ATHEIST ORGANIZATIONS' AGENDA

(As stated on their web sites)

Militant atheism is becoming a powerful foe of religion worldwide. Militant atheists are determined to free the world of any vestige of religion and God. To do so, some atheistic organizations are adopting an evangelical approach meant to proselytize and convert. Their organizations are well funded and well organized. Though they hide their true intents behind a veneer of seemingly honorable aims, such as defending human rights, their final intentions are far from honorable and innocuous. This section is meant to make manifest their true intentions and their long-term agenda.                                                                                                                                                                                                            

Freedom From Religion Foundation

Stated Agenda

"The Freedom From Religion Foundation, Inc., is an educational group working for the separation of state and church. Its purposes, as stated in its bylaws, are to promote the constitutional principle of separation of state and church, and to educate the public on matters relating to nontheism."

<http://www.ffrf.org/purposes> (18 Feb. 2007).

Successes

This foundation has become the most formidable foe of religion in America. It invests large amounts of money into battling religion and has already been successful in the following areas:

• Won the first federal lawsuit challenging direct funding by the government of a faith-based agency
• Overturned a state Good Friday holiday
• Won a lawsuit barring direct taxpayer subsidy of religious schools
• Removed Ten Commandments monuments from public lands
• Ended bible instruction in public schools after 51 year practice
• Halted prayer at public institutions
• Stopped direct subsidy to religious schools
• Ended commencement prayers at a Top Ten University after 122 years of practice
• Ended distribution of Gideon bibles in public schools.
• Brought nearly 30 First Amendment lawsuits since 1977, and keeps several Establishment law challenges in the courts at all times.

<http://www.ffrf.org/legal> (18 Feb. 2007).

Approach Used to Spread Agenda

• Files lawsuits!
• Publishes Freethought Today
• Sponsors annual high school and college atheist based essay competitions with cash awards
• Conducts, annual national conventions, honoring the "Freethinker of the Year" for state/church activism, a "Freethought Heroine" and student activists
• Bestows "The Emperor Has No Clothes" Award to public figures for their criticism of religion
• Promotes freedom from religion with educational products, bumperstickers, music CDs, winter solstice greeting cards and literature
• Publishes useful atheist books
• Provides speakers for events and debates
• Established a freethought book collection at the University of Wisconsin Memorial Library as well as a 2,000-volume office collection

<http://www.ffrf.org/purposes> (18 Feb. 2007).

WHAT THEY BELIEVE

Morality

"Morality is human-made, not ordained. Freethinkers judge conduct by its intent and consequences to the welfare of individuals, humankind and the planet as a whole. Freethinkers are responsible for their own actions, and do not blame or credit the supernatural, or respond to bribes of an "afterlife" or threats of hellfire. The only "higher power" we can truly invoke lies in our own minds and our own intelligence." (Emphasis mine throughout)

Author's comment: This is, of course, highly subjective stuff, for each human being judges consequences very subjectively and is subject to selfish forces within the human mind that do not necessarily take others into account. Have atheists forgotten about their atheist father's warning, Sigmund Freud, that the evil ID within man is always ready and willing to affect our decisions in very egotistical ways?

"Freethinkers accept the natural world, and reject the unproved and primitive supernatural myths about gods, devils, angels, magic, life-after-death and the suspension of natural laws ("miracles") through wishful thinking ("prayer"). We hope that someday humanity will outgrow god-ideas much as children outgrow literal belief in Santa Claus."

Author's comment: They, of course, don't just hope; they will do their utmost to make sure it will happen.

<http://www.ffrf.org/nontracts/freethinkers_info.php> (18 Feb. 2007).

The Ten Commandments

"Do study the ten commandments! They epitomize the childishness, the vindictiveness, the sexism, the inflexibility and the inadequacies of the bible as a book of morals."

"In essence, the first four commandments all scream that "the lord thy god" has an uneasy vanity, and like most dictators, must resort to threats, rather than intellectual persuasion, to promote a point of view.... How can anyone not perceive the pettiness, bluster, bombast and psychotic insecurity behind the first four commandments? We are supposed to respect this!"

Please read, Ten Great Proofs of God's Existence, as a rebuttal to their views on the Ten Commandments.

<http://www.ffrf.org/nontracts/10comm.php> (18 Feb. 2007).

Jesus Christ

"On the whole, Jesus said little that was worthwhile. He introduced nothing new to ethics (except hell). He instituted no social programs. Being "omniscient," he could have shared some useful science or medicine, but he appeared ignorant of such things (as if his character were merely the invention of writers stuck in the first century)."

"Why is Jesus so special? It would be more reasonable and productive to emulate real, flesh-and-blood human beings who have contributed to humanity--mothers who have given birth, scientists who have alleviated suffering, social reformers who have fought injustice--than to worship a character of such dubious qualities as Jesus."

<http://www.ffrf.org/nontracts/jesus.php> (18 Feb. 2007).

Author's comment: This is a blasphemous and inane remark that conflicts sharply with the views of the greatest minds that have shaped our world (See God and the Greatest Minds). Please also note the opinion that the following great minds had of Jesus Christ.

Albert Einstein

“If one purges the Judaism of the Prophets and Christianity as Jesus Christ taught it of all subsequent additions, especially those of the priests, one is left with a teaching which is capable of curing all the social ills of humanity.”

Einstein, Albert, “Christianity and Judaism.” Seelig, Cal Ed. Albert Einstein: Ideas and Opinions. New York: Three Rivers Press, 1982, 184-185.

Dostoevski

“There is in the world only one figure of absolute beauty: Christ. That infinitely lovely figure is, as a matter of course, an infinite marvel.”

Sandoz, E. Political Apocalypse, Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 1971, 42.

American Atheists

Founded by Madalyn O'Hair, the litigant in the famous case which removed Bible reading and prayer recitation from public schools.

Stated Agenda

"TO SECURE OUR FREEDOM FROM RELIGION.

TO LABOR FOR, IN ALL LAWFUL WAYS, THE COMPLETE AND ABSOLUTE SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE.

TO DEFEND THE CIVIL RIGHTS OF ATHEISTS."

<http://www.atheists.org/visitors.center/intro.html#primary> (19 Feb. 2007).

WHAT THEY BELIEVE

Religious groups should not be tax-exempt.

"We have the right to be free of an enormous tax burden in order to support the few people who do go to church regularly."

"We think that giving churches subsidy by permitting them to remain tax-exempt is an unconstitutional violation of the basic principle of separation of state and church."

"Religion is responsible for the increase in child neglect, child abuse, abortion..."

"Organized religion has been a major opponent of the distribution of birth control information, the lack of which has led to the increased incidence of child neglect, child abuse, and above all, the use of abortion "as a birth control measure."

Religion should not oppose various forms of co-habitation.

"Marriage and divorce laws should be based on the individual desires of the participants in the relationship. Neither the state nor the church has any right to say with whom you can cohabit. That is your exclusive freedom as an individual."

Religion is anti-women.

"Religion is antifeminist. The principal opposition to the passage of the Equal Rights Amendment was from religious groups. The cornerstone of Christianity is the domination of the female by the male. If you are a woman, you must abandon religion first before you can talk equality. The position of women in any religious system is below that of men."

Religion is anti-science.

Secular Coalition for America

Stated agenda

"The Secular Coalition for America is a 501(c)4 advocacy organization whose purpose is to amplify the diverse and growing voice of the nontheistic community in the United States."

<http://www.secular.org/about.html> (19 Feb. 2007).

Other aims

"The Secular Coalition for America is the only organization in the nation whose primary purpose is lobbying Congress on behalf of atheists, humanists, freethinkers, and other nontheistic Americans. From our office in the nation's capital, our full-time lobbyist and support staff engage public policy makers and the media on issues ranging from religion's influence on education and medical research to the privileging of faith groups by government."

<http://www.secular.org> (19 Feb. 2007).

"As resources allow, we will actively cooperate in projects that support our position, with priority given to political action initiatives and public relations opportunities."

<http://www.secular.org/about.html> (19 Feb. 2007).

WHAT THEY BELIEVE

"The Secular Coalition for America is committed to promoting reason and science as the most reliable methods for understanding the universe and improving the human condition. Informed by experience and inspired by compassion, we encourage the pursuit of knowledge, meaning, and responsible ethical codes without reference to supernatural forces."

<http://www.secular.org/about.html> (19 Feb, 2007).

Easy access to birth control and emergency contraception in pharmacies.

"The Secular Coalition for America supports legislating mandating that pharmacies and health care providers give ready access to birth control and emergency contraception."

<http://www.secular.org/issues/pharmacists/?view=summary> (19 Feb. 2007).

Stop funding to Boy Scouts of America.

"The Secular Coalition for America urges Congress to bar the use of federal funds to assist any organization that discriminates based on religion -- including the Boy Scouts of America."

<http://www.secular.org/issues/bsa/?view=summary> (19 Feb. 2007).

Supports homosexual marriages.

"The Secular Coalition for America supports a clear distinction between civil and theological definitions of marriage. While a faith group's decision to sanctify a union may be based on dogma, civil marriage should be made available to couples without regard to gender."

<http://www.secular.org/issues/marriage/?view=summary> (19 Feb. 2007).

Opposes abstinence programs.

"The Secular Coalition for America supports the Responsible Education About Life (REAL) Act, which would limit federal funding to medically accurate sexuality education programs. We oppose abstinence-only curricula, which have been proven ineffective, inaccurate and, often, theologically based."

<http://www.secular.org/issues/sex_ed/?view=summary> (19 Feb. 2007).

Supports embryonic stem cell research.

"The Secular Coalition for America supports embryonic stem cell research and urges the administration to lift the current restrictions on federal funding of stem cell research."

<http://www.secular.org/issues/stem_cells/?view=summary> (19 Feb. 2007).

Opposes pledge of allegiance.

"The Secular Coalition for America opposes government-coerced recitation of the religious Pledge of Allegiance by public school children."

<http://www.secular.org/issues/pledge/?view=summary> (19 Feb. 2007).

Who they represent

The Institute for Humanist Studies

Stated Agenda

"The Institute for Humanist Studies (IHS) is a think tank whose mission is to promote greater public awareness, understanding, and support for humanism. The Institute specializes in pioneering new technology and methods for the advancement of humanism."

"IHS provides accessible and authoritative information about humanism and the nonreligious to the media, academia, and the general public... It not only cooperates with other humanist groups, but actively supports them by publicizing their activities and providing financial support to their best programs."

What they Believe

"Humanism is a philosophy of life inspired by humanity and guided by reason. It provides the basis for a fulfilling and ethical life without religion."

• Humanists make sense of the world using reason, experience and shared human values.
• Humanists see no convincing evidence for gods, the supernatural, or life after death.
• Humanists believe that moral values are properly founded on human empathy and scientific understanding.
• Humanists believe we must live this life on the basis that it is the only life we'll have -- that, therefore, we must make the most of it for ourselves, each other, and our world. " (Emphasis mine)

Approach Used to Spread Agenda

• "The IHS Grant Fund supports the most promising and innovative projects in the humanist and freethought communities.
• IHS provides free Web hosting, e-mail and tech support to humanist and related websites.
• IHS developed and now operates the Continuum of Humanist Education, the world's first interactive, online curriculum centered around humanist thought.
• Through our free weekly e-zine, Humanist Network News, IHS delivers news, humor, opinion and more to our supporters and subscribers.
• The IHS Public Policy department lobbies the New York legislature on issues of concern to freethinkers. As a founding member of the Secular Coalition for America, IHS has now brought this lobbying initiative to the U.S. Congress. "

<http://www.humaniststudies.org> (19 Feb. 2007).

IHS Grant Fund

"Launched in fall of 2000, the Institute for Humanist Studies Grant Fund provides grants averaging $130,000 a year to humanist projects in the U.S. and around the world. The IHS Grant Fund has awarded more than $900,000 since its founding."

<http://www.humaniststudies.org/fund/index.html> (19 Feb. 2007).

Who Leads their Lobbying Efforts

(Tim Gordinier) "...focuses his efforts on the New York State Legislature, lobbying legislative officials on such matters as separation of church and state and other humanist-related issues. He collaborates in the formation of coalitions with other organizations in the Capital District area to promote progressive causes.  (Emphasis mine)

<http://www.humaniststudies.org/policy> (19 Feb. 2007).