Pastor Mike Stahl is the head of an “internet church” called the Church of the Living Water and has drawn national attention due to a proposal he made a year ago: a national registry for atheists. We have seen religious and political leaders in the last year attacking atheists and even comparing them to terrorists. Stahl’s proposed national registry is the natural outgrowth of such demagoguery.
Here is Stahl’s proposal:
Brothers and Sisters , I have been seriously considering forming a ( Christian ) grassroots type of organization to be named “The Christian National Registry of Atheists” or something similar . I mean, think about it. There are already National Registrys for convicted sex offenders, ex-convicts, terrorist cells, hate groups like the KKK, skinheads, radical Islamists, etc..
This type of “National Registry” would merely be for information purposes. To inform the public of KNOWN ( i.e., self-admitted) atheists. For example, let’s say you live in Colorado Springs, Colorado , you could simply scroll down (from the I-Net site /Blog ) I would have , to the State of Colorado , and then when you see “Colorado Springs” , you will see the names of all the self-admitted atheist(s) who live there ( e.g., if an atheist’s name happened to be “Phil Small” ). The individual’s physical address, and other known personal information would NOT be disclosed (though, perhaps a photo could be).
Now , many (especially the atheists ) , may ask “Why do this , what’s the purpose ?” Duhhh , Mr. Atheist , for the same purpose many States put the names and photos of convicted sex offenders and other ex-felons on the I-Net – to INFORM the public! I mean, in the City of Miramar, Florida, where I live, the population is approx. 109,000. My family and I would sure like to know how many of those 109,000 are ADMITTED atheists! Perhaps we may actually know some. In which case we could begin to witness to them and warn them of the dangers of atheism. Or perhaps they are radical atheists, whose hearts are as hard as Pharaoh’s, in that case, if they are business owners, we would encourage all our Christian friends , as well as the various churches and their congregations NOT to patronize them as we would only be “feeding” Satan.
Frankly , I don’t see why anyone would oppose this idea – including the atheists themselves (unless of course, they’re actually ashamed of their atheist religion, and would prefer to stay in the ‘closet.’).
It is a fascinating glimpse into the mind of intolerance. It is particularly interesting to see Stahl talking about hate groups in the midst of an intolerant proposal like a national registry.
Source: Free Thought as first seen on Reddit.
If you asked me one has to have a lot of faith to be an athiest.
Doesn’t being a Christian mean that you love all and leave the judging to the one and only judge, God?! No one has the right to tell anyone how to live and what to believe. I am a Christian, but do not look down upon anyone for their religious belief. I know quite a few Christians who are hypocrites, racist, do not live like a Christian, but I know some Atheists that live like Christians but do not believe in a higher power. Should we make these “Christians” wear a symbol saying that they are racist among other things? Please!!
Roco –
“If you take God and Jesus out of the bible it can be used in a secular manner as a model for treating people and living your life [ethics].”
Yeah. We could get a lot of mileage out of His Divine Word:
“And if a man sell his daughter to be a maidservant, she shall not go out as the menservants do. If she please not her master, who hath betrothed her to himself, then shall he let her be redeemed: ” (Exodus 21:7-10).
Sounds like something written by some seriously self-centered mid-Eastern fellows.
I’m sure that there are lots of the ‘faithful’ who are not only on some of the lists referenced above, “KKK,” etc, but who are proud card-carrying members of them.
What if we take this one more step, and make the ‘true believers’ be put on a registry so we can track their steps and hound them for their belief in an imaginary being?
That way we can give them the medications they so desperately need, by force.
HenMan I’m the one with the hippo. Flashy dresser but hell on your feet in a waltz
When I first read this article, I shuddered in fear at the notion of being included on the pastor’s list. But, then, I remembered … I’m an agnostic apatheist, and he is only concerned about atheists … so I guess I’m off the hook.
COME AND GET ME BITCHES!!!!!
Jo-
Best Gravatar ever! And a great comment.
Starts out with an off the wall comment “lets start a registry of KNOWN athiests” Trying to be provacative for his nutjob followers… gets picked up by them and becomes some sort of rallying cry. A nutjob congresscritter trying to get more teaparty votes picks up on it. Michelle Bachman, Rick Perry and all other prez hopefulls jump on the band wagon. Then why just admitted athiests. Why not those who aren’t members of a church. How bout those who are members but lax in their attendance. How bout we erect some stocks on the courthouse steps for those good christians who lapse in the eyes of the pastors such as this ass. Start sewing those Scarlet As as well as a whole lotta other scarlet letters. I think I’ll start sewing one right now JIIA (Jesus Ignoring Intolerant Ass) for this (ahem) pastor
I don’t think it is illegal for anyone to put any list they like online. I am more comfortable with any list being public rather than private. (Thinking of the no-fly list, the people disappeared, …)
Very well said, lottakatz. (I’d refer him to your comment 😉 but, apparently he’s blocking his website, or so I’ve heard… )
Well, if you are concerned that such a national registry of atheists might be abused, the solution is obviously to pass legislation declaring that only Christians be allowed to hold public office. Then, surely, there could be no danger of abuse of power, since being a Christian renders one immune to such temptations.
The hate movements are all about insecurity IMO. If you see homophobes on the street corner or in the Congress/Statehouse you’re seeing people that are insecure in their own sexuality. If you see racists on the street corner or in the Congress/Statehouse you’re seeing someone that is insecure about their own self worth- ‘if you’re not better than -fill in the blank- then what are you?’. If you are a religious person and you see a successful atheist, someone that has a strong moral compass, deals with others ethically, has people to love and that loves him/her in return, then you have to be insecure in your prescription for leading a successful life. I think Mike Stahl is a very insecure man and has less faith in his faith than he would like people to believe.
I don’t know about atheists but a registry of American Christians classified by type might be a good idea. If I lived in the US I would certainly want to know whether there were any members of the New Apostolic Reformation living near by so that I could take precautions.
Allan Bean’s Friends of Justice blog has recently posted several articles on these crazies. This is the latest of them.
I make water almost every day and would be all too happy to send him some. There are those who say they’ve seen what’s-his-name’s face in the foam.
How about a national registry of people who operate internet scams for profit and call them “ministries”?
And while we’re at it, how about a national registry of evangelists who call themselves “Dr.” because they received a piece of paper from some unaccredited Bible school in Podunk, Tennessee?