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.
“the ones who protest the loudest” Watch’em!!
How about a national registry of people who harbor prejudices and bigotry?
Oops!
Don’t we already have it?
The Census?
“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 .”
(from Free Thought)
Guys like this take their cues from those in power:
Illegal Surveillance: A Real Security Threat
by James Bovard, February 27, 2006
http://www.fff.org/comment/com0602j.asp
Excerpt:
“The FBI inflicted its wrath on speakers, teachers, and writers. A 1976 Senate report noted hundreds of COINTELPRO operations aimed “to get university and high-school teachers fired; to prevent targets from speaking on campus; to stop chapters of target groups from being formed; to prevent the distribution of books, newspapers, or periodicals; to disrupt news conferences; to disrupt peaceful demonstrations.”
The FBI smeared anyone they disapproved of, from Martin Luther King on down. In 1968 the FBI ordered field offices to gather information illustrating the “scurrilous and depraved nature of many of the characters, activities, habits, and living conditions representative of New Left adherents.” FBI headquarters commanded all FBI agents, “Every avenue of possible embarrassment must be vigorously and enthusiastically explored.”
“Other federal agencies also trampled citizens’ privacy, rights, and lives during the late 1960s and early 1970s. The IRS used COINTELPRO leads to launch audits against thousands of suspected political enemies of the Nixon administration. The U.S. Army set up its own surveillance program, creating files on 100,000 Americans and targeting domestic organizations such as the Young Americans for Freedom, the John Birch Society, and the Anti-Defamation League of B’nai B’rith.
The more information government gathers on people, the more power it will have over them. The more expansive and secretive government intrusions become, the easier it becomes for government to rule by fear.” (end excerpt)
I seem to recall I’ve heard these lines before . . . I’m thinking it was in the TV alien show “V” – about spooky extraterrestrials who could blend in with humans.
“I would sure like to know how many of those 109,000 are ADMITTED atheists! Perhaps we may actually KNOW some.”
And then there’s little little peak into this frightening pea-brain:
“Frankly, I don’t see why anyone would oppose this idea.”
Religiosity on steroids does have one cool advantage: it allows one to actually see through a keyhole with both eyes at the same time.
I wouldn’t be at all surprised if this proposal becomes a plank in the Republican platform … teabaggers would love it.
“wear labels”
I blame the brain eating zombies.
Could this be a ex post facto list, for those who have already returned to diust. You know, someone like Thomas Paine, founding father, author of Common Sense, and adamantly (militantly?) an atheist.
Oro Lee, you’re insulting zombies. Careful there.
Zombies don’t want to put you on a registry, make you were labels and (eventually) round you up into camps.
They just want to eat your brain.
Oh, Oh! How about this! — a national registry of Chrhistians, you know, for the same purposes!
Big problem, do we list those who claim to be Christains (like Pastor Stahl) or make them prove they are Christians? I think the latter list would be much shorter and eaasier to maintain, but the former much more helpful.
All’s I can do is shake my head…
Church of the Living Dead –Zombie Christian’s! Be very afraid, it doesn’t do any good to shoot them in the head.
Frankly,
My thoughts exactly. Also a cursory count of the wars started over atheism is quite revealing as well.
There’s a lunatic religious leader? On the Internet? Shocking.
Well, since all atheists are criminals and potential terrorists this makes complete sense! I mean when was the last time you heard of a religious person committing an act of terrorism? But atheists? All the time! Oklahoma City, The Atlanta Olympic bombing, The clinic bombings & shooting of doctors, That church shooting in Tennessee, The synagog shootings in LA, hell even 9/11 – were all the work of atheists – right?
emw1, you are insulting pricks. Careful there.
This “Pastor” sounds like a total prick
I wonder how our “constitutional law professor” president might find reasonable accommodation room here? It seems he finds no seemingly sacrosanct principles he can’t negotiate about, at least if objection emanates from anywhere to the right of progressive values.
I’ll have my Atheist! bar-code/microchip on the back of neck thanks.
These are the people who fear Sharia law so much? Who call those who disagree with them Nazis?
I read somewhere this guy and his sympathizers also want a legal requirement for atheists to wear a symbol indicating atheist status when they go out in public. Sound familiar?
For outreach purposes, no doubt. Help find the lost.
The thing is, is there anything to stop him from doing it, if he got it into his, you know, mind, to do it? Could one, opt-out for example.