of 1 Timothy. Here, in listing the qualifications
of various
ministers,
he writes that bishops and deacons must. be
"married only once"; that is, not have been divorced. Paul
considered marriage in this instance as proof of the man's
competence to be a leader of tbe faithful by reasoning that "he
must be a good manager of his own household, keeping his
children under control without sacrificing his dignity; for if a
man does not know how to manage his own house, how can
he take care of the church of god?" (verses 1-12) How, argued
the anti-celibacy
faction, without a wife and children can a
man pass the Pauline test of competency for the position of
bishop?
The Church's response was that the passages in 1 Timothy
"seem fatal to any contention that celibacy was made obiigatory upon the clergy from the beginning, but on the other hand,
the apostle's desire that other men might be as himself (1 Cor.
7:7-8) precludes the inference that he wished all ministers of
the gospel to be married." (The Catholic Encyclopaedia, 1908
edition, Vol. 3, p. 483) This argument fails because in 1
Corinthians Paul only wished for celibacy, but in 1 Timothy the
language is that of command, using the terms "must be" and
"must not be." There was no wiShing about his command that
a man seeking to be a bishop must prove himself a good
husband and father first.
,"'.
Well, slippery exegesis is the trait of the true theologian, and
luckily one part of the Bible almost always contradicts another, so almost any desired dogma can be "proven" by the
. Bible. The motive forces behind giving the wishes of 1
Corinthians
ascendancy over the commands of 1 Timothy
were, and are, the fear of the influence of happiness, and the
rabid hatred of woman that is one of the founding traditions of
Catholicism. As O'Hair so clearly puts it. the triumph of the
pro-celibacy faction "was possible because of the low esteem
in which women were held. Other factors were of importance,
primarily the concept of holding in the unmarried priesthood a
power that could not be alienated from the service of the
Church through family ties, but without the general derogation of women it would not have been possible." (Women and
Atheism, p. 12)
As Anthony, the founder of Christian monasticism, put it in
the 3rd century A.D., "When you see a woman, consider that
youJace not a human being, but the devil himself." (found in
Women and Atheism, p. 12) If woman was this vile, how could
the married priest justify polluting
himself with such a
creature, then trying to serve the Church that is "conceived of
by her disciples as the Virgin Bride and as the pure Body of
Christ"? (The Catholic Encyclopaedia, Vol. 3, p. 481) With'
",":,oman in thedavs
of Gregory VII believed to be almost a

In his excellent book, The Psycho-Neurosis Called Christianity, John Gerber makes this wise observation: "Man has
profound wants and needs, both emotional and physical,
which are an integral part of happy, harmonious and worthwhile life. Contempt for, or suppression of. normal healthy
desires results in expression of these desires in a surreptitious
or an abnormal manner." (p. 23)
.
The sex desire is perhaps the profoundest physical need
essential to human happiness. This is why sex has been so
thoroughly abused by religion, in particular the Judeo-Christian religion. Happiness in this world is anathema to religion
because religion thrives on misery and unhappiness. As Paul
wrote in 1 Corinthians
7:30, "Those who are enjoying life
should live as though there were nothing to laugh about."
Happy people are less likeiy to have a sense of sin and
worthlessness
so essential to the priests, who derive their
power and wealth by debauching
human minds through
inculcating the sense of sin and worthlessness.
People enjoying a healthy sex life are happy people, and so
this source of happiness has always been the victim of savage
persecution by religion. For instance, in Iran as Khomeini and
his crew of fanatical mullahs reconstruct a medieval Islam
theocracy, the Komiteh has sprung up to dispense swift and
bloody Islamic "justice." Among the victims are so-called sex
criminals, such as the unmarried couple caught enjoying
themselves in the Caspian sea town of Amlash. For the crime
of daring to seek happiness ir\ this life, they were both publicly
flogged. The man got 25 lashes, while the 'woman got 1001
(reported in the Austin American-Statesman,
18 Mar 79)
Thanks to the psychosexual cripple Paul, Christianity began
corrupted with the dogma that celibacy is the preferred lifestyle. He declares, "It is a good thing for a man not to touch a
woman."(1 Cor. 7:1) Why? Because sex produces happiness
and the Christian should shun such physical happiness to use
his or her "body for the glory of god." (1 Cor. 6:20) He strongly
urged pure celibacy, but did allow marriage for the pitiful
weaklings who cannot resistthe need for sexual contentment.
The early Roman Catholic "thinkers" were enthusiastic over
the glories of celibacy. Tertulian (160-230) declared, "Celibacy is preferable, even if the human race goes to ground."
(found in Women and Atheism by Madalyn Murray O'Hair, p.
11) Paul had allowed marriage as a barely acceptable alternate to burning horniness. To avoid both, and attain a truly
perfect state of sacred celibacy, Origen (185-254)
made
himself a eunuch for Jesus, who is recorded in Matthew'
19: 11-12 as approving self-castration.
Despite such authorities and examples, the majority of the
clergy were reasonable normal human beings, and as such
were not enthusiastic
about celibacy. Nicolaitism (clerical
marriage or concubinage [i.e., shack-up)) was common for
centuries until Pope Gregory VII came into power in 1073. "He
attacked the problem with uncompromising
determination."
(The Age of Faith by Will 'Durant, p. 546) He met stern
opposition. "Reluctant to break up the families of their clergy,
blshops In Lombardy refused to promulgate these decrees,

Page 28

April, 1980

American Atheist

...........

~/

_..

......

--

-.

soulless beast or worse, the anti-celibacy faction had no good

argument for desiring to remain attached to women. When
the argument that it is "plainly fitting that this virgin Church
should be served by a virgin priesthood"
(Ibid.) was put to
them, the anti-celibacy faction eventually had to agree.
Although ittook four more popes to finally get the clergy to
accept the dogma of celibacy, Gregory VII deserves the
infamous credit for instituting celibacy as the chief distinction
of Roman Catholic priesthood. He cut the priests "off from
family and social ties .. It consolidated
the Church but it
dehumanized the Church." (Crux Ansata by H. G. Wells, p. 29)
The Catholic clergy was dehumanized
because normal expression of normal human needs and desires was' denied
them.

tried and convicted for having "raped a sick youth of 17 who

was asleep in the ward and could not defend himselt' because
his right arm was In a sling." (p. 14)
Small wonder that "Rome published a decree abolishing the
Westphalian province of the Franciscan Order." (p. 15)
The 13 March, 1978 issue of Time carried the charming
story of Sister Godfrida, a nun of the Apostolic Congregation of
St. Joseph in Wetteren, Belgium. She was living a bi-sexual
life on the sly by having simultaneous
affairs with a retired
missionary priest and with another nun who taught school in
Wetteren. What a sorry neurotic mess the woman had been
reduced to under the corrupting influence of trying to subdue
her healthy human desires ,in order to glorify god with her
body. To endure her distress, she became addicted to morphine and eventually reached the point of mental deterioration where she could murder three elderly patients in the
hospital sh!, worked in because they annoyed her on her nignt
shift.

The Devil Made 'Em Do It

The history of celibacy from Gregory VII on is a repugnant
chronicle of perversion. When one cannot behave normally to
normal stimulus, one will necessarily behave abnormally. The
stimulus demands a response, and no stimulus is more
demanding of a response than sexual stimulus.
Possession, it seems, is one means of abnormal response.
An example would be the nuns of Loudin in the 17th century.
Here took place one of the famous possession epidemics once
common enough in the Christian world. Jeanne de Anges,
mother superior to the nuns, left a fascinating autobiography
that testifies to the fact that perverted sexual desires led to her
possession.
Her sexual hunger was aroused by the famous womanizing
priest Urbain Grandier, one of the legions of Roman priests for
whom the title "Father" was more literal than honorific. She
attempted to persuade him to become the "confessor" of her
convent, but he refused. Unable to relieve her desires like a
normal woman, possession was her response to unhappy
horniness. Traugott K. Oesterreich observed that "it is not
surp,rising that the sexual feelings hitherto suppressed by her
religious calling should have broken violently loose during
possession." (Possession and Exorcism, p. 90)
Several other nuns became infected with demons. One of
the features of their antics during possession was "adopting
erotic postures." (Man, Myth, & Magic, Vol. 9, p. 1155) In the
freedom of possession where demons rather than themselves
were charged with responsibility
for their actions, their
normal, human sexual needs sought a perverted satisfaction
in such lewd, horrible antics. This is the result when humans
use their bodies for the glory of god.
In the 1930s a horrible scandal broke out in the Franciscan
Order of Germany, the history of which is told by Joseph
McCabe in his Vice In German Monasteries. The whole order
had become homosexual
and, as McCabe tells us, "the
sodomy was habitual and was confessed to be habitual, in
most cases." (p. 11) Homosexual seduction, or rape if necessary, was a common feature of the novitiate. They not only
enjoyed each other, they also enjoyed whomever else they
could seduce or rape. Being as the order had charge of
hospitals, availability of victims was not lacking.
One Brother Nicodemus stated plainly at his trial why the
sexual corruption took place. He blamed it quite rightly on the
"sexual starvation in the wretched conditions of monastic
life." (p. 15) Deprived of normal means of satisfying sexual
desire, the deprived had turned depraved. So, McCabe's
.history records too many instances like the one monk who was

Austin, Texas

The 7 March, 1979 issue of the Austin American-Statesman had a story about the Roman Catholic priest Jude'
Sivcoski, who had pleaded no contest to charges of sexual
abuse of a seven-year-old
boy. What can one expect from a
man brainwashed to believe that celibacy is good, and that it is
good for a man not to touch a woman? His normal desires got
tangled up in a religiously perverted psychosexuality,
and
finally expressed themselves in the rape of a seven-year-old
boy.
.
Despite the horrible history of the misery and crime produced by the unnatural condition oftrying to live by the rules of
celibacy for no other reason than to glorify an imaginary being,
Pope John Paul II in his first encyclical, Redemptor Hominis,
came out strongly supporting this proven corruptor of morality. He urged each priest to be "faithful tothe bond that he has
accepted forever. "JPTwo has declared that the reason priests
must continue this aberrant cause of so much perversion is for
the glory of the kingdom of god. (reported in the San Francisco
Chronicle, 10 Nov., .1978)
It is encouraging
to read that the kingdom of god is
becoming less and less attractive to those. who are required to
pursue it by celibacy. The annual defection of prie~ts from the
bond the pope thinks is eternal has risen from 1,000 in 1965 to
4,000 in 1978. The reason for this exodus is mainly celibacy.
These men want happiness in this world. They want the
normalcy of healthy sex lives.
I

Atheist Sexual Attitude

One of the gr~at freedoms of Atheism is a clean and healthy

sexuality. Our philosophy is one based on the recognition that
all the happiness a human will ever have is that which he or
she has while alive. We have no reason to condemn sex, or to
restrain the normal enjoyment of it, and every reason to
encourage it. Atheism acknowledges
that a healthy enjoyment of sex is an "integral part of happy, harmonious and
worthwhile
life," and the Atheist need never suffer the fate of
being psychosexually
corrupted like the poor wretches who
have been brainwashed
into believing all the nonsense the
dogma of celibacy comes dressed in.
However, Atheism also recognizes the fact that sexual lifestyles are widely divergent. There may be some who for
whatever reasons feel more comfortable with celibacy. Nietzsche, the brilliant Atheist philosopher of the 19th century,

April, 1980

[continued

on page 37]

Page 29

ON OUR.WAY
Ignatz Sahula-Dycke

ODDS AND ENDS

-

The error usually made in almost

every discussion of the relative merits
of Theism and Atheism is the failure of
both sides to engage in it on even
terms, so that neither side enters the
discussion with an advantage over the
other. The matter ought to be argued
from the viewpoint of time and place; .
of where and when the two forces
opposed each other, and what each
force then produced byway of meritorious results. There's nothing to be
gained by opposing a 20th century's
Atheistic premise with a dissertation
about the religious renaissance that
took place a thousan.d years before.

Locke
It has always been difficult to account for the enigmatic workings of
the human mind. Minds such as John
Locke's, for example. Here's a man
who, before he was thirty, already
showed signs of the philosophic brilliance which it took the world another
century to recognize, digest, and accord fitting acclaim. He was born irl.
1632 and died in 1704, and was admired and envied by the savants of his
day, a time when to be called progressive meant being a protector or defender of traditional
beliefs and
mores. Locke's incisive mind presented to the people of his time the insight
he had and dared to reveal, resulting
from his unabating questioning of the
turbulent Western ism into which he
was born and found not to his entire
. liking. I said I marvel at such minds
because, even though razor sharp,
they yet didn't perceive the very things
that today the man in the street accepts for granted more or less unap-"
preciatingly as his due. For example, I
doubt that our Declaration of Independence and Constitution
would.
have risen over the horizon to hearten
the Western peoples had our founding
fathers not have been prompted by
reading Locke's writings, of a century
before, to declare the independence of

Page 30

England's American colonies.

But the thing about Locke that's so
amazing is that, as close as he came td
it, he didn't take the step over the line
between revealed dogmatic religion
and the entirely unimpeded thinking
of Atheism. In this he was much like
Edmund Burke a generation or two
later(1 72.9-1797), who believed in the
divine. right of kings. Locke, in his
Letter Concerning Toleration, dissects
man's then-existing attitude toward
divinity so minutely as to force me to
assume that he, in that day, didn't take
that critical final step only because
feeling it would lose him his head - as
happened in the generation before his
own to Algernon Sydney. It's conceivable that Locke perceived, in his day,
that what he dared to publish was
sufficiently trenchant as. to lead irrevocably to thinking of the kind that,
.wouldn't fail to accomplish what that
missing overt step of his would have
been the .first to bellwether. Maybe
Locke was guided by the axiom that
urges I,IS to be bold, even bolder, but
not overbold, which depends on time
and place. However, between 1711
and 1776, David Hums undauntingly
took .that step; Locke's previously recorded thinking cleared the way for it.

Unitarians
Now, let's devote a bit of attention to
the Unitarians who, as a group, behave much as Locke did. They're so
close to being Agnostic or Atheist that
dust raised by the latter two when
walking on the other side of the line
prompts the Unitarian to fuss that it's
dulling his shoe shine. There's no
doubt about the Unitarians being intellectual. . Note that they're taken for
Christians by Christians even though
the Unitarians are know" for rejecting
the dqgma ofChrist's divinity, and for
belonging to the minority that even
. before inflation enjoyed incomes reflecting exceptional ability in commerce, and starred in the upper tax
bracket.

April,1980

Being listed and grouped as areligious group, they've preserved for

themselves the respectability which
their cousin Agnostics and Atheists
have to fight bitterly to be accorded in
public by the so-called Christians of
the standard variety. Too, as an Atheist. I've never felt that I lost caste, or
face, by sitting in a Unitarian meetinghouse, nor, I've noticed, do Unitarians
view me as an intruder, spy, or mischief-maker. Why ought they, or might
they? Heck, even Thomas Jefferson
took refuge in their midst when cornered by colonial self-righteous diehards. So have others for reasons
unnumbered.
Nevertheless, it never fails to 'nonplus me somewhat why it is that the
Unitarians rarely depart from the circumambience of their bailiwick. Like
John Locke, they don't cross the line
that divides the Theist from the Atheist. I feel almost sure why, and hence
have to only assume that were I a
Unitarian
I'd know. ~ever having
asked a Unitarian to tell me why; and
being an Atheist who r.ojkes theistic
answers with a pinch of salt, I verily
believe I'm stuck with an A for speculating about this, and an F for
results.
So, here's the top intellectually endowed group among the Christians
that, sofar as I know, doesn't appearto
have perceived the irrational knots
abounding throughout the fabric. of
the Christian legend which - even
accepting itthe way Saul wove it: with
Jesus a real person and all no
sensitive mind could have any desire
for except making it into a tunic ample
enough to cover up the hypocrisy of
their existence today, which present
society now exacts from those who
say they're Christians in deference to
Westernism's
generally
accepted
conventions.
The hypocrisy is a must today,
there's no escaping it - not for one
calling himself a Christian of any genera or species, who has to scratch out

American Atheist

a living. Is it really hard to face facts?

Facts such as Christianity's being an
artifice woven out of the shoddy of
previous religions? Or facts such as
the religion being anti-human, and
consequently a destructive theosophy
- no better than a shoot-tern-up movie? Sure it's hard, bet on it. I've seen
little kids cry when told there's no
Santa Claus. Not that the religion ever
gave anything for free, as Santa did.
Basically, all it gave, ever, was cheap
solace tothose whom it first made into
slaves of its grisly fables, slaves whom
itthreatened with devilishly cruel punishments if they rebelled - and called
upon its sLiper-djinn to back it up. I fail
to see why facts of th is ki nd are ha rd to face since rejection of all such beliefs results in nothing but a mind returned
to its pristine state. The state once
again enabling the human to use his
mind for better purposes than superstitious orgiastics.

Reporter. And JP Two

Our newspaper reporters and feature writers worked like little-beavers

during the recent visit of John Paul II

to our shores. I feel sure that, in the
Vatican, the fiscal department already
began counting the flood of lucre that
as a result of the visit probably began
to stream into the Holy See's treasury.
I said "probably", but now feel sure of
it because the news recently released
from that holy quarter already foxily
mentioned the penury from which the
Vatican's
treasury
was suddenly
found to be suffering. Well, maybe the
newsmen worked like beavers seeing
that like them the pope was energetically occupied in our bounteous forest
and stream - something no prime
specimen of Castor romanensis would
deny himself. The concomitant bowing and scraping, the ring-kissing and
handshaking, the smiling amidst tears
and sobbing was so maudlin as to
make DeMille green with envy - and
yearning for resurrection so he might
in some phony epic present it in technicolor. It was jolly, every bit of it.
Afterwards the Infallible One dropped
no few of the appropriate homilies to
those who gathered in the United
Nations edifice off New York's 44th

Street and then, winded, winged

home - picnic over. The visit, a comedy to me and my kind, 'possibly entrenched a few minds (7),both Catholic
and Protestant, more deeply in their
orthodoxy, but did no more good for
our USA than do Ayatollah's fanatics
for Iran and her future. The Pole is a
pro thespian, no doubt about it, white
raiment and all. Wish him luck and all
that, I'll pass. But I'm considerably
worried about what my reaction will
be when I'm turned away. from the
pearly gates - as l'llsurelv be - and
see all those newspapermen sporting
crowns set chock full with scintillant
starsthey earned during the Infallible
One's performance here.

********************

Ages ago, in a city of ancient

Greece, its people once erected an
obelisk testifying to the evident intellectual shortcomings of the human
animal. It was enchiseled as follows:
"To,the Unknown God." ~

NOT TOO CLEAN!

Angeline Bennett
LOVE MAY HAVE TIPTOED BY
There are dreams that are born
To remain only dreams:
Never told, never dared
Growing old, never shared.
There are schemes in the dawn
That remain only schemes
Never fed, never blown
Growing dead, never known.
If a spark had touched the tinder
What a wild, uproarious din
What a conquest, what a fusion
What a theme there might have been

TIME BALM
I remember a bridge
And a young man's arms
And a moon, discreetly clouded .....
I recall a dream,
An occesionsl siqh,
A vague love, misty
shrouded.
OSCFlR@/80

Austin, Texas

April, 1980

Page 31

The American Atheist Radio

LLOYD THOREN
Program 403 - July 24~1976
KLBJ Radio - Austin, Texas
Hello there, this is Madalyn Murray O'Hair, American Atheist,
back to talk with you again with the famous Mr. T. Will you
please introduce yourself?

That is exactly how it is in the United States, of course,

because people learn their value judgments. Regrettably here
all you get is a.continuous lambasting from the various church
radio broadcasters,
which is dull and boring. I am surprised
that people can attend church as regularly as they do, because
of boredom;
a repetition
of the same thing droning
incantations,
Sunday after Sunday. I don't know how people
can put up with that.

I am noted to be Mr. T. primarily in southern Indiana. It is a

popular nickname which. developed one year in my active
Atheism period.
Mr. T., can you tell us a little about the inception of your idea'
of Dial-an-Atheist
which brought you this local fame?
It did not originally start out with the idea of dialing an
Atheist number. It grew from the installation
of my own
personal telephone answering machine. When I found out
that I had more announcement
time than I needed, I proceeded to add a philosophy of my own. beginning slowly at
first. Gradually, as it grew in popularity I added more philosophy and finally more lines and more machines. Soon I was
keeping busy about three or four hours a day making new
tapes and also having a period after high school hours around
3:30 to 4:30 to answer questions from children.
Mr. T., did you advertise?
No, fortunately
I did not have to do any advertising.
The
callers, just by word of mouth, found out about the number.
More and more people called until I had a regular, steady
running thing. I used a wide range of subjects ranging from
abortion to kinds of humor, myths and fallacies of sex, and, of
course, always laying in a good bit about the wonderful
aspects of Atheism.
Actually any kind of discussion in respect to sex, too, is a
church/state
separation idea because it is usually the religious community trying to lay their morality on all of us which
causes difficulty, isn't it?

You diversified a lot on your program. Can you tell a little

about reactions also? Were persons permitted to leave messages and what kind of messages did they leave? Who called?
, Were you getting little old ladies in tennis shoes, orthe young
people? Give us a bit more history on this.
I did aim mostly at younger people primarily at the children
in school. Older people pretty much have their minds made up
and they are very difficult to change. I notice that many of the
commercial companies - that sell cigarettes or soft drinks
-aim
their advertising
at the- young because there is the
future of the market. probably for the simple reason that the
Catholic Church is so gung-ho about having parochial schools
where it can indoctrinate
the youth. One's value judgments
are learned. The adult peers and teachers, when one is a child
seem
give value judgments on everything and one learns
what is beautiful, what is not, what one thinks about one's
own morality, what one thinks about sex.
,.
Did you give time for a reply to your message? And if so, what
kind of replies did you get?

Yes, it is. The religious community seems to be very anti-sex

and, of course, has been for a large number of years, most of
us are aware of that. They would dearly love, it appears, to
make the church laws, rules, 'regulations and mores the rule of
this land. I have been very sharply opposed to that.
Tell us just a little bit more. I am delighted to hear about it.
The American Atheist Center has establ ished now, with every
American Athe~st Chapter, we .are making it a requirement
that they have a Dial-an-Atheist
program. Can you give us
some samplings of the various groups, if you can remember
them, of the messages and w.isdom? What did vou call it? "The
. Wisdom and Wit of Mr. r,"?
I started every tape by stating "This is the wise prophet and
Atheist, Mr. T." Then ~would proceed to say something like the
following "You lire born here, you must be a Christian. If
you were born in Israel. you would be a Jew; in Egypt or
Arabia, a Moslem; you see. you are what you are taught to be. "

Page 32

.April, 1980

'0

I did talk to lots and lots of young people. Usually, I was

answering questions that they had about things that their
parents would not answer or could hot talk to them about. I did
a lot of research for the answers to questions I gave. I got
asked many interesting
questions - many silly questions
=but. of course, I felt that every question'deserved
an answer
and I did my very best to took up the answers and to assure the
accuracy.
'
Can you give us some samples of answers?
Usually, the young people expressed a lack of knowledge
concerning sex. They talked about pre-marital
sex. I always
regularly warned everybody particularly
the young children
that sex is grand and is lots of fun. but to use a little judgment.
It can result in making a baby and that is about an eighteenyear project when one begins one of those little rascals. l em
glad that many people listened. But if one uses precautions, I
am gung-ho for any kind of sex. It is just a very enjoyable kind
of experience, but at-the same time one has to do types of
activities productive in other ways.
One of the

features,

of course,

that

comes

into

play

American Atheist

constantly has to do with masturbation

and whether or not
venereal disease isn't a visitation from god for engaging in the
activities of sexual intercourse. So I am interested in knowing
how you handled the matter of masturbation,
or venereal
disease, those two specific subjects, in relationship,
to
r!'lligion?
The Christians teach that one has an omnipresent god. So, if
one is about 14, 15 or 16 years old and gets some natural body
urges and decides, "1 am going to get a Playboy magazine and
salt myself away into the bathroom and fantasize myself
together with a beautiful woman while masturbating, " why,
one would tend to be concerned if one took the concept of an
omnipresent god seriously. There one is sitting in the most
private place to be found and yet, there is a constant nagging
fear that some god is looking over a shoulder. Now with this
kind of a feeling, you can otten learn to feel very guilty' and
ashamed, in spite of the fact- that one is doing a perfectly
normal, natural thing.
How did you handle the idea of venereal disease? One of the
things that I do constantly, when I am speak'ing at a college, I
say that if everybody coming to church every single Sunday
would be given a shot of penecillin, we would probably be able
to eradicate venereal disease almost overnight in America. I
get quite a reaction to that. How did you handle the venereal
disease subject?
lconsider that the spread of venereal disease is caused by
the shame that is incutceted In our youth by the church. If
people were not so embarrassed by the condition of their
genitals and anything relating thereto, they would treat a
venereal disease much as any other disease - like go to a
doctor. But people, you see, fear the onus of getting a venereal
disease. It is regrettaple because if they just said outright,
"Doggone it, I've got it and I will just go to,a doctor," that is the
way. But many people don't do that. And that is a shame.
If one has a hangnail one will cut it off, but if one has a
venereal disease, that is something one can hide in drawers
some place. If one is ashamed of the activity that brought that
venereal disease then one can spread it rather than going and
getting the proper kind of treatment.
Yes, many people are so embarrassed that they will suffer
with a venereal disease for a long period of time rather than go
to see a doctor. That is terrible that one group of people could
lay this kind of guilt and embarrassment feeling on another
group.
That's right. I think that anxiety and fear are probably the
most eroding emotions for people every place. What else did
you talk about? Did you get into any other kind of issues such
as aid to parochial, schools or abortions? Did you run an
abortion referral service for instance?
No, I did not. One of the things that I always laid on was
something to the effect of advertising the inefficacy of prayer. I
would say something like "This is the wise prophet and
Atheist, Mr. T. If you are sick would you go to church and pr..ay
to get well, or would you go to a hospital and see a doctor? Mr.
T. knows."
I know that praying isn't going to do one a nickers worth of
good. Getting up and pulling oneself up by one's bootstraps,
doing what one wants to do, getting it done oneself, is the only
way that one is going to help oneself. Now this is the message
that I constantly repeated and I am very proud to, I am sure,
have helped many young people.
I am delighted, too. Mr. T., would you mind telling everybody
who you are?

Austin, Texas

.Jon Murray speaking with Lloyd Thoren

I am Lloyd Thoren. I live in Petersburg, Indiana.
Mr. T., you were religious once upon a time weren't you?
Apparently families start people out that way.
Yes, I was confirmed in the church. My parents did not like
the Methodist Church at one time so they sent me to one of the
strong, more fundamentalist types, which in this case was the
Lutheran Church. I attended church for a long time, tried to do
the establishment
thing, even taught Sunday School for
awhile, but then as I began to have increased doubts as to the
efficacy and values of religion and religious training, I started
to read an entirely different kind of book. Many years later I
gradually learned that there is a lot more to life and living than
,just following the crowd like a sheep.
When you first went to college, were you still religious?
Yes, I tended toward that direction. However, I did take an
interesting and exciting course in anthropology at North
Western University. This, coupled with my, own natural
curiosity, gradually led me to the happy time which I am
enjoying now as an Atheist.
'.
Where in the world would you get Atheist books of any kind
either in North Western UniverSity or Southern
Indiana,
where you live? How did you come across Atheism and what
were you able to read? What books started you on it - besides
the anthropology?
It was extremely difficult to find Atheist books. When I
began I really did not have access to any Atheist books. They
just were not currently available. I did not realize there were as
many as now I know that 'there are. I first began by reading
books like The Territorial Imperative by Robert Ardrey, Man in
Nature, by Marston Bates. In Man in Nature, Marston's first
sentence is "Man is clearly an animal." Once one realizes the
truth of that statement and understands that we are classified
by our own definition as an upright primate in the category.
homo sapiens, that kind of a realization is the beginning of one
coming to know that one is a part of the animal kingdom
-simply
because we can walk better on our hind legs than
any other critter does not necessarily make us any different.
We have lungs the same as a frog or a dog or a snake. All of our
skeletal structure is very nearly identical with all of the other
mammals. This was really the beginning of finding the truth
about myself and the world in its environment.

April,1980

Page 33

I think that this is a very important point. We have lost

course, many people turn fa the ultimate escape and that is
reference to the fact that we are a part of all of nature. I - called suicide: But I strongly advise - no one should try this
become particularly furious when I enter a store and it says
method of escape. One can always change from an alcoholic
'No animals allowed'. I usually go up to the management and
to a pretty decent sort of a guy, or from a religious nut to a
say, "How dare you put up a sign like that?" because we are
pretty decent soft of a guy or instead of deciding to spend the
governed by the same laws of attraction, we are governed by
rest of one's life in a mental institution
one can 'decide to
the same laws of sexuality as all of the other animals and I
straighten
up and face the world realistically
as one of its
think that it is important for everybody to know that.
proud members.
Wher~ did you go from there, Mr. T.? What was the next
But suicide is rather irreversible, isn't it?
most decisive factor, other than the impactful idea that you
Yes, suicide is a permanent adjustment, you might say.
were a part of the animal kingdom?
One of the things that finally has irritated me most about
., began to study psychology. I really worked at that, reading
numerous books in the field of psychology and the effects of
behavioral training. I soon teemed that what people think
about things usually comes from older people who have
taught them almost identically the way they were taught.
Often times they don't really think about what they are doing,
they just go ahead and repeat the same mistakes that their
parents taught them and that their mother and father taught
them.
.

religion is the anxiety-ridden quality of it -the whole concept

of "You are no damn good". What do you think in relationship
to that.
The beginnings

Right, behavioral training is a matter of a great deal of

importance in psychology. Most people learn to be neurotic. In
the study of psychology one learns the great escapes from life
and living. They are drugs, which include - of course alcohol. Then there is insanity. One can opt out of life and
escape through insanity. Another is religion. One can just not
worry about life and living today because there is heaven
tomorrow. That gives one a choice so one really doesn't have
to try so hard in this life knowing full well in one's mind's eye
that one is going to heaven. These things are all taught. Of

....
--

for an individual

are that you are

one to lose self-esteem. Instead of being proud of oneself as

an important part of the animal kingdom, instead of working
hard, instead of having a very high opinion of oneself and
saying, "Boy, I'm great. 'I'm terrific", one is taught that one is
just a no-good (firty rotten sinner. This is very contrary to
development to any sense of self-esteem. So, one always runs
around feeling ashamed of oneself and this is the beginning of
becoming a very serious neurotic.

Thisis why the Roman Catholic Church says so wisely, "Give

me a child until he is six and he is mine."

oo[P)ITfr~

of religion

a no good dirty rotten sinner. Of course, this tends to ceuse

Mr. T.; I notice in your life style that you are pretty much able
to take care of your own problems and I think this flows from
the fact that you have such a strong, healthy ego. But one of
the things that I would like for you to talk about is the fact that
religion tells us that we cannot solve our problems, that we
must go outside of ourselves - to a god - through prayer to
solve problems. I know vou have some strong feelings on that.
[continued on pg. 37]

saves another sole

+----i

....~

..

Page 34

April, 1980

American Atheist

NATURES WAY
Gerald Tholen
WHERE WAS I WHEN I NEEDED ME?
As I look back over the past few
years I.can begin to realize the seemingly futile circumstances that continually engulf mankind. On few occasions do great numbers of people put
their shoulders to the wheels of intellect when there is need. So - down
through history, we are able to record
the names of "heroes of the hour" in
only a few volumes of historical writing. Seldom does anyone reflect on
how small this number of valued persons seems when placed along side all
the billions who move about without
significance. And, why is it that a great
many of these heroes are deemed
"great" simply because in some memotable moment of their lives they simply thought and acted rationally, honestly, and with determination. Aremental categories such as these actually so rare among human attributes?
.What really separates the significant from the insignificant? Why only
a small list of "revered" names in
comparison to an endless listing of
numerically computed statistical ne'erdowells? I hear the statement quite
often: "We can't all be great." And I'm
compelled to wonder: "Why not? The
fewcould7"
In each case I find that the "great"
people had only the same physical
equipment that is common to us all.
An extensive study was made concerning the mental abilities of the late
Albert Einstein and it seems he was
equipped with a brain capacity that
would compare with that of an average human. Why then are we not ALL
deep, thoughtful, intelligent, and sincere people - he was.
I also wonder why we find that so
many of the "great minds" seem to
have been products of the past. It
would seem that as the world population doubles so should our numbers of
deep thinkers double. To the contrary,
however, they seem to be fewer than
before. The ensuing deficit seems to
impale us on the promise of a reduced

Austin, Texas

standard of living .....

less energy
resources, less affordable conveniences, even less hopefufexpectations
in education. Where shall the blame
for these negative situations rest? On
the geniuses of the past who were so
thoughtless as to die and leave us here
alone - all 5 or 6 billion of us?
To me it's quite obvious what the
problem isl Of course, I've been fortunate enough to have been in a position, sociologically, from which I could
observe the maze we call civilization.
Also, I've had the opportunity to talk
with, study, and evaluate people of all
persuasions. It doesn't take long to
learn what a given person or group
will do under a given set of circumstances. The one main advantage that
I may have had in realizing the problem was that I became able to see
MYSELF included as part of society ....
.. sufferi ng the sa me deficiencies, and
patterning myself in the same mental
molds as any other insignificant Earthling.
To my amazement, as I read of the
youthful history of the "great minds," I
found them to be no different. Their
only variation of style was that they
chose to walk their minds in the fields
of inquisitive imagination instead of
mentally catnapping while any hope of
genius or thoughtfulness passed them
by.

The Most Luxurious Experience

The conscious mind of a new born
infant is like an empty blotter. Some
such minds are nev~r used and remain almost the same throughout entire lifetimes .....
devoid of much
information at all. Others, those ofthe
great geniuses, are used to blot up
facts and bits of knowledge that leave
patterns of logic and understanding.
Less fortunate infant minds become
mentally blackened because they are
forced to absorb the spilled ink of
ignorance and superstition and indoc-

April, 1980

trination.
It boils down to this: our organic
physical systems evolved for a natural
purpose. The micro-organisms
that
eventually became intelligent creatures, commonly referred to as humans, did so because it was a part of
their natural chemical structure to be
active and animated. That alone separated us from the "rocks" of inor-.
ganic substance. Non-use of this system of energetic existence, or deficient use of it, provides that the finished
product or "adult" will be mentally
malformed. It is NOT a luxury to rest
-it is a luxury to do thingsl
With this in mind, and with the
knowledge that the brain is ultimately
the most important organ of our bodies, it would naturally follow that
thought. the independent exercise of
the mind, is the most luxurious experience we could imagine. (I hope'
that you will note the word independent precedes the words "exercise of
the mind.") If someone else supplies
your thoughts for you through indoctrination, your blotter will only become
soiled with their patterns of thought
whether good or bad. Notable desired
differences can NOT have been added.
As I sit here now writing this selfproclaimed "wisdom," I must again
ask myself: "Where was MY mind
when I needed it?" I suppose that it
never occurred to me that I needed it
all along. Like many before me, I just
laid there "rock-like" depending on
someone else to do the doing.
One thing is sure .....
we can't
rearrange the past. History is only
images in our memory. Those images,
however, are part of our education. If
we can seize upon, through history,
even a small bit of understanding, we
can change our abilities. Maturity is
the goal reached when a person becomes able to comprehend logic. Unfortunately, great masses of immature
people permeate our culture. They just
never seem to arrive at that logical

Page 35

point in life. Also, some people are

legitimately immersed in immaturity
due to the total blotting of their minds
with ignorance supplied superficially
by others. Why any normal human_
mind should be capable of accepting
supernaturalism
in the year 1980 is
beyond comprehension. This suggests
absolute loss of rationality.

Continuous Evolutionary
Change
When the circumstances of myexistence finally dawned on me, I resolved
immediately to put to use any ability
that I might have been able to muster
in an effort, not to catch up with a'ny
individual genius I might have read
about, but to spawn growth of my own
individual intellect. If the grand total of
knowledge is left to that attained by
those geniuses who preceded us, then
!t follows that nothing will ever improve after their deaths. Knowledge,
once attained, becomes less siqnificant and serves then as a stairstep to
more knowledge. If we allow our personal mental "blottings" of past experience in education to be our goals
for mental achievement - why live at
all? Surely, increased knowledge is as
precious to life as life itself.
'
Consider for a moment the fact that
we are all part of a system of continuous evolutionary change. So long as
we improve and cope with existence,
we will manage to survive. If we
should find ourselves without sufficient advanced intellectual achievement, as did the great lizards, we will
become extinct the same as they. The
complex intellectuality
of humanity
has provided us with an extenuating
ability to remain, but enough carelessness in regard to continued enlightenment will allow "Middle East"
mentality to annihilate us.
When I first met Madalyn O'Hair, I
was impressed primarily by the fact
that here was a person capable of
thinking individually regardless of public opinion. The fact that she could do
so, matter-of-factly,
suggested that
others could do so also. The personal
challenge then becomes, not competing with Dr. O'Hair, but competing
intellectually with one's self. In this
light one can only gain. By demanding
a disciplined, logical format and utilizingvalid information that is available,
one can acquire the building blocks of
intellect necessary to expand whatever ability one might possess.

Page 36

In my case, like many others, I was

immediately confronted by local societies' disillusionment with logical thinking. Very quickly I was identified as a
"heretic" ..... Aren't we (Atheists) all?
What happened for me afterward was
inevitable; that sudden taste of intellectual freedom seemed to immunize
me from the plague of surrounding
ignorance. Not that I claim to be highly
intellectual, only that I came to view
insane ignorance in a proper perspective for all time.
Once you have reached that point
you can never return ..... you can only
pity those who remain there. I remember recalling, in a physical sense, Patrick Henry's Words, "Give me liberty
or give me death." In an intellectual

sense I now understand f-;is statement. If it were possible to rob me of

my meager ability to comprehend, intellectually I would return to mentally
inorganic existence of the past.
Why are self-respecting, intelligent
Atheists allowing this facit of true
freedom to be repressed? The very
core of pleasurable existence lies, in
our abilityto rise above fear and ignor~'
ance. If personal fear of being identified as an intelligent creature remains, as in the case of closet Atheists, everything that you've gained in
comprehension is lost in that repression. The real tragedy is that it's not
only lost to those around you, but it's
lost to the person who counts most
.-yourself.~$

HEY VIT(JI(JP T1fellli.

P"N'T h'MRY WE: III1LY
110RE
A'/ THE SHIP CAN GO FULL A/IEAD/

April,1980

,41(.157"

PA'AY A /.17TLE

American Atheist

[continued

from pg. 34]

Yes, she was. We, of course, both agree that we should

follow some of the learned p~ychoJogists like B.F. Skinner,
Albert Ellis, Nathaniel Brandon, and many others who have
now been leading the way and realizing that people are not
born neurotic. They are taught to be neurotic by their parents,
teachers, and regrettably, church teaching which lays on so
heavily all of this mythical business and miracle stuff which
has no basis in fact whatsoever.

Would you tell us about them?

Anyone that expects to resolve anything through belief in a

kind of supernatural being - it does not matter which one it
may happen to be - any source of supernatural
help is just
absolutely useless and senseless. It is an exercise in futility.
There is no way that there is ever anything supernatural, there
never has been and there undoubtedly never will be. It is just a
simple fact of life that we are no different than any other
This leads us to a very bad conclusion thoueh.because
it is
mammal. That hope, the idiotic system of trying to find help
constantly the older folks, whom we cannot teach, who are
some place else, out in the ether, is just silly. I just feel sad for ' teaching the younger folks.
people that spend their time and energy in this fruitless
I think we can reach out to all people. One of the things that I
exercise.
used to do on my tapes was to recite something out of JohnAs the wise prophet and Atheist, Mr. T., what do you say to
3: 16 or something like that, and say in the manner of a teacher
people when they say "I am praying for you"?
(here he emphasized a voice delivery): "For God so loved the
world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever
I get that a lot.
believeth in him shall not perish but have everlasting life." And
I do too, and I would like to hear another Atheist speak to
-then would say, "Now, come on, who could buy a package like
that.
that?"
I usually ignore all those kinds of things. I think probably the
most ....,....
the worst thing that somebody can say to me is
something like, "There, there, I understand that you are an
Atheist, but pretty soon, one -day, you will see the light. " I can
tell this entire listening audience that I have seen the light and
that I am an Atheist. That is the light and the truth. The rest of
that stuff about sky-daddy, J. e. superstar, and the holy spook
is just fantastic imagination - an invented story that gullible
people continue to buy.
Is that the way you referred to the holy trinity on your
"Dial-an-Atheist"
program?
Yes, I did refer always to the trinity as sky-daddy, J.e.
superstar, and the holy spook. It seemed the best way to go for
me. It was a little irritating to the local ministerial association,
but then almost anything I said on my tapes was a little
irritating to them, so it did not bother me.

This is Lloyd Thoren, the Chapter Director of the state of

Indiana for the Society of Separationists,
Inc. and an articulate, wise prophet and Atheist. Well, Lloyd, I usually say
something in parting ... "For god so loved his only son that he
killed him." That is sick.
Thank you for being with us on this program, Lloyd Thoren,
and wise prophet Mr. T.
This informational
broadcast is brought to you as a public
service by the Society of Separationists,
Inc., a non-profit,
non-political, tax-exempt, educational organization dedicated
to the complete separation of state and church. This series of
American Atheist Radio Programs is continued through listener generosity. The Society of Separationists,
Inc., predicates
its philosophy on American Atheism. For more information,
write to P.O. Box 2117, Austin, TX 78768. ~

I hope that you will be able to establish an Atheist Radio

Series in Indiana. Have you found an Atheist woman?
Oh yes, I have a very lovely wife. She and I work together in
the cause of Atheism, primarily to let people know that there
are lots of Atheists around, who are very happy people, who
enjoy life and living. That's important, because - when I was
growing up as a young boy I did not even know there were
Atheists actually - now, I found out - and boy, am I grateful
andhiJppy.
Another thing that I think you should perhaps speak to,
Lloyd, is this: most of the Atheists who I know are comfortable
and happy people. We put a premium on personal happiness
whereas the religious community puts a premium on suffering and sin and they must be constantly disabused of that.
The happy life style should have some selling points. Do you
want to speak a little bit to your personal philosophy, to
happiness versus suffering?
Surely, I used to be concerned greatly with what everybody
thought about me. I tried to placate the establishment.
That is
an expression that I have often used. I tried to please
everybody and do their thing, much to the detriment of the
enjoyment of my own life. Then, one day, I thought to myself, I
am not going to live that way anymore. I am going to do my
own thing. I love people. I don't ever hurt anybody. Ijust live my
own life style. I don't wear ties anymore because they confine
my neck. It is silly to wear clothing that is very discomforting. I
am relaxed with my beautiful wife.
Your wife Pam was a psychology

Austin; Texas

major, too, wasn't

she?

[continued from pg. 29]

was
celibate person because he believed that abstinence
increased his mental vigor and made him a freer individual.
Nietzsche's reasons for celibacy came from within himself,
and were the result of his personal desires in the manner in
which he preferred to live. His celibacy was not diseased
because it was 'neturel to his nature, and not an artificial
imposition by an outside force demanding it for reasons of its
own.
That Nietzsche was celibate, and recommended celibacy,
has not - cannotl - corrupt all Atheism to take a position of
-cotnpellmq celibacy on Atheists. Atheism acknowledges that
in sexual life-styles the individual must behave as is natural to
the individual's
nature. The only restraints are the moral
prohibitions
against using another adult against his or her
will, or using a child too young to understand the experience
enough to have a will in regards to sex.
Atheism by its nature is sexual liberation.

April,1980

Page 37

Film
.
Review

KRAMER VS KRAMER

elaine stansfield
This month, faced with the choice of
seeillg In Search of the HistoricJesus
andthat much acclaimed soap opera
Kramer Vs. Kramer, my courage failed
me and I opted for Kramer after watching the television trailer show Jesus
walkinQ on the water.
What I discovered, to my delight, is
that there is an occasional piece of
good soap opera among the standard
lousy soap operas, and Kramer is very
good soap opera. Furthermore, aside
from an "Oh, Godl" (which is a crisisoriented phrase 'meaning "What willI
do?") here and there, there is not a
shred of religion in this whole tearjerker about which parent shall have
custody of the angel-faced
Billy,
played with remarkable naturalness
by Justin Henry. He almost eclipses a
splendid performance by Dustin Hoffman as thefather, and a luminous one
by Meryl Streep as the mother.
A couple years ago, I was approached, as an assistant editor of a small
publishing house here in Los Angeles,
by a man who wanted to write a 'book
on the terrible way society treats the.
men in divorce, denying a man custody of his children, making him pay
alimony regardless of the wife's earning capacity or his sometimes lesser
one, putting him in jail (where he can
earn nothing) for failure to pay, and a
host of other ills. The man's book was
an angry polemic, often taking his
case into the stratosphere of hyster- .
ical nonsense, despite the fact that
some of his points were effective and
true. Kramer Vs. Kramer is an-outgrowth of some of the thinking that
went into that man's cause, for although we didn't publish the book, the
cause became a kind of club which
rapidly gained adherents ... a club of
men angry with women for taking
them to the cleaners, so to speak.
The story is a simple, one, 'deceptively so in that it draws you into the
lives of these people totally by the time

it nears the end. The character of the

mother seems unrealized in the beginning, until later you see that was on
purpose, for she herself was unrealized when she left her husband and
small son "to find herself" - it has
unfortunately
become a cliche for
such women to say "I needed to know
who I am" - and to go to.Califomia in
search of a good therapist.
.1 say unfortunately, for, as she explains later in, the film, she had gone
from one set of clearly defined rules of
what she was supposed to be in her
father's home, to another set as wife
and mother, with no time in between
to figure out her own set of rules. It is
.to the credit of the script and direction

. 'ff"i3~
iff. 0~.J

.... '----t-...I~.d-df\
_~~I~.

has

Nevertheless, her act is the sort that

fires up audience antagonism, for she'
simply walks. out of the apartment,
leaVing the husband and son to fend
for .themselves. It then becomes their
story, for we see Kramer's enormous
. struggle to cook, keep house and nurture the boy and try to keep his job at
the same time. In eventually succeeding at the first, he is doomed to lose the.
second, for the long hours devoted
the advertising agency accounts were
one of the many elements which had :
created difficulties in his marriage"
The mother's return 18"months later changes the seemingly idyllic life
built up between the father and son
with a bitter custody lawsuit. She has,
indeed, found herself, including a job
that pays more than his.
It is too bad that the film at this point
has, so to speak, deified the father for
doing what a million women are doing"
today! unsung:
working,
keeping
house and caring for children in the
absence of a spouse. But at any tate it
is good that this father now under-'
stands the frustrating
dlfflculties 'it
presents. The ending is perhaps unrealistic, for it seems to suggest there
may still be a chance for the parents to
get together. At the same time it suggests that the mother is willing to give
up the boy as she comes to understand
the father's struggle, but there may be
no satisfactory ending to the dilemma'
in today's times. It is, in any case, a
well done film and will undoubtedly
spring a few tears.,~

to

!{!;--

"Life

that Kramer learns this for himself

when he attempts-to explain.it.to Billy:
"You see, I think I was trying to make
her into the kind of. person I wanted.
her to be, or thought she ought to be,
without
thinking
about what she
wanted to be;" It isas if the woman is
saying first' she has the father-god,
then the husband-god, then the songod, and nothing for her personally
anywhere.
...-.

never be'en very kind to

me ... "

Page 38

April, 1980

American Atheist

Book Review
THE LOGIC AND VIRTUE
OF ATHEISM
The Logic and Virtue of Atheism by Joseph McCabe (abridged by G. Richard Bozarth) is the latest publication from
the American Atheist Press. It fulfills the need of a basic
statement of the logic of Atheism as the only philosophy that
makes sense in a civilization where astronauts walk on the
moon and science has revealed enough secrets of biology to
demonstrate the non-existence of the soul (whether an
individual soul or the supersoul called god), and the virtue of
Atheism in terms of how rational, Atheistic reasoning can
Joseph McCabe at 75
serve such a scientifically advanced society to the betterment
of all humans.
It is not surprising that it was among the works of Joseph religion's necessity to civilization. So, in this part he shows
McCabe that this basic, concise, eloquent argument was how the absence of religion would not hurt society, while its
discovered. As stated in Bozarth's introduction, "This work is a continuance is a constant threat. and that only Atheism
hybrid of two 1936 Haldeman-Julius
publications, 'Does provides the rational, realistic philosophy by which to reconAtheism Rest It's Case On Logic?' and 'Would a Godless World struct human civilization.
Make for Social Progress or Decline?'. They were part of .a
Again the argument is wholly convincing. However, it is, or
series called 'The Freethinker's Library: which was one ofthe . should be, disturbing to read in the final chapter McCabe's
many series of booklets McCabe wrote for Haldeman-Julius."
analysis on why "the clergy, though they now have the
They were written after 40 years of research, lecturing, and allegiance only of a minority, are suffered to obstruct the
writing for the cause of Atheism. Being one of the great progress of civilization." It must be remembered that this was
historians of this century, McCabe's argument rings with an written in 1936, and then he gave as the chief reason "the
authority that is both persuasive and reassuring.'
general apathy of the churchless majority." It is sad, if not
Perhaps the most interesting thil)g about Part One, "The painful, to realize that this has not changed in 44 years.
Logic of Atheism," is McCabe's firm assertion that "their basic
What's even more damning, McCabe gave as the cause of
principle, that you cannot prove a negative, is false." Those the "churchless" apathy, their lack of an organization through
referred to by the term "their" are theistic writers who allow which to offer a viable, vital challenge to Christianity, which is
thatAtheism is logical, however, he mayaswell have1ncluded
highly organized. It is the organization of the major sects that
most Atheists as well. He has three proofs for proving the allow them to dominate society, culture, government, and
nonexistence of god. One is that theologians the world over, their goal, as McCabe points out, is not to improve the lot of
but especially in the West, have been seeking proofs of god human beings, but solely to preserve and increase their power
ever since serious skepticism arose with the development of and prestige. What would he write now, seeing that Atheists
the great ancient civilizations of Egypt, Greece, and Rome. The continue to apathetically remain submissive to religionists
only "proofs" have turned out to be 'philosophical nonsense (always excepting a valiant few) even though there exists an
arguments of design, beauty, first cause, etc. Neatly, McCabe Atheist organization lacking only funds and sufficient numsums it all up by saying, "A very large part ofthe genius of the bers to remove the threat Christianity poses to the liberties
race has been absorbed in the search for traces of god and America was founded to maintain?
found none."
As he states in his introduction, Bozarth abridged the two
His second. proof is that history in general in no way books only to make them a united work and to remove the
demonstrates the presence of a loving, benevolent god con- parenthetical references to people and events the intervening
cerned about human affairs.and the history of Christianity in 44 years have reduced to forgotten obscurity. While there still
particular proves there is not even a god who cares much
may be Atheists old enough to appreciate those unimportant
about how horrible are the crimes committed in his name. references (unimportant, that is, to the argument), their
Lastly, science, in particular that concerned with evolution,
deletion is no loss to those Atheists born after 1936. McCabe's
has blown away absolutely any basis for maintaining that
original works remain 95% intact.
nature behaves according to a divine plan. As McCabe
The Logic and Virtue of Atheism is a classic by any definition
reminds us, the '''Laws of Nature' are not a code prescribed for of the term. Here is the complete Atheist argument written by
the behavior of things but a description of the ways in which
a champion of the Atheist cause who was 110% Atheist. This
things actually behave."
is a work many Atheists will regret not having had access to
You finish reading this convinced. the negative is proven.
when they were in the formative stages of Atheism. This is the
In the second part, "The Virtue of Atheism," McCabe tackles
work ideally suited to recommend to someone who asks, "OK,
the modern myth that religion is essential forthe maintenance
what's a good book on Atheism I can read?". This is the work to
and progress of civilization. He makes obvious his contempt
read for those who enjoy the pleasure of logic wedded to
for the many writers (Will and Ariel Durant leap immediately
masterful prose.
\
to mind) who reject religious superstition but still support
It cannot be praised enough. Do not allow it to remain
religion's power to harm society by perpetuating the idea of absent from your library. ~

April, 1980

Austin, Texas

Page 39

Classified Ads
L.A. No. I
L.A. No. 12
Correspondence wanted with single,
Correspondence wanted with single
female Atheists. Must be pleasant,
females. Must be 100% Atheist, 5'5"
easy going, and unemotional and
or taller, 135 Ibs. or less, white
have a minimum I.Q. of 120. I'm 34
female who is free to travel. Ameriyears old and have never been married.
can, white male, 51 years old (look
41), 6'" tall, 180 Ibs., non-smoker, "' I'm politically right-wing. My hobbies are Irish music, art, canary
very light drinker. Am a 'pipe welder.
breeding, and Irish dancing. I live in
by trade, and an ex-New Englander,
the Milwaukee area.
presently living in Houston, Texas.
L.A. No. 13
L.A. No.2
Gentleman bachelor, age 65, seeks
Male, would like to share the better
female companion over 50 for comthings in life with fun loving female.
panionship. Floridians preferred.
Over 50. Smoker preferred. Likes
L.A. No. 14
dancing and sailing.
L.A. No.3
Divorced, electronics trainer (53, 5'3",
160 Ibs.), Puerto Rico. Seeks single
Divorced, 6', 200 Ibs., nice looking,
or widowed, non-smoker, non-drinwhite male. Healthy, sexy, nonker,.female Atheist - age 30-40.
smoker, social drinker only. 65, but
L.A. No. 15
look and act years younger. Work
Correspondence wanted with female
everyday. Scientific minded, love to
Atheists. Am white male, 40, nonthink, reason and wonder. Own home
smokerliving in San Francisco Bay
and business in Texas panhandle.
Interested in nice looking, younger,
area.
L.A. No. 16
slender, non-religious lady, Please
100% Atheist male, Caucasian with
write.
L.A. No.4
pinch of American Indian (which I
resemble), average looking, balding,
Correspondence wanted with single,
5'8", 146 Ibs., 27, divorced from
Atheist woman. Object: to share life.
"good Christian", don't want kids,
I'm single, American Atheist, white
disciplined, strict morally and ethiman, age 57, 5'9", 160 Ibs., college
cally, non-bigoted, open-minded,
graduate, don't smoke or drink. I'm
conscientious, thrifty, sense of huretired, romance and health minded,
mor; uncertain about marriage, my
like intelligent discussion, table and
lawn tennis, travel.
health, job future, life goals. InterL.A. No.5
ested in communicating with female
5'3" or shorter, average to slim build,
Friendship sought with female Athesimilar personality, especially Baltiist of small stature (about 5'2" or
more, Md. or Pa. area.
less), no "clinging" relatives, free to
L.A.!7
travel if desired. American, white
Attractive, outgoing female, 43: colmale, 5'4" tall, chunky build, nonlege grad., short, shapely, fair, brosmoker, non-drinker, live in Ohio
Valley, age 67, retired research chemwn eyes & hair, sense of humor, in
trying situation: married but compleist. Just damn tired of living alone.
L.A. No.6
tely estranged from rabid fundamentalist. Seeks contact with sympatheWhite male (English-Irish), 32 years
tic Atheists, single or in similar bind.
old, single, 6'2", 180 Ibs., college
L.A. 18
education, dark brown hair, nonLady Atheist, age 35, living in Idaho,
smoker, mail carrier living in Kanwould like Atheist correspondence
sas. Will answer all letters from
lonely females.
from all over.
L.A. 19
L.A. No.7
Caucasian woman, Atheist, 44, slenBachelor (35,6'6",200 Ibs.) wishes to
meet single lady in the Corpus Christi
der, college graduate, independent,
candid, divorced, childless by choiarea with the object of matrimony.
L.A. No.8
ce, dog owner, non-drinker, dislikes
strenuous exercise, compulsive neatMale research physicist and musiness; wants long-term Northern Calician, non-smoker, non-drinker, age
.fornia relationship with "unattach35, 5'lOW', 170 Ibs., desires to meet
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L.A. No.9
over six feet, intellectual, wry sense
of humor, pleasant, considerate, nonIrishman Atheist,livingalone in Chicago, 64, 5'9", 164 Ibs., retired on
smoker.
L.A. 20
social INsecurity, non-smoker, very
light drinker, never married, easy to
Couple, forty, seeking extended famiget along with, fond of reading,
ly relationship with female enjoying
moderate in all things, wishes to
gardening and country lifestyle. Premeet unattached, female Atheist in
fer semi-vegetarian, non-smoker.
L.A. 21
Chicago area, object mutual romanChristianity gave me a lonely, ausce, companionship, comradeship,etc.
L.A. No. II
tere, celibate. non-social existence.
Atheism has finally given me the
, Correspondence wanted with trim
freedom' to experience life. I need
female, age 20-30. Male school teaAtheist female(s) willing to teach me
cher, age 27, 6'5", 235 Ibs., backhow to live in real world. White, 29,
packer I mountaineer in California.
1851bs., 6', Salt Lake City.

Page 40

Address your reply to LA. No.

(whatever that number may be). Place your sealed envelope in a letter
and address the letter to the American Atheist Center. P.O. Box 2117,
Austin, Texas, 78768. We will see
that all replies are forwarded to the
advertiser. No identities are ever
revealed; we protect you from any

April,1980

harassment which might come from

your home address appearing in our
columns.
All Lonely Atheist ads can be
placed for $1 per word and will be
run until you notify us to cancel it.
Thefunds raisedfrom these ads go to
help pay for the various vital activities of the American Atheist Center.

GENERALLY
.....-

PEOPLE
IMAGINE
to be a land of God's

'
I
!=e~~:~~~~_B
I N OJ
~
Superstitions and other
"
t+Ie f asc.lna
+
t+Ions.
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... '.~exo

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lB'U!r

++

IT-'

IS

.ALSO

11~AN D 01 A1H EJ~I

BOTH ANCOENT
~

AND :MODERN
.

NE~ATIVE AND

. t

TO'

'

POSITIVE.

E:::X:::~L,?E

XCITING

.,/

T~IS

/ADVENTURE

oiffii~f~~S
CON FE'R'E NeE
VIJAYAWADA,

INDIA"

:DECElWlBE:R..

25-28,1980

For Particulars Please Contact :

A"fH~8ST
VIJAYAWADA

CENTRE
520006

A.P. , INDIA

American Atheist

WHAT DO THESE FAMOUS

PEOPLE HA VE IN COMMON?

Bertrand Russell

Butterfly McQueen

Isaac Asimov

Albert Ellis

Leonard Bernstein

Margaret Sanger

This box
is for

Membership in the
AMERICAN ATHEISTS
<

P.O.Box 2117
Austin, Texas 78768

YOU

Send $15.00 for one year's membership and you will

receive the first newsletter, a membership card and a
certificate.

~/

redress of grievances . AMENDMENT

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