For Immediate Release: September 26, 2008
Atheists Welcome, Oppose Electioneering Sermons
An Atheist civil rights group announced today that while it opposed a “Pulpit Initiative” by churches to openly endorse political candidates, the effort may encourage people to question the veracity of competing religious faiths.
According to Ed Buckner, new President of American Atheists, “The U.S. Constitution cannot be subverted by a few greedy preachers determined to wantonly undermine it, as many have sworn to do this Sunday–28 September 2008 CE–during what they're calling a ‘Pulpit Initiative.’ Their disdain for the rule of law and for the First Amendment is disgusting. The principle of separation of church and state, set forth in the First Amendment and consistently supported by every reasonable interpretation since Jefferson first put it into words as ‘a wall of separation’ in 1801, prohibits undue involvement of preachers in our political arena.”
David Silverman, National Spokesperson for American Atheists, questioned the tax exempt status. “Why aren’t they paying taxes in the first place?”, noted Silverman, “There are more churches in this country than there are pizza parlors, and none of them pay property taxes, even if they do nothing to help the community at large. In this era of economic uncertainty, the public has the right to pay the lowest and fairest taxes possible, and I think we should start by taxing the churches.”
Both Atheist representatives, though, pointed out a “pleasant upside” to Sunday’s “Pulpit Initiative” that may prompt believers to question religious authorities.
“What happens when different churches and preachers end up quoting their holy books and citing ‘God’ as the basis of endorsing a religiously-correct political hopeful?” asked Mr. Silverman. “It seems that when it comes to supporting candidates, ‘God’ is very confused – or maybe His followers are!”
American Atheists is a nationwide movement which defends the civil rights of nonbelievers, works for the separation of church and state, and addresses issues of First Amendment public policy.
American Atheists Welcomes Ed Buckner As Our New President
Ed Buckner
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Many of you who are active in the movement will know of Dr. Buckner's accomplishments, originating in the Atlanta Chapter of the Society of Separationists (then an American Atheists affiliated corporation), helping to grow the Atlanta Freethought Society through its formative years, and then most recently serving as the Executive Director of the Counsel for Secular Humanism.
A hardcore Atheist, Dr. Buckner has written, spoken, debated, and appeared often in the media, both locally and nationally. He has been on MSNBC, Good Morning America, CBS Evening News, Fox News, the Michael Medved Show, CNN, the national CBS Radio News, NPR, and on nearly every local media outlet (radio or television) in the Atlanta and Buffalo areas, most repeatedly. He's been quoted, sometimes at length, in newspapers all over the nation and, occasionally, elsewhere in the world, been a featured guest on many Internet broadcast shows, and given the keynote address for Atheists Alliance International.
Dr Buckner has debated or spoken in Alabama , California , Connecticut , DC, Florida , Georgia , Illinois , Indiana , Kansas , Kentucky , Missouri , New York , Ohio , South Carolina , Tennessee , Texas , and a few times outside the U.S. He earned a doctorate (1983) and M.Ed. (1975) from Georgia State University ; B.A., English, Rice University , 1967.
We had a FANTASTIC response from world-class atheist leaders for this position, and on behalf of the Board of Directors I thank every applicant.
Please help me welcome Dr. Ed Buckner, President of American Atheists!
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Since 1963,
AMERICAN ATHEISTS has been the premier
organization laboring for the civil liberties of Atheists, and the total,
absolute separation of government and religion. It was born out of a court
case begun in 1959 by the Murray family which challenged prayer recitation
in the public schools. That case – Murray v. Curlett – was a landmark
in American jurisprudence on behalf of our First Amendment rights. It began:
"Your petitioners are Atheists, and they define their lifestyle as follows. An Atheist loves himself and his fellow man instead of a god. An Atheist accepts that heaven is something for which we should work now – here on earth – for all men together to enjoy. An Atheist accepts that he can get no help through prayer, but that he must find in himself the inner conviction and strength to meet life, to grapple with it, to subdue it and to enjoy it. An Atheist accepts that only in a knowledge of himself and a knowledge of his fellow man can he find the understanding that will help lead to a life of fulfillment."
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