Posted on 05/22/2005 6:53:03 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - To the uninformed, this weekend gathering here may have seemed like a church revival, full of zeal and fervor. But worshipping God was most decidedly not part of the agenda.
The attendees of the "All Atheists Weekend" gathered to discuss what they call the rise of fundamentalism in the U.S. and the blurring of lines between church and state.
Attendees also took time to view documentaries that question the historical accuracy of the Bible - and to hear lectures about the dangers of religious icons on public property and problems with President Bush's so-called "faith-based initiative," which seeks to give religious groups equal footing in seeking federal grants to provide social services.
Organizers said they expected more than 250 people to take part in the event, which featured a lecture by Ellen Johnson, the president of American Atheists. The gathering began Friday and continued through Sunday at various spots throughout the city.
The religious right's increasing involvement in U.S. politics has triggered an angry backlash among the godless, say Bay area atheist groups, five of which organized the weekend event.
"It's time for us to push back," said psychologist Jaime Arcila, 52, of San Francisco, who was accompanied by his two children, Javier, 15, and Amanda, 12, in a tiny theater Saturday night just south of downtown.
Arcila, who is not an official member of any atheist group, said he was prompted to attend Saturday's showing of "The God Who Wasn't There," along with about 100 other people, because of what he sees as a growing intolerance in the U.S. for people with alternative views and lifestyles.
Arcila, who was raised by Catholic parents, said the nation needs more dialogue about "peace, tolerance, justice, and love," not exclusion based on a difference of ideas.
Ali, a 36-year-old native Iranian, agreed. He declined to give his last name because he said he wants to return to his Muslim-dominated homeland someday and fears that he could be persecuted should he be identified as an atheist.
Ali said he knows all too well the effects of religious fundamentalism on a society from his own experiences in his native country.
Nations that accept only one set of values or beliefs are "restrictive and stifling," Ali said.
"I was a Muslim but stopped believing after a lot of pain and after a lot of thought," he said. "Being here at this event is encouraging me not to be afraid. It strengthens me and helps me stand up for what I believe."
But just how tolerant of Christianity and other religions are the atheists?
"We don't hate Christians," said David Fitzgerald, 40, an insurance broker and member of San Francisco Atheists. "People in this country are free to believe in whatever they want."
Nonetheless, during the Saturday night movie, the crowd booed and hissed when a photo of Pat Robertson was displayed on the screen.
Robertson, the founder of the Christian Broadcasting Network and a former U.S. presidential candidate, is a leader in the efforts by some religious groups to return America and its government to Christian values.
Fitzgerald offered no apologies.
"Robertson and other Theocrats scare the hell out of us," Fitzgerald said. "They want to turn a democracy into a theocracy. Even Christians are afraid of that."
Wasn't the Bible being dissected by them?
The link you gave me wasn't analysis, it was just the same old everyday lying quotes.
Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha
These nitwits should be reminded loudly and often that the first advocate of the separation of church and state, was one Jesus of Nazareth. Of course since they are always hot to deny the accuracy and veracity of the primary records of His life, they may claim he never said "Render unto Ceasar the things that are Ceasar's and unto God the things that ar God's." (Especially since they have trouble with the last part.)
That's pretty much it, Samaria & Ephraim started to prefer Baal over God and the whole chapter & the preceding ones are pretty much God whining about it. God's also is pissed that the people of Ephraim mix with other races and set up kings without his permission. So I guess that as well as abortion the Bible likes racism but hates Democracy.
Thanks fr_freak, I appreciate your comments. I think I may have been misinterpreting the intent of that statement. In light of your explantion I think I am more or less in agreement.
Wow
[Religion is the root of all evil. This was confirmed once again when I awoke to "The News about Religion" on the BBC World Service this morning. Every single story involved violence and one religion against another. Religion sucks.]
B.S. There is just as much violence and killing done in the name of secular bigotry, secular politics, secular economics, and just plain hatred of "those guys over there" as there is because of religion. Please note that I hold no religious beliefs of ANY kind and don't care for atheists much either, but facts are facts, and making blatantly false statements like "Religion is the root of all evil." is never productive.
Boring is what I live for.
What is a "fundie"?
?????
Wasn't the Bible being dissected by them?
Was, See link at top of page
The link you gave me wasn't analysis, it was just the same old everyday lying quotes.
Click the Links on the right side, i.e Absurdities, Prophecy, History & Science, etc
Or direct http://www.skepticsannotatedbible.com/quran/science/long.html
How many lives were taken in the name of the anti-god religion of communism? How many hundreds of millions were exterminated to usher in the new age of the enlightened, egalitarian society of the atheists?
Religion doesn't kill. Stupid people kill.
On what Planet??
1) From 1991 to 2001, The Number of the non-religious doubled in number while at the same time the number calling themselves Christians declined by 10%
2) 88 percent of the children raised in evangelical homes leave church at the age of 18, never to return. Note: This is according to The Southern Baptist Family Council not some Atheist site
If it isn't meant to be read as it is written, then what truth is in it?
I'm not talking about the USA.
OOPS.
atheists = atheism
Do you Google.?....
Find out.. Your not talking to a naif..
I might be a moron but I'm not naieve..
Oh, yes, another issue. It's good that the "nominal" numbers are declining here. The wheat needs to be separated from the chaff.
I wanted your definition.
I was speaking to you, not google.
Now I shall sit quietly back and lurk.
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