-----Original Message-----
From: Darwin Bedford [mailto:Darwin@atheists.net]
Sent: Monday, 06 January, 2003 12:31 AM
To: Paul Storey
Subject: RE: Your website

Paul,

I have a flood of e-mails suggesting that I stop using profanity too.  It appears for some that nudity is ok but profanity isn't and vise versa.  You obviously, are troubled by nudity (by the very fact that you call it porn).  Please elaborate on why you think that nakedness is so wrongful.

Darwin Bedford
www.atheists.net



At 10:56 AM 1/4/2003 -0800, you wrote:

Darwin
 
    You haven't finished the job.  Remove the mention of the nude picture totally from your site, not just saying the link has been broken. 
 
    The variety of emails echo my sentiments exactly, that you are causing much more harm than good to the cause in furthering your ideas of atheism by including your exhibitionisitic tendencies.
 
    Finish cleaning up your act.  It is an extremely serious flaw in your otherwise brilliant website. 
 
    Your persistance of keeping the mention of your nude picture, in spite of the flood of emails advising you to remove it, shows you to be very stubborn indeed, to the point of foolish. 
 
    And please continue your natural down to earth communication style, referred to as  "profane language when referring to Jesus and God".  I find it to be hilarious. 
 
        Paul
    

-----Original Message-----

From: Darwin Bedford [mailto:Darwin@atheists.net]

Sent: Thursday, 02 January, 2003 1:12 AM

To: Paul Storey

Subject: RE: Your website

Hi Paul,

Here's a copy of an e-mail that I just sent to many people (below).  Thank you for your input and allowing me to post your comments with your identity.

Darwin Bedford

www.atheists.net

********************************************************************************************************

Hi everyone,

Just a note to inform you that I have removed my infamous naked picture from my Web site which I posted in February, 1996. It appears that nudity is a controversial issue in its own right and that we don't only cover our privates due to religious teachings of the past or out of fear of reprisal from gods.

Besides my family, friends and work associates telling me that it is detrimental to my cause, here are some extracts of what people wrote to me about it.

***************************

You speak of how building your own values and integrity is the job of an individual. Well, I'm sorry sir but I don't think you have built your own integrity. You post photos of yourself nude online and use profane language when referring to Jesus and God. Do you have no dignity? Anyone with moral values, religious or not, would not present such atrocities to an open audience. I came across your website while doing a school research project on religion in schools. I'm a firm supporter of school prayer and teaching Christianity in schools because it gives people something true in this world to believe in, and teaches moral values that you sir, don't have.

***************************

Now to my suggestions, I believe more people would listen to you and your

ideas if you were a bit more casual. I refer to your posting a nude picture

of yourself, calling yourself an atheist's Messiah and putting in a link

titled "How I kill people."

***************************

I m an African asheist who very recently moved to l live in Canada. I was delighted to find yr page this night. I liked yr articles and I think they help me overhaul and service my atheism

But yr nude picture a little embarssed and disappointed(?) me. Yr credibility suddenly dropped some and according to Hilda who wrote the best message on yr nuditiy yr justifying it was even more damaging to yr reasoning.

I don't want to sound traditional but I don't want to spoil a starting relation. Or is it not?

Oh I forgot that grin. I am about yr age and you

must have been a very teasing person and many

did not like yr stubborn ways

***************************

But, if you don't mind some hopefully "constructive" criticism here, there

is still a straining or stretching of your credibility by using a 25 year

old nude photo of yourself sporting a full blown erection and insisting it

is "not juvenile stunt". The basis for this photo, you say, is that as

with the Doukhobors, you associate it with a display of the "rejection of

wealth and status." Well, this is where you blow it (excuse the

expression). Assuming that you want to attract intelligent and discerning

readers, they will know right away that this is a specious argument for

displaying this type of photo. Never have we seen such public photos of

Doukhobors. They took of their clothes and paraded down the streets "au

natural" as a means of attracting attention to their protest, which, if I

remember correctly, was against the government forcing their kids to go to

public schools.

***************************

And how the fuçk is a nude picture of you gonna convince me that Gods a fraud. You are one crazed, sick bastard. I hope you live to see the time when Jesus cames back to take over the world after the Antichrist. Then all wird freaks like you will have their heads lopped off.

Maybe you lost those 31 domain names because you post nude pics of yourself on your sites.

***************************

Lastly, one note of friendly concern. Your site depicts exceptional

insight and humor and is a great boon to atheism. I might suggest that the

picture of you naked, although not offensive to me, does raise a possible

flag in visitors minds about the ethics and morals of the atheism you are

attempting to convey. It seems to me to be out of place here. I would

suggest the place for this would be on a separate site, if necessary at all.

I think it detracts strongly from the other gifted offerings on your site.

How many religious sites have pictures of their pastors and preachers naked?

***************************

I wonder, who your intended audience is. If it includes religious folks, whom you want to show the light of reason wrapped in humor and rational thought, then your naked picture almost certnainly will drive them to turn off the "light" by leaving the website and dismiss your ideas as deviant and degenerate.

****************************

See, I'm not stubborn after all.

D. Bedford

www.atheists.net

********************************************************************************************************

At 10:35 PM 1/1/2003 -0800, you wrote:

Darwin

        Good to hear from you.

        Making your nude picture web page available by email is not good enough.

You arre still mixing atheism and exhibitionism.  Anyone viewing your site

will associate atheism with some kind of kinky sexuality.  Any reviewer

assessing your site will summarize something like "Atheist Messiah mixes

philosophy with porn."  You are setting yourself up for an easy target to

the religious right.  They can prove their righteousness by pointing to

atheistic depravity exemplified in your site.  You are loosing a tremendous

ammount of respect and what are you gaining?  What's up man?

        Look at the flap over Dr. Laura's nude photos.  Look at the uproars over

the preachers caught with prostitutes and the priest molesting kids.

        Sex and theology just don't mix.  At all.

        Get rid of that picture and drop any follow on.  Keep your sexuality to

yourself or use an alter identity on a separate site.

        Excuse my chastisement.  I admire your site tremendously.  Keep up the good

work, without any embarassing private parts.

        Aside from all that, yes you can use my comments with my identity.  I

suggest you cut out the comments on your nude pic from my letter, along with

cutting the nude page off your site, forever more.

        Paul