ftp.wwiv.com/ftp.wwiv.com.zip/ftp.wwiv.com/pub/BBS/ELRUL303.ZIP/ATHEIST.RUL

Text File | 1992-12-31 | 8KB | 169 lines

Msg # 217
Date: 17 Dec 92  17:18:53
From: Christopher Baker
  To: All
Subj: A_THEIST Echo Guidelines - late 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 1:374/14, in Titusville_FL_USA. Anyone desiring a link to this
Echo should contact their local Backbone links. The Echo is now available
on the Zone 1 Backbone and is sent to Zone 3 and Zone 6 through Jackson
Harding at 3:800/857 and to Zone 2 through Dieter Hummel at 2:241/6001
via a gate at 1:374/14.

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 Zones 2, 3, and 6 as
above] 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.

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 [Jon Murray] and Editor Emeritus [Madalyn O'Hair] of American
Atheists have been invited to participate in this Echo. Anyone desiring
membership or more information about the organization may write to Jon
Murray at: American Atheists, Inc., P.O. Box 140195, Austin, TX, 78714-0195.
Their telephone is: [phone], 0900-1700 CT.

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:

1:374/14 [Host/Moderator], [Zone 1] Backbone, also available via the PODS.
Zone 3 and Zone 6 is linked through 3:800/857. Zone 2 is linked through
2:241/6001 by way of 1:374/14 as Gate.

Sample files of the A_THEIST Echo and a listing of Atheist files are
available from 1:374/14 as A_THEIST.ZIP or the magic filename of ATHEIST.
An ASCII archive of all previous traffic in this Echo is available as
A_ECHO1.ZIP, A_ECHO2.ZIP, A_ECHO3.ZIP, A_ECHO4.ZIP, A_ECHO5.ZIP, etc. These
are added to each time traffic is purged in this area.

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].

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

TTFN.
Chris

--- DB 1.51B/001027
 * Origin: Rights On!-Host/Moderator of A_THEIST-Titusville_FL_USA (1:374/14)
SEEN-BY: 152/20 241/6001 374/12 14 98 800/857

PATH: 374/14