Funny response to this via email....

Hemant Mehta is not a fan of the smut for smut campaign.  He asked one of the smut for smut guys to write a defense of this absolutely perfect publicity stunt and here it is...

Hemant Hemant Hemant...  They are the bitter pill my friend... bitter pill.

 One of the naysayers on Hemants blog stated:

Ok, first of all allow me to state that this commenters racism is abundantly more classless than encouraging the trade of bibles for porn.  But with that said, take a look at one of the organizers for the project.  It doesn't get more clean cut and mormon looking than this folks...  

 I just received another email about this campaign, it is quoted below, followed by my response...

Rick,

I value your opinion and understand where you are coming from. I only ask that you use caution when using absolute language. I can assure you that this doesn't "only push people away." Maybe theists have you convinced it only pushes them away, but it's just not true.

From my many years of standing on the frontlines in this battle to help people overcome religion I see it a little differently. I believe that there are people that are so entrenched in religion (so brainwashed if you will) that there is no seeing the light for them. I believe those people are impenetrable to reason whether it's a smut for smut campaign or an abundantly more docile campaign. I also believe those people have defense mechanisms. Those defense mechanisms cause them to argue, complain, whine and lead non-believers to believe they are doing more harm than good. However if I'm correct, essentially we're not harming or doing good in both confrontational and docile efforts as it pertains to these people who are impenetrable to reason They are lost, gone, like zombies, and they will not leave religion behind no matter what is said.

I also believe that there are a great many people who are more reasonable than one may assume considering the theistic beliefs they hold. I believe that there are large groups of people who sit in more of a middle ground. People who are comfortable with god belief because it's so pervasive in society, it seems so normal, they grew up with it, maybe God belief got them through a hard time. Many of these people aren't aware of Hemant Mehta or youtube atheists or others who are attempting to influence society through passive and socially acceptable means. These people might never be aware of those groups because they don't always make the news with publicity stunts or show up in their local papers with something that draws you in, something that makes you think... "smut for smut, what the heck is that?!" These reasonable people are not idiots, they aren’t over emotional babies as you may think. They are capable of analyzing a situation for what it is. They are capable of reflection, and upon doing so many will understand the reasons why a group of atheists would do such a thing. Many will have their curiosity piqued. Many will take some time to do a little research. In fact some of these people may have never thought that the research they are about to embark on was necessary. And upon research they will find that atheists aren't simply a group of people looking to give out porn. Honestly I feel that opinions like yours are insulting to people of reasonable intelligence who simply haven't realized they should question their faiths.

Are some people too far gone? Yes. Are some people capable of snapping out of it? Yes. Do some people need to get kicked into gear with campaigns like The Blasphemy Challenge or Smut for Smut? Yes. How do I know this? Because people that have left religion as a result of very controversial efforts have contacted me and told me so. Many people have done so. So please, I beg of you, don't be like them. Don't engage in that sort of absolutist language. Campaigns like "smut for smut" don't "only push people away."

One thing I hope we can agree on is that we need to speak up, whether it is passive or controversial. You should know that if you choose a passive approach, I support you. In fact, I think your efforts are vital. I just don't think you'd have as many ears if it wasn't for the rabble-rousers. Consider thanking us, rather than attempting to discourage us. We are not hurting your image amongst sane and reasonable people, we are hurting your image amongst people who you are never going to lead away from religion.

In Reason,

Brian Sapient

I'd like to comment on this.

On a local message board I am a minority and constantly get blasted for the amount I bring up the topic. I am "in your face". People constantly say, "would you give it a rest". I remind them of all the religious stuff from theists that never seems to be resting. They equate me to an "atheist" zealot equal to religious zealots. I remind them that I am not the one shooting abortion doctors or slamming planes into buildings. I simply remind them that I am competing in the same market of ideas they are used to having the upper hand in. They merely don't like the amount I post, or that I won't "shut up" and "know my place".

BOTH right and left on that board have blasted me for not "toning it down". I most recently had another local atheist call me a dick because of my tactics, because I wouldn't shut up and I wouldn't sugar coat my position and I wouldn't coddle the theists insecurities. I was called a dick by a fellow atheist.

My response? I said, THAT IS THE ENTIRE POINT! To get believers, who already see themselves as diverse, to see us the same way. His argument is fallacious in that there is only one way to skin a cat.

It was important for theists to see another atheist call me a dick. That SHOWS them that we are not all the same.

And shouldn't that be the same for humanity?

"Desparate times call for desparate measures." It is obvious by this campaign, that the atheists are losing the debate in the public square, in the universities and one on one so as to resort to these type tactics. If atheists want people to not believe in God, then encourage them to read the Bible for themselves just so they can see how ridiculous it really is. Or give a compelling argument that disproves God's existence. I have atheists friends that are appalled at the lack of class that is demonstrated by this campaign. I also notice there are many on this site who have displayed their disgust as well. Name calling, condescension, assertions and the like are NOT arguments for atheism. They are ad hominem attacks. So I challenge atheists and Christians alike to dialogue and make an argument. The man who throws the first insult is usually the one who has run out of arguments, as demonstrated by this campaign.

Chan

           .....the bible is smutty,  and thanks to the Atheist Agenda a lot more theist know it and are talking about it;   and low and behold they're doing something they do not normally do,  They are THINKING about It.

            What's smutty in the bible? Oh, just for starters, and in my opinion, how about  David & Bathsheba, Solomen & Sheba, Lot and his daughters, Jael & Sistra; all of which cover adultury, insest and murder and all praised has good in the eyes of the lord our god.    Sodom & Gomorrah don't get the high praise but they sounded like fun places to visit.

            If God can praise Jael for cutting off the head of her husbands best friend after screwing him senseless,  then why can't we who don't believe in that sort of thing praise these non-violent college kids.

Well put, we really do need both sides to move forward.

This went way over the line and is stupid for the following reasons:

1.   There is no relation between porn and the bible.  You are either saying that porn advocates irrational belief or the bible is pornographic. Stupid, stupid.

2.   Not all atheists want to promote pornography.

3.   This is needlessly offensive.

I don't want to see crap like this in my inbox ever again.  I'm sending that email to the rest of the online atheist community.  Hopefully they will now think twice before linking to this site.

I recommend an apology email.

1. Yes there is, read the bible, lots of sex and especially violence which is far worse than porn.

2. Not all atheists are the same, just like all Christians aren't the same, just like all Muslims aren't the same.

3. Yes it is offensive, but not needlessly. Go back and read my first answer.

Get it through your head, you don't speak for us nor do we speak for others. WE are all individuals. If you don't like their tactic, that is you. I personally support the tactic because it brings attention TO THE VIOLENT NASTY PARTS of the bible that people tend to skip over.

You totally miss the point. And they were not just accepting bibles, but all holy texts.

I'm sorry you don't know your bible.

GENESIS

Lot refuses to give up his angels to the perverted mob, offering his two "virgin daughters" instead. He tells the bunch of angel rapers to "do unto them [his daughters] as is good in your eyes." This is the same man that is called "just" and "righteous" in 2 Pet.2:7-8. 19:8

Lot and his daughters camp out in a cave for a while. The daughters get their "just and righteous" father drunk, and have sexual intercourse with him, and each conceives and bears a son (wouldn't you know it!). Just another wholesome family values Bible story. 19:30-38

Abraham makes his servant put his hand under his thigh while swearing to God. Weird. Of course "putting his hand under his thigh" is just a polite euphemism for "holding his testicles in his hand." Come to think of it, maybe it isn't so weird at all -- coming as it does from a god that is completely obsessed with male genitalia. (See Ex.4:25, Lev.15:16-18, 32, and Dt.23:1) for just a few examples.) I guess it's sort of like swearing on the bible. 24:2, 24:9

"Give me children or else I die." Rachel considers herself worthless if she cannot produce children for her husband. But luckily she has an idea. She says to Jacob, "Behold my maid Bilhah, go in unto her." She solved the problem the same way as did Sarah (16:2). "And Jacob went in unto her. And Bilhah conceived, and bare Jacob a son." (These arrangements rarely produce daughters.) 30:1-4

Leah, not to be outdone, gives Jacob her maid (Zilpah) "to wife." And Zilpah "bare Jacob a son." 30:9

Dinah, the daughter of Jacob, is "defiled" by a man who seems to love her dearly. Her brothers trick all of the men of the town and kill them (after first having them all circumcised), and then take their wives and children captive. 34:1-31

Jacob says that Reuben will "not excel" because he "went up to [his] father's couch [had sex with his father's wife]." (see Gen.35:22) 49:4

Aaron makes a golden calf and tells the people to take off their clothes and dance around naked. God then punishes them mercilessly for following their divinely appointed religious leader. 32:1-35

"Their daughters go a whoring after their gods, and make thy sons go a whoring after their gods." God always blames the women; it is they who "go a whoring" and then "make" the men "go a whoring."34:16

LEVITICUS

"If any man's seed of copulation go out from him...." (God's law for wet dreams)
This passage tells you what to do if you get your "seed of copulation" on yourself, your clothes, or your partner. Thank God this is in the Bible. 15:16-18, 32

Don't have sex with your sister, uncle's wife, or your brother's wife -- and tell them to wear clothes whenever you're around. 20:17, 19-21

If a man has sex with a menstruating woman, they both "shall be cut off from among their people."20:18

NUMBERS

Under God's direction, Moses' army defeats the Midianites. They kill all the adult males, but take the women and children captive. When Moses learns that they left some live, he angrily says: "Have you saved all the women alive? Kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman that hath known man by lying with him. But all the women children, that have not known a man by lying with him, keep alive for yourselves." So they went back and did as Moses (and presumably God) instructed, killing everyone except for the virgins. In this way they got 32,000 virgins -- Wow! (Even God gets some of the booty -- including the virgins.) 31:1-54

DEUTORONOMY

If you see a pretty woman among the captives and would like her for a wife, then just bring her home and "go in unto her." Later, if you decide you don't like her, you can "let her go." 21:11-14

If a man marries, then decides that he hates his wife, he can claim she wasn't a virgin when they were married. If her father can't produce the "tokens of her virginity" (bloody sheets), then the woman is to be stoned to death at her father's doorstep. 22:13-21

If a man rapes an unbetrothed virgin, he must pay her father 50 shekels of silver and then marry her.22:28

JOSHUA

Joshua's spies visit and "came unto" a prostitute in Jericho. They weren't very discreet about it either, since the King of Jericho soon found out about it. The king's officials ask Rahab to "bring forth the men that are come to thee." 2:1-4

I'm less than halfway through an abbreviated list at Skeptics Annotated Bible here:

http://skepticsannotatedbible.com/sex/long.htm

We already do and will continue to do the things you have suggested as 'substitutions' for this.

Oh and for the record, the atheists you call friends probably clown you for believing when you're not around.

If there were a debate in the public square then I doubt we would need attention-getting stunts to promote the concept of atheism.

1) For someone who is so critical of naked assertions, you sure made a lot of them.

2) An ad hominem fallacy typically argues that an argument/claim/premise is unsound/false by appealing to the characteristics of the person making the argument. So, this campaign, by definition, is not an ad hominem fallacy. In fact, it's not even an attack on the person at all. It's attacking the morality of the Bible.     

It's not strictly that the Bible is pornographic, but that it contains a huge amount of material that are lewd, crude, barbaric, and, most of all, things that most Christians would find offensive if they read about it in a different context. The Bible does contain many sexual references, including incest, rape, etc. , all of which include minors.    

Lol. The campaign, as I understand it, has nothing to do with promoting pornography.  

Needlessly?

One of the primary intents of the campaign is to offend. Attacking the beliefs of the religious always offends them. The idea is that this will urge the offended to reflect on their beliefs.

I don't who this guy is... but I think he's fucking awesome.

I can't get the documentation to find out which kids brought it up first and which parents followed through.

However, Cheatham High School (Go Cubs. lol.) should be nominated for this week's heroes.

http://www.abpnews.com/content/view/4905/53/

How do you like that for a source? The Associated Baptist Press.

             I have an idea Darth__Josh since we do not know the heroic students, Let us send a letter of Atheistic Acomplishment to the Associated Baptist Press for their fine journalisim in defence of rational thinking and the first amendment. Would Brian Sapiant let us use an RRS letter head? Brian are you readingthis?

 I do not have any hero to admin but everyone may be a hero with somebody.

Good show!!  Yes, guys, you really do need to concentrate on your presentation to be taken seriously. Smile. Christianity is faith based. It really can not be proven true or false. I will say, though, I hope the Christians are right... They believe in a God who has provided them with a way home. What "fussy feelings" come of the atheist's belief??

You guys are monetizing this forum??? Hahahahahaha!!!! I'm impressed.

Much of the Bible is descriptive of the acts of men and their endless capacity to screw it up. Most of the Bible has nothing to do with Christianity. Jesus Christ did not enter the scene until the New Testament. Most Christians are not very much different than everyone else. But one defining difference is that Christians who truly believe place their hope in a Creator who truly loves them. What's wrong with that?? We are all in the same boat, guys. We are mortal creatures... every story ends in tragedy... unless, ofcourse, the end of time also marks the beginning of eternity.  What you as atheists should be doing to discredit the God of the Bible is focus on the acts of Jesus.... not the acts of men. Jesus is the provision God has made. Discredit His words. Disprove His acts. You  only draw away those who are religious... not Christian. You persuade those who do not know why they believe.

 Do you know why you do not believe?  Adam woke up and discovered an awareness of self (along with everything else) And so it is the same with each man. Did you make yourself? Did you evolve from the scum of the first waters??  Do you know? Were you there? Hahahahaha  What you believe comes as much from faith as what the Christian believes. More, our beliefs tells us more about ourselves than anything else. What we believe describes who we are. Its true, guys.

Jesus told us that, "Love is the fulfillment of the law." We are commanded to love one another and our God who created us.  If you would disprove the Christian's faith, you need to go to the heart of it..... The words and deeds of Jesus.

Oops. I deleted your last post because I thought it was spam at first. I apologize.

Welcome to the forum.