Received 8.15.2001

I've never written to a web page author before but I have to say that your site is one of the BEST I've ever seen. Thanks so much for your hard work and keep it going!

Mike

Received 8.10.2001

I just want to say "thanks" for your website. I'm lucky...living most of my life either in Los Angeles of New York City I find few people who reject me because I am an atheist. I can only imagine how people who live outside of big cities must feel suffering the slings and arrows of outrageous religious belief. Websites like yours will help people find their true beliefs and for that, you deserve thanks.

I have been asked how I can be a moral person if I don't believe in god. My response is generally along the lines of "Why do you need to think some angry god is looking over your shoulder before you act morally? I'm moral simply because it's the right thing to do."

David Michaelson

Received 7.31.2001

Jesus still loves you!  I'll be praying for you too!

In Christ's loyal service,

Daron

Received 7.30.2001

I just visited your website and i must say that it was very interesting. I have recently "converted" (appropriate term?) to atheism. However, I still hold a deep respect for those who believe in God, as long as they respect others' beliefs and don't proselytize. My father is Jewish and my mother is Catholic and are both very understanding people. 

Sartre argues that God was a necessary societal invention to give authority to morality. He also argues that man, a Being-for-itself, has an innate desire to BE God. 

God however, as a Being-in-itself-for-itself (a being with free will, striving to define itself, while at the same time perfect and complete) is an inherently contradictory idea.

Now that man has no guiding authority, all former morals, values, and other societal and cultural practices are groundless. Now, man must decide for himself what is right.

I just thought this would be interesting to share. 

Received 7.10.2001

The letter from the reader who had a hard time "coming out" as an atheist at parties made me think about something a gay leader said to one of the officers of my local atheist club. My club was making arrangements to march in the Gay Pride Parade, and the coordinator said he was mad at some of his friends in the gay community because they would not admit publicly that they are atheists. In other words, they're willing to come out as gay, but not as atheist!

Received 7.1.2001

Hello Closet Atheist,

I don't really have anything to contribute at the moment, but I just found your site tonight and 10 minutes into reading the pages I just couldn't help but keep thinking about Ricky Ricardo's "Loooosey, I'm home" :) I do, however, have a bone to pick with you... it's after 2am and dammit, your website has gripped me and won't let me go to bed!

On a more serious note, I just wanted to thank you for putting these pages up. Tonight...for the first time in my life I don't feel so alone anymore. Ever since my wild days in high school I've had this gnawing feeling that God didn't exist...that God is merely a man made concept in an attempt to control the masses (a very successful attempt I might add, unfortunately). Today, almost two decades later, I can state with the utmost confidence that God simply does not exist...no ifs, ands, or buts about it ( I won't delve into how I came to this conclusion right now...my pillow is calling me...besides, your site pretty much said it all ). Sadly however, I am still unable to declare my beliefs publicly because I know without a shadow of doubt that the consequences would be devastating. The Closet Atheist site is truly a welcome and refreshing addition to my life...it's contents are extremely intelligent and well thought out...I find myself wanting to scream "yes, yes, yes" as I read through the pages, but I need to be careful...my neighbors are God fearing Christians, ya know...wouldn't want them to think...well...you know how that goes ;)

You have given me so much by authoring these pages...I feel so guilty that I can't offer any more than a thank you, but know this...you can bank on my coming back regularly (the URL is first in my favorites list)...and if I should have anything to offer I will gladly write...I just need to remember to log on earlier :p

Many thanks, 
Fellow Closet Atheist

Received 6.30.2001

First off, I have to say that you have an excellent site. It is informative, easy to read, and makes a lot of good points. I just wish you could update it a little more, but I guess it's that way with all websites. Keep up the good work.

Received 6.28.2001

Thank you so much for your website, I live in Northeastern Minnesota in a small town where everybody knows each other and or is related. Not only am I not from Minnesota, I immigrated here from The Netherlands. The Netherlands is a very liberal country where pretty much everybody leaves each other alone and much is tolerated. My mother tried to raise me as a christian by sending me to a christian school where I soon made up my own mind, just by logical thinking and reasoning. Now, back to Minnesota, in this town of not even 500 people I am frequently asked why they haven't seen me in one of their 4 churches, I explain that my religion isn't represented in town and ( being an outsider) that is usually accepted. I would not know what would happen in my community if they found out that I'm a red-blooded atheist. So far I'm well liked, active in the community, a business owner and volunteer but still a closet atheist, who gets sick with all the jesus talk here in America; anecdote, I was pretty new in the country when I spotted a news program on tv, being a news junky I sat down for it , it turned out to be the 700 club with pat roberts, ouch, never make that mistake again! Keep up your good work and I will check in once in a while, ps. do not make my e-mail address available I'm afraid for a public lynching, but if you need any help or feedback, please get back to me, take care.

Received 6.25.2001

You have a fantastic website -- consistently thoughtful, funny, carefully edited, and attractively designed.

Received 6.5.2001

Hey, I loved your site. I regret I only had a chance to skim most of it because I'm busy busy busy. However, your essay on morality was extremely useful to me (I'm writing an essay for a scholarship on why people don't need religion to be moral). Not only did it provide a huge amount of info, but it got my own wheels turning about genetic fitness and reciprocal altruism - which brought me back to the primate diversity class I took last semester.  Nearly all human behaviors are present in so-called "lower" primates, 
its amazing that people don't believe in evolution. Though given human behavior sometimes (like war and rape -- which are found in chimps and orangutans, respectively, but not nearly to the degree that the behavior is in human society -- but I digress), I can see why some would find it insulting (to the monkeys and apes :) ).

Anyway, you kick ass. Keep up the great work!

Received 6.2.2001

I'm still laughing about your response to that gay-basher's letter you received on 5/8.  You really nailed that holy bitch to her cross.

Praise the Lord!

Received 5.15.2001

I just wanted to write and say thanks for a very informative and well thought out site. After visiting many atheist websites out there I can honestly say that yours is exactly what I have been looking for.

Growing up my mother raised us in the catholic faith, and starting between the ages of 10 and 13 I started having doubts about the religion and god in general. During that time in my life I tried to seek answers to my questions mainly by asking my mother, but most of the responses I got were lame and counter intuitive. I was not satisfied with any answer I received. If devout believers of the faith can't even answer questions about what they "so strongly believe in" then what does it say about the religion and it's followers? (and trust me, my mother was textbook catholic) I even recall one of my mother's responses that I still find humorous. When questioning god and christianity in general I got a response something like, "So many people all throughout history have worshipped god, how could they be wrong?"

I am now an atheist and feel very strongly about my viewpoint. Lately I have been gathering more information on atheism and religion in general and want to continue strengthening my ideals through reading books and information on sites like yours. Your knowledge and openness are an inspiration to me and I hope that one day I can have achieved as much as you have in the area of religious understanding.

Thanks again for the great site, keep up the good work.

Keith

Received 2.15.2001

Hello. My name is Richard "thecrimsonfreak" Allen. I am an atheist and I must say, I am impressed with your site. I loved the articles you have. I went to the godhatesfags.com site and was sick. They must be shut down. The Chick comics are some of the funniest things I have ever seen. I promote your website in my Yahoo club IN ATHEIST WE TRUST. Keep up the good work.

Received 2.10.2001

I spent some time at your site and was particularly impressed with your piece "Why the Closet Atheist?" I almost got whiplash from the frequent nodding of my head as I read it, having had many of the exact kinds of experiences/dilemmas you portray. 

It took me nearly twenty years of contemplation to come to terms with my disbelief and finally posses the guts to identify myself as an atheist. While I don't wear the title on my sleeve as too many Christians do, if and when the issue of religion comes up, I'm no longer hesitant to offer my take on it -- regardless as to who might be offended. 

Keep up the good work on your site (assuming you're still active with it) and please know your efforts are much appreciated. Not just by me, but I'll bet many, many others. 

Regards,

Bryce 

Received 2.6.2001

You write well. I enjoy your site.

Regarding the article about the hair cut. I'd equate it more with rape than racism. And actually you were building a good analogy to religious missions to third world countries. "Send us your contribution so that we may save these children, give them food and shelter, and HELP THEM FIND THE LORD".... Simple brainwashing, take broken desperate people and offer them food and hope along with a message you want them to believe.

Received 12.17.2000

My opinion is that you are a moron.

Received 12.12.2000

Hi there.
In Debunking the Religious Monopoly on Morality you say that you often get asked "How can man distinguish between right and wrong without God?"  You could answer this question by quoting Gen 2:17, "But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die."  Obviously god didn't want us to know the difference between good an evil.

Anyway, I enjoyed the material on your site immensely.

Robert

Received 11.30.2000

I just filled out your survey and I just wanted to comment that I am fortunate enough to work at a place where there are a number of atheists (small internet company). But I have worked in big companies before where it would not be okay at all to say that. And at times when I did say it to co-workers there was a definite chilling of the relationships.

Thanks, Jim

Received 11.24.2000

YOU PEOPLE ARE SICK!!!!!

ALL I CAN SAY IS , ALL THE MOCKING AND MAKING FUN OF GOD, JESUS, AND THE VIRGIN MARY IS SICKENING. I KNOW YOU WILL PROBABLY LAUGH WHEN YOU READ THIS, AND PROBABLY WILL LAUGH ABOUT CHRISTIANITY FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIVES , BUT YOU WON'T BE LAUGHING WHEN YOU'RE BEING JUDGED BY ALMIGHTY GOD... YES, I KNOW HA HA HA HA!!!!  I WILL PRAY FOR ALL YOU LOST SOULS, HOPEFULLY A FEW OF YOU WILL SEE THE LIGHT.

Received 10.3.2000

I have just stumbled across your webpages. It was just like reading a book that is so good that you just can't put it down. I now have your website in my list of favorites and I will certainly be a regular visitor. Keep up the good work and the best of luck to you.

Kindest regards,

Reg

Hi there,

I'm new to this site, and I was reading from your earlier letters. You sent a reply to a letter that was sent you on 2-6-2000. In that reply you mentioned that the prison population probably reflects the same ratio of believers to non-believers as the general population outside the system. As a police officer for nearly 30 years now, I have to disagree with you on that one point--as part of my career I was required to work in a large County Jail in a metropolitan area. During the years I spent in that Jail I don't think I ever once met a prisoner who claimed to be atheistic or agnostic in their viewpoint--we wouldn't have had any room for them anyway--since the place was already packed with Christians.

Mike W

Hey, I was just scrolling down some of the letters that have been received at Closet Atheists and saw your response on 4-16-00, anyway...I feel for that Texas kid very much, I was raised Christian and believed in it without a doubt that what my parents were telling me was true and after time I luckily fell away from Christianity and struggled for awhile going in and out of other beliefs such as Wicca, Satanism, and Buddhism. And then when I became 18 I fully understood that trusting in science and pure proven facts were really the only way to go for me. Once I told my parents that I was Atheist and stopped going to church they sent their two pastors over to try to get me back into the fold, I held my own and because I survived the onslaught from their pastors they became angry with me and said they were going to practice "tough love" and they kicked me out of their house. It took me a long time to recover from Christianity's grasps but I survived and I feel great for being able to think for myself and not having to use an invisible crutch to get through life....this just proves that walking an atheist path is a challenge all the way..and also, your website is one of the best I have ever seen for a non-deist site, it is truly a beacon for people who never get a chance to get away from Christianity's crushing blow..thank you..

P.S.~ I can't help but see the vast similarities between Christians and the Borg (Star Trek) I find this to be very humorous.

Received 9.20.2000

The content of your site is nothing short of brilliant. As well it is written in a manner that even the most dull-witted meta-physicist could understand.

Graciously,
Stephen

Ps; "thank god your an Atheist"

Received 9.11.2000

I've been browsing your web page for a couple hours now. I must say I'm impressed. It was very informative. I too am atheist, but I could care less if anyone knows. I think you should accept everyone regardless of their religion if they are really a good person. So, if someone can't see past my beliefs then it's their loss. I have lost many friends and family members because of this. I've also given up many friends and family members because of their determination to change me.

Nicki

Received 9.10.2000

--Your fan, Anne

Received 6.4.2000

I love you man !!!!! I was beginning to think that I was the only person on earth with enough brain cells to see through the absurdity of religion, god, etc. and declare myself an Atheist, until I began "surfing the web". Maybe there is hope for this old earth after all. Keep up the great work!!!!!! I love you all - my fellow realists. Love the Page too, and I look forward to any and all future updates to said site.

Sincerely,

Lonnie (magwitch13@hotmail.com)

Atheist-At-Large !!!!!!!!