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

http://www.atheists.org                               For Immediate Release
PRESS RELEASE                                         June 25, 1997

                 Atheists Praise Supreme Court Ruling
         "Special Rights" for believers are unconstitutional

    American Atheists today applauded the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in
the Boerne v. Flores case which struck down the constitutionality of the
controversial Religious Freedom Restoration Act(RFRA).  The justices ruled
that the RFRA did not pass constitutional muster; the law required that
government had to demonstrate special criteria in the form of "compelling
interest" when taking any action that might impinge on a religious group.
    "In rejecting RFRA, the court has effectively struck down the dangerous
notion of 'special rights' for religious groups and believers," said American
Atheists President Ellen Johnson.  "The RFRA established one set of laws for
private individuals and businesses, and another set which was applied to
churches and other religious groups on a selective, discriminatory basis."
    Ron Barrier, National Media Coordinator for American Atheists, charged
that the RFRA gave special "perks" to religions and discriminated against
secular society, and especially against nonbelievers.
    "Under the First Amendment, we have freedom OF religion and freedom FROM
religion.  The effect of the RFRA was to give religious groups more latitude
than that enjoyed by private individuals, businesses, or secular groups.  That
was wrong, and it was discriminatory."
    Ms. Johnson predicted that now the high court has struck down the RFRA,
groups like the Christian Coalition will use this as an excuse to press for
their other legislative demands, including the Religious Freedom Amendment.
    "Now that the high court has again upheld First Amendment state-church
separation, Pat Robertson and his Coalition will say that our constitution
'doesn't work' and needs to be amended to render the U.S. Government more
'religion friendly'."
    Ms. Johnson also noted that the RFRA received the support of "nearly
every religious denomination in the country, from Baptists and Catholics to
Humanists, Jews, Scientologists, Muslims and Hindus."
    "The religious are looking out for number one -- and that's a reference
to their own selfish interests, not some supreme being."

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