Chris Haughey's Comments

"I was trying to reply to something you wrote but I can't find it now lol.  U mentioned Robert Ingersoll.  Any  idea where that was?"

 

It's in my e-mail In Box, but when I clicked on the link to its place in the discussion, there was a notice that it had been deleted.  Don't know why. 

 

Maybe I should start a discussion about Ingersoll; he's a major hero IMO.  It's amazing that he made a very comfortable living in the late 1800s, touring the US, and speaking on Freethought issues, among other things.  He also spoke on Shakespeare, Robt. Burns, slavery, women's rights, and other topics, but his most popular lectures were on the absurdities, arrogance, intolerance of faith in general, and Christianity in particular.

 

The best biography of him is American Infidel: Robert G. Ingersoll by Orvin Larson; you might be able to get a used copy at a reasonable price on eBay's Half.com.  Or you can get a brand new copy from the Freedom From Religion Foundation $20 for members, and $25 for non-members.  I have a very battered copy that I keep on my nightstand, and several paperback collections of quotations, excerpts from his speeches and letters.

And this labor of love:

http://www.infidels.org/library/historical/robert_ingersoll/

 

He was not only a passionate and compassionate orator, he could be funny, too.  In "Some Mistakes of Moses" his description of the probable conditions inside Noah's Ark is hilarious.

 

I wish the man were alive today; we NEED him.  Desperately.

 

(Somewhere on the net there's an audio clip of a recording he did for T. Edison...on one of those wax cylinders.  Short and scratchy, but it makes me weep to think what things in this country might be like if he could have been recorded with current technology ... *sigh*)

Thanks for the add, Chris! :D

 Belated welcome Chris! Its great to have you with us.

Hi again, Chris. Please consider joining my brand new group, Hang With Friends. It's not so much intellectually soothing as easy to get along. :D

Welcome, Chris. I hope you find us good company. :)

Hi Chris. Welcome to this rational world of Internet atheism---a haven from the superstitions and fictional god of the masses, especially the Georgia ones. 

"Genuine common sense leads to atheism."

We invite you to make good friends by joining the busy group "ORIGINS: Universe, Astronomy, Life, Earth, Humans, Religion, Gods, Atheism, Evolution, Darwin..." with its 450 discussion topics and 2600 members.

http://www.atheistnexus.org/group/originsuniverselifehumankindanddarwin

Terence Meaden 

Welcome Chris! 

 

If this is too personal, you don't have to reply.  I'm just thinking that it must be a challenge for an atheist in GA (or anywhere) to find secular sobriety support...  All the more reason to congratulate you now!  What are your thoughts on religion-based sobriety programs (like AA) in general?

Hello and welcome.  We are glad to have you join us.