AMERICAN ATHEISTShttp://www.atheists.org ELLEN JOHNSON TONIGHT (TUESDAY, NOV. 13) ON CNN,GA. GOVERNOR SONNY PURDUE “PRAY FOR RAIN” FEST American Atheists President Ellen Johnson will be the guest tonight (Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2007) on the CNN program “Out in the Open” hosted by Rick Sanchez. Her segment will air beginning at approximately 8:00 PM. Check local listings. Ms. Johnson will be discussing today’s unconstitutional “pray for rain” vigil organized by Georgia Gov. Sonny Purdue held on the steps of the state capitol building. The “interfaith” prayer service invited clergy and public to implore a deity to send rain to the drought-ridden state. Two-dozen members of the Atlanta Freethought Society, though, had enough of this unconstitutional foolishness, and organized a picket. According to the Atlanta Journal Constitution, signs read “Hail Priest-King Perdue” and “Pray on the Church Steps, not the Capitol Steps.” Remember, tonight is also the airing of the PBS NOVA special on the Dover “intelligent design” trial, so turn on your Tivo so you can see both programs! WHO & WHAT: American Atheists President Ellen Johnson on CNN, “Out in the Open” show with Rick Sanchez — discussing today’s unconstitutional prayer rally in Georgia. WHEN: TONIGHT, Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2007 beginning at approximately 8:00 PM. Check your local listings. MORE INFO: http://www.cnn.com and background at http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/stories/2007/11/13/rainprayer_1114.html (AMERICAN ATHEISTS is a nationwide movement that defends civil rights for Atheists, Freethinkers and other nonbelievers; works for the total separation of church and state; and addresses issues of First Amendment public policy.)
I never claimed that the word “secular” appeared in any founding documents but rather I claimed that the founding documents establish the USA as a secular nation.
I won’t be drawn into your silly game of semantics. Good night.
Alex
Why are you arguing with that idiot Ellen was right!)? Just scroll on by. You will be glad you did.
A few headlines from Iraq today courtesy of our xian electorate.
Religion is for week minded stupid people…..the information age will expose this nonsense for what it is…I support Ellen Johnson 100%
I look forward to watching America become more secular everyday….Fox News and People like Phreedm can kiss my ass….
I have no respect for religion when Its nonsense is in my public square…
Jesus Christ! You gotta be kidding!
Apparently I acknowledge Jesus Christ several times a day
Phreedm really is the most tedious old troll.
Sorry, alexatheist–even when you win, with him, you lose.
Sheesh…
Comment from: alexatheist
Ah…yes, you claimed we are a secular nation…and when I ask for proof….you take your marbles and go home…
What about the burden of proof…?
I guess it only applies to me…
Alex…I’m still waiting for an answer to my question about the first amendment…
I’m sure you’ll claim some other excuse and walk away from a debate…
Poor phreedm… as ignorant of history as he is of law… and can’t even see when he’s beat…
But the breeze from his ever-shifting goalposts is quite refreshing…
phreedm,
You said you see “respect to religion” in the first amendment.
There’s only one method that will yield that result. Selective Omission. By that same method you could take the phrase:
“phreedm is pretty fucking stupid”
and find the message:
“phreedm is pretty”
This is a clear example of the neutrality the government should have regarding religion. Which is exactly the stance of secular nation takes.
YOU are the one making the claim that the first amendment somehow doesn’t apply here.
from merriam-webster dictionary:
secular: 1 a: of or relating to the worldly or temporal b: not overtly or specifically religious c: not ecclesiastical or clerical
In regard to whether US is secular:
http://www.earlyamerica.com/review/summer97/secular.html
Any bets on whether the troll actually reads and understands the info on that site?
Talk about not understanding…
Houston…we have a problem.
So…our FF’s formed a nation based upon secularism…?
http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?search=secular&searchmode=none
secularism- first recorded in 1846???
I always had respect for our FF’s but yikes…were they ahead of their times…
Poor phreedm… cannot understand the meaning of words… probably thinks “libertarianism” and “liberty” mean the same thing too… and started at the same time…
Endless dodging and goalpost-moving by our boy phreedm… he’s terrified to face the facts…
from the site the pinhead listed:
secular
c.1290, “living in the world, not belonging to a religious order,”
Methinks our local yokel needs to learn to read. And face the facts.
66…wow…I thought even you could connect the dots. Sorry to give you so much credit…
Tell me…how could our FF’s design a country based upon “secularism” if the FIRST TIME it was recorded was 1846″?
So you’re saying that the USA can’t be a secular nation because the term “secularism” hadn’t yet been coined?
That’s like saying everyone who died of AIDS before June 5, 1981 actually died of something else, since we didn’t have a name for it yet.
Looks like I win my bet!
Comment from: alatham
Hmmm…terrible analogy.
OK…but say you’re correct. Show me writings from any founders who described “secularism”…
phreedm,
What’s wrong with that analogy? I admit that it’s crude, but on one hand you have a concept (Secularism) that was described and understood before it had a name. And we also have a disease that was described and understood (within limit) before it had a name.
Also, here’s a quote from John Adams:
Here’s another quote from James Madison:
And here’s one from Jefferson you’ve seen plenty of times:
I’ve taken all those quotes directly from the page that has already been linked to a handful of times:
http://www.earlyamerica.com/review/summer97/secular.html
So, we have the 1st Amendment and the Treaty of Tripoli on our side. Any plain reading of either is a clear indication of the USA’s secular roots.
You, on the other hand, have nothing but hemming and hawing. Again I ask, why is a plain reading of the 1st Amendment not proof enough?
I didn’t actually answer your questions as posed, so I’ll finish up here.
Those three quotes all show a very clear understanding of the principles of a secular government, and all three quotes clearly support the same ideals. Therefore, I propose those three quotes to answer your question:
And before you bring up some ridiculous semantics argument, it is necessary to have an understanding of “secularism” before one can understand a secular government.
alatham,
It’s like arguing with a fence post.
666,
I know. I guess it is time to stop reading his posts.