American Atheists, Inc.
P O Box 140195
Austin, Texas 78714-0195
(512) 458-1244
http://www.atheists.org


                           PRESS RELEASE

For immediate release:
March 4, 1997

         NEBRASKA ATHEIST DIRECTOR CHARGES CHRISTIAN LEADER ''BREAKS
                  COMMANDMENT," MISREPRESENTS PARTISAN AGENDA

   American Atheists today charged that the head of the Nebraska Christian
Coalition (CC), Mr. Doug Patton, has publicly misrepresented his
organization's practices.  In a March 2, 1997 letter published in the Omaha
World-Herald, Patton said: "The CC does not endorse, support or oppose
candidates or political parties financially or otherwise."
   "That's an interesting position, especially in light of the Federal
election Commission's (FEC) pending lawsuit charging the CC with numerous
violations of campaign law for working directly with particular candidates
and tailoring its 'voter guides' to favor Republicans," said Ms. Ellen
Johnson, President of American Atheists.
   "To retain their tax-exempt status, groups such as the CC must remain
non-partisan," Johnson continued.  "They are barred from advocating the
election of specific candidates and/or from coordinating election activities
with their campaigns.  Legally, they may speak to issues only.  The CC has
flaunted these laws at every turn."
   Pat Robertson, founder of the Christian Coalition in 1991 publicly stated
that the CC's goal was "...to ELECT conservative, pro-family majorities in
the legislatures of at least 35 of the states... a conservative majority in
the U.S. Senate... a conservative pro-family majority in the U.S. House... to
see the White House in pro-family Christian hands..."
   From 1990 through the present, Ralph Reed, Executive Director of the CC,
has gone on the record advocating the election of specific conservative
Republican candidates in Montana, Texas, Virginia, North Carolina and
elsewhere.  He has bragged about getting Jesse Helms elected.  Both Reed and
Robertson advised the '92 Bush-Quayle campaign, with Reed serving directly on
the campaign's "pro-family" steering committee.
   "The record is clear," said Ron A. Larsen, Nebraska State Director for
American Atheists.  "Mr. Patton's statement that the CC doesn't endorse,
support or oppose candidates and political parties is at best disingenuous.
 Isn't there some Christian Commandment or something against that?  If Mr.
Patton is unfamiliar with these pithy homilies, perhaps he's heard of
Pinochhio..."

For more information please contact:
Ms. Ellen Johnson, President    (201)334-4033    Email: ej@atheists.org
Mr. Ronald Barrier, NMC         (718)356-8658    Email: rbarrier@atheists.org