Here is an interview I did, when I turned the cameras on our film crew....

Here is the mission statement written by the producer, Josh Austin. Keep in mind, this was written in the preplanning stages, there have been some deviations in the plan since then. Get ready to be moved and excited about this movie...

This letter’s purpose is to outline and describe the focus and intent of the documentary, tentatively titled “Rational Response: The Struggle to Restore America’s Capacity for Critical Thinking”. This documentary style film will encompass many political and religious topics that are at the forefront of American dialogue.

The main focus of the film is the Rational Response Squad’s mission to fight theism; however this is not the complete extent of the content. This film is not about atheism, it is about the context of American dialogue and the role that religion plays in it. Atheism will be a central theme of the film as all those involved and those that will be featured in the film, on the rational side of course, will be atheists. Our mission is not to promote atheism per se, just the rationality and empirical evidence that inevitably leads to it.

We will not focus solely on Christianity, as some of the most irrational ideas come from other faiths. However, based on the fact that we do not have the resources to travel abroad at this point, the majority of people that appear in the film will be Christians or will be talking about Christianity.

The film will touch on such topics as: abortion, capitol punishment, stem cell research, the teaching or lack of teaching of evolution in public schools, the inerrancy of the Bible, various arguments for why god exists or does not exist, various arguments for morality gained from the bible and religion, immoral statements in the bible and how people pick and choose or reconcile those with their own views, and other sources of morality that are purely secular in nature. As stated before, the film will not necessarily promote atheism, but we will discuss what exactly an atheist is in detail, as well as some of the major misconceptions surrounding atheism. These topics will be covered through interviews with prominent atheists and Christians, off the street interviews, interviews as well as scripted dialogue from various members of the Rational Response Squad, excerpts from some Rational Response Squad radio shows, formal interviews with “average” atheists and theists alike, as well as a discussion with a Pastor. Furthermore, RRS will interview Ellen Johnson, Margaret Downey, Daniel Dennett, Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris, Christopher Hitchens, Brian Flemming, and Edwin Kagin for this movie.

This film will not pull punches, but at the same time it will be fair. We are operating under the Rational Response Squad name, and in order to not tarnish it, as well as remain credible and honest, we will adhere to the highest standards of journalistic integrity. We will make no unsubstantiated claims to back up our points, and all claims made or statistics used will be subject to verification.

If I had to sum up my goal for this movie in one thought, it would be the complete refutation and destruction of all the illogical and irrational ideas that corrupt our thought processes and lead us to make completely unintelligent and ridiculous policies and judgments. I don’t care what the origin or cause, I want to go after all the Christians, all the Muslims, all the Mormons and Jehovah’s witnesses, all the people that enjoy such wonderful exemption from logical scrutiny. The wall of unwarranted admiration and respect has started to come down, through books and web sites, radio shows and articles, but there has been no film made solely to end rational dishonesty. In all reality, we will not be able to accomplish this in one film, or two, or five, or ten thousand for that matter, but we can instill the courage in others to not give up, and give them the intellectual ammunition to refute insanity wherever they may encounter it. There is a certain effect that a film can have on people that no other medium enjoys, and I hope that with the talent we have gathered, we will be able to instill in all free thinkers the pride that one should enjoy as a person who possesses the ability to break free from myths and misconceptions.

Make no mistake, this film will come under serious scrutiny. I, like everyone involved, does not wish to be made the fool by using irrational or false claims. Our cause is unpopular, and if we wish to make any difference at all, our film must stand up to the most demanding inspections, as it will no doubt be subject to such. As members of the Rational Response Squad will most certainly attest to, the positions and ideas that we put forth, while no doubt true, will result in some people wishing us bodily harm or worse. Those that wish to participate in the film but prefer to remain anonymous may do so, and although I personally discourage it, will not be thought any less of.

This project is important for too many reasons to list, and while unpopular, the number of people that agree with us is increasing. All they need now is for someone to come along and show them that atheism need not conjure negative connotations, and that logic, rationality and science can provide meaningful answers and practical solutions for both individuals and our country. I sincerely hope that “someone” can be us.

Sincerely,

Josh Austin

Josh on the street in a rare look at his ability to expose religious beliefs as moronic, he was filming for our movie...