http://humaniststudies.org/enews/?id=228#n2
eBay atheist…sold to the highest bidder

STAFF REPORTS
HumanistNetworkNews.org
Feb. 8, 2006

A 22-year-old atheist in Chicago recently asked bidders on eBay to send him to church.

Jim Henderson of http://www.Off-the-map.org won the auction with a $504.00 bid.

For every $10 pledged by the highest bidder, Hemant Mehta vowed to attend the winner’s chosen Chicago-area house of worship for one hour. Mehta will donate all the money to the Secular Student Alliance, of which he is a board member.

Henderson has asked Mehta to visit a variety of different churches in and around Chicago. After each visit, Mehta will fill out a survey and write a blog entry for Off-the-map.

Off-the-map helps Christians get a better understanding of what non-Christians think about their church and the way they show their faith.

To read Off-the-map’s reason for hiring an atheist, click here.

To read Mehta’s first blog entry for Off-the-map, click here.

To read Mehta’s personal blog "An Atheist Walks into a Church", click here

Keep your eyes peeled in the media for articles detailing Mehta’s experiences.

Humanist Network News is a weekly e-zine of the Institute for Humanist Studies. The Institute for Humanist Studies promotes humanism, a non-religious philosophy based on reason and compassion. IHS advances human rights, secular ethics and the separation of religion and government through advocacy, innovation and collaboration.

Soul sold for $504.00

http://humaniststudies.org/enews/?id=228#n2
eBay atheist…sold to the highest bidder

STAFF REPORTS
HumanistNetworkNews.org
Feb. 8, 2006

A 22-year-old atheist in Chicago recently asked bidders on eBay to send him to church.

Jim Henderson of http://www.Off-the-map.org won the auction with a $504.00 bid.

For every $10 pledged by the highest bidder, Hemant Mehta vowed to attend the winner’s chosen Chicago-area house of worship for one hour. Mehta will donate all the money to the Secular Student Alliance, of which he is a board member.

Henderson has asked Mehta to visit a variety of different churches in and around Chicago. After each visit, Mehta will fill out a survey and write a blog entry for Off-the-map.

Off-the-map helps Christians get a better understanding of what non-Christians think about their church and the way they show their faith.

To read Off-the-map’s reason for hiring an atheist, click here.

To read Mehta’s first blog entry for Off-the-map, click here.

To read Mehta’s personal blog “An Atheist Walks into a Church”, click here

Keep your eyes peeled in the media for articles detailing Mehta’s experiences.

Humanist Network News is a weekly e-zine of the Institute for Humanist Studies. The Institute for Humanist Studies promotes humanism, a non-religious philosophy based on reason and compassion. IHS advances human rights, secular ethics and the separation of religion and government through advocacy, innovation and collaboration.

Valuable Soul

If he’s articulate and has his facts straight, and friendly and not smug, maybe he can give the other attendees something to think about.  :D

Re: Valuable Soul

[quote author=“Elizabeth K”]If he’s articulate and has his facts straight, and friendly and not smug, maybe he can give the other attendees something to think about.  :D

Let’s hope so!

:D

Re: Valuable Soul

[quote author=“dougsmith”]

Let’s hope so!

:D

Yes but so far it looks just like a publicity stunt with no real point. Maybe I am wrong, I dont know it sounds like there wasnt any real activism involved.

Publicity Stunt

Sometimes “publicity stunt” is just another way of getting our message out. It seems to me that there is a lot of that in skepticism. Publicity is an accepted way that our society uses for people to communicate with each other. The wildly expensive cost of a political campaign is at least partly because of how much it costs for a candidate for office having to buy air time, and other forms of advertisement. If we (secular humanists, skeptics, atheists, etc) don’t do some outrageous things to get the attention of the media, it is less likely that we will ever be heard. If our advertising budget is slim, then slight pranks are a means to open the door,  then we can slip in our message. Squeaky wheel gets the grease, I’m afraid. I used to be confident that if college students are exposed to critical thinking in anthropology and speech department classes, then at least some people will learn how to think. I heard on the radio recently that the religious right is adopting a program to discourage classes in critical thinking. Altho I can’t seem to find a reference on Google about it right now, even the possibility of that shakes my confidence, and makes me more tolerant of cute pranks. :wink:

Re: Valuable Soul

[quote author=“skeptic_boi”][quote author=“dougsmith”]

Let’s hope so!

:D

Yes but so far it looks just like a publicity stunt with no real point. Maybe I am wrong, I dont know it sounds like there wasnt any real activism involved.

Hello.  Hey JMHO but of course it had a point.  A college student just made over 500 dollars.  Hey, its America.  Want to buy a left handed nasel inhaler??? 

Later,
Elder Norm

I like this idea. Next time I need money,  I will try this stunt.  I have used this stunt to get a few bucks, but never $500.

Bidding starting now!

Wow! at the very least the bidding proved where the money $$ is.

If I had to open bidding on this blog of Atheists &  Agnostics for the same purpose I’d guarantee you I will end up with zilch / nothing.