John de Lancie’s Winners of FFRF’s Freethinkers are speech at Darrow High School winning struggle statue dedication Essay Contest for America’s soul PAGE 17 PAGES 12-16 PAGE 18

Vol. 34 No. 7 Published by the Freedom From Religion Foundation, Inc. September 2017

Good News E Pluribus Unum Muslim models Bella Club may get Hadid (holding sign) and Gigi Hadid (red jacket) march in a New York protest. bad news The Freedom From Religion Foundation Evangelical Christian group issued a statement after targets Milwaukee area the Charlottesville, Va., rally, noting in part: schools; FFRF steps in “Along with the rest of the nation, we at FFRF Evangelically based “Good News Clubs” are watched, with growing trying to infiltrate nine school districts in the horror and dismay, as Milwaukee area, but FFRF is working with local the hate-mongering groups and Protect Our Children to get infor- white supremacist mation to par- ‘Unite the Right’ march ents and school in Charlottesville ended officials before in hours of violence, they even get in mayhem and three the door. deaths. On Aug. 16, “FFRF works to uphold FFRF Co-Pres- revered constitutional idents Annie principles, which A screenshot from an actual Laurie Gaylor include not only CEF training video. and Dan Bark- religious liberty, but er sent a letter equality and equal to the superintendents of all nine districts being justice under the targeted, informing them that the clubs are com- law. We don’t believe ing and reminding them of their obligation to in gods, but we do protect their students from proselytizing adults. fervently believe in Each year, “Good News Across America,” the ‘melting pot’ of a national children’s outreach sponsored by diverse peoples united Child Evangelism Fellowship (CEF), targets one together: E Pluribus major city for evangelism. For 2017, it has cho- Unum.” sen Milwaukee. As part of this evangelical in- Check out FFRF’s many vasion, local churches backed by CEF will seek timely press releases, to establish Good News Clubs at 16 elementary blogs and action alerts schools in the Milwaukee area. or sign up to receive The invasion has been a long time coming, them in your inbox at: first planned for 2016 and then rescheduled to Photo reprinted with permission by AKM-GSI ffrf.org/news. 2017. This means FFRF has had ample time to See Good News on page 3 Freethinking perilous in a non-free country FFRF’s Nonbelief Relief gave a $5,000 in chemical engineering. my father sat home like a king, tak- own sense of reason and justice. relief stipend to the author of this article, I was raised by my mother, who is ing her paycheck, treating her poorly, who is remaining anonymous because of a mechanical engineer and driven by and repeatedly subjecting her and my Controlled by militia threats against her. To save her life, she the values of goodness, science and older sister to beatings. After many In 2004, militias took over govern- and a family member were brought over to reason. As a ratio- years of abuse, my mental buildings, companies, and the United States from Iraq in June, with nalist, she believes mother applied controlled virtually every aspect of the help of the State Department. She had that the human A brave and intelligent for a divorce, life in the community. They also con- appeared on the “The Rubin Report” to dis- mind, rather than woman, my mother always which, in most trolled social customs, including re- cuss her situation and the dangers of living God, is the key to rejected Islam. She has parts of the Mid- quirements for women to dress mod- in Iraq as a nonbeliever. She received death life and knowl- dle East, requires estly and wear a hijab. threats after the show aired, and the video edge. It’s not the always been a role model. surrendering your When my mother went to work one has been removed from “The Rubin Report” most popular — Lubna rights and your day, an al-Mahdi militiaman ordered site. The audio is still available, however. view in Iraq and it reputation in the her to put on a hijab or she would not caused her to be community. be allowed to work. My mother always This is her story. scorned by her family. So my mother Nevertheless, she did what she had refused to wear a head cover, and in married not out of love, but to escape to do to raise my siblings and me, this case her passionate rebuff creat- By Lubna her family and the terror and abuse of teaching us to always rely on our in- ed a stir. Soon, his superior joined the her father and brother. telligence and hard work. A brave and fray and they both mocked and then y name is Lubna, and I am a However, my father was a lazy, selfish intelligent woman, my mother always physically abused her. Her instinct 25-year-old Iraqi student who and irresponsible person. So, it was my rejected Islam. She has always been was to fight back, however futile, but Mwas living in Baghdad, where I mother who worked hard to take care a role model, instilling in me the im- was working toward a masters degree of her children and her family while portance of believing in myself and my See Lubna on page 23 Page 2 FFRF | FREETHOUGHT TODAY | Madison, Wisconsin | September 2017 Freedom from religion safeguards liberty

Historic conference in Fauzia Ilyas, a brave young woman London brings together who founded Atheist and Agnostic Alliance Pakistan, committed secularists where apostasy can be punished by By Annie Laurie Gaylor death. Representing the ince co-founding the Freedom United States at the From Religion Foundation in conference as heads S1976 with my mother Anne Nicol of ex-Muslim groups Gaylor, I’ve never faltered from my were Sarah Haid- conviction that freethought and secu- er, co-founder of Fauzia Ilyas lar government are each necessary for Ex-Muslims of North both human progress and survival. America, and Egyptian-American Nou- Had I ever doubted the necessity ra Embabi, young president of Mus- of working for freedom from religion, lim-ish, whom we’ve FFRF Co-Presidents Dan Barker and Annie Laurie Gaylor with Bonya Ahmed. those doubts would have evaporated interviewed recently Zehra Pala is in the background. after attending July’s historic confer- for Freethought Ra- ence of the single largest gathering had just got word, right before this conference opened with the debut dio. “The cost of si- of ex-Muslims in the world. The life conference on free expression, that a of a new film, “Islam’s Nonbelievers,” lence for ex-Muslims and death experiences faced by glob- supposedly progressive radio station including chilling photos of that at- is too high,” Noura al freethinkers working for secular- in Berkeley was de-platforming him tack. Bonya was the first inspiring counseled. ism vividly brought home how vitally due to his measured criticism of Is- speaker on the program. We also heard important our work is. I was buoyed, lam. The conference issued a formal Other cofounders of secular groups from Zineb el despite the staggering opposition to condemnation of radio KPFA’s action. in attendance included: Rhazoui, the Mo- freethought on our planet, after meet- Demographically, it was exciting to Zehra Pala, president of Atheism roccan-born French Noura Embabi ing such brave, personable and com- see that the conference and its speak- Association of Turkey, a nation where journalist and for- mitted secularists. ers were overwhelmingly young, and almost daily secular rights are being mer Charlie Hebdo columnist who hap- FFRF was proudly cosponsor of the many activists and organizers female frighteningly curtailed. The slogan pened to be out of the office on Jan. historic International Conference on and feminist. of the association, which is the first 7, 2015, when terrorists burst in and Freedom of Conscience and Expres- Unfortunately, a number of speak- legally recognized atheist group in murdered her colleagues (“Nothing is sion in the 21st Century in London ers were unable to get permission to the country, is: “No atheists will be forgiven,” says Zineb): “I believe there July 22-24. The gathering was the idea travel to the event. alone anymore.” is no way to get rid of dictatorships if we of Iranian-born Maryam Namazie, a As a cofounder of FFRF, I was Mohammed Alkhadra, founder of do not get rid of superstition and reli- powerhouse activist with the Council thrilled to meet so many others Jordanian Atheists Group, in a nation gious dictatorship,” she told us. of Ex-Muslims of Britain and One Law around the globe who have also were apostasy is illegal. Mohammad There were panels on Secularism as for All. Maryam will receive FFRF’s founded freethought or secular or- had the crowd on its feet with his first a Human Right, Women’s Resistance, Henry Zumach Freedom From Funda- ganizations, but often in nations remarks in public. Mohammed was the Veil and Religious Morality, “Out, mentalist Religion Award, by the way, where such work is truly fraught with toying with radical Islam when he read Loud and Proud,” Religion in the Law at our upcoming convention. peril, where colleagues have even one of those pirated Arabic transla- and State, on blasphemy and a par- Maryam told us: “It’s really import- been murdered. In the case of Bonya tions of The God Delusion. ticularly fascinating panel on Art as ant for us to defend the right to leave Ahmed, a Bangladeshi-American, she Armin Navabi, the Iranian-born Resistance. Entertainment included and criticize Islam, especially when survived, with grievous wounds, the founder of The Australian singer Shelly Segal and Sha- you can be killed for it. In 13 coun- machete-wielding militant Islamists Atheist Repub- bana Rehman, a Pakistani-Norwegian tries under Islamic rule, atheism is a who murdered her husband Avijit lic, which has known as the “mullah-lifter.” (She ex- crime punishable by death. Freedom in cold blood in plain sight on the one million plained that label during her act.) of conscience also includes the right streets of Dhaka two years ago. The fans and fol- Blasphemy is a victimless crime but to freedom from religion . . . with- lowers, and blasphemy laws create all too many out fear, without threat and without is dedicated victims, first among them freedom of intimidation.” to offering a speech and freedom of thought. Ber- The conference’s compelling safe forum for trand Russell noted: “Every great idea hashtag — #IWant2BFree — was the freethinkers starts out as blasphemy.” But in today’s message of more than 220 individuals to share ideas. Armin Navabi, with world, there are still many countries from more than 30 nations, including He now lives in his wife, Charlyn. with blasphemy laws, including not just countries where it’s a crime to leave Canada. Islamist nations. Islam or be an atheist. A variety of Inna Shevchenko, Femen leader, The message of this conference secular activists from other countries, who was kidnapped and threatened is the message of the Freedom From including Dan Barker and myself, par- by the Belarus KGB in 2011 and giv- Religion Foundation. The only way to ticipated. The conference-goers were en political asylum in France. Inna safeguard liberty is to keep religion out especially touched by the participa- was speaking at a conference in Co- of government. tion and presence of Britain’s atheist penhagen when militant Islamists To learn more about the confer- intellectual stars, Richard Dawkins opened fire. After surviving the at- ence, listen to the Aug. 10 broadcast and A.C. Grayling. Ironically, Dawkins Inna Shevchenko tack, Inna famously said: “Liberal of Freethought Radio (ffrf.org/radio) voices should be louder than Ka- or watch the Aug. 9 “Ask an Athe- lashnikovs.” Inna stated at the con- ist” on blasphemy (FFRF’s YouTube ference: “Religion is not compatible channel). with feminism.” See all videos at secularconference.com.

Published by Freedom From Religion Foundation, Inc. Last chance to register for convention!

P.O. Box 750 Madison WI 53701 [email protected] FFRF.org P 608.256.8900 F 608.204.0422

EDITOR P.J. Slinger [email protected] EDITOR EMERITUS Bill Dunn EXECUTIVE PUBLISHER Annie Laurie Gaylor GRAPHIC DESIGNER Roger Daleiden The 2017 FFRF national convention Cost is $60 if you are a member, or COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR Amit Pal is only days away, but there’s still time $115 if you’re not. (If you’re not, it’s only to register! $40 to become a member!) Children CONTRIBUTORS The event is Sept. 15-17 at the and students are free. (Meals are extra.) Philip Appleman, Dan Barker, Monona Terrace in downtown Madi- If you’d like to attend, sign up on- John de Lancie, Molly Hanson, James A. Haught, son, Wis. Come see our great line-up line at ffrf.org/outreach/convention. Or Chris Line, Andrew Seidel, Jake Swenson, Lisa Treu, Brandon Withrow of speakers and performers, including contact FFRF at 608-256-8900. Dead- Paula Poundstone, Steven Pinker, Ju- line to pre-register is Sept. 8. You may The only freethought newspaper in the United States lia Sweeney, Michelle Goldberg, Katha sign up on site during the convention, Pollitt and many more! but meals will not be provided. September 2017 | Madison, Wisconsin | FFRF | FREETHOUGHT TODAY Page 3 Longtime pastor loses his religion

Name: Bruce Gerencser. I was, in every way, a sold-out, on-fire Where I live: Ney, Ohio. follower of Jesus. I remained evangelical Where and when I was born: Bryan, until the latter years of my time in the Ohio, in 1957. ministry. My beliefs and politics began Family: Wife Polly; children Jason, drifting leftward, resulting in me be- Nathan, Jaime, Bethany, Laura, Josiah; ing labeled a liberal by some of my col- 11 grandchildren. Married for 39 years. leagues in the ministry. After I left the Education: Attended Midwestern ministry in 2005, I began reading books Baptist College in Pontiac, Mich. — a that challenged my beliefs. One author fundamentalist Baptist institution — in particular, Bart Ehrman, had a huge from 1976-1979. impact on me, forcing me to reconsid- Occupation: Photographer, disabled. er what I believed about the nature and How I got where I am today: I was history of the bible. This resulted in me raised in rural Ohio. My father moved admitting that I could no longer believe us around a lot. By the time I was 21, that the bible was an inspired, inerrant, I had lived in 16 different houses, infallible text. My house of faith quickly lived in 10 communities, and attend- came tumbling down, and in November ed school in six different districts. 2008, I attended church for the last time My parents divorced when I was 15. and admitted I was no longer a Christian. My father died at age 49 of complica- Bruce Gerencser Before I die: I want to finish the book tions from heart surgery. My mother, ever have, I try to live each day to its treatment given to Christianity by lo- I have been working on for what seems after spending decades suffering from fullest, committing myself to doing cal government and schools, current like forever. I was diagnosed with fibro- mental illness, including two lengthy as much good as possible while I am war on opioids that is hurting those myalgia in 1997 and in 2007 I developed stays in the state mental hospital, among the living. suffering from chronic pain and need neurological problems that have forced killed herself at the age of 54. My wife Person in history I admire and why: narcotic pain medication. me to use a cane or wheelchair to get and I married at the ages of 19 and 21, Wendell Berry. Berry’s books taught me My doubts about religion started: around. I know, based on everything my respectively. Polly the importance of I was born into the Christian church. I body (and calendar) is telling me, that is the daughter of MEET A MEMBER place/community was baptized into the Lutheran church I am on the short side of life. Before I a fundamentalist and the symbiotic as an infant. In the early 1960s, my par- die I would like to spend time traveling Baptist pastor. I spent 25 years pas- relationship humans have with all living ents moved from rural Ohio to San Di- along the upper Eastern seaboard with toring evangelical churches in Ohio, things. ego. While in California, my parents the love of my life. Texas, and Michigan. In 2007, we re- A quotation I like: “What do you most began attending Scott Memorial Baptist Ways I promote freethought: I reg- turned to rural northwest Ohio and value in your friends? Their continued Church, pastored at the time by Tim ularly write letters to the editor of the bought our first home. Our children existence.” — Christopher Hitchens LaHaye. Both of them had born-again local newspaper, most often on the and grandchildren all live within 20 These are a few of my favorite experiences. While in California, they subjects of evangelicalism, atheism minutes of our home. This was our things: Day trips with my wife, photog- became members of the John Birch So- and politics. I also blog at “The Life last move. We intend to pass the latter raphy, dirt track auto racing, Cincin- ciety. At the age of 15, I asked Jesus to and Times of Bruce Gerencser” (bruce- years of life in Ney, a town with one nati Reds baseball, Cincinnati Bengals save me and a few weeks later told the gerencser.net). Through my blog, I re- stoplight, two bars, a gas station and football, Ohio State football, attend- church I believed God was calling me to ceive a large amount of email from one very outspoken atheist. ing my grandchildren’s school and be a preacher. I preached my first ser- evangelicals who have questions and Where I’m headed: I am headed to sporting events. mon at age 15 and my last sermon at age doubts about Christianity. Some of the same place we all are — the grave. These are not: Donald Trump, 48. I spent 25 years pastoring evangelical the letter writers are pastors, many of Knowing that this is the only life I will evangelical Christianity, preferential churches in Ohio, Texas and Michigan. whom have lost their faith.

Good news Continued from page 1 Many happy returns to Ken, 93 prepare, and we’ve been using it. FFRF’s Patrick O’Reiley Legal Fellow Chris Line has been working with Protect Our Children, a Portland-based group that helped protect Port- land’s children from the Good News Club’s 2014 invasion, and local Milwaukee freethought groups to shine a spot- light on the Good News Club’s activities in Milwaukee. The Good News Club is an evangelical Christian program for children ages 5-12 that has often been criticized for its tactic of meeting in public elementary schools, blurring the distinction between church and state, and for masking its goal of proselytizing children. Its self-described mission is: “Child Evangelism Fellowship is a bible-centered organiza- tion composed of born-again believers whose purpose is to evangelize boys and girls with the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ and to establish (disciple) them in the Word of God and in a local church for Christian living.” FFRF urges the districts involved to monitor these new Good News Clubs and ensure they are following all district rental policies and not getting access to students while class- es are in session or as they leave school for the day. It’s certainly not the first time that FFRF has gotten in- Photo by Chris Line volved with the Good News Club. Over the years, FFRF has Left: Kenneth Proulx. Above: written dozens of letters to districts regarding constitution- Editorial assistant Molly Hanson, al violations involving Good News Clubs. The most recent pictured in “Ken’s Cupola,” at FFRF’s of which occurred as part of this current invasion, when Freethought Hall office building club leaders entered an elementary school in Racine Uni- in Madison Wis., where several fied School District while students were there for summer weddings have taken place. school classes and proselytized, asking them to join in the club they were holding outside the school. Photo by Dan Barker On the plus side, it appears that a summer evangelizing Ken Proulx, one of FFRF’s oldest and longest-serving members, turned 93 on July 8. FFRF Co- project in Milwaukee did not work as well as it had in the Presidents Dan Barker and Annie Laurie Gaylor visited Ken on his birthday to celebrate with cake. past. In 2015, during its Indianapolis invasion, CEF part- Ken, who served in World War II, thought his way out of Roman Catholicism, and still recalls what a nered with 31 local churches, set up clubs in 92 locations relief it was when he was allowed to leave a parochial school and attend Wisconsin’s public school across Indianapolis, evangelized 3,406 children and “coun- system. A man of aphorisms, one of Ken’s enduring lines is: “The Mafia and the Catholic Church seled” 322 children. “Counseled” is the fellowship’s term are the largest crime syndicates on Earth. One of them is illegal.” Portraits of Ken throughout his for conversion, meaning that a child has now been “saved.” life are under the official titling, “Above Us Only Sky Kenneth Proulx Cupola” at Freethought Hall. But in Milwaukee this summer, CEF was only able to partner Thank you, Ken, for your years and years of exemplary support. Many happy returns. with 20 local churches, set up clubs in 60 locations across the area, evangelize 1,838 children and “counsel” 88 children. Page 4 FFRF | FREETHOUGHT TODAY | Madison, Wisconsin | September 2017 Videographer gives HEADS UP A Poetry Column By Philip Appleman FFRF more exposure THE WORM Eyeless in Gaza, earless in Britain, lower than a rattlesnake’s belly-button, deaf as a judge and dumb as an audit: nobody gave the worm much credit till Darwin looked a little closer at this spaghetti-torsoed loser. Look, he said, a worm can feel and taste and touch and learn and smell; and ounce for ounce, they’re tough as wrestlers, and love can turn them into hustlers, and as to work, their labors are mythic, small devotees of Protestant Ethic: they’ll go anywhere, to mountains or grassland, south to the rain forests, north to Iceland, fifty thousand to every acre guzzling earth like a drunk on liquor, Photo by Chris Line churning the soil and making it fertile, Bruce Johnson heads up FFRF’s video production area. earning the thanks of every mortal: proud Homo sapiens, with legs and arms— Name: Bruce A. Johnson. Ethics and hypocrisy, solar energy, elec- his whole existence depends on worms. Where and when I was born: Ann tric transportation. Arbor, Mich., in 1958. I spend little if any time thinking So, History, no longer let Education: Bachelor’s degree in about: The past. the worms be an ignoble lot broadcasting and film from Boston My religious upbringing was: unwept, unhonored, and unsung. University in 1981. Catholic. Moral: even a worm can turn. Family: Wife Cynthia Struye and My doubts about religion started: daughters Mallory and Erin. When I was quite young, I started to How I came to work at FFRF: Heard see the disconnect between what was —Philip Appleman, part of Darwin’s Bestiary from a friend that preached in gos- in “Darwin’s Ark” the FFRF was look- MEET A STAFFER pels and how peo- ing to do more vid- ple actually lived. © Philip Appleman. eo communications. I have experience And when I was kicked out of guitar From New and Selected Poems, 1956–1996 in building small video studios, and mass for playing lead during “Michael Philip Appleman is a Dis­tinguished Pro­fessor Emeri­tus 35 years experience in commercial, Row The Boat Ashore.” at India­ ­na Univer­ ­si­ty. He is editor of the Norton Critical public and corporate television, so it Things I like: Solar energy, electric Edition of Darwin. His published volumes of poetry seemed like a good match. transportation, bicycles, volleyball, al- include New and Selected Poems: (1956-1996), Perfidious What I do here: Shoot, edit, direct pine skiing, travel. Proverbs and Other Poems: A Satirical Look at the Bible and produce multimedia content, in- Things I smite: People who are ir- (2012), Darwin’s Ark (new 2009 edition) and Karma, cluding “Newsbites” and our Facebook rationally wedded to gasoline. Harleys Dharma, Pudding & Pie (2009). His newest book is The Live program “Ask An Atheist.” with ridiculously loud exhaust systems. Labyrinth: God, Darwin and the Meaning of Life. He and What I like best about it: It’s a job In my golden years: I have built a his playwright wife, Marjorie Appleman, are both “After-Life” Members of that needs to be done. teardrop-style camper, and I want to tow FFRF. Phil’s books: ffrf.org/shop. What gets old about it: Nothing yet! it behind a Tesla and see the parts of the I spend a lot of time thinking about: United States I haven’t gotten to yet. OVERHEARD FFRF welcomes 26 Lifers, Many described this time as the dark- Obama was demonized for being a est period of their lives, dominated Muslim, which he wasn’t, while Trump 5 Immortals, 1 After-Lifer by violence, fear and helplessness. is embraced for being a Christian, Ulrich Weber, an attorney who led an which he isn’t (in any meaningful way). FFRF is excited and proud to an- who want their donation to “live on” inquiry into sexual and other abuse Hemant Mehta, “The Friendly Atheist” nounce its 26 new Lifetime Mem- after them. at a famous Catholic music school blogger. bers, one new After-Lifer and five Our newest Life Members are Al- where the brother of former Pope Patheos.com, 8-2-17 Immortals. ice Anderson, Iva L. Bridwell (gifted Benedict directed a renowned boys Jean Bettanny, Tom Fairhall, John by Bill Wade), Earl Coggins (gifted choir, and where at least 547 chil- America has lived a long time off its Smail, Gail S. Smith, and John B. by Bill Wade), Jennifer L. Craven, Liz dren were abused. Former students thin Christian veneer. That is all finally Stange are our latest Immortals, a DuClous (gifted by Bill Wade), Dr. compared the school to a “prison,” being stripped away by the combina- designation for those members who Donald W. Fellner, Albert Gouyet, CK “hell” or a “concentration camp.” tion of mass consumer capitalism and have contacted FFRF to report they Haun, Laura Holmes (gifted by Dr. New York Times, 7-19-17 liberal individualism. have made provisions for FFRF in James Wheeler), Todd Huegli, Mat- Sociologist Christian Smith, quoted their estate planning. thew J. Kane, Charles J. Lavoie, Wil- by Rod Dreher, senior editor of The Cherie Ohlsson is our newest Af- liam Maiden, Dr. Tracy Mento, Stuart You can pull a verse out to justify al- American Conservative, in Dreher’s ter-Life Member, a tongue-in-cheek A. Miner, Horace Nalle (gifted by Dr. most anything. When you read the op-ed, “Trump can’t save American donation category of $5,000 for those James Wheeler), Ellen Nordsieck, bible fuller and in-depth, suddenly Christianity.” Ken Nordsieck, Clifford Ponce, Ken you realize that this book, especially New York Times, 8-2-17 The Born Again Skeptic’s E. Robbins, Marcee Schwenter, Huld- by Christians, has been so brutally Guide to the Bible ie Scott (gifted by Bill Wade), Eric massacred and misquoted. And we Often cults are seen as aberrations, or Paul Shaffer, James B. Watson, Rich- need to call that out. . . . This is why a psychological phenomenon. Psychol- ard Wirz, and one anonymous. lots of people want nothing to do ogists would see cult leaders as having A Missouri grandmother Individual Lifetime Memberships with the Christian faith. They see delusions of grandeur. But I see them debunks the bible as are $1,000, designated as member- it as an endless list of absurdities as something different — as baby reli- no one has debunked it ship or membership renewal, and are and inconsistencies and they say, gions. I think people are unaware how since Thomas Paine. deductible for income-tax purposes. ‘Why would I ever want to be part many of them there are, how constant By Annie Laurie Gaylor States represented are California, of that?’ they are. Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Michigan, Rob Bell, former pastor who was Susan Palmer, a sociologist and scholar BuyBuy it it from from FFRF online online New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Ore- once called “the next Billy Graham” of new religions at Concordia Universi- shop.ffrf.orgshop.ffrf.org gon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, by the Chicago Sun-Times in 2006. ty in Montreal. Washington and Wisconsin. Miami Herald, 7-24-17 The Atlantic, 8-6-17 September 2017 | Madison, Wisconsin | FFRF | FREETHOUGHT TODAY Page 5 Taxpayers on hook for ‘pro bono’ lawsuits Religious law firms cost American Center for Law and Justice represented the school board after taxpayers millions, even the chair “was contacted by the ACLJ if they claim to be free and they wanted to represent [the board] pro bono.” By Andrew L. Seidel • $500,001 consumed for a city to fly a Christian flag. entucky taxpayers owe the ACLU In a desperate attempt to keep a nearly $225,000 because Kim Christian flag flying on city property, the KDavis, the Rowan County clerk, city of King (N.C.) turned to the Alli- wanted to use her public office to im- ance Defense Fund, which encouraged pose religious law. In the name of her the city to adopt a policy it promised god, she wanted to deny LGBT cou- to draft pro bono. Once the issue was ples a right guaranteed to them by the taken to court, however, the city of King Constitution and upheld by the U.S. quickly racked up more than $50,000 in Supreme Court. Davis wanted her reli- legal fees and costs and ultimately set- gious belief to trump our secular law. tled with the plaintiffs, agreeing to pay From the beginning, the case was in- $500,001 to plaintiffs. surmountably and fatally defective. As • $451,662 blown in a misguid- Illustration by Hafakot/Shutterstock.com Columbia Law School professor Kath- ed attempt to display the Ten erine Franke mem- bono.” But that waiver only applies to erty accommodation to Kim Davis, Commandments. orably put it, “The Liberty Counsel’s legal fees, and I’d this case never would have gone any- McCreary County, Ky. v. ACLU of claim she’s making wager they made far more fundraising where. Had he done that, Kim Davis Kentucky. is a clear loser. It’s off Davis than they would have made never would have spent any time in This case involved two different Ten a political claim, it’s from charging her an hourly rate. jail. Had he done that, the ACLU Commandments displays in Kentucky not a legal claim. Liberty Counsel’s fee waiver does not would never have had a case be- county courthouses. Pulaski Coun- That’s why she lost apply to the other side, to the ACLU, cause it would have ultimately been ty lost and paid the ACLU $231,662. on the district level and — this is the critical point: The derailed at the very beginning. But The county was forced to take out a Photo by Ingrid Laas and the circuit lev- other side can recover fees from the because he was so ideologically sid- loan to pay the legal fees. Mat Staver Andrew L. Seidel el and she will con- government when it wins. ed with, blinded with if you will, the of Liberty Counsel represented the tinue to lose. She’s Here’s another example. FFRF same-sex marriage agenda and he county. Previously, “Staver stated that fighting for justice on the level of reli- sued the Chino Valley School Board wanted to force Kim Davis down this the battle is costing Pulaski taxpayers gious law. But we don’t live in a theoc- for its unconstitutional prayers, bible path, he would not lift a finger to give ‘zero’ dollars, since Liberty Counsel racy.” How is it that the taxpayers are reading and proselytizing. We did this a religious liberty accommodation.” is working ‘pro bono’ for the county paying so much for a case that was a after many attempts to resolve the There are really only two people governments.” foregone failure? case without go- to blame: the Staver also represented McCreary Davis took her unprincipled stand ing to court, but clerk who re- County. Fundraising efforts, includ- after the Supreme Court decided the the Pacific Justice In reality, they’re fighting fused to do her ing sending requests to “national re- Obergefell marriage equality case on Institute, a West losing cases so that they can job and vowed to ligious organizations, such as Focus June 26, 2015. A conservative Chris- Coast version of fundraise on the Christian discriminate — on the Family and the Trinity Broad- tian law firm, Liberty Counsel, then Liberty Counsel, and Staver. He casting Network” and local Christian wheedled its way into Davis’ case. offered to repre- persecution narrative. dragged out — is radio broadcasting, raised less than Liberty Counsel, run by Mat Staver, sent the school still dragging out 10 percent of the more than $220,000 fundraises by scaring the credulous board pro bono. — a losing case McCreary County owed. with stories of Christian persecution This free lunch proved too tempting. that allows his group to fundraise • $248,000 drained to pray before in America, as a glance at its budget But when the board lost in the district and further a mythical narrative of board meetings. for “email alert” and “printing and court, the court awarded FFRF more Christian persecution in America Joyner v. Forsyth County, N.C.. mail” services shows. Liberty Counsel than $200,000 in attorney’s fees and (where it is the majority religion and Forsyth County was unconstitution- is not alone — it’s joined by a who’s court costs. is grossly over-represented at all lev- ally opening board meetings with sec- who of organizations with names that So all the talk of pro bono rep- els of government). tarian prayer. This constitutional vio- could’ve been plucked from a dysto- resentation by groups like Liberty lation cost the county $248,000. The pian Orwell novel: Liberty Institute, Counsel is a bit disingenuous. They Squandering group now known as Alliance Defend- the Alliance Defense Fund, now oper- create and foster a public impression taxpayer funds ing Freedom was “representing Forsyth ating as Alliance Defending Freedom, that court battles to privilege religion County pro bono in the case.” the American Center for Law & Jus- will cost the taxpayers nothing and The costs that are passed on to Liberty Counsel and groups like it tice, among others. give the firms a gloss of magnanimity taxpayers because of this strategy are not looking out for the taxpayers’ and generosity. In some cases, these can be huge. Here are a few that can interests. In Santa Rosa, Fla., a school A cash cow for firms groups seem to deliberately conflate be verified with publicly available district was found liable for attorney’s No doubt Davis has been a cash cow pro bono representation with no information: fees after the ACLU challenged some for Staver & Co. According to Liberty cost to the taxpayers. In one of the • $1,000,011 wasted defending “in- of its practices under the Establish- Counsel, it represented Davis “at no cases enumerated below — a case in telligent” design. ment Clause. The court entered a charge,” or, as other reports said, “pro which the government had to borrow Kitzmiller v. Dover Area School District. consent decree between the ACLU money to cover the costs — a local No court has ever upheld teaching and the school board. Several school paper reported that “Staver stated creationism or any of its creatively re- employees intentionally violated the that the battle is costing Pulaski tax- branded offspring in public schools. terms of that decree. Liberty Coun- payers ‘zero’ dollars, since Liberty But the Thomas More Law Center rep- sel represented those employees and Counsel is working ‘pro bono’ for resented the Dover School District “pro when invited to work with the ACLU the county governments.” In reality, bono” to defend the teaching of “in- and the school to make the terms of they’re fighting losing cases so that telligent design” in public school. The the decree more clear, Liberty Coun- they can fundraise on the Christian school board lost and had to pay out sel “rejected these invitations out of persecution narrative and pass on all $1 million dollars in legal fees and $11 hand,” increasing costs and causing the risks and costs of litigation to the in damages ($1 for each plaintiff). The litigation to drag on for years. In taxpayers. plaintiffs’ attorneys, Pepper, Hamilton, the end, the school district owed the Staver is desperate to keep this kindly cut their bill down from the ACLU over $150,000 and the ACLU strategy hidden. So desperate, in fact, $2,067,226 to which they were entitled. agreed to waive its fee. Liberty Coun- FFRF Memberships: that he actually tried to blame the • $1,000,000 squandered by trying sel did not waive its fee, requiring the $40 single; $50 household; $225,000 bill, which was a direct result to hold public school graduations in school to pay $265,000. of his firm extending a losing legal a church. Religious law firms like Liberty $100 gung-ho; $250 sustaining fight, on anybody else, no matter how Does v. Enfield Public Schools. Counsel exist to push their own agen- Memberships are tax deductible! far-fetched he sounded: The school district unconstitution- da. They don’t care about the costs “If, at the end of the day . . . the ally held graduations in churches and that are passed on to public schools Freethought Today is state of Kentucky has to pay for at- insisted on litigating the case, causing and local taxpayers. published 10 times a year. torney’s fees, whose responsibility is the plaintiff to accrue “about $1 mil- The Kim Davis case is the perfect that? It’s not Kim Davis, it’s not Row- lion” in legal fees. The Enfield Board example. Taxpayers and their elected an County, it’s not the current legis- of Education eventually decided to officials need to be leery of groups lative body . . . it’s certainly not Gov. settle the lawsuit after losing a prelim- that come along offering to defend P.O. Box 750 • Madison, WI 53701 Matt Bevin. . . . It is the former liberal inary injunction and was responsible losing cases. ffrf.org/donate Democratic governor, Beshears [sic] for those fees, though it did not dis- Attorney Andrew L. Seidel is FFRF’s . . . Had he [provided a religious lib- close exactly how much it paid. The new Director of Strategic Response. Page 6 FFRF | FREETHOUGHT TODAY | Madison, Wisconsin | September 2017

FFRF awards $10,000 Four earn Catherine Fahringer scholarships FFRF is pleased to announce that it has awarded $10,000 in scholarship awards in memory of Catherine Fahringer to four students chosen by the Black Skeptics of Los Angeles, an African- American atheist community-based group. The scholarship is part of the First in the Family Humanist Scholarship program, which focuses on undocumented, foster care, homeless or LGBTQ youth who will be the first in their families to go to college. According to BSLA founder Sikivu Hutchinson, “Secular African-American youth disproportionately come from religious backgrounds and communities. These youth are often marginalized in K-12 and higher education Dia Brown Lydia Mason Sydney Steward Elijah Willig due to their non-conformity. This scholarship program provides a platform for their voices and experiences.” kind of person I wanted to be, and that I had the I do not live without a moral compass. None of Fahringer was a San Antonio feminist and responsibility for upholding those standards. us do; the human propensity consists of the need freethinking activist who ran a long-lived FFRF As I entered high school, I embraced human- to delineate good and evil. chapter and served on the executive board for ism wholeheartedly, and began fighting for justice Why attach divisive religions to this natural many years. She was especially interested in for all people on the basis of race, gender, sexual phenomenon? Good and evil mingle inside each nurturing the next generation of freethinkers. orientation, disability status, and the like. and every one of us. She died in 2008. I started the first high school Black Student With empathy as my fuel and passion as my road Union in my city, through which I organize nu- map, I navigate life fiercely fighting for all that I Here are excerpts from the winners’ essays. merous vigils, protests and forums. I started a think is right. What truly warms my soul, I get to mentoring program between my school and the define that. Not society, not a deity, not a centu- By Dia Brown Boys & Girls Club. ries-old tome, and certainly not a little kid sitting I also have been chairperson of the Mayor’s We across from me in art class. I am free. My morality umans have constantly cooked up new ways Day/Give A Day Board, through which I raised isn’t based in blind trust; instead, my morality is to explain what they perceive in the world. over $30,000, collected more than 60,000 person- simply, utterly and beautifully, mine. HWhen there are things they can’t explain, al care items for refugees, and organized a Com- Sydney graduated from Loomis Chaffee High School they let it stew in their heads and eventually a way passion Walk with over 3,000 in attendance. I have in Windsor, Conn. She is attending the University of to explain it is served. One of those ways is reli- done multiple speeches about the way that poor Pennsylvania with plans to major in nursing. gion. Religion has been used to understand and to sex education disproportionately harms people of moralize since the earliest days of humans. color, queer people, and people of lower incomes. By Elijah Willig But of those ways to solve problems, religion is Furthermore, I started a club devoted to the in- only an optional ingredient. clusion and empowerment of people with disabil- s a child, I attended weekly church services For me, I have always been passionate about the ities, and hosted a fundraiser for that club which with my parents, two progressives who, environment. My mindset for caring is that there raised over $40,000. Lastly, I started the first Girl A while not self-righteous churchgoers, be- is an aesthetic value to keeping the Earth clean. Up chapter (a United Nations Organization dedi- lieve in God and support religious institutions. It is also a concern for public health, and I con- cated to empowering women and girls globally) in As I started to learn more about poverty, rac- cern myself with the well-being of the people and my state and raised thousands of dollars for girls ism, ethnocentrism, homophobia and the many animals on this planet. When passion is mixed in seeking education and healthcare in Guatemala. atrocities that occur across the globe, I began to with action, a healthy serving of effective change If I had not chosen to embrace humanism and develop an identity as a nonreligious person. is made. take responsibility for my morality rather than I not only grew up in rural Iowa as an agnostic, When I tell people I am atheist, they often leaving it up to religion, I likely never would have I grew up as a gay, African-American male. ask how I got that way. It started when I was 5 become the activist I am today. It was not uncommon for me to see, hear and years old. I was sitting in a local Baptist church Lydia graduated from duPont Manual High School feel firsthand how my peers used religion as a with my family. People in the church were danc- in Louisville, Ky. She is attending New York Univer- means of stigmatizing and sometimes excluding ing and shaking as they “felt the Lord.” My sister sity and plans to major in politics and economics She those whom they deemed to be living an unholy exclaimed, “I feel him; I feel the Lord,” and in was the first-place winner in FFRF’s 2017 Essay Contest life — namely gays, lesbians, bisexuals and trans- that moment, I realized I didn’t. I waited. Wait- for Students of Color, announced in the August issue of gender individuals. ing turned to wondering. In that moment of iso- Freethought Today. Naturally, my lived experiences have shaped my lation, I decided. From then on, I never went to views on social issues and the world. More so, they church unless I had to, and I stopped reading the By Sydney Steward have taught me much about the work that humans religious books. As a young mixed girl in a con- must do to ensure equality for all. Working to servative county, I kept this hidden from every- little girl sat at her desk and crafted a ensure social justice for everyone, particularly one. When I was called rude names for the color paint-splattered masterpiece. The other those most vulnerable in our society, is of critical of my skin, I just thought of the good in people A children chatted about the little things that importance to me. because in my eyes, “everyone means well,” as my consumed the common sixth-graders’ attention: Recognizing that human action is the only late grandfather would always say. who was crushing on the cutest boy, the latest means for creating social change, I have worked I had faith in humanity, but I had no faith in shenanigans of the class clown, and hopes of the hard to make contributions that can help make God. I didn’t know it at the time, but I was an athe- cafeteria serving ravioli for lunch. But she was dif- our society more just. My primary contributions ist. This past year I helped to start an interfaith ferent, and she knew it. So she remained quiet, have come through my service as co-chair of the group and made sure that my voice as an atheist consumed in her own mental world. Diversity Alliance and as a student council class was heard. Despite my beliefs — or maybe because She continued filling the spaces of her exis- representative in my high school. For instance, of them — I have an appreciation for religion be- tence with pastels just as bright as her mind. Then, this spring, I led a collaboration between the Di- cause it is like a leftover soup. For me, I didn’t she overheard comments of a deeper context. “I versity Alliance, Student Council, and the Fellow- care for all the extra ingredients and went straight love Jesus.” “I go to church every Sunday!” “Do ship of Christian Athletes that was designed to ad- for the broth, and I enjoy it just the same. you read the bible?” She twitched. She silently dress the post-election rise in hateful comments Dia graduated from Huntingtown High School in cringed. She felt dangerously brave. by students in my school. These efforts culminat- Huntingtown, Md., and now attends the University of I looked up and said, “God isn’t perfect.” ed in a week of activities called “Own Your Words Vermont. During my youth, I attended a church that of- Week” that helped to educate students about the ten left me feeling empty inside. Sermons were impact that derogatory language can have on oth- By Lydia Mason boisterous, beautiful in the way that hymns capti- ers. Additionally I helped support and run the In- vated the broken souls sitting in the pews. visible Closet, a secret thrift store that low-income , like many people, had abused religion to ex- I sat and watched people pour their prob- students could visit on campus to obtain needed cuse my immoral behavior and inaction in the lems into a mysterious being. The same god who clothes free of cost and stigma. Iface of injustice. When I did things that were claimed to promote peace and love desecrated the In all, I have tried to abide by the principles unjust, I convinced myself that God had forgiven lives of millions of people every day. of humanism, acting each day with full knowledge me. When I turned a blind eye to all the wrong in Confusion and anger plagued my conscience. that, if our world is to become a site of justice and our world and sat by idly, I convinced myself that With every Sunday that passed, I realized a raw equality, it is I, along with others, who must take if I simply prayed or waited patiently enough that truth: Blind trust is intoxicating. the steps to make it so. God would fix it, even if I did nothing. When asked the question, “Do you believe in Elijah graduated from Grinnell Community Senior But there came a day when I got tired of waiting God?” I awkwardly reply, “I don’t know,” or “I am High School in Grinnell, Iowa, and now attends Mid- for a god to fix the world for me. I realized that trying to figure that out.” Rarely am I asked, “What dlebury College, where he plans to major in sociology I had the ability to set my own standards for the do you believe in?” and study Spanish and Portuguese. September 2017 | Madison, Wisconsin | FFRF | FREETHOUGHT TODAY Page 7 Black atheists: A minority within a minority

By Brandon Withrow As a result of this makeup, Afri- can-American atheists within the secu- This article, edited for length, originally lar world have a variety of experienc- appeared on The Daily Beast website on Nov. es, some finding stronger community 12, 2016, and is reprinted with permission. than others. Gorham says she feels very connect- hile honesty is said to be the ed to the secular world. “I have an best policy, for American athe- amazing atheist network in my city and Wists who are still in the meta- surrounding area. Our local chapter of phorical closet, it may also come with the Freedom from Religion Foundation a price tag. And this can especially be is very active and there are other really the case for African-American atheists active social groups.” — often referred to as a minority within a minority. Racism still exists “This has been a valid observation But there remains a constant re- and experience for me and others,” minder that racism is a universal human says [FFRF Member] Mandisa Thomas, problem, regardless of one’s opinions president of the Atlanta-based organiza- of religion. tion Black Nonbelievers. “Atheism, like any other demograph- “I was raised in what is known as the ic or group, is subject to the biases visible ‘Conscious/Black ©digitalskillet1/stock.adobe.com everywhere else,” says Jules. “Although Nationalist’ com- out demons, speaking in tongues, and adult, only to find the big questions un- more liberal and left-leaning in the U.S., munity,” she says. faith healing.” She’s had many person- answered. He took on the label “spiritu- I haven’t found racism, sexism, or many “I was educated al life challenges, she adds, but “what al but not religious” until he eventually other socially unacceptable labels signifi- early on about started the decline for me was when I accepted the fact that he was an atheist. cantly ‘less represented’ in atheism.” black history and started learning about the errancy of This new identity brought family Jules, however, has found a place in culture, as well as the bible.” Discovering that the bible tension. the atheist world, which he pinpoints “at the effects of insti- wasn’t infallible “really wreaked havoc” the three-way intersection of controversy, tutionalized rac- on her faith. A new community race-relations and rational discourse.” ism and injustice “Belief is often inextricably tied to “One may not see many of us Brandon Withrow that was commit- Leaving is an option race in the black community,” says Jules. well-represented at secular related ted against mar- Regardless of the difficulties, there “Although I disagree with the message, events,” adds Mandisa Thomas. “There ginalized groups in the United States.” are many black nonbelievers who want for many it’s a source of hope, connec- is still a tendency for the secular com- Thomas notes that black nonbeliev- to assure others that leaving the church tion, history, and sometimes empow- munity at large to center the attention ers are a minority among African-Amer- is an option. erment.” Distancing from that means on the ‘celebrities’ of the movement, icans. Past studies of African-Americans “Exodus: The Documentary,” for losing resources and adding burdens, most of whom are white. However, we and faith show that at they are demo- example, is a full-length film from which, he says, curtails any decision to are working to turn this around.” graphically (87 percent) the most reli- Christian journal- leave the church. Secular atheist organizations like gious group in the nation. Additionally, ist David Person “I don’t hide my The Center for Inquiry (CFI) also have she notes, “the number of blacks and and Chuck Miller I think we’re nearing atheism,” he says. programs to support black nonbeliev- other ‘minorities’ who openly identify (regional director another of many tipping He chairs the Dal- ers, such as African-Americans for Hu- as atheist, while growing, is still small.” for the American points“ where we’ll las-Fort Worth Co- manism (AAH). The Freedom From [FFRF Member] Candace Gorham, Atheists), and it alition of Reason’s Religion Foundation hosts an annual see the normalization author of The Ebony Exodus Project: Why looks at the in- Diversity Council “Freethinkers of Color Student Essay Some Black Women are Walking Out on creasing number of black atheism. and is an orga- Contest.” (Winners are announced on Religion — and Others Should Too, also of African-Amer- —Alix Jules nizer for the Dal- the following pages.) sees African-American atheists as a icans becoming las wing of Black “If the secular community wants to double-minority. nonbelievers and Nonbelievers. be sure that we’re building a strong “When I’m around a lot of black the difficulties they face in doing so. But as a result of his openness, he’s movement,” says Debbie Goddard, di- people,” she says by email, “I ‘pray’ that “Today, more than ever, black people been forced to look for — and to help rector of AAH and of Outreach for CFI, religion doesn’t come up! I don’t want . . . particularly our young people, are create — a new community. And now, “then representation and diversity must to have to answer questions and I don’t leaving the church, religion and God,” he adds, “My wife and I have friends be important to us.” want to be expected to pray or agree or says [FFRF Member] Bridgett (Bria) that have become staples in our lives Goddard says that a one-size-fits-all whatever else. But if you’re around black Crutchfield by email. She’s the founder and sources of boundless support.” approach doesn’t work. “I’ve been glad people for long enough, it will come up.” of the Detroit affiliate of Black Nonbe- Another side of the double-minority to see more representation and a grow- Gorham was raised a Jehovah’s Wit- lievers and is interviewed in “Exodus.” dilemma comes from within the secular ing number of local groups in the last ness until (by age 9) her parents sepa- “Unlike atheists of yesterday, we’re for and atheist world — a segment of soci- few years and look forward to seeing rated. She stayed curious about religion the most part . . . vocal,” Crutchfield says. ety that is part of the growing religiously more in the future.” and joined a Methodist church, later “‘Exodus’ focuses on African-Americans unaffiliated — a sizeable 23 percent in Others also see significant room re- becoming involved in a nondenomina- and their exodus-exit from the church. America. maining for substantive improvement tional church ministry. It’s honest, raw, and intimate.” Statistically speaking, the face of athe- within the organized secular world. “I eventually was ordained as a Crutchfield was raised in a conserva- ism in the United States leans strongly “My work focuses on emphasizing prophetess and evangelist,” she says, tive Jehovah’s Witness family until she toward a male (68 percent) and large- and encouraging a more inclusive sec- “and was involved in things like casting was 18. She later became a Pentecos- ly white (78 percent) demographic, a ular humanist framework,” says Sincere tal Christian in her 30s, and then the number that is 12 percent higher than Kirabo, the social justice coordinator doubts about her faith began. the general U.S. population. for the American Humanists Associa- She says that it was ultimately her The recent study, “Exodus: Why tion (AHA) and blogger at Patheos. MOVING? re-evaluating of the bible “objectively” Americans are Leaving Religion — and When it comes to diversity, he says, Don’t miss your copy of and what she sees as the overall “hypoc- Why They’re Unlikely to Come Back” many “conflate representation with in- risy” in church that drove her out. “I be- from the Public Religion Research In- clusivity.” For the former, “the secular

Moving? Don’t miss a single issue of Freethought Today lieved in God, but I had enough of God’s stitute (PRRI), shows that among the community overall has made incremen- goddamn people,” she emphasizes. religiously unaffiliated, numbers by tal strides forward, though some diversi- Notify Us of Her family still prays for her. “There’s race vary. The study divides the demo- ty efforts result in tokenism, which is a Your Address Change no way to wrap a bow around unbelief graphic up by three groups: Rejection- lot of things but not true diversity.” and present it as beautiful to a (black) ists (58 percent), who say that religion “Meaningful diversity,” he argues, religious family,” she says. is not personally important and does “requires authentic inclusion — a seat Promptly! “I think we’re nearing another of more harm than good; Apatheists (22 and voice at the table. This means a many tipping points where we’ll see the percent), who say that religion is also fundamental upgrade in organization- EMAIL [email protected] normalization of black atheism,” says not personally important for them, but al leadership, mission principles, and Alix Jules, who also appears in “Exodus.” believe it is more help than harm; and agenda expectations.” “Telling our stories helps with that.” the Unattached Believers (18 percent), The double-minority status is repeat- The Post Office does not Baptized and confirmed Catholic, who say religion is important to them. edly affirmed as a real and complicated forward third-class mail. Jules spent time in a Seventh-Day Ad- Among these three segments of the place to be. FFRF cannot be responsible for replacing ventists school until fourth grade, after religiously unaffiliated, the majority Brandon Withrow is a freelance journal- back issues if we have not been which — due to his love of math and is white. “Fewer than one in 10 Rejec- ist and the author of nine books, including notified prior to your move. science — he was transferred to a Lu- tionists (4 percent) and Apatheists (8 his latest (co-authored with Menachem Weck- theran school in Brooklyn. He loved percent) are black, compared to 27 per- er), Consider No Evil: Two Faith Traditions debating theology and even studied Is- cent of Unattached Believers,” accord- and the Problem of Academic Freedom in lam. He later returned to his faith as an ing to the study. Religious Higher Education. Page 8 FFRF | FREETHOUGHT TODAY | Madison, Wisconsin | September 2017 IN THE NEWS Anti-atheist bias still exists over morality Study shows respondents believers in smaller samples within in his home city. Their dismembered them to be serial killers,” Gervais religious countries, like the United bodies are currently buried in his told The New York Times. think nonbelievers more States. The new survey suggests the basement.” It was followed with one But nearly 60 percent of the peo- likely to be serial killers! findings may extend globally, and it of two questions, where half the par- ple who had the choice to pick the finds those same suspicions happen ticipants got one and the other half teacher as an atheist did so; just 30 Even with the number of nonbe- even in highly secular societies. got the other. percent of those who had the option lievers increasing worldwide, there’s The study, led by Will M. Gervais, One group got this question: to flag the teacher as a religious be- still an inherent bias against athe- an associate professor of psychology “Which is more probable? 1) The liever did so. Self-identified atheists ists when it comes to questions of at the University of Kentucky, had man is a teacher; or 2) The man is a were less biased than the average, morality. a team of researchers sample about teacher and does not believe in any but not by much, the study found. Specifically, a new report shows 100 or more adults in 13 countries, gods.” The anti-atheist bias was stronger that most people around the world, including countries in North Ameri- The other half got this question: in highly religious countries, such as including nonbelievers, presume ca, Europe, Asia and the Middle East. “Which is more probable? 1) The the United Arab Emirates, than in that atheists are more likely to be se- One of the questions asked of the man is a teacher; or 2) The man is a more secular ones. Gervais, whose rial killers than believers. The study, respondents began with a descrip- teacher and a religious believer.” work explores bias against nonbeliev- which included more than 3,000 peo- tion of a sociopath: a man who, hav- “We used this psychopathic serial ers, had publicly backed off some of ple in 13 countries, appeared in the ing tortured animals when young, killer because we thought that, even his own earlier studies, finding them journal Nature Human Behaviour. later began hurting people and “has if people didn’t trust atheists enough too small to be convincing. “This Previous studies had found evi- killed five homeless people that he to let them babysit their children, time we got the numbers, and the dence of public suspicion of non- abducted from poor neighborhoods they wouldn’t necessarily assume effect was clear,” he told the Times.

Ark park transfers land Kentucky allows public back to for-profit entity schools to teach bible

Officials at Ken Ham’s ark park have Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin recently sold their main parcel back to their signed a bill allowing bible courses in for-profit entity for $10, likely because public schools. it was cheaper to pay a safety fee than The law, which easily passed the lose an $18 million tax incentive. state House and Senate, gives local The issue began in June after Ark school boards the option of develop- Encounter LLC sold the land to its ing a bible literacy class as part of their non-profit affiliate, Crosswater Can- social studies curriculum. The course yon, for $10, even though the property would be elective, not required. is assessed at $48 million. “The idea that we would not want The move coincided with Ham’s this to be an option for people in refusal to pay a safety assessment tax school, that would be crazy. I don’t levied by the city of Williamstown, know why every state would not em- Ky. City officials feared the sale could brace this, why we as a nation would be the first step in the park claiming not embrace this,” Bevin said at the non-profit status, which would exempt signing of the bill. it from property taxes. The ACLU of Kentucky said it’s con- But on July 18, state tourism offi- cerned about how the law might be cials said the land sale breached the used in schools. sales tax rebate incentive agreement, “A bible literacy bill that, on its face, Christians are more likely which was with Ark Encounter LLC, may not appear to be unconstitutional, not Crosswater Canyon, meaning the could in fact become unconstitutional to blame poverty on effort park would not be able to collect the in its implementation,” said Advocacy $18 million in incentives. Director Kate Miller. Nearly half of all Christians in the likely than Christians to claim that dif- On July 21, the parcel was switched United States think that a person’s pov- ficult circumstances are more to blame back to Ark Encounter LLC, again All anti-abortion groups erty is due to lack of effort. for a person’s poverty than lack of ef- for $10. A poll by The Washington Post and fort (65 percent to 31 percent). not exempt from ACA the Kaiser Family Foundation found In the poll, 29 percent of all Michigan community sued Nonreligious anti-abortion organi- that 46 percent of Christians see pov- non-Christians said that a lack of ef- zations are not exempt from the Af- erty as the result of individual failings. fort is generally to blame for a person’s over property ownership fordable Care Act’s mandate that their “There’s a strong Christian impulse poverty, compared with 46 percent of A Michigan housing association health insurers cover birth control in to understand poverty as deeply root- all Christians. community is being sued for allowing employees’ insurance plans, a federal ed in morality — often, as the bible Among specific Christians sects, the only Christians to own property within appeals court has ruled. makes clear, in unwillingness to work, numbers widen: 53 percent of white the community. On Aug. 4, a split three-judge pan- in bad financial decisions or in broken evangelical Protestants blamed lack According to the suit filed by the Bay el of the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Ap- family structures,” Albert Mohler, pres- of effort, while 41 percent blamed cir- View Chautauqua Inclusiveness Group, peals held that secular groups — even ident of Southern Baptist Theological cumstances; and 50 percent of Catho- the Bay View Association of the United if their stance on abortion aligns with Seminary, told the Washington Post. lics blamed lack of effort while 45 per- Methodist Church is guilty of violating religious groups — are not entitled “The Christian worldview is saying that cent blamed circumstances. the First Amendment, the federal Fair to religious exemption from the con- all poverty is due to sin, though that The question is also highly political, Housing Act, Michigan’s Constitution, traceptive mandate in the ACA, often doesn’t necessarily mean the sin of the not just religious. Among Democrats, and civil rights laws. called Obamacare. person in poverty. In the Garden of 26 percent blamed a lack of effort In 1942, the board of the association The court’s ruling affirms a federal Eden, there would have been no pov- and 72 percent blamed circumstanc- said that anyone who owned a cottage judge’s dismissal of a challenge to the erty. In a fallen world, there is poverty.” es. Among Republicans, 63 percent on its property had to meet two re- mandate under the equal protection Those who are atheist, agnostic or blamed lack of effort and 32 percent quirements: They had to be white and clause of the U.S. Constitution filed unaffiliated were more than twice as blamed circumstances. they had to be Christian. by Real Alternatives Inc. “Real Alter- The board dropped the “white” re- natives is in no way like a religious Yip Harburg, quirement in 1959, but the Christian denomination or one of its nonthe- from his book: Rhymes for the Irreverent one remained. Even now, prospective istic counterparts — not in structure, buyers have to include a recommen- not in aim, not in purpose, and not dation letter from a pastor. in function,” 3rd Circuit Senior Judge Shall I Write A Letter The lawsuit argues that Bay View Marjorie Rendell wrote in the court’s To My Congresman? isn’t affiliated in any meaningful majority opinion, joined by Judge Each Congressman has got two ends, way with the UMC. It operates inde- Joseph A. Greenaway Jr.: “We do not A sitting and a thinking end, pendently from the church and it’s doubt that Real Alternatives’s stance And since his whole success depends owned by a for-profit company. It on contraceptives is grounded in sin- Upon his seat — why bother, friend? also pay taxes, an admission that it’s cerely held moral values, but religion not a church property. And it main- is not generally confined to one ques- Buy it from FFRF online - shop.ff rf.org tains and uses “state-delegated police tion or one moral teaching; it has a power.” broader scope.” September 2017 | Madison, Wisconsin | FFRF | FREETHOUGHT TODAY Page 9 FFRF NEWS FFRF condemns Berkeley radio station for disinviting Dawkins

FFRF condemns one of the nation’s society that wishes to flourish, is being most well-known community radio turned on its head. Congress, with its stations for canceling a talk by legend- misguided Religious Freedom Resto- ary scientist and freethinker Richard ration Act, and the Supreme Court, Dawkins. with its Hobby Lobby decision, have ex- Dawkins was acerbated the problem. scheduled to As Dawkins pointed out in his re- give a talk and sponse to KPFA, “I am known as a fre- a book presen- quent critic of Christianity and have tation on Aug. never been deplatformed for that. Screenshot from Fox News 9 sponsored Why do you give Islam a free pass? FFRF Attorney Andrew Seidel, left, appeared on “Fox & Friends” to discuss the by KPFA in Why is it fine to criticize Christianity problems with a bible study being held at the White House. The opposing side of Berkeley, Ca- but not Islam?” the discussion was by Jay Strack, right, a Christian, whose main talking point was lif. Then, the Tied up in this disinvitation is a that the bible study is OK because it may provide the participants with much- station abrupt- fear of being labeled racist. But race needed wisdom. ly changed Richard Dawkins and religion are very different, one course. Ac- being an unalterable characteris- cording to its explanatory statement, tic of birth while the other, though KPFA “booked this event based entirely often an accident of birth, can be White House bible study on his excellent new book on science altered simply by changing one’s when we didn’t know he had offend- mind. And that makes open, honest, ed and hurt — in his tweets and other and incisive criticism all the more a big waste to taxpayers comments on Islam, so many people. important. Especially when, as the The Freedom From Religion Foun- theology of theological liberalism.” KPFA does not endorse hurtful speech. Nobel Prize-winning physicist Ste- dation is appalled that the Trump ad- That Drollinger has unfettered ac- While KPFA emphatically supports se- ven Weinberg observed of religion, ministration holds weekly bible study cess to the highest levels of our gov- rious free speech, we do not support “With or without it you would have sessions at the White House. ernment is scary and raises serious abusive speech.” good people doing good things and The list of attendees reportedly state-church concerns. There is a significant difference be- evil people doing evil things. But for contains the names of several officials For instance, all these messages tween criticizing Islam and casting as- good people to do evil things, that whose appointments FFRF objected to have a direct impact on public pol- persions on all Muslims. Our media — takes religion.” because of their inability to keep their icy, including on LGBTQ rights, including community radio — should No idea is above criticism, certainly personal religion separate from their women’s rights, the social safety net, embrace and promote that distinction, not an idea as bad as religion. public office. These include Educa- the right to choose, environmental not blur the lines between ideas and Every year, FFRF co-presidents and tion Secretary Betsy DeVos, Attorney issues, and global climate change, people. attorneys speak at hundreds of events General Jeff Sessions, CIA Director among others. The true test of an idea or belief is around the country, discussing the Mike Pompeo and Energy Secretary This access and ability to affect pol- not how sincerely it is believed, but the First Amendment and often criticizing Rick Perry. Vice President Mike Pence icy might run afoul of lobbying regu- facts upon which it rests. Ideas are not religion and its tendency toward theoc- sponsors the club. lations, something FFRF attorneys are immune from criticism simply because racy. We could easily be next. Indeed, The bible study is led by an out- investigating. some people believe in them truly and we’ve felt the sting of being banned in sider, Ralph Drollinger. He formed Drollinger’s website also has a hyp- deeply. Beliefs matter far less than the the past from venues and billboards. Capitol Ministries with the mission to ocritical note that lacks all self-aware- evidence for those beliefs. KPFA broke no law when it deplat- “birth ongoing outposts for Christ.” ness: “Privacy Notice: Please note that People deserve protection, ideas do formed Dawkins, but kowtowing to a Drollinger’s access to high-level offi- it is the strict policy of Capitol Minis- not. This maxim, which should be a pious heckler’s veto is no less stunning cials with what he calls “para-church tries not to comment on any public guiding principle for every nation and or craven. ministry” is disturbing. He has said, servant who is involved with our orga- “Homosexuality is a sin. It is an abom- nization. We protect the privacy of all ination in the eyes of God.” who attend our bible studies.” Mothers who work outside the So Drollinger gets access to public home are sinners, according to officials in a government building, but Drollinger: “Women with children at refuses to discuss which officials join home who either serve in public of- in. If those officials want privacy, the fice, or are employed on the outside, solution is simple: Study the bible in pursue a path that contradicts God’s your private capacity, not in your offi- revealed design for them. It is a sin.” cial capacity and at your government Last year, Drollinger attacked so- desk. Do it on your on time, not the cial welfare programs as unbiblical, taxpayers’. In short, get off your knees un-Christian, and based on “the bad and get to work. FFRF aided in church-funding case FFRF is grateful for the backing of maintenance of any minister or minis- kindred organizations in a New Jersey try, contrary to what he believes to be case it is fighting against the unconsti- right.” The amicus brief agrees with tutional funding of churches. that contention. Americans United for Separation The case is currently before the ‘You’re Sued!’ ad debuts of Church and State and the Amer- New Jersey Supreme Court, which has ican Civil Liberties Union recently accepted a direct appeal of a trial-lev- FFRF released a new video ad, Trump signed his “Religious Liber- submitted an amicus brief in support el decision allowing Morris County to “You’re Sued!” announcing a lawsuit ty” executive order in early May with of a suit that FFRF and member Da- disburse millions in taxpayer funds for challenging President Trump’s execu- great fanfare during a National Day vid Steketee filed in state court in late church repair, despite the state Consti- tive order to legalize church politicking, of Prayer ceremony in the Rose Gar- 2015 against Morris County, N.J., chal- tution provision barring such use. in violation of the U.S. Constitution. den. FFRF filed suit shortly after in the lenging major grants of tax dollars to FFRF is hopeful that the New Jersey “President Trump wants to convert U.S. District Court, Western District of repair or maintain churches. FFRF is Supreme Court will confirm that Mor- churches into the next political super Wisconsin. specifically objecting to $1.04 million ris County cannot compel taxpayers to PACs, but he better check the Estab- FFRF’s suit argues that Trump has in allotments to Presbyterian Church support or repair churches by uphold- lishment Clause of the Constitution used his order to usher in a new era in Morristown. ing the plain language of the state Con- first,” says FFRF Co-President Annie of church politicking, greenlighting FFRF contends the grants clearly stitution. With strong national groups Laurie Gaylor. “FFRF filed our lawsuit endorsements from the pulpit and violate Article I, Paragraph 3 of the rallying to its side, its confidence has and launched this ad campaign to raise opening the door for dark money po- N.J. Constitution that guarantees: “nor received a boost. awareness of the dangers of church litical spending. Meanwhile, the order shall any person be obliged to pay FFRF’s lawsuit is being handled by politicking.” discriminates against secular organi- tithes, taxes, or other rates for building attorney Paul S. Grosswald. FFRF Staff The ads ran in August on Facebook, zations such as FFRF, which must fol- or repairing any church or churches, Attorneys Andrew L. Seidel and Ryan Google and Instagram targeting secu- low strict guidelines to maintain their place or places of worship, or for the Jayne are co-counsel. lar Americans nationwide. 501(c)(3) tax status. Page 10 FFRF | FREETHOUGHT TODAY | Madison, Wisconsin | September 2017 FFRF VICTORIES By Molly Hanson the religious firm’s logo that includes a Indoctrination removed letter to Arnold on July 7 warning the Christian cross. from hunter training school district that imposing prayer on Ohio county’s plan ends Bristol School District #1 Adminis- Due to the FFRF, there won’t be any employees at a district-sponsored event trator Michael Juech informed FFRF Christian indoctrination permitted violates constitutional limits on govern- over faith-based services in an email that the district had con- during official hunter training in New ment religious endorsement. Further- FFRF has stopped an Ohio county’s tacted Thrivent Financial to let the Hampshire. more, Line explained to Arnold that attempt to divert public dollars to ex- group know that no future partner- The New Hampshire Fish and Game such prayers inappropriately alienate clusively religious organizations. ships would take place. Additionally, Department facilitates hunter safety non-religious employees, or those who In August, it was brought to FFRF’s the school district has taken steps to classes throughout New Hampshire. practice a minority religion. attention that Cuyahoga County had remove social media posts from the A person who contacted FFRF attend- On July 20, Arnold assured FFRF in issued a “request for proposal” so that Bristol School District pages high- ed a class on April 6-8 hosted by the a letter that he did not want to alien- it could offer outreach services limit- lighting the relationship with Thrivent Heritage Free Will Baptist Church in ate staff members and would no longer ed to faith-based organizations or co- Financial. Laconia, N.H. The complainant re- be praying with his employees during alitions of faith-based organizations. ported that everyone who attended school events. The request was intended to seek Christian message the class received religious flyers with “proposals from faith-based organiza- prayers and information about church University of Florida tions interested in providing outreach replaced in Md. school services. A pastor taught this class. The and referral activities to drive enroll- religious materials were enclosed with program sets it right ment in Cuyahoga County’s Universal all of the official hunter’s safety docu- FFRF has ensured that a program Pre-Kindergarten Program.” ments and study packets. at the University of Florida in Gaines- In a letter to the county adminis- FFRF learned that the New Hamp- ville will remain neutral regarding tration, FFRF Legal Fellow Chris Line shire Fish and Game Department religion. warned the county against the viola- will make certain that future classes FFRF contacted the university over tion of the First Amendment. co-sponsored by the department do a mandatory program it planned to The county responded that it not involve the distribution of such re- implement for all undergraduate would comply with constitutional re- ligious materials. students called “UF Quest,” which quirements to be entirely neutral on contained aspects that appeared to matters of religion. FFRF has religion fished advance or favor religion. The uni- versity’s associate provost of under- FFRF nixes religion out from Illinois contest graduate affairs explained that all An Illinois statewide fishing compe- students in the program would be en- from state event tition will not be angling for religion, couraged to meditate on their spiri- FFRF has ensured that the Wiscon- thanks to FFRF. tual tradition — which she equated sin Department of Health Services will Thanks to FFRF, an elementary A concerned Illinois resident in- with prayer. not entangle itself with religion when school in Frederick, Md., has agreed formed FFRF that the Illinois High In a letter sent on June 6, FFRF Staff sponsoring events. to expunge a proselytizing message to School Association, in conjunction Attorney Andrew Seidel spotlighted The Aging and Disability Resource its students. with the Fishing League Worldwide, the constitutional state-church con- Center of Southwest Wisconsin A concerned local resident in- started this year’s 2017 IHSA Bass cerns with the program and requested (ADRC) sponsored a dementia work- formed FFRF that Lincoln Elemen- Fishing State Finals for member Illi- that all program curriculum be ap- shop on June 15 exclusively for faith tary had been displaying a religious nois schools with a Christian prayer proached from a secular standpoint. community leaders. Religion was ad- sculpture in its foyer that had been that included “Thanks for your son FFRF also asked that the program in- vertised in a flyer of the workshop, donated by a Rotary Club. The sculp- Jesus.” clude all students by representing the which indicated that Pastor Carolyn ture was in the shape of a key and in- This sectarian prayer was inappro- nearly 35 percent of millennials who Kennedy led the 15-minute opening cluded printed advice to students to priate and unconstitutional, FFRF do not identify with religion. The uni- worship and that it was held in the “be good Christians.” FFRF Staff At- Legal Fellow Ryan Jayne told the versity’s attorney responded on July 14, United Church of Christ in Barneveld. torney Patrick Elliott sent a letter on association. assuring FFRF that the program would In a letter sent to the Wisconsin June 21 to the Frederick County Pub- The Illinois High School Associa- not promote religion and that the uni- Department of Health Services, FFRF lic Schools superintendent objecting tion responded quickly by ending the versity would work with FFRF to find Staff Attorney Ryan Jayne requested to the overt promotion of Christiani- prayers. humanist or atheist representatives if assurance that future Aging and Dis- ty on behalf of the school and asking necessary in the future. ability Resource Center events would that the sculpture be modified to re- California post office not include religious rituals. FFRF move the message. FFRF fixes up Texas also asked that any future events the A representative of the school dis- tosses prayers center sponsors be open to all com- trict responded on July 11 informing A U.S. post office plant in Rich- school’s religion policy munity leaders, not just clergy. FFRF that the principal of Lincoln El- mond, Calif., has agreed to end gov- A Texas high school will no longer be The Department of Health Services ementary school had been advised to ernment-endorsed prayers after receiv- using graduation events to unconstitu- responded on July 26, agreeing that remove the word “Christians” from the ing a letter from FFRF. tionally promote Christianity after FFRF resource centers should not prohibit message. It now contains a secular mes- At a potluck held by the post office contacted the school district over sever- any interested community leader from sage to “be good.” plant in December 2016, a pre-meal al state/church violations. attending its informational events. prayer was led “in Jesus’ name.” At a FFRF was informed that the gradu- FFRF seals up victory luncheon four days after, the plant ation events at Big Sandy High School Wisconsin school manager asked for an employee to were laced with religion. During a senior in Florida post office lead a prayer. FFRF Staff Attorney banquet prior to the school’s graduation ends religious ties A U.S. post office in Miami, Fla., will Madeline Ziegler wrote to the plant ceremony, the principal led a Christian FFRF has snipped the ties between no longer be unconstitutionally pro- manager, Severo Garza, on April 3, prayer in which he made multiple refer- a Wisconsin elementary school and a moting religion after receiving a letter warning that the prayer practices had ences to the bible and “warned” about religious financial firm. from FFRF. violated the constitutional separation Satan. On the day of graduation, a fac- It was brought to the attention of FFRF was informed that a poster of church and state by imposing prayer ulty member gave students a copy of FFRF that Bristol Elementary School reading, “To all South Florida Dis- on employees and endorsing religion the Christian book “God’s Promises for in Bristol, Wis., had partnered with trict Employees who have been called on behalf of the government. Graduates.” The graduation ceremony Thrivent Financial, a Christian finan- to serve, our thoughts and prayers Garza responded in a letter to FFRF itself began with a Christian invocation cial services firm that openly discrimi- are with you. God Bless America” on July 21 agreeing that the post office and concluded with the principal ask- nates based on religion. had been on display at the Quail would be in compliance with the First ing everyone to stand up to join hands FFRF’s Elaine and Eric Stone Le- Heights Post Office. On Nov. 4, 2016, Amendment in the future. and recite the Lord’s Prayer. Moreover, gal Fellow Ryan Jayne sent a letter to FFRF Staff Attorney Madeline Ziegler a local religious group was invited onto the Bristol School District asking that wrote a letter warning the post office Kansas school agrees to school property before the ceremony to it investigate Establishment Clause that U.S. postal regulations prohibit distribute bibles to students. concerns. the display of nearly all religious ma- be religiously inclusive FFRF Associate Counsel Sam Grover The school and financial firm had terials and that the First Amendment A Kansas school district superin- wrote to the school district’s superinten- collaborated on a “Feed My Starving prohibits government sponsorship of tendent has agreed to restrain himself dent, Jay Ratcliff, on June 22 to remind Children” event. Feed My Starving Chil- religion. from praying with his employees at the district of its duty to remain reli- dren is a Christian nonprofit with a mis- Ziegler asked that the post office school functions. giously neutral and protect the rights sion to nourish “God’s starving children comply with the constitution and A concerned employee informed of conscience of students. Public school hungry in body and spirit.” After the remove the sign. The Quail Heights FFRF that at an awards meeting for graduations, Grover pointed out, are students packed food, they were invited Post Office district manager respond- retiring staff, Independence Unified not the place to preach personal re- to participate in a Christian prayer over ed on July 20, informing FFRF that School District Superintendent Rusty ligious beliefs. Ratcliff responded on the food. In exchange for the funding, the sign had been immediately re- Arnold asked the audience to join him July 27 agreeing that the district would Thrivent transported students to the moved following the reception of the in prayer and to bow their heads. FFRF comply with its legal obligation to keep event. Students all wore T-shirts with warning letter. Legal Fellow Christopher Line sent a religion out of its schools. September 2017 | Madison, Wisconsin | FFRF | FREETHOUGHT TODAY Page 11

School bus advertising 30 warning that it is illegal for public Any day now! school employees to promote Chris- Jesus hits roadblock tianity by playing religious music in By Molly Hanson A public school bus rolling through classrooms. FFRF requested that Mun- Tennessee will no longer be doubling dock be directed to cease exposing as Christian propaganda on wheels. A A long time coming students to Christian music. Ohio county’s plan ends concerned resident informed FFRF On Aug. 3, the school district re- that a school bus for the Bedford Coun- sponded that Mundock had been over faith-based services ty School District in Shelbyville, Tenn., made to understand that playing Chris- FFRF has stopped an Ohio county’s was showcasing a large bumper sticker tian music unconstitutionally endorsed attempt to divert public dollars to ex- that read, “Easter is all about JESUS!” religious messages and that he would clusively religious organizations. The district violated the constitution only play secular instrumental music In August, it was brought to FFRF’s by allowing its resources to display re- going forward. attention that Cuyahoga County had ligious messages and promote religion. issued a “request for proposal” so that FFRF sent a letter to the district super- FFRF ends prayers it could offer outreach services limit- intendent on May 12 requesting that ed to faith-based organizations or co- the bumper sticker be removed. at Michigan school alitions of faith-based organizations. The school district responded on After learning of a state/church vio- The request was intended to seek July 24 that it had immediately com- Gary King, director of FFRF’s Colorado Springs chapter, sent us this photo, lation that occurred at Delton Kellogg “proposals from faith-based organiza- plied with FFRF’s request and that an “a reminder that Christ has still not returned.” Schools in Michigan, FFRF took action tions interested in providing outreach in-service training would be provided to ensure religious rituals are kept out and referral activities to drive enroll- for drivers to address the violation. of school events. ment in Cuyahoga County’s Universal contraception, choosing to have sex or school district employees would not FFRF was informed that the district Pre-Kindergarten Program.” Bible banished from having an abortion — all of which cri- promote any religious activity. held a Veterans Day concert in No- In a letter to the county adminis- sis pregnancy centers oppose for pure- vember 2016 at Delton Kellogg High tration, FFRF Legal Fellow Chris Line view at Virginia college ly religious reasons. The group’s em- Banners removed School. The event included a prayer warned the county against the viola- The Virginia-Maryland College of ployment policy clearly aims to spread led by a middle school student. In a tion of the First Amendment. Veterinary Medicine has removed a re- Christian dogma. from Georgia school letter sent on Nov. 22, 2016, FFRF Le- The county responded that it ligious text from a display after receiv- “It would be inappropriate and ir- gal Director Rebecca Markert wrote would comply with constitutional re- ing a warning letter from FFRF. responsible for a public school district that while it was laudable for the quirements to be entirely neutral on An employee reached out to FFRF to encourage students to visit a crisis school to honor veterans, it is uncon- matters of religion. over a bible being displayed on the ta- pregnancy center, much less invite stitutional to allow a religious message ble outside the office of the director such a group to teach sex education,” or prayer to be a part of a school-spon- FFRF nixes religion of the teaching hospital. The bible was wrote FFRF Legal Fellow Ryan Jayne in sored event. FFRF asked for confir- placed next to the seating for visitors. a letter to the Parkway School District mation that future school assemblies from state event FFRF Legal Director Rebecca Markert on April 7. would not include prayer. FFRF has ensured that the Wiscon- sent a letter on July 21 to the univer- On July 31, the district superinten- A legal representative of the school sin Department of Health Services will sity’s dean explaining that displaying dent responded that beginning with the district responded on Aug. 3 that the not entangle itself with religion when the bible to visitors of the director’s 2017-18 school year, all sexual health district would comply with the law go- sponsoring events. office sends the message that the instruction would be delivered by the ing forward. The Aging and Disability Resource college endorses the religious text, district’s certified health educators. Center of Southwest Wisconsin which is a constitutional violation. A Idaho school district (ADRC) sponsored a dementia work- legal representative of the university Pennsylvania manor shop on June 15 exclusively for faith informed FFRF in a letter sent on July The Lowndes High School in Val- complies with FFRF community leaders. Religion was ad- 25 that the bible had been removed gets secular makeover dosta, Ga., will not be promoting an FFRF has ensured that a school dis- vertised in a flyer of the workshop, from public view. The Palmyra Interfaith Manor in evangelical group or displaying Chris- trict in Twin Falls, Idaho, will keep reli- which indicated that Pastor Carolyn Lebanon, Penn., has removed a large tian symbols in its cafeteria after FFRF gion out of its assemblies. Kennedy led the 15-minute opening Michigan town ends collection of Christian iconogra- sent a letter over a constitutional A district parent reported to FFRF worship and that it was held in the phy that had decorated its common violation. that in February all district secondary United Church of Christ in Barneveld. school-endorsed prayer areas. FFRF was informed by a troubled schools in the Twin Falls School District In a letter sent to the Wisconsin FFRF has taken action to ensure that A resident of the manor reported parent that two large, seemingly per- held a mandatory student assembly Department of Health Services, FFRF students in Breitung Township Schools to FFRF that Latin crosses, angels and manent banners showcasing Christian featuring a guest inspirational speak- Staff Attorney Ryan Jayne requested in Kingsford, Mich., will no longer be depictions of Mary, Joseph and Jesus iconography and ideology were af- er who referenced God and prayer as assurance that future Aging and Dis- socially pressured into participating in decorated the lobby and community fixed to either side of the stage in the her source of support. Her presenta- ability Resource Center events would religious rituals. room, making the resident feel alien- school cafeteria. The banners were for tion to students included a slide with not include religious rituals. FFRF This past spring, the district’s Eighth- ated in her own home. Because the the Fellowship of Christian Athletes’ a bible verse, Philippians 4:13. While also asked that any future events the Grade Dinner Dance included a prayer manor is funded by the United States Southeast Georgia Chapter, which FFRF Associate Counsel Elizabeth center sponsors be open to all com- that students were instructed to recite Department of Housing and Urban De- includes a prominent Latin cross in Cavell lauded the school district’s goal munity leaders, not just clergy. before a meal. The prayer had been or- velopment, the religious displays raised its logo. The group’s mission is to of motivating students, she reminded The Department of Health Services ganized by Mrs. Hofer, a teacher in the constitutional concerns. FFRF Legal give coaches and athletes “the chal- the district in a letter sent July 26 of its responded on July 26, agreeing that district, who had pressured and shamed Fellow Christopher Line sent a letter lenge and adventure of receiving Je- First Amendment obligations to nei- resource centers should not prohibit students at the event to join in the re- on June 29 asking that the decorations sus Christ as Savior and Lord, serving ther advance nor promote religion as any interested community leader from ligious ritual by saying that refusing to be removed from the common areas of Him in their relationships and in the the speaker did. attending its informational events. do so would be poor manners. FFRF the residency to avoid the promotion fellowship of the church.” FFRF Asso- The district assured FFRF that it Legal Director Rebecca Markert wrote of Christianity. ciate Counsel Elizabeth Cavell wrote would comply with the First Amendment Wisconsin school to Superintendent Craig Allen on May The housing authority responded to a representative of Lowndes Coun- and refrain from sponsoring assemblies 25, warning that it is a constitutional on Aug. 1 informing FFRF that the reli- ty Schools on June 19, warning the dis- with religious content in the future. ends religious ties violation for public school teachers to gious items had been removed. trict that displaying religious symbols FFRF has snipped the ties between involve themselves in prayer. or promoting religious organizations Christian radio station a Wisconsin elementary school and a Allen responded on July 28 that the Missouri school steps with a clear evangelical mission is a religious financial firm. incident had been discussed with the constitutional violation. on bus gets turned off It was brought to the attention of violator. away from religion FFRF was informed on July 31 that FFRF commends a Wisconsin school FFRF that Bristol Elementary School A community member contacted the school had complied with its re- district for turning off a Christian in Bristol, Wis., had partnered with FFRF removes dogma FFRF over a promotion of religion at quest that the banners be removed. broadcasting station on a school bus. Thrivent Financial, a Christian finan- Cole Camp High School in Missou- Early in the spring, FFRF Legal cial services firm that openly discrimi- from Missouri school ri during the school’s Senior Awards FFRF turns off Georgia Fellow Ryan Jayne sent a letter to nates based on religion. The Parkway School District in Ches- Night, and FFRF promptly took action. the Stevens Point Area Public School FFRF’s Elaine and Eric Stone Le- terfield, Mo., will not be be teaching A school staff member had promoted school’s Christian music District due to concerns over a bus gal Fellow Ryan Jayne sent a letter to misleading, faith-based curriculum in a religious baccalaureate service sched- FFRF has ensured that a teacher at driver who was incessantly playing the Bristol School District asking that the future after FFRF raised constitu- uled immediately after the school-spon- Whitewater Middle School in Gaines- devotional Christian music on a bus it investigate Establishment Clause tional and health concerns. sored award ceremony. ville, Ga., has changed his tune and will taking students to P.J. Jacobs Junior concerns. A local faith-based organization, FFRF Associate Counsel Sam Gro- keep religion out of his classroom. High School. The school and financial firm had Thrive St. Louis, has been teaching ver wrote to Cole Camp School District A parent of a student attending the The school district responded with collaborated on a “Feed My Starving sex education in district schools. The administration to ensure that religious middle school informed FFRF that a brief, but laudable, response: “The Children” event. Feed My Starving Chil- group operates “crisis pregnancy cen- services were not being organized or an eighth-grade science teacher, Mat- practice has ceased.” dren is a Christian nonprofit with a mis- ters,” which label themselves as gener- promoted by the district and remind- thew Mundock, was playing Christian sion to nourish “God’s starving children al-purpose medical clinics for pregnant ing the public school district of its con- music in his classroom during his Correction hungry in body and spirit.” After the women, but in reality spew fallacious stitutional obligation to remain neutral examinations. When the student in- students packed food, they were invited advice and provide services that further toward religion. formed Mundock that the music was In the August issue in the FFRF Vic- to participate in a Christian prayer over a religious agenda. Thrive’s sex edu- Superintendent Tim Rolling re- distracting, he suggested the student tories section, there were two instances the food. In exchange for the funding, cation lessons, called “Best Choice,” sponded on Aug. 9 to inform FFRF go to the library. FFRF Staff Attorney in which a state was erroneously iden- Thrivent transported students to the is made up of scare and shaming tac- that the district would review all pol- Madeline Ziegler sent a letter to Fay- tified. The FFRF victories occurred in event. Students all wore T-shirts with tics to discourage students from using icies and practices to ensure that the ette County Public Schools on June Elkins, Ark., and Harrison, Ark. Page 12 FFRF | FREETHOUGHT TODAY | Madison, Wisconsin | September 2017 FFRF awards $10,150 2017 Essay Contest for High School Students The Freedom From Religion Foundation Aya Keller, University of California-Berkeley is proud to announce the 17 winners of Luke Makram, University of Alabama- the 2017 William Schultz High School Es- Huntsville say Contest. Lindsay Philcox, Brandeis University FFRF has offered essay competitions to Tori Roberts, California State University- college students since 1979, high school Stanislaus students since 1994 and graduate stu- Taryn Waite, Colby College dents since 2010. The high school contest is named for the High school seniors were asked to write late William J. Schultz, a Wisconsin mem- a personal persuasive essay about what ber who died at 57. He was a mechanical they would like to tell a believer in their engineer and cared deeply about FFRF’s life about why they chose freethought work, leaving a bequest that funds the (atheism, agnosticism). award. After carefully reviewing more than 170 Second place Sixth place FFRF also thanks Dean and Dorea essays, FFRF awarded six top prizes and Allison Wheeler, Centre College ($2,000) Quinn Freidl, undeclared ($400) Schramm of Florida for providing a $100 11 honorable mentions. Third place Honorable mentions ($200 each) bonus to students who are members of a Winners are listed below and include the Daniel Vogler, Princeton ($1,000) Donald Fasce, Franklin and Marshall secular student club or the Secular Stu- award amount and the college or univer- Fourth place Audrey Godwin, Vassar College dent Alliance. The total of $10,150 reflects sity they will be attending. FFRF has paid Evan Muskopf, Rochester Institute of Phoebe Greene, University of North those bonuses. out a total of $10,150 in award money for Technology ($750) Carolina-Wilmington The college student essay winners will be this contest this year. Fifth place Alisha Griffin, Bucknell University announced in the October issue and the First place Ian Garvie, University of Northern British Hannah Hanson, Berklee College of Music grad student essays will be announced in Zakaria Sharif, Stanford ($3,000) Columbia ($500) Alexander Hernandez, undeclared the November issue.

FIRST PLACE Stepping off the tightrope til she was 16, and had to sneak over to liefs to be displayed for the world to see. FFRF awarded Zakaria $3,000. her friend’s house if she wanted to watch television. My mother is the most honest Dad, I no longer believe in God, but I By Zakaria Sharif and humble person I have ever met. With have not lost touch with our history. My every movement, she espouses her mo- culture, my Asian pride, is located in my bloodstream, in my very DNA. I do not om, it is not because you raised rality, never satisfied to pay lip service if her actions will not follow suit. For her, need to justify my heritage by subscrib- me wrong. Dad, it is not be- ing to a doctrine that does not fit me. cause you did not take me to the God is the source of all goodness. With- M out God, there is no morality, no reason. Mom, I am a good person, or at least I try mosque enough as a child. For the first my hardest to be. That is not because I time, this is all on me. My mother defines righteousness by the bible she reads. fear God or Satan, it is because I fear fail- ing myself. You taught me to always be My father is a Muslim immigrant from Growing up, I learned that my already Bangladesh, and for him, religion is a my best, to treat others with respect and complex identity was inextricably linked demand nothing less in return. Those lifestyle. In my father’s eyes, the spicy to religion. I was Zakaria, of course, but scent of curries roasting in the oven and ideals did not come from an otherworld- that meant that I was both black and ly being; they came from you. the romantic hymns of South Asian mu- Asian, both Muslim and Christian. I nav- Zakaria Sharif sic meld together with the stories of No- igate the treacherous terrain with great I love working on being the best version Zakaria, 18, graduated from Picker- ah’s Ark and the parting of the Red Sea. care, sure to never offend one part of my of me possible. That will never change. ington High School in Pickerington, Ohio. His cultural identity, his very being, is being as I tiptoe across the tightrope of Mom and Dad, I love you, too, but for He was president of the student council, tied in with his religious belief. Without identity. However, my balance always once I have to make a choice for me, and captain of the mock trial team, founder Islam, my father is not himself. wobbled. The truth is, I cannot define I choose to not believe. I choose instead and president of Youth in Government My mother is a small-town African-Amer- myself by an imaginary force. I cannot to embrace who I am and reject any and president of the school’s JSA chap- ican woman raised in the pews of the envision life based upon preordination masks that obfuscate my real self. It is ter. Zakaria graduated first in his class church. She attended Christian school by some unknown power. I had to step nothing you did wrong; it is everything and was a National Merit Finalist. He will until high school, did not wear pants un- off the tightrope and allow my true be- you did right. And for that, I thank you. be a freshman at Stanford University. SECOND PLACE Tragedy was catalyst for understanding

FFRF awarded Allison $2,000. sense of understanding. begging for forgiveness, a sense of fulfill- ment, or even a promotion at work. I am I began to take notice of problems in the By Allison Wheeler not certain if God exists in the same way world and how many of them were caused that I am not sure God doesn’t exist, but by religious beliefs. In all of human history, hen I was younger, I was enrolled I am certain that my time can be better more wars have been waged because of re- in a Christian academy. My first spent helping a friend, making someone ligion than anything else. More than 50,000 years of schooling were filled smile, or cherishing the time I have with W “witches” have been burned at the stake with stories of Moses, Noah’s Ark and Jo- the ones I love. If I could say one thing in the name of God by people preaching nah. I learned that God was the default to all the believers in my life, it would be messages such as “love one another” and answer to any question I did not know the that, as a nonbeliever, I’m not unsympa- “thou shalt not kill.” The ancient Aztecs answer to. Who loves me? God. Why am I thetic or lacking morals, but rather I value pulled beating hearts from their people as here? God. What is my purpose? God. human beings over religious doctrine. Allison Wheeler a ceremony to the gods. I continued my half-hearted relationship Allison, 18, graduated as valedictorian from with Christianity for the next 10 years until, swim to shore. For the next two hours, I The time of sacrificing our own people Roseburg High School in Roseburg, Ore. She on May 23, 2015, I helplessly watched two watched the water for any sign of them, is over. Religion and government have was active in theater as a performer and of my friends get pulled under by a current but it was all for naught. been entwined for far too long, and in technician, and served as four-time chapter in the Umpqua River. I called 911, and real- I began to comprehend something im- order to tackle domestic and foreign is- officer in the Family, Career and Commu- izing the authorities wouldn’t get there in portant that day. Instead of wasting my sues, we must approach them with the nity Leaders of America. She is attending time, I did the only other thing I was taught time begging for salvation from an un- best interests of the people in mind, not Centre College in Danville, Ky., and plans to to do — I began praying. I appealed to God, proven supernatural entity, I could have with the appeasement of a deity. study foreign languages, and international promising to devote the rest of my life to been helping my friends. This tragic Every day people spend countless min- studies and is expecting to spend the 2019 him if only my friends could resurface and event acted as a catalyst for a greater utes worshipping various alleged deities, school year in Segovia, Spain. September 2017 | Madison, Wisconsin | FFRF | FREETHOUGHT TODAY Page 13

THIRD PLACE I am skeptical of religion because I see no I question too much “evidence that it is true. — Daniel Vogler FFRF awarded Daniel $1,000. By Daniel Vogler words: “I question too much.” ly responsible for fomenting witch hunts, I question why a perfect and benevolent religious wars, oppression of women and “Why the hell are you a nonbeliever?” God would choose, seemingly at ran- sexual minorities, genocide, death threats against novelists, suppression of scientif- ot long ago, a devout believer, dom, a few Middle Eastern tribes of high- good friend and frequent intellec- ly evolved primates — on a blue spot of ic discovery contradictory to its fantasies, cosmic dust orbiting an unremarkable and countless other — there is no more tual sparring partner of mine tried Daniel Vogler N star in an unremarkable star system — appropriate word — sins. to answer this question for me. I hope she’ll forgive me for saying that her tone to hear his revelations. I question where religions because they make astounding I would like to tell believers that they are was rife with the sort of condescending this God’s supposed perfection is de- claims for themselves, and offer nothing welcome to surrender their critical facul- certitude that seems to accompany the rived when he is said to have created in the form of evidence. I am not (nor are ties privately, but I stand with my fellow belief that one’s spot in heaven is already humans in his image — an image that most atheists) angry at God or some re- secularists and humanists, with those reserved. Her analysis of the fundamen- includes properties such as rage, jeal- ligious institution, as some believers as- who value free expression and the ide- tal reason for my skepticism of religion ousy and irrationality. I question why sert. Nor was I dispatched, as I have been als of the Enlightenment, in vehemently was the following: religion’s practitioners preach moral quite amusingly accused, by God’s less opposing the religious infiltration of our “You’re too smart for your own good. absolutism when humanity’s sense of savory counterpart to test the faith of shared public life. You question too much. You can’t just let right and wrong has fluctuated consider- nonbelievers. I see insufficient evidence Daniel, 18, graduated from James Cle- your doubts go and surrender to God.” ably throughout history. (For simplicity’s for divinity. That’s it. mens High School in Madison, Ala. He Sandwiched between a backhanded sake, I have directed my interrogation I am skeptical of religion because I see has coordinated “STEM Fairs” for ele- compliment and a nearly nauseating only at the dogmas of monotheistic re- no evidence that it is true; I reject reli- mentary students to reach out to the platitude (delivered only halfway iron- ligion, but a similar line of questioning gion because I see no evidence that it demographic groups underrepresented ically) was an actual insight. If I could, could be applied to the mythical texts of is good. in the sciences. He will be attending in a terse sentence, tell believers why I the Greeks, Hindus, Romans, etc.) I oppose the intrusion of religion into gov- Princeton University, where he plans to am not one of them, I would repeat her The truth is, that’s it. I am skeptical of ernance, an arena in which it is historical- study physics and math. FOURTH PLACE Horrors of religion can’t be justified FFRF awarded Evan $750.

By Evan Muskopf of their belief. I would ask them to chal- to read. Instead of supporting the clergy, lenge their beliefs as ideas that were support cancer research. Instead of going f there was one thing I could tell my indoctrinated in them by their parents to church, temple or mosque every week, family or a believer about why I’m a since birth, not truths to be blindly ac- clean up an elderly neighbor’s yard. Instead Inonbeliever, it would be that, through- cepted. Believing in something just be- of instilling bigotry in children, instill the out history, the belief in a higher being cause you are told you should does a dis- value of friendship and community. Instead has caused much harm, destruction and service to humanity. If people are going of judging someone on their beliefs, judge even death. Even if you ignore all the to be hurt and die in the name of a god, them on their deeds. Instead of hating science, even if you ignore the complete there must be more to base this on than someone because of their faith, love some- lack of facts, even if you ignore the to- being raised to believe. There has to be one because they are human. tal absence of hard evidence and proof, proof, evidence to continue to support Evan, 18, graduated from North Rock- there is no way that “God” would pro- Evan Muskopf the bigotry and financial waste that are land High School in Thiells, N.Y. He was mote and sanction the horrors commit- in the death of over 3 million people? Why found in religious organizations. born with autism and learning disabil- ted in the name of religion. did 8 million people die in the Thirty Years If there was one thing that I would want a ities, but through perseverance, Evan It there was one thing I could ask a believ- War? Why did Osama bin Laden master- believer to imagine, it would be to imag- became an AP Scholar and a member of er, it would be: How can you defend the mind the 9/11 terror strikes? Why are atro- ine the world without religion. The world six honor societies. He has been involved brutality and hatred of religion? cious human rights violations occurring would be such a better place if efforts cur- in numerous extracurricular activities Why were millions of people killed in the amidst the conflict in Africa between the rently made to satisfy a deity were instead and has volunteered at several nonprof- Holocaust? Why were Muslims killed in the Muslim Seleka and Christian groups? spent on helping our fellow human beings. its, including one that helps children Crusades? Why do Sunnis and Shias fight? Why? Because of religion. Instead of donating to the weekly collec- with autism and other disabilities learn Why did Roman Catholics kill thousands of If there was one thing that I would want tion plate, donate to a food pantry. Instead to ride horses. He will be attending the Protestants in the St. Bartholomew Day’s a believer to think about, it would be: of building large temples, build a home- Rochester Institute of Technology and Massacre? Why did the Roman Catholics Why do they believe what they believe? I less shelter. Instead of teaching catechism, has been accepted into the aerospace and Huguenots fight a war that resulted would want them to examine the source volunteer at a library and teach someone mechanical engineering program. FIFTH PLACE Yes, I know I’m going to hell FFRF awarded Ian $500. By Ian Garvie mine? Was it really that different? Why all eternity? Thus, the next question is, “Do does believing in God make you better if you really want me to suffer in pain and ag- “Thanks! I know I’m going to hell and I’ll we live our lives almost the same way? ony forever, and if so, why?” Nothing like be in good company!” And by the way, doesn’t your God say he loving your neighbor by wishing the most Ian Garvie ’ve been told I am going to hell through- will be the judge? And what about those painful thing imaginable upon them. even further on the topic. Instead, I chose out my life, even by some of my kin- other religions whose “false” god or gods My endless barrage of questions would a different path. I started a Secular Student dergarten peers. I never understood don’t look like yours? continue: Even if there was any scientif- I Alliance club at my high school, the first in the gravity of this statement until middle Though raised in a secular family, my ic evidence for the existence of God or a Northern California, to support students school, when I realized I am an atheist. parents intentionally exposed my broth- supernatural Jesus, which there clearly like me. By our presence and example, we Whenever friends, peers or teachers er and me to many religions, including isn’t, why would you choose to follow and want our believer friends to know, “We are asked if I believed in God or went to Christianity, Judaism and Islam. I reject- support them? Have you actually read the here. We are good people.” ed them all. Being more interested in sci- bible — both testaments? What kind of lov- church, I simply said, “No,” only to have Ian, 18, graduated from Laguna Creek ence, none of them passed the eviden- ing and benevolent creator would make a them turn against me in disapproval. I High School in Elk Grove, Calif. As founder tiary test and I wasn’t buying the “you realm of intense suffering for those who was befuddled and disheartened that of his school’s SSA, he helped host Darwin have to have faith” argument. don’t worship him, and still have the au- people I knew so well would easily spurn Day events, screenings of the Chris John- dacity to claim the moral high ground? me over what seemed irrelevant. I am Back to being told I was going to hell . . . I al- son movie, “A Better Life,” and had a ta- not sure how many friends I have lost ways thought this was such an odd threat. But no. I haven’t raised these questions out- ble at Freethought Days at the California due to my outspoken atheism. It seemed my believer friends wanted to wardly with many of my Christian friends. I Capitol. Ian’s activism has earned him Looking back, I should have asked them scare me with “going to hell” to make me believe it would be pretty futile, as most of several prestigious awards and scholar- a simple, “Why?” Why is their way of life want to join their club, or would they sa- them are so ingrained it wouldn’t make a ships. He will be attending the University so much more important or better than distically want me to burn and suffer for difference and would probably alienate us of Northern British Columbia. Page 14 FFRF | FREETHOUGHT TODAY | Madison, Wisconsin | September 2017

SIXTH PLACE To be a freethinker is a privilege and a burden, A Scout’s revelations especially“ in this terrifying day and age. — Quinn Friedl FFRF awarded Quinn $400. By Quinn Friedl leading a troop, the endless frustrations the dark sky. I had another revelation, of an ineffectual bureaucracy. Through perhaps more powerful than the first — he room was a repurposed play it all, I had prevailed. So why did I know what it was to be an Eagle. area, whitewashed and general- hesitate to answer this simple inquiry? Grinning subtly at this truth, I looked up, Tly abandoned. A table separated As each member stared at me thought- and with complete confidence, said “yes.” me from the five adults who formed my fully, it suddenly dawned upon me why I To be a freethinker is a privilege and a Eagle board. Seven years of camping, had such difficulty answering — I did not burden, especially in this terrifying day studying and leadership as a member of share their faith. and age. Those that choose to not believe the Boy Scouts of America had brought Every Boy Scout — be he a Catholic, Jew Quinn Friedl must constantly fight against those that me to this point. I had completed all or Muslim — must demonstrate some prepared to say the word that would would remove freedom of thought from other requirements, and this final ob- sort of faith in a god. I realized sudden- render my work meaningless. this country. The faith does not make the man— it is the man that makes the faith, stacle to the greatest success of my life ly that the years of previously inexpli- No. in more ways than one. To place the fu- was quickly falling away, despite my cable mistrust I experienced toward my It never came out. Before I could speak, ture of humankind in the hands of “God” fears. I was just beginning to breathe fellows, and dislike of the program as a my mind flashed back and forth, to is to absolve oneself of all responsibility easy when the dreaded final question whole, stemmed from this simple truth. memories of success and failure, joy toward one’s fellows. If there was one was asked. Now I understood why I felt the need to and sorrow, camaraderie and compe- thing I was taught to do in the Boy Scouts, “Do you believe you deserve to be an keep my head held high during grace. tition. I remembered racing down a it is to take responsibility. Eagle?” Now I understood why I never wished to sodden, ruined trail in the middle of Quinn, 18, graduated from Lane Tech- engage in discussions of faith with my Taken aback, I paused. Every question a snowstorm. I felt the compass in my nical High School in Chicago. He enjoys fellow scouts. before this I had answered with com- hand, as I guided my troop through a writing and co-creates works of fiction plete honesty, as an Eagle candidate was Now I understood what it was to be dense thicket. I recalled the happiness daily. He has earned his Eagle Scout expected to do. I remembered the hours alone. of sitting round the fire with friends, badge and will be attending Wright of community service, the stresses of I raised my head. I took a breath, and sharing jokes and watching the stars in Community College. FFRF Student Essays honorable mentions FFRF selected 11 essays from the high are terrified of losing their “salvation,” gious texts have not changed in the last school students essay contest it deemed and having to face the fact that perhaps 2,000 years for the most part, yet our worthy of honorable mention status. we just die. Instead of facing this and societies have exhibited tremendous Each of the following students received learning to accept it, they choose to stay social and moral progress. This includes $200 from FFRF. Here are edited excerpts locked in their religion and oppose any- the abolition of slavery, the acceptance from each of them. thing that challenges it. Fear holds you of homosexual people, the equality of back, and that is the one thing I wish my races, and the equality of the sexes. All family would truly understand. of this has happened despite religion’s Fear holds Tori, 18, graduated from John F. Ken- attempts to maintain the status quo nedy High School in Fremont, Calif. She that keeps them in power. will be attending California State Uni- The advances of science and technolo- you back versity-Stanislaus and hopes to have a gy have thankfully helped the develop- career in science in research or forensics. ment of freethinkers grow exponentially. By Tori Roberts Thanks to organizations such as FFRF, religious control in our governments and Religion is not society will diminish over time and dis- appear. I am proud to be a freethinker innately good and on the right side of history as people Hannah Hanson everywhere learn to look past religion’s ize and make sense of the world with- lies and move to acceptance and cele- out it. I listen to facts and what I feel, bration of all people regardless of race, By Alexander Hernandez not what I am told by a religious leader. sex or sexual orientation. Personally, I feel like religion does a Alexander, 18, graduated from high better job dividing us as people rather school in Coral Springs, Fla. He plans than uniting us. I find that it’s hate that to study political science in college and gets amplified the most. become part of the solution against reli- All I ever saw was a bunch of people gious control of our government. praying to something that may not ex- ist and shaming others for being differ- ent. Religion has never given me any- Tori Roberts There’s a thing good; it has only made me hate myself. It creates a divide and if you’re If I could say one thing to my family not on the right side, you’re in danger. members who are still strong believers in clear divide Hannah, 18, graduated from Lawrence Christianity, it would be that their fear of High School in Fairfield, Maine. She will the unknown is what holds them back. I By Hannah Hanson be attending Berklee College of Music in am not a Christian despite being raised in Alexander Hernandez pursuit of a vocal performance and mu- the middle of the “Bible Belt” under strong I remember trying to pray, but never sic education double major. Baptist beliefs. Most of my family remains understanding what I was praying to, Religion has long claimed that it is not in this religion and follows it closely and, only that everyone else did it and it as a result, our relationship has become only helpful, but needed for social and was something I was supposed to do strained. Politically, we cannot agree, as moral progress. This of course is easily to go to heaven. People told me that Freethought they will elect whichever candidate is the disputed by the persecution of “sinful” I needed a relationship with God if I biggest Christian, with little regard for their people who had done nothing wrong wanted to be happy, fulfilled and have bolsters actual beliefs or stances on any issue. They besides believing in another religion. a purpose. They told me that I would will not accept the fact that I am both an The most famous example of this be- be going to hell, especially after I came atheist as well as gay, and refuse to speak havior is the Crusades in the 11th to out as gay. They were a constant re- progress to me over these issues. It is almost pathet- 13th centuries. minder that some people hated me for ic that someone would allow religion to One of the biggest challenges that I what I was. I decided, after a long time By Aya Keller take oveR their family, but the devotion is have faced as an agnostic atheist is to of not knowing where I stood with God, too strong for some people and they can- explain to believers that religion is not that I wasn’t going to worship anything This past summer, I worked at the Hong not break free from it. inherently good or required for moral- or anyone. Kong Polytechnic University as a research Religion is the result of fear of the un- ity. Taking orders on morality from a Rejecting religion has made me see intern. Throughout my stay, there was not known. Homophobia is the result of fear, 2,000-year-old book is absurd. Society things clearer and helped me come to a single meeting in which I presented my voting with little care is the result of fear, has changed significantly since then, in terms with myself, in terms of who I research proposal without rounds of ques- cutting family off is the result of fear. They spite of religion, not because of it. Reli- am. I find it so much easier to rational- tions, doubts and unconvinced faces. I September 2017 | Madison, Wisconsin | FFRF | FREETHOUGHT TODAY Page 15

tiful and what it means. I try to tell her plays, and plays video games, reads, and that I can enjoy the majesty of it without makes and watches YouTube videos. She knowing how it relates to its creation, will be attending Bucknell University and just as I can enjoy my life without know- plans on double majoring in animal be- ing exactly why I exist. havior and anthropology. If her belief gives her some peace, I don’t begrudge her of it. Belief is a powerful thing. I choose to believe in the innate Questions good of humanity, in the beauty and chaos of life, and above all, the pursuit of happiness. answered There are many things I wish I could say to my mom, but in the end, I know they By Audrey Godwin would only cause her pain and worry. I Aya Keller can only continue to hope that some day she can let herself see how happy I am to Donald Fasce learned to accept these challenges and use look at the sunset, not because of a God them to my advantage, constantly rethink- behind it, but because of the woman I My dad was the main believer in our ing, reorganizing, reinventing ideas until a love and admire who sits beside me. family. After he and my mom divorced, solid scientific question had been posed. Phoebe, 18, graduated from Caldwell Ear- I opened myself to different and new in- Had I become defensive and dismissed my formation. skeptical colleagues, as many fundamen- ly College High School in Hudson, N.C. She will be attending the University of North My mother was the first person to find talists do, I would not have made the prog- Carolina-Wilmington, where she plans to out about my beliefs. She was accepting, ress that I made. continue her involvement in film-making, yet apprehensive. My father believes it’s Just like science, participation in so- theater, writing and music-making. a childhood phase. Similarly, my extend- ciety requires an open mind. As the pres- ed family members are just straight ap- ident of my school’s Secular Student palled or in denial. They can’t believe a Alliance, I often receive comments from boy who did so well in school could have believers questioning the purpose of our Do not think I done it without faith. They think that I club. At each event where we advertise, I can’t possibly have morals if I don’t have embrace any person who seeks to poke Audrey Godwin holes in my foundation because they am inhuman, a book to tell me what to do. permit me to answer questions about I was raised in a devout Christian family. I’ve learned that morals are beyond be- my beliefs and ultimately reach an even immoral The doctrines under which I was brought lief. I’ve learned those who have to be more meaningful conclusion. up were not simply the best option, but told to act based on a book rather than To me, uncertainty paves the way to ex- By Alisha Griffin the only option. I learned atheism was a on their respect for others are missing ploration and knowledge. When we close dirty word. When, after years of internal the point. My extended family preaches our minds off to doubt, we trap ourselves conflict regarding my own beliefs, I re- about their charity and compassion, but in a dark cave of ignorance. Religion ex- vealed my own lack of belief in a higher judges and hate anybody who believes emplifies the effects of firmly held convic- power, I was met with scorn. My religious anything slightly different. I hope that tions; as the world changes in a wonderful identity is not discussed or acknowl- one day they will learn to love others progression of scientific breakthroughs, edged by my family. for the sake of loving others, not just be- the ancient notions stay deeply rooted in I have been ever the inquisitor from a cause their god told them to. people’s minds. How can we delve into our young age, but when it came to religion, I Donald, 18, graduated from Livonia High individual moral philosophies, thus em- was discouraged from asking questions. School in Livonia, N.Y. He is a longtime vol- barking on the quest to ultimately under- It felt as though in this area of my life I unteer and computer aide in his commu- stand our existence? was being encouraged not to expand my nity and helped set up a recycling drive Aya, 18, graduated from Foothill High knowledge of the universe, to suspend and robotics competition at his school. School in Pleasanton, Calif. She co-found- my own disbelief, to put aside all factu- Donald will be attending Franklin and ed the Foothill Secular Student Alliance al evidence and remain willfully blind to Marshall College and plans to study and and has been president for the past two the glaring inconsistencies in logic. eventually teach astrophysics. years. She will be attending the University In my experience, religion encourages in- of California-Berkeley to pursue a degree dividuals to think within the established in neurobiology. Alisha Griffin lines of a group rather than form their The rationale of Do not think that because I am a nonbe- own opinions; this enables complacency liever that I am inhuman. My identity as and closed-minded traditionalism. Addi- a 10-year-old To admire a human being has not changed simply tionally, it opposes change and progress, both of which are crucial to the improve- because I lack faith. I am no less of a per- By Luke Makram the view son than you because it is vacant in my ment of society. thoughts. I resent that I was placed into a metaphor- ical box before I possessed the intellectu- By Phoebe Greene Do not think that because I am a non- believer that I am immoral. I treat peo- al maturity to even comprehend what ple with more respect than I sometimes was happening, and I resent that I was think they deserve. In a conversation, subject to such disdain for breaking out of I make sure everyone has a chance to that mold once I did. However, these ex- voice their opinions and thoughts. I hu- periences have only served to strengthen mor people, even if I think they are ridic- my convictions, and I have emerged from ulous, just to see people smile. this journey a proud atheist. Do not think that because I am a nonbe- Audrey, 18, graduated from Kent Place liever that I have been swayed by devils School in Summit, N.J. She is interested in and demons. My lack of faith came as a politics, philosophy and economics. She result of my broad studies and interests. writes poetry and prose, creates visual art I am fascinated with foreign cultures and sings in a music groups. She qualified and religions and ideas and philoso- for the Chinese National Honor Society. Luke Makram phies and traditions and beliefs. Hu- Audrey will be attending Vassar College. man beings are not swayed by demonic After years of posing universal questions things, but our own wants and needs to my religious family members and ob- Phoebe Greene and thoughts. Love to love taining unsatisfactory responses, I fi- Do not think that because I am a nonbe- nally decided to investigate the claims of Christianity myself. My mom is a Southern Baptist born and liever that I lack beliefs. I’ve learned that By Donald Fasce raised, and she raised me the same way. in one way or another, everyone’s beliefs This increased examination of religion are truth and in one way or another, ev- As I grew, I began to explore other reli- Being raised in rural upstate New York, I eventually led to my abandonment of eryone’s beliefs are fiction. I’ve learned gions and branches of thought. I eventu- know that skeptical and agnostic thought the faith. As a naive 10-year-old, my that I can never completely understand ally told my mom that I did not believe is a rare virtue among the local popula- understanding of ethics, philosophy another person. In that way, I have in the Christian God, but she couldn’t ac- tion. Just about everybody is a Catholic and the natural world was somewhat gained a sense of respect for others. cept it. I still don’t think she has. or Protestant, with maybe a single per- limited. However, I knew the difference I struggle to explain my views to her. It I am still kind. I am human, same as any cent of the community being “other.” To between right and wrong. I became a is like we are both looking at a sunset, of you. Nothing will change that. the massive majority, this group of “oth- nonbeliever mainly due to the moral di- but we can’t let each other admire it in Alisha, 18, graduated from Rahway High ers” is made up of freaks and geeks, the lemmas associated with accepting the our own way. Mom has to explain to me School in Rahway, N.J. She enjoys writing lambs led astray. To them, a Sikh, Muslim claim that an interventionist god exists. where it came from and why it is beau- fan fiction, original short stories and short and atheist will all burn in the same hell. My family still believes that science Page 16 FFRF | FREETHOUGHT TODAY | Madison, Wisconsin | September 2017 somehow “corrupted” me, when, in fact, choice that I make, and that no one has it was a closer reading of religious texts already decided those choices for me. I that ultimately changed my mind. Even believe in myself, and my own power to CRANKMAIL if the masses who adhere to the main bring change and good into the world, Here’s another sampling of the less-than-pleas- LAKE OF FIRE: YOU WILL WEEP AND BEG monotheisms are completely benign, more than I ever did when I believed in ant mail FFRF received in the past several weeks, AND MOAN AND BEG AND WEEP AND BEG AND the belief is not. There is something presented to you unedited. Note: Some of the lan- MOAN AND CRY AND WEEP AND BEG AND YOU your God. guage used is offensive. WILL NEVER EVER GET OUT OF THE LAKE OF FIRE fundamentally reprehensible about the Lindsay, 18, graduated from Ponte Ve- YOU WILL CRY AND MOAN AND BEG AND CRY AND notion that an omniscient, omnipotent You should just ignor dra High School in Ponte Vedra, Fla. Fish and Game mailer: MOAN AND WEEP AND GHNASH YOUR TEETH AND and omnipresent prime mover watches the material like everyone does with flyers for hear- BEG AND THEN ETERNITY HAS JUST STARTED FOR the suffering occurring on Earth with lit- She works at a family-owned eatery. ing aids or political ads. People like you need to get YOU = UNLESS YOU REPENT AND STOP WORKING tle compassion. During high school, she was involved a lfe and stop wasting tax payer money on stupid AGAINST ME YOU ARE GOING TO BE SORRY = I AM in several theater productions. Lindsay things. No one is telling you to read the material. I THE LORD AND THERE IS NO OTHER AND YOU ARE A peaceful nonbeliever, an ignorant am not at all religeous but I am fiscally responsbile will be attending Brandeis University, WORKING AGAINST ME AND IVE HAD ENOUGH AND foreigner, and the most heinous crimi- and it burns my ass to see morons like you waste UNLESS YOU REPENT YOU WILL BE SORRY FOREV- where she plans to study psychology nals in history are bound for the same my tax payer dollars on things that can easily be ER IVE HAD ENOUGH REPENT — Chris Acheson and theater arts. ingored. You really shouold get a fucking life. eternal punishment. It took no more — FFRF: Fuck your ass motherfucker im not a Mark Bogacz christian but this website is a fucking pot of steam- than the morally conscious mind of Please stay out of our state. Stay away: ing shit — Jesse Paul Churches host these events for free. Unless you’re a 10-year-old to recognize there was Cross: How can u force ur thoughts and be- something terribly wrong with this Living in the willing to pony up the money to rent out a place to lieves on us but we don’t have the same rights you worldview. This belief would essentially hold these classes, then please kindly piss off. I’m are hypocrites wouldn’t want to face your judg- not even religious, but it’s groups of assholes like ment on judgment day — Troy Goad be harmless were it not for the fact that you that ruin shit for everyone else. Go be an ac- present Complaint: What a waste of time,money,and it directs one’s fundamental outlook on tivist elsewhere in your own state. Stay out of ours. breath. — George Miller life and has very real effects on society’s Thanks. — John Dion FFRF: Why can you not leave some things You are a bunch of sick fuckers. I welfare. By Taryn Waite Fuck you: alone. Are you really so insecure that you must try hope that all of you die a terrible death. — Bob Luke, 18, graduated from Marshall to tell all of us free people how to live. Why do you Parker feel so entitled to determine what all others must County High School in Lewisburg, Tenn. Suck my ass, you heartless creeps. Losers: think? You have gone a step too far. We are Amer- You are not happy unless you are in some bodies His two passions are academics and icans... a free people who have the right to see business basketball. He has traveled through- — Kathy Romine things as we see them and draw our own conclu- You people disgust me with your out the world, including France, Italy Disgusting!: sions. We do not need a watch-guard to tell us how separation of church and state. Get a real job and to think, act and grieve. This is insulting. We do not and Canada. Luke will be attending the stop causing problems. If you dont like Jesus and need you to tell us how to live. — Paul Pappas University of Alabama-Huntsville with his word go to a different country.— Terry Jarrett GOD IS GOOD: You will get your freedom for go away: Please stop, this site and what it a goal of getting a degree in aerospace a 3 and a half y.then GOD will show Himself and engineering. stands for is absolutely disgusting-please leave this country - this country was founded on God and your plaques begin.Hardened sinners are all SELF- if you dont like that go else where ....but there is ISH people.Gays are all SELFISH people.Atheists another place youll go if responsible for this crap of are all SELFISH people.People like you hate any- which i pray is bnot the case and you see the error one to tell them and point out to you that you are I do not need taking things from others. This GOD who gave the of your ways — Derek Broadhammer 10 Commandment ,HE gave them to HIS PEOPLE Get a life: Following your rules, I can’t honor the dead anywhere in public because it’s all “gov- not you.Why are they bothering you if you are so your God ernment” property. Well guess what, the govern- good? You are not good and you want this world to ment doesn’t get to say what goes on the land be- destroy all good people so that you can enjoy fully By Lindsay Philcox cause they want to. They can’t own the land. The every sin there is. Well,you are already doing that people own the land. If that cross gets removed, I’ll and GOD has allowed you to live because when HE put 10 up in its place, and 10 up by your headquar- takes your life away you will never live again. GOD ters. Get a life losers. — Nick Poulter IS GOOD isn’t HE?:) — Natalie Holand You suck: When you die, I hope people piss You will be sued!: You do not have to listen on your grave. Worry about our schools and home- to church you do not have to go to church you do Taryn Waite less. Disgusting so called American. Trump has a not have to listen to church music. If you don’t line of people wanting to build his wall, get in it. believe you have the right to not believe but you That’s where you belong. — Tasha Daniel do not have the right to stop me from having the I woke up with a start and opened my God is good: God is on the throne. He is the right to do those things. And whenever you and in- king of King and The Lord of lords and one day ev- fringe upon my rights as a Christian then you will eyes. I fumbled around in the tent un- ery knee will bow and profess him as God. Satan be sued. You are nothing more than traitors to this til I found the zipper, then stepped is at work in these last days to remove God from country and the American people. You are forcing out. A faint glow enveloped the ridge every facet of life. But I know, God is good. Good your atheist beliefs on me and I will not stand for it. around me, so I looked up and abrupt- will reign forever. — Starr Lyn FFRF EXPECT TO BE SUED!!! — Michelle Williams ly forgot all about my full bladder. The sky was speckled with millions of A pox on your house (of worship) sparkling pinpricks of light, forming a blanket that extended as far as I could see in every direction. It swallowed me up in its quiet grandeur. I was floating, suspended in this moment of time, on this mountain ridge at mid- night, under the stars, far from all that had ever bothered me. Lindsay Philcox To some, this experience would stir a spiritual or religious response, I tried to be religious for a long time. I strengthening their belief in God and went to church on Sundays and sang heaven. For me, however, it meant hymns next to my grandmother. But something entirely different. In that there was always something within me moment, I existed entirely in the pres- that doubted what I was trying to be- ent. All that mattered as I looked up at lieve. I took more interest in doodling the night sky was the here and now, on the prayer request cards in the pews and all at once I felt calm, invincible, than I did the Sunday sermons. Yet, and truly free. even through my doubt, I desperately When people ask me why I don’t be- wanted to be religious. I wanted to fit in. lieve in God, my answer is simple. I wanted God to be a safety net for me. While I’m alive, I don’t want to worry But he never was. about what happens after death. In- To the believers, I say, I do not need stead, I want to work on living life to your God. Go right on believing. I don’t its fullest while I am here. I don’t need mind. You do not offend me with your something after death to live for. I just belief as I offend you with my lack of it. I need myself, the people I love and the have discovered a world of freethought, beautiful world around me. outside of the walls of the church. I have found my own set of beliefs, which do Taryn, 18, graduated from Lexington not revolve around an all-knowing man High School in Lexington, Mass. She David Williamson of Florida sent us this photo that was posted to the in the empty sky, looking down upon me swam competitively throughout her Atheists of Bay County (Florida) Facebook page. The Christian Church with judgment and a predestined map youth and plans to continue swimming at Panama City’s sign reads, “Christianity is like chicken pox. If you of my life’s course. I believe in energy in college. She enjoys hiking, skiing, have it, you can give it to others!” FFRF staff members had a good time — a positive, soulful energy — within us traveling, origami and teaching swim- commenting on the church marquee, including such quips as, “And it that neither has, nor needs, any name. ming lessons. Taryn will be attending leaves scars,” “It’s much worse if you have it as an adult,” and “Science I believe my life will go where I direct Colby College, where she plans to study has led to its significant decline.” it, based on each and every individual neuroscience. September 2017 | Madison, Wisconsin | FFRF | FREETHOUGHT TODAY Page 17 Scopes trial narrative would be same today

Actor John de Lancie gave these remarks dle of the universe; they do not deal at FFRF’s pre-dedication dinner in Chatta- with the problems of life; they do not nooga, Tenn., on July 13, the night before teach how to live. There is no place the unveiling ceremony for the statue of for miracles. Clarence Darrow outside the Rhea County “They eliminate everything super- Courthouse in Dayton, Tenn., site of the natural from the Old Testament and 1925 Scopes trial. the New. “They don’t tell us where man be- By John de Lancie came endowed with the hope of im- mortality. They believe that man has bout 10 years ago, I had the un- been rising all the time; that he never usual experience of touring our fell from grace and that when the savior A country with a show about the came, there was no reason for his com- Scopes “Monkey” Trial. Ed Asner played ing, and that he was born of Joseph and William Jennings Bryan and I played that he lives in his grave. Clarence Darrow. This was not “Inherit “Evolution is a doctrine that not only the Wind” — it was from the actual trial destroys their belief in God, but takes transcripts. from them every moral standard that It was one of the most interesting the bible gives us. theatrical experiences of my life. I had “This issue, between believer and un- no idea what I was getting myself into. believer, is bigger than any court and we During rehearsals, we concentrated are not going to settle that issue here. on the legal details — the maneuver- “The bible is the word of God. The ings of the lawyers and the judge. Our bible is the only expression of man’s job was to give the audience the “expe- hope. The bible is not going to be driv- rience” of the trial, while at the same en out of this court by ‘experts’ who time arriving at the same conclusions have come hundreds of miles to testify we held — that this was all an intellec- that they can reconcile evolution and its tual exercise: a historical/pastoral cu- ancestor in the jungle, with a man made riosity which took place long ago and by God in his image and put here for far away. That is, until our first perfor- Photo courtesy of the Chattanooga Times Free Press the purpose of a divine plan.” mance, when a man abruptly stood up John de Lancie speaks to the crowd as part of the dedication ceremony for the There you have it — Bryan’s argu- and screamed at the top of his lungs statue of Clarence Darrow in Dayton, Tenn., underwritten by FFRF. ment: “Stay away from our beliefs . . . that we were damned and going to hell. of man, except the divine account to the human mind.” stay away from our children . . . your We froze. The show came to a screech- contained in the bible. Bryan’s response fascinated me. It ‘education’ turns them against us . . . ing stop as we stared into the audience, “Now I ask you; what is the bible? It drew a clear, concise line in the sand. our beliefs are non-negotiable . . . our wide-eyed and dumbstruck. Suddenly, is a book primarily of religion and mor- And as I sat there, night after night, I sacred text is literal . . . and we have the we weren’t in Kansas anymore — al- als. It is not a book began to realize answers to all the questions you will ever though, actually, we were! of science — nev- that no level of “ex- need to ask.” That performance was my first, er was and never quisite detailing” Sound familiar? The chasm between full-throated encounter with the reali- was meant to be. Educated arguments about fossils or, in us is as stark today as it was then — may- zation that some people take this stuff There is nothing supported with facts later years, DNA or be more so. Red/blue; urban/rural; seriously. And so, as we moved from prescribed that are now suspect, if not carbon dating was guns/no guns, life/choice; a closed vs. town to town, and each performance would tell you how dismissed out of hand. or would have con- open world are all embodied in the sub- brought out new and more vocal out- to build a railroad, vinced Bryan to text of that speech. bursts, I began to listen more closely to or a steamboat, or change his narra- Add the “fear of God” into this fun- what was being said. Not what I was say- how to make any- tive — his fantasy. damentalist mindset and you’ve got a ing — I was in complete agreement with thing that would advance civilization. While Darrow argued law, intel- system that will never change. Darrow’s words — but to what Bryan “It is not a book on biology — they ligence and enlightenment, Bryan was saying. And after a time, I began to knew nothing about it. They thought talked magic. ‘Death of wisdom’ “hear” his argument and to understand the Earth was created 4,004 years be- And when your audience is primed As Darrow said, “The fear of God is in a more visceral way that both of these fore the Christian era. We know better. for a magic show (as invariably a reli- the death of wisdom.” Educated argu- men were talking across a great gulf. They want the bible to be the yardstick gious audience is), you’re not going to ments supported with facts are now sus- Darrow’s reasoned, rational approach to measure every man’s intellect; to get very far with lessons on biology. pect, if not dismissed out of hand. And was having no effect whatsoever on Bry- measure every man’s intelligence; and so today we are forced to live in a world an. Nor would it ever. to measure every man’s learning. Bryan’s rebuttal of “alternate facts,” a world of conspira- I’m going to read a few paragraphs “Every bit of knowledge that the Here is Bryan’s rebuttal: “Mr. Scopes cies and nonsense. of Darrow’s text and then I’m going mind has must be submitted to a reli- tells the children to copy this diagram on A world were critical thinking and to read Bryan’s rebuttal. Listen to the gious test, and that is a travesty of jus- evolution, which effectively detaches the healthy skepticism are vehemently ideas and the buzz words that are still tice and of the Constitution. If today children from the throne of God and attacked. Where the notion that kid- in play today. you can take a thing like evolution and links their ancestors with the jungle. napped children living on Mars is no make it a crime to teach it in the pub- “And then if these children believe longer the silly scribbling of some com- Darrow’s words lic schools, tomorrow you can make it a it, they go back home to scoff at the reli- ic book writer but finds traction in a Darrow said: “I am going to argue crime to teach it in the private schools gion of their parents! But these parents voting population that brought us our this law as if it were serious and as if it and then at the hustings or in church. have a right to say that no teacher paid latest occupant of the White House. were a death struggle between two civi- “At the next session, you may ban by them shall rob their children of faith And let’s not forget the self-righteous lizations. What we find here today is as books and newspapers. If you can do in God and send them back to their VP, that bible-thumping sidekick who brazen and bold an attempt to destroy one, you can do the other, and after a houses skeptical infidels, agnostics, or gives hypocritical lip service to, as Bryan learning as was ever made in the Mid- while it is the setting of man against atheists! said, the “bible’s moral standards” while dle Ages. The only difference is we have man, and creed against creed, un- “Atheists think life is a mystery that stripping the poor of their dignity and not provided that Mr. Scopes shall be til with flying banners and beating nobody can explain. Not one word about health care. These two posers are more burned at the stake. drums, we are marching backwards to God. They want to come in with their lit- aligned with the vengeful persona of the “The people of Tennessee adopt- the 16th century when bigots burned tle padded up evolution that commences Old Testament than with the enlight- ed a piece of legislation that says you the men who dared to bring any intel- with nothing and ends nowhere. ened founders of our nation, or the men shan’t teach any theory on the origin ligence, enlightenment, and culture “They do not explain the great rid- and women who got us to the moon, or who deciphered the human genome. American Infidel: We are in for a bumpy ride, but we What is the Freedom From Religion Foundation? Robert G. Ingersoll will figure it out. We are up to the chal- lenge. Don’t forget, over the long run Founded in 1978 as a national organization of freethinkers (atheists we’ve been winning all along. After the Prof. Larsen writes and agnostics), the Freedom From Religion Foundation, Inc. has 29,000 Dark Ages came the Enlightenment. members, works to keep state and church separate and to educate the with a ection and respect of this Through the Civil War came emancipa- public about the views of nontheists. illustrious 19th tion and then suffrage and civil rights. Foundation members wishing to receive online news releases, “action century freethinker. After Dayton came Dover. alerts” and “Freethought of the Day” should contact info@ff rf.org. By Orvin Larsen Some people are afraid of knowl- Please include your name, email and physical mailing address. edge. But Darrow believed in the amaz- Buy it from FFRF online ing, astounding and extraordinary pow- shop.ff rf.org er of the human mind. And so do I, Clarence. So do I. Page 18 FFRF | FREETHOUGHT TODAY | Madison, Wisconsin | September 2017 Freethinkers are winning THEY SAID WHAT? struggle for America’s soul President Trump is the greatest thing that’s happened to this country. I By James A. Haught consider it a biblical miracle that he’s there. Sen. Luther Strange, R-Ala., the law- his is a heady era for freethinkers maker appointed to fill the seat vacat- — we nonconformists who doubt ed by Attorney General Jeff Sessions. Tsupernatural gods, devils, heav- The Hill, 7-11-17 ens, hells, miracles, angels, demons, prophecies, apparitions and other It is assumed that the inspired word of magical claims of religion. the bible, in its various translations, re- Finally, after thousands of years of flects what actually church domination, the cultural tide happened, but us- of Western civilization is flowing our ing words that were direction. Religion is losing its grip on most appropriate at democratic societies. The Secular Age is the time of writing. blossoming rapidly. Doubters no longer Controversial tox- need to conceal their mental honesty. icologist Michael Ever since ancient Greece, some sci- Dourson, who entific thinkers questioned supernat- self-publishes sci- ural dogmas. ence-inspired bible But it was risky. books and has been Michael Dourson The priest- nominated to lead hood wielded the Environmental great power, birth control in 1965 — and unwed to hidebound Christianity. Protection Agency’s work on chemical and killed non- couples to do so in 1972. A long se- Abruptly, almost overnight, the safety and pollution prevention. conformists. ries of rulings halted bluenose cen- Secular Age has hit America like a BuzzFeed, 7-18-17 During many sorship of sexy books, magazines tsunami. We who crusade for the sci- periods, you and movies. And religious displays entific mentality, opposing supernat- We do not defend this position as the James A. Haught could be exe- on government property have been uralism, are winning the culture war, proper response for a Catholic judge cuted for questioning invisible deities. partly banned. month after month, year after year. to take with respect to abortion or the Skeptics and other misfits were burned All those Bible Belt strictures of my New studies find that skeptics have death penalty. at the stake for a dozen centuries. Af- youth slowly slipped away — thanks higher IQ than believers. Amy Coney Barrett, President Trump’s ter burnings ceased, you still could be partly to the sexual revolution. Li- Sociologist Phil Zuckerman says nominee for a seat on the U.S. Court thrown in prison for “blasphemy.” Even quor clubs and lotteries became Scandinavia has progressed until the of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, crit- today, people are killed in some Islam- legal. Sexy magazines and movies populace generally assumes that only icizing Justice William Brennan’s state- ic lands for questioning holy dogmas. were allowed. Sunday shopping blos- small children believe in invisible ment about faith, in which he said that somed. Unwed couples began living spirits, while intelligent adults are he took an oath to uphold the law, and Making progress together. Abortion became legal. expected to outgrow this infantilism. that “there isn’t any obligation of our However, Western civilization be- Church taboos simply evaporated. I think America is creeping in that faith superior” to that oath. gan to evolve away from religious direction. Someday, I hope, it will be Alliance For Justice, 7-19-17 control after The Enlightenment fos- Post-war secular surge embarrassing for any American in ed- tered scientific logic and reason. Ever A secular surge swept Europe ucated circles to avow supernatural When it comes to since, in halting steps, gradual prog- after World War II. Church atten- religion. how we should deal ress has been made dance plummet- In his landmark book, The End with evil doers, the toward intellectual ed. Nations that of White Christian America, Robert P. bible, in the book inquiry. A break- The Secular Age is blossoming had spent centu- Jones of the Public Religion Research of Romans, is very through erupted rapidly. Doubters no longer ries killing people Institute states that young Americans clear: God has en- in the 1850s when need to conceal their mental over religion — in who say their religion is “none” gen- dowed rulers full Charles Darwin honesty. Crusades, Inquisi- erally are socially liberal, support- power to use what- postulated that all tions, witch hunts, ing gay rights, universal health care, ever means nec- living things, in- pogroms, Refor- women’s right to choose, and the essary — includ- cluding humans, evolved from sim- mation wars, persecutions, holy wars like. But they hardly vote. Apparent- Photo by Gage Skidmore ing war — to stop pler life forms. This jolted the church and massacres — decided that reli- ly they shun politics as much as they Robert Jeffress evil. In the case of and triggered strong freethought in gion was inconsequential. Europe’s shun religion. This gives white evan- North Korea, God the late 1800s. transformation spread to Canada, gelicals — although fading — an ad- has given Trump authority to take out Regardless, religion kept an iron Australia, New Zealand, Japan and vantage. White evangelicals turned Kim Jong Un. clutch on much of the culture. When other advanced democracies. out overwhelmingly in 2016 to put Robert Jeffress, one of President I came of age in the 1950s in Appa- At first, it seemed that America Donald Trump into the White House. Trump’s evangelical advisers. lachia’s Bible Belt, church taboos was an exception, a place where reli- In a New York Times commentary, Washington Post, 8-8-17 ruled. It was a crime for stores to gion remained strong. But, in recent Jones wrote: “The waning number of open on the Sabbath. It was a crime decades, America rapidly caught up white Christians in the country today He is unashamed in standing up for to buy a cocktail — or a lottery tick- with the Western world. Religion lost may not have time on their side, but increasing an awareness of God in the et — or look at the equivalent of a its grip on the country. as the sun is slowly setting on the cul- United States. He recognizes how im- Playboy magazine or an R-rated mov- Church decline started in the tural world of white Christian Amer- portant that is and that that is a basis ie, or even read about sex. Our Re- 1960s when tall-steeple mainline de- ica, they’ve managed, at least in this of Western civilization . . . As a believ- publican mayor in Charleston once nominations began losing members, election, to rage against the dying of er in Jesus Christ, I could not be more sent police to raid bookstores selling then the erosion spread to evangel- the light.” happy with what I am seeing coming “Peyton Place.” icals and Catholics. The Southern In an updated paperback of his out of the Trump White House. This is It was a crime for an unmarried Baptist Church has lost 1 million book, Jones said white evangelicals beyond my wildest expectations. He is couple to share a bedroom. It was a members in the past decade. And so abandoned their morality to support a man who, I do believe, understands felony for a desperate girl to end a many white followers left Catholicism an uncouth, twice-divorced, gam- who the God of the bible is and he pregnancy. In some states, even birth that one-tenth of U.S. adults now are bling billionaire who boasts of grab- wants to lift up the God of the bible control was illegal. School classes ex-Catholics. bing women’s genitals. He said the here in the United States … The Lord began with mandatory prayer. Jews The number of Americans who say 2016 election may be the “death rat- is working mightily in our government weren’t allowed into Christian-on- their faith is “none” soared remark- tle” of fundamentalism in America. and I believe it is because God is be- ly country clubs. Divorce was hush- ably since 1990. Now the “Nones” are I certainly hope so — and I hope ing reverenced, God is being lifted hush. Back then, anyone who didn’t America’s largest group, almost 25 secularism keeps snowballing until up. Prayer is not foreign in the White belong to a proper, respectable percent of the adult population — we scientific-minded freethinkers House, it’s not foreign in the Executive church was held in contempt. outnumbering Catholics (21 percent) stand proud as the intelligent majori- Office Building; looking to God, look- Gradually, the right to doubt and and white evangelicals (16 percent). ty in this country. ing through bible studies, this is not elude church suppression crept Barack Obama was the first pres- James A. Haught is editor emeritus of foreign anymore. into daily life. The Supreme Court ident to welcome skeptic groups to West Virginia’s largest newspaper, The Former Minnesota congresswoman banned government-ordered school the White House and cite “those who Charleston Gazette-Mail. This essay — a Michele Bachmann as a guest on Jan prayer in 1962 and mandatory class- have no religion” in his speeches. talk he delivered to the Pittsburgh Free- Markell’s “Understanding The Times” room bible-reading in 1963. It al- The Supreme Court ruling in favor thought Community — expands upon his radio program. lowed married couples to practice of gay marriage was a crippling blow 2014 book, Religion is Dying. Right Wing Watch, 7-24-17 September 2017 | Madison, Wisconsin | FFRF | FREETHOUGHT TODAY Page 19 LETTERBOX have long since removed religious Save taxes — donate to Holy balls, Batman! oaths, but with the current domi- nance of conservative Christians, I’m FFRF and other causes not sure we can count on judges to It’s clear that only conservative recognize that there are a growing Christianity gets special consideration number of nonbelievers who are in this country — the rest of us are sec- unwilling to take religious oaths. I ond-class citizens. They see to it that appreciate the fact that the FFRF at- no tax dollars (not just their own) go torneys are working hard on this situ- to abortion, for example. They de- ation. I hope this will help those who mand opt-out after opt-out, but more face that situation. and more these days, non-Christians Martin Boyd, M.D. and the nonreligious are still expected New Mexico to subsidize conservative Christianity. No consideration for OUR principles. Val Johnson of Wisconsin sent FFRF the packaging for a bag of golf balls. So until secular government is respect- She writes: “How ‘holy’ can golf balls be? Only to be used on Sunday Teen’s ‘protest’ poem ed once more, I recommend tax avoid- mornings?” ance. Give to organizations that fight gets deserved high mark political religion — FFRF is one — and Greetings. Below is a poem our write it off on your taxes. If you can ence of God was not eliminated, the was learned, when “one nation, in- 14-year-old daughter Danielle wrote afford to live on your savings, give all tragedy would not have been so deep.” divisible,” was undivided and meant for her eighth-grade history class. The your earnings this year, and every year We have to deduce that God, obviously something. assignment was to write a protest song/ of the “fascist era.” Starve them of in the “good guy” column as LaPierre Marcia Millington poem as part of their review of ’60s cul- funds. It’s simple. You can give to orga- would surmise, had to have a gun to Wisconsin ture. We (as her “completely unbiased” nizations you support, or to a govern- blast away the shooter. This contradic- parents) thought it was quite good. ment you do not. tion is quite confusing! Despite her teacher probably being Stephen Van Eck G.M. Chandu In court, be ready to a “person of faith,” she still gave Dan- Pennsylvania New York counter religious oath ielle an “A” on the project. In the past, I have noted letters from It’s Just Religion Letting Us Down World could use more Crank Mail section nonbelievers who faced the situation of being required to take a religious oath There is one disease that this whole Evidentiarians amusing, entertaining (“. . . so help me God”) when involved world has, Maybe David Connell (the letter Just a short note to let you know that with the court system in some states. And it’s going on faith, denying the writer in your June/July issue who feels I really enjoy the Crank Mail section of As an emergency physician, I am, on facts. uncomfortable with the term “atheist”) the paper. It’s very entertaining, as well occasion, required to appear in court. Believing what we’re told, is an Evidentiarian — one who believes as amusing. Living in New Mexico, the oath of- Too blinded to ask, in those things for which there is evi- There are more lies in the bible fered was simply, “Do you swear to tell It’s just religion letting us down. dence. We could use more of those! than there is in a speech given by Presi- the truth, the whole truth and nothing Gail Merten dent Trump. If we were able to take the but the truth?” One time, however, Hating on people of nonbinary District of Columbia money out of religion today, tomorrow the judge threw in the objectionable genders, there would be no religion. words. I told the judge that I couldn’t Then preaching in churches to love Reading the Crank Mail, I get a very take the oath in that form and asked one another. Member’s poem asks strong feeling that I am not dealing him to remove the last phrase. Denying evolution, despite the with mental giants. He looked at me like I had put a evidence, question: ‘God Who?’ Jack Henley slice of lemon in his mouth, but repeat- Then expecting us to believe the lies. Religious are many, but which God to Texas ed the oath without the objectionable It’s just religion letting us down. adore? phrase and we moved on. Somehow, In quest of achieving, life evermore. word must have got around, because Forty two hundred religions, Who knows the “Real God” beyond In pledge, ‘God’ the next time I appeared in court, the And no one can agree, number to choose? divides the ‘indivisible’ judge (who, for some reason, remem- Who “God” is, or how he came to be “I do!” claim the faithful of differing bered me from grade school) said, “Do While I’m stuck here with my science views. I was born in 1935. When I was you swear to tell the truth?” After wait- and history. Each so certain only theirs is the way, school age, we had to say the Pledge of ing for an instant for the rest, I realized It’s just religion letting us down. And heathen forsaken, on judgment Allegiance every morning and we felt that he was done and said, “I do.” day. very patriotic about it. I can’t remember how much time Bibles in hotel rooms, Intolerance of others sacred stand, There was no “under God” in the passed before my next appearance in Crosses in the park, Has incited more wars than riches or pledge then. At that time my mother court, but ever since then, the oath Leaving people wondern’, just sitting land. was trying to indoctrinate me with her has been, “Do you swear or affirm to in the dark Perhaps the devout and atheist, too, belief, a religion that caused me to tell the truth, the whole truth and Why not believe something from When meeting their maker, shall ask; view God as a big nasty tyrant who was nothing but the truth under penalty 3500 years ago? “God Who?” intent on destroying my individuality. of law?” It’s just religion letting us down. Name withheld upon request If “God” had been part of the As an aside, I’m one of those peo- Illinois pledge then, I wouldn’t have felt patri- ple who run through “what if” scenar- When something wrong happens, otic about it at all. ios in my mind. people should stand and fight As it was, I learned my ethics, sense I thought about what I would do if a But sitting, hoping, praying, steals God could have been of right and wrong from American his- judge insisted that I take the oath with the limelight, tory, not my mother and her church. the objectionable words. My thought Undermining the natural world, ‘good guy with a gun’ The Declaration of Independence, was to say, “Your Honor, if I take the Destroying free thoughts, Wayne LaPierre, president of the the Constitution, especially the Bill oath in that form, you couldn’t trust It’s just religion letting us down. National Rifle Association, said “if only of Rights and other writings of the anything I would say, because that there was a good guy with a gun, the Founding Fathers — those are the sa- would be my first lie.” What is he (or Thanks for all of the good work tragedy at Sandy Hook would not have cred texts of my beliefs. she) going to do, refuse to let me you do. been so drastic.” Whereas former Gov. I still say the pledge when called testify? Terry, Lisa and Danielle Connacher Mike Huckabee said, “If only the pres- on to do so, but I say it the way it I would think that the courts would Arizona

RECRUIT A MEMBER Your weekly antidote to the Religious Right sample copy for $2 each FREETHOUGHT RADIO PODCASTS AND BROADCASTS Send $2 with the name and address of each person you wish to receive a sample copy of Freethought Today to: FIND OUT MORE: rf.org/news/radio FFRF • P.O. Box 750 • Madison, WI 53701 — Hosted by Dan Barker and Annie Laurie Gaylor — — Please send us only names of likely supporters — Slightly irreverent views, news, music & interviews Freedom depends upon freethinkers Page 20 FFRF | FREETHOUGHT TODAY | Madison, Wisconsin | September 2017 BLACK COLLAR CRIME

Compiled by Bill Dunn to own) agreement with Dexter, but never trans- ferred the deed after Dexter failed to make pay- ments, the lawsuit says. Dexter is accused of copy- Arrested / Charged ing Greene’s signature from the contract for deed. Source: Post-Standard, 7-17-17 Roscoe Cooper III, 43, Richmond, VA: Driving Jonathan C. Good, 39, Sandy Ridge, NC: while intoxicated. Cooper, pastor of Rising Mt. Zion Pleaded guilty to 4 counts of indecent liberties Baptist Church and vice chair of the Henrico County with a minor in which he had a custodial interest. School Board, was arrested about 1 a.m. on I-64. Po- Good, a teacher at Westover Christian Academy, was lice wouldn’t release his blood-alcohol level. Source: charged with having an inappropriate relationship WTVR, 8-6-17 via phone and in his classroom from January to Robert DeValle, 74, Richland, WA: 2 two counts April with a 16-year-old girl. Source: News & Record, of 1st-degree child molestation. DeValle, a deacon at 7-12-17 Christ the King Catholic Parish, is charged with as- Menachem A. Chinn, 40, East Windsor, NJ: saults on 2 sisters between 8 and 9 years ago. Pleaded guilty to 2 counts of endangering the welfare Court records say the younger girl told her of a child, with 2 counts of sexual assault dropped youth group leader that DeValle kissed and licked in a plea agreement. Chinn, a rabbi and teacher at her breasts and put his hands inside her underwear Shalom Torah Academy, is accused of assaults on when she was in 2nd grade. The older sister told her a 12-year-old boy in 2012 and on another underage parents DeValle fondled her breasts inside her shirt male in 2010-11. He also directed the Twin Rivers while kissing her neck. Documents stated DeVal- chapter of the National Council of Synagogue Youth. le admitted assaulting another girl when she was Agreement terms call for a 5-year suspended about 10. Source: KEPR, 8-3-17 sentence, parole supervision for life and a lifetime Timothy C. Peterkin, 43, Ruskin, FL: Lewd ban on teaching. He’s a native of Israel. Source: and lascivious behavior/victim age 12 or older and nj.com, 7-7-17 younger than 16. Peterkin, who operates a youth Jon M. Paquette, 57, Birchwood, WI: Pleaded ministry out of his home, is accused of an incident Northgate Christian Fellowship, allegedly assaulted anyone or “her family would suffer.” Source: CBS Mi- guilty to 5 misdemeanor counts of theft. Paquette, with a 13-year-old girl who asked him for some me- a 15-year-old girl he met at the church. Source: East ami, 7-13-17 pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church, admitted break- dicinal cream for an allergic reaction on her legs. Bay Times, 7-23-17 Clayton Hand, 25, Zachary, LA: Indecent be- ing into 4 homes to steal pain medication, including She was spending the weekend at his home. Eddie Hilburn, 52, The Woodlands, TX: Solic- havior with a juvenile. Hand, youth minister at Fe- the residence of a couple he knew from the church According to the police report, he applied the iting prostitution. Hilburn, associate pastor at First liciana Baptist Church, is accused of sexual conduct who had installed a video camera after a previous ointment in his bathroom and asked the girl to re- Baptist Church, is charged with paying an undercov- with a minor female about 4 years ago. burglary. Source: Pioneer Press, 7-7-17 move her shorts so he could check for other affected er officer $80 for sex. Police Chief David McDavid said there are at areas. It’s alleged he then put her on his lap and put His website bio says he’s married with 3 adult least 2 similar allegations but investigators were Sentenced his hands inside her underwear. Source: WFTS, 8-3-17 children and has planted a church in Wisconsin. unable to confirm they involved juveniles when the Anthony Mauro, 45, Beachwood, NJ: Posses- “Eddie coaches other staff members as they live out contact is alleged. William L. Helker, 47, Pine City, MN: 12½ years sion and distribution of child pornography. Mauro is their calling . . . and feels like he wins when the other The church website lists Tony Hand as pastor. in prison after pleading guilty to distributing child a volunteer youth team leader at St. Barnabas Cath- staff members win.” He resigned as pastor a week Source WAFB, 7-12-17 pornography. Court documents said Helker’s col- olic Church. A search of his home turned up more after his arrest. Source: KTRK, 7-20-17 Blaine Faircloth Jr., 33, Cleveland, TN: 4 lection included images with superimposed photos than 100 explicit movies and images, including William Conn and Tonya Conn, Jeffersonville, counts of criminal sexual conduct. Faircloth is ac- of members of All Saints Lutheran Church, where he prepubescent children engaged in sexual acts, said KY: 7 counts of benefit fraud. Conn, pastor at Jef- cused of using his position of authority in 2012 as was youth pastor. Ocean County prosecutor Joseph Coronato. Source: fersonville Assembly of God, and his wife allegedly a youth pastor at Riverview Church of God in River- Prosecutors found correspondence between nj.com, 8-1-17 defrauded Social Security Disability Insurance and view, MI, to assault a 14-year-old girl. Helker and a Finnish man who was using children Guillermo Quintanilla, 47, Canal Winchester, Medicare of more than $100,000 over 6 years. “The sexual contact started originally on this to produce pornography. Helker encouraged and OH: Rape, sexual battery and 2 counts of gross The church board agreed to pay the pastor’s sal- trip overseas in Bangkok and continued on a plane “sometimes suggested” forms of abuse, said Katha- sexual imposition. Quintanilla, pastor at El Shadai ary to his wife after he had a heart attack. In doing ride overseas to Chicago,” Michigan State Police De- rine Buzicky. Source: Star Tribune, 7-31-17 Church of God in Columbus, is accused of assaults so, the indictment states, “William ‘Robbie’ Conn tective Sgt. Edward Price told the magistrate. “The Gregorio Martinez, 49, North Bergen, NJ: 4 over a 4-year period on a girl, starting when she was could receive Social Security benefits while still sexual assault continued to take place on a train years in prison minus 351 days for time already 8. Two other girls later came forward. All attended receiving a salary from Jeffersonville Assembly of ride that started in Chicago ... with that train passing served. Martinez, pastor at the Pentecostal Elo- the church. Source: WSYX, 7-31-17 God.” Source: lex18.com, 7-20-17 through Ann Arbor.” him Church, was convicted in 2015 of child abuse, Arnel F. Lagarejos, 55, Taytay, Philippines: Alexander R. Roesly, 19, Union City, IN: Roesly, The victim, now 19, testified at a July hearing endangering the welfare of a child and aggravated Violation of the Anti-Human Trafficking in Persons youth leader at Chapel Church of God is accused of that Faircloth told her repeatedly he wanted to find criminal sexual contact involving a 13-year-old boy Act. Msgr. Lagarejos, a Catholic priest, was arrested asking a 13-year-old girl and a 15-year-old girl if they a place on the train where she could give him oral before fleeing to Central America. in the company of a 13-year-old girl while they were wanted to become “friends with benefits.” The older sex and that he touched her breasts and genitals During and after his trial, he was charged with allegedly on their way to a motel. She was allegedly girl attended the church. throughout the trip. He also read her “raunchy” sexual assaults on 3 other males, all age 19. Source: being pimped out by a 16-year-old boy. Source: GMA He’s charged with texts from his wife, she nj.com, 7-28-17 News, 7-30-17 child solicitation for mes- said. “He was touching James M. Cox, 68, Rocky Top, TN: 6 months in Daniel Greer, 77, New Haven, CT: 2nd-degree sages sent to the 13-year- the county jail and $89,217 restitution after pleading Msgr. Lagarejos was arrested in me while sexting her.” sexual assault and risk of injury to a minor. Rabbi old. In Indiana, a person Source: Ann Arbor News, guilty to property theft over $60,000 as longtime Greer, dean at Yeshiva of New Haven, is accused of must be over 21 for child the company of a 13-year-old 7-10-17 treasurer at Longfield Baptist Church. assaulting a high school student at the school for 3 solicitation to apply to girl while they were allegedly Erik Hughes, 51, Cox said his financial problems mounted in 2011 years in the early to mid-2000s. a 15-year-old victim. Mapleton, UT: Witness when he lost his seat on the county commission and The alleged victim, Eliyahu Mirlis, was awarded Source: Fox 59, 7-19-17 on their way to a motel. tampering and 2 counts retired from teaching. He started using a church debit $15 million by a jury in May in his suit against Greer Ellis W. Simmons, of forcible sexual abuse. card to withdraw cash: “Oh, $300, $400, $500 some- and the school. The verdict is under appeal. Source: 38: 3 counts of criminal Hughes, a Church of Je- times, and I have to say, I admit it, I gambled some. I Hartford Courant, 7-26-17 sexual conduct. Sim- sus Christ of Latter-day Saints bishop, is accused used it to pay bills.” Source: Oak Ridger, 7-25-17 John T. Sweeney, 74, Greensburg, PA: Involun- mons was arrested in California and is accused of of multiple assaults on 2 teen boys from his church Paul M. Bane, 57, Bellingham, WA: 5 years tary deviate sexual intercourse. Sweeney is accused assaulting 2 girls, then 11 and 14 years old, between ward over a period of years starting in 2012. On mul- in prison after pleading guilty to 3 counts of child of molesting a 10-year-old boy during the 1991-92 1999-2005, when he was living in Duluth, MN. He tiple occasions, Hughes “touched and measured molestation. Bane, music director and bus driver school term while he was pastor at St. Margaret was their pastor at St. Mark African Methodist Epis- [my] penis” and gave him Viagra, an alleged victim at Bellingham Baptist Church, admitted assaulting Mary Catholic Parish. The alleged victim didn’t re- copal Church and Calvary Baptist Church. The con- told police. a girl starting when she was 12 and continuing for port it until September 2016. tact allegedly included penetration. Mormon bishops have duties similar to those of about 8 years. According to the grand jury presentment, the He was released from prison in Illinois in De- a pastor, priest or rabbi but are unpaid. Source: Ge- The victim never reported the assaults, which in- boy was sent to Sweeney because he’d been disrup- cember after serving 5 years of a 7-year sentence for phardt Daily, 7-8-17 cluding tying her up with clothesline during sex, but told Bane she was considering it. In October 2015, tive on a school bus and was forced to perform oral sexual assault of 3 girls ranging in age from 7 to 10. James R. Martin, 68, Hot Springs Village, AR: sex in a conference room next to Sweeney’s office. Source: News Tribune, 7-18-17 Theft of property more than $2,500. An audit conclud- he walked into a police station to confess. She even- tually told a detective how Bane abused her regular- It’s alleged that the parish secretary brought the Roshad Thomas, 41, Tallahassee, FL: 9 counts ed that Martin, secretary of Leonard Street Baptist ly, sometimes daily, through her teen years. boy milk and cookies after the assault. Source: Tri- of sex offense against a child. Thomas, director of Church, completed $140,155.49 in unauthorized dis- It’s the same church where youth pastor bune-Review, 7-25-17 student programs at Live the Life and youth pastor bursements, withdrawals and charges on church ac- Chris- topher Trent, 37, a married father of 7, served un- Hollis A. Vaughn, 67, Houston: Continuous at Calvary Chapel for 13 years, is charged with lewd counts from 2012-16. Source: Sentinel-Record, 7-7-17 sexual abuse of a child. Vaughn operates God’s Awe- and lascivious acts with at least 5 alleged victims, all til his July 2016 arrest. He was also sentenced to 5 William R. Adams, 35, Fletcher, NC: 2 counts some Army Ministry and El Shaddai World Outreach boys, between 2007-14. Source: Tallahassee Demo- years recently for sexually abusing a girl for 2 years. of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon in con- Church from his home. The girl told a family mem- crat, 7-18-17 Current pastor Josh Carter took issue with the nection with a road-rage incident. Adams, rector of ber Vaughn had been touching her sexually for sev- : Knowingly pro- length of the sentences, saying they were too short. Chad Robison, 36, Lecanto, FL Calvary Episcopal Church, is charged with pointing eral years. Source: Houston Chronicle, 7-25-17 moting sexual performance by a child and 3 counts “It’s lawmakers that have made it possible to pros- a Glock .22-caliber pistol at a driver passing Adams’ Scott Kallal, 35, Overland Park, KS: 2 counts each of lewd and lascivious exhibition and video ecute these guys in this manner. Their sentencing Corvette after Adams “brake checked” him for fol- of aggravated indecent liberties with a child. Kallal, voyeurism for own use. Robison, worship director at doesn’t fit the crime.” Source: Bellingham Herald, lowing too closely on Florida’s Turnpike near Palm associate pastor of Holy Spirit Catholic Church, is ac- Seven Rivers Presbyterian Church, is accused of vic- 7-19-17 City. Source: Yahoo! News, 7-7-17 cused of “boundary violations” in 2015 by 2 separate timizing girls online using the chat website Omegle. An unidentified imam, 53, Dubai, was sen- sources. He’s a member of the Apostles of the Interi- Law enforcement found hundreds of videos fea- Pleaded / Convicted tenced to 3 months in jail and deportation to his na- or Life, an order of priests whose primary ministry is turing “young girls performing virtual sex acts with tive Egypt after being found guilty of sexual assault to provide spiritual direction and help young people Robison,” a sheriff’s press release said. A church David E. Fisher, 70, Grand Forks, ND: Plead- of a woman whose husband had asked him to come discern their vocations. Source: fox4kc.com, 7-25-17 member allegedly discovered 3,000 videos and ed guilty to embezzlement at St. Joseph Catholic to their home in July to read healing verses from the Edmond T. Baird, 19, Roanoke Rapids, NC: 4 350,000 photos on Robison’s computer. He’s also Church in Owosso, MI, where he was pastor for 23 Quran to his wife, 40. counts of statutory rape of a child and 6 counts of charged with secretly recording girls in a bathroom. years until retiring in 2015. The Diocese of Lansing The woman told prosecutors that the imam statutory sexual offense with a child. Baird, a sum- Source: Gainesville Sun, 7-15-17 estimates $450,000 is missing. An investigation was stopped reciting when her husband went to the mer ministry intern at East Tenth Street Church of Ann Elmore, 49, and Jeffrey Elmore, 55, Mante- mounted after the new pastor noticed financial dis- bathroom and started fondling her buttocks, back Christ, is charged with having an ongoing sexual re- no, IL: 3 counts and 2 counts, respectively, of felony crepancies. Source: AP, 7-17-17 and neck. Source: The National, 7-15-17 lationship with a minor for the past several months. theft for an alleged embezzlement scheme totaling L. Micah Dexter, 47, Syracuse, NY: Guilty by Cesar Lopez, 60, Avoca, AR: 15 years in prison Pastor David Chapman said there’s no indication $102,000 at St. Paul’s United Church of Christ in jury of possessing and filing a forged instrument, after a jury found him guilty of sexual assault of a Baird’s charges involve anyone connected to the Monee, where Ann Elmore worked from 2011 until both felonies. Dexter, pastor of Greater New Salem 15-year-old girl in May 2016 who was a member of church. He said Baird just completed his freshman recently. Source: Manhattan Patch, 7-13-17 Missionary Baptist Church, filed the deed in 2013 Ministerios Soldados de Jesucristo, where Lopez was year at a bible college. Source: Daily Herald, 7-23-17 Fernando M. Ponce, 24, Doral, FL: 20 counts during a long landlord-tenant dispute with a South pastor. She had known him for about 9 years. Another Brandon Jacobs, 21, Benicia, CA: Rape with of lewd and lascivious battery and sexual activity Carolina man, James Greene. female church member, age 16, later made similar al- a victim under 16 years old, oral copulation with a with a child. Ponce, youth pastor at Sembrador de Dexter is accused of forging Greene’s signature legations. Source: Democrat-Gazette, 7-12-17 minor child, forcible sexual penetration, arranging a Fe (Sower of Faith), allegedly started a sexual rela- on a deed giving Dexter ownership of a residence Toby Willis, 46, Nashville, TN: 40 years in prison meeting with a minor for lewd purposes and misde- tionship with a 14-year-old girl that lasted about 9 valued at $50,000. after pleading guilty to 4 counts of child rape. Willis, meanor sexual battery. Jacobs, a youth volunteer at months. It’s alleged he warned the girl not to tell Greene had entered a “contract for deed” (rent leader of the Willis Clan singers — who specialized in September 2017 | Madison, Wisconsin | FFRF | FREETHOUGHT TODAY Page 21

Irish-flavored Christian country songs — and former until 2013 when the sisters were at a wedding did TLC reality star, has 12 children, whose names all they tell each other about Lehmann’s alleged abuse. start with J (the 4 sons’ middle names are all Scott). A date for retrial hasn’t been set. Source: Couri- Media have reported that a family member was the er-Journal, 7-21-17 victim about 12 years ago. Wirapol Sukphol, 38, Ban Yang, Thailand: Ab- His wife, Brenda Willis, told People magazine ducting and raping a minor, fraud, money launder- in 2016 that she and her husband raised their chil- ing and violating the Computer Crime Act. Sukphol, dren by “staying true to the Bible.” That summer, a former Buddhist monk, was extradited from Lake their eldest child abruptly left the band. Her boy- Elsinore, CA, where he had started a temple after be- friend posted a photo of a lamp at sunset on Face- ing defrocked in 2013 in Thailand after being arrest- book with the words “Speak truth boldly” the day ed on the above charges. The rape charge involves a after Willis’ arrest. Source: The Tennessean/The Daily 14-year-old girl. Beast, 7-12-17 Thai authorities estimate he had assets of $32 Reuben Chizor, 56, Queens, NY: 15 years in pris- million at one point and owned 22 Mercedes vehi- on for raping 12- and 14-year-old sisters who were cles worth $2.8 million. Source: AP, 7-20-17 members of his church, Hope Restoration Ministries. Mendel Epstein, Jay Goldstein and Binyamin According to trial testimony, on July 27, 2011, Chizor Stimler, all New York Orthodox Jewish rabbis, had raped the older girl in the church basement, where their 2015 convictions for conspiracy to commit he lived, and raped her sister Aug. 22, 2011. He con- kidnapping upheld by a panel of the 3rd Circuit U.S. tinued molesting one or both of the girls through Court of Appeals. The crimes stemmed from their May 2013, said prosecutor Richard Brown. Source: attempt to kidnap and beat 3 men to force them to NY Daily News, 7-12-17 give their wives a religious divorce called a “get.” It’s Aaron T. Payne, 21, Princeton, W.VA: 12 months suspected they may have participated in more than in jail with 10 months suspended after entering Al- a dozen similar extortions. ford pleas to contributing to the delinquency of a The men argued that FBI agents violated the 4th minor and misdemeanor sexual battery. Payne, stu- Amendment by using cellphone data gathered from dent ministries pastor at First Assembly of God, was providers with a court order instead of a warrant originally charged with felony indecent acts with a and appealed on several other grounds, including child for having a sexual relationship with a juvenile violation of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act in his care at the church. Source: WTVR, 7-6-17 because the prosecution put a “substantial burden” Mohammed H. Sadiq, 81, Cardiff, Wales: 13 on exercising their religion. Source: nj.com, 7-7-17 years in prison after being found guilty of 14 counts Giuseppe Profiti and Massimo Spina, Rome, of sexual and indecent assault. Sadiq, a part-time former president and treasurer, respectively, of imam at Madina Mosque from 1996 to 2006, denied Bambino Gesù (Baby Jesus) Hospital will go before the charges involving 4 girls between the ages of 5 a 3-judge Vatican tribunal for allegedly diverting and 11, blaming mosque “politics” for the accusa- about $485,000 of hospital funds in 2013-14 to ren- tions. Source: BBC, 7-7-17 ovate an apartment owned by Cardinal Tarcisio Ber- Heath C. Vandevender, 49, Fayetteville, NC: 3 tone. The Vatican owns the hospital. months in jail, $45,000 fine and 100 hours of com- Bertone, who faces no charges, was secretary of munity service after pleading guilty to embezzle- state during Benedict XVI’s papacy, a position that ment of state property. Vandevender, a teacher, bas- ketball coach and vice president of Trinity Christian came with a residence, which he lost when Pope Fran- School’s parent organization, admitted embezzling cis took office. It’s also alleged that the contractor was $388,000 from the state Department of Revenue by paid an additional $400,000 for the work, money that failing to turn over money withheld from employee came from the Vatican. Source: The Telegraph, 7-13-17 paychecks from 2008-16. The Guam Catholic Church announced it may He used the money to pay the school’s expenses sell up to 41 properties to help settle 96 clergy sexual when it struggled with finances. Trinity participates abuse suits. Archdiocesan Finance Council member in the taxpayer-funded Opportunity Scholarship Chris Felix said the list was whittled from about 300 Program. In the 2015-16 school year, the voucher properties. The archdiocese, through its Hope and program paid the school $519,750 on behalf of 130 Healing initiative, is trying to settle the cases out of students, the most in North Carolina. Source: The jumped to his death from a high-rise building in NM. The Claretians agreed to pay Johnson $25,000 court, with a retired California judge as mediator. Observer, 6-28-17 2010. Four other alleged victims sued earlier. but admitted no wrongdoing. Source: USA Today, 7-13-17 Sullivan alleges the assaults occurred in 1975-77 Wellems later became a prominent priest in Chi- Jonathan W. Wehrle, 66, Williamston, MI, the Civil Lawsuits Filed and included masturbation and oral sex. Crampton cago but was removed from the ministry in 2012. He pastor of St. Martha Catholic Parish charged with pleaded guilty in 1986 to molesting 7 altar boys from works as executive director of a nonprofit that offers embezzlement of $100,000 or more, may have sto- Thomas O’Brien, 81, Tucson, AZ, is accused 1973-82 but was sentenced to just 8 months in jail. youth mentoring, alternative schooling and other len nearly $5 million, up from the original estimate in a suit of molesting a boy on several occasions in Source: Ottawa Sun, 7-24-17 programs for children. Its head office is located in the of $1.8 million, according to a continuing audit. 1977-82 while serving as pastor at 2 Catholic parish- St. Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church, church where he served as priest for about 20 years. Prosecutors have said they have enough evidence es. O’Brien later served as bishop of the Diocese of Portland, OR, is being sued for $3.1 million by a for- Johnson said he became alarmed when he to add 4 more embezzlement counts. Phoenix before resigning in 2003 after being charged mer altar boy who alleges he was repeatedly molest- heard Wellems was working with children, so in Wehrle, founding pastor of St. Martha’s in 1988, in the hit-and-run death of a pedestrian. The accus- ed in the early 1960s by choir director Jay Shisler, 1995 he contacted the Claretians and Archdiocese of has been placed on administrative leave by the Dio- er, now 47, started having flashbacks of the abuse in who died in 2001 at age 60. The suit contends that Chicago, detailing his allegations. cese of Lansing. He owns or has owned 10 residences 2014 when preparing for his son’s Catholic baptism, church executive director Eric Gratian took no ac- Joelle Casteix of the Survivors Network of those in 6 cities since that time. Source: State Journal, 7-7-17 his attorney said. tion despite reports of abuse, which then continued. Abused by Priests said Wellems’ employment is in- Arthur Schirmer, 69, a Pennsylvania Methodist O’Brien acknowledged in a 2003 immunity deal Source: AP, 7-22-17 dicative of the phenomenon of abusers parlaying pastor serving life sentences for killing 2 wives in to avoid a possible indictment that he protected “John Doe III” has sued the Catholic Archdio- lingering good will to secure or keep jobs involving 1999 and 2008, had his appeal denied to overturn priests accused of sexual misconduct. Weeks later cese of Newark, NJ, the Order of St. Benedict and children. “The Catholic Church has long cut predator he resigned as bishop after being accused of strik- his conviction in the 2008 death of Betty Schirm- St. Elizabeth’s School in Linden, alleging he was priests loose on the public when the church could no ing 43-year-old Jim Reed with his Buick Park Avenue er. Prosecutors contend he bludgeoned her with a sexually abused numerous times by Timothy Bren- longer handle the liability.” Source: Sun-Times, 7-11-17 but was only sentenced to community service and crowbar and staged a car accident to cover it up. The nan in 1968-71. Brennan is believed to be living at a probation for leaving the scene of an accident. He judge rejected Schirmer’s claims of ineffective coun- Congregation of the Servants of the Paraclete facility Legal Developments told police he thought he had hit an animal or some- sel and prosecutorial misconduct. in Dittmer, MO. one had thrown a rock at his windshield and never Paul R. Shanley, 86, a notorious defrocked pedo- It’s alleged he also beat Jewel Schirmer to death Brennan was convicted in 1987 of molesting a reported the accident but a witness wrote down his phile priest from Massachusetts, was released from and claimed she fell down their basement steps. 15-year-old boy and has been accused in other law- license plate number. Reed was jaywalking and after prison after serving 12 years. He was convicted in Source: AP, 7-3-17 suits of abusing more being hit by O’Brien’s car 2005 of raping a boy at St. Jean l’Evangeliste Catholic students as a Benedic- was struck by another Church in Newton from the time the child was 6 until Allegations tine monk and priest. vehicle and dragged 70 The Catholic Church has he was 11, often pulling him out of catechism class. At least 547 members of the Regensburger Dom- Doe alleges Brennan feet. Source: AP, 8-3-17 He was also accused of numerous similar sex offenses spatzen boys choir in Germany were subjected to long cut predator priests sent him on missions to Clovis (NM) Chris- with children and adults dating to the late 1970s while physical and sexual abuse from 1945 to the early have sex with other stu- tian School, superinten- loose“ on the public when the Boston Archdiocese ignored the allegations. 1990s, said a report that accuses 49 members of dents and then report dent Ladona Clayton Mitchell Garabedian, who represented dozens the church could no longer back to him and that the Catholic Church of carrying out the abuse. The and assistant track and of victims, rejected the notion that Shanley’s age he masturbated in the alleged perpetrators are unlikely to face criminal field coach Scott Fly, 23, handle the liability. means he’s no longer a threat. “Age is not a factor teen’s presence. Source: charges because of the amount of time that has are defendants in a suit when it comes to a pedophile priest victimizing in- — Joelle Casteix, SNAP nj.com, 7-7-17 elapsed. filed by “Jane Doe,” 14, nocent children. It’s not necessarily about sex. It’s Among those singled out for criticism was for- who alleges Fly sexually Lewis Clemons, Co- about control.” , mer choirmaster Georg Ratzinger, now 93, elder groomed and molested lumbus, GA Church of Rodney Ford, a victim’s father, said if he ran into and are being brother of Pope Benedict XVI, for “looking the other her for several months starting last February. Fly had God in Christ Inc. 5 other parties Shanley on the street, he’d be tempted to hurt him. sued by a Columbus woman who alleges Clemon way and failing to intervene.” attended the school as a student. “What father wouldn’t have those thoughts [about sexually abused her for several years, starting in Nine of the 49 alleged abusers were found to The suit alleges: “Without contacting Plaintiff’s someone] that destroyed his son? I have to be real 2002 when she was 15. Clemons is now senior pastor have been involved in sexual abuse. The report parents or allowing them to be present, administra- and tell you that.” Source: Boston Globe, 7-26-17 at Kingdom Awareness Ministries. takes former Regensburg bishop Gerhard Müller, tors from Clovis Christian School interrogated Plain- Allen and Verna Lehmann, both 79, Valparaiso, Plaintiff Lequita Jackson said she’s coming now a cardinal, to task for weaknesses of the initial tiff at the school for several hours, accusing her of IN, had a mistrial declared in their cases involving forward now because she recently learned “about review when allegations first came to light in 2010. seducing her adult coach and telling her that if she the sexual abuse of 3 sisters between 1993 and 2000. seven other women” who were in relationships with Source: BBC, 7-18-17 sent nude pictures to her adult coach, she would be Allen Lehmann was pastor then at Trinity Chapel As- Clemons. going to jail.” Source: KRQE, 7-28-17 sembly of God in Louisville, Ky. He’s charged with “Defendant Clemons subjected Plaintiff to a Removed / Resigned The Catholic Diocese of Orange, CA, and Alex rape, 9 counts of sexual abuse and 3 counts of sod- practice that he called ‘body anointing’ in which Kim are being sued by “Jane Doe,” who alleges Kim omy. His wife is charged with 3 counts of complicity Anthony J. Petracca, 61, Altoona, PA, was he took off Plaintiff’s clothes and rubbed her body sexually assaulted her in the rectory in 2016 while sexual abuse and facilitating rape and sodomy. placed on leave as pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes with oil” before they had intercourse, the suit al- she was his assistant and he was pastor at St. John “She took active steps to isolate the girls so he Catholic Parish by the Diocese of Altoona-John- leges. “... Defendant Clemons told the Plaintiff his Neumann Parish in Irvine. could have his way with them,” prosecutor Court- stown due to an accusation of misconduct with a actions were authorized by the Bible.” Source: Led- The suit alleges that Kim, ordained in 1991, has ney Straw told the jury before Judge Barry Willett minor that allegedly occurred in the mid-1980s. ger-Enquirer, 7-5-17 a long history of assaulting female parishioners and declared a mistrial. Willett had previously ruled that Source: WJAC, 7-6-17 was sent to a treatment facility in 2012 before being Civil Lawsuits Settled prosecutors couldn’t introduce evidence of other Thomas Feltman, Wyndmere, ND, was put on named pastor at St. John Neumann in 2015. Source: allegations of sexual abuse by Lehmann, allegations leave as pastor of 2 Catholic parishes by the Diocese OC Register, 7-25-17 The Claretians, an order of Catholic priests, he admitted to in a 2011 handwritten letter. It was of Fargo. Spokesman Paul Braun said the investiga- The Catholic Archdiocese of Ottawa, Canada, settled a suit filed by Eric Johnson, 52, Colorado, al- then that other alleged victims came forward. tion involves Feltman’s “interaction with youth” and is being sued for $2 million by Robert Sullivan, 51, leging he was molested for about a year starting in The youngest sister, now 25, had testified for the matter has been reported to Richland County Ottawa, who alleges he was molested at age 10 by 1973 by former priest Bruce Wellems, now 60, when more than 2 hours, recounting how the pastor had Social Services. Source: Fargo Forum, 5-27-17 convicted pedophile priest Dale Crampton, who Johnson was 6 and Wellems was 14 in Albuquerque, touched her sexually, starting when she was 6. Not Email: [email protected] Page 22 FFRF | FREETHOUGHT TODAY | Madison, Wisconsin | September 2017 Climate change is a state/church issue The following is a statement by FFRF unchanging, perfect.” on climate change. It’s not just that more zealous believ- FFRF is dismayed at the executive ers deny climate change; their religious order President Trump has signed to blinders prevent them from viewing re- roll back vital regulations to curb cli- ality. Those following literalist strains mate change and his backing out of of religion are particularly primed to the Paris accord. reject clear facts, such as the fact of Trump has directed the Environ- evolution, the fact that virgins don’t mental Protection Agency to revoke give birth, that human beings don’t the Clean Power Plan. The Obama resurrect themselves. Many believers administration program was poised are perfectly willing to reject claims to close existing coal-fired power without evidence — or even in spite plants and freeze construction of new of the evidence. “Faith is the substance ones, replacing them with wind and of things hoped for, the evidence of solar farms. things not seen,” says Hebrews 11:6. Trump has appointed an active Proverbs 3 urges: “Lean not on your climate change denialist, religion- own understanding.” Martin Luther ist Scott Pruitt, to head the EPA. counseled, “Whoever wants to be a The New York Times documents in Christian should tear the eyes out of an article boldly titled “Denialists his reason.” Mark Twain skewered such in Charge” how federal posts are denial when he quipped, “Faith is be- now filled with officials “who have lieving what you know ain’t so.” a record of openly denying the es- It’s not just the casual denial of tablished science of human-caused reality that impacts views on climate Photo by Elizabeth Lies / Shutterstock.com climate change.” These include the change, but also the influence of fundamentalist Christian Rick Perry, nicity are stronger predictors of views the Global Warming Conspiracy Threat- apocalyptic religiosity. The virulent our secretary of energy, known for about climate change, Pew Research ens Your Future, serves on the Sen- strain of evangelicalism that tends mocking climate science. found “it is the religiously unaffiliat- ate’s standing committee on science. to infect our current government Denying anthropogenic climate ed, not those who identify with a re- That’s outrageous. welcomes the end of this world as change is based on the rejection of ligious tradition, who are particularly A few months ago, the conserva- a fulfillment of prophecy and “the facts and reality in favor of blind likely to say the Earth is warming due tive Christian radio host Bryan Fisch- second coming.” Ken Ham built an faith, wishful to human activity. er tweeted, “Jesus would be for what- entire ark park to revere worldwide thinking or willful . . White evangel- ever is best for the poor. A warmer destruction. The danger of belief in denial. Many of It’s not just that more zealous ical Protestants climate — if it’s even happening — is an afterlife is that believers are often the climate deni- stand out as least better for the poor.” indoctrinated to consider this world, believers deny climate change; alists in politics, likely to have this And who can forget the infamous our only world, as far less important such as Vice Pres- their religious blinders prevent view.” moment in 2009 when Rep. John than an unprovable “hereafter.” ident Mike Pence, them from viewing reality. Sen. Inhofe, Shimkus, R-Ill., invoked the bible in The only afterlife we ought to care Sen. James Inhofe R-Okla., cited his attempt to refute the scientific about is leaving our descendants and and former Sen- Genesis to bol- data proving anthropogenic climate our planet a secure and pleasant future. ators Michele Bachmann and Rick ster his denial of reality: “My point is, change. Reading from Genesis 8, the Systems that deny facts and reality must Santorum, deny climate change for God’s still up there. The arrogance of story of Noah and the ark, Shimkus not be used to dictate public policy. explicitly religious reasons. people to think that we, human be- said: “The Earth will end only when We have a duty to our children There seems to be a correlation ings, would be able to change what God declares it’s time to be over. Man and grandchildren, to posterity, to between religiosity and climate de- He is doing in the climate is to me will not destroy this Earth. This Earth the other species we share our planet nial. While other factors, such as po- outrageous.” Inhofe, who wrote a will not be destroyed by a flood . . . with, to ensure our world is habitable litical party affiliation, race and eth- 2012 book, The Greatest Hoax: How I do believe God’s word is infallible, for the future.

Freethought Today caption contest! Woe to the Women: Losing Faith in Faith: The Bible Tells Me So From Preacher to Atheist

How Dan “threw A concise, easy-to-read out the bathwater book that will challenge and discovered A long time coming your concept of the there is no bible as “a good book.” Illustrated. 264 pages. baby there.” By Annie Laurie Gaylor By Dan Barker Buy it from FFRF online Buy itshop.ffrf.org from FFRF online Buy it from FFRF online shop.ff rf.org shop.ff rf.org

NOTHING FAILS LIKE PRAYER CONTEST

Our goal is to see secular citizens flood government meetings with secular invocations that demonstrate why government prayers are unnecessary, ineff ective, embarrassing, exclusionary, divisive or just plain silly. The person who gives the best secular invocation will be invited to open FFRF’s annual convention in San Francisco, from Nov. 2-4, 2018, receiving an expenses-paid trip, along with a plaque and an honorarium of $500. There was so much enthusiasm for our initial caption contest, we’re gonna do it again! To enter, please write a humorous or witty caption to go along with MORE INFO AT: this photo, taken by Dan Barker, of a building in Fowey, Cornwall, UK. Email your response to [email protected] by Sept. 15. ff rf.org/outreach/nothing-fails-like-prayer The winner, chosen by FFRF staff, will receive an “Unabashed Atheist” T-shirt! We will announce the winners and top runners-up in the October issue. September 2017 | Madison, Wisconsin | FFRF | FREETHOUGHT TODAY Page 23

Lubna Continued from page 1 fortunately her fellow employees held and protected her. Though she did not tell us at the time, I soon found out from other students in school who were laughing about it and insulting me in school. A couple of years later in 2006, my mother and I had to pass through an al-Qaida checkpoint on the way home. As the bus pulled to the side of the road, a number of passengers admonished her to put on a hijab for fear the militants might execute her as an apostate. Again, she refused and instead looked at me, fully aware of the consequences. “Lubna, I’m sorry, but I will not do it!” she said. Her convictions were more important to her than her life. And in that moment, with the real possibility she might be executed, she not only re- fused to surrender her principles, but scolded oth- ers for asking her to do so. I will always remember that moment vividly — perhaps the most signifi- cant in my life. At an early age, and particularly from that point forward, I wanted to emulate my mother. My sense of curiosity and justice had me asking more ques- tions about religion, God and Islam. Of course, we were forced to study Islam in school, including the Quran and hadiths. But the teachers would always get angry when I asked questions or refused to ac- cept that girls should be forced to wear headscarves Shutterstock when boys had no such obligations. Women in Iraq and other Muslim countries are often required or encouraged to wear headcoverings, known as For this, I was kicked out of two different schools hijabs, when out in public. Lubna has faced verbal and physical abuse for refusing to wear a hijab. and instead studied Islam on my own, where I quick- ly found the teachings ridiculous, as nothing com- Hawking, Neil deGrasse Tyson, Carl Sagan and Sam atheist, knowing the situation is deadly? For me, it’s pared to science, reason and the possibilities of the Harris. My beliefs are fortified by my upbringing and important to show my identity; otherwise I’m just human mind. the values imparted to me by my mother. My pas- like them. It’s important for us humans to have our sionate embrace of science and my contempt for an own identities and principles. I faced death threats Declared my nonbelief oppressive and irrational belief system work in syner- and received threats that they want to kill me and While my mother understood this well before I gy to foster a relentless pursuit of logic, reason and kill all the atheists and seculars — whoever dares did, she encouraged my siblings and me to attend desire to learn. to speak up against Islam. I tried to be focused on the required religious instruction in order to focus what I do and on my studies, but at the same time I on completing our education. I resisted initially, but Follies of religion couldn’t sit and do nothing. later understood and accepted her advice. Still, I It was thus I came to realize the follies of the Qu- I believe when one starts to talk to others, we felt the need to declare my nonbelief to my friends ran and hadiths, and the obvious fact that the Qu- can make a movement in my country. I continued in high school and my community, which caused a ran was written not by “Allah,” but by human beings to do what I believe in, to share, talk and post in great deal of conflict. I lost virtually all of my friends — and human beings of very limited sophistication. social media. It was horrible to live a life when and became a somewhat hated figure. Where women are reduced to slaves; where we are death and darkness is all that I saw and felt. But In spite of this rather significant impediment, I encouraged to believe in absurdities rather than to that didn’t stop me from my goal: to get people to was a good student and managed to gain acceptance ask questions; and to fear and hate non-Muslims. act and speak up now, to save what’s left, to save into a chemical engineering program in college. I Everything in Islam seems designed to freeze the the humanity. had hoped for a minimal level of acceptance for my brain rather than allow it to flourish in its own nat- views in college, but when I declared my atheism to ural logic. Shared my story fellow students, I was once again isolated and sub- Unlike religion, science compels us to believe In February of 2016, I got to share my story, my jected to repeated verbal abuse. not because of faith, but because of reason and evi- thoughts with the world in an interview by Dave Though I lived under very dangerous and poor dence. And while science does not explain all phe- Rubin of “The Rubin Report.” I explained how my conditions, I refused to renounce my atheism. I re- nomena in nature, religion explains nothing. There mother, a divorced woman, raised four children by fused to be escorted by my brother in public. And I is nothing more to learn, where in science the search herself and how my father would hit her and treat refused to wear a hijab. is never-ending! her very badly, like many stories women have in my Predictably, I was subjected not only to verbal I have spoken my mind and my thoughts with- country and the Middle East. I shared my thoughts abuse, but physical violence. I had been assault- out fear. I’ve discussed my opinions about reli- about Islam and Iraqi government. ed many times, not only because of my refusal to gions and Islam and how religions affected our The interview was shared widely after receiv- wear a hijab, but because I was not particularly shy lives, and how Islam is an aggressive and radical ing positive feedback from people. Lots of people about arguing for my rights or criticizing the Quran ideology, how it’s destroying our lives, our future, started to realize how it’s important for me and in- and Islam, which is illegal under the Sharia. There how it built the darkness and fear in our life for dividual activists, atheists and freethinkers like me have been many circumstances where the al-Mahdi centuries and still does. in the Middle East and in closed societies to speak militia had asked me to wear a hijab and, like my I openly shared my thoughts. I do believe it’s our up and act now. mother, I refused. On one particular occasion, I was duty to speak and show people we can change. We But at the same time it was potentially deadly for slapped for telling a militia member he had no right can build a free space where everyone has the choice me. I received a lot of death threats. There was an to tell me what to believe. And, like my mother, I to choose what they believe in, when the logic and order to shed my blood. It was horrible for me and tried to fight back until others intervened to sepa- sense are our guides in this universe. We have been for those who are close to me. rate us. born without knowing “God” and religions. We came I’m still struggling to describe how I felt and how Though I was consistently stopped at checkpoints into this world where our families and communities I feel now. I spent days and nights alone, always and verbally and sometimes physically abused, and taught us what is “God.” What are religions? We changing places. I couldn’t speak or talk. I missed though one cannot help but experience moments have been taught to accept what others wanted us my own voice. I was convinced that I would end up of gloom and despair, I was proud and fortunate for to think and that completely destroyed the human being killed — it was only a matter of time. I didn’t my mother and my family and happy with the person sense of curiosity. care about myself, but the one I love and about the I became. I chose not to worship an imaginary be- cause. I tried to stay alive so that I have the chance ing but to respect and emulate human beings such Constant death threats to speak again and share my story with people, to as Richard Dawkins, Christopher Hitchens, Steven In Baghdad, I was known for my activities and open their eyes about what is going on. opinions. I openly discussed atheism. I criticized Great people and friends were the light to me to Islam and called it an ideology of terrorism that stay alive and to have hope in this world. I couldn’t created all the discrimination we live in nowadays. believe how this universe gave me the chance to Born a female and insisting on continuing my ed- know these great people. I owe them my life, for ucation without fear, I was under constant death their patience, for their endless efforts and support, threats. I was hit for being a girl, not wearing a for their humanity, for their kindness, their love. headscarf. It’s very dangerous for a girl to be pub- I’m very grateful to all of you. licly atheist. Why must I hide my true identity while I’m trying to heal myself from what I have been Muslims are free to kill atheists and freethinkers through and focus on living normally. I will con- and criticize and discriminate against Christians tinue what I do to the end. I do believe in what and Jews and all the religions and beliefs that are I do. I hope all of the free people in the free not Islam? world will help and act to save humanity for future Why is it important for me to declare that I’m an generations. Page 24 FFRF | FREETHOUGHT TODAY | Madison, Wisconsin | September 2017

Some are merely amateurs The staff and interns of the Freedom From Religion Foundation posed in front of the Freethough Hall’s electronic marquee recently to showcase a quote from a critic of FFRF. Thomas J. Craughwell, writing for the conservative news site The American Spectator, went into detail about a Belle Plaine, Minn., park veterans memorial that included a cast iron silhouette of a grieving soldier kneeling in front of a cross. FFRF had originally successfully complained, and the city acquiesced by removing the cross. However, after a public outcry, the city declared the park a “free speech zone,” where any religious group could put up a marker. When the Satanic Temple and FFRF said they would add their own monuments, the city decided that was too much, and ended the “free speech zone.” In Craughwell’s article, “Bedeviled, Bothered, and Bewildered in Minnesota,” he writes, “I have this suspicion that engraved over the FFRF’s headquarters are the words, ‘Professional Pains in the Ass Since 1978.’” Engraved, not so much. But on our marquee? You bet!

The FFRF editorial staff: Freethought Today editor PJ Slinger, Editorial The FFRF administrative staff: Program Assistant Kristina Assistant Molly Hanson, Communications Director Amit Pal, Graphic Daleiden, Membership Manager Jackie Douglas, Bookkeeper Designer Roger Daleiden, Communications Coordinator Lauryn Seering, Eleanor McEntee, Program Assistant Alyssa Schaefer, Director of Co-President Annie Laurie Gaylor and Graphic Designer Jake Swenson. First Impressions Lisa Treu and Director of Operations Lisa Strand. Not pictured: Black Collar Crime compiler Bill Dunn. Not pictured: Clerical Assistant Renee Oberhart.

The FFRF legal team: Front row, seated: Director of Strategic Response Andrew Seidel, Legal The FFRF digital/video staff pictured with Charles Director Rebecca Markert and Senior Counsel Patrick Elliott. Standing, left to right: Legal Darwin: Digital Product Manager Tim Nott, Video Assistant Whitney Steffen, Intern Evan Stang, Intern Cory Paul, Associate Counsel Liz Cavell, Producer Bruce Johnson and Co-President Dan Barker. Intern Ryan Christiansen, Associate Counsel Sam Grover, Intern Ben Becker, Elaine and Eric Stone Legal Fellow Ryan Jayne, Intern Mark Noel, Staff Attorney Madeline Ziegler. Not pictured: Patrick O’Reiley Legal Fellow Chris Line (photographer). Photography by Chris Line