My Virginia Pilot Interview

[reverendjeremiah]

http://hamptonroads.com/node/149181

Yes, this is the newspaper article I have told many of you about. My name is Jeremy Martin, and I came out as an atheist on the front page of the local newspaper..and I never thought he would have me as the initial paragraph to the article. I was flattered. The reporter, Steve Veigh, spoke with me on the phone for a good hour and a half a few days after the interview and basically gave me PLENTY of time to say what I wanted to say. It was rather nice actually. I was working for the Shipyard the day they released this article. As I walked in to the break room I was the BIG talk of the job...I walked into the room completely unaware that I was headline news for that morning. My boss showed me the newspaper. Let me tell you that I have performed in front of hundreds of people playing music or doing internet radio and believe me when I tell you; That was the first time I have ever blushed. The reaction was a bit mixed, but not negative. Or at least not OPENLY negative.

Most atheists stay in the closet. Some bold atheists come out in public...

...an atheist with brass balls comes out on the front page of the morning news!



P.S. - I was a moderator of that "FAVA" forum

[reverendjeremiah]

Here is one of the comments about me on the site

Hmm. Joe Schmoe, a regular guy (picture of a regular guy) who works as a plumber (trade we can all identify with), and used to attend church (he has reformed), now says religious persons are taking away his basic rights and freedoms (appealing to our sense of fairness), after what he says an atmosphere of religiosity has caused so many problems in the world (the real point the liberal press wants to drive home).

This story is one example of how the media subtely normalizes atheism, targets organized religion, baiting specifically Christians, in order to use the emotionally volatile notion of hell to bastardize Christianity. It's insidious and evil and it's why the Pilot and other traditional media have lost readership.

This is the same play the media has successfully used over the years to normalize homosexuality and abortion.

Wake up America - to the media's brainwashing party. Don't allow your values to be compromised by the slow, deliberate onslaught of propaganda.

Yeah, nice of you to use me as the "conspiracy theory" of the day. I dont exist. The "liberal media" made me up to spook you into atheism.

[aidoism]

haha yes there is no real such thing as an atheist.. only uneducated "lost" souls. these ppl need to find in our words and actions, reason... we dont believe because we weren't taught/brain washed or just grew up with a mind of our own.. not because we dont know what we know. good work though! 1-0 atheism

[Violet]

You live in Virginia? You poor soul...

I never heard about this until now Does that make me underinformed?

[Rayaan]

I sympathize with your happiness even though this is not a good news for us believers.

[tackattack]

You're uninformed. I read that paper (not at all regularly). I dind't know you were that close to me Rev. I'm in Hampton. Are you on the usermap? We're planning an even this weekend and one of the beaches. I might have to get up with those VA atheists communities the article lists and plan a visit.

[Violet]

You're uninformed. I read that paper (not at all regularly). I dind't know you were that close to me Rev. I'm in Hampton. Are you on the usermap? We're planning an even this weekend and one of the beaches. I might have to get up with those VA atheists communities the article lists and plan a visit.

Thank goodness I am.

The underinformed uninformed women don't wear a uniform.





And I mourn for you too... since you live somewhere within 500 Base Galactic Units (BGU or 'Bugs') of Virginia.

[Jaysyn]

Wow, there are a bunch of real "winners" there in that comment thread.

[reverendjeremiah]

You live in Virginia? You poor soul...

I never heard about this until now Does that make me underinformed?

No, it doesnt. You must not have been on the few threads I have mentioned it on.

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You're uninformed. I read that paper (not at all regularly). I dind't know you were that close to me Rev. I'm in Hampton. Are you on the usermap? We're planning an even this weekend and one of the beaches. I might have to get up with those VA atheists communities the article lists and plan a visit.

I grew up in South Norfolk. I currently live near Moyock in NC. I do my work in Va. in Norfolk at the Staff college (NATO) near the NOB. As far as the group, it mostly disbanded when a new moderator was elected. She eventually convinced the owner of the group to put her in charge. She then started pushing her Veganism, she started banning people who would make crude jokes (the kind I like), and UNmoderated me and Matt (the other guy in the article) so that she could consolidate the new members we gained after the news article.

What pisses me off the most, is during the interview, she insisted that she remain anonymous, but also insisted that her words be printed. Near the end of me and Matt's stay in the group, we sent her a mutual message to the tune of: "We spent hundreds of hours bulding, advertising, and running this group. I have personally invested money to have guest speakers (Yes, we paid Ellery Schempp to fly over here, paid for advertising space, etc.. to Va and give a Public forum: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ellery_Schempp He absolutely LOVED Jesus Christ Arcade) We have personally put our heads on the public cutting block to advertise this group and get the message of atheism on the front page, something you refused to have the courage to do, and even now we are receiving death threats for doing so.. and now since you have the benefits of our labor you seek to push us out and mold the group to your personal ideals and tastes. This WAS a freethought group, that is, before you were put in charge. ME and Matt personally consider you to be a pompous bitch, and we will be leaving to join another group"

When we left. 2/3 of the group left with us. We are all now on Facebook, and we no longer have a group title we meet under.