50
GERMINAL
I \ IIIIII!I
III III1III1I
'1'1111111 II IIIIii!!II!!!II
II
II
1.\
,I
!I!; "',':
II
1.1
ill
EDWIN MARKHAM
Edwin Markham was born April 23, 1852 and died on
March 7, 1940.
He first came to the notice of the world in 1899
when he wrote the poem "The Man with The Hoe"
which was published
in the San Francisco Examiner.
Inspired by Jean-Francois
Millet's painting he made
the French peasant a symbol of the exploited
classes
throughout
the world.
Educated in the law, a school administrator,
he quit
his position to write and lecture concerned
with social
and industrial problems for the rest of his life.
The excerpt from this poem, here reprinted, is representative of Markham's cry of anquish for mankind, deserted by the qodlsl he had himself created. We honor
this poet in the month of his birth.
II
II
II'
t,
I, ,
THE
HOE
II
I
I
GERMINAL
NEWS
Backwards, Christian Soldiers
Speech at Drake University
p. 3
4
ARTICLES
Joseph's Myth -
D.L. Kent.
10
FEATURED COLUMNISTS
Inquisitiveness - Ignatz Sahula-Dycke
"Cosrnis Apples and Oranges"
American Atheist Radio Series - The Third Commandment .....
13
16
18
REGULAR FEATURES
Editorial Poetry
Jon G. Murray
2
14, 17
--------------------
-'
Staff
Production
Ralph Shirley
Richard Smith
Beverly Walker
Editor-in-Chief
Dr. Madalyn Murray O'Hair
Managing Editor
Jon G. Murray
Artist
Felix Santana
Poetess
Robin Eileen Murray-O'Hair
Angleline Bennett
Non-Resident Staff
Ignatz Sahula-Dycke
Gerald Tholen
Fred Woodworth
COVER
at 2210
Texas,
78756,
rates:
S25.00/year;
Texas
$40/two
years. Manuscripts
submitted
must be
typed, double-spaced
and accompan-
Austin,
Drive,
a non-profit,
non-political,
educational
orqsnization. Mailing address: P. O. Box 2117,
ied by a stamped,
lope. The editors
Suppo.rt
American Atheism
Hancock
self-addressed
enveassume no responsimanuscripts.
PERIODICAL
INDEX
ISSN: 0032-4310
Germinal
(April) 11981
Page 1
EDITORIAL
NUCLEAR FANTASYLAND
When I go for the morning paper over coffee these days,
it is no longer the pleasant. informative prelude to the
day's work that it once was. In fact. it is more like waking
up to a horror movie. On every page there is glaring
irrationality. Irrational thinking and actions, in which
the doers would probably not be involved had they
stopped to think first, hop out at you. For example, you
can see an article on any given day in about any major
newspaper in the country with more Pentagon, Senate,
House, White House or State Department talk about
nuclear war. I just keep waiting for Gen. Haig to say
against whom we should declare subversive war next.
You can read about senators, presidents, congressmen,
secretaries of state, ta Iking about "I imited nuclear war"
fought on top of some poor agrarian nation that would
just as soon be left in its poverty. There is no such thing
as limited nuclear war. Once you start, you are talking
about eradicating life on earth. Yet our "leaders" talk
about such things as two old ladies may talk about a new
dress over tea. It concerns me no end that grown men in
three-piece suits can sit around over coffee and strudel
and chat about mega-deaths. Especially since one of
those mega-deaths would most likely be mine.
This is unthinking irrationality. I am convinced that if
they really knew what they were talking about and
looked at it from a realistic standpoint they would be
ashamed of themselves. Why does it go on then with an
overall passive acceptance from the media persons
reporting it as well as the majority of the readers?
The answer lies in the thought structure of society.
Americans have been reared on fantasy and emotionalism. Takefor instance the old John Wayne movies.
He gets shot in the arm by one of the bad guys and wraps
his bandana around it and continues with the chase.
Have you ever seen someone who has been shot in the
arm in real life? It is not very pretty. I can guarantee you
that if you were shot in the arm with an old Colt
"shootin' iron" you would not continue the chase.
Depending on the muscle structure damage you may
not be able to use the arm again, period - or if so, only
after months of physical therapy. Many things in movies
you'cannot do in real life, we all know this. The poinfis,
however, that they put these fantasy behaviors up for us
-to emulate. This is particularly true of children. How
many times have you heard a young boy say "When I
grow up I want to be just like John Wayne (or James
- Bond or one of a thousand others). and do all the neat
things he does.'']
If you look deeper into the John Wayne hero-type
movie, you realize something that can 'scare' you worse
Pilge 2
Austin Texas
SOLDIERS -
The following was received by the North Carolina Chapter of American Atheists'
State Director on March 6, 1981:
,
U.S. SENATORS,
SCHOOL PRAYER
FAMILY PROTECTION
'.
NORTH CAROLINA
HONORARY
CHAIRMEN
THE CONGRESSIONAL
CLUB
POST OFFICE BOX 18848
RALEIGH, N.C. 27619
Dear Friend,
Please sign the enclosed School Prayer Petitions.
The petitions are addressed to your U.S. Senators and to your
Congressman.
Your signed petitions can help me influence the Senators and Congressman
from your state to help return voluntary prayer to public schools by supporting Senator Jesse Helms' Prayer Bill.
"The time to act is now".
God has been shut out of our classrooms since the Supreme Court
prohibited school prayer in 1962.
All it will take is a simple majority of both Houses and Congress to
overturn this un-Godly Supreme Court decision.
That's what I'm writing you today. We need your help.
You, see, in the last session of Congress Senator Helms introduced a bill
(S-450) limiting the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court to deny or restrict
voluntary prayer in the public schools.
Bya majority of 51 to 40 the U.S. Senate voted in favor of S-450, the
Helms school prayer bill.
At last, the victory we hoped and prayed for was in sight.
But before the House of Representatives could vote on this vital issue
Congress adjourned.
Now we must start over again in both Houses of Congress. And to succeed
this time we must keep one fact in mind.
The simple fact is: "Two U.S. Senators and one Congressman depend on
your vote. They will pay attention when you write or phone them."
That's why I hope you'll sign and return all 3 of the enclosed petitions to us
today.
It's been 18 years since our American public school students were allowed
to begin their school day with prayer.
And as you think back over the past 18 years I ask you:
"Which came first?
The wholesale breakdown of moral values in America -- or the collapse of
these values in our schools?"
As in all things only God knows the complete answer to these questions -but I can't help wondering if the Supreme Court's ban of prayer and Bible
A REAL
HORROR
The news is chosen to demonstrate, month after month, the dead reactionary hand of religion. It dictates your habits, sexual
conduct, family size. It censures cinema, theater, television,.even education. It dictates life values and lifestyles. Religion is politics and, always, the most authoritarian and reactionary politics. We editorialize our news to emphasize this thesis. Unlike any
other magazine or newspaper in the United States, we say so.
Austin, Texas
Page 3
jfocu~ on ~tbtt~t~
... anti we won't takt it anrmere!
(Speech delivered by Dr. Madalyn Murray O'Hair at"
,Drake University, March, 1981.
J
Everyone in the United States is well aware of the
Pentagon and its military and political outreach. Perhaps one-third of the nation this month saw our
Congress, incredibly, cheer and applaud when Reagan,
who was elected by about 25% of the registered voters,
announced in his "State of the Union" address that he
was increasing the military budget.
The powers of darkness, brutality and death have
gained another victory. The armed forces are visible
everywhere - even in your state. The cost of the
military is astronomical and a proud part of the budget of
the United States. These dealers in death and destruction are, however, no longer even feared or fouqht.
In a casual way we accept the figures as to expenditures
for nuclear submarines, phantom jets, MIRV and MX
missiles; the use of the neutron bomb in Europe is
discussed as if we were talking at tea.
Yet. this ominous organization is obvious. The physical effects of war and whether 50 million or 100 million
of us, or even 200 million Americans shall die makes a
delightful cocktail discussion with the maniacs. Megadeaths - it is so impersonal.
Once public opinion could be mobilized about it; there
was even a non-coherent, disunited, but nevertheless
concerted movement against it. The unpopular, undeclared war in South Vietnam was virtually brought to
a halt by domestic resistance to such a craven exercise.
But now we have General Haig. When Nixon gave
Haig a job in West Germany, as Commander-in-Chief of
our Armed Forces in Europe, head of NATO, he made a
statement that chilled the hearts of every Atheist in our
land. At that time he publicly averred that there was a
personal corporeal devil walking on earth and that our
main objective was to come into direct confrontation
with that representative of Evil.
Recently, when the "big fight" over his appointment
as Secretary of State fizzled out to be a boot-licking
operation of endorsement no matter what the record,
the possible terrors to us become clear.
He aches for a nuclear war. He prays for the final
holocaust - for then biblical prophecy will be fulfilled.
Page 4
Austin Texas
When the First World War ended, there came into tianity as the ultimate weapon against Communism.
The decision was deliberate that you, your parents and
being a socialist-Atheist state: Russia. In the twentythe nation would be Christian Capitalists fighting godsome years following the inception of that nation, which
had a different politico-economic system than our own, less Communism. So, in the interim, you and your
its church was attacked as an ally of the supressive state parents have been skillfully manipulated, indoctrinated,
apparatus of imperial Russia. And, the church wavered programmed and mentally stultified and you are pasand failed. The nation became Atheistic. One-third of sing this on, or are going to pass it on to your children.
Christianity was to be a weapon against Communism.
the world opted for a philosophical system antithetical
Now, they did not think that one was a religion and the
to our own.
When the Second World War ended, there came into other was a socio-political-economic system. They just
knew that what had worked for 1900 years would work
being another socialist-Atheist state: China. Another
one-third of the world opted for a philosophical system again - or they thought it would work again.
After all, even telling people why they were doing it
antithetical to our own.
had worked before. Take the Constitution of the State of
The United States and its political theory of capitalism
was in trouble. But it had never been able to sell pure New Hampshire written in colonial times, but still laissez-faire capitalism to all the citizens of the United today - letting it all hang out.
"... morality and piety, rightly grounded on
States. It had had considerable difficulties with unions
evangelical principles, will give the best and
demanding minimum wages, with demands for workgreatest security to government, and will lay, in
men's compensation, for unemployment insurance, for
the hearts of men. the stronqest obligations to
a social security system, for a health program which had
due subjection. "
some meaning, with those who demanded farm to
This time the people were not going to be told openly,
market roads and rural electrification. Why, there had
even been a successful drive for a 40-hour week. they were simply going to be manipulated in the single
biggest propaganda swindle in the world, ever. So, 35
Children were taken out of textile mills and bleeding
years later it is still going strong. Thirty-five years later,
hearts took children out of coal mines. Women were
you, all of you, are still victims of it. You are Christian
demanding more rights, equal educational opportunibecause that it is a theo-political maneuver of your
ties. All of these benefits have come il" the last 40years.
The United States was afraid. It knew that the success government to fight Communism. You never had an
option. You are victims of religion and government
and the acceptance of such a system as Socialism
combined. Let me explain.
would jeopardize the system which was established
The American people have always been captured by
here -for how could two-thirds of the world population
the idea of freedom. The supposition that "this is a free
be wrong?
country" or that "I can do whatever J please" has
How could it fight what it came to call the Communist
permeated American thought to such anextent that you
menace? Black propoganda was one way. The single
have been unable to see the true measures of freedom
fear was that the people of our nation might find
and authority under which we live. You can't do whatsomething attractive in Socialism/Communism or whatever the name of the new system was to be. How do you ever you please. You know that and I know it. Ameribeat total, absolute, free medical care for every person? cans, underneath it all, really know they are not free, but
they won't face it. They cling to the illusion of freedom
How do you beat total, absolute, free education through
a Ph.D. if you want to go that far? How do you beat the and the mightiest one is the American love affair with
idea of production for use instead of production for the automobile. Spinning along the highway you can
profit?
feel that the world is yours. You are free. It is when you
pull up and park that the illusion ends. Americans will
With 20 million persons dead in the Second World
War, Russia was still alive and still going. How do you never give up their symbol of the freedom they don't
beat a monster like that? With millions upon millions
really have - the automobile. They will grow grain and
dead in China, China kept going. How do you oppose an .make gasohol if the world starves; they will nuke "them
ideology that is so compelling?
Muslim bastards" to get the oil; they will hollow the
The United States saw the ruling class of Russia mountains to press out oil from the rocks - for once the
dispersed over the world, and those of China driven out automobile is curtailed, so is their last illusion of
freedom.
of that country. Our nation, its leaders, were absolutely
paralyzed with fear.
Americans looking abroad show a mixture of pity and
Then a handful of persons made a decision as to what
contempt for the many underprivileged nations whose
to do. I think that included in that handful were John
people suffer under a variety of tyrannies. Few AmeriFoster and Avery Dulles, Joseph Kennedy, Cardinal
cans realize that the bondage here although less apSpellman, the Pope, Winston Churchill and Franklin
parent. is just as chronic but more covert, more subtly
Delano Roosevelt.
manipulative.
.
It was decided by these people that you - ye.s,you
One of the most powerful institutions involved in
- now - would be thoroughly indoctrinated in Chrismassive psychological and social conditioning is big,
Austin, Texas
Page 5
II
Austin Texas
unite against it. A Christian civil religion emerged in the the Federal Communications Commission affirmed that
United States as an adjunct of our foreign policy - and it the right to freedom of speech did not extend fully to
emerged almost exclusively from executive and ad- Atheists. That same year, Atheists were denied passministrative fiats. The people did not bring it forth - the ports and if they came from other nations and applied for
citizenship, Atheists were denied citizenship. They
government did.
were denied in the federal courts the right to be
Malcolm Moos, a philosopher, from Johns-Hopkins
University was brought in to write the speeches of conscientious objectors. On September 6, 1966, a law
Dwight Eisenhower and he never referred to Russia as a was passed that anyone working for government had to
believe in god. In 1968, there was an effort to Chriscountry alone, he described either Atheistic Communists or Communistic Atheists as Russia. It mattered not tianize the space program with the Apollo VIII mission.
At that time the astronauts were given a military order
at all that Russia did not even once attack our domestic
religion - not one time. Eisenhower felt that Korea to have a "spontaneous manifestation of religious awe"
could only change if god was on our side, and he was at 7:31 PM plus 10 seconds, on "Christmas Eve". In that
spirit of religious euphoria they were to quote from
-the government of the United States put him there.
memory the 1st ten verses of the first chapter of
The terror of McCarthyism was deliberately fostered.
A witch-hunt of un-Christian, un-American ideas came Genesis, which were (in reality) printed on the flight
plan for Borman to read. The adventure was codeto full flower. Meanwhile, the first act of the United
States government after W.W. II was to give land, named Experiment P-1. And Nixon, of course, even held
full scale church services in the White House. To obtain
thousands upon thousands of acres of land, to religion
and hundreds upon hundreds of buildings; it began to ethical religious approval for the invasion of Cambodia,
Nixon appeared at a Billy Graham rally at the University
subsidize the mailings of religion through minimal
postage rates special to the churches; it turned over our of Tennessee.
In just 30 years organized big religion came to own
hospital system to the religious organizations which
over 20% of all privately owned land in the United
had fought against the hospital concept for a hundred
years; social Security agencies increasingly were given States. Its gross income had grown to be larger than that
to them to administer to aged, juveniles, drug abuse of General Motors, American Telephone and Telegraph,
offenders, A.A., and the Palmer program; they invaded Standard Oil, Ford, Texaco, and Sears Roebuck comprisons, and police forces; the F.C.C. required every bined.
Now in just the last several years we find that the
television and radio station in the nation to give at least
c.1.A. was financing and dictating the politics of every
5% of their broadcast time to religion - free; religions
"Christian Democratic Party" in Europe - in Italy, in
were given the right to engage in tax-free businesses,
France, in Germany - and the name of the party was
hold stocks and bonds tax free, given devisernerits free
of taxes. Cities, counties, states and the federal gov- the name of the game; NATO and SEATO worked as
Christian units against the Atheist anti-chr ist. Now it is
ernment began to pour money into religious institutions
unfolded that the C.I.A. used missionaries throughout
as grants and encouraged, through tax law restructuring, business corporations to do the same. Prayer the underdeveloped countries to spy on the political
systems there. We helped to create a Zionist terrorist
groups were started in government under Eisenhower.
Godliness became a test of national loyalty. Our movie state in Israel to guard Jerusalem.
It was all capped off with Cardinal Spellman's war,
industry became so heavily censored by the Roman
Catholic Church that it became a national scandal. A the unnecessary religious war which was fought to
maintain the Roman Catholic Church and three million
law passed on June 25, 1948, required all federal
judges to believe in god. On June 14, 1954, our Pledge Roman Catholics in the underbelly of the Asian continent. Now the churches defv the U.S. commitment to
of Allegiance was corrupted by the mandatory inclusion
of the words "one nation under God" in the oath. On integration with white flight schools; refusing to report
July 11, 1955, a law put "In God We Trust" on all unrelated businesses.
It is poetic justice that the churches to which our
currency and coins. On July 30, 1956, we abandoned
our national motto "E Pluribus Unum" - that old motto government turned as allies, to indoctrinate you, to rally
that had fared us well from before 1776. Now, in 1956, you round the fight for Christ and country, that those
180 years later, we had a new motto, "In God We Trust."
churches now lead in the fight to communize the world.
The Roman Catholic Church is fighting our government
The symbols of our nation were turned to Christian
statements of faith. When the Civil Rights Act was going over EI Salvador. It wants the freedom there that Marcos
through the U.S. Congress in 1964, incredibly an has given in the Philippines. The Pope meddles in
Amendment was attached to it by John Ashbrook (R- Poland in the hopes of bringing on a confrontation. The
Ohio) that if one was discovered to be an Atheist one Jesuits try to return to China. The Maryknolls are
could be fired without recourse and deprived of un- revolutionizing South America. Christianity is basically
employment benefits and compensations or rights. It communistic; the dictatorship of the proletariat - the
was defeated only through the efforts of Sen. Hubert
meek shall inherit the earth. The church is a survival
Humphrey, to whom Atheists had appealed. In 1966,
institution. It lived under imperial Horne.the barbarians,
Austin, Texas
Page 7
kings, monarchies, fascism, the guild system, capitalism, socialism, parliamentarianism, democracy.
England is socialist - our allyl France is socialist;
West Germany is socialist; the Scandinavian countries
are all socialist; Italy itself has over 60 towns with
communist mayors and the largest Communist party in
the world outside of Russia is in Italy. Atheism treasures
the individual; it suits Jeffersonian Democracy; Christianity and Communism appeal to the uneducated,
emotional, unwashed masses.
The idea of fighting a socio-economic-political idea
with religion was scandalously stupid. It did not work.
Meanwhile, the breaches of the First Amendment rights
which have occurred are shocking. The Moral Majority
now is ready to claim the reward for the cooperation of
the church for the last 35 years. Instead of the dog, the
government, wagging the tail, religion - the tail is
wagging the dog.
When John Lennon was shot, the new Atlanta based
Cable Network News was hunting for the presidentelect to ask him what he thought of the shooting. They
found Reagan at the apartment of Cardinal Terrance
Cooke in New York - he had run to him like a lackey dog
- because he had courted the Roman Catholic Church
additionally to get into office.
Some years ago, the medievalist. Karol Wojtyla, had
issued a Vatican directive that he expected every nation
in the world to support Roman Catholic Church schools
from tax funds of each nation. They do it in Italy, in
Germany, in France, in Spain, in Portugal, in Canada, in
Mexico, in Australia, and like the obedient servants they
were, Senators Moynihan and Packwood introduced a
bill to effectuate that into the Congress of the United
States. It failed twice now, and this month it has been
introduced again. It onJycosts 2V2 billion the first year, 5
billion the second year, as it begins.
Every corn-picking person in this room, every person,
not every family, pays $350 a year in taxes to help
support the tax-free ride of the churches so that you can
(asthe New Hampshire Constitution notes) have "laid in
your hearts the strongest obligations to due subjection."
We thunder at Cuba and Russia and promise the
holocaust to the world. Religion having failed us, we will
use force. Hell, let's trade with them. Sell them corn the U.S.A. needs to lift the grain embargo. Everybody
over there needs the experience of dealing with Ma Bell,
the frustration of an IBM computer.
If the government wants you to fight Communism,
lets do it with ideas and with a better system, not with
religion and war. The U.S. government will not confront
the Communists ideologically - instead there are
missiles within 50 miles of the Communist block border.
Would we permit Russian missiles 50 miles over the
border in Canada or Mexico?
If you can be made to believe that you have a life after
death, you can be made to believe that you ought to die
for your country in some damn senseless war. If you can
be made to believe in a virgin birth, you can be made to
Page 8
1)1'
Austin Texas
keepers of our own lives; that we are responsible persons, that the job is here and the time
is now.
Life is for living; not for dying.
The joy is in involvement. not in watching.
The excitement is in outreach, not in recoil.
For total freedom, the ultimate freedom - freedom of
the mind - try Atheism.
And in that sense, I want to read to you what we mean
byAggressive Atheism. This is an article written for the
English Atheist magazine, The Investigator by an English Atheist, Charles Bradlaugh, about 125 years ago.
"Aggressive Atheism"
"We are investigators, and our policy is to ascertain
facts and present them to our readers in clear and
distinct language. If we find a mind bound round with
Creeds and Bibles, we will select a sharp knife to cut the
bonds; if we find men prostrating themselves, without
inquiry, before idols, our policy is iconoclastic - we will
destroy those idols. If we find a rock in our path, we will
break it; but we will not quarrel with our brother who
deems his proper work to be that of polishing the
fragments. We believe all the religions of the world are
founded on error, in the ignorance of natural causes and
material conditions, and we deem it our duty to endeavor to expose their falsity. Our policy is therefore
aggressive. We are, at present, of opinion that there is
much to do in the mere clod-crushing sphere, in
uprooting upas trees [moraceous tree with poisonous
milky sap] , hewing down creed-erected barriers between man and man and generally in negating the
influence of the priest. Our policy is of humble character; we are content to be axebearers and pioneers,
cutting down this obstacle and clearing away that. We
respect the sower who delights in the positive work of
scattering seed on the ground, but we fear that the
weeds destroy much of the fruit of his labors....
"There is no middle ground between':";,Theismand
Atheism. The genuineness and authenticity of the Scriptures are questions relevant to Secularism. It is as
necessary for the Secularist to destroy Bible influences
as for the farmer to endeavor to eradicate the chickweed
from his clover field. We appeal to those who think our
work fairly done to aid us in our labors; to those who will
not work with us we simply say, do not hinder us.
"Our only wish and purpose is to make men happy,
and this is because in So doing we increase our own
happiness. The secret of true happiness and wisdom
lies in the consciousness that you are working to the
fullest of your ability to make your fellows happy and
wise. Man can never be happy until he is free; free in
body and in mind; free in thought and in utterance; free
fr orn crowns and creeds, from priest, from king; free
from the cramping customs created by the influences
surrounding him, and which have taught him to bow to a
lord and frown upon a beggar. Liberty, Equality, Fraternity! That true liberty, which infringes not the freedom
of my brother; that equality which recognizes no nobleman but the men of noble thoughts and noble deeds;
that fraternity which links the weak arm-in-arm with
the strong, and, teaching humankind that union is
strength, compels them to fraternize, and links them
together in that true brotherhood for which we strive."
Austin, Texas
IV
Page 9
JOSEPH'S MYTH
.A Fact Sheet on The Mormon Church
BY D. L. KENT
CHARACTER
OF JOSEPH SMITH
CHURCH
Page 10
Austin Texas
book for the New York Herald Tribune, the Pulitzer Prize
winner Bernard Augustine DeVoto called it "the first
honest and intelligent biography of Joseph Smith." Two
attempts have been made to answer some of the
evidence in Brodie: The Mythmakers and No Ma'am
That's Not History, both of which are extremely labored
and show how the Mormon Church can "strain at gnats
and swallow the camel." David Oman McKay, Mrs.
Brodie's uncle and later president of the Mormon
Church, wrote that "even if she were honest in her
disbelief," she should have concealed the result of her
research, and n~t have published the book. Such
promotion of hypocrisy in the Mormon Church is typical,
but to find written evidence of it such as this is quite
unusual. [Letter of 16 May 1946 to Hugh Winder Nibley,
author of.these publications; from Harold Bingham Lee
Library, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah, 84601].)
INSANITY STRIKES THE PLAYBOY
Joseph Smith went off the deep end in 1842 and
1843, announcing in August 1843, "I am above the
kingdoms of the world, for I have no laws:' and claiming
to have seen and heard god almighty "at sundry times,
and in divers places," also Jesus Christ. Michael the
archangel, Raphael, Gabriel, Moses, Elijah, John the
baptist, Peter, James, John Elias, Moroni out of the
Book of Mormon, and other "divers angels from Adam
down to the present." (History of the Church, volume 1,
chapters 1-5; Documentary History of the Church,
volume 5, page 259;"The Doctrine and Covenants",
section 128 [6 September 1842], et passim)
VIOLATION OF THE U.S. CONSTITUTION
I:
II:
Austin, Texas
Page 11
I:
I
!'
i,
1
I'
Page 12
Germinal (Apri1l11981
I"
Austin Texas
ON OUR WAY
INQUISITIVENESS
Thinkers, teachers, originators,
founders - in these and other
types of the creative mind, one
trait is common to all: inquisitiveness. Christ was a thinker and
exceedingly inquisitive. Had he
not been, he wouldn't have perceived and resented the injustices
of his time, nor would he have
attacked them as he did. We know
he left home in his teens and
returned when thirty. Those fifteen years, a half of his life, are a
blank - where he went, what he
did there is unknown. But, where,
in those days, could one go but
eastward? He came home matured, experienced, full of ideas and
plans for liberating the people of
his native land from the Roman
yoke. Matthew, Mark, Luke, and
John, tell us he talked much about
"our Father in heaven"; but this is
why until almost the end he wasn't suspected of gathering supporters for his political ideas. His great
contribution to intellectual
and
political freedom (for which he
deserves far greater acclaim than
for being, as is said, "the son of
god") was his, then radica], idea
that anyone, even the humblest
slave or criminal, could himself
appeal directly to god and, having
made the effort, get a hearing. *
Saul of Tarsus brought this radical message to the northern shores
of the Mediterranean shortly after
Christ's death, three hundred years
before what we call Christianity
was first organized. The message,
as I will show, initiated the fall of
Roman colonialism. How? Up until
then any appeal to Rome's gods
could be made only through the
head of one's own family - its
head jealously guarding his privilege, fully aware that this was
what kept all Roman households,
underlings and slaves, under control. Christ's idea thus threatened
to destroy the foundations support-
Austin, Texas
PI
times a thousand
years ago. was
canclusively
proved false.
Patient inquisitian
into. all aspects of life is the best. and possibly the only, reason the realist
can give far existence
- and in
this our only hope of ever finding
samething truly dependable to. believe in. We are a gullible lot. The
lack of an answer to one or another demand of our curiosity is a
poor excuse for calling it haly. To.
do. so is not only invalid but. ethically, evil. Shoaing people into believing sundry unprovable religiaus
hypotheses
is the same as saying
that ignorance
is divine. But to.
anyane who. says gad exists it
seems proper. I suppose. that anything equally unpravable
should
also. be called his.
Such reasaning, thaugh, having
an outcome.
is not anly fatuous
but destructive
to. the intellect. In
the Western
warld
it is a well
established
bad habit emplayed
far the eliciting
of wishful
canelusions. To. belive in a deity canceived as a substitute
far cagent
answers to. inquiry is certainly not
wise, nor is it sane to. expect any so.
canceived gad to. ever materialize.
Last of all, to. believe as so. many
believe, is an insult to. any canjecturable gad who. wauld ar could
care to. be interested
in the problems of the maid called humanity
infesting the surface of the Earth,
it is a mere speck amang countless
superior bodies in the Universemany of which might
far all we
knaw, be infested by a maid of an
immensely mare advanced type.
In matters
like the above the
painter of canvases and the preaching cleric have at least ane thing in
common.
Bath aim to. obtain
a
response fram the sensibilities
of
their audience.
The artist does it
with pictures and the cleric with
promises.
The cleric claims
his
promises are truth fram the lips of
(an unperceivable)
gad,
saying
that to. be "redeemed"
yau must
believe his wards represent gad's
opinion on the subject and so. to.
accept it. This, if yau are a believer
yau do. - and because ariginally
the cleric made a believer of vou, it
is he and not gad who decides far
you. You had no. choice
in the
matter. The painter, his picture an
abstract of the reality we all perceive exists, usually looks forward
to. his next canvas, haping to. do.
better. You don't have to. like his
picture, but whether yau do. or not.
yau yaurself
make the decision.
not the artist. You had free choice.
So. althaugh the aims of the cleric
and the artist are similar, the respouse obtained by each of them is
of opposite value. This should remind us that similar
aims don't
always produce similar results to. think twice befare taking far
granted that dagmas represent the
haly truth.
The individual who. believes that
freedam,
of thouqht.
expression
and action is to. be highly prized
should view anything "holy" with
circumspectian
if not suspicion.
The "holy" always
cernes in a
handsomely wrapped package tied
with an occult ribbon and baw. He
should undo. it and findaut what's
inside. The package is made up so
()j)
~
~~~~_~~.
Eternity
This solstice the earth began to dance
Raund its sun again, for .another year,
And will far solang it seems forever.
Renewal is now Nature's endeavaur.
You ask me to be like our earth,
And pledge my love for vou again,
T a say that yau wi II be
My dearest dear for eternity.
But I choke on such wards.
Page. 14
*The position
of American
Atheists is that there is no solid evidence to show that Christ was a
r_e_a_I_h_i_s_to_r_ic_a_1
__N_g_U_r_e_,_n_a_n
__y_w
__a_y_. _
Be like the earth? Here things changeAt least four times a year.
I may not-quite
so much-lave
yau
When Spring's breath wisks in the new.
8e like the earth? It will change too And not court the sun forever.
I may turn from you in a year
And find another dearest dear.
No. tears, my lave, no. tears.
I lave yau naw, am here naw.
So. let's drink our wine to. its dredges.
But, please, my lave; no. pledges.
IV
Rabin
Eileen Murray-O'Hair
Austin Texas
P~"&'RG;
LETTH~r
Austin, Texas
!I
Page
15
NATURE'S WAY
GERALD THOLEN
i
!
i
I'
I,
i
Page 16
Iii
Austin Texas
\\
\'.
Ted Wright
Dunham, Quebec
Germinal (April) 11981
Austin, Texas
... .,..
rJ
Page 17
-;::::::::::;:~
/:':':"
THE
THIRD COMMANDMENT
Hello, there, this is Madalyn Murray O'Hair, American
certainly that much more vital to protect the name of
Atheist, back to talk with you again. Joseph Lewis,
one's god. It was believed that if the name ofa god were
recent American Atheist author, had much to say about
known and used contrary to his wishes, the consethe third commandment. Exodus. Chapter 20. verse 7. quences would be nothing short of a world catastrophe.
"Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy god in
It was also thought that the creator of the universe
vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh
brought the world into existence by uttering his own
his name in vain. "
name. An ancient Egyptian papyrus states: "There was
This commandment follows in perfect continuity the a time when no one and nothing existed except himself.
previous one as regards the magical origin of religion
A desire' came over him to create the world. and he
and the taboos that are the inevitable outgrowth of a carried it iAto effect by making his mouth utter his own
belief in animism. The taboo against mentioning names name as a word of power; and straightway the world
has the same genesis as the prohibition against making
and all therein came into being." Christianity accepted
graven images. Just as making an image was prohibited
this magical power of words with its John 1:1: "In the
because of the fear that a person would be sympa- beginning was the Word, and the Word was with god.
thetically injured through his image, so we find that
and the Word was god."
mentioning names was prohibited for the identical
There is an entire ancient literature on what the
reason. .
Persians call the "science of names." The name of
It was firmly believed that a person's name was a Brahma is sacred in India and rarely mentioned except
substantial part of himself and that serious injury could on the most solemn occasions. The ancient Vedic god
be inflicted on him, just as effectively through the
Rudra (the Howler) was never referred to by his real
medium of his name, as on his physical body, through
name, but was always called "Siva" (the Gracious one)
the use of an image. Primitive man considered his.name in an effort to flatter him and thereby escape his wrath.
a vital part of his soul and his regard and care for it were The great name of Allah is a secret known only to the
a matter of serious concern.
prophets. The formidable names born in classical antiTothe primitive mind, that which had no name did not quity by Zeus. Athene and Dionysus have Rever been
exist.
found out. These names were guarded as great secrets
One can see the consequences of this initial belief in for centuries and were passed on only from high priest
the subsequent superstitions which developed. If some- to high priest. They were never recorded and were thus
one is dying, change his name and death will not know it lost to posterity. It is still authoritatively stated that we
is he and pass him by. The names of the dead are not do not know the real name of Rome.
mentioned so as not to disturb their slumber. The
The sacred and secret names of gods were entrusted
orthodox Jew today must use the magic words "ava only to the high priests because it was necessary that
sholem" when mentioning the dead. But. so does the .. .the names be evoked in the proper manner to produce
good Catholic or Protestant for the words mean, "May
the magical results supposedly inherent in them. The
his soul rest in peace" and you have heard older people god's name was as fragile as life. It had to be presented
say this when they mention the dead. Even today we with awe in a mysterious and magical formula with
have pet names which only the immediate family know.
every detail of cadence, tonality, rhythm and accent or
Authors use pen names. Criminals use alias names'. there would be no results. Thus all unsuccessful atThis is always to disassociate from the person any bad tempts were explained by the fact that the uninitiated
luck which will come of his name being widely known.
did not possess the proper combination of the formula.
Lightning may not be named for fear it will strike.
The "successful" results were always clouded in the
Earthquakes may not be mentioned for fear that one mystery of ritual.
may occur.
Not only were the names of gods taboo. butthe names
If primitive peoples were convinced that a man's
of kings and other sacred persons were not to be used
name was an integral part of himself and that revealing
lightly and without due reverence. The name of the
it would put his life in jeopardy, one can well understand
Japanese Mikado, even in our own times, was so sacred
how seriously they regarded mentioning the sacred and that it was seldom mentioned and indeed is not known
secret name of their deity. If a mere mortal could be to a great portion of the public today.
injuredthrough the use of his name by an enemy, it was
Amulets were worn by the superstitious Jews, mostly
Page 18
II
Austin Texas
Austin, Texas
II
Page 19
CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING
LA 111
Female, age 48, looking for
Atheist traveling companion,
not gay, non-smoker, to enjoy
rent-free winters at Hawaii,
Mexico or Carribean beachfront properties. Write for details.
HELP WANTED:'
COMMITTED ATHEIST WHO IS
WILLING TO CARRY A FAIR SHARE
OF THE BURDEN OF FREEING THE
UNITED STATES FROM RELIGION'S
BONDAGE!
I authorize a charge 0/ $,
_
per month for one year from date below [or until
expiration of the cardjon this credit card because Iwant to
be counted as one of the helping Atheists, one who Gay Atheists League of America
cares enough to send the very best
money.
P.O. Box 14142
[VISA or MASTERCARDonly]
Charge Card No. 00000000000000
. S'end
Name
Address
City
I
am confined to prison and
have no funds.
Address your reply 10 No. (whatel'er that number may be). Place
your sealed. stamped envelope in a
letter tv the American Atheist Center. P.O. Box 2//7. Austin. Texas
78768. We will see that all replies are
forwarded tv the advertiser. No ideniities are erer revealed: we protect you
from any harassment which might
come from your home address ap. pearing in our columns.
To place your own LA, ad costs
$I.()()
per word multiplied bv hVH
mallY months you desire it 10 run.
~.rlcaa
Atheists
P.O.. 211'
Aaatla, TX '117"
Page 20
LA 113
SilDature
[pl
to
L.A. 112
The Director of the American
Atheist Center would like to
know if there are any educated, dedicated female Atheists, age 21-26, in the United
States. If so, he is an eligible
bachelor.
,..
II
~/
Austin Texas
JOIN
AMERICAN
ATHEISTS
P.o. BOX 2117
AUSTIN, TX 78768
~_~~
IIJ
THE DAY WILL COME WHEN THE MYSTICAL GENERATION OF JESU~ BlI THE
SUPREME BEING AS
HISFATHER, IN THEWOMB~~
OFA VIRGIN, WILL
BE CLASSIFIED
WITH THE FABLE
fI
OF THE GENER-
ATION OF MINERVA
IN THE BRAIN OF
.JUPITER II.
II