AMERICAN ATHEISTS, INC.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Aug. 25, 2000

http://www.atheists.org
http://www.americanatheist.org

                "PLANNED SPONTANEITY" EQUALS "ORGANIZED PRAYERS"

    American Atheists, a nationwide civil rights and state-church separation
group, today criticized the newest tactic by evangelical Christians -
religious worship through 'planned spontaneity.'
    The American Family Association, classified as a 'hate group' by various
internet filtering system, with the blessings of Mississippi radio
personality Paul Ott and an group calling itself We Still Pray, is
encouraging high school students to violate the recent Supreme Court ruling
prohibiting worship services at public sporting events by planning
"spontaneous" religious services designed to impose Christianity on the
unwilling and the unwitting.
     "These groups are encouraging anarchy in our young people by goading
them into a public display of disrespect," said Ellen Johnson, President of
American Atheists.
    " Are these the values and respect for law that Christians decry the
lack of since the most recent public school shootings?
    "These organizations are harmful to our school children.  They teach
bankrupt values and promote anarchy. The message the AFA and We Still Pray
are conveying to America's children is that they will break any law they
disagree with, using their religion as a cover,  and they WILL FORCE prayer
on the public whenever and wherever they choose.  You WILL hear them do it
and you WILL see them do it.
    "When a group of people organize prayers they are not spontaneous, they
are organized and therefore violate the recent ruling by the United States
Supreme Court in Santa Fe School District v. Doe," she added.
    Ms. Johnson continued, "Crime in school can only be addressed by
teaching
respect for the law and for each other, not advocating more crime."
    "While on the surface, it is not illegal for people to participate in
the worship service of their choice, there is no choice in this situation,"
she said.  .
    "Such actions remind me of The Borg,"said Ron Barrier, National
Spokesman for American Atheists, referring to the evil, totalitarian
villains of the famous Star Trek series whose sole purpose was to assimilate
everyone and everything in their path.
    "Their motto was, 'Resistance is futile.'  I think the phrase is
appropriate in the context of this prayer-bullying promoted by the AFA, and
others," concluded Mr. Barrier.

For more information, please contact:
Ellen Johnson, President     (973) 334-5110
Ron Barrier, Spokesperson    (718) 967-6453

American Atheists, Inc.
P.O. Box 5733
Parsippany, NJ 07054-6733
Tel: (908) 276-7300
Fax: (908) 276-7402