American Atheists Missouri

Last night the Secular Coalition for America and its allies discovered that Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) had introduced an amendment to the National Defense Authorization bill that would allow chaplains in the military to use specifically-Christian prayers at official military events. The Secular Coalition for America unequivocally opposes this measure, and released the following statement:

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The Secular Coalition for America strongly believes that prayers of any kind at official military events are harmful to minority rights, but if chaplains do pray for official events, their prayers should be as inclusive as possible-in keeping with the Constitution and U.S. Supreme Court decisions. Rep. Bachmann’s amendment would force the military to change their regulations and allow chaplains to invoke the religious figures of their choice at official military events, including but not limited to graduations and promotion ceremonies.

“The primary function of the military chaplain is to engage in activities designed to meet the religious needs of a pluralistic military community,” wrote the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals in 1985, in Katcoff v Marsh. Army chaplains were hired to serve military personnel “who wish to use them,” the Court observed; they are not authorized “to proselytize soldiers or their families.”

Given chaplains’ mandate to serve a religiously pluralistic population, it is unacceptable for them to advance any one religious viewpoint over any other, including monotheism over other types of theism or nontheism. To change the current policy and permit references to Jesus, for example, is an insult to minority religions and nontheists of all stripes who serve our nation in the United States Armed Forces.

This kind of legislative effort marks a disturbing trend. Last week a Virginia State Police chaplain invoked Jesus Christ in prayers during the police department’s annual memorial service honoring fallen state troopers. Previously, police chaplains were not permitted to invoke religious figures of their choice at government-sanctioned events, but in April Virginia governor Bob McDonnell revoked the ban on sectarian prayers and the invocation of specific religious figures.

Father of the Constitution James Madison described government chaplains promoting a majority religion as “majority tyranny.”  It would be wrong if enacted by our federal government just as it is wrong in Virginia-Madison’s home state.

If Rep. Bachmann’s amendment moves to the floor of the House, we urge all Members of Congress to vote against changing current military policy to allow for sectarian prayers.

www.secular.org

JOIN SAN FRANCISCO ATHEISTS & EAST BAY ATHEISTS IN A RALLY TO PROTEST THE POPE’S ROLE IN PERPETUATING PRIESTLY ABUSE OF CHILDREN!

THIS SUNDAY, MAY 23, 2010 ~ 9:30 AM

Pope Benedict, aka Cardinal Ratzinger, is more than complicit in perpetuating the ongoing abuse of children by priests. This abuse became widely known approximately ten years ago. Since then the scandals have continued to emerge. We read about the sexual abuse of children, usually boys, that is upheld by threats from the abusers that disclosure will send the victim to hell for an eternity. And when that does not work, there are always beatings.

The beloved Pope has quite the credentials. For many years he was head of what the Church euphemistically refers to as the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, the modern day name for the esteemed institution that brought us the Inquisition. As such he was intimately involved in Church policy on abuse.

In Europe and the United States, many Catholics are calling for a transparent investigation into the Church’s policies, such as merely transferring an abuser to another parish, that perpetuated this incredibly harmful abuse of children. And they are calling for the Pope to resign.

We feel that Atheists and other Freethinkers should likewise show their support for these noble goals. At the same time, we can point out how the very nature of Christianity promotes blind obedience to established authority and how the sexual repression demanded of priests can result in abusive relationships with those lacking the power to resist.

Please join San Francisco and East Bay Atheists in this rally.

Where: St. Mary’s of the Assumption Catholic Church, 1111  Gough St., San Francisco

When:  Sunday,   May 23, 9:30 to 11:00 AM

How To Get There: BART Access: Take the 38 Geary Muni bus from the Montgomery BART station. From the Civic Center BART: Walk north up Hyde Street to Geary, then left about 5 blocks. (Warning: Funky Neighborhood)

More Info:  San Francisco Atheists (http://www.sfatheists.com); East Bay Atheists (http://www.eastbayatheists.org); Don Havis (650-375-1745)

(AMERICAN ATHEISTS is a nationwide movement that defends civil rights for Atheists, Freethinkers and other nonbelievers; works for the total separation of church and state; and addresses issues of First Amendment public policy

American Atheists is incredibly proud to announce a new Affiliate!

Please take the time if it so pleases you to contact this new Affiliate and welcome them to the Affiliate program. American Atheists continues to be proud of the Affiliate program and the individual Affiliates that make the program work!

If you have a local group that is interested in affiliating with American Atheists, or if you have any questions, comments, or concerns about the Affiliate program, please contact Blair Scott, the National Affiliate Director, at bscott@atheists.org or visit the Affiliate Web Page at http://atheists.org/about/local_and_affiliates.

Iowa Atheists & Freethinkers
http://iowaatheists.org
info@iowaatheists.org

Columbia Missouri’s Vox magazine dedicated their latest issue to religion and sex. The article “Atheists and Sex” is linked from this text.

Greg Lammers

Missouri State Director