Hot Shareware 32/hot34.iso/ficheros/VUBBS/ELRUL804.ZIP/ATHEIST.RUL

Text File | 1998-01-08 | 8KB | 167 lines

--- Following message extracted from A_THEIST @ 1:18/14 ---
    By Christopher Baker on Wed Jan 07 22:10:34 1998

From: Christopher Baker
To: All
Date: 01 Jan 98  00:04:50
Subj: A_THEIST Echo Guidelines - regular repost

Basic Disclaimer:

This Echo operates under the premises espoused by American Atheists, Inc., but
is in NO WAY connected to that organization other than the Moderator's paid
membership. This Echo does not represent American Atheists, Inc., nor does it
claim any link to those founders and writers of that organization.

The opinions expressed in this Echo are those of the writers identified in the
header of each message. No other responsibility is expressed or implied for
the content of the messages in this Echo.

This Echo does not exist to promote so-called 'freethought' groups or
publications [Freedom From Religion Foundation, American Humanist Association,
American Rationalist, Prometheus Books, Atheists United, Humanist Quest for
Truth, etc.] other than the goals of American Atheists, Inc., as stated below.
Promotion of those groups will be considered 'off-topic'. Participants from
those groups are welcome to post so long as they remember that prohibition and
stick to rationales without advertising. Publication of reading material or
periodicals sources or addresses will not be considered off-topic and are
welcome in this Echo.

Echo facts:

This Echo is Hosted and Moderated by Christopher Baker from Rights On!,
FidoNet Node 1:18/14, in Edgewater_FL_USA. Anyone desiring a link to this Echo
should contact their local Backbone links.

This Echo provides a forum for the discussion of atheism and free thought. It
is not a sounding board for rabid anti-religionists or for fundamentalist
dogmas intended to 'save our souls' from the power of an open mind.

NOTE:

Those who wish to engage in religious debate outside the scope of the
separation issue are directed to the HOLYSMOKE Echo from 1:152/20 [which is
now on the Zone 1 Backbone and is also gated to Zone 3] or one of the other
religious criticism Echos.

The subject of proof or non-proof of any god or gods is off-topic in this Echo.
 As atheists we know the existence of god or gods is unproven and
unsupportable by logic, reason or scientific proof. The debate of existence of
god or gods is unnecessary and unwelcome. Go to HOLYSMOKE or a bible Echo for
such debate. In this Echo, there is no god or gods nor has there ever been nor
will there ever be.

The subject of changing the name or scope of this Echo from the posted name
and scope will be considered off-topic and not permitted. Anyone who finds the
Echo does not meet their expectations of what should be discussed is
encouraged to start one of their own that does.

The discussion of various philosophies that are debatable are NOT welcome here.
 Please take such discussions to PHIL or the new ATHEISM Echo where these
conversations are encouraged.

Correction of the spelling, grammar, or style of other people's messages is
off-topic. It is pointless noise. Refrain from it.

Proselytizers and preachers of the 'gospel' will be unwelcome if they cannot
debate without resorting to 'you must believe this' or 'you must have faith'
or 'you will all fry in hell', etc. Such outbursts will result in the links to
the offending system being cut if the Sysop of that system cannot prevent
future outbursts of that type.

Personal attacks will not be permitted. Participants will confine themselves
to ideas and facts and avoid personality clashes or ego wars. Private messages
are not permitted. Sysops are expected to restrict this Echo to public
messages only.

In the discussion of atheism, the following definition will be the operational
precept of the Echo:

                        a-theism = free of religion.

Aliases are not permitted. It's time for atheists to come out of the closet.

Handles may be used so long as they are not used to avoid responsibility for
the attached posts, are normally used in other Echos, and where the actual
identity of the person under the handle is available upon request to the Sysop
of the posting system or the Moderator of this Echo.

              A_THEIST ECHO OFF-TOPIC POSTING PENALTIES SCHEDULE

These penalties are listed only for those who cannot follow directions or
stick to the posted Guidelines and who fail to curtail their non-compliance
after being instructed by the Moderator to do so. It has been necessary in the
past to disconnect systems from their links to the A_THEIST Echo because the
Sysops of those systems refused to keep their traffic or the traffic of their
Users on the posted topics of the Echo, namely, separation of state and church
issues and atheist information.

     Step 1: First off-topic message will result in a warning in the Echo;
     Step 2: Second off-topic message will result in warning in the Echo
             and Netmail to you or your Sysop if you are a User;
     Step 3: Third off-topic message will result in the disconnection of
             the offending system at the NEC and REC levels as required.

These penalties will be invoked only as a last resort when reason and
redirection has failed to bring the poster back on-topic or when it is obvious
that the poster has no intention of adhering to the posted Guidelines.

                     End of Off-Topic Penalty Schedule

The President [Ellen Johnson] of American Atheists has been invited to
participate in this Echo. Anyone desiring membership or more information about
the organization may write to: American Atheists, Inc., P.O. Box 140195,
Austin, TX, 78714-0195. Their telephone is: [phone], 0900-1700 CT; FAX
[phone]. AAI also operates American Atheists Webpage on the Internet at:

   http://www.atheists.org

AAOS has a complete message and file system with many sources of information
and exchange on that webpage.

Echo Purpose:

  1.  Stimulate freedom of thought and inquiry concerning religious dogmas
      and practices;
  2.  Collect and disseminate information on all religions and their
      histories;
  3.  Advocate and labor for the complete and absolute separation of
      church and State;
  4.  Advocate and labor for a thoroughly secular system of education
      available to all;
  5.  Encourage development and acceptance of a human ethical system
      stressing the responsibility of individuals to society;
  6.  Develop and propagate a social philosophy in which man/woman is
      the central figure who alone must be the strength of humanity;
  7.  Promote the study of arts and sciences for the enrichment of
      human life.

"Atheism may be defined as the mental attitude which unreservedly accepts the
supremacy of reason and aims at establishing a life-style and ethical outlook
verifiable by experience and the scientific method, independent of all
arbitrary assumptions and creeds." American Atheists, Inc.

The current list of primary Echo link points is as follows:

1:18/14 [Host/Moderator], [Zone 1] Backbone, also available via the PODS.

Sample files of the A_THEIST Echo and a listing of Atheist files are available
from 1:18/14 as A_THEIST.ZIP or the magic filename of ATHEIST.

For anyone who does not understand these Guidelines as published, there is a
fully annotated version available as A_ECHO-A.RUL for file request from this
system. It is also included in the A_THEIST.ZIP sample file.

File requests are honored anytime except 0100-0130 ET and Zone 1 ZMH [0500-
0600 EDT; 0400-0500 EST] for FidoNet listed systems [and their legal points]
ONLY.

Welcome to a new dawn in religiously unimpeded thinking! [grin]

QOFM.
Chris
A_THEIST Echo Moderator

 Origin: Rights On!-Host/Moderator of A_THEIST-Edgewater_FL_USA (1:18/14)