What is your name? (Real or pseudo)

Walter Galanek

What is your date of birth?

7 May 70

What is your gender?

Male

What is your race?

Caucasian

What is your e-mail address? (optional)

Wgalanek@snet.net

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

N/A

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

East Hartford, CT, USA

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

Atheist

Were you raised as a freethinker or to be religious?

Was raised Catholic.

What originally set you on the path to freethought?

The utter absurdity of the belief in God.

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

I was about 10 when I started telling my family I didn't believe in God and I thought church was a waste of time. At the time it was kind of a headache, but generally I don't have any hesitation in stating my beliefs even in front of deeply religious people.

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

Actually, no. In CT, it isn't very uncommon for people to admit they are atheists and almost all of my friends are. The religious community isn't as ingrained into our culture as much as some place like North Carolina.

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

Not at all.

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

Really nothing organized.

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

Knowing my life is what I make of it, that I am not controlled by a church or God. That my decisions are my own, and I can take full credit for my success and my failures.

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

The worst part is knowing there are so many people who are so ignorant and confused, and so many hypocrites that only profess to be religious for social or political reasons.

What is the societal atmosphere for freethinkers where you live?

It is very socially normal here to be atheist or agnostic.

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

Freedom of religion means just that--that our society, our government, has no right to dictate beliefs upon its citizens. Unfortunately, I believe in the US, it isn't practiced as much as it is preached. Politicians use religion to help win them votes, the Church uses its members to maintain leverage and income. I believe it's a self-fulfilling doctrine of deception. The Church will change its tune and its "laws" to accomodate the majority, and the Government, as much as it says its wants to separate church and state, caters to the large voting base religions can offer.

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

The churches and other places of worship cater to the masses, offering people salvation and hope. Sadly, so many people need this, and so many of them need it so much, they forsake reason and intelligence. I just hope someday all of these weak-minded people can eventually see they can think for themselves, and be accountable for their own lives and stop feeding a slowly decaying drain on our society known as religion.