American Atheist November, 191 85 A Journal of Athoist News and Thought $2.95 Ronald Reagan High School P.S. 666 eagan On Name: Johnny Smith “Studyin For God” Grade: 9th Period Time Class Teacher Room 1 8:30 |ecOctry| Reagan | 102 2 930 | Virtue | Meese | 282 3 10:30 | speiPle | Bennett | 185 4 11:30 Gym Landry Gym 5 12:30 | Lunch 6 1:30 Band | Sousa | 212 7 2:30 Scientifil cegsereniap SSE tog ee Johnny's New eduleAMERICAN ATHEISTS isa non-profit, non-political, educational organization, dedicated to the complete and absolute separation of state and church. Weaccept the explanation of Thomas Jefferson that the “First Amendment” to the Constitution of the United States was meant to create a “wall of separation” between state and church, ‘American Atheists are organized to stimulate and promote freedom of thought and inquiry concerning religious beliefs, creeds, dogmas, tenets, rituals and practices; to collect and disseminate information, data and literature on all religions and promote a more thorough understanding of them, their origins and histories; toadvocate, labor for, and promote in all lawful ways, the complete and absolute separation of state and church; to advocate, labor for, and promote in all lawful ways, the establishment and maintenance of a thoroughly secular system of education available to all; to encourage the development and public acceptance ofa human ethical system, stressing the mutual sympathy, understandingand interdependence of all people and the corresponding responsibility of each individual in relation to society; to develop and propagate a social philosophy in which man is the central figure who alone must be the source of strength, progress and ideals for the well-being and happiness of humanity; to promote the study of the arts and sciences and of all problems affecting the maintenance, perpetuation and enrichment of human (and other) life; to engage in such social, educational, legal and cultural activity as will be useful and beneficial to members of American Atheists and to Society as a whole. Atheism may be defined as the mental attitude which unreservedly accepts the supremacy of reason and aims at establishing a lifestyle and ethical outlook verifiable by experience and the scientific method, independent of all arbitrary assumptions of authority and creeds. Materialism declares that the cosmos is devoid of immanent conscious purpose; that it is governed by its own inherent, immutable and impersonal laws; that there is no supernatural interference in human life; that man —finding his resources within himself — can and must create his own destiny. Materialism restores to man his dignity and his intellectual integrity. It teaches that we must prize our life on earth and strive always to improve it. It holds that manis capable of creating a social system based on reason and justice. Materialism’s “faith” isin man and man’s ability to transform the world culture by his own efforts. This is a commitment which is in very essence life asserting. It considers the struggle for progress as a moral obligation and impossible without noble ideas that inspire man to bold creative works. Materialism holds that humankind’s potential for good and for an outreach to more fulfilling cultural development is, for all practical purposes, unlimited American Atheist Membersip Categories Life . * $500 Sustaining. 4 a. $100/year Couple/Family $50/year Individual S40/year Senior Citizen*/Unemployed s+ $20/year Student* i $12/year Photocopy of ID required All membership categories receive our monthly “Insider’s Newsletter,” membership card(s), subscription to ‘American Atheist magazine for the duration of the membership period, plus additional organizationalmailings, ite, new products for sale, convention and meeting announcements, etc American Atheists - P.O. Box 2117 - Austin. TX 78768-2117\Vol.27, No. 11 | American Atheist Editorial: Junk The System — Jon G. Murray. Ask AA, News and Comments: With God's Grace 6 Studying for God 8 Ford Had a Better Idea “Regulated” Abortion. 15 Dial-An-Atheist. ul The Prospect of Physical Immortality, Part Ill: The First Immortals — Frank R. Zindler—_____24 1 Ain't — Gerald Tholen 27 Historical Notes 29 Alls Maya, Alls llusion — Margaret Bhatty 0 Poetry: 32 Sex and The Confessional — Separated Persons — Madalyn O’Hair. 3 Book Reviews. 36 Me Too — Donnafred 37 Letters to The Editor Crosswords 39 Classified Advertisement 40 Reader Service 40 (On The Cover: Emphasisis placed on the attempts of our political servants not to serve, butinstead, to instruct the conduct ofanation —that conduct being based on religious “moral values.” Once again |am reminded ofthe lack of comprehension by our society regarding the meaning of moral. Moral, ‘uit simpy, concerns the discernment of what is good and el. Allreigions regard “eva as some tangible entity existing externally and apart rom human consciousness. Therefore, the ent is considered the external cause of socal misconduct and sn, Thi melodramatic concept hos been the historical _undoingo' ethical conduct in society. It affords biblical scapegoat or culturaland social misconduct. The murder and ravaging usted by one nation upon anothers “moral” as long as we calitwar. Yet, arobber who kil the corer store clerk forthe same reasonsis immoral Ethical values are unchanging Slavery wasno less an unethical practice a thousand years ago economic slavery included) than ts today. Yet, a thousand years ago it wes “moral” lait ar of human nature not tobe able to accep individual responsibilty for thoughts and actions? Must we be incessantly preached to by pompous asses who would rob us of what shouldbe our individual responsiblity o —at leat — of our necessary tolerance of legitimate ciillaws and regulations thet guarantee the rights of ll people? Gerald Tholen all Editor. Muray-OVbie, Ftor Emerits/Madshm Oat, Managing Edi for/Jon G, Marra, Asisiant Faitor Gerald Thole, Copy Eton Sondre MP. McGann, Pootry/Anacipa Bennet, Gerald Thales, Prodection Sta Chistina Dit, Bilikigh, Cada Kueder Brian Lynch, Laura Morgenstern Jes Sons, [Non-fesident Staff Mrgaret Bhar, Merril Holste, Lowell New, Fred Wood worth, Frank. Zr, ‘The American Atheist magazve opytidht 198 by Society of Seperation, Ic: ‘The American Athist magazines published monty by the American Abe Press {an aftate of Amercan Atheists), 2210 Hancock Dr, Austin, TX 78155 andthe Society of Separations, a non-profit nonpolia, edueatonal organization ced ‘ated fo the complete and absolute seperation of sate and church. (Al ngs feserved, Reproduction in whole o part urhout weiter permissonis prohibited) Maing address P.O, Box 2117, Austin, TX 7682117. Suacripionis proved aninceent ef members inthe organization of American Ahets, Subscriptions ‘one are avalabea $2500 for ona year terms on (Frequency: monty brary ‘nd instittonal discount 50%) Manascrp submited faust be ped, douse ‘paced, and accompanied by a slamped,seladiresed envelope” A copy. of ‘Arancan Atbelt Mapuane Wriers Gucelns sataable on request The ectors {ssume no respon for unelected manure label from a recent magazine in the bottom space provided, NEW ADDRESS: (Pease print) ARE YOU MOVING? Please notify us six weeks in advance to ensure uninterrupted delivery. Send us both your old and new addresses. Ifpossible, attach old OLD ADDRESS: (Picase print) Name — Name Address Address city — City = State Zip State — Zp. Mail to — American Atheists, P.O. Box 2117, Austin, TX 78768-2117 Austin, Texas ‘November, 1985 Page 1EDITORIAL / Jon G. Murray JUNK THE SYSTEM he issue of creationism versus science is stil very much alive and wel, to the consternation of rational individuals whose thinking is firmly rooted in the twentieth century. The pages of this journal have covered various aspects of the defense of science against the attacks of teams of medievalists hiding behind a veil of pseudo: science. The American Atheist started to ‘examine the issues surrounding creationism inthe October, 1980 issue with articles such as “Alternative Theories for Cosmology” by ‘TW. Gurley and “Flaws in the Big Bang Theory” by W.H. Reynolds. Then in Nov- ‘ember, 1980 an entire issue was devoted 10 ‘evolution, with articles by John R. Edwards and John A. Moore, a professor of biology at the University of California at Riverside. In the December, 1981 issue, Dr. lan Bock, a professor of Genetics at La Trobe Univer: sity in Australia, wrote about the creation. ism vs, evolution controversy. In February ‘of 1984, the National Academy of Sciences publishedits Science and Creationism study in a glossy magazine format which The American Atheist Center immediately ac- uired in quantity for resale, Most recently, inthe May and July issues ofthis var, Frank Zindler, the Columbus, Ohio, Chapter Di rector for American Atheists and a column. ist of this journal, wrote a two part series debunking the popular pro creationist car toon booklet Big Daddy which is circulated nationwide, “Giving In” The point of all of this coverage on the science vs. creationism issue has been to emphasize the fact that creationism is not science buts opinion based upon mythology and the subjective considerations of a faith system. Yet, in the twentieth century, Amer: ican scientists, educators, and elected off