More than 150 students and members of the Ames community packed the Campanile Room of the Memorial Union Thursday night for an alternative perspective of the attacks on the United States last month.

“God didn’t answer on 9-11 Tuesday, because imaginary beings never answer anybody – so there,” said John Patterson, professor emeritus of materials science and engineering.

Hector Avalos, faculty adviser for the ISU Atheist and Agnostic Society, said free will, the greater good and punishment for sins are reasons given by religious people for God’s “lack of response.” He refuted each of these claims.

“Why not let the Taliban women be beaten for the most minor infraction if there is a greater good to be served? This position is self defeating,” said Avalos, associate professor of religious studies.

Ryan Doyle, sophomore in religious studies, said he learned a lot at the hour-long electronic slide presentation.

“It was very informative,” said Doyle, who said he was raised by a Roman Catholic and a Christian Fundamentalist. “There were a lot of ideas presented that I haven’t been exposed to before.”

Avalos said this event gave students a choice.

“It’s important, because it offers an alternative view that you don’t hear very often,” he said.

“Until now, we haven’t heard from non-religious views on this campus.”

William Christopher, president of the ISU Atheist and Agnostic Society, said he was glad there was a forum for an alternative point of view.

“The other forum was almost completely Christian,” said Christopher, junior in biophysics.

“The views expressed at the beginning of that presentation completely discounted secular humanist views.”

The club’s vice president, Dan Skinner, said he was happy with the turnout.

“When you run out of chairs, you know your forum’s been a success,” said Skinner, sophomore in mathematics.

Patterson was introduced as “a long-term opponent of creationism and all things paranormal.”

He told the crowd science is completely atheistic, and he said all religious explanations are counterfeit.

“All we have is this life,” Patterson said. “Some people cannot handle that, and some can’t be moral unless they are threatened with eternal hell and damnation.”