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From: jho@ihuxn.UUCP (Yosi Hoshen)
Newsgroups: net.religion
Subject: Re: Absurdity Continued
Message-ID: <765@ihuxn.UUCP>
Date: Sun, 15-Jul-84 01:22:27 EDT
Article-I.D.: ihuxn.765
Posted: Sun Jul 15 01:22:27 1984
Date-Received: Sun, 15-Jul-84 23:45:31 EDT
References: <884@akgua.UUCP>
Organization: AT&T Bell Labs, Naperville, IL
Lines: 80

Bob Brown has lumped together a large number of organizations into a
single list of atheists and promoters of atheism:

>		American Atheist Assn (Ms O'Hair, her kids, and
>		probably a few pets)
>
>		American Communist Party
>
>		People for the American Way
>
>		Planned Parenthood
>
>		Most of "Hollywood"
>
>		Most of the Record and Tape Industry
>
>		Playboy Empire
>
>		Organized Crime
>
>		NOW
>
>		Abortionists and their "Pro Choice" Supporters

I cannot resist the temptations to follow Bob's example. I have compiled a
similar list, not for atheists' organizations, but for religionists' groups
and organizations:

	Voodooism

	Islam

	Witchcraft

	Christianity

	Communism

	Jewish Religion

	Hellenic Religion

	Khumeinism

	(and so on)


From a secularist point of view there is very little difference between
the various religions (or some may say superstitions).  As a secularist,
I have a hard time distinguishing between Zeus, Odin or Mr. Brown's god.
I can only view these deities as interesting and amusing creation of the
human imagination. The main difference between the various religions
- from a secularist perspective - is whether the followers of the respective
religions are in the business of imposing their religion on the "non-
believers".

You may be surprised to find communism in both Bob's atheists' list and
my religionists' list.  It is true that communists label themselves as
atheists.  But in reality they are not atheists. Marx and Lenin are their
gods. They worship them as fervently as other religionists worship their
chosen god.  The similarity between communism and other religions does not
end with worshiping. Communists and some fundamentalist religionists
have a lot more in common.  Examples of areas of commonality:

	- Desire for a stricter authority
	- Very little tolerance for ideas and lifestyles that deviate
	  from what they define as the norm.
	- Desire to censor literature and music and other art forms
	  that they feel are out of line.
	- Try to impose their religion/dogma on others.
	- They know what is good for you
	- Attempting to prevent individuals from making personal
	  choices that are out of step with their dogma.
-- 

Yosi Hoshen
Bell Laboratories
Naperville, Illinois
(312)-979-7321
Mail: ihnp4!ihuxn!jho