Posted on 05/18/2013 10:39:24 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
The American Atheists of Cranford, N.J., announced Friday they will be sending books on atheism to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources to be placed next to Gideon Bibles inside every cabin and lodge at the state's parks.
On April 28, Ed Buchner, the former president of American Atheists, a nonprofit organization that was founded by Madalyn Murray O'Hair in 1963, complained to the Department after he found "nine Bibles" inside his cabin, according to American Atheists.
In a move to avoid controversy, and a potential lawsuit, the decision was made to remove all Bibles from the state's parks that had been donated by The Gideons International, an interdenominational Christian association.
On Wednesday, following a meeting with Georgia Attorney General Sam Olens, Gov. Nathan Deal instructed the Department to return every Bible to cabins at the state's parks.
"Out of an abundance of caution to avoid potential litigation, the commissioner removed the Bibles from rooms – though they were still available on site – after a complaint from a visitor. The attorney general and I agree that the state is on firm legal footing as we move to return the Bibles to the rooms."
He continued: "These Bibles are donated by outside groups, not paid for by the state, and I do not believe that a Bible in a bedside table drawer constitutes a state establishment of religion. In fact, any group is free to donate literature."
In response to the governor's statement, Amanda Knief, managing director of American Atheists, said, "We appreciate the governor's invitation to place atheist books in the cabins and look forward to providing visitors with the opportunity to learn more about atheism when they visit Georgia's beautiful state parks."
Francine Jarriel, a lodger at Mistletoe State Park in Appling, Ga., said she looks inside the drawers of hotel rooms to see if the Gideon Bible is there. "It's a source of comfort," she told WJBF-TV.
David Silverman, president of American Atheists, announced in a statement, "American Atheists does not believe the state of Georgia should be placing Bibles or atheist books in state park cabins; however, if the state is going to allow such distribution, we will happily provide our materials."
The list of books American Atheists is going to send to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources include: Why I Am Not A Muslim, Why I Am An Atheist, god is not Great, and The God Delusion.
Malcolm Arvin, a Gideons spokesman, said the group has provided Bibles for state lodges around the United States and said he knew of no other state where the religious books have been challenged, according to Reuters.
Good for them. Much healthier than trying to have the Bibles removed.
The godless heathens got their foot in the door. Expect this to gain momentum in other states.
I always say... let’s encourage more free speech... we’ll see which one convinces more people in the end.
Good.
(These will come in handy when the occupant runs out of toilet paper.)
Let me guess ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’?
We don’t need no steenking athiest books in our state park cabins. As a former frequent GA park cabiner I have a feeling that those Athiest books will be fantastic kindling for the wood stoves conveniently located in each cabin.
Bet you won’t ever find a $20 bill tucked into any atheistic material as people report having been found in a Bible in a hotel room.
I always say... let’s encourage more free speech... we’ll see which one convinces more people in the end.
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I agree.
I respect their right of free speech.
I don’t get atheists. Atheism is supposed to be the lack of religion. Yet many act as missionaries for their lack of faith. It boggles the mind.
Again, this is fundamentally ridiculous. A book on atheism? A book on the absence of something? It’s things like this that really debunk the “atheism is not a religion” argument. It has all the basic tenets of a religion.
Books. Are you kidding me?
That’s because organized atheism *is* a religion.
You won’t find a lot of people who are simply not religious busy peddling their lack of religious faith.
Our brains are wired to believe in something, some people’s brains more strongly than others. And devout atheists believe strongly that there is nothing to believe in.
Question: if being an atheist is such a good thing where is O’Hare today? I’ve read many stories about her life. She was a nasty, horrible human being with little compassion for her fellow man and treated them as subjects rather than human beings. And look where it got her.
Ought to save the campers quite a bit on toilet paper...
Momma O’Hare would be rolling over in her grave...
http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20076618,00.html
The main reason these Bibles are placed in motels and such is to provide hope to tenants during dark times. Great idea putting pamphlets nearby that countermand that hope (sarc.). If I was a family member of a suicide victim in one of these places, the first placed I’d sue would be those who put those pamphlets in place.
That’s good that the atheists are going to provide kindling for the campfire.
It's good to see them waste their money.
But someday, somewhere, some troubled soul will read their garbage, and take his own life.
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