From: Gofreemind@aol.com (unknown)
To: Gofreemind@aol.com
Subject: The Texas Atheist # 36
Date: Wed, 01 Dec
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THE TEXAS ATHEIST
November 30, 1999 # 36
Copyright 1999 by Howard Thompson
=========[ An independent, free e-mail newsletter ]=========
IN THIS ISSUE
1. Pat Robertson's "uprising" against the Supreme Court
2. Molly Ivins wants a new Robert Ingersoll
3. Infant brain injuries affect adult morality
4. News/Science Briefs
University Skeptics Society goes belly-up
Supreme Court takes Santa Fe football prayer case
Santa Fe ISD mandates conformity
Boerne removes Christian nativity display
Oklahoma governor rejects the Constitution
NTCOF gets major radio coverage – Dec. 3rd
Study shows natural light improves test scores
Bible-Belt has highest divorce rates
CSH/CFA starts "Save Our Schools" campaign
Atheist vs Inerrantist debate tape available
Correction - kudos for Minnesota Atheists
Correction - Corpus Christi contact
AOL double mails some of last issue
5. Commentary: Faking faith
================================================
PAT ROBERTSON'S "UPRISING" AGAINST THE SUPREME COURT
Pat Robertson urged an "uprising" against the Supreme Court in his
11/8/99 broadcast of the "700 Club." The U.S. Supreme Court is the highest
Constitutional authority for the judicial branch of our civil government.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I want to say this very clearly," Robertson told
his audience. "If the people of the United States of America - all across
America, in their churches and in their civic groups and in their
legislatures - decide that they're not going to allow the Supreme Court to
dominate their lives in the fashion that it has in this nation, the Supreme
Court does not have the power to change that. They are not going to be able
to overturn the will of a hundred million American people. And I think the
time has come that we throw off the shackles of this dictatorship that's been
imposed upon us."
Robertson later called for the "uprising." The most popular TV
evangelist, the leader of the Christian Coalition which controls the
Republican Party, is urging Christians to overthrow our Constitutional
government. No comments were available from the six Republican Presidential
candidates who spoke at the Christian Coalition's "Road To Victory"
conference in September.
Robertson's call for revolt may signal religious right confidence. The
clergy may now feel powerful enough to openly attack our founder's
Constitution. Religious groups that control over 10% of radio and TV
stations have for decades been brain-washing Christians with myths. Tens of
millions now believe that the U.S. was founded as a "Christian" nation, that
church-state separation is a recent liberal perversion of our founder's
Christian piety, and that making Christianity part of government is a moral
duty that restores our founder's intent.
News reports indicate a growing number of public officials are violating
their oath of office to uphold the Constitution. More and more officials are
using government to force religion on the citizenry. They know about Supreme
Court rulings that mandate separating religion from government, yet they
willfully reject the Constitution. At this time, there is little direct
opposition to the religious right juggernaut. ["700 Club" quotes from People
for the American Way, 11/8/99 http://www.pfaw.org/news/]
------------------------------------------------------
MOLLY IVINS WANTS A NEW ROBERT INGERSOLL
Molly Ivins is a good ol' Texas gal with a first rate brain. Her awesome
command of language has made her Texas' premier newspaper columnist.
Recently, Molly has begun to speak out on state-church separation issues.
Her mid-November column questioned why Texans are so all-fired determined to
have prayers at public school football games.
Molly's 11/26/99 column (Lincoln Journal-Star) was a call for more
rationalism and skepticism regarding religion and pseudo-science. Yep, read
that last sentence again, ‘cause that's what Molly really said. Molly, who
professes Christianity, must be getting mightily peeved at the bible-thumpers
to wish on them another Ingersoll, a professed agnostic.
"I do think," said Molly, "it would help if we had a public voice
attacking the excesses of religion equivalent to the great 19th-century
atheist Robert Ingersoll (who was once Republican vice presidential
candidate; try to think of a prominent atheist politician today). Madalyn
Murray O'Hair was both so angry and batty that my reaction was, ‘thanks, I'll
take the Baptists.'"
Hon, it ain't that there are no voices exposing religious idiocy. The
problem is that corporate media will not regularly publish materialistic
voices that upset religionists, no matter how true or needed. With no way to
get their message heard, today's freethinking Ingersolls are mostly shouting
in a vacuum or limited to the tiny audiences they can afford.
------------------------------------------------------
INFANT BRAIN INJURIES AFFECT ADULT MORALITY
Dr. Antonio Damasio and colleagues report an association between certain
kinds of infant brain injuries and impaired adult social and moral behavior
(November "Nature Neuroscience.")
"We wondered what would happen if a person's prefrontal cortex was
damaged in infancy," said Damasio. The pre-frontal cortex has been
identified as playing a significant role in the development of
decision-making functions related to social actions and personal planning.
Two young adults who had prefrontal cortex damage during infancy were the
subjects of the study. One subject, injured in both frontal cortices at 15
months, was ignoring verbal and physical punishment by age three. She was a
disruptive teenager at home and school. Behaviors now include compulsive
lying, ignoring rules, stealing, unable to hold a job, no expressions of
guilt or remorse, blaming others, without future plans and an apparent lack
of empathy.
The other subject had a tumor removed from the right frontal lobe at
three months. By nine, he was unmotivated, without friends and had sporadic
anger tantrums. After high school, he was unable to hold a job, compulsively
lying, without future plans, and lacking guilt, remorse and empathy.
A battery of tests revealed that both subjects were unable to choose a
more rewarding long-run strategy over a short-term strategy that paid off
bigger earlier, but less overall in the long run. Neither subject could
figure out what to do in common social situations. Other studies have
indicated that people who suffer similar brain injuries later in life may not
act normally, but they have a sense of right and wrong.
Damasio's research is a fascinating demonstration of how neurological
processes account for human behaviors that used to be explained with magic.
If brain functions account for our moral and ethical behavior, then magical
souls, original sin, divine intervention, etc. are unnecessary to explain
morality. Morality is then best understood as a collection of naturally
selected human instincts and behaviors that proved their survival and
reproductive value over millions, or hundreds of millions, of years.
Damasio is a professor of neurology at the University of Iowa. His 1996
book "Descartes Error" (still available) dunked body-mind duality, explored
the role of emotions in the brain's "reasoning" processes, and described
morality's physiological basis.
Damasio' newest book, "The Feeling of What Happens: Body and Emotion in
the Making of Consciousness" is another step forward in understanding what
consciousness is and its physiological functions.
------------------------------------------------------
NEWS/SCIENCE BRIEFS [Send items of interest to gofreemind@aol.com.]
UNIVERSITY SKEPTIC SOCIETY GOES BELLY-UP
Word from the University of Texas at Austin is that the University
Skeptics Society is no more. Formed in the fall of 1997, the group began
with high hopes, the good leadership of Tony Niesz, the upbeat efforts of
social chair Elena Vaysman, and the sharp mind and public voice of Philosophy
major Favio Saavedra.
A remnant calling itself "Campus Crusade for Cthulu" survives. They
recently manned a West Mall table across from the week long appearances of
campus evangelist, Cliffe Knechtle.
Texas A&M and Nebraska University have atheist clubs, but not U.T. Your
editor has been talking with Austin and U.T. non-theists about starting a new
campus non-theistic group. The discussion are on the Atheist Community of
Austin e-mail list, <atheist-list@atheist-community.org>.
SUPREME COURT TAKES SANTA FE FOOTBALL PRAYER CASE
The U.S. Supreme Court has selected the Santa Fe, Texas football game
prayer case for review. The case was appealed when a lower court struck down
as a violation of state-church separation Santa Fe ISD's policy that sponsors
student-led prayers at football games.
In 1993, the Court refused to review a U.S. Fifth Circuit court (Texas,
Louisiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma) decision which upheld student-led prayers at
graduation ceremonies. The court will not review the more general issue of
student-led prayers in the current Santa Fe Case.
As it now stands, a school district can authorize a majority of students
to impose their religious message on others students at school events. The
U.S. Supreme Court will now decide if football games are solemn enough school
event for god worship.
You read it right. A majority of students has the power to force their
religion on everyone at school events, even though government is still
somehow separate from religion.
Yes, this does mean that the U.S. Supreme Court has begun to deliberately
gut First Amendment separation of government from religion.
SANTA FE ISD MANDATES STUDENT CONFORMITY
The Santa Fe Independent School District (ISD) recently mandated student
uniforms and a stricter cussing policy. These new conformity policies
imposed on students reveals the district's duplicity.
Santa Fe ISD says it is defending student "free speech" in appealing a
case that bans prayers at football games. District trustees, however, only
champion student free speech and expression when students proselytize
Christianity. Otherwise, the district enforces rigid behavior and speech
rules on students.
This hypocrisy shows that defending student "free speech" at football
games is a sham since the district suppresses student speech and behavior
which does not conform to their ideas of Christian virtue.
BOERNE REMOVES CHRISTIAN NATIVITY DISPLAY
There are early reports that the city of Boerne, Texas (NW of San
Antonio) has removed a Christian nativity scene from public property. Why is
unknown at this time.
Boerne had been involved with a local Catholic church in a Supreme Court
church-state separation case. Boerne newspapers have also published many
stories and letters about the Freethinker rock controversy in Comfort, Texas.
Details surrounding the removal will be reported in the next issue.
OKLAHOMA GOVERNOR REJECTS THE CONSTITUTION
Oklahoma's Catholic Governor Frank Keating has rejected the
Constitutional authority of the U.S. Supreme Court which prohibits Oklahoma
from violating Constitutional separation of religion and government.
"I would say it would be unacceptable to say creation science should not
be taught in public schools," Keating said.
"I dissent," was Keating's response when told that U.S. Supreme Court
rulings prohibited Creationist views in textbooks. Keating's comments
occurred as he supported the Oklahoma State Textbook Committee's ruling that
biology textbooks must carry a disclaimer against evolutionary theory.
Oklahoma joins the growing list of states where public officials dishonor
their oath to uphold the Constitution because of their religious beliefs.
[From Oklahoma City "World" 11/16/99 article by Randy Krehbiel, sent in by
gvicious@hotmail.com.]
NTCOF GETS MAJOR RADIO COVERAGE -- Dec. 3rd.
The North Texas Church of Freethought (NTCOF) will be featured in a five
part series aired on Dallas-Fort Worth WBAP 820AM Radio. Reporter Sandra
Gonzalez interviews NTCOF Director Mike Sullivan about common questions for
atheists and describes her visit to an NTCOF Sunday Service. The air date is
Dec. 3rd during drive-time newscasts between 6:30 - 8:30 AM and again in the
12:30 PM news package.
WBAP is a 50,000 watt super-station which can be picked up several
hundred miles from DFW, depending on weather and radio aerials.
[See: <http://church.freethought.org> for more info.]
STUDY SHOWS NATURAL LIGHT IMPROVES TEST SCORES
One wonders when everyone will finally accept the significance of our
evolved humanity. Stories like this would then be, "oh of course, we were
naturally selected from surviving in Earth's natural environment."
A study by Heschong Mahone Group near Sacramento, California has found
that students who have lessons in classrooms with natural light score as much
as 25% higher on standardized tests than other students in the same school
district. The study was described as the first rigorous one of its kind. An
earlier Canadian study found that student achievement gains were
significantly greater in classrooms where artificial light most closely
approximated natural sunlight.
Sunlight is known to affect human physiology and brain functions in a
number of ways. How natural that children learn best with natural sunlight
as opposed to artificial light.
BIBLE-BELT HAS HIGHEST DIVORCE RATES
An Associated Press article reports a national average divorce rate of
4.2 per thousand. The highest divorce rates, excluding Nevada's drive-thru
divorces, are in Tennessee (6.4), Arkansas (6.1), Oklahoma (6.0) and Alabama
(6.0), where Christian fundamentalism dominates society and culture. [Census
Bureau and National Center for Health Statistics data.]
Yep, the bible-belt, the region of strongest conservative Christianity,
the region where government does most to force religion on everyone, can't
sustain Christian marriages.
So much for the religious right's claim that Christianity is good for
families. If born-again Christianity is good for families, why are so many
bible-belt Christians bailing out with divorce? [From AP news article,
11/12/99, Lincoln Journal-Star]
CSH/CFA STARTS "SAVE OUR SCHOOLS" CAMPAIGN
The Council for Secular Humainism's Campus Freethought Alliance, "has
launched a national campaign in defense of science education." The campaign
is called "S.O.S." for Save Our Science - Save Our Schools.
The Campus Freethought Alliance is coordinating a communications campaign
by non-religious students, teachers, parents and citizens to send S.O.S.
distress "signals" to the media, government and public.
S.O.S. opposes, "all efforts to either (1) remove or reduce students'
exposure to leading scientific theories or (2) include religious teachings in
the science curricula please."
[For information and a petition see <http
://www.campusfreethought.org/sos>]
[Contact: CFA Coordinator Amanda Chesworth, FIAmanda@aol.com.]
ATHEIST VS INERRANTIST DEBATE TAPE AVAILABLE
Atheist Activist Jeffery Jay Lowder reports the availability of
videotapes of his recent debate against Phil Fernandez, President of the
Institute of Biblical Defense. Jerry didn't exactly say he kicked-ass, but
it sure sounds like it.
Jeffery is a long time atheist activist who debates religious right
Christians on a number of topics. [Contact jlowder@infidels.org]
[http://www.infidels.org/infidels/products/video/lowder-fernandes.html]
CORRECTION - KUDOS FOR MINNESOTA ATHEISTS
The Texas Atheist goofed, but unlike biblical errors, goofs are
acknowledged and corrected. Last issue credited the Atheist Alliance for the
pro-Jesse Ventura advertisement in Minneapolis. Actually, the Minnesota
Atheists placed the advertisement – an "Open Letter to the Community of
Faith." Marie Castle, who is in the Minnesota Atheists and president of the
Atheist Alliance reports that over $6,000 in donation have come in for the
$3,500 ad.
CORRECTION -- CORPUS CHRISTI CONTACT
The e-mail address for Brian Meyer in Corpus Christi has been in error.
The correct address for Brian is <bmmagic@swbell.net>. Brian maintains a
website and is in contact with other non-theists in the Corpus area who get
together for happy hour from time-to-time.
AOL DOUBLE MAILS SOME OF LAST ISSUE
American Online double mailed copies of The Texas Atheist #35 to some
subscribers. My database prohibits duplicate e-mail addresses. If you get
a duplicate mailing from gofreemind@aol.com, let me know so I can figure out
if it was me, AOL, or something else. HT
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GROUPS & TELEVISION
Agnostic & Atheist Student Group of Texas A&M. Wednesdays 8:00 PM.
Check http://atheist.tamu.edu/~aasg/ for changing room locations.
American Humanist Association. Houston, Dallas.
<frankprahl@earthlink.net>.
Atheist Community of Austin. Weekly meetings, monthly speaker, TV show.
<kellenvh@earthink.net> www.atheist-community.org.
Corpus Christi Atheists & Agnostics. Contact Brian Meyer
<bmmagic@swbell.net>.
Ethical Culture Fellowship of Austin. 10:00 AM, 1st & 3rd Sunday, Austin
Senior Activity Center near 28th and Lamar. 512-306-1111 <ecfa@usa.net>
http://www.main.org/ec.
Freethinkers Assoc. of Central Texas. Weekly meetings.
http://atheistalliance.org/fact Don Lawrence <lawdon99@earthlink.net> or
Julie Fisher <txfreethinker@geocities.com>.
Freethinkers Union - U of Houston. Active unbeliever student group.
Stacy Irwin <stirwin@Jetson.uh.edu>. http://get.to/freethinkers.
Houston Church of Freethought. Contact <afay@worldnet.att.net>.
Houstonians for Secular Humanism. Monthly meetings, <dts2000@flash.net>.
Humanist of Ft. Worth. 1st Wed, 7:00 PM, Russell Elleven
<R.elleven@tcu.edu>, http://webalias.com/humanism.
North Texas Church of Freethought. First Sunday, 10:30 AM at Wilson
World Hotel, Irving. Singles group, social events. <church@freethought.org>
http://church.freethought.org.
Oklahoma Atheists. Monthly & online meetings. Kim Schultz-
Kimmysai@aol.com, www.oocities.org/~ok_atheist.html,
http://clubs.yahoo.com/clubs/oklahomaatheists.
San Antonio College. New group. Don Lawrence <lawdon99@earthlink.net>.
San Marcos. Contact David Morris <camerare@itouch.net>, group may form
Texas Hill Country Freethinkers. Monthly luncheons, dinners,
discussions. Julie Fisher at 210-354-3311 <txfreethinker@geocities.com>.
The Atheist Experience: 9:00 AM call-in show. Sunday on Austin public
access TV.
Freethought Forum: 6:30 PM Thursday on San Antonio public access TV.
------------------------------------------------------
Commentary: Faking Faith
The Christmas season challenges non-theists. We can't avoid "Jesus is
the reason for the season" signs and all the other Christmas hoopla.
We may run into government displays of Christian symbols and messages.
School students may be faced with Christian activities. Employees may be
faced with office parties, drawing for gifts, and evangelical co-workers all
big-eyed to tell you about their "personal savior."
The build up to Christmas as a national Christian holiday reminds us that
we are outsiders. We are outsiders both by our free choice of rational
sanity and the hostility of Christians against unbelievers.
Family is the toughest for most of us. Fortunately, there are no strong
religionists in my immediate family. Holiday meals get eaten just fine
without blessings at our small gatherings. Christian symbols have diminished
to near zero in recent years.
Families with determined fundamentalists are toughest. I get chills
reading some of the first person stories. I wish there was some way to help
doubters who have been swallowing their feelings, pasting a smile on their
face, and playing "let's pretend Jesus is real" at family gatherings.
I understand why true feelings are suppressed for faking faith to get
along with family. We all sacrifice for family due to our evolved behaviors.
No one wants to cause a tense family situation or upset family members.
Many doubters and unbelievers see faking faith as a small price to pay for
family peace.
The harm of faking faith comes from rebound feelings. There is an
emotional cost from going along with believers, pretending their faith is
wonderful, that your doubts and unbelief are non-existent. Faking faith is a
kind of intellectual and emotional self-abuse.
You make the sacrifice for them. You get along with them as they are
because they are family. You fake faith and pretend their religious fantasy
are noble and real. You bow your head for their prayers, go to their
churches, sing their hymns, and smile over their Jesus stories and religious
fables.
They make no equivalent sacrifice for you. There is, in fact, the very
real risk that some of them might harshly reject the real you, the doubter
and unbeliever, if your mask of fake faith failed and the real you were
revealed.
Faking faith is extreme go-along-to-get-along atheism. You hide what you
are, conform to the religious culture, and never live what you really are.
You assume all the emotional burden and cognitive distortions that arise from
faking faith. Faking faith makes you a master rationalizer about going along
the dominate Christian culture; but it erodes your real self as years roll by.
Atheists choose to live somewhere between living openly as an atheist and
faking faith. All of our choices have risks and costs. Living openly exacts
its price. Faking faith exacts another price. For me, the price of going
along got too high. I finally realized most of my years were gone with me
living other than was right for me.
I feel better about things as an open atheist and simply pay its price as
shit happens. My biggest atheist regret is that I waited so long. Many of
going-along's harms are now permanent within me.
Good luck to all who trod the faking faith path, its toll is great. May
you have no regrets as the one and only life you will ever have runs out with
you faking faith in death so none are disturbed by your unbelief. HT.