Here’s a random sampling of email received throughout the year.

From: aginghippy1(at)ntlworld.com
Subject: Come Back to the Body of the Kirk

Dear Godless Bastard,

How foolish to view the world through reason and logic. I bet you’ve even wrongly assumed that people could discuss things in a structured, reasonable manner. How foolish. Of course God exists but, unfortunately, the proof is long, convoluted, and impossible to adequately delineate in the space of this message.

I can tell you, however, that it involves over two dozen computers, super-advanced data encryption software, and bi-weekly midnight offerings of blood sacrifice to the unwholesome, immortal inhabitants of an extra dimensional nether-realm, the name of which I can’t divulge lest I accidentally unleash an alien holocaust upon the unsuspecting masses.

Believe that the Bible is the True and Infallible word of God, and re-accept Jesus Christ as your personal savior. Allow the Holy Ghost to come inside you and fill your heart and you’ll see just how wrong you are about God and the Bible.

God bless you, Godless Bastard, God bless you!

All those things that used to seem so impossible to you will now be real to you as the nose on you face…the creation of the firmament…the creation of light before God created the sun…a talking snake and a talking donkey…the parting of the Red Sea…the making of a woman from a man’s rib…the Great Flood, which must have been caused by a loving God because it’s impossible by the laws of nature…the fact that there are indeed giants walking to and fro deep inside the earth…the fact that Jesus is divine (never mind the Council of Nicaea’s ruling)…you’ll now accept that as Jesus was God and so loved the world that He sacrificed Himself to Himself to appease His own anger at His own creation…

Regaining the faith means you can now stop yourself asking such questions as “who made God”, “why did an omni-everything to the max being need to create a universe in the first place. Was He bored?” You’ll now know for a fact that there is a fiery hell deep underground from which the God created Satan conspires to corrupt every human deed…not to mention all of the demons let loose by Satan with the purpose of tormenting true believers with afflictions that modern medicine foolishly attributes to natural causes.

Now that you are full of the Holy Ghost you’ll even believe those seemingly ridiculous things that Jesus said would follow those that believe…that they shall cast out demons, handle snakes safely, speak in tongues, and heal the sick. Know that if you pray you shall receive and the Lord is watching everything you say and do, your every thought and your colourful scatological functions. The Holy Ghost will help you to hate your family members, just as Jesus requires, so that you can follow Him, and when you hear of someone worshipping another God, a false God, you’ll immediately get the urge to kill him violently, as God instructs us to do in the bible.

Don’t visit any more medical doctors, who are of course practicing worldly sorcery, which is clearly of the devil, and instead, do as our Lord Jesus Christ has instructed and anoint yourself with oil and lay your hands on the affected part and command the demons which are in your body to leave and go back to hell from which they came.

Yours sincerely,

John (Born Again and Again)
http://worldzone.net/family/johnanderson/index2.shtml

From: parkeremail(at)yahoo.com
Subject: Why am I being spammed by a Jew?

I saw you are “The Godless Bastard” self-hating Jew or something similar I assume? Nice to meet you, but isn’t the very existence of the “Jews” by definition create a contradiction for you? Hypocrisy. How can there be any Jews? The entire notion is borne our of the Bible. Where did the Jews come from? We all know the lying Xtians syncretized the world religions using the Jews as their power-base and Messianic figure. Islam stems from the Jews and their bible story. So to claim yourself as being a Jew is to give some credibility to the Bible, it’s stories, and it’s god – no? What makes a Jew a Jew if not the bible? He is not a race, for Jews are Chinese, American, Hungarian, Iraqi, Arab Jews, etc. He is not a nationality until the communists formed the modern communist state of Israel, and there they are not called Jews, but Israelis. They too are mostly atheist, non-theist, or agnostic. So – Israelis are not specially linked to the Jews, therefore Jews are not a nationality.

You preach logic, so teach me something Jew. No race, no nation, so what’s left? A religion? If you are called a Jew because Jews are a “religious sect”, then you can’t be a very credible atheist. How can one say “God chose our people, the Jews” and then say “I realized the error when I was 16 or so, etc…” How can you say you are a Jew is the bottom line? No one is a Jew if there is no god. It’s like saying you are an atheist Xtian – now that’s schizophrenia I believe?

BTW – Before you dismiss me as some religious nut or anti-semitic neo-nazi, ponder my words well for there is no hatred in them.

Jason

Editor’s Note: This is all explained quite clearly in my FAQ. Anyway, it turns out that this guy is actually Jewish (Israeli, in fact) and was playing devil’s advocate for some reason that I never quite understood. We swapped a few friendly emails and he invited me to a Shabbat dinner at his home in Jerusalem. Okie dokie.

Editor’s Note: I love this guy on so many levels.

From: fa386284(at)skynet.be
Subject: Hubris!

Email #1 – Requesting to “unsubscribe” from a spammed link.

UNSUBSCRIBE NOW (Brittain ainth far from here, an i’d LOOOOVE to clean you out, you S.O.B.). See this as a”SERIEOUS WARNING”, i mean business.

Ps! pleace when you die and go to HELL, be sure we have it above warm enaugh . I Don’t laugh with anyone SERIOUS, you ar NUTS (BUT YOU ATTACK PEOPLE ON THEIR BELIEF = a SERIEOUS ATTACK ON DEMOCRATY) Stop NOW, now you can still stop this ennoying mails, or DIE!.

Email #2 – More delusion and bad English.

This is the prove: YOUR OPPOSITE P O W E R. I play with you animals.

Ps! this server is out of the air, hahahahahahahah, mail to the clouds. No greetings at all from, Your nightmare.

Email #3 – He attached an advertisement for the NRA to this one. (No, I’m not kidding.)

Simon?, were is Simon and his fagots (good English isn’t) ya little prick, fruitcake, nuts, s.o.b., bastard, selfish gay boy, YEEHH YOU MUST BE A JAYBIRD. THIS IS WAR, See you SOON, and the whole bunch. you did NOT knew that I am an American and a PROUD one, next week I’ll be back and set the Fed’s on your asses THAT’S a PROMISE. See ay later alligator.

Email #4 – More empty death threats from a moron.

I d’ont talk to DEATH people. You ar death from NOW (Watch your back, little seal boy). I am (still) a commander from the French-Foreighn Army, little boy, friends ‘ll come to finish YA. So sad Bay, bay.

From: calvin219(at)yahoo.com
Subject: you suck ass faggot

fucking duchebag cocksucker, you atheists are all the same. your mean and insulting and your always trying to make christians abandone god. well laugh it up funny boy ‘cuz you will be smokin turds in hell someday and wishing you listened to us.

die asshole!!!

From: shargy(at)cox.net
Subject: Calvin the Name Caller

Looking again at Calvin’s e-mail [previous posting, above] I am struck by how emotionally unbalanced he seems to be. He seems to be on the verge of a homicidal rage simply because you had the nerve to disagree and explain why. Ok, maybe you were a little on the insulting side, but not that bad, really, not compared to Calvin especially. So where does this rage come from? Is Calvin enraged over the centuries during which the atheist majority persecuted the religious minority? I hardly think so. Not in this universe, anyway. Is he on steroids or some other mind or mood altering substance? That could be. But why get so upset about a disagreement that doesn’t really matter.

After all, if we all chose to, we could spend our whole lives working and living together without ever telling each other what our religious beliefs are. The vast majority of us could agree on rules to govern our conduct without ever revealing why we thought the rules were a good idea. We could design and build things, play and watch sports, attend movies, plays and concerts all without ever bringing up the subject of religion. So, who gives a rat’s rectum if some of us want to have proof before believing in things? Why the rage? Is it tension within his own mind as his rational mind and his emotional mind vie for control? Is it fear of death sublimated into rage at those who question his scheme for surviving? Is it an anal-retentive desire to make sure “daddy” knows that he is the “good boy” and we are not? Is it fear of losing what little social status he has? (His status is probably all due to his church membership, and we not only fail to acknowledge it but explicitly put him down a notch because of our perception of his gullibility.) All of the above and more? I don’t know, but it sure speaks volumes about his type.

From: eccentricgirl(at)gmail.com
Subject: Hi again!

The site is looking wonderful, GB. Dave Hanson’s writing is very enlightening to read too. I left a message a while back in your guestbook saying I had come out of the closet as an atheist. My mother took it surprisingly well, but I didn’t tell her twin sister (who lives with her). So she is always giving me religious “tract cards” or talking about God and it’s really annoying. The only reason I didn’t tell her was because I was afraid she’d go crazy. She is a very very religious person and sometimes to be honest, she freaks me out. Should I just go ahead and tell her about my beliefs?

And another thing, I have that “Bless You” thing burned into my brain when someone sneezes. How does a person stop saying it? And is there anything to say in its place? LOL

Thanks, Mr. B!

Mary

From: [withheld]
Subject: A comment about your website

Dear Sir,

If you have an opinion which you would like people to read and accept – I suggest you use more polite language, because when you write using “filthy” types of words, it makes you seem like someone who doesn’t know very much – not even how to speak in an educated, polite way…, and then why would anyone think that you know what you are talking about…. I wonder if you can see what I mean? Everyone has a right to express their opinion – everyone “has one” – but why do you have to complete this analogy with a vulgarity???

You need not “sink to the lowest common denominator” to communicate… In fact, since your topic has to do with religion – which supports the idea of man being a Child of God and worthy of respect and of a life of dignity – people are inclined to view you as being Far from the truth….you don’t write with dignity, nor does your use of language encourage respect…

So if you would like people to consider the validity of what you believe, then I suggest you write in a way which will give the impression that you are educated, clear-headed, and really know what you are talking about, rather than just “foaming at the mouth”, and “blabbering gibberish”.

You know, Einstein saw that the Order of this Universe is so intricate and phenomenal, that it is impossible that it “happened just by chance” – and that Order is a Sign of Intelligent Design. Although human beings have faults, and it is true that they fail in Love and Mercy, that does not mean that God does not exist.

If God exists, and you say you do not believe, and try to encourage others not to believe – you will find yourself in Hell for eternity. The various experiences of people who have tried to commit suicide and have survived to tell about their experiences shows that Hell exists, and that it is truly “hellish”. Physics proves that Eternity Exists – the Eternal Now – not a Passing Time as we see it on earth – but the Eternal Present. If you exist Now, you will Always Exist – and you will either remain in the Eternal Now of Love and Mercy which is God, the Good, the Creator of all the harmony and beauty of the Cosmos, or you will Deny That, and will be allowed to remain in the Godless Eternity of Hell with others who also denied God.

It has been said, by those who have seen Hell, that “the biggest surprise for those who do not believe in Hell, is when they will wake up there!”

I hope that you will ponder the Universe – look and see – do you think it happened “by accident” – or by Intelligent Design? And That Creator – do you think it is possible that down through history It gives inspirations to Its creatures to live in Love, in Peace, in Mercy? While we are here, we grow, which means we often fail, but then we can learn to improve. The perfect teachings of Love have been “fought over” by lots of testosterone…. but that does not make Love not Exist.

If God does not exist, and you don’t believe in God – you will have no problem because you will “go” nowhere when you die… and if you believe in God, and God does not exist – your life will be improved anyway because you will feel that you are not alone in your struggle to live and die, and you will try to be kind and just, and you will have a greater peace – and when you die if God does not exist – it won’t harm you that you have believed….

But if God Does Exist, and you don’t believe in God, and spend so much energy talking against Him – you will not stay with God for eternity, you will see that you have no place there, and will remove yourself to the Godless Eternity….a cold, cold, heartless, tortured place, because God is Love, and Godlessness is Lovelessness. This is known from those who have witnessed it, many, many people who have seen Hell. If they were just “hallucinating” they would not see the same thing – but hundreds of thousands of people describe seeing the same horrors in Hell – and one of the main prerequisites to being there is to Deny God. God does not Force Himself on anyone. And those who have been there say, that the Greatest Suffering is to See that God DOES Exist, and is Radiant, Omniscient LOVE – and then one is drawn away to Hell, never to again see that Love and Understanding. The cry of those in Hell has been described as crying, “Never! Never! Forever! Forever!”

If you speak to doctors and nurses, you will hear that we Do Not Die when our bodies turn off – we do not die – we go On. But if you choose to be Against God, He will not stand in your way when you leave your body, and you will go to be with the other Godless….

Consider the lilies of the field, consider the birds of the air…they neither spin nor sow, yet they are clothed in finery, fed throughout the year… only Man upsets the Balance. We have Free Will – we can Choose to Love, or Choose to Not Love. Where does this Love come from? Where does that Order come from? Where do the Galaxies come from which spin beautifully held in Order in Space? Where does the love of parent for child, whether that be a human, a cat, a dog, an ape or an elephant..where does Love come from and Why does It Exist? The religions agree – God is Love, Who knows Love, knows God. Love Unites. The Universe is United in its foundation, says Quantum Physics – One, Eternal Light without beginning nor end, vibrating in different frequencies, taking on different forms – it can be said that the Universe is Made Of One Uniting Force, One Unitive Substance – Love, the UniVerse is Made of Love, By Love, For Love. When we Love, all goes well. When we don’t, things don’t go well. Love makes the world go round – Hate makes the world go Square… Only mankind, in his free will, and his “fighting instinct” like roosters in the barnyard, make war to promote their beliefs…even their beliefs in Love. This is not right. But it does not mean there is no Love.

Are you any better in the language and attitude of your website, than the “religious fanatics” you so vehemently oppose? Your ranting, your choice of vulgarity, insults….

Where is the Love, the Dignity, in your website? Is it missing because you are “godless”? There are “godless” religious websites, too! Godless “religious” people. But True Religion always teaches Love, and true religious people – even if they don’t belong to a particular group – practice Love, or at least try as hard as they can…because they Believe in Love…and know that with Love, Life Works…because the Laws are Based on Love…ours is a World made for Love. When we don’t Love, nothing works right. Real Religion teaches and practices Love . False religion teaches and practices hate. Your website – is it against false religion? Yet it teaches and practices the same way as false religions… So how are you better than those against whom you rail? I hope that you might See that it is not God who should be your enemy, but insincerity, bigotry, vulgarity when it wears the mask of religion or even atheism. But to put God in your cross-hairs, could end up Backfiring Bigtime…..

I hope Love for You, whomever you are. And I hope that you will contemplate the Night Sky…

Wishing you the best,

Maria

Attached Photos: The incorrupt body of St. Bernadette of Lourdes (over 120 years old) and the Horsehead Nebula.

  

Editor’s Note: This poor misguided woman is too brainwashed to consider the possibility that the photo of St. Bernadette is not quite what she would like it to be. Bernadette is a rotted corpse. What you see above are the WAX MASKS that cover her face and hands. This is well documented. Christians: They’ll believe anything they see or hear.

Editor’s Note: The idiot below sent me some hate mail (which I deleted, unfortunately) a few months before sending this gem which I forwarded to some friends. Tough little Cindy decided to take on all of us (20 or so) with her rapier-like wit. After we slapped her around for awhile she eventually disappeared…until…

From: crminter427(at)yahoo.com
Subject: You make me barf

What a freakin’ loser! Gee, I’m still shakin’ in my shoes wondering what corner you’re lurking around everyday when I walk down the street. You really got me good didn’t you Godless Bastard!…Oh wait, that’s right, nothing happened. you’re still just a hermit living in a fantasy land you’ve created in cyberspace. Well, in the famous words of Spongebob, “Good luck with that!” (You really should see the new movie, you remind me a lot of poor Plankton.)

You’re such a joke – exactly the kind of person everyone makes fun of…sitting behind your computer all day, bullying people online, whacking off occasionally to some gay porn sites. One day I truly hope that we can meet in person. If I’m ever out that way, close to Uxbridge, I’ll try to stop by and say hello. Good luck and I hope your next “victim” has as much fun with you as I did. (You really should get out more!)

Thanks for all the laughs,

Cindy

From: trexillion(at)hotmail.com
Subject: WHY DONT YOU SAY THAT TO MY FACE?!?!

YOU THINK YOU ARE SO TOUGH AND HIGH AND MIGHTY. WHY DONT YOU COME OUT FROM BEHIND THAT COMPUETR YOU PUSSY AND TELL ME HOW STUPID I AM TO MY FACE? I’LL KICK YOUR FUCKING ASS UP AND DOWN UNTIL YOU BEG MY GOD FOR MERCIE. YOU STUPID FUCK. I WONT PRAY FOR YOU LIKE ALL THE OTHERS DO BECAUSE YOU WOULDNT KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH IT.

I KNOW YOU LIKE FUCKING ANIMALS THAT WHY YOU PUT THAT PICTURE OF YOUR GIRLFRIEND (AFRICAN COW) ON THE PAGE IN YOUR FAGGITY YELLOW HAT.

HAHA I LAUGH AT YOU.

DONT REPLY ME I WONT ANSWER IT.

YOUR DOOM

Editor’s Note: Oooh. I just made poopie in my pants.

From: brunelle631(at)yahoo.com
Subject: Look who’s calling the kettle black

You atheist fuckheads are all a like. You laugh at us and call us delusional-but it is YOU and all your moronic godless buttfuck buddies who are suffer from the delusion. You have convinced yourself that God and His Son Jesus are figments of our imaginations. God is very real and you will come to know it someday when you are burning on the lake of fire FOR ETERNITY to pray for your sins! But it will be to late and you’ll wish you listened to those you mocked. So go ahead with your foolish website and spread your pack of lies. I will pray for you and that moron “Raving Dave’. The two of you can jerk each other off in hell.

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16

From: mikebubel(at)msn.com
Subject: God needs an advisor

Can you imagine a more inept God than the Christian version. His plan to save mankind (From what? Itself, I suppose…) and send down his son to a small fishing village to spout a bunch of anti-government rhetoric that makes it sound like he is vaguely declaring himself to be God. Then stand back and watch as the government rounds him up, tortures him and puts him to death. Assign no to record any of this so humanity can argue about what happened and why for thousands of years. Stand back and watch as religious wars, atrocities, persecutions, crusades, splits in the church, the extermination of millions of Jews, perverted priests and an overall confused mess clouds all religious beliefs…and do absolutely nothing!!! This is our great, caring and loving God! Given the assumption that God is an all powerful being who can do anything he sees fit, it is unimaginable that this is the course of action (inaction?) that his all knowing divine intelligence has come up with. Yet two thousand years of absence and inattention only seems to make those of FAITH all the more desperate to believe. Like you, I just don’t get it.

Mike

From: nasdaq2005qqqq(at)yahoo.com
Subject: Hi

I have only recently joined a few forums where atheists and jeezus freaks debate. My goal was not just entertainment, but to put in my views – since I have a master’s in mathematics and a good background in a few physical sciences I thought I could add some knowledge where it was clearly lacking. I quickly discovered that it didn’t matter. Evolution is science, I argued, because all hypotheses are subject to validation or refute based on concrete evidence (in the form of physical evidence or observation.) It really is as starkly simple as that. Evolution, by definition, is science. My 8 year old nephew would understand such an argument.

It is beyond my intellectual capabilities to absorb the fact that the jeezus freaks just kept rambling on as if I never posted such a fact, or worse, “you don’t know what you’re talking about.” Hmmm, this coming from a homemaker with a high school diploma and 3 heathens. There really is no hope for these morons to accept what is irrefutably a fact. Needless to say, I shall never join such forums in the future.

Your website has to be the greatest one I’ve stumbled upon in a long time. I love the in depth detail you provide, in a psychological setting, as to why they indefatigably pester the shit out of people like me. I particularly enjoyed the “car headlights” and “symbols on/in cars” analysis concluding they are “helping themselves.” Never had I ever thought about this, but you are SO right! Being an atheist, I never really gave a shit about anyone else’s personal beliefs – until he shoved it my way. Then my humiliation of him is fair game. But your analysis really was interesting to me in knowing what goes through the minds of these jeezus freaks. Not only do I appreciate it, the piece was well written. Thank you.

By the way, and I’m not being mean, but I hope that “Ruth” woman is a janitor at NBC, because if I were to read a resume with such spelling and grammatical errors it would go immediately into the garbage otherwise. If not, well, shame on NBC.

Sincerely,

Dale

From: Starlass(at)yahoo.com
Subject: [blank]

GB! I LOVE YOUR SITE!

I was a weak atheist before I came to your site (and I actually read the whole thing too…you should be flattered because I usually just skim through a lot of words…I have, um, attention problems) but after reading all of your theories/opinions vs. facts, your ‘concrete proof’ argument, I’m more secure with my atheism. I am a strong atheist now. I just could never find the words to express my opinions and feelings about why I do not believe in god/religion/the bible/all that other mumbo jumbo. But you found the words beautifully. You are soooo articulate and entertaining! I laugh, I cried, I danced…okay maybe not danced exactly…but nonetheless your site is definitely one of my top 5 favorites. Keep it up!

From: Badgirl86(at)aol.com
Subject: Hi GB saw your site

My name is Janae, 18 years old, and I decided to write you after I saw your site. I’ve enjoyed most of what I’ve seen on your site until I stumbled upon some of you “hate/love mail”. It sickens me that people with a supposed faith can be so cruel to their fellow man. I’m sorry but I don’t find “Hey Dave, eat shit and die” loving my fellow man. Which is why I don’t have a religion. I don’t like to be preached to. The fact that I’m a black female doesn’t help either. No I’m not pulling the “black suffrage” bullshit. I’m just saying that it struck a nerve when a follower of um….yeah that guy that kind of lived about 2000 years ago but died or some shit, said this…..

“I KNOW YOU LIKE FUCKING ANIMALS THAT WHY YOU PUT THAT PICTURE OF YOUR GIRLFRIEND (AFRICAN COW) ON THE PAGE IN YOUR FAGGITY YELLOW HAT.”

Now I’m hurt, yellow hats are sexy. You remember that dude from the Curious George books. And even if you’re girlfriend is big….big bitches need love too and you seem to understand that Dave. I applaud you. Give your girl a kiss for me.

But in any case keep up the good work. Keep fucking the ass holes and pussies because you’re a dick (and you know they love it). Hope to hear from you soon. – Janae

From: [withheld]
Subject: Amen Brother!

Wait, that subject line is ironic since I agree with you on a great many points and ideas.

I net-stumbled into your site and have been reading through the pages for quite sometime.

All I can say is…BRAVO!

It was a bit spooky seeing how you express ideas and how your thought process works because I have said many of the same things to religious zealots and people trying to get me to believe in god for what seems like every day.

Case in point: The other day I was chatting with a girl in an office and there was a guy making copies nearby. We were chatting about life, death, taxes, whatever and I remarked when I die, I want to be dressed in everyday clothes, or even Bermuda shorts, tank top and a beer in my hand, and then I said… “I don’t want any of that religious B.S. if people want to pray, they can go home from my funeral and do that on their own time…” This guy at the copy machine spins around… “Religious B.S.?” I thought he was going to jump me for a second…

He then realized he might have said that a bit loud, and I can tell he had to force himself to turn back around and just keep his mouth shut. He made his copies and briskly walked out and to this day he avoids me at all costs.

Like you would say, if he is such a devout believer should he not take me on as a personal project to help me “find my way from the dark into the basking glow of Jesus?”

He just knows I am very strong willed and he does not even have a remote chance of getting me to buy into his fairy tale.

So he does the easy thing, stays the hell outta my way.

Keep up the good work!

J.L.

P.S. I’m not Jewish. My family is catholic, but I’m agnostic and rapidly turning atheist…

From: [withheld]
Subject: A note of support

Hi GB:

How very distressing that you’ve received death threats from Christians.

How sad to learn (yet again) that Christianity is being distorted and twisted to fit personal agendas. Of course, this is a national trend, it seems, so I should probably get used to it.

But suffice it to say that there are some Christians out here who haven’t taken it upon ourselves to invent hateful ideology and then have the audacity to credit Jesus with the vitriol. (Oh, to be a fly on the wall when these folks try to justify that maneuver at the pearly gates!)

The teachings of Jesus can pretty much be summed up in one word: Compassion.

Not sure where death threats fall into that.

On behalf of the Christians who respect your opinions (and actually share some of them), I am sorry.

Suzanne

From: kcbbh78(at)aol.com
Subject: [blank]

I would rather live a life believing in God die and find out there isn’t than live one without God die and find out there is. Jesus is Lord. Forever.

Editor’s Note: I just love his defiant closing. Forever? Can anyone say self-reinforced delusion?

From: ILive4Christ2Day(at)hotmail.com
Subject: Give me a break

You think you are going to change anything with your lame-ass pathetic website? NO ONE is going to give up serving Christ just because they read your pack of lies. You are obviously insecure and threatened by the power and grace of God. So go on with your foolish atheist ways and enjoy what is left of your pathetic life because you are on a sure-fire path to HELL, buddy boy. I hope you like the heat.

From: tammy8589(at)hotmail.co.uk
Subject: At last!

Hello, Mr. Bastard.

First of all, brilliant site. Now, a bit about yours truly. I became a Christian ‘gave my heart to the Lord’ and all the trimmings many, many moons ago (22 years) thanks to a bout of adolescent angst turning me back to the childhood memories of school assemblies and the god they talked about. He seemed to know what he was about, so I turned to him for help.

I was all right for a while, and any question that bubbled up I just squashed with thoughts of what would happen if I followed the question through. My first serious doubts came about sixteen years back and yet fear kept me clinging onto something that was against everything I knew as reasonable and true.

First of all, if god is loving and loves us a parent loves his child, then why do Christians suffer? Free will? What about the free will of the victim? And if the lord decides to stop someone suffering, dying, whatever, then why that person? A pregnant mother slaughtered by a drunk driver on her way home from church? An alcoholic reeking and dying in the gutter after losing the love of his life and giving up his faith? A baby dead in the womb before she could even do anything? You know. No reason or logic, you see.

Second, if god cares for us all, why does he pick some people to be saved and others not? Not because of what we do, but because of some arbitrary reason beyond our ken. And if he does pick us, without our having a say, after all, we are totally depraved, why do was have to change our ways to fit in with what the bible says if we are all right already, enough for him to want us to join him in heaven? I don’t mean those serial killers who are converted to the lord on death row, but your ordinary average Jill or Joe whose worst ‘sin’ is shouting loudly at a mithering neighhour of their mother? Why should a person destroy their record collection (I’m showing my age now, talking about records) just because the lord suddenly wants them? Why should they have to burn their book collection (believe me, I did both). I had a confrontation with a more mature Christian about this and she said, ‘no, no, no, it’s not predestination, it’s just the lord knows who is going to be saved, he doesn’t make it happen’. This person does not know the bible! Predestination is stamped all over the Second Half (sorry, New Testament). People read the bible and then alter it to make the lord look a nice guy having to put up with us, and arguing or not believing means you are off to hell.

Third, I have read a thousand Christian philosophy books and every one says something like, ‘if something goes wrong, it’s your fault’ ‘if it goes right, it’s god’s doing’.

Sorry for going on, and I could mumble on for the symbolic three days, but you’ve got an idea why biblegod has lost his hold on me.

Anyway, keep it up!

Sarah Nield
Manchester, England

From: [withheld]
Subject: Hi

GB, I don’t care much for what you have to say about us (believers), but I respect your right to hold your opinions as I hold mine. I will pray for you and fans of your website. Please email me if you would like to pray with me and seek spiritual advice. I have shown many atheists and agnostics the way to God over the past 22 years. Just remember that He loves you and that He will never turn His back on you if you accept Him and Jesus into your heart. I extend this offer to you and anyone else who wants God in their life. Please do not share my email address with anyone unless they ask for my assistance in this matter. I love to facilitate salvation, but I hate spam. God bless you. Terri

From: bobby6565(at)bellsouth.net
Subject: Faith and Prayer

You obviously know little about prayer, true Christians, and real faith. Prayer is a personal and private conversation between GOD and the person praying. It isn’t a “Lord, gimme…” chant. It is giving reverence to the CREATOR of the universe and thanking HIM for HIS blessings. NO true Christian wants your money for asking GOD that you come to HIM. Whether you do or not, I pray your life will be filled peace and happiness. Real faith is not blind. It is simply knowing that you don’t know it all, but you trust GOD.

GOD, Family, Friends…

Bob

From: heliumgod(at)hotmail.com
Subject: Raving Dave

Sir David,

I’ve been admiring your “raves” since GB first introduced you to the site. I figured it was about time to send you a note and tell you how much I enjoy your writings. You (like GB) echo what so many of us believe and so badly want to say. Only problem is, we don’t have your flair with the written word – or a website on which to showcase that talent. But I for one am just as happy to surf on in from time to time and feel part of the whole (in silence at least) and know that there are others who share the same beliefs…..or is that non-beliefs?

I don’t know how many fans take the time to thank you for your words of wisdom and the endless laughs that accompany it – my guess is that most enjoy as silent spectators – but again I want to say thanks and encourage you to continue delivering the same great web content to all your cheering fans.

Bryan

From: BobRJBGolfer(at)aol.com
Subject: Thanks

Mr. Bastard:

I remember it so well. It was 1965 and I was sitting in church only because the college I attended required it. After 14 years of Catholic indoctrination, I came to the realization that god did not exist, that the concept of god was a concoction brought about primarily because man cannot accept the finality of death. I finished my college education at that institution because I liked beer and there was plenty of it. It dulled the senses. Now that I’m much older and have reflected on my life and what the meaning of it might be, I’ve come to know that there is no answer to the query.

I’m so nauseated by evangelicals that I daydream doing bad things to them. “The Godless Bastard” is a “godsend” for me.

Thank you.

From: brb_catman(at)yahoo.com
Subject: Great Site

Hey GB. Just stumbled upon your site and I love it! I felt right at home as soon as I started reading your intro page. I’m sure we would hit if off as good friends if we were to ever meet in person.

Keep up the great site. I will be a regular visitor.

Bruce
Portland, Oregon

From: c.newton.259282(at)swansea.ac.uk
Subject: [blank]

Hi Godless,

I’ve just finished browsing through your website and I have to admit, the amount of work you’ve put in is ‘admirable’. You know the problem i find most often within wider society? When people stop believing in God, they start believing in anything! But that is their right, and I respect it, and you seem to respect it too.

I don’t like to think of you receiving so many ‘hate e-mails’ from angry Christians so this should cheer you up:

JESUS LOVES YOU!!!

God Bless,

A. Sinner

From: lmnox01(at)yahoo.com
Subject: A Thank You

Godless Bastard –

I needed to send an email offering my praises to website. I’ve spent years educating myself about various religions, philosophies, and metaphysical theories, only to realize that most of it is complete BS. (I consider myself agnostic as a whole, but atheist in a Christian sense.)

I’m a teenager living in the middle of a white suburbia, where everyone and their dog is Christian. I know very few individuals who even question the existence of a god, and for the most part everyone I know considers atheists as the scum of the earth and refuse to believe that any decent human can even be agnostic (which leads to great fun when I tell them of my beliefs).

I stumbled upon your site, and found it liberating. I feel relieved that other people don’t adhere to a nonsensical world of religion, and your arguments against Yahweh seem to be transcribed from my thoughts and arguments with others that seem to occur way too often.

Your site made me look out to further sites of godless folk, and it gives me hope for humanity to see many others not blinded by religion.

Sincerely grateful,

Zach

From: alex(at)kamberis.com
Subject: Thanks!

I LOVE your site!! I couldn’t have said it better myself. Keep the wit and info coming. I look forward to reading more!

From: darbruler(at)yahoo.com
Subject: atheistic abominations

So you’re telling me in the beginning there was matter? What matter? Just matter sitting there (where)…waiting for a big bang to happen? If matter cannot be created or destroyed… where did the first matter come from? And don’t give me theories about how matter was formed by something naturally. So yes, science has almost proven there must be a “prime mover”. Sorry if that sounds theological to you.

One other point… It is necessary to be nuanced and accurate when describing your belief or non-belief in God. That’s the problem with fundamental Christians. No nuance. Nothing deeper than “because that’s what the bible says”. Unfortunately, I see the same problem in the “logic” of atheists. Same logic, but even more unforgivable.

That’s because most would assume (although, it seems incorrectly) that your average atheist is more intelligent than your average Baptist and therefore would not fall into that intellectual trap. Al least people of faith are going by faith… atheists pretend to be smart, but miss the big picture.

Brad Hyatt

From: prabhath_arjuna(at)yahoo.com
Subject: hello

hi, are u a good looking sexy young girl! if it is i like to kiss u.

STORY OF THE GRAPES GARDEN

At the first god (nature) gives the garden to the people. Garden is the world or lie called me. God send his messengers or sons one by one asking the garden back. But his children or people don’t give it as they love the grapes (desires). They kill the messengers or sons of god, because they have the desires or greedy for grapes.

regards, Arjuna

Editor’s Note: I’m not exactly sure what color the sky is in this guy’s world.

From: [withheld]
Subject: Thanks for the thoughts

Dave, I enjoy your ideas & how well they are expressed… my family, including my wife & in-laws, are highly religious Christians as I was for 40+ yrs… I lost faith in God when I lost faith in the Bible… most leave me alone because when they start a discussion they usually get frustrated by how well I support my atheistic stance (thanks in large part to yours & the many other atheist blogs I’ve frequented recently)… I just wanted to let you know that since my enlightenment, I’ve had discussions with numerous Catholic & Protestant Christians which have since come to me to announce their own enlightenment… it seems that once these people critically evaluate their faith, it evaporates… I am encouraged to find how many atheists there really are… makes me wonder about the statistical sampling that suggests an 85% Christian nation… I wonder if it’s simply that we are not ‘in your face” with our beliefs… whatever the reason, I think we are a growing group & that encourages me… just wish I could have ‘seen the light” earlier (I was almost 50 when I finally chucked religion)… keep firing the bullets… the more holes we poke in the fabric of their beliefs, the sooner it falls to shreds…?

Greg in Florida

From: meridianht(at)sbcglobal.net
Subject: Nice website

I enjoyed all of the rants on your site. It is nice to know other atheists feel the same way I do.

Regards,

Matthew M.

From: i_blv_n_u(at)hotmail.com
Subject: Bravo to Dave’s Raves

Bravo, again, this time on your editorials “Where to Stuff Your Bible” and “Christian-to-English Phrase Book.”

Seems like mindless adherence to doctrine is an epidemic. Another case in point: the recent story of a tour boat that capsized in Lake George. When interviewed, a survivor remarked that her god saved her, allowing her to swim away from the wreckage. Free to holler at the television whenever I’m alone in my house, I shouted “Oh I see. God didn’t have ANYTHING to do with the capsizing of the boat (which killed 20 elderly tourists), but he had EVERYTHING to do with your survival. Yeah, keep believing that.” Those evil elderly tourists sure got what they deserved, not praying nearly as often as that survivor, I suppose.

Critical thinking is what gave us democracy, technology, the justice system. Now the theists are trying to suppress it. Sheesh.

Steve

From: [withheld]
Subject: Rachel Hicks link

I read her article and the logic is so flawed, she can’t really call herself an intellectual. Scientific Inquiry has a base assumption that NOTHING EXISTS until there is proof of existence. So, to say that we can’t prove that anything doesn’t exist is a statement of scientific ignorance. Nothing exists until there is proof that it does.

Until there is solid evidence for the existence of God, then God does not exist.

Science eludes waaaaaay too many people these days. It’s mind boggling to me that fairy tales govern part of their brains while the other part is war mongering, denying help to the poor and advocating for greedy-bastard corporate policy. If they’d just follow their bible ideas (sans the rape, slavery, child abuse and genocide advocated in their precious book), we’d probably see more eye-to-eye. If this country were truly full of Jesus-loving Christians, we wouldn’t be making guns, bombs and chemical weapons, that’s for sure.

Preaching doesn’t get to me nearly as much as how they try to make rules and laws to uphold their freaky beliefs. How hard is it to understand? Your beliefs end where my freedom begins!

I’m not even against the ideas of the supernatural. I’m sure there are many forces we’ve yet to discover. Look at how long electricity and radio waves were around before we could understand them. There’s a guy (LaBerge) at Stanford doing some amazing research (with real sleep-lab evidence) about the existence of a dream dimension. I guess I just have a bigger respect for those that say they believe there might be some kind of higher power and leave it at the mystery instead of coming up with silly myths, stories, rules and a general sense of righteous meanness that doesn’t help anyone. My biggest peeve is when they talk about “what gawd wants.” Like their little brains could even grasp that if their alleged gawd is so powerful he already has what he wants. LOL Don’t even get me started on the assumption that it’s a “He.” Last I checked, it’s the females who bring life into this world.

Janet Mayer

From: soberloki(at)shaw.ca
Subject: The Lunacy of Religion

Preaching to the choir, to be funny about it.

Yeah, don’t get the religion thing either. I’m a lifelong atheist – even when I didn’t know it was an option. What can I say? My hamster died. It went in the friggin’ flower garden. Hell, the cat dug it up three days later. That was kinda my first clue, ya know?

Guess I shouldn’t have compared deities to Santa Claus in church, ’cause they asked my mother not to bring me back to Sunday School. Second clue, right there.

I find myself gleefully anticipating those times when my friends forget and start talking to me about faith. I tend to start singing George Michael songs and ask where the jukebox is. I’m very popular at certain parties. You?

DGA

From: annha(at)lanset.com
Subject: Not hate mail

Hello Bastard.

Score one for your doctors! (I’m glad you’re still around.) Just read your tale of hypocrisy. It moved me to tears…of hysterical laughter. Thanks!

Anne in New Mexico (not giving anyone a piece of her mind ’cause there wouldn’t be enough of it left)

From: [withheld]
Subject: Hello, fellow nonbeliever here.

Hi GB,

I came to your website and got somewhat overpowered by the talking, talking, talking and gave up. My reaction to your website is that you’re trying to enlist those who are already members of the club!

The very nature of atheism is such that there is no hold on anyone and people are distant from each other. It certainly doesn’t give me any fuzzy feeling of belonging.

Until someone “gets it”, that human beings can not revolve their lives around ideas alone, the non-religious organizations will continue on as they are doing yelling about religion being bad (after you agree with that premise, then what?) but offering little else to bond each other around.

Atheism is not even a word I like to use as it suggests that there is something that exists that I am denying. To be quite honest, and since it’s only between you and I, I don’t give a fiddly fuck about theism, deities, hobgoblins, spooks or fairies. All that stuff is irrelevant and immaterial to me. I give it no house room in my head.

I do not want to read or attend any more talks or lectures about the subject. I’m convinced.

From: darbruler(at)yahoo.com
Subject: Dude, get a grip

Godless Bastard:

It’s not just hardcore Christians who think less of you because of your beliefs. Apparently you’re an atheist. That’s fine, but it’s just as dogmatic a belief as say Wahabism. You can’t be any more sure there’s no God than the fundemantilist Christian can be sure that Adam and Eve were real people. I can understand your reactionary feelings toward the majority of the world. Yes, beliefs are stupid and often a crutch. But think larger. Just because Adam and Eve are bullshit doesn’t mean there is no God. In fact, Science has almost proved there must have been a prime mover. By this I mean something caused the Big Bang. It didn’t just happen. To believe so dogmatically there is no God is just as inane as believing dogmatically in the Christian bible. Neither one of you has any scientific proof of your beliefs. You can’t prove there is not God. It’s not a testable hypothesis. Why don’t you try being an agnositc. Or is that just for pussies?

Brad Hyatt

From: katherinnichols(at)hotmail.com
Subject: Thank God (hee hee)

I’m so glad that there are other confused and enraged atheists out there! It’s so difficult to live in a world where so many people live their life by a 2000 year old manual. Frankly, I think Aesop’s Fables is a better book to live by. It funny when Christians talk about how the Bible has helped them throughout their lives and then hand out rhetoric like, “It’s just a roadmap.” or some crap like that. I like to ask them which is the story that was most meaningful to them, which story really brought home the message of God for them. I’ve never gotten a definitive or confident response.
My latest defense was joining the Church of the Subgenius, a satirical and bizarre “religion” whose deity is a 1950′s archetypal salesman named “Bob”. When Christians start talking to me about Jesus and Mary’s divine pregnancy, I start talking about “Bob” and the Overmen and the Xist aliens who will eventually come for us! Whatta riot!

Keep fighting the good fight!

Katherin Nichols

From: ramien(at)oriok.net
Subject: Eternity

GB,

I once read/heard this description of eternity:

Imagine there is a rock that is 6 ft high. Every year a bird the size of a sparrow comes and sharpens his beak. When the rock is gone, that is 1 day in eternity. Now I imagined that if anyone went to heaven and lived an eternity; doing what?

Get real, peace and love will get awful stale w/o something meaningful to do.

My hat’s off to you for extolling on the issues of respect.

Marshall Neill

From: kostry7(at)bk.ru
Subject: Hi from Yana

I am looking for my second half! I am honest, faithful, romantic, kind, sensitive, children and animals loving person. I enjoy active life and I have many interests. I am an optimistic person and like to laugh, dance and listen to the music. I am a creative person and try to decorate not only my life but life of other people too. I read a lot. I would like to create a strong family where everybody finds peace, comfort and understanding. The life is short and I need so little to be happy: a Child and a MAN, caring, tender, understanding, the one who would have a wish to give and receive the tenderness and affection from me. I will be waiting for your answer in hope that you will tell me more about yourself. you may look at my profile at my address russianmatch.ru my id number 17014 you may write at kostry7(at)bk.ur.

Yana Kostrykina

From: [withheld]
Subject: The Lunacy of Religion

Finally, someone who seems to share my sense of humor has written a nice, inclusive essay.

Thanks, Godless Bastard.

- Atheistic & Amused

From: [withheld]
Subject: awesome site

hey mr. bastard.

i’m 14 and I was pretty much suspicious of religion my whole life (without realizing it). ultimately, i thought of buddhism, but once the whole “resurrection” thing came up, i called bullshit. well basically I have been like observially [observationally] thinking about science and the universe and religion and technology and life and death and stuff for like a few years. the stuff you say is pretty much was I have concluded on my own. if I feel like it I might send you some more reasons. here’s one now:

how come when a sick person dies, we blame the doctor, and when he lives we praise god?

i could be [your] atheist assistant or something. well that’s pretty much it.

oh and something funny: it took me forever to say to myself “god if you’re real give me a sign” because I was terrified I would get like an earthquake or something. also it took me forever to say “fuck god” but of course nothing happened. i’m still healthy smart and whatnot. ok bye.

excuse the spelling. i am in a rush….i am quite a smart kid seriously.

steve

From: tankedandwild(at)yahoo.com
Subject: same tired old shit from another mindless asshole

two words: fuck you

From: [withheld]
Subject: Hello

Hey! I’m Catholic, but I love encountering Atheists and Agnostics. I live in the Bible Belt and often have to endur insipid conversations with “Christians” who want to tell me why I’m going to Hell because I’m not a psycho fundamentalist Baptist when they can’t even explain to me why they bother to believe in the Bible in the first place. This isn’t to say that I don’t believe in the Bible. It’s just rather sickening to have someone shove their beliefs on me when they can’t even match me as to why they believe in [insert common Christian belief here]. I love playing devil’s advocate and getting in their head. Maybe they’ll wake up and think one day as to why they believe in God in the first place as opposed to doing it as some sort of social thing…or out of fear as your website aptly points out.

So yea, I believe in God. It’s for purely intellectual reasons. I’ve never seen a burning bush or heard angels singing, but the arguments for the belief in God are much more substantial than those of the Athiest – while still respectable. We can discuss those later. I’m initially curious as to your opinion on this article. It’s a bit lengthy, but I think one who is so well read on Christianity can handle it.

http://www.catholicculture.org/docs/doc_view.cfm?recnum=3697

Rachel Hicks

From: [withheld]
Subject: your website

You have a great website!

I am now spending way too much time on the computer reading between your site and the great links. It’s fascinating and scary to see the response of so-called christians to your arguments. I work with some of them and found out very quickly that you cannot discuss this subject without being condemned to hell by them for lack of better argument.

Another one of my favorite sites is whydoesgodhateamputees.com. If anybody still believes after reading it, well, then nobody can help them.

I wouldn’t want to miss any updates, so please put me on your mailing list.

Thanks!

Heidi

From: m0th3r.fuxx0r(at)gmail.com
Subject: [blank]

Check out the [email from] cosgrove guy who called you a “fuckwit atheist.” He claims he’s not trying to force religion down your throat but still says, “when are you goign to accept the FACT that this country was founded on christian beliefs? thats just the way it is – like it or not, no conspiracy…” Notice his use of the word “FACT.” Christians really ARE hypocritical.

From: [withheld]
Subject: Great facts against theism

I’m a 14 year old buddhist, although I’m atheist as well, so you can say I’m a non-theist, although a buddhist, I have my own beliefs of the world and I do not believe in a god. I turned to atheism a year or two ago, when a christian friend shoved down my throat how I would go to “Hell” if I was not Christian, I told him that he had no right to say that, and he exclaimed, “But that is the truth!”, I was almost in disbelief, and when I told him that a theory must be proven before it is accepted as a truth, he said, “God doesn’t needs to prove himself”. The belief in the origin of men is that Adam and Eve were the first people, but before we get back to that, in another situation, I asked him, “Is it a sin to reproduce with your brother/sister?”, he said it was, and I struck the jackpot, I said if Adam and Eve were the only first generation people, how did their children reproduce, seeing as though it was a sin to have sex with a sibling, he chirped in, “God created more humans”. Let’s assume Adam and Eve had a boy and a girl, and God created a mate for each of them, They would have cousins, which may or may not be allowed to have sex with. If allowed, they would have two groups of children, eventually the final generation will be siblings, and the human population will have to stop, and “God” will have to keep creating humans, even until today, but we don’t see that happening, do we?

Obviously I have been doing my own research. (Which also led to my discovery of your site.)

Darsh

From: theassertiveatheist(at)flamewarrior.com
Subject: [blank]

GB, good to hear from you. I enjoy reading your site, too. I would be surprised if we didn’t have the same take on all this nonsense. Like you, I don’t see any point in dancing around the issues. Seems far better to name them, point them out, and address them in declarative sentences, thereby highlighting the lunacy in stark relief. Nothing annoys cockroaches more than a bright light. Looks like we have both stumbled on the same approach – single out a particular area of religious stupidity and examine it to death, without fear and without apology. But with a sense of humor.

Too many people seem too concerned with hurting feelings or pissing off the enemy. Seems that neither of us lose any sleep over those things. There are lots of sites out there that take a more temperate tone – too temperate for my taste. It is hard to detect much outrage in those sites. Well, Like you, I AM outraged and don’t care if the adamantly religious get pissed off. In fact that is just what I want. It is my policy that their public statements about the baby geezus never go unchallenged. It is all part of the de-de-sensitization process – they need to be constantly reminded that, like the gays, we are here, we have rights, and that they should get the fuck used to it. And somewhere along the way, they need to learn to keep their lame-assed nonsense out of good folks faces. To that end, we must avoid the tacit consent provided by silence – progress can only be made when we are a constant, forceful, and annoying presence.

Rick
www.flamewarrior.com

From: cosgrove79(at)gmail.com
Subject: give me a break

youre just another fuckwit atheist who thinks the christian right is conspiring to force it’s beliefs on you and your pathetic internet bullies. when are you goign to accept the FACT that this country was founded on christian beliefs? thats just the way it is – like it or not, no conspiracy, just reality. deny jesus and burn in hell where you belong. doesn’t much matter to me.

From: [withheld]
Subject: Thank you for your site!

WOW! I happened to find your site on google after receiving another ridiculous religious e-mail from an in-law. I was unable to reply for fear of creating even more conflict with my husband’s family. This was sent to me knowing full well I am not religious. It bothers me that I feel I have to hide the fact I am an atheist- as if having a personal belief of my own was worse than being a murderer or something of that nature. I consider myself a more considerate and ethical individual than many of them. So considerate in fact, that I do not want to upset them by telling them god does not exist since they need it so badly. I feel it is like telling a child Santa Claus does not exist. I REALLY wish I could tell them to leave me alone. I guess the only way around it would be to say that I consider religion a personal and private issue not to be discussed and leave it at that. The religion shoving gets out of control- it is REALLY scary how it is getting into politics. It amazes me how many people do not see the manipulation of thought through religion and how christians are taught to accept the bible blindly. As a friend of mine used to say, “religion is just a socially accepted cult”. Thank you so much for your site- it made me feel less alone in this sea of morons! What I really feel makes this site stand out besides your eloquence, are the links to the clips you are referring to. The clip on the design of the banana left me astounded- almost wondering whether some individuals’ brains had not undergone the same process of evolution as others- maybe they stayed behind with the amphibians.

Thank you.

Linda

From: party_till_i_drop69(at)yahoo.com
Subject: hey

i don’t believe in god or anything. me and a bunch of students in my study hall all got into a big fight yesterday about it. it pisses me off when people judge you for your beliefs. hit me back!

missy grove

From: cruses316(at)yahoo.com
Subject: i pray for you godless bastard

i know you are pain and need god in your life. you have turned you back on him but he will never turn his back on you. i will pray for you not because i want your money, the $10000 you offerme but because i want you to love god and jesus the way they love you. no amount of money for me is worth hell forever for you. please pray with me (send me email) and take don your web site. bless you sir, bless you – Camille

From: censorme(at)gmail.com
Subject: Feedback

Just a quick note so as to officially prove someone wrong (Ruth, in the “Hall of Shame”). I work for an NBC affiliate in Washington [state] and DO NOT, in fact, believe in god.

From: i_blv_n_u(at)hotmail.com
Subject: [blank]

I have problems too but I am smart enough to know that a sense of community and structure in one’s life is NEVER proof that a god exists. Religions have power and money because they can pool resources together in a way that freethinking individuals typically don’t. I think personal turmoil and catastrophic events are the WORSE times to turn to religion. You’re typically not of the right analytical mindset. Try telling this to hurricane victims. Jesus saves! Well, not all of you good folk, and none of your houses. And not all pets. And no dogs go to heaven according to the “good” book. Whatever shall Christian parents tell their wide-eyed children? Guess they’ll have to distort the Bible’s teachings to fit the modern world. I say “why bother. Live free.”

I almost got into religion until I realized no one could plug all the holes, fix their leaky reasoning. Then I pieced together the origins of religion in general and placed them in their proper context. At about the same time I became furious at the Christian Right. Their power, their maneuvering, their unspoken/unchallenged desire to STOMP OUT all alternative thought – while posing as the victims of secular oppression.

No doubt Jesus had a hand in guiding that JetBlue airliner through a coarse landing, and in sparing the lives of those passengers, even though among them might have lurked an embezzler or murderer. Let’s forget that an aviation expert, speaking during the live CNN broadcast of the landing in-progress, practically GUARANTEED the plane was going to land safely; then he proceeded to explain why he was confident in its safety – should the nose gear collapse and the nose strike the tarmac, the aluminum hull would spark, but that’s all. The plane had already dumped its fuel. I suppose then that Jesus wasn’t there at the airfield BUT BUT BUT perhaps he was present years back during the DESIGN of that JetBlue model. Yyyyyyyyyyeahhhh. It never occurs to Cryptians that Jesus the mortal wouldn’t know what an airplane was.

Wow, what a miracle landing!

Steve

From: spikeparker(at)usermail.com
Subject: Hooray

Wow. You have really built a great site. I’m impressed by your forthrightness, honesty, accuracy and intellect. I have read a number of pages, and will be back to continue.

I get so frustrated with “believers”, sometimes, that I wish there were a way to “force feed” the truth’s which you clarify on this site into them. But, alas…

Thanks for what you do.

Spike Parker

From: [withheld]
Subject: a fellow skeptics two bits

What you have to say on your website assumes a particular (and common) understanding of religion. Many religious folks do have a rather pathetic belief that can be easily shot down. However, there does seem to be something really significant about religion. This can be best described at a more abstract psychological and social level.

I’m sure people direct you to many books, but I can’t help suggesting a very interesting book published in 1999 called “Maps of Meaning: The Architecture of Belief” by Jordan B. Peterson. He is a clinical psychologist and professor at the University of Toronto. An internet search on “maps of meaning” will bring up some lectures of his based on the book that can be watched. The book is much better at explaining his thesis. He is obviously very intelligent, but sometimes is unable to write in a way that can be easily followed. The book is almost 500 pages. The first 98 or so are the hardest part to get through, but I think the book is worth the effort. Checking Amazon.com will provide some interesting reviews.

The overall thesis from what I can tell is that there is a “heroic way” for the individual as well as society. This “way” is a PROCESS for engaging the unknown and bringing about the creative transformation of the individual and/or society. This “way” can be symbolically described in myths and religions and literature. These myths are not the folk takes of the common folks, but the result of exceptional individuals. The author seems to argue that the method of presenting the “way” could not be abstracted like we moderns would do it, but had to be at a different level. In fact, the description took eons to move up the abstraction levels to something like Christianity or Taoism. It might be useful to provide an alternative explanation for the meaning of Christianity that is atheistic, but hopeful.

If you do get around to reading it, or have already done so, I would be interested in your impression.

B.G.

From: mischelinas(at)yahoo.com
Subject: Thank You

I just wanted to thank you for a great website. I totally agree with everything you say. You just became one of my favorite authors and I will be checking in regularly.

Keep it up.

H. Hoffman

From: [withheld]
Subject: David Mills book

Hi Godless,

Please don’t post my email address. I mustn’t have it out there any more than it already is for spammers to glom onto.

I’m one of those lurkers who have been following your website for a few months now. I felt compelled to write to you and ask if you have read the following book by David Mills: Atheist Universe: Why God Didn’t Have a Thing To Do With It.

I just placed my order for it and wondered if perhaps you have read it. Also, I want to tell you I admire your courage for putting your thoughts out there…heck, even your photo and email out there for every crazy God driven lunatic to find you.

Thanks for holding a candle in the darkness.

…and Rave on Dave. I think he’s cool.

Take care.

From: [withheld]
Subject: A few comments

I would also like to write about civility that we, as atheists, should extend to all others. One of the major problems I have with any religion is the pitting of the “US” against the “THEM”. The US group is to be handled with all the ethics, decency, morality and virtue due the “SAVED”. THEM are sub-human heathens undeserving of basic human dignities. We teach our children it is acceptable to lie, cheat, even murder THEM because they are going to hell anyway.

Gilgamesh
 

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