Rationality College essay Lack of faith needed now contest winners doesn’t increase more than ever announced gun violence PAGES 6-7 PAGES 12-17 PAGE 21

Vol. 36 No. 7 Published by the Freedom From Religion Foundation, Inc. September 2019 FFRF, others seek to dissolve State Dept. commission Awaiting info on Unalienable Rights group A new State Department body should be disbanded, the Freedom From Religion Foundation and close to 200 other organizations urged in a letter. Hundreds of former officials, academics and activists have also signed on to the July letter originating with Human Rights First. FFRF and all these groups and individuals are calling on Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to dissolve the recently an- nounced Commission on Unalienable Rights. “We object to the commission’s stated purpose, which we find harmful to the global effort to protect the rights of all people and a waste of resources; the commission’s makeup, which lacks ideological diversity and appears to re- flect a clear interest in limiting human rights, including the rights of women and LGBTQI individuals; and the pro- cess by which the commission came into being and is being administered, which has sidelined human rights experts in South Dakota law exclusionary the State Department’s own Bureau of The Freedom From Religion Foundation is ican secularism and civil liberties, imposing Democracy, Human Rights and Labor,” damning an exclusionary new South Dakota the theocratic vision of a powerful few on “We the letter states. “We urge you to imme- law that mandates displaying an “In God We the People.” Mike Pompeo diately disband this body.” Trust” logo in all public schools. These laws are about advancing the lie that The commission’s shortcomings “A new state law that took effect this month the United States was “founded on God” or start with its title, the letter points out. requires all public schools in the state’s 149 Christianity, thus dismantling the wall be- “We view with great misgiving a body established by the U.S. districts to paint, stencil or otherwise prom- tween religion and government. The motto government aimed expressly at circumscribing rights through inently display the national motto,” the As- “In God We Trust” is inaccurate, exclusionary, an artificial sorting of those that are ‘unalienable’ and those to sociated Press reports. “The South Dakota and aimed at brainwashing American school- be now deemed ‘ad hoc,’” says the letter. “These terms simply lawmakers who proposed the law said the re- children into believing that our nation is a have no place in human rights discourse. It is a fundamental quirement was meant to inspire patriotism in theocracy, FFRF asserts. tenet of human rights that all rights are universal and equal.” the state’s public schools.” FFRF fought the law. And the composition of the entity does little to inspire The law — insultingly confusing patriotism “The Freedom From Religion Foundation, confidence. with piety — is part of the nationwide legis- based in Madison, Wis., which has legally “The commission clearly fails to achieve the legal require- lative push by Project Blitz, which is a stealth challenged the motto’s inclusion on U.S. cur- ment that a federal advisory committee ‘be fairly balanced in campaign to inject religious bills into state rency, alerted its South Dakota members to its membership in terms of the points of view represented and legislatures across the country. The campaign, the functions to be performed,’” asserts the letter. “The com- FFRF avers, is an unvarnished attack on Amer- See Law on page 4 See Commission on page 8 Appeals court: County seal ruled constitutional

Reverses FFRF victory purpose for including a cross on the seal strong presumption of constitutionali- in district court from is not secular,” Judge Edward G. Smith ty,’” by which he means, “longstanding had ruled in 2017. religious symbols.” The seal dates back to 2017 in Pennsylvania But the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of 1944. An appellate court on Aug. 8 disap- Appeals in Philadelphia unfortunately The alarming nature of the U.S. Su- pointingly invoked a misguided U.S. relied on the Supreme Court’s recent preme Court’s Bladensburg judgment Supreme Court decision to declare con- Bladensburg cross decision to rule the can be seen in this opinion. Instead of stitutional a cross-bearing Pennsylvania clearly Christian seal acceptable. protecting the minority from the tyr- county seal. The opinion, written by Judge Thom- anny of the majority, Hardiman rules The Freedom From Religion Founda- as Hardiman, who was rumored to be on that the majority can trample the First tion and four individual plaintiffs won President Trump’s short list for the U.S. Amendment in the name of its religion, resoundingly in district court in 2017 Supreme Court, says that the 3rd Circuit concluding that the seal “has become when a judge found unconstitutional was bound to uphold the seal and cross part of the community.” the Lehigh County seal that features a because of the Bladensburg precedent. FFRF’s appellate brief, filed in April prominent cross. “The undisputed facts Hardiman holds that, after Bladensburg, demonstrate that the county’s original “longstanding symbols benefit from ‘a See Seal on page 9 Page 2 FFRF | FREETHOUGHT TODAY | Madison, Wisconsin | September 2019 SECULAR INVOCATIONS

Karen Avizur diverse society. I’d like to recite a quote from Carl Sa- gan, one I’m particularly fond of, when Tavares (Fla.) he speaks of the photo Voyager 1 took of Earth, the “Pale Blue Dot.” City Hall “Look again at that dot. That’s here. That’s home. That’s us. On it everyone you love, everyone you know, everyone March 20, 2019 you ever heard of, every human being I would like to thank you for this op- who ever was, lived out their lives. The portunity to address Tavares in this in- aggregate of our joy and suffering, vocation, speaking not just as an atheist thousands of confident religions, ide- but as a resident of ologies, and economic doctrines, ev- Mount Dora, to ery hunter and forager, every hero and bring us together coward, every creator and destroyer of for this meeting. civilization, every king and peasant, ev- Join other nontheists for I’ve lived here ery young couple in love, every mother less than a year, and father, hopeful child, inventor and 2019 Secular Lobby Day and have already explorer, every teacher of morals, every made many corrupt politician, every superstar, ev- Make your voice heard in Washing- On Thursday, Sept. 26, from 7-9 friends among ery supreme leader, every saint and sin- ton, D.C., by joining the Secular Coa- p.m., you can attend an exclusive re- my neighbors ner in the history of our species lived lition for America at its Secular Lobby ception on Capitol Hill. While there, and others in there — on a mote of dust suspended Day Sept. 26-27. you will have the chance to mingle my communi- in a sunbeam.” Karen Avizur SCA, of which FFRF is a member with your fellow citizen advocates as ty. We’re all ap- I’m immensely grateful to those who organization, will begin its gathering SCA honors the members of the Con- preciative to those officials who come work for our city and those who live in on Thursday, Sept. 26, with an eve- gressional Freethought Caucus, Hill together to better our society, who and support it, and hope that today’s ning reception on Capitol Hill with staffers, and activists who have advo- struggle with the laws, both moral and meeting, and all that come after, contin- members of the Congressional Free- cated on behalf of secular Americans. ethical. Who come to City Hall as rep- ue to unite us as one community. thought Caucus and other lawmakers Then, on Friday, Sept. 27, from 8 resentatives, and as citizens themselves, Karen Avizur is a video editor living in and staff. a.m.-5 p.m., you can join nontheists to do the best they can to encourage Mount Dora, Fla., with her two dogs. In her The next day will be spent on Cap- from across the country as they lobby and preserve justice, equality, and the free time, she likes to read sci-fi and write itol Hill with speakers, training and members of Congress and their staff, well-being of every person in our vastly fantasy novels. visits to congressional offices. Staff in person, about issues impacting the Attorney Ryan Jayne, Director of separation of church and state. You Strategic Response Andrew L. Seidel will be trained on how best to present Lindsey Bridges and Director of Governmental Affairs SCA’s issues by lobbyists from SCA and Mark Dann will be representing FFRF our member organizations, and then during the weekend. team up with fellow attendees from Seminole You will learn how to effectively your state or region for congressional lobby your representatives, shape pub- meetings. County (Fla.) lic policy to help make a real impact, Tickets are needed for the reception meet with lawmakers and their staffs and breakfast and space is limited. Go Commission and network with like-minded secular to lobbyday.us for more information or leaders and advocates. to register. Jan. 8, 2019 Madame chair, commissioners, staff, citizens, and guests, let me thank you for including me in today’s proceedings. FFRF welcomes 17 new Lifers The word “invocation” originates from the Latin invocare, meaning “to FFRF thanks and welcomes our States represented are Califor- call upon” — an infinitive which gener- 17 new Lifetime Members and two nia, Colorado, Florida, Michigan, ates a question. “To whom or to what do Immortals. The new $1,000 Life- New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, we call upon?” time Members are David Balint, Texas and Washington. Historically, and even today, we gen- Mary Balint, Carla Brady, William Our new Immortals are Al erally seek wisdom and guidance from Burkhardt, Jimmy Dunne, Rebec- Lunemann and Glenn E. Mc- god or muse, but today, at the helm of ca Greben, Laurel Huber, Walter Munn. The Immortals category is this new year, I invite you to call upon C. Kennedy, Gordon L. Kramer, a donation designation for those one another. Barbara Lund, Jake Mahoney, N. generous members who have con- Let us invoke our fellow Homo sapi- Raymond Pearson, Linda Skory, tacted FFRF to report they have ens, who have learned that working to- Lindsey Bridges William R. Slye, Jamie Smith, Matt made provisions for FFRF in their gether as a whole enhances and benefits Smith and Kathleen Steel. estate planning. the individual immensely. What we lack and others’ unique experimentation or strive for in ourselves, let us offer and enlighten us all. Let us pursue truth and find in others who share our passion for toil, each day, for a better way to serve service. our peers, by exten- In the words of sion, ourselves, and the poet John Don- to foster maximal Those who expect ne, “No man is an is- well-being for all. to reap the blessings of land entire of itself; Again, the words freedom, must undergo the every man is a piece “ of Thomas Paine: fatigue of supporting it. Published by Freedom From Religion Foundation, Inc. of the continent, a “Those who expect part of the main.” —Thomas Paine to reap the blessings P.O. Box 750 Madison WI 53701 As a lifelong res- of freedom, must un- ident of Seminole dergo the fatigue of [email protected] FFRF.org County, a former volunteer at the Winter supporting it.” P 608.256.8900 F 608.204.0422 Springs Police Department and a mem- You have our sincere gratitude for EDITOR PJ Slinger [email protected] ber of the Central Florida Freethought setting the example of service we should EDITOR EMERITUS Bill Dunn Community, I champion this notion. all follow. EXECUTIVE PUBLISHER Annie Laurie Gaylor As one of our constitutional framers, FFRF Member Lindsey Bridges, 21, is a GRAPHIC DESIGNER Roger Daleiden Thomas Paine said, “Whatever is my member of the Central Florida Freethought right as a man is also the right of anoth- Community, FFRF chapter, and a student at COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR Amit Pal er; and it becomes my duty to guarantee the University of Central Florida, studying CONTRIBUTORS as well to possess.” biology and mathematics. “I’m passionate Rafida Bonya Ahmed, Steve Benson, Chris Line, So, let us fulfill this duty, this obliga- about the separation of church and state, Bailey Nachreiner-Mackesey, Jake Swenson, Phil Zuckerman tion to represent and manifest the will religious liberty and equality for all.” The only freethought newspaper in the United States of the governed; our fellow citizens. See FFRF’s Nothing Fails Like Prayer Let our shared experience color us contest rules on page 12. September 2019 | Madison, Wisconsin | FFRF | FREETHOUGHT TODAY Page 3 IN MEMORIAM Roger Chapman lived life on his own terms

Longtime FFRF Member Roger P. Chap- in his later years. He was a member of a motorcycle crash as a young man — he man, 78, died July 5 in Fitchburg, Wis. He the Democratic and Socialist parties and possessed intelligent, dancing eyes, and had been a member since 1979! several public interest organizations. In was a member of a secular monthly singing Roger was born 2003, he was honored as an extraordinary group. Many of us in Madison loved Roger in Eau Claire, Wis., activist by the Coalition for Wisconsin for his truth-seeking qualities and passions, on June 25, 1941, to Health. and we will miss him.” Jean and Margaret Longtime friend Ingrid Andersson (Sweeney) Chap- wrote this about Roger for Freethought man. He graduat- Today: ed from Evansville “Roger was a family friend. We met at (Wis.) High School an FFRF function in the late 1980s. Rog- in 1959 and the er grew up Catholic, but by the time I met University of Wis- him in the late 1980s, he was passionately consin-Madison opposed to religion and never tired of re- Roger Chapman in 1964. Roger vealing holes of logic and mercy within it, thought public schools were excellent and Roger with Ingrid Andersson and her especially Catholicism. opposed public money going to religious brother Karl Johnson in the early 1990s. “Roger was also passionate about work- or other private schools. ing toward an American single-payer Roger worked at Evansville’s Rex The- a broad liberal arts education, rather than health care system, and as an activist nurse ater, where he eventually became a projec- one focused on computer science, was best and midwife, I shared those political local tionist. That led to jobs as a projectionist for a computer systems designer. initiatives with him. Roger was a deep- while he was an undergrad in college and After Roger was disabled by an acci- ly compassionate individual who always a computer systems analyst in grad school. dent, Dr. George Szasz gave him good got to the heart of the matter and rarely When the Occupational Safety and advice regarding rehabilitation and living small-talked. Health Act (OSHA) became law in 1971, a full and active life. Roger followed this “Many people who knew Roger did not Roger designed and became a project lead- advice unrelentingly. realize how much he loved folk dancing Photos provided by Ingrid Andersson er of Wisconsin’s OSHA system. Roger spent six years in the Army and singing. Though he could not dance Roger and Ingrid Andersson at an FFRF Based on his experience, Roger thought Reserves, and became a political activist — being confined to a wheelchair since convention.

wouldn’t have traded them for Active secularist Mike Steiner dies Art collector any seven years of anyone else’s FFRF Life Mem- active member/volunteer in the Humanist James Smith life. ber Mike Steiner Society of Greater Phoenix. Jim is survived died in late June in Secular AZ posted this about Steiner: by his wife of 47 Phoenix. “Mike was deeply committed to separation Rudolph dies years, Adrienne. He was a con- of church and state and worked tirelessly Together, they stant presence in to make the world a better place. He was James Smith Rudolph, 92, died in created Centi- the Arizona secular always willing to help by sharing his knowl- Sarasota, Fla., on April 15. core Arts Inter- community, serving edge, ideas and time. We all knew that we He was born June 9, 1926, to Sam- James Rudolph national in Ann on the boards of could count on Mike to be there when we uel and Elizabeth Smith Rudolph. He Arbor, Mich., Secular AZ, FFRF needed something done . . . and especially enlisted in the Navy at age 17 and also and traveled the – Valley of the when we needed it done right. His atten- attended Dartmouth. world. Jim collected Renaissance mu- Mike Steiner Sun Chapter, and tion to detail was legendary! Most of all, we Jim spent seven years in Paris, sical instruments, 18th century French Americans Unit- will miss Mike’s smile and quirky sense of where he learned about literature, furniture, contemporary art, vintage ed for Separation of Church and State – humor. As one of our board members said, art and music. He once said that he wines, kitchen gadgets, and more. Greater Phoenix Chapter. He was also an Mike was so often the spark that lit a smile.”

Freethought Today caption contest! Donate now to FFRF through CFC, AmazonSmile There are a few ways you can donate Another way to donate automatical- to FFRF, including directly through ly is through AmazonSmile. It’s a sim- our website, through the Combined ple way for you to support FFRF (or Federal Campaign or AmazonSmile. other charitable organizations) every If you are a federal employee, you time you shop, at no cost to you. When may make donations to FFRF though you shop at smile.amazon.com, you’ll the CFC (Combined Federal Cam- find the exact same prices, selection paign) from Sept. 1 until Jan. 15, 2020. and shopping experience as Amazon. If you wish to help FFRF through this com, with the added bonus that Ama- campaign, the CFC code to designate zon will donate a portion of the pur- your contribution to FFRF is 32519. chase price to your favorite charitable It is recommended that all CFC do- organization. Hopefully, that’s FFRF! nors check the box to include their Visit the AmazonSmile donation name and mailing address (in ad- designation page and select the Free- dition to e-mail) with the donation. dom From Religion Foundation to do- Donors will then receive an acknowl- nate 0.5 percent of eligible purchases edgment from FFRF when we receive to FFRF. pledge notification. The AmazonSmile Foundation is a From the CFC website: “The CFC 501(c)(3) private foundation created is the official workplace giving cam- by Amazon to administer the Amazon- paign of the federal government. Smile program. All donation amounts The mission of the CFC is to promote generated by the program are remit- and support philanthropy through ted to the AmazonSmile Foundation. a program that is employee focused, In turn, the AmazonSmile Foundation This photo of the statue of the archbishop of Warsaw, Cardinal Stefan cost-efficient and effective in provid- donates those amounts to the chari- Wyszynski, was taken by FFRF Co-President Dan Barker. To enter the ing federal employees the opportunity table organizations selected by their contest, please write a witty or humorous take on what this statue is to improve the quality of life for all. customers. Amazon pays all expenses thinking. Email your response to [email protected] by Sept. 18. The winner The CFC is the world’s largest and of the AmazonSmile Foundation; they will receive an FFRF T-shirt! most successful annual workplace are not deducted from the donation charity campaign.” amounts. Page 4 FFRF | FREETHOUGHT TODAY | Madison, Wisconsin | September 2019

FFRF’s summer legal eagles HEADS UP

A Poetry Column By Philip Appleman Fleas

I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the Lord do all these things. — Isaiah 45:7

I think that I shall never see a poem as ugly as a flea, a flea whose hungry mouth is pressed against a buttock or a breast, a flea that spreads disease all day and lifts its little claws to prey: poems are made by you and me, but only God can make a flea. Photo by Chris Line Gathering on the steps of the Wisconsin State Capitol are FFRF’s 2019 sum- I think that no one ever made mer legal interns. From left, Joshua Engelkeimer, University of Wisconsin a poem as powerful as AIDS, Law School; Ryan Shaner, Chicago-Kent College of Law; Mendel Jimenez, or plagues that may in summer kill Vassar College; Eleanor Pressler, University of Wisconsin; Derek Hein, Mar- half the bishops in Brazil quette University Law School; and Alex Schmidt, UW-Madison Law School. and share the good Lord’s Final Answer During their stint at FFRF, the interns help write legal briefs and letters and with clots and cholera and cancer — do legal research. for God concocted pox to mock us, staph and syph and streptococcus: poems are made by bards or hacks, but only God makes cardiacs. OVERHEARD I think that I shall never smell a poem as pungent as a hell, Modern human rights are grounded despite unimaginable pressure, and the where grinning devils turn the screws on the dignity inherent in every human American people stand with them. The on saintly Sikhs and upright Jews, being. They are not God-given rights, United States calls upon the govern- giving them the holy scorcher, or Trump-given rights, and they apply ments of Eritrea, Mauritania, Pakistan timeless, transcendental torture: to people of all faiths and to those who and Saudi Arabia to respect the freedom poems can make you want to yell, have none. of conscience and let these men go. but only God can give you hell. Columnist Richard Cohen, “Trump’s om- Vice President Mike Pence, in asking to inous attempt to redefine human rights.” release blogger Raif Badawi, who is serv- The New York Times, 7-13-19 ing a 10-year/1,000-lash sentence for in- From Perfidious Proverbs and Other Poems: sulting Islam, and three others. A Satirical Look At The Bible I just want to say to my atheist Reuters, 7-18-19 friends, some of my best friends are atheists. And some of them are also After all, this “character counts” some of the best people I know. And and “personal integrity” and “political it is ridiculous that people would think leadership” was central to what a lot of © Philip Appleman you are somehow less moral or less evangelicals argued when Bill Clinton worthy of the full protection and en- was president. And now that it’s Donald joyment of all of our virtues as a society Trump, they’ve decided to push that because of your religious beliefs. aside, which means that morality for Democratic presidential candidate An- them was a means to an end, not an end. Philip Appleman is a Dis­tinguished Pro­fessor drew Yang, in an interview. It was something to be used as a political Emeri­tus at In­dia­na Uni­ver­si­ty. He is editor of Reddit.com, 7-8-19 weapon. I think a lot of these white the Norton Critical Edition of Darwin. He and evangelical leaders are doing more to Photo by Brent Nicastro Brent by Photo his playwright wife, Marjorie Appleman, are People don’t hurt Christianity than the so-called New both “After-Life” Members of FFRF. know about all Atheists ever could. the hard-won Peter Wehner, veteran of three Republi- Other books by him, available at shop.ffrf.org, include Karma, battles anymore: can administrations, speaking on Michael Dharma, Pudding & Pie and Darwin’s Ark: Poems by Philip Appleman. gay folks fighting Smerconish’s show on CNN. for their rights, CNN, 7-20-19 the separation of church and state. I have many fellow travelers, very few . . . for a good publicly. I think there’s still fear of this long time we had conventional wisdom that being an athe- Law Many, [Come] One). a national con- ist or agnostic or a nonbeliever is some- As FFRF principal founder Anne JStone / Shutterstock.com versation about how the worst possible thing in politics. Continued from page 1 Gaylor always pointed out, the reli- Whoopi Goldberg things that now My experience has been that that’s not their legislators to express opposition gious motto isn’t even correct: “To be we’re having to reiterate. the case, but how you do it matters. to the law,” AP reports. accurate it would have to read ‘In God Whoopi Goldberg, in a profile Q&A. U.S. Rep. Jared Huffman, on being the FFRF Co-President Annie Lau- Some of Us Trust,’ and wouldn’t that The New York Times Magazine, 7-14-19 only “out” nonreligious member of Con- rie Gaylor told AP: “Our position is be silly?” gress. that it’s a terrible violation of free- Anne Gaylor’s remark is more apt What are 26 bishops doing in our leg- The Guardian, 8-3-19 dom of conscience to inflict a god- now than ever. The nonreligious seg- islature, making us the only democracy ly message on a captive audience of ment of the U.S. population is cur- with a theocratic element? True, the men schoolchildren.” rently the largest “denomination,” sur- in frocks don’t look out of place in the The Born Again “In God We Trust” was belatedly passing Roman Catholics at almost 24 whole creaking edifice of the House of Skeptic’s Guide adopted as a motto when President percent of the populace. One-third of Lords. But the high number of religious to the Bible Eisenhower signed legislation at the Millennials are “Nones,” and one-fifth members of both houses is wildly out of By Ruth Hurmence Green behest of the Knights of Columbus of Gen Z explicitly identifies as atheist kilter with the wider population. A Missouri grandmother debunks the bible as and other religious entities, which un- or agnostic. Polly Toynbee, in her column, “Faith in no one has debunked it dertook a national lobbying campaign A large portion of the schoolchil- religion is dwindling, but when will Brit- since Thomas Paine. during the height of 1950s zealotry. dren in South Dakota belong to Gen ish politics reflect that?” The original inclusionary U.S. mot- Z — and with the required display of The Guardian, 7-11-19 —Published by FFRF. 440 pages / PB to, chosen by a distinguished commit- an explicitly religious motto, religion Buy it from FFRF online tee of Jefferson, Franklin and Adams, is being imposed on the freethinkers All four of these men have stood is the Latin E Pluribus Unum (From among them. strong in defense of religious liberty, ffrf.org/shop September 2019 | Madison, Wisconsin | FFRF | FREETHOUGHT TODAY Page 5 IN THE NEWS

Trump’s trade war Saudi Arabia loosens could turn biblical ‘The Family’ exposes D.C. Christian organization restrictions on women The price of bibles could soar be- Saudi Arabia published new laws that cause of the trade war President Don- loosen restrictions on women by allow- ald Trump has waged against China. ing all citizens, not just men, to apply Trump has vowed to place tariffs on for a passport and travel freely, ending all of America’s imports from China, and a long-standing guardianship policy that book publishers are warning that those had controlled women’s freedom of tariffs will cause the price of printing the movement. bible to jump and possibly cause shortages. The new laws were to go into effect by Most publishers of the bible in the Unit- the end of August. ed States print them in China because of The kingdom’s legal system has long the high cost and complexity involved been criticized because it treats adult in printing a text with roughly 800,000 women as minors, requiring they have words. HarperCollins Christian Publish- a man’s consent to obtain a passport or ing says about three-quarters of its bible travel abroad. Often a woman’s male manufacturing expenses are in China. guardian is her father or husband, and in some cases a woman’s son. Women are now also allowed to be Hundreds plan to sue legal guardians of their children, a right Boy Scouts for sex abuse previously held only by men. Nearly 700 men are coming forward with accusations that they were sexual- N.C. bans state funding ly abused during their time in the Boy for conversion therapy Scouts. They plan to sue Boy Scouts of A five-part “docuseries” on Netflix takes a close look at “The Family,” the America, a century-old organization that secretive Christian organization that has influence throughout Washington, North Carolina became the first has prohibited atheists from joining. D.C. Southern state to ban public funding of The men are demanding that the Boy It’s based on the book, The Family: The Secret Fundamentalism at the Heart conversion therapy for minors, the prac- Scouts be held accountable for hiding of American Power, by investigative reporter Jeff Sharlet published more tice often used by religious groups to abusers from the criminal justice system than a decade ago. The Family believes that the separation of church and “cure” individuals of their homosexual and enabling them to keep preying on state is unnecessary. The Family grooms and supports leaders, teaching orientations and transgender identities. young men. them that the bible is a story about power, not mercy, and that leaders are On Aug. 2, Gov. Roy Cooper instruct- The Boy Scouts are facing financial chosen by God, not elected. ed the North Carolina Department of trouble and may file for bankruptcy Members of The Family have notably shunned publicity, preferring back- Health and Human Services to make sure protection, which would freeze the abil- room deals and secrecy. Their mansion on C Street is the residency of a state-licensed health care providers and ity of victims to file claims. number of conservative members of Congress, and the only time they really organizations that use such techniques “This organization is so full of child come out in the open was the National Prayer Breakfast. are not paid by government agencies. molesters that if you weren’t sexual- The series became available on Aug. 9 on Netflix. Listen to Sharlet discuss- Eighteen states plus the District of ly molested in scouting, you were just ing his book and the Netflix series on FFRF’s Freethought Radio Aug. 8. Columbia have laws that ban conversion lucky,” said Tim Kosnoff, the attorney therapy of minors by licensed health care who gathered the claims. “The Boy providers, but Southern states have been Scouts should not exist anymore. . . . Jews, atheists are more finds that 69 percent of self-described unable to muster the votes to pass legisla- You couldn’t design a better place for knowledgeable on religion Catholics say they believe the bread and tion to ban the practice, even as polls show pedophiles. You’re putting men you wine used in communion are merely growing support for such legislation. know virtually nothing about in close Jews and atheists know more than symbols of the body and blood of Jesus proximity with young boys away from every kind of Christian about what Christ.” Just 31 percent say they believe their parents in the woods.” different religions teach, a recent survey that “during Catholic Mass, the bread Atheism, nonreligion in by the Pew Research Center shows. and wine actually become the body and England growing quickly The survey, which quizzed more than blood of Jesus.” Foster agency won’t 11,000 U.S. adults, showed that most In England, the rise of atheism and non- accept Jews or LGBTQ Americans are familiar with the basics of religion among the younger generations Christianity and the bible, but far fewer Wisconsin Dems want sex is rising quickly. Just 1 percent of those A federally funded Christian foster knew the answers to questions about Ju- abuse loophole closed under age 24 identify with the Church of agency in South Carolina has decided daism, Buddhism, Islam and Hinduism. England, which has a formal constitution- to open its doors to prospective fos- Also, most Americans do not know what Three lawmakers in Wisconsin want al role in the country. More than half of ter parents and employees who aren’t the U.S. Constitution says about religion to close a loophole in state law that British people now say that they have no evangelical Protestants, but the orga- as it relates to elected officials. precludes clergy from reporting sex- religion, and about 40 percent are Chris- nization’s ban on working with people ual abuse and they are also calling for tian, while 9 percent are Muslim. who are LGBTQ, progressive Christian, changes to the state’s statute of limita- There is a steady rise in the number of Jewish, Muslim, Hindu or from other Transubstantiation not tions for civil cases involving childhood “Nones,” people who do not identify with faiths remains intact. believed by most Catholics sexual assault. any religion. The Pew Global Forum Greenville’s Miracle Hill Ministries, State Rep. Chris Taylor, state Sen. suggests there will be 1.3 billion Nones the state’s largest foster care organiza- The Catholic idea of transubstanti- Lena Taylor and state Rep. Melissa Sar- worldwide by 2060. tion for children who don’t have signifi- ation, that the bread and wine used for gent, all Democrats, filed the two bills In the past 10 years, the number pro- cant special needs, previously had strict communion become the actual body and on Aug. 6. claiming no faith has risen from 43 per- rules about only hiring and working blood of Jesus Christ, is only believed The first bill, known as the Child Vic- cent to 52 percent. And in a strong shift with foster parents and volunteers who by less than one-third of the religion’s tims Act, has been filed before and has toward atheism, 25 percent of the British subscribe to a set of conservative evan- adherents. failed to pass the legislature at least four now state “I do not believe in God,” com- gelical principles. A new Pew Research Center survey times. The second bill, known as the pared with 10 percent 20 years ago. Clergy Mandatory Reporter Act, is being filed for the first time. 40% of Americans still FFRF’s believe in creationism Lead Us Not Into Forty percent of adults in the Unit- ‘Freethought Penn Station — Provocative Pieces ed States believe in a strictly creation- Matters’ mug By Anne Gaylor ist view of human origins, claiming A meaningful message and the A must-have for that God created the world in its logo of FFRF’s new TV show. Ivory any freethinker, this present form within roughly the past imprint on tapered burgundy, 8 fl. oz. gracefully readable 10,000 years. However, the 22 percent book contains Gaylor’s American- made mug. classic writings. of Americans who do not believe God had any role in human evolution is —Published by FFRF. 80 pages / PB $20 postpaid — Item#MU02 a record high. This percentage coin- Buy it from FFRF online cides with an increasing number of Call 800/335-4021 or order online ffrf.org/shop ffrf.org/shop Americans saying they have no reli- gious identification. Page 6 FFRF | FREETHOUGHT TODAY | Madison, Wisconsin | September 2019 Rationality needed now more than ever The following keynote speech was given at the North American Paleontology convention at the University of California-Riverside in June in front of paleontologists from 32 countries. In 2016, Rafida Bonya Ahmed was awarded FFRF’s Forward Award, which recognizes indi- viduals who have moved society forward.

By Rafida Bonya Ahmed

am honored to be here today. I am not an academic or a paleontologist — not Ieven an amateur one. But I know a thing or two about writing about science and the price you might pay for defend- ing rational and scientific thinking. I thought it would be a good idea for me to share that with you, especially now, when rational thinking is under attack all around the globe. My late husband Avijit Roy and I are — I guess were — writers devoted to scientific thinking, writing blogs and books after we came home from our day jobs in IT. Ear- ly on, when we met in 2002 through the blog that he founded for Bengali-speaking Submitted photo freethinkers, we decided to write in our Rafida Bonya Ahmed and her husband, Avijit Roy. In 2015, they were brutally attacked by Islamist extremists. Roy died from the first language, Bengali, because there was injuries and Bonya was critically wounded. a lack of good books on emerging science and philosophy in ka, Bangladesh. must be an evolutionary mechanism which future generations? our native tongue, And then it happened, on the 10th blocks this kind of traumatic experience What about scrapping regulations that though there was day of our visit. It was the evening of from being registered in our long-term would have cracked down on coal-burn- a big demand for it Feb. 26, 2015. In front of hundreds and memory. My PTSD-specialist psychiatrist ing power plants, or stopping fetal tissue among the young hundreds of people, we were attacked by and I “prayed” together so that the memo- research that could help millions of peo- population. machete-wielding Islamic terrorists as we ries of that night never come back. ple, including those afflicted with HIV, We were both were leaving the book fair. We were tar- human development disorders or various born in Bangla- geted by one of the local Islamic militant Why we were targeted cancers? I would be remiss to not men- desh, though we groups, which later merged with al Qaida Our “sin” was that Avijit and I wrote tion the recent attacks on women’s right spent most of our of the Indian Subcontinent. about science, philosophy and rational to choose in many parts of this country, adult lives here in Avijit bled to death on the street and thinking. We criticized religion and reli- as well. Photo by Ingrid Laas the United States. I barely survived. I had four 6- to 7-inch gious fundamentalism. The militants later This administration has radically re- Rafida Bonya Writing was Avijit’s machete gashes on my head, a sliced-off said in a press release that we deserved to duced the use of science in policymaking. Ahmed passion. I don’t thumb and numerous cuts to the nerves be killed because of two of the books Avijit It has deliberately weakened enforcement know how, but he and arteries on my hands. wrote — one on the scientific and social of science-based public health and envi- managed to write eight books and edit- I will not go into any more detail of basis of homosexuality and the other one ronmental laws. And the list goes on. We ed two others on such diverse subjects as that gruesome night. If you are morbidly titled The Virus of Faith. are seeing the same trend in many other how our universe works, how life began, curious, you can find the pictures of the After the attack on us, the militants countries. homosexuality, the virus of faith or the attack scene on the internet, as a young vowed to kill one atheist blogger a I know it is easy to list problems with- philosophy of nonbelief. photographer took a few pictures before month and the impunity was so high out talking about the solution. I have gone I am lazy — I only managed to write he came forward to take us to the hospital that they continued to do so for next few through enough in life to know there are one book on the evolution of life. when nobody else offered. months. They killed four other bloggers things beyond our control. But, I still be- In 2015, we decided to visit our home I don’t have any memory of the attack it- and attacked both of Avijit’s publishers lieve we can do many other things. They country for a book-signing trip. Two of self. I remember the moment right before in their offices. One died and the other might be small, but they have the poten- Avijit’s books were due to be published the attack and I have a few scattered mem- one barely survived. tial to make a profound impact on our so- during the month-long book fair in Dha- ories of when I was taken to the hospital. It Our so-called “secular” government ciety and environment. stayed quiet because it did not want to up- set the influential fundamentalist groups. The new storytellers The government was finally forced to act I have always viewed you guys, the pale- after the militants attacked a bakery in ontologists, as storytellers. You are those en- Dhaka, killing 20 foreigners and locals chanting storytellers who make their read- in a horrific night-long raid. The attack- ers travel through the deep history of our ers sent gruesome pictures to ISIS as they planet where none of us have ever been. slaughtered those innocent people. I know the word “storyteller” rings an This was not the Bangladesh we grew alarm in your scientist ears. Storytellers up in. But there is no denying that we are not necessarily scientific! And rightful- have seen a dangerous shift toward reli- ly so. But bear with me. gious fundamentalism or right-wing na- What if we have storytellers who would tionalism in many parts of the world. rewrite the creation stories of our species Avijit’s books are not sold in Bangla- with this new scientific knowledge we have desh anymore and I have been told that gathered in the last few centuries? What if the shopkeepers hide my book in the our stories could ignite the spark of criti- back of the store. You have to secretly ask cal thinking in kids from a very young age? them for it because they are afraid of the Where did we come from? How did we get threats from the religious fundamental- here? Did our species have any other sib- ists — and the government, too. They do lings or cousins? We were not the only hu- not teach evolution in the Bangladeshi mans who roamed around this world. That schools anymore, either. plant and fungal kingdom are the basis of You might think we are much better life on earth. Biodiversity is not just a thing than that. But, think again. Are we really? to enjoy in a botanical garden, but an ab- We might not get killed here in the solute necessity for our existence. What if United States for being atheist science we could teach our children early on that writers, but what about being a victim of we are all dependent on each other in this mindless gun violence? What about get- biosphere, that we need to preserve our ting killed by the growing white national- environment to preserve our own exis- ists in a Charlottesville-like protest? tence? That extinction is an inevitable part Photo by Andrew L. Seidel What about our government’s denial of life. Ninety-nine percent of all species Rafida Bonya Ahmed, U.S. Rep. Jared Huffman and FFRF Co-President Annie Laurie of the dangerous reality of global climate have gone extinct. Our species is one of Gaylor get together for a photo during the July 18 Congressional Freethought change and the predicament of our plan- the newest actors on this planetary stage. Caucus reception. (For more photos from the event, see next page.) et? Isn’t that a death by thousand cuts for What if these new stories could teach September 2019 | Madison, Wisconsin | FFRF | FREETHOUGHT TODAY Page 7 our next generations the desperately knew from geology, anthropology and, of needed humility that we have lost along course, paleontology. the way of our unbelievable evolutionary This book shaped me in more ways success? Our anthropocentric worldview than you can imagine. It told me that is nothing but a representation of our ar- there were scientific and rational expla- rogance and ignorance. Our existence in nations to the questions I had about our this universe is small and fleeting, but at history, our origin. It showed me our place the same time it is deeply consequential. in the universe. It made me aware of our The dinosaurs had no way of predict- evolutionary identity and the relationship ing their extinction, but we do, and that’s between the past and the living life forms why we have a duty to protect our planet. and it also made me understand the mag- What if these stories could encourage nitude of changes happening through people to question everything? If there our history. Above all, it encouraged me is anything fixed in this world, it is that to question, to think and to be curious. our universe, our planet, every life form, The seed of scientific and rational is continuously changing. Our culture, thinking that this book planted in me in language, society, consciousness and val- my early years not only helped form my ues all change with time and space. So, worldview, it helped me immensely during we know when anyone tries to impose the darkest moments of my life. They say unchangeable rules and morals which rational thinking goes out of the window have to be accepted without any ques- when you are in a foxhole. But it worked tion, they contradict the basic nature of exactly the opposite way for me. our universe, our existence. The reason I am obsessed with the ra- Randomness of existence tional and scientific storytelling is very per- I was brought in from Dhaka to the Submitted photo sonal. Storytelling is deeply embedded in Mayo Clinic in Minnesota for further sur- Rafida Bonya Ahmed, left, visited with Wisconsin Sen. Tammy Baldwin, second from the culture of our species. I know it works geries and treatment on the fourth day af- left, along with FFRF Co-President Annie Laurie Gaylor and FFRF Director of Govern- because it worked for me. One such sto- ter the attack in 2015, leaving Avijit’s body mental Affairs Mark Dann in Washington, D.C., recently. ryteller influenced me profoundly when I for medical research in Bangladesh. was a teenager. Rather than wasting my energy on what got me going and saved me from guages. We want to share the global knowl- By age 13, I had read the children’s thinking, “Why have I been punished sinking into PTSD. edge and the scientific progress while cel- versions of the scriptures of the main or- this way?,” I thought about the random- After I was done with my three-month- ebrating the local history and knowledge ganized religions, along with many other ness of our existence and the probability long initial treatment, I moved to Atlanta, base, treasures in critical thinking, history, books. Yeah, you can tell that I had noth- of this happening to me. We all like to where I had lived with Avijit for 16 years. I art, philosophy. We are filming videos in ing better to do. And, I declared to my create this little Garden of Eden around quit my job as an IT executive in the finan- each language separately — no more cap- parents: “None of these stories is cutting it us and think nothing will happen to us cial industry. I could no longer work just tions or dubbing from English! We are for me. All of them sound like fairytales.” and our loved ones, while many around for a paycheck. I started writing again and hoping to go live with our YouTube chan- My liberal Muslim parents couldn’t us are constantly getting hurt or dying lobbying against the persecution of free- nels in October. care less. They said, “OK, if that’s what you from war, extreme poverty, natural disas- thinkers, writers, bloggers, publishers and I would really like to thank the organiz- want to believe.” I don’t know if this is pos- ter, accidents, religious execution or sex- intellectuals in Bangladesh. I am lucky to ers of this convention for going beyond sible in today’s Bangladesh anymore. ual violence — you name it. have help from people from all around your academic research topics and focus- Then I started searching for an an- Lying in the hospital bed, I thought, “If the world, including in Bangladesh. ing also on scientific thinking in broader swer that would make sense and my uncle it happens to millions of people all over I recently created a charity called society and public policy-making. We need came to the rescue. He bought me this the world, all through our history, it can “Think,” with my scientist, educator and this more than ever as we fight global cli- book called A Story Without an End, written happen to me as well, right?” BBC documentary filmmaker friends. We mate change and the constant attacks on by Debiprasad Chattapadhyay, one of the I remember thinking that although the are creating high-quality videos on sci- the rationally-informed view of evolution well-known Bengali rational thinkers. universe is indifferent to my random ex- ence, history, philosophy and art in differ- and the consequences of Earth’s history, And this is where I got introduced to istence and feelings, I do have a choice! ent languages — Bengali, Hindi, Arabic locally and globally. Paleontologists have Darwin, evolution and paleontology. The I could be depressed and stay trauma- and English. played a very important role in our scien- book was about the story of the evolution tized for the rest of my life or I could As you can expect, there is so much tific revolution over centuries and I am of our planet and life on it. It was written try to live again in a way that felt mean- good content created in English in this confident that you will continue stepping before the days of genetics and genom- ingful to me while I am here raising my new social media and YouTube era, but up to the challenge at this critical moment ics, so it was mainly based on what we footprint on our little planet. This is there is almost nothing in many other lan- of our planetary history.

July 18 reception for the Congressional Freethought Caucus, hosted by FFRF

Guest of honor and speaker Rafida Bonya Ahmed Sarah Haider and Muhammad Syed, co-founders of Debbie Allen, acting executive director of Secular and FFRF Director of Strategic Response Andrew L. Ex-Muslims of North America, mug for the camera. Coalition for America, speaks with U.S. Rep. Jared Seidel share a light-hearted moment. Huffman, who addressed the crowd.

Photos by Mark Dann, Annie Laurie Gaylor & Andrew L. Seidel

Andrew L. Seidel and FFRF Director of Governmental A standing-room-only crowd showed up on Capitol Hill Affairs Mark Dann. for the Freethought Caucus reception. Page 8 FFRF | FREETHOUGHT TODAY | Madison, Wisconsin | September 2019 FFRF opposes rule to legalize discrimination The Freedom From Religion Foundation has submit- be a “bad Christian.” ted a formal comment condemning a proposed Depart- Giving federal contractors a religious license to dis- ment of Labor rule that would allow federal contractors criminate in employment places the federal govern- Please take action to discriminate against employees based on “sincerely ment’s stamp of approval on all manner of bigotry. held religious tenets” of the corporation or business. The Trump Administration’s proposed rule shamefully against this rule! In an alarming new twist, the rule would protect a would let our taxpayer dollars aid discrimination by fed- Please join FFRF in denouncing this pro- federal contractor engaging in discrimination based on eral contractors. This harmful proposal would roll back posed rule. Go to ffrf.us/labor_rule. Click on conduct that the employer says violates their religion. decades of progress on labor law and the protection of the blue button in the upper right corner that Worse still, for-profit companies would be given a cover the rights of LGBTQ and other vulnerable individuals. reads “Comment Now!” and fill it out with the for labor discrimination so long as they invoke a reli- FFRF is urging the Labor Department’s Office of following wording (or adapt it as you see fit): gious purpose for such actions. Federal Contract Compliance Programs, which reg- I strongly oppose the proposed changes to This proposed regulation would most obviously tar- ulates anti-discrimination requirements, to reject the OFCCP policy that would allow federal con- get LGBTQ individuals. Anti-gay employers have a long proposal. tractors to discriminate against employees history of disingenuously arguing that they are not dis- “The Labor Department instead should adopt rules based on religious affiliation and also based on criminating on the basis of sexual orientation, but rath- that will protect employees who have a history of suf- whether the employee’s conduct is consistent er on “lifestyle” choices or “conduct.” fering discrimination, rather than legalizing invidious with the employer’s religious beliefs. This is un- But this rule could also be used to deny employment discrimination,” says Dan Barker, FFRF co-president. conscionable taxpayer-funded discrimination to atheists, members of a minority religion, single moth- FFRF is a national nonprofit organization with more that will put civil rights for vulnerable popu- ers or anyone else who isn’t practicing the “right” re- than 30,000 members nationwide, including members lations at risk. The Labor Department instead ligion in the “proper” way, in the eyes of an employer in all 50 states. FFRF’s purposes are to protect the con- should adopt rules that will protect employees receiving federal funds. In other words, Christian em- stitutional principle of separation between state and who have a history of suffering discrimination, ployers could discriminate against non-Christians, in- church, and to educate the public on matters relating rather than legalizing such discrimination. cluding atheists, or even against anyone they deem to to nontheism.

Commission Donohue owes atheists Continued from page 1 an apology for slander Bill Donohue, the Catholic League’s mission’s chair and members are over- perennial gasbag, was bloviating wildly whelmingly clergy or scholars known in the wake of the recent mass shoot- for extreme positions opposing LGBTQ ings, blaming lack of religion for the and reproductive rights, and some have shooting rampages. taken public stances in support of inde- “It is not people of faith who are the fensible human rights violations.” most likely to go on a shooting rampage; FFRF and the other groups strongly it is those who have no religious convic- advise that “taxpayer resources should tions,” he said. simply not be wasted on this commis- Donohue cites no study or data to back sion,” since “its findings will have no up this slander. Regardless, the claim is weight or ability to redefine human wrong on its face. It’s incontestable that rights.” “religious convictions” drive people to The joint letter, released July 23, commit terrible atrocities. What makes has received coverage in major media Donohue’s latest attack on nonbelievers outlets. so ironic is that the El Paso shooter appar- FFRF has been ahead of the curve ently self-identifies as a “proud God-loving when it comes to the “Commission on Christian.” Unalienable Rights,” getting wind of it The motivation for the horrific El Paso in June and immediately asking for re- attack, clearly was white Christian nation- cords on the body, which FFRF awaits. alism. The shooter told us as much. FFRF has been concerned from the out- set that the group will redefine human rights through the Christian nationalism that the secretary of state promotes. American Infi del: “The distinctive mark of Western Robert G. Ingersoll civilization is the belief in the inherent By Orvin Larson worth of human beings, with the atten- Prof. Larson writes dant respect for God-authored rights with a ection and and liberties,” Pompeo said in May. This respect of this illustrious 19th conflation of “God-given rights” and century freethinker. “human rights” seems to be a hallmark of the commission. —Published by FFRF. 316 pages / PB In a speech to a Wichita congrega- Buy it from FFRF online tion in 2015, Pompeo, the then-Kansas congressman, shared his worldview: “To ffrf.org/shop worship our Lord and celebrate our na- tion at the same place is not only our right, it is our duty.” He also exposed his Christian fun- MOVING? damentalism in stating, “America had worshipped other gods and called it Andrew L. Seidel has explained, “This The Freedom From Religion Founda- multiculturalism.” Pompeo concluded language is worrisome. The Found- tion is more than happy to join in the by describing politics as “a never-ending ers, Thomas Jefferson in particular, fo- call for the Commission on Unalienable struggle . . . until the rapture.” cused on human rights, not Pompeo’s Rights to be shut down. FFRF’s Director of Strategic Response ‘God-given rights.’” Don’t miss your next issue of Freethought Today Woe to the Women: The Bible Tells Me So Please notify us of your By Annie Laurie Gaylor address change promptly! A concise, easy-to-read book that will challenge email: [email protected] your concept of the bible as “a good book.” FFRF cannot be responsible for Illustrated. replacing back issues if we have not —Published by FFRF. 264 pages / HB been notified prior to your move.

Buy it from FFRF online The U.S. Post Office does not Make your own nontheistic cyber billboard at FFRF.org/unabashed and you might ffrf.org/shop forward third-class mail. win an “Unabashed Atheist” tee, like Annie (above) did. September 2019 | Madison, Wisconsin | FFRF | FREETHOUGHT TODAY Page 9 $1,000 ‘Strong Backbone’ Student Activist Award Student calls out state-church violations

This scholarship was generously estab- dent after this and he seemed to agree lished by an anonymous FFRF member. that the situation was unacceptable. ‘Refused to stay quiet or back down’ However, nothing was ever done to ad- By Janet Roberts Colin E. McNamara, FFRF’s Rob- pattern of religious entanglement dress the issue. ert G. Ingersoll legal fellow, worked does not recur — and it’s all thanks It was at this point that I decided to am a recent graduate of Hamilton High on this case with Janet (not her real to Janet and her courage. She did the contact FFRF. School, which is just southwest of Grand name). Here’s what he had to say right thing, and because of her tire- After discussing the choir situation, I IRapids, Mich. Throughout my high about her: less work documenting and reporting proceeded to mention other potential school career, I struggled to fit in with the “Janet was one of the most intel- the myriad constitutional violations at church/state violations. I had noticed conservative Christian culture. Religion ligent, determined and downright her school, future generations of stu- that youth group leaders and members was found in my classroom, cafeteria and tough young activists whom I had the dents won’t have to endure the creep- of the church seemed to roam free- integrated in the school board. pleasure of working with in my time ing coercive pressure of religious in- ly around my school. In one instance, During my four years, I was a mem- at FFRF. Janet refused to stay qui- doctrination that she did. a youth group leader sat next to me ber of my school’s Women’s Chorale et or back down — even when she “I’m so very proud of her, and I at lunch and initiated conversation. and Honors Choir. My classmates and I faced backlash from staff, students see great things in her future. She I couldn’t help but wonder why this were required to attend multiple Chris- and her community. Since she wrote tells me that she wants to go to law strange adult was hanging out at my tian Reformed Church services and per- this piece, I have communicated ex- school after undergrad and that she’s lunch table. After some thought, I also form various hymns. At the service, we tensively with counsel for the school acquired an interest in state-church recalled that the school board routine- sat as a captive audience and listened district to ameliorate these issues. In separation law, so I suspect we’ve not ly prays before meetings. FFRF immedi- to the sermon. During the service, I felt response, the administration has tak- heard the last from this exceptional ately notified the school of its church/ uncomfortable as the beliefs expressed en extensive steps to ensure that this young woman.” state violations in an official letter and were very different from my own. On they are currently working toward a one occasion, the pastor was preaching solution. (Editor’s note: This case has derogatory messages regarding people a lose-lose situation for me. out the sermon or do an alternative been resolved favorably.) in the LGBT community. I spoke with My parents and I wrote a letter to community singing event on my own. Although I often face backlash for my teacher and was told if I was uncom- the superintendent in May 2016. He After meeting with the principal again, my actions, speaking out about my fortable, I could leave and rejoin the suggested we work through the high we were clear that this was not an ac- school is something that I am proud choir when it performed the next song. school principal first. We did that. ceptable solution for us. The proposed of. I’m hopeful that permanent Although I have strong beliefs, I did not The principal immediately forwarded solution was only directed toward me changes will be made and future stu- want to be singled out among my peers the email to the teacher. She reiterat- and never formalized as a school policy. dents will be free from church/state or judged by my decision to leave. It was ed that the solution was to have me sit My parents met with the superinten- entanglements. FFRF’s Reagan TV Trump social media case implicates state rep A recent judgment regarding President book page. These bans are not arbitrary ad to air during Trump’s use of social media has increased but rather the result of users expressing legal liability for a Florida state rep, who’s viewpoints critical of Daniels’ actions as a utilizing her social media account to pro- state legislator. The blocked constituents ‘The Daily Show’ mote Christianity, the Freedom From Re- are unable to interact with others on the FFRF’s TV ad featuring an endorse- ligion Foundation is advising. official page and cannot use standard ment by Ron Reagan will appear on In July, the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Facebook features available to all other us- Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show” Appeals ruled in Knight First Amendment In- ers, particularly the “following,” “liking,” with Trevor Noah from Sept. 9 through stitute v. Trump that the president’s Twitter and commenting functions. Sept. 12, and again the following week, feed is a government-run forum and that While Daniels has reportedly taken the Sept. 16 through 19. “The Daily Show” Ron Reagan denying citizens equal access to read and position that this Facebook page is a per- airs at 11 p.m. Eastern. post comments on his feed violated their sonal social media account, recent federal The 30-second spot originally debuted a 30-second spot featuring footage of First Amendment rights. court opinions make it clear that the page on “The Daily Show” and “The Colbert candidate John F. Kennedy giving his In light of this decision, FFRF has writ- is operating as a government account. Report,” back in May 2014, airing once famous speech to Houston ministers ten to Florida state Rep. Kimberly Daniels, Concerned Floridians have further re- per show. This is the first time the ad has in 1960, in which he states, “I believe after a concerned constituent reported ported to FFRF that the account continu- run multiple times on “The Daily Show” in an America where the separation of that he and several other residents were ally and pervasively promotes Christianity. or since Noah Trevor became the host. church and state is absolute.” This ad blocked from commenting on, or other- Several other posts display videos of the FFRF tried to get the same ad to run had run in the past on some national wise interacting with, the official “State representative proselytizing on a radio during the Democratic debates, but was CBS programs. Representative Kimberly Daniels” Face- show. rejected by ABC, which is hosting the “The public has no idea how often two-day debates on Sept. 12 and 13. atheists and freethinkers and our views Seal the state/church watchdog’s point: The ad has also been refused by na- are censored in our nation,” says Annie “The cross, one of more than a dozen Continued from page 1 tional CBS, NBC and Discovery. FFRF Laurie Gaylor, FFRF co-president. She elements, was included to honor the then sought to run a previous commer- noted that FFRF advertising has been of last year, highlighted the bedrock original settlers of Lehigh County, cial during the ABC-hosted debates, routinely censored — not only by net- constitutional principles that the who were Christian.” work TV, but by other media, recently Christian seal violates as the symbol That’s why it’s incongruous that including the Chicago Tribune and Sun- of Lehigh County government. the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals Freethought Matters Times. FFRF sought for three decades to The federal lawsuit was filed in Au- has found the Lehigh County seal A weekly half-hour place billboards, before finally persuad- gust 2016 in the U.S. District Court acceptable. TV talk show produced by FFRF ing a company to accept its advertising for the Eastern District of Pennsylva- “The appeals court decision vali- in 2006. “Yet many of our messages are nia. Co-plaintiffs with FFRF are four dates a Lehigh County seal that sends An antidote to religion on the airwaves still refused,” Gaylor added. of its local members who’ve objected a wrong, exclusionary message,” says and Sunday morning sermonizing The endorsement ad by Reagan plugs to encountering the religious symbol FFRF Co-President Annie Laurie Gay- FFRF: on county property. lor. “The county should be welcoming Watch our show on YouTube! Hi, I’m Ron Reagan, an unabashed athe- The seal is on documents, many of all residents regardless of religion ist, and I’m alarmed by the intrusion of reli- official county forms and reports, — and it’s appalling that the court gion into our secular government. That’s why the county’s website, in a display in didn’t prod county officials to move I’m asking you to support the Freedom From the Board of Commissioners meet- in that direction.” Religion Foundation, the nation’s largest ing room and even on flags displayed The litigation is being handled by and most effective association of atheists and prominently at the entrance of county Marcus B. Schneider of Pittsburgh, agnostics, working to keep state and church buildings and the airport. with assistance from FFRF Attorneys separate, just like our Founding Fathers in- The board adopted the imagery Patrick Elliott and Elizabeth Cavell. tended. Please support the Freedom From that appears on the seal in 1944. Elliott asserts that the appellate de- Religion Foundation. Ron Reagan, lifelong (Allentown, the third-largest city in cision will damage the secular princi- Go to: ffrf.org/freethought-matters atheist, not afraid of burning in hell. Pennsylvania, is located in Lehigh ples of the Constitution. for more information Reagan is an FFRF honorary direc- County, with a population of about “This decision runs counter to de- tor who received the Emperor Has No 350,000.) cades of court decisions recognizing “Freethought Matters” will return on Clothes Award from FFRF in 2004 and After FFRF complained, creating a that the First Amendment prohibits Sunday, Sept. 1. First guest: U.S. Rep. gave an acceptance speech at the 2009 minor firestorm, the Board of Com- governments from affiliating them- Jared Huffman. national convention in Seattle. missioners sent a reply that proved selves with a religion,” says Elliott. Page 10 FFRF | FREETHOUGHT TODAY | Madison, Wisconsin | September 2019 FFRF VICTORIES

By Bailey Nachreiner-Mackesey Invocation, benediction My old Kentucky village removed from ceremony Illinois township calls An annual benediction did not occur off Ark Encounter trip at a North Carolina public school gradu- ation ceremony this year, due to a com- Scheduled trips to the Ark Encounter plaint from FFRF. and other religious venues have been An Elkin High School student report- called off by an Illinois township follow- ed that every year Elkin High School ing a letter of complaint from FFRF. directs students to deliver an invocation A local resident reported that Frank- and benediction as part of its graduation fort Township recently sponsored a reli- ceremony. The complainant reported giously themed trip that included visits that school officials assign students to to the Ark Encounter Creation Museum deliver the invocation and benediction in Kentucky. A flier for the event is titled and that the students’ prayers are then “The Frankfort Township Board Presents reviewed by the school’s guidance coun- Ark Encounter & Creation Museum.” selor for approval. During the 2018 Elkin Another flier advertised a similar re- High graduation ceremony, the invoca- ligious trip in June, with the Township tion was explicitly Christian and ended Board sponsoring a trip to Lancaster with a recitation of the Lord’s Prayer. County, Pa., to see a performance of “Je- FFRF Patrick O’Reiley Legal Fellow sus” at the Millennium Theatre, which Chris Line wrote to Superintendent Myra describes itself as “Where the bible comes Cox, insisting that the district cancel the to life on stage.” The Christian theatre religious programs at the 2019 ceremo- The FFRF Kentucky chapter used its $1,000 chapter grant to “once again buy group’s stated purpose is “to present the ny. The district’s legal counsel respond- items for poor senior citizens living in Section 8 housing at American Village in gospel of Jesus Christ and sow the word ed to FFRF’s complaint with assurances Louisville, Ky., in July,” according to chapter president Edwin Hensley. of God into the lives of customers.” that the 2019 ceremony did not include “The event was successful and our best ever! Four senior citizens FFRF Staff Attorney Ryan Jayne wrote any prayer and that the issues raised by are now sleeping on beds rather than the floor. Many others received to Township Supervisor Jim Moustis, FFRF’s letter were addressed with admin- household items like sheets, blankets and towels that they could not pointing out that “sponsoring regular istrative personnel. purchase otherwise. The management and residents of American Village Christian-themed trips shows an endorse- were very pleased with this event.” ment of Christianity on behalf of the In the photo are, from left, an unidentified resident assistant at American township.” This endorsement, of course, Prayers at Texas school Village; Carol Craig, manager of the facility; Shelly Henry, AU Louisville “is unconstitutional and excludes the Chapter president and FFRF attorney in Kentucky; an unidentified American graduation won’t continue township’s residents, who are being told Village employee; and Jim Potash, FFRF member and president of the that they are not part of the township’s The Seguin Independent School Dis- Kentucky Secular Society. favored religious groups,” Jayne adds. trict in Texas has altered its graduation The township’s attorney contacted ceremonies, to avoid its tradition of FFRF and confirmed over the phone that opening and closing with prayers led by these events were cancelled. FFRF Staff Attorney Ryan Jayne tutional assemblies moving forward, and students. wrote to Montgomery Chief Executive that the district ensures that assemblies A district parent informed FFRF that Marc Elrich, noting that while it is laud- from outside groups or speakers do not Seguin High School has a practice of Indiana school district able for the county to work with at-risk contain an underlying proselytizing mes- scheduling opening and closing prayers ends graduation prayers organizations in the community to im- sage or agenda,” McNamara wrote to the at each of its graduation ceremonies. prove security and safety, offering funds districts. These prayers are invariably Christian in An Indiana school district has discon- only to houses of worship attaches an All three districts committed to re- nature. Last year, for instance, the senior tinued scheduling prayer at graduation unconstitutional religious criterion to fraining from inviting the Conquerors class secretary began the invocation with ceremonies after a letter from FFRF Staff the grant program. Jayne requested as- to any future events and to ensuring that “Dear heavenly father” and ended with Attorney Ryan Jayne. surances that future county grant pro- outside groups are not invited to prosely- “We ask this in the name of our Lord, A district community member re- grams will not be offered only to houses tize to students. Jesus Christ. Amen.” The ceremony end- ported that the South Vermillion High of worship. ed with the senior class president giving School graduation ceremony on May Montgomery County responded and the benediction, which also opened with 25 featured a pre-scheduled Christian informed FFRF that any future fund- Religious signs taken “Dear heavenly father” and ended with prayer. The ceremony’s written program ing, should it exist, would be made down from Miss. school “In Jesus’ name, Amen.” included a “class prayer.” open to all nonprofits with a demon- FFRF Associate Counsel Sam Grover Including religious rituals, such as strated need, “irrespective of any reli- In Mississippi, several religious signs wrote to Superintendent Matthew Guti- prayer, in school-sponsored events is a gious affiliation.” have been removed from George Coun- errez requesting assurances that the dis- violation of the Establishment Clause ty Schools property following FFRF’s trict will no longer schedule prayer at of the First Amendment, FFRF remind- intervention. school-sponsored events. ed the district. The Supreme Court Michigan school districts A district community member report- The district’s attorney conferred with has routinely struck down prayers at end ‘Conquerors’ visits ed to FFRF that signs displaying a Chris- district leadership and assured FFRF the such district-backed events, including tian cross had appeared on several dis- titles have been changed from “invoca- graduations. Three Michigan districts will discon- trict properties. The signs feature a large tion” and “benediction” to “student pre- The district’s attorney responded to tinue invitations to the infamous “Con- cross next to the words “passion, purpose, lude” and “student adjournment.” FFRF with assurances that prayer would querors” after complaints that their pride” with “#gcstrong” and “George not be a part of the official graduation assemblies amount to an unconstitu- County Rebels” underneath. At the time Religious photo removed program in the future. tional endorsement of religion in public of the complaint, these signs were report- from teacher’s desk schools. edly on display at five district schools and FFRF Robert G. Ingersoll Legal Fel- at the district’s Transportation Mainte- A religious photo has been removed Maryland county grants low Colin McNamara wrote letters to nance & Child Nutrition building. from an Illinois public school classroom open to all nonprofits Constantine Public Schools, Schoolcraft FFRF Associate Counsel Sam Gro- following FFRF intervention. Community Schools and Sturgis Public ver wrote to the district to ensure that it A Freeburg Community High School Any future Montgomery County, Md., Schools seeking open records pertaining cease impermissibly endorsing Christian- District 77 community member reported grants will be open to all nonprofit or- to their hosting of school assemblies fea- ity through religious displays on school that a teacher at Freeburg High displayed ganizations regardless of religious affili- turing The Conquerors Strength Team. property. a photo in her classroom that urged stu- ation, after FFRF raised concerns with a The Conquerors held a “week of “These religious displays alienate dents to “Seek the Lord,” along with a recent initiative providing grant funds to ministry” through the Riverside Church non-Christian and nonreligious students, biblical reference to Isaiah 55:6. The pic- faith-based facilities. in Three Rivers. Throughout its trip, parents, teachers, and members of the ture was located in a prominent spot on A concerned taxpayer reported that, the group performed assemblies at 11 public whose beliefs are inconsistent the teacher’s desk in full view of students. earlier this year, the county awarded schools in the greater Three Rivers area. with the message being promoted by the FFRF Staff Attorney Ryan Jayne sent a $200,000 to a variety of faith-based facil- In the final performance at Riverside district,” Grover noted. “This consider- letter to the district, pointing out that it is ities for “security operations.” The coun- Church on April 13, Mike Benson said ation should hold substantial weight for wholly inappropriate for a public school ty’s solicitation for applications for these that “The Conquerors International the district, given that fully 47 percent of to display a message that most students grants left no doubt that these taxpayer Strength Team exists for one purpose young Americans are non-Christian, with would understand to be a suggestion to funds were only available to “houses of and one purpose only, and that is to 21 percent of those born after 1999 — convert to Christianity. worship” and that secular nonprofits transform communities worldwide with i.e., all of your current students — identi- The photo has been taken down, the would understand that they need not ap- the gospel of Jesus Christ.” fying as either atheist or agnostic. district’s legal representation informed ply, even if they faced plausible threat of “We request that you refrain from The religious signs have been re- FFRF in a response letter. hate crimes. sponsoring inappropriate and unconsti- moved from district property. September 2019 | Madison, Wisconsin | FFRF | FREETHOUGHT TODAY Page 11

FFRF awards $10,000 in partnership with Black Skeptics Los Angeles Four earn Catherine Fahringer scholarships

FFRF is pleased to announce that it has awarded, in unconscious life. After dent in most religions. Although I was raised Catholic, I memory of Catherine Fahringer, $10,000 in scholarship snapping my elbow, he am no longer practicing it for multiple reasons. I realized money divided evenly among four students chosen by asserted, “When you were I would never fit in, no matter how hard they tried to pro- the Black Skeptics Los Angeles, an African-American 3, you saw your moth- mote diversity and inclusion. Being an Asian woman in a atheist community-based group. er praying with tears in predominantly white man’s place, it is difficult to not feel The scholarship is part of the First in the Family Hu- her eyes and that is why excluded. The looks that old couples give me, like I came manist Scholarship program, which focuses on undoc- you’re not religious.” straight out of a petting zoo, and the all-white statues are umented, foster care, homeless or LGBTQ youth who When I was 13, I would a continuous reminder that I do not belong. will be the first in their families to attend college. pray to God to make me Also, I discovered my sexuality during my early teens. Fahringer was a San Antonio (site of FFRF’s 2020 happy. I would ask, “Why Guess how else I am different? While I found out that I was convention!) feminist and freethinking activist who do I cry all the time? Why bisexual, the church that I had been going to since I was a ran a long-lived FFRF chapter and served on FFRF’s can’t I rest my mind? child preached that the only proper marriage was between Executive Board for many years. She was especially in- God, please, God, please, a male and a female, and that was God’s intended way. This terested in nurturing the next generation of freethink- please help me.” I fell moment proved my point that I was not welcome here. ers. She died in 2008. Claire Shamiya asleep to a tear-soaked Out of all of my internal battles with the Catholic Here are excerpts from the winners’ essays. pillow for two years. Church, my biggest issue is not its lack of diversity, or its When I was 15, I prayed for God to help me fall in anti-LGBTQ beliefs, but rather the moral decay that lies By Chinaza Onwubuemeli love with a man. But tell me, why are women so beautiful within. The fact that sexual abuse has been going on for to look at? hundreds of years ignites anger in me. The church taught eing a Catholic from Nigeria, where religion is When you ask me why I’m not religious, these memo- me to respect my body, yet it corrupts innocent ones every taken strictly and seriously, I was taught to believe ries come to mind. They are painful, maybe even amus- day. It taught me that virginity is sacred, but it continues Bwhat the church said — and that only. I grew up in ing — What is a psychological chiropractor anyway? — to commit sexual crimes against children. It taught me to Nigeria, where love was preached to me all the time by but they are vulnerably sincere. respect life, but it cares more about its image than about family members, priests and church administrators. I was However, the main reason I’ve stayed secular is be- exposing its explicit faults. I am not Catholic because I taught to not judge any- cause, at age 18, I refuse to assimilate into a religious believe in human rights for all — human rights for every one. It’s even written in culture that is against what I am for. I refuse to remain gender, race, sexuality and economic status. The expo- the bible. In Matthew 7:1- stagnant in times of moral crisis and I refuse to accept sure of the corruptness and hypocrisy behind religion is 2, it says “Do not judge, or prayers when the state of our world can be controlled shameful, and I hope this world can focus on something you too will be judged. In by our very own actions. Humanism is the most influ- greater than a label. Religion teaches rules and stereo- the same way you judge ential but the most difficult aspect of life to accept as it types, but love is universal and empowers all. others, you will be judged, demands accountability. and with the measure you When we are held accountable, social change is em- use, it will be measured powered, but when we hand the work over to a spiritual By Ciah Russell to you.” Believing that, I figure, how can we expect change? We can’t. tried to incorporate that As I’m typing this essay, I’m ditching school. Not hen asked, I refer to myself as agnostic. By no doctrine into my daily life because of a lack of scholarly motivation, but because means do I come from a heavily religious fami- so that I could make it to teachers found a hit list in the boy’s bathroom. What W ly. My mother only occasionally goes to church heaven after death. Heav- happens if I’m on it? What happens if my sisters or my on Sunday mornings and I am never invited — most- en was my ultimate goal in friends are on it? Politicians are too focused on the ly because I never stay awake in the pews. However, my Chinaza Onwubuemeli life, and I had to do every- numbers; I’m focused on the lives. lifelong neighbors, who I thing in my power to make it there. In AP Environmental, I learned that the place we call do love, are incredibly de- What I was taught wasn’t what I experienced. Priests home is on fire. What does it matter if the stock market voted to the word of the constantly judged people based on their social class. Ap- is gonna crash, or if we’re going to get free college edu- bible. I had awkwardly parently, the more money you give to the church, the cation, or if your favorite football team is going to win? attended several of their more guaranteed you are to make it to heaven. And if you They say LGBTQ don’t deserve the right to marriage. bible study sessions with don’t have money to give, well, give what you have, even But when I ask, “Who told you that?” and they raise their my best friends (their if it’s the food meant for your family. Girls were judged bibles, animosity grows not for their god, but for the twin daughters) and was based on their clothing. Girls wearing pants are sinners translators who associate God with hate. taught about Christiani- and have a special place in hell. I was a victim of that doc- And, no, prayers won’t solve any of these problems, ty. But a strong religious trine. I was made fun of for wearing trousers. but proper legislation, voting, education, accountability, belief such as theirs bewil- Sexual orientation is not a thing, according to doctrine. an open-minded attitude and the will to help can. ders me. They can easily Either you are a female or a male — nothing in between. cite several scriptures — Even if you have an interest in communicating your sexual an impressive feat, un- orientation, you will be shut down and be advised to pray By Kaitlyn Farnan doubtedly. But, for avid the demon away. Ciah Russell believers of Christ, they Coming to America and living here for the last eight ansas is a state known for such things as the “Wiz- choose to skim over and years has really changed my life. I have learned to re- ard of Oz,” farming and altruism. Although these all feign innocence to what they don’t agree with in the bi- spect people for who they are, regardless of anything. Kare generally thought of as positive references, even ble. I don’t believe you should follow the bible word-for- We are all human, and all desire and deserve the love Kansas has that weird uncle. Topeka, Kan., is home to our word, but I’d rather they acknowledge the flaws of what that is preached every day. We are in this race together, lovely state Capitol, along with the nationally known reli- they worship and say that it is OK to live beyond certain in this human race, to love and accept people. gious group (or as I like to rules. However, they don’t do that, leaving me feeling Though I currently live in America, I’m more pas- call them, a cult) the West- hollow, and even a bit betrayed by their blatant denial. sionate about bringing changes to my country, Nigeria, boro Baptist Church. I do I cannot comprehend how daily prayers alone could since we already have many advocates in America. In Ni- not consider myself reli- suddenly alleviate me of all woes found today. Were geria, we have been really critical about ourselves in the gious, but I understand that the case, I wouldn’t have to deal with the financial name of religion, hurting and condemning each oth- religions that have a back- struggles I endure now. I’d be able to afford my educa- er, while still preaching love and judging no one. To be ground that promotes love tion easily and achieve total happiness without ending able to make a difference, I would want to go back after and equality for everyone. up with an abundance of loans to my name. To rely so college and help in creating a nonprofit organization Although the Westboro much on God to solve all your problems in life is dan- that will help the condemned people, be it the homo- Baptists quote the bible by gerously quixotic. One must actually make an effort. sexual, the lower class and so on, to help nurture their tongue, their actions di- Beyond the debacle of the many religions, there are interests and their lives. rectly target the innocent problems arising all over the world due to many other with cruel and evil intent. factors. I am a supporter of those who are oppressed. This group tormented While the world is somewhat more balanced than it By Claire Shamiya people at my cousin’s col- was in the past, there is still toxic hate brewing in the Kaitlyn Farnan lege graduation, my high streets and households. hen I was 6, my mother would sit on my bed school graduation, and, I am asexual, which was the catalyst that dragged me and hold a prayer book, I mean bible, to my even worse, funerals. The Westboro Baptists show up at away from my neighbors’ church. There, they told me, W face, begging me to memorize the Hail Mary. deceased soldiers’ funerals and not only mock them, but that, as a woman, my goal in life was to reproduce with a When I was 9, my dad told me to pray for his business they blame their deaths on the LGBTQ community. I do man and help repopulate the Lord’s glorious Earth. Of to go well. After all, inshallah in Arabic means “if God not understand how this group claiming to be “righteous” course, this left a sour taste in my mouth. There’s more willing, it’ll happen.” can scapegoat a community based on love, and go so far to life than creating more life, believe it or not. The idea When I was 12, I went to a psychological chiroprac- as to blame them for murder. of childbirth or sexual intercourse in general revolts me tor. He cracked my bones in every which way, and by Although the previous example is quite extreme, the greatly, and I know that God would value my happiness the sound they made, he was able to tell me about my judgment upon people different than the norm is evi- and comfort over the global population. Page 12 FFRF | FREETHOUGHT TODAY | Madison, Wisconsin | September 2019 FFRF awards $17,550 2019 college students essay contest winners The Freedom From Religion Foundation Oklahoma State University, $2,500. is proud to announce the 16 winners of the Fourth place 2019 Michael Hakeem Memorial Essay Con- Kaitlyn Hunt, 24, Coastal Carolina, test for Ongoing College Students. FFRF has $2,100. paid out a total of $17,550 in award money Fifth place to this year’s college contest winners. Danielle Kyle, 21, Western Illinois Ongoing college students up to the age University, $1,600. of 24 were asked to write a personal per- Sixth place suasive essay on the topic of why we’d be Isaac Jay Marcoux, 20, University of better off concentrating on the here and Tennessee, $1,100. now rather than worrying about an un- Seventh place known afterlife, and why they agree with Dylan Mitchell, 20, Guilford College, John Lennon that there is “no hell below $750. us, above us only sky.” FFRF thanks Pro- Eighth place fessor Phil Zuckerman of Pitzer College Cora Womble-Miesner, 23, New York for the essay prompt. University, $500. This contest is named for the late Mi- Ninth place tails of this and the four other student es- of color since 2016. A fifth contest for law chael Hakeem, a sociology professor who Hazel Peterson, 19, University of says competitions. And we couldn’t judge was an FFRF board chair and active athe- students debuts this year. Wisconsin-Stout, $400. these contests without our “faithful faith- ist known by generations of University of Winners, their ages, the colleges or uni- Tenth place Wisconsin-Madison students for fine-tun- less” volunteer and staff readers and judg- versities they are attending and the award Paige Nielsen, 19, Florida State ing their reasoning skills. His bequest has es, including: Don Ardell, Linda Aten, Dan amounts are listed below, and winning es- University, $300. been used to fund college essays since Barker, Jeff Brinckman, Bill Dunn, Annie says are reprinted or excerpted in this issue. Honorable mentions ($200 each) his death in 2006. Laurie Gaylor, Judi Jacobs, Linda Josheff, Max Bisaha, 20, College of Charleston. FFRF thanks Dean and Dorea Schramm Dan Kettner, Kathy Kunz, Katya Maes, Glo- First place Alice Blesi, 22, University of Minnesota. of Florida for providing a $100 bonus to ria Marquadt, Bailey Nachreiner-Mackesey, Jack Buchanan, 20, University of Iowa, Devon Gable, 20, Front Range students who are members of a secular Dave Petrashek, Sue Schuetz, Lauryn Seer- $3,600. Community College. group, student club or the Secular Student ing and PJ Slinger. Second place Yaffa Gani, 19, University of Florida. Alliance. The total of $17,550 reflects those FFRF has offered essay competitions to Blake Miller, 23, Indiana University-Pur- Youssef Maklad, 20, Southeastern bonuses. college students since 1979, high school due University Indianapolis, $3,100. Connecticut State University. FFRF also thanks “Director of First Im- students since 1994, grad students since Third place Kyle Morse, 22, University of Colorado pressions” Lisa Treu for managing the de- 2010 and one geared explicitly for students Alexis Gabbart, 22, Southeastern at Colorado Springs.

Michael Hakeem Memorial Essay Contest Winner ‘Imagine there’s no heaven’

about eternal torment. I no longer actions and truly has my best interests guaranteed, it becomes imperative to worry if my actions or beliefs align at heart. And that person is me. make our current life the best it can with a divine being’s will. As the current vice president of my be. And as we hurl through space on Instead I focus on the here and university’s Secular Student Alliance this pale blue dot, with so much of the now, being the best person I can be chapter, I have seen firsthand the cosmos still unknown, it’s important we to those I love and to myself. I do benefits of living in the here and now. remember to look down every now and this not for some external promise of We have coordinated multiple charity then and remember that, regardless paradise, but because I want to make events and the friendships I have made of who we are, where we come from that same paradise a reality here on will last a lifetime. People need our help or what we believe, we are all human. Earth. No afterlife now, and it’s our We are all capable of change and we is guaranteed, so responsibility to are equally capable of spreading that why spend the ensure they get it. change. So, let’s all strive to make this only life we know There is no heaven to fix And, knowing that reality the best it can be, by focusing on we will have in this world, and the only hell my actions make a the here and now. preparation for it? is“ one we create ourselves. difference in their Jack, 20, from Palatine, Ill., is a After all, a bird in lives gives my own mechanical engineering major at the Jack Buchanan the hand is worth — Jack Buchanan life more meaning University of Iowa. He is vice president two in the bush. than I ever thought of the school’s Secular Student Alliance FFRF awarded Jack $3,500 for his Especially when possible. chapter and is the head of the prosthetics winning essay. you aren’t even sure the bush exists. Focusing on the here and now is a division for his school’s 3D printing club, We should strive to make every day truly transformative mindset. It allows which prints affordable prosthetics for those By Jack Buchanan better, to leave the world a better people to take responsibility both for in need. He plays trumpet in the Hawkeye place than before. themselves and others. With no afterlife Marching Band and enjoys hiking. magine there’s no heaven.” With this realization there also I was 8 when I first heard comes a great deal of responsibility. “Ithose lyrics. I didn’t really There is no heaven to fix this world, understand the meaning, I just liked and the only hell is one we create NOTHING FAILS LIKE PRAYER the song. However, as I grew up, I kept ourselves. Knowing this, it falls on coming back to that song. all of us to be the change we wish to When I was 14, I was listening to it see. No supernatural force will pick CONTEST 2020 when the “Imagine there’s no heaven” up the slack when we fall short. Any verse sparked something inside me. improvements I want to make to either Our goal is to see secular citizens flood government meetings with And I imagined it. I began to question my community or myself must come secular invocations that demonstrate why government prayers are my religious beliefs more and more, by my own hands. Unfortunately, unnecessary, ineff ective, embarrassing, exclusionary, divisive or constantly seeking justification many people, including members of just plain silly. for what I had so long believed. I my family, do not understand this. continued to grapple with those big They pray for peace, they pray for the The individual who gives the best secular invocation will be invited questions until my senior year of high poor, they pray for a better life, but to open FFRF’s annual convention in 2020, receiving an expenses- school, when I finally gave up my they rarely if ever initiate the change paid trip to San Antonio, Nov. 13-15, 2020, along with a plaque and faith and opened up an entirely new themselves. My father once asked me an honorarium of $500. Deadline: August 1, 2020. chapter in my life, with no hell below how I found meaning in life without me, above me only sky. believing there’s some being watching MORE INFO AT: Since that moment, my life has over me. I simply responded that I have ffrf.org/nothing-fails-like-prayer become infinitely more meaningful. I someone in this world who’s watching no longer stay awake at night thinking over me, who’s responsible for my September 2019 | Madison, Wisconsin | FFRF | FREETHOUGHT TODAY Page 13 A fleeting chance to do things right

Second place We are better off concentrating on the ment is gone forever, and you are one step FFRF awarded Blake $3,000 for this essay. here and now rather than an unknowable closer to the end of your consciousness. afterlife for the simple reason that we are Assume that humans are no more eternal By Blake Miller alive in this place and in this moment. The than dinosaurs and that we are not prom- concept of life after death is an illusion. It ised a happy ending. n 1609, one of Galileo’s most famous in- can only be discovered by losing the ability From this perspective, questions have ventions was creating optical tools of ev- to discover. Only by coming together as a a very different tone. Why should we care Ier-increasing power. However, his most species to fix the problems and challenges that we are making the planet uninhabit- wondrous accomplishment was more pro- we face, during our short individual able for our species and many others? Why found: discovering Jupiter has moons. And lifespans, can we leave the world a better should we help the downtrodden and dis- that those moons, the planets and even the place than how we found it. abled members of our society without re- stars follow the same natural rules as our John Lennon once said that there is ceiving any individual benefit? Because it planetary home. That the sky itself is sub- “no hell below us, [and] above us only sky.” is the only home we have ever known. It ject to the same forces as the ground, go- Galileo would have been proud. We belong is the only place in the entire cosmos we ing against thousands of years of dogmatic within that sky. The sky above us is the same know, for a fact, that harbors life. Because traditionalist-derived “knowledge.” There sky below us. The only hell is what we allow our descendants deserve the same finite are no special exceptions to the functions to happen in the middle. moment of existence that we have. Be- of the universe outside of Earth. Humanity Why be thankful that someone’s suffer- cause there is no justice or morality with- discovered that we are not special. ing will be relieved in some magical second out direct human intervention. Because, There is no eternal and unchangeable life? We should be solving their suffering when you only have one life, there are no celestial sphere. This is not a universe de- now, while it actually affects them. If you try second chances. I can lead and create a signed for our benefit. Blake Miller to tackle tough problems with the founda- better life for myself and others because I Our species is not the nodal point tional belief that there is a much better ex- care about the here and now. upon which the cosmos revolves. There justice or punishment for those causing us istence following this one — one where all Blake, 23, from Avon, Ind., is majoring never was a grand purpose encoded and harm. Only we are masters of our fate. Only our problems don’t even exist — then you in history of science and innovation at IUPUI entrusted to our irresponsible species. humans can make a better life for humans. would be inclined to say that the answer to (Indiana University-Purdue University Indi- There is no parent creator who obsesses For all religions’ claims of secret knowledge each problem is simple: it does not matter. anapolis). Blake works as a librarian at the with our every action or forgives us for the regarding a post-mortem superior sentient Solving any problem in this life does not Avon Washington Township Public Library harm we cause. existence, the transition to that next mysti- matter. and plays a number of string instruments. He But the inverse is true, as well. There is cal plane seems awfully preoccupied with Now, assume an afterlife does not exist. would like to become a history professor after at- no almighty being to whom we can entrust how we live in this one. Assume that this is it — every passing mo- tending grad school.

Third place Finding purpose without religion FFRF awarded Alexis $2,500. As someone born and raised in the Bi- By using my own moral compass, as op- ble Belt, I have seen my family dismiss the posed to the church’s, I am able to make By Alexis Gabbart rights of LGBTQ to marry, I have friends the best of my life. I believe that we each who believe that their husbands are supe- get to choose what our purpose is, and I or as long as humans have walked the rior to them, I’ve watched strangers pick have chosen to spend my time on Earth Earth, fear of the unknown has dom- fights with attendees of a pride festival, helping people live the best possible life. Finated our reality. In the earliest of and more — all in the name of God. Not only will I do this in my future career times, this fear was purely based on survival. Evangelicals preach about love yet as an occupational therapist, but I try to Staying alive was the top priority and eating show hatred toward anyone who is dif- do it every day simply by being kind and the wrong berry or provoking the wrong ferent from themselves. They talk about accepting to everyone I come across. I do animal were fatal mistakes. Searching for helping the needy yet turn a blind eye to not care for others because I fear eternal answers has always been important to us refugees. They claim punishment, but be- as a species. It is not surprising, then, that that all lives matter cause we are all alike humanity’s strong fear of the unknown has yet cage immigrant It does not matter in our humanity. No Alexis Gabbart caused so many conflicting opinions about children and attack what happens after we die, one is more or less what happens after death. However, I am religious and racial but“ rather how we spend deserving of love a couple reasons why I agree with John of the opinion that it does not matter what minorities. and respect based Lennon that there is “no hell below us, our short time on Earth. happens after we die, but rather how we These same evan- on religion, race, above us only sky.” The claims of men who spend our short time on Earth. gelicals claim that — Alexis Gabbart nationality or sexual lived thousands of years ago are not good Sometimes I wonder where we would my life has no mean- orientation. enough. Perhaps one day the world will be as a civilization if religion did not exist. ing or purpose with- I truly believe be how Lennon wished it, but, until then, Think of all the knowledge we lost when out their religion, but I disagree. I don’t that religion was born from imperfect I will work to make it a better place, one the Library of Alexandria was burned, all look to an invisible puppet master in humans who were searching for answers interaction at a time. the brilliant women who could have made the sky to find meaning. I find meaning to questions that confused them. It is Alexis, 22, is from Caddo, Okla., and recent- scholarly contributions had they been al- through other mediums: literature, mu- known that our ancestors blamed magic ly graduated from Southeastern Oklahoma State lowed to sooner, all the wars fought, and sic, relationships and my future career. It for phenomena that they did not under- University with a bachelor’s degree in psychology. lives lost in the name of one god or an- is also a common misconception that free- stand. It is also known that the earliest She is beginning work on a master’s degree in other. It is impossible to know everything thinkers do not have morals because they chapters of the New Testament were not occupational therapy at Howard University. “I religion has robbed us of, but one thing is do not believe there will be eternal conse- written until approximately 100 years af- am the only freethinker in my entire family, and certain: our lives would be infinitely better quences. If one needs the fear of eternal ter the death of Jesus. none of them know, so this essay allowed me to if our ancestors had not looked for divine damnation to enforce their morality, then Nowadays, the bible should not be con- express some of my daily thoughts that I usually meaning in this secular world. they are not a good person. sidered a credible source. These are just have to suppress,” Alexis writes. Fourth place What would I lose? My morality, focus, peace FFRF awarded Kaitlyn $2,000. is written in the bible. I would lose my a lesbian, I would go to hell and be tor- religions, different sexual orientations focus on creating a healthier and more tured for eternity. I would lose my drive and other unrepentant sinners were By Kaitlyn Hunt sustainable Earth for those who live af- to better humanity because I would fo- going to spend eternity in hell. My sib- ter me, because by believing I would cus on securing our afterlives and not lings and I were forced to read books hen I told my conservative, concede that everything that is happen- this existence. and listen to sermons that detailed the Christian mother that I was an ing to our planet is God’s will. I would As a sheltered, home-schooled, in- torture and unrelenting pain that was Watheist, she asked me, “Why lose my craving to find answers to ques- doctrinated Christian child, I used to inflicted on those who did not follow can’t you just choose to believe? What tions about the universe because they believe that my purpose on Earth was Christ and his laws that are laid out in have you got to lose?” all could be found in the bible. I would to bring other people to Jesus to save the bible. Because of my upbringing, I would lose my sense of morality if I lose my peace and acceptance about them from being sent to hell. I was told chose to model my behavior after what death because I would believe that as every single day that people of different See Hunt on next page Page 14 FFRF | FREETHOUGHT TODAY | Madison, Wisconsin | September 2019

significant, whereas lives of the people around me. I care about the brief Hunt their afterlife would lives of my children, grandchildren and others who Continued from page 13 be an infinite exis- will be alive after me. Because it is my firm belief tence in a perfect that we only have roughly 100 years to come into the my parents were shocked and horrified when I came world. Even though world and make a difference, I look forward to the out as gay. My mother cried for me because she be- both atheists and next 75 years of my life. I know that I will spend ev- lieved that when she and I both die we will end up theists believe that ery day enjoying it with the woman I love and striv- in different places. Instead of caring that I was living their lives are short, ing to contribute at least one small part to preserve a happy, fulfilling, purposeful life with my wife, my they have different the future of those who will live after me. When my family only focuses on what they presume to be my motives for living. mother asked me what I would lose if I believed in torturous eternity after I die. Theists, including my Christianity, even solely for the purpose of securing In my life, there are many things that I want to family, have their eyes a place in heaven, I answered, “I would lose my pur- accomplish, but all my ambitions have one goal: to on the afterlife, using pose in life.” make a difference in the well-being of the people who their earthly lives sim- Kaitlyn, 24, is from Myrtle Beach, S.C., and attends will be on Earth after I die. We all only have a short ply to set up spending Coastal Carolina University where she is studying chem- number of years in comparison to the billions of years eternity with their istry and mathematics. She and her wife Kaylyn live in of the universe. Our lives are a mere speck on the Kaitlyn Hunt god in Heaven. South Carolina. Kaitlyn was home-schooled from kinder- timeline of existence. The human lifespan is so math- However, we non- garten through high school by a conservative Southern ematically insignificant compared to the age of the theists think that because there is only nonexistence Baptist Christian family. After getting an associate’s degree universe that it can be written off logically as zero. before and after our lives, we should treat each day as at community college, she attended Liberty University for Those who believe in an afterlife are comparing the a gift and make the most of every day. one year. “It is during that time when I became an atheist,” human lifespan to eternity. To them, this life feels in- I care about my short life. I care about the fleeting she writes. Fifth place Morality without fear of eternal damnation FFRF awarded Danielle $1,500. the inherent worth of every person and being around mass shooting — and more motions put in order to pre- me. They are all deserving of respect and dignity, no vent the next one. Without the fear of hell, I believe my By Danielle Kyle matter where they come from, how they identify, who fellow humans would spend less time criticizing the “sins” they choose to love or their ability. that led to someone living in poverty, or with addiction, espite being a vegetarian, an environmentalist and It’s better to live without the belief in heaven or hell. and instead offer them support. strong advocate for marginalized groups (LGBTQ+, While others have offered their thoughts and prayers Americans would not be taking “mission trips” to other Dwomen, the poor, disabled), I still run into theists to the sick, scientists have delivered treatments. Where countries and imposing their views on people who need who question my mo- religious folk sit at home, praying to their deity that the the opposite of Western saviors. The best way to help com- rality. Because I do Westboro Baptist Church, which protested at my universi- munities in need is not sending other people to “fix” the not believe in an after- ty, will have a change of heart, I organized a rally to show problem (people often ignorant of the culture they will be life, I do not have the those who felt threatened that encountering), but providing pressing fear of eternal they were loved. I lobbied in the individuals concerned with damnation as motiva- Washington, D.C., on a schol- I lobbied in Washington, D.C., to the tools to do it themselves. tion to behave like a arship, to promote how essen- Living with “no hell below promote how essential the humanities decent human being. tial the humanities are to the us” and “above us only sky” are“ to the United States, because Needing that sort United States, because there provides me intrinsic motiva- of fearful motivation is no god that will do it for me. there is no god that will do it for me. tion to help others. It means to behave like a de- Because there is no hell, I — Danielle Kyle I will not be blaming some cent human being is believe it is the responsibility deity when something goes rather concerning. of people here to take action wrong, but rather taking ac- I question the idea against hatred and bigotry. Likewise, it is the responsibil- tion in order to improve the situation. that we should only be ity of people like me to promote charity and uplift the Dannie, 21, is from Elgin, Ill., and is a senior at Western Il- “good” and “moral” disadvantaged around me. linois University. She has spent her time at WIU doing advocacy because there is pun- I live with the knowledge that this is my only chance. work for the humanities in Washington, D.C., organizing the Ral- ishment if we do not. Danielle Kyle There is not another life where I can improve on what I ly for Love and Macomb Pridefest, and participating in various As an atheist, the threat of hell is not something that did before, so I must do my best now, every step of the way. ensembles. Dannie previously spent a semester in Mannheim, Ger- motivates me to treat others with respect and kindness, If others did the same, there would be less “thoughts many, where she improved her German and conducted research on rather, it is my identification as a humanist. I believe in and prayers” every time the United States experiences a topics such as foreign aid’s effectiveness in civil conflict. Sixth place My morality not motivated by cosmic carrot FFRF awarded Isaac $1,000. places one can be sent Without heaven to aspire to or a hell to fear and blame or sentenced to. things on, there’d be no way for her to justify treating By Isaac Jay Marcoux I attended a private me in a way nobody should ever be treated. school from the sixth Around the same time I was getting bullied, I was tak- didn’t grow up in a religious household. My parents to eighth grades, and ing piano lessons in middle school. While I was learning were born into religious families, but figured out that the small communi- to play John Lennon’s “Imagine,” other kids were cooped Ithey didn’t have to live in fear of God or hell. They ty was mostly quite up in church, learning to live by fear and a need for vali- raised me with no indoctrination whatsoever in faith or welcoming of virtu- dation. Their families and communities taught them that dogma, only introducing me to the world as they saw ally anyone. How- morality came from God, and he would reward those and understood it. ever, one particular who obey him and torture those who don’t. Meanwhile, They let me read books and watch documentaries student in my third I take care of animals, open doors for others, and try to about science, and I grew up learning that the world is year didn’t exactly add some goodness to the world because, as I see it, that to be understood through reason and methodical study. embrace this mentali- has its own intrinsic value. And I feel better for it. I don’t When I was in kindergarten, I was introduced for the ty. Each chance she’d live in fear and I’m not desperately clinging to a nonexis- first time to Christianity and religion. My reaction then, get, she’d spread lies tent reward; I’m doing good by my own choice. as it is now, was a feeling that I don’t think can quite be about me, or pester Manipulation by dogma is nothing new. Evidence sug- Isaac Jay Marcoux captured by words, so I will choose the three that best me, or belittle me in gests that these traditions were even shared by Neander- encompass my thoughts on the matter: “What the hell?” any way she could. This came to a head when the school thals and, thus, were shared by our common ancestor. As a kid, every time I would talk about religion with staff got involved, and I finally learned her reasoning Clearly, humans are just that easy to manipulate, and we someone, I felt like I was dipping into some alien world behind this behavior: I didn’t believe in anything that always have been. As such, there is more merit to moral with goofy customs and beliefs. Why did people believe scientific study could not prove. behavior when it’s motivated not by a cosmic carrot and this? Why was religion a thing if we so clearly understood How many people actually believe in religion’s super- stick, but by genuine empathy and goodwill. A life lived that its doctrines were factually wrong? Having grown up stition and rules to the letter? Many seem to, which is not in fear, but hope for a kind, tolerant future is a better and learned more about people, I now understand why how they justified the kind of behavior I experienced. life to lead and offers a better world to live in. religion exists and continues to exist, but with these an- Looking back, I have learned an important though har- Isaac, 20, is from Oak Ridge, Tenn., and attends the Univer- swers have come more troubling lessons. I’ve borne wit- rowing lesson from this ordeal: Anything is justifiable sity of Tennessee. As a youth, he was interested in science and then ness to and learned of some truly awful acts carried out with religion. I was an atheist, so it was OK to make my expanded into the creative realm, where he is now seeking a career because people believe in heaven and hell as real, tangible life a living hell — at least, that’s how the bully saw it. as a writer. Isaac volunteers at his local animal shelter. September 2019 | Madison, Wisconsin | FFRF | FREETHOUGHT TODAY Page 15

Seventh place Enjoying the bliss of that which we know

FFRF awarded Dylan $750. in life without God?” What I find most interesting is the do exist, of course, many religious organizations that proverbial mirror these apologists are staring into without have the same creed, and have helped many a person By Dylan Mitchell realizing. I would reply: “Tell me, is the only thing stop- throughout the world. However, while mostly appreciat- ping you from performing such an act the consequence ed, these groups have an inherent design flaw: They’re o Hell below us, above us only sky.” These you fear from the invisible Big Brother you worship? built on a foundation of coercion with the not-so-subtle words, exquisitely written and performed by What is the point of corporeal life here on Earth when goal of conversion. Secular humanism will always be “Nthe late you believe an eternity in serenity more genuine, and as a result John Lennon nearly is awaiting you in heaven?” The more effective, from its lack of 50 years ago, remain irony in these questions posed by Secular humanism will any ulterior motives. controversial even to- the religious is that they answer always be more genuine, and as To truly live for the here and day. But why is that? themselves, and often times such a“ result more effective, from its now, is to choose the bird in the Why are atheist senti- answers are more profound from lack of any ulterior motives. hand. To spend our precious wak- ments still considered the atheist’s viewpoint. ing hours wishing for the afterlife ethically lacking by the What stops the hypotheti- — Dylan Mitchell is to lose time. Even if heaven ex- religious majority? cal secularist from shamelessly isted, it would be an inevitability We in the secular committing vile deeds? I would say it’s innate human undeserving our mortal attention. Since evidence hasn’t community constant- compassion and empathy, combined with a genuine yet manifested in the favor of such a place, I think we’re ly hear the question: concern for the state of the planet and its inhabitants. all better off making the lives we have now as enjoyable “Where do you get The point of life without God? I argue it’s the pursuit of as possible for as many as possible. Humanism’s goal is to your morals from?” happiness through maximizing positivity, pleasure and make the world that exists as close to heaven as possible, followed by, “And activism. With no second chances at life, no divine deus from the ground below us to the sky above. Imagine that. what stops you from ex machina to be comforted by, I think atheists harbor Dylan, 20, is from Kernersville, N.C., and attends Guil- performing [fill in the unique mentality of making the best of what we have. ford College and is majoring in creative writing. He is an random and obviously Dylan Mitchell What logically follows is a mindset of humanism. For us, aspiring author. “Though I write fiction exclusively, I read egregious act]?” We’re also subject to the well-intentioned a life spent curating kindness and overall well-being for almost entirely nonfiction philosophy, and mostly on the topic but often rude question of “Where do you find meaning ourselves and those around us is a life well-spent. There of religion,” Dylan writes. Eighth place Finding tranquility in godlessness FFRF awarded Cora $500. and again. If God didn’t exist, then my selfless instead of self-serving. thoughts could be wholly my own, im- Freed from the fear of a fiery inferno By Cora Womble-Miesner penetrable from the outside, a place for awaiting me post-mortem, I found that me to explore freely without fear of be- my quality of life improved. The mind y parents chose not to inflict a ing spied on by an all-knowing entity who of a middle-schooler is already replete strict faith onto my brother and could decide my fate during life and after with enough worries, trepidations and Mme, but hints of God remained death. With the loss of a god, I also lost anxieties without the added concern of from their own religious upbringings. So, the concept of an afterlife. Death has a eternal punishment. Once I realized my for the early years of my life, I held the calming finality to it, devoid of the possi- thoughts were not being supervised, I idea of a greater power in my head, one bilities of punishment or reward. no longer found my brain crowded with that was all-knowing and ever-present. It In that same year, my best friend con- hurtful ones. I found instead that my took me a while to realize that God was a fided in me in the hallway at school: mind was a safe haven for me to be alone, source of anxiety for me: At the slightest “Hell isn’t real,” she expressed excitedly. to imagine in solitude, and then return glimmer of a sinful thought, I would be- “It was invented to make people go to to the world unscathed and soothed. I come certain that I had put myself in jeop- church.” The confidence with which she conduct myself in a way I consider moral, ardy. God would undoubtedly know that I Cora Womble-Miesner delivered this information struck me. It not because of God’s watching eye, but had conjured up indecent thoughts, and was then that I started to realize that re- because I care about humankind. My par- therefore I would be punished — not for ized that belief in a higher power was a ligions operate largely based in fear and ents raised me to be empathetic and kind actual actions, but rather for amorphous choice, and if I did not believe in God, shame. To believe in God is to fear God, and I do not need the threat of hell to things that took place solely within my then I would not have to live in fear of and so you construct your actions in a monitor my behavior. mind. The harder one tries not to think of his punishment. I can’t recall what cat- way that you will avoid his wrath. Reli- Cora, 23, is from San Diego and attends anything evil, the more salacious thoughts alyst prompted this abrupt loss of God, gion is often falsely equated with mo- New York University, where she is majoring in crowd together, bouncing off one another but it was a moment of elation. I was 10 rality, but if one’s good deeds are not English. She attended community college for and multiplying. I was certain that I was years old and I felt this thought operat- for the benefit of others but rather to four years before transferring to NYU. Cora destined for hell, due to my inability to ing like a switch inside me. In an instant ensure a pleasurable afterlife for one- enjoys literature and amateur boxing, and vol- control the wandering of my thoughts. my thoughts were calmed, and I was self, the integrity of these morals can be unteers at her local library and teaches boxing Something struck me one day and so pleased with the remarkable inner called into question. Without belief in lessons to children at a gym. She would like to diverted my unhindered anxiety: I real- change that I returned to the idea again heaven or hell, kindly acts can be truly teach creative writing to incarcerated people. Ninth place Procrastination for salvation FFRF awarded Hazel $400. that their current plight will somehow can slip through the pearly gates with just By Hazel Peterson give way to a paradise that erases every a nod to God and an empty can of elbow worry, every need, every regret. If they grease, why should they search for any- simply keep thing else? have the most severe procrastina- their heads Religion tion habit of anyone I know, and it down, they will If a person can slip through the not only im- I makes even the smallest task an un- be rewarded pearly gates with just a nod to God and pedes the ending nightmare. As a person who with a snap of an“ empty can of elbow grease, why ability to take has clocked countless hours banking God’s fingers. personal ac- on the odds of a good outcome despite Karl Marx be- should they search for anything else? tion, but also waiting until the last possible moment lieved that reli- — Hazel Peterson the capacity to accomplish something, I can tell you gion was used to take action that heaven is no more than the ulti- as a tool by for others. mate reward for procrastination. the bourgeoisie to keep laborers humble How often do people send “thoughts and For ages, people have muddled (and, more importantly, subordinate). prayers” to victims of tragedy, yet never through life unsatisfied and unfulfilled. The workers put off self-actualization act concretely to prevent it from happen- They take jobs they hate and keep them. and potential by relying instead on the They do just enough to get by, and trust promise of heaven. After all, if a person See Peterson on page 16 Hazel Peterson Page 16 FFRF | FREETHOUGHT TODAY | Madison, Wisconsin | September 2019

realize this can help them. avoid writing it until a few hours before make my own rules and devote myself Peterson Apparently, though, it doesn’t really the due date, and still perform well. But to reaching my potential while helping Continued from page 13 matter at all what a person does, since I’d spend many painful weeks beforehand others do the same. If I fall asleep for as long as they accept Jesus, they are wel- paralyzed by the unknown. What if I at- the final time knowing that it doesn’t ing again? How often does religion value comed into heaven. Therefore, it seems tempted to write and just got frustrated in- matter what happens next because I’ve God’s arbitrary (and sometimes bigoted) you could live an objectively horrendous stead? Or worse, what if I tried my best and seized every moment and embraced it, notions of morality instead of the people life and still be rewarded as long as you failed? It’s an exhausting way to live. I’d be then hell will have no power over me. I that these notions are directly harming? have a change of heart on your death- much better off confronting doubt and will have already occupied a heaven of It is cowardly and misguided to think that bed. Or, you could live an objectively al- putting my best effort into writing at least my own creation. anything matters more than others’ suf- truistic life and yet be eternally punished a little bit each day. Even if my fears came Hazel, 19, is from Ladysmith, Wis., fering right here, right now, and what we in hell for having a little healthy doubt true, and I still didn’t achieve the outcome where she was co-valedictorian of her high can do to ease it. If heaven is not guar- about an afterlife! Beyond the concern- I wanted, I’d feel secure and proud, know- school, and attends the University of Wiscon- anteed for me, then it is also not guaran- ing implications of this hypocrisy, I find ing that I’d taken every opportunity possi- sin-Stout, planning to major in art. She aims teed to the victim, much less the survivor that these points render religious crite- ble to succeed. to use her art and writing skills to tell stories of a school shooting, who therefore can’t ria for a “good” life basically moot. I don’t want to procrastinate my that encourage open-mindedness, acceptance count on the sweet release of heaven for To me, the whole concept of heaven life away in fear and hope for the slim and compassion. She has volunteered at nurs- peace. Survivors need all of the support and hell is a lot like a looming essay assign- chance that I can scramble into heav- ing homes and community events and enjoys that this life can give, and only those who ment. There is a small chance that I could en at the last minute. I’d much rather working with children. Tenth place No worries of the past and future FFRF awarded Paige $300. nothing to do with an afterlife. The quite tragic to have wasted all of those laugh of a baby should be more import- precious, finite moments worrying By Paige Nielsen ant than whether or not that baby will go about an unknowable afterlife. When to heaven or hell when it reaches the end people get old, they often have regrets he saying “there is no time like the of its life. The smile of a loved one can- about not doing everything they wanted present” holds significant meaning not be compared to the supposed beauty to accomplish in life. Living in the pres- Twhen considering the worth of wor- of the hypothetical pearly gates of heav- ent is a way to avoid that sinking feeling rying about an afterlife. The here and the en. The pain that time is pass- now is certain, and I think that a life spent of heartbreak ing us by, and revolving around a heaven and hell that should not be How can we disregard these the constant may not even exist is a life wasted. shoved aside problems and focus on something contemplation During our time here on Earth, we can and diminished of an afterlife so“ abstract and impossible see tangible, important problems that do in comparison magnifies those not concern the existence of an afterlife Paige Nielsen to the possibili- to study, let alone know? regrets we may — such as poverty, social injustice, the ty of burning in — Paige Nielsen face. The pres- pointless suffering of innocent humans, the simple view of a sunset or an interest- an unpleasant ent moment is and, more recently, a global environmen- ing cloud formation. Both are enough to afterlife. These the only mo- tal crisis. As such an intelligent species, bring tears to my eyes as they remind me material things are real and certain, and ment we have control over as humans, how can we disregard these problems and how lucky I am to be able to experience the afterlife simply is not. Doing what the passage of time is beyond our limits. focus on something so abstract and impos- my existence and the beauty of Earth. makes you happy and helping support While our actions in the present do af- sible to study, let alone know? In addition to the importance of fo- others who are struggling in the present fect the future, the only thing we truly I agree with John Lennon’s quote be- cusing on the problems of the present, world does wonders for the human psy- have control over is the present. Worry- cause rather than fearing hell, humans focusing on the joys of the present is also che, and I feel that such actions will lead ing about an afterlife will only rob us of should fear those problems that direct- an effective way to live a fulfilling life. A to a very fulfilling life. the riches within our actual grasp. ly affect them while alive on this planet. better and more enjoyable life can be led Life can be incredibly short in this Paige, 19, is from Merritt Island, Fla., When one stops believing in a hell, one when it is focused on the family, friends unpredictable world. Although unlikely, and attends Florida State University, where focuses on the positives of living. In con- and simple things that affect one’s well- life can end at any moment of any day, she plans to get a degree in chemical and bio- trast, rather than appreciate the beauty of being directly, rather than anguishing so each moment we live in should be medical engineering. After graduation, she a heaven that no one has ever observed, over an undetermined future. Hobbies perceived as a gift and utilized to enjoy would like to work in stem cell research and the astounding beauty of the world we that make you smile, friends that make the time which we are certain that we tissue engineering. She is active in the LGBT are so fortunate to have found ourselves you laugh, family who you love — all have. At the end of our lives, if we find community and works as an ocean rescue life- living in should be celebrated, such as these things are in the present and have out there is nothing beyond, it would be guard at Cocoa Beach. FFRF student essay honorable mentions FFRF selected six essays from the col- very different experience than when I lege essay contest it deemed worthy of was 12. During holiday season, I no lon- honorable mention status. Each of the ger wander through the aisles looking following students received $200 from for mandatory foods that will bring me FFRF. To read each of the honorable eventual reward. Instead, I take stock mention essay in full, go to freethoughtto- of what I need in the moment, and rel- day.com. ish in the fact that it is guaranteed that Here are edited excerpts from each those items will be coming home with one. me. Yaffa, 19, is from Hollywood, Fla., and By Yaffa Gani attends the University of Florida, where she is studying computer science. She is the oldest Kyle Morse am 12 and waiting in line at the gro- of six kids and has a passion for social jus- cery store with a fish head, pome- Yaffa Gani tice. Yaffa is also involved in leading youth infinite span of the universe. When we Igranate, apples and a jar of honey on groups and acting as a mentor to children. look at the ground in fear of an evil-pro- the conveyor belt. The cashier begins stroked his chin as if to say he was com- ducing underworld lurking below, we to ring up the items, and as I see the municating with a power above, and overlook the cruelty that is afflicted on price increase, my heart starts to flutter. said, “The reward God gives you in heav- By Kyle Morse innocents every day in the name of salva- “Please be under $15,” I think to myself. en will be much greater than any A.” tion. Living in the here and now — the The cashier mumbles “$13.40” under Contrary to my father and millions The promises of religion are all based true here and now, free of the seduction his breath and I breathe a sigh of relief. like him, I prefer to spend my life in the in the principles of comfort. Comfort of the afterlife and existential certainty There is enough money left over to buy now. That means personally taking care against the unperceivable terror of noth- — requires sacrificing of the comforts myself the poster board I need for my of problems instead of delegating them ingness, the threatening specter of futil- that religion offers. However, accepting class project. to some imaginary giant in the sky. Liv- ity, and the unthinkable possibility that temporality is as liberating as it is terrify- My father is a man of faith — and a ing in the moment makes me the pro- humans do not reside atop a natural hi- ing. Confronting the certainty of uncer- man with a limited wallet. When I told tagonist in my story instead of a support- erarchy of spiritual selection. The allure tainty changes us down to the deepest him of my class project, he knew that ing character. It ensures that I am aware is undeniable, but the ramifications are reaches of our being. affording both the ceremonial foods for of all actions and holds me responsible inexorable. When we look past the sky in The way I see it, why we’re alive at this Rosh Hashanah and my project would for what I do and what I wish to do. search of the heavens, we miss the sub- point in time and space is an unanswer- be unlikely. Instead of apologizing, he Walking into a grocery store now is a lime display of natural harmony and the able enigma. Life’s currents are fierce, September 2019 | Madison, Wisconsin | FFRF | FREETHOUGHT TODAY Page 17 make no mistake about that. Storms ments that we value, instead of partici- at the sky above us is to fly. For what im- tem future, you are bound to live a more come without warning and the tide is pating in movements we have no passion agery better instills a sense of freedom appreciative, engaged and fulfilling life. ever-changing, but we are not merely for. We can find what lifestyles best suit other than a blue sky? And, oh, what a Max, 21, is from Rehoboth Beach, Del., helpless drifters in the sea of life. We are us. Our passions, beliefs and desires are vivid sky it is! Imagine it. It’s easy if you and attends the College of Charleston, where the captains of our own ship and mak- not threatened with hell or controlled try. he is majoring in political science. He plays ers of our own fate. The “big picture” is with promises of heaven. Living in the Youssef, 20, is from Orange, Conn., and rugby and is vice-president of the Outdoors no longer denoted to a conclusion, but here and now we are free, and we can be attends Southern Connecticut State Universi- Club. After college, Max is pondering a stint rather is the singular moment that en- ourselves, with “no hell below us, above ty, where he is studying economics and phi- with the Peace Corps. velops all life. Lennon’s world and ideas us only sky.” losophy. He plans to pursue a master’s degree may only exist in the minds of anomalis- Alice, 22, is from Minneapolis and at- after graduation. tic freethinkers, but that does not dilute tended the University of Minnesota, where By Devon Gable from the transcendent power of free will she earned a degree in English and creative and furthered capacity for appreciation writing, graduating in May. She was an By Max Bisaha granted to the individual that serves the officer in the University of Minnesota’s sec- singular moment. The glimmer in Len- ular group, Campus Atheists, Skeptics and non’s eye reflected a world of transient Humanists. purity, and he’s not the only one. Kyle, 22, is from Parker, Colo., and at- tends the University of Colorado at Colora- By Youssef Maklad do Springs. His passions are literature and baseball and he hopes to be a writer after graduation.

By Alice Blesi Devon Gable Max Bisaha A man is starving on the side of the road when two men approach him. One Accounts say approximately 10,000 man is wearing blue, the other wearing Tutsis, a minority ethnic group of Rwan- green. The man in blue offers the starv- da, were crammed in and around the ing man all the food he could ever eat Nyamata church on April 10, 1994. They in the afterlife if he lives a certain way, Youssef Maklad were hiding from the Interahamwe, a but warns that if he strays from the set Hutu militia, roaming the area. These path, he’ll starve for eternity. The man As a child, I could easily accept the Tutsis certainly thought such a sacro- in green offers the starving man a meal idea of an afterlife, but as my prepu- sanct place was safe, and that the statue and one day’s pay if the starving man bescence cascaded into adolescence, I of a serene Mother Mary that looked will plant a tree in the park. Who’s offer could no longer be as confident in my overhead wouldn’t permit any harm. does the starving man take? Alice Blesi faith. It’s almost funny how I let death Yet, God watched in seeming indif- When a person is more concerned suck all the joy and meaning out of life. ference as almost all the men, women with how their hypothetical afterlife will I have always found value in the idea I cursed my curiosity for not letting me and children in the Rwandan church be rather than how their actual current that I can choose what I want to do with delude myself. But now that I reflect that day, and for 100 days all over the life is, they will unconsciously underval- my life. It is, after all, the only life I have. I back, it was only through my retreat country, were brutally killed, raped or ue everything that can be experienced have one shot to make my life everything from a heaven and a hell that my scared beaten. He works in mysterious ways, I or gained in it, only committing good I want it to be. This includes what I study, and confused adolescence flourished suppose. Perhaps the people of Rwan- acts for the promise of reward, their ev- where and who I work for, which people into confident adulthood. My fear of da were being particularly sinful, and a ery action solely self-serving. I keep in my life and what I devote my death led me to question the meaning more capricious version of God felt they If the starving man chooses the time to. My time is especially important. of it all. Was life worth it, and if so, what deserved it, as if thinking, “That’ll teach man-in-blue’s offer, then he gambles Since I have a limited amount, I must be are the dynamics of living well? For that ’em.” But maybe it is not as horrifying on getting his reward of food to cease careful about what I decide to do with it. purpose, I pursued philosophy both in as we think. After all, as Mother Teresa his starvation. Likely, the man starves Will I spend it volunteering? Advancing my academics and in my free time. It was posited in her Nobel Peace Prize accep- to death living by the prescribed te- my career? With my family? All the above from that discipline that I found my an- tance speech in 1979, “Death is nothing, nets and in his best-case scenario, he and much more are time-consuming, so swer. It is only in having the courage to but going home to God.” That’s surely gets food after he dies, although the I must pick and choose which options I let go of the tradition associated with an comforting, but then again, the God food is now worthless and he followed value more so that I can spend my time afterlife that one can focus on individu- described above doesn’t strike me as a someone else’s arbitrary rules for no doing what I love. That, however, is not al flourishing and leading a meaningful tender host for all eternity. reason. If the starving man chooses always possible with religion. life in the here and now. Often, people submit that heaven the man-in-green’s offer, then he gets Living for some unknowable future, In practice, religion breeds uniformi- and hell may not exist, but that it is be- his food and is no longer starving. something that isn’t guaranteed, is so lim- ty and restricts individual flourishment. side the point to argue their truth be- The man also receives pay, which he iting. The bible, among other religious Yet, living life according to your own will cause what matters is that these ideas may use to continue living, and the texts, tells you what to value. In an age is a must when it comes to living with give people solace and moral direction man helped the world by planting a where newer generations are moving away meaning. Not only is the belief in a hell — “purpose,” one might say. So, what tree. The man has benefited not just from traditional life plans such as mar- problematic toward living a good life, if religion acts like a crutch, as long as himself, but the world, granted in a riage and nuclear families, it is important but so is the belief in a heaven. it alleviates people’s existential crises? small way. that we have other options, without fear- A hope for a heaven can halt one But is that what people want — to be If we could achieve paradise in the ing judgment. We also much understand from living in the here and now. To lead coddled by a lie? Humanity deserves now, what possible reason is there to that over time our values will change. If meaningful lives, to really begin living, more credit than that. wait until after one’s life is done? we stick to a strict religion and hope it will you have to accept life at its worst as well A belief in the afterlife is not only a Devon, 20, is from Thornton, Colo., bring us happiness someday, then we will as its best, to live in and for the moment, false belief, but a belief that affects the and attends Front Range Community Col- be disappointed. A secular lifestyle, where and to pursue what makes you individ- way you make everyday decisions. Too lege. His goal is to become a college professor we look at our values, allows everyone to ually blossom. Those are the dynamics often, humans go through life trying to teaching either English, history or a subset of assess their own, and do what they believe of living well. Which brings me to those rack up brownie points with the invisible the humanities. Devon is an aspiring writ- is best, especially when it comes to the lyrics by John Lennon: “No hell below white guy in the cosmos in an attempt er currently working on his first novel, and events of the here and now. us, above us only sky.” To give up on a to get into heaven. By living in the here works as a supplemental instruction leader We can throw ourselves into move- hell below is to be uncaged. To look up and now, as opposed to your postmor- at his college.

Yip Harburg, from his book: Rhymes for the Irreverent Your weekly antidote to the Religious Right FREETHOUGHT RADIO History Lesson PODCASTS AND BROADCASTS This we learn from Watergate That almost any creep’ll FIND OUT MORE: rf.org/radio Be glad to help the government Overthrow the people. — Hosted by Dan Barker and Annie Laurie Gaylor — Slightly irreverent views, news, music & interviews Illustrated by Seymour Chwast, published by FFRF Buy it from FFRF online - ffrf.org/shop Page 18 FFRF | FREETHOUGHT TODAY | Madison, Wisconsin | September 2019 250th birth anniversary of Alexander von Humboldt The greatest scientist you don’t know about

During his lifetime, Alexander von Hum- generalizations. boldt was one of the most famous men in Eu- Humboldt was to science what Shake- rope. At the time of his death in 1859, he speare was to drama. was the most famous scientist in the world. He found, so to speak, the world full of Critics accused him of atheism, yet his unconnected facts — all portions of a vast funeral in Berlin was the largest ever giv- system — parts of a great machine; he dis- en to a private German individual. Tens of covered the connection that each bears to thousands of mourners followed behind his all; put them together, and demonstrated hearse, pulled by the king’s horses. Newspa- beyond all contradiction that the Earth is pers eulogized him as the “most remarkable governed by law. man ever born” and lamented the end of the He knew that to discover the connec- “age of Humboldt.” More species are named tion of phenomena is the primary aim of after Humboldt than after any other human all natural investigation. He was infinitely being. practical. The centennial anniversary of Hum- Origin and destiny were questions with boldt’s birth was widely celebrated in 1869. which he had nothing to do. Parades, concerts, and fireworks shows were Great men do not live alone; they are held in Moscow, Buenos Aires, Mexico City, surrounded by the great; they are the in- Melbourne and dozens of American cities. struments used to accomplish the tenden- President Ulysses Grant joined a huge cel- cies of their generation; they fulfill the ebration in Pittsburgh, and 25,000 people prophecies of their age. assembled in Central Park to celebrate. The Nearly all of the scientific men of the New York Times devoted its entire front page 18th century had the same idea enter- to the worldwide festivities. tained by Humboldt, but most of them Yet 250 years later, on the anniversary in a dim and confused way. There was, of his birth in September 1769, the mention however, a general belief among the intel- of his name does not elicit immediate ligent that the world is governed by law, recognition. So, who better than the Great and that there really exists a connection Agnostic, Robert G. Ingersoll, to describe between all facts, or that all facts are sim- Humboldt and his achievements. Ingersoll ply the different aspects of a general fact, gave this lecture (edited for length) in and that the task of science is to discover 1869 as part of the festivities on the 100th this connection; to comprehend this gen- anniversary of Humboldt’s birth. eral fact or to announce the laws of things. The German mind had been grandly By Robert G. Ingersoll roused from the long lethargy of the dark A portrait of Alexander von Humboldt by Julius Schrader (1859). ages of ignorance, fear, and faith. Guided reat men seem to be a part of the by the light of reason, every department infinite — brothers of the moun- of knowledge was investigated, enriched Gtains and the seas. the great Humboldt, 100 years ago to- objects in their general connection, and and illustrated. Alexander von Humboldt was one of day, was born, and there he was educat- to represent nature as one great whole, Humboldt breathed the atmosphere these. He was one of the few who were ed. There he received the impressions moved and animated by internal forces. of investigation; old ideas were aban- great enough to rise above the supersti- that determined his career; there the For this purpose, he turned his at- doned; old creeds, hallowed by centu- tion and prejudice of his time, and to great idea that the universe is governed tention to descriptive botany, traversing ries, were thrown aside; thought became know that experience, observation and by law, took possession of his mind, distant lands and mountain ranges to courageous; the athlete, reason, chal- reason are the only basis of knowledge. and there he dedicated his life to the ascertain with certainty the geographical lenged to mortal combat the monsters of He became one of the greatest of demonstration of this sublime truth. distribution of plants. He investigated the superstition. men in spite of He came to the conclusion that the laws regulating the differences of tem- No wonder that, under these influenc- having been born source of man’s un- perature and climate, es, Humboldt formed the great purpose rich and noble — happiness was his ig- and the changes of of presenting to the world a picture of Na- in spite of posi- norance of nature. the atmosphere. He ture, in order that men might, for the first tion. I say in spite After having re- Humboldt was to studied the formation time, behold the face of their Mother. of these things ceived the most science what Shakespeare of the Earth’s crust, because wealth thorough educa- was“ to drama. explored the deepest Traveled the globe and position are tion at that time mines, ascended the Europe becoming too small for his generally the en- possible, and hav- highest mountains, genius, he visited the tropics in the new emies of genius, ing determined to what end he would and wandered through the craters of ex- world, where in the most circumscribed and the destroy- devote the labors of his life, he turned tinct volcanoes. limits he could find the greatest number Robert G. Ingersoll ers of talent. his attention to the sciences of geolo- He became thoroughly acquainted of plants, of animals, and the greatest di- It is often said gy, mining, mineralogy, botany, the dis- with chemistry, with astronomy, with ter- versity of climate, that he might ascertain of this or that man, that he is a self- tribution of plants, the distribution of restrial magnetism; and as the investi- the laws governing the production and made man — that he was born of the animals, and the effect of climate upon gation of one subject leads to all others, distribution of plants, animals and men, poorest and humblest parents, and that man. All grand physical phenomena for the reason that there is a mutual de- and the effects of climate upon them all. with every obstacle to overcome he be- were investigated and explained. pendence and a necessary connection He sailed along the gigantic Amazon — came great. This is a mistake. Poverty is From his youth he had felt a great between all facts, so Humboldt became the mysterious Orinoco — traversed the generally an advantage. Most of the in- desire for travel. He felt, as he says, a acquainted with all the known sciences. Pampas, climbed the Andes until he stood tellectual giants of the world have been violent passion for the sea, and longed His fame does not depend so much upon the crags of Chimborazo, more nursed at the sad and loving breast to look upon nature in her wildest and upon his discoveries (although he discov- than 18,000 feet above the level of the sea, of poverty. Most of those who have most rugged forms. He longed to give a ered enough to make hundreds of rep- and climbed on until blood flowed from climbed highest on the shining ladder physical description of the universe — utations) as upon his vast and splendid his eyes and lips. For nearly five years, of fame commenced at the lowest rung. a grand picture of nature; to account They were reared in the straw-thatched for all phenomena; to discover the laws cottages of Europe; in the log-houses of governing the world; to do away with Freedom from Religion Foundation America; in the factories of the great that splendid delusion called special P.O. Box 750 • Madison, WI 53701 • (608) 256-8900 • FFRF.org cities; in the midst of toil; in the smoke providence, and to establish the fact and din of labor, and on the verge of that the universe is governed by law. What is the Freedom From Religion Foundation? want. It is hard for the rich to resist the To establish this truth was, and is, Founded in 1978 as a national organization of freethinkers (atheists and thousand allurements of pleasure, and of infinite importance to humankind. agnostics), the Freedom From Religion Foundation, Inc., works to keep state so I say, that Humboldt, in spite of hav- That fact is the death-knell of supersti- and church separate and to educate the public about the views of nontheists. ing been born to wealth and high so- tion; it gives liberty to every soul, an- FFRF has more than 30,000 members. FFRF is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and cial position, became truly and grandly nihilates fear and ushers in the Age of donations are tax deductible for income tax purposes. great. Reason. FFRF’s email address is [email protected]. Please include your name and physical In the antiquated and romantic mailing address with all email correspondence. castle of Tegel, by the side of the pine Comprehending the world FFRF members wishing to receive online news releases, “action alerts” and forest, on the shore of the charming The object of this illustrious man was to “Freethought of the Day” should contact [email protected]. lake, near the beautiful city of Berlin, comprehend the phenomena of physical September 2019 | Madison, Wisconsin | FFRF | FREETHOUGHT TODAY Page 19 he pursued his investigations in the new world, accompanied by the intrepid Bon- pland. Nothing escaped his attention. He was the best intellectual organ of these new revelations of science. He was calm, reflective and eloquent, filled with a sense of the beautiful, and the love of truth. His collections were immense, and valuable beyond calculation to every science. He endured innumerable hardships, braved countless dangers in unknown and savage lands, and exhausted his fortune for the advancement of true learning. Upon his return to Europe he was hailed as the second Columbus; as the scientific discoverer of America; as the re- vealer of a new world; as the great demon- strator of the sublime truth, that the uni- verse is governed by law. In order that the people at large might have the benefit of his numerous discov- eries, and his vast knowledge, he delivered at Berlin a course of lectures, consisting of 61 free addresses. These lectures are what is known as the Cosmos, and present a scientific pic- ture of the world, of infinite diversity in Alexander von Humboldt and Aimé Bonpland at the foot of the Chimborazo volcano in Ecuador. unity, of ceaseless motion in the eternal grasp of law. faith is a lullaby sung to put the soul to great minds are investigating the creeds Andes, with primeval forests and Euro- These lectures contain the result of sleep; that devotion is a bribe that fear and the superstitions of men — the pean capitals, with wildernesses and uni- his investigation, observation, and expe- offers to supposed power; that offering phenomena of nature, and the laws of versities, with savages and savants, with rience; they furnish the connection be- rewards in another world for obedience things. At the head of this great army of the lonely rivers of unpeopled wastes, tween phenomena; they disclose some of in this, is simply buying a soul on credit; investigators stood Humboldt — the se- with peaks and pampas, and steppes, the changes through which the Earth has that knowledge consists in ascertaining rene leader of an intellectual host — a and cliffs and crags, with the progress of passed in the countless ages; the history of the laws of nature, and that wisdom is king by the suffrage of Science, and the the world, with every science known to vegetation, animals and men, the effects the science of happiness. Slowly, grand- divine right of Genius. man, and with every star glittering in the of climate upon individuals and nations, ly, beautifully, these truths are dawning And today we are not honoring some immensity of space. the relation we sustain to other worlds, upon humankind. butcher called a soldier, some wily pol- Humboldt adopted none of the and demonstrate that all phenomena, The moment the fact was established itician called a statesman, some robber soul-shrinking creeds of his day; wasted whether insignificant or grand, exist in that other worlds are governed by law, called a king, nor some malicious meta- none of his time in the stupidities, inan- accordance with inexorable law. it was only natural to conclude that our physician called a saint. We are honoring ities and contradictions of theological There are some truths, however, that little world was also under its dominion. the grand Humboldt, whose victories metaphysics. we never should forget: Superstition has The old theological method of account- were all achieved in the arena of thought; He did not endeavor to harmonize the always been the relentless enemy of sci- ing for physical phenomena by the plea- who destroyed prejudice, ignorance astronomy and geology of a barbarous ence; faith has been a hater of demon- sure and displeasure of the deity was, by and error, not men; who shed light, not people with the science of the 19th cen- stration; hypocrisy has been sincere only the intellectual, abandoned. They found blood, and who contributed to the knowl- tury. Never, for one moment, did he aban- in its dread of truth, and all religions are that disease, death, life, thought, heat, edge, the wealth, and the happiness of all don the sublime standard of truth; he inconsistent with mental freedom. cold, the seasons, the winds, the dreams humankind. investigated, he studied, he thought, he Since the murder of Hypatia in the of man, the instinct of animals, in short, His life was pure, his aims lofty, his separated the gold from the dross in the fifth century — when the polished blade that all physical and mental phenomena learning varied and profound, and his crucible of his grand brain. He was nev- of Greek philosophy was broken by the are governed by law, absolute, eternal and achievements vast. er found on his knees before the altar of club of ignorant Catholicism — until to- inexorable. We honor him because he has enno- superstition. He stood erect by the grand day, superstition has detested every effort bled our race, because he has contributed tranquil column of Reason. He was an ad- of reason. Law is a fact, not a cause as much as any man living or dead to the mirer, a lover, an adorer of Nature, and Slowly, beautifully, like the coming of Let it be understood that by the term real prosperity of the world. We honor at the age of 90, bowed by the weight of the dawn, came the grand truth, that the “law” is meant the same invariable re- him because he honored us, because he nearly a century, covered with the insignia universe is governed by law; that disease lations of succession and resemblance labored for others, because he was the of honor, loved by a nation, respected by fastens itself upon the good and upon the predicated of all facts springing from like most learned man of the most learned na- a world, with kings for his servants, he laid bad; that the tornado cannot be stopped conditions. Law is a fact — not a cause. It tion, because he left a legacy of glory to his weary head upon her bosom — upon by counting beads; that the rushing lava is a fact, that like conditions produce like every human being. the bosom of the universal Mother — and pauses not for bended knees, the light- results: this fact is law. When we say that For these reasons he is honored with her loving arms around him, sank ning for clasped and uplifted hands, nor the universe is governed by law, we mean throughout the world. Millions are do- into that slumber called Death. the cruel waves of the sea for prayer; that that this fact, called law, is incapable of ing homage to his genius at this moment, History added another name to the paying tithes causes, rather than prevents change; that it is, has been, and forever and millions are pronouncing his name starry scroll of the immortals. famine; that pleasure is not sin; that hap- will be, the same inexorable, immutable with reverence and recounting what he The world is his monument; upon the piness is the only good; that demons and fact, inseparable from all phenomena. accomplished. eternal granite of her hills he inscribed gods exist only in the imagination; that Law, in this sense, was not enacted or We associate the name of Humboldt his name, and there upon everlasting made. It could not have been otherwise with oceans, continents, mountains, and stone his genius wrote this, the sublim- than as it is. That which necessarily exists volcanoes, with the great palms, the wide est of truths: The universe is governed A note to FFRF Members has no creator. deserts, the snow-lipped craters of the by law. Don’t miss a single issue of The glory of science is, that it is freeing Freethought Today & Private Line! the soul — breaking the mental manacles, getting the brain out of bondage, giving courage to thought, filling the world with mercy, justice, and joy. Science found agriculture plowing with a stick, reaping with a sickle — commerce If the expiration date of your FFRF at the mercy of the treacherous waves and membership on your address label the inconstant winds — man denying the says September or earlier . . . authority of reason, employing his inge- Please renew now! nuity in the manufacture of instruments FFRF Memberships: of torture, in building inquisitions and ca- $40 single; $50 household; thedrals. It found the land filled with ma- $100 gung-ho; $250 sustaining licious monks — with persecuting Protes- Memberships are tax deductible! tants, and the burners of men. It found a world full of fear; ignorance upon its knees; credulity the greatest virtue; wom- en treated like beasts of burden; cruelty Freethought Today is published 10 times a year. the only means of reformation. P.O. Box 750 • Madison, WI 53701 The world is beginning to change be- ffrf.org/donate cause the people are beginning to think. To think is to advance. Everywhere the Portrait of Alexander von Humboldt. Page 20 FFRF | FREETHOUGHT TODAY | Madison, Wisconsin | September 2019

Former churches with better missions

Richard Packham sent us the information on the former Blackfoot LDS Tabernacle in Blackfoot, Idaho. It served as a tabernacle for large gatherings of members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1977. In 1980, the church sold the building and it now functions as the Hawker Funeral Home. Al Read sent us this image of the Church Cafe, Bar and Restaurant in Dublin, Ireland. It is housed in the former St. Mary’s Church that was constructed in the early 1700s. Arthur Guinness, the founder of the Guinness brewery, was married here in 1761, an event celebrated by his bust resting prominently on the bar (above center, detail at left).

David Shea alerted us to the former St. Michael’s Roman Catholic Church in Baltimore, which closed in 2011 and was sold in 2018 to local developers for $1.7 million. It is undergoing renovations to become a brewery called the Ministry of Brewing. The building Dr. Roga Hudson of Colorado informed us of this former church in Rocky Ford, Colo., is a 130-year-old, 70,000-square-foot granite church complex that now houses a gourment restaurant, Christine’s. The building was built in 1910 that is on the National Register of Historic Places. The Ministry as St. Paul’s Evengelical Lutheran Church, where all services were held in German of Brewing will be incorporating elements of the church in its until 1960. It closed in 1972. After that, it had been an antique store, funeral home design. The project includes 37 apartments that are being built and private “getaway” until 2004, when Mike and Christine Laurent turned it into within former school space on the property. the restaurant.

Dr. Roga Hudson let us know about this former Christian Science church in Rocky Ford, Colo., that was dedicated in 1916. For Marc Gold and Rich Pope each sent us a photo of the the past decade, it has been a private home, former Water’s Edge United Methodist Church, which where reconstruction and renovations have has been converted into the Beer Church Brewing continued for more than eight years. A pair of Company in New Buffalo, Mich. trees block a better view of the home. If you see or know of any former churches that now serve a secular purpose, please send us a photo (preferably with you in it!) and a brief description of the property. Send it to [email protected]. September 2019 | Madison, Wisconsin | FFRF | FREETHOUGHT TODAY Page 21 Lack of faith doesn’t increase gun violence

This op-ed first appeared in the Los Angeles continued carnage. cording to the United Nations Office on Island, Massachusetts, New York, Alaska, Times on Aug. 11 and is reprinted with per- So, there you have it: Mass shootings Drugs and Crime. Oregon and California. And, as expected, mission of the author. in America are the direct result of people This same correlation holds true for when it comes to homicide rates and vio- not having enough active faith in God. nearly every country in the world: Those lent crime rates in general, the least faith- By Phil Zuckerman The interesting thing about this hy- with the strongest rates of belief in God — ful states in America tend to experience pothesis is that it is easy to test. You’ve got such as El Salvador, Colombia, Honduras, far less than the most faithful. n the wake of yet another and another an independent variable (faith in God) Jamaica, and Yemen — tend to experi- Of course, there are many different and another mass shooting in Ameri- and a dependent variable (gun violence). ence the most violence, while those with reasons that some nations — or states Ica — with at least 34 dead in Gilroy, El The hypothesis put forth by Huckabee the lowest rates — such as Japan, Sweden, — have higher rates of violence. For in- Paso and Dayton — Mike Huckabee, the and other Christian moralizers comes the Netherlands, Finland, New Zealand stance, higher rates of gun ownership former governor turned pundit, repeat- down to this: When a given society has a and Australia — tend to experience the have been tied to higher rates of domestic ed his go-to response: Gun violence in higher amount of faith in God, the rate lowest levels of violence. homicides. Factors like economics, poli- our country is all of gun violence should be correspond- Are there exceptions? Yes. For exam- tics, culture and a host of other aspects of about waning be- ingly lower. Conversely, the lower the ple, New Zealand experienced a horrific social life also play their part. lief in God. amount of faith in God, the higher the mass shooting in March. Norway did as But that’s the point. People’s relation- As he piously rate of gun violence. well, in 2011. But when looking at averages ship with the divine doesn’t have much, proclaimed in a But social science finds the exact op- and correlations over time, the statistical if anything, to do with it. Huckabee’s hy- recent televised posite correlation. relationship they reveal is unambiguous: pothesis needs to be rejected not only interview: “The The facts show that strong faith in God Huckabee’s hypothesis doesn’t hold water. because it is statistically incorrect, but be- common denomi- does not diminish gun violence, nor does By any standard measure, the safest cause it’s also inhumane: By blaming mass nator in all of this a lack of such faith increase gun violence. countries in the world are highly secular- shootings on a lack of God worship, he is is . . . disconnect- Here’s one crystal-clear example: Faith ized nations like Iceland, Denmark, Can- implicitly asserting that the many victims ing from God. A in God is extremely high in the Philip- ada, Slovenia and South Korea — where of gun violence, well, deserved it. Phil Zuckerman lot of our country pines. One study found that the country faith in God is very low. And the most dan- On average, about 13,000 Americans [is] utterly discon- “leads the world” in terms of its strength gerous countries include fervently faithful are killed by guns every year. And every nected from any sense of identity with of faith in God, with 94 percent of people places such as the Central African Repub- day, approximately seven children are their creator.” Huckabee was even more there saying they have always believed in lic, Syria, Sudan, Venezuela and Belize — killed by guns. Such endless carnage and explicit after the Sandy Hook mass shoot- God. Comparatively, the Czech Repub- places steeped in faith in God. horror will only stop with sane laws and ing in 2012 that killed 26, including many lic is one of the most atheistic nations But the analysis can also be applied ethical policies. young children. Such violence occurs, he in the world, with only about 20 percent closer to home, to the 50 states. According Faith in God will do nothing to end the said, because “we have systematically re- of Czechs believing in God. According to the Pew Religious Landscape survey, epidemic of mass shootings in America, moved God from our schools.” to Huckabee’s hypothesis, violence and the states with the strongest levels of faith save perhaps to serve as a balm for the souls Huckabee, the former governor of murder rates should be much worse in in God include Louisiana, Arkansas, Ala- of the many Americans forced to weep at Arkansas, is far from alone in holding the Czech Republic and much better in bama, Mississippi, Georgia, South Caroli- funerals for victims of gun violence. this view. After the latest mass shootings, the Philippines. na, North Carolina, Kentucky, Tennessee FFRF Member Phil Zuckerman is a professor Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said on “Fox But the reality is different: The murder and Oklahoma. Those with the lowest lev- of sociology and secular studies at Pitzer College and Friends” that if Americans don’t ad- rate in the Philippines is nearly 10 times els of belief in God are Maine, Vermont, and author of the forthcoming book, What it equately praise God, the result will be higher than it is in the Czech Republic, ac- Connecticut, New Hampshire, Rhode Means to be Moral. THEY SAID WHAT?

There are only God-given rights pro- We live in a society where homosex- This is what happens when you have tian faith, likewise, it represents: life tected by the Constitution. If you don’t uals lecture us on morals, transvestites someone who doesn’t fear the Lord, and protection. believe in the one true God, there is lecture us on hu- who doesn’t fear God. Pam Touchard, superintendent of nothing to protect. man biology, baby “Fox & Friends” host Ainsley Earhardt, George County Public Schools, in an Craig Northcott, the district attorney killers lecture us on blaming the mass shooting in Dayton, op-ed posted on the George County general of Coffee County, Tenn., as- human rights and Ohio, on atheism, in effect. Times’ Facebook page in response to serting that Muslims have “no consti- socialists lecture us Fox News, 8-6-19 FFRF’s request to remove religious dis- tutional rights.” on economics. . . plays from school property. The Washington Post, 6-5-19 . By giving the mi- We’ve got to put Jesus and God be- Facebook, 8-2-19 nority more rights fore everything else. And if we don’t do Let every demonic network that than the majority. I that, we’re going to be brought down to He is, without a doubt, the most has aligned itself against the purpose, hate to think of the our knees again. biblical president I have ever seen. I’m against the calling of President Trump, Mark Chambers country my grand- Tommy Tuberville, the former head going to repeat that: He is the most bib- let it be broken, let it be torn down in kids will live in un- football coach at Auburn University lical president I have ever seen in what the name of Jesus. less somehow we change and I think and a candidate running for Senate he does. His actions are remarkable Paula White, President Trump’s that will take a revolution. . . .The only from Alabama, at a campaign stop in and I would ask the audience to please spiritual adviser, in the opening prayer way to change it would be to kill the Montgomery. In 2015, FFRF highlight- pray for him continually. before his campaign kickoff rally in problem out. I know it’s bad to say but ed Tuberville in its “Pray to Play” ex- Former U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann, Orlando, Fla. without killing them out there’s no posé on chaplain programs that foist- talking about President Trump on the The Hill, 6-18-19 way to fix it. ed Christianity on public university American Pastors Network’s “Stand In Mark Chambers, mayor of Carbon athletes. The Gap” radio program. Hill, Ala., in a Facebook post. He later AL.com, 7-23-19 Right Wing Watch, 7-29-19 Include FFRF In apologized in another Facebook post. Your Estate Planning WBRC, 6-4-19 It is true that George County is The rate of marriage between U.S. Jews a community that is predominantly and non-Jews means the Jewish people [It’s] an affront to almighty God. Christian faith-based. While this is the have “lost 6 million people” and is like a Arrange a bequest in your will Alfonso Cirulli, Barnegat, N.J., mayor, case, the accusations that are being “second Holocaust.” or trust, or make the Freedom in a campaign to end a law that brings directed at our county by an organi- Rafi Peretz, Israel’s minister of education, From Religion Foundation the an LGBT curriculum into schools. zation that has not invested into the in a July 1 cabinet meeting that was attend- beneficiary of an insurance Asbury Park Press, 8-7-19 heart of our community should first ed by Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Ne- policy, bank account or IRA. take the time to inquire about the tanyahu. meaning and purpose attached to our New York Post, 7-9-19 19/20 theme. We do not argue that IT’S EASY TO DO! Women Without the cross historically represents Chris- Prayer has been fundamental to Superstition our country from the very get-go. Our For related information “No Gods—No Masters” (or to receive a bequest Editor, Annie Laurie Gaylor country is founded on prayer. The Declaration of Independence says we brochure), please contact: Collected writings of 50 What Is a Freethinker? hold these truths self-evident that we Annie Laurie Gaylor women freethinkers of the 19th & 20th centuries freethinker n. are endowed by our creator, which is at (608) 256-8900 ( 51 photographs ). referencing God. info@ rf.org 1 A person who forms opinions Raymond Grim, a member of the Sur- —Published by FFRF. 696 pages / HB about religion on the basis of reason, independently of tradition, authority, prise, Ariz., Parks and Recreation Com- Freedom depends mission, after the City Council voted to al- Buy it from FFRF online or established belief. on freethinkers ffrf.org/shop low religious invocations before meetings. Your Valley News, 7-8-19 Page 22 FFRF | FREETHOUGHT TODAY | Madison, Wisconsin | September 2019 LETTERBOX

Hobby Lobby tries to church and state and, therefore, you can hoodwink the public Badge of honor bring legal action directly to the issue. In contrast, Canada has developed a I opened up my e-edition of the culture that allows for greater diversity Pantagraph newspaper (from Bloom- and is less reactionary to the multitude ington-Normal, Ill.) on July 4 and was of opinions but, on the other hand, it’s aghast to see Hobby Lobby’s full-page not like the old mythologies have disap- ad spewing its nonsense about Christi- peared. Beliefs, faith, doctrines and tra- anity and our nation. Hobby Lobby can ditions are more in the closet, yet they spend its money any way it wants, but still affect political, civic, public and I hate to see the public hoodwinked. group behavior and decision-making. I had received FFRF’s “Is America The situation in Quebec is one I would a Christian Nation?” pamphlet, so I recommend that FFRF highlight because thought of FFRF when I saw the ad. of the recent legislation to deny anyone Bill Rasmussen from wearing religious symbols if one Illinois works in a government office or in an agency funded by the government. The History, tradition no exception is the wearing of small Chris- excuse for court rulings tian crosses on necklaces. That’s OK, but a hijab is not? Most of us know that this I read FFRF’s article “Bladensburg effort is a thinly disguised ploy to restrict cross decision a shameful legacy for Islam by stopping Muslim women from Supreme Court.” This decision, rely- wearing burkas and hijabs and other fa- ing on “history” to excuse an obvious cial or head coverings in public. Establishment Clause violation, seems All the while this debate is going on, to be part of a pattern. The Greece v. there is a giant cross on the wall of the Galloway decision also relied on history provincial legislature. It is jaw-drop- and tradition, as have several others. ping to see this huge, blatant Christian If history and tradition had been sig- symbol in the background during news nificant considerations in decisions by items on TV as they defend legislation to past courts, we would still have racially eliminate religious symbols! The official segregated public schools, poll taxes and response to questions about it is, “Oh, literacy tests as barriers to voting, and that’s not religious — it’s traditional and cops beating “confessions” out of sub- historic.” jects. Those past decisions instead relied Canada is a long way away from on reason, logic and the golden rule, as putting nativity scenes on public prop- applied to principles stated in the Consti- erty and the Ten Commandments in tution. This current court is using history courthouses and schools, but we aren’t and tradition as excuses to allow blatant out of the woods yet. Your encourage- violations to continue, which creates a ment, support and action will always be “might makes right” attitude. “I always felt there was something missing from my badge sash,” wrote Life appreciated. Justice Samuel Alito’s claim that Member Mary Jo Sirling of California, prior to earning FFRF’s Freethought Jay Moore “the passage of time gives rise to a Badge. “My sash has the 39 Girl Scout badges that I earned, but it was time Waterloo, Ontario strong presumption of constitutional- for me to receive the 40th. I have been working on this badge for 79 years ity” is flat-out dishonest. The Consti- and I have always been a good citizen in ‘thought, word, and deed’ as my ‘The bible’ should not tution says nothing about accepting 1950 Girl Scout Handbook states. And here I am wearing my Freethought be used in the singular violations after some time limit. These Badge. My Girl Scout Handbook had no directions about where to place it, “histories” and “traditions” were estab- so I put it at the top of my badge sash. Obviously, that is where it belongs.” There is no such thing as “the bible,” lished at a time when the unconstitu- so it is wrong to use it. Give me your tional Christian dominance of society definition of the “bible” and then I can and government was unquestioned. show you. Generically, the bible is the That dominance is now being ques- Cross is definitely a Canada, too, has issues of word of a god or gods. Considering tioned and we need to call out the Su- Christian symbol state-church separation there are about 10 major versions of preme Court’s Christian mullahs: Stop The Supreme Court’s decision in I am a Canadian member of FFRF the bible and about 100 different trans- making excuses that allow the viola- American Legion v. American Humanist and I am very supportive of your work. lated versions in English alone, there tions to go on. Continued excuse-mak- Association ruled that a huge cross can It’s very reassuring to know you’re out cannot be “the bible.” When someone ing will cost the court even more of its stand as a WWI memorial on public land there, especially for ex-fundies like me. says to me, the “bible,” I ask what ver- credibility. in Maryland. I was upset after reading I watch “Ask an Atheist” and “Free- sion. I don’t let someone believe that Lee Helms Samuel Alito’s opinion that such an old thought Matters” videos a couple of there is only one Christianity based on Michigan cross was not a religious symbol. I have times a week and I realize the American their bible version because they are heard such opinions my whole life about problem is different from the Canadian stealing the narrative. Was Jesus gay? He was crosses, Christmas, and all manner of one. You have a constitution that pro- David Detterich obvious Christian symbols and practices. vides a legal basis for the separation of California still bachelor at 33 Even as a child, I recognized these absurd I enjoyed Brian Bolton’s informa- statements as expressions of privilege — tive article on the blatant hypocrisy Christians get to make the rules. The View daily quotes at ffrf.org/day of evangelical Christians regarding consequences were always just as clear their opposition to legal rights for — non-Christians are not full Americans. the LBGTQ community on “biblical It is disheartening to get this from the grounds.” Among other items, Bolton Supreme Court. Allowing symbols from FREETHOUGHT OF THE DAY noted the reluctance of these religious other religions as condolence attempts bigots to address the ambiguous na- at inclusivity always struck me as patron- ture of Jesus’ sexuality based on what izing. They only reinforce the primacy of can be gleaned from the gospels. In Christianity in the United States. addition to what Bolton noted, there I recognize the Constitution as an as- is another aspect of Jesus’ life that pirational document, and that we must s asters should alarm fundamentalists and sup- continuously fight for freedom from port the notion that he may have been religion. My grade school civics tells me gay. At a time when most Jews were the way to fight Supreme Court deci- expected to marry and have children sions is for Congress to pass laws against soon after they reached puberty, Jesus them. There was talk in 2016 of elect- Margaret Sanger was still a bachelor at age 33, along ing candidates to contravene Citizens Mo o of Sanger’s newspaper with most, if not all, of his disciples. United in this way. Sadly, those elections Mary must have been one very disap- did not turn out so well. What can indi- The Woman Rebel pointed Jewish mother! viduals and FFRF do against this latest Dennis Middlebrooks development?

New York Mitchell Dushay Free Fr eiin Fnatin California September 2019 | Madison, Wisconsin | FFRF | FREETHOUGHT TODAY Page 23

Display adds religion spent long hours, sometimes literally 24- hour days, working on Apollo 8. The mis- where it shouldn’t be sion was a triumph of human ingenuity, During Memorial Day this year, the genius and intense hard work. So, when U.S. Department of State’s Charles- the astronauts read bible verses while or- ton Regional Center’s display honor- biting the moon, I was outraged and be- ing our nation’s fallen soldiers moves trayed. Prayer didn’t get us to the moon the heartache from the personal to — science and technology did. That mag- the political. nificent and very human achievement was The display is a table with a place denigrated in favor of the childish cre- setting for someone who will not re- ation myth of a primitive people. turn, whose absence is grieved: a glass At least I got the chance to blow off waiting to be filled, a folded flag me- some steam about it in my book! morializing their sacrifice, and . . . a David Dvorkin bible? Colorado For those who made the ultimate sacrifice, was their sacrifice any less if Abortion T-shirt has a they did not share Christian beliefs? very moving message For those who suffer from the loss of a loved one in the military, is their suf- The National Network of Abortion fering any less if their loved one did not Funds sent me a T-shirt that has one of the share Christian beliefs? most moving statements ever: “Everyone For those who died defending our loves someone who had an abortion.” country, is the debt of gratitude we owe I wear this shirt to the mall in Torrance, them any less if they died not sharing Calif., and the response from women and Christian beliefs? young girls has been overwhelming. I’m a Please, remember all who made that 71-year-old male. sacrifice, not just those who shared a Damian Walters particular religious belief. California Richard Cook Arkansas POW/MIA displays are It’s never too late to for remembrance become a Life Member At remembrance displays in a VA med- ical center, fundamentalist Christians put I’ll make this short and sweet. Having religious scripture in the middle of those just turned 91, it seems I need to show memorials to publicly proselytize religious more my gratitude for the work you do. beliefs. The hospital refused to remove it I’m giving this check to become a Lifetime when veterans, including Christians, com- Member to help in some small way. I have plained. A lawsuit was then filed to prevent I ‘Freethought’ at the gym. Where do you? already included FFRF (along with other this unconstitutional government endorse- worthwhile organizations) in my will. ment and promotion of religion. I just got home from a long vacation to a pile of mail. I dug through every- Martin Stern Originated in 1967 by a group of our thing, hoping there would be a copy of Freethought Today waiting for me. Texas Vietnam War combats pilots, the POW/ Happy to find it, I took it to the gym with me, looking forward to reading it on MIA display purpose was (and is) to leave the stationary bike. Whenever I get a new issue, I take with me so I can read it Excited about return of a place at the dinner table for those mil- during the down times of my day when not much is going on. ‘Freethought Matters’ itary comrades. It has always been about I had two thoughts that came to me as I read: remembrance, not religion. First, I am out and proud, and always take off the outer cover sheet from I am delighted to know that there will In response to the lawsuit, the VA wrote the paper, so the title is clearly visible to anyone that sees me reading. I look be a second season of the “Freethought a new policy, presumably permitting this forward to the day when Freethought Today can be delivered like any other Matters” TV show. There is hope for Sun- religious intrusion on the secular remem- magazine, with the cover exposed, and that there are no more FFRF members day mornings! brance display, which is nothing more than that have to be discreet about their membership! Keep up the good work! unconstitutional malfeasance because it: Second, I would like to see a small section of the paper that is titled, “Where Martin Snelus • Disobeys the First Amendment, pro- do you Freethought?” Members could send in a photo of where they read California hibiting our government from endorsing their paper. I’ll start it with the attached photo: I “Freethought” at the gym. or promoting a religion and requiring gov- Keep up the great work! ernment neutrality regarding religion. John Fisher Prayer didn’t get us to the • Distracts from memorial remem- Washington moon, science did brance by promoting religion not shared I just published my memoir of my by all POWs, MIAs or military veterans. Editor’s note: The “wrap” around the paper is not because FFRF is ashamed or is years at NASA in Houston working on • Disrespects millions of Americans who hiding its content, but because it is required by the Postal Service as a third-class mail- Apollo missions. It’s titled, When We are not fundamentalist Christians. ing. Secondly, FFRF would be happy to publish photos of our members reading their Landed on the Moon. Brig. Gen. John Compere, (Retired) Freethought Today outside of their home environment! Along with many other engineers, I Texas CRANKMAIL

Here are some of the latest hits and missives from GOD COME JUDGMENT DAY!!! STOP TELLING Learn our history: Our country was found- I’d love to know what you think of my view as I be- nonmembers who perhaps didn’t get a proper educa- PEOPLE THAT GOD IS FOR ABORTION!!!! ONE OF ed on the Bible. Freedom of religion is about Not lieve it is constitutionally correct. While you may tion. Printed as received. HIS COMMANDMENTS IS “THOU SHALT NOT KILL” being jailed due to one believeing a different church not believe in the bible or the Curran I’d like to know Ohio school: What is wrong with all of you. & ABORTION IS MURDER!!! — Candi Byrum from the church of the day.... NOT BADGERING PEO- what you think of the law. Anxiously awaiting your Moaing about a 10 commandment display in a ohio FUSD Resilience in Education Program: I PLE for believing in our FATHER GOD in Heaven. In response, — David Haugh school. Just because some looser does not like. I don’t understand why you are involving yourselves fact what YOU ALL are doing is EXACTLY why “sepa- Comment: What a bunch of MINDLESS RO- won’t it down. 92 years on the wall. Boo Hoo Moron’s. in something not even in your state let alone that ration of church and state is in our constitution. It is BOTS you people are. — Mary Thomas I will try to find a lawyer to sue to put it back up. Go doesn’t affect you. Personally I see no problem with put there to Protect citizens who believe in GOD!.... Your Sick: Your very sick people — Bob Smit get a real job. Quit whinning about everything. This is religion in schools but since so many people nowa- so they are not forced to believe in one Christian re- WHY DONT YOU BELIEVE GOD EXISTS — why the U.SA is going down the drain. Because loos- days have such a problem with it and the pledge of ligion over another. You all need to do some in depth God: Joshua Pryce er’s like your group and similar ones. Socialist-Athe- allegiance, they are not allowed in schools. I do have studies of American History. — Juliana Linzey ist etc Go Get a real Job. It discriminates to those a problem with you complaining and threatening Leave us alone: Curious why your group You are an evil organization: You want who like it. Also put the bibles back in hospital’s and possible lawsuit for chaplains to be reading to stu- feels the need to take down things that have been to silence and oppress Christians! In the name of God hotel’s. If you don’t wan’t to read it, don’t open it. I dents. How freaking ridiculous is that? Just because around for ages, I.e 10 commandments plaque etc... you will be dammed! You will go straight to Hell!! the would say have a good one but in this case have a a chaplain is reading to our children doesn’t mean why can’t you just ignore? I think your group is vile USA was founded on Christian values...the freedom bunch of bad ones. — Carl Pielmeier religion is being inserted into school. Other people but I don’t rant and rave that you talk about atheism. of speech and religion comes from the values Jesus If you are so sure of your beliefs why can’t you just let Christ taught us NOT your BS lack of values! Long live Losers: Your horrible work at New Philadelphia read at the schools also. — Jennifer Gage-Reyes things be? — Meg Walsh Jesus Christ...you can go to HELL! — Horacio Rodri- Ohio school: You should get a real job instead of in- Our money: Well,if you guys hate the phrase ‘In guez fringing on the rights of others. Your position is a joke God We Trust’ on our money,I would suggest that you Freedom OF religion: You people have it all wrong, the constitution gives you the freedom to to humanity. Have you ever had a job where you have don’t use it. There,solves your problem. Go to Cana- Haters: Why are you discriminating Christian- practice any religion, or none at all as you do. If we accountability or just prey on others? — Nick Cullen da. — Michael Putignano ity: Why is it that you hate Jesus Christ so much? — were free from religion there would be no churches, Abortions: SHAME ON YOU PEOPLE!! YOU Hell awaits: FFRF is evil. There is a God. His Alex Velez no celebrating atheism or devil worship. All of those DON’T TWIST GOD’S WORD FOR YOUR OWN name is Jesus and if you don’t acknowledge him as Evil incarnate: Dan, you’re a true servant for things are given to us from the constitution, freedom AGENDA!!! YOU PEOPLE TWISTING GODS WORDS the Almighty son of God and Lord of your life you will the Prince of Darkness. I can hear your “Go Satan!” to practice any religion, NOT freedom from religion. TO APPROVE OF ABORTIONS, WILL ANSWER TO burn in hell for eternity. — Bill Wright chants from here. — Eric Wood Page 24 FFRF | FREETHOUGHT TODAY | Madison, Wisconsin | September 2019 BLACK COLLAR CRIME

ken for my daughter. You have trust as a pastor, has commanded that no intimate sexual activity and a half she’s been reading. “I’m sure a lot of chil- Compiled by Bill Dunn trust as a protector.” Source: WCSC, 7-6-19 be engaged in outside of a marriage between a dren are going home and asking what a sodomite Timothy M. Crowley, 70, Tempe, AZ: 8 counts man and a woman. We believe that any form of is,” she said. Source: Spokesman-Review, 6-19-19 of criminal sexual conduct alleged between 1986- homosexuality, lesbianism, bisexuality, bestiality, Kwabena Asiamah, 50, Nyamebekyere, Arrested / Charged 90 at St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church in incest, fornication, adultery, and pornography are Ghana: Rape. Asiamah, an elder at Christ Ap- Raymond M. Vliet Jr., Flint, MI: Embezzlement Ann Arbor, MI, where Crowley was pastor. He was sinful perversions of God’s gift of sex. We believe ostolic Church International, is a fugitive after from a vulnerable adult $20,000 or more but less defrocked in 2015 and lives in a retirement home. that God disapproves of and forbids any attempt being accused of impregnating his 15-year-old than $50,000 and stealing or removing a finan- It’s alleged he repeatedly gave an altar boy to alter one’s gender by surgery or appearance.” stepdaughter. He’s also alleged to have bribed cial transaction device. Vliet, pastor at Old Beth- cigarettes and alcohol and forced him to watch Source: al.com. 7-1-19 the girl with 10 cedi (about $2) to not say any- el General Baptist Church, is accused of using a pornography while Crowley masturbated. The Carlos S. Duran, 37, Las Vegas, NM: 2 thing or he would stop paying her school fees. power of attorney he obtained from a 91-year-old Diocese of Lansing settled a suit for $200,000 counts of child abuse. Duran, pastor at Moun- Source: Ghana Web, 6-19-19 church member with dementia to take out loans for in 1993. The diocese shared information about tain View Fellowship, is accused of striking 2 Mitchell H. Conte, 35, Lincoln City, OR: 2 a pontoon boat and Jeep and cashing in a $4,000 Crowley with the Washtenaw County Prosecutor’s boys and throwing one of them to the ground in counts each of 2nd-degree sexual abuse, luring a life insurance policy. Office that same year but the case was dropped June at the Baptist church because they were minor, online sexual corruption of a child, 3rd-de- “The pastor couldn’t get the loan in his [own] at the request of the boy’s family. Source: mlive. misbehaving. Arriving at the scene, police Of- gree sodomy and contributing to the sexual de- name because he had such a poor credit rat- com, 7-5-19 ficer Estevan Varela called an ambulance and linquency of a minor. Conte, pastor at Oceanlake ing,” said Genesee County Sheriff Robert Pickell. Shannon Griffin, 49, Burbank, IL: Grooming, the boy was taken to the hospital. Christian Church until last November, is accused Source: mlive.com, 7-16-19. sexual assault, solicitation of child pornography Duran was charged in 2004 with aggravated of having sex with a 15-year-old girl who babysat Jacek Ploch, 38, Coventry, RI: Driving under and distribution of harmful materials. Griffin, a assault and battery with a deadly weapon and his daughters, ages 4 and 6. the influence. Ploch, a native of Poland and pastor kindergarten teacher at Jordan Baptist School, al- criminal damage to property. Source: New Mexi- The girl’s brother saw some explicit text at Our Lady of Czestochowa and St. Vincent de legedly sent nude images of her showering to 2 can, 6-28-19 messages and told their father. Conte was also Paul Catholic parishes, was arrested about 9:30 students, boys ages 15 and 16, with text saying Arthur Ivey, 59, Quincy, FL: 2 counts of lewd affiliated with Life Change Church and helped p.m. after he struck a pedestrian with a 2018 Jeep “Come on in.” and lascivious behavior on a minor. Ivey, pastor at run the Spooky Spectacular at Taft Elementa- Wrangler. His blood-alcohol content was higher She’s accused of having sex with the younger Friendship Primitive Baptist Church, is accused of ry School last Halloween. Source: Lincoln City than 0.15%, an affidavit said. The pedestrian was boy at least 5 times starting with the initial encoun- inappropriately touching 3 children at a child wel- Homepage, 6-13-19 hospitalized in stable condition. Source: Provi- ter in 2013 and giving him a bottle of Maker’s Mark fare facility. One said the alleged abuse had gone dence Journal, 7-16-19 bourbon, said prosecutor Kyle Gruca. The alleged on for nearly 2 years. Source: Tallahassee Demo- Sentenced Gregory Dow, 60, Manheim, PA: 4 federal conduct continued until 2018. Griffin is married to crat, 6-25-19 counts of engaging in an explicit sex act with a minor the pastor who runs the school and has 3 adult Mark S. Witt, 69, and Jason Witt, 37, Som- Chuck Kormanski, 57, Bellefonte, PA: 11½ to in a foreign country. Dow is accused of assaulting daughters. Source: Chicago Tribune, 7-4-19 erset, PA: Failing to report child abuse. The Witts, 23½ months in the county jail, 5 years’ probation, girls between 2013-17 at an orphanage he found- William C. Claveria, 32, Toronto: 22 counts father and son, are ordained ministers who oper- 350 hours of community service and $167,000 in ed in 2008 in Boito, Kenya, where he had moved related to abuse of at least 3 prepubescent chil- ate Teen Quest Ranch, a Christian youth camp. restitution after pleading guilty to 10 counts of theft with his wife and 6 children. “[Dow] purported to be dren at 2 Filipino churches, where he allegedly It’s alleged that a 16-year-old boy assaulted an by unlawful taking. Kormanski admitted stealing a Christian missionary who would care for these or- recorded sexual assaults 11-year-old girl in a cab- the money over a 7-year-period from St. John’s Lu- phans,” said U.S. Attorney William McSwain. and shared them online. in in March while 2 male theran Church, where he was treasurer and wrote Dow started the home independent of a mis- Detective Constable Don teens watched. 379 checks to himself. He also owned Pappy Chuck’s Candy Shoppe sion organization but with financial support of Bai said Claveria met the It’s alleged Pastor Martin State Trooper Sondra until it closed last December. He has filed for churches and church members. Doug Lamb, pas- children in 2018 while frequently texted the boy Haberl said in an affidavit Chapter 7 bankruptcy. Source: WTAJ, 7-9-19 tor of Life Gate Church in Elizabethtown, the first attending Pentecostal that the Witts “are man- to ask if he had touched Jordan Baird, 28, Manassas, VA: 3 years in church to support Dow, previously said he thought services at Word & Life dated reporters that were prison and 3 years’ probation after pleading guilty Dow was innocent. Christian Assembly and himself that day. informed of the abuse in to 2 counts of indecent acts with a child by a custo- Dow fled to the U.S. after Kenyan authorities Jesus Reigns Forever May and did not make a dian. The victim was 16 in 2014 when Baird, youth issued an arrest warrant in September 2017. In- International Ministry. report on the child’s be- pastor at The Life Church, put her hand on his gen- vestigators noted in court filings that he pleaded Source: CTV, 7-4-19 half.” A relative of a par- itals and asked for oral sex. guilty in 1996 to sexually assaulting a girl in Iowa Gabe R. Gilbert, 19, S. Jordan, UT: 5 counts of ticipant notified police about the incident June 3. He’s married and has a 5-year-old daughter. and was a registered sex offender for 10 years. aggravated sexual extortion of a child and 4 counts Haberl said she questioned Jason Witt on June At sentencing his wife told the court that he’s a Source: lancasteronline.com, 7-13-19 of sexual exploitation of a minor. Gilbert allegedly 12, when he allegedly said he only learned of the changed man. Baird’s brother and father have both Jason W. Keller, 42, Pfafftown, NC: 10 counts coerced dozens of teen girls with threats into send- incident in early May “when Mark Witt told him.” been head pastors at the church. of sexual activity with a student. Keller is accused ing him nude images of themselves. When police Source: Tribune-Review, 6-25-19 Baird was convicted in 2018 of electronic so- of having sex with a female student 10 times be- went to interview him in March, they discovered Francisco J. Bautista Ávalos, Mexico City: licitation of a minor and 5 counts of indecent lib- tween August 2008 and May 2009 when he was he’d left in October 2018 to serve a mission with Suspicion of murder. Bautista, pastor at Christ the erties with a minor involving another 16-year-old an assistant principal at Union Grove Christian the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Savior Catholic Church, was arrested after parish girl and was sentenced to 10 years, but all but 8 School in Lexington and a worship leader at his Mexico. deacon Leonardo Avendaño’s body was found months were suspended. Testimony from other unidentified church. The case, originally brought in One girl reported using using Snapchat to talk June 13 in his pickup truck. Bautista offered the girls allegedly molested was barred by the judge 2009, was dismissed but new information from the to “Ethan Parker” after he friended her and com- funeral Mass for Avendaño, 29. as prejudicial. alleged victim caused it to be reopened recently. mented, “Tbh I’m horny asf would you be willing After interviewing him, police noted inconsis- The mother of the victim in that case told a re- Also arrested by Davidson County authorities to help me out?” The girl told him no and “Ethan” tencies in his statement and discovered he’d met porter that Baird should have admitted guilt when in an unrelated case was Matthew R. Hendrix, responded, “I will Photoshop your face onto nudes the victim late the night before he went missing. and send them out.” They were seen together on surveillance footage he was arrested several years ago. She and others 36, Mocksville. Hendrix, a youth leader and Sun- allege that church leaders portrayed victims as li- day school teacher at an unidentified church, is Investigators discovered about 50 potential vic- outside the church. Avendaño’s family believes he tims. After a 14-year-old refused to send photos, was murdered to stop him from going public with ars. The case prompted a new law that makes cler- charged with statutory sex offense with a child by gy mandatory reporters of child abuse. It went into an adult, statutory rape of a child by an adult and “Ethan” said, “I hope your house has good securi- certain accusations. ty ... I’m sending out your location and username Avendaño had recently graduated from Intercon- effect July 1. Source: Fox5 DC, 7-8-19 2 counts of indecent liberties with a child. Hendrix Mark Aderholt, 47, Columbia, SC: 30 days in allegedly violated a 12-year-old girl who attended ... to as many creeps on the web as I can find.” tinental University with a master’s in psychoanalysis Source: KTVX, 7-2-19 and had earlier completed a bachelor’s in theology, jail, 24 months’ probation and a $4,000 fine after the church between June 15-25. Source: Lexing- pleading guilty to misdemeanor assault causing ton Dispatch, 7-12-19 John T. Martin, 41, Florence, AL: 4 counts of hoping to become a priest. Source: National Catho- 1st-degree sexual abuse. Martin, pastor at Light- lic Reporter/Mexico News Daily, 6-20-19 bodily injury. He was initially charged with 4 counts Dean Kaplan, 35, Kensington, Australia: of sexual assault of a child under 17 that allegedly Counts of using a carriage service to access and house Baptist Church, told the congregation in Afshin Yaghtin, 47, Spokane, WA: Obstruct- June that he had “disgraced his family name be- ing an officer. Yaghtin, pastor at New Covenant occurred in 1996 against a 16-year-old girl. make available child pornographic material and 2 The victim told the court she met him on- counts of possessing child pornographic material. cause he had sex with two boys,” a church repre- Baptist Church, was arrested while protesting Drag sentative told authorities. Queen Story Hour at the Spokane Public Library, line while seeking help to organize a See You at Kaplan has worked as a fitness instructor at the the Pole event at her high school. He was then a 800-student Emanuel School in the Sydney sub- One boy, “in either 6th or 7th grade,” was as- the only person arrested at the organized protest. saulted several times, said a case summary from 25-year-old Southwestern Baptist Theological Sem- urb of Randwick since 2016. It’s affiliated with the Police Sgt. Terry Preuninger said Yaghtin was the Lauderdale County sheriff. The boy alleged inary student. He served as a missionary with the New South Wales Jewish Communal Appeal. given numerous opportunities to stay in the des- Martin showed him nude photos of himself while International Mission Board from 2000-08 and on Kaplan also runs his own business, Get a Grip ignated protest area but refused. He and others on a public school bus Martin drove and frequently the staffs of 2 Arkansas churches. When arrested in Personal Training, and gained some local renown yelled slurs like “sodomites” while about 50 chil- texted to ask if he had touched himself that day. 2018 he served on staff of the South Carolina Bap- after appearing on the TV program “Dating In the dren headed into the library. The church condemns LGBTQ people, as it tist Convention. Source: Baptist Standard, 7-2-19 Dark.” Source: Morning Herald, 7-10-19 Andrea Tate, event co-coordinator, said she’s explains in an online FAQ: “We believe that God never received so much pushback during the year Anthony Haynes, 40, Toledo, OH: Life in pris- Joseph “Jack” Baker, 57, Waterford, MI: on after a jury found him guilty of sex trafficking of a Criminal sexual conduct first degree/sexual pene- minor, sexual exploitation of a minor and obstruct- tration with a person under 13. Baker, pastor at St. ing a sex-trafficking investigation. The victim, now Perpetual Catholic Parish, is the 6th priest charged 19, testified that Haynes, pastor of Greater Life as part of a state probe of abuse within the Cath- Christian Center, had sex with her starting when olic Church. she was 14. “This is just the tip of the iceberg,” said Dana “When she had sex with him, she got money. Nessel, state attorney general. “Our clergy abuse When she didn’t have sex with him, she got noth- investigative team is working day and night to re- ing,” said Assistant U.S. Attorney Alissa Sterling. view the hundreds of thousands of pages of docu- She had moved in with the Haynes family, which ments and files seized from all seven of Michigan’s includes 5 other children, after her mother could no dioceses last fall.” Source: mlive.com, 7-8-19 longer care for her. Stephen A. Morris, 61, Four Oaks, NC: 5 Prosecutors said the grooming started short- counts each of statutory rape/sex offense and in- ly after she moved in when Haynes took her to decent liberties with a child. Morris, pastor of Oli- a woman’s apartment, where he and the woman ver’s Grove Baptist Church, allegedly engaged in performed oral sex on each other in front of the sex acts with a 13-year-old girl, now 19, in 2013- girl. About a week later the woman performed oral 14. She didn’t come forward until June. Source: sex on the girl at Haynes’ church, the victim testi- Daily Record, 7-8-19 fied. Haynes also coerced her into having sex with Jerry Thareparambil, aka Father George, 40, 2 other pastors who were sentenced earlier to life Perumbadam, India, was taken into custody after and 17½ years respectively. Source: Toledo Blade, parents of 7 children filed sexual abuse complaints. 6-28-19 Thareparambil, a Catholic priest, is director of a facility that provides shelter and education to boys from poor families. It’s run by the Order of Discalced Civil Lawsuits Filed Carmelites. Source: Onmanorama, 7-7-19 Michael Wight, Fargo, ND, the Catholic Dio- Karey M. Heyward, 34, N. Charleston, SC: cese of Fargo and the Texas-based Society of Criminal sexual conduct with a minor. Heyward, Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity are being sued lead pastor at Eternity Church, is accused of lewd for at least $50,000 by Kateri Marion, 33, who al- acts in a home from 2012-15. He also served with leges Wight sexually assaulted her while he was the Coastal Crisis Chaplaincy. The alleged victim’s pastor at St. Ann’s Catholic Church in Belcourt on mother spoke at the bond hearing: “I was heartbro- the Ft. Berthold Indian Reservation. Marion is a September 2019 | Madison, Wisconsin | FFRF | FREETHOUGHT TODAY Page 25 member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa. McFarlane entered the seminary, the archdio- Wight, 52, was assigned to St. Ann’s in 2016 cese said. Source: Sun-Times, 7-13-19 from the Society of Our Lady in Corpus Christi. The The Catholic Diocese of Lansing, MI, sus- suit alleges he tried to touch Marion sexually during pended William Auth from the ministry due to confession in July 2016: “Kateri tried to pull away. “serious concerns” about the financial manage- [Wight] would not let her, and instead [he] held Kat- ment of a nonprofit he runs. Auth is affiliated with eri close and shortly thereafter [he] ejaculated.” the Oblates of Saint Francis de Sales. Bishop Earl Marion has a history of being neglected and Boyea also banned Auth from asking people in abused and went to church almost daily, she said the diocese to help fund Maya Indian Missions, at a press conference. She said she reported the an Ann Arbor-based nonprofit he runs that was alleged abuse to Belcourt police “immediately” but founded in 1998. Source: State Journal, 7-11-19 was told several days later that she should let the John C. Miller, Ross, PA, was placed on church handle it. Belcourt police referred questions leave as an ordained Catholic deacon at St. Te- to the Bureau of Indian Affairs in Aberdeen, SD. resa of Avila Parish due to allegations he tried Source: Grand Forks Herald, 7-11-19 to kiss an underage girl in 2016. The Diocese of Renee Bach and her religious nonprofit Serv- Pittsburgh received the allegation in 2018 and ing His Children (SHC), which has ignored a 2015 has forwarded the case to the Vatican. Source: order to stop operating, are accused in a suit filed in Post-Gazette, 7-10-19 Uganda of operating a medical facility without a li- Joe Townsend, Broken Arrow, OK, was cense. Plaintiffs are the Women’s Probono Initiative placed on leave as pastor of St. Benedict Catho- (WPI), which promotes human rights, and Gimbo lic Church during a probe of alleged sexual mis- Zubeda and Kakai Annet, who allege the defen- conduct involving a minor. He was ordained in dants’ actions led to the deaths of 2 of their children. 1988 and has served at St. Benedict since 2007. The suit alleges that Bach, 30, Bedford, VA, When Bishop David Konderla announced new and SHC “unlawfully practiced medicine and priest appointments in April 2018, Townsend was offered medical services to unsuspecting vul- listed as beginning a “sabbatical experience for nerable children.” According to WPI, Zubeda one year.” Source: Tulsa World, 7-6-19 and Annet were led to believe that Bach was a John Duffell, 75, retired as a Catholic priest physician and that she was often seen “wearing after he was removed as pastor of Blessed a white coat, a stethoscope and often adminis- Sacrament Catholic Parish in New York City. A source close Duffell said the allegation in- tered medications to children in her care.” she was raised “in a very strict Mennonite com- Allegations volved misconduct over a period of years. At a SHC was registered with the government in munity over in Pulaski and was sexually abused 2011 conference at Fordham University, Duffell 2010 as a rehabilitation center with a focus on from the time I was 3 until I was 21 by five mem- The Christian Academy in Japan, a subur- allegedly told a participant to lie to church au- addressing malnutrition. Its website now makes bers of my community.” She now lives in Penn- ban Tokyo school founded in 1950 as a boarding thorities about his same-sex attraction in order no mention of Bach, who isn’t listed as part of school for the children of Christian missionaries, sylvania but came to Nashville to watch Gov. Bill to be accepted in the seminary. Source: Catholic “Our Team” despite founding the organization. is investigating 66 cases of alleged physical and Lee sign the bill. “It felt very monumental to be News Agency, 7-5-19 Two former SHC employees also thought Bach sexual abuse of students by faculty, mostly in the there,” Yoder said. Source: WZTV, 7-1-19 Bernard Preynat, a retired Catholic priest was a doctor, according to affidavits supporting 1960s and ’70s. An alumni group representative “[M]ore than one child was a victim of sexual in his 70s, committed “criminal acts of sexual the suit, saying they had observed Bach in a said she’s aware of cases as early as the late abuse by the alleged maltreator” at a preschool character against minors under 16,” a French “clinical coat” and assumed she was a medical 1950s and as recent as the 1990s. operated by Washington Hebrew Congrega- church tribunal ruled in stripping him of his cler- professional. tion, according to a cease-and-desist letter sent A statement on the school’s website from top ical status. Preynat has confessed to abusing A group called No White Saviors has been by the District of Columbia superintendent of ed- administrator Anda Foxwell said the school “did Boy Scouts during the 1970s and 1980s and his campaigning for SHC to be shut down. In a 2018 ucation to the synagogue in June. not provide the nurturing and caring environment criminal trial is pending. anonymous article on medium.com, a member The Reform congregation, founded in 1852, for children that we should have provided.” And Cardinal Philippe Barbarin, 68, Lyon, self-described as a white American volunteer is one of the city’s most prominent Jewish insti- although some of the stories she’s heard are was convicted earlier this year of failing to re- wrote, “Initially, I admired Renee for her sacrifice tutions. Eight families allege preschool teacher secondhand, she said “I didn’t doubt the experi- port Preynat to police and was sentenced to 6 and tireless commitment to children battling mal- Jordan Silverman molested children ages 2-4 ences.” The academy no longer has a boarding months’ incarceration, suspended, and was nutrition. It was not until January 2014 that my from March 2016 to August 2018 and have sued. program. Source: Religion News Service, 7-12-19 fined €45,000 ($50,600). Source: AP, 7-4-19 perspective really started to change.” She went The letter instructs the school to comply The Catholic Diocese of Yakima, WA, re- Biodun Fatoyinbo, Abuja, Nigeria, leader on to describe how Bach allegedly got a boy “fat with a plan to correct the violations. The school leased a list of 21 priests and deacons with sub- of the Commonwealth of Zion Assembly, an- and healthy and then sent him home without so “knowingly” violated a requirement that at least 2 stantiated allegations of sexual abuse of a minor. nounced he was taking a leave of absence from much as any consideration for the root cause of teachers should supervise students at all times, Most of the men are dead and none of the others the pulpit to “submit to the concerns of [his] spir- his malnutrition.” it said. Source: The Legal Herald, 7-1-19 remain in any official position that puts them in itual mentors.” The Pentecostal leader is known Bach denies all the allegations and said she’s The Church of Scientology International, contact with children or other members of the as “the Gucci pastor” for his expensive taste in always had only good intentions. She and SHC its Religious Technology Center, “ecclesiasti- public, church officials claim. Source: Tri-City clothes and cars. are represented by attorney David Gibbs III, cal leader” David Miscavige and 25 unnamed Herald, 7-10-19 Busola Dakolo, a mother of 2 married to mu- founder of the National Center for Life and Liber- co-respondents are being sued by “Jane Doe,” The Catholic Diocese of Providence, RI, re- sician Timi Dakolo, recently accused Fatoyinbo ty (“Standing with Churches Across America”) in who alleges retaliation, child abuse, human traf- leased the names of 50 priests and deacons cred- of raping her when she was 16 after grooming Largo, FL. Source: CNN/Daily Mail, 7-4-19 ficking, libel, invasion of privacy and intentional ibly accused of sexually abusing minors since her when she attended his fellowship group infliction of emotional distress involving her and 1950. The list includes the names of 31 deceased called the Divine Delight Club. A week after the Civil Lawsuits Settled other former members. clergy and 19 who are initial rape in her home, she alleged, he raped Doe alleges she was still alive but removed her on the hood of his Mercedes, then said, The Catholic Diocese of Little Rock con- raised in the church from from the ministry and “You’ll be fine. This thing is not a new thing. Men firmed that it paid $790,000 to 5 men whoac- birth and at age 15 be- Prosecutor: ‘When she had was compiled by retired of God do this.” cused Arkansas priest John J. McDaniel of sex- came Miscavige’s per- sex with [Pastor Haynes], she State Police Maj. Kevin Several days after Dakolo’s allegation, a ually abusing them in the early 1970s when they sonal steward before O’Brien, who directs the woman who worked as an au pair for the pas- were between 12 and 15 years old. Plaintiffs’ being removed in 2015 got money. When she didn’t diocese’s Office of Com- tor and his wife alleged he raped her in 2017. attorney Josh Gillispie said the settlement didn’t and placed in an isola- have sex with him, she got pliance. Fatoyinbo denies the allegations. The Coalition include nondisclosure agreements, which allows tion program called “the The Attorney Gen- of Public Interest Lawyers and Advocates has the men to speak freely about their experiences. Hole” because she knew nothing.’ eral’s Office plans to written Mohanned Adamu, inspector general of “The reason we are doing this is because my too much about Miscav- cross-reference the list police, asking him to ensure justice is served. clients want other victims to know that they are ige’s marital problems. with previous allegations Source: The Guardian/Premium Times, 7-1-19 not alone,” Gillispie said. “These five guys lived She escaped in 2016 in and disclosures, said Joseph V. Arevalo, 81, Babylon, NY, who into their 50s and early 60s thinking they were the trunk of a car driven by a non-Scientologist spokeswoman Kristy dosReis. “While release of has been living at St. Joseph Catholic Church, alone, which added on and compounded the suf- actor with whom she was assigned to produce this list is a step forward, we do not view it as “has voluntarily stepped away from ministry and fering over the years.” promotional videos, the complaint says. Source: the end of the process,” she said in a statement. will not present himself as a priest” while an al- All Souls Parish’s insurance covered NBC, 6-19-19 Source: NY Post, 7-1-19 legation of sexual abuse of a minor in the 1990s $250,000 of the settlement and diocesan insur- William Weaver, 69, Lakewood, NJ, minister The names of 11 Wyoming Catholic priests is investigated, a Diocese of Rockville Centre ance paid for the rest. Source: Democrat-Ga- of Linden Presbyterian Church for 39 years, is are on a list released by the Diocese of Chey- statement said. Arevalo, who was ordained in zette, 6-28-19 accused of sexual assault, sexual battery, false enne for substantiated sexual abuse allegations. the Philippines, has served in the diocese since The Catholic Diocese of New Ulm in Minne- imprisonment, intentional infliction of emotional First on the list is Gerald F. Chleborad, 84, who the 1970s. Source: Newsday, 6-30-19 sota has reached a $34 million settlement in its distress, misrepresentation and gross negli- now lives in Colorado and was accused of mo- Jack Herron, pastor at St. Anthony of Padua bankruptcy case with 93 people who say they gence in a suit filed by 3 men and a woman. He lesting 3 teen boys in 1984-85, 1995 and 2003. Catholic Church in Fargo, ND, was suspended were sexually abused by priests and others, the was scheduled to face his accusers at an inter- The most recent allegation was made to the after a woman alleged he touched her inappro- diocese and an attorney representing survivors nal church trial in January for “multiple acts of church in 2016, according to the diocese. Chle- priately while she was a teen in the 1970s. She said. Attorney Jeff Anderson, who represents idolatry and sexual misconduct” but renounced borad’s alleged abuse of 3 different adolescent reported it to the Diocese of Fargo in early 2018. many of the survivors, said the settlement in- the jurisdiction of the presbytery the day before boys took place over a period of 20 years. Herron is retired and has been serving as a hos- cludes contribution of $8 million from the diocese the trial was to start. While Chleborad was a priest in Jackson in pital chaplain outside the diocese. Source: Red- and its parishes with the rest coming from insur- The male plaintiffs allege Weaver performed 1995, he was charged with public lewdness in wood Falls Gazette, 6-28-19 ance carriers. If the bankruptcy court approves oral sex on them to remove evil spirits. The suit al- Sandy, UT. Security video in a store recorded Jeff Gatlin, 51, Louisville, KY, resigned as the plan, the survivors will vote, and then their leges the woman, “H.C.,” was about 35 during in- him touching a coat sleeve on a rack with his pe- pastor at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Parish claims will be evaluated to determine award cidents in 2005-06 and that Weaver once “raised nis. A spokesperson at the time said Chleborad after being accused of “inappropriate picture tak- amounts for the individuals. Plaintiff’s shirt and pulled down her pants so that was placed on leave and “has met with Bishop ing” of students during a May 13 school field day. Four other Minnesota dioceses have already he could place his hand on her navel, which he Joseph Hart and will be receiving counseling.” The school serves K-8 students. filed for bankruptcy or announced the intention began to suck” for about a minute before spitting Source: News & Guide, 6-25-19 While Archdiocese of Louisville spokeswom- to file. Source: AP, 6-26-19 out a small metal ball, showing it to her and claim- an Cecelia Price said photos “showed nothing ing it was a “hit.” Source: nj.com, 6-18-19 Removed / Resigned inappropriate,” other complaints surfaced during Legal Developments The Catholic Archdiocese of Newark, NJ, is the investigation. In a May 31 email to parishio- being sued by about 135 former employees of the Joseph H. Metzger III, Norfolk, VA, was ners, interim pastor Joe Graffis and parish ad- A new Tennessee law to protect children from now-closed St. James Hospital in Newark who suspended from his duties as pastor of Bless- ministrator Scott U’Sellis wrote that Gatlin was sexual predators and human traffickers took allege they lost their pensions because the arch- ed Sacrament Catholic Parish by the Diocese of “getting the help he needs dealing with chemical effect July 1, including removing the statute of diocese intentionally underfunded and removed Richmond due to a violation of the code of con- dependency and depression.” Source: Courier limitations for felony sex crimes in certain cir- assets from the plan, resulting in it going broke. duct involving minors, which reportedly doesn’t Journal, 6-25-19 cumstances. The law applies if the victim is un- Retirees stopped receiving pension checks involve sexual abuse. The complaint was report- Abdullah Patel, Gloucester, UK, was sus- der 13 or ages 13-17 when the crime occurred in November 2017 and those who hadn’t started ed to law enforcement. Metzger was also placed pended as imam at Masjid Umar mosque and and is reported before their 23rd birthday. taking payments never got any money. The arch- on temporary leave last December because of deputy head teacher at Al-Ashraf primary school If victims were 13-17 years old and didn’t re- diocese claims that after the hospital was sold in similar conduct violations and had just been re- for alleged comments he made about Zionists port before turning 23, the statute of limitations is 2008 it did not have responsibility for the plan. assigned July 1. Source: WAVY, 7-15-19 and about women, who he said needed “to be 25 years from their 18th birthday. After those 25 The suit alleges that the archdiocese failed to Catholic priest William McFarlane, who smarter” to avoid being sexually assaulted. His years, the case can proceed if there is corrobo- transfer the pension liability to the new owner de- serves Nativity of Our Lord Parish and St. Ga- advice to women: “Don’t be alone with a man!” rating evidence of allegations or similar acts by spite telling retirees their benefits wouldn’t be af- briel Parish in Chicago, was “asked to step aside A mosque statement said it had chosen to the defendant. The law also increases the time fected. The suit cites a letter in which the archdio- from ministry” after the Archdiocese of Chicago give Patel “some time away” while it investigat- for civil claims involving child sexual abuse to be cese said “The Pension Plan was fully funded and was notified of an allegation of sexual abuse. It’s ed. Source: The Guardian, 6-19-19 filed from 7 to 15 years after the victim turns 18. you will receive, when due, the full amount of your not known if the accuser was a minor in 1997 at Commenting on the law, Joanna Yoder said vested retirement benefit.”Source: nj.com 6-13-19 the time of the alleged abuse, which was before Email: [email protected] Page 26 FFRF | FREETHOUGHT TODAY | Madison, Wisconsin | September 2019 ON THE ROAD

Dan Barker’s trip across the pond

FFRF Co-President Dan Barker performed a concert Barker sits with David Milne, president of Liverpool Barker spoke about “Losing Faith in Faith” (also the and spoke on the topic of “Mind The Dogma,” in Humanists at the same table in Chetham’s Library name of his first book) to the Greater Manchester London at the historic Conway Hall on July 25. where Marx and Engels sat when they wrote the Humanists on July 23 in Manchester, U.K. The host Event funds went to The Humanist International notes that became the Communist Manifesto. and organizer, Guy Otten, is on the left. “Protect Humanists at Risk” campaign. Chetham’s Library is the oldest public library in the English-speaking world, founded in 1653.

Barker, pictured with other speakers, gave a talk on “The Harm of Faith Heal- Barker, center in blue shirt, spoke about “Freedom From Religion” and ing” at the Rationalist International Conference at Cambridge University in performed a concert for members of the Liverpool Humanists on July 24. Cambridge, U.K., on July 27.

Pictured at the 2019 Colorado Secular Conference in Aurora on July 27, are (from left): FFRF Denver Chapter President Claudette StPierre, college students William Trevillyan and Matt Phillips, Denver chapter volunteer Pat Brodbent, grad student Kristina Lee and FFRF Co-President Annie Laurie Gaylor. Both Claudette and Annie Laurie spoke at the one-day event, attracting over 180 individuals from Denver-area secular societies. A packed house of about 180 people showed up in Orlando, Fla., to listen to FFRF Annie Laurie also spoke before the Jefferson (Co.) Humanists on July 28. Annie Laurie Director of Strategic Response Andrew L. Seidel talk about his new book, The warmly thanks Claudette and Pat for their exceptional hospitality in hosting her at Founding Myth: Why Christian Nationalism Is Un-American. FFRF’s chapter, the their home, a patch of “atheist paradise.” Central Florida Freethought Community, hosted Seidel’s talk.

Just Pretend: A Book For RECRUIT A MEMBER Young Freethinkers ‘IN REASON WE TRUST’ Self inking stamp Sample copies for $2 By Dan Barker Illustrated Send $2 with the name and by Kati Treu address of each person you Revised and adorably wish to receive a sample copy illustrated classic. of Freethought Today to: Carefully crafted to stamp out ‘god’ This fun book explores myths FFRF on U.S. currency. Good for up to and religion from a freethought point P.O. Box 750 2000 impressions. of view, and promotes critical thinking. Madison, WI 53701 Item # ST01 Color Edition! Published by FFRF $18 postpaid Please send us only names Buy it from FFRF online of likely supporters ffrf.org/shop Freedom depends upon freethinkers Call 608/256-8900 | Online ffrf.org/shop September 2019 | Madison, Wisconsin | FFRF | FREETHOUGHT TODAY Page 27

Rachel Laser Sarah Vowell Jeremiah Hemant Mehta Trae Crowder Deven Green Andrew Bradley R. Laurence Isaac Kramnick Camara Moore

Mandisa Thomas Avinash Patil Anthony B. Pinn Frederick Andrew L. Seidel Steve Benson Aline Pham Jacob McGee Shiv Shah Clarkson FFRF’s 42nd annual convention schedule Subject to minor changes Convention lineup Friday, October 18 10:15 PM Film: “Holy Hierarchy: The Religious Roots of Racism in America” MORNING OPEN HOUSE To be repeated at 12:15 p.m. Saturday nearly finalized Pre-convention event 9:30 -11:30 AM OPEN HOUSE Saturday, October 19 FFRF is happy to announce that author Samiti (MANS), or the Committee to Freethought Hall in Downtown Madison All Saturday events held in Madison Amber Scorah and U.S. Rep Mark Pocan Eradicate Superstition in Maharashtra. (Free, but reservations required!) of Wisconsin will be speaking at FFRF’s It was founded in 1989 by Dr. Narendra Ballroom, unless otherwise noted. EARLY REGISTRATION OPENS 42nd annual convention. Also appearing Dabholkar, who was assassinated in 2013 8:00 AM Nonprayer Breakfast (ticketed Complimentary pastries, juice, hot bever- via video will be U.S. Rep Jamie Raskin of at the age of 67. Patil has been the execu- event) — Exhibit Hall A Maryland. tive president of MANS since 2010. ages, Champagne, OJ, Mimosas 9:00 AM Madison Ballroom Don’t forget to sign up now to join us Also speaking will be the impressive top AFTERNOON FORMAL OPENING Sales tables open in Madison, Wis., from Oct. 18-20 for the three prize-winners of our college-bound Monona Terrace Community & annual gathering of FFRF members. See high school senior essay contest: Aline Convention Center 9:30 AM WELCOME Lisa Strand, details next page. Pham, Jacob McGee and Shiv Shah. Monona Terrace, 1 John Nolen Dr. MUSIC Dan Barker Scorah is author of Other convention speakers include: Madison Ballroom the memoir Leaving Nancy Northup, president and CEO of Noon REGISTRATION RE-OPENS 9:40 AM Film Preview, Jeremiah Camara, the Witness, which doc- the Center for Reproductive Rights, who (continues throughout convention) Director, “Holy Hierarchy: The Religious uments her deconver- will be receiving FFRF’s Forward Award. Sales tables open in the Madison Ballroom Roots of Racism in America” sion from her faith. Sarah Vowell, best-selling author of sev- 1:00 PM SHORT WELCOME 10:00 AM Trio of student essay winners Growing up as a Jeho- en nonfiction books on American history “The Founding Myth: Why Christian 10:30 AM “Eternal Hostility: The Struggle vah’s Witness, Amber and culture. Nationalism Is Un-American” Between Theocracy and Democracy” moved to China to Steve Benson, Pulitzer Prize-winning Andrew Seidel Frederick Clarkson Amber Scorah become an under- cartoonist and ex-Mormon, who will be Book signing during break ground missionary. on hand doing clever caricatures of con- 11:00 AM Battle of Church & State: Legal However, once there, she came to ques- vention guests as a fundraiser for FFRF. 1:30 PM Henry H. Zumach Freedom From Accomplishments tion the beliefs she had been taught and Mandisa Thomas, founder and pres- Religious Fundamentalism Award FFRF Legal Staff & Mark Dann, FFRF ended up leaving the ident of Black Nonbelievers, who will Rachel Laser accepts on behalf of lobbyist Americans United religion. Amber then be named FFRF’s 2019 Freethought Noon - 2:00 PM LUNCH BREAK moved to New York Heroine. 2:00 PM A Conversation with Sarah Optional Grab & Go Lunch City, where tragedy Isaac Kramnick & R. Laurence Moore, with Dan Barker, followed by Q&A Vowell 12:15 - 12:45 PM FILM SCREENING struck. Her 3-month- emeritus professors at Cornell University, 3:00 PM BREAK — Refreshments (lobby) “Holy Hierarchy: The Religious Roots of old son died on his who will discuss their book, Godless Citizens Book signing for Sarah Vowell in ballroom Racism in America” first day in childcare. in a Godly Republic: Atheists in American Pub- concurrent After suffering this lic Life. 2:00 PM Freethought Heroine Award loss, Amber became Rachel Laser, president and CEO at 3:30 PM “Godless Citizens in a Godly Mandisa Thomas U.S. Rep. Pocan a parental leave advo- American United for the Separation of Republic: Atheists in American Public Life” 2:30 PM Avijit Roy Courage Award cate. Combining forc- Church and State, who will receive the Authors R. Laurence Moore & Isaac Kramnick Avinash Patil, on behalf of Maharashtra es with a Republican mother, their bipar- Henry Zumach Freedom From Reli- Book signing at 5 p.m. Andhashraddha Nirmoolan Samiti tisan efforts brought the cause of parental gious Fundamentalism Award on behalf 4:15 PM Forward Award, Nancy Northup, 3:00 PM Emperor Has No Clothes Award leave to the forefront of AU. Center for Reproductive Rights of the 2016 presiden- Hemant Mehta, editor of the Friendly- Anthony B. Pinn tial campaign. Atheist.com blog website. 5:00 PM DINNER BREAK 3:30 PM BREAK Rep. Pocan, who Trae Crowder, who will perform his Buffet in Grand Terrace/Rooftop gardens Book signing for Anthony Pinn represents the district “Liberal Redneck” comedy act. (ticketed event) 4:00 PM Leaving the Witness which includes Madi- Deven Green and Andrew Bradley, the Book signing for Moore & Kramnick Amber Scorah son, serves as co-chair comedy duo of Mrs. Betty Bowers, Ameri- concurrent 4:30 PM U.S. Rep. Mark Pocan of the Congressional ca’s Best Christian, who will entertain with Friday Evening Program Progressive Caucus their act, “God Gets His Annual Perfor- 6:30 PM SATURDAY NIGHT DINNER U.S. Rep. Raskin and Congressional mance Review.” Madison Ballroom (Ticketed event) — Exhibit Hall A LGBT Equality Cau- Frederick Clarkson, author of Eternal cus. He is also a member of the Congres- Hostility: The Struggle Between Theocracy 7:00 PM EVENING WELCOME, MUSIC Evening program in Madison Ballroom sional Freethought Caucus, of which Rep. and Democracy and Dispatches from the Reli- FFRF Co-Presidents Dan Barker & Annie 8:00 PM “Clean Money Drawing” Raskin is a co-founder. gious Left: The Future of Faith and Politics in Laurie Gaylor: Year in Review 8:30 PM An Evening with Trae Crowder, Raskin will provide a short speech via America. “Liberal Redneck” Video speech: U.S. Rep. Jamie Raskin video in accepting FFRF’s Clarence Dar- Anthony B. Pinn, who will be receiving row Award for his advocacy and career as FFRF’s Emperor Has No Clothes Award, 7:30 PM “Nothing Fails Like Prayer Sunday, October 20 a constitutional law professor. is professor of religion at Rice University. Award” Hemant Mehta ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING You’ll also get to listen to FFRF’s Legal Andrew L. Seidel, the director of stra- “Is Atheism Still Taboo in Politics?” Hall of Ideas FG Team report on the year’s legal highlights tegic response at FFRF, who recently re- Hemant Mehta and victories. leased his book, The Founding Myth: Why 8:00 PM God Gets His Annual Job 8:30 AM Complimentary pastries & hot beverages FFRF will be honoring an assassinated Christian Nationalism Is Un-American. Performance Review Indian rationalist and his organization. FFRF will be showing Jeremiah Ca- Mrs. Betty Bowers (America’s Best 9:00 AM Annual Membership meeting Avinash Patil will be given the Avijit Roy mara’s movie, “Holy Hierarchy: The Re- Christian™) and Andrew Bradley Open to current FFRF members Courage Award, which includes a crystal ligious Roots of Racism in America,” to plaque and $5,000, on behalf of the Ma- mark the 400th anniversary of the intro- Complimentary gourmet cupcakes and hot Annual State Representatives meeting harashtra Andhashraddha Nirmoolan duction of slavery in North America. beverages — Grand Terrace ADJOURN BY NOON Page 28 FFRF | FREETHOUGHT TODAY | Madison, Wisconsin | September 2019 Register now for Oct. 18-20 event Visit Madison for FFRF’s irreverent conference!

Join the Freedom From Religion Park Hotel Madison, 22 S. Carroll Foundation in Madison, Wis., for its 42nd St., Madison, WI 53703 (3 blocks from annual convention from Oct. 18-20 at the Monona Terrace). Call 800-279-8811 or Monona Terrace Community and Con- 608-285-8000 or visit parkhotelmadison. This night view of downtown Madison, Wis., is taken from Lake Monona and shows, vention Center. For speakers and tenta- com, mentioning “Freedom From Reli- in the foreground, the Monona Terrace Community and Convention Center, site of tive schedule, see previous page. gion Foundation.” Rates are $194 (1-2 this year’s convention, and, in the background, the Wisconsin State Capitol building. people, one bed); $214 (1-4 people, 2 General schedule beds); $254 (suite). Deadline is Tuesday, The pre-convention open house is Sept. 17, for this rate. Two-night mini- FREEDOM FROM RELIGION FOUNDATION Friday morning, Oct. 18 at Freethought mum length of stay. Guaranteed parking Hall, FFRF’s national office. for one vehicle for overnight guests ($15 The starting time of the convention, per night, valet only). NATIONAL CONVENTION at the convention center (1 John Nolen MADISON | OCTOBER 18–20, 2019 Drive) is 1 p.m., Friday, Oct. 18, continu- Food! ing through Saturday night. FFRF’s mem- Complimentary receptions include bership and state representative meet- light brunch fare at the Friday morning 2019 CONVENTION REGISTRATION FORM ings take place Sunday morning, ending Freethought Hall Open House, compli- Or register online: ffrf.org/convention2019 by noon. mentary ice cream and hot beverages The schedule includes irreverent mu- Friday afternoon after the start of the REGISTRATION FEES Number Registering Cost sic, FFRF book and merch sales tables and convention and complimentary dessert book signings, complimentary ice cream reception with cupcakes and hot bever- Member ___$60 $_____ and beverages on Friday afternoon and ages at the conclusion of Friday night. Spouse or Companion (Non-member accompanying member) ___$65 $_____ complimentary Friday night dessert re- Optional meals include: ception. Plus, there is the always-popu- Friday Dinner Buffet, $35: Bucky’s Child (Under 18 Accompanying Registrant) ___Free $_____ lar drawing for “clean” (pre-“In God We Tailgate Buffet includes Wisconsin Wal- Student with ID (Over 18) ___$10 $_____ Trust”) currency on Saturday night. dorf salad, home-style potato salad, beer- ☐ I am interested in hotel, meal or travel scholarship Return the registration form on this boiled Johnsonville Bratwurst with sauer- Non-member ___$115 $_____ page. It must be received no later than kraut and chopped fresh onion, grilled Or join for $40 and save $15 ___$100 $_____ Oct. 7 if you plan to order meals. Or sign boneless chicken breast and black bean up at ffrf.org/convention2019. burgers. OPTIONAL MEALS / EVENTS Number Registering Cost $20: Saturday Nonprayer Breakfast, Friday, October 18 Hotel reservations Cheese & chive scrambled eggs, apple FFRF is using three Madison hotels. smoked bacon, rosemary wedge pota- Freethought Hall Open House 9:30–11 AM / Must register to attend ___Free The Hilton Madison, attached to the con- toes, petite muffin assortment, chilled Friday Welcome Party (Dinner Buffet) 5–6:30 PM ___$35 $_____ vention center, site of the convention, juice, coffee, tea and milk. Veggie/veg- Registrant 1 ☐ Regular ☐ Vegetarian ☐ Vegan ☐ Gluten Free is the main hotel venue. The other two an/gluten-free substitutes available. Registrant 2 ☐ Regular ☐ Vegetarian ☐ Vegan ☐ Gluten Free hotels offer overflow rooms, and require Saturday ‘Grab and Go’ Box Lunch, either a 3-block walk or driving or taking $25. For your convenience, we offer a Registrant 3 ☐ Regular ☐ Vegetarian ☐ Vegan ☐ Gluten Free a free shuttle to the convention site. All box lunch containing deli-sliced turkey Saturday, October 19 hotels have blocks Thursday through on fresh Kaiser roll, piece of whole fruit, Saturday nights, with a few more limited cookie and chips. Vegetarian option is Non-Prayer Breakfast ___$20 $_____ rooms Wednesday and Sunday nights. marinated grilled tempeh sandwich. Registrant 1 ☐ Regular ☐ Vegetarian ☐ Vegan ☐ Gluten Free Hilton Madison Monona Terrace, 9 E. Saturday Dinner, $50: Roasted chicken Registrant 2 ☐ Regular ☐ Vegetarian ☐ Vegan ☐ Gluten Free Wilson St., Madison, WI 53703. Call 1-877- breast with truffle glaze, potatoes, vegeta- Registrant 3 ☐ Regular ☐ Vegetarian ☐ Vegan ☐ Gluten Free 510-7465 or 414-935-5941, or visit bit. ble blend, dessert. “Grab and Go” Box Lunch ___$25 $_____ ly/2SPTPlz and mention “Freedom From Religion Foundation.” Rates are $185 (1-4 Registrant 1 ☐ Regular ☐ Vegetarian ☐ Vegan ☐ Gluten Free people), plus tax. Deadline is Monday, Pre-registration closes on Registrant 2 ☐ Regular ☐ Vegetarian ☐ Vegan ☐ Gluten Free Sept. 16, for this rate. A self-parking ga- Monday, Oct. 7, at midnight. Registrant 3 ☐ Regular ☐ Vegetarian ☐ Vegan ☐ Gluten Free rage is $17/day. Valet parking: $20/day. Mailed registration forms Saturday Dinner ___$50 $_____ Sheraton Madison Hotel, 706 John must received by this date. Registrant 1 ☐ Regular ☐ Vegetarian ☐ Vegan ☐ Gluten Free Nolen Drive, Madison, WI 53713. Call No convention meals may be Registrant 2 ☐ Regular ☐ Vegetarian ☐ Vegan ☐ Gluten Free 866-716-8134 or 608-251-2300 or visit: ordered after Oct. 7, but there reservations.com/hotel/sheraton-madison-ho- Registrant 3 ☐ Regular ☐ Vegetarian ☐ Vegan ☐ Gluten Free will be registration at the door. tel, mentioning “Freedom From Reli- ⊲ Total $______gion Foundation.” Rates are $156 (1-4 Phone 1-800-335-4021 9 a.m.-5 people), plus taxes and fees. Deadline is p.m. Central weekdays. Or sign ☐ I am adding a donation to sponsor student convention scholarships $______Wednesday, Sept. 18, for this rate. Park- up at ffrf.org/convention2019. Please tell us about any ADA accommodations you need in order to fully participate in this convention: ing is free and so is the shuttle to Monona Terrace, a 3-mile walk or 8-minute drive. (Make checks payable to FFRF) Return with payment to: FFRF, Attn: Convention | P.O. Box 750 | Madison, WI 53701

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Cartoonist Steve Benson will be drawing caricatures of attendees at FFRF’s convention in October as a fundraiser for FFRF. Pre-registration and meal order deadline: Monday, Oct. 7.