Date: Wed Nov 3 13:03:44 1999 From: Gofreemind@aol.com Subject: The Texas Atheist # 35 To: Gofreemind@aol.com
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THE TEXAS ATHEIST
November 3, 1999 # 35 Copyright © 1999 by Howard Thompson
=========[ An independent, free e-mail newsletter ]=========
IN THIS ISSUE
1. Texas Events 2. Columbine's Christian martyrdom never happened 3. Nobel Laureate to address San Antonio convention 4. Texas Representatives attack the Constitution 5. Governor Bush attacks the Constitution 6. Atheist Alliance supports Governor Ventura 7. News/Science Briefs San Antonio proclaims "Freethought Week" Ed Scharf washed hands of Freethinker rock in January Comfort Chamber asks for freethinker rock's removal 44% think Jesus coming back within 50 years NTCOF Establish youth chat NTCOF performs second wedding. Freethinker publicity at an Antonio College State Representative blasts "secular humanists" 8. Letters: "freethinkers and slaves murdered" "atheist was not one of the choices" 9. Commentary: Spreading the atheist "word" in Nebraska
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TEXAS EVENTS
November 5-7, San Antonio - Freedom From Religion Foundation Convention, St. Anthony Hotel. Contact FFRF, 608-256-8900, PO Box 750, Madison, WI 53701.
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COLUMBINE'S CHRISTIAN MARTYRDOM NEVER HAPPENED
The media slobbered all over Columbine high school student Cassie Bernall's faith in god. Cassie said "yes" when asked if she believed in god, and was shot because of her faith. Cassie's faith in the face of death made her the newest Christian martyr. Her story confirmed the Christian idea that Satan is real and causes atheists to persecute Christians.
While Cassie's murder is a tragedy, there is a problem with her martyrdom -- it never happened. What really happened was exactly opposite, and it didn't happen to Cassie.
Salon magazine, the Rocky Mountain News and Denver Post tell the stories of the girl under the table with Cassie, the Sheriff's doubts, and the girl from which Cassie's myth grew. See: http://www.salon.com/news/feature/1999/09/23/columbine/index.html.
Sheriff investigators had been saying unofficially they were unable to confirm Cassie's martyrdom. Witnesses' stories were inconsistent. The primary witness pointed out the wrong tale for where Cassie was shot. These doubts were shared with Cassie's parents.
Emily Wyant and Cassie Bernall were together alone at the back of the library. They got under a table when the shooters burst in and started shooting. "Dear God. Dear God. Why is this happening?" is what Emily heard Cassie say. Then, Dylan Klebold banged on the table, looked underneath and yelled "Peekaboo." He shot Cassie without them exchanging a word.
Emily later had dinner with Cassie's parents and toldthem Cassie's real story. Cassie's parents now deny that Emily said the popular myth about Cassie was false. Emily also told the Rocky Mountain News what happened five months before the News ran her story.
The Rocky Mountain News finally ran Emily's story two weeks after an article on Cassie's mother's book, "She Said Yes: The Unlikely Martyrdom of Cassie Bernall." The book has 350,000 copies in print and was recently # 14 on the Publisher's Weekly best seller list.
Yep, the News promoted a book about Cassie' martyrdom four and a half months after Emily Wyant told them it never happened. But, where did the martyrdom myth come from?
Cassie's myth came from one Christian student. He apparently heard Valeen Schnurr talking with one of the shooters. Valeen's story has now appeared in the Denver Post.
Valeen was bleeding from 34 shotgun pellets. She was down on her hands and knees saying, "Oh, my god, my god, don't let me die." One of the shooters then asked her if she believed in god. Valeen said yes. He asked why. "Because I believe and my parents brought me up that way," Valeen responded. The shooter reloaded, but did not shoot Valeen again.
Cassie's Christian martyrdom not only did not happen, what really happened was exactly opposite. The shooters were not targeting Christians. A Christian was not killed for professing their faith, but a Christian that professed faith was spared.
The Columbine killings had nothing to do with Christianity. That has not stopped Christians from exploiting a lie to advance Christianity, demonizing atheists, and proclaiming Christianity as the cure for violence.
You can bet the truth will never get the publicity of a popular Christian lie. You can bet Cassie's mom will keep selling her book. You can bet preachers will keep using a lie to get money and converts.
The good news is that America sees a living example of Christians creating mythological "truth" from lies. For the sane, the myth of Cassie's martyrdom shows the unreliability of Christian myths that are unsupported by evidence.
If we can watch here and now Christians rejecting the truth when the evidence is fresh and readily available, then we are fully justified in rejecting old Christian myths that are unsupported by outside evidence.
Why should anyone trust anything said or believed by people who invent lies and reject truth? Why should you trust anything the media says positive about Christian faith or magic?
NOBEL LAUREATE TO ADDRESS SAN ANTONIO CONVENTION
The Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF) annual convention is at the St. Anthony Hotel in San Antonio November 5th - 7th. You might contact FFRF by phone [608-256-8900] to inquire about late registrations.
The convention's most noted speaker will be University of Texas physics professor Steven Weinberg. Weinberg won the 1979 Nobel Prize in physics for the co-discovery of the electro-weak force. He is an atheist who has spoken publically against the idea that religion and science can find common ground.
"Religion is an insult to human dignity," Weinberg said in an address to the American Association for the Advancement of Science. "With or without it, you'd have good people doing good things and evil people doing evil things. But for good people to do evil things, that takes religion." Weinberg also addressed the Atheist Community of Austin in early September.
Also appearing will be Micah White, the Michigan high school senior whose commentary "Atheists Under Siege" appeared in the 6/21/99 New York Times. White has appeared on Bill Mahr's "Politically Incorrect" and is a spokesman for the Campus Freethought Alliance.
Other speakers include author Barbara Ehrenreich, political cartoonist Steve Benson, poet and Darwin scholar Philip Appleman, Ms. Sam Smoot of the Texas Freedom Network speaking against school vouchers, San Antonio Express-News reporter John McCormack speaking about his investigation of the Madalyn Murray-O'Hair disappearance, and psychologist Richard Sloan describing his "Lancet" article debunking the healing effects of prayer.
TEXAS REPRESENTATIVES ATTACK THE CONSTITUTION
Texas U.S. Representatives are supporting efforts to allow god worship at public school football games in violation of Constitutional separation of religion and government.
Henry Bonilla (R) and Charles W. Stenholm (D) were among twenty-two Representatives introducing a non-binding resolution urging the U.S. Supreme Court to allow prayers at public school football games. The Supreme Court has not yet decided if it will hear an appeal by the Santa Fe Independent School District to overturn a March 1999 U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals decision that banned football game prayers as not properly "solemn" enough for god.
Thirteen Texas U.S. Representative supported the football prayer resolution when it was announced October 19th. These thirteen Texas Representative thus join the evangelical holy war against our Constitution by attacking Constitutional separation of religion from government and protection of minority beliefs from the religious majority.
GOVERNOR BUSH ATTACKS THE CONSTITUTION.
Will Texas Governor George Bush use tax dollars to force religion on the needy if he becomes president? He will if he keeps his promises about "faith-based" charities.
Bush attacked the Constitution on 8/28/99 in response to Al Gore. Al Gore has come out against religious charities requiring recipients to participate in religious activities.
"Basically what he's [Gore] saying is, ‘Sure, you can receive federal aid, and you can go to a program, but don't listen to the message,'" said Bush. "I believe we ought to fund the individual or the program, and if it's a Christian message or a Jewish message, we ought to understand the power of the message."
Bush wants to give tax dollars to religious charities that require religious proselytizing with service delivery. If the needy want medical care, food, clothes, counseling, or housing from a tax-funded religious organization, they will have to endure that religion's proselytizing.
So much for the idea that Bush is a "moderate" who only panders to evangelicals to win the Republican nomination. Bush does not need evangelicals. Huge donations from corporate rulers lets him dominate opponents without hardcore evangelicals. Bush advances the evangelical attack on the Constitution because he agrees with it.
ATHEIST ALLIANCE SUPPORTS GOVERNOR VENTURA
"Organized religion is a sham and a crutch for weak-minded people who need strength in numbers," said Minnesota Governor Jesse Ventura in a Playboy interview. "It tells people to go out and stick their noses in other people's business."
Finally, an elected official with the guts to oppose the religious right! Religion is a sham based on lies, a crutch for many accurately characterized as weak-minded, a herd comfort for those who go along with the majority, and religion tells believers to butt into everyone else's life.
All hell broke loose when Jesse body-slammed religion with these truths. Our unwritten public commandment is "Thou shalt not speak ill of religion – especially the truth." Officials and the media eagerly trash everything else, but ignore religion's warts and horror stories. Why religion should be above challenge has never been justified.
The Atheist Alliance defended Jesse with a quarter page advertisement in the leading Minneapolis newspaper. Atheist Alliance president Marie Castle arranged the ad in response to a prior Christian ad whining about people picking on Christians.
The ad cost about $3,500, but it surely paid off well. Marie reports that 100 people have responded to the ad with donations of over $5,000 for the Atheist Alliance.
NEWS/SCIENCE BRIEFS [Send items of interest to gofreemind@aol.com.]
SAN ANTONIO PROCLAIM'S "FREETHOUGHT WEEK"
The Freethinkers Association of Central Texas [FACT] got the San Antonio Mayor to proclaim "Freethought Week" for the sixth year running. The proclamation was originally begun by Catherine Fahringer with the support of area freethinkers, humanists and atheists. FACT president Don Lawrence's address for the proclamation reads in part: "Although Freethinkers come from a proud tradition of rational and compassionate action, we are often targets. You only have to turn on your local TV and radio to hear us derided, demeaned and blamed for social ills. If there is a rise in drug use or teen pregnancies, secular humanists are fair game. If there is a mass killing, atheistic views are at fault. America is the most religious of the industrialized nations, with about 90% of our citizens believing that there is a supernatural being with whom they can have a personal relation. As disbelievers in the supernatural, we are a minority, and we look to you Mayor Peak and other government representatives to faithfully and consistently recognize and defend our rights."
ED SCHARF WASHED HANDS OF FREETHINKER ROCK IN JANUARY
Ed Scharf, the originator of the Freethinker Cenotaph project to honor the Texas German Hill Country freethinkers, transferred his rights and ownership "if any" in the Freethinker rock in the Comfort park last January 1999. Scharf transferred his rights to Comfort Attorney Russell C. Busby, former president of the Comfort Chamber of Commerce during the time when the Chamber approved the project. Busby is a leader of some Comfort residents who want to honor the area's founding freethinkers. Busby said by phone phone that he gave up his effort to find another location for the rock in Comfort by raising funds to relocate it. It would take about $1,700 to move the rock to another Comfort location, several of which were potentially offered by Comfort land owners.
COMFORT CHAMBER ASKS FOR FREETHINKER ROCK REMOVAL
Comfort Chamber of Commerce president Dan Hatfield recently called Freethinker Cenotaph donor Catherine Fahringer and told her the Chamber would be "pleased" if she removed the Freethinker rock from the Comfort town park. It seems that the Kendall County Commissioner's Court won't remove the rock for the Chamber. The Chamber may be realizing the consequences of letting Comfort's atheist-bashing bullies panic them into reneging on their agreement for the Freethinker Cenotaph. The atheist-basher's hysteria to have "Satan's Rock" removed got complicated when atheists and other donors stood firm on their legal and Constitutional rights. Your editor has again written the Chamber urging negotiations to resolve the controversy.
44% THINK JESUS COMING BACK WITHIN 50 YEARS
A recent survey reports that 22% believe that within 50 years Jesus will come back and 22% that Jesus will "probably" come back. This 44% apparently don't know about Jesus' false prophecy of returning within the lifetime of some who heard his words. 17% said Jesus is "definitely" not coming back. National surveys typically report 4% to 8% without belief in gods. Yet, when the questions are asked right, 17% to 18% express rationalistic, freethinking skepticism about religion and magic. This means the true number of unbelievers may be two or three times larger than what data shows. This invisible minority of unbelievers are encouraged when atheists publically speak out and act. They represent our movement's potential if we get better organized and funded.
NTCOF YAHOO YOUTH CHAT ESTABLISHED
The North Texas Church of Freethought (NTCOF) - a church for unbelievers, has established a Wednesday night internet chat for kids. Their newsletter notice reads: "The NTCOF Youth Chat, every Wednesday night starting at 7:30 PM CT, inside the NTCOF Club on Yahoo! Clubs at: http://clubs.yahoo.com/clubs/churchoffreethought "You must register with Yahoo! to use the Clubs feature, but registration is easy and free. Once you have registered and have a Yahoo! ID, click the Join This Club link at the top right of the Church of Freethought Club screen, and follow the instructions to confirm your registration.
NTCOF HAS ANOTHER WEDDING
The North Texas Church of Freethought announces another wedding. Youth Services Director Deborah Boak performed the god-free marriage ceremony for Larry Weiner and Joy Marcano. Larry and Joy met at an NTCOF social luncheon over three years ago. The wedding story is at: http://church.freethought.org/wedding.html This is another major demonstration that non-theists need and want local communities that play a role in their lives and happiness. Whatever we do or don't do on political issues, we advance the day when the minds of all humanity are freed from irrational supernaturalism by joining together in social communities where we can make friends and have fun. Successful community is our number one goal.
FREETHINKER PUBLICITY AT SAN ANTONIO COLLEGE
[From: Don Lawrence <lawdon99@earthlink.net>] Efforts by the Freethinker Association of Central Texas to help establish a freethinker student club at San Antonio College are bearing fruit. The club got a near full page article in the 6,000 circulation student newspaper. The article and flyers for club meetings have sparked a reaction from some religionists. Letters attacking the club were published, along with responses from FACT members. The SAC freethinkers experience is very typical. When atheists and freethinkers speak out and act in public, religious militants are horrified and attack us in hopes of silencing us. However, when we understand our message, plan our responses, and continue speaking out, we turn religious bigotry into a positive for our efforts. We generate from controversy more publicity for our views, encourage silent unbelievers, and get the public used to the idea that atheist speak out and act in public.
STATE REPRESENTATIVE BLASTS "SECULAR HUMANISTS"
Jimmy Dunne <jimmydunne@email.msn.com> of Houston got this response from Texas State Representative Robert Talton. Dear Mr. Dunne, You are the problem. As a secular humanist your moral values are what you feel like that day. Those evolve over time and does not allow for any moral absolutes. How sad you publish such garbage. Please take me off of your e-mail list.
GROUPS & TELEVISION
Agnostic & Atheist Student Group of Texas A&M. Wednesdays 8:00 PM. Check http://atheist.tamu.edu/~aasg/ for changing room locations. American Humanist Association. Houston, Dallas. <frankprahl@earthlink.net>. Atheist Community of Austin. Weekly meetings, monthly speaker, TV show. <kellenvh@earthink.net> www.atheist-community.org. Corpus Christi Atheists & Agnostics. Contact Brian Meyer <bmmagic@earthlink.net>. Ethical Culture Fellowship of Austin. 10:00 AM, 1st & 3rd Sunday, Austin Senior Activity Center near 28th and Lamar. 512-306-1111 <ecfa@usa.net> http://www.main.org/ec. Freethinkers Assoc. of Central Texas. Weekly meetings. http://atheistalliance.org/fact Don Lawrence <lawdon99@earthlink.net> or Julie Fisher <txfreethinker@geocities.com>. Freethinkers Union - U of Houston. New unbeliever student group. Stacy Irwin <stirwin@Jetson.uh.edu>. http://get.to/freethinkers. Houston Church of Freethought. Contact <afay@worldnet.att.net>. Houstonians for Secular Humanism. Monthly meetings, <dts2000@flash.net>. Humanist of Ft. Worth. 1st Wed monthly, 7:00 PM, Russell Elleven <R.elleven@tcu.edu>, http://webalias.com/humanism. North Texas Church of Freethought. First Sunday, 10:30 AM at Wilson World Hotel, Irving. Singles group & social events. <church@freethought.org> http://church.freethought.org. Oklahoma Atheists. Monthly & online meetings. Kim Schultz- Kimmysai@aol.com, www.geocities.com/~ok_atheist.html, http://clubs.yahoo.com/clubs/oklahomaatheists. San Antonio College. New group. Don Lawrence <lawdon99@earthlink.net>. Texas Hill Country Freethinkers. Monthly luncheons and dinners. Julie Fisher at 210-354-3311 <txfreethinker@geocities.com>. University Skeptics Society. UT Austin. <www.utexas.edu/students/skeptics>.
The Atheist Experience: 9:00 AM call-in show. Sunday on Austin public access TV. Freethought Forum: 6:30 PM Thursday on San Antonio public access TV.
LETTERS
[From: dhawes@dallas.net] If J. gibson (pg. 8 of your newsletter) is correct, then what is needed is a monument to the Freethinkers and slaves murdered during the Civil War by the christians of the Hill Country. The monument should be on private land accessible to a main road and have a plaque on it naming those killed by the many of the christians from the surrounding Llano area. If family names are known, even the threat of such a monument might make the [Freethinker] Cenotaph seem like a good thing to the christians working to remove it.
[From: FireflyX8@aol.com] I'm a high school junior [in San Antonio] and a subscriber to the Texas Atheist. Before taking the PSAT today, there was a fill in the blank section for the test taker's religious affiliation. I was appalled when I noticed that "atheist" was not one of the choices. The closest thing was "no preference or affiliation", which does not mean "atheist"; it means "I don't know and/or I don't care". I realize that the only reason this question was asked was to have colleges of that particular religion put that test taker on its mailing list, but if Baha'i is included, shouldn't atheism be as well? One of my friends is an atheist (she was sitting next to me) and she was upset too, but I don't think to the extent that I was. I believe that I have the right to be this...well, angry. In a country where 10% of the population is atheist (perhaps more than 10% in the PSAT/SAT-taking age group since my generation is reported to be the "first generation raised without a god"), I don't see why it wasn't included. Is there anything I can do to change this?
Commentary: Spreading the atheist word in Nebraska
Opportunities for atheist outreach can come anywhere or anytime - if you network, if you look for them.
During my family visit in Nebraska, a Lincoln contact (Clayton Naff) was provided by a subscriber in Lubbock. Clayton has been trying to establish a Humanist group at his Unitarian-Universalist church. My visit has become an opportunity for him to revive that effort by having me talk with his small group about Texas community building activities.
This is often how things happen. Atheist activists communicate online, make contacts at conventions, and stay alert for opportunities. Clayton wants to do something in Lincoln and is taking advantage of my visit to help his effort. I want to help the movement grow anyway I can with this newsletter, which provided the networking for the contact.
Hopefully, Nebraska may establish a non-theistic group that can be the genesis for community building and other activities. Nebraska surely needs non-theistic communities, for the religious right is as virulently active here as anywhere.
Non-theists need social groups where they can connect with like-minded people. Social groups attract and produce the core of organizers and activists that spark new groups, non-theistic publicity and occasional issue activity. Pretty soon, as in Texas, a region has dozens of dedicated individuals conducting group and individual activities that establish a broader community of local groups.
Personal conviction, decision to act, establishing groups, and creating a movement. That is how things happen. That is how we will eventually create a non-theistic culture and society where we are no longer a despised, invisible, powerless, victimized minority. HT