On Resigning From
An Atheist Organisation
Lyn Milnes
From: "lyn" (New Zealand)
To: <editor@positiveatheism.org>
Subject: Hi from NZ
Date: Saturday, January 22, 2000 12:59 AM
Hi Cliff,
I am a middle-aged woman on a farm in New Zealand. Sorry to say I can't even remember why I joined up with you. Too long ago, and too much happening in my life. I did see one site with some photos and a lovely sense of humour -- perhaps that was yours.
Having joined up your site only a short time ago I don't know your personal situation, but I extend my sympathies for your isolation since an incident with the local atheist organisation.
I am very isolated these days myself, but I am sure the horrifying circumstances of it would be very dissimilar from any you are experiencing. I actually caused quite a lot of it myself, as I stay away from people rather than involve them in the horrors of it.
As for the local atheist incident, a very similar thing happened to me in 1993 or 1994, with our local organisation called New Zealand Rationalist Association, a very old, established group with a fine atheist library, of which I was a Council member and editor of the newsletter.
A very lofty (and possibly hypnotised, maybe by a former Catholic Action man who claimed to have become an atheist, and who was brought into the Association by this lofty man) member slowly wormed his way into the presidency. He then brought in two dozen new members of his own choosing, more or less all at the same time, and they took over the organisation.
I resigned after a very explicit rudeness to me at a council meeting from one of the new members that the President refused to censure. I more or less had to because a couple of other council members resigned in support of me (and they were far more senior and had done far more for the organisation). Both were former presidents. One of the resigning members was really single-handedly responsible for the financial affairs of the society being in very good shape, and he has now watched from outside the group as the lofty one and his acolytes spent all the slowly accumulated money, e.g. on refurbishing the building.
Stay well, stay strong, and good wishes.
Lyn Milnes
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