Nonbelievers Organize Against Faith-Based Initiative

Excerpted with permission from AANews, a publication of American Atheists.

July 11--Representatives from nearly a dozen national and local Atheist, Freethought, Secular Humanist and other nonbeliever organizations announced Tuesday a united effort to stop President George W. Bush's federal faith-based initiative.

Under the umbrella of "The Day That Counts," the groups pledged to mobilize their members for an unprecedented letter-writing campaign with the goal of having the country's diverse community of 27 million nonbelievers have their voices heard on Capitol Hill.

"The groups have an array of complaints against the initiative," wrote reporter Emily Rahe of The Washington Times, "but collectively agree that it is unjust and a violation of the First Amendment clause barring the establishment of religion."

It was the first time that such organizations appeared together in the nation's capitol, especially in the midst of a public policy debate which up until now has been dominated by religious groups and concerns.

In her introductory remarks, Ellen Johnson of American Atheists blasted the Bush proposal, and especially White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives director John DiIulio for urging that public tax money be used for the rehabilitation and upkeep of churches. Johnson warned that the faith-based plan program "promises to be the largest subsidy, the biggest entitlement program and the largest transfer of wealth from the public treasury to the coffers of religious organizations in this nation's history..."

Ed Buckner, Executive Director of the Council for Secular Humanism told media, "Whenever public funds are spent, standards for hiring and firing must be set without religious discrimination."

Buckner added, "A woman who has had -- or wants to have -- an abortion must not be denied services based on religious objections to that. A gay man must not be turned away because someone considers him a 'sinner.' An atheist must not be denied employment or the right to public social services because of her lack of beliefs, nor should she have to hear a sermon to get either..."

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