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THE FOCUS |
centerforatheism.org |
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November 9, 2007 Volume 3, Issue
46 Editor: Kenneth Bronstein
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The British philosopher Antony Flew was one of the West’s most influential
nonbelievers. Then came news — from conservative Christians — that he had
recanted. But his change of heart may not be what it seems.
Atheism, or in any case, the kind to which the vast majority of self-defined atheists
adhere, is in its essence a lack of belief in the existence of a god ...
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News
Articles Faithlessness on the rise? - The Brown Daily Herald More and more college-aged Americans are identifying themselves as atheist, agnostic or nonreligious, according to a recent survey by the Pew Research ... Newdow Challenges Pledge in New
Hampshire -
CitizenLink Is Atheism the New Civil Rights
Movement in America?- FOX News -
USA Friendly Atheist » 21 Unconvincing Arguments for god
BOOKS, FILM, TV, YOU TUBE Paleontologist Takes on Creationists with Fossil Evidence in ... - New West - Donald Prothero discussed his new book, "Evolution: What the Fossils Say and Why It ... EVOLUTION, CREATIONISM, I.D. Creation Museum surpasses expectations - USA Today He and other scientists say it misleads people by arguing that creationism is supported by science. "I'm surprised that many people have visited, ... Discovery sheds light on the
evolution of early mammals -
Pittsburgh Post Gazette SCIENCE Astronomers find
system with five planets - Yahoo! News
SEPARATION CHURCH /
STATE
Church
gears up to combat "evil" in voting booth - Denver Post
... is not to act like a political action committee," said Rob Boston, spokesman for Washington- based Americans United for Separation of Church and State. ... Applauds
Utah Vote Rejecting Private School Voucher
Scheme - Common Dreams
Americans United for
Separation of Church and State has hailed a vote by Utah residents,
who yesterday rejected a private school ...
MISCELLANEOUS |
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Australian woman who stole a pet goat and was involved in
slaughtering it in a mock Satanic ritual in a church, was ordered by a court on Monday to ... |
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Celebrating more
than one mass a day may push Roman Catholic priests over the
alcohol limit if tougher drink driving ... Stanley Fish: Think
Again - New York Times
Two authors are approaching the topic of god from different – and changed – perspectives.  Episcopal Diocese Votes to Leave the Church - New York Times - United States Some who opposed separation said it would create nothing but chaos for the diocese. Praise-Rock - Music - New York Times
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Senator Questioning Ministries on
Spending -
New York Times
An inquiry focuses on whether six prominent evangelistic ministries have illegally used donations to finance opulent lifestyles. CONVENTIONS /
MEETINGS
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CFA Program
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Special Notices
There are no special notices this week. |
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Legislation
Alerts
The Institute for Humanist Studies (IHS) needs your voice to prevent the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) from becoming New York State law. We need you to send letters to your New York representatives urging them to reject this proposed law, which threatens our rights as New Yorkers. RFRA legislation has been introduced in both the Assembly (A9098) and the Senate (S6464) and has the support of Gov. Eliot Spitzer. Click here for a sample letter to send your representatives: http://humaniststudies.org/policy/rfraletter_102007.html What is RFRA? RFRA claims to protect religious freedoms by allowing people to practice their faith without undue government interference. RFRA was passed in congress in 1993 and was struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1997. The Court ruled that RFRA cannot be a federal law. Since that ruling, almost a dozen states have passed their own RFRA. New York may be the next state to pass RFRA. The Danger of RFRA
RFRA is problematic in that it not only pits the religious against the nonreligious, but religion against religion. Those organized religions that have wide appeal or have already been embraced by the mainstream are likely to be seen as having a more justified claim to protecting their religious practices than those religions that are seen as taboo, misunderstood and less popular. As U.S. Supreme Court Justice Stevens pointed out, in the 1997 ruling, RFRA is a "law respecting an establishment of religion" that violates the First Amendment to the Constitution -- not protects it. New York Doesn't Need RFRA RFRA is unnecessary because it is redundant on both the federal level and state level. Our right to religious freedom is already protected in the Bill of Rights and the New York State Constitution. So why is RFRA allegedly important? Advocates will want you to believe that your right to religious freedom is insecure. But on what grounds do they make this claim? To date, cases in New York State have been dealt with fairly and efficiently. So what is the real motivation behind RFRA? The Motivation Behind RFRA Perhaps one possible motivation is ensuring that certain organized religions gain access to goods, resources and services that are not available to the average citizen and definitely not available to those who do not endorse any particular religion. RFRA essentially establishes special rights for religious believers that are not available to other Americans. In this way, it is discriminatory and unfair. RFRA is unjust because it is the government's duty not to interfere with religious practices or to give preference to any specific religion over the lack of religion. In spite of its language that advocates tolerance and freedom, RFRA actually encourages discrimination against those who do not believe in organized religion. In these ways, RFRA is flawed. Sure, protecting religious freedom sounds good, but at what cost? Opposition to this legislation is crucial in order to truly protect every single person's rights, fairly and equally. Speak out now! What Can You Do? *If you live in New York State, please support our issues by getting involved in the legislative process. Please call and send the letter below to your local representatives and to both: Senate Majority Leader BrunoEmail: www.senatorbruno.com/send_email.asp Mail: Senator Joe Bruno, Senate Majority Leader Albany Office, Room 909 Legislative Office Building Albany, NY 12248 Phone: (518) 455-3191 Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver Email:speaker@assembly.state.ny.us Mail: Assembly Speaker Silver Albany Office, Room 932, Legislative Office Building Albany, NY 12248 Phone: (212) 312 -1420 To look up your representatives: Assembly: http://assembly.state.ny.us/mem Senate: http://www.senate.state.ny.us/sdlookup.nsf/Public_search?OpenForm Below is a sample letter you can send to your representative: Subject: Oppose A9098/S6464 for Discrimination Dear [Your Representative's Name], I urge you not to pass the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (A9098/S6464) in New York State. This legislation, if signed into law, could establish special rights for certain religious believers that are not available to other New Yorkers. Although this legislation theoretically claims to protect religious freedom, it actually encourages discrimination against minority religions and the roughly 2 million New Yorkers who do not endorse organized religion at all. It will put neutral laws under scrutiny and could permit goods, services, resources and privileges to be allocated unjustly to those who endorse religion. In addition, RFRA is unnecessary. At both the federal and state level our religious freedom is already securely protected. Existing law already prevents legislation from placing an undue burden on religion or overly interfering with religious practices. I believe RFRA's scope is too far-reaching and may actually violate the First Amendment to the Constitution. Because it is redundant, unjust and discriminatory, especially in the practical application versus the theoretical language used, we ask you to make sure RFRA does not become state law. For additional information about why RFRA (A9098/S6464) is dangerous to New Yorkers, please contact the Institute for Humanist Studies in Albany, N.Y. at 518-432-7820, www.HumanistStudies.org. Thank you for your attention to this important matter. Sincerely, The Institute for Humanist Studies is dedicated to educating the public about humanist beliefs, organizations, and resources. Specific questions about Public Policy or New York legislation can be addressed to Jennifer Lange, IHS Legislative Liason. [http://humaniststudies.org/contact.html?recipient=4] |
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