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

From: hermanh(at)adept.co.za
Subject: You play right into satan’s hand.

GB.

It’s incredible to see how active satan is today on earth. He deceives you. Just because you don’t like a few Christians doesn’t mean you have to through away your eternal salvation with God. The Bible predicted that a lot of people would turn there backs on God, and you’re just one of them. God can handle it, trust me, but I hope that He, (who created you and really loves you through His Son Jesus Christ) will touch your life and turn you to Him, and you’ll experience what a merciful God He really is.

Get yourself a Bible and start reading the truth. I hope for the best. Cheers.

Roger

Editor’s Note: I’m afraid you’ve got it backward, Roger. I think you’ve played into fear’s hand. I hope some day that you’ll stop being so afraid that there’s finality to life and occasional unpleasantness in the world that you’re powerless to change. All in all, life is good. Don’t let that which is less than enjoyable pervert your mind so much that you need to invent a god to make the suffering more tolerable. Rationality is all one needs to get through life with relative ease.

Secondly, you missed the ENTIRE point of the site. Go back and re-read the Meet the Bastard page and LISTEN to what is says rather than just REACT to the implication that you’re a gullible, weak-willed, cowardly, simple-minded fool who was sucked into the biggest con ever perpetrated upon man. You’re just a fallible human who fell victim to his inherent weakness and fear of what he can’t control. You can handle it, trust me.

You’ve already taken the biggest and most important step on the road to true enlightenment. You’re on your way, buddy. Now continue to read the truth about your religious delusion. We’re here waiting for you to join us when that day comes.

From: boredv3(at)gmail.com
Subject: Hi…Good Job

Lol??? You made me very happy….
I’ve been an atheist since I was 9 cuz God didn’t make sense
and back then I was kinda “newtonian”
Although I like what You are doing…
I do not believe in free will neither on a theistic, mechanical, or psychological level
U r delt with ur cards, I am delt mine…
Atheism gives u freedom but not necessarily happiness vs that of a Christian’s
Happiness in delusion is still happiness….
PS: for some strange adolescent contempatin, I actually care wat u think…
Email me back with a response plz cuz itll make me day…

Timothy Quach

From: chuck.brierton(at)yahoo.com
Subject: What kind of nonsense is this?

Hello – long time admirer.

A friend of mine posted this bulletin on MySpace:

http://www.care2.com/c2c/share/detail/88407

I’m going to cross reference the hell out of this. I want to see just how much of this bullshit truly is bullshit and post my own bulletin.

Enjoy your day.

Chuck Brierton

Editor’s Note: Turns out that this was a hoax.

From: [withheld]
Subject: Thank you

Just wanted to drop a note to say I spent almost 4 hours reading (and in some cases re-reading) your website.

Very, very well done, GB.

Oddly, I was raised (eh, lowered) in a Catholic school. To this day, I’m still stricken by the fact that churchgoers simply do not see (or choose not to see) the ridiculous pagan-like ritual know as mass. It’s got it all, really – from the holy hypnotizer (the swinging incense thing) to the drinking of Blood. There’s gold everywhere, but that won’t stop a priest from asking for money.

Now, nearing my 40s, my like-minded wife and I are like islands in a family of religious non-thinkers. I have tried to be respectful over the years, and allow them their ignorance, but I honestly feel that Xiantity (and religion in general) is way, way out of hand. I worry that this whole country is far worse now, with respect to separation of church and state, then ever before. I almost fainted when, while watching a presidential debate, a number of republican candidates actually admitted to believing the story of creation over natural-selection.

I just don’t get it. These are the people who have given gifts to the world like inquisitions, holy wars and crusades, conquistadors, a lineage of corrupt leader (popes and politicians), pedophilia, and a growing history of violence and intolerance. But the only “crimes” they insist on persecuting are logic, reason and evidence.

And, have you noticed, the liberties they take with the word “Truth”.

OK, now I too am getting out of hand. The point is… thank you.

PS: While watching an old episode of the comedy show Frasier, I laughed at an interesting quote. “Religion is the best business to be in – you have the worlds most credible partner, and he doesn’t ask for a percentage.”

From: [withheld]
Subject: Hi Awesome site but I have some cribs.

Hey I was going through your website and it seems like you’ve make a lot more sense than a lot of the guys out there.

Oh and please keep me anonymous (hide my e-mail, name, etc.) if you post me on your site (but do tell me if you want to post me).

I live in India where the dominant religion is Hinduism and not Christianity. So before I express my views let me tell you a few things about Hinduism to put things in perspective. Hinduism is more of a philosophy than a religion. One that believes in “live and let live”. Basically it says something like every person should be entitled to his/her own view of GOD (be it Jesus, Brahma or no GOD at all) as long as it does not harm you physically, mentally or in any other way. In such a case, retaliation is justified to the extent of self-defense” Now this is clearly elucidated in the “ancient scriptures” that our “priests” keep referring to. However they never put it into practice. One of my first reasons to disbelieve the “priests”.

Anyways I have a lot many more reasons not to believe in religion but that’s for another day. (Maybe if you reply to this I’ll tell you my story) My main point of contention with your views are the following:

Being a scientist I “believe” in the principle “Every theory is proved right unless proved wrong”.

Now this is a very sensible and rational thing to do. (Again this is a belief and not a fact as per the difference between the two that you have described in your website).

So you claim that you have no concrete proof that god doesn’t exist nor do the theists have proof that god exists. At such a time when you claim very strongly that GOD does not exist, are you not being a bit like the theists in saying that.

Well in my opinion, the scientifically correct thing to say would be “Since there is not concrete proof we cannot claim whether GOD exists or not simply because we do not have the necessary data/hard cold evidence”.

This is a very common mistake that I feel a lot of people make. Just because there is no proof of one theory does not mean that the counter theory is true. Nor should we try to claim that the counter theory is false due to its lack of evidence. So the right thing to do is to imagine that we were some kind of sentient alien being observing humanity from a distance. What would we observe? I’m guessing the following:

1. Humans use religion to answer moral questions. Don’t you think there would be a lot less crime if people believed that they would burn in hell rather than saying there is no god and one should try to be as good as possible. Try reading a book on psychology. Humans DONT do good things unless they know they will be rewarded later (in general. There are exceptions though. But it is the rule I’m talking of).

2. The fact is that there are a lot of theories that one may believe in. Atheism, Christianity, blah blah blah. But that’s all that they are. Theories. And they should be kept that way. Not to be confused with real life. Not to fight wars over. Not to kill. Unfortunately we humans have a tendency to use this powerful thing for all the wrong reasons.

3. A believer of one theory is no better than a believer of another since none of them have any proof. So the Hindu principle I stated above (philosophy being used here not religious sentiment) seems to be the best way out of this morass. One cant stop people believing in GOD. Let’s face it. Humans are incredibly DUMB. What we can stop is all the killing. The hate. Maybe propagate this principle.

Well these are just my views (beliefs). No hard proof here. Maybe you can try to be a bit more polite. After all we need someone/something to make humans realise the folly of it all. In my opinion (as per the principle stated above) one should just believe in one theory and let the rest of them be. That’s sensible.

PS1: I wish to remain anonymous.
PS2: Even I don’t know what point I am trying to make, but dude your site ROCKS.

From: bstaggsdvm(at)comcast.net
Subject: Great Site

Found you while using Stumble Upon. Love the site. I had a fundamentalist upbringing, and it took several years of agonizing before I finally admitted my lack of belief. I usually keep my thoughts to myself at my job, etc. (it’s not easy being an atheist in Arkansas), and I turn to the internet to vent.

Looking forward to any updates.

Brady

From: lostinthewoods65(at)zoominternet.net
Subject: I have some conclusive evidence…(not really, but its hilarious to boot)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9zwbhAXe5yk

I’m not sure who this is or where it’s from, but it’s a guy stating the relationships between the banana and human anatomy are dead ringers for the existence of a “god.”

From: janerz365(at)gmail.com
Subject: To GB

If I may call you GB,

If you will read this I give you my word I will not try to convince you that christianity is right in the process. You can skip the third paragraph if you dont want my life story.

I just wanted to talk to you on the subject of atheism vs. theism. I really do believe in your freedom to say whatever you like. I think it would be atrocious to try to deny anyone their freedom to speak their mind. But I have to say, what you have going here on your website is very hurtful to Christians and (from what I can see) just done out of hate and therefore I think it will only perpetuate hate.

I will say right now that I believe in Jesus Christ. I can also say I’ve had to go through a lot for my beliefs and it is very hard to keep respect as a bible believing Christian. I am 17 years old (I hope you don’t abhor young people as well or else you might stop reading) and I was an atheist up till the age of fifteen. I understand your scoffing. I was there. I thought Christians were nuts. And I’m not going to try to tell you that my religion true in any depth because you simply won’t believe me. My parents are atheists as well. But what I do need to say is that being a Christian has changed my life in so many ways. I’ve actually become more tolerant of the people around me, more caring, I’m better dealing with greed issues etc. I realize that being a Christian doesn’t make me better than anyone else. At most it would make me be intellectually right. It doesn’t mean my hearts in the right place.

Basically my point is this: Putting up mocking pictures of someone’s God, generalizing their attitudes and in general mocking them is not going to make them change their ways. Maybe if it wasn’t so abrasive, maybe if the way you spoke was out of love for all people…then you could make a difference. But all I see is a web site either stirring up anger or propagating hate against a group of people I don’t think you know enough about. Sure there are tons and tons of hypocritical Christians…but that doesn’t mean that God doesn’t exist. I don’t understand how you can draw that conclusion.

In any case I would love to have the opportunity to talk to you. The subject of God versus no god is a very interesting and pretty much unsolvable riddle which I very much enjoy discussing. If you want to say…knock down my faith like the pillar of sand it would seem to be…then I invite you to. Though I doubt you could.

All I ask is that you consider toning down the hatefulness on your site…in my opinion it would make the world a better place.

Jane Enns, 17, Canada

Editor’s Note: Babydoll, you vomited forth so much tripe that I don’t even know where to begin, but let’s start with…

“All I ask is that you consider toning down the hatefulness on your site…in my opinion it would make the world a better place.”

Pay close attention darling, as this is what I’ve been asking CHRISTIANS to do all my life. You’ll see it there, clear as day, on the very first page of the website. Either you didn’t read it (I’ll give you the benefit of a doubt), or like most Christians you chose to ignore it or you selectively forgot it.

“Sure there are tons and tons of hypocritical Christians… but that doesn’t mean that God doesn’t exist. I don’t understand how you can draw that conclusion.”

You don’t understand how I came to that conclusion? Sweetheart, that’s because I never did. Feel free to tell me where on my site that I EVER said that because there are many hypocritical Christians it means that god doesn’t exist. You won’t be able to because I never did. The reason you think I “drew that conclusion” is because you only saw what you wanted to see. It’s called the confirmation bias, my dear child.

“But what I do need to say is that being a Christian has changed my life in so many ways.”

It’s changed your LIFE in so many ways? You’re 17 for crying out loud. I don’t know at what age you could have POSSIBLY started seeing these “changes” but there’s absolutely no way you could have possibly comprehended ANY deep theological concept before the age of 12 or so, especially in consideration of the fact that you were raised by two atheists. But I’ll cut you some slack and afford you at most 4 or 5 years of “religious enlightenment.” Nothing personal, but I’m neither impressed nor swayed by any account of enlightenment coming from someone your age with a thimbleful of what they think is life experience. Trust me, you’ll look back at your formative years when you’re my age and hang your head embarrassment…as did I and virtually everyone else. Bank on it. And if you’d like to compare bedpans with me I’d be happy to demonstrate how little of life you’ve seen.

“But I have to say, what you have going here on your website is very hurtful to Christians and (from what I can see) just done out of hate and therefore I think it will only perpetuate hate.”

The key phrase here is “from what I can see.” Yes, I agree. The problem is that you’re not seeing clearly. Pay close attention, Jane. Take notes if you must. Go back and re-read the site.

From: j.t.jones(at)bigpond.com
Subject: An hypothesis

Howdy,

First of all, I love your site. Yours and The Assertive Atheist, I try to visit each when I can.

I got to thinking about Satan recently, the bogeyman in Christian mythology and how much power is given to this adversarial character. When I was still attending church, I began to wonder whether Jesus and this Devil character were actually one and the same. I mean if the Devil hates Jesus so much why is he/she happy to take Christ’s cast-offs? Why not just say “mmmm, I’ve thought about it but no thanks!” I’m reminded of the verse in Revelations 14:10 where those who worship falsely are tormented with fire and brimstone (that’s red-hot sulphur to you and me) in the presence of the holy angels and the Lamb. I mean, what’s the loving Saviour (the Lamb) doing down there anyway and why’s he happy to watch people being tortured? It flies in the face of the cosy Sunday teatime image of him doesn’t it? I know it’s all a load of old tosh but for argument’s sake wouldn’t it be something if Jesus were the Devil? Without the Devil and the premise of Hell, who or what would keep the sheeple in line within Christianity? It would be the greatest deceit of all time. 2.1 billion followers making terrible personal sacrifices and all for nothing. I find that quite an amusing thought.

Unsurprisingly, it wasn’t long after thinking along those lines that I realised I had no religious convictions whatsoever and left church.

Anyhow, thought I’d drop you a line and keep up the good work, sites like yours are needed in this Dark Age of superstitious delusion.

All the best,

Jonathan

From: [withheld]
Subject: Haha, wow.

Hey!

My name’s Emily, I’m 15, and I think your site is absolutely fantastic. Seriously. I wrote an angry essay about why Christianity is ridiculous and then my friend links me to your site and I’m like..YES. I’m sending this link to all Christians from now on. :]]]

-Emily

From: BriLab45(at)aol.com
Subject: I want 10K!

GB,

I’ve just prayed to the Golden Cow for you to receive an unexpected check in excess of 12k. The check should arrive by December 10th. In the event you do not send me the 10k, I’ve prayed for you to get cancer. Will look forward to my money!

Brian

P.S. Enjoyed your web site. Cows speed.

From: wattsblair(at)surewest.net
Subject: You Rock

I was brainwashed into christianity as a child, but have thankfully seen the light. I think it’s disgusting that christians think it’s a good thing to “eat the flesh and drink the blood” of jesus. It sounds like cannibalism and vampirism to me. And if jehovah did exist, I would call him a rat bastard for getting off on animal sacrifices. Carry on you godless bastard.

Danny Blair

From: epolanc(at)mac.com
Subject: You rock!!!

Well, I haven’t much to say.

I’m from a country called Colombia and are 24 years old. Just two days ago I found your page and I have to say that I love it!!! Officially I’m an atheist about a year and a half ago. Before that I used to be one of those who believed but didn’t pay much attention. That was until I read Dawkins, James Randi and found the marvelous world of skepticism and, followed by it, atheism.

I don’t want to extend myself too much. So just thanks. I really mean it. My country had catholicism as its official religion until 15 years ago or so. Religion is so mixed on our everyday lives that it’s given that every important government committee needs a church official on it. Man, I really hate that, specially on a poor country as mine, listening every day some bishop say that poor people, teenagers and such don’t need contraceptives, I mean, are the for fucking real???

Texts as yours are the kind of ammunition I can use. And are the kind of readings that inspire me to take a more hands on attitude towards this.

Well, thank you again!!! Keep up this nice work and I hope your different illness won’t kill you anytime soon. In spanish (my native language) we say “yerba mala nunca muere” which roughly translates as “you can’t kill the weed”.

Good bye!

If I have something cool to tell you I will.

BTW, can you put me on your mailing list?

Edgard

From: dodgeball52(at)yahoo.com
Subject: shut up

If you want to talk about my God that way, that’s fine. But in case you havn’t noticed, when you die you will burn in hell for eternity. I think you deserve that. Nobody talks about my God like that. Read the dang bible, then you’ll find out who’s right. If you got something to say, send me back. If not, SHUT UP!!! This will be me when I die. At least I won’t BURN like YOU!!! Loser symbol.

I know thats right.

Brittany Brandenburg

Editor’s Note: Britt, can you show me on the dolly where daddy touched you?

From: [withheld]
Subject: Yet more stupid to puzzle over

GB,

I found a story on LiveScience.com about an increase in the number of people claiming religious exemptions for their children so they don’t have to be vaccinated to enter public school. Most of these people are lying about it just because they don’t trust that vaccination actually helps or they believe, get this, that it’s actually is harmful. Things like this make me want to scream!

Here’s the link: www.livescience.com/health/071018-vaccine-religion.html

Thanks,
Phillip

From: [withheld]
Subject: Heaven?

GB,

Please keep my e-mail address anonymous.

I’ve been thinking about the Christian god and their concept of heaven. The Christian god advocated genocide and numerous other unethical actions. The Christian heaven is to be in the presence of god constantly praising this god. For an ethical person, I would think this would be akin to some sort of hell. So their fabulous after life involves the possibility of two hells. One of physical torture and one of torturing the mind by forcing it to worship a demon god.

Faced between these two undesirable alternatives, atheism is beautiful. Atheism encourages everyone to behave in an ethical manner to improve this life which is our only life and our only legacy. The world is what we chose to make it. Granted that this is a bit scary because we must rely upon ourselves and each other plus take responsibility for the welfare of others, etc.

Frankly, I don’t see how a true Christian could be an ethical person. If they read and believe in the Bible than they must be morally corrupt. My father has warned me that Christians mention their religion when they are about to do something bad. He says this is there way of making them trust you. I noticed that this is true.

I’ve never been a church goer, I think some of them must be plotting some pretty evil stuff. Good people ought to stay away so as to not contaminate themselves. Its sickening to be surrounded by filth. Going to church would be like going to a toxic waste dump. Also they say that Sunday is the most segregated time in the USA – there might be something disgusting going on in those all white churches. Who knows what dastardly deeds they are plotting in the name of their god.

God spelled backwards is dog. They say dogs are man’s best friend but many of these so called friends have torn little kids and elders apart, and some of them bark all the time. It’s all very suspicious. You can’t trust christians, god, or dogs.

Melanie Lewis

From: [withheld]
Subject: [blank]

Just don’t get the site? I am an educated man, but it seems you lack facts to back up anything. Don’t get me wrong, you are certainly entitled to your opinion and I would never change that right. Yet, it just seems like you are mad at someone like me, a Christian. Just don’t get it. Have you really had religion and the Christian Faith in particular shoved in your face that much?

Sincerely
John

From: jodielizt(at)yahoo.com
Subject: Trailer Park Atheist

Hello GB,

I just ran across your website this weekend and it has been difficult to take myself away from it. I Love a good rant. And the “stick it to the Man” attitude that comes across in your website is very entertaining.

Keep up the great work I will be checking back often as I have not been able to get through all of it.

I do however have one bone to pick with you as you might have gathered from my subject line. I am very aware of and know the difference between right and wrong and do not need the threat of hell fire to keep my trailer park ass in check. As a matter of fact it is a comfort to me that the mindless have god looking over their shoulders otherwise I think we may have a bit of trouble on our hands. But please in the future do not label me the village idiot just because my financial situation forces me to live in a trailer. I think of myself to be a very bright and intelligent albeit trailer dwelling individual. From your site:

“Individuals of immature ethical development (e.g., children, gullible adults, trailer trash, etc.) need rules to know what appropriate behavior is in a civilized society.” I get where you were going with the statement but know that I find it offensive to be labeled as stupid and need a moral compass because I live in a trailer.

I intend to return to your site as I do find it very entertaining and also I have gathered much needed debate ammo when the god fearin come and try to save me.

A new fan
Jodie Taylor

Editor’s Note: The “individuals of immature ethical development…trailer trash” line was offered in humor and not intended to offend. In all honesty, I stole the line from a letter sent to me by a friend. I thought it was funny so I included it in the rant I was composing at the time. Ordinarily I’d never alter my work to maintain standards of political correctness or to spare someone hurt feelings, but in this one instance I have. The rant has been amended.

From: kelldel(at)hotmail.co.uk
Subject: [Blank]

Hey,

Just a quickie to let you know I love your site, its witty, entertaining and informative but most of all doesn’t have a cowardly unjust respect for religion that I hate most about on the fence sites!

I would like to be on your mailing list providing this service is still available.

Thanks and best wishes

x kel x

p.s. Oh also if your a fan of his, come and Join my “Richard Dawkins appreciation society” group on Facebook!

From: [withheld]
Subject: Your List of Websites

Just wanted to let you know of another funny atheist website that’s actually more offensive than yours: www.churchofjesusfuckingchrist.com

Doesn’t get much more offensive than that guy’s, haha.

From: cobbler(at)ananzi.co.za
Subject: Excellent site!

From Cape Town, South Africa; just found your site tonight (thanks StumbleUpon). Good stuff, thoroughly enjoyable.

The only philosophy/religion I believe one should ever have is:

Believe in life after birth
Perform random acts of kindness
Repeat

Keep up the good work!

From: butchcampione(at)gmail.com
Subject: Thumbs Up!!

GB,

Just wanted to drop a line and offer my support. Keep up the good work and thanks for sharing your awesome hate mail!

My wife and I have created an Anti-Religion section of Sir Lee Tees to even things out a bit. I’ll send you a link if you like, just let me know.

From: [withheld]
Subject: The Bastard is The Bomb

I just have to put it out there; you are the most amazing Bastard I’ve ever come across, by far. I’m 15, in 11th grade, the name’s Charlotte. I think I spend about half the periods of a school day reading your site.

I’ve always been very strong in my beliefs (or disbeliefs for that matter) for my age and now I’m realizing I’ve been going about everything all wrong. I don’t need to convert people, or change some of their irrational beliefs, but I can still let people know how I feel. You’re site has given me a very optimistic point of view on all of this. Religion is almost a confidence booster. When this fellow classmate of mine stands up and tries to convince my class that god made the world 6000 years ago and that human’s recently lived amoung dinosaurs, I can’t help but feel like I’m an intelligent person.

It’s frustrating to me though because I’m just starting to realize that people actually believe what I was “taught” in my Sunday school days. Back when my mom thought church was a good idea, I just assumed that everything they taught me in church was mere fairy tails, no different then say, “The Cat In The Hat”. I thought I could find the bible in the children’s section of the bookstore right next to “If A Pigeon Found A Hotdog”. It wasn’t until middle school that it struck me; a large portion of the people, adults and children, that surround me believe those stories are TRUE. It made me laugh, and it still does. I guess i could say I’m shocked at how “ignorant” (for lack of a better word) that some people can be.

You help me out alot. You make me laugh but with insight rather then the usual religious-stupidity. I feel like I’m an intelligent person, yet I’m told I’m wrong. I’m chastised for my opinions. It’s nice to find someone with a sense of humor who has opinions that I strongly agree with. I’d really love to have a conversation with sometime. It’s too bad you’re not still on Long Island, but I don’t blame you for leaving either.

I’d really love a reply or to be posted on your site at some point in time. Keep on writing, it really is wonderful.

Later,
Charlotte

P.S- You might receive a lot of emails from me over time. Maybe I’ll get a chance to create my own site sometime!

From: ojdude(at)bigpond.net.au
Subject: LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh mate funny Shit indeed!

Keep up the good work.
OJ in Australia

From: trueliberal(at)gmail.com
Subject: Thanks GB!

Greetings GB,

I’m sure you get your share of congratulatory and thank you emails as well as your fire and brimstone ones, which we both may laugh at. But I’d like to add another to the pile.

Living in the South and going to school can be rough on a young rationalist such as I was. “Why am I the only one who thinks this way?” I would always ask myself always attempting to fit in with the Christian kids around me, feeling and knowing that I was different. I even went so far as to wear a WWJD bracelet when I was in elementary school and junior high. Not knowing which was correct, I continued to be rather skeptical, defining myself as an agnostic in late high school. Things changed however, when I was a Senior and my very close girlfriend (who was a staunch Catholic) of ten months broke up with me over the phone, with the only reasoning being moral and religious grounds. Abortion, gay marriage, stem cell research, life after death, etc.

Being at rock bottom at that point, I had never really researched and wondered why I was a non believer among the pious flock around me. I happened to stumble upon your site one lonely evening, along with some other helpful atheist sites such as this one which only reinforced where I was and created a full blown, strong atheist out of me. I now believe only in the holiness of molecules and the commandments of scientific theories. This universe is one ruled by knowledge and logic. Not of fairy tales and myths. You assisted me in reaching the correct conclusion GB, and I thank you.

Feel free to use my email address on your site if mine is posted.

Another atheist out there,

Kevin

From: [withheld]
Subject: Hi GB

Hi GB

My name is Bruce, I am a friend of the 3 women you have had your quarrel with, Gail, Judy and Wanda..

These women are God loving people, but they are human, and they are “Woman”

Have you ever heard this expression: “Hell have no Fury like a Woman Scorn”

Well, apparently the communications got WAY out of HAND, and I assume you got Angry also and said your peace as well, your only human also..

All I can say is I was sad to see all the communications that was posted by all the users of this converstion between the 3 of them and you…

Now, that it has been on your site for a short while, may I ask you to please take it off your site? I am only asking, it is your site and your perogative to leave it as you see fit, but now that the message has been conveyed to all that come to your site, can you now take it down?

Thank you and have a good day

Sincerely

Bruce

Editor’s Note: Read about Gail and her girlfriends here. Apparently they sent Bruce to do some damage control.

From: [withheld]
Subject: wow, you’re my hero

Wow, I think you’re awesome, keep up the good work. I HATE living where I am right now since like what….90% of the population are theists and get pissed whenever you say anything to denounce god. I found this site about 3 months ago and it inspired me to not give a shit about religion. Now I just say whatever the fuck’s on my mind about it, I mean like hell, if theists can do it, I fucking better be able to do that too. And also on Halloween, Christians LOVE to shout their garbage in one of the main partying places here. It pisses me the fuck off. Anyway, just wanted to let you know as a fellow atheist, I think your essays are fucking awesome.

p.s. Can you keep my me anonymous?

From: [withheld]
Subject: A FEW WORDS ABOUT A CHRISTIAN GUEST BOOK

GB

After reading your correspondence with the three god fearing (god loves me, but will strike me down in a horrible manner if I do something displeasing) mutton heads of the “Cambridge Dove Ministries” I just had to check out their website. I started out by reading their Guest Book.

I noticed your comments were not among the godbots words in the Guest Book. I also noticed all the entries said almost the same thing and they all agreed, without exception, with the site’s administrators views.

I reread the top of the page and noticed this lame notice:

“The guestbook entries are reviewed before they get posted and will appear the next day, because of all the inapprioate entries made in the past…” (sic).

Looks like people need to toe the party line to get posted.

After reading the Guest Book I was unable to sample the rest of the site as I was overcome with fear and loathing and could no longer absorb another word of repetitive, mind numbing, bigoted, non-rational propaganda.

I do have a few comments to make about the general tone of the statements allowed to remain in the Guest Book.

Yikes, how soon will it be before we free thinkers start waiting for the jackbooted thump of the religious guardians coming to take us away to reeducation camps in the rural south.

The majority of the comments spoke to the NEED for prayer in public schools, after all America did not have the problems we have now when they were in school and were praying their asses off. They are correct, the problems were completely different, just as many problems to be sure, just different. The ner’-do-well’s bad actions in the good old days were blamed on lurid pulp novels instead of video games; on titillating glimpses of ankles or leg instead of sexualized TV programs; etc, the words change, but the song remains the same.

Many of the writers should have been more concerned with grammar and critical thinking than with prayer when they were in school.

Some of the remarks smacked of elitism. Talking about prayer in public schools reaching children who did not hear the (authorized) word of god at home. The parents of such children are at best ignorant, at worst evil so their wishes can safely be ignored. That’s right, the word is so necessary that worldly things like civil rights can be trampled as long as it is in the name of god.

The most glaring bit of stupidity was the ubiquitous idea of prayer not being allowed in schools. Of course it is allowed – both silently and aloud, as long as it is not disruptive. Surely these block headed godbots have heard of students praying around the flag pole before school as is being done around the country.

As for you being put on “…a very special and very particular warning,” is that similar to the “Double, secret probation” put on the fraternity in the “Animal House” movie?

Keep the bigots on their toes GB.

Says

Gil Gamesh

From: [withheld]
Subject: Love Letter

Hi again GB,

I wrote you some fan mail several months back and was too stupid not to remain anonymous. So now I’m getting spam from Megadik and other, shall we say, “interesting” companies who troll around the net looking for email addresses that are posted on various websites. So I now know who to call if I want to last all night or make all the boys jealous of me in the locker rooms. Megadik, not you! Trouble is, I’m a girl. But I have huge balls I’ve developed from being one of the few heathens in a small, sort of progressive Southern town that is accepting of almost everyone – except people like me.

I had Christopher Hitchens’ latest book on the seat of my car when I went through the drive-through, and the fast-food worker saw it and asked about the title. I showed it to her, and she made a face that seemed to say, “there are people who don’t believe?” In the nearby larger city where the bookstore is located, I had bought the last copy of it. It had sold out the first week after its release. So there are lots of godless people there, but not in my town. Or maybe there are some closet cases.

I used to fear “coming out”. People do get alarmed when they learn the “truth” about me, but rarely I find one or two who are supportive. It’s usually old men who have the most sense here in these parts. Aged intellectuals, maybe? It’s women and younger men that are the trouble. Promise Keeper cocksuckers. But I don’t need their respect, and I love seeing that look of terror in their eyes. Being feared is so cool. Especially when I ask them if they know that their god commanded his armies to invade opposing lands and to rip the fetuses out of the women’s abdomens. Or when I quote chapter and verse of how infants were to be “dashed against the rocks”.

They’re usually speechless, and they leave me alone about religion after that. Unless it’s the ones who tell me that they just have “faith”. And then I tell them that I’d put my faith in something else. Something less bloody, violent, hateful, and ignorant.

Keep doing such great things. The fucking Christers get more and more nervous everyday. They know our numbers are growing, and they are sweating. And even those who aren’t totally godless are starting to question the bullshit they have been told. All they need is for someone to say, “There is no hell.” “You won’t burn in a lake of fire when you die.” It’s sad, but true that people have to be led around by their noses and told what to think, but when that’s happened since they were kids, it has to be done while they’re adults too. Then when they see how they’ve been lied to, THEN they will learn to think for themselves.

From: goet1410(at)yahoo.com
Subject: Killer site

Hi GB,

I just found your site. I love it. Here’s something to add to your lunacy links: Did you know the nation’s leading organization promoting creationism/intelligent design is based in Seattle? Right in my fucking backyard. Check them out on-line at the Discovery Institute. Their creationist program is called the Center for Science and Culture.

These new creationists are using the most sophisticated pseudo-scientific language in their writing that has ever been attempted, and they are convincing scientifically illiterate christians of the need to “teach the controversy” between evolution and “intelligent design.” Barbara Forrest and Paul Gross wrote an expose on these idiots called Creationism’s Trojan Horse, The Wedge of Intelligent Design.

By the way, did you know about the OUT Campaign put together by Richard Dawkins? It’s for Atheists. You can grab the scarlet letter “A” from the website and stick on yours. I’ll be back to visit your site.

Keep kicking ass.

Dave

From: mch63928(at)bigpond.net.au
Subject: thank you

I have just searched your site. I have found it to be a mind opening site.

I would like to be on your mailing list, as I agree with your way of thinking, which is common sense and come from heart and the brain not from a bible or religious group. I can speak from experience as I was in Pentecostal church for 6 months and left because they didn’t like me asking questions such as you have the answers for.

Thank you again for a wonderful site.

Mark

From: trucky217(at)optusnet.com.au
Subject: [Blank]

If you want to know something the crusades where in the name of religion in fact Pope Urban 2 sent thousand to the holy land to destroy or convert the Judas (Jews) in the name of Christianity, so you should check history before blasting of something you know nothing about.

All atheists are the same they think they know everything when in fact they know stuff all.

Kerin & Russell Sharp
Australia

Editor’s Note: I’m not exactly sure what the hell you two nutbags are talking about or trying to prove, but putting aside your poor spelling and horrendous grammar, it would appear that you have some bug up your ass. However, your comments about the Crusades only serve to support my assertion that more lives have been taken in the name of god (or the misguided ills of religion) than any other cause. Regardless, if you’re trying to correct me, I said nothing about what you’re trying to correct. But I sincerely thank you for supporting all that I do say.

At any rate, say that the Crusades where in the name of religion. Um, duh. I whole-heartedly agree. It’s important that people know that morally corrupt campaigns where waged in the name of god. You have validated my assertion. Q.E.D. For this I thank you. Hugs.

From: [withheld]
Subject: The Separation of Powers

Dear GB,

Do you know of any politicians anywhere in the world, (who have ever been elected that is!), who profess to be atheists? It seems that the separation of church and state is not much of a separation at all and I am constantly disappointed to hear the parliament here, (in Australia), start their day’s business with the Lord’s Prayer. I’m not sure that when we have a multi-cultural society that it’s a particularly inclusive thing to be doing.

Regards

Gav

P.S. Please exclude my email address if you post my question. (I have enough trouble warding off the Jehovah’s Witnesses as it is. I don’t want them emailing me.)

From: slug54(at)bigpond.com
Subject: [Blank]

Hi,

I enjoyed your page, most I read. (Bit long for this time of night). Good to see someone ‘bashing down their door’. Will try to read more next time.

Juanita

From: dontevendare666(at)googlemail.com
Subject: Hi there

Just like to say, you have a great website.

Also your article on Bananas and their ‘proof’ of god’s existence. Did you know that Banana’s had to be genetically modified in order to be edible to Humans, otherwise they would be full of seeds, and would have been practically inedible? I was told this by our biology teacher, so I imagine it has some truth to it. Just thought I’d let you know.

Daniel Edwards, England.

P.S. Keep up the bloody good atheist work.

From: [withheld]
Subject: Gavin’s Letter

I read the letter from Gavin that you posted on 5 July. I guess I must be a heartless bastard (as well as a godless bastard!) because not only do I think that what Gavin did was stupid, I think it was self-serving (church-serving?) and the only reason people like him do those things is to preach their version of thetrue gospel.

I find it amazing that Christians need to receive some positive feedback (call it acceptance, validation, whatever) for doing what is morally correct: taking care of those less fortunate than they. What I’d like to hear from Gavin is that he did all those good things and didn’t even think about taking advantage of a captive, impressionable and gratefully polite audience. I’m sure that he can’t say that, though. The church (pick a church, any church!) never passes up an opportunity to proselytize and poor people in miserable circumstances make for the best converts.

I have a suggestion for Gavin. Instead of traipsing halfway across the world to assuage some religious guilt, why don’t you build, paint, play with kids, etc., etc. at home? Walk out your front door and just be helpful: Give an old lady lugging her groceries home a ride; Stop and help the guy with the broken down car on the highway. Just be a good person! Forget about trying to save their heathen souls. All that money you give to your church? Stop! Give it to a welfare mother so she can feed her kids. And if you must impart some wisdom to her (as recompense for your generous generosity), then talk to her about birth control, safe sex and AIDS prevention. Show her where the local community college is so she can take some night classes and maybe get an associate degree and a job. Help her register. Offer to watch her kids for her while she does this. The list of things that you can do to really help someone is endless and it won’t even cost you a plane ticket to Peru. Stop trying to help the world and clean up your own damn backyard!

What have you done for someone less fortunate than you today, Gavin? Anything? If you did, did you use the opportunity to “spread the word”? I’ll bet you did. Let me know if I’m wrong, mmm’kay?

Thanks for letting me vent, GB. I’m off to get a caring heart put in instead of this old crappy, uncaring one that I somehow got in the heart lottery.

- G.I. James

From: gnyffel(at)gmail.com
Subject: Banana article

Hello

You’ve an article up regarding the banana and how some people think it proves the existence of a god at www.atheisteye.com/thegodlessbastard.htm.

It’s quite interesting to note, and almost too good to omit, that the banana is, in fact, designed. Unsurprisingly, though, it is not designed by any divine force, rather, it is the product of years upon years of refinement of the original banana. Have you seen what it looks like? I’ll try to dig up an image for you. Absolutely inedible, and not exactly ergonomically minded, either. This, more than your current argument quite effectively does, shoots down the banana argument in a way that not only debunks the claim thoroughly, but also highlights the ignorance and intellectual dishonesty of the person believing the claim.

Ah, here you go: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Inside_a_wild-type_banana.jpg

And that’s a relatively edible looking specimen, actually. The the religion section of the Wikipedia article on the banana links to a Youtube video debunking the claim as well.

Hope you’ll add this to your page.

With regards from Denmark,
Stig

From: [withheld]
Subject: You bastard you

I’m 72 years old and have been a godless (with a small ‘g’) bastard for more than 45 years.

Many years ago I worked with Emmett Fields: (bank-of-wisdom.com). We were Tool & Die Makers at GE-Louisville, KY back then. He challenged me to support my beliefs and all Hell broke loose from then on. Thanks Emmett for enlightening me.

If you type my name [withheld] in your search line you should find me as past chair of Humanists of Fort Worth (HoFW).

Laidback935
Benbrook, TX

From: [withheld]
Subject: Fun facts of the Bible

St. Bastard,

One of the things that is really pissing me off these days are the f***ing Creationists and these other cretins that say that the earth is 6,000 years old and that ancient Hebe cowboys held dinosaur rodeos with alosaurus riding contests. In prehistoric Spain of course, they had stegosaurus fighting and the running of the raptors.

I’m sure that over the years you’ve seen these insidious little tracts that Christians hand out to the semi-literate. They look like little comic books illustrated in the style of famed underground comics genius R. Crumb.

My idea of the moment is to publish my own tracts in the same style, with titles like “So you’re a Creationist.” or “You Only Believe in the Bible Because You Haven’t Actually Read It”.

Rather than make arguments based on logic or science (waste of time), I would use humor to show that the Bible doesn’t actually support what they say they believe.

i.e. The world cannot have been created in six 24 hour days. 24 hours being the elapsed time between sunrises. Because according to Genesis, the sun and the moon weren’t created until the fourth (4th) day!

Fun facts: If you are a literal believer of the Bible you must condone and participate in the following practices:

Polygamy – See Solomon (the wise guy). Note, ya gotta marry the older sister first (See Moses). It’s OK to marry your sister if she was a babe (See Abraham and Sarah).

Slavery – If your wife can’t have a baby it’s OK to boink the slave girl (See Abraham). That’s one of the reasons the Arabs are so pissed off. If you have an annoying precocious younger brother, it’s OK to sell him as a slave to the Egyptians (See Jacob of the Dream coat).

Ritual Human Sacrifice – As is common today in Mid-Western trailer parks, God may ask you to kill your children (See Abraham and Isaac). Insolent children and surly wives may be stoned to death.

You get the idea. Also amusing was the practice of castrating your enemies (foreskin my foot!) and of taking an oath while holding onto the patriarch’s genitals (testes, testimony, testify, etc.)

Check out www.hiddenmeanings.com/quickies for more good stuff.

Later dude, keep the faith!

Sincerely yours,

Will

From: base4(at)sprintmail.com
Subject: Thank you

Great work, great site. It’s like Richard Dawkins at the Laugh Factory.

harlemft.blogspot.com

Just getting started with my blog but thanks again for the divine inspiration.

Chris Williams

From: jmoncalieri(at)shaw.ca
Subject: Your site, your sight

GB,

You know the old war movies where the cavalry shows up just in the nick of time with ammunition and fresh troops to help the cause? Well – your site is a freaking OASIS. I am so relieved to know there are other people out there who are just as befuddled by the mass hysteria know as Christianity as I am. Jesus Clause, or Santa Christ, or whatever – is an enemy to progress and you are fighting the good fight. Truth is beauty as they say and I applaud your efforts to extinguish the flames of falsehood. Keep it up you godless savage!

Best Regards,

Jeff Moncalieri

From: jaimpen(at)charter.net
Subject: Jesus action figure

Hi, GB:

Have you heard that Wal-Mart is now selling Jesus “action figures”? Perhaps you could get them to sell the talking Jesus head. Now that would be some real action!

James Barbee
Keno, OR

From: jdwall627(at)yahoo.com
Subject: just a short comment on your site that i just stumbled upon…

hi my names jeff. i used to be christian and am still living in the household of my ridiculous christian parents who annoy me with their crap. i consider myself agnostic. well i have read a little bit of some of the pages and it seems like pretty good stuff. just seems that youre kinda pissed off all the time, idk if thats just my interpretation. im just leavin some feedback i guess. related to that however i think its probably true that u just have to be pissed off when talkin about this kind of stuff. well if u feel like keepin in touch thats cool.

best regards,
jeff

p.s. good luck with the site. maybe you could end up earning some money off of ads or something who knows.

Editor’s Note: This is a follow up from a previous email he sent on 7/5.

From: [withheld]
Subject: Hello

Hey,

OK, you’re very clever, you have a very good way of wording things and are very good at arguing your point. I’m going to take your advice about me being too young and basically not clever enough. I’m not clever enough to beat you in a debate, and good analogy about the whole vegan thing. I ask if there are prayer requests because I feel that is the only way I can do anything for you from England. Vegans don’t eat meat, but many of them have to find some sort of substitute, like quorn to get all the proteins or whatever they missing out on.

Until we meet again GB

God bless

Gavin

P.S. Sorry, didn’t put in my other email how much respect I have for the good work [a non-profit charitable endeavor] you’re doing. It’s completely awesome. You’re not a bastard really.

From: [withheld]
Subject: Hello

Hey GB,

Hope you’re well. Haven’t heard anything for a while and just thought I’d ask if everything was OK and even though you don’t believe in prayer I was wondering if there were any prayer requests you had? I feel the only way I can do anything to help you from all the way over here in England is through prayer. Just thought you’d like to know, I spent June in Peru, with the exception of taking 4 days out to go see Cuzco, I spent the rest of the time on mission. Even if you do say all these things about God not existing I just want you and those who read your website to know that some christians do what God calls us to do, and go out and try to actually help the world. I spent over 3 weeks working in the shanty towns of Lima, in places where all people have is disease and squalor. I spent my time and money going into the world and helping others. By painting and building, working with disabled children, running groups for the children of the shanty towns, and generally trying to show these people that I loed them. Which I don’t care what kind of views you have on God, only a heartless bastard would say what I did was stupid. Chrisitans are told to go out and love people. Love them by serving. I don’t see how people can have such a problem with this, unless they are greedy and heartless.

I also want to say, that those people that write you emails condemning you to hell and judging you, have no right to say this. Only God can judge, no-one can judge for him. I hate the way one christian stands up and says their views and all of us are painted with the same brush. because you have some Chrisitans in America who are not helping the world in any kind of way, and I’m sorry they’re doing it in the nme of a Holy and loving God.

One last thing, when i went to Cuzco, I went horse back riding across the Andes. I can’t understand how anyone who sees that kind of thing, can then say there isn’t a creator or the Earth was created by chance.

God, I pray tht you bless GB, in all the good things that he does. I also pray that you reveal yourself to him in a way he can cearly see you. Amen

Adios,

Gavin

From: [withheld]
Subject: Your cleverness

My GB colleague, I absolutely luvv your phrase Letter of the Weak. I wish I’d thought of that! I’m fond of my own The Farces of Dorkness among phrases I’ve coined. Isn’t wordplay fun?

At some point, fairly soon, I will take you up on your offer for a rant in the Fellow Bastards section. I have several topics in mind. Thanx very much for including my site in your Links section. As soon as I can get my website-uploading problem resolved, I’ll add your site to my “Recommended Surfing” section.

~Cosmick Chris

From: flappineagle(at)gmail.com
Subject: your considered opinion

sadly i must disappoint you and confirm that im no xtian either, i remember readin that you thrive on hate mail from em. now i admit that i tried bein one til it finally dawned on me that mostly what they are is jesus pimps hawkin the bible for profit on a pyramid type of scheme, the rest are just beatin ya over the head with the book tryin to make you do what THEY want you to with no concept of whats in the book.

ok this may sound crazy at first but bear with me cuz basically what im attempting is a sort of grand unification theory after studyin hundreds of religions throughout history: some basic concepts

1. not all mythology is based on myth
2. some of what is called mythology is based on facts
3. most of those facts have been eroded by time to be useless imagination

after studying some of the sumerian and mesopotamian history thats been recently uncovered, it seems that no less than 63 different religions have a flood story noah style, those same religions have almost exactly the same story of a father who sends his son to earth and the son dies and is brought back to life, some of these like the maya are religions that never knew any of the others existed. its recently been suggested that perhaps there really are such things as aliens, but not the 1950s horror flick type or the current hollywood independence day type. now yer bible talks about the nephilim who were on the earth before the flood and then after, these were the original biblical sons of god – i need to add at this point that when the jacobites went into egypt that they had no religion just a ”god” that occasionally talked to one or two guys, but when they came out of egypt they had a full blown religion, point bein they absorbed some of the egyptian shit after several hundred years of bein there- like 400 years ago there was no such thing as a baptist no matter what they tell you now – point being these sons of god are referenced in nearly all religions which means they werent from earth so consequently they had to be from elsewhere. i mean if god created earth he damn sure wasnt FROM earth. this will start a helluva argument with any preacher i assure you, feel free to use it.

ok the first point is made, on to the 2nd.just consider the possibility if these” sons of hoo hah” were the basis for the original myths and the basis of the beginning of religion. technology that advanced would be virtually indistinguishable from magic or ”god- dom”. in the oldest known texts that record this kinda stuff, like Mesopotamian and Sumerian literature [epic of Gilgamesh, Zachariah Sitchin, etc.] and they arrive findin idiots who are scared of them and easily enslaved they could be gods with a damned Bic lighter!, or pistol.

point 2 is made.now with easily persuaded and ready made slaves, in a coupla generations, they could have them believin anything, and, like the baptists today they would happily kill the hell out of anything that didn’t agree with them, now assuming some of the texts concerning ”the wars of gods and men are even partially correct, then theses self appointed gods have started wars amongst themselves, perhaps population control, perhaps, oh hell who knows. so from two directions lets consider this first what’s called race memory, which science has declared to be real, 2nd dna programming from people who had the technology[off world] back then not now, just suppose that the ideas of genetic reprogramming of a species is the 1 reason they cant find a missing link 2is responsible for the endorphin response which is the ”feel good” part of religion3 these are the things which intentionally draw us to those particular religions and make them sooo seductive and 4 that those beliefs were, as you said, crucial to controlling the children. and last but not least number 5, making it easier for the leaders to remain in control of the religious-ized pea brains, the ones who have the extreme need to believe in a hereafter and eternal blah blah blah.

recently there has been unearthed a thigh bone of a human which figured on the regular scale on human construction, would have been eighteen feet tall, the bible talks of nephilim that way and the anakim, and remember, they stole it from egypt and egypt stole it from sumeria, and there is now speculation that it goes back even further, and we all know a story loses somthin with time and travel and changin language, embellishment, outright lies,so parts of the myth could actually have been based on some sort of fact if you go back far enough. also recently unearthed spanish conquistador records show that they were absolutely amazed and cioncerned with why a culture who no knowledge of european history would have so very similar styles of religion aka priest temples sacrifice etc

next point, bible says these weenie heads were sucked up and cast into purgatory or somthin, to await judgment which indicates that they will live that long. remember, not quotin the bible as law, but as third hand information stolen from the thieves who stole it from someone else, just suppose these aliens are actually going to make a return remember how the govt does disinformation campaigns, remember the nuclear fallout crap of the 50s where they convinced everyone that they could easily survive thermonuclear annihilation? on to roswell, after the incident, real or imagined, hollywood started hounding the world with b movies about aliens, suspected theory to desensitize the public, now 50 years later, i doubt any 20 year old would even be phased if an alien plopped down in front of him and asked for a bite of his hamburger- speculation? what if its desensitization by intent.

now for the grand unification theory- aliens were here, they made humans out of us monkeys by genetic alteration, convinced us and ingrained in us genetically that if we were ”good little boys” we would aaaaall go to heaven where they came from, and suppose the catholics and the other religions really do, as speculated, already know this, and built it this way for crowd control. so that when the aliens or whatever the hell they were that started the whole crap, return, they will find an easily manipulated bunch of servants ready to quickly get back in line and go to bein slaves or whatever.

ok, im through, allow me to remain anonymous, but do me two favors, if you will, email me with a real opinion of what you personally think of this idea, dont whitewash it or tone it down, say what ya think, and if you decide to put it out on the net, email that you are gonna so i can direct some friends to read it, thanks for your time.

From: [withheld]
Subject: Religious Marketing

GB,

I’ve been reading your site for years now. I live in the bible belt and I try not to share my lack of religion with anyone. People around here are always asking others where they go to church – trying to drum up business for churches. I was baptized in the Roman Catholic church but haven’t gone to church since the second grade – other than the rare occasions of going to church after sleepovers or funerals.

I’m polite to people whether they are religious or not. I never ask and feel a bit awkward asking. I work in health care and part of our admissions and paperwork mandated by Medicare asks about faith, spirituality, etc. I don’t feel like this is any of my business. I have no problem with helping the sick or disabled to locate a religious person to counsel, confide in, share faith, or just give them company. I don’t think I should force my beliefs on others and I want to help my clients in whatever they desire or need (provided it’s legal, safe, and not grossly unethical).

This weekend my lunch was disturbed by a Baptist pastor or something who came to my door threatening me with hell if I didn’t follow his little pamphlet describing the steps to salvation. In what absurd world is this guy living in that he thinks this is an ethical thing to do? I was polite and went a bit too far in actually answering questions he had no business asking. I told him that I didn’t go to church and that I would think about going to his church – which was just a polite lie so I could get him off my porch and back to my meal. Hey, I’m even polite to the telemarketers. I’m not interested in debating the merits or christianity or the merits of atheism. I just want to go about my own business and let others go about their business.

I’ve been exploring religion on the internet and read excerpts of the bible so I won’t have that evil, malicious, and filthy book in my house plus the concept of manifest destiny being gods plan to exterminate my people so that Europeans could take the Americas always bothered me before actually looking into the bible. I’ve read a bit of the bible growing up but it was a big book and I always seemed to find the most boring parts of it. I’d rather read more modern and interesting literature. After looking at the evil bible website it’s a wonder how parents could allow their children access to this book. I worry about some of my more impressionable clients at work reading the bible it seems to just feed their mental illnesses, paranoia, and sometimes evokes violent statements such as sentencing other to hell etc. Others read sanitized religious works that seem a lot better for them.

I don’t desire eternal life whether in heaven or hell. I enjoy life. Mine is not the greatest but I’m a whole lot better off than some. I don’t need or desire to live forever.

I just wanted to vent a little and connect with another atheist.

Please don’t reveal my e-mail I’d rather not read mail from the rude and I don’t want my privacy violated. I do think that if people knew I was an atheist that I would lose my job – and I need my job. I have to present a good public image because I am in a position of responsibility and trust. I wouldn’t trust a deeply religious individual with my well being or the well being of my family. I think deep down at its roots many religions are evil and bad for people. However, this is not the majority opinion and many still trust the religious. Most of them aren’t evil people but they unknowingly subscribe to an evil religion. By evil I mean something extremely bad for the welfare of humanity – not evil like in some mythical malignant force.

I like the following sites on atheism the best:

godlessbastard.com
ebonmusings.org/atheism
flamewarrior.com
positiveatheism.org
evilbible.com

Thanks for the wonderful site.

Another Atheist from Oklahoma

From: martin(at)homecentre.com
Subject: Great site

Hi GB,

Love the site.

“Here’s a picture of Kirk (above left) showing what must be turned off in order to think like a Christian.” That line had me roaring.

Keep up the good work.

Martin

From: [withheld]
Subject: Fruit: Proof That God Exists argument

First of all, good job! I smiled as I read your “counter proof”.

I remember seeing that program on TV and thinking it ridiculous. Another good point is that 6,000 years ago (dawn of time) bananas did not even look like they did on the program. They were a mutation – albeit a good one – of plantains.

http://homecooking.about.com/od/foodhistory/a/bananahistory.htm

Keep up the good work.

From: [withheld]
Subject: You win.

Found your site, read a good portion. Funny stuff. A LOT of what you’ve said I’ve thought about personally, and witnessed in my life with my friends, family, etc. For example, I was recently talking to my friend (who is a “Christian” < more on that later) and we were discussing my atheistic beliefs. He pulled the Pascal’s Wager thing on me. I didn’t know what it was called at the time, but it struck me as a load of shit. As you said, wouldn’t Jesus be insulted that you’re using his religion as a backup plan?

I asked him why being gay wasn’t just a sin you could ask forgiveness for and be on your way, and he responded: “Gay people just keep sinning and don’t care”. This particular friend says “God damn it!” regularly. I doubt he goes home at night and begs forgiveness. I’ve always said: “I don’t like Christians or communists, but I’ll take a devout communist over a half-ass Christian any day.”

Just thought I’d share another example of the Christian hypocrisy. Keep it logical.

Alex

From: nottahater71(at)yahoo.com
Subject: FUNNY SH*T!

Hey there, GB! I am a theist, but I have absolutely no problems with those who aren’t (just as my atheist friends don’t have a problem with me).

I just wanted to say your website is quite entertaining, except for the death threat e-mails you get from a buncha loonies! Stay safe and have a fantabulous day!

- Notta Hater

From: ginacrowell2003(at)yahoo.com
Subject: Thank you!

Thank you! What a refreshing web site; full of tasty logic and rationality.

I have a question for you. Maybe you can help me. One of my hobbies is studying religion. Lately I have been focused on Christianity, especially “non-denominational” fundamentalism. I have numerous very close friends that are seriously devoted.

I was raised Catholic, went Zen Buddhist at 16, and am finally comfortably realizing I am not agnostic, but atheist (if I could get some proof, then I would probably believe…you know) at the age of 26.

I am wondering if you can help me understand why people believe so strongly. Because I just can’t understand. Why not check out the opposing side, just to prove your faith (since you know you are correct in Jesus). Why not debate and really look for the truth? And why accuse me of “the ultimate intellectual suicide” for being an atheist?

What to do?

Thanks again,
Gina

From: proudatheist(at)earthlink.net
Subject: It is amazing how atheists think alike!

GB,

I love your website. The first thing that comes to mind is how much alike your thoughts are to mine. The odd thing I have found is that atheists as a group, think very much alike. Yet, most of us have had no coaching, training, or encouragement in our beliefs. Atheists beliefs come from natural logic. In fact, in my case, I was punished and tormented as a child for my beliefs. The other odd thing is that most atheists I have met, have a higher than normal IQ. Atheists, or “secular humanists”, are one of the few groups left in the country that are still openly discriminated against. It amazes me how we are treated like we have no morals.

You may want to look into the beliefs of “secular humanists”. They are basically the beliefs religious people think that are inspired by god, if you discount the religious beliefs that discriminate, incite hate, or are specific to the worshiping of a god. It amazes me how religious people truly believe you must be evil if you do not believe in god. The strangest concept of religious groups to me is the “my god is better than your god” syndrome. It seems most religious people feel their particular religion is the only “correct” religion and that they will be among the special group that will be saved for having their particular beliefs.

I also have had a website for the last couple of years. Check it out if you get a chance. Again, great job on your site.

Duane Surman

From: [withheld]
Subject: Heroes are few and far between today.

Dear Godless Bastard,

My name is Charles and I attend Missouri State University. I am 19 years of age, I’m married, I enjoy camping and everything associated with it, and I maintain a healthy 3.7 GPA with a Chemistry major. Oh, and I’m also a long-time convinced atheist. Yours is the second website I have turned to in hopes of reinforcing my defense against Christian propaganda and bigotry, the first being www.flamewarrior.com. Living in the Bible Belt, I’m sure you can imagine the fierce opposition I find myself against each day. I don’t intend to live out my life here, but my goal since I came to terms with my beliefs has been not to back down to any shouting zealot or any soldier in the “Lord’s” army. I’ve battened down the hatches and dug in for a fight, and so far I have been what I consider successful. I could compose an entirely separate e-mail filled with nothing but instances where I’ve worn my black-and-white “Atheist” t-shirt in public to every pious fool’s dismay. Anyway, I’m not quite sure what the point of this e-mail is for. Its not to praise your website, though I applaud your work. Its not to affirm who I am based on another’s response to my beliefs; I am not ashamed in any way shape or form of my lack of theism. I believe this to be more therapeutic than anything. To put how I feel in words and show someone else who shares my sentiments. I just want to know I’m not alone in this fight. My wife is agnostic and I love her dearly, but her pre-me life was filled to the brim with Lutheran life. I have no honest to god (pun intended) atheist friends to open up to. I hope you don’t mind.

8 years ago on my way to church with my mother, I turned to her and solemnly admitted my non-belief in what had been trying to forcibly brand itself on my brain. I was always a “smart” kid and I found no happiness or help in Jesus or god (I’ve been doing the lowercase “g” thing for a long time, as well). My dad never treated my like a son. I first tried marijuana at the age of 11 with him. He spoke to me with the coarseness of a sailor without regard to my age. He would tell me about the drugs he was taking, how sex was with his other mistresses and even told me once that he had a woman that was going to “show me the ropes”, but she never did. My mother and father were both meth addicts and my father committed suicide shortly before my 12th birthday, on the day he and my mother were to sign divorce papers. He had a mistress and couldn’t make a sound decision between her and mom. After that, my mother got together with yet another meth addict (Oh, the irony!) and for 5 years I lived with his pill popping, rotten toothed, smells-like-ass, no good piece of shit attitude, dumb ass. I remember he had a hip condition and every now and then it would pop out of the socket, causing him great pain an suffering. I would hide the phone from my mom just to make the ambulance take even longer to get there. When I turned 16, I met my beautiful future wife. I was a bus-boy at a local bar & grill, she was a salad-girl. It was meant to be. Anyway, one thing led to another and she ended up having to move in with me because of her own family issues. She stayed and put up with my mom, her useless meth-fiend for a boyfriend, and the countless meth-heads that would float through night after night. At my house, it was never possible to know who was going to be there from one day to the next. Meth has a way of drawing the most draining members of society out from under their dirty mattresses. At 17, we moved into a hand-me-down house my grandparents gave us and have been there ever since. My mom’s boyfriend overdosed at his parents house almost a year ago and the family couldn’t be happier.

After finding religion dumb and more useful for bedtime stories than anything, then having these other circumstances pile on top of one another, I was convinced in the years between 12 and 16 that I was an atheist. I would say I was an atheist, though at times I felt I wasn’t sure of what I was. Only in the last two years have I been fortifying who I now know I am. After reading several books (Man’s Search for Meaning, Frankl; The Courage to Be, Tillich; The Republic, Plato) I was finally able to say with confidence: “I am an atheist. I am convinced there is no god.” After you are no longer afraid of being persecuted for your true self or what makes you exist, you can be what so many only fake: yourself. God never lead me through darkness and Jesus never carried me across some beach. Humans underestimate their worth and Christians have mistaken cognition with god’s spirit.

I only ask that you keep spreading your message, good sir. I feel religion is a necessary evil, but I want so badly for everyone to shed the wool that has been pulled over their eyes. I hope I get some kind of response. Not sympathy as I said before, but maybe some good reading for our cause or maybe something I could do around here to get a different perspective in the community.

Truly yours,

Chuck from Missouri

From: jsg7905(at)gmail.com
Subject: the cross (love mail)

Great site. I am so over thinking about religion, but your perspective was fresh. Reading your articles makes me want to get out there and fight to get religion out of the public arena. Force Christians into secrecy, like the Chinese do. Maybe a Communist China invasion into the United States would not be so bad, at least religion would be muted.

But I wonder: When Jesus returns, wouldn’t the cross be the last thing he wants to see? Would he want to see depictions of his crucifixion, 2007 years later? “Two thousand plus years, and I am shown in this light,” so would say Jesus, “and they have totally misinterpreted my teachings.”

I would love to move to a city of atheists. We’d call it Los Ateos.

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

Dear Bastard,

Great site, with only one exception. You seem to be on the war path against Christians and I know that’s primarily because you live in the midst of the Great Moral Majority, but … it would be nice to see you expand your sights to take in Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, Jainism, Sikhism, Taoism, Zoroastrianism, Confucianism … and all the ism’s. I mean really, you seem intelligent enough to get over being pissed at Christians, I have. So, dig out some material and start studying. All the other “ism’s” don’t constitute all world religions and in fact some are considered even quite “godless,” but they all decree a spiritual context for the living of life and you seem intent on pointing your ire at only one of these spiritual foundations.

Go ahead, get crazy … take ‘em all on.

Marc

From: jbondkicks(at)gmail.com
Subject: Great Site

First of all, I’ve recently declared myself to be an atheist. I stuck with agnosticism for quite a while (citing the ever popular, “It’s impossible to prove it one way or another.” Richard Dawkins changed my mind about that (showing either that I’m naive or that we non-Christian folk are capable of re-evaluating our thoughts and beliefs from time to time).

Anyhow, I disagree with your critics that would prefer you become less of a bastard. Seriously, Christians are among the most condescending, hypocritical, and altogether irritating people in the world. They’re bastards, and often much worse than you. They just pretend to do it all under a pretense of love. For an example of a Christian exhibiting the traits I listed, read your own story about Tim. I’m not a violent man, but I might have punched Tim in the face (maybe not, but there’s a good possibility). Anyhow, the point is, soft shell atheists want the rest of us to sugarcoat our thoughts and views so we don’t piss off the religious. Well, the religious piss us off, so I think we can return the favor. I don’t want to gain the favor of the Christians, Muslims, or Jews, and I certainly don’t want their prayers. These groups should succumb to scrutiny like every other.

Maybe you should just tell them that God made you a bastard for a reason. Ha!

Shane

From: [withheld]
Subject: An atheist campaign

Superb site. Really enjoy it. Keep up the good work

Have you seen this? www.blasphemychallenge.com

Graeme

From: kream1(at)kc.rr.com
Subject: [blank]

GB,

Love this site, Man! I agree with you. Those christians piss me off, too! The lower case c is intentional. I noticed that you used a lower case a for Atheists, and a capital C for christians. As a true believing Atheist I can’t help but be a little offended. Especially since you yourself pointed out the g and h thing. Lol

Thank you for your site and the great links.

American by Birth, Atheist by the Grace of Common Sense.

From: pcarlton(at)iprimus.com.au
Subject: Great site

Hi,

Just a quick word to let you know that I find your site very entertaining. Good on you for putting the “bible bashers” as we call them in Australia in their place. Keep it up.

Thanks, Peter

From: synchro.inc(at)gmail.com
Subject: May the Flying spaghetti monster bless you with his noodly appendage

Well it’s been almost 12 hours and I have read your entire site. I must say your years of work shows. Every possible illogical argument is well covered with prime examples of the christian need to force their insecurity on others. I also find it great that you can say the things that Dawkins cannot. Dawkins obviously has some level of ‘academic reputation’ that must be upheld for the sake of the community of atheists, and you have no such ‘ethical dilemma.’ I especially enjoy the part about the “christianty is a miniature army” view, obviously something Dawkins believes, but must tackle on a broader sense of extremism meeting militancy. Dawkins addresses militancy within extreme religion, but he doesn’t have ALL THE WONDERFUL PICTURES! Seriously. Your sight has given me so many weapons of philosophical destruction, I’m contemplating disarmament!

Spaghetti Monster Bless

-Jeff

From: blohm-gagne(at)rogers.com
Subject: Keep up the good work

GB,

I just thought I’d take a minute and commend you on a great site. You write exactly what I feel all the time.

If you don’t mind I’ll borrow some of your arguments the next time I’m confronted by a proselytizing Christian. It saves me a lot of work!

For what it’s worth, I got a link to your site from “Fundies Say The Darndest Things” a.k.a. www.fstdt.com. It’s been worthwhile reading. Thank you.

Berny

From: robertmark68(at)comcast.net
Subject: Hello GB…

Hello GB

It seems you and I see eye to eye on much. You are bit more skilled at articulating it than am I!

As I was reading your email I remembered something I heard George Carlin (one of my heroes) say…

“…see I don’t worry about the little things: bees, trees, whales, snails. I think we’re part of a greater wisdom than we will ever understand. A higher order. Call it what you want. Know what I call it? The Big Electron. The Big Electron…whoooa. Whoooa. Whoooa. It doesn’t punish, it doesn’t reward, it doesn’t judge at all. It just is. And so are we. For a little while.”

Some would argue that this view is a little nihilistic, but is it really or is it just honesty?

How can I, a being with only 5 senses who exists in time for only an instant really presume to know the TRUTH about existence?

I just was read your writing about how Apologetics must have very little faith in their creed… WOW!! those thoughts had NEVER occurred to me before! If these people truly had faith they would NEVER try to justify them by pretending to use skepticism and science! BRILLIANT.

To be fair though I have met people of uncompromising faith who have never resorted to apologetics. I have to respect that kind of faith in their religion. To their credit those type have never tried to convert me nor have they ever presumed that everyone else need be saved.

Have you read Sam Harris’ book “The End of Faith”. The fact that this book was published and spent time on the NYT bestsellers list tells me that there my indeed be hope for American thought!

Thanks for taking the time to respond to me. It’s good to know there are people like you out there!

A friend in REASON,

Robert

From: robertmark68(at)comcast.net
Subject: Hello GB…

Hi GB

I stumbled upon your website yesterday and i have been slowly working my way through your writings.

Let me state that I find you sharp-witted and most everything you say I agree with whole-heartedly! So this is not a letter of criticism or refutation. I’m hoping that maybe you can help me with something. So please humor me.

A little background:

I was born in 1968 to Roman Catholic parents. My Mom & Dad were in no way devout. We just attended church every Sunday like good Catholics. I’m sure the only reason my parents are Catholic is because it’s the cult they were born in to.

In late grammar school I discovered an absolute love of Science. Naturally, this conflicted with the BullSHIT i was being fed in Church and CCD. I learned to ‘compartmentalize’ the two worlds until 7th grade. That was the year Carl Sagan gave me ‘Cosmos’. It was through Dr. Sagan that I realized that faith and reason CAN NOT coexist in the human mind without conflict.

Over the next 20 years I came to the following realization: The God that Roman Catholicism describes can not possibly exist, much less the version Protestants ascribe to.

So you could say that I am an atheist with respect to the Christian God….and naturally by extension (because they are supposedly Abrahamic faiths)…Islamic and Judaic God.

I guess my quandary then is more philosophical than religious or even scientific and it’s one I have been wrestling with for more than 10 years. It’s easy to say with confidence that the God of the Bible and/or the Koran don’t exist, they disappear in a puff of logic that a grade schooler could follow.

How would you characterize or categorize a person who just feels that he doesn’t have enough knowledge to say definitively that NO god(s) exist? Does that make me disingenuous? Does it make me someone that’s hedging his bets.

Am I just believing in the god of Einstein and Spinoza…i.e. god = the sum total of laws of the universe? Even if I did, I feel no need to worship such a god because why should that god care what I do?

Or are we truly justified in saying that there are NO GODS until evidence is available to prove otherwise….?

The argument can be made that when someone asserts the divine…the burden is on them to prove that such a divinity actually exists….right?

Again I’m not trying to bait you or anything. I’m just trying to wrestle with these BIG questions, and I’m hoping you can give me some insight into something I hadn’t thought of.

Sincerely,
Robert Lombardi

From: [withheld]
Subject: Love your site

Godless Bastard,

Thank you for your site – surrounded by bigots and ignorant, illogical, judgmental assholes, I was once weak-willed enough to go through the motions, get the whole Christian confirmation etc. just to appease parents and feel less disrespected. Social pressure against atheists is absurdly high; it’s very refreshing to find someone level-headed and bold enough to not only acknowledge atheism but explain it with all the force you’ve used. I’ve just come to fully embrace my atheism and accept all of its social repercussions as I’ve turned 18. I hope by referring other believers and agnostics to your site, I’ll be able to help them see that the wishy-washy bullshit is not only unnecessary, but harmful in the long run to all of free-thinking humankind. Your site’s helped me to realize that any respect concerning religious matters (something I’d once felt was needed) I will get from myself – I don’t want respect from theists. They are inherently not trustworthy as intellectuals.

Enough about me: you poke holes all through religion, but you leave out my very favorite argument (or, I apologize in advance, I’ve missed it on your site). While the idea of heaven and hell, salvation or damnation, is absurd for a multitude of reasons (infinite punishment for finite sins, etc.), the most compelling argument against religion as a moral force can be found within the idea of salvation.

It’s terribly simple from where I stand. I’m a moral person, I think. I don’t kill, steal, or rape; I am not a bigot; I avoid lies and I am always seeking a deeper personal integrity by doing what I suggest for others and by not lying to myself. The best part of all this is that I needed no god, prophet, or book of contradictions to become as I am. My morality is the product of great parenting, intellectual searching (ah, the Christian bible is terrible literature for moral ideas!), and genuine care for myself and my fellow man. All of it wonderfully manmade.

Christianity, or any religion which has salvation as a component (I can’t easily think of any which do not, it seems such a recurring theme), completely compromises the integrity of any moral act; I contend that the basis of true morality is altruism. By providing an incentive (positive or negative, hellfire is more powerful than heaven anyway), any and every “nice” or moral act becomes egoistic, selfish, instead of altruistic.

Theists are self-serving: and what’s worse is that their main argument for proselytizing uses fear and encourages this selfishness.

All of your logic behind atheism is excellent, and I commend you for your very clearly illustrated arguments. I am not just an atheist, but an anti-theist, and I thought I’d share with you, whom I consider a friend for the gift of your site, my sublime enjoyment of theism’s greatest contradiction.

Good luck to you and keep spreading the word,

Another happily godless bastard

Editor’s Note: Some of you may remember the following jackass. (His previous hate mail may be found in the 2005 Archive under the address fa386284(at)skynet.be.) I assume he’s in Belgium given his domain extension, but language barrier notwithstanding, the dude’s on planet Moron. Don’t you just love his “beretta” email ID? He seems to think that gun references will intimidate me. Enjoy the following 5 emails from this little-dicked waffle-eating moron.

From: beretta(at)skynet.be
Subject: Re: asshole…

Hey BASTARD,

Tomorrow is the DAY ))). Im near youuuuuuu, little prick, loser, coward, FAFFET, frustrated BASTARD. Nice hé!!, the last day vertical on earth, tomorrow HORIZONTAL in a cascet *LOL*.

PREPARE TO S U F F E R and after a phew hours DIE on MY command.

COCKSUCKER.

From: beretta(at)skynet.be
Subject: Re: asshole…

WRONG ADRESS. COWARD

I have the right adress ), Anthill FRIDAY, the last day from your LOW LIFE, then i’ll shoot YOU, if not at the FBI their adress, we ‘ll FIND YOU ANYWAY, thats a FACT (defenition od a FACT, there YOU are to stupid for, FAGGET Your’e DEATH,

I don’t do the e-mails with death people, after 9 hours I leave for the U.S., SEE YOUR UGLY FACE, and pleace bring a bunch of friends, they all go down, boy.

I never warn a last time, it’s a case of HONOUR, witch your kind of people don’t have.

This server is filtred total and checked all e-mails from the U.S., all your e-mails already went to the FBI. You did SUICIDE (When we meet!, YOU HOPED YOU DID, ya first get a Columbian tie *lol*.

And pls. Crawl back anther the stone where you came from, LOW LIFER.

From: beretta(at)skynet.be
Subject: Re: asshole…

Okee!, Dikke nek, we krijgen je wel klein, stukje VERLOREN SNOBJ(JE), VANAF NU BEN JE DOOD. STUKJE LAAG LEVEN, CRAPUUL DE LUXE, éérst je kniën dan snij ik je KOP eraf en vreet hem op. je zal MIJ & mijn gevolg nog leren kennen.

Eat your DEATD mama. Fagget, son of a bitch and BIG LOOSER, and tell the HO!, SHE needs PROTECTION!. IK KNOW YOU and know where the LOW LIVES LIVE, She goes also (at last) down ). Your family ‘ll not recognise your crazy ugly face, this is NOT a warning!: THIA A FACT.

What am I doing?, mailing towards a death gay silly crazy frustrated snob. You ‘ll GO DOWN, that’s a P R O M I S E ||||.

From YOUR WORST NIGHTMARE: Boy ).

From: beretta(at)skynet.be
Subject: Re: asshole…

I’m near!!. NEVER and EVER try to intimidate a SECRET STATE SECURITY HEADOFFICER!. I have lot’s of friends by the Federal Bureau of Investigation as a matter of fact I WORK WITH THEM!!!!!!!.

Any misuse ‘ll be punished by American and Belgian LAW. Anyway tomorrow i’m in SAN – DIEGO (near ainth!!!). This time I let YOU off with a “”LAST warning”", next time it ‘ll go with the F.B.I. and WE will visit YOU, yep also I. Have a nice day.

Ps!: Friends whom try to attack this FEDERAL COMPUTER ‘ll be SUED their ass off (I meen this, be smart and don’t ever give this e-mail……………, YOU also ‘ll be responciable).

Your Private Address
San Francisco
CA 94107
US

From: beretta(at)skynet.be
Subject: WHAT

DUDE!
I’LL PRAKTISE MY FIST ON YOUR UGLY WHORE FACE. FIRST AND LAST WARNING!!!!!!!
BERETTA??????????????
FUCK YA BABY.

From: raymier(at)sbcglobal.net
Subject: reason and logic will prevail

Hey GB,

I just wanted to say thanks to you and all your co-workers for a great site. We need more people to stand up and say what they truly believe. God is made up.

Thanks and keep up the good work everyone.

Raymie
Chicago

From: repco(at)vif.com
Subject: Excellent site!

Hi GB.

Just came across your site! Amazingly refreshing amongst a sea of B.S. on the web. Let me know how I can participate to make this fun!

R. J.

From: justin(at)ulwazi.com
Subject: Website

Hi GB,

Love it, being the son of a priest and having drivel rammed down my throat for 30 years. I also turned from the sea of bullshit. The world seems to run on bullshit.

Regards

Justin Holland

From: [withheld]
Subject: [blank]

Sup GB,

Usually, after a man discovers his atheism, he finds that others around him, others that he cares about, like his family, friends, that special girl who he loves, are all religious in a sense that they’ll either accept him, and try to convert him, or reject him, and try to convert him.

Ever since I was young, like 8 years old, I could establish that there was no God. It wasn’t the absurdity of the Lutheran practice of prayer, the singing, the utter condemnation of other religions…it was the lack of impact. It was like using bullets to kill a tank. I felt nothing. No grace of God, peace through Christ, nothing. Of course, through fear of rejection, I went through the motions required to do this or that, get confirmed, drink in public, all that good stuff.

Since I was 17, I haven’t set foot in a church, save for my Grandparent’s funeral. That was last year, 2 days after my birthday. People kept saying that it was better for him in heaven, and that he died according to what God’s plan was. While I agreed, somewhat, that he was free from the pain of cancer, I seethed at the thought that God found it fit to end his life during Spring Break, 2 days after my birthday. Not only did he arrange his death to be one of utter agony, he put it squarely on the best month of the year.

Selfish thinking? Perhaps, but I can’t word it right, it only sounds right in my head.

I’ve been an atheist since the age of 8, and I’ve felt nothing but free. I keep being told to come back, to which I say “Under Christ, I knew nothing but fear. Now, I fear not the damnation of an intangible deity that shows no evidence of actually existing, in one form or another.” I feel sorry for this girl, not only because I love her, but because I know that if I say anything or show her the absurdity of what she believes, our friendship is over.

Anyway, I’ve perused many anti-Christian sites, support atheism, and I’m still a good person, just another godless bastard.

Anyway…Yeah, senseless gibberish and nonsensical balderdash.

Peace out.

John

From: cattales07(at)hotmail.com
Subject: Hello

My view is that I am a believer of God, just not of all the man-made rules that hide the truths from us and keep us from living our true lives with all their rules and regulations to control our thoughts and actions. Because we do have power within each of us and there is a lot of science involved in it all, we would not have the disparity we have on the earth if people were open-minded and understood energy and our true powers to manifest our desires.

Cathy

From: [withheld]
Subject: Hi GB

I’ve mailed you before and visit the site frequently. You deserve a lot of credit for this work. Not that you’ll ever get much, of course. But thanks, really. I’m older (60), and I hope that young people can feel the support that you are for them.

Paul

From: carlos.figman(at)gmail.com
Subject: hello

I’d like to know what makes you so sure that God does not exist or any higher power for that matter. I’m not saying I believe in god myself. It’s just interesting to see your views are no different than christian views.

Carlos Figueroa

Editor’s Note: You’re comparing chalk and cheese. You, personally, are absolutely positive that there is no pink chimpanzee hiding in the trunk of my car. You neither know me nor my car, yet you are absolutely positive that the chimp ain’t there. In the EXACT same manner I am absolutely positive that no god or gods exist. The burden is on me to prove that the chimp is there just as I claim, and you won’t believe otherwise until I provide absolute concrete proof. Yes, it is the height of arrogance for me to speak for you, but I refuse to let disingenuous answers befall my ears.

The default assumption of anything in life is that it is false unless proven otherwise. I’m just waiting for that proof. And I will happily concede my folly once said proof is tendered.

I state my lack of god-belief as FACT for reasons clearly stated on the site. I acknowledge that my rants are unreasonably long, so I’ll assume that you just didn’t read that section. Long story short: I state my non-belief as fact on principle. If a Christian can be so bold [read: arrogant] as to state their beliefs as fact (a contradiction of repulsive proportions), then I will follow suit purely on principle. Mostly, though, it’s just to get them to respond as you have (regardless of your personal beliefs).

From: dan(at)threevolve.org
Subject: Banana Article

Hey GB,

First, I just want to say that your article is fantastic.

Second, I would like to ask your permission to mirror the article on my site. I think the article is right on point with our attitude and stance, and I think that it would make a great addition to our humble site.

Let me know

Thanks.

Dan Lapoint
Owner/Operator/Webministrator/Banisher of Lame Noobs/Etc/Etc
RealisticReligion.com

From: [withheld]
Subject: love mail

Hello! I am 18, and I work for a church in England and found your site whilst writing up a session for my youth group on prayer ministry It was by typing “prayer works” into google that I got to your site!! Ironic no? I’ve put love mail in the subject box, but I’m talking about real love. What God commnads us to do. Love one another, serving others to serve him. Right now I feel the only way i can serve you is through prayer. Moving on to talk about your 10,000 dollar challenge. How much response have you had from this? Because if true christians are praying for you, amen! But if they’re praying to get your financial reward, then I’m afraid without praying to God with a true heart for what you’re doing, then you haven’t come to God with faith! I will be praying for you, and tonight I will be running my cell group for ten to eleven year olds as usual, and we will pray for you as well. I will not tell them you are a godless bastard though! If it’s ok with you, we will just be praying to ask God to reveal himself in your life. From what you wrote about this “challenge” you seem to be quite open to this, so can I ask you just to really look out for God’s beauty in his creation, in other people, and in the countless blessings that are in your life. I’ll see if we get any words or pictures for you tonight as we pray, and I’ll let you know.

God bless.
Gavin
Youth and Childrens Pastor Trainee

Editor’s Note: Okay, he’s a sweet kid. I couldn’t go “Bastard” on him, but I did sincerely ask if he could take pictures of their next prayer session for me to post on the site. He replied:

Hey, cheers buddy!

I’m sorry, I would send you a picture, but for child protection law reasons I can’t have a picture of the kids posted on the internet somewhere. I can tell you it was a group of seven, ten and eleven year olds. We spent some time in prayer for you, and we had a few images. Now these may not seem relevant to anything at the moment, but I once got a picture for someone, of something completely obscure, and it wasn’t until quite a while after I told who it concerned, that it became relevant to them. One of the pictures was of a key, you were holding a key. Another was of you walking up to the cross. And another was one of you beating up somebody holding a cross upside down, but then going back and apologising. As I said these may not seem relevant now, or for a while, but I believe that prayer works and God talks to us through it, so just look out!

Thank you for responding in the way you are, I have lots of respect for you.

And I forgot to say in my first email, I am all up for you posting my emails on your site, but if you could just use my first name and not put up my email address. I would appreciate this a lot, feeling that at the moment I might get email from some of your website users that I wouldn’t… appreciate.

In response to me knowing everything, one of the great things about being a christian means I can admit to not knowing everything, in fact relatively little. I can say that there are some things, huge amounts, that I cannot understand, but I can say that I personally know the one person who does know everything.

God bless,

Gavin

Editor’s Note: When I asked about these “pictures” of me (silly me, I thought he was speaking literally), he replied:

GB,

The pictures I described aren’t pictures that someone has drawn, or photos or anything. I don’t mean to accuse you of hitting anyone! I’m sorry, should have explained this, sometimes when we pray God speaks to us by showing us an image, or a picture. For instance if someone was praying for guidance with a decision, like which job to go for, a builder, or an accountant. If they prayed asking God for guidance, and then saw a picture (in their head, whilst in prayer) of someone building something, this would be a picture they saw, which God was speaking to them through. I’ve been trying to scan something onto my computer to send you, it’s a series of random images one of our youth drew whilst in prayer, and she had no idea what it was all about! What the random squiggles meant, but when it was done she had written at the bottom, “You see a sprawl of unrelated pictures, I see the words within” and there are loads of words in the drawings! Like; Christ, Trust, Love, and Follow. I just think it was a really cool way God spoke through prayer. I’ll use another scanner next week, and try and show you. Thanks for honoring (American spelling!) my request!

God bless,

Gavin

From: werniec(at)mchsi.com
Subject: Something to call your theistic opponents

To show how stupid some of their arguments can be, you can just rearrange the syllables in your name, Godless Bastard, and call them Baseless Godtards.

You’re welcome, and I love your site.

Ernie

From: graham.mj.reynolds(at)uk.pwc.com
Subject: feedback

I stumbled across your site in the traditional ‘stumble upon’ manner. It’s a good read, I agree whole heartedly with what you say – it’s about time somebody stood up to those who purvey religious crap – with all the ‘evil’ it has visited upon the world.

Good luck and best wishes.

Graham

From: kabaue(at)yahoo.com
Subject: hall of shame

Thank you for the hall of shame article! It always makes me so sick seeing people taking advantage of the moment of grief of someone to try to impose their religious beliefs on them. And what bothers me the most is that people usually don’t even understand that it is preying upon the weakened.

Did you read Ann Druyan text about Carl Sagan’s death? I don’t have it at hand right now, but in she mentions how he received religious proselytizing correspondence from people, prompted by said people hearing about his disease. I mean, lots of people don’t know I am an atheist. They could send me this stuff in a misguided attempt to comfort me wrongly believing me to have some religious faith. But I don’t believe anyone at the time could believe such a thing from Carl Sagan.

Now, why don’t people see it as the amazing disrespect it is? I’ve never seen anyone get angry over the sheer presumptuousness of making a weakened person spend last precious moments listening to religious babble.

It is good to know I am not the only one that dislikes this kind of thing. I don’t know what is more vomit inducing, the idea of a god that would send you to heaven instead of to hell for all the eternity because five minutes before your death your mind broke out of abject fear and you tried to convince yourself that you accepted Jesus as your lord and saviour, or the idea that the preaching person believes such a god to be all-loving. I would not want to be loved by someone that believed so. I would in fact be very scared of it.

Your site is lovely, reading it after work always helps me shake off the public attending induced belief that humankind is doomed. Is it bad of me to want the proselytizers to keep going after you so that you will always keep updating this site?

From: [withheld]
Subject: Mailing List request

Greetings Mr. Bastard,

I would love for you to add me to your mailing list. Your site provides me with tons of entertainment, which breaks the monotony of selling peanut brittle in shopping center parking lots to fund my baby-eating atheist agenda.

As a fellow immoral Satanist, irreverence and blasphemy are turn-ons for my husband and me. Of course he did get completely offended by the “baby Jesus butt plug”. I don’t have the link, but it’s easy to find with a Google search. I thought it was hilarious.

Keep up the good work!

Michelle

From: jbls(at)xprt.net
Subject: Comment

You will get no hate mail from me. Nice job!

J.B.

From: switchback490(at)windstream.net
Subject: a website

GB, just found your site. Love it bro. lol

Hey, I haven’t gone through the entire site yet so in case it isn’t listed, a good site that rips apart Xianity and the bible is www.skepticsannotatedbible.com. Thought you might want to add that link to your site.

-Chris Williams, Waynesburg PA

From: gobaseball_GB_09(at)hotmail.com
Subject: you rock

yeah i don’t have any feedback but the attitude rocks, man. keep it up. I wish I was the genius who thought up christianity to keep people in line. lol i bet i’d be a rich motherfucker too.

From: jeffw(at)asylumfx.com
Subject: Banana’s as Proof of God…ha!

I just read your article Fruit: Proof That God Exists after finding the video you mention in the article.

What makes this claim even more ridiculous is the fact that banana as found in nature (how god created them) are nearly inedible because of the amount of seeds within them. It was ancient human farmers that selected mutant banana plants without seeds to harvest as an edible crop. The bananas we find in our stores today are clones of those plants from thousands of years ago. The banana only proves the ingenuity of man over nature, although since they are clones unfortunately they are susceptible to being wiped out by disease since they do not adapt with every generation something plants do naturally by a process called evolution…I guess god doesn’t want us to have bananas without seeds.

Here is an article that tells some of the history of the banana, with a good picture of a wild banana packed full of seeds: www.apsnet.org/education/feature/banana/Top.html

Keep spreading the word!

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

Thank you for the encouragement and the unbridled, sarcasm-induced laughter! I just finished reading “The End of Faith” and I’m inclined to assume that you probably read it immediately upon its release. What a fantastic perspective it provides. Especially compared to my prior, self-demeaning bullshit of only a few years ago. I feel the same invigoration when I read your subject matter. Finally someone who isn’t afraid to say it. I await new essays and other stuff. Keep it coming! Thanks.

From: [withheld]
Subject: Feedback

Hi GB!

I found your site via the Anti-Christian Coalition WebRing, of which I am now a proud member. I LOVE your site and I’m busily reading through. I’ve signed your guestbook as well.

I’ve just started writing a blog I’m calling The Daily Atheocrat [www.thedailyatheocrat.org] and I’ve added you to my list of links to “Like Minds” and I’d like to ask about getting on your link list.

Good to see you, mate! Keep up the good work!

Cameron

From: [withheld]
Subject: Literal Biblical Interpretation

I would greatly prefer that my e-mail address not be posted. I really don’t need the hassle. If what I’ve said is overcritical, don’t post any of it!

GB,

Very interesting site.

I have found that it’s best when speaking to Christians to simply concede the point that the Bible is God’s word. Now then, the first matter of concern is God’s act of child molestation. Isn’t it morally reprehensible for a man of God’s age to fornicate with and impregnate an adolescent virgin? Shouldn’t he be on some sexual predator list?

Usually, the conversion attempt quickly ends there. If for some incomprehensible reason it continues, the doctrine of the crucifixion is an interesting area to explore. Did God commit premeditated murder or suicide? If God predestined Jesus to die for the sins of humanity (although he was completely innocent and did not deserve punishment) then it was premeditated murder. Right? If Jesus was/is God – omniscient and omnipotent – then it was suicide. Whether by omission or commission, he used humans as an instrument of death against himself. I’ve been told that suicide is the unforgivable sin. So is God damned? Or is it okay because he believes Jesus is his son? (???)

I do not agree that suicide is unjustifiable. But when my mother, who had two brain tumors, committed suicide, I found myself surrounded by inappropriate and ill-timed Christian counsel. My mother’s damnation was the furthest thing from my mind. Thank God other people were thinking about it and chose to share their unsolicited opinions with me! Christians can be very rude. I have no problem returning the favor. They set the rules. I’m just trying to play by them.

If Satan appears as an angel of light, then wasn’t it him who appeared to Paul on the road to Damascus?

Since the Bible is literal, Jesus called Peter “Satan,” and Peter was the rock on which Jesus founded his church, is the church founded on Satan? And if so, since the church is the body of Christ, is Christ Satan?

Ah, yes. The Bible is a magic book.

None of it really matters anyway. I heard that the reason things are so bad down here is that Jesus developed post traumatic stress disorder and is receiving counseling from the Holy Spirit. God the Father went on a big guilt-trip, and no one’s seen him since. We’re on our own.

Good Luck with your site!

From: jt_umd(at)hotmail.com
Subject: [Blank]

GB

http://www.deism.com/Einstein1.htm

you could take a look at some of einsteins quotes…or not…i guess you wont and dont look at a lot of things… i also found this quote from sinatra interesting. i get the feeling that you’ll discredit that website and sinatra as stupid christian things or something, but oh well….

“I believe in you and me. I’m like Albert Schweitzer and Bertrand Russell and Albert Einstein in that I have a respect for life – in any form. I believe in nature, in the birds, the sea, the sky, in everything I can see or that there is real evidence for. If these things are what you mean by God, then I believe in God.” – Frank Sinatra

peace out

-JT

From: tariqsm72(at)yahoo.com
Subject: Another year with the Godless Bastard

Might I have the honor of being your first email of the new year?

GB, I was raised in a strict Muslim home and brainwashed since early childhood to believe in nonsensical bible stories and to participate in what I feel are bizarre, archaic, superstitious and silly rituals. Deep down inside – even as young as 10 years old – I knew there was no god but I did what I was taught and expected to do. It wasn’t until I reached my late 20′s that I felt secure enough to openly declare myself an atheist. I was always fearful of ridicule from friends and family and I honestly thought I might be shunned by my own mother and father. They didn’t take it well when I finally told them but we’ve come to an understanding over the years and avoid the topic to keep the peace and maintain open communication between us for all other matters. It is a challenge at times because I know there is still some resentment in their heart (or maybe it is just disappointment) but I feel a certain intellectual freedom and empowerment that I never dreamed possible. I love your web site and I am overjoyed to see so many others speak openly of their atheism. Keep fighting the good fight.

~Tariq
 

Feedback