Atheists To Get High Court Hearing

Group's Challenge To President Bush's Faith-Based Initiative Heads To Supreme Court

(AP)  Annie Laurie Gaylor speaks with a soft voice, but her message catches attention: Keep God out of government.

Gaylor has helped transform the Freedom From Religion Foundation from obscurity into the nation's largest group of atheists and agnostics, with a fast-rising membership and increasing legal clout.

Next week, the group started by Gaylor and her mother in the 1970s to take on the religious right will fight its most high-profile battle when the U.S. Supreme Court hears arguments on its lawsuit against President Bush's faith-based initiative.

The court will decide whether taxpayers can sue over federal funding that the foundation believes promotes religion in what could be a major ruling for groups that fight to keep church and state separate.

"What's at stake is the right to challenge the establishment of religion by the government," Gaylor said.

The 51-year-old once donned a nun's habit as a college student in 1977 to protest a judge who blamed rape on women who wear provocative clothing.

She uses different tactics these days, though her activism remains strong.

Among its victories, the group has stopped funding for a Milwaukee charity that Mr. Bush visited during the 2000 campaign and an Arizona group that preached to children of prisoners.

The case in front of the high court claims White House conferences to promote the faith-based initiative turn into unconstitutional pep rallies for religion.

The initiative helps religious organizations get government funding to provide social services.

George Washington University law professor Ira Lupu called the Madison-based foundation "by far the most aggressive litigating entity against the faith-based initiative."

"When they can prove there's religious content in those programs, they've been quite successful and they've won a few cases," Lupu said. "When they've tried to go after the initiative as a whole, they've been less successful."

Critics say the group imposes such an extreme view of constitutional rights that religious groups can't receive tax dollars for even laudable purposes.

"They are successful in the sense that they have disrupted government funding for faith-based initiatives," said Jordan Lorence of the Alliance Defense Fund, which defends religion in the public arena. "But real people with real problems are no longer getting help because of some of their lawsuits."

The group has grown as its legal challenges mount. It claims 8,500 members in all 50 states, with the most coming from California, after adding a record 400 in December.

Members consider themselves freethinkers who form opinions based on reason, not faith.

Gaylor is hoping an advertising campaign on progressive talk radio, the Internet and in liberal magazines helps the group reach 10,000 members this year.

She and husband Dan Barker, a former fundamentalist minister who turned against religion, are co-presidents. Her mother, Anne Nicol Gaylor, founded the group in 1978 to counter religious influence in government after clashing with religious leaders over abortion.

Its leaders say the surge in membership reflects a U.S. population that is becoming less religious and growing liberal alarm after Mr. Bush's re-election.

"There was a feeling that there was almost a near religious-right takeover of our government and that we better speak up now," Gaylor said.

The American Religious Identification Survey in 2001 estimated that 29 million Americans had no religion, double the number from 1990. The survey, which was conducted by the Graduate Center of the City University of New York, estimated that 1.9 million identified themselves as atheist or agnostic.

Before its battle against the faith-based initiative, the group stopped prayers during the University of Wisconsin's commencement and overturned Good Friday as a state holiday in Wisconsin.

"We've applied some very needed pressure through going to court on keeping state and church separate," said the elder Gaylor, 80. "We hope we've done some educating that will be lasting."

[global_chick]

I am definitely going to support the Alliance Defense Fund. The FFRF are nothing more than dangerous extremists.

[y0wmama]

If we keep God out of the government, then it is infringing on the beliefs of the "believers" who believe that God should be in the government.

[bigwhtpony]

Good luck....you're gonna need it (here and after you die.)

[gunownerdan]

Our founding fathers definitely said it best.....

"Who does not see that the same authority which can establish Christianity, in exclusion of all other religions,may establish with the same ease any particular sect of Christians, in exclusion of all other Sects?"
-- James Madison, "Memorial and Remonstrance", 1785

"Religion flourishes in greater purity without than with the aid of government."
-- James Madison, letter to Edward Livingston, July 10, 1822

"When a religion is good, I conceive it will support itself; and when it does not support itself, and God does not take care to support it so that its professors are obliged to call for help of the civil power, 'tis a sign, I apprehend, of its being a bad one."
-- Benjamin Franklin, letter to Richard Price, October 9, 1780

"All national institutions of churches, whether Jewish, Christian or Turkish, appear to me no other than human inventions, set up to terrify and enslave mankind, and monopolize power and profit."
- Thomas Paine

"...the Government of the United States of America is not in any sense founded on the Christian religion..."
- (Treaty of Tripoli, 1797 - signed by President John Adams.)

"The purpose of separation of church and state is to keep forever from these shores the ceaseless strife that has soaked the soil of Europe in blood for centuries."
-- James Madison, 1803

[randalds]

AMEN! Keep god out of government! The government is about real world politics, real world problems and real world solutions. To have these important decisions made with the color of religion is to betray what America is all about. we are first and foremost a secular nation! A nation where all people can worship (or not) as they please, but where none of these religions, Christianity, Judaism, Mormonism, Islam or any others, can force their religious or moral values on the rest, on the people or on the body politic. It weakens us as a nation to make decisions based on what someones god would want us to do according to whoever happens to be interpreting that at the time.

God and government are not now, never have been and never will be a combination that leads to true human progress toward peace.

[gunownerdan]

Well said RandalDS!
"Persecution is not an original feature in any religion; but it is always the strongly marked feature of all law-religions, or religions established by law." -- Thomas Paine

[randalds]

Posted by GunOwnerDan at 01:02 PM : Feb 23, 2007

Well quoted and well stated. BTW, I'm a big fan of Franklin quotes. With all of his well deserved accolades he is still the most under-rated wise man in American history. His genius is mind-boggling.

[bks59]

I identify myself as a person of strong faith and I strongly beleive that theorcracy ought stay out of government.

Spiritual teachings typically serve as a foundation for morals and social norms, but as cultures evolve, so do the mores of a community.

I believe Our democracy was designed to serve All Its citizens, not the religous few with a narrow interpretation of the world around us.

This sounds like an organization worthy of support.

[gunownerdan]

%u201CMay God Almighty give our work His blessing, strengthen our purpose, and endow us with wisdom and the trust of our people, for we are fighting not for ourselves but for Germany.%u201D -- Adolf Hitler, 1933 Berlin Speech

"I am convinced that I am acting as the agent of our Creator. By fighting off the Jews, I am doing the Lord's work."
-- Adolf Hitler in 1938.

"I swear by God this Holy Oath, that I will render to Adolf Hitler, Fuehrer of the German Reich and people, Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, unconditional obedience, and that I am ready, as a brave soldier, to risk my life at any time for this Oath." -- German Military Oath of Allegience to Adolf Hitler, 1934

GOD WITH US = GOTT MIT UNS
http://www.nobeliefs.com/mementoes.htm

[gunownerdan]

"The national government will maintain and defend the foundations on which the power of our nation rests.
It will offer strong protection to Christianity as the very basis of our collective morality.
Today Christians stand at the head of our country. We want to fill our culture again with the Christian spirit.
We want to burn out all the recent immoral developments in literature, in the theatre, and in the press -- in short, we want to burn out the poison of immorality which has entered into our whole life and culture as a result of LIBERAL excess during the past years."
-- Adolf Hitler; Taken from The Speeches of Adolf
Hitler, 1922-1939, Vol. 1, Michael Hakeem, Ph.D.
(London, Oxford University Press, 1942), pp. 871-872

Hitler and the Church -
http://www.nobeliefs.com/nazis.htm

[randalds]

Posted by GunOwnerDan at 01:23 PM : Feb 23, 2007

Careful man, you're inviting a self righteous, self-centered, holier then thou attack from the infamous singinrick. I'm sure he won't miss the chance to try to scoop up a few more ignorant hillbillies in his quest to win the most fools converted prize (a new toaster oven) at his church.

[global_chick]

From Ben Franklin to Thomas Paine:

I have read your manuscript with some attention. By the argument it contains against a particular Providence, though you allow a general Providence, you strike at the foundations of all religion. For without the belief of a Providence, that takes cognizance of, guards, and guides, and may favor particular persons, there is no motive to worship a Deity, to fear his displeasure, or to pray for his protection. I will not enter into any discussion of your principles, though you seem to desire it. At present I shall only give you my opinion, that, though your reasonings are subtile and may prevail with some readers, you will not succeed so as to change the general sentiments of mankind on that subject, and the consequence of printing this piece will be, a great deal of odium drawn upon yourself, mischief to you, and no benefit to others. He that spits against the wind, spits in his own face...

B. Franklin

[scott4261]

RandalDS,

I agree 100%. But you know that signinrick will be here soon, so let's examine the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution:

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."

Let's take the first part: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof..." In other words, government will not endorse a particular religion, nor will it impose on a religion its right to practice its faith. In short government and religion are intended to be separate from influence.

You, as a U.S. citizen, have the right to choose whether or not you even want to participate in religious activity. That is your right as an American.

[global_chick]

I ... recommend my Soul to that Almighty Being who gave it, and my body I commit to the dust, relying upon the merits of Jesus Christ for a pardon of all my sins.

Will of Samuel Adams


On the mercy of my Redeemer I rely for salvation and on His merits; not on the works I have done in obedience to His precepts.

Charles Carroll, signer of the Declaration of Independence


Signer of the Declaration of Independence
I John Hancock, . . . being advanced in years and being of perfect mind and memory-thanks be given to God-therefore calling to mind the mortality of my body and knowing it is appointed for all men once to die [Hebrews 9:27], do make and ordain this my last will and testament%u2026Principally and first of all, I give and recommend my soul into the hands of God that gave it: and my body I recommend to the earth . . . nothing doubting but at the general resurrection I shall receive the same again by the mercy and power of God . . .

Will of John Hancock

[gunownerdan]

"Accustom a people to believe that priests and clergy can forgive sins ... and you will have sins in abundance. I would not dare to dishonor my Creator's name by [attaching] it to this filthy book [the Bible]." -- Thomas Paine

[anopinion1]

The American Religious Identification Survey in 2001 estimated that 29 million Americans had no religion, double the number from 1990. The survey, which was conducted by the Graduate Center of the City University of New York, estimated that 1.9 million identified themselves as atheist or agnostic.

and our population is only increasing!!!
fredrick nieszche said it best
god is dying

[randalds]

You, as a U.S. citizen, have the right to choose whether or not you even want to participate in religious activity. That is your right as an American.
Posted by Scott4261 at 01:32 PM : Feb 23, 2007

Amen Scott, amen! Rick never has learned how to grasp that. I respect your right to believe in a god if that's what you choose, because you don't try to push that belief on others. You don't try to change laws to force your values on the rest of the country and neither do I. That's what America is all about. Ricky wants this to be a Christian nation, but only if it's his particular version of what Christians are. That's bigotry. That's intolerance. That's hate. And most of all, that's unAmerican! It won't happen in my lifetime!

[newsjeff-2009]

I am not an atheist myself, but one thing I find interesting is: all of the surveys I have read showing the divorce rates for each state in the U.S. show a identical pattern to each other and you know what that is? The Top 10 states with the highest divorce rates are all Red,Republican,Bible-belt and yes Bush voting states. The Top 10 states with lowest divorce rates are all Blue-voting Democrat voting states that voted for Kerry in 2004 or at least came very close. It is funny then how Bush and the GOP party can talk and preach about traditional marriage and family values, when so many red,republican,Bush voting states are suffering family breakdowns, rising divorce rates,etc. I am talking about traditional marriages by the way, I can understand Cheney defending his daughter's choice of a woman partner. Cheney and Bush know that divorce rates are rising in many GOP voting states, and the best chance to avoid divorce is not to marry or be homosexual or move to a Democrat Voting,Blue-state, intersting isn't that Massachucetts,Connecticut, and New York have the lowest divorce rates in the nation.

[swbts0402408]

Has anyone ever considered the fact that atheism in itself is a religion. So therefore by stripping our culture and government of any preexisting religious reference or allowance, the atheist is actually propigating their own religion. No one in the United States is being forced by the government to follow any particular religion, however more and more individuals are being forced everyday from the free exercise of their personal religion in the name of seperation of church and state.
Personally, as a follower of Jesus I would not allow any organization I was a part of to receive governement funds, as to not be unduly influenced by the government, not the other way around. What saddens me most is the thought that if this atheist organization really cared about the poor people they say they are trying to protecting, how much greater benefit would the millions of dollars spent in law suits have been if they were spent on meals for the homeless, or job training for the unemployed? It seems today that more and more people only care about themselves, which ironically is who atheists ultimately worship.

[lochlan-2009]

There is no grey area here. God is religion.

[btans1]

Rick
Matt: 15-23
Found a scripture that paints you in your true colors.
Obviously nobody here knows as much (about anything) as you, but most of us know bad fruit when we see (or read) it...

Don't get mad...Just pointing out the sin, man

[agnim]

The menopausal women can be such pain. LOL

Doesn't she have a family to attend to?
Maybe her husband needs to ask a friend for help if he can't handle this woman.

Much as we can all agree on the need to ignore the religious rubbish, this witch from hell is wasting the Courts time.

So what if so-called faith-based groups take responsibility for social programs. They do have the kind of experience and consideration to do social work.

Americans ARE NOT compelled to take religion from these faith-based organization.
And Americans are not that weak of mind to fall for the religious nonsense just because they deal with the fundamentalist fanatics.

So taking this kind of stuff to court by this menopausal woman is just a waste of court time.


What this witch could be doing is to go out in the society and take over the social work of the faith-based organization if she doesn't want them to do a NECESSARY TASK IN THE SOCIETY!

[btans1]

not only am I going to heck but can't type either

thats Matt:7, 15-23

[putinlies]

Dont say Christians are trying to push anything on anyone. That is exactly what you atheist are trying to do. All Christians should go into schools and say; 'Hey, there arent any Bibles in this classroom, you are teaching the religion of atheism here'. I will fight atheism until the end.

[btans1]

It's not talking about pointing out sin...I did that!

It's talking about people who distort the word so they can appear as something that they are not...and what God will say to them

[gunownerdan]

Today a small number of rich people control America. Since we are talking about what the bible says, let's see what the bible says about those filthy rich individuals who are dominating our government.....

"I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."
-- Matthew 19:24

[randalds]

god is dying

Posted by anopinion1

"God" is dying because people like rick are killing him off. His smugness, his self-satisfied holier then thou attitude is the main reason people are running away from Christianity in droves. He oozes slime and slick oil of cheap salesmanship. He dodges legitimate questions then denies he heard the answers to his pitiful trick ones. He demands that people respect his faith, but then ridicules the faiths of others. he is the ultimate hypocrite and bottom feeder.

[randalds]

Dont say Christians are trying to push anything on anyone. That is exactly what you atheist are trying to do. All Christians should go into schools and say; 'Hey, there arent any Bibles in this classroom, you are teaching the religion of atheism here'. I will fight atheism until the end.
Posted by putinlies at 03:27 PM : Feb 23, 2007

Times up then. The end is here. Religion has been separated from the real world in this government. If you don't like it go somewhere and form your own religious theocracy. This is America and we are secular.

[hambonehd]

Agnim,

AMEN !!!

[randalds]

The BATTLE HYMN OF THE REPUBLIC. ONE OF AMERICA's MOST PATRIOTIC SONGS. IT HAS OBVIOUSLY BEEN FORGOTTEN:

Posted by singinrick at 03:47 PM : Feb 23, 2007

Finally lost your mind now ricky? You've always struck me as the type who'll end up cracking and murdering a bunch of innocent people, all the while scream that god told you to do it. Your insane rick. Genuinely nuts. Bonkers. Out of your mind. You are crazy ricky and I hope your family gets away from you before you murder them in gods name. It happens you know. About 20 years ago in Holland Michigan a man put his 6 and 4 year old sons into a giant kiln where he worked and slowly cooked them to death. He said god told him, through a fundamentalist preacher of course, that the world was too full of sin to allow his children to grow up in it. That it would be better if they died "pure". Your god is a cold blooded murderer ricky.

[susanhelit]

The absence of religion does not equate to teaching atheism - dummies! Come on now - it's just so ridiculously simple. Saying, "There is no god" - that is teaching atheism. Saying, "There is a god, and he came to earth as Jesus Christ" - is teaching christiantiy. Saying, "2+2=4" is teaching math - and is not, as some are positing, atheistic merely because 'god' is not mentioned!

Keeping religion, all religion, out of our government does not make it atheistic, it makes it secular, as the founding fathers most strongly intended, as our soldiers have fought and died to continue. If it was atheistic - you'd know. An equivalent to the faith-based charities would be an atheistic one where prayer is not allowed to qualify for services, and you listen to a sermon on, "I do not believe in god" to get a bed for the night. Huuuuuuuuge difference between that (the true equivalent to faith-based services), and a standard, secular, charity that helps all without pushing any religious belief at all on them.

[gunownerdan]

Separation of church and state HELPS BOTH!
I won't make you believe my fairytales so don't try to make me believe yours and we will get along just fine.
Americans United for Separation of Church and State:
au.org

[susanhelit]

I've gotta agree with you there RandalDS. If we were talking about people who live what Christianity claims to be (like my grandparents - deeply religious, never push it on anyone, and set a great example of what a person should be, both in tolerance and in compassion, courage, honor, and goodness) - I think that'd draw people to church. But going to hear sermons about how you should get in the face of people who say "Happy Holidays" (yes, last year at a pre-christmas service!) - hardly any wonder more people are turning their backs on the churches. We're still a small number, but growing!


-----------------------------------
RandalDS posted:
"God" is dying because people like rick are killing him off. His smugness, his self-satisfied holier then thou attitude is the main reason people are running away from Christianity in droves. He oozes slime and slick oil of cheap salesmanship. He dodges legitimate questions then denies he heard the answers to his pitiful trick ones. He demands that people respect his faith, but then ridicules the faiths of others. he is the ultimate hypocrite and bottom feeder.

[gurufromhell]

Religion to me seems a lot like the Special Olympics; it's kinda funny to watch and very very important to the participants.

[randalds]

RANDLDS..As for the 2 kids you brought up baout being cooked..Shame your dad didn't do that with you..This world would be much better off..

Posted by FARTKNOCKER2 at 04:45 PM : Feb 23, 2007

Less then a troll. His screen name says all you need to know about him. The *** part is the most favoraable part of this guy.

[btans1]

Here's your chance Rick

Explain the difference between what comes out of your mouth day after day on these boards and what came out of the Pharisees mouths every day...and you know what Christ said to and about them.
You stand on this (virtual) corner every day and condem us all because we're not as godly as you think we should be or you are because you can read the Bible.
You truly are the wolf in sheeps clothing that my God warned me about...you're allowed to have your own opinions, but your problem is that you think you have the "knowlege of God" market cornered...Guess what you don't

sorry to the rest of ya'll for giving this guy the chance to spread more of his tripe

[btans1]

-You haven't the slightest clue of what you're talking abou btans1.

Posted by singinrick at 06:55 PM : Feb 23, 2007

Ouch!...Snappy comeback Rick

No...I guess you don't think you're superior, do you
Much later

[gramto7]

singinrick wrote:
Attack me all you'd like RandalDS. But anyone who has read these boards knows of the aggression and pure hatred you have shown on here, unless they are blind, of course.
**
No, Rick, his 'hatred' doesn't come through, because he hasn't shown any. Yours, on the other hand, comes through loud and clear. You started the fight today with your very first post, at least on this particular story.

I am a Christian, and have been for years. I live my life as I believe I am taught to in the Bible. But I do not rant and rale at everyone like you do. That is NOT a Christian attitude.

[cantshutup]

"Religion is the sigh of the oppressed creature, the soul of the souless condition, the heart of a heartless world, it is the opium of the people."
Karl Marx


I for one can't wait till the hypocracy of religion is finally crushed and what a day it will be when churches loose their TAX FREE status...the largest church in my area has a starbucks in it!!! what a crock of ***!...what a bunch of mindless zombies...the more I have to hear of the borish dribble from christians the more I hate them...I don't know which I hate more...religion or george w bush...excuse me while i go vomit!

[cantshutup]

Posted by singinrick
"We will both suffer a physical death eventually. The question is where are you going to be spiritually Randal?
I hope for your sake that you come to know the truth before you die, because after you take your last breath, it will be too late. My heart is saddened by your rejection of Christ, but hopefully you'll come to know Him sometime in your life before it's too late".

Athiest are not evil, they are reasonable...As an Agnostic, I feel it is the highest form of arrogance to assume that any human can presume to know anything other than our own reality...How dare someone claim to know what happens after death? How arrogant to presume to know what "god" thinks! How arrogant for anyone to pass judgement on another human being for lacking "faith" or belief in a system of religion! We know the past that we've lived and our own present reality and there is no way on earth to prove anything beyond that. Religion is simply superstition, hope, and fantasy...I wouldn't deny someone the right to believe what they believe, but don't dare try to force your beliefs on me, or judge me for not believing like you do, or expect me to quietly accept your religion creeping and lurking and slowly spreading into my life and that of others who are entitled to live with free will and an expectation that government runs with the interest of everyone involved without bias and with intelligent reasoning! RELIGION OUT OF GOVERNMENT AND GOVERNMENT OUT OF PERSONAL AFFAIRS!!!!!!!!!

[cantshutup]

%u201CI cannot imagine a God who rewards and punishes the objects of his creation, whose purposes are modeled after our own--a God, in short, who is but a reflection of human frailty. Neither can I believe that the individual survives the death of his body, although feeble souls harbor such thoughts through fear or ridiculous egotism. It is enough for me to contemplate the mystery of conscious life perpetuating itself through all eternity, to reflect upon the marvelous structure of the universe which we can dimly perceive, and to try humbly to comprehend even an infinitesimal part of the intelligence manifested in nature.%u201D
-- Albert Einstein

[cantshutup]

%u201CChristianity as antiquity. -- When we hear the ancient bells growling on a Sunday morning we ask ourselves: Is it really possible! This, for a Jew, crucified two thousand years ago, who said he was God's son? The proof of such a claim is lacking. Certainly the Christian religion is an antiquity projected into our times from remote prehistory; and the fact that the claim is believed -- whereas one is otherwise so strict in examining pretensions -- is perhaps the most ancient piece of this heritage. A god who begets children with a mortal woman; a sage who bids men work no more, have no more courts, but look for the signs of the impending end of the world; a justice that accepts the innocent as a vicarious sacrifice; someone who orders his disciples to drink his blood; prayers for miraculous interventions; sins perpetrated against a god, atoned for by a god; fear of a beyond to which death is the portal; the form of the cross as a symbol in a time that no longer knows the function and ignominy of the cross -- how ghoulishly all this touches us, as if from the tomb of a primeval past! Can one believe that such things are still believed?%u201D
-- Friedrich Nietzsche, Human, All-Too-Human, 1878

[cantshutup]

%u201CWhenever we read the obscene stories, the voluptuous debaucheries, the cruel and tortuous executions, the unrelenting vindictiveness, with which more than half the Bible is filled it would be more consistent that we call it the word of a demon than the word of God. It is a history of wickedness that has served to corrupt and brutalize.%u201D
-- Thomas Paine, The Age of Reason (1792)

[cantshutup]

"Ecrasez l'infame" (crush the infamy--the Christian religion)
--Voltaire

[cantshutup]

%u201CAtheism is the vice of a few intelligent people.

There are no sects in geometry.

The truths of religion are never so well understood as by those who have lost the power of reasoning.

Sect and error are synonymous.

Common sense is not so common.%u201D
-- Voltaire, Philosophical Dictionary, 1764

[cantshutup]

%u201CLeave the matter of religion to the family altar, the Church, and the private schools, supported entirely by private contributions. Keep the church and state forever separate.%u201D
-- Ulysses S, Grant, address delivered in Des Moines, Iowa, in 1875

[cantshutup]

%u201CWhat a burden to think one is conceived in sin rather than in pleasure; that one is born into evil rather than into
joy. . . .

It is chilling to think that the same people who persecuted the wise women and men of Europe, its midwives and healers, then crossed the oceans to Africa and the Americas and tortured and enslaved, raped, impoverished, and eradicated the peaceful, Christ-like people they found. And that the blueprint from which they worked, and still work, was the Bible.%u201D
-- Alice Walker, "The Only Reason You Want to Go to Heaven Is That You Have Been Driven Out of Your Mind," Anything We Love Can Be Saved: A Writer's Activism).

[cantshutup]

I believe that religion, generally speaking, has been a curse to mankind--that its modest and greatly overestimated services on the ethical side have been more than overcome by the damage it has done to clear and honest thinking.

I believe that no discovery of fact, however trivial, can be wholly useless to the race, and that no trumpeting of falsehood, however virtuous in intent, can be anything but vicious. . .

I believe that the evidence for immortality is no better than the evidence of witches, and deserves no more respect.

I believe in the complete freedom of thought and speech . . .

I believe in the capacity of man to conquer his world, and to find out what it is made of, and how it is run.

I believe in the reality of progress.

But the whole thing, after all, may be put very simply. I believe that it is better to tell the truth than to lie. I believe that it is better to be free than to be a slave. And I believe that it is better to know than be ignorant.
-- Mencken's Creed, cited by George Seldes in Great Thoughts

[cantshutup]

%u201CWhenever we read the obscene stories, the voluptuous debaucheries, the cruel and tortuous executions, the unrelenting vindictiveness, with which more than half the Bible is filled it would be more consistent that we call it the word of a demon than the word of God. It is a history of wickedness that has served to corrupt and brutalize.%u201D
-- Thomas Paine, The Age of Reason (1792)

[cantshutup]

%u201CNot only have the 'followers of Christ' made it their rule to hack to bits all those who do not accept their beliefs, they have also ferociously massacred each other, in the name of their common 'religion of love,' under banners proclaiming their faith in Him who had expressly commanded them to love one another.%u201D
-- Georges Clemenceau, In the Evening of My Thought (Au Soir de la pensee)