Julia Says Goodbye To God

And Also: A couple pieces on Mary McCarthy, the CIA insider forced to step down for releasing secret information on governmental wrongdoing. It's easier to be upset given how the government does not have clean hands, but yes, she took some risks -- doing the right thing sometimes means that too. [If she did.] Meanwhile, they say it is so, so it must be so: medicinal marijuana edition. Darn free press ... makes Orwellian pronouncements so much harder!

I recently heard Julia Sweeney in a PSA for the Freedom from Religion Foundation. Its purposes:

The Freedom From Religion Foundation, Inc., is an educational group working for the separation of state and church. Its purposes, as stated in its bylaws, are to promote the constitutional principle of separation of state and church, and to educate the public on matters relating to nontheism.

The first should be blessed by many theists throughout the land. The second, well, some comments about typical liberal anti-God talk notwithstanding, nontheism is something of a taboo subject in public these days.

Julia Sweeney btw is best known as the "Pat" character on SNL. She also has a few "God" related one woman shows. For instance, you can rent her one woman show God Said Ha! or catch it on cable. Great show -- about her brother dying, her fight with cervical cancer, and life on her own. She has a great easy going sense of humor and can see humor in herself. And, most importantly, Sweeney has that basic Middle America niceness (that cutesy voice helps) that makes it so hard not to like her anyway.

Her PSA is timely since her latest one woman show is Letting Go Of God ... her road to atheism as well as deciding to adopt a daughter (she had an hysterectomy), who she named Tara. She adopted a Chinese girl ... who made it clear that her real name was "Mulan." Knowing an outspoken young girl named Tara, I can believe it!

The latest show has received good and respecting reviews:

The play recounts Julia's journey as a person who wants to believe--but is too smart and curious to just believe. And in the same way that she didn't shy away from the toughest questions posed by her former religious beliefs, Julia also doesn't shy away from the toughest questions posed by atheism. Such as, if there isn't religion, what is there?

See also here. Her growing love of science and so forth is particularly notable. I can relate: even without believing in some fantasy world, life is so wondrous and yes awe inspiring. Sweeney talks about the subject here. I hope she does come to NYC with the show. Cheers Julia!