Dear Editor,
I’m not astonished that John Citrone’s young daughter had
that awful experience. I am horrified
this behavior has gone on throughout the millennia times six.
I would like most to convey
there is a large Atheist community in Jacksonville. We have meetings once a
month, and activities ranging in Free-thought and Humanitarian lectures, to
Contra dancing and trivia nights in sports bars.
We have a broad membership of professionals, technicians,
Mom’s and Dad’s, Family’s, students, and most importantly recovering
philosophers of all denominations, races, and sexual orientations. Everybody is
accepted that needs support and believes there is no heaven, hell, god, or
devil. We smile, laugh, hug, and are against murder. We are horrified by the
so-called war-mentality of the religious sects. Might verses right has been debated throughout
the ages.
Our meetings are an open discussion to whatever is bothering
you. Usually it’s something hurtful, degrading, or threatening that has upset a
member. We actually “lost” a member because her neighbors found out she was in
a business that catered to a religious Christian ritual and they threatened her
with putting her out of business if she didn’t sever ties with us! That’s
called desperation. Churches have lost their mojo to attract members. There’s a
new sect calling themselves “Fight Church” to get butts in pews. Take a look
through the realtor boards and see how many churches are for sale!
Churches are not the answer they were even fifty years ago.
Their enemy is technology and science. The Bible is a horrible book; especially
the Old Testament. The New Testament deals with first century Christianity, and
is no better. Both books are editorials and essays by individuals, and social
groups, mostly about how to govern. All scripture was taken from the popular pagan
gods that came before them. The stories and attributes of those gods, were wrapped
into an invisible supreme being of all men. Kings and gods have always been one
and the same since the time of the Pharaohs. English Kings, in order to break
from the church, made themselves the ultimate supreme commander.
Women are excluded in most of the power of gods and it’s
always been that way. They are for reproduction, ownership as property, and
always inferior. They have been enslaved for years.
Yes, you are at risk if you speak aloud about your Atheism.
People will “pray for you”. Like that does any good. It only helps the lazy
person that is doing the praying feel better. It solves nothing.
Religion and politics are very strange bedfellows. They have
corrupted our country, poisoned and dulled minds, and destroyed our planet. The
brightest, best, and most progressive thinkers of our time have left the angry
rants of the oligarchy of the pulpits, and embraced living without fear of the
unknown. The truth sets you free, but often makes you miserable first.
Southernism demands clinging to old ways. You see this in
our City Council, the D.A.’s office, social clubs like the Rotary Club, and who
gets into office. I’ve yet to meet one person that’s happy with our City
Council. It’s a judgmental, prejudice, and uncooperative body.
So, John E. Citrone, you have a group that isn’t only
sympathetic, empathetic, and outraged over this incident, but sincerely
supports you and would welcome you to our groups(s).
Renee Soforenko, April 28,2014
http://www.criticalthinking.org/pages/defining-critical-thinking/766
The short list of critical thinkers:
http://austhink.com/critical/pages/great.html
FOX, of all stations, is airing a fabulous show called "Cosmos". National Geographic among other stations are also airing this program that is easy to understand, with prior episodes available. It speaks to the questions of when,where,why,how,and what caused our universe.It's airing in 46 countries!
The old ways are no longer acceptable.Somebody in this comment section wrote that black churches did a better job at influencing their young. How can anybody think that? Take a look at how many minorities are in prison that went to church. Churches have done a pitiful job at parenting.Prisons continue to provide religious belief systems that don't work to inmates.What we've learned is churches are powerful institutions based on outdated belief systems with no futures.Why even you are entertaining the idea of "god-lite", or that there is a difference between religion and a supreme being.
I prefer to face facts, not supposition.Our Father is more akin to an asteroid than an imaginary friend that has done some pretty wicked things to us.Every element in the galaxy is found in our body!I don't know exactly how this happened either but I'm watching,reading,and thinking all the time about how it all happened.
The ancients saw gods in the sky, and blamed them for all bad and good that happened.Halley's comet was noted in 260BC, and returns every 75-76 years.Edward Halley, an English astronomer, determined it's periodicity in 1705. I bring this up because well before Christ and the Christian Bible people had other philosophical orientations based on calculated,mathematical,scientific evidence.
Nobody has gone to war over astronomy!Everybody goes to war over religious differences. It's not going to matter much longer because we have ravished our planet beyond what it can tolerate. Climate change(please don't use "global warming" because it's inaccurate)is real. Fish populations are moving towards the poles where they find it's more comfortable.We have killed the ocean, and it's already been predicted by 2050 nothing will be able to survive in our dead ocean except maybe jelly-fish.
We are in the sixth extinction, and perhaps final death of our planet. Read more:
http://www.morning-earth.org/Graphic-E/BIOSPHERE/Bios-C-Extinctions.html
As the saying appropriately goes: "Not even Jesus Christ can wipe that off of you."