Received 9.13.2001

Dear Closet Atheist,

Well, it is now day 3 following the horrible, cowardly, and deadly acts perpetrated upon our great nation, nay, our great humanity by an organized group of angry people...essentially all in the name of "God". 

In shock and disbelief the world is slowly trying to cope with what has been done and what will be done...essentially all in the name of "God".

People all over the world are now using the world wide means of communication (the internet) to hurl messages of hate and threats of horrible death using their respective "Words of God" as shields...essentially all in the name of "God".

Today, I am ashamed to be a Human Being. Today, I am shocked and appalled to realize the ultimate stupidity of humanity. Today, my "Atheism" has completed building it's indestructible foundation and I totally shun any idea of "God" because the IDEA of "God" is humanity's ultimate "evil" which will, without a doubt, be humanity's demise.

Today, I am crying for humanity...I am crying not only because humanity's demise is quickly approaching, but because humanity is too stupid to know that...it's demise is...essentially all in the name of "God".

Sincerely,
Fellow Closet Atheist

My Reply:

These events are a powerful example of how religion divides us, and for someone who doesn't believe in God, it is all the more pointless and absurd. And now, here in the U.S., the usual contingent of misguided ignoramuses will be out in force, trying to contribute by threatening Muslims in their community or vandalizing their local mosque.

I'm not so naive to think that without religion things like this would not happen. Man will always be driven to form groups that exclude others.  It is part of the instinctive politicking we do to keep from being singled out as the weakest.  If it isn't religion, it is race, or amount of money you earn, or the football team you root for, or the clothes you wear. But I won't be convinced that a world without religion would not a step in the right direction.

Reply from another reader.  Received 9.18.2001

This is in response to the letter about the terrorists attack. A friend of the family who lives locally is a Muslim woman, and one of the greatest distinguishing features of our area is a large, beautiful Mosque. After the terrorist attack, the Mosque now sports bullet holes. I'm rather afraid for this friend of the family, and at the same time disgusted by the  generalizations made by my fellow Americans.

What disgusts me even more is the way that our politics are guided by religion. In a country were the law demands a separation of church and state, I'm rather tired of listening to religious groups demand that laws follow their dogma, congress men use religious motives openly as a justification for a law, and the president constantly pushing religion every time he speaks. Once again, I can't hear anything from the government 
without God being mentioned, and usually as a reason to attack. Apparently Christians don't believe in most of what Jesus said. I'd mention which ones I mean, but on this website that would be beating a dead horse.

I've meant to write to you ever since I found your web site, but could never find a good excuse to. There's much more I'd like to talk about, but perhaps I'll find another excuse later. For now, I'll give you peace.

Ben