It isn't easy being godless online.
For the third time in three years, what may be the largest group of organized atheists in the world is struggling to stay on MySpace, said a
Cleveland State University assistant professor who founded the site for nonbelievers.
MySpace deleted the 35,000-member "Atheist and Agnostic Group" on Jan. 1, a little more than a month after hackers broke in and renamed the group's site "Jesus Is Love," Bryan Pesta said Wednesday.
MySpace has ignored repeated requests to restore the group's site, including an online petition with more than 500 signatures, said Pesta, who was the group's moderator.
"These actions send a clear message to the 30 million godless people in America that we are not welcome on MySpace," Pesta said.
A MySpace spokeswoman did not return calls seeking comment.
Pesta started the group in 2004 as a social networking site "specifically for godless people." Atheists are more likely to be geographically spread out, and the online group provided a sense of community, he said.
"We're regular people, just like Christians, Muslims and Jews," he said. "We like to network."
The site grew by about 10,000 people a year to just under 35,000 members by the end of 2007, Pesta said.
But it was never without controversy. Two years ago, Pesta said, MySpace deleted the group after an organized campaign from Christians opposing the site. MySpace restored it and promised it would be protected, Pesta said.
Last Thanksgiving, hackers broke into the group's site, deleting material and renaming it "Jesus Is Love." MySpace restored the site three weeks later but then shut it down this year, Pesta said.
The group was an important resource for nonbelievers, supporters said.
Hollis Geary, a group member from Lyndhurst, Ohio, said she appreciated having a site where nonbelievers could meet and bounce ideas off each other amid the freedom and anonymity of the Web.
"We're a pretty quiet minority," she said. "There's just a lot of people that are atheist, agnostic or curious" who don't come out publicly.
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They have deleted so many of my anti-religion and conspiracy videos that I have no doubt they are part of the big, neo-con conspiracy. I still have my Myspace page, but rarely access it because coincidently, I find all kinds of ad-ware on my computer after accessing it. I have been invited to park my blogs on this site.
Fuckum
Myspace is too regulated now thanks to the Christians and the pedophiles. Time to take our rational minds elsewhere!
http://covenspace.com/
I know! It's NOT atheist but they are a hell of a lot more tolerant than Myspace! I have been tempted to move all my crap over to the covenspace site just because they are anti-Christian! I am sure they would WELCOME my anti-Christian videos!
you brainwashed morons are more blind than i thought!
http://groups.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=groups.groupProfile&groupID=100002606&Mytoken=62A339C3-E2AE-4A18-8E552983DDA1535E82261115
Statements like these make we atheists appear to be ignorant. The Constitution does not establish a right when dealing with for profit, private entities or corporations. If this blogging service was operated by the US government or any subsidiary entity, then it would be a Constitutional question of freedom of speech, religion and possibly assembly. However as the blogging service is owned by Fox Media, Incorporated, issues of Constitutionality do not attach. To suggest they do is a sign of ignorance or a bad education.
I think we all know he is talking about free speech. Once they censor Myspace, it makes it easier to censor this site, or another one. Youtube has also been accused of pulling videos without explanation. The internet enables many to find personal truths, it has been THE BIGGEST tool in my enlightenment in the error of Christian ways. He has a valid point- it may not be "actionable in court" but that does not mean it's not just one more small step in the ever-growing plan to strip our liberties one at a time, and not everyone wants to sit back and let it happen because they have created clever loop holes in which to slip through. And, btw, Atheists look the most ignorant when they are smug, rude know it alls like you came off as in your post.
Give me a fucking break.
However it's free, and I guess you get what you pay for.