I'll update if I get a return email. The title of my reply was "Atheism Is Not A Choice." Though it was not the main issue of the piece, it was the thing that the author inferred that pushed me to the edge of emailing him.
Dear Tom:
I just read your post "What are the atheists afraid of?," and wanted to educate you a bit.
First off, many atheists know more about the bible than many believers. I suggest you visit http://exchristian.net/
Atheism is not a choice out of laziness. Most become atheists through a lengthy process of asking questions, seeking answers, and examination of evidence.
It usually takes years. And most atheists will say instead of "there is no God", "there is no evidence for God or any other supernatural being."
I say there is no evidence for God, but I can't disprove God, just like I can't disprove Leprechauns or a giant invisible monster who lives under my bed and does nothing.
Being an ethnic Jew myself (my blog: http://www.baconeatingatheistjew.blogspot.com/ ), I know full well why religious signs and scenes have no place in the public square, the government, or schools. I felt very uncomfortable growing up (in Canada) in public school when we had to do the Christian prayer. I felt like an outcast. We've since removed Christians prayers from public schools. But more to the point, there is a huge problem favoring one religion or belief over another. The worst example was Nazi Germany, where Hitler played on the fact that most Germans were Catholics, and at the time stressed how the Jews killed Jesus (in public well attended Passion Plays). It made Hitler's propaganda against Jews more easy to swallow by the masses.
Most of the teachings you attribute to Jesus (I'm fairy certain Jesus never existed btw) are fine and dandy. They are just innate morals that are put on paper and attributed to a magic man. That is why the notion of Judeo-Christian morality is pretty laughable. Jews and Christians were practicing Judeo-Christian morality long before Judaism and Christianity were invented, in fact, one could say that Australian Bushmen practice Judeo-Christian morality, and have been ever since they evolved into human beings (which predates Christianity by over 100,000 years).
However, some of Jesus teachings (and especially the interpretations of his teachings) go against scientific fact, and/or are outright bigoted. That is why they have no place to be on display outside of homes or places of worship. I'm all for freedom of religion, but in order to have true freedom of religion, the government needs to have freedom from religion. This is what makes the West better than theocracies found in many Muslim countries, some where churches are not even allowed.
I think your 3% number when it comes to atheists in America is on the very low side. In Canada, a recent study stated that 23% of Canadians are now Godless. And we watch the same TV and read the same books as you guys.
Merry Christmas ( I have no problem with the term, it is like Happy Halloween to me),
The Atheist Jew
PS, for some eye opening info on the theory that Jesus never existed go to http://www.bidstrup.com/bible.htm
UPDATE: Tom emailed me back
Sorry but their (sic) is no possible way that a person like you can "educate" me . You are a lost soul. Just like many of your ilk and their diatribes, you lack the courage to even sign your name. That shows a serious lack of belief and committment (sic).
My prompt reply:
Atheism is a lack of belief (no commitment is needed). As for not signing my name, I don't sign my name because I deal with many crazies, so it is more for my protection, though one day I think I will go ahead and put my name out there. Many atheists have absolutely no problem putting their name out there. Because I'm a Jewish one, I sometimes get threats from Muslims and Judeophobic freaks.
Don't sell yourself short. Even the most wilfully ignorant person on the planet can be educated.
Sincerely,
The Atheist Jew
