AMERICAN ATHEISTS, INC.
                           National Office
                P.O. Box 140195  Austin, TX 78714-0195
                            (512)458-1244

http://www.atheists.org                               For Immediate Release
PRESS RELEASE                                         November 11, 1997

              ATHEISTS: BISHOP'S NO-CHOICE DRAFT VIOLATES
           RIGHTS, RAISES ISSUE OF 'DUAL-STATUS' OF VATICAN

    American Atheists today charged that continued attempts by the National
Conference of Catholic Bishops to reverse the Roe v. Wade decision violates
the rights of women, and should jeopardize the church's legal status as a
tax exempt entity.  "Clearly the church is working to influence legislation,"
charged American Atheists President Ellen Johnson.  "The Bishops are using
their pulpits as forums for political activism, and now are announcing their
opposition to laws which guarantee abortion rights, and have been upheld by
the highest secular body in our nation, the U.S. Supreme Court."
    Ms. Johnson said that the National Conference of Catholic Bishops is
considering a document stemming from its meeting this week in Washington
(Nov. 10-13) titled "Light and Shadows: Our Nation 25 Years after Roe v. Wade."
"The explicit goal is to end all abortion on demand, and reverse Roe v. Wade,"
charged Johnson.
    Ron Barrier, National Spokesperson for American Atheists, said that the
continued political activism by the Bishops should prompt all Americans to
re-examine the "dual-status" relationship between the Vatican and the United
States.  "The Roman Catholic Church is a tax-free religious group, but its
also the only religion given a special diplomatic recognition by the U.S.
government," noted barrier.  "If we're concerned about foreign 'soft-money'
and the likes of John Huang trying to influence our political system, we
should take a second look at the 'National' Conference of Catholic Bishops
which is now essentially a lobbying arm for a foreign state, the Vatican,"
he added.
    Ms. Johnson said that American Atheists has the goal of ending all
official diplomatic ties between the U.S. Government and the Vatican.  "The
Vatican is a political entity, and is using its special privileges --
including tax gratuities from all Americans -- to further its social agenda.
That violates the First Amendment, and mocks the separation of church and
state," she said.

For more information please contact:
Mr. Ronald Barrier, National Spokesperson
(718)356-8658       rbarrier@atheists.org