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Vo1. 30 No. 9 Published by the Freedom From Religion Foundation, Inc. November 2013 Photo: Eric Knuffke FFRF sues Calif. city for pervasive Christian prayers

The Freedom From Religion Foun- attention. AUSLO and FFRF have been dation filed a lawsuit Nov. 1 in Cali- preparing the suit for more than a year. fornia state court against the city of Dworkin, who identifies as “an athe- Pismo Beach, challenging prayers at ist Jew,” was surprised to encounter city council meetings and the city chap- the council’s Christian prayers, which laincy post. “cause her to feel offended, disenfran- The U.S. Supreme Court heard oral chised, and intimidated about partici- arguments Nov. 6 in a related and close- pating in her own government.” ly watched case involving a challenge Pismo Beach established an offi- by two plaintiffs to Christian prayer by cial city chaplaincy in 2005, appoint- the town of Greece, N.Y. The plaintiffs ing a Pentecostal preacher, Rev. Paul are women, one atheist and one Jewish, Jones. He’s affiliated with the Interna- who are seeking to invoke protections tional Church of the Foursquare Gos- under the U.S. Constitution. pel, which emphasizes “speaking in FFRF’s new lawsuit invokes only the tongues” (although he has refrained California Constitution’s No Prefer- from doing that during city council ence and Establishment Clauses, as prayers). Jones delivered 112 of the well as a civil rights provision. Regard- 126 prayers scheduled by the coun- less of how the Supreme Court decides cil between Jan. 1, 2008, and Oct. 15, the Greece case, FFRF’s case can pro- 2013. All but one of the 126 prayers ceed, and could carve out protections were addressed to the Christian god. against government prayer for all citi- In virtually every city prayer, Jones zens in the country’s most populated pressured citizens and the council to state. live a Christian lifestyle, to vote for Plaintiffs are FFRF, which has about “righteous” leaders and to make deci- 2,800 California members, and local sions that honor Jones’ particular god. FFRF member, Dr. Sari Dworkin, who The board meets twice a month. is also a member of Atheists United of At least 54 of the prayers contained San Luis Obispo, which brought the a “Christianized” view of history. FFRF’s First Amendment violation to FFRF’s Continued on back page Off with their ‘Head of Christ’ Crossroads of the World Steve Salemson, Wisconsin, was opportunely in New York City in late October to visit FFRF’s Times Square billboard. Steve regularly volunteers at the FFRF, ACLU settle Madison office. About a third of a million people pass through Times Square daily. FFRF’s message is on the same digital billboard at 42nd Street and 8th Avenue as the Answers in Genesis message saying, “To all our atheist friends: Jesus portrait case Thank God you’re wrong.” (See back page for more photos.)

The Freedom from Religion Foun- ties Union of Ohio have settled a law- District in Jackson, Ohio, with the dation and the American Civil Liber- suit against the Jackson City School district agreeing not to continue to dis- Inside This Issue Arizona Rep.

Columbus Dispatch/Doral Chenoweth III play a portrait of Jesus. FFRF Senior Staff Attorney Re- Juan Mendez: becca Markert wrote a Jan. 2 letter of Emperor Has complaint on behalf of parents with No Clothes students at the school, provoking Su- Awardee perintendent Phil Howard to publicly vow that the “Head of Christ” painting Page 6 would only be removed by court order. That order came in October in the form of a consent decree mandating that the portrait be permanently re- moved from school property. Parties agreed to a financial settlement requir- ing the school to pay the plaintiffs a combination of damages and legal fees FFRF Convention Photography totaling $95,000. FFRF’s share of the Pages 8–14 legal fees was $7,500. “We’re pleased that the plaintiffs — parents and students — whose identi- ties will be protected, will each receive $3,000 in claims and damages,” said This Feb. 12 photo shows a painting of Jesus Christ above the entrance FFRF Co-President Annie Laurie Gay- FFRF State/Church Victories lor. “It’s just and appropriate that stu- to Jackson Middle School in Jackson, Ohio. At right is a “Hall of Honor” Page 16 showing famous Jackson residents and school alumni. Continued on back page Page 2 Freethought Today Madison, Wisconsin November 2013 Photo: Scott Colson Welcome to 19 new ‘Lifers,’ from 11 states, Canada

The Freedom From Religion Foun- duct from taxable income a donation dation is grateful and pleased to an- to FFRF that is given directly from your nounce 19 new Lifetime Members. IRA account as part of your mandatory One new “Lifer” prefers anonymity. distribution. The others are: You may transfer up to $100,000 Raymond Borkowski, Dorothea M. from a retirement account (traditional Case, Howard G. Cowper, Allison Da- or Roth) to FFRF, which is a qualified vis, Michael Doyle, Vernon Getlinger, 501(c)(3) charity. Congress extended Nancy Hertz, Waldemar Janowski, the IRS charitable rollover to the end Steve Lowe, Lisa Lynch, Nate Mander- of 2013. feld, Raul Martinez (gift from Michael Jacobson), Kenneth B. Millard, Joan Reisman-Brill, Eric C. Sanders, Roger FFRF rates 4 stars again Scholten, J. Darwin Soder (already an For many years, FFRF has been rated “After Lifer”) and Louis Tremblay. “four stars” by Charity Navigator, Amer- States represented are California, ica’s largest independent evaluator of Florida, District of Columbia, Kansas, nonprofits. This fall, FFRF received Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, notification it has retained Charity Nevada, New York, Oregon, Wiscon- Navigator’s “coveted 4-star rating for sin and the Canadian province of Sas- sound fiscal management and commit- katchewan. ment to accountability and transpar- Correction: The October issue last ency. Receiving four out of a possible month incorrectly listed Kathy Petty- four stars indicates that your organiza- crew as a new Lifetime Member. Her tion adheres to good governance and Dayna Long traded Lutheranism for atheism. husband, Bruce Pettycrew, should have other best practices that minimize the been welcomed. Kathy is already a Life- chance of unethical activities and con- time Member. sistently executes its mission in a fis- Meet an Activist Staffer Thank you to Bruce, Louis, J. Dar- cally responsible way. Only 6% of the win, Roger, Eric, Joan, Kenneth, Mi- charities we rate have received at least chael gifting Raul, Nate, Lisa, Steve, four consecutive 4-star evaluations, in- Name: Dayna Elizabeth Long. about: Answering a question like this. Waldemar, Nancy, Vernon, Michael, dicating that Freedom From Religion Where and when I was born: I was My religious upbringing was: Zilch. Allison, Howard, Dorothea, Raymond Foundation outperforms most other born in Urbana, Ill., in 1989. My family started attending a Lutheran and Anonymous! charities in America. This ‘exception- Education: I graduated from the church when I was 15, but happily it Lifetime Memberships are avail- al’ designation from Charity Navigator University of Illinois in 2011 with a de- was a short-lived practice. able for $1,000 per individual, go into differentiates Freedom From Religion gree in English literature. My doubts about religion started: a “rainy day” reserved account, ensure Foundation from its peers and demon- How I came to work at FFRF: I was When I was pretty young. I can remem- never another renewal notice and are strates to the public it is worthy of their working at a software company but ber asking my mom if she thought God deductible for income-tax purposes to trust,” writes Charity Navigator Ken knew I wanted to be doing work that was real around the same time that I the kind donor, as are all dues and do- Berger, president and CEO. was more meaningful to me and would started asking why she and Santa Claus nations to FFRF. also allow me to spend more time vol- used the same wrapping paper. When I unteering for the National Organiza- was in my late teens and early 20s and FFRF is CFC recipient tion for Women [Dayna is the newly really growing into feminism, I became Senior FFRF donors: elected volunteer president of the Wis- frustrated with organized religion’s at- Take advantage of IRA Federal employees take note: FFRF consin chapter of NOW]. When I saw tempts to impose its doctrine on every- qualifies for your Combined Federal that FFRF was hiring, I jumped on it. one, especially on issues like same-sex rollover Campaign donations. The CFC code What I do here: I’m an administra- marriage and reproductive rights. A reminder that until the end of the donors should use to designate their tive assistant, so I get the mail, process When I moved to Madison after col- year, seniors 70½ and older may de- contribution is 32519. sales orders, answer the phone, do lege, I started hanging out with UW’s some data entry plus a hundred other student group Atheists, Humanists, miscellaneous things. and Agnostics, which is when I became What I like best about it: It’s really comfortable openly identifying as an wonderful to work in an office where atheist. I can be very open about my atheism Things I like: My cats, chai tea lattes, and also my politics without worrying nonfiction, incredible female leaders about offending anyone. Also, every- and great Wisconsin beer. Also blue- one who works here is really bright and berry danish. funny. I laugh all day long. Things I smite: Sexism, racism, ho- What sucks about it: Occasional mophobia, transphobia, drivers who long lines at the post office. don’t observe pedestrian crosswalks I spend a lot of time thinking about: and online dating. Feminism, activism, politics and how In my golden years: I’ll have con- my cats, Oscar and Sally, spend their stitutional equality under the Equal time when I’m not around. Rights Amendment! I hope. I spend little if any time thinking ‘Saturn’alia Minnesota Lifetime Member August Berkshire had his photo taken by “Lifer” Rachel Wilson. Freethought Today Notify Us of A Note to Members published by Freedom From Religion Foundation, Inc. Your Address [email protected] • FFRF.org Your address label shows the expira- P.O. Box 750 • Madison WI 53701 Change Promptly! tion date of your membership in FFRF, (608)256-8900 • FAX (608)204-0422 Email: [email protected] which includes your subscription to Editor: Bill Dunn, [email protected] Don’t miss a single issue! If you Freethought Today and “Private Line.” If move, notify us directly and it says November 2013 or earlier please Production Editor: Scott Colson promptly. The Post Office does renew! Your prompt re­newal ($40-sin- Executive Editor: Annie Laurie Gaylor not forward third-class mail. gle member­ ­ship; $50-household; $100 Assistant Editor: Lauryn Seering FFRF cannot be responsible for re- gung-ho; $25-student) saves us time Contributors: Philip Appleman, Zack Kopplin, Juan Mendez, Brent Nicastro, and post­age, and is tax-deductible. placing back issues if we have not Andrew L. Seidel, Edward Sorel, Maddy Ziegler been notified prior to your move. Free­­­thought Today is published 10 times November 2013 Back issues, while they last, may a year, with combined issues in Jan/Feb be ordered for $2 each. and June/July. Send membership or The only freethought newspaper in the United States rene wal to FFRF, Box 750, Madison WI 53701, ffrf.org/donate November 2013 Madison, Wisconsin Freethought Today Page 3 Richard and Beverly Hermsen Student Activist Award Student activist Kopplin fights faux science Photography by Brent Nicastro dressed up in a lab coat and therefore still patently unconstitutional. Instead, the law allows and encour- ages teachers to use supplemental ma- terials that “critique” evolution and other political controversies, including climate change and cloning. The over- whelming majority of scientists support evolution theory. This is only a contro- versy to Louisiana politicians. But, because of this law, in our pub- lic school science classes, teachers can bring in materials that say the Earth is only thousands of years old. Through- out the bill and the talking points of proponents are references to the im- portance of teaching critical thinking.

datory part of the curriculum. This Forging a coalition Zack Kopplin, 20, received FFRF’s first isn’t just a Louisiana issue, though. At- Richard and Beverly Hermsen Student Ac­ tacks on science come from all around When I was a senior in high school, tivist Award of $5,000 for his impressive the country, and the damage from sci- I realized I had a voice and a moral re- work to repeal a stealth creationism law in ence denial falls on all Americans. A sponsibility to use it and started a cam- Louisiana. This is his acceptance speech, prime example is Texas, which is cur- paign to repeal the Louisiana Science edited for print, given at FFRF’s 36th na­ rently adopting new science textbooks. Education Act. The first thing I did was tional convention in September in Madison, And because it’s Texas, creationists are contact Dr. Barbara Forrest, one of the Wis. He’s now a history major at Rice Uni­ attempting to undermine these biol- country’s foremost leaders in fighting versity in Houston. ogy books. creationism. She happens to live just The state board has appointed “ex- 25 miles down the road in one of our By Zack Kopplin pert reviewers” to issue corrections to creationist hot spots, Livingston Parish. the textbook publishers. The issue is We met and started working on the these experts are not experts. They’re repeal. The first step was to find a leg- Discovery Institute fellows and mem- islator courageous enough to sponsor Thank you all so much for hav- bers of the Creation Science Hall of the repeal bill. The LSEA passed with ing me here so I can tell you about Fame. only three votes against it. the fight for science in Louisiana and I met with Sen. Karen Carter Peter- in the United States. My home state, Of course, you don’t need a law to son, one of the brave three, and she Louisiana, is addicted to creationism. teach critical thinking in a science class agreed to author the repeal legislation. In 1987, the Supreme Court threw — that’s the whole point of a science Rep. Walt Leger agreed to handle our out Louisiana’s first creationism law in class! Critical thinking is at the heart legislation when it got to the House. the Edwards v. Aguillard decision, but of the scientific method. You only need When this campaign began, ev- the creationists never give up. When we a law if you want to sneak unscientific eryone told me that we didn’t have a passed the misnamed and misguided and unconstitutional creationist sup- chance, that we were taking on power- Louisiana Science Education Act back plemental materials into public school ful interests and it wasn’t worth it. Our in 2008, we became repeat offenders. classrooms. first repeal bill was defeated 5-1 in com- I won’t lie. It was really a pretty clever When he first introduced the bill, mittee. We came back for a second try piece of legislation. Sen. Ben Nevers let the cat out of the next year and lost again. This year The act never once mentions cre- the bag, explaining that a creationist we lost again in a 3-2 vote but made ationism or intelligent design in order group, the Louisiana Family Forum progress and will be back again next to dodge court rulings like Edwards, (which, by the way, claims to have draft- spring. And we’ve done some incred- which said Louisiana cannot require ed and promoted the LSEA) asked for ible things along the way. We protected that creationism be taught in public the law so creationism could be taught Louisiana’s biology textbooks and now school science class, or the more recent in public schools. defeated four attempts to throw them 2005 case, Dover v. Kitzmiller, in which “I’ve got no problem if a school out. Judge John Jones ruled that intelligent board, a local school board, says we Nearly 40% of living Nobel laure- design was creationism, too, just all want to teach our kids about creation- They have sent reviews to the text- ate scientists have joined us. Major sci- ism, that some people have these be- book publishers, insisting they revise ence organizations like the American liefs as well,” Gov. Bobby Jindal told their books to say there are no transi- Association for the Advancement of NBC’s “Education Nation.” tional fossils and to include the “cre- Science are on board. Public servants, Include FFRF When the state Board of Education ation model” based on “biblical prin- including the full New Orleans City originally wrote the rules implement- ciples.” Council, and tens of thousands of oth- In Your Estate ing the LSEA, they specifically out- We need to stand up and launch a ers, have joined our cause. lawed teaching creationism and intel- movement to fight for science. That’s Despite our progress, our issues Planning ligent design. The creationists went what I’m fighting for. We’re standing have taken a new turn for the worse. berserk and had those rules scrapped. up in Louisiana, we’re standing up in It seemed like Governor Jindal had Arrange a bequest in your will or The Livingston and Tangipahoa Par- Texas, and we need to stand up across already done as much damage as he trust, or make the Freedom From ish boards went so far as to use the law the country. could to science education with the Religion Found­ation the benefi- to justify making creationism a man- LSEA. Wrong. ciary of an insurance policy, bank The state has now passed a program account, or IRA. It’s easy to do. that takes money from public schools For related information Freedom From Religion Foundation and gives vouchers to creationist (or to request a bequest schools. The program has been ruled brochure), please phone P.O. Box 750 • Madison WI 53701 • (608) 256-8900 • ffrf.org unconstitutional, but the Legislature Annie Laurie Gaylor at could find a way around it. (608) 256-8900. What is the Freedom From Religion Foundation? I documented 20 private schools FFRF which blatantly teach creationism or P.O. Box 750 Founded in 1978 as a national organization of freethinkers (atheists and agnostics), use creationist curricula that could end Madison WI 53701 the Freedom From Religion Foundation, Inc., works to keep state and church up receiving over 1,300 voucher slots, separate and to educate the public about the views of nontheists. which were initially slated to receive The Foundation’s e-mail address is [email protected]. Please include your name and $11 million in taxpayer funds annually. Freedom Depends physical mailing address with all e-mail correspondence. They’ve since decreased the amount Foundation members wishing to receive online news releases, “action alerts” and to about $4 million. If they manage to on Freethinkers “Freethought of the Day” should contact [email protected]. keep the program going, they’re going Continued on page 7 Page 4 Freethought Today Madison, Wisconsin November 2013

Heads Up A Poetry Column by Philip Appleman

Thank you, God

God sends us wars to settle scores, His holy bombs are deafening. Our fierce belief brings blood and grief. Overheard Oh, thank you, God, for everything. I’m not religious in ously, you exclude every player who terms of believing in doesn’t believe in the prayer leader’s He blesses us with pestilence, organized religion. god, or doesn’t believe in any god, or If you look at the is just smart enough to see the folly of Violence, and famine — hence genocide that hap- praying to a peaceful god when playing We sink down on our knees to sing pened in the witch a game as violent as football. hunts and the kill- Columnist Dan DeWitt, an atheist, on a Thank you, God, for everything. ing of women, it was Florida school superintendent’s memo about wiping out fe- asking coaches to not lead prayers male power. Tampa Bay Times, 10-8-13 He won’t explain His hurricanes Actress Julia Ormond, who plays a witch in Lifetime’s new series “The Sing “The Star-Spangled Banner” or Or plagues or quakes or butchering. Witches of East End” do something else to make it a grand MCT News Service, 10-4-13 occasion. Don’t appropriate religion Our very glands are in his hands: for that purpose. Keep religion sepa- Thank you, God, for everything. Secularism and excellence in moral rate and special and have the sphere of reasoning are what’s necessary for a government be religion-free so that ev- high standard of human rights. So to- eryone feels equally included. I think day at the dinner table, ask your kids that is the American tradition. He has a knack for taking back where their rights come from. I have Ann Althouse, University of Wisconsin- His promises of anything. rights, you know. Really!? From where? Madison law professor, arguing against Push them! Teach them a lesson! Be- prayer at events such as graduations But there’s no shame, we praise His name: cause if you don’t push them now, Wisconsin State Journal, 10-6-13 they’ll be pushed, shoved and shot by O thank you, God, for everything. religious fanatics later. I’m suggesting we take holy books out “Atheist in Wheaton” [Ill.] James Kirk of the process. Instead, people will © Philip Appleman 2013 Wall have to show they understand they Freethought Today is honored to publish this new poem. ChicagoNow, 10-27-13 could be sent to prison if they don’t tell the truth. Ghana’s economic productivity is un- Ian Abrahams, Bristol, UK, on a Mag- Philip Appleman is Dis­tinguished Professor­ Emeri­ der threat because workers are spend- istrates’ Association proposal to stop tus at In­dia­na Uni­ver­si­ty. His published volumes of ing too much time at all-night church having witnesses swear on the bible in poetry in­clude Perfidious Proverbs and Other Poems: services, according to a senior cleric. court A Satirical Look at the Bible (2012), Darwin’s Ark News story quoting Rev. Frimpong Charisma News, 10-14-13 (new 2009 edition) and Karma, Dharma, Pudding Manso, head of the Assemblies of God & Pie (2009). His nonfiction work in­cludes the widely Church in Ghana, where two-thirds of She called me a filthy little liar and gave used Norton Critical Edition, Darwin, and the Nor­ the population is Christian me a big dose of castor oil. I couldn’t ton Critical Edition of Malthus’ Essay on Pop­ulation. The Guardian, 10-28-13 keep it down — threw up. His poetry and fiction have won many awards, including a fellowship in Witness in the trial of Fr. Finian Egan, poetry from the Na­tional En­dow­ment for the Arts, the Castagnola Award If you believe that alleging a nun disciplined her for re- from the Poetry Society of America, the Humanist Arts Award from the the world is only porting Egan molested her when she American Humanist Association and the Friend of Darwin Award from the 6,000 years old, as was 10 National Center for Science Education. His work has ap­peared in Har­ some of these people Sydney Morning Herald, 10-14-13 per’s Magazine, The Nation, The New Republic, The New York Times, do, given that the The Paris Review, Partisan Review, Poetry, and The Yale Review.. true age of the Earth I can stand at the is 4.6 billion years, beach’s edge with He and his playwright wife, Marjorie Appleman, are both “Afterlife” Members it’s equivalent to be- the most devout of the Freedom From Religion Foundation. They recorded an excerpt of “Noah,” lieving the width of Christian, Jew, New and Selected Poems, which is available for sale from FFRF for $23 ppd, North America is 8 Buddhist, go on The Norton Critical Edition, Darwin, is $22 ppd., Karma, Dharma, Pud­ yards. down the line, and weep with the beau- ding & Pie, $27 ppd., Darwin’s Ark, $23 ppd., and Perfidious Proverbs, Biologist Richard Dawkins ty of this universe and be moved by all $20 ppd. (ffrf.org/shop/). “Real Time With Bill Maher,” 10-25-13 of humanity, all the billions of people who lived before us, who have loved I was once Christian. But I sincerely and hurt and suffered. To me, my defi- considered the matter and found no nition of God is humanity and is the evidence to support faith. I then de- love of humanity. YOUR WEEKLY ANTIDOTE TO THE RELIGIOUS RIGHT cided to change for a more positive Endurance swimmer Diana Nyad, 64, and healthy perspective on life, love telling host Oprah Winfrey that she’s TUNE IN TO and compassion. As I moved away from an atheist religion, I found both peace and a lot “Super Soul Sunday,” 10-13-13 FREETHOUGHT RADIO of good, similarly minded people. So if some think I’m going to hell, I’ll prob- Doesn’t it just plain suck that the Old produced by the ably be in better company than those Testament isn’t cool anymore? The Freedom From Religion who would condemn me for this. book’s got everything: genocide, in- Foundation Hosted by Dan Barker and Ricky D. Smith, Danville, Ky., letter to cest, and even talking donkeys! That’s Annie Laurie Gaylor the editor why David Tuchman has taken it upon Broadcasts and streams Saturdays at 11 a.m. Central, Progressive Talk The Mic Advocate-Messenger, 9-16-13 himself to rehabilitate the text as 92.1 FM, Madison, Wis., and over several other stations. OMGWTFBIBLE. iTunes or podcasts archived at: ffrf.org/news/radio [If] I were a coach, even a Christian From comedian David Tuchman’s one, I would not want team prayers “new take on the Old Testament,” re- Slightly irreverent views, at all. That’s because it’s no better for corded live in New York City the third team-building than it is for nation- Monday of every month and available news, music & interviews building, which our founders wisely by podcast recognized. And that’s because, obvi- Tablet Magazine, 10-14-13 November 2013 Madison, Wisconsin Freethought Today Page 5

New donations help Freethought Hall be ‘born again’ Thank you, Florida donor, & everyone! Photo: Andrew L. Seidel Below are new donations to FFRF’s build­ Anonymous, but has since granted his per­ ing expansion fund. This listing generally mission to acknowledge his $1,000 dona­ reflects contributions received from Oct. 1 to tion. Richard Fletcher, TX, donated $200 Nov. 4, 2013, and is not cumulative, except to FFRF earlier this year and it was inadver­ the total. tently left out of previous listings.

Very Kind Donor, FL: $137,129.78 Thank you to all donors who have (This donor’s cumulative Build- contributed to this project. Donate at ing Fund contributions now total ffrf.org/ffrf-building-fund-contribution- $233,992.15) page or earmark a donation to FFRF, Richard Busemeyer Atheist Founda- PO Box 750, Madison WI 53701. FFRF tion, OH: $25,000 will not publish donor names without Harold Saferstein MD and Doreen Saf- express permission. Check the permis- erstein, AZ: $8,115.99 sions box if you wish to be identified by James Wallis, WA: $2,500 name. If you’ve given a gift designated Anonymous, KY: $2,500 for the Building Fund which does not Anonymous, CA: $2,000 appear to be reflected in this or previ- Sheri & Charles Bender, WI: $1,000 ous listings, please contact Katie Daniel Anonymous, WI: $1,000 at 608-256-8900 (9-5 Central) so we can Frank and Nero Gordon, PA: $1,000 A firm’s foundation check records and acknowledge your Anonymous, OR: $1,000 Co-President Dan Barker stands on the newly laid foundation of FFRF’s generous gift! Nancy Ruhland, MN: $1,000 addition to Freethought Hall, its offices in downtown Madison, Wis. The first Anonymous, IL: $1,000 concrete pour was in early November. The addition is expected to be completed All donors’ names will be listed in Michael Stanton, CA: $1,000 in June 2014, with phase II (a third-floor library and cupola atop the original a keepsake book. Names of the largest Anonymous, OH: $500 1855 building) done by late summer 2014. donors will be inscribed on an impres- Anonymous, WA: $300 sive full-length Wall of Honor in the John DeVault, TN: $260 new lobby. Donors giving $5,000 or Paul and Deb Lindsey, WY: $250 more will be listed on a lobby plaque. Warren Geisler/Kristine Walderbach, Michael Lieffring, CA: $100 Anonymous, SD: $10 FFRF still has room for those who want AR: $250 Mr. Stephen Locatelli, CA: $100 their names (or a name in memoriam) Jack Pedigo, WA: $100 Eugene Osegovic, CO: $54 Subtotal: $186,924.77 to be listed in the new vestibule lobby J.E. (John) Hill, WA: $100 Anonymous, WI: $50.00 New cumulative total: on a pretty handcast tile ($2,500), Robert Kerr, TX: $100 Thomas Kluzak, KS: $50 or their name or short message on a Ed Merkner, OH: $100 Anonymous, CA: $25 $1,280,915.77 paving stone ($1,000 for 6x12 paver; Anonymous, NJ: $100 Lisa Hettler-Smith/Gordon Smith, CA: $2,000 for 12x12 paver) in the Rose Anonymous, FL: $100 $20 Note: Gene Boyko, CT, was listed in a Zerwick Courtyard and Garden. Anonymous, CA: $100 John Fostvedt, WI: $10 previous issue of Freethought Today as

They Said What?

I like to say thanks to God and the gla- Holly and I made a decision to build a op of Lima, on recent clerical scandals God will help us. That is our prayer. ciers. house. It’s a big house. It’s a beautiful in Peru Duraimony Dickson, pastor of Hous- Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, on the house. It’s 8,400 square feet of heated National Catholic Register, 10-17-13 ton Tamil Church near Rosharon, Tex- state’s abundant deposits of coarse- living area to be exact. That’s a big as, on a fire of unknown origin which grained “fracking” sand in demand house, no doubt about it. O.J. is very religious now, and he’s destroyed the church worldwide Steven Furlick, pastor of Elevation been counseling other inmates with KHOU-TV, 10-22-13 Capital Times, 10-10-13 Church, Charlotte, NC, addressing bible studies for months. When I talk news reports about the couple’s $1.7 to him on the phone, all he wants to We don’t cater to you people. The people of this state need a candi- million home, which totals 16,000 discuss is religion. He’s obsessed! Comment allegedly made by a Hobby date who can clearly and unapologeti- square feet in all O.J. Simpson associate Norman Par- Lobby employee in Marlboro, N.J., to a cally articulate Biblical values without Charlotte Observer, 10-27-13 do, who says the 66-year-old, eligible customer asking why the store doesn’t fear or compromise. They need a can- for parole in 2017, wants to launch a stock bar mitzvah cards didate who will tell the simple truth The Constitution would not have been worldwide crusade called “Holy Sa- Hopelessly Partisan blog, 9-27-13 that abortion is murder, and homo- written by Freemasons. They go against fari!” sexuality is condemned by God (but God. . . . You cannot serve two masters. National Enquirer, 10-17-13 They do not value children the same that Jesus forgives and heals those who You cannot serve two masters. Praise way that you do. You cannot bring a repent). be to God. Lord Jesus Christ. Rules grow like barnacles on a ship: child into this world with someone Press release from “kill the gays” Dianne Reidy, U.S. House stenogra- They’re easy to pick up and hard to who does not value the child as God Pastor Scott Lively, proclaiming “hu- pher, shouting from the dais during remove, and they really slow us down. does and as you do. manism breeds corruption” and an- a vote on whether to end the govern- The writ of Sarbanes and Oxley wound- Mark Driscoll, pastor of Mars Hill nouncing his run for governor of Mas- ment shutdown ed the entrepreneurs in ways that only Church in Seattle, reason No. 3 of “9 sachusetts C-SPAN, 10-16-13 decades can heal. Consider abolishing reasons to not marry someone who’s Scott Lively Ministries, 9-30-13 some rules every now and then, as a pro-choice” For the past 2 and ½ weeks, the Holy sign of your love for your people. marshill.com, 10-25-13 Pray that conservatives in the House Spirit has been waking me up in the Forbes contributor Todd Hixon, “An and Senate will not succumb to a god- middle of the night and preparing me Entrepreneur’s Prayer For Better Gov- If I go to my service tonight and God less compromise and that the Sen- (through my reluctance and doubt) to ernment” moves on me, and I mean the Holy ate will not try the “nuclear option” deliver a message in the House Cham- forbes.com, 10-23-13 Ghost anoints that place and you got (change Senate rules to require just ber. That is what I did. people shouting, you got people get- 51 not 60 votes to end a filibuster and Dianne Reidy, email to Fox News host I don’t want to support lesbianism, I ting saved, people getting healed, de- force a vote). Pray that the American Greta Van Susteren don’t want to support Planned Par- livered and God moves on me to pull people will wake up and demand that Washington Time, 10-18-13 enthood, and I don’t want to support out a four-and-a-half-foot rattlesnake their senators defer implementation abortion. And if that be the case, I’m and it lays fangs into me, if I’m anoint- of Obamacare and find a responsible The priest who does not pray cannot not buying Girl Scout cookies. ed by God, that snake is not going to compromise on the continuing resolu- live chastity, which is a gift from God. Radio host Kevin Swanson, also a harm me. I don’t care if it bites me 20 tion and debt ceiling. He should live obedience and pover- teaching elder at Reformation Church, times, there’ll be no harm. Plea to the Family Research Council’s ty. In these days, one has to be more which meets at Clear Sky Elementary Pastor Andrew Hamblin of Tabernacle “prayer team” and more careful, because we are like School in Castle Rock, Colo. Church of God in LaFollette, Tenn., on frc.org, 10-10-13 sheep among the wolves. New York Daily News, 10-22-13 “Snake Salvation” Cardinal Juan Luis Cipriani, archbish- Christian Post, 10-23-13 Page 6 Freethought Today Madison, Wisconsin November 2013

‘Emperor’ recipient Mendez: ‘Do not bow your heads’ Photography by Brent Nicastro Arizona state Rep. Juan Mendez, D-Tem­ pe, caused a stir nationwide May 21 with ‘I am an atheist his godless invocation opening a legislative because I’ve found session. This is his speech, edited for print, in acceptance of FFRF’s Emperor Has No no faith in any Clothes Award at the 36th national conven­ tion in September in Madison, Wis. The deity from Thor to FFRF award is reserved for public figures who make known their dissent from religion Zeus.’

fortably, engaged in challenging de- bates, with many moments of tension, of ideological division, of frustration. I outed myself — my humanist un- derstandings, my absence of a faith in a deity — at the risk of political capital simply by omitting a God from a simple yet compassionate, if I might say, invo- know because I have a line of tea par- ture that made it possible for me, as cation or prayer. I quoted Carl Sagan: ty activists ready to quote the Bill of a state legislator from Arizona, to talk “For small creatures such as we, the Rights to me when I get back home. honestly about what I do and don’t be- vastness is bearable only through love.” But across the country, courts have lieve in. I asked a room full of politicians, issued differing decisions on what is ac- Together, we are in a position to go the majority conservative, to acknowl- ceptable, starting with a 1983 Supreme further than we ever imagined. We are edge our shared capacity for reason Court decision [Marsh v. Chambers] standing at a moment in history where and compassion, our shared love for that approved prayer before legislative we truly can dramatically shift our cul- the people of our state, for our Con- meetings. They did this while also set- ture toward feminism, environmental- stitution and for our democracy. And ting no boundaries, and courts have ism, human dignity and real liberty and that we root our policymaking in these since disagreed on the specifics. justice for all by electing or reelecting values that are relevant to all Arizo- A 2008 appellate decision that ap- more openminded legislators across By Arizona Rep. Juan Mendez nans, regardless of religious belief or plies to Florida, Georgia and Alabama our country. We even have a PAC now. nonbelief. upheld prayers at the Cobb County, I will never stop fighting for my val- Ga., Commission, which invited rep- ues, and these last couple of months Fallout the next day resentatives of various faiths to partici- have shown me that I am not fighting First, I want to thank Freedom From pate. The prayers were predominantly alone. Together, if we choose to be Religion for its work in promoting the The next day, a colleague seated Christian and often referenced Jesus. bold and speak the truth, if we choose constitutional principle of separation next to me, for the first order of busi- A 2011 ruling says that prayers be- to be champions of humanism, if we of state and church and in educating ness after reciting our allegiance and fore legislative meetings in Maryland, choose to seize this moment, we will the public on matters relating to non- offering the prayer (but before con- North Carolina, South Carolina, Vir- win, and what we win is the infinitely theism. demning Obamacare, which is how we ginia and West Virginia should be non- precious dignity of all humanity. I am honored to accept the Emper- traditionally begin our political busi- denominational and nonsectarian, us- or Has No Clothes Award and join past ness), called for a “redo” of yesterday’s ing generic words that don’t refer to a recipients in telling it as it is when it prayer, my prayer. And they did it. specific religion. Invocation by comes to religion. I would like to take I had offended him and his religion Now the Supreme Court is set to this opportunity to share with you all, because my invocation did not invoke hear this term a New York case to de- Rep. Juan Mendez the story of how I got quoted in the his god. Or to put it in more politically termine whether prayer should be per- Most prayers in this room begin same article as the pope. I need to correct terms, I didn’t use empty, non- missible at government meetings. A with a request to bow your heads. I share this story with you because as de- descript language. I chose to stand out. decision in Town of Greece v. Galloway is would like to ask that you not bow fenders of freedom from religion, you That’s the parallel I’m honored to expected by June 2014. your heads. I would like to ask that deserve a firsthand account of what I share with the “Emperor” short story From my experiences, we need to you take a moment to look around can only describe as a culture of cor- by Hans Christian Andersen. The mor- move away from issues of free speech the room at all of the men and ruption. al, as I see it, is don’t seek to blend in to issues of equal protection, or more women here, in this moment, shar- I believe any prayer before public with everyone else. Don’t adhere to specifically to the No Religious Test ing together this extraordinary ex- meetings becomes a litmus test that the empty attempts at misrepresenting Clause of the Constitution, Article VI, perience of being alive and of dedi- bars you from the norm, or at worst your values to engage in your commu- paragraph 3: “[N]o religious test shall cating ourselves to working toward there’s the fear that if you don’t pass nity or to engage in the public trust as ever be required as a qualification to improving the lives of the people in for the norm, your legislation will not publicly elected officials. any office or public trust under the our state. be entertained or taken seriously. You If prayer before any public meeting United States.” This is a room in which there can feel it in the indignation they pre- has anyone choosing to blend in and While prayer at public meetings isn’t are many challenging debates, sume and in the fear my colleagues agree that they are doing good work administered as a test, my colleagues many moments of tension, of ideo- have in losing legitimacy. while hiding their lack of faith, we’d be seemed to think I failed. And when logical division, of frustration. But Prayer before public meetings ends saying that the 20% of the population they as the majority find their way into this is also a room where, as my up becoming a vehicle to deliver a we represent isn’t worthy of the public leadership positions where they have secular humanist tradition stresses, politicized message demonizing and trust. total control over the entire agenda, by the very fact of being human, marginalizing entire groups of people. Having politicians fear expressing deciding what we talk about, when we we have much more in common Despite efforts to rotate speakers of dif- their lack of beliefs only perpetuates talk about it and who gets to talk (and than we have differences. We share ferent faiths, the practice remains di- the culture that keeps so many of us then determining whether any action the same spectrum of potential for visive and exclusionary for many who from coming out of the closet. If we comes from all our talking), I have to care, for compassion, for fear, for practice less common religions or no continue to allow for a cultural prac- fear whether they see me as qualified joy, for love. religion at all. tice like prayer before public meet- to carry out the public trust. Carl Sagan once wrote, “For Removal of prayer before public ings, we’ll continue to allow millions That is the culture of corruption in small creatures such as we, the vast- meetings poses no threat to the secular of Americans to feel disenfranchised which I was elected to do business. I ness is bearable only through love.” nature of our government or society. from civic engagement because they knew about this before I got elected, There is, in the political process, Only those who gain their cultural cap- don’t see their values articulated by so you don’t have to worry about me much to bear. In this room, let us ital through proselytizing on our gov- their government representatives, becoming jaded. cherish and celebrate our shared ernment’s dime are fighting for this. community leaders, neighbors and I want to end with the explanation humanness, our shared capacity And they are determined on preserv- friends. of a quote I turned up awhile ago: “A for reason and compassion, our ing their “heritage,” or cultural capital, At the very least, we need to be fin- person can never hope to be more than shared love for the people of our at the expense of democracy. ished with prayer before public meet- he is if he is not first honest about what state, for our Constitution, for our On the floor of the Arizona Legisla- ings so that the people who approach a he isn’t.” It probably has nothing to do democracy — and let us root our ture, I asked a body of publicly elected governing body or official feel equal. with religion, but I take it seriously policymaking process in these val- officials to forgo the assumed customs Neutrality on certain issues is vital to nonetheless and apply it when I can. ues that are relevant to all Arizo- of a larger culture and not bow their the government process. I am an atheist because I’ve found nans regardless of religious belief heads [see sidebar]. I simply asked that no faith in any deity from Thor to Zeus. or nonbelief. they take one moment out of their day, ‘No religious test’ I am so grateful for the work the peo- In gratitude and in love, in rea- that they look past the fact that we’ve ple in this room have done to advance son and in compassion, let us work spent months cooped up in a room The First Amendment grants even the separation of state and church, to together for a better Arizona. that should have fit all our egos com- politicians the right to free speech. I educate communities, to build a cul- November 2013 Madison, Wisconsin Freethought Today Page 7 Courtesy FFRF member and illustrator Edward Sorel FFRF Legal Victories

FFRF halts Ohio Tim Haist of Big Rapids [Township] High School: “While the recitation and flagpole prayer display of the Pledge of Allegiance in FFRF successfully ended a “See You a public school is permissible, promot- At The Pole” event at Columbia High ing and displaying religious arguments School in Tiffin, Ohio, after learning alongside it are not. The poster’s asser- that a teacher organized and promot- tion overlooks many statements from ed the event, going so far as to order this country’s founders which acknowl- pizza and lead the students in prayer. edge their secular principles, and thus The school principal also participat- flatly ignores the secular position on ed, promoting the event through the the issue.” school’s morning announcements and The posters were produced by Gate- commenting that he thought prayer ways to Better Education, a Christian was “an important thing to do.” group whose mission is to inject “faith Staff Attorney Andrew Seidel sent in the public schools” and to teach a letter Oct. 8 to Superintendent Don students “about the importance of Coletta to explain the violation: “Fac- the bible and Judeo-Christian history, ulty participation and organization of a thought and values.” prayer event is inappropriate and prob- Haist replied Oct. 14 that the teach- lematic. Even if a prayer event in your er in question had been told that “Dis- “Have you noticed how many God-fearing people these days are stark-raving lu- school is hosted by a student organiza- trict policy states that we can ‘neither natics?” tion, adult participation or promotion advance nor inhibit religion.’ ” Haist is impermissible. While the school can- said the teacher was also given a docu- cluded readings of bible verses and was to take part in prayers and meetings not prohibit students from organizing ment stating, “While Michigan stan- led by a Christian chaplain. that emphasized God. Despite multiple or participating in a prayer event, the dards do include an exploration of the Staff Attorney Andrew Seidel con- talks with counselors about his beliefs, Supreme Court has stated that public American government and its founda- tacted the airport on behalf of the he was threatened with expulsion if he school employees, including teachers, tion, including fundamental ideas and local complainant, pointing out that so much as stepped out of the room must refrain from actively participat- philosophical and historical origins such prayer “creates acrimony, makes during prayers. ing in religious activities.” through investigation, I struggle to see minorities feel like political outsiders Staff Attorney Patrick Elliott wrote Coletta responded Oct. 14: “I have the connection between the pledge in their own community, and shows to the VA on July 23: “[N]o government taken steps with both individuals (and and this standard. The pledge in not unconstitutional governmental prefer- program can require participation in others) to make sure our personnel a foundational document. As we both ence for religion over nonreligion.” religious activity or promote one reli- are both aware of the legal boundaries know, it was written over 100 years later An airport representative respond- gious view over another. It seems that and that they act within them. I intend and not adopted by our government ed in late summer, stating that FFRF’s nothing is being done to protect the to monitor this situation in an effort to until 1954.” concerns were taken very seriously, and rights of conscience of those who are ensure both the rights of students and He also encouraged the teacher to that personnel conducting an upcom- nonreligious.” the obligation of the District are hon- write a lesson plan about the pledge’s ing customer service event were “com- Elliott pointed out that 23.1% of all ored.” revisions and their historical context. mitted to abiding by all applicable laws military personnel identify as atheist, and City policies.” agnostic or having no religious prefer- Teacher: Freedom FFRF grounds prayer ence. VA: Stop mandatory The Department of Veterans Affairs ‘comes from God’ at Atlanta airport responded Oct. 22, stating that it was treatment prayers “reinforced to D&A Detox that they A Michigan social studies teacher A staff member at Hartsfield–Jack- are not to require attendance in prayer will no longer be allowed to distribute son Atlanta International Airport at- Military veterans sent to substance activities to remain in treatment; rein- and display a poster with the Pledge tended an employee and customer sat- abuse treatment by the Sacramento forced with them that they should not of Allegiance alongside a message as- isfaction luncheon that was organized Veterans Administration in California stigmatize any Veteran who opts out of serting that “our freedom ultimately by the airport, which is owned by the will be offered an alternative to reli- such activities; [and] reinforced with comes from God” and that the found- city of Atlanta and is the busiest U.S. gious programs because of an FFRF VA staff to ask about objections to 12- ing fathers felt similarly. airport. The lunch began with a Chris- letter of complaint. Step model programs in considering Staff Attorney Andrew Seidel sent tian prayer, during which guests were FFRF was contacted by a veteran who program placement.” an Oct. 11 letter to Superintendent instructed to bow their heads. It in- said that in his program, he was forced Student activist Kopplin fights faux science

Continued from page 3 teaches prophecy. and to our survival as a species. Our Science funding offers a massive re- to be funding millions more. As the New Orleans Times Picayune population continues to climb, but the turn on investment, over 30%. And the I found schools that teach “Our opined, “Vouchers have turned out to amount of clean water and living space great thing about funding science is position on the age of the Earth and be the answer to a creationist’s prayer.” we have is stretched thin. Our climate that what we discover, unlike a tax cut, other issues is that any theory that goes We’re giving public money to pri- is growing increasingly extreme. We’ve never sunsets. Unlike a road, it never against God’s Word is in error” and vate schools that will fail our students discovered “super bugs” which are re- needs to be replaced or repaved. What others that call scientists “sinful men.” through teaching creationism and bad sistant to antibiotics. we discover will be with us forever. I found a school that requires stu- science. But again, all of you know that Earth is experiencing a rapid de- I have a vision where we teach evolu- dents to “defend creationism through this isn’t just Louisiana craziness. cline in biodiversity, especially in our tion, not creationism. Where we teach- evidence presented by the Bible versus I’ve found that over 300 schools oceans. The recent meteorite that ing about radio carbon dating rather traditional scientific theory.” across the country are teaching cre- exploded over Russia is a sobering re- than Noah’s flood. Teach climate sci- ationism and receiving tens of millions minder that we could be faced with a ence, not just plain denial science. There be dragons or quite possibly even hundreds of mil- killer asteroid in the near future. I have a vision of humanity harness- lions in public money. I found schools I know these threats sound like sci- ing wave energy and revolutionary sus- Mother Jones magazine picked out bringing students to the Creation Mu- ence fiction, but they are real and my tainable technology like algae fuel. I the 14th craziest lessons taught in cre- seum and calling evolution “the way of generation will have to address them. have a vision where we discover how to ationist schools. My favorite was the the heathen.” The way to overcome these challenges turn off cancer cells and even aging. textbook that claimed dragons were This fight may be long and it may and ensure the continued long-term When I was a freshman in high real (they were dinosaurs with chemi- be hard, but as President Kennedy said existence of our species is through in- school, when my dad ran for Congress, cals in their noses, and they lived with when he launched the moon mission, vestment in rapid scientific innovation. I didn’t recognize I had a voice and humans). “We choose to go to the moon in this that my voice had power. I didn’t rec- By the way, one of our state legisla- decade and do the other things, not Two futures ognize that with this power, came great tors who voted for the voucher pro- because they are easy, but because they responsibility. I have a responsibility to gram now says she opposes it because are hard, because that goal will serve to We have a choice of two futures. In serve my country and my species. We she didn’t realize Muslim schools organize and measure the best of our the first, we keep on our present track. all do. could potentially qualify for vouchers. energies and skills, because that chal- This is a future where science funding We have the power to launch a sci- She thought religious schools meant lenge is one that we are willing to ac- continues to stay stagnant or decline. entific revolution to overcome the only Christian schools, and for good cept, one we are unwilling to postpone, In this future, we teach creationism challenges we face and we all have a reason. Besides all the creationism and and one which we intend to win.” and climate denial instead of science. responsibility to do that. dragons, there’s even a school slated to We need a new science revolution In this future, we fall to these threats. This is our generation’s movement. receive $360,000 a year led by a man because our generation faces unprec- I have a vision where we invest $1 We need a Second Giant Leap for hu- who calls himself The Apostle and edented challenges to our way of living trillion in science in the next decade. mankind! Page 8 Freethought Today Madison, Wisconsin November 2013

36th Annual FFRF Convention Speakers & Entertainers

Journalist Jamila Bey, formerly of National Public Radio, spoke on “Sex, Politics and Religion: SPARing Australian singer Shelley Segal sang with Jamila.” songs from her first recording, “The Atheist Album.”

FFRF Co-Presidents Annie Laurie Gaylor and Dan Barker emceed the event, which attracted over 600 freethinkers from 40 states and four countries — Germany, France, Australia and Canada.

Dan Barker entertained at the piano.

“The Jill & Julia Show,” featuring improv stories by “Saturday Night Live” alum Julia (“Letting Go of God”) Sweeney interspersed with music by singer/songwriter Jill (“I Kissed a Girl”) Sobule, was a convention hit. That’s bass player Dave Carpenter in the background.

Photography by Brent Nicastro unless otherwise indicated

FFRF Staff Attorney Patrick Elliott. FFRF Staff Attorney Elizabeth Cavell. FFRF Staff Attorney Andrew Seidel. Aisha Goss, deputy director of the Secular Coalition of America. November 2013 Madison, Wisconsin Freethought Today Page 9

Arizona state Rep. Juan Mendez, virtually the only Author and sex columnist Dan “out” atheist state legislator, holds his Emperor Has Savage, an outspoken atheist and No Clothes Award, bestowed because of Mendez’s co-founder of the “It Gets Better” courage in giving a freethought invocation to open a campaign, holds his Emperor Has legislative session. No Clothes Award, bestowed by Dan Barker on FFRF’s behalf. Convention Honorees

Bestselling mystery writer and feminist Sara (“V.I. Warshawski” series) Paretsky, a firm advocate of state/church separation, shows off her Freethought Heroine Award.

Zack Kopplin, 20, a student at Rice University in Houston, receiving the premiere Richard and Beverly Hermsen Student Activist Award of $5,000 from Staff Attorney Andrew Seidel on behalf of FFRF.

September 27-29, 2013 Madison, Wisconsin

Jim McCollum was honored in the 65th anniversary year of his and his mother Vashti McCollum’s Supreme Court victory, McCollum v. Champaign Board of Education, which bars religious instruction in public schools. Jim is pictured Ellery Schempp was lauded for the 50th anniversary year of his Abington v. with filmmaker Jay Rosenstein, University of Illinois, whose Peabody Award- Schempp Supreme Court victory barring bible reading and recitation of the winning film about the landmark case, “The Lord Is Not on Trial Here Today,” Lord’s Prayer in public schools. was screened at the convention. Page 10 Freethought Today Madison, Wisconsin November 2013

FFRF’ers

Stephen Uhl’s Out of God’s Closet book Peabody Award-winning filmmaker Jay Rosenstein, benefits FFRF (order from ffrf.org/shop)! Illinois (a new FFRF Lifetime Member). Photo: Andrew L. Seidel Denise Mayes, Ohio, and her pup.

More photos at convention slideshow: ffrf.org/outreach/convention

Manivanh, Alice and Mark Dluzak, Wisconsin. Lifetime Member and Supreme Court victor Jim McCollum, Arkansas, with Sam Salerno, Ohio.

Nancy McClements directs the reference desk at the University of Wisconsin- Madison. Thank you, David Groethe, FFRF’s outgoing chair, and Mary Groethe, Minnesota, for more than two decades of help!

Vada Luening, “Village Atheist” from Wisconsin, and Deb Hilpipre, Minnesota. Audience members Abdul Iddrisu, Wisconsin, and Larry Moens, Wisconsin. November 2013 Madison, Wisconsin Freethought Today Page 11

Jill Sobule and Julia Sweeney entertain the crowd. See photos below: Thank you, Steve and Diane Uhl! Their respective boutonnière and corsage are in recognition of their stupendous $250,000 gift to FFRF’s Building Fund.

Memorable Moments

Ian Gaylor escorts his mother, FFRF principal Rebecca Markert, senior staff attorney, shows off the founder Anne Gaylor, 86, to the podium. convention’s youngest participant, Audrey, just eight days old, who slept through the introduction. The proud papa is Michael Markert.

Freethought convention wedding

Speaker Aisha Goss relates a deconversion story.

Texans Jana Kay Weaver and Richard Halasz high-five it after Co-President Dan Barker unites them in marriage at their impromptu wedding Sept. 27 at the convention. The couple had about 600 witnesses to their brief and godless An animated “Moment of Bedlam” starts the ceremony. Dan’s ordination from his ministerial days is still good, allowing him to occasionally perform secular annual Non-Prayer Breakfast. weddings. After the ceremony, Jana and Richard generously handed in two Lifetime Memberships. Many thanks and felicitations to the happy couple! Page 12 Freethought Today Madison, Wisconsin November 2013

FFRF Staff

Director of Operations Lisa Strand greets FFRF Co-President Dan Barker welcomes participants. conventioneers.

Scott Colson introduces speaker Aisha Goss. FFRF Co-President Annie Laurie Gaylor concludes Director of Membership Jackie Douglas registers the convention. participants. Photo: Andrew L. Seidel

Liz Cavell, staff attorney, sells copies of Julia Sweeney’s new book, If It’s Not One Thing, It’s Jarvis Idowu, an FFRF legal intern from the University of Wisconsin-Madison Law School, asks a question. Your Mother. Photo: Andrew L. Seidel Photo: Andrew L. Seidel

Left: The Three (Freethinking) Graces — FFRF Publicist Lauryn Seering, Assistant Dayna Long and Bookkeeper Katie Daniel (also pictured above). November 2013 Madison, Wisconsin Freethought Today Page 13 Photo: Andrew L. Seidel

Jim Zerwick, FFRF treasurer, announces his mother Rose Zerwick’s $50,000 FFRF principal founder Anne Gaylor with son, Ian, helped run the “clean bequest for the Rose Zerwick Garden and Courtyard in Freethought Hall. money” drawing. Photo: Andrew L. Seidel FFRF Volunteers Photo: Andrew L. Seidel

Meet FFRF’s Executive Board of Directors (back, left): Co-President Dan Barker, Director Joe Cunningham, Secretary Jim Bredeson, Treasurer Jim Zerwick, Director Mike Cermak, incoming Chair Stephen Hirtle, (front) Co-President Annie Laurie Gaylor, outgoing Chair David Groethe, Directors Pat Cleveland and Phyllis Rose. (Director Todd Peissig not pictured.) Photo: Andrew L. Seidel Photo: Andrew L. Seidel Volunteer Ryan Dwyer, a summer legal

intern, sells books. Photo: Andrew L. Seidel

Jessica Kopish, a very special volunteer. Walter and Robin Greene, parents of FFRF attorney Andrew Seidel, staff a table. Maddy Ziegler, FFRF legal intern. Photo: Andrew L. Seidel

Cheryl Kolbe (right), volunteer and director of FFRF’s new Portland, Ore., Todd Peissig (left), volunteer and new member of FFRF’s Executive Board, chapter, seated by Wisconsin member Victor Kilman. with partner Eric Lawrence. Page 14 Freethought Today Madison, Wisconsin November 2013 Photo: Andrew L. Seidel Freethought Bonhomie

Photography by Brent Nicastro Photo: Andrew L. Seidel

First Amendment champion Ellery Schempp, Massachusetts, hails fellow Supreme Court victor Jim McCollum and his wife, Betty, Arkansas. Ellery and Jim’s Supreme Court victories enjoyed significant anniversaries, 50 and 65 years, respectively, in 2013.

FFRF co-founders Annie Laurie Gaylor and Anne Nicol Gaylor, Wisconsin.

Fairfid Caudle, New York FFRF state representative.

Legal intern Jarvis Idowu, Wisconsin, speaker Jamila Bey, District of Columbia, and Staff Attorney Andrew Seidel, Wisconsin.

Attorney Richard L. Bolton, Wisconsin, who handles a lot of FFRF’s litigation,

including its three current challenges to the Internal Revenue Service’s Photo: Andrew L. Seidel preferential treatment of ministers and religion, helps himself to some convention cake.

Members of AHA (Atheists, Humanists & Agnostics), an impressive Secular Student Alliance club at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, include (left) Brandon Frederick, Amanda Supak, Ashley Carter and Chris Calvey (who won Librarian Nancy McClements, Wisconsin, and Stephen Uhl, Arizona, a former FFRF’s graduate student essay competition this year). priest turned freethought author and FFRF benefactor. November 2013 Madison, Wisconsin Freethought Today Page 15

Author Sara Paretsky chats as she signs a book for Sidney Novak and her mother, Dianne Cooper, an FFRF state representative from Iowa. Speakers Jamila Bey, Dan Savage and Julia Sweeney get acquainted. Star Power

Dan Savage autographs a copy of his new book, American Savage, for Jennifer Julia Sweeney autographs copies of her entertaining new book, If It’s Not One Vines, Indiana, and at least 60 other fans. Thing, It’s Your Mother (available from ffrf.org/shop). That’s fan Kevin Salter from Australia. Photo: Andrew L. Seidel

Staff Attorney Andrew Seidel gets his photo taken with legal icon Jim Entertainers Shelly Segal, Jill Sobule and Julia Sweeney meet and greet. McCollum. Photo: Andrew L. Seidel Photo: Andrew L. Seidel

Freethought Today Editor Bill Dunn (right), pictured with Dan Savage (and Dan’s Emperor Has No Clothes Award). Now it’s FFRF webmaster and desktop publisher Scott Colson’s turn! Page 16 Freethought Today Madison, Wisconsin November 2013

State/Church Bulletin

Bus driving pastor edly told her “when you have the abor- tion, it’s going to kill the child inside of fired for prayer you” and asked if she would “rather do George Nathaniel, 49, Richfield, that than risk problems with the foster Minn., was fired Oct. 30 as a bus driver care people.” for refusing to stop leading students in prayer. The private contractor fired him after getting repeated complaints Vets threaten from the Burnsville-Eagan-Savage boycott over prayer School District. Nathaniel is pastor at the Elite American Legion Post 311 in Haw- Church of the First Born and Grace ley, Pa., said if its chaplain isn’t allowed Now only myths Missionary Baptist Church, reported to pray at the Veterans Day ceremony Atheists, Humanists, & Agnostics @ UW-Madison sponsored some Halloween the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. Nathan- at Wallenpaupack Area High School, fun on campus on Bascom Hill. iel said he drove school buses in Wis- members will boycott the ceremony. consin and Georgia before coming to The post chaplain has never prayed Minnesota and that he’s always prayed at the annual ceremony, but when In the News with students. Commander William Kennett heard “We got to get Christians to be able that graduation prayers were no lon- to be Christians and not have to be ger allowed [following a complaint by S.C. atheists barred refuses to stand for the Pledge of Alle- closet Christians. You have something FFRF last June], he asked if that ap- from volunteering giance. Post Commander Joseph Lam- good, you are going to share it with plied to the Veterans Day event. Yes, it pert confronted Ashta at the Oct. 24 somebody.” does, he was told, reported the Pocono Upstate Atheists, a freethought board meeting. He allegedly waited till the last child Record. group in the Spartanburg, S.C., area, Ashta thanked Lampert for speak- got on the bus before starting the daily In a letter to the editor, Pat Thomp- was barred from volunteering at the ing his mind, according to the Mor- prayers, which lasted about seven min- son, Legion executive board member, Spartanburg Soup Kitchen, according ton Grove Champion, but stood his utes. spread a widely believed myth: “There to an Oct. 23 story in the Herald-Jour- ground, as he did earlier when he told are no atheists in foxholes. Saying a nal. the village clerk that “I feel like we’re prayer does not establish a religion.” Eve Brannon, 25, Upstate Athe- compelling people to speak,” adding Catholic ‘Red Mass’ ists president, said the group would that the First Amendment affords the draws high court instead hand out 300 “care” packages right to also not speak. Tiller prosecutor to the needy on Oct. 26. Packages Ashta objected to making people Five U.S. Supreme Court justices loses law license contained socks, gloves, toothpaste, pledge allegiance to a government attended the annual Catholic “Red toothbrushes, combs, soap, rain pon- they might oppose. He said people Mass” at the Cathedral of St. Matthew Former Kansas Attorney General chos, snacks, shaving razors, antiseptic with objections to religion or religious the Apostle in Washington on Oct. 6, Phillip Kline lost his law license in- wipes, deodorants, tissues and gum. objections also shouldn’t have to feel as did several members of Congress definitely Oct. 18 after the Kansas Su- “I told them we wouldn’t wear our isolated or unwanted for not standing. and Denis McDonough, White House preme Court unanimously ruled he T-shirts. We wouldn’t tell anyone who “I think the Constitution is what chief of staff. Attending were Chief Jus- violated ethics rules in his prosecution we are with. We just want to help out,” makes this country great and worth tice John Roberts Jr. and justices Anto- of abortion providers, including the Brannon said. “And they told us that making sacrifices for. Countries with nin Scalia, Clarence Thomas, Stephen late Dr. George Tiller. we were not allowed.” weak constitutions usually don’t last,” Breyer and Elena Kagan. (The first The court, in a 154-page decision, Lou Landrum, Soup Kitchen execu- Ashta said. three are Catholic and the last two are found that Kline, attorney general tive director, told the Herald-Journal Post 134, with about 800 members, Jewish.) from 2003-07, demonstrated “overzeal- she would resign before she let atheists contributes $2,600 annually to city- The Mass continued a 60-year-old ous advocacy” and failed to operate volunteer and be a “disservice to this sponsored events. tradition and is intended to bless the “within the bounds of the law,” report- community.” upcoming work of the Supreme Court ed the National Law Journal. “This is a ministry to serve God,” and other judges and public officials, Kline, now an assistant professor at she said. “We stand on the principles Christian college group reported the Legal Times. The name Christian-oriented Liberty University of God. Do they think that our guests flush with cash refers to the bright red vestments worn School of Law in Lynchburg, Va., can’t are so ignorant that they don’t know by clergy and to the red flame symbol- seek bar readmission for three years. what an atheist is? Why are they target- InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, izing the Holy Ghost. He was at the center of controver- ing us? They don’t give any money. I headquartered in Madison, Wis., had In Stars of David, a 2005 book by sy in 2006 when a memo from Kline wouldn’t want their money.” just over $99 million in 2012-13 rev- Abigail Pogrebin, Justice Ruth Bader to his staff was leaked. In the memo, Landrum added, “They can set up enues, according to an Oct. 9 Inter- Ginsburg said of the Red Mass, “I went he told staff how to form a campaign across the street from the Soup Kitch- Varsity press release. That amount puts one year and I will never go again, be- committee for him at each church to en. They can have the devil there with InterVarsity atop a list of Wisconsin cause this sermon was outrageously an- “encourage people to contribute and them, but they better not come across nonprofits compiled by KerstenDirect, ti-abortion. Even the Scalias, although volunteer.” the street.” a Texas fundraising and marketing they’re very much of that persuasion, agency. The ranking doesn’t include were embarrassed for me.” hospitals, universities, museums and God in Air Force Legion pulls support several other categories of nonprofits. oath now optional over pledge refusal InterVarsity’s National Service Cen- 16-year-old ordered ter in Madison serves over 1,600 staff, to have baby The U.S. Air Force Academy has American Legion Post 134 in Mor- including field staff who work with 909 made “so help me God” optional in its ton Grove, Ill., withdrew its financial InterVarsity chapters on 590 college The Nebraska Supreme Court, in a honor code after being pressured by support for the city park district be- and university campuses across the 5-2 decision Oct. 4, denied a 16-year- the Military Religious Freedom Foun- cause park board member Dan Ashta U.S. old girl’s request for an abortion, say- dation, CNN reported Oct. 25. The ing she had not shown that “she is suf- oath reads “We will not lie, steal, or ficiently mature and well informed to cheat, nor tolerate among us anyone decide on her own whether to have an who does, so help me God.” Recruit a Member: Sample Copies for $2 abortion.” Cadets had been required to recite Send $2 with the name and address of each person you wish to receive a sample The girl lives with foster parents be- the oath at the end of basic training. copy of Freethought Today to: cause she was taken away from her bio- It’s also taken yearly by all cadets to re- FFRF, P.O. Box 750, Madison WI 53701 logical parents due to physical abuse affirm their commitment to the honor and neglect. At the parental rights code, said academy spokesman Maj. Freedom depends upon freethinkers hearing, she told the court she was Brus Vidal. (Please specify whether the individual is a freethinker.) pregnant and couldn’t support a child The academy respects “the abil- or be “the right mom that [she] would ity of our cadets, Airmen and civilian like to be right now.” She also told the Airmen to freely practice and exercise court she feared losing her placement their religious preference — or not,” a in foster care if her highly religious statement said. foster parents found out she was preg- Mikey Weinstein, MRFF’s founder What Is a Freethinker? nant. and president, said he intends to sue free-think-er n. A person who forms opinions The district court judge, Peter Batal- unless the offending phrase is re- lion, appears to have served in the moved, even if it’s optional. “If the about religion on the basis of reason, independently of 1980s on the Omaha committee for words are still there and you don’t say tradition, authority, or established belief. Metro Right to Life, according to the [them], you turn yourself into a taran- Houston Chronicle. Batallion alleg- tula on a wedding cake.” November 2013 Madison, Wisconsin Freethought Today Page 17

FFRF Legal Victories

Praying Arizona coach mon occurrences across the country. In a new effort to defend students’ ordered to stop rights, SSA and FFRF have formed a The football coach at Sunrise Moun- partnership. tain High School (Glendale, Ariz.) will Citing the federal Equal Access Act no longer be allowed to force students and the First Amendment, the partner- to pray or pressure them to join the ship appealed to Kane to stop stone- school’s Christian club, nor will faculty walling Montana. The law requires be allowed to participate in the club, schools with extracurricular clubs to due to a complaint letter from FFRF. treat all student groups equally, regard- FFRF’s complainant reported that less of viewpoint. Once FFRF Staff At- head football coach James Carter torney Andrew Seidel weighed in for made all players hold hands and pray the partnership, it took four working to Jesus Christ before and after football days for school attorneys to order Kane games or face reduced playing time. to approve the group. Carter also reportedly pressured play- Montana’s efforts took six months Staff Attorney Patrick Elliott presents a lively legal highlights workshop. ers to join Christian Club on Campus from the time he first asked to start (CCC). Several other teachers also par- the student group. School administra- ticipated in CCC. tors had delayed approving the group, been aware of the bible and candy cane lings are named Micah and Mason. Staff Attorney Andrew Seidel wrote and later suspended it when it tried distributions, those practices would On Oct. 23, a three-member investi- to the school district, pointing out it’s to meet unofficially. Federal law and be halted immediately: “That’s done, gative panel of the judicial board con- unconstitutional for coaches to orga- school policy state that a group shall be that’s over.” cluded there was “reasonable cause to nize, lead, participate in or force play- approved once a student has a faculty FFRF also asked the North Lake El- believe [Ballew] has committed judi- ers to pray. Seidel also noted that the sponsor and submits a constitution, ementary PTO to stop praying before cial offenses” and ordered the board’s Equal Access Act says school employees which Montana did. Two other groups meetings, noting the practice is divi- disciplinary counsel to file charges, Re- may only be present at religious groups submitted requests and were approved sive. According to the Herald Chroni- uters reported. in a nonparticipatory capacity, and that while Montana’s languished. cle, board member Chris McDonough The panel cited a clause of the judi- such groups must be student-initiated Montana’s controversy comes as suggested a moment of silence: “There cial code that says religion and other and student-run. America youths are becoming more are people in this county who do not personal biases must not play a role in The school district responded secular and increasingly organizing go to churches, who do not believe rulings. Ballew has 30 days to file a re- promptly to say that all parties named around their secular identities. A 2012 the same things you do, and we have sponse. in the letter had been contacted and Pew Research Center survey found that to make it possible for those people to Messiah was the 387th most popu- claiming the district would “continue the percent of millennials 18-29 report- feel comfortable as well. The majority lar name for boys born in the U.S. in to educate all personnel in order to ing doubts about the existence of God doesn’t rule.” 2012, according to the Social Security ensure adherence [to federal and state has doubled in five years, from 15% in On Oct. 14, the school board voted Administration. There were 762 ap- laws].” 2007 to 31% in 2012. In the same time to sever all connections with the PTO, plications for boys named Messiah in period, the SSA exploded with growth, which no longer has official standing 2012. In 2011, there were 368 Messiah from 81 campus groups to 357. They or district affiliation. requests. ‘Preying’ pastors support 402 groups today, 52 of them ousted at lunch at high schools. Tenn. judge cited Charter school agrees FFRF has stopped the practice of al- for nixing Messiah to stop prayer lowing preachers and pastors to enter Violations stopped Pedro Menendez High School in St. in Tenn. schools On Aug. 14, FFRF Senior Staff At- Indian River Charter High School Augustine, Fla., during the lunch pe- torney Rebecca Markert wrote to Tim- in Vero Beach, Fla., has halted gradu- riod and pressure students to attend FFRF has stopped several First othy R. Discenza, disciplinary counsel ation prayers. After receiving a report their churches and church functions. Amendment violations in Franklin for the Tennessee Board of Judicial that a student started the 2013 ceremo- According to the complainant, County Schools, Franklin, Tenn. Conduct in Nashville, to lodge a for- ny with a Christian prayer, Staff Attor- youth pastors “quite intrusively butt Senior Staff Attorney Rebecca Mark- mal complaint about Lu Ann Ballew, ney Andrew Seidel wrote to the school into conversations” to ask students to ert sent a letter in early September a child support magistrate. Ballew had district June 4: “[T]he Supreme Court attend religious events. about a memo circulated last Decem- presided over a child support hear- has settled this matter — high school Staff Attorney Andrew Seidel sent ber to parents of children attending ing Aug. 8 in Cocke County Chancery graduations must be secular to protect an email to the school district to de- North Lake Elementary. The memo Court in Newport to settle a dispute the freedom of conscience of all stu- tail how this practice raises serious said “Merry CHRISTmas” and men- over a 7-month-old’s last name. dents.” constitutional and liability issues for tioned that parents need to teach their At the hearing’s end, Ballew or- The district responded in late Au- the school: “This predatory conduct children the “real reason for the sea- dered the boy’s name changed from gust, stating it would remove invoca- should raise many red flags, especially son.” Messiah DeShawn Martin to Martin tions from future graduation pro- if there are no security measures in Markert additionally noted that DeShawn McCullough. According to grams. place to keep such visitors out or if candy canes were distributed by one an interview with WBIR-TV in Knox- these religious visitors are not subject teacher with a story attached claiming ville, she said said the name change to the same security measures that oth- the origin of candy canes is religious: was warranted because “[T]he word er visitors may be.” “The candymaker made the candy in Messiah is a title, and it’s a title that has An attorney for the district respond- the form of a ‘J’ to represent Jesus, who only been earned by one person and Marquee ed Oct. 29: “We have terminated [the came to earth as our savior. . . Thinking that one person is Jesus Christ.” pastors’] standing invitation to visit the that the candy was somewhat plain the Ballew further said that a child school at lunchtime.” candymaker stained it with red stripes. named Messiah would have a hard Madness He used three small stripes to show the time growing up in a county with a stripes of the scourging Jesus received, large Christian population: “It could Struggle successful by which we are all healed. The large put him at odds with a lot of people, for secular club red stripe was for the blood shed by and at this point he has had no choice Christ on the cross so that we can have in what his name is.” After a contentious six-month strug- the promise of eternal life.” In FFRF’s complaint, Markert not- gle narrowly avoiding a lawsuit, James Markert noted that Snopes has de- ed that such conduct “send a clear Bowie High School in Austin, Texas, bunked this evangelical legend. message to nonbelievers and those has decided to allow senior Nick Mon- In October, Staff Attorney Andrew who practice minority religions that tana to form his club. The group in Seidel contacted the district yet again [Ballew] is not neutral and that she will question? A secular student alliance, regarding a complaint that a teacher abuse her position to advance her own which would provide a community for at South Middle School had passed Christian views. Ms. Jaleesa Martin, the nonreligious teens. out bibles with bookmarks warning child’s mother, stated ‘I was shocked. Principal Stephen Kane had repeat- that people who do not believe in Je- I never intended on naming my son edly refused to approve the group, but sus are damned. Seidel wrote, “Parents Messiah because it means God, and I school attorneys ordered him to relent who send their children to school in didn’t think a judge could make me after Montana reached out to two na- your district entrust teachers to use change my baby’s name because of her tional secular nonprofits, the Secular their positions of authority and influ- religious beliefs.’” And the Word was Student Alliance and the Freedom ence for secular educational purposes, The parents appealed and another From Religion Foundation. The orga- not to indoctrinate 6th graders in the judge ruled in September that Ballew’s made flesh nizations declared the school’s change teacher’s personal religion.” ruling was unconstitutional. The par- Jacqueline Bichsel, Illinois, sums a of course a victory for atheist equality. A lawyer for the district has respond- ents continue to call their son Messiah Quincy marquee up in one word: Struggles like Montana’s are com- ed that while the school board hadn’t DeShawn McCullough. Messiah’s sib- “amusing.” Page 18 Freethought Today Madison, Wisconsin November 2013

Black Collar Crime Blotter Compiled by Bill Dunn ‘Shawn Ratigan will Arrested / Charged Gilbert Deya, 61, London: Rape, attempted die in prison.’ rape and sexual assault of a minor. Deya op- — Kansas City erates a registered charity called Gilbert Deya Ministries, which lists a UK membership of prosecutor Daniel 36,000. He claims to help infertile couples conceive “through the power of prayer and the Lord Je- White sus.” Deya is also fighting extradition to his na- tive Kenya, where he faces kidnapping charges. Source: Scottish Daily Record, 10-28-13 and sexual interference with a minor. Singh was Sosefina Amoa, 26, Washington, DC: 1st- a visiting hymn singer with the Shiromani Gurd- degree murder. Amoa, a postulant at Little Sis- wara Parbandhak Committee, the highest Sikh ters of the Poor convent, allegedly smothered religious body. her newborn son. She came to the convent Oct. The incident involved a 13-year-old girl. After 5 from Samoa and initially told police she didn’t serving his sentence, he will be deported to In- know she was pregnant. dia. Source: Hindustan Times, 10-20-13 Prosecutors have offered a plea deal to “D.,” 58, Jerusalem: 26 years in prison and Amoa under which she would instead plead $28,000 restitution to his victims, who included guilty to voluntary manslaughter. Source: WJLA, 6 women and dozens of children, many who are 10-24-13 his own children. His aide was sentenced to 6 Daniel Miller, 69, Diocese of Pembroke, years in prison. ONT: Gross indecency and indecent assault. According to the indictment, D. saw himself Miller, a retired Catholic priest, is accused of as the successor of a figure from the Breslov molesting a teen boy between 1970-72 in Deep Hasidic movement. The men were convicted of River. He was charged earlier with 3 counts sexual offenses and imprisonment in conditions each of gross indecency and indecent assault of slavery and abuse. against several other alleged victims between minute the guy will know.” with a child. Finney, is youth pastor at First Bap- The court ruled D. exploited his family’s re- 1970-80. Source: Ottawa Citizen, 10-22-13 Also charged were Ariel Potash, Jay “Yaa- tist Church, is married with 3 children. His father, ligious faith and their belief in him as a spiritual Mohammad A. Naik, Srinagar, India: Mur- kov” Goldstein, Moshe Goldstein, Binyamin Tony Finney, is pastor. leader. Many of the women still believe in him der. Naik, imam at a Srinagar mosque, allegedly Stimler, David Hellman, Simcha Bulmash, The victim said he started texting her when and call the charges lies. Source: ynetnews. caused the drowning death of Shahnawaz Dar, Avrohom Goldstein and Sholom Shuchat. she was 13 while he was her bible study leader. com, 10-17-13 said police spokesman Syed Bukhari. Naik, who Source: NY Daily News, 10-10-13 She said he started having sex with her when Yosef Kolko, 38, Lakewood, NJ: 15 years in is married with 5 children, confessed to hav- Kenneth A. Keith, 48, Burnside, KY: 1st- she was 15 and the relationship lasted until she prison for aggravated sexual assault, attempted ing an illicit relationship with Dar’s widow, said degree robbery and 3 counts of murder. Keith, was 17. aggravated sexual assault, sexual assault and Bukhari. pastor at Main Street Baptist Church, is charged The victim, Haley Thackston, now 18, told endangering the welfare of a child. Kolko was Naik took Dar to a bridge on the River in the shooting deaths of Michael Hockensmith, the court, “The way I was treated after this was a counselor at an Orthodox Jewish camp when Jehlum on the pretense of praying to stop mari- 35, his wife, Angela Hockensmith, 38, and Dan- far worse than I could have ever imagined. I was he molested a male victim who was 11 years tal discord, Bukhari said. “As he began to recite iel Smith, 60, at a Danville pawn shop operated kicked out of my school. I was kicked out of my old in 2008. the verses, Naik pushed him from behind and by the Hockensmiths. Keith also runs a store church.” “Molesting may seem harmless to you, but left him to drown.” Source: Times of India, 10- called Gold Rush Gold Buyers in Somerset. Her mother, Dana Thackston, said she con- the reality is, it kills people,” the victim said in 22-13 Tony Hockensmith, Michael’s brother, said fronted the elder Finney before going to police. court. “How can you ignore the tears and open Galatians S. Tokpah, 43, Monrovia, Libe- Keith used to own the pawn shop where the “I was told that going to authorities would de- wounds when you know how much you hurt ria: Sexual assault. Tokpah, pastor at an un- shooting occurred. “Everybody’s in shock. He stroy the church. It would destroy the cause of me? You ganged up on me and hurt me again.” identified church, allegedly fondled a 12-year- was at the funeral.” Source: Herald Leader, 10- Christ,” she said. “It was even told to the church The victim and his family were ostracized in old girl’s intimate parts. Bishop Adeline Tubman 9-13 that the devil was using the media, when they their Orthodox community for bringing the alle- Weah, the girl’s grandmother, told police she Kenneth and Melody Miles, Caldwell, ID: reported it, to attack the church.” Source: WYFF, gations to secular authorities and later moved was sleeping when the alleged assault occurred 3 counts of embezzlement. Melody Miles was 10-22-13 to Michigan. on her porch. Source: allafrica.com, 10-22-13 arrested on an Oklahoma warrant at Valley Haden D. Conrad, 32, Chesapeake, VA: Kolko pleaded guilty after his trial started af- Gary Lieberman, 56, Queens, NY: 2 counts Church in Caldwell after a “healing” meeting Pleaded guilty to 6 counts of online solicitation. ter hearing 2 more victims had come forward. of 1st-degree sexual abuse. Lieberman, a rabbi where she was a guest speaker. Kenneth Miles Conrad, former pastor at Chesapeake Avenue When Kolko learned that, “His face turned employed at the Hebrew Academy of Nassau faces similar charges. United Methodist Church, was arrested after he white, his jaw dropped,” attorney Michael Bach- County, is accused of molesting a 10-year-old Court documents allege that between Feb- exposed himself online to a person he thought ner said. Source: Asbury Park Press, 10-17-13 boy between Nov. 4, 2009, and May 2010. ruary 2008 and October 2010, the Miles oper- was a 14-year-old girl but was an undercover Hugo Fluellen, 54, Gilmer, TX: 6 consecu- Source: Newsday, 10-18-13 ated a remodeling business and took thousands investigator. A search of his computer allegedly tive life sentences for multiple sexual abuse Irving Fryar, 51, Springfield, NJ: Conspir- of dollars from clients but never completed the showed he solicited at least 5 actual teen girls convictions involving a minor. Fluellen, former acy and theft by deception. Fryar, pastor and work. They also operate Miles Global Ministry. for sex. pastor at a Gilmer church, started molesting his founder New Jerusalem House of God, was Their website says they lead crusades and train Conrad was also a volunteer chaplain with victim in 2nd grade and continued for a decade. indicted with his mother, Allene McGhee, on ministers around the world. Source: KTVB, 10- the Chesapeake Police Department when he DNA evidence showed he fathered her child charges they conspired to steal about $690,000 2-13 was arrested. Source: Virginian-Pilot, 10-10-13 last year. The victim is now 18. His wife, Rosie through a mortgage scam. Howard Curtis, 70, Croydon, UK: Unspeci- Evans Fluellen, 44, is charged with sexual as- Fryar, a University of Nebraska graduate fied counts of assault related to alleged use Sentenced sault of a child involving the same victim. who was the first National Football League draft Shawn F. Ratigan, 48, Kansas City: Plead- of “Christian domestic discipline” (CDD) with “Witness testimony indicated that Fluellen pick in 1984, is also professor of philosophy and ed guilty to 3 counts of possessing child pornog- Curtis’ congregants at Coulsdon Christian Fel- would often molest his victim on the way home sports management at Union County College in raphy and was sentenced to 7 years in prison lowship. CDD involves men asserting authority from church after she had attended church and Cranford, NJ. He retired as an NFL wide receiv- on each count, with the combined 21-year sen- over women through spanking and other physi- sang in the choir,” prosecutor Billy Byrd said. er in 2000. Source: CBS, 10-17-13 tence to run concurrent with his 50-year federal cal punishment. Source: News-Journal, 10-16-13 Robert B. Price, 46, Concord, NC: 5 counts sentence for producing child pornography. Several women have accused Curtis of hav- Larry M. “Matt” Pitt, 29, Columbiana, AL: of taking indecent liberties with a child. Price, Ratigan took pornographic photos of chil- ing them strip in his office in 2006-09 before 10 months in jail on a probation violation. Pitt, who returned from Central America to face dren around churches and schools while work- spankings. He calls the allegations “malicious.” founder of the Christian youth ministry The charges, was youth pastor for 12 years at Kings ing as a Catholic priest. Some of the photos A CDD website says women are the heart Basement, was charged with impersonating Way Baptist Church, where his brother is now were “upskirt” images of girls ages 12 and of the home, while men are the head. It states a peace officer while he was on probation for lead pastor. He was arrested Monday at Char- younger. At least one nude photo focused on a “most CDD marriages use spanking” for offen- pleading guilty to the same charge in 2012. lotte-Douglas International Airport after a two- girl’s genitals. ses such as disobedience, disrespect, dishon- “He [also] had drugs in his system. But he year mission trip in Nicaragua. “Shawn Ratigan will die in prison,” prosecu- esty or dangerous choices. Source: Daily Mail, also had numerous prescriptions for drugs. A 23-year-old man alleges Price molested tor Daniel White said after sentencing. “I am 10-1-13 The question better asked is whether or not the him as a 12-year-old over a period of 3 years. confident he will never again abuse or exploit a Woodrow Karey Jr., 53, Lake Charles, LA: drugs in his system were taken as therapeutic In a 2011 civil suit, the alleged victim said he child.” Source: Kansas City Star, 10-25-13 2nd-degree murder. Karey, a deacon at Taber- doses,” District Attorney Robbie Owens said. was molested at the church’s “Youth Shack,” on Robert L. Rosseau, 41, San Antonio: 2 nacle of Praise Worship Center, is charged with Source: WRBL, 10-15-13 a mission trip and at Price’s house while his wife concurrent terms of 12 years in prison and de- shooting Pastor Ronald Harris Sr., 53, twice with Bill Vandergraph, 75, Alto Pass, IL: Reg- and children were asleep. Source: Charlotte ferred adjudication for 2 more counts of sexual a shotgun at a church revival service. About a ister as a sex offender. Vandergraph, former Observer, 10-15-13 assault of a child. Rosseau, who taught 8th- week earlier, Karey found text messages on his pastor of Full Gospel Pentecostal Church, is James McGonegal, 68, Cleveland: So- grade bible classes at the Christian Academy of wife’s phone, investigators said. accused of sexually assaulting his 4-year-old licitation after testing positive for HIV, public San Antonio, started a “secret society” in 2009 Calcasieu Parish Sheriff Tony Mancuso said foster child. He also headed a group renovating indecency and abusing harmful intoxicants. Mc- as a way to seduce young girls, court docu- there are allegations Harris had a sexual rela- the 111-foot-tall Bald Knob Cross. Gonegal, pastor of St. Ignatius of Antioch Cath- ments said. tionship with Karey’s wife. After he found the Vandergraph was charged with predatory olic Church, was arrested for soliciting sex from A victim alleged Rosseau “talked to her text messages, Karey allegedly confronted his criminal sexual assault but is suffering from de- from an off-duty park ranger, allegedly offering about the ‘society’ which was based on Christi- wife, who filed a rape complaint against Harris mentia and was found unfit for trial. the man $50 to help him “get off.” anity, the occult, magic and Freemasonry.” Sex- two days before the shooting. Source: KATC, He was arrested in July 2010. The previous The police report details several sexual de- ual contact was required to build trust. Girls told 9-30-13 April, The Southern profiled him in its feature vices found in McGonegal’s Jeep along with a police the rituals included smoking marijuana “Leaders Among Us.” bottle labeled “Pig Sweat,” a product containing Pleaded / Convicted and salvia and that Rosseau sometimes read “As a school bus driver, you learn a lot about isobutyl nitrate, which when inhaled can be a Megan Garland, 29, Waukesha, WI: Plead- bible passages while assaulting them. Source: an area, its families and its status just by being sexual stimulant. Source: Plain Dealer, 10-12- ed no contest to felony child enticement and Express-News, 10-24-13 around the children. It was very enjoyable and 13 sexual assault by school staff. Garland, a teach- Robert Kondratick, Venice, FL: 2 years’ rewarding,” he stated. Mendel Epstein, 68, Lakewood, NJ, and er at Messmer High School, a Milwaukee Cath- community control, 8 years’ probation and res- The newspaper opined, “It’s obvious that the Martin Wolmark, 55, Monsey, NY: Kidnapping. olic school, was arrested after she was caught titution of $53,950 after pleading guilty to 2nd- Vandergraphs enjoy children. They have four The rabbis and 8 other men are accused of plot- performing a sex act on a 14-year-old male stu- degree larceny for embezzling from Holy Spirit biological children and, throughout the years, ting to kidnap Jewish husbands and then torture dent in the parking lot of Destiny Church and Orthodox Church, where he was administrator. have had some 40 foster children.” them into giving their wives a “get” (a divorce in School. In 2007, the Orthodox Church of America in “We saw the need and fostered children Jewish law). In turn they would allegedly charge Prosecutors later added a second charge, Syosset, NY, relieved Kondratick of his duties ranging from newborn to almost teenagers,” wives up to $100,000. that she groped a 15-year-old male Messmer as priest after a probe into financial misconduct. Vandergraph said. “Eventually, we adopted two “We prefer not to leave a mark,” Epstein said student in her car. Source: Journal Sentinel, 10- No criminal charges were filed then. Source: and dropped out of fostering, but recently we’ve in a recorded conversation with an undercover 26-13 Herald-Tribune, 10-21-13 gotten back in for some very special reasons.” FBI agent. “We take an electric cattle prod. . . . Joshua Finney, 31, Conestee, SC: Pleaded Ajai Singh, 38, Abbotsford, BC: 90 days in Source: WSIL, 10-15-13 You put it in certain parts of his body, and in one guilty to 2nd-degree criminal sexual conduct jail and 18 months’ probation for sexual assault Louis Bristol, 28, Carpinteria, CA: 1 year in November 2013 Madison, Wisconsin Freethought Today Page 19

Manter accused Abdelahad of abusing her ish in South Amboy. ‘I love u dude. Ur a sexually, emotionally and physically from 2007- ‘Dad, he took my Diocese of Metuchen Bishop Paul Bootkoski 10. He was convicted in May 2012 of abusing said he was alerted to the allegation by civil sick [expletive] like Manter, then 45, during counseling sessions at innocence from me authorities, who didn’t pursue criminal charges the church. Source: Telegram & Gazette, 10- because the statute of limitations had passed. me.’ —­ Fr. Matthew 17013 before I even knew “Both the investigator and the review board Alyce Conlon, a former employee of Inter- reported to me that they found the information Riedlinger, text to an Varsity Christian Fellowship in Grand Rapids, and circumstances surrounding the allegation MI, is suing the evangelical campus ministry. what innocence were not frivolous,” Bootkoski said. Source: undercover agent he She alleges she was wrongfully terminated Star-Ledger, 10-28-13 because of her divorce, even though 2 male was.’ Gwyn I. Morgan, Carmarthen, Wales, 81, thought was a teen boy colleagues kept their jobs after divorcing and Sean McIlmail, 26, has been suspended from his duties at 2 Con- getting remarried. Conlon was placed on paid ­— gregationalist chapels “in connection with a his- leave in 2011 after telling supervisors she and toric allegation of sexual activity with a minor.” her husband were considering separation or di- former altar boy/abuse Source: BBC, 10-25-13 jail and 5 years’ probation after pleading guilty to vorce and was later fired. victim who committed Andrey Evstigneeva, a Russian Orthodox molesting 2 teen girls while he was youth pas- InterVarsity has more than 700 U.S. chap- priest, was suspended for 2 months by the Dio- tor at Carpinteria Community Church. He also ters. Its headquarters is in Madison, WI. Source: suicide cese of Saratov, RUS, for comments he made sent a video of himself masturbating to another Religion News Service, 10-15-13 while baptizing a baby girl. The girls’ parents victim, an adult. A woman, 28, has filed a lawsuit against Mi- said Evstigneeva used the Russian pejorative One victim spoke at sentencing: “My life was chael Keating, 57, St. Paul, MN, and the Cath- “zhidovskym,” or “kike,” in reference to the girl’s centered in that church. That church was my olic Archdiocese of St. Paul-Minneapolis, al- Philadelphia upheld the 4-year sentence of name. The girl’s mother is Jewish. safe haven.” She said she turned to drugs and leging that Keating, a priest and professor at the Rabbi Mordchai Fish, Brooklyn, NY, for a mon- Evstigneeva’s behavior was “incompatible alcohol to cope and she saw her GPA drop from University of St. Thomas, “engaged in sexual ey-laundering conviction involving more than with clerical dignity and disrespectful of parish 4.33 to 0.33. contact” with her while she was a minor and he $900,000. Fish was one of five rabbis pleading members,” a statement said. Source: JTA, 10- He was originally charged with forcible rape, was in the seminary. guilty after being snared in a 2009 political cor- 25-13 forced sexual penetration by a foreign object An email, allegedly sent by Keating, when ruption sting in New York and New Jersey. Franz-Peter Tebartz-van Elst, 53, bishop and sexual battery by restraint but pleaded the girl was 14 or 15 and he was 44, said, “I’m His attorneys argued Fish’s crimes weren’t of Limburg, GER, dubbed “the bishop of bling,” guilty to lewd act upon a minor, unlawful sex- afraid you are going to have to get used to be- “sophisticated” and didn’t merit an enhanced was put on leave by the Vatican for spending ual intercourse with a minor, contributing to the ing hounded by boys. You’re too pretty and too sentence. Source: AP, 10-1-13 $42 million renovating his official residence. delinquency of a minor and sending obscene charming not to be and you’ll only get prettier German media reported that the residence and charmier as the years go by.” Allegations was fitted with a bath that cost $21,000, a con- material. Source: Santa Barbara Independent, Frank Meuers, 74, Plymouth, MN, alleges Keating has taken a voluntary leave of ab- ference table for $34,000 and a private chapel 10-11-13 the Archdiocese of Saint Paul-Minneapolis sence. Kevin McDonough, former archdioc- that cost almost $4 million. Source: BBC, 10-23- Dennis Bloom, 59, Tobyhanna, PA: 10 failed to respond for 9 months to his 2010 let- esan vicar general who was involved in a 2006 13 months in prison, 2 years’ probation and ter disclosing Meuers’ alleged abuse by Fr. probe of Keating, has resigned from the Univer- Tim Hopkins, 44, has resigned as pastor $226,000 restitution to the IRS after pleading Rudolph Henrich at St. Margaret Mary Cath- sity of St. Thomas board of directors. Source: at 2 Catholic parishes in Denton, UK, despite guilty to tax fraud for failing to report benefits as olic Church in Golden Valley in the 1950s and Pioneer Press, 10-14-13 being told he won’t be prosecuted over allega- pastor at Shawnee Tabernacle Church. 1960s. Yeshiva University in New York City is be- tions he molested a young girl 3 times between The church gave him land valued at Kevin McDonough, former vicar general, ex- ing sued by 2 more former students in addition 2004-07. Source: Manchester Evening News, $180,000 in 2006 and paid contractors nearly pressed his “embarrassment” and apologized to to 34 others who claim they were molested by 10-22-13 $150,000 to build a home there. He reported Meuers 9 months later. Henrich died in 1992. officials at the prestigious Jewish high school. Akiva Roth, 42, was fired as a Hebrew neither on his tax return. Meuers said at a press conference he can’t One alleged victim claims that in 1955, Rab- teacher at Yeshiva University in New York Bloom also founded an embattled charter fathom why church officials who knew about bi Macy Gordon tried for 15 minutes to give him City after it came to light he pleaded guilty to school at the church. Supporters in court mur- Henrich’s abusive history didn’t speak up. a “mishey,” a term for pinning a boy down and 4 counts of abuse for exposing himself to boys mured “Amen” after statements praising Bloom. “Has it ever come out?” Meuers said. “No. So I rubbing toothpaste on his penis. Gordon was was tutoring for bar mitzvahs in 1997. He re- Source: Pocono Record, 10-10-13 come because of the secrecy.” Source: Pioneer accused earlier of sodomizing a victim with a ceived 10 years’ probation. The university ad- Marcelo Lozano, 34, Los Angeles: 30 Press, 10-9-13 toothbrush in a dorm room. mitted it let Roth to start teaching before a back- years in prison after pleading no contest to oral Domingo Espinal, a Catholic priest sen- The other new plaintiff alleged that university ground check was completed. Source: Haaretz, copulation of a person under 14 and 2 counts tenced in 2010 to 15 years for raping a 12-year- staffer George Finkelstein used a master key 10-14-13 of continuous sexual abuse. Lozano met the old boy in 2003, was allowed to remain free to enter dorm rooms in the mid-1980s to accost Stephen M. Gemme, 43, resigned as pas- victims, boys ages 8 and 11, through his work while he appealed. When the Dominican Re- students. Source: N.Y. Post, 10-1-13 tor of St. Bernadette Catholic Parish in North- as an usher at Salón del Reino de los Testigos public Supreme Court denied his appeal, Es- borough, MA, after allegedly embezzling more de Jehová, a Spanish Jehovah’s Witness con- pinal fled. He was captured in Santo Domingo Legal Developments than $230,000 over 4 years to feed a gambling gregation. Sean McIlmail, a former altar boy who al- when he went to pick up a teen who was in addiction. Assaults started in 2006 and continued leged in January that Fr. Robert Brennan, 75, trouble for uploading a defamatory video to the The case has been turned over to the district through last June. Source: KABC, 10-9-13 Philadelphia, molested him 15 years ago, was Internet. Police recognized Espinal and arrested attorney, said Worcester Bishop Robert McMa- Lynn Seibel, 71, Calif.: 52 months in prison found dead at age 26. him. The boy told police that Espinal was his fa- nus. Source: MetroWest Daily News, 10-14-13 after pleading guilty to 7 counts of sexual abuse “Sean suffered in silence for over a decade,” ther. Source: AP, 10-9-13 The Catholic Diocese of Duluth, MN, has involving 6 males who were students at Shat- District Attorney Seth Williams said. “Sean A review board for the Diocese of Colum- removed retired priest Cornelius Kelleher, 81, tuck-St. Mary’s, a Minnesota Catholic boarding found his own way of self-medicating, which un- bus, OH, decided an allegation of sexual abuse from public ministry. He was recently accused of school where Seibel taught drama from 1992- fortunately led to his death.” of a minor by retired priest Raymond Lavelle, molesting a minor female when he was pastor of 2003 and lived in a dormitory. Williams said he dropped rape and sexual 83, “was credible and warranted further inves- St. Joseph’s in Chisholm from 1975-86. Source: He left in 2003 after child pornography was assault charges against Brennan because there tigation.” During the period in question (1971- Star-Tribune, 10-7-13 found on his computer. Source: AP, 10-4-13 was no longer enough evidence to prosecute. 80), Lavelle was pastor of St. Agnes Catholic Etienne Doat, pastor of a Catholic parish Robert C. Manning, 78, Colorado Springs, In an interview, McIlmail’s parents, brother Church. in Montoire, France, was suspended during an CO: 4 years’ probation for contributing to the and sister confirmed that Sean was the person Victim advocate Carol Zamonski encour- inquiry into the theft of about 40 valuable sa- delinquency of a minor. The Catholic priest was who accused Brennan of molesting him for 4 aged victims to come forward. “It’s almost cer- cred vessels and collection money from several accused of giving a 16-year-old altar boy alcohol years, starting when he was 11. tain that this is not the only victim. It may be the churches under his care. and marijuana in 2011 and signing a parental The McIlMails described themselves as only one we’ve heard of, but it’s really rare for The stolen goods included chalices, patens, consent form for him to get his nipples pierced. “devout Irish Catholics” who no longer attend someone to have only one victim.” Source: Co- monstrances and ciboria, objects usually plated Several more serious charges were dropped. church because of the abuse of children by lumbus Dispatch, 10-8-13 with gold or silver. Some dated to the 1600s. The Colorado Knights of Columbus branch priests. The Diocese of Trenton, NJ, has again sus- None of the churches reported a break-in. named him “Chaplain of the Year” in 2010. Deborah McIlmail recalled Sean talking to pended Matthew Riedlinger, 30, as pastor of Source: Nouvelle Republique, 10-7-13 Source: Colorado Springs Gazette, 10-4-13 her husband, Michael, recently. “He said, ‘Dad, St. Aloysius Catholic Church. Riedlinger is ac- Peter Laird resigned as vicar general, the he took my innocence from me before I even cused of “sexting” with a person he thought was Civil Lawsuits Filed No. 2 post in the Catholic Archdiocese of St. knew what innocence was.’ ” Source: NBC Phil- a 16-year-old boy. Gordon McLean, 78, former head of Juve- Paul-Minneapolis, amid growing concerns adelphia, 10-23-13 In one message, he encouraged “Josh” to nile Justice Ministry of Metro Chicago Youth for about the church’s response to clergy sex Tonya Farnsworth, Henrico, VA, pleaded enjoy sex with his boyfriend and told him how Christ, is being sued by 5 plaintiffs for sexual abuse. guilty to extorting more than $100,000 from alike they were in their thirst for pornography abuse. McLean was also an auxiliary chaplain Laird was featured in a recent Minnesota Chris A. Phillips, pastor at Mechanicsville Ad- and sex. “I love u dude. Ur a sick [expletive] like for the Cook County Sheriff’s Office. Public Radio story on how the archdiocese vent Christian Church. Phillips had responded me,” Riedlinger wrote. Plaintiffs allege McLean would ask young knew about sexual misbehavior of a priest, Fr. to an ad on Backpage.com and paid Farnsworth The diocese sent him to treatment in 2011 gang members if they’d been bad boys, invite Curtis Wehmeyer, yet kept him in the ministry. $200 for oral sex, according to prosecutors. after getting a complaint about sexual conversa- them to his house, spank their bare buttocks as The story reported Laird received a 2011 Farnsworth then accused the pastor of stealing tions. Another man pretending to be 16 online they laid across his lap and then engage in sex memo on allegations against Wehmeyer, who $550 from her and demanded he repay her or outed him to police, but prosecution was de- acts. later pleaded guilty to molesting boys ages 12 she would release photos of their encounter. clined. Source: USA Today, 10-4-13 McLean allegedly gave the boys money for and 14 and to possessing child pornography. Ultimately, she took more than $100,000 Wojciech Gil, 36, a Catholic priest sought drugs and took them to a church on Sundays. Source: MPR, 10-20-13 “[McLean would introduce] the ‘bad boy’ to the from Phillips, prosecutors said. Phillips was by Interpol on suspicions he molested children suburban church audience as a successful con- later arrested for embezzling from his church. in the Dominican Republic, was located but Other vert to the Lord Jesus Christ who had come to Source: WWBT, 10-22-13 not detained by Polish police near Krakow. John Folda, 52, bishop of the Catholic saving faith in the Lord through McLean’s min- The Cour de Cassation, France’s highest Police spokeswoman Katrzyna Cislo said Diocese of Fargo, ND, exposed parishioners istry efforts,” the suit claims. Source: Raw Story, appeals court, upheld a 2009 fraud conviction that to arrest Gil, police would need a request in 5 parishes to the hepatitis A virus. The state 10-22-13 and fines of $812,000 for the Church of Sci- from Dominican investigators. Poland does not Health Department issued an advisory of ex- A South Korean student who alleges she entology for preying financially on followers in have an extradition treaty with the Dominican posure for anyone who took communion from was molested while attending Pius X High the 1990s. Republic. Folda in the last week of September and the first School in Pen Argyl, PA, is suing the school, A statement from the church’s Los Angeles Gil was home on vacation when the allega- week in October. the Catholic Diocese of Allentown and Ace headquarters called the ruling “an affront to jus- tions surfaced. He was suspended by his su- Diocesan spokeswoman Aliceyn Magelky Academy USA. tice and religious liberty.” perior and ordered to return to the Dominican said Folda contracted the liver disease from She alleges she told a priest 4 times in con- Complaints included alleged manipulation Republic. contaminated food he ate at conference in Italy fession she was assaulted but police were not into buying expensive Scientology products “We are in constant contact with the Polish for newly ordained bishops. Source: AP, 10-25- alerted. She lived at Ace Academy USA in order such as an “electrometer” to measure mental authorities and are working closely with them,” 13 to attend Pius X and alleges ACE Director Rich- energy and being forced to undergo testing and said Francisco Dominguez Brito, the Dominican Thomas J. O’Brien, 87, a Catholic priest ard Kim started molesting her in 2010 when she enroll in courses in order to maintain employ- Republic’s attorney general. who has been sued numerous times for sexual was 13. ment. Source: AFP, 10-17-13 A second Polish cleric, Archbishop Jozef abuse, died in Kansas City with 6 suits pending Kim was eventually sentenced to prison The Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals Wesolowski, the Vatican’s representative on against him and his diocese. and his parents, Min and Yong Kim, pleaded upheld the conviction of Jacqueline Crank for the island, is also under investigation. Fran- “Dozens of boys who were sexually as- guilty this year to failing to report suspected child abuse in the 2002 death of her 15-year- cisco Javier Occis Reyes, a deacon arrested saulted by Msgr. Thomas O’Brien have suffered child abuse and received probation. Source: old daughter Jessica. Crank turned to prayer in- for molesting a minor, alerted police to alleged enough,” said victims’ advocate David Clo- Express-Times, 10-17-13 stead of medical treatment for Jessica, who died involvement by Gil and Wesolowski. Source: hessy. “Please do not add to their pain. Please Susan Manter, Holden, MA, seeks a mini- of bone cancer. AP, 10-2-13 do not let Msgr. O’Brien be buried in a Catholic mum of $40,000 in damages from Charles M. She and her Ariel Sherman, her “spiritual cemetery with full honors in a public ceremony.” father,” eventually both served a year in jail. Removed / Resigned Source: Kansas City Star, 10-25-13 Abdelahad, former pastor of St. George Antio- Raymond L. Cole, 70, pastor of St. Joseph Jacqueline and Jessica Crank and Jessica’s Email: [email protected] chian [Greek] Orthodox Cathedral in Worces- Catholic Parish in Hillsborough, NJ, was sus- brother lived with Sherman. Source: Religion ter, and several other state, local and national pended over allegations he molested a child in Clause, 10-1-13 church individuals and bodies. the 1970s when he was pastor at St. Mary Par- The 3rd Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals in Page 20 Freethought Today Madison, Wisconsin November 2013

Letterbox

Constitution ad adds their life. Believe in my Santa Claus and you will go to “heaven.” Believe pair to FFRF fold in someone else’s Santa Claus and go “Celebrate Our Secular Constitu- to “hell.” If you do not believe in my tion,” FFRF’s full-page ad that ran in Santa Claus, I hate you so much that I the Chicago Tribune, was brilliant. am going to war with you! My wife Tara and I clipped the mem- Religion stems from our wish to bership form and joined immediately. know more, but we learn slowly about That, of course, led us to the excellent many things — that the world is not conference in Madison, from which we flat, that there are no witches, that came home bearing books, cards and slavery has no place in society, that no T-shirts. race or gender is better or worse. The After I described the conference main question likely can’t be answered: events to my son Dane, including the “What is the meaning of life?” politics behind the inclusion of “God” I am 55 and see the destruction in the pledge, he told me that he and caused by this lack of logic and how his wife had rewritten the pledge to using religion to answer the unknown align more closely to their personal causes ill will. The good news is that viewpoint. He emailed me a copy: more and more people are turning “I pledge allegiance to the Constitution away from religion (they will tell you so Kristine Walderbach and Warren Geisler’s sign near their mailbox has been of the United States of America, and to in private), and thus society is and will there since they retired from Iowa to Arkansas three years ago. “We have only the principles for which it stands, one become better. Thank you for help- received one comment, and that was a positive one,” Warren says. nation under law, indivisible, with lib- ing our country follow our well-written erty and justice for all.” document, our Constitution, especially Rick Ronvik the very first line of the First Amend- no faith in some kind of a god. • • • Illinois ment: “Congress shall make no law re- There is absolutely no empirical Thank you for providing such an specting an establishment of religion evidence that any sort of god exists. I interesting and engaging conference ...” was on the rifle team at Camp Lejeune, in Madison. As a first-year attendee, High school essayists Thank you for fighting to enforce we shot the M1 .30-06 rifle with open I came away feeling a deep sense of the principle of separation of church sights at 600 yards. Those who believed gratitude and appreciation for FFRF’s inspire sponsorship and state. in God hit the bull’s-eye with the same work. I found nearly all of the speakers I have been a member of FFRF for Dave Whittaker accuracy as those who did not believe engaging, incredibly honest, transpar- a number of years now and appreciate California in God. Back off and back the U.S. ent, intelligent and quite entertaining. the monthly newspaper. I am enclosing Constitution. I must admit that I had some reser- a check for $2,500 for the fund for the Burt Hackett vations about attending, due mostly to high school student scholarship essay God on money Pennsylvania my current status as an active Roman competition. It is very important that Catholic here in the Madison Diocese. our high school students are able to ‘close to sacrilege’ But when I heard from some very dear express their views and “see the light.” Considering that the motto of the FFRF lifts spirits in friends that they were attending, I be- Unfortunately, being on the West infamous Nazis, “Gott mit uns” (God came intrigued and decided to regis- Coast, I was unable to attend your with us), is almost a reflection of our northern Michigan ter. I considered writing to you before- event in Wisconsin but you have my own “In God We Trust,” common I submitted a concern to FFRF hand to check out how you might feel full support. Keep it up! sense would seem to dictate that our about signage at my son’s high school. about my attendance, but dismissed it Allen P. Wilkinson country’s original motto, “E Pluribus It is now down. You get the credit, if as an unnecessary and perhaps irratio- California Unum,” is a better choice for our plu- not for the sign, for everything else. nal concern, thinking it better to ask FFRF thanks Allen for his activism and ralistic nation. You keep my spirits up while I’m liv- forgiveness than permission. I first be- generous $2,500 contribution! Moreover, Theodore Roosevelt him- ing in a closed society up here in the came interested in FFRF’s work after • • • self, one of our most devout Christian far north. Thank you. hearing Annie Laurie and Dan speak The student essays are the best part presidents, strongly objected to the in- Dorothea M. Case to a discussion group in the basement of your newspaper — the future, the clusion of “In God We Trust” on our Michigan of the First United Methodist Church inspiration! money. FFRF thanks Dorothea for her activism over 10 years ago. Dennis Marino This is what he said: “To put such a and generous $1,000 contribution! So please keep up the great work of Wisconsin motto on coins or to use it in any kin- keeping our faiths separate from our • • • dred manner, not only does no good state. Continue to challenge all of us I celebrate all who participated in but does positive harm, and is in effect Convention-goers share to see our tribal gods for what they are, the high school essay contest! All the irreverence, which comes dangerously made in our image and likeness. essays invited me to participate in the close to sacrilege.” Madison experiences I was treated generally with great lives and experiences of these awesome How right he was! Legal tender cur- We just returned from the conven- respect and tolerance by the other par- new friends. I have read and reread rency is what winos use to buy their tion, where we had a wonderful time. It ticipants at the conference. One man every word and felt as though I had alcohol, what johns use to pay prosti- was only our second, but we hope not did challenge me on the spot to pro- been introduced to their families and tutes, what addicted gamblers use to the last. You really need to consider the duce some credible evidence of a high- friends. deprive their children of food, what South as a venue. Perhaps Bentonville er power. It was an odd role reversal I am so proud of them all and am drug peddlers demand from their vic- (home of Wal-Mart) or Little Rock or where I was the member of a religious profoundly grateful for their gifts to tims and what gun merchants are paid Tulsa or Oklahoma City? We have a minority. I wonder if this is how an me and others. I wish it were possible with so that we won’t have a shortage great many freethinkers; unfortunately atheist, humanist, Jew, Muslim or Bud- for them to be aware of the immensity of violence. many are still in the closet. dhist feels living in our Christ-haunted of their courageous gifts! The list is endless. If I were the Enclosed is a check for your Build- society. Paul Elliott Moss Jr. “Good Lord,” I’d feel offended to have ing Fund. We hope to visit Madison Dennis Harrison-Noonan Virginia my name printed on such a filthy, germ- again and see the completed building. Wisconsin infested and amoral thing as money. Godless in Arkansas! • • • David Quintero Warren Geisler and Kristine Walder- I attended your convention in Madi- New ‘Lifer’ figured California bach son and loved my whole trip. I had Arkansas never viewed Madison as a destination out Santa, bible myths • • • location, but indeed it is. I am pleased that I’m now in a fi- Former Marine scoffs Thank you for a wonderful weekend Judy Miller nancial position to be able to make in Madison. The balance of entertain- Utah this $1,000 contribution for a Life- at Corps faith policy ment and educational programs was time Membership. As I grew up, go- An FFRF supporter shares his email to wonderful. Friday night with Dan Sav- ing to church every Sunday morning the U.S. Marine Corps after Staff Attorney age and Jill and Julia provided a terrific Building Fund pledge and Wednesday evening (until I was Andrew Seidel wrote Marine Commandant kickoff. The film on Saturday was mov- 16, when I was given a choice to go or James Amos about a policy calling “lack or ing and worked to remind me of why is couple’s legacy not), I could not believe that everyone loss of spiritual faith” a risk indicator. we are all working to educate and build My husband Jim and I are sorry to was acting like all these bible “teach- I am a qualified veteran of World community. miss all the great events at the conven- ings” were true. War II and an ex-Marine who holds the I appreciate the opportunity to meet tion in Madison this year as well as the I quickly figured out that Santa Good Conduct Medal. I was 18 when other state leaders and to see what has fellowship of fellow atheists, but at our Claus was not true and neither were I enlisted. I was a member of the 2nd been working in their communities. age we felt we cannot travel so far by the bible stories. In my early teens, I Division, 10th Marine Regiment. I Thank you for your effort! ourselves any longer. We hope to at- became amazed that their Santa Claus want to back up the letter you received Jocelyn M. Dervis tend future meetings held anywhere (religion) was how they were basing about judging a Marine by his faith or Florida on the West Ccoast. November 2013 Madison, Wisconsin Freethought Today Page 21

The enclosed check is a down pay- tivism and generous $1,000 contribution! religious services. The minute — the for the typo. ment on a pledge of $5,000 for the new Our 2014 convention is in Los Angeles. exact minute — that someone is arrest- building project in Madison. We plan ed, he or she “gets” God! Christianity to complete our goal this year by send- is usually the chosen deity, but Islam is James Madison ardently ing regular donations. Hopefully, this Inmates ‘getting’ God certainly a close second. will give our children and grandchil- You will find your most “God-fear- defended separation dren a place to see our names included for wrong reasons ing” devotees inside prison walls. It ap- As early as 1774, young James Madi- in the many supporters of freethought. I worked many years in the prison plies to car thieves as well as murder- son, in a letter to his friend William Jackie and Jim Ede system supervising inmate activities, ers. In fact, the more horrendous the Bradford, denounced “religious bond- Alaska training and recruiting volunteers for crime, the more devout the inmate. age.” In the context of the time, he FFRF thanks Jackie and Jim for their ac­ programs and “clearing” providers of Why? Because those inmates get to par- probably meant bondage to the man- ticipate in all the religious activities the datory Anglican Church of his Virginia prison offers. It gets them out of their childhood. cells, it passes time and oftentimes al- If Madison believed freedom of re- ‘Clean’ Money Drawing lows sex between inmate and the most ligion was a “natural right,” very likely devoted religious volunteer. It also he saw it as a natural right of white permits preachers to have ongoing sex male Christians and would have been Photography by Brent Nicastro with a “chosen” inmate. taken aback by the notion of extend- Go to any church, in any city, and ing that right to women, blacks, Jews or look for those ex-inmates. But visit any freethinkers. jail, and you will find a convert, most However, FFRF correctly points out, likely right after the cell door closes. in his later political career, Madison We could look in any prison or jail and was the principal ardent defender of seldom find an atheist. separation of church and state, and for The extraordinary amount of that we should all remember him with young, pregnant women in prisons is gratitude. sad. If your life is in a ghetto, you have David M. Shea no job, little schooling and find your- Maryland self pregnant, unmarried, alone with no resources, it’s very likely you will commit a crime that will bring you a Comfort Food sentence of one to five years. Why? Because your health care in prison is not only free, it’s far superior Does it comfort you to what may be available on the out- that the wine you drink side. Being shackled to the delivery once flowed through the veins table with manacles is a small price to of a god made man? Freethought Radio “voice deity” Buzz Kemper emceed the convention drawing pay. for “clean” (pre-“In God We Trust”) currency. Jeanne Owers Does it comfort you Texas that your flesh will soon become bread of life for a hungry Earth? Consider ‘QCD’ as way Does it comfort you to lessen tax bite that your feast of death I turned 70½ in October and have will bring virgins to chosen to exercise my one-time oppor- consummate your rage? tunity to make a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD) from my Tradi- Does it comfort you tional IRA to FFRF so I can be counted there is no banquet as a Life Member. This will satisfy part for the blessed save of my required minimum distribution the peace of the grave? for 2013 and save any income taxes I would owe on the distribution. Does it comfort you By making a direct transfer from my that hungers denied IRA custodian to FFRF, I do not have will one day set you report the $1,000 as income on my free from all desire? 2013 tax return. Readers should note that this is the last year that this tax- Does it comfort you Thanks to students who drew winning tickets. They are (from left) Lily Gaylor, saving measure may be available, since that atoms once yours Devon Arnold, Hannah Weinstein, Alice Dlzuiak, Ryan Chellberg and Sidney it has not been renewed by Congress will live forever Novak. for next year. as something not you? This privilege is especially useful Gene Twaronite for taxpayers who do not itemize their Arizona And the winners are . . . charitable deductions. I benefit, and so does FFRF. J. Darwin Soder Respect irrational Florida beliefs? Sorry, just can’t Leviticus slavery quote The politically correct people say you must respect the beliefs of others. was wrong chapter I’m not so sure about that. If some- I got my Freethought Today yester- one’s belief is that the Holocaust didn’t day and, as usual, have pretty much happen or that the moon landing was a perused through it. I think I caught a hoax or Earth is flat, are we required to mistake — not to be a butthead! respect those beliefs? In Max Lewis’ essay, he lists slavery I well understand that most people as permissible in the bible from Leviti- have been brainwashed by their culture cus 26:44-46. Shouldn’t that be Leviti- to have superstitious beliefs, but does cus 25:44-46? I mean, that’s where it is that mean that I have to respect them? in my bible, and if it’s not in Leviticus I find it counter to rational thinking to 25:44-46, that would be a — wait, wait respect such irrational beliefs. While I “Clean” currency (pre-1957) settles many a debate with theocrats who falsely for it — that would be a miracle! can respect individuals as people and claim God has always been on U.S. currency. Proud clean-money winners at Having grown up in Shawano, Wis., members of society, I feel no compul- the convention were (back, left): Maggie Freespirit, WI: $1 (donated by Lori but now living in Martinez, Ga., I have sion whatsoever to respect whatever il- Martins); Kay Pettycrew, AZ: $1 (donated by JB Geiger; Kay redonated back to to say THE FALCONS SUCK and GO logical beliefs they may have. FFRF); Richard Halasz, TX: $1 (donated by Don and Donna Barski); Donna PACK! Man, I sure miss that good old The hate mail in Freethought Today Jordahl, ID: $1 (donated by Ray Greenbank); Guy Craig, CA: $2 (donated Wisconsin cheese curd! certainly shows a lack of respect for my by Charles and Sheri Bender); Vicki Frederick, WI: $5 (donated by Robert Peace and love, now that’s where it’s beliefs by those who continually beat Steinegger); Ellery Schempp, MA: $10 (donated by CW Mitchell); Larry Tanner, at! the drum that we must respect theirs. CT: $20 (donated by Dan and Donna Barski); Ron Locatelli, CA: $50; David Jeff Miller Dale Oliver Carroll, PA: $100 (1934); and Kathy Johnson, CA: $1 (donated by the late Georgia Texas Charlie French). Indeed, Jeff knows his Leviticus! Sorry Page 22 Freethought Today Madison, Wisconsin November 2013

Sacramento freethinkers Overheard mark Freethought Day I’m quite sure a Christian would not Gay marriage, pot, religion’s the next be happy if the town meeting began by one to fall.

Photo: Matt Martin everybody announcing how thankful Entertainer Bill Maher they were we’ve finally learned there is “Real Time With Bill Maher,” 10-25-13 no God. One could say it’s just teach- ing Christians to be tolerant of atheists, [A Catholic] professor once asked me, but nobody would or should take that “When I talk about God, I mean love seriously. and justice and reconciliation, not a Arnold Loewy, Texas Tech University man in the sky. You talk about love and law professor, arguing that government justice and reconciliation. Why can’t meetings shouldn’t start with prayer you just call that God?” I replied, “Why Lubbock Avalanche-Journal, 10-20-13 must you call that God? Why not just call it what it is: love and justice and Archbishop Michalik’s words make us reconciliation?” feel fear and revulsion. Chris Stedman, assistant humanist Ewa Orlowska, victim of a Polish pedo- chaplain at Harvard University phile priest, on Archbishop Jozef Mi- CNN, 10-16-13 chalik’s comment that a troubled child “seeks closeness with others and may Sky News reports today that in Britain, get lost and may get the other person increasing numbers of prison inmates involved, too.” are being bullied into converting to Associated Press, 10-22-13 Islam. The Prison Officers Association says this is a result of the growing in- We’re pretty sure all babies are born fluence of Muslim gangs in British pris- atheists and, rather than commit them ons. Some victims have been terrorized Co-President Annie Laurie Gaylor opened an event hosted by Sacramento to some religion before they’re old by the gangs. But there is also con- Coalition of Reason members, including FFRF’s new Sacramento chapter, on enough to have a say (let alone control cern that some of the converts could Freethought Day, Oct. 12. It was the 321st anniversary of the end of the Salem their pooping functions), we’d rather become radicalized. 13% of Britain’s witch trials. FFRF, at the suggestion of member David Schreiber, inaugurated celebrate their undoubted belief in prison population is Muslim. Freethought Day in the early 1990s to mark a “watershed of human history, Mummy and Daddy. Blog synopsis of growing British prison surely one of the most seminal in terms of the elevation of thought.” FFRF Kickstarter promotion for baby shoes problem notes, “There have been many holidays for saints and superstition, but never by Atheist Shoe Co. in Berlin Religion Clause, 10-20-13 one commemorating reason, freethought and state/church separation.” boingboing.net, 10-29-13 Sacramento-area freethinkers have built the day into a major event, coordinated [Barack Obama] believes government this year by FFRF member David Diskin. BELOW: Judy Saint, chapter director, It’s time for the atheist movement to is your God. staffs a table at the event at William Land Park. get off the political sidelines. It’s time Rev. Rafael Cruz, Purifying Fire Min- to truly help this country become a bet- istries pastor and father of Texas Sen. ter place to live for all its citizens. The Ted Cruz, speaking at a National Fed- recent Values Voter Summit demon- eration Of Republican Assemblies strated that the likely 2016 GOP front- prayer breakfast runners and its base wish to transform youtube.com, 9-15-13 America’s secular state into a tyranni- cal theocracy — a nirvana absent gays, In your lifetime, much of your poten- liberals, immigrants, Muslims and sci- tial, or lack thereof, can be known ence books. If the atheist movement simply by swabbing the inside of your doesn’t evolve into a politically agitat- cheek. Are we prepared to select out ed, unified and mobilized Secular Left, the imperfect among us? then the Christian Right might just get Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., warning a its way. packed house at the late Rev. Jerry CJ Werleman, author of Crucifying Falwell’s Liberty University in Virginia America and God Hates You. Hate that scientific advancements will lead Him Back. to eugenics and more abortions salon.com, 10-26-13 Associated Press, 10-28-13 ‘Reason in the Rock’

This amazingly lifelike Charles Darwin figure was created by Csam Wheatley, a talented Louisville sculptor. Darwin is holding a copy of his On the Origin of Species. Csam kindly lent the creation to the convention as a fundraiser. For a dollar, participants could get their photo taken with it, and Annie Laurie Gaylor took advantage of the opportunity.

Two former pastors, Jerry DeWitt (left) and FFRF Co-President Dan Barker, “preached” Oct. 27 (on Sunday!) to attendees at the second-annual freethought event in Little Rock, Ark. Jerry is the author of Hope After Faith. November 2013 Madison, Wisconsin Freethought Today Page 23

‘KFC’ stands for freethought

Akron, Ohio, students organize The Secular Student Alliance at the University of Akron hosted a full-day conference Oct. 18 dubbed “the Sexy Secular Conference.” Addressed were women’s issues, LGBTQ issues, African-American topics, Muslim issues, ethics/ morality, psychology and others. FFRF Co-President Annie Laurie Gaylor’s presentation was titled “Women Without Superstition.” FFRF and its new Cleveland-area chapter, the Northern Ohio Freethought Society, both tabled at Planners of the third annual Kentucky Freethought Convention in Louisville on the event, which attracted about 200 students. Oct. 27, as well as guest speakers, assembled for a photo. From back, left are Unless otherwise identified, pictured are SSA student planners and activists Tim Heilers, William Zingrone, Sarah Henry, Jamila Bey, Reba Boyd Wooden, (left) Mitchell Eppich, Jess Balishin, Madeline Nagy, Chris Holley, Brian Crisan, Hemant Mehta, Clay Maney, Car Allen, (front) Alex Grigg, Ed Hensley, Mikel Brock Barber, speaker Aron Ra, Claudia Allen, Craig Bauman, Grace Ebner, Hensley, FFRF Co-President Annie Laurie Gaylor and Dan Delaney. Bob LaBounty, Rob Frase, Lucas Barker, speaker Nate Phelps, speaker Annie Laurie Gaylor, Austin Merideth, speaker Greta Christina, Tommy Panek, Rob Lehr, speaker David Fitzgerald, speaker Heina Dadabhoy and SSA staffer Nick Stancato. Not pictured are speakers Mandisa Thomas and Darrel Ray.

Raleigh chapter portrait

New Ohio FFRF chapter meets The Northern Ohio Freethought Society, a new Cleveland-area FFRF chapter, held a banquet Oct. 27. Co-President Annie Laurie Gaylor addressed the group. Here, she thanks Marni Heubner-Tiborsky, chapter director, and her husband Mark, and her hosts Lisa Milliron and Ray Valenti, for their hospitality, as well as Dave Huntsman for transportation. Members of the Triangle Freethought Society, FFRF’s active Raleigh-area The event attracted a full house. Active chapter members attending were (back, chapter, gather for a photo after an Oct. 21 presentation by Co-President Annie left) Ray Valenti, Sam Salerno, Mark Tiborsky, Marni Huebner-Tiborsky, Gary Laurie Gaylor (seated second from left). Chapter board member and volunteer Deboer, Sharon Woznicki, Dave Huntsman, Ron Taggart, Don Mossman, Matt Sue Kocher, who picked Annie Laurie up at the airport, is seated next to her. Marshall and Keith Bowes. From front, left are Ram Pillai, Mardell Ward, Lisa Chapter President Harry Shaughnessy (in gray T-shirt) is at far right, second Milliron, Joanna Polisena, Randy Pelton, Katherine “Kat” Bowes, Suzy Wernet row. and Annie Laurie Gaylor. Sharing the Crank Mail

A sampling of the voluminous crank mail re- we can be done with your hate group. I other your own fucking business instead of trying to cently received by FFRF, printed in all its gram- words, GO AWAY! And your parent group, Athe- shove your bullshit down our throats for some- matical glory: ists, is a religion as well. Look up the definition thing we do not believe in — john demirjian, new for a religion. I’ll help you out, “a shared belief” mexico Jesus Picture In Jackson Middle School: You Does that not describe you? It is like reparations know it is organizations like yours that make for slavery. If a black person also has Cauca- Yall are a bunch of crack pots: I am writing me see red... fuck you, your organization and sian blood, do they owe themselves money? I about something I seen about a pastor who said everyone there.. our country is so fucked up be- found out about your religion on a wall in the a bible verse & GOD six times when talking to cause of people and groups like you. — Hank men’s bathroom, along side of the ads for a BJ students at Sale Creek Middle-High School. Talikka in a parking lot. Both are wrong. — M. Pieschel, THAT IS OUR RIGHT TO SAY GOD AND TALK Fayetteville, TN ABOUT A BIBLE VERSE IF YOU DONT WANT your salries: Are you paid to keep God out of TO HEAR IT THEN LEAVE OR COVER YOUR the American society? I’m guessing you are, as suing people of faith IS wrong: HOW does EARS. Im 39 years old and when I grew up your activities of suing school districts, etc. re- simply seeing a picuture of Jesus or a plaque of in school we said a daily prayer and said the quire time and effort on part. Betcha I don’t get the 10 commandments on a wall “harm” you? It Pledge. — Sharon Jenkins, Tennessee an honest answer! — Greg Simkovich, Laugh- doesn’t. Thing is if an atheist hung a dirty picture lintown, PA of something on a wall and anyone complained 5 Thousand Dollar Donation Enclosed: Here you would argue your first ammendment free ya go. A nice shiny crisp 5 thousand dollar bill u r freakin gay. without god you wouldn’t be speech rights, but let a Christian hang some- for you to play with. Oh wait, on that bill are the alive: You are breaking the law by telling people thing on a wall and all of a sudden those first words, “In God We Trust”, opps, looks like you There’s NO REASON to consign us ALL to what they can do. if we wanna pray then we will ammendment rights are null and void. Your fight can’t use it after all. Sorry about yer bad luck. hell, ma’am. With handwriting like this, you pray! I’ll sue your freakin gay website for losers. is as old as time itself. Good verses evil, and my Heck. None of you can even touch cash of any must be a ma’am. (The “C.J.” is the Louis- — bobby at [email protected] ticket is on good (God). — Patty Hadley, Ken- kind if it’s US currency now can ya. HAHAHA- ville Courier-Journal, in which FFRF’s full- tucky HAHA! — Chuck Thompson page ad appeared on July 4.) Sale Creek Middle School: Until you stand up and publicly denounce the teaching of any form freedom: I want to file a complaint against you Jesus portrait at school: You have every right of Islam in our public schools, you are nothing guys. I am offended by your actions and think not to accept any God and not worship a Cross, Dollars. All for a widely distributed depiction of more than political agenda hypocrites. You are it best that all of you move to Kenya or some- Half-Moon or Star of David. For all I care, you a religious icon. Please remember, my commu- completely irrelevant. Go fuck yourselves. — where in that region. You are a bunch of igno- may dance in robes around a fire pit and sing nist brothers, that the same religious icon will be James Veach, Georgia rant asses. But you do live in the perfect state 70’s disco. Find your own private Hell. Shame waiting for you after you take your last breath, to be ass holes. Have a wonderful life because on you! — David Baertsch, Plano, TX this time in person. — William Burns, Stuart, Moral corruption caused by your organiza- after you are done here it will get very hot. Fla. tion: You are conducting a war on terror against — Carlie, South Dakota Website bible quiz, WTF? I take this test and Chjristianity! You are responsible for the moral do pretty well, but when I get to the scoring, you Ohio school: Oh I am suffering severe and per- decay of this nation. — Vittorio Luchi, Arizona FFRF: Your website has made me very sad. I insult me. Go fuck yourselves, assholes. yes, i manent damage from seeing a picture of Christ am praying for you. — Jan Cain, Carrollton, did go to a parochial school, but I still scored an at the Ohio school you managed to sue. Give Troy University religious dorms: Are you idi- Georgia 18 on your test that had numerous trick ques- me a fucking break you losers. Why don’t you ots. This is total BS. Why are you doing this? tions. Until you becaome ACTUAL free thinkers, concentrate on real issues like poverty and hun- What are you afraid of? If this was about porn, beliefs: I see your group has raised its UGLY mainstream society is going to consider you for ger. Or get this, get a real job and support the or weed, or anything else that destroys a so- HEAD once again to impose your beliefs on what you are: douche bag-weirdo zealots. Have economy. — Peter Tolley, California ciety, you would be quiet. You people are bad! others. I thought politicians were the lowest ver- fun hanging out with bill maher and Penn Gile- — Larry Lestelle, Washington min on earth but you re right there with them. tte. — Erich Knox Crank: Every Knee will bow and every tongue — Jack Terrier, Virginia will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord !!!!!!!!11 Put Idiots: Is there a Freedom from Idiots group? Ohio Jesus portrait: Great Job! you cost a that in your pipe and smoke it — Steve Johnson If so, all y’all idiots need to join. Then maybe you assholes: Why can’t you assholes mind school system and their lackeys close to 100K Page 24 Freethought Today Madison, Wisconsin November 2013

FFRF took a lighthearted message to New York City’s Times Square in October to counter an anti-atheist billboard by an evangelical group. FFRF enlisted “Saturday Night Live” alum Julia Sweeney for its rejoinder. One cube of the billboard features Sweeney’s smiling face, the other her quote: “OMG, there is no god!” The statement is a punchline from her powerful, one-woman show, “Letting Go of God.” “A fifth of the U.S. population identifies as nonbelievers. We don’t thank a nonexistent god, we put faith in each other and human ingenuity,” says Annie Laurie Gaylor, co-founder of the Madison, Wis.-based association. “We believe in deeds, not creeds. We believe the only afterlife that ought to concern us is leaving our descendants a secure and pleasant future.” FFRF has placed hundreds of billboard messages since late 2007, including several previously in Times Square. FFRF, ACLU settle Jesus portrait case

Continued from front page dents and parents who risk public ex- first case in which the Liberty Institute posure amid threats of retaliation for had interceded.) speaking up for the First Amendment Negotiations were stalled when it should receive damages and that pub- was discovered that the portrait had FFRF sues Calif. city lic school officials who violate the First never actually been removed from Amendment be held accountable.” the school. It had been moved to an The portrait was posted prominent- art closet and was “resurrected” for a ly in Jackson Middle School but was lat- prayer meeting on the school lawn, for Christian prayers er moved to the high school after the which was attended by school faculty ACLU and FFRF filed the lawsuit. The and administrators on the National school tried to argue that the portrait Day of Prayer last May. Continued from front page (untrue). was part of a “limited public forum,” This violation of the court agree- legal complaint documents several FFRF seeks a declaration that the but eventually agreed in court to re- ment prompted another round of le- egregious examples, including Jones’ prayers violate the California Con- move it from the school, reportedly to gal filings by both sides, delaying the claim that: stitution. The complaint also alleges avoid “risking taxpayer money.” settlement and increasing legal fees, all • The Constitutional Convention that the prayers violate California civil The school district worked with an of which, as the ACLU of Ohio pointed approved a prayer motion (there was rights laws by coercing and forcing upstart Texas Religious Right group, out, was unnecessary. FFRF received a no such prayer). citizens to undergo Christian worship the Liberty Institute, that proclaims at small portion of the legal fees payment. • James Madison said our govern- if they wish to participate in their gov- its website: “We have never lost a case The case was before Judge Algenon ment was based on the Ten Command- ernment. FFRF is also challenging the to the ACLU, [or] Freedom From Re- L. Marbley, U.S. District Court in the ments (he did not). establishment of a city chaplaincy. ligion Foundation.” (This was FFRF’s Southern District of Ohio. • George Washington claimed it was FFRF thanks Dworkin, attorney Pa- impossible to govern without the bible mela Koslyn for taking the case pro (fabricated quote). bono, FFRF Staff Attorney Andrew Se- • James Madison read from the bi- idel, AUSLO for its support and AUS- Janesville, Wisconsin ble at the Constitutional Convention LO members for prayer transcription. Photo: Andrew Kronquist Photo: Andrew

Mark Your Calendar!

Announcing . . .

Raleigh, N.C. FFRF Mini-Convention Weekend of May 2-3, 2014 (after National Day of Reason, er, Prayer) Sheraton Raleigh Hotel 421 South Salisbury Street Raleigh, North Carolina

Wayne Hensler, a Wisconsin FFRF Lifetime Member, calls this 10-by-30-foot message he’s sponsoring in a well-traveled section of Janesville “a legacy 37th Annual National Convention for my grandchildren.” He first contacted FFRF in 2010 to suggest the new Weekend of October 24-25, 2014 slogan, offering to pay for billboard space. It has gone up several times Millennium Biltmore Hotel - Los Angeles near Watertown. Wayne, an octogenarian farmer, hopes other members are 506 South Grand Avenue “inspired” to place similar messages in their areas on behalf of FFRF, which Los Angeles, California started its billboard campaign in 2007. The “Enjoy Life Now: There Is No Afterlife” message has received national attention, including Fox News and Huffington Post, as well as regional TV and newspaper coverage.