Todd Stiefel, a wealthy businessman, is responsible for bank rolling many atheism activism projects.

[Starboard Tack]

I like this guy. He's an activist who walks the line. He's making a difference without being divisive. Many of my fellow atheists would do well to follow his lead when it comes to activism.

Stiefel isn’t shy about his far-reaching goals.

“What I am trying to accomplish is multifold, he told CNN. “I consider myself working on the next civil equality movement, just like women’s rights, LGBT rights and African-American Civil Rights. We are still in the early stages of eliminating discrimination against atheists and humanists. That is something I really want to accomplish.”
-snip-
“I try to walk a line,” he said. “I see religious criticism as valuable, and groups like American Atheists are good at that. I do think we have to have a dialogue about who has the right ideas and part of that is pointing out the flaws in religious ideas.”

Stiefel continued: “I also see inter-belief work, though. I do find a lot of value in inter-belief work and I do see a lot of value in general charity work.”
http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2013/03/23/the-money-man-behind-atheisms-activism/

[longship]

1. I think that I like this guy.

He thinks about things the way I do.

I am very strong in my atheist activism, but I recognize that religion will likely not be going away anytime soon, if ever. The only practical solution in such a situation is to strongly oppose the most unreasoning religionists but reach out to theists who are reasonable.

My metric in this is simple. The extent to which one advocates the use of auspices of government to impose any religious practice or belief on others is the extent to which I am in unyielding opposition. I also reserve my god-given right (so to speak) of blasphemy, which I consider a victimless crime.

Two weeks ago I had two Jehovah Witnesses knock on my door. What they were doing here in the middle of nowhere, I have no idea. But I dispatched them on their way quickly, but politely. I bid them a nice day as they returned to their car and waved as they drove off. No sense in being rude in spite of their presumption. I don't think they'll have much luck with my few neighbors either. Slim pickings here in the national forest.

[Phillip McCleod]

2. 'national forest' huh? i'm guessing you're out west somewhere then? \n

you don't hear the term 'forest' too much in the in the mid-west or out east.. never mind, 'national forest'.. and never 'wilderness.'

[cbayer]

4. National Forests are everywhere and they are great.

You can pull in and camp anytime. They are generally isolated, undisturbed and beautiful.

Watch for the signs next time you are off the interstate. You may start to notice them.

http://www.fs.fed.us/locatormap/

[Phillip McCleod]

6. true they're everywhere..

..but every time i've used the term 'forest' east of say, denver, people either look at me like i'm crazy or laugh outright. not kidding. outright laughed in my face, once. 'forest?' with a faux confused look. 'woods?' i suggested. 'you mean those trees?'
'yeh' .. was more or less how the conversation went.

out west there's better definition. someone says they're going to the 'forest' they mean national forest. if they say 'wilderness' they mean *back-country*. back country simply does not exist back east. except maybe maine. not like the west anyway. not even close.

[cbayer]

10. Ah, so it's just a regional nomenclature kind of thing.

Did not know that.

[longship]

5. Western Michigan.

Lots of national forest here. All over the state. My county has higher population of white tail deer than humans -- no matter how many we plow over on the dirt roads here. Actually, the stupid deer run right into the path of a car, and even right into the side of a car. They're dumb things. Fucks up the car big time, too. Everybody here has has such encounters.

The other day I was driving home from my weekly grocery shopping trip at just before dusk. There were about six on the road. I stopped and honked and honked. Bastards paid no attention to me. When they moved off, I carefully inched through revving the engine to cause as much noise as I could. You never know when there's one in the brush by the roadside waiting to be spooked and run right into you.

Hate them. Love the coyotes though. You don't see them but they often raise a ruckus at night. Lots of other animals, too.

[Phillip McCleod]

7. oh yeh.. it's mighty beautiful there.

i have family in the state. just there 6 mo. ago for a wedding in fact.

can't blame a westerner for engaging in a little friendly game of 'my forest is bigger than your forest' tho' can ya?

..

truth is all our forests have shrunken to pathetic size. between drought and beetle kill and fires and the 1990s, the rockies are pretty screwed right now. big horn sheep are on the threatened list, so not much to really brag about.

otoh, we have *mountains*.

[longship]

9. We have WATER!

Nanner, nanner, nanner!

[Phillip McCleod]

12. d'oh!!

ya got me there!

[Starboard Tack]

3. I'm with you 100%

There are good people of all beliefs and as long as don't impose those beliefs on others or on government policy, then they are entitled to hold whatever beliefs they choose, without prejudice.
I think you dealt with the JWs admirably. I've only had them knock on my door once and I was not happy. It was a Sunday morning and my only day off work at the time. I was pissed and lectured them about disturbing people on a Sunday, couldn't resist the irony. I was much younger and much angrier then. I'd be more compassionate today. As you say, "No sense in being rude in spite of their presumption."

[longship]

8. Who said I wasn't pissed?

I was not happy about them knocking on my door, even though it wasn't Sunday morning. I was curt with them, but not impolite. They tried to hide their intentions, but I simply asked them, "What's this about?" When they showed me their magazine, "Watchtower" I simply said, "Sorry guys. Not interested."

What's peculiar is that very few people live here. Most of the houses around here are long time vacant. Only a couple houses per square mile are occupied. The roads here are dirt, and my intersection leads no where else but to dense forest where nobody lives, in two directions!

So what the fuck were those guys doing here? I should have asked them.

Last year it was two Mormons (you can always recognize them). At least they were honest up front. I was polite with them, too. Can you imagine having your bishop tell you you're going to serve your church by traveling to the national forest in Michigan instead of, for instance, Paris, France?

Well, maybe that's it. My mailing address is Paris, Michigan. Try finding that on on your map. Really!

[Phillip McCleod]

11. i had an uncle in hell, mich (now deceased)..

..loved to visit just for the t-shirts if nothing else.

[dimbear]

13. Hell is an uncommon but not rare last name in Germany.

Just means 'bright' auf Deutsch.