What frustrates you the most about the religious in America?

There are an estimated 130 million Muslims in India, a country of 1.1 billion people.India’s worst religious violence in recent years was in 2002, in the western Gujarat state. More than 1,000 people, most of them Muslim, were killed by Hindu mobs in revenge attacks after a train fire killed 60 Hindus returning from a religious pilgrimage. Muslims were blamed for the train fire.A series of terrorist bombings have hit India in the past year, including the July bombings of seven Mumbai commuter trains that killed more than 200 people. Most of the bombings have been blamed on Muslim militants based in neighboring Pakistan, India’s longtime rival.

Isn’t religion wonderful for the great job it does in bringing people together in loving admiration of their creator? I just cannot imagine why we atheists do not want to be a part of this loving activity.Peter Nuhn

From: http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/tx/4810551.htmlMay 16, 2007, 5:05PMOdessa school district sued over Bible electiveBy MATT CURRY Associated Press Writer ? 2007 The Associated PressDALLAS ? Two advocacy groups filed a federal lawsuit Wednesday against aWest Texas school district on behalf of eight parents who say a Bible courseviolates their religious liberty.The American Civil Liberties Union and People for the American WayFoundation sued the Ector County Independent School District, asking theOdessa school system stop teaching the course.More info at the url above. I believe that even with the new “restrictions”that have been added to the Bible class bill currently in the Texas Senate,these types of lawsuits will be filed, and with good cause. The classes arenot about teaching, but preaching, and most politicians seem to be obliviousto that fact. Texas members, PLEASE call your state senator now and lethim/her know of your opinion of the Bible class bill. That’s HB 3678. I’mworking on getting the senate bill number for it now.Joe ZameckiTexas State DirectorAmerican AtheistsAustin, TXwww.atheists.org/txjzamecki@atheists.org

UPDATE: RALLY FOR REASONWEEKEND (Sun. 5/27 Speak-Out,Tues. 5/28 Demo at Creationist Museum…http://www.rallyforreason.com THOUSANDS OF Atheists, Freethinkers, and Humanists will be joining other advocates of secular education and good science to protest at the opening of the “Answers in Genesis” Creationist Museum in Boone County, KY. on Memorial Day — Monday, May 28, 2006. We do not oppose the right of AIG or other religious groups to express their opinions, no matter how inaccurate or fanciful. We do support the scientific enterprise, and the teaching of good science. THE EVENING BEFORE this historic event, the Free Inquiry Group of Cincinnati will host a “Rally for Reason Speak-Out”at the nearby Hilton Cincinnati Airport Hotel. Speakers will include Arlene-Marie (Michigan Atheists); Rev. Mendle Adams, opponent of Creationist fantasy and misinformation; Frank Zindler (American Atheists Science Policy Advisor); Dr. Gene Kritsky, evolutionary biologist; Dr. Helen Kagin, physician and many others. There will be an open microphone for comments and Q&A.

No loss.Er… I mean “We are saddened by the fact that Mr. Fallwell, who was talented in so many ways, did not live long enough to fully embrace reason”I would like to express my personal sympathies to members of Mr. Fallwell’s family. Not his friends, but his family.NEW: ELLEN JOHNSON Quoted on CNN: http://www.cnn.com/interactive/us/0705/gallery.falwell.reaction/frameset.exclude.html

Ellen Johnson, president of American Atheists “Jerry Falwell was instrumental in galvanizing millions of American evangelicals into an intolerant, sectarian and authoritarian political movement. Gays, women, secularists, civil libertarians and other groups who did not fit into his plan to construct ‘One Nation under God’ were stigmatized and attacked

Other Ellen Quotes:

“Perhaps the most ignominious moment in Falwell’s career was his appearance with Rev. Pat Robertson on a television program which blamed the terrorist attacks of September 11 not on Islamic fundamentalist fanatics, but on a wide swath of the American people — women (because of their support for abortion), gay and lesbian Americans, and individuals and organizations like American Atheists which labor for the separation of church and state.”"We cannot and must not lionize Rev. Jerry Falwell because he is now dead. We expect that some politicians beholden to the religious right,who perhaps owe their political careers in part to Falwell, will praise him for his religiosity or avuncular style. The truth is, however, that the Rev. Jerry Falwell was a dangerous man who opposed and worked against many of the key values underpinning our secular American democracy.: