From: "Positive Atheism Magazine" <editor@positiveatheism.org>
To: "Positive Atheism List"
Subject: "Totalitarian Regimes": Are They "Godless"?
Date: Tuesday, January 09, 2001 4:44 PM
U.S. Government Equates Nontheism With Evil
This from Associated Press:
|
Pope Wins U.S. Medal VATICAN CITY, Jan. 8 -- Pope John Paul II was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal today, joining a select list that also includes George Washington, Bob Hope and Mother Teresa. U.S. House and Senate leaders presented the medal to the pontiff during a ceremony in the Apostolic Palace's fresco-covered 17th-century Clementine Room. The legislation to award John Paul the medal hails the 80-year-old, Polish-born pope for using "his moral authority to hasten the fall of godless totalitarian regimes." ... |
Why is the term godless still popularly used as an epithet? still popularly equated with evil? And why is our government continuing this outmoded language? Madalyn Murray O'Hair divorced the concept of atheism from the concept of Communism back in the 1960s.
If you are an American, please write to your representative, and perhaps your local TV and newspapers, and raise this issue once more.
When Miami Mayor Joe Carollo vilified the INS agents who snatched Elian Gonzales, he said, "These are atheists. The don't believe in God." Nobody raised a cry. Even most atheistic organizations were silent.
Perhaps by our silence we have endorsed this abuse of language, this smear against ourselves and our like-minded fellows.
You can find out how to contact your Senators and Representative through these pages.
If you are not an American, perhaps you might want to wake our sleeping government up with a note from abroad. This move clearly allies the United States with the Vatican in particular and with theism in general.
We will post any responses or any forwarded letters to representatives.
Cliff Walker
"Positive Atheism" Magazine
Five years of service to
people with no reason to believe
From: "Positive Atheism Magazine" <editor@positiveatheism.org>
To: "Time Magazine" <letters@time.com>
Subject: Government Continues Stigma Against Atheists
Date: Tuesday, January 09, 2001 5:00 PM
While presenting the Congressional Gold Medal to Pope John Paul II, the legislation lauded "his moral authority to hasten the fall of godless totalitarian regimes." The lack of a god belief is still being equated with evil.
When INS agents snatched little Elian Gonzales in a much-publicized move, Miami Mayor Joe Carollo said, "These are atheists. They don't believe in God." Hardly anybody raised a cry.
To see how this behavior feels to the ten percent of the American population who see nothing in religion, simply substitute any religious ideology or racial group for the terms godless and atheists in these two statements. Had these representatives equated evil with any other group, they would have been looking for legitimate work before the day was over.
Cliff Walker
"Positive Atheism" Magazine
Five years of service to
people with no reason to believe
P.O. Box 16811
Portland, OR 97292
http://www.PositiveAtheism.org/
editor@positiveatheism.org
"They keep their free thinking to themselves
because of the prevalence and customary
acceptance of religious rites and church
doings as established institutions, the
foundations of which it would be unpopular
to openly contradict or oppose.... When the
people's presidents, governors, legislators
and political party conventions declare their
dependence upon God for their guidance,
surely the uninformed wanderer in intellectual
darkness is encouraged to do the same, while
unbelievers assent to the procession by
maintaining silence."
--California Governor Culbert L. Olson (1876-1961)
"My conclusion is that there is no reason to
believe any of the dogmas of traditional
theology and, further, that there is no
reason to wish that they were true. Man,
in so far as he is not subject to natural
forces, is free to work out his own destiny.
The responsibility is his, and so is the
opportunity."
-- Bertrand Russell (1872-1970),
"Is There a God?" (1952)
"The legitimate powers of government extend
to such acts only as are injurious to others.
-- Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826)
"Statute for Religious Freedom"
From: "IVW"
To: "Positive Atheism" <editor@positiveatheism.org>
Subject: ABCNEWS.com Pope Wins Congressional Gold Medal - THIS IS AN OUTRAGE!
Date: Tuesday, January 09, 2001 2:25 PM
This is total bullshit! Yes, he can be awarded this honor because he is a civilian, but the manner and wording in which he was awarded the medal is a suck-up to the Catholic Church, Christians in general, and a degradation to those of us who are godless in America and around the world and not leading totalitarian regimes.
The legislation to award John Paul the medal hails the 80-year-old, Polish-born pope for using "his moral authority to hasten the fall of godless totalitarian regimes." Godless? What the fuck is that? Who says they are godless, and even if they are, so what -- Congress has no business lauding anybody for their religious efforts.
I, we, have been segregated by our own government; once again, relegated to second-class citizenship because we lack a god belief, equated with totalitarian despots around the world whose description conjures up visions of depravity, wickedness, ruthless human conduct and evil. This has got to stop.
I am a citizen and this is a violation of my right to a separation of church and state. The wall is going down fast if not gone already.
Remember, Mother Teresa of the Robbing Hand took donations from Charles Keating, sent a letter in his defense and support to the LA justice system, and then when told that the money she had received from Keating had been stolen from innocent humans who had been bilked, politely ignored the request from the LA DA's office to return the money to its rightful owners. What a useless human, and she, and now the Pope have eagerly accepted honors which violate my human rights.
Passivity is getting us nowhere.
http://www.abcnews.go.com/sections/us/DailyNews/popemedal010108.html
From: "Sharon Payant"
To: "Positive Atheism" <editor@positiveatheism.org>
Subject: Re: Congressional medal to Pope
Date: Tuesday, January 09, 2001 6:13 PM
I hope people will respond to to Congress on this because I am very tired of our government pandering to the religious while demeaning non-theists. I submitted this, via e-mail, to Darlene Hooley, and Senators Wyden and Smith:
I am writing to voice my concern that the congressional medal of honor was recently awarded to Pope John Paul II because of his use of "moral authority to hasten the fall of godless totalitarian regimes."
First of all, I believe that this award violates the spirit of the First Amendment because it obviously favors the Christian religion. The award appears to have been given not because of his secular good deeds, but because of the Pope's use of his religion to fight against "godlessness".
Secondly, I do not believe that the Pope is worthy of such praise from our government. Although some may consider his actions to be altruistic, he has also been responsible for the oppression of many, particularly because of his stance on birth control and women's issues. If Congress feels a need to honor people, why not choose someone with a better track record instead of pandering to a religious entity?
Finally, as a non-theist in this society, I find it appalling that my government -- a government that is supposed to represent all of its citizens, regardless of their religious beliefs--would represent me in such a manner. Not only was the award given inappropriately to a religious person for their religious acts, but as an added slap in the face to non-Christians, the occasion was also used to degrade all non-believers. Totalitarian regimes are not typically "godless" and "godless" does not equate evil or any other such derogatory term. In fact, the countries that have the worst track record for civil rights violations and restrictions on freedom are generally ultra-religious (i.e., Iran, Afghanistan, etc.), not atheistic.
Please, in the future, do not include citizens such as myself in any such awards. If Congress finds a need to honor religious dignitaries (which I hope will not happen again), the least you can do is try not to offend the non-believers in this country. After all, the government is supposed to represent all of the citizens of this country, not just the theists.
Thank you,
Sharon Payant
From: "Prescott, Andy (IMF C400)"
To: "Positive Atheism" <editor@positiveatheism.org>
Subject: RE: "Totalitarian Regimes": Are They "Godless"?
Date: Tuesday, January 09, 2001 8:55 PM
Cliff,
Thanks for the info. I missed that story this morning. Attached is a copy of a short note I mailed to Senator Murray (D-WA), Congressman Dicks (D-WA) and the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Not as eloquent as you, but hopefully it will at least get read.
Keep on keepin' on!
Andy
January 9, 2001
Editor,
Today, Pope John-Paul II was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal. The legislation to award John Paul the medal hails the 80-year-old, Polish-born pope for using "his moral authority to hasten the fall of godless totalitarian regimes." Why is the term "godless" still popularly used as an epithet?
In "the Land of The Free" why are those of us without faith still faced with this bigotry and marginalization?
I served my country for over 20 years in the Naval Submarine Service. However, former President George Bush says that I am not a good citizen or a patriot because of my lack of a god belief.
In the recently concluded Presidential campaign, Senator Lieberman, said that we have the freedom of religion, but not the freedom from religion.
When will this country finally lose the witch-burning mentality that equates religion with morality and a lack of religious belief with evil?
Andy Prescott
From: "Tom Scanlon"
To: "Positive Atheism" <editor@positiveatheism.org>
Subject: U.S._Government_Equates_Nontheism_With_Evil_9327
Date: Wednesday, January 10, 2001 1:12 AM
HOLY SHIT!!!! Christianity is about as totalitarian as you can get. Any ideology that cannot be questioned just isn't worth believing in.
'Nuff said!
TomAZ
From: "Bob Webster"
To: "Positive Atheism" <editor@positiveatheism.org>
Subject: U.S._Government_Equates_Nontheism_With_Evil_9327
Date: Wednesday, January 10, 2001 2:45 PM
Just a quick note -- I checked the text of the bills, and the Senate version has no reference to "godless" totalitarian regimes, although all versions of the House bill do. I, therefore, sent a nasty note to my House representative, but not to the Senate.
Thanks,
Robert Webster
"We've got a date with Destiny, and it looks like she's ordered the lobster."
-- The Shoveler (Mystery Men)
Ah! Then it is Haestert! That rascal!
But then, why did the one they present to the pope have that language lest it had been approved by both bodies?
Cliff Walker
"Positive Atheism" Magazine
Five years of service to
people with no reason to believe
It appears that the version given to the Pope didn't have that language, but the press release referred to the House version. (I could be wrong, though!)
Thanks,
Robert Webster
"Where ignorance is bliss / Is it foolish to be wise?"
-- With apologies to Thomas Gray
Ah, so they're giving the Pope more credit than they're giving the public, via the press!
That sounds like the Haestert we all know!
Cliff Walker
"Positive Atheism" Magazine
Five years of service to
people with no reason to believe
From: "Gregory Tinker"
To: "Positive Atheism" <editor@positiveatheism.org>
Subject: PA-via_Positive_Atheism_Index
Date: Wednesday, January 10, 2001 4:04 PM
Hey, I got an idea. How about issuing something like a "Certificate of Religious Bigotry and Willful Misrepresentation of Voters" to lawmakers who do stupid shit like give that golden hockey puck thing to the pope, or other people that they deem as having a message that the rest of us ought to be listening to? It could be just like those certificates we used to get in grade school for perfect attendance and such. They could hang it on their refrigerators.
Seriously, they could be faxed with a short explanation for why that person(s) is/are receiving the award. We'll keep track to see who gets the most.
I'm trying not to think of how many people could have been fed by the money used to buy that golden hockey puck, not to mention flying 15 people (plus families?) to Rome for a stop-over on their trip, etc. Fuckheads.
Greg
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