NATASHA INTERVIEWS GREYDON SQUARE (2006)

Originally from Compton California, Greydon Square is now currently residing in Phoenix Arizona attending college as a physics major.

Tell us a bit about the religious atmosphere you were exposed to being raised in Compton, CA. Was your family religious? If so, how did they react to your “coming out” as an Atheist? If not, were you treated differently socially because your family wasn’t seen at church?
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Well I didn’t grow up with my biological family, I was raised as an orphan as a ward of the court, however most of the group homes that I grew up in, especially in compton, where strongly grounded in the 7th day adventist church, as well as the L.A. Church of christ, and the equally influencial episcopelean church of surounding areas. My father was a gang founder, and my mother was young enough to be my older sister. But attending church all the same I was a believer. I was taught to believe and behaved in such a manner. I didn’t become an atheist until much much later.

You were once known as “apocalypse–why the change and What does your name mean?
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Actually my previous name apocalypse was based on my similar background of the x-men character of the same name. He was an abandoned child, and so was I. He defined his existence by the addage “survival of the fittest” and so did i. I changed my name because it a very dark overtone to it. I mean, im not a dark person, at least not all the time, and having a name that was symbolic of the end of all wars war. I was actually sitting in class when I made it up. I thought that my instructor was saying one thing and I took it and ran with it. Turns out, I was all wrong (laughs)

In your song “Molotov”, what is meant when you say: “I’m the Malcolm X of Atheism” ?
Do you mean you will eventually change your original ideas & beliefs and get assasinated by the organization you made famous? Is it to be taken literally or tongue-in-cheek?
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Malcolm X is a hero of mine because he know that in order to liberate the suffering of blacks in his era, he must enlighten and defend them “by any means necessary”. I too believe this is the most effective way to enlighten, however “by any means” is vague. I wouldn’t bomb a church or saw someone’s head off, but you get the idea. Getting assassinated and becoming a martyr may be accepted and sought in the islamic and christian communities, but I am not a professional victim. Sorry, I want to live. Besides, I don’t think that I could ever be anything other than an atheist because logically it’s the only system of belief, or lack there of, that makes any real sense. So I’ll let others be the judge of if its to be taken literally.

In your music, you obviously promote “atheist” viewpoints, including the idea that the existing organized theist religions and their rules are outdated, etc. and thus they should be ignored/tossed to the wind.
To the “atheist convert” whom you may win over with your lyrics & music, newly “liberated” from his/her previously held belief in an oppressive religion, what do you offer as an alternative? When these people give up their beliefs about “sin” & “hell”, what set of “rules” will atheists go by that will prevent them from nefarious activities, including violence? Is there any accepted set of ethics for atheists?
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Well let me clear something up first. The only thing that atheists have in common with other atheists is a lack of belief in any invisible men. We are just as diverse and any community, and we all define our morality by what makes sense to us. I use logic while others are more or less consequencialists. I offer people peace of mind in knowing that this is the ONLY LIFE YOU ARE GOING TO GET. Make the best of it. Live and have no regrets. Leave something of yourself behind for future generations to benefit from it. Finally the set of ethics should be simple enough for most to understand and adhere to. Its simple, the social contract is a system in which you treat others the way you want to be treated. Simple enough right?

Do you feel that atheists in the public eye such as Richard Dawkins, Dan Barker and the Rational Response Squad (with whom you are affiliated) promote more of a general anti-religious belief rather than exclusively as opposition to belief in deities? Do you consider your viewpoint reactionary to organized Theist religion? Should Militant atheism really be called “Anti-Theism”?
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I want to address your last question first. I Greydon Square, am a militant atheist. I refuse to be physically, socially and politically bullied based simply on the fact that those with a outdated primitive and socially illogical system of morals and ethics, are the majority. Having said that, I think that humanity cannot live in live and let live environment that allows irrationality. At least irrationality that is harmful to other people, children and society as a whole. Live and let live only applies when others are living and letting live. If it wasn’t for the indoctrination of children, religion would not even survive a generation in today’s age.

What is your view on “atheistic” religions, such as Satanism, certain forms of Buddhism, some forms of Reform Judaism, etc.?
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Well my understanding of Luciferism or Satanism as its more commonly known, is that it is a belief of indulgence. The misconception that atheists are Satanists are the same is utterly rediculous. I would agree that Atheists and Satanists are similar in respect that there is no god, or gods involved, but then again so are buddhists, and many other eastern philosophists. This means nothing other than the symbol of the judaistic evil, is Satan, is associated with Satanism because of the symbol used as its representative for indulgence.

Is there inherently a political element to Atheism? Is every “openly Atheist” person automatically perceived as some sort of “activist” to a certain extent by either Atheists or Theists?
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Im not the right person to ask about politics, I mean politicians and political parties are nothing more than organized gangs to me. But I would agree there is a certain amount truth to what you percieve. Strong atheists are now called fundamentalist atheists because of the passion of discontent with the psychological brainwashing of religion.

Who is your target audience with your music? Do you intend to convert Theists, or are you generally “preaching to the (atheist) choir”?
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Believe it or not, I don’t intend to DO anyting. I do happen to notice that agnostics are usually the ones mostly influenced by my music. That’s because they are the ones on the fence. Usually preceding atheism. I think they need that right amount of evidence against the existence of deities to confirm what they already knew. Atheist are usually informed of such positions and arguments, and the religious are professional victims so they think they are being persecuted. Either way, Agnostics are usually the ones mostly influenced.

How has your reaction from the hip hop scene* been thus far? Do you ever gat hate mail from rappers who are “still down with Jesus”??
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Oh all the time, its actually quite hilarious. Here is a sample of what I get;
“Why are you squandering your talent with lyrics that are based on foolishness.
Anyone with a little rhythym can rap, I can rap. Why don’t you rap about something of substance?
You sound like your trying to be eminem
sounding ignorant but your not him
but your shady like rook hawkins your a fake scholar
dead men walking.
The compton effect you must think your “easy-e”

Do you think that studying Physics in Arizona has diminished your Compton “street cred”? Would you care?
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I couldn’t care less if becoming a physics major hurt my so called street cred. I know who I am, and what ive done. Street cred is one thing, but ive fought in war, you think I give a shit what some weenie ass dudes say about my street cred.
It’s a no-win situation as far as im concerned. Either im not street because im a physics major, or im not street because I went to the army, or im not street because I speak well.blah blah yada yada, it’s the same shit with a different toilet. Listen, I hear it all the time “Your not from compton”, “You aint a real nigga”. Whatever. I keep compton in my back left pocket, if you feel you want to check to see if its there, don’t do it behind a keyboard, or through email, or on some message board, find me and try me.

If you were the first openly atheist rapper to win a Music Award-who would you thank instead of “God”?
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There seems to be this running joke about the song “Squared” where I said, So ill swear to God, Which one, I don’t care pick one.
So if I was to get up on stage and thank anyone it would be god, only to hear the crowd scream “Which one” and my only reply would be “I don’t care, pick one”.

Official Website:
http://www.thecomptoneffect.com/