Q and A

WHY DOES ATHEIST STATION CONTINUE TO PROVOKE THE CITIZENS OF GALLITZIN WITH ITS INSULTING ACTIONS AND THEMES? (The billboard that proclaims “GOD IS JUST PRETEND;” the fence out into the public thoroughfare; and now that obscene verse from the Old Testament).

ANSWER:> First of all, we atheists do not believe in the validity of ANY of the proclaimed gods that are worshipped in one way or another on this planet. We feel that today’s religions are really (and hardly) an improved version over old tribal beliefs, that assisted those early people in getting through the night and other dark times. Few of us say with certainty that no god(s) exist, because that fact cannot be proven (with a few tongue-in-cheek exceptions, or without very lengthy—usually personal—derivations). I, like some others, do not deny the possibility of a Creator that may exist in the framework of the Deists -- in the thoughts of Thomas Jefferson and several of the most influential founding fathers who subscribed to Voltaire’s natural philosophy of Deism. I have chosen to take the atheist position, however, to counter the illogical (and bull-headed fundamentalist – East or West) stance of most all religions of the world in their hypocritical righteousness against each other and us “THINK TOO MUCH” heretics. Because “God’s word” is as contradictory as it is (one can justify nearly anything by some passage or verse of the Bible or Koran), we pointedly challenge the notion that a knowable, communicating god is anything other than pretend.

Second, the fence that was recently put up around the front and side of Atheist Station is more of announcement where our property line is rather than a deterrent to trespass (it is hard to build a fence high enough to intercept missiles of eggs and paint balls). The fence’s main objective is to keep the National Bank of Portage from plowing snow onto our property during winters. And it is our claim to ownership, being the line between the Bank (not the Borough as, has been reported in the press) and Atheist Station. The Borough of Gallitzin sold this thoroughfare to the Bank in 1987 (perhaps illegally since it effectively limits legal access to our property by only a narrow alley.

Third, The most recent billboard announces a Biblical verse of the Old Testament to show in mock contrast to the pastoral and “good” passages so evident on the marquees of the many churches. IT MUST BE NOTED SOMEWHERE that there are illogical, negative and disgusting passages within that big black book -- as well as do good instructions. The following, from Ezekial 23:20 is shown on our building, but it is no way an exception to other such passages in Genesis, Solomon , or Leviticus (which no one with ANY values lives by today):

20 “There she lusted after her lovers, whose genitals
were like those of donkeys and whose emission was like
that of horses.”


We atheists of South Central Pennsylvania take the unprecedented initiative to point out to the selectively (or incompletely) informed Christians, Jews and Muslims that their “good” books are rife with contradiction, negativity, lust and violence, and as such condone and brag about slavery and genocide. Their constant bellowing of “family values” rings hollow when ALL of their holy literature is exposed to the observant reader.

If our messages are an affront to the established order of clergy, then so be it. It is not meant to be an affront but more an announcement that much of religion’s scripture is so much archaic gibberish, written by childish old men. The answer to how one lives a good life is the necessity to improve one’s mind to understand better the natural laws and wondrous experiences of living in the reality of NOW.

If one is offended by our atheistic presence, therein is exposed a symptom of parochial bigotry that should have no place in today’s maturing world. This same symptom (which is really manifested in lack of understanding) amplifies the hatred these same people have of other religious cults across the planet. If religion could be held to responsible reason, would parochial bigotry be what it is today? (See our SERIOUS SIDE Web page for more on this). If you think this not true, then you need to ask why you are offended. Does not the teachings of your Christ say “turn the other cheek?” Is not your reward of passivism and meekness, eternal heaven? With the effort too many Christians expend in owning guns and waging war, one is led to conclude that their faith in Jesus Christ is rather thin – that they are really a gaggle of confused puppies, trying to make their supposed enemies unhappy because they, themselves, sure are distressed.
Ron Stauffer (9-28-2003)




PROOF OF GOD (11-30-IYGD*, 2002)
*IYGD = In the Year of the Great Delusion-------------

People in the know. . . people who have put aside the childish notion of superstition . . . people serenely content and satisfied with their persona and the world around them, are curious as to why the great majority of their fretting counterparts crave worshipping a god or gods. In other words: WHY A GOD? As futile a question as that is, here are a few thoughts:

1. Though many are wont to give their god ado, a skeptic might ask: WHY DOES GOD NEED UNCONDITIONAL DEVOTION? These worshippers even place worship of their god before service and assistance to their fellow human, or country. This is NOT LOGICAL since omnipotence is one of a god's attributes and should require no assistance from mortal man. But mortal man DOES need assistance, and helping one another is a big 'must' if our children's lives here on Earth are to survive!

2. IS GOD REAL? . . . FOR SURE!? The great majority of the spiritually deceived answer unequivocally, "Yes" for they have some personal relationship with him (most always, it is a 'him'). And they usually counter with the question: "Who made all this" (spreading their arms wide as if to include the whole world).

Why all people do not have this 'personal relationship' is because only the pious few who have lathered themselves up to a state of frenzy, can see the
vision they want to see. They have, NOT LOGICALLY, denied reality for a dream world full of angelic representations of themselves. That explains why they disdain most everything worldly, except in the case of fundamentalists where stocks, bonds, property, ATVs and all kinds of guns are allowable.

As far as: "Who made all this?" one could counter, How did God come into being? The answer is simple: given the two options: there is; and there isn't--there is an existence, is the LOGICAL answer! In this country one is able to explain one's personal answer concerning creation any way one thinks (on their own time and not at my tax dollar's expense). However, I would like some faith based academic explain to me why a fish dwelling at 20,000 feet below the ocean's surface--with it's own illumination system--is important to effect God's 'Plan for Mankind' or 'Man's salvation' Maybe the creationist could explain to me how penguins and kangaroos were sought out and obtained to ride out Noah's Flood on his ark? I believe reality is just too profane for religion's good.

3. ARE PRAYERS EFFECTIVE, AND ANSWERED? No! There is no proof that prayers have ever been answered. Prayer is NOT a LOGICAL substitute for action. On the contrary, there is proof that prayers have gone unanswered. Two examples of many instances where multitudes of prayers have obviously been ineffectual: A. On the eve of the Spanish Armada's invasion of England, there was a tremendous spiritual effort to beseech God to assist Spain in returning Elizabethan England to the folds of the Roman Catholic religion. The Vice Commander of the flotilla was quoted as saying "What we lack in sea-worthy vessels and gunnery will be made up in God's assistance: High Mass was held at Seville Cathedral, and every seaman was required to make confession prior to boarding. All the vessels were properly blessed, and at least one priest installed on each. The rest is history. The Armada was caught on the windward coast of the Netherlands and systematically destroyed by Admirals Hawkins and Drake . The Spanish vessels that escaped made their way to the north, around Scotland, only for a good many of them to be dashed onto the rocky coast of Ireland by the continual storms common to the area. No one knows how many prayers were said for the success of the pious Armada--for sure, it wasn't enough--and more than 22,000 Catholic Iberians perished!

B. I would venture to say that many more prayers were uttered for the demise of Adolpf Hitler during World War II than the above described event in the English Channel 350 years earlier. Sadly, they were ineffectual (including mine as a young child) in bringing a halt to one of four despicable persons responsible for up to 80 million deaths. There were at least a dozen attempts on Hitler's life during that war, all ending in failure--some very unluckily for the would be assassins. Consider how many prayers were offered up by the six million of God's chosen people that were snuffed out under his orders. And I suppose Pope Pius XII prayed very hard that he would never have to excommunicate him--an action Hitler never experienced.

4. WHY SHOULD THE MEEK INHERIT THE EARTH? Because this is a clerical promise to make the masses feel better about themselves. Without having to expend any effort at thinking, it is easier to accept the spiritual teachings of sanctimonious clergy rather than become 'cynical' skeptics and suffer yet more. Hope springs eternal, and their present condition in life is accepted as a copout rather than expending effort for a better life. The meek, the weak, and the ugly find comfort in each other's misery, and rail at the heretics who would do better; who would scoff at their ignorance and superstition and win in the face of overwhelming odds (Bill of Rights issues). The meek, the weak and the ugly will inherit nothing but dirt, insult and dust--for they have earned nothing better. But even ugliness can be made beautiful with effort.

5. THE BIBLE IS THE LITERAL WORD OF GOD? Untrue, incorrect, untrue! How could the author of the universe and its irrefutable, impartial, and indifferent physical laws be the author of that most contradictory and mean spirited tome (or tomes--like in the Koran, Bhagavad Gita, etc, ad nauseam). Anyone who has read the Bible once, I dare to read a second time--and if they can stomach that confusingly cruel fiction for unquestionable fact, consider life on the other side of the planet.








DEAR LIBERAL CHRISTIAN (11-16-2002)

I will attempt to answer the following questions you have asked:

1. Is this all there is?
2. Does Atheist Station support any charities or other social agencies?
3. How is it that so many Christians gain much comfort and peace from worshipping God?

1. I comment on this question at length in my answer to Jim's question #3 (scroll below). If you feel that there must be more to life than what you have now, I wonder if your religious spirituality is properly fulfilling to you. Though you say you are a religious person, It sounds to me that there still remains an emptiness in your being. I see it all the time--the humdrum existence of so many as displayed by their sullen countenances. I often am tempted to ask: 'Why so glum, chum?' But think better of it, out of fear of being too offensive (however, I did use that expression a lot during our November 2nd March on Washington, when we encountered many religious demonstrators telling us we '. . . are going to hell.' I wasn't really concerned with offending those ignorant, sad people--and it was great fun).
Heaven was devised as a ploy by the shamans and early churches to get their followers to see relief beyond their Earthly problems--to expect a far better future. The catch is, like in Voodoo, you have to believe in it first for it to be effective. This pious super-elevation of eternal bliss has been a strong selling point in promoting the various religions since very few want to accept the fact that there is nothing remaining of their existence after death. The fact that we came from star dust does little to convince most that we might just return to star dust.
I for one am quite satisfied with this life, having achieved what I consider Nirvana (I feel I have everything a man could ask for: an intimate, loving marriage; a successful livelihood; self-sufficient children; and excellent health). I believe heaven can be here on Earth--and is one we make for ourselves (I know of no more heavenly grandeur than what I experience when making love to my wife).

2. Presently, Atheist Station has no resources to contribute to charities or other social organizations. We hope to become more of a contributor to the community in the future, but we are hardly more than self-sufficient at this early point of our existence. We do pay real estate taxes though, and have no plans to apply for tax exempt status. Our members do contribute to charities and other social organizations on an individual basis--maybe less now since we are trying to maintain this new endeavor which we do consider a contribution to the community of mankind (Most may not agree that we are a contribution, but we insist that we are--we insist that we another reasonable voice that must be heard in order to counter the headlong rush toward our species' suicide.
In a grotesquely un-American way, some vandals (more than likely Catholics who might understand that those who worship within vulnerable stained-glass windows should adopt a more Christ like demeanor) in the Gallitzin area are telling us we are not welcome, as attested to by their breaking our windows, egging our building and now jamming the front door lock. So, survival is our challenge right now--but rest assured we are not going away as long as the law of the land (if not the church) allows us to be where and what we are. We will not be less than truthful in order to get along with the fearful faithful; we will not say that there is a god just to satisfy any religious test. Though it may be too difficult to organize the diverse free spirits of the atheist and agnostic world into one fully functional, goose-stepping organization, we do mostly agree that men and women must shoulder their burdens alone--that prayer is not effective. Most of our lives, as successful as they are, are proof that prayer is not necessary to achieve happiness and contentment. Our divorce rate is less than that of the Mormons and the Bible Belt fundamentalists. See the WINDOWS PAGE for atheist v. religious incarceration figures. We are for the most part well educated, mild mannered folk that may or may not be vocal about our skepticism, but we do want to contribute good works.

3. I suppose the answer to this question deals with how much an individual has allowed him/herself be influenced by faith. The more one is convinced that a heavenly father is in direct guidance of their destiny, perhaps peaceful tranquility can be achieved--the mind is a wonderful universe in itself. Atheists call this self-deception or delusion. However, if the mind can be convinced that it is in holy hands--that is powerful medicine! It may not be the real truth, but it evidently works--more so in the people that are convinced more of their delusion (I am not a medical doctor or a psychologist, but I do study anthropological nuances and history).
I can only speak with authority on my own case history. In short, the twenty some years that I was totally controlled in my protestant faith, I was miserable. The next ten years of transition from religion was hardly more comforting. Only when I stopped beseeching God in prayer did I grow more independent, and from that I grew more confident. Maturity followed until now I don't think I could be any happier. I never thought a person could be as happy and content as I am now! From a suicidal to one who loves everything about life--that is who I am.



Q & A (9-29-2002)

Today a young man asked me a question, while we were getting Atheist Station ready for our first meeting. I happened to look over my shoulder to see a young fellow exhibiting his middle finger as he sat in the back seat of a car that had just pulled up in front of our building. I went over to talk to him -- to see what his problem was -- and he asked me: Why were we doing all of this? Caught a bit off guard, I answered rather hastily that we had a right to express our feelings in this manner because we are Americans too, and that this is still a free country.

Afterwards, I thought I should have answered his question thusly:

There are two reasons for our efforts here in Gallitzin:

1. In light of the recent evangelistic fervor going on in our nation, we feel we must make our presence known, lest our right to exist may eventually be proscribed. The word atheist, not in itself a bad word, must be redeemed from the vilification of the vast majority of the clergy, to the way we view it as being reasonable, honest, truth seeking and knowledgeable. It goes without saying that it takes a certain amount of courage to go against the grain of the great majority to say we honor no presently recognized god. We ask only that that majority let their god decide for himself/herself/itself the positivity or negativity of our demeanor, and deal with us accordingly. Is that too much to ask of our fellow man?

2. It is our opinion that clashing religions now endanger our existence on this globe. 9-11 was a good example of what religious zealots can do to those of another religion(s). For some arcane reason, people in this country are saying that 9-11 has fortified their faith in God. The event has most certainly fortified the faith of Muslims in their God. This makes no sense at all since their god and our god is supposed to be the same, unless we acknowledge that we should be punished for some ill-defined transgression that has yet to be identified.

Actually, there were transgressions -- at least three transgressions, to wit: First, there was God's enabling of Abraham to sire (out of wedlock) Ishmael, who then was banished to become the forefather of the nation of Islam. Later, as if an afterthought, God allowed Isaac to be born of Abraham's barren wife, Sarah, to become the forefather of the Israelites. The transgression there was the ultimate rise of two competing theologies that have been at each other's throats for over a millennium.

Second, there were the Crusades called for by Pope Urban II, in 1095, at Clermont France, to free the holy lands from Muslim control. It is interesting that popes of today are always seen beseeching God to bring world peace, when it was their predecessors who made the initial transgression.

Third, The Inquisition was an attempt by Christian Spaniards (and later, other Christian nations) to eradicate Jews, Muslims and heretics, lest they erode the Faith.

We Atheists see all of this as unreasonable insanity -- horror stories of maniacal proportion. If left to continue unchecked, 9-11 could seem like only a stubbed toe compared to what might happen in the future. As Atheists, we can stand to the side and watch the enmity of the various religions as they strive to win dominance. True, we are not free of their enmity and are indeed targets in theocratic nations.
Therefore, we are both entertained and chagrined by the childish notions of the individual nations/religions, our country, because of separation of church and state, seemingly (until 9-11) above the fray.

But this nation of ours is beginning to waver in its maintenance of church/state separation, allowing us to become more and more vulnerable as participants in a global conflict that could jeopardize the very existence of mankind. For this reason, some of us Atheists see the necessity to interdict our philosophy onto the contemporary scene to moderate the growing enmity and offer a way of life to achieve happiness without the growing conflicts of religion.

*****************************************************
Hello. My name is Jim and I am presently an active Christian and have been for many years. I like to think I have a somewhat open mind and when I saw your website I decided to try to understand where you are coming from in your beliefs:

1. How do you believe the universe and our world was originally created?
2. How do you believe intelligent life was created?
3. Do you believe in any life after this one here on earth?

I am sending you this E-mail in a responsible manner and only wish to see more clearly your way of thinking. I refuse to take cheap pot shots at how you think and respect your right, as an American, to think and believe as you choose. I hope you will give me the same respect in your reply.
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Dear Jim:

I author some of ATHEIST STATION's web pages. I appreciate your interest in us, and the fact that you are addressing us as fellow Americans. I do hope my answers to your questions meet your criteria for respectability.
I have the utmost respect for everyone's right to worship, or not to worship, as they see fit--that is what America is all about. My problem
with some religions, or faiths, is that I do not want them to intrude into the affairs of our government. Our government is like a huge
umbrella, that provides us ALL with protection from outside. For that reason government must remain neutral to my feelings, as well as your feelings, in matters of "faith." That said, I will try to answer your questions:

1. How do you believe the universe and our world was originally created?

Not an easy question because nobody really knows for sure. Oh, people of faith know that answer through "faith," but I found early on their answer in the Bible, in the Quran and all the other holy books fall woefully short. Scientists believe that it all started with the
super-explosion of a small but dense particle. Their proof rests upon the abundance of light returning to us from stars, in the red portion of
the light spectrum indicating the doppler effect of stars still expanding in distance from us. This is a theory, and could change as we learn more about physics and stellar mechanics. I do know, however, that if the universe has a creator, it is not the same creator who inspired the writing of the Bible, Quran and other holy books. The laws of nature and the universe are pristine and can be
depended on for their regularity. The holy books are anything but pristine, offering contradiction, human frailty, and laws that in many instances border on inanity. There has been no scientific relevation, and precious little truly social or political guidance other than a few commonsense laws that hardly takes more than a cold room temperature IQ
to figure out for oneself.

2. How do you believe intelligent life was created?

By evolutionary trial and error. Given the universe as infinite, and a time frame of 4 to 6 billion years for the age of Earth, it seems very
possible that life could some how become real (like it really has) and that given the many and diverse carbon based organisms, I see the
possibility and probability of intelligence emerging if given enough time.

3. Do you believe in any life after this one here on Earth?

No. It is wishful fantasy to expect to live in any form, physically or spiritually, forever. What really astounds me is that belief in
supernatural deity(s) came about to simplify the explanation of our wonderful existence in a very, very interesting universe--and then that
explanation got demoted (as being too worldly) and was superceeded by an even more imaginative and dreamy place called heaven. Too many religious people have this tendency to eat their cake and have it too. Does it not seem childishly self centered to disdain our present wonderful existence for an imaginative pie-in-the-sky? I could go on and on about the amazing ungratefulness of the religious in their search for eternal grandeur, unsatisfied with what they have now.