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THE TEXAS ATHEIST
March 3, 1999 # 39
Copyright 2000 by Howard Thompson
=========[ An independent, free e-mail newsletter ]=========
IN THIS ISSUE
1. Texas events
2. Commentary: More focus on personal atheism coming
3. Houston Church of Freethought Inaugural Meeting
4. Historians recognize German Freethinker atheism
5. Historical Commission approves lies for freethinker marker
6. April humanist conference in Houston
7. Santa Fe ISD honors Christian bully
8. News/Science Briefs
New group found - North Texas Skeptics
Gore O.K. with an atheist president
Oklahoma dumps textbook evolution disclaimer
Houston City Council Prayers Challenged
Violent criminals have less brains
Brain scans find ADHD dopamine link
Fort Bend ISD supports Santa Fe ISD football prayer
Gideon bibles challenged in Bryan ISD
Leander ISD board restores meeting invocations
9. Letters - more out of the atheist "closet" letters
10. Groups, TV, Internet Discussion
[[ Media items from Kristine Danowski's news service. ]]
TEXAS EVENTS
MAR 12 - 10:30AM: Houston Church of Freethought first service. Ramada
Plaza Hotel, 7611 Katy freeway. << NEW TEXAS GROUP >>
MAR 14: Democratic & Republican primaries. Non-theists will present
Respect Our Constitution resolutions at precinct convention voting sites
after the polls close.
APR 15-16: Houston - "Religion, Humanism, & Science in the 21st Century"
Conference with workshops, panel discussions, group discussions and banquet.
COMMENTARY: More focus on personal atheism coming
The Texas Atheist is struggling to cover nontheist civil rights,
church-state separation, religious right activities, nontheistic groups, and
developing successful atheism. This has made it difficult to adequately
promote the growth of atheist communities and atheist lives.
I regret that the most important goals of atheist outreach and
encouragement have not been the primary focus of TTA. The necessity for
public actions has taken away from atheism's most important goals. While
these activities help accustom an atheist-hating public to the idea that
atheists participate in public life, these activities do not build atheist
lives and community.
In the one to two years I can continue this effort full time with
personal funds, I hope to give greater emphasis to personal and community
atheism. We have much work to do within our own thinking and attitudes about
atheism. We have yet to fully recognize the wide open future of freedom and
hope our atheism offers us.
I hope to visit more atheists to talk about how we lead our atheist lives
and what our atheism means. I hope to reach more Texas area atheists on the
internet to let them know they are not alone, that atheists are building
communities.
We are now powerless and hated because we have not recognized and
developed the positive hopes for ourselves and humanity inherent in our
rejection of superstitious magics. Our hopes will remain fantasies until we
better understand what our atheism really means for our lives and humanity
and we begin the work of building a positive, rational, sane culture for
ourselves and humanity.
The Texas Atheist devotes itself to this work.
HOUSTON CHURCH OF FREETHOUGHT INAUGURAL MEETING
The Houston Church of Freethought will inaugurate the newest Texas
unbeliever group on March 14 in Houston. The meeting room at the Ramada
Plaza Hotel (7611 Katy Freeway) opens at 10:00 AM for coffee and socializing
with the service starting at 10:30 AM. You won't want to miss this milestone
event in the growth of the nontheistic movement in Texas.
Tim Gorski, Mike Sullivan and Marilyn Sullivan from the North Texas
Church of Freethought will probably attend along with all of the HCOF
founders. With Mike and Marilyn present, the Freethought "Sacrament" of
juggling will no doubt be performed.
The Church of Freethought adapts a church model operational approach to
building a community for nontheists that embraces singles, families and
children. There are now five groups operating under the "Church of
Freethought" designation. They are openly advertised as "a church for
unbelievers". Contact Arthur Fay <afay@worldnet.att.net>.
HISTORIANS RECOGNIZE GERMAN FREETHINKER ATHEISM
Historians who sent comments to the Texas Historical Commission for the
Freidenker historical marker acknowledged German freethinker atheism. THC
ignored their comments.
Professor Walter L. Buenger of Texas A&M University: "Your encounter
with modern religious groups that object to the commemoration of atheists
suggests again that understanding and remembering the past is closely
connected to the present. Because yours is a state agency, if these
religious groups enjoy sufficient political power they stand a good chance of
silencing the history of the German Freethinkers."
Professor Walter D. Kamphoefner of Texas A&M University: "One of the
English definitions for the term [Freethinker] is atheist, but Freethinkers'
main characteristic is their rejection of organized religion. It is very
difficult to get at the inner beliefs of people who lived more than a century
ago. Many of the Freethinkers were doubtless atheists, but the group likely
included agnostics and deists of the Thomas Jefferson stripe as well. In the
limited correspondence I have read from immigrants of this settlement, the
word God was conspicuous by its absence, even in the darkest hour of the
Confederate persecution."
Kamphoefner quotes Terry Jordan Ph.D., "the Guadalupe Valley with its
atheistic Germans, descended from political refugees" ["The German Element in
Texas: An Overview," Joseph Wilson, ed., "Texas and Germany: Crosscurrents,
Rice Historical Studies 63:3 (Summer 1977), p. 9].
HISTORICAL COMMISSION APPROVES LIES FOR FREETHINKER MARKER
(Dallas - February 26) The Texas Historical Commission (THC) approved
the staff version of of the Freidenker (Freethinker) historical marker for
Comfort at the Feb. 25th Commissioners meeting. The story made the Fb. 27th
New York Times.
The marker was supposed to honor the German hill country freethinkers who
came to Texas after the failed 1848 European revolts. Pamela Hodges of the
Kendall County Historical Society spoke for the marker. I spoke against the
marker because it now dishonors Freidenkers.
The approved marker suggests the Freidenkers sought freedom to practice
religion. It implies some adhered to religious doctrines, or, that most
adhered to some religious doctrines. The evidence shows the Freidenkers
sought freedom from religion. There is no evidence they adhered to any
religious doctrines.
The THC ignored the letters of historians they consulted. Two historians
acknowledged Freidenker's irreligiousness and mentioned their atheistic
tendencies. The final marker wording was sent to historians for comment and
not changed by their comments.
Some in Comfort may proceed with a private effort to honor the
Freidenkers. Stone from the original "True to the Union" national historical
marker in Comfort is available. It is hoped there may be a meeting of
Comfort residents and Freethinker Cenotaph donors to discuss possibilities.
Meanwhile, the Comfort Chamber of Commerce passed a resolution to
prohibit the THC Freidenker Historical Marker from being placed in the
Comfort park until the Freethinker Cenotaph rock has been removed. Since
there is no reason for Freethinker Cenotaph donors to want a lying historical
marker that dishonors Freidenker's, there is no reason to remove our rock
from the Comfort Park. Our Freethinker Cenotaph rock still stands in the
Comfort park.
APRIL HUMANIST CONFERENCE IN HOUSTON
Robert Finch has organized a two day Houston conference on "Religion,
Humanism, & Science in the 21st Century". Robert is Professor Emeritus of
Mechanical Engineering - University of Houston and a long time Houston
Humanist activist. Events include the following:
Paul Kurt (Chairman, Council for Secular Humanism) will be the keynote
speaker for the Saturday Banquet.
"Teaching Evolution": John Koontz (Co-coordinator Atheist Community of
Austin), Janet Waugh (Kansas Board of Education), Alma Brown (Texas State
Board of Education, and Ed Doerr (President, American Humanist Assoc.).
"Culture & Technological Evolution": Randolph Widmer (Prof. Anthropology,
Univ. of Houston) and Robert Finch.
"Artificial Intelligence": Gipson Arnold, former president of the Atheist
Network club.
"The Future of Religion and Humanism": Marian Hillar (Director, Center
for Philosophy & Socinian Studies) and Daniel Johnson (Institute for Religion
in an Age of Science).
Contact Robert Finch 281-491-1608 <rdfinch@flash.net>. Conference
registration is $50 ($30 w\current student ID) at the Braeswood Hotel with a
room rate of $72.
SANTA FE ISD HONORS CHRISTIAN BULLY
Santa Fe ISD school board members have nominated Marian Ward for a Texas
Hero Award, an annual award for a Texas student. Ward is the daughter of a
Baptist Minister who gave Christian prayers at football games last year. She
became the high school's spokesperson for such messages when the previously
elected spokesperson quit the job. Less than 5% of high school students
participated in the vote for a spokesperson.
Ward gave Christian prayers at football games despite a U.S. 5th Circuit
Court of Appeals ban. U.S. District Judge Sim Lake had issued an injunction
against the school district to prevent them from punishing Ward if she
delivered a sectarian prayer. Sante Fe ISD made no effort to defend their
school policies by challenging the injunction. The U.S. Supreme Court will
hear oral arguments on the Santa Fe ISD football prayer case on March 29th.
Why Ward is a heroine is unclear. Her football prayers are wildly
popular in a town that openly rejects the U.S. Constitution. Football crowds
cheer her prayers and she has constant community support. It takes no
courage to agree with majority mobs.
The real heroes are the children of the two families who filed the
lawsuit against Santa Fe ISD's blatant establishment Christianity in public
schools. Those children are the courageous ones for standing up to the
verbal and physical coercion of Christian bullies.
NEWS/SCIENCE BRIEFS [Send items of interest to gofreemind@aol.com.]
NEW GROUP FOUND NORTH TEXAS SKEPTICS
[From John Blanton] The North Texas Skeptics is a tax-deductible
corporation. Our goal is to encourage people to use rational thinking in
their everyday lives. We encourage reliance on science, and we promote
public interest in science.
While the NTS does not endorse or oppose any religion, we will speak out
against practices that ignore real science or attempt to repudiate valid
scientific findings. We do not categorically reject claims of the
paranormal, but we do seek to investigate interesting claims, and we offer a
$6000 award to anyone who an successfully demonstrate paranormal abilities.
We hold monthly program meetings (lectures) in the Center for Community
Cooperation at 2900 Live Oak Street in Dallas. That's about 7 blocks east of
downtown Dallas. Contact: <jblanton@mindspring.com>
http://community.dallasnews.com/dmn/ntskeptics
GORE O.K. WITH AN ATHEIST PRESIDENT
Newsweek asked Al Gore if an atheist president would bother him. Gore
responsed in an early February Newsweek article, "What They Believe and
Whether It Really Matters."
"No it would not. I think that it would depend on who the person was, of
course. But do I believe that someone can have an understanding of our
Constitution (and) a true spirit of tolerance without affirming a particular
and specialized belief in God? Yes, I do. I think that is incumbent upon
anyone who affirms a respect for tolerance."
In contrast, at an 8/27/87 press conference, then Vice President George
Bush said, "I don't know that atheists should be regarded as citizens, nor
should they be regarded as patriotic. This is one nation under god."
Gore supports unconstitutional "charitable choice" policies that would
include openly religious groups in federal social service programs.
OKLAHOMA DUMPS TEXT BOOK EVOLUTION DISCLAIMER
Oklahoma Attorney General Drew Edmondson says that the Oklahoma State
Textbook Committee had no authority to dictate textbook content and violated
open meeting laws when it approved a textbook evolution disclaimer. The now
banned disclaimer read, "No one was present when life first appeared on
Earth. Therefore, any statement about life's origins should be considered as
theory, not fact." It is up to the Oklahoma City district attorney to take
any legal action against the textbook committee.
HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL PRAYERS CHALLENGED
Will Ellsworth of Houston is organizing a campaign against Houston City
Council prayers. Will also organized the successful demonstration against
public school football prayers at the Santa Fe, Texas home coming game last
fall.
The Houston City Council prayers were begun about 15 years ago. Will has
gotten support from members of the Humanists of Houston and the Houston
Secular Humanists. They are enlisting supporters to speak during public
comment time at city council meetings. Contact <willpe@swbell.net>
713-729-1757.
VIOLENT CRIMINALS HAVE LESS BRAINS
A 2/15 Washington Post article describes research that indicates those
committing violent crimes have a lower than average amount of brain "gray
matter" in a section of the prefrontal cortex. Brain scans were used to
compare normal subjects with those who had committed assault, rape, armed
robbery and attempted murder. Violent subjects averaged 11% less gray matter
than normal subjects in that area of the brain.
It is unknown if lesser amounts of gray matter in this area of the brain
is an inherited characteristic, or, if the gray matter in this area is
affected by physical or social environmental factors as a baby's brain grows
from 25% adult size to adult size.
BRAIN SCANS FIND ADHD DOPAMINE LINK
Brain scans reveal a link between the neuro-protein dopamine and
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Earlier studies reported
structural and functional differences in ADHD brains. The new research by
the Massachusetts General Hospital was reported in an early December issue of
Lancet.
Researchers counted dopamine transporters - molecules that help move
dopamine in the brain. Dopamine functions are associated with physical
movement, thought, motivation and pleasure. Six adult ADHD subject had 70%
more dopamine transporters than 30 healthy control subjects. It is unknown
if this finding measures a cause or a result of ADHD. It is unknown if this
finding indicates the brain is producing too much or too little dopamine.
ADHD research may be of special interest to atheists. Among atheists I
meet, the proportion with ADD or ADHD seems several times greater than in the
general population. ADHD brain functions are regarded as on the same
functional spectrum as Pervasive Developmental Delay and at least some form
of Autism.
FORT BEND ISD SUPPORTS SANTA FE ISD FOOTBALL PRAYER
The Fort Bend ISD school board voted at their Feb. 28th meeting to
support Santa Fe ISD's appeal of a federal court ban on football game
prayers. Fort Bend ISD is southwest of Houston where Tom Delay is
Congressman.
Those speaking against the vote included Frank Levy of the Jewish
Anti-Defamation League, Will Ellsworth, Robert Finch, local residents, and
others who had participated in the demonstration at the Santa Fe ISD football
homecoming game. Some in the packed meeting uttered hostile comments against
school prayer opponents.
GIDEON BIBLES CHALLENGED IN BRYAN ISD
Your editor has sent a letter to Bryan ISD challenging the actions of a
high school principal. When students got off the bus one morning last May,
the Principal thrust a Gideon bible into their hands with the comment "here".
A student mother had protested earlier but got no response from the
district. Any Bryan-College Station area residents who wish to protest this
action please contact me: Howard Thompson <gofreemind@aol.com>.
LEANDER ISD BOARD RESTORES MEETING INVOCATIONS
The Leander ISD school board at their Feb. 17th meeting restored
invocations at their meetings. They had been having a moment of silence
since early December after the threat of a lawsuit from district parent Glen
Fine. Any who want to support Glen's effort or encourage him to run for the
school board can contact him at <glenfine@austin.rr.com>.
Your editor spoke against invocations at several meetings. I have asked
the board for their policy on who may give invocations and which religious
deities and spirits may and may not be invoked at meetings. No answer has
yet been provided.
An organized attack on the Constitution has emerged in Texas. Much of it
is coordinated by Pat Robertson's Christian Coalition and American Center for
Law and Justice. Two Leander ISD board members get Robertson organization
materials. The ACLJ is the attorney for the Santa Fe ISD football prayer
case at the Supreme Court. This is a display of political power gained by
the Christian Coalition from electing local school board officials.
LETTERS
[WonderGrey@aol.com - Jan King] I enjoy reading other's stories of their
struggles with religion vs. non-religion and heir triumphs. "I'm not a bad
person . . . ," has always been my silent cry. And "I'm not going to pray to
your god, I'm an Atheist," is another of my frequent silent cries. (Fear is
behind my silence.) In my heart of hearts and in my own mind I'm proud to
have put god in my childhood memory box with Santa, the tooth fairy and that
weird Easter bunny that lays millions of eggs. Come to think of it,
religions lay an awful lot of eggs, too.
I think Freethought Churches are just one step up frm Unitarian
Churches. Unitarians went christian to pad their memberships. A lot of
people like all that ceremony, but perhaps religious people and new converts
to atheism like it and need it more than the longtime non-religious. I
believe Freethought Churches are moving in to fill the void left by the
Unitarian churches when they went religious.
I was a Unitarian for many years and I very consciously watched the
transition--at first beginning with the merger with Universalists, then
moving into more and more ceremony and greater adoption of religious
language.
Any organization will attract the people that want what that organization
offers. Then the membership will not only reflect that setup, but will mold
the future of the organization.
I do not want to regress. My journey has been too difficult to
jeopardize my freedom now. Freethought Church is certainly not for all
freethought people.
[valheru@oz.net - Harvey Moul] Unlike most people who eventually
discover that they have been having a fairy tale world shoved down their
throats since infancy, I was raised in an atheist family. My mother is a
converted Catholic, and her last three children were never baptized. I
learned from a very young age to hide my disbelief, but once word got out
rumors persisted for years. I quickly learned that atheism is the last
minority group which can be discriminated against with impunity. I have been
accused of being everything from a Nazi to a devil-worshiper simply because
of my lack of faith.
The one place I never had to hide my atheism was my local Boy Scout
troop. Unlike today, during the 1970's in Missoula, Montana, faith was not
an issue with the Boy Scouts. We were a group of boys brought together by
our love of the outdoors and a desire to spend time in the wilderness. On
February 13, 1979 I earned my Eagle Scout. I was a public atheist during the
entire time I had been a member, and even during the final processes when I
was interviewed by upper-echelon embers of the organization I made sure they
knew of my lack of faith. The fact that I had made it to the point where I
was considered for this honor told them all they really
needed to know about my character - religion had no part in determining my
worth as a person and they accepted that. Today I would discourage any young
boy from having anything to do with the Boy Scouts. It has turned into a
bigoted, hate filled organization run by those with small minds.
GROUPS
Agnostic & Atheist Student Group-Texas A&M.
http://atheist.tamu.edu/~aasg/.
American Humanist Association. Houston, Dallas. frankprahl@earthlink.net.
Atheist Community of Austin. www.atheist-community.org.
Corpus Christi Atheists & Agnostics. Contact Brian Meyer,
bmmagic@swbell.net.
Ethical Society of Austin. http://www.esoa.org.
Freethinkers Assoc. of Central Texas. http://atheistalliance.org/fact.
Freethinkers Union - U of Houston. http://get.to/freethinker.
Houston Church of Freethought. Arthur Fay, afay@worldnet.att.net.
Houstonians for Secular Humanism. Daniel Strain, dts2000@flash.net.
Humanist of Ft. Worth. http://webalias.com/humanism.
North Texas Church of Freethought. http://church.freethought.org.
North Texas Skeptics. http://community.dallasnews.com/dmn/ntskeptics
Oklahoma Atheists. http://clubs.yahoo.com/clubs/oklahomaatheists
San Antonio College Freethinkers. Don Lawrence, lawdon99@earthlink.net.
Texas Hill Country Freehinkers. Julie Fisher,
txfreethinker@oocities.com.
TELEVISION
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.
INTERNET DISCUSSION FOR TEXAS ATHEISTS
Atheist Community of Austin: E-mail to:
ask-list-request@atheist-community.org
Atheist & Agnostic Student Group TAMU: E-mail to:
AASG-L@listserv.tamu.edu
Freethinkers Assoc of Central Texas: A message board posting function
from their website. Go to http://atheistalliance.org/fact and click on
"Discussion".
North Texas Church of Freethought. E-mail to:
ntcof_talk-subscribe@e-groups.com.
Visit the Crazy Atheist Libertarian
Visit my atheist friends at Arizona Secular Humanists
Some strange but true news about the government
Some strange but real news about religion
Interesting, funny but otherwise useless news!