Vo1. 31 No. 9 Published by the Freedom From Religion Foundation, Inc. November 2014 County Photo: Andrew Seidel rescinds ‘direct deposit’ to Baptist ministry

The Covington County Commission in Andalusia, Ala., voted unanimously Nov. 6 to rescind a $3,000 appropria- tion from taxpayer funds to the Cov- ington Baptist Association for a men’s FFRF held its 37th annual convention in Los Angeles in October. See more photos, pages 12–17, 24. ministry whose purpose is “to get more men to church.” The vote was in response to an Oct. for themselves or for any business with 27 complaint letter from the Freedom which they are associated,” said Paige. From Religion Foundation protesting FFRF also resubmitted a records the flagrant constitutional violation. request, which it had dropped after FFRF represents more than 21,500 learning the grant had been rescinded. members, including 200 Alabama “The Covington Baptist Association members as well as its longest-lived and the Judson Baptist Church are free chapter, the Alabama Freethought As- to conduct their men’s ministry, but sociation. the government may not support or The commission voted Oct. 8 to fund it or their buildings,” concluded appropriate $3,000. Katherine Paige, FFRF’s letter. “We assume this matter FFRF legal fellow, sent the commission is dropped, but in the event the com- a second complaint letter Nov. 7 after mission chooses to readdress the issue learning that Commissioner Harold El- and provide support for this ministe- more might ask to renew the grant to rial endeavor, FFRF will be inclined, the ministry under the guise of fund- at the very least, to submit an official ing building renovations. complaint with the Alabama Ethics Do not pass Go; do not collect $3,000 (so to speak), was basically the message Paige investigated property records Commission.” in voiding a check to a religious group trying to secure more of a Baptist and learned that Elmore was an incor- monopoly in Andalusia, Ala. porator of the Judson Baptist Church, which owns the building and runs the ministry. Elmore serves as church dea- Inside This Issue con and is one of the Covington Bap- Meet a Legal tist Association’s four trustees. Staffer “The commission cannot escape the grant’s religious purpose, and Com- Pages 2 missioner Elmore’s involvement raises serious ethical concerns under Ala- bama law,” wrote Paige. “The grant had, and would still Grad student have, a religious purpose: funding a essay contest Christian men’s ministry,” said Paige. winners At the Oct. 8 commission meeting, El- more was asked if the ministry was for Pages 8–11 Baptists only. He replied, “No, it’s just a men’s ministry. If any denomination wants to attend, we don’t even claim to be a denomination, that’s what it’s for, just trying to get folks to accept the Lord.” Any further donation would be God Graveyard ‘Clean’ money drawing “tainted with the religious purpose of The University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Atheists, Humanists and Agnostics had the first grant and the men’s ministry,” a spooky Halloween display in front of Bascom Hall: “Here lie the graves of Page 24 FFRF noted. “Alabama law prohibits thousands of dead gods. Once worshiped by entire civilizations, now only myths. public officials from using their offi- How much longer will the gods of today last?” Pictured is AHA officer and cial position to obtain personal gain erswhile FFRF intern Sam Erickson. Page 2 Freethought Today Madison, Wisconsin November 2014

of lawyers who ever get to work in this My religious upbringing was: Ro- area and I get to do it full time. I also man Catholic. Meet a Legal Staffer love working with FFRF members and My doubts about religion started: seeing how my work directly effects I don’t remember an exact time or Photo: Brianna Froseth Photography change (hopefully for the better). And event, I’ve always been skeptical. My the tea. FFRF has some amazing tea. parents never discouraged question- What sucks about it: Victories that ing, or critical thinking for that matter. look like losses. My first case involved a Things I like: Hugs from my kids nativity scene on the courthouse lawn and hearing them laugh, the Green in 2009 in Manitowoc County, Wis. Bay Packers, watching baseball, sum- We were thrown out of court before mers in Madison, the Fourth of July; reaching the merits of the case, but the the National Mall in D.C., going to nativity scene never returned to the movies at the theater, Spotted Cow courthouse again. During litigation, a beer from New Glarus Brewing, travel- church offered to place the crèche on ing and Diet Coke. its lawn, where it’s been on display ever Things I smite: The death penalty, since. Victories like that don’t make concealed carry and stand your ground the news! laws, the lack of high-speed rail run- I spend a lot of time thinking about: ning through Madison, misusing the How wonderful life is now that Dexter apostrophe and anything requiring au- and Audrey are in the world. And how dience participation. I’m never going to have the time to see In my golden years: I’ll hopefully everything in my Netflix queue. be debt-free from my student loans I spend little if any time thinking and be able to be a snowbird, spend- about: This was a hard question to an- ing summers in Madison and winters swer, but NASCAR and soccer come to in Arizona or North Carolina. mind.

Veteran freethinker

Markert family values: Rebecca and Audrey and Mike and Dexter.

Name: Rebecca Markert. separation of state and church and the Where and when I was born: Green ability to work on federal issues. Bay, Wis., 1976. What I do here: A lot. I’m the senior Education: B.A. in German, inter- staff attorney, so in addition to state/ national relations and political science church complaints (for issues like from the University of Wisconsin-Mad- crosses on government property, may- ison (1998); J.D. from Roger Williams oral prayer breakfasts, Good Friday University School of Law, Bristol, R.I., closings, electioneering by churches (2008). and religious groups, religion in pub- Family: I live in Verona (just outside lic schools and holiday displays for the of Madison) with my husband, Mike, 1st, 2nd and 6th federal appellate cir- Nick Stein of the Bruin Alliance Skeptics & Secularists at UCLA, pictured with and our two children, Dexter, 3, and cuits), I manage the legal department, Co-President Dan Barker, writes to thank Dan for speaking to the group: “I Audrey, 1. assign projects, train attorneys and only wished that I knew you while getting harassed and discriminated against How I came to work at FFRF: By hire interns and clerks. I put together in the U.S. Navy and Air Force Reserve 10 years ago. Being a veteran with two chance. I was graduating from law all the administrative policies and pro- honorable discharges and eight years of service, protecting and defending the school and looking to live in Madison tocols to make FFRF’s legal team work Constitution of the United States of America are not just words for me, and I and came across a job posting on a le- more cohesively and efficiently. continue to do so. Thanks so much for sharing your valuable time with us and gal jobs board. I thought it would per- What I like best about it: Working in inspiring the next generation of freethinkers. And please, come back. We’ll fectly fit my love for constitutional law, constitutional law. There are not a lot leave the Fiat Lux on for you!”

Freethought Today Notify Us of A Note to Members published by Freedom From Religion Foundation, Inc. Your Address Your address label shows the expira- tion date of your membership in FFRF, [email protected] • FFRF.org Change Promptly! which includes your subscription to P.O. Box 750 • Madison WI 53701 Email: [email protected] Freethought Today and “Private Line.” If (608)256-8900 • FAX (608)204-0422 Don’t miss a single issue! If you it says November 2014 or earlier please move, notify us directly and renew! Your prompt re­newal ($40-sin- Editor: Bill Dunn, [email protected] promptly. The Post Office does gle mem­ber­ship; $50-household; $100 Production Editor: Scott Colson not forward third-class mail. gung-ho; $25-student) saves us time Executive Editor: Annie Laurie Gaylor FFRF cannot be responsible for re- and post­age, and is tax-deductible. Contributors: Free­­­thought Today is published 10 times placing back issues if we have not Philip Appleman, Dan Barker, Ingrid Laas, been notified prior to your move. a year, with combined issues in Jan/Feb Lauryn Seering, Andrew Seidel, Maddy Ziegler Back issues, while they last, may and June/July. Send membership or re- be ordered for $2 each. newal to FFRF, Box 750, Madison WI November 2014 53701. The only freethought newspaper in the United States ffrf.org/donate November 2014 Madison, Wisconsin Freethought Today Page 3 Legal staff busy preparing, sending complaint letters

A summary of legal complaints sent Violation: Teachers at East Whittier low Mushroom restaurant, Ala. by FFRF legal staff since the last issue of Middle School and Granada Middle Violation: These entities offered Freethought Today. (ISD is Independent School participate in weekly bible study church bulletin discounts. School District.) classes with students during lunch. Contact: Poplar Bluff Public Contact: Clinton County R-III Schools, Mo., Thomas-Fay-Custer Uni- Contact: Hardin-Jefferson ISD, School District, Plattsburg, Mo. fied Schools, Okla. Sour Lake, Texas Violation: Clinton County R-III Violation: Schools broadcast loud- Violation: After receiving a letter Middle School’s principal writes bible speaker prayers before football games, from FFRF about a teacher-run Chris- verses on the whiteboard in his office and the Poplar Bluffs Senior High tian club in an elementary school, the and places a bible on his desk in full School team has two team chaplains. teachers wrote an “open letter” to par- view of students and visitors. Contact: Iowa Law Enforcement ents asking them to pray for the club, Contact: Poudre School District, Academy The letter said the club would now be Fort Collins, Colo. Violation: The academy included student-led but urged parents to en- Violation: A Laurel Elementary opening and closing Christian prayers courage their children to share with School kindergarten teacher had a at its graduation ceremonies. the group and told parents to contact picture hanging on her classroom wall Contact: Round Rock ISD, Texas FFRF has sent three complaint letters one of the three employees to “avoid with a bible quote, “I will praise you for Violation: Cedar Ridge High in the last two months about state/ conflicting speaker scheduling.” I am fearfully and wonderfully made. School’s internet filter censors websites church violations in the Licking Two district classrooms have crosses Psalm 139:14.” with information about atheism and Valley School District, Newark, on their walls, the high school’s foot- Contact: Yukon City Council, Okla. certain minority religions as promot- Ohio. One involved football coach ball games open with prayer and the Violation: The council voted to dis- ing “alternative beliefs,” while granting involvement in prayer, another was school song includes the line “and play “In God We Trust” in the council’s access to other websites promoting re- about a religious assembly put on by when the year is over, God bless our chambers ligious ideas. Jubilee Gang (“100% ministry”) at school.” Contact: Clinton Public Schools, Contact: Liberty County Elections an elementary school, and the other Contact: Waller ISD, Houston, Tex- Madison County Schools, Pearl Public Supervisor, Ga. involved a high school marching as School District, Miss. Violation: The Registrar’s Office, band wearing T-shirts with the word Violation: The district’s high school Violation: These schools participat- which served as the early voting loca- “Salvation” on them. had a poster in its library entitled “The ed in a swim meet which opened with tion in Liberty County, displayed bible Bulldogs’ Prayer.” The school also so- a Christian prayer facilitated by meet quotes behind the voter check-in coun- licited faculty to advertise a “Bulldogs organizers. ter. Cure for Cancer” T-shirt with the word Contact: Seminole County Attorney, Contact: Chilton County Schools, fifth graders, announcing the distribu- “Faith” on the back. Fla. Clanton, Ala. tion as part of its morning reports. Contact: Habersham County Sher- Violation: A county employee in the Violation: A bible was prominently Contact: Fauquier County Public iff, Ga. Water and Sewer Billing Department displayed in a glass case near the prin- Schools, Warrenton, Va. Violation: The sheriff’s Facebook sends messages to county residents cipal’s office at Jemison High School, Violation: A substitute bus driver page regularly posts religious mes- from her county email with a bible bible quotes are displayed on banners at Grace Miller Elementary School sages, including a lengthy prayer post- quite in her signature, “Thank God throughout the school’s hallways dur- passed out fliers promoting a church’s ed on Sept. 11 and misattributed to for everything, be Grateful. 1 Thessa- ing special events, and a teacher regu- services and events. Thomas Jefferson. lonians 5:18.” larly displayed bible passages in her Contact: Washington Department of Contact: Chester County Commis- Contact: Texas A&M University, classroom. Licensing sion, West Chester, Pa. College Station Contact: U.S. Attorney for the Dis- Violation: The department’s per- Violation: The county’s holiday dis- Violation: The university began trict of Maine sonalized license plate application pro- play includes a nativity and a menorah broadcasting prayers over the loud- Violation: Assistant U.S. Attorney hibits plated deemed to be “blasphe- among other decorations. FFRF urged speaker at football games and also in- Margaret D. McGaughey, when asked mous.” the commission to include a local cludes prayer at graduation. to identify common trends in the Contact: Evansville Vanderburgh freethought group’s “Tree of Knowl- Contact: Mayor of Huntington, profiles of criminal defendants, said, School Corp., Ind.; Anniston City edge” display. W.Va. “There was no religion.” She explained Schools, Ala.; White Oaks ISD, Texas; Contact: Council on Law Enforce- Violation: The mayor organized a that religion “instills moral values in Camas School District, Wash. ment Education and Training, Ada, prayer event to end addiction, releas- early childhood” that “tend to stick Violation: Coaches led athletes in Okla. ing a video asking local religious lead- with a person throughout their life.” prayer and/or participated in stu- Violation: Course instructors and ers to join him in prayer. Contact: Mesa Public Schools, Ariz. dents’ prayers. materials repeatedly promoted reli- Contact: Mansfield City Council, Violation: Mountain View High Contact: Homewood City Schools, gion and a belief in God. Texas School’s marching band dedicated a Ala. Contact: East Whittier City School Violation: The council denied a lo- performance to the military that in- Violation: Football teams have a District, Calif. cal atheist the opportunity to give its volved rows of Latin crosses. team chaplain that leads prayers and invocation. Contact: Indiana Academy, Muncie sometimes delivers a sermon. Church Contact: Madison County School Violation: A teacher sends regular representatives are permitted to circu- District, Fla. emails to students promoting a weekly late around lunchrooms and recruit Violation: A private religious event bible study and other religious events students. A Christian club organized occurring at the district’s high school like See You at the Pole and a Christian by a teacher meets weekly. Students Include FFRF was extensively advertised on the charity drive. She was directly involved who arrive at school before classes are grounds of Madison County Central with the bible study. required to congregate at the club, In Your Estate School. Contact: Valdosta City Schools, Ga. which operates essentially as a church, Contact: Cranston Public Schools, Violation: Pinevale Elementary with a youth pastor leading a worship Planning R.I. School displayed a Ten Command- service. Violation: Western Hills Middle ments poster in its library. Contact: Walker County Board of Arrange a bequest in your will or School students were given a story Contact: Paris School District, Ark. Education, Ga. trust, or make the Freedom From entitled “A Mustard Seed that Threat- Violation: Paris Middle School al- Violation: This school board prays Religion Found­ation the benefi- ened Imperial Power,” presenting the lowed Gideons to distribute bibles to at their meetings. ciary of an insurance policy, bank biblical account of Jesus and his apos- account, or IRA. It’s easy to do. tles as factual, and a game titled “The For related information Medieval Church,” which quizzed stu- Freedom From Religion Foundation (or to request a bequest dents on the origins of Christianity as P.O. Box 750 • Madison WI 53701 • (608) 256-8900 • ffrf.org brochure), please phone presented in the bible and Christian- Annie Laurie Gaylor at ity in the Middle Ages, while ignoring (608) 256-8900. historical events like the Crusades that What is the Freedom From Religion Foundation? FFRF would portray Christianity negatively. P.O. Box 750 Contact: Naval Base Kitsap, Bremer- Founded in 1978 as a national organization of freethinkers (atheists and agnostics), Madison WI 53701 ton, Wash. the Freedom From Religion Foundation, Inc., works to keep state and church separate Violation: The base’s pinning cer- and to educate the public about the views of nontheists. emony, which was mandatory for all The Foundation’s e-mail address is [email protected]. Please include your name and Freedom Depends officers being promoted, included an physical mailing address with all e-mail correspondence. invocation and a benediction. Foundation members wishing to receive online news releases, “action alerts” and on Freethinkers Contact: North Georgia State Fair, “Freethought of the Day” should contact [email protected]. University of Missouri volleyball, Mel- Page 4 Freethought Today Madison, Wisconsin November 2014 Heads Up A Poetry Column by Philip Appleman

Five Easy Prayers for Pagans

1 O Karma, Dharma, pudding & pie, Overheard gimme a break before I die: grant me wisdom, will, & wit, purity, probity, pluck, & grit. The Secular Student Alliance is in- ing same-sex marriage Trustworthy, helpful, friendly, kind, terested in what causes suffering and “The Colbert Report,” 10-8-14 how to stop it. We want to see religious gimme great abs and a steel-trap mind. minorities free to express themselves The Bishop was a man who knew the And forgive. Ye Gods, some humble advice— without fear of being marginalized. As marriage was in trouble and, instead these little blessings would suffice a society, how we treat religious minori- of trying to help, he began writing love ties is directly related to how we treat letters to this woman. It is an abuse of to beget an earthly paradise: people with no religion at all. his position and a betrayal of his friend- make the bad people good Dan Pemberton, SSA campus organiz- ship with both her and her husband, and the good people nice, er at Sacramento State, which has 11 who[m] he christened into the church Christian clubs four years ago. and before our world goes over the brink, The State Hornet, 10-1-14 Simon Hodgkinson, a banker whose teach the believers how to think. wife Olivia had an affair with British [Eric] Shansby and Catholic Bishop Kieran Conry, who 4 I wrote Me & Dog as resigned after details of the affair and an antidote to an- previous ones with adult women came O Mammon, Thou who art daily dissed other book, Heaven out by everyone, yet boast more true disciples Is For Real, a foul The Guardian, 10-12-14 than all other gods together, load of phony, cred- ulous, opportunis- You have the opportunity to defy the Thou whose eerie sheen tic crap by a pastor federal judge and the lackey state of- gleameth from Corporate Headquarters named Todd Burpo, ficials that are doing [Judge Barbara and Vatican Treasury alike, Thou whose son almost died on the oper- Crabb’s] bidding in order to defend ating table and allegedly came back what is right and good. Your interposi- whose glittering eye impales us claiming to have met Jesus in heaven. tion is needed and necessary. in the X-ray vision of plastic surgeons, This book was a wild bestseller and be- Letter from anti-abortion activist Mat- the golden leer of televangelists, came a movie because people really, thew Trewhella, pastor of Mercy Seat the star-spangled gloat of politicos— really want to believe anodyne phony Christian Church in West Allis, urging things that make them feel good. Wisconsin county clerks to not to issue 0 Mammon, come down to us in the form Syndicated columnist Gene Weingar- marriage licenses to gays of Treasuries, Annuities, & High-Grade Bonds, ten on the release of his 337-word chil- Isthmus, Madison, Wis., 10-14-14 yield unto us those Benedict Arnold Funds, dren’s book The Washington Post, 9-17-14 Honestly, in Senate, we were divided those Quicksand Convertible Securities, even the wet on whether we should have prayer at Judas Kiss of Futures Contracts—for Are you willing to stand up on a mat- all or whether we should have nonsec- unto the least of these Thy supplicants ter of principle and spend hundreds of tarian prayer or sectarian prayer. thousands of dollars in attorneys’ fees Nicki Taylor, Student Government art Thou welcome in all Thy many forms. But to make a point based on your per- Association president at Western Ken- when Thou comest to say we’re finally in the gentry— sonal belief that may or may not align tucky University, on the defeat of a use the service entry. with those of other people in the com- resolution to have nonsectarian prayer munity? at meetings © Philip Appleman. Mike Looney, Williamson County College Heights Herald, 10-14-14 Frrom the book Karma, Dharma, Pudding & Pie Schools superintendent, Franklin, Tenn., on a proposal to the school People can criticize politics, sports, board to replace a moment of silence cultural phenomena, but we’ve found Philip Appleman is a Dis­tinguished Pro­fessor Emeri­ with prayer that it’s culturally taboo to criticize reli- tus at In­dia­na Uni­ver­si­ty. His published volumes of The Tennessean, 10-6-14 gious belief, so we want to become part poetry in­clude Perfidious Proverbs and Other Poems: of the public discussion on difficult A Satirical Look at the Bible (2012), Darwin’s Ark I believe the prayer chain gave God the topics dealing with belief. (new 2009 edition) and Karma, Dharma, Pudding power to answer my prayers. It was as Ben Makansi, Atheist and Agnostic Stu- & Pie (2009). His nonfiction work in­cludes the widely if they had all been caught up in the dents Society at Columbia University, used Norton Critical Edition, Darwin, and the Nor­ rapture and the rapture brought them New York ton Critical Edition of Malthus’ Essay on Pop­ulation. back. bwog.com, 10-16-14 His poetry and fiction have won many awards, including a fellowship in Ginger Middleton, Evans Mills, N.Y., poetry from the Na­tional En­dow­ment for the Arts, the Castagnola Award crediting prayer for the return after Would we tolerate a group like this from the Poetry Society of America, the Humanist Arts Award from the two days of her 28 goats (including standing by the entrance where you go American Humanist Association and the Friend of Darwin Award from four milkers), which had wandered off to get HIV-tested? Or more basically, the National Center for Science Education. His work has ap­peared in Har­ from the barn would we tolerate a group that was per’s Magazine, The Nation, The New Republic, The New York Times, Watertown Daily Times, 10-18-14 saying prayers for people that need to The Paris Review, Partisan Review, Poetry, and The Yale Review. have cardiac catheterization because I feel like the last man on Earth who their behavior led to them needing the opposes man-man marriage. Besides, procedure? I can see no difference be- the sanctity of traditional marriage is tween the two. Both are procedures to not some fad. You can’t pray away your improve the lives of the ones seeking gay. Well, you can’t gay away my pray. this health service. It’s legal, and it is For Christians like me, this is a civil safe. And it should stay that way. rights issue in that I don’t like gay peo- Steinunn Rögnvaldsdóttir, sociologist ple getting civil rights. and gender studies expert, on Catho- Stephen Colbert (with tongue in lics’ regular abortion protests in Ice- cheek), on the Supreme Court’s refus- land at a hospital Declare and share your nonbelief in FFRF’s online “Out of the Closet” campaign! al to hear appeals of decisions legaliz- The Grapevine, 10-16-14 ffrf.org/out November 2014 Madison, Wisconsin Freethought Today Page 5

FFRF awards grad/older student essayists $8,550

FFRF congratulates the seven cur- Gonzaga University. States,” said FFRF Co-President Annie rently enrolled student winners in its Third place ($1,000): Justin Clark, Laurie Gaylor. annual essay contest for graduate stu- Purdue University. FFRF has three annual essay compe- dents to age 30 and undergrads ages Fourth place ($750): Zachary Tuck, titions. Earlier this year, FFRF awarded 25-30. They were asked to write about California College of the Arts. $10,250 to a total of 16 college-bound “Why ‘Religious Liberty’ does not Fifth place: ($500): Benjamin van high school graduates and $12,550 to mean the right to impose your religion Loon, Northeastern Illinois University. a total of 21 college students. FFRF on others.” Sixth place (tie, $400 each): Jared would also like to extend a special The competition is generously en- Plotkin, California State University-Los thanks to Dorea and Dean Schramm in dowed by Brian Bolton, a Lifetime Angeles, Ashley Reynolds, Oklahoma Florida for providing each student who Member who is a retired psycholo- State University-Stillwater. is a member of a secular campus group gist, humanist minister and professor Brian Bolton “We congratulate these students for a $100 bonus. The total of $8,550 re- emeritus at the University of Arkansas. analyzing what is wrong with the theo- flects bonuses. Scholarships totaled $8,550. Rutgers University. crats’ newest strategy to undermine Read winning essays on pages 8–11. First place ($3,000): Alex Flitter, Second place ($2,000): Kat Heiden, true religious liberty in the United Photo: Andrew Seidel FFRF welcomes 29 Lifetime Members, new ‘After-Lifer’

The Freedom From Religion Foun- Eric Lawrence; Joe Creager gifted Kyle dation gratefully announces a new “Af- Creager and Dr. Sandra Snow gifted ter-Life Member,” Robert Lawson. The Dr. Robert Guthrie. “After-Life” Membership is a $5,000 New Lifer Sue Mercier was lead membership category, which is slightly plaintiff in FFRF’s successful challenge tongue in cheek: “for those who want of a Ten Commandments monument their membership to live after them.” in a La Crosse, Wis., city park. Edmond FFRF is also honored to announce 29 is her son. new Lifetime Members have signed up Thanks to Anne Ozment for pledg- The existing Freethought Hall, left, connects with the impressive new structure. since the October Freethought Today ing her Lifetime Membership through issue. They are: the Combined Federal Campaign. Jonathan Blum, Robert Connor, Ju- Eighteen locations are represented: dith Dunn, Margaret Elizares, James Arizona, Armed Forces Europe, Gellerman, Linda Joan Gould, Andy California, Colorado, Florida, Hawaii, Green, Dr. Jason Alan Griggs, Donald Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, Missis- New addition gets finishing Ray Hamilton, Lonnie House, Eric sippi, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Lawrence, Edmond Mercier, Sue Mer- Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Utah, cier, Konrad Michels, John Mosley, Washington and Wisconsin. touches outside and in Mike Northrop, Anne Ozment, Guy Lifetime Memberships are $1,000. Quesenberry, Mark Robbins, Daniel E Like the “After-Life” Membership, they Shaw, Elaine Stone, Mark Troyer and ensure no more renewal notices, are Wayne Varner. deductible for income-tax purposes Thank you all! Michael Machula, Indiana, $1,000 Additionally, Dr. Harold Saferstein and go into rainy-day reserves. All donations small and large are Anonymous, Washington, $1,000 has gifted Lifetime Memberships to FFRF extends its warmest thanks to making possible FFRF’s exciting five- Mary Naff, California, $1,000 Tim Bedient, Gary Henderson and these very generous members for their story building expansion. The staff is Sharon and Lanny Peissig, Wisconsin, Amanda Morton. Other Lifetime Mem- dedication and commitment to FFRF’s eager to move into their new offices in $1,000 bership gifts came from Todd Peissig, work to promote freethought and sec- the addition (awaiting lights, phones Jack Simpson, Wisconsin, $1,000 an FFRF Executive Board Member, to ular government. and electricity, final paint, carpet, cabi- Anonymous, Ohio, $500 nets, etc.). A move-in date sometime Garnik Patatanian, Oklahoma, $200 before the new year is expected. Phase Theresa Durkee, Michigan, $100 II, which will include renovation of the Anonymous, New York, $100 Overheard existing building, will continue into Susan Paddock, Wisconsin, $100 2015. Ed and Waneta Sweeney, Ohio, $100 I think my values are with players Below are Building Fund donations Donald Weller, Oregon, $100 expressed in my music, delmarvanow.com, 10-17-14 received from Oct. 6 through Nov. 9. It Howard Goldsmith, Massachusetts, and that’s because I try is not cumulative except for the total. $50 to write honestly. As far Smut in Jesusland: Why Bible Belt Donors are not identified by name Tom Hancock, Colorado, $50 as what I believe: What States Are the Biggest Consumers of unless giving express permission. Ves- Stefanie Moritz and Vince Jenkins, it boils down to is that Online Porn tibule tile sale will conclude by the Wisconsin, $50 I’m a humanist. We’re Headline on an op-ed by Valerie Tari- end of the year and engraved paving Alice M Kachman, Michigan, $40 all we’ve got. People co, author, social commentator and stone availability will end early next Edward Fairchild, Texas, $20 can solve people-made former evangelical year. Watch a fun video of the build- Anonymous, Virginia, $10 problems. Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technolo­ ing going up put together by Andrew David and Julie McFarlin, Missouri, Atheist musician Jeremy Messersmith, gies, 10-17-14 Seidel with help from Lauryn Seering, $6.66 interview and another video of artist Birgit Bach Religion News Service, 10-20-14 Fighting for the rights of the few isn’t al- creating tiles by hand: Subtotal: $22,426.66 ways popular, as was learned last week. ffrf.org/donate/donate-to-ffrf-building- [The Supreme Court] has been more And while it isn’t popular with many of fund New Cumulative Total: $1,994,989.12 concerned with the effect of prayer on our readers and our community, the Goal: $2 million children. Even though the court has right decision was made to stop coach- Leslie Biggs, Florida, $5,000 taken a more permissive approach late- led locker room prayers before Central Anonymous, Georgia, $5,000 If you gave a gift designated to the fund ly, it’s unlikely they would accept this. High School football games. Nicholas Sargeantson, Connecticut, that does not appear to be reflected in this Kermit Roosevelt, University of Penn- South Dakota newspaper editorial $3,000 list or in prior issues, please contact FFRF so sylvania Law School constitutional law board, on a recent complaint filed by Richard Christenson, Wisconsin, that we can check our records and publish professor, on FFRF’s complaint about FFRF $1,000 your gift. Contact Bookkeeper Katie Daniel a Delaware high school football coach, Aberdeen American News, 10-14-14 Yair Harel, California, $1,000 at (608)256-8900 9-5 CDT weekdays or who’s also dean of students, praying Cleo Kocol, California, $1,000 email [email protected]. Page 6 Freethought Today Madison, Wisconsin November 2014

Meet an Atlanta member

Sally Mitchell with husband Harold Mann.

Name: Sally Dean Mitchell. dio. Where I was born and live: Fayette- How I got where I am today: My pri- ville, Tenn., 1940. I’ve lived in Atlanta mary family believed strongly in educa- since since 1970. tion, which set my destiny, I suppose. I Family: Married happily to Harold have lots of friends and mentors who Mann, another longtime FFRF mem- have influenced me. FFRF’s newest winter solstice card features Sally’s fine artwork. ber. He is 86 and has a terrific collec- Where I’m headed: Continuing to tion of humanist books. love life, learning to draw and paint My doubts about religion started: In my life is. Very! I’m proud of teach- Education: B.S. and M.A. in educa- better, to be a more effective teacher high school, studying Latin and then ing children since 1962, being elected tion from Peabody Teachers College, and more tolerant person. Greek and Roman mythology. Those Teacher of the Year at a large private Nashville; graduate work at Columbia Person in history I admire: Ric Mas- god-to-mortal matings! school, buying a home as a single per- University, New York City. ten, deceased, American humanist Before I die: I’d like to share more son in the mid-1970s, international Occupation: Teacher in public and poet, musician, philosopher. of my art and love of life. travel (including two months’ inde- private schools from 3-year-olds to col- A quotation I like: “Variety’s the very Ways I promote freethought: Since pendent travel across Europe at age lege student. In the 1960s, I taught spice of life.” (British poet William I rely on students and their parents for 49), editing a 300-page Unitarian for seven years at Punahou School in Cowper) my career, I have to be cautious being Universalist cookbook, having three Honolulu (President Obama was a These are a few of my favorite outspoken as a humanist, although in solo shows of my art quilts, directing/ 10-year-old there two years after I left things: Dogs, wolves, books, fabric (I my adult groups (not income-related), producing two different programs of in 1969). In the mid-’80s, I owned and have a huge stash for my art quilts), I am “coming out.” Harold and I have Edgar Lee Masters’ “Spoon River An- directed my own preschool called Chil- drawing animals (including a cardinal loved attending several FFRF and hu- thology” at UU services, writing and dren First. I trained teachers for Head for FFRF’s newest winter solstice card). manist national and regional conven- directing a service about poet Ric Mas- Start. Since 1997, I’ve taught piano, Pet peeves: Being called a guy, as in tions. ten (with a cast of 23) and having my drawing and sewing in my home stu- “you guys.” I wish you had asked me: How full artwork on an FFRF solstice card!

FFRF Legal Complaints

FFRF contests public not chaplains. There is no reason to think a nonbelieving employee would agency chaplaincies be comfortable dealing with a person who provides comfort from a religious FFRF’s latest objection in a series viewpoint.” of complaints about law enforcement There are few court decisions or chaplaincies went to the Orlando laws governing law enforcement chap- (Fla.) Police Department on Nov. 3. laincies, which perhaps explains why Orlando chaplains, as is typical, are agencies try to stonewall FFRF. Or- required to be ordained ministers who lando Police Chief John Mina emailed counsel employees, their families and back the day after receiving FFRF’s crime victims and assist with death no- letter, saying, “I have no intention of tifications and other activities. discontinuing our Chaplain Program,” So far this year, FFRF has sent 14 but failed to cite any law or decision FFRF’s open records request asks for documents related to the Orlando Police letters of complaint about such chap- permitting it to continue. Department’s chaplain’s car. laincies, surpassing the past two years’ totals combined. Most have gone to public agencies in the South: three FFRF again takes on part of “Pulpit Freedom Sunday,” an fensive tactical voting.” DeMaio lost by to Georgia and four to Florida. Many pulpit politicking annual event put on by the Alliance about 5,000 votes. cities and counties are launching new Defending Freedom, a Christian Right Other flagrant violations have come chaplain programs, said FFRF Staff At- Before the Nov. 4 general election, law firm. Many pastors, at the urging in the form of “sample ballots” provid- torney Andrew Seidel, who has han- FFRF provided the Internal Revenue of ADF, have sent videos of their law- ed by churches with “suggested candi- dled the bulk of the complaints. One Service with nine complaints about breaking sermons directly to the IRS, dates” filled in or highlighted. Legacy involved a fire department. churches improperly endorsing or op- hoping to incite a legal challenge to re- Church in Albuquerque, N.M., hand- FFRF’s letter explain that courts al- posing candidates for political office. scind the 1954 law against politicking ed out such ballots to parishioners low government-employed chaplains FFRF is investigating more complaints by 501c3 churches. According to ADF, along with actual campaign materials only as an accommodation where the that came to light after that. more than 1,700 pastors participated for certain candidates. Three candi- government makes it difficult for peo- FFRF in August voluntarily dis- in Pulpit Freedom Sunday in October. dates were also introduced during the ple to seek out private ministries, as is missed its high-profile federal lawsuit Pastors reported to the IRS by FFRF church’s Oct. 11 service. the case with military service members against the IRS, challenging its failure include Skyline Church Pastor Jim Idlewild Baptist Church in Lutz, or prisoners. Since there is no govern- to enforce its own electioneering re- Garlow of La Mesa, Calif. In a sermon, Fla., set out “Conservative Primary Bal- ment-imposed religious burden on law strictions against churches. FFRF dis- Garlow described a letter sent by some lots” in August. The ballots indicated enforcement officers or the public, the missed its suit after the IRS indicated Christian Right groups to Republican how liberal or conservative each can- government does not need to provide that it had resumed flagging churches leadership opposing certain Republi- didate was judged to be, placing stars chaplains. involved with political intervention. can candidates across the country, in- next to the most conservative candi- “Favoring religious officers with FFRF may refile the suit if there is evi- cluding Carl MeMaio, running for Cal- date in each race. Several other reli- free, on-the-job counseling while ig- dence the IRS has resumed looking the ifornia’s 52nd Congressional District. gious groups were reported for post- noring the needs of those of no faith other way when tax-exempt churches DeMaio is gay. Garlow encouraged his ing campaign signs on their property. is discriminatory,” Seidel noted. “If violate the law. parishioners to go one step further Senior Staff Attorney Rebecca Markert chaplains were adept at providing sec- Many complaints stem from pastors and vote for DeMaio’s Democratic op- handled those complaints. ular therapy, they would be therapists, who purposely violate restrictions as ponent as part of what he called “de- November 2014 Madison, Wisconsin Freethought Today Page 7

It Pays to Complain

Schools get ‘civics or may not agree with, but we have to lesson’ on prayer abide by those decisions.” Tamara Woodard told the Anniston Coaches at Cape Henlopen High Star that she supports the Christian School in Lewes, Del., and Piedmont prayer. “I was surprised that anybody High School in Piedmont, Ala., will no even complained about it our commu- longer lead their players in prayer or nity.” participate in students’ prayers. Her husband, Joe Woodard, said Staff Attorney Elizabeth Cavell wrote he’s also Christian but disagreed with to the Cape Henlopen School Dis- her. “Now there are so many diverse re- trict on Oct. 8 after receiving a report ligious groups that go to our school,” that the high school football coaches he said, adding that no member of any participated in a team prayer circle: one religious group should be subject- “While students may wish to engage in ed to the prayers of another group. “It prayer on their own, school staff, in- would not be right for a Christian in cluding coaches, cannot participate in the crowd to be subjected to a Muslim or encourage such religious activities.” or a Jewish prayer.” In an Oct. 17 response, Superinten- While officially a moment of silence At left and right are FFRF Staff Attorneys Elizabeth Cavell and Andrew Seidel, dent Robert Fulton told FFRF he had was announced at Piedmont’s Oct. 24 with Marilyn Townsend of the Dane County (Wis.) Bar Association and FFRF discussed the matter with the admin- game, many in the crowd broke the si- Senior Staff Attorney Rebecca Markert in between. FFRF staff on Oct. 14 istration and football coach, and said lence by reciting the Lord’s Prayer in brought about 60 attendees up to speed on the current status of state/church “employees, including coaches, will be unison. separation issues during their continuing legal education program. reminded of laws involving the Separa- FFRF employs five staff attorneys tion of Church and State.” and a legal fellow and has sent out ment of Education. made available at schools and were to In a similar violation, Senior Staff At- more than 800 formal letters of com- The school’s principal responded be turned in to the school office. Fliers torney Rebecca Markert first wrote to plaint over state/church violations so the same day to say that he had fol- from other groups weren’t distributed. Piedmont City Schools in March about far in 2014. Public school violations lowed up with Kula No Na Poe Hawaii “By extensively coordinating the Piedmont High’s unconstitutional accounted for the greatest majority of and reminded them that all school- Good News Club’s signup, the district practice of starting football games with letters. FFRF has halted over 150 state/ sponsored events must remain prayer- is providing a benefit to the club that prayer broadcast over the loudspeaker. church violations this year, including free. it does not afford other secular pro- After several follow-up letters, Su- 13 related to prayer in public school grams,” Seidel wrote. perintendent Matt Akin emailed Mark- athletics. The complaint was forwarded to ert last summer: “Beginning immedi- Religious assembly FFRF from its Portland chapter. Cheryl ately, the Piedmont City School District canceled in Texas Kolbe, chapter president, said Oct. 29 will no longer allow student-led prayer FFRF stills middle that the website had been modified so at athletic events.” school prayer School administrators at Azle (Tex- that parents were instructed to contact The complaint made news again in as) ISD canceled an assembly set for the Good News Club directly for regis- October after Piedmont High School Robert Louis Stevenson Middle Oct. 29 after getting an FFRF com- tration like the other groups. posted a message on its Facebook page School in Honolulu will no longer al- plaint letter. The assembly was to be informing the public of its decision. low a partner organization to pray with presented by Seven at Schools, which Noting that FFRF had cited numerous students after getting an Oct. 31 FFRF is affiliated with the religious ministry Adults warned to Supreme Court cases in its letter, the complaint letter. Youth Alive North Texas, a “strategic back off prayer post said, “While the personal opinions The school holds “Family Read- outreach organization that maintains of the administration and employees ing for Success” events regularly. An the vision of reaching every student in Adults will no longer participate in of the system may differ with the opin- attendee informed FFRF that a re- every school across the region and be- religious activities at Bath High School ions of the Court and the author of cent meeting opened with a sectarian yond with the life-changing message of in Lima, Ohio. Staff Attorney Rebecca the letter sent to the system, the school prayer initiated by a nonprofit organi- Jesus Christ,” according to its website. Markert wrote Oct. 16 to Bath Local system’s attorneys advised that we con- zation, Kula No Na Poe Hawaii, that Although the group claimed that Schools after a local complainant for- sent since there is established case law partners with the school for the events. the assembly would have no religious warded a media profile of the school’s regarding this issue.” “It is unlawful for any school-spon- content, a Seven at Schools representa- “team chaplain,” who, along with “It’s a lesson in civics,” said Princi- sored event, such as a meeting dedi- tive told FFRF’s complainant that the coaches, prayed with students. pal Adam Clemons, who manages the cated to student literacy, to include personal stories in the presentation Superintendent Dale Lewellen re- school Facebook page. “Sometimes prayer,” wrote Staff Attorney Abdrew “would include religious themes, in- sponded Oct. 23: “I recognized that the courts make decisions that we may Seidel in a letter to the state Depart- cluding discussion of God.” the constitutional line may have been Staff Attorney Sam Grover sent the crossed and have taken appropriate district a letter Oct. 28 asking the dis- steps to ensure it will not recur. Reli- trict to ensure the presentation would gious proselytization and/or participa- be secular. tion by staff in their school capacities Acting on the advice of counsel, are not consistent with my aim to com- the district took even stronger action ply with applicable constitutional and to ensure students would not be pros- statutory requirements.” elytized and canceled the assembly en- tirely, according to local news reports. Seven at Schools representatives gave a Mizzou U. cancels religious talk to Azle community mem- church discount bers at a church that night. The University of Missouri agreed that a church bulletin discount offered Good news: Good as part of a volleyball ticket promotion News unlinked was inappropriate, said the school’s director of athletics in response to an Greater Albany Public Schools in Oct. 16 letter from Staff Attorney Eliza- Oregon will no longer give preferen- beth Cavell. tial treatment to the Good News Club A university employee informed over other after-school groups. Staff At- FFRF that free admission was offered torney Andrew Seidel sent the district a to the Sept. 28 game with a church bul- complaint Sept. 11. letin as part of “Faith and Family Day.” The district partners with com- Cavell noted that the discount vio- munity groups for early release day lated the federal Civil Rights Act, Mis- programs, including a community souri statute and raised Establishment program, Boys and Girls Club and the Clause concerns. Good News Club, a Christian organiza- Director of Athletics Michael Alden tion. Seidel pointed out that the dis- responded the next day, agreeing that trict’s link to the Good News website the discount was “not consistent with linked directly to its registration forms our department’s practices and that but instructed parents to contact other we stopped the promotion from being Staff Attorney Patrick Elliott sent a letter of complaint Oct. 7 to the Manchester organizations directly to register. The carried out as described in the materi- (Iowa) Police Department, prompting removal of this poster in its lobby. FFRF’s club’s forms were also sent home with als.” local complainant called on Oct. 21 to report that the poster was gone. students the first week of school and Page 8 Freethought Today Madison, Wisconsin November 2014

Brian L. Bolton Graduate Essay Contest winner Their ‘religious liberty’ infringes on us

FFRF awarded Alex $3,000 for his first- choose now appears to mean the right There could be more of the same place essay. to impose what you believe on individ- The only on the way. With President Obama re- uals over whom you have power. cently announcing an executive order Despite the claim that this is a Chris- hindrance is to that bans federal contractors from dis- tian nation by partisan historians who a woman’s right criminating against gay people in the believe the founders abhorred state/ hiring process, 14 faith leaders urged church separation, the Establishment to reproductive Obama in a letter to exempt religious Clause is clear. It prohibits an official groups. These leaders, some of whom state religion, including favoring one freedom. have spiritually advised Obama, cited religion over others or supporting re- the need to respect different opinions ligion over irreligion. It’s a clear indi- on sexuality and claimed that the so- cation of how important religious neu- RFRA to pertain to “humans who own cial services they provide will suffer trality was to the founders. and control corporations,” despite the without an exemption. How did we get from the Establish- fact that nothing in the Act indicates But of course, this had nothing to ment Clause to the Religious Freedom that it was ever supposed to facilitate do with social services. This was a bla- Restoration Act? In 1990, the Supreme the imposition of one’s beliefs on oth- tant case of people in a position of Court ruled in Employment Division v. ers. power desperately trying to impose Smith, a case in which two Native Amer- I keep trying to get into the mind of their beliefs on the government and icans in Oregon were fired after con- a religious multimillionaire, to feel the the American people. Their religion suming peyote, ostensibly for religious “great burden” he’s supposedly feel- dictates that homosexuality is a sin, reasons. After the court validated the ing. I don’t doubt the sincerity, but the so they asked the president to impose firings, Congress passed RFRA in 1993. burden is nonexistent, and I can only their beliefs and allow workplace dis- It states that the government can’t conclude that these owners are simply crimination to continue on our dime. “substantially burden religious exer- trying to impose their beliefs on as As I continue my education in cise without compelling justification.” many people as they can. hopes of one day being employed, I It notes that it can burden religious They believe that contraception, wonder what my future employer will exercise if it is done to further a “com- including the morning-after pill, is ask of me in the name of his or her pelling interest” and is done using “the equivalent to abortion (physiology religion. What if my employers are de- By Alex Flitter least restrictive means.” This history disagrees). Their argument is that pro- vout Christian Scientists and I get diag- and legislation came to a head in the viding this benefit substantially bur- nosed with cancer? Will I be forced to recent Supreme Court case Burwell v. dens their religious exercise without pay for chemotherapy because my em- Hobby Lobby. compelling justification, to paraphrase ployer genuinely believes that relying I got my first job when I was 13, a Hobby Lobby and Conestoga Wood RFRA. on modern medicine instead of prayer camp counselor job, looking after chil- Specialties sought an exemption from Except providing full health insur- is a sin? dren not much younger than me for the Affordable Care Act’s mandate ance coverage is not burdening them. With the Supreme Court’s Hobby far below minimum wage. I thought I that health plans cover all birth control They can still pray as they choose and Lobby decision and the pervasiveness had a solid understanding of the em- methods approved by the Food and abstain from contraception if they of this new form of “religious liberty,” ployer-employee relationship. Drug Administratio, citing the owners’ morally disagree with it. They don’t I can only guess whose beliefs will be Employees are hired to fulfill tasks religious beliefs and RFRA. The court even have to offer health plans to their dictating what parts of my life. that the employer needs completed. in a 5-4 decision found that closely employees, but could instead pay a In return, the employee receives pay held corporations could withhold ben- tax. The most important point is that Alex Flitter, 25, Cherry Hill N.J., gradu­ and possibly benefits. That’s where I efits from employees due to religious whether or not a woman chooses to ated magna cum laude from Rutgers Uni­ thought the relationship ended. But beliefs. use contraception in no way hinders versity in 2012 with a bachelor’s in psychol­ since then, a transformation has oc- Justice Samuel Alito wrote in the the employer’s ability to practice their ogy and is pursuing a master’s in psychology curred involving “religious liberty.” majority opinion that the contracep- religion. The only hindrance is to a at Rutgers. What used to mean the right to believe tive mandate was a “substantial bur- woman’s right to reproductive free- or not to believe in any religion you den” to the owners. He interpreted dom. Second place: Graduate/mature student essay contest SCOTUS: All freedom not created equal

FFRF awarded Kat $2,000 for her essay. a legal right to obtain. of pocket. For a woman making mini- A woman’s choice The Burwell v. Hobby Lobby deci- mum wage, as many workers at retail sion suggests that religious freedom is stores such as Hobby Lobby earn, this By Kat Heiden to obtain birth somehow more valuable than workers’ could mean nearly a month’s wages. freedom to make decisions about their A woman’s choice to obtain birth control does own health and futures. That alone is a control does not infringe on anyone fatal flaw in the decision, but there are else’s freedom. No one will be forced not infringe on The New York Times headline several others. In a country where we to use birth control. Before, during anyone else’s sums it up nicely: “Supreme Court Re- pride ourselves on “liberty and justice and after the woman’s choice, the free- jects Contraceptive Mandate for Some for all,” the decision applies that lib- dom to practice religion will remain freedom. Corporations.” Within this straightfor- erty selectively, with religious business intact. Disturbingly, the decision sug- ward statement lies an important key owners as its “chosen” people. gests that the imposition of one’s reli- word: “Some” suggests that the court’s If religious employers refuse to gious beliefs on others is a freedom to decision applies to certain companies include contraception as part of em- be protected. Burwell v. Hobby Lobby not The majority opinion justifies cor- with certain characteristics. ployee health plans, many women only applies the concept of freedom porate personhood by stating: In this case that defining character- can no longer make a choice about unequally, it relies heavily on the idea istic is the business owners’ religious whether or not to obtain it. They are of corporate personhood to under- Congress provided protection beliefs. The court’s decision ensures stripped of this freedom because with- score its religious favoritism. As Justice for people like the Hahns and that these individuals’ religious prefer- out insurance, contraception can be Ruth Ginsburg noted in her dissent, Greens by employing a familiar ences are maintained. In doing so, it prohibitively expensive. For example, “the court’s expansive notion of corpo- legal fiction: It included corpora- violates the freedom of countless fe- according to Planned Parenthood, an rate personhood invites for-profit enti- tions within RFRA’s definition of male employees by preventing them intrauterine device (one of the most ef- ties to seek religion-based exemptions “persons.” But it is important to from accessing the contraception that, fective forms of birth control) can cost from regulations they deem offensive keep in mind that the purpose of per the Affordable Care Act, they have $500 to $900 if paid for entirely out to their faiths.” this fiction is to provide protection November 2014 Madison, Wisconsin Freethought Today Page 9

for human beings. A corporation The Supreme Court is a public body doubt on that score. Instead, the is simply a form of organization whose purpose is to better define, in- Court holds that Congress, in the used by human beings to achieve terpret and apply law in service of all Religious Freedom Restoration desired ends. An established body Americans. It cannot select which Act of 1993, dictated the extraor- of law specifies the rights and ob- Americans it serves. In principle, the dinary religion-based exemptions ligations of the people (including court makes our country freer by en- [to the Free Exercise Clause] to- shareholders, officers, and em- suring that all laws are just. Burwell v. day’s decision endorses. ployees) who are associated with a Hobby Lobby does not strike down an corporation in one way or anoth- unjust law or create a new one. It sim- Decisions like Burwell v. Hobby Lobby er. When rights, whether constitu- ply chooses the application of one ex- favor some Americans’ freedoms over tional or statutory, are extended isting law over another. The Religious others, which is extremely problem- to corporations, the purpose is to Freedom Restoration Act is favored atic. Freedom is the core belief that protect the rights of these people. over the Affordable Care Act. unites our United States, and it is too In a more egregious misappropria- precious to be dispensed unevenly, The above passage shows selective tion of the court’s power to apply the especially by the highest court in the freedom at work. The majority defines law, RFRA is also essentially chosen land. “people” as shareholders, officers and over the First Amendment’s Free Exer- employees and justifies corporate per- cise Clause. Justice Ginsburg speaks to Kat Heiden, 29, Sherman Oaks, Calif., sonhood as a way to protect those peo- this point in her dissent: is pursuing an M.A. in communications ple’s rights. Yet the employee’s right to and leadership from Gonzaga University contraception is denied. By treating The Court does not pretend in Spokane, Wash. She previously earned a employers differently from employees, that the First Amendment’s Free B.A. in screenwriting from Chapman Uni­ the court adheres to only a select por- Exercise Clause demands religion- versity in Orange, Calif. tion of its own corporate personhood based accommodations so ex- Kat Heiden definition. treme, for our decisions leave no Third place: Graduate/mature student essay contest Disquieting decision: Burwell v. Hobby Lobby

FFRF awarded Justin $1,000 for his essay. This terrible Establishment Clause, it is the implicit ly picking winners and losers based on meaning that is deeply unsettling. “deeply held religious beliefs.” This is decision is The court has indirectly decided corporate encroachment on individual that the religious beliefs of the majority liberties and protections, done in the not at all what shareholders of a company trump em- name of religious liberty. It opens the the framers ployees’ rights. Picking and choosing floodgates for cases all over the coun- who’s burdened or helped by RFRA try. envisioned with sets an awful precedent, and Justice Secularism requires a position of Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s dissent eluci- neutrality, because the complications the Establishment dates this beautifully: of defining a deeply held religious belief are astounding. RFRA should Clause. No doubt the Greens . . . and be amended or repealed altogether. all who share their beliefs may de- Hobby Lobby and Conestoga Wood cline to acquire for themselves the Specialties should not have even been with the Establishment Clause. The de- contraceptives in question. But allowed to pursue a claim against forms cision stems from the 1993 Religious that choice may not be imposed of contraception in the first place. Freedom Restoration Act, which, in on employees who hold other be- Calling contraception such as intra- the wake of the 2010 Citizens United de- liefs. Working for Hobby Lobby or uterine devices the moral equivalent of cision, has been appropriated to serve Conestoga, in other words, should abortion is not a position that the Su- the ends of religious business owners not deprive employees of the pre- preme Court should decide, but it has who run entities such as Hobby Lobby. ventive care available to workers done so at the expense of individual Equally troubling is that at no time at the shop next door, at least in rights. This decision is dangerous, and By Justin Clark in the majority opinion does Justice the absence of directions from the future cases will make it only more so. Samuel Alito even remotely define Legislature or Administration to what “deeply held religious beliefs” are do so. Justin Clark, 24, Peru, Ind., is pursing or how they allow corporations to dis- a master’s in public history at Indiana Uni­ The Supreme Court made a de- criminate against workers. He only inti- That outlines perfectly the prob- versity-Purdue University-Indianapolis. He cision on June 30 that will be remem- mates that “it is not for the Court to say lematic aspect of this decision. The previously earned a bachelor’s in history/ bered for its uneven handling of justice that the religious beliefs of the plain- Establishment Clause mandates strict political science with a minor in philosophy and as a serious challenge to the secu- tiffs are mistaken or unreasonable.” neutrality in religious matters, but be- from Indiana University-Kokomo. lar institutions that have sustained the While the explicit remark of the ma- cause of the ruling’s broadening of U.S. for over 230 years: Burwell v. Hobby jority is certainly logical, based on the RFRA, the government is now effective- Lobby Stores Inc. For-profit corporations now have a “religious privilege” to not conform to Fourth place: Graduate/mature student essay contest the contraceptive coverage mandate as outlined in the Affordable Care Act. For the first time, personal religious rights have been conferred on for- Corporate personhood’s profit corporations. Owners of “closely held” companies can impose their reli- gious beliefs on their employees. As New York Times reporter Adam oppression by religion Liptak noted, the decision has “opened the door to many challenges from cor- porations over laws that they claim FFRF awarded Zachary $750 for his essay. espoused by many of the Constitution’s erosion of the separation of church violate their religious liberty.” That un- framers. The Establishment Clause and state lets corporations legislate derstates the case. Over 90% of all U.S. also appealed to people who had faced from the board room, circumventing By Zachary Tuck businesses are “closely held,” which religious persecution in Europe. legal precedent to create biased hiring means that while the majority opinion The ongoing clash between science practices and control their employees’ sees this as a narrow ruling, it actually and religion and the growth of corpo- and customers’ access to health, safety applies the challenges to the ACA to rate personhood complicate the issue and freedom from persecution under corporate law as a whole. The First Amendment states in of religious freedom in a way not an- the guise of religious expression. In effect, a private company can now part, “Congress shall make no law re- ticipated 200 years ago. Corporate re- The exercise of free speech has challenge almost any law on “religious specting an establishment of religion.” ligious expression has devastating con- been the battleground for corporate liberty” grounds. This terrible decision The amendment expressed the En- sequences for women, LGBTQ persons personhood. Corporations have a vest- is not at all what the framers envisioned lightenment-era philosophy of reason and other minorities. The concomitant Continued on next page Page 10 Freethought Today Madison, Wisconsin November 2014

Continued from previous page The 21st century has also witnessed The court majority ed interest in removing any limits to the growth of the LGBTQ rights move- political donations, which gives them ment, which faces strong religious op- wrongly allowed greater clout than any human person, position. Michelle Chen at The Nation paving the way for decisions like Citi­ has reported on Hobby Lobby’s unwill- Hobby Lobby to zens United and Burwell v. Hobby Lobby. ingness to let a transgender employee The social movements of the 20th of 16 years use her store’s bathroom, define what causes century, most notably the civil rights despite having legally transitioned. and women’s rights movements, cre- George Fox University, a Christian uni- an abortion. ated a fairer and broader definition versity in Oregon, applied for and was of what it is to be human. One such granted a religious exemption to Title source of power is the idea of bodily IX requirements to provide appro- of the free exercise of religion. Each autonomy, which was advanced by the priate accommodations for one of its such law passed nationally or locally landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade decision. transgender students. As the student and supported judicially threatens the Burwell v. Hobby Lobby carries with it Zachary Tuck himself points out in a report by Dan- Establishment Clause — in word and the implication that a corporation can iel Borgen: spirit — and the freedom and safety of use a religion to make a medical defi- “according to their religious beliefs.” “I deserve to be treated like the individuals and groups. nition, which thus becomes not only a He had to do so because the four con- other men on campus. Apparently, the Those of us who fear the imposi- public health concern, but a threat to traceptives at issue (Mirena, Paragard, university disagrees, as they have made tion of religion, or impositions in the women’s rights. Plan B and Ella) are not, in fact, abor- clear by forcing me to live off-campus. guise of religion, must fight the symp- In “The Hobby Lobby Decision: A tifacients according to the FDA. This The university is operating under the toms of this problem and face up to the Summary & Explanation,” the blogger is really crucial. The court majority doctrine of ‘separate but equal,’ and problem itself: That no freedom is safe known as Carmen breaks down one of wrongly allowed Hobby Lobby to de- the religious exemption they received when corporate interests erode repre- the most insidious aspects of the ma- fine what causes an abortion. now gives the government’s stamp of sentative government. jority decision by exploring a quote The court is not solely culpable in approval to what they are doing. My from Justice Samuel Alito: “The own- this, given that the Religious Freedom own tax dollars will fund the univer- Zachary Tuck, 30, Austin, Texas, is a ers of the businesses have religious Restoration Act, passed by Congress, sity’s discrimination against me. I don’t student in the writing and literature pro­ objections to abortion, and according mandates additional safeguards against understand it and I don’t think it is gram at California College of the Arts in to their religious beliefs the four con- laws placing an alleged undue burden fair.” the San Francisco area, working toward a traceptive methods at issue are aborti- on the expression of religion, effective- The Supreme Court and the pre- bachelor’s degree. facients.” ly paving the way for the Hobby Lobby vailing political climate are strongly bi- Note how carefully Alito words it: case and others like it. ased toward a very loose interpretation Fifth place: Graduate/mature student essay contest Hobby Lobby ruling is vat of worms

FFRF awarded Benjamin $500 for his es­ porate personhood through a DSM-IV Corporations can say. lens. The movie concludes that corpo- rations are largely psychopathic (so- merge, acquiesce cially inept, lacking empathy, deceitful, By Benjamin van Loon etc.). and sue, but can This is not revelatory but it is pro- they go to church? vocative. We’re led to ask how corpora- tions achieved their personhood. They The First Amendment recog- can merge, acquiesce and sue, but can nizes freedom of speech, freedom of they go to church? about religious freedom, the $2.28 bil- the press and freedom of religion. The Hobby Lobby cites the Religious lion company would swallow the $100 amendment opens with the Establish- Freedom Restoration Act, suggesting a month tax for failing to meet HRSA ment and Free Exercise Clauses that that the government has substantially requirements and we’d hear no more state, “Congress shall make no law re- burdened the company’s exercise of of it. But instead, federal notions of specting an establishment of religion religion. religious liberty get dragged into the or prohibiting the free exercise there- The “win” in Burwell v. Hobby Lobby muck as Jefferson’s wall gets ever more of.” is a liberating benefit to corporations, porous. Thomas Jefferson summed up the which can leverage “religious” ratio- Finally, in typical psychopathologi- clauses’ implication in his 1802 letter nale for commercial gain and a detri- cal fashion, Hobby Lobby fails to rec- to the Danbury Baptist Association, ment to the real persons affected by ognize that what it does in pursuit of its that they erect “a wall of separation be- corporate decisions. religious liberty doubles as a religious tween Church & State.” We must also consider how the case (ethical and ideological) imposition, only place one can be truly free. On paper, the separation seems like fallaciously conflates religious convic- beginning with its 28,000 employees it should work, but two centuries later, tion with ethical opinion. Hobby Lob- and extending to the rest of the con- Benjamin van Loon, 29, Chicago, is the 1791 amendment is still conten- by’s argument reflects the Christian scious public. pursuing a master’s in communication and tious. position about conception and contra- If Congress shall make no law re- media at Northeastern Illinois University Burwell v. Hobby Lobby originated ceptives in general, where the logic is specting an establishment of religion after graduating magna cum laude from in 2010 in reaction to the Affordable hermeneutically weak and the reason- or prohibiting the free exercise there- North Park University with degrees in both Care Act and its redefinition of em- ing duplicitous. of, it should recognize that religion philosophy and English. ployer-based health plans. Under the If Burwell v. Hobby Lobby were truly ends where it begins: in the head, the ACA, the Health Resources and Ser- vices Administration determined that FDA-approved contraceptives should Sixth place (tie): Graduate/mature student essay contest be included in these health plans. Big-box craft chain Hobby Lobby — owned by founder, billionaire and evangelical Christian David Green and his family — has 28,000 employees and A haven from oppression objected to coverage for emergency and other contraception which the company has, in the tradition of corpo- FFRF awarded Ashley $400 for her essay. no law respecting an establishment of land. rate myopia, erroneously declared to religion, or prohibiting the free exer- Today it would seem that history be abortifacients. cise thereof. . .” The reverence given does repeat itself, as liberty-minded By Ashley Reynolds This is less like a can and more like to both aspects of religious liberty by Americans once again find themselves a vat of worms. How can a corporation our nation’s founders comes as no sur- as underdogs in a battle for freedom have religious beliefs? Mark Achbar prise to anyone familiar with our colo- from religious oppression. and Jennifer Abbott addressed the is- nial history, as the New World served A legislative battle is under way to sue in their 2003 documentary “The United States Constitution, as a haven for the many who sought to radically redefine “religious liberty.” By Corporation,” which investigates cor- Amendment I: “Congress shall make escape the oppressive Church of Eng- definition, liberty means to have the November 2014 Madison, Wisconsin Freethought Today Page 11 greatest degree of freedom possible Bader Ginsburg, the majority ventured ligious Right is successfully launching without infringing on another’s rights. into a “minefield” by radically expand- attacks on women from a new strategic Yet the purported religious liberties of ing the interpretation of the Religious position. If they can’t deny reproduc- some are clashing with the basic rights Freedom Restoration Act of 1993 to in- tive rights entirely, they will circumvent of others, and these clashes are being clude corporate personhood. them by cutting off insurance funding. legally sanctioned, defying the spirit of Within 24 hours, the court issued America is an idea as much as a na- the Establishment Clause. orders on six similar cases that ex- tion, the idea being that people are en- Many states have almost no legal tended the Hobby Lobby exception to dowed with a basic human right to as consequences for parents who decline all drugs classified as contraceptives. much freedom as possible without in- medical treatment for their children in Within 48 hours, the court issued a fringing on others. Our founding doc- favor of faith-based healing. Similarly, procedural ruling in Wheaton College uments reflect this desire for liberty, despite the 109-year-old ruling in Jacob­ v. Burwell that the employer couldn’t and we are governed by a Constitution son v. Massachusetts, all but three states even be compelled to submit a form to that, in no uncertain terms, especially grant parents vaccine exemptions on the government stating religious objec- recognizes the importance of religious the basis of religion. Ashley Reynolds tions to contraceptives, as the mere act freedom. Gays and women are subject to ev- of doing so might trigger a third party America can return to her roots as er-increasing discrimination despite above the rest as a red flag:Burwell v. to provide coverage. a haven from oppression, but we must constitutional protections. Nine states Hobby Lobby. In the fall of 2012, Hobby Religious liberty no longer just take this clear stand: One’s freedom have what some disrespectfully call Lobby’s owners filed a lawsuit alleging means a woman has the freedom to ends where another’s begins. “no promo homo” laws denouncing that the Affordable Care Act forced the choose whether or not to use contra- homosexuality. Contradicting Lawrence Green family to act in violation of their ception; it now means a company can Ashley Reynolds, 28, Perkins, Okla., is v. Texas, some even criminalize consen- beliefs. The Greens falsely claimed that choose whether or not to even give her pursuing an M.S. in teaching, learning sual sex between adults. emergency contraceptives like Plan B the option. and leadership with an option in secondary And, after Arizona’s failed attempt and Ella, as well as copper and hor- Burwell is another chip off the de- social studies education at Oklahoma State to let business owners refuse service to monal intrauterine devices, are aborti- caying façades of Griswold v. Connecti­ University, where she earned a B.A. in po­ same-sex couples for religious reasons, facients. cut and Roe v. Wade, which have been litical science in 2010. at least five more states are looking at On June 30, 2014, the Supreme weakened by a string of state laws and similar legislation. Court sided 5-4 with Hobby Lobby. In court rulings making contraception Perhaps one recent case stands the words of dissenting Justice Ruth and abortion less accessible. The Re- Sixth place (tie): Graduate/mature student essay contest Wall of separation in danger of crumbling

FFRF awarded Jared $400 for his essay. ample of the way “religious liberty” has leave the room. hind the majority’s view is not. Assum- been misused to force one Christianity The agenda of conservatives who ing that the court’s ideological make- on the entire nation. claim they want to expand “religious up isn’t altered in the near future, this In Town of Greece v. Galloway, the Su- liberty” is revealed. They do not want decision could open the floodgates to preme Court ruled that not only could religious liberty; they want its antithe- letting the religious majority force its a city council meeting begin with a sis. They want to use the government’s views on the minority. prayer, but the prayer could be explic- authority to spread their beliefs to the Those of us who believe that free- itly Christian. The case is notable for exclusion of all others at taxpayer ex- dom of religion includes freedom several reasons. pense. from religion should be outraged. The New York town had a history It’s no wonder that Justice Clarence of selecting only Christians to lead the Thomas filed a separate opinion with Jared Plotkin, 28, Sacramento, is pursu­ opening prayer. Justice Elena Kagan the majority stating that there’s noth- ing a master’s in political science at Cali­ noted in her dissent: “In arranging for ing in the Constitution barring state fornia State University-Los Angeles, where clergy members to open each meeting, and local governments from establish- he’s the founding president of the Atheist, the town never sought (except briefly ing an official religion. Agnostic and Non-Religious Student Alli­ when this suit was filed) to involve, ac- Prayer at city council meetings ance. He previously earned a B.A. in politi­ commodate, or in any way reach out to might be a small issue, but the logic be- cal science from UCLA-Irvine. adherents of non-Christian religions.” The 5-4 decision was also notable for the breakdown among justices. All the justices appointed by Republican presidents (and all Catholic) favored State/Church Bulletin By Jared Plotkin sectarian prayer, while all appointed by Democrats opposed it. The court’s Courthouse protest gerous person.” split mirrors that of the town’s prayer- givers — the Christian majority impos- brings arrest Atheist settles suit for In 2014, the principle of separa- ing its views on everyone. Eliot Kalman, 69, Athens, Ohio, $2 million tion of church and state has been chal- The decision runs afoul of judicial was arrested Oct. 28 and charged with lenged in a variety of disturbing ways. precedent, which is increasingly be- misdemeanor criminal mischief for his Barry Hazle Jr. and the state of Cali- Using code words like “religious liber- coming typical for this court. E.J. Di- protest of the church directory sign on fornia settled Hazle’s six-year-old civil ty,” Christian conservatives have tried onne notes that “the court’s conserva- the Athens County Courthouse. Kal- rights suit on Oct. 14 for almost $2 through the legal system to impose tive majority is operating as a political man admitted putting stickers advo- million. Hazle was imprisoned for just their beliefs on everyone. faction” and is willing to embrace an cating state/church separation on the over 100 days after contesting a “higher Hundreds of public schools across activist role in order to achieve ideo- directory, reported the Athens News. power” drug treatment program while the country were shown to be teaching logical goals. The sign lists 40 different churches he was on parole, the Redding Record creationism, in defiance of federal rul- Precedent like the “Lemon” test, and religious groups in the county. Searchlight reported. ings. Numerous bills were proposed al- which prohibits government entangle- County Prosecutor Keller Black- Hazle asked for a secular treatment lowing businesses to turn away gay cus- ment with religion and ensures that burn said it’s his “understanding that program, was told none was available tomers based on the owner’s religious policies involving religion serve a secu- the county has no influence or author- and was eventually sent back to pris- beliefs, with one so far, in Mississippi, lar purpose, has been swept aside. Even ity over what goes up or how it goes up, on, where he’d already spent a year signed into law. more startling is how the “originalist” and that by going through the [private] on drug possession charges that were Most recently, in Burwell v. Hobby conservative justices have ignored the group who controls it, anyone can post overturned by an appeals court. Lobby, the Supreme Court declared founders’ views on state/church sepa- any group organizational information An appeals judge ruled in August that not only are corporations people, ration. they want.” 2013 that compensatory damages are they can be religious people, and that The words of the majority opinion Kalman said if something is on mandatory in cases of unconstitutional their “freedom of religion” trumps the confirm this stunning departure from county property, it’s under the county’s imprisonment and said the trial jury rights of the actual people who work our roots. Justice Anthony Kennedy authority. He said he’s upset about be- had been misinstructed, resulting in for the company. opined that the overwhelming major- ing handcuffed, searched and “perp the settlement. The state will pay Ha- Each of these issues is an egregious ity of prayers were explicitly Christian walked” after what he considers an zle $1 million and $925,000 will come constitutional violation. I wish, how- was because town residents were “near- appropriate public protest. “They put from Westcare California Inc., the con- ever, to discuss another development ly all” Christian. Kennedy’s solution for me in handcuffs for exercising my First tractor that offered only a religious re- that is in many ways the clearest ex- those who object: Ignore the prayer or Amendment rights as if I were a dan- habilitation program. Page 12 Freethought Today Madison, Wisconsin November 2014

Above: Scott Clifton, an daytime Emmy Award-winning actor (currently Liam Cooper on “The Bold and the Beautiful” on CBS). Left: The audience watches a riveting excerpt of Clifton’s atheist YouTube series “Theoretical B.S.”

Speakers — FFRF Convention 2014 Millenium Biltmore — Los Angeles, Oct. 24–26

Rice University professor Anthony Pinn spoke on “How a Good Methodist Became a Better Atheist.”

Above: Jessica Ahlquist, 19, summed Three of FFRF’s staff attorneys, Andrew Seidel, Rebecca Markert and Patrick up what she learned as Rhode Island’s Elliott, drew appreciative standing-room-only crowds for their workshop outcast high school state/church reporting on legal activism and media coverage. plaintiff and court victor. Left: FFRF Member Barbara Mancini gave a cautionary speech, “From Photography by Accused to Activist,” about her father’s attempt to die with dignity. Ingrid Laas

Talented photographer Chris Johnson sold out of his gorgeous photo book A Better Life: 100 Atheists Speak Out on Joy FFRF Co-President Dan Barker entertains at the piano after the banquet. & Meaning in a World Without God. November 2014 Madison, Wisconsin Freethought Today Page 13

Professor Erwin Chemerinsky, a “titan” in state/ church scholarship, was awarded Champion of the First Amendment by FFRF Co-President Dan Barker. Physicist and author Sean Carroll, holding FFRF’s Anthropologist and author Donald C. highest honor, the Emperor Has No Clothes Award. Johanson, discoverer of “Lucy,” displays his Emperor Has No Clothes Award. Honorees

Susan Galloway (left) and Linda Stephens each received Freethinker of the Year awards as the persevering plaintiffs challenging governmental prayer in Town of Greece v. Galloway and Stephens.

Leading state/church scholar Marci Hamilton received FFRF’s Freethought Heroine Award. Photography by Ingrid Laas

‘Nothing Fails Like Prayer’ Winners

Tim Earl with his “Nothing Fails Like Prayer” Senior Staff Attorney Rebecca Markert hands Dan Amanda Novotny receives her “Nothing Fails plaque, awarded on behalf of FFRF by Staff Courtney his “Nothing Fails Like Prayer” plaque. Like Prayer” plaque from Staff Attorney Andrew Attorney Patrick Elliott. Tim delivered his atheist Dan historically gave a secular invocation in the Seidel for her freethought invocation before invocation to the city council in Portage, Mich. town of Greece, N.Y., site of the Supreme Court the Sioux Falls (S.D.) City Council. The three challenge of governmental prayer. winners delivered their winning invocations at the convention. Page 14 Freethought Today Madison, Wisconsin November 2014 Chapters & Activists

Mark and Marni Heubner-Tiborsky. Marni is president of the Cleveland-based Northern Ohio Freethought Society, an FFRF chapter. Photo: Ingrid Laas

FFRF state representatives Sheridan Chapin and Fairfid Caudle, both New Yorkers. Photography by Andrew Seidel

Enjoying FFRF’s Non-Prayer Breakfast and the company were Steve Brady, attorney in FFRF’s Orlando schools censorship case, Florida; Steve Salemson, FFRF’s new treasurer, Wisconsin; board member Mike Cermak Jr. with his father Mike Sr., both of Pennsylvania; and Stephen Hirtle, FFRF board chair, Pennsylvania.

Richard L. Bolton, Wisconsin, who has litigated dozens of FFRF lawsuits, Ron Hermsen, founder of Freedom From Religion-Albuquerque, enjoys cake including its ongoing IRS challenge of the parish exclusion, introduces honoree with another convention attendee. Erwin Chermerinsky. Photo: Ingrid Laas

Steve Trunk, foxhole atheist, California state representative and Cheryl Kolbe, president of FFRF Portland Area, and professor Stephen Hirtle, Claudette StPierre, president of plaintiff in the longest-lived state/ University of Pittsburgh, who chairs FFRF’s Executive Board and helped select FFRF’s Denver chapter, browses the church court case in history, the the Wyndham Grand Pittsburgh Downtown for the national convention Oct. 7-9, book selection. Mount Soledad cross case in La Jolla. 2016. November 2014 Madison, Wisconsin Freethought Today Page 15 Convention Staffing

Scott and Beth Taylor, Washington state. Scott was convention videographer. Beth helped staff sales tables.

Sam Erickson, president of Atheists, Humanists and Agnostics at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, served as convention IT guy. Buzz Kemper manned the audio.

Bookkeeper Katie Daniel was popular as the staffer who could process credit cards for sales items. Staff Attorneys Andrew Seidel and Patrick Elliott, with Rebecca Markert (below), put on a popular legal workshop, then helped staff sales tables.

Membership Manager Jackie Douglas and Lisa Strand, director of operations, greeted conventioneers and did “yeo-woman’s” convention prep. Photography by Ingrid Laas

Eric Lawrence (left) and FFRF Executive Board Member Todd Peissig, who sold tickets for the annual “clean money” drawing FFRF Co-President Annie Laurie Gaylor with Official convention photographer (pre-“In God We Trust” currency from $1 to $100). Todd steadfast state/church plaintiff Jessica Ahlquist. Ingrid Laas waits for Donald C. surprised his 15-year partner Eric with a Life Membership at the Photo: Andrew Seidel Johanson’s autograph. convention. Photo: Andrew Seidel Page 16 Freethought Today Madison, Wisconsin November 2014

Claudia Kellersch Brumley, Calif., loads FFRF’ers filled the Biltmore Bowl at the elegant Millennium Biltmore Hotel in downtown Los Angeles. Chris up on flair and books, including FFRF’s Johnson, who photographed freethinkers around the world for his book A Better Life: 100 Atheists Speak Out signature “Imagine No Religion” book on Joy & Meaning in a World Without God, shows a photo of Julia and Mulan Sweeney, Julia’s daughter, who bag. are included in the coffee table book.

The audience of over 500 let loose with numerous standing ovations during the 37th annual FFRF convention. Participants were from at least 32 states and three countries besides the U.S.: Canada, Brazil and New Zealand. Irreverent Audience Photography by Len Eisenberg, Oregon, and Charlene Couch, Maryland, are among the attentive audience. Len and his wife, Karen, also attending, generously endow the annual $1,000 Thomas Jefferson Student Activist Award and produce those Ingrid Laas popular evolution T-shirts!

Honoree Donald C. Johanson autographs his photo in Chris Johnson’s A Better Ngozi Onwurah and her son Kanaya Kuchler, 11, listen intently to speaker Life for photographer Chris, while activist Jessica Ahlquist waits her turn. Anthony Pinn, author of Writing God’s Obituary. November 2014 Madison, Wisconsin Freethought Today Page 17

FFRF provided a complimentary afternoon reception in one of the Biltmore’s beautiful areas.

Right: Convention-goers enjoy the spread.

Convention Ambience

Photography by Ingrid Laas Watch convention slideshows: ffrf.org/convention The memorable Millennium Biltmore setting. Wearing a very cool tie (reading: “Infidel, Non-Believer, Freethinker, Atheist, Heretic”) is Steven Lowe, District of Columbia. Photo: Andrew Seidel

The Voices of Reason chorus, affiliated with Atheists United, serenadeS with a soothing 15-minute concert. Warm thanks to As always, FFRF encourages conventioneers to finish off the debut chorus members Diego Davidenko, Derek Houck, Christine celebratory evening with some luscious dessert. Jones, Erin Keith, Amanda MacLean, Jeff Mock, Mark Nowitzky, Robyn Reagan, Yari Schutzer, Monk Turner and Kiahna Watkins. Inset right: Co-President Dan Barker introduces the traditional moment of bedlam, a highlight of FFRF’s traditional Nonprayer Breakfast inaugurated years ago by Pesident Emerita Anne Nicol Gaylor.

A moment of bedlam, not a moment of silence! That’s Kathy Jackson in yellow, who Priest-turned-atheist Steve Uhl, Arizona, signs copies of his book is married (to her right) to Out of God’s Closet, the proceeds of which benefit FFRF. FFRF’s Judy Saint, who directs the new studio will be named the Steven Uhl Friendly Atheist Studio, Sacramento FFRF chapter. thanks to Steve’s generosity. The Diane Uhl Legal Wing and Diane Claudia Kellersch, Brumley, Uhl Concert Grand Piano will soon open as well. Next to Steve Calif., protects her ears from is Katie Daniel, FFRF bookkeeper, doing a brisk business. Photo: the enthusiastic response. Andrew Seidel Photos: Andrew Seidel Page 18 Freethought Today Madison, Wisconsin November 2014

Black Collar Crime Blotter ful restraint. A search warrant affidavit said she Compiled by Bill Dunn told police she was sending the girls home to “meet Jesus Christ.” The girls, ages 12, 16 and Arrested / Charged 19, told police she brandished a knife while ask- ing them if they accepted Jesus Christ as their Albert A. Young, 49, Philadelphia: Unlaw- savior. Two of the girls were stabbed but were ful sexual contact with a minor, corruption of mi- treated and released to the custody of Chris- nors and indecent assault of a child. Young, the tensen’s father. self-styled “apostle” of Total Deliverance Min- She allegedly told officers that her husband, istries, is accused of molesting his 15-year-old Vaughn Christensen, had left phone messages mentally challenged niece. that the world was ending and she needed to An affidavit said he made the girl sit in his prepare the family to meet Jesus. He’s a former lap in his office in August, fondled her buttocks pastor at a Sugar Grove church. Source: Sun- inside her pants and kissed her while rubbing Times 10-10-14 his clothed genitals on her and taking her hand Tony Haglund, 49, The Villages, FL: Sexual to touch him. Young then allegedly told her not penetration by a psychotherapist, sexual con- to tell anyone. Source: Daily News, 11-3-14 tact with a child under 16 and sexual contact by Bruce Harvey, 48, East Windsor, NJ: Ter- a psychotherapist. Haglund, a real estate agent, roristic threats, simple assault and harassment. was indicted federally for allegedly having sex Harvey, pastor of Apostolic Life Church in Ew- with a teen girl between January 2011 and De- ing, is accused of threatening to kill his wife on cember 2013 while he was a Lutheran pastor Jesus’ orders. in Canton, SD. He was asked to resign after al- Judge Robert Billmeier said Harvey, who re- legations were made, said ELCA Bishop David tired in 2011 after 20 years as an investigator for Zellmer. Source: Daily Commercial, 10-8-14 the state Division of Criminal Justice, received a Calvin D. Gideon, 53, Plymouth, WI: 15 psychiatric evaluation and was found to be com- Her husband, Rico Sharp, a church officer, with his ex-wife to maintain an ongoing parent- counts of possession of child pornography. petent. Source: Trenton Times, 10-30-14 faces similar charges. Source: WFTV, 10-23-14 ing relationship with his 3-year-old son. It is not Gideon, former youth director at St. John the Nicholas Lawrence, 26, Pekin, IL: Indicted Wojciech Gil, a Catholic priest in custody in uncommon that allegations such as these arise Baptist Catholic Church, allegedly told police by a grand jury for causing a person younger Krakow, has been formally charged in Poland in the course of such disputes, particularly when he’d been downloading child porn for about 10 than 13 to appear in a sexually explicit photo, with 10 child sex offenses, most involving the the complainant, in this case the ex-wife, can years but denied sexual contact with juveniles. which allegedly occurred in May. He was in- alleged abuse of boys under age 15 in Poland in benefit from the allegations.” Source: Christian The church released a statement that Gide- dicted earlier on charges of predatory criminal 2000-01 and the Dominican Republic in 2009- Post, 10-17-14 on’s firing wasn’t related to illegal activity during sexual assault of a child and aggravated crimi- 13. He’s also charged with possessing porno- Andrew M. Patterson, 45, Monroeville, his employment. Gideon told police it was be- nal sex abuse. graphic materials and possessing a firearm and PA: Child endangerment and 2 counts of child cause of his drinking. Source: AP, 10-7-14 Lawrence was fired in June as a youth pas- ammunition without having a permit. pornography. Patterson, youth pastor at Living Dario Spasic, 22, Libertyville, IL: 2 counts of tor with the Pekin Church of God. Source: Peo- The indictment said about 91,000 child Waters Family Worship Center, had more than indecent solicitation of a child. Spasic is study- ria Journal Star, 10-30-14 porn images and 400 videos were found on the 1,000 images of children, including infants, in- ing for the priesthood at St. Sava Serbian Ortho- Joseph M. Trusty, 47, Greenville, SC: priest’s computer. Some boys were shown mas- volved in sex acts with adult males, an affidavit dox School of Theology. Criminal solicitation of a minor. Trusty, a popu- turbating. Handcuffs, women’s underwear and a said. A sheriff’s spokesperson said Spasic con- lar Upstate gospel singer, allegedly exchanged Walther pistol were also found. Source: Gazeta Child endangerment charges against his tacted a person he thought was a 14-year-old emails arranging a sexual encounter with an Wyborcza/AP, 10-22-14 wife, Tina Marie Patterson, 41, were also boy on a social networking application to ar- undercover deputy posing as a 15-year-old boy. Chad Shiffer, 44, Eau Claire, WI: Use of a filed due to conditions in the home, where their range a sexual encounter. Source: Daily Herald, The Carolina Boys Quartet’s Facebook computer to facilitate a child sex crime, attempt- 14-year-old daughter also lives. The city build- 9-23-14 page posted a status announcing the depar- ed child enticement and attempted 2nd-degree ing inspector deemed it “not fit for human habi- L.C. Terry, 84, Mt. Pleasant, TX: 4 counts ture of Trusty as the group’s baritone: “We were sexual assault of a child. Shiffer, former youth tation” due to excrement and urine from 10 Po- of aggravated sexual assault of a disabled in- caught completely off-guard and are completely pastor at Bethesda Lutheran Brethren Church, meranian dogs. The stench reportedly caused dividual. Terry, pastor of Spring Hill Missionary shocked at the situation. As soon as we re- was among 9 men ranging in age from 20 to 60 an investigator to vomit. Source: triblive.com, Baptist Church, allegedly committed the as- ceived confirmation of the charges last night, we arrested during a sting called Operation Child 10-16-14 saults at an assisted living facility. Source: Daily immediately terminated Joe’s association with Safe. Rex Allen Murphy, 30, Eubank, KY: Sod- Tribune, 9-17-14 The Carolina Boys Quartet.” Source: WSPA, Suspects responded to ads for minors seek- omy, sexual abuse and use of a minor in a sex- 10-29-14 ing sex or adults involved in child trafficking, ual performance. Murphy taught Sunday school James R. Smith, 23, Ridgeview, W.VA: said investigators, who said the online ads got at Polly Ann Church of God, where the pastor Pleaded / Convicted 1st-degree sexual abuse and sexual abuse by over 5,000 clicks. denied that Murphy was also a youth pastor, a parent or guardian. Smith, pastor at Morning Bethesda Lutheran’s pastor said Shiffer re- which he told police he was. Isrom Johnson, 35, New Albany, IN: Guilty Star House of Prayer, is charged with alleged signed for an unrelated reason in 2013. Source: Police allege he told a 16-year-old boy he by jury of 3 counts of 3rd-degree sodomy for incidents dating to 2009 in several states involv- WEAU, 10-20-14 could cure his homosexuality because he’d ex- molesting a 14-year-old boy in 2010 who attend- ing a 10-year-old boy. Roger Mount, 72, Papua New Guinea: 40 perimented with it. Police Chief Colin Hatfield ed Prince of Peace Missionary Baptist Church, “I just think that it’s somebody that’s out counts of indecent assault, 14 counts of bug- said the alleged abuse occurred at least 10 where Isrom was pastor. to sabotage him and I won’t believe no differ- gery, 5 counts of gross indecency and 3 counts times over 6 months. Source: Huffington Post, The victim, now 18, testified he waited 2 ent,” said Janice Allen, a parishioner who lives of unlawful assault, all allegedly perpetrated 10-15-14 years to tell his parents because he worried the across from the church. “Ever since he’s been against 7 victims in Australia in 1968-74 while John G. Tampa, 63, Southern Pines, NC: news would destroy his family’s bond with the here, there’s been tales told on him. He’s been Mount was serving as a Catholic priest. Indecent exposure. Tampa, rector at Emmanuel church community. confronted with it. Nobody can prove anything The St. John of God religious order also Episcopal Church, and Howard Reynolds, 79, The prosecution argued the case was about that’s even been said on him.” Source: WCHS, paid 2 alleged victims of Mount’s abuse in the Whispering Pines, are accused of engaging in 2 abuse of trust, regardless of the victim’s sexu- 10-28-14 1990s and 2000s more than $100,000. He was separate sex acts allegedly seen by an under- ality or apparent cooperation. “It’s statutory be- Mark Haynes, 55, West Chester, PA: Dis- deported to Australia after living in Papua New cover officer in a public park about 1 p.m. cause the child cannot consent.The 31-year-old semination of child pornography, possession of Guinea for about 30 years. Source: Morning Tampa resigned as rector during an emer- at that table knew better,” said prosecutor Alicia child pornography and criminal use of a com- Herald, 10-20-14 gency meeting of the church vestry. Source: Gomez. Source: Courier-Journal, 10-30-14 munications facility. Court documents say au- Derek Hutter, 37, Garland, TX: Continu- Fayetteville Observer, 10-15-14 John O’Reilly, an Irish-born Catholic priest thorities tracked the material to an Internet ad- ous sex abuse of a child, possession of child Barry Freundel, 62, Washington: Voyeur- who moved to Chile in 1985, was found guilty of dress at Sts. Simon and Jude Catholic Church, pornography and online solicitation of a minor. ism. Freundel, senior rabbi at Kesher Israel molesting a preteen girl between 2007-09 at a where Haynes is pastor, and that he admitted Hutter, youth minister at South Garland Baptist Synagogue, was taken away in handcuffs by Santiago parochial school. posing as a teen girl online to communicate with Church, was arrested after a 14-year-old girl’s DC police, who also took computers and other The school is owned by the Legionaries of a 14-year-old girl. parents told police they found an email asking items from his Georgetown residence. He’s al- Christ, a conservative religious order whose The girl allegedly sent him about 10 videos their daughter to photograph herself performing leged to have videotaped at least 6 women in founder Marcial Maciel was revealed to be a of her masturbating, police said. Haynes’ email sexually explicit acts. the temple’s mikvah, a ritual bath area. pedophile who had fathered several children. address included “irishwit2.” Source: philly.com, An affidavit said the girl told authorities the “The video captures them exiting the shower Source: Reuters, 10-15-14 10-26-14 relationship started when she was 13 and in- and drying off before getting dressed,” the com- Marukudiyil Velan, 66, Brick, NJ: Guilty by Michael L. Harris Sr., 52, Hampton, VA: 3 cluded about 20 encounters. A search allegedly plaint said. Freundel allegedly used motion- jury of criminal sexual contact. Velan, pastor at counts of taking indecent liberties with a child turned up photos of her face and genitals in Hut- detecting cameras hidden inside a clock, key Church of the Visitation, a Catholic parish, alleg- while in a supervisory role. Harris allegedly mo- ter’s possession. Source: WFAA, 10-18-14 chain, tissue box and computer battery charger. edly groped a woman he was friends with. He lested a girl, now 17, in 2010, 2011 and 2012 Kent Bowles, 45, Norman, OK: Possession Police searching his Towson University of- was acquitted of 6 counts of alleged molestation while he was pastor at St. James Fellowship of a controlled dangerous substance, larceny, fice also allegedly found a photo of nude women of the woman’s son and daughter. Church of God in Newport News. Source: Daily concealment of stolen property and obtaining and handwritten lists of names. Source: Daily Jurors watched a tape on which Velan told Press, 10-26-14 cash or merchandise by bogus check or false Forward/WTTG, 10-14-14 detectives he was resisting the children’s inap- Clint Landry, 57, Fairbanks, AK: Indicted pretenses. Bowles is chaplain for the University Robert Lanterman, Geneva, OH: Assault propriate moves. He said it was the 5-year-old federally on 1 count each of attempted produc- of Oklahoma football team and a regional repre- and disorderly conduct. Lanterman, pastor of girl who took his hand and placed it on her inner tion of child pornography and attempted coer- sentative for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Catholic thigh, near her private parts, but said he moved cion and enticement of a minor, stemming from at middle schools and high schools. Church, is accused of assaulting a 51-year-old it away. He claimed the boy, then 13, rubbed alleged incidents May 18-19. Landry was put on Bowles allegedly stole prescription pain pills parishioner in church. against him, but said he pushed him away, ac- leave by the Catholic Diocese of Fairbanks from from a home while the owner was test driving a Valerie Ferrante, the complainant, told po- cidentally touching the child’s genitals. Source: his post as pastor at Sacred Heart Cathedral. new vehicle as part of an FCA fundraiser. (The lice she and another woman were praying after Asbury Park Press, 10-15-14 The alleged victim’s age wasn’t released. police later determined there was no such fun- Mass while Lanterman and some others were Willard L. Jones, 63, Tulsa, OK: Pleaded Source: Daily News Miner, 10-25-14 draiser.) talking loudly near them. She said after about 5 guilty to subscribing to a false tax return and Cameron T. Reeves, 34, Amarillo, TX: So- The man’s wife monitored Bowles through minutes, she politely asked if he could carry on 3 counts of wire fraud. Jones, church pastor liciting a prostitute. Reeves, worship pastor at a security camera feed on her phone. She saw the conversation elsewhere. and former executive director of the Greater Hillside Christian Church in Canyon, was arrest- him wandering through the house and notified She alleges that caused Lanterman to shout, Cornerstone Community Development Project, ed at Motel 6. Kristina G. Moon, 31, was also her husband, who ended the test drive early and “You can leave or find the door if you don’t like admitted misappropriating $933,000 from the arrested. came home. Source: newsok.com, 10-17-14 it. . . . You will never do that again. This is my nonprofit project for personal use. Source: fbi. “I’m sorry for wounding the heart of Christ,” Joshua Kimbrell, 29, Greenville, SC: 1st- church. You will never do this again, so help me gov, 10-9-14 Reeves said in a resignation letter read to the degree criminal sexual conduct with a minor God.” Larry M. Clark, 62, Buena Vista, VA: Guilty congregation. He said he’d been a pornography under 11. Kimbrell, who hosts a show called Lanterman allegedly told the other woman to by jury of 3 counts of indecent assault and 2 addict for 25 years. Source: Globe-News, 10- Common Cents on a Christian radio station, is shut up when she tried to intervene and then counts of corruption of a minor. The alleged 24-14 accused of playing a game with a 3-year-old boy grabbed Ferrante’s arm and pushed her toward victim, a boy who’s now 16, accused Clark of Dana Sharp, Lake Mary, FL: Defrauding the that involved inappropriate touching. The board another pew across the aisle. Source: Fox 8/ molesting him from 2011-13 while he was pastor federal government. Sharp, pastor of Spirit of of directors of the Palmetto Conservative Alli- Star Beacon, 10-10-14 at Pentecostal Outreach Church. Truth Worship Ministries, is accused of wrongly ance, which Kimbrell chairs, called the accusa- Pamela J. Christensen, 47, Montgomery, Clark is also charged with molesting 2 other receiving $109,000 in SSI payments for her 2 tions character assassination: IL: 3 counts each of attempted 1st-degree mur- boys who attended his church. The teen testi- children from the Social Security Administration. “Josh is in the midst of a bitter custody battle der, aggravated battery and aggravated unlaw- fied Clark molested him nearly every Sunday for November 2014 Madison, Wisconsin Freethought Today Page 19

3 years after church services. Source: Roanoke “shock probation,” saying he “now realizes the Thomas Feldhaus and Ronald Cooper had Times, 10-8-14 importance of obeying and conforming to the been on administrative leave for years. Timothy Kane, 57, Detroit: Guilty by jury Civil Lawsuits Settled community’s rules.” Kuhn was suspended in 2002 after police of 6 counts of embezzlement from a charity. Shock probation refers to a theory that some seized office computers at St. Henry’s Parish A jury awarded Jose Lopez, 35, San Di- Kane, assistant pastor at St. Moses of the Black criminals are so shocked by their experience in Dayton, where he was pastor. Court docu- ego, $13.5 million for being sexually abused Catholic Parish, took $131,000 from the Angel that they won’t commit another crime. A jury ments showed the computers were used to ac- as a child by Gonzalo Campos, a bible study Fund, a charity supported by the Archdiocese convicted Schook in April of 3 counts of sodomy cess websites with names such as “boyforboy,” teacher and leader of the Linda Vista Spanish of Detroit. and 1 count of indecent and immoral behavior “boyzparty” and “cityboyz.” He was convicted in Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses and Pla- Prosecutor Patrick Colleta told jurors that a with an individual. 2004 of 11 misdemeanor charges of public inde- ya Pacifica Spanish Congregation of Jehovah’s Michigan prison inmate with whom Kane was Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney John cency and providing alcohol to minors. Witnesses in Pacific Beach. having a relationship was also involved. “He Balliet said he likely would oppose early release Feldhaus was placed on leave in 2003 for Lopez was among 8 people who accused spent the [Angel Fund] money to enrich his but would first talk to victims. Source: WDRB, for allegedly molesting a minor twice in 1979. Campos of molesting them between 1982-95. boyfriend,” Colleta said. Source: Detroit News, 10-29-30 He also was accused in a lawsuit of molesting a He alleges he was 7 when Campos started 10-7-14 Philadelphia lawyers for Fr. Charles Engel- minor at Our Lady of Victory in Delhi Township grooming him. hard and former Catholic school teacher Ber- from 1986-91. The defendant, the Watchtower Bible and nard Shero argued to a Pennsylvania appeals Cooper was put on leave in 2004 for alleg- Tract Society of New York, intends to appeal. Sentenced court that their clients were wrongly convicted of edly touching a boy as an associate pastor at St. “They protected and harbored a criminal” for child sexual assault. Aloysius Gonzaga Parish in Bridgetown in the Goel Ratzon, 63, Tel Aviv: 30 years in years, said Irwin Zalkin, Lopez’s attorney. Cam- The case is tied to Msgr. William Lynn, the mid-1980s. Feldhaus and Cooper were never prison on convictions for multiple counts of pos lives now in Mexico. Source: NBC San Di- first U.S. church official prosecuted over han- charged criminally. Source: cincinnati.com, rape, sodomy, molestation of minors and fraud, ego, 10-31-14 dling of abuse complaints. Lynn is free on bail 8-28-14 although he was acquitted on a charge of spiri- John Tominus, 48, Seminole, FL, will get while appealing his child endangerment convic- St. Louis Archbishop Robert Carlson sus- tual enslavement. Ratzon, whose first name is $180,000 to settle a suit against the Catholic tion. pended retired Catholic priest John J. Ghio Hebrew for “Savior,” had 21 “wives” and about Diocese of Trenton, NJ, for alleged molesta- Engelhard and Shero, who are in prison, due to a recently reported allegation of sexual 40 children in his religious cult over 3 decades. tion by priest Terence McAlinden in the 1980s. claim they have new evidence about the ac- abuse of a minor in the early 1980s. Ghio, who “He’s the messiah everyone has been talk- Tominus said McAlinden molested him more cuser and a witness who corroborated some of last served as retired priest in residence at An- ing about. When people find out, this country will than 50 times, starting when he was 14 and con- his story. Source: AP, 10-28-14 nunciation Catholic Church in Webster Groves, shake,” one of his adherents said in a documen- tinuing until his family moved out of state when The names of 17 more priests identified as lives in an undisclosed monitored environment, tary film. Source: Jerusalem Post, 10-28-14 he was 17. child sex abusers were released by the Arch- Carlson said. Source: St. Louis Public Radio, Glenn Humphreys, 61, Townsville, Aus- “He introduced me to my first drink — made diocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis. The 10-21-14 tralia: 22 months in prison after a jury found me drink scotch,” said Tominus, telling a report- priests served in 84 parishes. Nine were ac- Wendy Alec, the wife and co-founder of GOD him guilty of 3 counts of unlawful and indecent er he’s struggled with alcoholism for decades. cused of misconduct while working in the Twin TV with Rory Alec, says her husband left her assault for molesting a boy between 1983-86 “He sodomized me. He threatened me. He de- Cities archdiocese, bringing to 55 now on its list for the divorcee daughter of a farmer in South when he was aged 15 to 17. Humphreys was stroyed my life.” of “credibly accused” offenders. Ten of the 17 Africa. Rory Alec resigned in early October from serving as a Vincentian Catholic priest in Perth The diocese settled a suit in August involv- are dead. the UK-based network, citing “moral failure” on at the time. Source: AAP, 10-15-14 ing McAlinden, 73, and victim Chris Naples for “My family has been waiting since 1962 to his part. James M. Taylor, 30, Niskayuna, NY: $610,000. Two other suits were settled previ- be validated — 52 years,” said Bob Schwider- Wendy Alec told viewers that the “devil got in $1,255 fine, pay for and submit a DNA sample, ously. ski, who was molested by New Ulm Diocese very, very easily.” According to Charisma News, no contact with the victim and her family for 5 Trenton Bishop David O’Connell publicly priest William Marks, identified for the first time. Pastor Benny Hinn and “other leaders from the years. Taylor, associate pastor at St. Kateri apologized in October to Naples and “all those “I personally know 27 people, including me, body of Christ are actively ministering to the Tekakwitha Catholic Parish, pleaded guilty to affected by the horrible scourge of sexual abuse abused by him,” he said. Source: Star Tribune, couple, hoping to bring restoration.” endangering the welfare of a child and was per- of minors.” 10-24-14 Hinn was sued in 2011 by the Christian pub- manently removed from the ministry in the Alba- The diocese also agreed to Naples’ demand A civil court in Malta ordered continuation lishing house Strang Communications, which ny Diocese for kissing, sending texts and calling that the bishop’s apology would be read at of a compensation claim filed by 10 alleged claimed Hinn’s alleged extramarital relationship a 15-year-old girl from October 2013-May 2014. Masses at St. Theresa and at Visitation Catho- victims of sexual abuse by defrocked Catholic with televangelist Paula White violated the mo- Town Justice James Hughes told Taylor he lic Church in Bricktown, which Naples attended priests Godwin Scerri, 78, and Carmelo Pulis, rality clause of his contract. Source: Daily Mail, couldn’t adequately express his outrage over growing up. Source: Star-Ledger, 10-27-14 69, who were jailed for 5 and 6 years respec- 10-9-14 Taylor taking advantage of his position of trust. Attorneys for 46 of the 88 former students tively after convictions for molesting boys at St. Paul Morton, 54, Glasgow, was suspend- Source: Times Union, 10-8-14 alleging sexual abuse by Franciscan friar Ste- Joseph’s Home in Santa Venera in the 1980s. ed by the Diocese of Motherwell from public Thomas L. Kimmel, 68, Hammond, IN: 22 phen Baker have settled claims for a total of $8 Source: Malta Today, 10-23-14 ministry at St. Bride’s Catholic Parish. A police years in prison and $16.5 million in restitution on million. Baker fatally stabbed himself at age 62 William J. Heim, 72, Troy, NY, a former spokesman said: “We can confirm we have federal convictions in N. Carolina for mail fraud, in 2013. He was a teacher and athletic trainer Catholic priest and school guidance counselor received a report in connection with historical money laundering and conspiracy. Kimmel, a from 1992-2001 at Bishop McCort Catholic High convicted in 2002 of inappropriately touching sexual abuse allegations and the matter is being deacon at First Baptist Church, “used his pro- School in Johnstown, PA. an 11-year-old boy and possessing child por- investigated.” Source: Scottish Daily Record, fessed spirituality and position of trust as a tool Baker committed suicide shortly after dis- nography had his sexual offender registration 10-9-14 to defraud victims at their churches, the very closure that 11 students at another school he status moved from Level 3 status (the top level) Ken Coughlin, pastor at Holy Family Catho- places they felt the most safe,” said prosecutor taught from 1986-90 had settled with the school, to Level 2. lic Parish, Grand Blanc, MI, will stay on admin- David Bragdon. the Diocese of Youngstown, OH, and his re- Heim appeared before Judge Andrew Cer- istrative leave after a county prosecutor said The indictment charged that Kimmel solic- ligious order. Source: The Vindicator, 10-22-14 esia, who granted the reduction after hearing he won’t file charges over allegations Coughlin ited about $20 million from investors through 11 British men have settled out of court with testimony that Heim had not reoffended since inappropriately touched 2 students earlier this “biblical principles of finance” seminars he gave the Verona Fathers, an Italian Catholic order his 2004 prison release. Source: Times Union, year at Holy Family Catholic School. at churches. Most investors lost all of their prin- also known as the Comboni Missionaries, for 10-22-14 Diocese of Lansing Bishop Earl Boyea said cipal. alleged sexual abuse by a priest named John A Dec. 1 trial date was set in a Montana civil the leave stems from Coughlin’s alleged inap- According to Bragdon, “A pastor would in- Pinkman at Mirfield Junior Seminary in York- case alleging 11 Catholic nuns abused at least propriate relationship with adult women: “Father troduce him, and he would take the pulpit. He shire in the 1960s and 1970s. Although 4 other 95 students at a school run by the Ursuline Sis- Coughlin has been undergoing an assessment would then give what was supposed to be in- abusers were named in the suit, most of the ters. and treatment to address his embrace of celi- dependent financial advice about honoring plaintiffs allege abuse by Pinkman, who died at It’s alleged the nuns, who served from the bacy and its proper expression.” Source: mlive. God with your money and getting out of debt.” age 48 of a heart attack in South Africa in 1984, 1940s to 1970s at St. Ignatius Mission School, com, 10-9-14 Source: fbi.gov/nwitimes.com, 10-3-14 or by Domenico Valmaggia, the seminary’s in- physically, sexually and emotionally abused Auxiliary Bishop Francis Reiss said in a let- firmarian, who died in Italy in 2011. students from the Flathead Indian Reservation. ter to parishioners that Thomas Belczak, 60, The men were awarded as little as £7,000 Two have been convicted criminally. Source: Plymouth, MI, “has been required to step aside Civil Lawsuits Filed ($11,180). Raw Story, 10-10-14 as pastor of St. Kenneth [Catholic] Parish, ef- Brian Hennessy, then 17, remembered Val- A Texas mother filed suit against Second fective Oct. 9. This action results from a law maggia’s intense blue eyes: “He would kneel on Baptist and Community of Faith churches in enforcement investigation into the alleged im- the floor in front of me and masturbate me while Houston where convicted pedophile youth pas- Allegations proper use of St. Kenneth Parish funds.” having a broken form of conversation with me,” tor Chad Foster, now 35, worked. The pastor’s brother, Edward Belczak, 69, he wrote in an email. The Omaha Catholic Archdiocese said in She alleges that on Skype video calls to her and his church administrator were indicted in A Catholic Church Insurance Association a press release that an unidentified priest who daughter, then 12, “Foster would expose himself April for allegedly stealing $700,000 from St. lawyer stressed that “the claims were made died in 2012 has been accused of molesting a and engage in acts of self-gratification while he Thomas More Church in Troy. Source: Detroit purely on a commercial basis with no admission male congregant while he was pastor at Holy was in his bedroom.” He also asked her to take Free Press, 10-9-14 of liability.” Source: The Guardian, 10-19-14 Ghost Parish in the mid-1980s. off her clothes, talk dirty and have sex with him, Juan D. McFarland, 47, was removed as The Catholic Diocese of Kansas City-St. Because the priest belonged to the New the suit states. pastor of Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church, Joseph settled 30 lawsuits for $9.95 million Jersey-based Order of Augustinian Recollects, “After that, my daughter no longer believed Montgomery, AL, by an 80-2 vote but kept on the eve of jury deliberations after an 11-day the order is carrying out the investigation, which in God,” the mother told a reporter. The girl is preaching until a judge ordered him to turn in trial in a suit filed by former altar boy Jon David has also been reported to police. Source: Jour- now 17. Foster is serving 5 years on a convic- his keys and his church-provided Mercedes and Couzens. “Even though mine is just one of 30 nal Star, 11-1-14 tion for molesting a different 16-year-old girl. stay away from the church he’d led for 24 years. lawsuits, this gives the other victims a chance to Over 20 former members of Grace Cathe- Source: KPRC, 10-27-14 McFarland earlier confessed from the pulpit be free and be able to speak about it,” he said. dral, Cuyahoga Falls, OH, have accused pas- Noah Njegovan, 31, Brandon, Manitoba, he’d had sex with female church members with- The settled suits involve 13 current and for- tor and televangelist Ernest Angley, 93, of an Anglican priest and son of Diocese of Bran- out revealing he had AIDS. “Transmitting a Sex- mer priests and alleged abuse from 1963-87. demanding they have abortions or vasectomies don Bishop Jim Njegovan, is being sued by ually Transmitted Disease” is a misdemeanor The diocese previously settled suits for $12.25 and alleged he engaged in and ignored sexual the dioceses’s insurer for $250,000 for fraud, but no charges have been filed.Source: WSFA, million. Source: Kansas City Star, 10-14-14 abuse by others. Accusers said he personally breach of trust, breach of contract and fraudu- 10-9-14 Settlement of a suit alleging child molesta- examined “the genitals of the male parishioners lent misrepresentation. Another $100,000 in pu- George Trabold, 67, pastor of St. Rose tion by Minnesota Catholic priest Thomas Ad- before and after their surgeries.” nitive damages is sought. of Lima Catholic Church in Millburn, NJ, was amson in 1976-77 averted a November trial. “He doesn’t want people to have kids be- The suit alleges Noah Njegovan made more removed from ministry by the Archdiocese Only limited settlement details were released, cause it would take their time and money away than $200,000 in fraudulent purchases, includ- of Newark during an investigation of alleged but the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minne- from [the church],” said Greg Mulkey, who sang ing cash advances, payment of meal, bar and sexual abuse while he was pastor at St. John apolis and the Diocese of Winona agreed to with the Hallelujahs during Angley’s TV servic- hotel bills and 3 trips to Las Vegas, using church the Evangelist Church in Bergenfield. Source: 17 “child protection protocols.” es. Source: Beacon Journal, 10-14-14 funds. Source: Brandon Sun, 10-21-4 nj.com, 10-8-14 Many of the measures were mandated 14 Steve Munsey and Melodye Munsey, hus- Catholic Msgr. Charles Eckermann, a for- years ago in the reforms U.S. bishops adopted. band and wife co-pastors of the Family Christian mer Bishop Ludden High School principal, was It was unclear how they’d be enforced, since Removed / Resigned Center megachurch in Munster, IN, face a bank removed from ministry by the Diocese of Syra- many involve internal church workings. foreclosure action on the home they’re trying to David M. Hope, 74, resigned as honorary cuse, NY, after the Vatican ruled a former altar Adamson was transferred more than a sell in Crown Point. assistant bishop in the Anglican Diocese of boy’s sexual abuse claim from 25 years ago dozen times after being accused of molesting Old Plank Trail Community Bank claims the Bradford, UK, after an inquiry found Hope cov- was credible. boys. The judge allowed the plaintiff to pursue a Munseys defaulted on the mortgage and owe ered up while he was archbishop of York for se- The alleged victim, Kevin Braney, said Eck- public nuisance claim because of the transfers. $533,847. First National Bank of Illinois filed a rial pedophile cleric Robert Waddington, now ermann raped him more than a dozen times in Source: NY Times, 10-14-14 2013 foreclosure complaint against Steve Mun- deceased. a basement storage room in the rectory at St. sey for more than $600,000 owed on 4 other Complaints about Waddington go back to at Ann’s Church in Manlius in 1988-89, when he properties. Legal Developments least 1989. An Australian bishop reported abuse was 15. The Vatican ordered Eckermann, 83, to Evangelical Christian Credit Union fore- by Waddington involving choirboys during the submit to a life of prayer and penance. Source: closed on the church’s Munster worship center James Schook, 66, a former Louisville, KY, 1960s to Hope in 1999. Source: Daily Mail, 10- Post-Standard, 10-3-14 in 2011. A newspaper probe showed church Catholic priest in prison wants to be released 30-14 officials spent millions annually on leadership only 6 months into his 15-year sentence be- The Vatican defrocked 3 Ohio priests Email: [email protected] compensation, travel and meals, while missing cause he suffers from end-stage melanoma. because of alleged child molestation occur- bill payments. Source: nwitimes.com, 10-15-14 Schook’s lawyer requested he be released on ring more than a decade ago. Thomas Kuhn, Page 20 Freethought Today Madison, Wisconsin November 2014

Letterbox

Crime blotter bluntly in Madison as she was so happy to see me so happy when I returned home. I drives point home know it will please you to have anoth- In the course of about six weeks, I er person in attendance, and you will received 30 solicitations in the mail certainly appreciate that she is much from charities, not counting tele- easier on the eyes than I am. phone calls and emails. About half Jerry Foreman were from religious groups, some of Nevada which I’d never heard of. My patience • • • finally ran out, so I clipped two entire Thank you all for putting together pages of the Black Collar Crime Blot- another great convention. The speak- ter from the latest Freethought To- ers were outstanding and made some day and mailed them to the next re- difficult subject matter understand- ligious group asking for money, with able. The venue was impressive. The Thanks for the plug! a note asking them to “explain why food was good. My only complaint was (But they forgot our Web address.) Anthony Matz, Pennsylvania, found this I should support this sort of thing.” the half hour it took us to get out of gem in West Lawn: “Glad Tidings is a very large Assemblies of God church that No response yet. town due to blocked roads for a race draws its members from all over Berks County and beyond.” By the way, to the woman who rec- (which was hardly your fault). ommended a Robert Heinlein novel Ed and I have attended lots of your for its negative take on religion, I rec- conventions, and they just keep getting ing. I couldn’t help smiling about Bijan long and prosper.” ommend Pavane by Keith Roberts. better and better. Looking forward to Parandeh’s upbringing in the Church Joan Reisman-Brill David M. Shea Madison. of Costco. Reem Abded-Razek’s hor- New York Maryland Sue Mercier rifying story brought to mind tales of Wisconsin early Christian martyrs. I’m glad that, Editor’s note: Sincere thanks to Sue and unlike them, she survived both physi- State laws mandate ‘In Why $2K? To boost Pennsylvanian Ed Mercier for signing up cally and emotionally. at the convention as Lifetime Members. It’s a good feeling to have freethink- God We Trust” building, legal funds Sue was lead plaintiff in FFRF’s success­ ers half a century my junior to admire. I am very pleased to hear that FFRF Enclosed is a check for $2,000. Re- ful federal lawsuit filed in 2001 against a Kathryn Yagelo is looking into problems of religious cent Supreme Court decisions have up- Ten Commandments monument in a public Michigan practices in the University of Mississip- set me enough that I want you to use park in La Crosse, Wis. • • • pi football program. I am a [biology] $1,000 for the Legal Fund to help fight • • • I recently received sixth place for professor at UM, and I also find this unconstitutional support for religion. What a fabulous and well-organized my submission to the college essay practice to be in possible violation of I would have you use the other $1,000 convention. Every single speaker competition. Last year, I was fortunate separation of church and state. for the Building Fund to help finish was outstanding, informative, funny, to receive an honorable mention in the By the way, do you know that by law the new headquarters. bright. Thank all of you at FFRF for high school contest. I am very thankful in the state of Mississippi, all public Keep up the good work. making it happen. and honored to once again have been school classrooms must prominently Karla Martin Linda Josheff recognized. post an “In God We Trust” poster? It is Washington Wisconsin It wasn’t until the end of my junior true. So, thank you. • • • year in high school that going to col- Name withheld I am an 87-year-old FFRF member, lege became a possibility. Jehovah’s Mississippi happily an atheist now and an atheist Student essayists inspire Witnesses are discouraged from going Editor’s note: Staff Attorney Elizabeth throughout my adult life. I am a resi- to college. Fortunately, with the sup- Cavell says that Miss. Code. Ann. § 37- dent at a home for veterans. The en- freethinkers port of friends and organizations like 13-163 requires the display of the “motto” closed check is payable in the amount Congratulations to Delaney Gold- FFRF, I was able to make my first year in each classroom. Several other states have of $1,000 for a Life Membership. Diamond on her winning essay “My at the University of Iowa a great suc- similar laws and many more “encourage” My best to FFRF and peace. Evolution as a Freethinker.” It’s great cess and look forward to the next three displaying the motto. The 4th Circuit U.S. Francis C. Crawford to see the torch of freethought being years. Court of Appeals has upheld Virginia’s, the California carried proudly by young people. Her Aaron McLaughlin only circuit in which the mandatory require­ • • • story about the conversation with her Iowa ment has been tested. Please find enclosed a donation of dad when she was 5 sounded very fa- $1,000 for your excellent continuing miliar! efforts at keeping church and state Recently, I was driving through our Dear deist: ‘May The Last Supper photo was separate. Keep up the good work. town with my 6-year-old daughter. We P.S. My company provides for had the following exchange after pass- Force be with you’ potentially offensive matching donations. Please look for ing a church: I read with delight the profile of I am a member of FFRF and long- one in a bit. PHOEBE: “What do they do at Steve Pinski, the first deist member of time agnostic. I am concerned that the Andrew Platzer church?” FFRF that I can recall. I’m even more photo titled “Just another day at the California ME: “Well, remember that book we delighted to see this demonstration office(r’s meeting)” on page 7 of the read (One World, Many Beliefs by Kelly that FFRF embraces all who share the October issue supports Christians’ no- Mochel), where some people believe conviction that no one has the right tion that they are victims. I have always Looking forward to in a god, some believe in lots of gods to impose their beliefs, or nonbeliefs, left my back issues of Freethought To- and some don’t believe in any?” on others, no matter how they arrive at day in public places to promote FFRF, next convention PHOEBE: “Yes.” that conclusion. and I imagine any intelligent person I want to express the sheer exhila- ME: “For the people who believe But I found myself feeling like the reading it would appreciate the logic ration I feel from having attended the in one god, that’s where they go ev- converse of Oprah when swimmer Di- and passion in it. Los Angeles convention. This was my ery week to talk about this god. They ana Nyad declared herself an atheist. “I Nevertheless, I wonder if someone second. The first was in Portland Ore., also talk about stuff that you already can stand at the beach’s edge with the newly introduced to FFRF might see and sadly I missed the one in Madison know, like being nice to other people most devout Christian, Jew, Buddhist, this as merely mocking. last year due to illness. and treating others as you want to be go on down the line, and weep with the David Kehe Who knew that lawyers and a theo- treated.” beauty of this universe and be moved Washington retical physicist could be so interesting, PHOEBE: (after short pause): “I by all of humanity. . . . My definition Editor’s note: Without humor we are lost! compelling and humorous to listen to? don’t believe in any gods.” of God is humanity and is the love of (The photo depicted college students in a Each person that stepped up to the po- I was “woo-hooing!” inside but just humanity.” Last Supper setting.) You might also say it dium delivered an intelligent, and in replied, “It’s OK if you believe in one Winfrey responded, “Well, I don’t belies the claim that we’re “angry” atheists. some cases, a heart-rending message to god, more than one or none at all. We call you an atheist then. I think if you On the scale of mocking, I’d give it a 4 at those of us so privileged to be in their just have to be nice and respect every- believe in the awe and the wonder and most, 10 being the worst. We appreciate your company. one.” the mystery, then that is what God is.” input. In my past years, I have subscribed I haven’t told her about my atheis- I would suggest that “god” is not the to the Groucho Mark philosophy of tic views, but only because she’s never best term for what Steve describes as membership: “I could never be a mem- asked me what I believe, but I’m look- “the mystery behind the existence of Thanks for challenging ber of an organization that would have ing forward to that conversation. Who the universe.” I would say, “Maybe you somebody like me as a member.” But I knows, maybe one day my daughter will shouldn’t call yourself a deist, since religious extremists am delighted and proud to be a Life- win an FFRF essay contest! most of us atheists/agnostics/human- Thank you for your continued ef- time Member. Tom Roche ists/freethinkers express that same forts to prevent religious extremists My wife, Kristy, who hasn’t quite New Jersey mystery without calling it god.” (and some mainstream believers) from made up her mind as to what label • • • But I’d also say, “Whatever you call imposing a biased and distorted pic- to place on herself (agnostic is most The batch of essay winners in the it or yourself, welcome to FFRF, and ture of religion and religious freedom likely), has agreed to join me next year November issue was especially inspir- may The Force be with you.” And “Live on impressionable public schoolchil- November 2014 Madison, Wisconsin Freethought Today Page 21

Finding equal time for Six months later, three weeks before the election, the issue is suddenly in nonbelievers the newspapers with the judge boldly I was recently invited to a wedding championing the Good Friday holiday. and needed to take five days off from I’d say wrapping oneself in Christianity the school district where I work. Dur- to help win an election also looks un- ing the school year, we have three per- constitutional and inappropriate. sonal days which can be taken without The people who wrote the First providing a reason. I could have used Amendment valued national unity. sick leave for the other two days but felt They valued pluralism, making “E plu- uncomfortable doing so, since I didn’t ribus unum” the original U.S. motto. even have a sniffle. They wrote the First Amendment to I noticed on the leave request form foster unity and protect our freedom a box for “religious observance” and by limiting what the government can couldn’t help feeling this was a bo- do to us. It requires government to be nus for believers and something that strictly neutral toward religion, and the nonbelievers should also be able to Texas oath of office requires officials to benefit from, so I checked that box. (I uphold the Constitution. reasoned that the wedding was taking I think we’ve lost sight of those origi- place in a church, and the dates did nal national values. Today the politics happen to coincide with Rosh Hasha- of division prevail, and politicians use nah.) wedge issues to divide us and discrimi- My leave was approved without nate for political advantage. question. All five days were withdrawn Assistant County Attorney Streicher from my accumulated sick leave and I rationalizes the Good Friday holiday still keep my secular three days. I know saying it reflects the general culture of religion makes me feel sick; apparently Fayette County and, “. . . most of our payroll agrees! people would like to be off that day.” Name withheld by request Streicher plans a public hearing on the holiday schedule, saying, “Anyone who has an issue with the county holi- Religion’s intrusions days should come forward.” I accept his invitation. simply mind-boggling Chris Allen, After-Life Member I became a member about six Texas months ago. Before joining FFRF, I was FFRF sent another complaint letter to the totally uninformed as to the many bla- county Nov. 7 along with an action alert to tantly unconstitutional actions, largely area members. Anti-woman measure passes on the part of city governments, school Tennessee Life Member Harry Freeman sends a Memphis marquee. “It’s boards, coaches, etc. It is nothing short one of our churches doing a bit of politicking over a proposed constitutional of mind-boggling how many tax-sup- Leviticus stopped bible amendment limiting women’s abortion choices. It’s bad enough that they are ported entities feel it’s totally accept- indulging in influencing people’s votes, but, as usual, they are on the wrong able to fuse government and religion. reading in class side of the issue.” Voters approved the amendment 53% to 47%. FFRF Staff The rationale is always the same: 1. I am old enough that we used to Attorney Rebecca Markert notes that while IRS regulations prohibit churches Hey, this is a Christian country, found- have homeroom bible reading in pub- from supporting or opposing candidates, they can legally (within limits) ed on Christian ideology. (Nothing lic high school (Longmeadow High encourage voting for or against certain issues such as Amendment 1. See could be further from the truth!) 2. No School, Longmeadow, Mass., 1961-65) “Churches and Political Lobbying Activities” at ffrf.org/faq/state-church/. one is required to attend or take part; to open the day. Everyone used to read it’s strictly voluntary. 3. Not one person Psalms or Proverbs, but being an ob- dren. In some cases, they reveal their football coaches. I wonder if they pray in/on this (a) school (b) city (c) team, noxious teenager, I read the sex code ignorance of the First Amendment. to God Hercules or God Mercury for etc., has objected. out of Leviticus. In others, they choose to disregard speed and strength. Oops, sorry, wrong To suggest that the “good people” After that, Mr. Ryan, the homeroom the Constitution and court decisions, gods. Of course they pray to the Chris- supporting these religious overtures teacher, never let anyone read the bible reflecting their belief that religion tian god. are “totally clueless” would be a gross in homeroom again. I can just imagine trumps the Constitution and the dem- What if both coaches go down on understatement. his discussion with school officials later ocratic process. their knees and pray? Then who will Thank you for the work you do. You that morning. The extremists also chronically and God choose to reward? A typical answer have a lifelong supporter. I hope to Ronald M. Trachtenberg despicably view women as inferior and would be it depends on who has shown join at a higher level next year. Wisconsin a source of “sin.” True students of reli- more earnestness in their prayer. Dave Godfrey gion are well-aware of the way sacred I suppose they have a measuring Missouri texts are used to maintain male su- gizmo in heaven to register the degree Happy Solstice premacy and scapegoat women for so- of earnestness for each prayer. cial problems. G.M. Chandu Member, FFRF contest But once per year Keep up the crucial work of educat- New York Sol seems so near ing the public about state-church sep- Editor wonders: Like the degree of dif­ Good Friday closing Yes! It is the boldest aration — its source, its purpose and ficulty gizmo used in competitive sporting A member’s letter to the editor which was how it applies to everyday examples. events? published Nov. 7 in the Fayette County Re­ A singular date Jerry Gilbert cord, La Grange, Texas: Oh so great Colorado Last April I spotted signs on the Tis the Summer Solstice Free at last: ‘My brain is courthouse saying “Happy Easter” and another sign on the County Clerk’s It now does wane ‘X-rated’ bible image my God’ office with three crosses, both saying Let no one complain I‘ve just finished reading (every they would be closed “in observance Nary reason to fear suits him fine word) of the October issue. Shame on of Good Friday.” It’s a violation of our The cartoon image [on the front the composition department for not right to separation of state and church Wane it must of FFRF’s nontract on the “X-rated” completing the final paragraphs of for government to publicly celebrate Indeed just bible] are vile, disgusting and blasphe- both articles on page 23. I especially one religion’s holy day, so I sent pic- Sol does it again next year! mous. Oh, and possibly irreverent. Just like the personal stories, as it makes me tures of the signs to the Freedom From my kind of art. feel better that I am no longer alone Religion Foundation. Paul Donald Roth I would suggest that they be made with my thoughts. On April 11, FFRF sent letters to Ontario, Canada available in signed, limited edition Also, since becoming a Life Mem- Judge Janecka and the county clerk prints. I would hope to be able to pur- ber, I am now a committed “freethink- advising that the signs and the reli- chase #1. er,” which means my brain is my God gious holiday are “unconstitutional What Is a P.S. I really enjoyed the convention. and I can continue living life doing my and inappropriate,” noting that they Frank Atkin own thing. favor Christianity over other faiths and Freethinker? California The myth of the bible is trashed. In promote religion over nonreligion. free-think-er n. A other words, I am “free at last, free at The First Amendment prohibits gov- person who forms last!” ernment from appearing to endorse opinions about religion James L. Ehernberger the religious holiday of one faith while on the basis of reason, Coaches beseeching independently of Wyoming ignoring the holidays of others. Chris- tradition, authority, or which football god? Editor’s note: We regret that an unfortu­ tians get a day off to celebrate their established belief. I’m glad that FFRF is vigilant in con- nate technical glitch caused the last line to holy day; others must take vacation testing school prayers, especially by vanish from both articles. days to celebrate theirs. Page 22 Freethought Today Madison, Wisconsin November 2014

It Pays to Complain

Bible quotes vanish ernment coordination of community from whiteboard events and trips, but holding religious events specifically for a Christian sub- The Clinton County School District set of citizens is inappropriate and un- in Plattsburg, Mo., ordered removal of constitutional,” wrote Elliott. bible quotes from a middle school ad- The county removed the event post- ministrator’s whiteboard. ing, and County Administrator Kath- In an Oct. 8 letter of complaint, leen Guzi said in a response letter that Staff Attorney Patrick Elliott informed the county was not hosting or organiz- the district, “Courts have continually ing the trip and would seek legal ad- held that school districts may not dis- vice regarding FFRF’s concerns. play religious messages or iconography in public schools.” The school district’s attorney re- Better ‘BELIEVE’ it: sponded Oct. 10 to say that the bible Yearbook cleansed verse had been removed. Gallia County (Ohio) Local Schools Distinguished state/church scholar Erwin Chemerinsky (center) spoke about will no longer endorse religion on the The Case Against the Supreme Court (the title of his newest book) and was named Joel Osteen trip cover of its yearbooks. The PTO of Ad- Champion of the First Amendment at FFRF’s October national convention trips FFRF trigger daville Elementary School printed and in Los Angeles. Staff Attorneys Andrew Seidel (left), Rebecca Markert, Co- distributed yearbooks with a large cross President Annie Laurie Gaylor and Staff Attorney Patrick Elliott are also Botetourt County, Fincastle, Va., bearing the word “BELIEVE” on the pictured. Photo: Chris Johnson ceased sponsorship and website pro- cover. Senior Staff Attorney Rebecca motion of a trip to see megachurch Markert wrote to the school district religious message was inappropriate. publications that are or appear to be pastor and televangelist Joel Osteen Sept. 26. The superintendent also wrote to the sponsored by or associated with the trip after getting a Sept. 26 letter from A school district attorney forwarded PTO, saying that in the future, the Gallia County Local School District.” Staff Attorney Patrick Elliott. Markert a letter from the superinten- group “must refrain from displaying “We respect the importance of gov- dent to parents, explaining that the any religious message or symbol in Sharing the Crank Mail

A new suggested destination (“Antartica”) pops real jobs? Everyone seems to get along just fine up in this edition of the fan mail, printed as re- until you show up. I don’t believe in that other ceived. cheek crap. Try to come to my town and force your belief system upon me I’d be for sending Destruction: My goal is to destroy/dissolve this you down the road with a can of whoop ass. I organization. I will you all the resources and as- recon your a socialist piece of crap too. Hitler sets possible to do so. 75% of Americans claim was a socialist and an atheist. The commies in to be of Christian faith., which makes us the Russia and the nazis in Germany were like you majority, and in a traditional democratic repub- trying to destroy religion and tell people how lic, the majority rules. Ideas that are anti-god they should think or believe. — Dave Tuckness, should be left to the individual, not the nation Texas as a whole. When the majority unites we will smash this website/ organization/ or company Why: It seems to me that you are using the so- like a sledge hammer to a ant. Be ready, and cial media to push your ideas! Why don’t you let the destruction begin. — Andrew Figueroa, shut the fuck up and crawl back into the holes to Virginia crawled out of! If you don’t like what I say, come and visit me! I value my second amendment! Ole Miss: What a group of self-serving, smug — David McDaniel, Cedar Lake, Ind. assholes must make up your organization. How altruistic of you to limit the ability of those who Get a Life: You folks as a bad as ISIS in that you voluntarily want to incorporate religion into their are persecuting Christians and others who are academics in order to appease a small minority. doing nothing to you. This County was founded If you want to serve, go become a social worker, on Christian principals and the framers said not a nurse, a fireman, a police officer, or a teacher. to create a state religion but they did say we — You Guys Are Douchebags were all free to practice or religion. — Steve Dornak, Houston, Texas Truth be told Censorship in the name of your org?: By try- ing to “erase” God out of our country you are Prayer: I always felt something was missing After a problematic school in Texas sent home a flier with students about STOMPING ON others freedoms trying to erase when I was growing up, like a hole in my heart its “Fall Festival” celebration (the school explicitly stated that it was not a our freedoms as Christians. Expressing your because I didn’t have a earthy father for so long. Halloween celebration), FFRF’s local complainant made goodie bags for the thoughts are one thing, but silencing others is When I was 25 I accepted Jesus into my heart a HITLER MOVE called CENSORSHIP which and I felt as though the hole in my heart was festival containing this reminder. is what your org is based upon. HYPOCRITS! filled and I was hole again. This world tells us — Tina Balboa we are nothing if we don’t look a certain way or vally school. We would like you to come and Your foundation is offensive!: Close your have an a college education or have a home in see what Jesus christ has to offer stop and pick doors. I find YOU offensive. — Noneov Yorbis- Pamphlets in Florida: You little commie fags a particular neighborhood or job. With the God up your friends at springboro baptist church and ness, [email protected] wouldn’t have the nuts to confront the rag head I have a relationship with, he loves me just the bring them with you — Scott Colegrove, Patas- arabs about all the violence and pedophilia as- way I am with all my flaws and shortcomings. kala, Ohio Religion in public school: I would very much sociated with their koran. They would behead It is comforting to know that my God loves me appreciate you took up the cause of evolution you and cut off your penises(if you had one). the unconditional. — Jennifer Lovering Yall are a joke: When two kids and an adult being taught in schools. It is an unproven be- only reason you pick on Christianity is you know want to be baptized on a football field that’s their lief system being forced on our children by the you will get away with it, you gutless wonders. Russellville, AZl school: I sincerely hope and right. I served so you can have your opinion and government. The very people who support it say I dare you asses to say ANYTHING negative pray everyone @ the FFRF develop both Ebola they can have their opinion but really wish yall as much. If you really are about what you say against the Islamic animals. — Jerry Babbitt, & Aids dying a slow horrible death. If not that, were at the other side of my sights. I more kill to you are you will help bring real science back Palmdale, Calif. then everyone meets up w/ radical Muslins then add to the bed post. — Steve Ordway, Kalkas- to schools; true discussion in universities. We have your head lopped off. — James Simms, ka, Mich. have freedom OF religion and my rights are Praying at Football Games: No, no court of Tuscaloosa, Ala. being crushed when evolution is forced on my law, no cop, nothing is going to stop Piedmont Freedom of Speech: If someone places a stat- children by a system designed to protect them. High School from praying at Football games! Freedom: Your agnostic view of origins taught ue with Bible verses on it, that doesn’t force you — Nick Glover, Norman, Okla. Where do you have the right to press legal mat- in public schools is a religion since it is based to worship it, or believe in the Scriptures on it ters in our face? If I was you I would give up upon faith that is how origins began - a dot in anymore than McDonald’s sign reading “Billions Suck a fat one: Everyone has the right to pray now because your all ediots! Have a Blessed space that exploded into the known universe. It Served” compels you to believe it or even pa- where ever they want no matter if it’s a football day! — Andrew Roberts takes more faith to believe THAT than to believe tronize the establishment. The precept behind coach, student, or teacher. Fuck you you should that a creator was involved. Homeschooling will your organization is ludacris. Hitler ran a propa- all be hung in public for what you all do. — Eat a Religion at school: Sikh Boy At Gildo Rey El- continue to grow and your faith will have no in- ganda campaign, too. Good job, Nazis. dick, [email protected], Lewes, Delaware ementary Allowed To Carry Dagger. Why don’t volvement in it. Keep it up, eventually schools — Jason Self, Midland, Texas you Christian hating, hate mongers do somth- will be forced to closed due to teachers refusing ing. Show everyone you’re not the pice of shit, to adhere to your belief system and more and Really: Your a pathetic organization. Our nation shame on you: If you don’t like god in school hating, double standard, hypocrites. Everyone more students being home-schooled. Check the is already a joke. My free thinking concludes if pull YOUR child out then. in case you haven’t knows you are. — Ryan Mucko stats on homeschooling fool. — Rod T, North you don’t like religion, move somewhere else. noticed since God has been taken out of school Carolina Maybe a Antartica. — Mark Hoover schools are getting shot up by freaks with ma- Meat: Since atheists are no more than meat on chine guns kids are getting bullied more now the hoof and you aren’t pork or shellfish, can Offended: If u wish to go to hell and not believe Get out: if you guys don’t like it we don’t care than ever before and killing themselves. way we feed you to the Muslims? For the record, Je- in Jesus dosent mean that I have to b deprived if you just leave our nation that was founded back when I was in school we said the Pledge sus is mentioned in the US Constitution. — NW of what I want. U can b offended or put ear plugs under God go to Canada — Tyler Walton, Bel- of Allegiance with God in it you didn’t hear about Patriot in. I will pray for all u. And out loud — Erick Fos- lavista, Arkansas these things happening. You guys are sick peo- ter ple who probably believe we evolved from apes. Freedom of religion or not: Why is you jack- JESUS: I rebuke you people in the name of JE- — melissa reed, rowlett, texas asses have nothing better to do that go around Prayer group: We are sponsoring a massive SUS CHRIST! !!!!!!!! — Steven Johnson make the rest of us miserable. Don’t you have prayer group after our homecoming at licking November 2014 Madison, Wisconsin Freethought Today Page 23

properly taxed in 2013 by the city of The point is to keep religion out of Madison, Wis., because the Catholic government, not out of people’s lives, State/Church Bulletin parish missed a deadline to seek a reli- Beaton said in an email to the Eureka gious exemption, Dane County Circuit Times-Standard. “The separation of Election results amend, or repeal statutes regarding Judge Richard Niess ruled Nov. 4. The church and state is a precious Ameri- are mixed bag abortion, including, but not limited to, cathedral suffered severe fire damage can principle which protects us all, circumstances of pregnancy resulting in 2005. The property was unused for both religious and nonbelievers.” Daniel Moran, a Democrat and from rape or incest or when necessary years until 2013 when a 14-station Way atheist running for the Texas House of to save the life of the mother.” of the Cross display was installed. Representatives, lost his race Nov. 4, as It gives legislators more power to If not for missing the deadline, Florida judge did James Woods, an Arizona Demo- restrict abortions. The amendment Niess said the property could have removed from bench crat and atheist running for the U.S. received much more support in rural been given a $101,125 tax exemption House. Woods was the only open athe- areas. because the Way of the Cross served a The Florida Supreme Court on Oct. ist running for Congress. • Illinois voters approved by 67%- religious purpose. 30 removed Judith Hawkins from her Tan Parker, R-Flower Mound, de- 33% a nonbinding referendum re- “You may all go on to the Court of position as a Leon County judge for feated Moran by getting 77.3% of the quiring health insurers to include pre- Appeals to see if I’m right,” Niess told selling religious books from her office vote. Incumbent Republican Rep. Matt scription birth control as part of drug the parties. as part of her for-profit Christian min- Salmon won 68% of the vote against coverage. City Assessor Mark Hanson said the istry, The Associated Press reported. Woods. city denied St. Raphael’s Congrega- The court said Hawkins was deceitful Arizona Democratic state Rep. Juan tion’s 2014 tax exemption request. “We and dishonest at her disciplinary hear- Mendez, an atheist who gave a secular Humanist denied didn’t feel the current use qualified ing before the Judicial Qualifications invocation from the floor of the House chaplaincy sues for an exemption.” The congregation Commission. She was also accused of (for which he was honored at FFRF’s will have to pay the tax and then file in using her county email account, judi- 2013 convention), won a second term. Atheist Navy chaplain candidate January for a refund as it did for 2013, cial assistant and her office spaces and Religion News Service reported Jason Heap filed suit Nov. 5 in U.S. Hanson said. equipment to create, edit and promote that voters rejected two Rhode Island District Court in Virginia to challenge FFRF Staff Attorney Patrick Elliott Gaza Road Ministry products “to the politicians who criticized teen atheist the rejection in June of his chaplain wrote a formal letter to the assessor detriment of the prompt and efficient activist Jessica Ahlquist. Democrat Pe- application. Defendants are Navy Sec- and addressed the Madison Common administration of justice.” ter Palumbo, who called her an “evil retary Ray Mabus, Secretary of Defense Council in opposition to the exemp- Her annual judge’s salary was little thing,” lost his legislative bid, and Chuck Hagel and several other De- tion. $142,000. Cranston Mayor Allan Fung, who also fense Department and Navy personnel. criticized Ahlquist, lost the gubernato- Heap has a doctorate in religion rial race to Democrat Gina Raimondo, and has studied at Oxford and Texas Calif. city council Devil blamed for who became the state’s first woman Christian University and is a former prayers appealed commandments crash governor. youth minister. The suit asks for his in- Other religion-related results: statement as a Navy chaplain and the Carole Beaton, a Eureka, Calif., ac- Michael Tate Reed Jr., 29, allegedly • A state constitutional amendment designation of the Humanist Society tivist and FFRF member, is appealing told federal authorities that Satan told banning use of “foreign law” in Ala- as the official endorsing agent for hu- to the state Court of Appeal a Decem- him to drive his car into a Ten Com- bama courts passed 72%-28%. It was manist chaplains. ber 2013 ruling that said nonsectarian mandments monument Oct. 23 at the first put forth by people worried that Heap and his supporters say that prayers at Eureka City Council meet- Oklahoma Capitol. Reed was charged Islamic sharia could someday influ- humanist beliefs “are constitutionally ings are constitutional. with destruction of state property/im- ence court cases. equal to religious faith and that chap- The city and Beaton settled part of provements, indecent exposure, mak- • “Fetal personhood” amendments lains are key contacts for troops on a the suit in October in an agreement ing threatening statements, reckless lost in Colorado (65%-35%) and North variety of personnel and quality-of-life prohibiting the city from using its re- driving and operating a vehicle with a Dakota (64%-36%). matters, ranging from recreational sources, city seal and the title of mayor revoked license. The monument was • Tennessee voters by 52.6% ap- activities to suicide prevention pro- to promote or support prayer break- toppled about 9 p.m. proved a state constitutional amend- grams,” reported Stars and Stripes. fasts. The city agreed to pay Beaton An American Civil Liberties Union ment saying this: “Nothing in this Con- $16,500 for attorney’s fees. lawsuit challenging the monument, stitution secures or protects a right to “Prayer is religion in action, so donated by state Rep. Mike Ritze, R- abortion or requires the funding of Wis. judge rules prayer and government don’t mix ei- Broken Arrow, was dismissed in Sep- an abortion. The people retain the church must pay ther,” plaintiff’s attorney Peter Martin tember. but the ACLU is appealing to right through their elected state repre- said. “We would like the Court of Ap- the state Supreme Court. sentatives and state senators to enact, St. Raphael Cathedral property was peal to draw a bright line.”

Meet an M.D. member

Name: Paul D. Redleaf, M.D. Where I’m headed: Obviously, at 83, Where I live: Lilydale, Minn., across downhill. Hearing is going, no longer the Mississippi from Saint Paul. skiing but still playing singles tennis Where and when I was born: New with buddies 10 years younger. Hoping York City, April 24, 1931. to live out the years without dementia Family: My wife, Rhoda, two sons and eventually a good death, unbur- and two daughters and their spouses, densome to me and my family. five grandsons, two granddaughters Person in history I admire: Obvi- and one great-granddaughter. ously there are many, but I cast a vote Education: Great Neck High School, for Wisconsin’s Russ Feingold, the only valedictorian, 1948; Cornell Univer- senator to vote against the USA PATRI- sity, zoology and general studies, 1951; OT Act in 2001. Columbia University College of Physi- A quotation I like: “The law, in its cians and Surgeons, 1955; internships majestic equality, forbids the rich as and residencies, University of Minne- well as the poor to sleep under bridg- sota, 1955-57. 1958-61. es, to beg in the streets, and to steal Occupation: Internal medicine pri- bread.” (Anatole France) vate practice in Saint Paul, 1961-80, These are a few of my favorite part time 1980-83. Member, Chicago things: Travel (having seen most of the Board Options Exchange (trader in U.S. and a good chunk of the world), put and call options). classical music, good nonfiction books Military service: Captain, U.S. Army, an periodicals 1957-59, serving at Fort Knox, Ky. These are not: Noisy restaurants. How I got where I am today: (1) A My doubts about religion started: great deal of good luck, healthwise and While reading the biblical Book of Paul and Rhoda Redleaf are longtime life partners. escaping the dangers of financial disas- Job in freshman English at Cornell. ter on the CBOE. (2) Making the best If there’s a God who can treat Job as could include someone like the late founder of the Federalist Society. possible choice in marrying Rhoda, a he treats him, he doesn’t deserve wor- Jacob Javits, a U.S. senator from New [Editor’s note: Paul modestly doesn’t men­ wonderful wife and absolutely perfect ship. And the state of the world dem- York from 1957-81. (I still consider my- tion his and Rhoda’s ongoing, generous mother and grandmother. (3) Good onstrates that if there is a God, he is self a Javits Republican.) endowment of the Redleaf Internship Fund, decisions to leave the medical practice neither all-wise or all-just. Ways I promote freethought: We’ve formerly at Carleton College, and now Sar­ and options trading while ahead, and Before I die: I’d like to see some promoted freethought in our family. ah Lawrence, which allows FFRF and sother entrusting all my savings to my son An- very bad actors on the Supreme Court One daughter is a virulent anti-capi- select nonprofits to employ summer interns.] dy’s management. gone and a Republican Party which talist, and a son, to our chagrin, was a Page 24 Freethought Today Madison, Wisconsin November 2014 Meet FFRF’s Board & State Representatives

State Representatives at the annual post-convention meeting Oct. 26 in Los Angeles: (front, left) Todd Peissig, Wis.; Nick Sheridan, Md.; Sheri Bender, Ind.; Cheryl Kolbe, Ore; Fairfid Caudle, N.Y.; Dianne Cooper, Iowa; Wayne FFRF’s Executive Board, pictured at its preconvention meeting Oct. 24 at Bartz, Calif., (back) Annie Laurie Gaylor, Wis., Sheridan Chapin, N.Y., Steve the Millennium Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles: (front, left) Director Joe Aldrich, Tenn.; Steve Trunk, Calif.; Darrell Barker, Wash.; Dick Hewetson, Cunningham, Co-Presidents Dan Barker and Annie Laurie Gaylor, Director Calif.; Michael Jacobson, Nev.; Charles Bender, Ind.; Gary Stormo, S.D.; Robin Mike Cermak; (back) Director and outgoing Treasurer Jim Zerwick, Chair Buckallew, Neb.; Michael Garstin, Texas; Bonnie Stormo, S.D.; Sheri Bender, Stephen Hirtle, Director Todd Peissig and incoming Treasurer Steve Salemson. Ind; Mike Cermak, Pa.; Dan Barker, Wis.; Steve Salemson, Wis.; Jim Zerwick, Not pictured are Secretary Jim Bredeson, Director Patricia Cleveland and Wis.; Kevin Gough, Conn.; and Stephen Hirtle, Pa. outgoing Director Phyllis Rose. Warmest thanks to Phyllis, who retired in October as a director, for her years of volunteer work and wise counsel. Photography by Ingrid Laas Godless money drawing ‘clean’ fun

Two 17-year-olds, Ife Kuchler, Calif., and Maria Conducting the drawing were FFRF staffer Katie Maria reads a winning ticket. Mancini, Pa., did the honors of drawing winners for Daniel with helpers Maria Mancini and Ife Kuchler FFRF’s annual “clean money” raffle to win from $1 and Buzz Kemper, announcer of Freethought Radio. to $100 in pre-“In God We Trust” currency. Photo: Andrew Seidel And the winners are . . .

Happy winners of the 2014 FFRF “clean” money drawing, proving U.S. currency used to be entirely secular: (left) Charlene Couch, Md., accepting on behalf of Sharon Thomson — $2 1953B (donated by John Frank); Larry Sugarman, Calif. — $1 1935A; Rob Hayworth, Md. — $1 1935 series; Joy Meininger, Calif. — James Miller, Calif., shows off his four prizes: two “clean” 1935 $1 bills $10 1950E (donated by Warren Smith, N.Y.); Robert Zadra, Calif. — $5 1953C (one donated by Diane Oxley, N.C.), a $20 1950A bill (donated by Grant (donated by Dennis Anderson and Deanna Sewell, Ore.); Mary Riley Sanders, Hazel, Calif.); and the grand prize $100 bill, 1929 series (donated by Michael Ga., — $50 1934A (donated by Dr. D.A. Rickards, Ohio); John Steinberg, M.D., Jacobson, Nev.). Md. — $1 1934 series.