What is your name? (Real or pseudo)

Kenneth Blackledge

What is your date of birth?

August 9, 1960

What is your gender?

Male

What is your race?

White Anglo-Saxon(?) Former Protestant

What is your e-mail address? (optional)

kdblackledge@nni.com

What is the name and URL of your homepage? (optional)

Don't have one, and that probably won't change in the foreseeable future.

Where do you live? (City, State, Country)

Souderton, PA, USA. (A small town about 30 miles north-northwest of Philadelphia)

How would you best describe your form of freethought? (Atheist, Agnostic, Humanist, etc.)

Going with the simple definition of atheist as "one who doesn't believe in God," I'd have to say that describes me. I've been educated by Cardigan and others that agnosticism is in most cases one step away from atheism, although I do know a theistic Unitarian-Universalist who describes herself as agnostic, out of reluctance to pin labels on God. (If only more believers were like her.)

Were you raised as a freethinker or to be religious?

As I've hinted above, I was raised as a Christian. Although my parents were not active churchgoers (for differing reasons which would take too long to explain here) they bought me Bible story books when I was younger and encouraged me to believe in God and Jesus. For most of my life I occasionally attended Sunday School classes at a church within walking distance of my house. If one defines "fundamentalism" as a belief that the Bible is the "infalliable, inerrant and inspired word of God," then this church would definitely fit the bill, although they were not quite as extreme as those who label themselves as Fundamentalists.

What originally set you on the path to freethought?

Actually, it was a desire to become closer to God and live a better Christian life. But a closer study of the Bible and some books on Bible scholarship made me realize that the Bible couldn't possibly be true on a literal level. That and a comparison of Christianity to other religions made me a "liberal Christian," although I now realize that's one for Cardigan's oxymoron file. Finally, a look at Christian history (which is mostly one big, long power trip on the part of the leaders) and reading about various freethought arguments, particularly the "problem of evil," convinced me that atheism was closer to the truth than anything the religionists had to say.

When did you "come out" as a freethinker to family/friends/public, and how did it go over?

I haven't actually come right out and told my family, "Hey, I'm an atheist, I don't believe in a personal God, or that Jesus was his son." Despite still living with them due to limited finances, we're not particularly close and don't talk about much beyond superficialities. My mother wouldn't disown me or anything like that, but she would probably be diappointed and/or concerned. My father would no longer care. He's not exactly an atheist yet, but that's another long involved story I'd rather not get into here. I've told a few of the people at my job when the subject of religion came up, and the reaction for the most part seemed to be one of surprise, with such questions as "How can you not believe in God?" or "Don't you think there's anything beyond this life, anything better than this?"

Do you feel it necessary to continue to hide your beliefs in any circumstances, and if so, why?

I wouldn't use the word "necessary" (may it never come to that) although it is sometimes preferable, especially if one wants to avoid an argument with some jerk whose mind is already made up and does not want to be confused with the facts. Somewhat more ambiguous is whether or not to disillusion your theist friends if you have reason to think they're not ready to question their own beliefs.

Have you ever been the victim of discrimination or abuse because of your beliefs?

The worst direct treatment I've gotten was when one of my co-workers told me I was going to burn in hell -- and I wasn't even talking to him at the time; he overheard me speaking to someone else. But I've had arguments with him before about non-religious matters, and so have others. If people like him are going to be in heaven, then I'd rather not go there.

In what types of freethought activism, if any, do you participate?

I'll sometimes write a letter to my local newspaper concerning an issue that affects freethinkers, or write out a check to Americans United for Separation of Church and State, but that's about it. I tend to be very cynical about activism in general since many activists (on either side of the political spectrum) don't seem to be able to see beyond their pet cause, whatever it is. It also appears to me that they end up causing more problems than they solve.

What do you feel is the best part of being a freethinker?

I don't really have an answer for this one. There have been other recent disillusionments besides learning that my childhood beliefs are fantasy, and the glass always tended to look half empty to me anyway. I know that there are some people who've managed to find some sense of peace and comfort without believing in a personal God, but I'm not one of them. I'm more inclined to agree with Sartre when he said that humanity was "condemned to be free." So why would I recommend freethought at all? Because the comforts and security of theism ring hollow if they're not based on reality, and as I've said earlier, atheism is closer to reality than anything else I've seen. It doesn't have all the answers, but at least it doesn't pretend to, either.

What do you feel is the worst part of being a freethinker?

You mean besides what I've already said? Well, it's knowing there are still many theists, New Agers, and religionists who don't seem to realize that no matter what we wish for, reality will not bend to magical thinking. Personally, I think they have to be aware of this on a subconscious, instinctive level. Why else would many of them refuse to listen to anyone who's world view is different from their own; even going so far as attempting to outlaw dissent in some cases?

What is the societal atmosphere for freethinkers where you live?

The area where I live is a haven for closed minds, not only for freethinkers, but for anyone who's considered "different." People form their own little cliques and don't interact with anyone else unless they absolutely have to. This includes the several Asians who've moved in within the past few years, so I guess you could say that in one sense they've managed to fit in.

How do you define "freedom of religion" and do you think your country attempts to grant this?

In the simplest sense, freedom of religion means that one has the right to decide for himself what religion to practice, if any. In a broader sense, it would also preclude government from sanctioning, endorsing or even giving preferential treatment to Christianity or any other religion. We haven't quite gotten there yet, and unfortunately many otherwise well-meaning people believe that this would be going too far. Then of course there's the Radical Religious Right, who seem determined to take away freedom of religion even in its simple meaning. The scariest folks are the Christian Reconstructionists who, by their own admission, would execute freethinkers as Enemies of the State once they set up their version of a Christian government.

If you could share one thought with whoever might read this profile of you, what would it be?

I don't think I could do better than these words from Albert Einstein: "A man's ethical behavior should be based effectively on sympathy, education and social ties and needs; no religious basis is necessary. Man would indeed be in a poor way if he had to be restrained by fear of punishment and hope of reward after death."