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My name is George Ricker.
I'm an author, an activist and an atheist. I have worked as a full-time journalist and have done a bit of free-lance writing. At different times in my life, I have worked as an English teacher, an associate pastor, a purchasing agent and a warehouse manager. I have been a bookkeeper, a paperboy, a yard man and a truck driver. I read books, shoot pool, cook, play chess, listen to jazz, drink gin, watch movies and sometimes just sit by myself and think about things. I enjoy my family, my friends and most of the people I meet along the way. I'm also a husband, father, grandfather, friend, brother, son, cousin, nephew and uncle. The point is, like most of you, I wear lots of hats and there are all sorts of labels I could attach to myself that would be valid and appropriate. On the other hand, there is no one label that defines me completely. I hope you will keep that in mind as you peruse these pages
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One of the things I talk about in my books is the need for our society to begin a more rational dialogue about gods and religions and all the rest. The Religious Right complains there is a campaign to drive religion, and especially Christianity, from the public arena. However, religious criticism is not aimed at driving religion away. It's goal is rather to bring religion and religious practice out into the open and to examine them with the light of reason. For too long these areas have been regarded as immune from the sort of critical give and take characteristic of other aspects of existence. Somehow, once an idea or a concept is labeled "religious," it gets placed in the box of "ideas we must pretend to respect and must never challenge for fear of hurting someone's feelings." This is real political correctness. Things that need to be said don't get said. Ideas that need to be analyzed get a pass. This web site is intended to contribute to the honest discussion of those ideas. My intention is to make the watchwords of that discussion "intellectual hospitality," "candor," and "clarity." This site is very much under construction. I'll be adding to it as we go along. Unless otherwise indicated all material on this web site is copyrighted by me. I hope you will come back and visit often. Please sign my guest book while you're here. If you have a question about something on this web site or in my book, feel free to drop me a note via email. Please use the subject heading "Godless in America" as I have my mail reader set to identify messages with that heading. Be advised that it is pointless to send me attachments because I will not open them. I'm sure the one you send will be harmless. Some others might not be. I may want to post some or all of your email on the web site in order to illustrate a point or further the discussion. If you don't want to see your words published, then tell me so, and I will respect your wishes.
Update 1/1/2010: George A. Ricker passed away on August 10, 2009. He is survived by his wife Judy, a daughter, a son, two stepdaughters and three grandsons. George was born May 26, 1941 and was 68 years old. This website will remain online indefinitely, as the content will be relevant for years to come, and shows the passion he had for a secular society. Here is a recent article George wrote about his lung problem and how he didn't fall back on religion or a god in his time of need. My Left Lung.
- Judy Ricker
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