You could as easily have addressed your perceived targets with private emails, or a single reasoned response directed only at the specific authors of those comments (we’re talking about, what, three people in the group you had this nasty little catfight with?), but you chose instead to spam hundreds with dozens of angry emails full of the hatred and vitriol you claimed to decry.

I’m not saying you shouldn’t have your opinions, or that you shouldn’t express them, but attacking and annoying hundreds because you disagree with a couple is hardly a rational attitude. And even assuming you were 100% correct in your arguments, making public statements about a group with hundreds of people in it based on your interactions with less than five of its members *via email* is hardly fair or reasonable, is it?

You still haven’t even met any of us, but you somehow know we’re bad, bad people. And somehow WE are the ones “being a**holes about it”?

Come to an event or two. Have an open mind. Call me a a**hole *after* you get to know me, at least…

I was so aggravated that I was going to drop out of the group but was saved the trouble. Someone sent an e-mail saying can we remove this moron? Not five minutes later, with no input, no chance to defend myself, not even asked what’s going on, Donna, I got an e-mail telling me I was removed.

Kevin’s a big boy and he handles himself quite well. What he does is his choice but, as for me, no, I don’t think I need any involvement with people that hateful. I don’t hang out with Klan and I don’t hang out with anti-theists.

For the record, I did in my last e-mail saying I was done with the nonsense invite anyone who wished to to e-mail me. Several have (and, no, I am not going to name names, no effing way) and as I said there were several who were nice and respectful to begin with. To them, I apologize though I really don’t feel as if I’m the one who should be. I didn’t cause the mess. What seriously did I do wrong? Disagree?

Can you really blame anyone who doesn’t want to check out the group following this fiasco? If you’re that worried about members, you ought to reconsider how you treat the ones you have.

Donna, you should come too. As I tried to point out earlier, a couple of people overreacting to misperceived attitudes in emails is hardly a reason to condemn hundreds of people, and anyway, you were hardly without blame in that exchange. Why don’t you come and meet some of us in person, before you decide to isolate yourself from a whole community of like-minded folks?

Really, we don’t eat babies, I promise…

Victoria: Yes. But it’s not telling of how they’d treat me in other contexts, since the whole point of the post is that I’m NOT like those that would attack them and call them stupid. Universally, the reaction from both religious and non-religious folks has been shock at the hostility I received from other atheists.

Ben D: I appreciate the offer, Ben, but I have to rescind my interest. The hostility I’ve received on here, things I’ve been told were said, and general tone I’ve gotten from the group is not a great one. I would never participate or endorse a group that encourages such counter-productive vitriol. Besides, like I’ve said before: I’m an Atheist. I don’t believe in God, I don’t subscribe to a religion, and I have no desire to have any group – no matter what color they paint their wagon – try to indoctrinate me,

You could always meet up with us anyway and make up your own mind. I disagree with most of Donna’s characterizations, but there’s no point arguing about it more.