What is your name? (Real or pseudo)

Mikail (or Mikhail) Bakunin (a pseudonym) - Bakunin was a brilliant 19th century atheist and freethinker who said: "Even if God existed it would be necessary to abolish Him."

What is your date of birth?

6/15/29 (Old and wise)

What is your gender?

Male

What is your race?

Caucasian

What is your e-mail address? (optional)

Bakunin@WebTv.Net

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

N/A

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

Oregon (Rhymes with "gun," not with "gone.")

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

Secular humanist

Were you raised as a freethinker or to be religious?

My parents were cultural Jews born in Russia and their parents were too busy being raped, robbed, beaten, and shot to give much thought to religion.

What originally set you on the path to freethought?

I'm told that my first words were "BAH!, Humbug!" I've never looked back.

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

I was spared the agony of "coming out."

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

I don't wear a sign, but I don't hide the fact. My position is known to all.

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

Only on an intellectual basis. I'm rarely confrontational as that method is never productive. To have a "debate" requires two reasonable and articulate people with an in-depth knowledge of the other's point of view and the courage of their convictions. This usually is not the case. In order to make a leap of faith, many bridges must be burned.

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

My activism days are behind me. I confine my forum to the net.

Effective activism requires cohesion and organization. Freethinkers tend to be, by nature, somewhat of loners or members of rather loose confederations. I leave the militancy to the Christian soldiers who march lockstep to God's drum beat.

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

It is self-evident that to be an informed, critical thinker is better than to be an undifferentiated, ignorant, closed minded fool.

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

Suffering the nonsense of fools.

What is the societal atmosphere for freethinkers where you live?

The most conservative county in my state. There's a sprinkling of freethinkers up here, and as many churches as gun shops. Oregon, like California (my native state) is a strange admixture of liberal and conservative. As I said in my piece, "The Decline of Religion," religion is more of an "activity" and a social custom up here with a live-and-let-live mentality. Besides the "fish," you'll see bumper stickers like "MY KID CAN KICK YOUR HONOR STUDENT'S BUTT!"

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

Freedom from religion is as important, and all this official "sturm und drang" about the 10 commandments and all, is the desperation of elected fools who haven't a clue as to what is wrong in our society.

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

The human brain is the most complicated, sophisticated, and versatile organism in the universe, more so than the universe itself. Much is unknown, to be sure, but that's no excuse for fabricating precious little fairy tales to explain all the mysteries. Einstein said that "Ultimately, all things are knowable." The fools have a 2000 year head start, the cognoscenti are just getting started. Don't get discouraged. You have been entrusted with a brain, take good care of it and don't sell it short. As Woody Allen said, "My brain is my second favorite organ."

It's a proven fact that what really counts in this world is not so much what true, right, or even appropriate, but rather, what one can get away with and get others to accept. Religion is an easy way out from dealing with tough and complex questions. Thinking takes time and effort...short, quick, and easy answers are very appealing.