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Black Skeptics FFRF chapters Winners of uplift through stay engaged, student activist social justice build support awards announced PAGE 11 PAGES 16-17 PAGE 18

Vol. 37 No. 10 Published by the Freedom From Religion Foundation, Inc. December 2020 Election heartening for FFRF’s work For the Freedom From Religion paign, a D.C. lobbyist, and our educa- Foundation, the results of the U.S. pres- tional efforts have played a major role idential election mean the Christian in the secular surge. We’ll continue to Nationalist takeover of the federal gov- fight and remain vigilant no matter ernment should end. The Joe Biden/ which party is in the White House or Kamala Harris administration will controls Congress. mean a renewed chance to advocate FFRF has been working with our for secularism allies to develop and a return to a common secu- rational debate. lar agenda that “We the Peo- Congress and the ple” have spoken. new administra- Unfortunately, the tion can quickly Senate is unlikely implement. We to flip (barring look forward to two positive out- repairing damage comes inGeorgia inflicted on sec- seats up for runoff elections), which ularism and its values. This will entail will complicate recovery from a Chris- repealing many Trumpian executive tian Nationalist executive. However, orders, regulations and extrajudicial the results overall look like a victory for bodies (such as the Religious Liberty science over faith, for reproductive and Task Force), but must also include ma- individual rights over theology, and for jor judicial reform. reason over ideology. Unprecedented obstructionism in After years of playing defense, FFRF the Senate blocked President Obama can now push forward. It appears there not only from nominating Merrick is a path cleared to achieving gains for Garland to replace Antonin Scalia on FFRF’s movement to keep religion out the Supreme Court, but also from fill- Religious authoritarianism of government and public policy. ing more than 100 seats on the federal Donald Trump was carried into of- bench. The Trump administration has fice on a crest of Christian Nationalism since packed the courts with more than is here to stay, unfortunately four years ago, a wave that was hostile 200 individuals handpicked by the Fed- This column first ran on Nov. 16 in The New the early signs now indicate that the move- to everything FFRF works for. We trust eralist Society, including unqualified York Times and is reprinted with permission. ment seems determined to reinterpret de- the relentless religious assault we’ve zealots who do not reflect the Ameri- feat at the top of the ticket as evidence of been beating back for four years will can people, trampling Senate rules and By Katherine Stewart persecution and of its own righteousness. diminish — and we’ll do everything in norms along the way. An illegitimate With or without Trump, they will remain our power to ensure that. process allowed Trump to make his committed to the illiberal politics that the FFRF is poised for the opportunities third Supreme Court appointment in ill President-elect Joe Biden’s president has so ably embodied. ahead. Our team of attorneys and 30- the midst of the national election — victory force America’s Christian As it did in 2016, the early analysis of some staff, and our 33,000 members, an appointment that clearly endangers Nationalists to rethink the unho- the 2020 election results often circled are the watchers on the wall separating abortion and LGBTQ rights, as well as Wly alliance that powered Donald Trump’s around the racial, urban-rural, and in- state and church. We’re the largest U.S. decades of First Amendment precedent four-year tour as one of the nation’s most come and education divides. But the re- association of freethinkers (atheists separating religion from government. dangerous presidents? Don’t count on it. ligion divide tells an equally compelling and agnostics) and the third-largest as- FFRF has a talented legal team, and The 2020 election is proof that reli- sociation of nonbelievers in the world. gious authoritarianism is here to stay, and See Nationalism on page 2 We’ve added a strategic response cam- See Election on page 6 Military atheists want to be heard by DoD FFRF’s military and systemic racism, the DoD announced around the country are either active a multistep process to address di- service members or veterans, dis- veteran members gave versity and inclusion concerns. This pelling the tired myth that there are suggestions to Pentagon included an anonymous “crowd- “no atheists in foxholes.” sourcing” brainstorm of the problem The Defense Department’s pre- By Ryan Jayne and possible solutions. FFRF invit- sumption of religiosity begins with ed its qualifying members to submit the required paperwork when in- comments — and the response was dividuals enter the armed forces: embers of the Freedom From overwhelming. “There was no box to check under Religion Foundation associ- These true “atheists in foxholes” ‘religious preference’ for ‘atheist,’” ated with the military have a provided dozens of thoughtful exam- one nonreligious veteran wrote. Mmessage for the Department of De- ples of how the military could better “Instead, I checked the box ‘None,’ Photo by Ingrid Laas fense: Acknowledge their existence accommodate and acknowledge non- which was read by the clerk as ‘None FFRF Member Joseph Cunningham stands next to and quit proselytizing. religious service members. About 20 FFRF’s “Atheists in Foxholes” monument outside its Following national protests against percent of FFRF’s 33,000 members See Military on page 19 national office in Madison, Wis. Page 2 FFRF | FREETHOUGHT TODAY | Madison, Wisconsin | December 2020

by fortune helped build the Museum of Nationalism the Bible. The movement gets another Continued from page 1 big chunk of its funding from the large mass of people who are often in the mid- story. According to preliminary exit polls dle rungs of the economic spectrum and from Edison Research (the data is neces- whose arduously cultivated resentments sarily rough at this stage), 28 percent of toward those below them have been voters identified as either white evangeli- turned into a fundraising bonanza. cal or white born-again Christian, and of The second structural reality to con- these, 76 percent voted for Trump. If the sider is that Christian Nationalism is a numbers hold, these results indicate a creation of a uniquely isolated messaging continuation of support for Trump from sphere. Many members of the rank and this group. file get their main political information The core of Trump’s voting bloc, to not just from messaging platforms that be clear, does not come from white evan- keep their audiences in a world that is gelicals as such, but from an overlapping divorced from reality, but also from dedi- group of not nec- cated religious networks and reactionary essarily evangelical, faith leaders. and not necessar- The fact that Trump was able to hold ily white, people WhiteHouse.org on to a high percentage of the vote in who identify at least President Trump, surrounded by evangelical leaders, holds up an executive order the face of such overwhelming evidence loosely with Chris- that he signed during a National Day of Prayer event in the Rose Garden of the White of malfeasance is proof enough that the tian Nationalism: House on May 3, 2018. religious-nationalist end of the right-wing the idea that the information bubble has gotten more, not United States is and d’état.” Mat Staver, chairman and founder tion as the consequence of “the whole less, resistant over time. ought to be a Chris- of Liberty Counsel, added, “What we are godless ideology that’s wanted to swallow The third critical factor is a political tian nation governed witnessing only happens in communist or our homes, destroy our marriages, throw system that gives disproportionate power Katherine Stewart under a reactionary repressive regimes. We must not allow this our children into rivers of confusion.” to an immensely organized, engaged and understanding of Christian values. Unfor- fraud to happen in America.” Jim Garlow, an evangelical pastor whose loyal minority. One of the most reliable tunately, data on that cohort is harder to Even as prominent Republican figures Well Versed Ministry has as its stated goal, strategies for producing that unshakable find except in deeply researched work by like George W. Bush and Mitt Romney “Bringing biblical principles of gover- cohort has been to get them to agree that sociologists like Andrew Whitehead and slowly tried to nudge Trump toward the nance to governmental leaders,” asserted abortion is the easy answer to every dif- Samuel Perry. exit, leaders of the Religious Right con- that Biden and Harris are at the helm of ficult political policy question. Recently, Most pollsters shoehorn complex re- tinued to man the barricades. The conser- an “ideology” that is “anti-Christ, anti-bib- Religious Right leaders have shifted their ligious identities into necessarily broad vative speaker and Falkirk Center fellow lical to its core.” focus more to a specious understanding labels, so they fail to separate out the dif- David Harris Jr. put it this way: of what they call “religious freedom” or ferent strands of Trump’s support. There “If you’re a believer, and you believe A political movement “religious liberty,” but the underlying are indications that the president in fact God appointed Donald J. Trump to run The comments pouring in from these strategy is the same: make individuals expanded his appeal among nonwhite this country, to lead this country, and you and other figures may be forgotten when see their partisan vote as the primary way evangelical and born-again Christians of believe as I do that he will be re-elected Biden takes office. But they are worth to protect their cultural and religious color, particularly among Latinos. Biden, the president of the United States, then paying attention to now for what they say identity. on the other hand, who made faith out- friends, you’ve got to guard your heart, about the character of the movement. Republicans have long known that the reach a key feature of his campaign, ap- you’ve got to guard your peace. Right now While many outsiders continue to think judiciary is one of the most effective in- pears to have done well among moderate we are at war.” of Christian Nationalism as a social move- struments of minority rule. Trump’s suc- and progressive voters of all faiths. Others stopped short of endorsing ment that arises from the ground up, it cess in packing the federal judiciary — as Conservative voters of faith “came in Trump’s wilder allegations of election is in fact a political movement that op- of this writing, 220 federal judges, includ- massive numbers, seven and a half mil- fraud, but backed his right to challenge erates mostly from the top down. The ing three Supreme Court justices — will lion more above the 2016 baseline, which the results. Reed told the Religion News rank-and-file of the movement is diverse be one of his most devastating legacies. was itself a record,” Ralph Reed, head of Service, “This election will be over when and comes to its churches with an infinite The prospect of further entrenching mi- the Faith and Freedom Coalition and a those recounts are complete and those le- variety of motivations and concerns, but nority rule in the coming years will keep longtime Religious Right activist, said at gal challenges are resolved.” the leaders are far more unified. the alliance between Republicans and a postelection press briefing. “We believe The Rev. Franklin Graham tweeted They collaborate in a densely inter- the Religious Right alive. they’re the reason why Republicans are that the courts will “determine who wins connected network of think tanks, policy Perhaps the most troubling aspect of going to hold the Senate.” the presidency.” The conservative pastor groups, activist organizations, legal ad- the Christian Nationalist response to the Robert Jeffress, who gave a sermon before vocacy groups and conservative pastoral 2020 election is that we’ve seen this movie Toeing the Trump line Trump’s inaugural ceremony in 2017, not- networks. What holds them together is before. The “stolen election” meme won’t In their responses to the election out- ed that a Biden win was “the most likely not any centralized command structure, bring Trump back into the Oval Office. come, some prominent Religious Right outcome.” but a radical political ideology that is pro- But then, the birther narrative never took leaders have enabled or remained true to After processing their disappointment, foundly hostile to democracy and plural- President Obama out of office, either. the false Trumpian line of election fraud. Christian Nationalists may come around ism, and a certain political style that seeks The point of conspiratorial narratives and Michele Bachmann, the former Minneso- to the reality of Biden’s victory. There is to provoke moral panic, rewards the par- apocalyptic rhetoric is to lay the ground- ta congresswoman and 2012 presidential no indication, however, that this will tem- anoid and views every partisan conflict work for a politics of total obstruction, candidate, said, “Smash the delusion, Fa- per their apocalyptic vision, according as a conflagration, the end of the world. in preparation for the return of a “legit- ther, of Joe Biden is our president. He is to which one side of the American polit- Partisan politics is the lifeblood of their imate” ruler. The best guess is that reli- not.” In Crisis Magazine, a conservative ical divide represents unmitigated evil. movement. gious authoritarianism of the next four Catholic publication, Richard C. Antall During a Nov. 11 virtual prayer gathering If one considers the movement from years will look a lot like it did in the last likened media reporting on the Biden-Ka- organized by the Family Research Coun- the perspective of its leaders, it is easier four years. We ignore the political implica- mala Harris ticket’s victory to a “coup cil, one of the key speakers cast the elec- to see why it is unlikely to change in the tions for our democracy at our peril. new political circumstances we find our- Katherine Stewart is the author of the re- selves in. The power of the leadership is cently published book, The Power Worship- the function of at least three underlying pers: Inside the Dangerous Rise of Religious structural realities in America’s political Nationalism.

Photoshop # White and economic life and those realities are not going to change anytime soon. The first is the growing economic in- Just Pretend: A Book For Published by Freedom From Religion Foundation, Inc. equality that has produced spectacular Young Freethinkers fortunes for the few, while too many or- P.O. Box 750 Madison WI 53701 dinary families struggle to get by. Lead- By Dan Barker [email protected] FFRF.org ers of the movement get much of the Illustrated support for their well-funded operations by Kati Treu P 608.256.8900 F 608.204.0422 from a cadre of super-wealthy individuals Revised and EDITOR PJ Slinger [email protected] and extended families who are as com- adorably EDITOR EMERITUS Bill Dunn mitted to free-market fundamentalism illustrated classic. This fun EXECUTIVE PUBLISHER Annie Laurie Gaylor as they are to reactionary religion. The book explores GRAPHIC DESIGNER Roger Daleiden donors in turn need the so-called values myths and voters in order to lock down their eco- religion from a freethought point of COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR Amit Pal nomic agenda of low taxation for the view, and promotes critical thinking. CONTRIBUTORS wealthy and minimal regulation. These Color Edition! Published by FFRF Nandini Archer, Dan Barker, Steve Benson, Kristina Daleiden, Brian donors include, among many others, Fitzpatrick, Ryan Jayne, Chris Line, Alejandra Molina, Bailey Nachreiner- the Prince-DeVos family, the fracking Buy it from FFRF online Mackesey, Claire Provost, Andrew L. Seidel, Katherine Stewart billionaire Wilks brothers, and members shop.ffrf.org The only freethought newspaper in the United States of the Green family, whose Hobby Lob- December 2020 | Madison, Wisconsin | FFRF | FREETHOUGHT TODAY Page 3 Global ‘dark money’ report $280M spent by U.S. Christian Right groups This article first appeared on opendem- who claims COVID-19 was man-made in ocracy.net on Oct. 27 and is reprinted with a Chinese lab, and who also sits on an an- permission. ti-China lobby group with Steve Bannon. Another group, Family Watch Inter- national (FWI), has been training Afri- By Claire Provost and can politicians, religious and civil society Nandini Archer leaders for years to oppose comprehen- sive sexuality education (CSE) and LGBT U.S. Christian Right groups, many rights across the African continent. with close links to the Trump adminis- UNAIDS Executive Director Winnie tration, have spent at least $280 million Byanyima, from Uganda, told openDem- in “dark money,” fueling campaigns ocracy that “CSE is an integral part of the against the rights of women and LGBTQ right to education and to health. It is not people across five continents, openDe- optional. It is not negotiable.” mocracy revealed. South African gender rights group Organizations led by some of Presi- The Other Foundation also said that it dent Trump’s most vocal allies and sup- has witnessed how U.S. Religious Right porters have spent increasing amounts funding has been used to “stir a backlash of money globally to influence foreign to the pursuits for freedom, dignity and laws, policies and Shutterstock photo by Lukasz Pawel Szczepanski equality of LGBTIQ people.” public opinion in A massive protest was held Oct. 30 in Warsaw, Poland, against the country’s anti- It said, “the government has a duty order “to stir a back- abortion law. Trump’s personal lawyer Jay Sekulow runs a group that submitted to frown upon and act against any agen- lash” against sexual arguments in favor of the abortion restrictions. da that undermines its country’s consti- and reproductive tution,” which in South Africa forbids rights. Right-wing Christian organizations (dark money totals) discrimination on the basis of sexual On Oct. 27, open- orientation. Billy Graham Evangelistic Association $96,132,520 Democracy released Alejandra Cárdenas, director of global the first dataset de- Fellowship Foundation $44,664,261 legal strategies at the Center for Repro- tailing the global Intervarsity Christian Fellowship $28,876,998 ductive Rights, said openDemocracy’s Jay Sekulow scale of this spend- Alliance Defending Freedom $21,338,551 findings “prove a manipulation we’ve ing. Human rights Focus on the Family $17,921,428 been seeing for years by the U.S. Chris- advocates and transparency campaign- American Center for Law and Justice $17,787,393 tian Right in Latin America and Afri- ers from around the world have called ca, meant to break the social fabric and Human Life International $12,242,737 it “alarming” and a “wake-up call” for human rights protections that popular democracies. Federalist Society $5,425,566 movements fought for.” None of the Christian Right groups we Cato Institute $5,059,411 The EPF’s Neil Datta said: “As Eu- studied reveals who its donors are or dis- Bethany Christian Services $4,408,609 ropeans, we cannot sit back and watch closes details of how exactly it spends its what’s happening in the United States money overseas. Source: opendemocracy.net with distance, thinking that the erosion “This is a form of interference in our than anywhere else outside the U.S., fol- For some groups in openDemocracy’s of democratic norms and human rights political and judicial system which is as lowed by Africa and Asia. data — notably the Billy Graham Evange- cannot happen here. The same U.S. harmful to human rights as Russian med- This European spending has been listic Association — U.S. financial filings Christian groups pushing for this in the dling in democratic elections,” said Neil led mainly by two groups that focus their are only available for a small number of United States are now spending millions Datta, head of the European Parliamen- fights on the courts. One of these is the years. This group re-registered as an asso- in Europe trying to achieve the same tary Forum for Sexual and Reproductive ACLJ organization headed by Sekulow, ciation of churches in 2015. over here.” Rights (EPF). who, along with Rudy Giuliani, has co- Sekulow has come under scrutiny over Croatian MP Bojan Glavasevic, a Irene Donadio at the International ordinated the legal challenges brought his financial practices since the 1980s, member of EPF’s executive committee, Planned Parenthood Federation Eu- by Trump over the results of the U.S. when he was a tax lawyer specialized in said openDemocracy’s revelations show ropean Network (IPPF EN) said there election. creating tax shelters for Atlanta’s elite. “that action needs to be taken by mem- has been a clear increase in campaigns Another half-dozen ACLJ lawyers were Earlier this year, the Associated Press ber states to ensure full protection of EU against reproductive and sexual rights also part of Trump’s defense team in im- revealed that Sekulow’s groups, includ- citizens against predatory organizations. across the region, and described the peachment proceedings earlier this year. ing the ACLJ, had paid more than $65 This isn’t a question of ideology. This is scale of the funding revealed by open- The ACLJ’s European branch (the million in charitable funds to Sekulow, a question of security, the health of our Democracy as “staggering.” ECLJ) has intervened in two cases to de- his family members and corporations citizens and transparency.” “It is outrageous that groups that are fend Italy’s position against gay marriage. they own, fueling a well-documented op- “It’s time for the world to wake up. playing with women’s lives and safety are It has also intervened in at least seven ulent lifestyle including expensive cars Do not stumble into our mistakes and do allowed to operate in the darkness,” Do- cases involving Poland, including at the and high-end real estate. not think it could not happen where you nadio said. “They should be forced to European Court of Human Rights, to de- In 2018 alone, the ACLJ spent $6 mil- live,” said Quinn McKew, director of Ar- comply with the basic principles of trans- fend that country’s conservative policies lion on legal services provided by the ticle 19 (an NGO focused on freedom of parency and accountability.” including against divorce and abortion. CLA Group, a for-profit law firm in which expression and information), about the In October, Poland’s constitutional Sekulow holds a 50 percent stake. This rising influence of dark money in U.S. Trump-linked dark money court voted to restrict access to abortion is the same firm that is understood to be politics. She attributed this to “a long- Each of the U.S. groups openDemocra- in cases of fatal fetal anomalies. Sekulow’s contracted by Trump. It only has a mail- standing process to erode accountability cy examined is registered as a tax-exempt group submitted arguments in favor of box address, however, and Sekulow is be- and transparency.” nonprofit and as such is barred from par- the new restrictions. lieved to do his work for Trump from the “It was inevitable that these individuals, ticipating in partisan political activity. A second U.S. conservative legal group ACLJ’s offices. powering these organizations, would seek However, several of them, including involved in such cases is Alliance Defend- American Institute of Philanthropy to internationalize their influence,” she the American Center for Law and Jus- ing Freedom (ADF). Based in a small president Daniel Borochoff has said: “Reg- added. Action is now needed to increase tice (ACLJ) — which is run by Trump’s town in Arizona, it is also closely linked ulators should investigate whether or not “financial transparency, shining light on personal lawyer Jay Sekulow — have to the Trump administration through for- charitable resources, such as office, labor, these groups’ sources of funding.” vocally supported Trump’s administra- mer staffers and frequent meetings. equipment, etc., are being wrongly utilized “It is the duty of governments to en- tion and his Supreme Court pick Amy ADF went to the U.S. Supreme Court to benefit Sekulow’s for-profit law firm.” sure that women’s rights are not eroded Coney Barrett. last year to defend nonprofit donor secre- The U.S. website Charity Navigator, through misinformation and ideological- Last year, openDemocracy uncovered cy. The case is still ongoing. Its few known which rates nonprofits, has attached an or- ly motivated campaigns,” said Melissa Up- how a dozen U.S. Christian Right funda- funders include the family foundations ange “moderate concern” label to its entry reti, member of the U.N. working group mentalist groups, many with links to the of Trump’s Education Secretary Betsy for the ACLJ because of “atypical financial on tackling discrimination against wom- Trump administration and to Steve Ban- DeVos, which are also major Republican reporting issues.” These include millions en. “There are real-life and often danger- non, had poured at least $50 million of party donors. of dollars that the ACLJ has paid over the ous consequences for women as a result.” dark money into Europe over a decade. years to Sekulow’s for-profit legal firm. Neither the ACLJ, PRI or FWI re- The latest dataset from openDem- Financial secrecy sponded to requests for comment. ocracy is the most comprehensive yet, The full extent of U.S. Religious Right Global outcry ADF did not answer openDemocracy’s following examination of thousands of funding for global activities is hidden, Several of these U.S. Christian Right questions about its spending, but said that pages of financial records since 2007 given that many Christian conservative groups have also been linked to COVID-19 it is “among the largest and most effective from 28 U.S. groups. According to this groups are registered as church organiza- misinformation. The anti-abortion Popu- legal advocacy organizations dedicated to data, these organizations spent more tions that do not have to disclose any of lation Research Institute (PRI), for exam- protecting the religious freedom and free money in Europe (almost $90 million) this information. ple, is led by an ultraconservative activist speech rights of all Americans.” Page 4 FFRF | FREETHOUGHT TODAY | Madison, Wisconsin | December 2020 HEADS UP Every day brings a new Arise, Take Up Thy Bed, and Walk puzzle for Katya Maes Mark, 2:9 Name: Katya Maes. Motel boozy-woozy you Where and when I was born: Mos- cow, Russia, in 1969. hardly hear the jangle or Family: Married with three kids and the robot voice: time / a dog. temperature / the brassy command, Education: B.A. in history from Uni- Have a Nice Day—and the old routine versity of California-Berkeley. Occupation: Enigmatologist/cru- revs up again: the kegel- civerbalist or, in other words, I put to- squeezing rush to the john / gether crossword puzzles. bleary wash / dry / comb / How I got where am today: Mostly pants / shirt / socks / by flying by the seat of my pants. May- be that wasn’t always the best way, but and then, it sure made the journey fun! bag crammed, jammed, and zipped, Where I’m headed: Into the com- you tug and curse, and with a piggy grunt, plete unknown. I like to wake up roll the mattress up not knowing what the day will bring. Schedules, though necessary for man- and squeeze it under your arm, aging life in 2020, depress me. scrunch through the door, Person in history I admire and why: down the hall, past I definitely don’t have any heroes. He- the frog-eyed desk clerk, roes are supposed to be perfect, and I don’t think there are any perfect peo- and out to the parking lot, where ple out there. But I do admire people you huff and puff and stuff it all who are able to look at the world from into the trunk. different perspectives. Howard Zinn Sweating behind the wheel and Noam Chomsky come to mind. Katya Maes A quotation I like: “Sometimes you as the car burps into life, have to forgo what’s popular for what’s Never had any doubts! I was born an you think: important.” Mo’Nique said this in her atheist. but He made it sound so easy 2010 Oscar acceptance speech for her Before I die: I would like to see in the book. role in “Precious.” what my kids end Things I like: R up doing with their Family traditions, lives. I know it will © Philip Appleman. From the book Karma, our cabin, traveling, reading. I love be something super interesting and Dharma, Pudding & Pie. old books. satisfying. Editor’s note: After years of publishing Philip Things I smite: When people rely on Ways I promote freethought: By Appleman’s poems in Freethought Today, prayers rather than science, and when being vocal about my views, by volun- this is the final installment of the Heads Up Christians claim that they, somehow, teering for FFRF. Oh, and I do own column. Sadly, Philip died earlier this year. have a monopoly on morals. a number of T-shirts with applicable (See the November issue for his memorial.) My doubts about religion started: messages!

Photo by Brent Nicastro Brent by Photo Philip’s books of poetry are available from ffrf. org/shop. Caption contest winner! FFRF welcomes Life members FFRF thanks and welcomes our new The newest $1,000 Lifetime mem- Beyond After-Life member, two Af- bers are: Leonard Bernstein, Ryan De- ter-Life members and 12 new Lifetime tzel, Paul Efron, Claudia English, Rus- members. sell Frum, Diane Jarman, Kathleen D. Steve Overman is our newest Beyond Lebeck, William Nagel, Peggy Plumb, After-Life member, which is a member- Peter Sobel, Gloria Wilson and Sheila ship category of $10,000. Wolfe. Tom Westlake Buschman and Jay States represented are: Arizona, Cal- Jones are the two most recent After-Life ifornia, Florida, Illinois, Iowa, Massa- members, which is a membership cate- chusetts, New Mexico, North Carolina, gory of $5,000. Ohio, Washington and Wisconsin. Freethought Matters 2020/2021 season resumes

An antidote to religion on the airwaves and Sunday morning sermonizing Freethought Matters TV talk show airs in: Watch our show every Sunday! Chicago WPWR-CW (Ch. 50) 9 am Denver KWGN-CW (Ch. 2) 7 am Houston KUBE-IND (Ch. 57) 9 am Los Angeles KCOP-MY (Ch. 13) 8:30 am Madison, Wis. WISC-TV (Ch. 3) 11 pm Minneapolis KSTC-IND (Ch. 45) 9:30 am New York City WPIX-IND (Ch. 11) 8:30 am Phoenix KASW-CW (Ch. 61) 8:30 am Congratulations to Bill Rasmussen of Illinois for winning the November (Ch. 61 or 6 or 1006 for HD) caption contest. Bill wins an FFRF T-shirt. Portland, Ore. KRCW-CW (Ch. 32) 9 am Photo by Chris Line The winning entry is: Looks like he’s doing a real “bang-up” job. (703 on Comcast for HD or Ch. 3) Runners-up are: With this new TV antenna, I can watch “Freethought Visit FFRF’s YouTube Channel Sacramento KQCA-MY (Ch. 58) 8:30 am to watch the shows. Matters” this Sunday! — Stan Deutsch Seattle KONG-IND (Ch. 16) 8 am Y’know, honey, when you promised me a cross-country trip . . . — Alfie (Ch. 16 or Ch. 106 on Comcast) Kohn Washington, D.C. WDCW-CW (Ch. 50) 8 am So, what are you giving up for Dent? — Greg Luciano

Go to: ffrf.org/freethought-matters for more information There were several entries for “Jesus saves on car insurance” or similar. December 2020 | Madison, Wisconsin | FFRF | FREETHOUGHT TODAY Page 5 IN THE NEWS Church defiance to W.Va. can’t use consumer restrictions is growing law to sue church

The number of people who want The West Virginia Supreme Court their church congregation to defy po- said the state’s attorney general can- tential state orders to close due to the not use a consumer protection law to coronavirus has grown since March, sue a Roman Catholic diocese over according to surveys done by Paul A. sexual abuse allegations. Djupe of Denison University and Ryan The court, on Nov. 23, issued its P. Burge of Eastern Illinois University. opinion in response to a lawsuit the In March, 56 percent of those sur- state filed last year accusing the Wheel- veyed did not want their congregation ing-Charleston diocese of failing to to defy such an order, but that shrunk publicly disclose the employment to 39 percent by October. Support for of sexual abusers in its schools and the government asking congregations camps. to stop meeting in person slipped from The absence of such disclosure 66 percent in March to 56 percent in amounted to a violation of a consumer October. protection law, Attorney General Pat- The data was clear across political rick Morrisey argued. party lines as the defiance is growing in Sources: March and October 202 Surveys; @PaulDjupe The narrow legal question con- all categories of political leanings. Even gion experts describe as a loosely orga- (only 34 percent favor). Majorities cerned whether using the 2015 Con- strong Democrats are urging a more de- nized Christian Nationalist movement in every other major religious group sumer Credit and Protection Act to sue fiant stance, though the growth among that has flourished under President support marriage equality, including the diocese violates the separation of Republicans is much greater. Trump. 90 percent of religiously unaffiliated church and state. A lower court judge Sociologist Samuel Perry, co-author Americans. had stayed his order to dismiss Mor- of the new book Taking America Back for Americans overwhelmingly favor (83 risey’s lawsuit pending the Supreme Poland delays abortion God, says “no other factor better pre- percent) laws that would protect gay, Court’s review. dicts a vote for Trump than adherence lesbian, bisexual and transgender peo- In its majority opinion, the high ban as protests continue to a Christian Nationalist ideology,” the ple against discrimination in jobs, pub- court said the law does not apply Poland’s right-wing government has Post reports. lic accommodations and housing. to services provided by a religious delayed implementation of a contro- In just four years, Trump has helped institution. versial court ruling that would outlaw reshape the landscape of American Among the lawsuit’s allegations almost all abortion after it prompted Christianity by elevating Christians John Paul II blamed for was that the diocese failed to conduct massive protests in more than 500 cities once considered fringe, which has, more than 20 background checks at a around the country. as the Post reports, “made for some McCarrick elevation Catholic elementary school in Charles- The decision by the country’s con- strange bedfellows, but the common Pope John Paul II disregarded warn- ton in 2007 and 2008. stitutional tribunal promised to fur- thread among them is a sense of being ings in elevating Theodore E. McCar- It also accused the diocese of cover- ther tighten Poland’s abortion laws, under siege and a belief that America rick to the position of cardinal, a Vati- ing up a 2006 report on sexual abuse which were already some of the strict- has been and should remain a Chris- can inquiry found. allegations involving a teacher in est in Europe. Abortion is allowed in tian nation.” The Vatican report found that John Kanawha County. Poland only if the pregnancy is the Paul II had rejected explicit warnings result of rape or incest, if the wom- about sexual abuse by McCarrick, now an’s life is in danger, or if the fetus is Beheaded French teacher a disgraced former cardinal, “choosing Buffalo diocese sued affected by severe congenital defects. to believe the American prelate’s deni- The Oct. 22 court decision eliminated to be awarded honor als and misleading accounts by bishops over sex abuse cover-up the last of these three conditions from France will posthumously honor as he elevated him to the highest ranks The state of New York on Nov. 23 the list. Samuel Paty, a teacher who was behead- of the church hierarchy,” the New York sued the Roman Catholic Diocese of The overwhelming majority of le- ed on Oct. 16, with the Legion d’Hon- Times reports. Buffalo and two former church leaders, gal abortions — 1,074 of 1,100 per- neur, the nation’s highest honor. As Washington’s archbishop, Mc- alleging they “covered up allegations of formed last year — resulted from fetal Paty, 47, was killed and behead- Carrick was one of the most powerful sexual misconduct and misused char- abnormalities. ed in the Paris suburb of Con- leaders of the Roman Catholic Church itable assets by supporting predatory flans-Sainte-Honorine as he walked in the United States. But he became priests who were allowed to retire or go home from school. the highest-ranking American official on leave,” according to the Associated Trump sparks a rise His brutal murder took place after to be removed for sexual abuse when Press. he was targeted by an attacker who the pope kicked him out of the priest- New York’s Attorney General Letitia of Patriot churches prosecutors say sought to punish him hood in 2019. James filed the suit against the diocese, Patriot churches are part of “an for showing cartoons of the Prophet former Bishop Richard Malone and for- evolving network of nondenomination- Muhammad, considered blasphemous mer Auxiliary Bishop Edward Grosz. al start-up congregations that say they by the teachings of Islam, to pupils Survey: Prejudice higher It comes after a two-year investiga- want to take the country back for God,” during a civics class teaching freedom tion that found church leaders shel- according to an article in the Washing- of expression. for religion in the UK tered accused priests by letting them ton Post on Oct. 26. Religious prejudice is the “final step away from ministry rather than fol- Patriot churches belong to what reli- frontier” for diversity, a place where low mandated procedures that would Americans supportive individuals are willing to express neg- subject them to possible removal from ative attitudes, according to “How We the priesthood. MASKS! of LGBTQ rights Get Along,” a diversity study in En- Stay Safe & Educate! According to the Public Religion gland and Wales in 2020. Appeals court: Texas can Research Institute, the vast majority of The report says, “We are a society Mix & Match! kick PP out of Medicaid with Americans (70 percent) favor allowing largely comfortable with the idea of a NEW! FFRF Mask gay and lesbian couples to marry le- close relative marrying someone from A federal appeals court is allowing Item #FM02 gally. Majorities of Democrats (80 per- a different ethnic or national back- Texas to kick Planned Parenthood out cent) and independents (76 percent), ground. We are, however, less com- of its Medicaid program. as well as half of Republicans (50 per- fortable with a close relative marrying The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Ap- cent), support same-sex marriage. someone from a different religious peals on Nov. 23 sided with state offi- White evangelical Protestants stand background. cials who removed Planned Parent- out as the only major religious group “This particularly applies to marry- hood from the program for low-income in which a majority opposes allow- ing a Muslim, the group most often people, according to a report in the ing gay and lesbian couples to marry targeted by negative attitudes from Texas Tribune. The state cited a highly other faith groups, but also the group edited video created by anti-abortion most likely to have negative attitudes advocates in 2015 that purported to towards other faith groups.” show PP officials selling fetal tissue. In Science I Trust Mask Correction Breathable, hydrophobic, antimicrobial. On Page 17 of the November Around three-quarters of those sur- A lower court had blocked the state Adjustable ear straps. Black w/white imprint. issue, on the chart of “Percentage of veyed are comfortable with a close rela- from removing Planned Parenthood in $12 2 for $20 Item #FM01 Americans willing to vote for a pres- tive marrying an Asian or Black person 2017. But the 5th Circuit judges ruled idential candidate if they were . . .,” (70 percent and 74 percent), but less that legal precedent disqualifies Medic- Buy it from FFRF online the line above the red bar should than half (44 percent) are comfortable aid beneficiaries from taking issue with ffrf.org/shop have said: “Over the age of 70.” with the idea of a close relative marry- how states determine which providers ing a Muslim. are qualified to be in the program. Page 6 FFRF | FREETHOUGHT TODAY | Madison, Wisconsin | December 2020 ELECTION NEWS

Five states elect first caveat that religious organizations and And he’s gonna teach spelling! clergypersons would have the right to Muslim lawmakers refuse to solemnize a marriage. Five states (Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Oklahoma and Wisconsin) elected their first Muslim lawmakers to Louisiana amends state their state legislatures. All five candi- dates ran as Democrats. constitution on abortion More than 100 Muslim candidates Louisiana voters decided to amend ran for elected office this year, includ- the state’s constitution by adding lan- ing U.S. Reps. Ilhan Omar and Rashi- guage that states the document offers da Tlaib. The Democratic representa- no protections for a right to abortion tives, who are the first Muslim women or the funding of abortion. to serve in Congress, were re-elected to The question before voters on Nov. their second terms. 3 was whether to explicitly state that “a The firsts for those five states are: right to abortion and the funding of • Iman Jodeh to Colorado House of abortion shall not be found in the Lou- Representatives. isiana Constitution.” • Madinah Wilson-Anton to the The vote will have no immediate ef- Delaware House of Representatives. fect, although if the Supreme Court • Christopher Benjamin to Florida’s FFRF Lifetime Member Jeff Baysinger of Colorado sent us this photo of a were to overturn the Roe v. Wade deci- House of Representatives. sandstone bluff east of Rangely, Colo. as he returned to Denver following sion on abortion rights, the amendment • Mauree Turner to Oklahoma’s a trip to Dinosaur National Monument. “I thought FFRF may be amused at would ensure against any court ruling Legislature. the misspelling,” Baysinger wrote. that language in the Louisiana Constitu- • Samba Baldeh to Wisconsin state tion grants abortion rights. Assembly. Other Muslims elected include: • Zohran Kwame Mamdani to the 90, a measure that marks the first time sign was selected by a state commission in Pew: 28% of registered New York state Assembly. nationwide that a sex education mandate September. The state Legislature will now • Charles Fall, who since 2019 served has appeared on a statewide ballot. have to enact into law the new design as voters are secular as the only Muslim member of By approving the measure, voters sig- Mississippi’s official state flag during its The share of voters who identify as the New York state Assembly, was naled that a 2020 law should go into ef- next regular session in 2021. religiously unaffiliated has nearly dou- re-elected. fect making lessons mandatory starting bled since 2008, from 15 percent to 28 • Abraham Aiyash to Michigan’s in kindergarten, though families could percent, according to the Pew Research House of Representatives. choose to opt out. Nevada recognizes gay Center. • Omar Fateh to Minnesota state Christians account for the majority Senate. marriage in constitution of registered voters in the United States Mississippi approves Nevada voters overturned a 2002 ban (64 percent), but that is down from 79 new ‘IGWT’ flag design on same-sex marriage, making the state percent in 2008. Sex ed referendum the first to recognize gay couples’ right Around eight-in-ten Republican reg- Mississippi on Nov. 3 voted in a new to marry in its constitution. istered voters (79 percent) are Chris- passes in Washington design for its state flag, which now in- Question 2 on Nevada ballots tians, compared with about half (52 per- Washington school districts will be cludes the phrase “In God We Trust” asked voters whether they support an cent) of Democratic voters. required to teach sexual health educa- below a magnolia blossom. amendment recognizing marriage “as Democratic voters are much more tion to most students under a referen- Mississippi’s flag previously was the last between couples regardless of gen- likely than GOP voters to identify as re- dum approved Nov. 3. one in the country to feature an image of der,” with 62 percent voting in favor ligiously unaffiliated (38 percent vs. 15 Nearly 60 percent favored Referendum the Confederate battle flag. The new de- of the question. It also included the percent). Taking a day off at FFRF to work at the polls tunity to be part of As a constitutional attorney, I felt well most 60 percent of poll workers are over By Chris Line this important dem- qualified to help ensure that every eligible the age of 60. And although COVID-19 ocratic process, one voter was able to cast a ballot. I spent my can affect people of any age, older people y alarm clock was set to go off at 5 which many people entire 8-hour shift working at the polling are particularly vulnerable, with about 80 a.m., but I woke up at 4:30. I ate a have fought very table for same-day registrants. My job was percent of COVID-19-related deaths in the big breakfast, put on my mask, and hard to secure. to help everyone who registered at the United States occurring in adults 65 and Mheaded out into the darkness. My polling This year, due to polls verify their identify and cast a ballot. older. It was important for those like my- place was only a couple blocks away, but FFRF’s generosity, Unfortunately, because of the draconian self to step up and provide some relief. I felt during my short walk I couldn’t help but I was able to go one voter ID laws in Wisconsin, I had to turn safe during my shift, but afterwards I re- think about the importance of what I was step further and not away some otherwise eligible voters. Lucki- ceived an email informing me I may have about to do. Chris Line only cast my vote, ly, those situations were rare and I was able been exposed to the virus. I took a COVID I have to admit that, embarrassingly, in but to serve as a poll to ensure the majority of voters who reg- test a few days later and I tested negative. 2008, the first year I was eligible to vote in worker. Because FFRF generously offered a istered at my polling station were able to As much as I love my job defending the the presidential election, I neglected my paid day off to those who worked the polls, vote. The ward I worked at generated the separation of church and state and advo- civic duty and I didn’t vote. I was in my first it was an opportunity for me to earn some most voters of any ward in Madison. cating on behalf of freethinkers, I am glad year of college and like most 18-year-olds, I extra income while helping to ensure that As we all know, the election took place that I chose to take a break for a day in or- didn’t understand the importance of elec- our democracy runs smoothly. [FFRF’s during a pandemic, and I knew that it der to support our democracy by working tions and participating in our democracy. bookkeeper Eleanor McEntee also spent wouldn’t be without risk. But I am young at the polls, and I am grateful to FFRF for Since then, I have never missed an oppor- the day as a poll worker.] and healthy and if not me, then who? Al- providing me with that opportunity.

Election ʻIN REASON WE TRUST’ Self inking stamp Continued from page 1

it believes that any legal defense of the ingly secular U.S. demographics. But First Amendment — of the cherished we can’t let theocratic court-packing American principle of the separation jeopardize civil rights, the Establish- of state and church — must necessari- ment Clause and our nation’s fu- Carefully crafted to stamp out ly mean reforming our federal courts. ture. Even with the election results, ʻgod’ on U.S. currency. Good We face a hostile federal judiciary, more it is clear that for reason, humanistic for up to 2000 impressions. dedicated to Christian Nationalism than values and our secular Constitution the rule of law. to prevail, our nation will need to $20 postpaid — Item#ST01 Regardless of the Supreme Court, unpack, correct and rebalance the we’re gaining in the court of public judiciary. Buy It Online ffrf.org/shop opinion — reflected in the increas- With your help, we’ll get to work. December 2020 | Madison, Wisconsin | FFRF | FREETHOUGHT TODAY Page 7 How secular candidates fared in the 2020 election Victory Loss Not called yet (or not up for re-election) Members of the Congressional Freethought Caucus NE Senate District 8 (Unicameral) Sen. Megan Hunt 2019 - Current Atheist D-CA (District 2) Rep. Jared Huffman 2013 - Current Humanist NV House District 10 Rep. Rochelle Nguyen 2018 - Current Not religious D-CA (District 9) Rep. Jerry McNerney 2007 - Current Catholic NV House District 15 Rep. Howard Watts III 2018 - Current Agnostic D-CA (District 19) Rep. Zoe Lofgren 1995 - Current Lutheran NV Senate District 18 Liz Becker Challenger Secular Humanist D-GA (District 4) Rep. Hank Johnson 2007 - Current Buddhist NH House Belknap 2 Natalie Taylor Challenger Atheist D-IL (District 6) Rep. Sean Casten 2019 - Current N/A NH House Belknap 6 Don House Challenger “Spiritual humanist” D-MD (District 8) Rep. Jamie Raskin 2017 - Current Jewish & “humanist” NH House Cheshire 5 Rep. John Bordenet 2014 - Current Unitarian Universalist D-MI (District 5) Rep. Dan Kildee 2013 - Current Catholic NH House Grafton 8 Rep. Suzanne Smith 2008 - Current Religiously unaffiliated D-MI (District 13) Rep. Rashida Tlaib 2019 - Current Muslim NH House Grafton 8 Rep. Joyce Weston 2018 - Current Atheist D-PA (District 7) Rep. Susan Wild 2019 - Current Jewish NH House Grafton 9 Carolyn Fluehr-Lobban Challenger “No religious affiliation” D-TN (District 9) Rep. Steve Cohen 2007 - Current Jewish NH House Hillsborough 12 Rep. Amanda Bouldin 2014 - Current Atheist D-WA (District 7) Rep. Pramila Jayapal 2017 - Current N/A NH House Hillsborough 12 Rep. Andrew Bouldin 2018 - Current Atheist D-WI (District 2) Rep. Mark Pocan 2013 - Current N/A NH House Hillsborough 17 Rep. Tim Smith 2012 - Current Atheist D-D.C. Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton 1991 - Current N/A NH House Hillsborough 20 Nikki Fordey Challenger Agnostic U.S House NH House Hillsborough 21 Rep. Wendy Thomas 2018 - Current Spiritual but not religious NH House Hillsborough 27 Rep. Kat McGhee 2018 - Current “Does not practice religion” D-AZ (District 4) Delina DiSanto Challenger “Recovering Catholic” NH House Hillsborough 28 Rep. Jan Schmidt 2016 - Current Nontheist D-CO (District 5) Jillian Freeland Challenger Humanist NH House Hillsborough 30 Rep. Sherry Dutzy 2018 - Current Nonbeliever, atheist, & D-NY (District 1) Dr. Nancy Goroff Challenger Secular Jew humanist D-OH (District 16) Aaron Godfrey Challenger Atheist NH House Hillsborough 37 Brett Gagnon Challenger No religious affiliation D-TX (District 26) Carol Iannuzzi Challenger Humanist NH House Hillsborough 42 Rep. Jacqueline Chretien 2018 - Current Humanist D-WA (District 10) State Rep. Beth Doglio Challenger Agnostic NH House Rockingham 3 Michael DiTommaso Challenger Secular Humanist D-WI (District 8) State Rep. Amanda Stuck Challenger Unitarian Universalist NH House Rockingham 4 Ben Geiger Challenger Atheist State Legislatures NH House Rockingham 4 Matthew Krohn Challenger agnostic Unitarian Universalist AR House District 68 Lisa Hassell Challenger Agnostic NH House Strafford 16 Rep. Sherry Frost 2016 - Current Atheist AR House District 74 June Anteski Challenger Spiritual but not religious NH House Strafford 25 Rep. Amanda Gourgue 2016 - Current Religiously unaffiliated AZ House District 8 Sharon Girard Challenger Agnostic NH House Sullivan 5 Liza Draper Challenger Nonreligious AZ House District 18 Rep. Jennifer Jermaine 2019 - Current Religiously unaffiliated NJ House District 16 Rep. Andrew Zwicker 2016 - Current Atheist AZ House District 23 Eric Kurland Challenger “Not religious” NM Senate District 37 William Peter Soules 2013 - Current Spiritual but not religious AZ House District 26 Melody Hernandez Challenger Agnostic NY House District 3 Steven Polgar Challenger Atheist AZ House District 26 Rep. Athena Salman 2017 - Current Atheist NY House District 74 Rep. Harvey Epstein 2018 - Current Agnostic AZ Senate District 9 Sen. Victoria Steele 2019 - Current Spiritual but not religious NY House District 105 Laurette Giardino Challenger Humanist AZ Senate District 20 Douglas Ervin Challenger Humanistic Judaism NY House District 130 Christopher S. Comegys Challenger Spiritual but not religious AZ Senate District 26 Sen. Juan Mendez 2017 - Current Atheist NC Senate District 49 Julie Mayfield Challenger Agnostic CA House District 20 Rep. Bill Quirk 2012 - Current “Scientist” NC Senate District 50 Victoria Fox Challenger Agnostic CO House District 11 Karen McCormick Challenger Spiritual but not religious ND House District 40 Kalyn Dewitt Challenger Humanist CO House District 13 Judy Amabile Challenger Atheist OH House District 76 Garrett Westhoven Challenger Not religious CO House District 16 Stephanie Vigil Challenger Atheist OR House District 5 Rep. Pam Marsh 2017 - Current Religiously unaffiliated CO House District 23 Rep. Chris Kennedy 2017 - Current Agnostic OR House District 11 Rep. Marty Wilde 2019 - Current Unitarian Universalist CO House District 27 Rep. Brianna Titone 2019 - Current Spiritual but not religious OR House District 14 Rep. Julie Fahey 2017 - Current Religiously unaffiliated CO House District 52 Rep. Cathy Kipp 2019 - Current “Does not belong to any OR House District 47 Rep. Diego Hernandez 2016 - Current Openly agnostic organized religion” PA House District 182 Rep. Brian Sims 2013 - Current Openly nonreligious CO House District 56 Maria-Vittoria “Giugi” & very outspoken Carminati Challenger Secular Humanist TX House District 11 Alec Johnson Challenger Deist CO House District 57 Colin Wilhelm Challenger Spiritual but not religious TX House District 20 Jessica Tiedt Challenger “Omnistic” CT House District 88 Rep. Joshua Elliott 2017 - Current “Agnostic atheist” TX House District 33 Andy Rose Challenger Agnostic CT House District 96 Rep. Roland J. Lemar 2017 - Current “Agnostic & humanist” TX House District 135 Rep. Jon Rosenthal 2019 - Current Agnostic FL House District 47 Rep. Anna Eskamani 2018 - Current Secular TX House District 150 Michael Walsh Challenger Atheist FL House District 49 Rep. Carlos Guillermo Smith 2017 - Current Agnostic UT House District 38 Ashlee Matthews Challenger Agnostic FL House District 69 Jennifer Webb 2018 - Current Spiritual but not religious VT House Addison-1 Rep. Robin Scheu 2017 - Current Humanist FL House District 73 David Fairey Challenger Atheist VT House Bennington-4 Kathleen James 2019 - Current Spiritual but not religious FL House District 113 Rep. Michael Grieco 2018 - Current “Not religious” VT House Caledonia 3 Brice Simon Challenger Secular Humanist GA House District 24 Natalie Bucsko Challenger Non-theist Pagan VT House Chittenden 6-6 Barbara Rachelson 2013 - Current Nonreligious Jew GA House District 44 Connie Di Cicco Challenger “Not religious” VT House Windsor 4-2 Dist. Rep. Rebecca White 2019 - Current Atheist HI Senate District 9 Stanley Chang 2016 - Current “No religion” VT House Washington-4 Dist. Rep. Warren Kitzmiller 2001 - Current Humanist IA House District 22 Shawna Anderson Challenger Humanist VT Senate Windsor Dist. Sen. Dick McCormack 2007 - Current “Governs with reason” IL House District 90 Seth Wiggins Challenger “Does not practice religion” WA House District 21a Rep. Strom Peterson 2015 - Current Agnostic IN House District 11 Keegan Damron Challenger “Not religious” WA House District 31b Thomas Clark Challenger Agnostic IN House District 20 Tim Gust Challenger Agnostic WA Senate District 9 Jenn Goulet Challenger Secular Humanist IN House District 41 Greg Woods Challenger Atheist WI House District 76 Francesca Hong Challenger Humanist IN House District 49 Amanda Qualls Challenger Agnostic WI House District 89 Karl Jaeger Challenger Nonreligious MD House District 20 Rep. David Moon 2015 - Current Nonreligious WI Senate District 16 Rep. Melissa Sargent 2013 - Current Agnostic MA House Bristol 2 Rep. Jim Hawkins 2018 - Current Religiously unaffiliated WI Senate District 18 Aaron Wojciechowski Challenger Nonreligious MA House Essex 18 Rep. Tram Nguyen 2019 - Current Spiritual but not religious WI Senate District 26 Kelda Roys Challenger Atheist & Secular Humanist MA Senate Second Suffolk & Middlesex Dist. Sen. William Brownsberger 2012 - Current Nontheist Total on the ballots: 14 State Senators 85 State Reps 8 Congress Total (results so far): 10 State Senators 41 State Rep 1 Congress

Special thanks to the Center for Freethought Equality and “The Friendly Atheist” Hemant Mehta Page 8 FFRF | FREETHOUGHT TODAY | Madison, Wisconsin | December 2020 Alito’s speech shows need for court reform Supreme Court Justice Samuel Ali- Catholic organization is asking Alito and to consummated the unholy union be- the other justices to overturn the very tween the federal judiciary and the Fed- decision Alito just maligned. eralist Society in a one-sided speech on Alito also opined on the Masterpiece Nov. 12. Cakeshop case, which was heavily cited by “It’s shocking to hear a supposedly the parties in Fulton, leaving no doubt impartial Supreme Court justice speak which way he will vote. He could not in such a hyperpartisan, reckless and en- have been more clear: “For many today, titled manner,” says FFRF Co-President religious liberty is not a cherished free- Annie Laurie Gaylor, dom. It’s often just an excuse for bigot- “Alito didn’t sound ry, and it can’t be tolerated, even when like a principled ju- there is no evidence that anybody has rist, but a Christian been harmed.” Nationalist trading “I’ll wager a year of my nonprofit sal- talking points with ary that he finds for the Catholic organi- Sean Hannity on Fox zation and against the city,” says FFRF’s News.” Director of Strategic Response Andrew It’s no secret that Seidel. Donald Trump let Alito inappropriately discussed cases Samuel Alito the ultraconservative that have already been ruled on an inter- Federalist Society im basis, but that are continuing to work select nominees: “We’re going to have their way to the high court, such as pan- great judges, conservative, all picked demic “restrictions,” specifically discuss- by the Federalist Society.” Nearly all ing cases in Nevada and California, and of President Trump’s 200-plus judicial snidely making his loathing for such or- nominees, including his three Supreme ty rule with their judicial power. about those restrictions has pointed up ders clear: “Take a quick look at the Con- Court justices, have had ties to the con- Alito’s words have alarming implica- emerging trends in the assessment of in- stitution. You will see the Free Exercise servative group. tions for FFRF’s work. FFRF has been dividual rights. This is especially evident Clause of the First Amendment, which Alito’s speech was the screed of an racing to fight against a radical attempt with respect to religious liberty. It pains protects religious liberty, you will not embittered, embattled minority fight- to redefine religious freedom, and Ali- me to say this, but in certain quarters, find a craps clause or a blackjack clause ing against the overwhelming majori- to made it clear that this religious liberty is fast or a slot machine clause.” He also spoke ty. It highlights a central problem this push is only going to becoming a disfavored of a pharmacy case out of Washington, country will face moving forward. Most get stronger. In Alito’s Alito’s words have right.” in which a business meant to provide Americans are not so conservative. Ali- fantasy, religious liberty alarming implications Alito talked about a care for people refused a prescription. to’s views are increasingly unpopular. requires that laws ex- famous religious liberty In Alito’s biased retelling, this was about for FFRF’s work. He espouses the views of the conserva- empt Christians who dis- case, a Supreme Court “so-called morning-after pills, which de- tive white, male, Christian Nationalist agree with the law, that decision called Employ- stroy an embryo after fertilization.” demographic. A shrinking demograph- Christians be allowed to discriminate ment Division v. Smith authored by Justice FFRF has no faith that Alito will do the ic; a dwindling minority. But Alito is part as they see fit, and that Christian views Antonin Scalia, which Alito claimed “cut right thing in these instances precisely be- of a 6–3 majority on the Supreme Court. on same-sex marriage and reproductive back sharply on the protection provided cause his speech smacked of an entitled He’s an unpopular minority but empow- rights must be forced on the entire legal by the Free Exercise Clause of the First man above the law, not a man of the law. ered for life on a packed court. system. Amendment.” He added, “Congress was Alito certainly did not mean for his This speech was an admission, a con- Shockingly, he did this while con- quick to respond. It passed the Religious speech to be a clarion call for court re- fession. Alito admitted that we are a demning public policy based on sci- Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA), to en- form, something he condemned in his nation governed by minority rule and ence and reason, even in the middle of sure broad protection for religious lib- speech. But it is. If America fails to heed confessed that, although their grasp on a lethal pandemic: “Just as the COVID erty.” Just eight days before this speech, this call, we’ll pay a dear price. It’s time legislative power is slipping, Alito and restrictions have highlighted the move- Alito participated in oral arguments in to expand the Supreme Court and the his five buddies will solidify that minori- ment toward rule by experts, litigation Fulton v. Philadelphia, a case in which a federal judiciary. Biden administration must prioritize judiciary The Freedom From Religion Foun- Biden administration must nominate de- loads. Since 1990, however, the number tiously vetting and marshaling nominees dation and dozens of other national mographically and experientially diverse of judges has not significantly increased. through Senate confirmation. Moreover, organizations are advising the incom- judges with a demonstrated commitment The Judicial Conference, the policymak- staff involved in judicial selection should ing administration on how to effectively to equal justice. It should prioritize can- ing body for the federal court headed by have experience and deep connections prioritize judicial appointments, in the didates who are demographically diverse, Chief Justice John Roberts, has recom- within civil rights and public interest wake of court packing by the Trump including from communities of color, mended creating new judgeships to help communities and be committed to, and administration. women, LGBTQ communities, people address the significant increase in cases. representative of, a judiciary made up of Senate Republicans have confirmed with disabilities, and other underrepre- • Last, but far from the least, the state- judges from a wide range of legal, demo- over 200 extremist judges to lifetime seats sented groups; and who come from a ment recommends, the staff at the White graphic and experiential backgrounds. on the federal courts at a breakneck pace range of professional backgrounds, in- House and Justice Department after In- With the steps outlined in the state- that will damage our laws and civil liber- cluding public interest lawyers, civil rights auguration Day need to be committed ment, the Biden administration will, ties for decades to come, warns their joint lawyers, labor lawyers, plaintiffs’ lawyers to prioritizing judicial selections. The hopefully, be able to undo the judicial statement, signed by the American Con- and public defenders. administration must consist of qualified wrongs that the Trump administration stitution Society, League of Conservation • Second, the Biden White House and sufficient staff, committed to expedi- has committed in the past four years. Voters, National Education Association needs to prevent procedural roadblocks and People For the American Way, to from delaying expeditious confirmation FFRF debuts 2021 wall calendar celebrating freethought history. name just a few other signatories. of outstanding jurists. The administration “At the time of their confirmations, must be ready not only to nominate but 2021 FFRF WALL CALENDAR! Great Trump’s nominees already had records to fight for nominees even in the face of NEW! Gift! posing a severe threat to the rights of wom- opposition. So, rules put in place by Sen- en, workers, people of color, LGBTQ com- ate Republicans to fast-track the confir- munities, immigrants, consumers, and the mation of Trump-appointed judges must environment,” states the letter. “Now on remain in place for the Biden administra- the bench, their rulings have more than tion. This means no supermajority vote justified our concerns. Trump-appointed for Supreme Court nominees; two hours justices have already rolled back hard-won of post-cloture debate for district court rights and legal protections so critical to nominees; hearings with multiple nomi- everyday Americans, while expanding the nees; and no blue slip veto for appellate power of those at the top.” nominees, at a minimum. That is why the Biden administration • Third, the incoming executive team POSTPAID! (U.S. ONLY) (11” wide X 8.5” tall) must immediately and explicitly priori- must support legislation to create new Elegant but functional wall calendar chronicling famous freethinkers by tize judicial appointments, the statement judgeships. Historically, Congress rou- birthdate. Learn freethought history while marking o dates. $12 Item #WC01 urges, and advises on how to repair the tinely expanded the number of district damage. and circuit court judgeships to keep Shop online @ ffrf.org/shop • First, the statement counsels, the up with population and increased case- December 2020 | Madison, Wisconsin | FFRF | FREETHOUGHT TODAY Page 9 Vatican abuse report is too little, too late

By Ryan D. Jayne although the pedophile priest’s only punishment is house arrest. It appears t’s becoming a story as old as the church McCarrick, now 90, will never serve a itself: A young sexual assault survivor day in prison. If not for a whistleblower courageously reports his or her abuser, in 2017, McCarrick’s crimes likely never Ionly to be shunned and abused again, would have become public, and he would while the abuser escapes punishment have maintained his position as a senior and rises in the ranks of the church. cardinal, and his reputation as a “pastoral, Decades later, we learn far too late that intelligent and zealous bishop,” despite there were scores of victims. These stories his career of rampant abuse. are so common with the Catholic Church The Catholic Church silencing vic- that they most often make up the lion’s tims and covering up sexual abuse is share of the Black Collar Crime section nothing new. A 2018 grand jury report in Freethought Today. But it’s still hard in Pennsylvania found that two bish- to keep track of them all. ops covered up “the sexual abuse of The Vatican recently released a 445- hundreds of children by more than 50 page report detailing myriad allega- priests and other religious leaders over a tions of sexual assault against former 40-year period.” An independent inqui- Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, to date ry report, released on the same day as the highest-ranking Catholic priest to the McCarrick report found that “child be defrocked for assaulting children sexual abuse was swept under the carpet” and young adults. in the United Kingdom, as the church The report reveals a prioritized its reputation above all else. rampant pattern of No one could rationally deny that the abuse, dating back church, for decades, if not centuries, has at least to the 1980s, facilitated and perpetuated sexual abuse during which church at an almost unimagineable scale. This cartoon is from Cartoons for the Irreverent: Celebrating the Wit of Don Addis, officials not only ig- It would be naive in the extreme to available through ffrf.org/shop. This unique collection, published by FFRF, celebrates nored allegations, think that the church’s assembly line of the wit and irreverence of Don Addis, a legendary editorial cartoonist and atheist. but actively helped abuse and cover-up will not continue. (Paperback, 153 pages, $15 post paid) protect McCarrick Outlets that praised Pope Francis for Photo by Chris Line and even joined in action to remove McCarrick. young man “described himself as being publishing the McCarrick report note Ryan Jayne the abuse themselves. Even if you believe that, the claim ‘ensnared’ and could feel that McCa- that he did so despite fierce internal The report comes that the Vatican only heard allegations rrick was sexually aroused,” at which resistance in the upper echelons of more than two decades too late for the against McCarrick in 1999 is deeply mis- point he rebuked the advance, which the church. Even presuming that the survivors. At this point, few could be leading. The report actually details indi- “pissed off” McCarrick, and then ran current pope sincerely wants to fix the surprised by yet another such report. viduals who alerted the church to McCa- out of the room. church’s systemic promotion of abuse, Few were; the report has barely made rrick’s crimes far earlier. One survivor Rape and sexual assault are crimes the institution does not want to be a splash. We’ve been desensitized and reported McCarrick to a church official that should be reported to the police. fixed. are inured to the fact that the Catholic as early as 1985, That apparently Powerful church officials will un- Church has regularly covered up sexual when a future priest never happens in doubtedly conceal reports of sexual abuse. That alone should convince Ro- informed Monsi- Even with a popular and the Catholic hier- misconduct from Pope Francis in the man Catholics around the world that gnor Anthony Gam- supposedly reformist pope, archy. At most, the future — they almost certainly already it is finally time to quit the Catholic bino, a senior offi- crimes are reported have — to protect the reputations and the church has not changed Church. Even with a popular and sup- cial at the Diocese to someone high- bank accounts of the church, their posedly reformist pope, the church has of Metuchen (New and will not change. er up in the chain. friends, and themselves. not changed and will not change. Jersey), that McCa- But even that didn’t And there is little to no discussion According to the report, Pope John rrick had assaulted happen here. In- on the one thing that would most work Paul II knew of credible allegations him at an overnight beach house trip. stead, Gambino admonished the young to fix the problem: justice. Even “Pope against McCarrick at least by 1999. “McCarrick dictated the sleeping man for speaking up and arranged for a Fluffy” has not instructed the Church Rather than investigating or referring arrangements” such that there were counseling session with another priest, hierarchy and its adherents to report the case to local authorities, he decid- insufficient beds, so McCarrick and Edward Zogby. After taking his confes- these crimes — and they are crimes — ed to promote McCarrick, in large part the young man he was interested in sion, the report says Zogby “wanted to to the police or law enforcement. De- because they were friends. After the would have to share, says the report. give [the survivor] a hug, and then tried frocking a 90-year-old serial abuser, and McCarrick report came out, most news Then, “when McCarrick noticed that to kiss him and grabbed his crotch.” The sentencing him to house arrest, is far outlets rightly condemned the then- [the young man] was wearing pajamas next year, McCarrick was promoted to too little, far too late. pope’s actions (and Pope Benedict’s over his underwear, he was displeased” Archbishop of Newark. The church is not going to change inaction when he succeeded John Paul and encouraged him to remove his pa- And this horrifying story is just 10 anytime soon, and anyone deluding II), but then pivoted to the conclusion jamas. Next, McCarrick pressured the pages of the 445-page report. themselves into thinking otherwise is that Pope Francis, the current pontiff, young man into exchanging back rubs In 2019, the Vatican finally conducted complicit in widespread, institutionally was unaware of the allegations until and, when they were under the covers, an “administrative penal process” and protected sexual abuse. 2017, at which point he took decisive “wrapped his body around [him].” The concluded that McCarrick was culpable, Ryan Jayne is a staff attorney for FFRF.

MASKS! THEY SAID WHAT? Stay Safe & Educate! Gage Skidmore, CC BY-SA 2.0 Mix & Match with For many today, religious liberty is a speech given to the Federalist Society, GOD IS IN ʻIn Science I Trust’ Mask not a cherished freedom. It’s often just where he claimed that liberals pose a CONTROL NEW! Item #FM01 an excuse for bigotry, and it can’t be tol- growing threat to religious liberty and Kayleigh McE- erated. . . . You can’t say that marriage free speech. nany, President is a union between one man and one The New York Times, 11-13-20 Trump’s press woman. Until very recently that’s what secretary, early the vast majority of Americans thought. The Church cannot support the in the evening on Now it’s considered bigotry. acceptance of objectively immoral Election Day. Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito, in relationships. Twitter, 11-4-20 Bishop Thomas Tobin of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Providence fol- Kayleigh McEnany lowing Pope Francis’ support of same- God has already sealed the results What Is a Freethinker? sex unions. of this election. He has sealed it in FFRF Mask New York Post, 10-23-20 Heaven. Showcase FFRF wherever you go! 2-layer 100% polyester, stretchy, breathable. freethinker n. Former U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann, Adjustable ear holes. Made in USA. 1 A person who forms opinions We have a vaccine. The name is Jesus speaking during an election special $12 2 for $20 Item #FM02 about religion on the basis of reason, Christ. airing on televangelist Kenneth Cope- independently of tradition, authority, John Hagee, the senior pastor of land’s Victory Channel. Buy it from FFRF online Cornerstone Church in San Antonio, in The Friendly Atheist, 11-4-20 or established belief. ffrf.org/shop a sermon. YouTube, 11-15-20 Page 10 FFRF | FREETHOUGHT TODAY | Madison, Wisconsin | December 2020 FFRF VICTORIES

By Bailey Nachreiner-Mackesey including telling a group of students that “God is sad when you don’t tuck in your shirts. You are disrespecting FFRF puts a stop to God.” Missouri coach’s prayers The complainant additionally re- A Missouri school district has ended ported that the school’s principal has its football coaching staff’s practice of directed staff members to arrange for praying with the student-athletes after the school to participate in “Opera- FFRF got involved. tion Christmas Child,” which is a char- Joey Ballard, head coach for Jasper ity project sponsored by Samaritan’s High School’s boys football team, reg- Purse (led by Franklin Graham), which ularly led team prayer, a concerned describes the program as a “shoebox parent of a player had informed FFRF. ministry.” During these prayers, student players FFRF Staff Attorney Chris Line wrote gathered around Ballard on bended a letter of complaint to Superintendent knee, with additional coaching staff Tony Helfrich requesting that the dis- surrounding the students while Bal- Joey Ballard, head coach for Jasper High School’s boys football team, had regularly trict investigate these serious violations lard delivered a Christian prayer and led his team in prayer until FFRF intervened. and take immediate action. then led the students in reciting the Helfrich informed FFRF in a letter Lord’s Prayer. effective as of its meetings on Oct. 26, and other nonbelievers. FFRF encour- of response that the district has inves- FFRF Staff Attorney Chris Line 2020, not to include an invocation on aged Eshoo to stand up for the precious tigated and addressed the issues and wrote to Jasper R-5 School District Su- its meeting agendas or set aside time constitutional principle of separation will see that “the actions in questions perintendent Christina Hess, remind- for that purpose as part of its official between state and church by refraining are discontinued.” The district has also ing the district that it is illegal for pub- proceedings.” from sending prayer requests through discontinued its partnership with “Op- lic school athletic coaches to lead their official government channels. eration Christmas Child.” teams in prayer. FFRF was informed by the com- FFRF’s constitutional advice has School church question plainant that Rep. Eshoo’s more recent been heeded. weekly newsletters did not include a Kentucky football team “In response to your letter dated now more charitable call for prayer by constituents. Oct. 6, 2020, we write to advise you A homework question promoting ends religious promotion about the actions the district,” the dis- religious donations has been removed Lewis County Schools in Vanceburg, trict’s legal counsel stated. “Employees from the curriculum in Paradise Valley Georgia coach will no Ky., has addressed concerns regarding of the district were reminded of the Unified School District in Phoenix. promotion of a biblical message by a district’s board policy regarding reli- A concerned district parent alert- longer lead team prayer district coach. gion at school and were also instruct- ed FFRF that their student’s personal Administration in the Fannin Coun- FFRF was made aware that Lewis ed not to lead students in, or promote, finance class included an assignment ty School System in Blue Ridge, Ga., has County High School had chosen an prayer. This matter has therefore been that asked students to evaluate certain committed to meeting with all district explicitly religious theme, directly resolved.” personal finance choices and rate them coaches to address First Amendment from the bible, for its football theme as being either good or bad. The assign- obligations. this year. According to an official press ment included the statement: “I give $2 FFRF was informed that the Fannin release on the school’s Facebook page, No more meeting prayers at church every week.” The assignment High School football coach was regu- “Our team motto this year comes from reportedly considered the only correct larly leading his team in prayer. FFRF the story of Nehemiah and the rebuild- at Alabama school answer to this statement to be “good,” Staff Attorney Chris Line wrote to Su- ing of Jerusalem and its wall.” The sto- Employees of Shelby County School and that if a student were to rate it as perintendent Michael Gwatney inform- ry, which comes from the Old Testa- District in Columbiana, Ala., will no “bad” they would not receive any points ing the district that it is illegal for pub- ment, uses “the sword and the shovel” longer be subjected to prayer at staff for the answer. lic school athletic coaches to lead their as metaphorical imagery. The school meetings. FFRF Staff Attorney Chris Line teams in prayer as it constitutes a gov- had adopted this imagery for the boys’ A district employee informed FFRF wrote to Superintendent of Schools ernment endorsement of religion. football team logo and promotional that during a recent mandatory pro- Jesse Welsh, pointing out that the sug- The district’s attorney sent FFRF a poster included a student wearing the fessional development meeting, one gestion that giving money to a church letter of response with assurances that football team’s jersey while holding a teacher began the meeting by deliver- every week, without any additional Gwatney “has met with the high school sword and shovel. ing a prayer. The complainant report- context, does not promote a “good principal and a plan is in progress to FFRF Staff Attorney Chris Line wrote ed that the teacher told staff he would money habit” but instead encourages meet with all coaches to discuss issues to Superintendent Jamie Weddington make a motion when he began and students to partake in a common re- related to the First Amendment, in- to ensure that the district no longer im- ended his prayer so that anyone who ligious practice. Many students, FFRF cluding the Establishment and Free Ex- permissibly promotes religion through was offended could mute him. reminded the district, do not attend ercise Clause.” its football program. FFRF Staff Attorney Chris Line wrote church, and suggesting that it would Weddington informed FFRF in an to the district to ensure that it no lon- be wise for them to give their money email response that “the post has been ger includes prayer as part of any em- to a church is an advancement and en- FFRF ends constitutional removed and your concerns have been ployee meeting or events. The report- dorsement of religion on the district’s addressed.” ed teacher has been counseled that this behalf. violations in Kansas was not permitted and the district has The district has changed the ques- Pratt USD 382 in Kansas has reme- initiated additional refresher training tion in the assignment to state “charity” died multiple constitutional violations Email signatures now for its principals on this subject. instead of “church.” in its district following a letter of com- plaint from FFRF. standardized at college A concerned school staff member A religious message has been re- School board prayers U.S. Rep. Eshoo stops reported several concerning inci- moved from a staff email signature at dents of religious promotion at Lib- Grand Valley State University in Allen- ended in Pelham, Ala. prayer requests erty Middle School. The school’s vice dale, Mich. School board prayer in Pelham City U.S. Rep. Anna Eshoo has stopped principal had been using his position FFRF was informed that one staff Schools in Alabama has been stopped. including prayer requests in constitu- to promote and endorse his personal member had a bible verse in the signa- A district community member re- ent emails in Palo Alto, Calif. religious beliefs to students. The com- ture block for their official university ported that the Pelham City Schools A constituent from California’s 18th plainant reported that on “See You at email address. The signature includ- Board of Education opened each of congressional district reported that the Pole Day,” the vice principal an- ed: “Faith does not make things easy, it its meetings with prayer. FFRF Staff her office regularly sent out prayer re- nounced the event over the intercom, makes them possible.” Attorney Chris Line wrote to School quests. One communication said, “Let’s personally invited students to the FFRF’s then-Legal Fellow Dante Board President Rick Rhoades, in- pray for each other, all the firefighters, event and then led students in prayer. Harootunian wrote to Grand Valley forming the district of the impermis- and all those who have had to evacuate He also apparently included religious State University President Philomena sibility of such prayer at school board their families.” For a few weeks, her of- messages and bible quotes in his offi- Mantella urging the university to see meetings. fice was also sending a weekly newsletter cial district communications. Recently to the email signature being changed FFRF received a response from the that also ended with a prayer request. during morning announcements, he so as not to create the impression of school board’s attorney. “Please be ad- FFRF Staff Attorney Chris Line wrote said, “we need to remember to give university endorsement of Christianity vised that in a good faith effort to ac- to Eshoo’s office noting that, while the all the glory to God, whether others over all other religions or religion over commodate the various points of view, California wildfire crisis is putting im- agree with it or not, and I don’t care nonreligion. interests and legal considerations that mense pressure on leaders to respond if I offend anyone by saying that.” The FFRF was informed by the universi- are implicated by the practice of open- to and comfort constituents, as a U.S. vice principal also reportedly played ty that administration has standardized ing public meetings with invocation, representative she represents a diverse Christian music during class and email signatures for all staff free from the Board of Education has elected, population including atheists, agnostics made religious statements to students, any mention of religion. December 2020 | Madison, Wisconsin | FFRF | FREETHOUGHT TODAY Page 11 Black skeptics uplift through social justice

This article was first published in Religion there was an omnipotent, omniscient News Service on Oct. 15 and is reprinted with God while at the same time the reality permission. showed there was senseless suffering,” said Ross, who is a member of Black By Alejandra Molina Skeptics Los Angeles. Ross is also bisexual, and with the church deeming homosexuality a sin, arrin Johnson would like nothing that was something she had to work better than to rid the Black com- through. munity of organized religion. “I realized that the church itself was DThe way Johnson sees it, Black peo- not a space that helped me empower ple “don’t need outside beliefs or high- myself, particularly as a Black woman er powers.” and someone in the LGBTQ commu- “We have power,” Johnson said. “We nity,” she added. are powerful entities. We just need to To Ross, the mainstream image of use that power.” atheism and whiteness can alienate As an organizer with his local Black people of color who need “people who Lives Matter chapter, Johnson, an athe- look like them to feel a sense of com- ist, has sometimes felt a bit uneasy meet- munity,” she said. ing in churches and working alongside “This is why we try to be vocal pastors, who, like him, are calling for through social justice work,” Ross add- Black liberation. ed. “What resonates with the commu- For Johnson, Christianity has nity is ‘How am I going to deal with been the source of homophobia that police violence? How am I going to shunned LGBTQ members in his fami- deal with racism on the job? How am I ly and has been used to “protect people going to deal with sexual assault?’” that don’t deserve to be protected.” Johnson believes that creating a But, he doesn’t let that deter him. secular space can be a boon for Black “My atheism is not a thing of ‘I know nonbelievers, who often feel they don’t better than you and so I’m better than Photo by Alejandra Molina fit in among atheists. you.’ I love my people be they religious Darrin Johnson, a member of Black Skeptics Los Angeles, says his atheism is linked A 2019 study from Pew Research or not,” said Johnson, of Moreno Valley to social justice activism. found that among Americans who in Riverside County. “I’d rather work identify as atheist, 81 percent are with a Black religious person working interview other Black secular people. that the white atheist movement can white, while only 3 percent are Black. for Black liberation, than a Black athe- That’s how he found Black Skeptics just float by without considering their “I’d like to uplift us and show that ist who’s in it for social climbing.” Los Angeles. white supremacy, their white privilege you can be Black and atheist because Black nonbelievers like Johnson The first time he visited, Johnson and entitlement,” Hutchinson said. there’s still this idea that being atheist have for years been working to redefine recalls approaching the South Los An- “We’ve made it known.” means that you are not Black or that what it means to be atheist, a word too geles home of a group member and Hutchinson’s recently released book you are trying to work your way into often linked to white spaces mostly con- hearing voices of Humanists in the the good graces of white folks,” John- cerned with creationism and the sepa- people having a Hood: Unapologeti- son said. “My goal overall is just for us ration of church and state. Many Black good time. cally Black, Feminist to realize how much power we have nonbelievers identify as humanists and “You would I realized that the and Heretical high- and how we do matter.” challenge Christianity for being linked think you were church itself was not a space lights the group’s Alejandra Molina is a national reporter to racism, capitalism and sexism. going to a church that“ helped me empower mentorship of covering Latinos and religion on the West That can make Johnson and other function,” he said. myself, particularly as a middle and high- Coast. She is based in Los Angeles. Black nonbelievers feel out of place. “They were wel- Black woman and someone school-age women About 80 percent of Black Americans coming and willing in the LGBTQ community. of color, helping identify as Christian, according to the to answer my ques- them think critical- Pew Research Center, and the church tions. They gave — Liz Ross ly about feminism, has played a key role in Black life since me their time,” rape culture and the Civil War. Johnson said. “It sexual harassment. Johnson learned of a Black atheist made me start to realize there are dif- “You just do not see those kind of community about eight years ago as ferent kinds of atheism.” lived experiences being integrated a graduate journalism student at Cal Sikivu Hutchinson, an atheist activist into secular humanist discourse and State Northridge. He was a self-de- and author, founded Black Skeptics Los representation,” Hutchinson said. scribed “baby atheist” back then, and Angeles in 2010. Hutchinson, who grew up in a secu- for a documentary project, sought to The group started by simply offer- lar household, recognizes she’s some- ing space for Black and secular people what of an outlier in the Black Skeptics of color to meet and later expanded group. Her parents were freethinkers to resources for nonbelievers. It now who protested during the Black Power Pansy Freethinker Mug offers scholarships for graduating se- and civil rights movement in the ’60s. niors and aid for secular people of col- Her atheism, she said, is a reflection of G azed bri iant b ue ceramic or — especially during COVID-19 — as her upbringing. handcrafted mug with an alternative to religious and faith- That’s not true for many group pansy meda ion (symbo based institutions. Funding has come members. of freethought). American- from secular organizations like the “Most folks are coming from a re- made. 12 f . oz. Freedom From Religion Foundation. ligious family upbringing,” she said. $35 each Item #MU04 “What’s been a constant is our focus “There’s a lot more trauma with re- $60 for two on social and gender justice,” Hutchin- jecting organized religions, those net- Prices include over son said. works and the dogma and ideology.” $10 shipping per mug. Hutchinson said Black atheists have Liz Ross, a secular humanist who made strides over the last six or seven grew up Catholic, agrees. NEW! years in regard to the overall perspec- Born and raised in the Caribbean, tive of the secular movement. People Ross attended a Catholic boarding of color appear in more humanist and school and was in the church choir. secular publications and are present “We had a sense of community,” she in conferences that are sponsored by said. white-dominated organizations. Things changed after college when And, she said, there’s now greater she moved to the Bay Area, where she recognition of the specific struggles that met a UC-Berkeley professor and stu- Black, Latino and other secular people dents who exposed her to issues sur- of color experience around accessing rounding social justice, white suprem- equitable housing and education and acy, patriarchy and LGBTQ issues. Photo by Alejandra Molina Buy it from FFRF online public spaces without being profiled by “My movement into becoming a sec- Sikivu Hutchinson, an atheist activist ffrf.org/shop policies such as stop and frisk. ular humanist was trying to reconcile and author, founded Black Skeptics Los “There’s no longer the presumption the conflict between the claim that Angeles in 2010. Page 12 FFRF | FREETHOUGHT TODAY | Madison, Wisconsin | December 2020 FFRF awards $28,150! 2020 Students of Color essay contest winners In the November issue, the Freedom received 342 entries for this contest. From Religion Foundation published the FFRF has offered essay competitions to essays of the top five winners (including college students since 1979, high school ties) of the 2020 David Hudak Memorial students since 1994, grad students since Students of Color Essay Competition for 2010, one geared explicitly for students College Students. of color since 2016 and a fifth contest for Because of space limitations, not all of law students since 2019. All contests are the top 10 (and honorable mention) winners open to any students attending a school could be published at one time. As prom- in North America meeting the age/grade ised, the sixth- through 10th-place winners’ level eligibility, except the students of essays are published in this issue. We also go to freethoughttoday.com. College students of color were asked to color contest, which is reserved for stu- have published portions of the honorable FFRF has paid out a record total of $28,150 write a personal persuasive essay about dents of color to offer special support for mention essays. To read those full essays, in award money for this contest this year. “Living and thriving without religion.” FFRF a minority within a minority.

SIXTH PLACE (tie) How I became a freethinking, independent woman FFRF awarded Mahum $1,000. serve my husband and my family. The sex- gay but cannot come out to their family be- ism in our religion has become cultural. cause they would be disowned. It is against By Mahum Haque Even today, mothers-in-law and husbands Islamic beliefs to be homosexual. One of want wives who can cook and clean. A wom- the great embarrassments of the family is have grown up in an extremely religious an’s education only serves as a way to make having a gay son or daughter. How can we Muslim family. I believe that this is a core her family look better because education tell our families that we do not believe in reason why I am not religious. I have all equates to money. However, after marriage, our religion’s principles if they are willing Itoo many times seen religion being used she is expected to only cook and clean — to disown or even kill us over the supposed as a way to make excuses for unjust behav- her one true Islamic purpose. After hearing words of God? ior. Bombings, murders and wars have all this my entire life, I cannot imagine sup- For this reason, I think that organi- been accepted and encouraged under the porting a religion that does not support me. zations should help young South Asian premise of religion and the idea that this Muslim countries say that this idea teens like me, who have no way of leaving is God’s plan. The “words of God” in holy that I have — of women’s freedom and their religion. We need a community of books are so easily misconstrued into justi- individual development — is an idea that like-minded people that will be able to fication for these horrible acts. has been imposed upon me by America’s support us. For many people who have This is why not being religious benefits “Western thinking.” I do not believe this is been kicked out, getting a good educa- me. I am able to step back from the cloud true. Western thinking is not why I believe tion, food, and even a place to stay, can be of religion that blinds everyone and look in values that disagree with Islamic values. a struggle. The secular community needs Mahum Haque at the facts. And, most often, the facts are I hold these ideas because I am separated a better forum from which we can discuss that one group of people has opposed the from the cloud of religion that captivates marked as an outcast and even kicked out all of these issues. words of a supposed “book of God,” and everyone’s mind. With the ability to think of her home. We have no support or free- Mahum, 19, attends the University of Iowa, for this reason they must be killed. Who is with a clear head, I have become my own dom to share our beliefs. The Asian-Amer- majoring in finance and on the pre-pharmacy to say what is truly the word of God? Who is woman with morals who values all lives, ican community, especially South Asian track. “I am involved in the Women in STEM to say that there even is a God? regardless of their religion. communities, are extremely protective of Ambassadors organization on campus and the Religion is a pathway to justify and exe- The secular community must find ways their image. If someone does something Pakistani Student Alliance,” Mahum writes. cute horrible tragedies. to offer its support. Oftentimes, when to tarnish their name, they can be killed “I will also work as a peer mentor to other busi- As a girl living in a Muslim family, I am a girl like me renounces her religion to or kicked out of the family. I have heard ness students on campus and join the executive told that the Quran says that my job is to her entire family and community, she is so many stories of young Muslims who are board of the Business Student Ambassadors.”

SIXTH PLACE (tie) Confessions of a former Christian FFRF awarded Tina $1,000. neighbors on the same pages where it justi- their own critical thinking, not the man- fied hate and bigotry. dates of an ancient text that holds little By Tina Wen Looking back on my time as a Christian, relevance to our world today. Without re- I realized I initially joined the church for ligion, I am more compassionate toward grew up in the small, unassuming sub- its community. In my town, I felt alienated those around me, instead of blindly reject- urbs of Pittsford, N.Y., with a popula- as a person of color and conformed to the ing their perspectives simply because they tion that was 95 percent Caucasian. My beliefs of the people surrounding me. believe in different gods. Iparents and I attended church on Sun- I believe if there was a community for the Today, I make choices based on how day mornings in an attempt to fit in with nonreligious, I would they benefit the our community. have gladly joined people around me, As I got older, Sunday morning sermons such a group. If the The blatant disregard instead of hoping to evolved into month-long summer camps. I secular community for compassion and please a higher pow- diligently listened to what my camp leaders were to raise aware- humanity“ I saw changed my er. I am the person I said, bowing my head before each meal ness for issues they am today because of and thanking God for his blessings. The believed in, provid- perspective on religion. how my friends and church’s teachings of compassion and ing help to the com- family have educat- acceptance made me feel as though I be- munity, I would have found a community ed me, not because God created me to be longed to a community that allowed me to Tina Wen built around supporting causes I believed who I am. I am free to donate to causes fit in with my peers and be seen as normal. in. From summer camps to teach children dear to my heart, such as organizations In eighth grade, I had a best friend also ostracized me. I lost friends and about leadership, science, and technolo- that support women’s bodily autonomy who came out as gay. What I saw in the my youth group refused to speak to me, gy, to helping the town alleviate poverty by and the LGBTQ+ community. Rejecting next few weeks horrified me. The love forcing me to choose between standing providing aid for the homeless, the secular religion freed me to make my own choices and acceptance that I had seen for years up for my friend’s sexuality and obeying community can provide resources to better and take responsibility for them, instead of disappeared, with adults and children the word of God. engage people of color. attributing the results to a higher power. alike shunning my friend. I felt confusion, The blatant disregard for compassion Since the moment I turned 13, I have Tina, 18, is a freshman at Rice University, shock and betrayal. How could the church and humanity I saw changed my perspec- chosen to live my life without religion. I double majoring in computer science and eco- turn on something that my friend could tive on religion. I could no longer have chose to reject religion because I believe nomics. In high school, Tina was an intern at not control, something given to him by the blind obedience and unquestionable faith all people deserve the right to be respect- Microsoft, working on the Minecraft team. After God they claimed to believe in? in a God that would allow such awful treat- ed, regardless of what the bible says. I be- college, Tina hopes to work on projects empha- When I chose to stand up for my best ment of another human. I could no longer lieve firmly that one’s morality should be sizing the use of artificial intelligence and data friend, the people I placed my trust in follow a bible that taught kindness to one’s decided by their experiences in life and visualization in solving everyday problems. December 2020 | Madison, Wisconsin | FFRF | FREETHOUGHT TODAY Page 13

SEVENTH PLACE Taking control of my own chariot

FFRF awarded Praneel $750. preventing me from truly understanding the world, not an idealistic one construct- what was happening around me. I grew ed by religion. I became more motivated By Praneel Bonthala tired of participating in rituals and pujas in school — simply praying to a goddess I didn’t understand. I couldn’t accept that every day wasn’t going to guarantee an “A” grew up on a bronze chariot, watching the Goddess Saraswati was responsible for on the next exam. By detaching myself Krishna and Arjuna rush into battle my success in school and that kneeling in from religion, I grew closer to both myself against the Kauravas. I gazed upon the front of Ganesha would bring me eternal and the world around me. Iape warrior, Hanuman, as he pushed prosperity. I felt that my existence didn’t There is, however, an assumption that the Himalayas to Sri Lanka. I shuddered belong to me — it lies within the secu- upon the mention of Bakasura, the insa- belonged to super- lar community. The tiable demon that devoured the people natural beings that By detaching myself assumption that ev- of Ekachakra. I would never even from religion, I grew closer ery brown person Even my name — in Sanskrit — means have the opportunity to“ both myself and the must be Muslim or Lord Shiva. to meet. Hindu, or that every The epics of Hinduism have been Tearing myself world around me. Latinx is a devout a cornerstone of my childhood. I con- away from some- Catholic. To foster a sumed the legends of the Mahabharata thing that had been an integral part secular environment that welcomes peo- and Ramayana, memorizing mantras and of my life wasn’t easy. I was scared. I ple of color, it becomes necessary to crush prayers. Spending parts of my youth liv- Praneel Bonthala couldn’t muster the courage to tell my these stereotypes and expectations — any- ing in Southern India, I was surrounded parents, so I continued to accompany one can choose to express any religion, or by devout Hindus, all expecting me to All I had, however, were stories of gods them on their weekly temple excursions lack of one, they wish. pour milk over Shiva’s linga (or light san- and warriors performing supernatural once we moved to California. Freedom of expression is something dalwood) during Puja. And, so, it became feats, accomplishments one would nev- Nevertheless, I felt that I had more con- that should be encouraged and cherished difficult for me to detach myself from a er believe. I had songs praising the raw trol over my own life. I grew to become by any community, not just the secular one. religion my entire family was devoted to. power and beauty of these beings I would more confident, finding myself more It’s a necessary tool to encourage people All my life, religion has been some- never lay eyes upon. I had texts like the freely expressing my atheism. I finally be- of color to become involved. Then maybe thing told to me, but never explained. It Bhagavad Gita that told me how to live my gan to dedicate myself to other pursuits: others like me can push their boundaries has been something expected of me, but life. I had a moral compass constructed Science Olympiad, public speaking and to discover even more about the world. not something I was meant to understand. out of scattered religious lessons and tales tennis. Religion no longer governed what Praneel, 18, attends the University of Cal- Religion nurtured me when I was a baby, instead of my own humanity. I chose to do. I didn’t spend hours recit- ifornia- Los Angeles, and hopes to pursue alongside food and drink. It grew to loom So, I made the decision to turn away ing mantras or sitting in front of an idol. I medical school and work in immunology or over me every day of my life. from religion. It grew into a crutch for me, began building my own understanding of global health. EIGHTH PLACE (tie) Not the preacher’s daughter FFRF awarded Aiden $500. In seventh grade, I dedicated a month to back. I think she gave up when she came reading the bible, because I wanted to un- to the school and found out everyone was By Aiden Gibbs derstand God and why we followed him. calling me Aiden, and not the name she When I asked my mother about this, I was had given me. I was writing about being never understood the implications of a scorned for disbelieving. We got into fights gay and wearing pants and all the simple preacher’s daughter until I became one. about me not praying at the table. When sins that I had to rethink into simple plea- We were always a church family — well- she hit me, I’d ask her, “Is this what your sures. I never knew what it meant to thrive Idressed, hair curled and ready to praise on God wants?” I was sent to my room. She until I looked at a girl without weight in my Sundays. I followed the rules — I didn’t always asked me what people would say if heart. I started going to parties and accept- show ankle, wore dresses and kept my hair they found out that her daughter was gay ing worldly desires as my own free will. I long. I was, by church and questioned God was free to be me without God on the back- standards, good. and how bad that burner, pressuring me to be a saint. I only questioned If religion has taught would look for her. If religion has taught me anything, it’s God when I looked me anything, it’s that I In eighth grade, that I can thrive without it. Thinking back at girls. I wondered I gave up on Chris- on who I was at 12, I was so afraid of every- can“ thrive without it. how everyone could tianity. I couldn’t get thing. I didn’t want to be seen for who I be positive that God myself to believe that was, so I treated Christianity as my exclu- didn’t want me to love women. When my God would allow me to hurt the way I did. sive personality. The freethinking world is Aiden Gibbs mother found out, she sat me down and If he had helped all those people in the bi- one where I don’t have to adopt a set of explained that there was a reason God ble, why wouldn’t he come to save me? I just at the tips of their tongues when they rules and guidelines outside of my own made Adam and Eve, not Eve and Eve. cut my hair and cut ties with the church. needed something to believe in. moral compass, and that is why I love it. I I cried in my room that night; I said my It became a falling out with my mother on When selecting high schools, I chose don’t have to be “the preacher’s daughter,” prayers. I prayed to be a boy, for God to Sundays. She would drag me by the collar the most liberal ones I could find. I end- I get to have a name — it’s Aiden. make me right. I asked and asked, but nev- to the car and make me sit in the front ed up at one dedicated to the creative and Aiden, 18, is a nonbinary student at Tem- er received a response. pews of the church. When I cried, the performing arts. Religious people were the ple University with plans to major in psychology. The afflictions of a preacher’s daughter congregation didn’t help, and that’s when minority and everyone seemed free in their Aiden works as a youth advocate for government are to carry the hopes of the congregation. I knew God wasn’t in their hearts. He was own regards. My mother had taken a step programs involving opioids and mental health.

EIGHTH PLACE (tie) Why must I suffer to be blessed? FFRF awarded Aaliyah $500. and that it does not just revolve around a straight cisgender man. My mother you, you begin to question every little bit genuinely feels that she has a personal By Aaliyah of information that was fed to you since relationship with God, and she thanks Philippe-Auguste you were born. Almost everyone experi- him every day for a life that she hates. ences some version of this, ending with We went to church on most Sundays. I hen you are a child, your par- some not “taking the leap” of thinking attended bible study because I was told ents are your heroes. You do not for themselves. it will help me become closer to God, question most of what they say, I grew up in a Black, Haitian-Amer- and I was just too scared to find out what Wbecause, why would you? They are your ican Baptist household where it is re- would happen if I simply just said “I world. Their beliefs become yours. You quired to “pray away” every trial and don’t want to go.” love them. They love you. Until you start tribulation that my family encounters. I never felt connected with Christian- to think on your own. Once you get a My father only uses religion to justify little taste of what the world has to offer his discomfort toward anyone who is not See Philippe-Auguste on page 14 Aaliyah Philippe-Auguste Page 14 FFRF | FREETHOUGHT TODAY | Madison, Wisconsin | December 2020

good. Why must I repent for simply liv- believes God will fix it. To be constantly phobias that we have against anything Philippe-Auguste ing and being human? silenced in my own home has encour- different from the “norm.” Continued from page 13 Coming to terms with who I am, as aged me to be a part of society that en- As the Black Lives Matter movement I accepted the fact courages our free- continues to spread awareness and ed- ity or the idea of religion. When I was that I am an atheist, dom to choose our ucate others, I have had the honor to told that I must fear God — even though has allowed me to The idea of having a sense own beliefs and speak and participate in protests and ral- he is supposed to expel all the fear in be more comfort- identities. I reject lies. To provide a platform for those si- of respect, awe and submission my life — I knew at that moment there able with express- religion because, lenced is essential for change. No more to“ a deity did not make sense is something darker to this. Taking an ing who I am today, at the end of the praying. Those who do must ask them- AP world history course was my tipping a bisexual black to me. It never felt right to me. I day, we are all hu- selves “Why must I suffer to be blessed”? point. I learned how Christianity was woman. Living with never needed a god to be good. man. But we must Aaliyah, 18, attends Towson University used to corrupt and destroy so many constant remind- not forget that our with plans to major in health education and lives, including my ancestors’ lives. As I ers that what I am society has been promotion, with a minor in psychology on a grew a stronger passion for science and is “wrong” and a sin took a toll on my built on patriarchy, corruption, misog- pre-physician assistant track. “Being more medicine, the idea of having a sense of mental health, especially when they yny and racism. Many are too afraid to confident with telling my story, I was a speak- respect, awe and submission to a deity are from the ones I love. My heroes. accept that God will not fix our world. er at a Black LGBT Lives Matter rally, and did not make sense to me. It never felt My mother refuses to recognize the de- Only we, humankind, can do it, and we I was asked to participate in more upcoming right to me. I never needed a god to be cline in her mental health because she must dig deeper into the internalized rallies,” Aaliyah writes.

NINTH PLACE In us we trust FFRF awarded Idalina $400. “Christian.” Children are not born to dis- In the darkness of my bedroom, I ques- criminate, and I wasn’t an exception to tioned the validity of my church’s state- By Idalina Du that. My curious hands stumbled upon ments. The hypocrisy of their words only one documentary after another, engulfed drew me further from scripture and, grad- he ability to indoctrinate is the in information about the LGBTQ+ com- ually, my conscience guided me. I saw a greatest superpower to capture a munity, reproductive rights, and the di- source of power within me, and I used that young child’s mind. It twists their vision of race in power to join with Tthoughts, from one day playing in the the United States. others in spreading sandbox to another where they ask the No, to be gay was a Freedom from religion awareness and educa- vast blue sky to grant them wishes that crime in the eyes of brought me to a position tion on rising social their parents couldn’t fulfill. It evolves the church, to have where“ I found solace in the issues. Freedom from from praying for a doll to asking what an abortion was syn- religion brought me community around me. the meaning of life is. It evolves from onymous with mur- to a position where praying for good grades to asking why der, and slavery was I found solace in the people suffer. It evolves from praying for only a “necessary evil.” The cherry-picked community around me. My skin color, gen- everyone to be safe to asking why they fallacies of Leviticus, Exodus and Gene- der and sexual identity didn’t matter, and were condemned to live a life where sis were the justifications, but I never saw for the first time in my life, I saw the light they were sinners simply for existing. their targets as the “sinners” that they were beyond a predestined path. I didn’t mean to be religious. When Idalina Du perceived as. I didn’t mean to be religious, but leav- I was 7, my greatest wish was to fit into The love and acceptance within those ing religion has allowed me to pursue my my predominately white and Christian tion bible school where I sang jubilant communities were ignored by my church, character. There need not be a guide to suburb. When my peers flaunted their melodies and promoted religion in the including members who sat outside in which I must abide by to be content with commitment to God and their Sunday guise of arts and crafts. God was great. the sun with their posters attached on my life. While I joined the church as a way routines, I couldn’t help but feel as He saved us. yardsticks, screaming profanities at oth- to mask my insecurities in a place where I though I didn’t belong. My skin was al- The message of the church has always ers in anticipation that this act would be didn’t belong, I have left as someone un- ready painted a different color, a faint been to “love thy neighbor as thyself,” righteous in the eyes of God. They said, ashamed of being me. yellow in comparison to the cool-toned the Gospel of Matthew regurgitated as a “God forgives you for all of your sins,” Idalina, 18, attends Rice University with porcelains surrounding me, so I did ev- firm reminder that God loved everyone. and utilized the universal cure of prayer plans to study biochemistry and statistics. Ida- erything in my power to blend into the Yet, that phrase was uttered in the same to coerce people to conform to some lina is from San Antonio and is active in her background. Somehow, I found myself breath that they would ridicule those who nonsensical standard. community, including with Interact Club and reading the bible and frequenting vaca- didn’t live the lifestyle that they deemed My faith began to fade in middle school. the South Texas Veterans Health Care System.

TENTH PLACE Parting from religion as Latinx woman FFRF awarded Manuela $300. These sorts of comments were nev- ship. Mass was one of the relatively few er directed toward my older brother or times in my life where I could sit among By Manuela Cano male peers. Young girls within the Cath- a crowd that looked like me and spoke olic Church are expected to live with the Spanish like me. For Hispanic-Amer- s a Hispanic woman of color, my implication that the sin of lust falls on icans, and I would assume for many personal relationship with religion their shoulders alone. other communities of color, religious has been synonymous with sexism As I hit puberty, I began to feel gatherings can act as one of few tan- andA shame. Like many others within the the natural emotions that the church gible connections to our culture that Latinx community, I was raised Cath- deemed to be immoral. I felt a stagger- exist within the United States. For me, olic and was expected to adhere to the ing level of guilt that I could never truly the loss of that cultural connection has Catholic doctrine. It is no secret that this be free from, as I could never escape the been hard to reconcile. doctrine treats women differently than it perceived scrutiny of the vague, omnip- I feel as though the secular communi- treats men. Positions of authority within otent god I was taught existed. ty can better engage people of color by the church, notably members of the cler- Additionally, although I am not per- helping to foster cultural connections gy, are exclusively male, women being sonally a member of the LGBTQ+ com- outside of the sphere of religion. It can barred from such roles. However, the munity, I had many close friends confide be that much more challenging to leave disempowerment of women is not the in and come out to me. I cherished these a faith if it is closely tied to one’s com- extent of the church’s gender bias. A sub- friends of mine. Even from a relatively munity, as some may see their church as stantial amount of sexual shaming occurs young age, I never felt as though there Manuela Cano less of a religious entity and more a net of on behalf of the Catholic Church, and it was anything “wrong” with them. Bigotry support. As secular individuals, we must falls disproportionately on women. is taught, and my church certainly tried treatment of queer individuals made me be prepared to offer that support. At 11 years old, I recall an adult male to teach it. Even catechism directed to- complicit in its discrimination. For these Manuela, 19, attends the University family member warning me that sex be- ward children dedicated a significant reasons, I lost all respect for the Catholic of South Carolina, majoring in integrated fore marriage would be a sin that I would amount of time toward the “evils” of be- Church. I turned away from it entirely, information technology. “I was born in regret for the rest of my life. Unprompt- ing gay. I could not stand to accept the and I reject religion to this day. Greenville, S.C., but am the proud daughter ed. I was 11. At that point in my life, I had teachings of a religion that antagonized Despite my negative relationship with of two Colombian immigrants,” Manuela hardly a concept of sexuality or intima- communities simply because of their the Catholic Church, there is one ele- writes. “My mother and father raised my cy of any kind. Yet, due to religion, I was sexuality or gender identity. ment that is rarely present within sec- brother and me in a bilingual household, forced to contemplate what it meant to As a practicing Catholic, I felt that ular spaces that I connected to within sparking a lifelong interest in international be a sexual being from a young age. my silent acquiescence to the church’s the walls of my family’s place of wor- languages and literature.” December 2020 | Madison, Wisconsin | FFRF | FREETHOUGHT TODAY Page 15 Students of color essay honorable mentions FFRF awarded honorable mentions By Aline Pham By Je-Woo Im By Tamanna Sheikh to nine students of color, with each re- ceiving $200 (and an additional $100 for I am a child of Vietnamese refugees. Three years ago, my sister was diag- Growing up as a Muslim in Ameri- those who are members of a secular stu- Like many immigrants, my parents nosed with lupus, an autoimmune dis- ca lends to a lot of conflict from many dent club). sought the American Dream and were ease where her immune system attacks opposing sides. Americans don’t always Here are excerpts of those essays and warmly greeted by her own organs. understand Islam, the students’ bios. To read their essays in the church upon ar- While her future and the media has a full, go to freethoughttoday.com. riving in the United was compromised tendency of bastard- States. Perhaps that and my parents were izing it while promot- By Jonathan Le explains why reli- staying up all night ing the ideology of gious Asian-American for weeks research- terrorism alongside I have the freedom to decide whether populations convert- ing what she could it. My family and cul- what’s been decided as sinful actually be- ed to Christianity or do to improve her ture, however, glori- longs under the label. The world chang- retained their home- situation, all that our fy the value of Islam es and evolves and so Aline Pham land traditions. So, Je-Woo Im relatives and friends Tamanna Sheikh and expect me to do my values. Instead even in public, sup- could say was, “I’ll continue upholding of being handed an posedly secular, schools, I felt the dom- pray for her.” the faith my entire life. Simply said, the absolute manual, I inating presence of Christianity. I was half-forced to become the general consensus around my American have the opportu- Now, I recognize that intolerance caretaker of my family. As I barely kept environment told me that Islam is bad, nity to examine ev- evolves into hatred, forming a vicious my nearly-falling-apart family together while my parents believed it was the erything I wish and cycle. Religion often becomes an obli- with little sleep and dwindling morale, best. The conflicting lines of thought decide on my own gation for children in religious house- my grandma continued to advise me to were pretty jarring, especially for child- whether it is correct. holds. But I refuse to worship a god out pray each night. This time, my frustra- me who desired to find my own path. I Jonathan Le I’d hate to live based of obligation. tion and anger over the impracticality wanted to embrace American culture, on an autobiography Sooner or later, I will come across yet of this advice was much more extreme, but I also wanted to please my parents already authored by someone else. another person who asks me, “You don’t for God, if he existed, was surely not and believe Islamic dogma despite slowly It is extremely important that we believe in God?” And to that, I will reply, helping. feeling disconnected from it. build and strengthen the nonreligious “I believe in people.” Je-Woo Im, 18, attends Northwestern Tamanna, 20, attends Virginia Common- community to feel welcoming and in- Aline, 19, attends the University of Cali- University as part of the honors program in wealth University, majoring in psychology. “I terconnected so that people of color see fornia, Irvine, and is majoring in education medical education. In high school, Je-Woo have a passion for volunteering and I regularly absence of religion not as abandoning sciences. “I aspire to become a teacher who en- was on the crew team that won the nation- go to United2Heal meetings, where I help sort and home but as an avenue to look further. gages her students in divergent thinking and al championship in 2019. Je-Woo also took organize medical supplies,” Tamanna writes. Jonathan, 18, attends the University of problem-solving,” Aline writes. “Last year, I part in multiple medical-related internships. California, Irvine and is pursuing a degree attended FFRF’s annual convention in Madi- By Nicole Kye in biochemistry and molecular biology. “My son, where, for the first time, I truly felt heard By Bruno Rios De La Fuente greatest passion has always been science, and and understood by fellow freethinkers.” Now, when I’m faced with a decision, biology in particular, so I even started my own With every question, the reply was the voice that asks me “Why not?” is science club,” Jonathan writes. By Anousha Peters always the same. “Read your bible.” It my own. This mantra has given me the was never lost on me that the people courage to leave the By Grace Okafor Somehow, religion has managed to saying it wouldn’t Church, become the monopolize the feelings of solidarity and actually ever read it. president of multiple Although I don’t discourage folks fulfillment. Religion has convinced soci- So, I decided to ac- clubs, and help or- from using religion as a coping mech- ety that these feelings tually try it. What I ganize a countywide anism, it goes far beyond comfort and can only be achieved found was atrocious. festival. I have used can greatly limit an under the decrees of Long story short: these simple words individual’s ability to religion: that it is im- The bible didn’t pro- to beat back that iron understand the world possible to feel the vide me with any ac- hold religion held me beyond their pre- same collective soli- tual answers, or even Nicole Kye in and to become the ferred dogma. darity with a mass of Bruno Rios coherent arguments. fearless fighting fe- Being without re- people outside of a De La Fuente In my time within male my younger self envisioned. ligion and looking place of worship and the religious commu- I can confidently say that rather than at various spaces and Anousha Peters that it is impossible to nity, I discovered a disease of hypocri- getting engulfed with angst, I now boldly cultures for spiritual feel fulfilled in one- sy. It was as widespread as the common charge into a world of unknowns, with a Grace Okafor guidance reaffirms self without faith in cold. People would always claim they chorus of “Why nots?” spurring me onward. my belief that I don’t some set of religious principles. believe in this or that, but when it truly Nicole, 19, is a first-year student at Cornell need God to motivate my behaviors; I I rejected religion when I realized this matters, when they have something to University and hopes to become a cardiac sur- need myself. This attitude helps me see was not at all true. lose, they tend to lean more so toward geon. Nicole volunteered at the public library the world more objectively and unbi- I find it far more inspiring to see hun- their own benefit. I found that repulsive. and local hospital during high school and also ased. Additionally, it allows me to incor- dreds of thousands of people rally with I can firmly say, that the only thing was president of the Civics Youth Corps. porate my understanding of the world one another for material change, to the bible gave me was a thorough les- and other people’s realities without better the world for one another, than son in what not to do, and, in that re- By Claire Hill condescension. to see hundreds of thousands of people gard, it went above and beyond. Grace, 21, attends the University of Mary- prostrating themselves before the altar Bruno, 21, attends California State My hometown has 45 churches in only land, College Park, and will be graduating of a religious institution. University Channel Islands. “My life has 11.5 square miles and is 90 percent white, in the spring with a degree in behavior and Anousha, 20, attends Columbia Universi- always somehow managed to buck its tra- so being a black, nonreligious female, I community health. “In the fall, I will be ty, majoring in sociology. “I am a volunteer jectory. Some call its perseverance, others had to face many different challenges. completing an independent student-led re- with Learn To Be tutoring and a volunteer tenacity, I think of it more as stubbornness. There are a few up- search study on how racial and gender roles with LEAH (Legal Empowerment & Advoca- I have overcome a lot, but I prefer not to sides to being nonreli- impact help-seeking behaviors in female Afri- cy Hub) for justice in my hometown, Gaines- dwell on that. I’m focused on becoming a gious, even in an area can-American college students,” Grace writes. ville, Fla.,” Anousha writes. professor one day, to share my love of his- so heavily occupied tory and write in a way that can connect by churches. I have with people.” not been bound to a social code, wherein Your weekly antidote to the Religious Right people judge you for inconsequential deci- Claire Hill sions you have made, FREETHOUGHT RADIO such as clothing worn PODCASTS AND BROADCASTS or your family’s structure. Another ben- efit I have is not having existential crises FIND OUT MORE: ffrf.org/radio when I learn about conflicting topics in my classes as a science major. — Hosted by Dan Barker and Annie Laurie Gaylor — Claire, 19, is a sophomore at Drake Uni- Slightly irreverent views, news, music & interviews versity, majoring in health sciences. She earned the Emerging Leader Award from her sorority and holds the Equity & Inclu- sion position there. Claire hopes to become a doctor. Page 16 FFRF | FREETHOUGHT TODAY | Madison, Wisconsin | December 2020 FFRF’s chapters stay engaged, build support

By Kristina Daleiden sidering giving grants to various reli- gious organizations, using funds from FRF’s network of 21 (soon to be its “Rebuild Illinois” program. This ac- 22 with the recent addition of the tion prompted an investigation, which Metro Cincinnati Chapter) offi- resulted in a letter to the department Fcially recognized grassroots chapters requesting the grants not be approved have continued to build support and by the state, citing the Illinois Consti- increase the visibility of local freethink- tution, which prohibits taxpayer funds ers. Despite the challenges we have from being used to support religious all faced due to the pandemic, these organizations. FFRFMCC members and dedicated activists have embraced leadership are also working to encour- new strategies to keep their commu- age legislation regarding compassionate nities engaged, and helped those who “end-of-life” options in Illinois. find themselves in even greater need It wasn’t all business, of course. Every- through the $1,000 annual charitable one’s favorite satirical secular songwriter grant provided by FFRF. Roy Zimmerman performed for local Below are recent highlights from freethinkers, sponsored in cooperation many of FFRF’s chapters. with the Ethical Humanist Society of Chicago. FFRFMCC also continued its Central Florida long-running tradition of placing secular “equal time” displays to counter religious Freethought holiday imagery around the Chicago Community (CFFC) area, including a large light-up Dawkins Continuing its remarkable history of Judy Saint (right), president of Greater Sacramento Chapter of FFRF, stands with “A” and two banners at the Daley Center building community, CFFC increased chapter board member Janet Thew (middle) and the director of the Mustard Seed Plaza, and three of FFRF’s Bill of Rights its outreach to include thousands of School for homeless children. The chapter has given hundreds of $5 gas cards to nativity displays in public locations. followers and local members. CFFC parents who often sleep in their cars and must drive their kids to school. members volunteered nearly 200 hours cleaning up parks in central Florida, Colorado Springs in Knox County, where individuals ex- FFRF Metro Denver tabled at local events including Cen- periencing homelessness are required tral Florida Earth Day, Central Florida Chapter–FFRF to have a backpack or luggage for their Chapter Veg Fest, Valencia College’s Peace and FFRF’s oldest chapter continued its personal effects before they can be ad- FFRF Metro Denver Chapter con- Justice Institute, the Women’s March, long tradition of showing its notorious- mitted into a shelter. tinues to make the most of the vibrant FREEFLO (the biennial Freethought ly Christian community how to be good FFRF-ETC worked with our nation- secular community in its region. It was Florida Conference) and marched in without God. Beyond sponsoring the al office to post a “Proud Atheist” bill- delighted to partner with a number of the Come Out With Pride Orlando and local PrideFest, members in Colorado board in Maryville, garnering attention other groups to host the Colorado Sec- the Orlando Veteran’s Day Parade. Springs expressed their appreciation for from the local TV news. Tennesseeans ular Conference, which drew nearly 200 CFFC hosted countless events of its teachers with gifts of Penzey’s Spices and were further reminded through ads on attendees from throughout Colorado own and in partnership with other or- supported their students with donations the local NPR station that not everyone and featured FFRF Co-President Annie ganizations, including the Central Flor- to food pantries serving schools. shares the Christian beliefs. These PR Laurie Gaylor as a headliner. ida Summit on Religious Freedom. The The Colorado Springs chapter keeps initiatives were made possible through a The Metro Denver Chapter hosts Seventh Annual Freethought Cruise busy at gatherings by creating “comfort grant from FFRF. regular Coffee & Community Pancake featured renowned atheist Matt Dilla- scarves” for students in need of extra Breakfasts each year, as well as celebra- hunty. CFFC also shook up the Florida warmth or a cozy reminder that they have tions for the Summer and Winter Sol- Film Festival with the premiere of the caring, rational allies who support them. FFRF Metro Chicago stice. Utilizing its connections in the movie “Hail Satan?”, featuring Satanic According to long-time chapter leader community, the Denver chapter hosts Temple co-founder Lucien Greaves. Gary King, these gifts were inspired to be Chapter (FFRFMCC) speakers, recently welcoming Secular CFFC’s campaign for secular, inclu- like constant hugs for children facing in- The members of the FFRF Metro Chi- Student Alliance Executive Director Kev- sive invocation practices before gov- security and difficult times. cago Chapter kept a rigorous schedule of in Bolling, and FFRF’s own Andrew L. ernmental meetings continued apace, With the closing of local schools, activities, presentations, legislative efforts Seidel. 2019 was its sixth year attending with more than a dozen secular invoca- and the resulting lack of contact with and highly visible secular displays around Denver’s PrideFest, and was able to raise tions given around the region, topped students in families already stressed be- Chicagoland in 2019 and early 2020. over $800 in donations in exchange for off by a lauded victory in its 11th Cir- fore the pandemic, members are explor- FFRFMCC also streamlined its member- secular bumper stickers. cuit Court lawsuit against the Brevard ing more ways to share their comfort ship process to ensure that chapter mem- County Commission. CFFC, along with scarves, and FFRF is ready to support bership aligned with FFRF membership FFRF and other organizations, joined their efforts with its annual charitable requirements, beefing up the member- FFRF Kentucky to ensure the commission’s discrimi- grant program. ship numbers of both organizations. FFRF Kentucky kept up the pressure natory selection practices for invoca- In keeping with ongoing efforts across in the Bible Belt, continuing its dedica- tors at commission meetings would the secular movement to build diversity, tion to serving as a critical state/church come to an end. FFRF–East Tennessee ensure equity and create inclusive, non- watchdog. FFRF Kentucky members exe- CFFC and FFRF contributed $2,000 religious spaces for people from mar- cuted multiple open records requests to to purchase PPE supplies for local Chapter (FFRF–ETC) ginalized communities, FFRFMCC and reveal the troubling entanglement be- teachers at the start of the 2020 school FFRF-ETC is active on social media FFRF were delighted to co-sponsor the tween creationist Ken Ham of Answers year, while in 2019 they collected near- and has a robust Facebook presence First Annual Women of Color Beyond in Genesis and the Ark Encounter with ly 100 STEM toys in conjunction with that acts as a lightning rod for people Belief National Conference in Chica- the city of Williamstown. BE Orlando Humanist Fellowship for to report violations of the Establishment go, which came on the heels of hosting Working closely with the FFRF legal the Coalition for the Homeless of Cen- Clause. The outstanding leadership and Black Nonbelievers President Mandisa department, FFRF Kentucky raised the tral Florida. members of FFRF-ETC are responsible Thomas, who delivered her presenta- alarm over multiple violations of the Es- for alerting FFRF’s legal team to count- tion, “Fear of a Black Atheist: How Re- tablishment Clause, including field trips Central Indiana Chapter less instances of religious encroachment ligion Crippled the Black Community.” to Ark Encounter and Creation Muse- into our secular public sphere. Critically, FFRFMCC reported to um by high schools and colleges, sale of of FFRF (CICFFRF) In collaboration with the Rationalists FFRF that the state of Illinois was con- Christian CDs and books by the author The Central Indiana Chapter of FFRF of East Tennessee, these activists contin- (CICFFRF), which was just established ue their effort to challenge the distribu- in September 2019, worked to build its tion of Gideon bibles in Blount County membership and engage with the com- schools. In 2018, the group successfully munity through meetings and informal eliminated bible distribution at the ele- gatherings. CICFFRF elected its govern- mentary school level. Although Blount ing board, attained official 501(c)(3) County has been dragging its feet and status and capped off 2019 with a cele- creating roadblocks, FFRF-ETC and the bratory winter holiday party. Rationalists of East Tennessee intend to Unfortunately, plans to increase local keep fighting until the Gideons are no visibility by tabling at annual events such longer given access to proselytize to stu- as the 2020 Indianapolis Pride Parade dents in junior and senior high. were stalled by the pandemic, but CICF- Thanks to FFRF’s annual chapter FRF remains undaunted in its commit- charitable grant, FFRF-ETC members ment to standing up for freethinkers. were able to distribute 48 well-stocked backpacks to the homeless population December 2020 | Madison, Wisconsin | FFRF | FREETHOUGHT TODAY Page 17 and teacher’s aide in public schools, prayers at school events, violations by FFRF Portland Area the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, nu- Sadly, in 2020 we are saying goodbye to merous violations by the previous Gov. this chapter, which had eight years of laud- Matt Bevin, and a shocking episode of able advocacy! As a final hoorah, the chap- a Daviess County public school teacher ter ran Independence Day ads in three lo- playing religious videos during biology cal newspapers to counter the traditional class, which earned the student involved Hobby Lobby misinformation ads. an FFRF Student Activist Award. Among the most notable achievements FFRF Kentucky has worked tirelessly of any group was FFRF Portland’s success- to foster relationships with other secular ful effort to add “nonbelief” as a protected organizations, tabling at the 2019 Amer- class in the city of Portland, which was ap- ican Atheist Conference and partnering proved in February 2019. Portland is now with the Secular Student Alliance to sup- only the second municipality in the nation port SSA chapters at numerous universi- that recognizes nonbelief as a protected ties in the region. The outreach efforts class. (Madison, Wis., FFRF’s home base, of FFRF Kentucky are remarkable, host- is the other.) ing booths at the Kentucky State Fair, FFRF Portland participated in NanoCon, KY Freethought Convention, street fairs, hosted regular meetings, and publishing the informative and en- and speaker events over the years, tertaining “Blasphemy in the Bluegrass” and members provided hours of podcasts, on top of coordinating regu- volunteer time at the Oregon Food lar chapter meetings, group excursions, Bank. Recently, FFRF Portland has di- and speaker events. FFRF Kentucky also rected support to Portland Homeless partners with a low-income senior liv- FFRF Portland’s president Cheryl Kolbe (second from left) holds a package of sheets Family Solutions to purchase sundries ing facility to provide essentials to many to be donated to Portland Homeless Family Solutions. for families experiencing homeless- people without the resources to pur- ness to take with them to their new chase new items for themselves. the local newspaper featuring area min- land Northwest Freethought Achieve- homes, and materials to create a calm isters called “Faith,” GRAF asked to par- ment Award in 2019 for longtime con- and healthy environment while at the ticipate in this use of the paper’s space tributions to the community and to the shelter. Grand Rapids Area and was invited to submit a column once INFS organization. FFRF will miss the tireless advoca- per month in rotation with the church cy of FFRF Portland’s longtime leader Freethinkers (GRAF) columns. GRAF’s column is called “The Cheryl Kolbe, but we wish her the very In Minnesota, the Grand Rapids Humanist Voice,” which explains and Kenosha-Racine Area best in the future and are deeply grate- Area Freethinkers continued its regu- defends the secular humanist perspec- ful for her work and on-going leader- lar meeting and social gathering sched- tive and the columns are published on Freethinkers–Southeast ship as a current member of FFRF’s Ex- ule throughout 2019, shifting its focus the third Wednesday of the month. Wisconsin (KRAFt) ecutive Board of Directors. from educational programs to high- In 2019, KRAFt held biweekly meetings light community organizations provid- over dinner and drinks at the Charcoal ing services to disadvantaged groups in Greater Sacramento Grille for fun and engaging trivia nights. Unfettered Freethinkers order to determine what GRAF can do The Adopt-a-Highway program con- to support them. Chapter of FFRF tinued with three occurrences over the of South Sound GRAF members serve their com- In 2019, the notoriously non-sacra- course of the season from April 1 through In December 2019, the stalwart munity in a number of ways, from the mental Sacramento chapter continued Oct. 31, providing great exposure in members of the Unfettered Free- “Adopt-a-Highway” program to a holi- to take on projects large and small with front of a very popular tourist attraction. thinkers of South Sound, led by Dar- day food program at the Second Harvest the zeal it’s become known for. Sacra- In July 2019, KRAFt took a field rell Barker, persevered in their efforts Food Bank and toy packing program. mento chapter members took advantage trip to Freethought Hall, where Dan to provide a counterpoint to a nativity With the support of the chapter charita- of their location in the California cap- Barker and Andrew L. Seidel helped display on the grounds of the Wash- ble grant program, GRAF has continued ital city to “Come Out to a Candidate” with content for a new YouTube chan- ington state Capitol, causing such to make an annual donation to the local by handing out cards with secular pop- nel and podcast. KRAFt members who consternation that the display was Boys and Girls Club, who operate two ulation statistics to lawmakers and can- had not yet seen the silicone Charles vandalized, as it was in 2017. Fortu- programs in school buildings located didates. Chapter President Judy Saint Darwin statue in FFRF’s library were nately, the display was quickly “res- in Grand Rapids and Coleraine. GRAF’s hosted a lively event with Dan Barker, charmed with his patience while they urrected” with the support of FFRF donation has served to fund member- and the chapter board voted to help the took pictures. members and UFSS volunteers. Local ships for children whose families are un- local Gay and Lesbian Center. This sup- An alert KRAFt member in Racine ex- chapter members were rewarded with able to pay the annual fee. Due to the port provided 20 HIV tests along with posed the county’s funding of a Christian donuts and coffee from the grateful increased need related to COVID-19, counseling, and five events of “cultural youth group and we were able to stop the team in Madison. GRAF’s contribution to the Boys and competency and diversity training for violation with help from FFRF Staff At- Girls Club will also help supply the com- any agency, workplace or school seeking torney Ryan Jayne, whose swift letter ex- Valley of the Sun munity food shelf in 2020. to create an affirming and compliant plaining the constitutional violation was In response to a weekly column in environment.” able to nip the program in the bud. (FFRF–VS) The FFRF-Valley of the Sun was originally formed in 2011 by a Phoe- Inland Northwest Lake Superior nix group, led by a determined activist who served as the nucleus for an infor- Freethought Society (INFS) Freethinkers (LSF) mal secular group. With the death of The Inland Northwest Freethought The LSF has distanced itself from any that activist, a number of group mem- Society fills a surprising niche in western events that could be perceived as parti- bers took up the banner and formal- Washington and eastern Idaho, where san political activities in order to avoid ized the FFRF-VS chapter in late 2019. self-determination and freethinking ar- any inappropriate entanglements for Even while they busied themselves with en’t necessarily associated with non-be- a nonprofit organization. To that end, details of formally establishing their lief. However, this group has created a the LSF has established a subgroup, group, FFRF-VS members worked to vibrant and active secular community. the People of Conscience Committee build its core membership and engage FFRF Co-President Dan Barker’s visit in (POCC), which provides interested with the community through meet- March 2019 to the “Heathen Mexican members with opportunities to engage ings and informal gatherings. FFRF-VS Fiesta Potluck” was a fantastic success, in community activities (such as demon- elected its governing board and at- with 108 people in attendance! While the strations of support for addressing cli- tained official 501(c)(3) status. pandemic has greatly impacted INFS’s mate change), without the endorse- In the short time before COVID-19 traditional gatherings, it looks forward to ment of the LSF as a whole. prevented in-person activities from returning to safe and fun social activities. The LSF also engages in activities happening, FFRF-VS chapter hosted INFS also supports the work of in support of local organizations and numerous events, including talks with its member, author and lecturer Jim movements in order to enhance the FFRF’s Director of Strategic Response Downard. His book, Evolution Slam visibility of secularism in general and Andrew L. Seidel and FFRF Co-Pres- Dunk: Why the Reptile-Mammal Transition the LSF in particular. Such activities in- ident Dan Barker, and tabled at the Proves Macroevolution & How Antievolu- clude participation in Gay Pride events 2020 Women’s March before the pan- tionists Ignore It, is a great takedown of and fundraisers for the local women’s demic sent all of their activities online. creationism. He is also a co-author of health center, the WE Health Clinic. FFRF-VS has taken its virtual meetings The Rocks Were There, an in-depth, well-re- With the support of FFRF’s charitable and presentations to a much broader The Unfettered Freethinkers of South searched book dealing with creationist grant program and additional contri- audience and has added virtual social Sound had its “Let Reason Prevail” claims. In keeping with its tradition of butions from LSF members, LSF pre- meetings, which have become popular. banner vandalized on the Washington valuing and supporting members, INFS sented a direct grant to the WE Health Kristina Daleiden is FFRF’s programs Capitol lawn last year. recognized three members with an In- Clinic in early 2020. manager. Page 18 FFRF | FREETHOUGHT TODAY | Madison, Wisconsin | December 2020 Winners of Cliff Richards Student Scholarships FFRF is proud to announce it has awarded three $1,000 scholarships to stu- dents from Historically Black Colleges and Universities. The scholarships are part of FFRF’s Cliff Richards Student Activist Awards program and in partnership with the Secular Student Alliance. Below are bios of the three awardees. (Two of the three did not want their last names used.) Kourtney Attending Spelman College was a life- long dream for Kourtney, a health sci- ences major. Her desire to learn more about herself through education led her to pursue a career as a medical examiner. In high school, she naturally gravitated to and excelled in STEM-related courses. Kourtney Timothy Marie Chantal Kourtney and her mother, who is a Christian, have had many talks about her Timothy ism. As someone who had his thoughts and ported by colonizers stop my people spiritual journey outside of Christianity ideals hijacked from an early age, Timothy from seeking justice for themselves and religion. Kourtney has explored her Majoring in aerospace engineering, says: “It is very important to me that I do my because they believed in a savior fall- own morals with a larger worldview and Timothy is a first-year student at Tuskegee best to encourage freethought among my ing from the sky. I have seen religion respects those with different beliefs. University. Raised in an Independent Fun- peers. For when we have the ability to truly hurt my people.” While respecting her During her sophomore year, Kourt- damental Baptist home, he went to a pri- express our thoughts, then we may know Rwandese and Black family, Marie says ney chose to further her education vate Christian school from first to eighth who we really are and what we want.” she cannot follow religious practices in the International Baccalaureate grade, but then attended public school that have been used for centuries and Diploma Program, which lacks repre- due to issues with bullying. Marie Chantal that continue to oppress her people. sentation of Black students. She also As the first in his family to go to college, Marie Chantal is a junior at Howard Marie is a member of the Youth Unit- joined the Student Organization for Timothy is a role model for his younger University, majoring in chemical engi- ed Nations Association, Black Action Anti-Racism to advocate increased rep- brothers. Timothy’s secular identity is rel- neering with a concentration in biotech- Movement and Planned Parenthood. resentation of African-American stu- atively new, as his interest in science began nology and biomedicine. She plans to at- She organized fundraisers and panel dents in international classes. During to challenge his religious beliefs. At age tend medical school to become a doctor discussions for Freedom House Detroit, this election year, Kourtney has been 17, he left the church, which disappointed specializing in contagious diseases. She which helps asylum seekers. She present- focused on increasing the turnout of his parents, who then disabled his phone, hopes to provide aid in the refugee crises ed at conferences on cultural competen- young voters. Kourtney feels that the tried to take his car, and threatened to and build Africa’s medical infrastructure. cy and preventative methods against sex- Secular Student Alliance provides a kick him out of the house. Marie was born in a Rwandese ref- ual harassment in higher education. She safe space for nonreligious and reli- Timothy is involved with the Black Lives ugee camp, so she and her family also produced a documentary promoting gious students to connect with each Matter movement and encouraged voting know the impact of war. “I do not have Black mental health, in an attempt to other and discuss differing viewpoints on campus. He also works with local orga- a name for my secular identity. I just disrupt the stigma surrounding mental with civility and respect. nizations to combat institutionalized rac- know that I have seen Catholicism im- health in the black community. Winners of Yip Harburg Youth Activist Award FFRF is proud to announce the three students with art-related majors who are winners of this year’s Yip Harburg Youth Activist Award. They will receive $1,000. The generously endowed scholarship is from the Yip Harburg Foundation and FFRF Members Ernie and Margie Har- burg, the children of the famous lyricist of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.” Here are the bios of the three winners, who did not want their last names used. Daniel The first in his family to go to college, Daniel is majoring in photography at the Rhode Island School of Design and enjoys using his photos to tell stories and evoke feelings about race, sexuality Daniel Catherine Braxton and femininity. Daniel grew up with a religious Domin- of backlash and without invalidating impact of Christianity is negatively impact- Braxton saved enough money to attend ican mother, who credited God for every- other people’s beliefs. ing women’s reproductive rights and mar- Utah Valley University as an audio digital thing they had. Daniel felt his mother was riage equality. She has participated in mul- media major, but during his second semes- “discrediting all the hard work she’s done Catherine tiple woman’s rights marches, Gay Pride ter, he was struck by a car while biking to for our family and all the sacrifices she’s Catherine is a theatre and music light- week, March for Science and Black Lives work, fracturing his skull and rendering made.” When Daniel realized he was ing designer major at Rutgers Universi- Matter protests. In high school, she was him unconscious for three days. After gay, he re-examined his religious beliefs, ty. At the age of 15, she was interested in captain of the debate team, writing mock three weeks in the hospital, he re-learned concluding there was no god and people the technical side of theatre and hopes to bills focused on race and gender. how to balance, walk and speak. While his were using God as a coping mechanism work on Broadway and eventually become doctors suggested he drop out of school, for the things going on in the world. a teacher. Catherine believes theatre and Braxton Braxton decided nothing was going to Daniel organized a photography fund- other storytelling art helps mold young As a Navajo native from Idaho, Brax- stop him from being the first of his fam- raiser with other local photographers for minds into being more compassionate ton grew up in an LDS-Mormon family. ily to get a bachelor’s degree. When he the Black Lives Matter movement. While people. Braxton felt the church and most mem- came back to UVU, he started the Chess, Daniel’s photography centers around Catherine’s grandfather was a deacon bers shunned his family because of their Audio and Card Games Club on campus. empowering women and showing the di- and multiple great aunts and uncles are non-traditional background, family mem- He also started a volunteer and internship versity of what it means to be a woman, nuns and monks. Despite this, her reli- ber’s addictions, and their overall lifestyle. program between UVU and Primary Chil- he hopes to discuss humanistic and racial gious parents raised her in a home devoid Eight years ago, Braxton officially left the dren’s Hospital for fellow audio and video themes through his photography and art. of religion, so, when she was old enough, church because he disagreed with the production students, all while being a full- An atheist, gay, pro-Black-Lives-Mat- she chose on her own. “I am an atheist and church’s vocal stance against same-sex time student and maintaining a 3.7 GPA. ter feminist, Daniel feels we should be proud of it,” she says. marriage, among other things. “I now This year, he opened a concert/recording able to accept each other’s differences Catherine is a very outspoken activist, identify as an atheist and strive to show space for musicians and songwriters to and exist amicably. Everyone should be believing the church should not hold con- people good comes from good people, not combat Utah’s “censorship for the sake of free to express their beliefs without fear trol in the government. Catherine feels the God,” Braxton says. censorship.” December 2020 | Madison, Wisconsin | FFRF | FREETHOUGHT TODAY Page 19 Recovered Catholic now happy atheist FR Spanish Inquisition. Unfortunately, it ty, income and consumption. But not The following books are by FFRF By Brian Fitzpatrick was the ’60s and protesters were burn- churches; they get a free ride. One won- members on the topics of religion or ing bras and draft cards. I never could ders why? Perhaps churches perform a freethinking. FFRF does not do book n 1945, the birth lottery dropped me reconcile Cardinal Francis Spellman’s function for the state. What could that reviews. in Brooklyn, N.Y., and there, frocked endorsement of napalming Vietnamese function be? freaks pounced and shoved Cathol- children with “Thou shalt not kill.” Historically, shamans and holy men Iicism down my throat. Thirty-five years The blatant hypocrisy of “God and played the masses for chumps. The sha- Freethinking later, I wretched it up. But, oh, the wast- country” slapped me in the face. My mans invented gods to enhance their ed energy escaping from that malicious cloistered walls were cracking. Thank powers. Nothing has changed. Chris- Cryptograms myth: branded with Grog I met some jovial Jews who liber- tianity invented a guy in the sky who By Brooks Rimes original sin and pre- ated me. The Jewish atheists had traded metes out eternal flames if you disobey $8.95 (paperback) destined for eternal Yahweh for Marilyn Monroe. It looked “his” rules. That’s the yardstick. If peo- Solving cryptograms is fun and flames. I had lost like a good deal to me. I told God to go ple believe the god myth, they will swal- these quotes will inspire! Respected life’s game before I to hell — I’m going to heaven . . . with low the lies of puppeticians (politicians and admired men and women have suited up. Marilyn. on oligarch strings). their quotes For many painful Walking life’s trail for 75 years, I’ve Religion is a gullibility test. If people hidden here, years, I stumbled had time to think. If divinity exists, it are naive enough to swallow the swill including Abra- through the mine- blooms within the communion of hu- emanating from churches, they will also ham Lincoln, field of ubiquitous man hearts. The confluence of individu- swallow government lies (e.g., the weap- Benjamin Frank- sins. I struggled to als fostering beneficence is our raison d’ ons of mass destruction ruse that killed lin, Billy Joel, Brian Fitzpatrick distinguish mortal etre. It points to our evolutionary path. a million Iraqis and had untold other Ernest Hem- from venial. I suffered from the guilt We were born to protect creation and consequences). ingway, Frank of being a boy and being attracted to leave Mother Earth healthier than we Witness the current milieu: Evangel- Lloyd Wright – a girls. I finally realized that if nature found her. icals rabidly support a blatant sybarite, total of 191 dif- hadn’t designed me that way, human- Our noblesse oblige is to nurture the swindler and schmuck. ferent people. ity would perish. common good. Herein lies the rub. Or- Thank Grog I’m a happy atheist. So sharpen your pencil, put on your After eight years of nuns at Our Lady ganized religion is a parasite. It refuses FFRF Member Brian Fitzpatrick is a re- thinking cap and start solving the 250+ of Incredible Guilt and eight years of to pay taxes to support the common tired public high school teacher in Jefferson puzzles! Jesuits, I was perfectly prepared for the good. We citizens pay taxes on proper- County, Colo. Upon Further Review: Military The Search for Truth Continued from page 1 and Reality in the of the above,’ rather than my preference Another FFRF veteran made the suggested that lay members for various being no religion.” This vet described alarming disclosure that he did not re- faiths within the military community Abrahamic Faiths representatives of Gideons Internation- up because “there was so much Christian could attend to most religious functions By Emory Lynn al being invited onto federal property to Nationalist evangelism [in my branch of during off-duty hours. Paperback $23 distribute bibles, and being forced to sit the U.S. military] that I was often scared Many urged that atheism be destig- Woods Lane Press LLC, 2020 through a Christian church sermon just for my own safety. There was always pres- matized in the military. “Commanders Does the god of the Abrahamic faiths before beginning basic combat training. sure to toe the line to keep the military should establish command policy letters exist? What are the historical truths “I vividly remember the pressure to at- nonsecular. It was for this reason that I that not only prohibit discrimination about Abraham, tend religious services,” wrote another. could not continue serving in the U.S. against other protected categories, but Moses, Jesus Enlistment oaths typically include Armed Forces.” also expressly prohibit harassment or and Muhammad? the religious phrase, “So help me God.” In addition to cataloguing myriad ex- criticism of agnostics, atheists and free- How did our uni- “I find it almost humorous,” a service amples of the military’s mistreatment of thinkers,” they opined. verse come to ex- member wrote, “that the oath taken to nonreligious service members, respon- Other suggestions included ensuring ist? How did hu- defend the Constitution, which express- dents offered many concrete, constructive that officers avoid religious speech when man beings and ly prohibits a religious test, includes re- suggestions on steps the military could addressing subordinates, promoting “the other biological ligious wording.” The proposed fix was take to address this widespread problem. importance of science as a resource to species come to to remove religious language from all The most common ones were regarding understand our challenges,” “support- exist? What is the Defense Department regulations and to religious chaplains in the military. ing inclusion and diversity whenever you source of pur- return to the nation’s original motto, “E “Begin commissioning humanist chap- can,” and “elevating minorities, as they pose and mean- Pluribus Unum.” lains,” recommended one respondent. have a significant contribution to make to ing in our lives? This book is a journey Some went for church services only This was echoed by another individual our society and tend to be marginalized, of discovery based on 21 years of rigor- because the alternative was a work detail who suffered from post-traumatic stress which reduces their impact.” ous, comprehensive research into the for those who didn’t attend. Recalled one disorder and had “nobody to talk to” oth- FFRF has erected two monuments to truths proclaimed by the Abrahamic re- nonreligious vet: “I chose to do the work er than religious chaplains. “Consider atheists in the military, one in front of ligions, with an emphasis on the world’s detail instead of repeating the church something else besides preachers!” they its national office in Madison, Wis., and most popular religion — Christianity. nonsense. . . . Peeling potatoes allowed urged the department. the original at Lake Hypatia, Ala., both of me to sit alone and avoid the circus at the Yet another FFRF member who is which read: church. It was much better.” Others not- a veteran exhorted more bluntly: “Do “In memory of ATHEISTS IN FOX- Time Is Irreverent 3: ed that bibles were placed in drawers at away with the chaplains.” A nonreligious HOLES and the countless FREETHINK- military temporary housing. vet asked rhetorically, “If we are going ERS who have served this country with Gone for 16 Seconds to spend the kind of money required honor and distinction. Presented by the By Marty Essen on salaries for military chaplains who national Freedom From Religion Foun- $14.95 (paperback) A note to FFRF Members are officers, why not just spend it on dation with hope that in the future hu- $4.99 (Kindle) Don’t miss a single issue of better, formally trained counselors?” He mankind may learn to avoid all war.” Encante Press, LLC, 2020 Freethought Today & Private Line! Marty Mann and Nellie Dixon are back for another irreverent, liberal, twisty, time-trav- NOTHING FAILS LIKE PRAYER el comedy. This time they have CONTEST 2021 Noah’s Ark and Ronald Reagan If the expiration date of your FFRF Our goal is to see secular citizens flood government meetings with in their sights. membership on your address label secular invocations that demonstrate why government prayers are Time Is Irrever- says December 2020 or earlier . . . unnecessary, ineffective, embarrassing, exclusionary, divisive or just ent 3: Gone for Please renew now! plain silly. 16 Seconds is a R eershis: The individual who gives the best secular invocation will be invited single husehl thought-provok- gungh sustining to open FFRF’s annual convention in 2021, receiving an expenses- ing satire that an- paid trip to Boston Nov. 19-21, 2021, along with a plaque and an Memberships are tax deductible! swers the ques- honorarium of $500. tions, “If Noah Deadline: August 1, 2021. boasted about the size of his ark, what else did he boast about?” and “What if reethought oday is ulished ties a year you could kidnap Ronald Reagan and MORE INFO AT: o adison show him the Ghosts of Earth Yet to ffrf.org/donate ffrf.org/nothing-fails-like-prayer Come?” And yes, Jesus plays a mean electric guitar! Page 20 FFRF | FREETHOUGHT TODAY | Madison, Wisconsin | December 2020 LETTERBOX

Thanks for celebrating Where do you ‘Freethought’? Your values are what’s ‘Day of the Dead’ meaningful to you Kudos to FFRF for celebrating a “Sec- Human psychology (predisposed to ular Day of the Dead!” personification), alongside ignorance Yes, for centuries already my fellow and fear, invented God. The human Mexicans have celebrated “El Dia de los mind naturally wants the whole shebang Muertos.” to be about something, for it to be of On that day, families gather to honor great consequence, pregnant with mean- their dead by enjoying life — they eat, ing. The human mind wants its life to be they drink, and they make merry. lived within grand meaning. We want Aren’t we humans blessed to be so everything — the universe, our world, creative in our efforts to prevent the our lives — to be purposeful, to be sanc- grim reaper from pouring vinegar into tioned with an external seal of approval. the tasty punch of life? We believe that while we may not Mexicans have a popular proverb, know what God’s divine purpose is, which I’ll make an effort to translate: surely we’re integral to it. Your birth “El muerto a la sepultura, y el vivo a la ushers you into the meaning, purpose travesura!” (“The dead we must bury, and significance of a divine order. You but while we live, let’s be merry!”) matter more than you know, but matter, David Quintero Patrick Hart of Washington says: “I read Freethought Today while you do. Our natural craving for exter- California receiving chemo for my CLL (chronic lymphocytic leukemia). Medicine for nal meaning has created God and kept mind and body!” God going. (Taught to most people by their beloved parents, the very idea of FFRF’s online convention God becomes loved. The trappings of exceeded expectations Use these funds to help Secular teenagers religion fashion solidity onto airy ideas, while fellow worshippers bestow safety Congratulations on the excellent the FFRF legal team need our attention in numbers to farfetched beliefs.) online convention and membership I didn’t do an IRA direct contribu- Please let everyone know how proud Lamentably, religion fosters and pro- meeting. Kudos to the folks who made tion this year, but figured your legal de- I am to be part of an organization motes the wrong expectation — that all the technology work — an amazing partment could use some help. Please like FFRF, and how well conducted I of it, including our lives — has external accomplishment. accept my donation check as an incen- thought the annual meeting was — very meaning. No. The opposite is true. I very much enjoyed seeing and tive to hit the ground running as soon professional. We are just another animal in the an- hearing from so many different staff as the election dust settles. I’m seeing a I’m especially pleased at the in- imal kingdom. We are classified among members. Highlighting the behind- long struggle ahead. creased attention you are giving to our the great apes. The meaning of life is to the-scenes staff showed the strength of Name withheld teenagers. The kids too often get left live well your animal existence. Don’t be this organization and added a personal California out of secular activities and they are our too hot or too cold. Don’t be too hun- feeling to the meeting. It is all too easy future. At Camp Quest, I got a chance gry or too thirsty. Stay safe. Work for to forget that all that behind-the-scenes to talk one-on-one with a lot of secular good health. If you love and are loved, work is absolutely essential and a key to Ben Hart was highlight of kids, and I hadn’t fully appreciated the that’s icing on the cake. Meaning comes the success of an organization. FFRF’s online convention discrimination they often must endure from within — internally, not externally FFRF is so professional in everything — and just at the stage in life when they — from your values. Your values come it does, so it is no surprise that you were Thank you, thank you, thank you for are trying to figure out who they are. from your DNA and experiences. If you able to put together such an excellent a most wonderful Covid Convention! That discrimination includes everything value animals, then caring for animals online event. I’ve always particularly val- From Dan Barker’s delightful and from dating issues to being an outcast will be meaningful to you. If you value a ued the legal summary at conventions. irreverent entertainment through the at the lunch table at school to not be- knowledge of history, then the study of It is a very powerful statement on the incredible accomplishments of FFRF’s ing allowed to go to certain classmates’ history will be meaningful to you. Live importance and success of FFRF. legal team in 2020 (and a cameo by Ed homes. And here I thought being a sec- in accordance with your values and your I expected a professional and engag- Asner, as well!), it was a most informa- ular adult in the workplace was tough! life will be meaningful to you. If your ing event, and, as is typical, you exceed- tive afternoon. Worth far more than Donald Lewellyn values are honorable and kind, your life ed my expectations. the price of admission, the virtual con- Texas will be meaningful to others, as well. Thank you to all who were involved vention was indeed a true pandemic-era The body’s decline and death are inev- in the event! prize. itable and natural. At the moment of your Cheryl Kolbe With all due respect to the FFRF staff, Paper would be better death, all that you are vanish — no more Oregon the clear superstar of the convention without two sections thoughts, no more feelings, no more ex- was Ben Hart. As a native Ohioan, I was periences. That fate awaits you, as it does pleased that Ben led a life of bliss while I read with great interest the entire all animals. For that is what you solely are Check for signs of living in that state. But once he had the newspaper, with two exceptions: The — an animal. Don’t deny the facts. Don’t religion before buying audacity to toddle across the border into “Crankmail” and “Black Collar Crime” hide in illusion. Work to live well. Kentucky . . . yeesh! sections. I’m not interested in what Brent London I recently purchased a jar of ex- Anyone who thinks (as I once did) these looney-tunes think and I’m even California ceptionally good pickles from a small that his story is that of a dude trying to less interested in what those creeps do company in the Midwest. As I emptied get a (super-duper!) vanity plate is com- to children and vulnerable adults. my shopping bag at home, I decided pletely missing the point. His eloquent, I believe it’s a waste of print and wish to read the ingredients label, and just succinct and witty presentation of his you could condense those sections. MOVING? to the side of the list was a reference to years-long battle had me cheering. (And Other than that, I love reading about a bible verse from Psalms. I wondered did I hear him correctly that he has been those victories in giving those so-called just how much I am paying for and married to his lovely wife for 64 years? religious fanatics a lesson in what it consuming that supports causes that He hardly appears to be that old!) Ben means to be a secular democracy versus I reject. I decided to be vigilant, and, Hart is a most engaging orator and is my a theocracy. Keep up the good work! interestingly enough, not more than new hero. He is FFRF-ing amazing! Joseph DiBlanca two weeks later, I happened to read Finally, a big shout-out to FFRF’s IT New York Don’t miss your next issue of the inside lid of my organic egg car- Director James Phetteplace for master- ton. And there it was . . . a bible verse minding a flawless virtual presentation. Freethought Today from Matthew. I have since taken it Let’s face it, many of us have attended Lead Us Not Into Penn Station: Please notify us of your up a notch, now walking behind every Zoom meetings crippled by techni- Provocative Pieces address change promptly! contractor’s truck as they arrive at my cal snafus, but none of that occurred property, wanting to verify that there during the online convention. He made By Anne Gaylor email: [email protected] are no bumper stickers or decals that it all look like a piece of cake. A must-have for or phone: 1-800-335-4021 support causes or a point of view that On a dreary and raw afternoon in any freethinker, this I find offensive. It’s amazing what I Wisconsin during a surging pandemic, gracefully readable FFRF cannot be responsible for book contains Gaylor’s replacing back issues if we have not have encountered since initiating this the convention truly inspired me and classic writings. practice. Bottom line: Two contractor gave me hope for a better 2021. Best been notified prior to your move. Published by FFRF bids rejected, no more fabulous pick- wishes for a restorative Winter Solstice, les and a different egg brand. and above all, stay safe out there. Buy it from FFRF online The U.S. Post Office does not Robert Laub Charles T. Bingham ffrf.org/shop forward third-class mail. Missouri Wisconsin December 2020 | Madison, Wisconsin | FFRF | FREETHOUGHT TODAY Page 21

Seeing faces of FFRF Congrats to secular staff was wonderful invocation winners What a feat presenting the online Congratulations to Sarah Ray and convention this year. Ann Landman for their perseverance Great job by all in pulling it all to- and courage in achieving the accep- gether and giving us a thorough and in- tance of their local city councils in formative virtual convention. Lake Wales, Fla., and Grand Junction, It was wonderful seeing all the famil- Colo., to allow them to give secular in- iar faces, even consoling. It surely made vocations. I hope that, in the not-too- me miss coming up to the office and see- distant future, all local and municipal ing people in person. governments in this country will ad- I look forward to the day when we can here to what our founders intended safely be together. to establish when they wrote the Con- Thank you and to all of the staff. stitution and the Bill of Rights — a Linda Josheff permanent wall between religion and Wisconsin government. Steve Taulbee Alabama case pushed me Maryland to become Life Member Baha’i faith no different I have been an atheist since I was than other religions 12. That’s when my parents gave me the choice to continue to go to church In James Haught’s piece in the or not. I immediately opted out. Al- November Freethought Today, James though we never discussed it, I am mentioned Baha’u’llah and the Baha’i pretty sure my mom was a nonbeliev- faith. Years ago, a businessman in my er, as she is the one who pushed to not hometown actually started a Baha’i have me baptized, much to the aston- Fellowship and attracted some mem- ishment and lifetime ire of my pater- bers. I looked into Baha’i and briefly nal Southern Baptist grandmother. considered joining this fellowship as I have always enjoyed reading Baha’i sounded more interesting to Christopher Hitchens, Sam Harris, out about FFRF and I joined immedi- off on “so help me God,” even though me than the Christian sects I’d known. Richard Dawkins. And back in 2014, ately, as I wanted to be part of a group there is already case law in Torcaso v. But, ultimately, it turned out to be just I came across Dan Barker’s book that was standing up for the basic Watkins on the books, it got my ire! As as conservative, just as pray-pay-and- Godless. I thoroughly enjoyed read- ideals of this country, which, for me, a result of that story, I have decided to obey as all the other churches in the ing about his transformation from a includes the ability to have all the re- become a Lifetime Member to help in area. (The business has long since preacher to a regular reasonable per- ligion/mythology you want, but keep your continued pursuit of reason and closed, and the businessman has evi- son. By the way, I loved the quote: “I it away from me and my government. sanity. Keep up the necessary work! dently left the area, taking his Baha’i was the guy you didn’t want to sit next After reading Freethought Today David Ford Fellowship with him.) to on the bus.” and the story about the voter registra- New Mexico Andrew C. Jones It was at that time that I first found tion requirement in Alabama to sign Michigan OVERHEARD

To suggest that somehow this feder- gap, or why sex ed passed so easily.” In I think what happened was, over time, Under the president’s influence, white al government is hostile to faith and we Washington, a referendum on whether white evangelical orthodoxy on politics evangelicals went from the group most must vote for Donald Trump to protect to mandate sex education in the schools sort of just melded into Republican or- likely to believe personal morality mat- Christendom is one of the stupidest ar- passed with 60 percent of the vote. thodoxy, and there’s no difference any- ters in a politician to the group that is guments I have ever heard in my life. Seattle Times, 11-6-20 more. We used to always believe that reli- least likely. . . . Look what the Supreme Court has gion was the first cause and then politics Michael Gerson, in his column “This is done on religious liberty, specifically I understand was downstream of religion,” but newer a massive failure of character among protecting religious liberty of conserva- that one can be studies suggest that “those two lenses Republicans — with evangelicals out in tive Christians! . . . I’ve got a lot of the shocked by car- have switched places now and that par- front.” same beliefs that you have. But those toons, but I will tisanship is the first cause and now reli- Washington Post, 11-12-20 similarities stop when I think that the never accept that gion is downstream of partisanship. protection of my faith, of my evangelical one can justify vi- Ryan Burge, a professor at Eastern [White evangelicals] are, as a group, faith, should only be applied to me and olence. Our free- Illinois University, quoted in a column dying out (median age in the late 50s), not applied to Catholics, not applied to doms, our rights, by Elizabeth Breunig, “Why evangelicals and their views are hardly recognizable Jews, not applied to Muslims, not ap- I consider it our aren’t what they used to be.” to many other Americans. . . .White plied to the others. vocation to pro- Washington Post, 11-6-20 evangelicals have become, in essence, an Joe Scarborough, MSNBC host of CC By 2.0 tect them. offshore island, one whose inhabitants “Morning Joe.” Emmanuel Macron French President [America’s massive failure of char- are slowly but steadily distancing them- Mediaite.com, 11-5-20 Emmanuel Ma- acter] is the culmination of Trump’s selves from the American mainland. cron, defending cartoons depicting the influence among Republicans, and The fading Island of White Evangelica The issue with the Nones isn’t that re- prophet Muhammad following the be- among white evangelical Christians in will, eventually, lose its influence over ligion is bad; it’s that it needs to be kept heading of a teacher, who showed his particular. Their main justification for America. out of secular government policymak- class caricatures of Muhammad as part supporting Trump — that the pres- Dana Milbank, in his column, “Trump’s ing. And science needs to be in. of a lesson on free speech. ident’s character should be ignored racist appeals powered a white evangeli- Danny Westneat, in his column, “Pow- Washington Post, 10-31-20 in favor of his policies — has become cal tsunami.” er of the ‘Nones’ in a growing religious a serious danger to the republic. . . . Washington Post, 11-13-20 CRANKMAIL Please enjoy the following thoughts from non- funds as needed for whatever litigation might be You Are Going To Be Judged: I just wanted on you all for what you do every day it disgusts me FFRF members, printed as received. necessary. You only exist to create havoc and cha- to warn you, that by deliberately misquoting the and there should be a constitutional amendment You are deliberately recrucifying Jesus os. You attempt to “FORCE” your views on others Bible and by misleading people you are is serious that disbands your org. Or at least maybe you Christ: You need to turn that question internal, yet you try to thwart our views. Your organization danger of God’s judgement. It is okay to have dif- could rename your organization to some thing a because it is INSANE ANTICHRIST FILTH as you is the epitome of hypocrisy. We don’t need you in fering opinions but to blatantly and grotesquely little more honest, I don’t know like the devil seed that are destroying humanity and I hope and pray Dothan and will continue to operate OUR school misrepresent the intentions of the Bible is very or maybe replace God withhate.com, or maybe we every single day that God makes you suffer horri- system as we see fit for OUR Children. — Roger dangerous to you living a life of eternal torment in hate anything good. We are all going to hell. Luck- bly for it! — Beth Ann Morse Kirkland a place of darkness and where there will be weep- ily for you there are people like that Jasper head Get out of Dothan: Your article regarding a Valdosta city schools: Tell who ever you need ing and gnashing of teeth. — Gene Staley coach out there because maybe they can pray for prayer request at a Dothan City School is abso- to including your attorney to stay out of Valdosta Your ridiculousness: Dissolve your group and you to save your souls. — Shawn Kirby lute Bull$hit. First of all, it is none of your busi- Ga. We will do what we want to and we are not Pray you all can be forgiven. Each of your mem- Twisting Scripture: You guys are twisting ness. We, the citizens and parents of the Students gonna have a bunch of stupid ignorant Wisconsin bers have made a choice in order to remove God scripture to promote abortion. The truth isn’t didn’t ask for your opinion nor do we need it. We Yankees tell us what we will do or not do. You are from schools. Because it’s so awful to have kids subjective. The truth is the truth and whether you have urged our School board to ignore you asi- threatening us and we will not have it. We don’t praying right? It’s so awful to have a symbolism of believe it or not, you will stand before God one nine “requests” and if you choose to litigate, we take too kindly to threats in South Georgia so go good faith and goodwill towards men right? You day. — Elizabeth Luyendyk will financially support our system and will raise away. — Brendon Hannon people are the right hand of the Devil and shame Page 22 FFRF | FREETHOUGHT TODAY | Madison, Wisconsin | December 2020 BLACK COLLAR CRIME pornography and felony intimidation. Hackmann The affidavit says the alleged victim’s mother volunteer at several churches. Another teacher Compiled by Bill Dunn has been relieved as pastor at Marion First United corroborated his statements. There are also alle- found Russell’s interest in students unusual and Methodist Church, according to a statement from gations of abuse involving a younger female fami- filed a complaint in 2018. He was suspended and Bishop Frank Beard. ly member. Source: WRIL, 10-6-20 then resigned. Arrested / Charged He’s accused of soliciting a teen to get lewd Roger C. McLaney II, 47, DeFuniak Springs, In 2019 he moved to Las Vegas, NV, where photos of female friends who are her age and of Daniel Chalmers, Raleigh, NC: Misdemean- FL: Organized fraud over $50,000. McLaney, he caught the attention of the FBI after dozens of threatening to show her mother a private video of or assault. Chalmers, co-founder with his wife of a communications officer at the Walton Coun- child porn images were uploaded online. Russell her and her boyfriend. Source: KFVS, 10-14-20 Love Wins Ministry, is charged with urinating on a ty Sheriff’s Office, is charged with embezzling confessed to uploading those photos. Source: Kenneth R. Sullivan Jr., 36, Lexington, NC: sleeping woman in the rear seat of a Delta Airlines over $100,000 from Friendship Baptist Church WOOD/KTNV, 10-22-20 3 counts of obtaining property by false pretens- flight from Las Vegas to Detroit. Chalmers is also while serving as its treasurer since 2016. Source: Bryan Broughton, 39, Eau Claire, WI: 48 es, obtaining property by false pretenses of over on staff at Catch the Fire, a church in Durham. WEAR, 10-6-20 years in prison on convictions for repeated sex- $100,000, 3 counts of securities fraud and exploit- Alicia Beverly said she awoke to a warm feel- Salvatore DiStefano, 61, New Providence, ual assault of a child and causing mental harm ing a disabled or elderly person while in a position ing: “By that time I actually looked at him and I see NJ: 5 counts of use of a juvenile to commit a crime to a child. Broughton, a resident adviser at Hope of trust. Sullivan was clerk of sessions at Grace him shake himself off and I’m like this man just and 6 counts of endangering the welfare of a child. Gospel Mission who also worked with children’s Presbyterian Church, a position which gave him peed on me. I looked and there was a puddle of DiStefano, chaplain since at least 2012 at Oratory ministries at 2 Eau Claire churches and had been control of its financial accounts. pee in the seats.” Prep, an all-boys school in Summit, is accused of a church camp counselor, admitted assaulting a He was initially charged in 2019 with 3 other Chalmers allegedly told flight attendants he threatening the welfare of 6 students while leading girl repeatedly when she was between the ages counts alleging he stole $340,384 from the church thought he was going to the bathroom. Sources a school club named the “Knights of Malta.” of 6 and 13. and church members through fraud, including his told Fox 2 he had an apparent reaction to the According to the prosecutor, he “would fre- He also admitted assaulting another 6-year- own parents and other relatives. It’s also alleged sleep aid Ambien. According to a police report, his quently attempt to speak with the students about old girl about a dozen times and allegedly told de- he tried to obtain another $429,000 by applying blood-alcohol level was 0.17 after the flight, twice sex and instructed a student to masturbate in or- tectives that part of the thrill was to not get caught. for credit cards and personal loans using other the legal limit, and he said he had 2 drinks before der to relieve stress. He also allegedly made re- One girl told investigators Broughton touched her people’s names. Source: Winston-Salem Journal, boarding. peated attempts to entice a student to accompany sexually at her home and at Chaos Waterpark and Beverly is suing Chalmers and his church for 10-13-20 him away from the school alone and took steps to that she couldn’t think of a time when he came over $2 million. He was suspended, then resigned Richard A. Kelton, 37, Holly Springs, NC: conceal that activity, for instance telling the stu- over that he didn’t touch her. Source: WQOW, 10- from Catch the Fire. Source: Charlotte Observer/ 3 counts of indecent liberties with a child. Kelt- dent to leave his cell phone at school so that his 20-20 Detroit News, 10-30-20 on, who volunteered true location would be Jeremy Thompson, 33, Memphis, TN: Solic- at Hope Community hidden from his parents Church while working Civil Lawsuits Filed iting sexual exploitation of a minor and attempted The girl told police she when he met with him statutory rape by an authority figure. It’s alleged as a realtor, is charged off-campus.” Archbishop John Michael Miller of the Cath- that Thompson, a youth pastor at New Life of with assaults on 2 girls. couldn’t think of a time It’s also alleged that olic Archdiocese of Vancouver, BC, Catholic Memphis, used electronic communication to en- Two of the charges stem when“ Broughton came over he routinely texted and Independent Schools of Vancouver, John Kilty gage a child between 13 and 18 years old in sexu- from alleged incidents in called club members and Raymond Clavin are defendants in a suit al activity and used his position of trust to attempt April 2012. The third al- that he didn’t touch her. and at various times in filed by “John Doe,” who alleges sexual abuse by to have sex with the child. Source: Commercial legedly took place from late 2019 let them con- Kilty and Clavin in the mid-1970s. Kilty, now de- Appeal, 10-23-20 May 2019 until October sume cannabis edibles ceased, was a priest and Clavin was a teacher Michael Zacharias, 53, Cleveland: Sex traf- 2020. in his office and allegedly and former student of the Christian Brothers. It’s ficking of a minor and sex trafficking of an adult Kelton, a married father of 3, formerly worked bought THC cartridges for them as well as provid- not clear from the suit if he’s alive. The archdio- and minor by force, fraud or coercion. Zacharias, for the YMCA but left in 2012. Source: WRAL, ing them money to do so. Source: Catholic News cese is also a defendant in a separate class-ac- pastor at St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Par- 10-12-20 Agency, 10-5-20 tion suit. ish, allegedly engaged in criminal acts from 1999 Jeff Taylor, 46, Strafford, MO: 7 felony “I cannot find the right words to explain how when he was a seminarian to July 2020. counts of statutory sodomy and statutory rape. Pleaded / Convicted the sexual abuse I endured at age six has impact- The alleged offenses involve 2 former Cath- Taylor, a now-fired student pastor at First Baptist ed my life,” the plaintiff said in a statement. “When olic school students in Toledo, OH. Zacharias is Church, is accused of assaults on a girl starting Levi S. Esh Sr., 63, Pequea, PA: Pleaded the most intimate moment of one’s young life is alleged to have preyed upon them as minors and when she was 11. guilty to 2 counts of failure to report child sexual simultaneously the most horrifying and disgusting, as adults, trading sex for money so that they could The probable cause statement said law en- abuse while he was an Amish bishop in Lancast- there is a suffocation of every authentic experi- continue their drug addictions. Source: Findlay forcement was made aware of the case when er County. A plea bargain calls for him to serve ence from that moment onward.” Source: Vancou- Courier, 10-23-20 a woman told them that her employee, now 19, 2 years’ probation and 25 hours of community ver Sun, 10-24-20 Patrick Wattigny, 53, Slidell, LA: 4 counts of told her about her alleged sexual relationship with service aimed at informing others in the Amish Skyway Community Chapel and its pas- child molestation. Wattigny, pastor of St. Luke the Taylor and that she had decided to go public after community of the legal requirements of mandated tor Jason B. Lane are being sued by a former Evangelist Catholic Church, had resigned earlier hearing he was involved with an adult woman at reporting. high school student in Palmetto, FL, who alleges this year as chaplain at Pope John Paul II High the church. Church member John G. Beiler allegedly fake pornographic photos created in Lane’s home School after church officials were shown a series The statement said Taylor admitted to the re- confessed to Esh that he sexually abused 3 girls caused her “unbearable shame and embarrass- of text messages from him to a student. lationship: “To me, it was the way that I could love in 2012 or 2013. Beiler faces 9 pending charges. ment.” According to the suit, detectives were un- The charges stem from allegations he sexually her. ... Whatever picture of love she has now, I put Court documents state that 2 other people in the able to determine what user at Lane’s IP address abused the student in 2013, who was 15 at the it there. It’s my fault.” Source: KY3, 10-11-20 church allegedly raised abuse concerns in 2019 posted the photos and thus haven’t charged any- time, on at least 4 different occasions, sometimes Travis Clark, 37, Pearl River, LA: Obscen- with Esh and other church leaders but were told one criminally. in the church rectory. Source: WDSU, 10-23-20 ity. Clark, pastor of Sts. Peter and Paul Cath- it was “none of your business.” Source: Post-Ga- It’s alleged that a Snapchat user named “Eli” Abner A. Rolon, 46, Davenport, FL: Schem- olic Church and chaplain at Pope John Paul II zette 10-26-20 sent images taken from clothed photos of the ing to defraud in the amount of more than $20,000 High School in Slidell, was arrested after police Lorenzo R. Washington, 49, Lexington, SC: plaintiff that she posted on Instagram and altered and presenting himself as a contractor without a were called to the church and viewed a video Pleaded guilty to 2 counts of 1st-degree assault them by adding realistic, bare female breasts. license. Rolon, senior pastor at Calvary First As- recorded by a passerby. Police allege the per- and battery. Washington, senior pastor at Mt. Hill “Eli” tried to blackmail the girl into sending actual sembly, allegedly attempted to bilk an 85-year-old son “observed and had video of Ms. Cheng and Missionary Baptist Church in Aiken, was arrested nude photos by threatening to send the doctored woman with visual, hearing and mobility impair- Ms. Dixon” using plastic sex toys while engaging after a Dorman High School student reported she images to the entire student body at the school if ments out of $36,440, according to a Haines City in intercourse on the altar with Clark, who was was assaulted in January 2019 in a school con- she didn’t comply, which she didn’t, the complaint Police Department press release. still partially wearing his priestly attire. A mobile cession stand during an after-hours event. says. Rolon allegedly gave the woman “A Servant’s phone mounted on a tripod was recording the Washington, a member of the school booster Detectives determined Lane’s son’s name was Hand” business card in June and presented him- scene under stage lighting. club, allegedly touched the girl over her clothes identical to the one used on the first threatening self as a licensed contractor capable of multiple Mindy Dixon, 41, Kent, WA, and Melissa and kissed her on the neck and mouth. He was texts and photos sent to the girl, the complaint services. Building inspectors later found a wa- Cheng, 23, Alpharetta, GA, were also arrested for initially charged with sexual conduct with a minor says, and further alleges that investigators did not ter heater, ceiling fans, windows, electrical work violating a law prohibiting people from having sex and attempted criminal sexual conduct with a mi- seek a search warrant for the son’s cellphone. He and light fixtures incorrectly installed. He al- within public view. Dixon works in the adult film nor under 16. Source: WSPA, 10-21-20 was brought in for questioning but denied guilt. legedly also billed her for roof and porch repairs industry, often as a dominatrix. His parents demanded that the questioning stop that were not done. Archbishop Gregory Aymond of New Orleans Sentenced and the interview ended. Source: Herald-Tribune, “To take advantage of an elderly woman trying later told parishioners that the desecrated altar 10-23-20 to sell her home and to this extent, is simply un- had been removed and burned. “The church is a James Russell, 50, Las Vegas, NV: 20 to 95 The Order of St. Benedict New Jersey — conscionable,” said Police Chief Jim Elensky. “We very holy place,” Aymond said. years in prison on Michigan convictions for cre- the Catholic order that runs Delbarton School should be able to rely on our local pastors to serve Clark had succeeded Patrick Wattigny [see ation, possession, transportation and distribution in Morristown, NJ — now faces 16 sexual abuse as community leaders — not lying, stealing and 10-23 item above] as chaplain at Pope John Paul of child pornography. He was accused of taking suits in state court after 4 more were filed naming taking advantage of people.” Source: The Ledger, II High School. Source: Times-Picayune, 10-8-20 nude photos of a boy at his home in Norton Shores Timothy Brennan, a priest and former teacher, 10-21-20 Frank A. Noe Jr., 56, Speedwell, TN: Incest between 2009–12. The person in the photos, his who has been the focus of at least 20 complaints Brandon Tovar, 35, Decatur, IL: Grooming. and 5 counts of child rape. Noe is pastor at Ben- now-adult son, alleged Russell took thousands of since the 1980s. Brennan died in December 2019 Tovar, a volunteer youth leader at Heartland Com- nett’s Fork Baptist Church in Middlesboro, KY. It’s photos of him naked. in Missouri, where he was living in a treatment munity Church who lives alone but has visitation alleged Noe assaulted a male victim between 30 Russell worked for 22 years as a teacher and center for clergy. rights with his 12-year-old daughter every other and 40 times when he was between the ages of elementary school principal and at various times The order and St. Mary’s Abbey have settled weekend, allegedly engaged in inappropriate con- 4 and 8. has been a camp counselor and youth ministry at least 10 suits involving Brennan over the years. duct with his daughter’s 12-year-old girlfriend. At least 9 order clerics and a Delbarton lay teacher The daughter told police Tovar was sleeping have been accused of abuse in 30 suits over the with the 12-year-old in his bed and that they were past 20 years. Source: northjersey.com, 10-22-20 cuddling on the couch Sept. 19. She gave police The New Jersey Catholic Conference, New- a photo she took of them on the couch and copies ark Archdiocese and Paramus Catholic High of Snapchat messages between them. School are defendants in a suit alleging they did Tovar allegedly told police he was lonely and nothing to stop the abuse of 2 male students that weak and knew it was wrong to send sexually now-deceased hockey coach Bernard Garris is explicit messages to the girl. Source: WICS, 10- accused of molesting between 1985–88. 21-20 Garris was fired in 1986 or 1987 for physi- Robert L. Gilmore Sr., Casper, WY: 6 counts cally abusing students, the suit asserts. Source: of 2nd-degree sexual assault and 7 counts of nj.com, 10-11-20 indecent liberties with a minor. Gilmore, pastor Kelli A. Black, John B. Black Sr., St. Paul at New Life Tabernacle Church, is accused of Missionary Baptist Church in Sacramento, CA, assaults on several victims, including a girl who and former pastor Ephraim Williams are defen- alleged to police that in 2003, when she was 5, dants in a suit filed by Giana Lee, who alleges Gilmore told her that having sex was part of pre- John Black, her stepfather, started molesting her paring to be baptized. when she was 11 in 1994 when he was a pastor at Another alleged victim described an incident in St. Paul. Kelli Black is her mother. the spring of 2004 or 2005 when she was taken The night after it first happened, “Giana shut into the church basement after Sunday school to her door and lined up all of her stuffed animals change into a baptismal gown. Gilmore allegedly against it,” court papers say. “That way, in the took off all her clothes and molested her, telling morning, she could tell if someone had entered her it was God’s will. Source: KTWO, 10-15-20 her room. ... When she woke up the next morn- John S. Hackmann Jr., 45, Marion, IL: Child ing, her animals had been thrown about the room, December 2020 | Madison, Wisconsin | FFRF | FREETHOUGHT TODAY Page 23 but she could not figure out what happened. Sub- of victims” like the Catholic Church, said Child sequently, Giana would wake up and notice her USA founder Marci Hamilton. shorts or underwear gone or rolled up in her blan- “It’s a potent message to the victims,” said ket.” Hamilton. “They had better come forward imme- The suit alleges that when Lee was taken to diately because they might be shut out. So they Williams for counseling at the church, he respond- come forward whether they’re ready or not.” ed, “We don’t lie on good pastors!” Source: NY Post/USA Today, 10-10-20 Lee, now 37, alleges John Black put her on Ravi Zacharias International Ministries, birth control when she was 12 or 13 and that in- based in Alpharetta, GA, has opened an investiga- stead of taking her virginity, he arranged for a boy tion into allegations that its late founder and name- she was friends with to do it. sake sexually harassed multiple massage thera- Black also took her with him to adult stores, pists who worked at 2 day spas he co-owned. where he bought her “sex books, crotch-less un- Three women who worked at the businesses derwear and small vibrators,” Lee alleges, adding in a strip mall in Johns Creek, an Atlanta suburb, that after her grandmother took her to talk to po- told Christianity Today that Zacharias touched lice, her mother pressured her to recant. Source: them inappropriately, exposed himself and mas- Sacramento Bee, 10-7-20 turbated during regular treatments over a period of about 5 years. During his ministry career, Zacharias, a re- Finances nowned apologist who died last May at age 74 Colorado’s 3 Catholic dioceses have paid from cancer in his sacrum, often spoke of manag- $6.68 million to 73 survivors of sexual abuse by ing pain with massage and physiotherapy. clergy. The Independent Reconciliation and Repa- Zacharias masturbated in front of one woman rations Program fielded claims from alleged abuse over 50 times, she alleged, telling her he was bur- survivors to determine their credibility and eligibil- dened by the demands of his ministry and need- ity for compensation. Eight claims were rejected. ed this “therapy.” Another said he showed her his At least 166 children were abused by at least erection at least 15 times in a few months. Source: Christianity Today, 9-29-20 43 priests in Colorado dating back to 1950. mus, discovered pornographic images and videos campus officials of thwarting his efforts. St. Paul’s Terry Kelly, a former health teacher and ath- The investigation found that on average it took of children Wasmus had allegedly been molesting is a college-prep school affiliated with the Episco- letic director at Canterbury School in Ft. Myers, nearly 20 years for the church to stop an abusive and turned them over to police. pal Church. priest after receiving an allegation. More than half “Five years ago, this four-member parole An investigation found credible evidence of FL, a co-ed prep school founded “to promote of child victims were abused after the diocese was board was split 50/50 on whether or not to release abuse involving 20 former faculty members over Christian education” in 1964, is accused of sexual made aware that priests were abusers. [him],” Wexler said. “It was close and I think he several decades and 31 allegations during the last abuse by 3 women who attended the school. Kel- The most-recent cases uncovered by the re- is likely to be released if we don’t overwhelmingly 6 months of 2019. Maher, a former college safety ly worked there from 1991–2000 and later at Holy view were in 1990 and 1998 and 2 instances since protest this.” Source: WCMH, 10-12-20 director and police captain, cited “an intolerable Innocents Episcopal School in Sandy Springs, 2000 of priests “grooming” a child. Five Orthodox Jewish institutions in New working environment,” including limiting access to GA, where he was fired in 2016 for sending in- Before the 1990s, the Colorado dioceses “of- York City were fined $15,000 for health code vi- information and a “seemingly orchestrated threat” appropriate messages to students, according to ten intentionally did not document child sex abuse olations amid the coronavirus pandemic for hav- of a civil suit by an administrator. Source: The Re- police records and news reports. allegations or referred to them in such euphemis- ing more than 10 people inside their facilities. Six public, 10-22-20 One woman, now 37, alleged Kelly started tic terms that they were completely obscured,” in- coronavirus clusters have cropped up in Brooklyn A state attorney general’s probe into sexual grooming her as an 8th grader: “I gave him oral vestigators wrote. An anal rape of a 12-year-old and Queens and in Broome, Orange and Rock- abuse in 7 of Michigan’s Catholic dioceses has sex when I was 16” in his red SUV but didn’t have boy was documented as a “boundary violation.” land counties. identified 454 accused clergy and 811 victims, intercourse with him until after she graduated. Nearly 10 assaults by a priest just out of the semi- U.S. District Judge Nicholas Garaufis denied which led to charges against 11 persons. Of the Alumna Christina Anderson chastised the staff nary were documented as “boy troubles.” Source: a motion by the Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn 11, only 2 have been convicted so far. Their sen- who never reported Kelly’s behavior. “Terry Kel- Colorado Sun, 10-16-20 seeking a preliminary injunction to reopen doz- tences were for 60 and 45 days in jail. Allegations ly’s interaction with female students was an open The Catholic Diocese of Richmond, VA, has ens of churches across Queens and Brooklyn. in the Diocese of Saginaw and the Archdiocese secret. It was the worst-kept open secret at Can- paid a total of $6.3 million to victims who were sex- The Diocese of Brooklyn has 26 churches in the of Detroit have yet to be reviewed. terbury,” she said. Source: Ft. Myers News-Press, ually abused as minors by clergy. The diocese an- state’s “red” and “orange” zones. Source: CNN, Investigators had reviewed 64% of the digital 9-25-20 nounced 51 claims were approved for payments 10-12-20 documents as of late September. Document re- through the Independent Reconciliation Program Catholic priests Gabriele Martinelli and En- view will continue into 2021. With court operations Removed / Resigned administered by a Richmond law firm. rico Radice went on trial before the Vatican’s slowed amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the last William H. Love, 63, agreed to leave his posi- The diocese released the results of the pro- criminal tribunal. It’s the first known time the Vat- case resolved was in November 2019. Source: tion as bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Albany, gram: total claims, 68; total ineligible, withdrawn ican has prosecuted sexual abuse that allegedly mlive.com, 10-21-20 NY, on Feb. 1 after a disciplinary panel found he or never completed, 8; denied by administrator, 9. occurred within its walls, Theodore L. Rich- violated church rules by ordering clergy in the dio- Source: WWBT, 10-16-20 in this case inside the St. ling Jr., a priest who cese not to perform same-sex marriages. A Texas Pius X youth seminary, served Catholic parishes native, he has been bishop since 2007. which houses about a Rabbi Freirich in northeast Nebraska Legal Developments New York’s Marriage Equality Act was signed dozen boys aged 12 to before dying in 2019, allegedly referred to Penny into law in 2011. Love is the only Episcopal bish- Aaron C.M. Schwartz, 22, and Petie C.M. 18 who serve as altar was added to the list of Schwartz, 18, Seymour, MO, were ordered to Myers“ as “Fifty Shades op in New York to issue such an order to clergy. boys at papal Masses. those credibly accused Source: AP/WNYT, 10-26-20 prison after a judge determined they failed to Martinelli is accused of sexual misconduct of Cantor” in 2019. Ananias Buccicone, 58, pastor of Queen of abide by the terms of their 15-year suspended of repeatedly molesting with multiple minors by Peace Parish in Patton, PA, was placed on leave sentence. The Amish brothers were sentenced in a younger seminarian the Archdiocese of Oma- in response to what the Catholic Diocese of Al- September for molesting their 13-year-old sister, when he himself was ha. He was ordained in toona-Johnstown described as an accusation of who is pregnant. a senior altar boy at St. Pius X. Radice was the 1971. Source: World-Herald, 10-16-20 recent inappropriate conduct involving minors. A Under a plea agreement, the brothers had rector of the seminary at the time and is accused At least a dozen priests belonging to the Benedictine priest, he has served the parish since been ordered to complete 5 years’ probation with of aiding and abetting the crime. Source: AP, 10- Basilian Fathers of Toronto, a Catholic teaching 2002. no prison time, have no contact with the victim and 12-20 order in Canada, have been accused of sexual- Thirteen other priests have been put on write letters of apology to the Amish community. Jun Kwang-hoon, whose Sarang Jeil Presby- ly abusing children, according to an investigation leave by the diocese pending investigations of al- Prosecutor Ben Berkstresser cited a probation terian Church in S. Korea has been at the center of by CityNews of Toronto, which has compiled a list legations of sexual abuse of minors, according to officer’s report that the men had contact with the a renewed COVID-19 outbreak, had a $3.9 million from mostly public sources. its website. Source: Tribune-Democrat, 10-22-20 girl within 3 days of signing the agreement. Berk- claim filed against him by the Seoul Metropolitan Brenda Brunelle, a Canadian leader of the Sur- Edward Janiak resigned as bishop of the Pol- stresser had previously defended the agreement Government. Sarang Jeil means “love comes first.” vivors Network of those Abused by Priests, called ish Diocese of Kalisz in the wake of allegations he by saying the men “would’ve been eaten alive in Jun is accused of impeding epidemiological for the Basilians to release their own list of credibly shielded at least 2 priests known to have sexually the state prison system.” investigations by providing false information on accused priests. abused children. At 68 he is well below the normal Demonstrators confronted several people the church’s gatherings and giving inaccurate “He taught me how to give him a blow job,” retirement age of 75. accompanying the brothers as they entered and membership lists to officials. Health officials also Peter Luci alleged about Leo Campbell, a priest Pope Francis in June ordered Janiak to leave left the courthouse for resentencing, chanting allege congregants hampered virus-tracing efforts he met when he was 15 in the early 1980s and Kalisz and forbade him from having any influence “The Amish are not above our laws.” Source: by lying and evading investigators. Source: UPI, Campbell was teaching at St. Mary’s College, a on diocesan affairs, pending an investigation. Two News-Leader, 10-22-20 9-18-20 high school run by the Basilians. documentary films — “Playing Hide and Seek” Stricjavvar “Strick” Strickland, 37, a Ka- “He’s a monster. He’s a predator. He real- and “Tell No One” — by brothers Tomasz and lamazoo, MI, Baptist pastor charged with sexually ly, really is. And he’s wearing the cloth of God,” Allegations Marek Sekielski played key roles in exposing the assaulting 4 teen boys, turned down a plea deal, Luci said. “I didn’t know anything about this, I was cover-ups. Source: AP, 10-17-20 details of which were not available. A probable Jonathan Freirich, Temple Beth Zion rabbi a child. When I think about it, you know, smells William E. Dean, 70, was removed from min- cause conference was rescheduled for December. in Buffalo, NY, was censured by the Central Con- come back to me, and textures.” istry by the Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia Strickland is charged with 11 felonies. ference of American Rabbis, part of the Reform Campbell, who spent 3 months at a treatment due to a credible allegation of sexual abuse of a It’s alleged he and his wife Jazmonique used movement, for 5 ethics code violations over the center for priests with addictions, would remain at minor in the late 1970s. Dean had been serving their positions in the church and the Kalamazoo past 4 years. The synagogue also announced it’s St. Mary’s until 1988, when he was named princi- for 8 years as chaplain at Camilla Hall, a home for Public Schools to coerce the boys into having ending his contract 6 months early, on Dec. 31. pal at St. Michael’s College School in Toronto. He sex. Strickland, a father of 8, has been working Cantor Penny Myers filed a complaint in was in that job until he was suspended in 1992, retired and ill nuns belonging to the Servants of at a horse farm in his native Mississippi while out December 2019 about Freirich allegedly refer- when another historic abuse allegation came to the Immaculate Heart of Mary in Malvern. on bond. Jazmonique, 28, who is pregnant with ring to her as “Fifty Shades of Cantor” after she light. Source: CityNews, 10-13-20 He is legally blind. His case will be forwarded their sixth child together, has not been charged. returned from an overnight anniversary cele- Since the Boy Scouts of America filed for to the Vatican to determine if he should be de- Source: WWMT, 10-22-20 bration with her husband at a winery. He also bankruptcy in February, about 35,000 alleged frocked. Source: Catholic Philly, 10-9-20 The rape case against actor Danny Master- allegedly referred during the first dinner out victims have filed claims, with “thousands” more son, 44, can go forward, a Los Angeles judge with the synagogue’s new executive director to emerging ahead of the Nov. 16 deadline. “People Other ruled in rejecting a defense argument that the “popping his cherry” in front of Myers and the are just coming forward in droves,” said plaintiffs’ William Faucher, 75, a retired Boise Catho- allegations are too old to be prosecuted. Master- temple’s sound engineer. lawyer Andrew Van Arsdale, who expects the lic priest sentenced to 25 years in prison in 2018 son, best known for playing sarcastic teen Steven A separate June 2019 complaint filed by a fam- number to top 50,000. for child sexual abuse, died of apparent natural Hyde on “That ’70s Show,” is accused of raping 3 ily alleged Freirich sought cellphone numbers of “It’s three to four times the claims filed in all causes in the medical unit of the Idaho State Cor- women at his home between 2001–03. teen bat mitzvah students, tried to arrange study the Catholic bankruptcies combined,” said Jason rectional Institution. When arrested he had over Four women also sued Masterson, the Church sessions with girls away from the synagogue and Amala, who is also representing plaintiffs. All BSA 2,500 computer files that were sexually exploit- of Scientology and its leader David Miscavige in asked their 12-year-old daughter out for coffee to units are owned and operated by chartered or- ative or pornographic. A search also found mari- August 2019, alleging they were stalked and intim- talk about her upcoming ceremony. ganizations. Of the 3.62 million BSA members in juana, LSD and Ecstasy/MDMA in his home. He idated after going to the police. Masterson, a Sci- Temple board president David Goldberg wrote 2010, 65% were in units chartered to faith-based had online conversations about wanting to rape entology church member, is identified in the suit in a September email sent to 16 people and ob- groups. and murder children, but in his defense claimed as the ex-boyfriend of all the plaintiffs, 3 of whom tained by a newspaper: “We have done an admi- Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints he never acted on those desires. were church members. Source: Variety, 10-16-20 rable job, up to now, of trying to run the temple, units, which all withdrew from scouting in 2019, Prosecutors said the material included “many, William Wasmus, 64, a Grove City, OH, evan- protect the Rabbi, shield our congregants, pacify had 37,933 units and 437,160 members in 2010. many infant children.” Some of the images and gelical pastor who conducted services on public our Cantor, put on our happy faces, and hide our The United Methodist Church sponsored 10,703 videos also included torture of adults and torture access television and was sentenced to 220 years dirty little secrets.” Source: Buffalo News, 10-29- units with 349,614 members. The Catholic Church and killing of animals. Source: Idaho Statesman in prison for child rape in 1994, is petitioning the 20 sponsored 8,131 units with 259,297 members. 10-30-20 Ohio Parole Board to be released. Jeffrey Maher, a monitor appointed to oversee The Boy Scouts model is “doomed to fail” in Former church member Dave Wexler is oppos- the handling of sexual abuse claims at St. Paul’s terms of protecting children but has become the Email: [email protected] ing release. He and his ex-wife, who married Was- School in Concord, NY, has resigned, accusing “go-to model for organizations with large numbers Page 24 FFRF | FREETHOUGHT TODAY | Madison, Wisconsin | December 2020 Saying goodbye to God — ¡Adios a Dios!

This speech was given on Nov. 1 during — to absolve me of the sin of missioniz- the Secular Day of the Dead celebration. ing — and they did! I can hold my head high in Mexico now. By Dan Barker It’s a journey n this Secular Day of the Dead, we The Day of the Dead is not about the honor those who are no longer end of anything. It is about a journey. A with us. They have not “passed journey from one state of existence to Oon.” They are not “resting in peace.” another. I also made a journey — from They have not “gone to their reward.” preacher to atheist — and much of it They are dead. happened in Mexico. I always felt at I was dead once. Really. And I came home in Mexico, maybe partly because back to life. one of my great-great-grandmothers was Well, not physically. I was baptized. born in Chiapas, and the next three gen- After accepting Jesus as my savior, I was erations, including my mom, were born dunked under the water and lifted back in Tucson, Ariz., in the middle of Mexi- out. Baptism signifies — as you are low- can-American culture. ered beneath the surface — that you It was in Mexico, in fact, where I first have died, just like admitted to myself that I was an atheist. I Christ was dead had just gone through a period of about and buried. When four or five years of thinking and read- you are brought ing, gradually moving across the theo- back up, you are logical spectrum from fundamentalist at raised from the one end, through the moderate middle dead to a new life, for a couple of years, to the more liber- just like Jesus was al thinking that does not hold the bible Margaret Downey, director of the Freethought Society, coordinated, with Victo- resurrected from to be literally true. If the story of the ria de la Torre, the first online, international Secular Day of the Dead on Nov. 1. the grave. You Prodigal Son is a parable not intended Margaret, who is a FFRF State Representative and Lifetime Member, co-hosted are literally “born to be taken historically, and if the tale of the event and is pictured with Secular Day of the Dead memorabilia. Participants Dan Barker again.” And by “lit- Adam and Eve is a metaphor, then what included FFRF and other secular groups. Celebrities including actor John Huertas, erally,” I mean not else in the bible might be symbolic rath- Hollywood legend John Davidson (who sang Mexican folk songs) and author Sasha “literally physically,” but “literally spiritu- er than actually true? Perhaps Yahweh, Sagan, daughter of Carl Sagan. ally.” If you believe in the spirit world, God himself, is just a literary invention, then baptism is not just a metaphorical a huge figure of speech. When I realized ritual drama — it is an actual occurrence Since the Aztec rituals long preceded of a good god. there is no way to know where to draw in the supernatural world. Christianity, the Day of the Dead is not Mexico has also had its share of earth- that line, God moved from concrete Of course, that was only possible be- a Mexican version of Halloween. Hal- quakes, one of the largest of which hit to abstract. I learned that there is no cause of a bloody human sacrifice: Jesus loween came later, in Europe, where Mexico City in 1985. That shows us that coherent definition of God, no agree- suffered an agonizing death on the cross there was generally a darker attitude there is one thing that unites all people ment among believers as to the nature so that you and I could be redeemed. toward death. on the planet, all cultures throughout or moral principles of such a God, no So I believed. Halloween is the evening of the Cath- history. good philosophical argument for the ex- Of course, it’s not just the Christian olic Feast of All Saints. After the Span- istence of such a creature, no good reply religion that is obsessed with death. ish Christians invaded the Americas, the Death is for all to the Problem of Suffering, no evidence Long before the gospels — many thou- religious customs were merged and the Death belongs to all of us. How we for an afterlife, and no need for a god — sands of years before the ancient Isra- Day of the Dead shifted to Nov. 1. deal with it varies, but the fact of death because you can live a happy and mor- elites, and the Mesopotamians before In 1755, Nov. 1 literally became a day is inescapable. al life without such a belief. Combine them who first started writing things of the dead in Europe. Of course, as an evangelical Chris- that with the fact that Jesus stubbornly down — long before that, humans had That morning, the city of Lisbon, tian, I did not believe that. After I was refused to return like he promised, and to face the reality of death. Since they Portugal, was brimming with Catholics baptized and called to the ministry, I it looks very much like it is all myth and could still dream about dead ancestors, who packed dozens of churches for the preached that there is indeed a way to that the natural world is all there is. many imagined a spirit world where Feast of All Saints. escape death. I spent many years as a I was lying on a cot one night in the their loved ones live on. Around 9:45 a.m., while worshippers pastor, evangelist and missionary, in- Sunday School room of a Baptist church Prehistoric burial sites contain food, were praying, the city was rocked by a cluding two years in Mexico, preaching in a little ejido south of Mexicali where I clothing, jewelry and tools buried with massive earthquake, 10 times stronger that “For God so loved the world that he was spending the night in the summer of the person to accompany them on their than the one that destroyed San Fran- sent his only begotten son, that whosoev- 1983. I was looking out the open window journey to the afterworld. cisco in 1906. Most of the stone church- er believes in him should not perish but at the night sky. Those stars are gather- Ritualistic burial happened all over es were demolished, immediately kill- have everlasting life.” ing material and burning it up, shining the planet, in various forms. The Az- ing thousands of believers who were I was a true believer. I warned that brightly for a while in the darkness be- tecs, in what is now Mexico, inherited trapped inside. the world was going to end at any mo- fore they burn out and cough their at- an ancient tradition — going back at Some tried to escape by rushing to ment, “like a thief in the night.” I spent oms and energy back into the void. For least 3,000 years — that a dead person’s the sea. Around 10:20, the first tsunami 19 years in ministry, waiting and hoping the first time in my life, it dawned on me soul would go up — either to the sun, or arrived, drowning many. More earth- for the day Jesus would return to take that I was completely alone in that room. to a garden paradise — or down to the quakes and tsunamis followed, batter- us away from this depraved planet, away There was no watchful eye judging underworld, governed by the goddess ing the wounded city, causing great hu- from death. my thoughts and actions. There were Mictecacihuatl. But first, they had to en- man tragedy. There was only one time in Mexico no spiritual beings competing for my dure a long journey through Chicunam- But that wasn’t the worst. The fires that I remember getting any pushback soul. I realized that I, like those stars, ictlán, the Land of the Dead. This was that broke out grew into a roaring in- to my ministry. Around 1970, I was pass- am a part of the natural universe. I am not a hell of torment — it was the final ferno that blazed for days through the ing out Christian literature on a side- a little low-wattage sun, ingesting mate- resting place of the soul. That journey rubble, incinerating trapped survivors, walk in Mexico City when a well-dressed rial, burning it up at about 98.6 degrees could take several years of arduous trav- impeding rescue efforts and destroying man came walking by. I approached Fahrenheit, and will one day sputter out el and difficult obstacles. Similar to the structures that were still standing. him and started telling him that there and disperse my atoms and energy back rituals in the Fertile Crescent and Eu- Convents and hospitals were ruined. are more important things in life than into the universe. I finally met my true rope, Nahua rituals in the Americas, tra- So were prisons. Many of the criminals money, that Jesus offers true meaning self — I am an animal, and that is all, and ditionally held in August, involved fam- who were suddenly free began rampag- and the hope of salvation. He seemed to that is good enough. At that moment, I ily members providing food, water and ing through the ruins, looting and rap- be in a hurry, so I quoted Matthew 6:34, truly became a “born again” creature of tools to help their loved ones in their ing. Some of them broke into homes where Jesus said “Take no thought for which the scriptures so ignorantly speak. challenging odyssey beyond the grave. that had survived the quakes, killing the tomorrow. Tomorrow will take care of I completed my journey from supernat- inhabitants. In the days that followed, itself.” He looked me straight in the eye ural to natural, from “life after death” to It’s a celebration vermin and disease plagued the home- and said, “If I believed that, my company “life before death.” A life that will end. This tradition continues in the con- less and destitute survivors. would go bankrupt.” My arduous odyssey complete, I temporary Day of the Dead festival, in This “day of the dead” incited a huge He quickly walked away, leaving me looked out that window and said, “Adios which people leave offerings on the debate across Europe about the prob- with nothing to say. a Dios.” graves or on homemade altars (called lem of suffering. Voltaire wrote his fa- Decades later, when I returned to Dan Barker is co-president of FFRF and ofrendas) in their homes. These acts are mous “Poem on the Lisbon Disaster,” Mexico for the first time as a nonbe- author of the books Godless: How an Evan- positive and optimistic. The Day of the savagely attacking trite religious theodic- liever, I spoke to a group of atheists in gelical Preacher Became One of America’s Dead is a not a mourning, but a cele- ies. Is death the “wages of sin,” he asked, Mexico City and confessed my sin of ar- Leading Atheists, Losing Faith in Faith and bration. It is not a funeral, but a kind of or is it the result of natural forces? Some rogance and condescension when I was GOD: The Most Unpleasant Character in cheerleading. thinkers began to question the existence a preacher. I asked them to forgive me All Fiction.