AMERICAN ATHEISTS ACTION ALERThttp://www.atheists.orgApril 26, 2008 TENNESSEE BILL CALLS FOR STATE-WIDEBIBLE INSTRUCTION CLASSESAction needed now to stop more public funding of religious propaganda!Bills in the Tennessee state Senate and House would create “non-sectarian” high school Bible instruction courses under the guise of teaching history and literature.Senate Bill 4104 is slated for a vote this week. The measure is sponsored by State Sen. Roy Herron (D-Dresden), with a mirror bill in the House introduced by Rep. Mark Maddox (DE-Dresden). According to the Jackson Sun newspaper, “If it becomes law, the legislation would make the Bible course a state-approved elective, and school boards would no longer have to apply for a specific course through the Department of Education.”Fifteen counties in Tennessee already use public money to operate similar instruction units which employ a variety of disingenuous labels such as “Bible History” or “The Bible as Literature.” Sen. Herron wants more school districts to adopt the classes, saying “There are school systems all over the state that are afraid to offer a course about the Bible because they’re afraid of being sued.”Despite claims that these courses are about “history” or “literature,” though, Bible instruction is often used to conceal a sectarian (Christian) religious agenda. One supporter of the bill told WTVF news, “If people went back to the Bible, we’d have morals back in America.”This legislation does not provide the kind of oversight necessary to prevent proselytizing. It also uses tax money to create an instructional unit focusing on a religious text with roots in Judeo-Christianity, while ignoring other religions, or purely secular philosophies and writings. Critics also charge that measures like this “smuggle” fundamentalist Christianity into the public schools. TENNESSEE LEGISLATORS NEED TO HEARFROM US NOW!* Letter, e-mails, faxes and phone calls are need now to stop this unconstitutional attempt to promote religion in our public schools. Visit the web site of the Tennessee Legislature at http://www.legislature.state.tn.us/ .* Tell lawmakers that Americans should not be compelled to subsidize religious instruction with tax money. School budgets are being slashed because of the current economic climate. Money for important areas like science instruction is being reduced. * Despite claims made by supporters of this legislation, there are no effective controls in place to guarantee that these courses are “objective” and do not open the door to sectarian religious proselytizing. The course focuses on Judeo-Christianity while ignoring the history and literature of other faith-traditions, and alternative secular philosophies as well.* Make your letters and E-mails brief, polite and to the point. (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.)

FRANK ZINDLER, Editor of American Atheist Press will speak to the FreeInquiry Group of Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky this Sunday, April 27,2008. Frank will discuss The Myth of Nazareth, the controversial new book by ReneSalm that explores the archaeological and historical data showing thatNazareth was not inhabited at the time of the alleged figure Jesus Christ.Frank muses: “Can the Wizard of Oz be real if there was never a land of Oz?” Frank Zindler is a profession linguist and historian with expertise inancient languages. He is the author of numerous books and articles aboutAtheism, religion and related topics. He is also a member of severallearned societies including the American Association for the Advancement ofScience; the New York Academy of Science; Society of Biblical Literature;and the American Schools of Oriental Research. Frank is also a nationallyrecognized lecturer and debater in the ongoing battle of creationist pseudoscience and evolution. Copies of Renee Salm’s “The Myth of Nazareth” published by American AtheistPress will be available for purchase. The lectures takes place April 27, 2008 (Sunday) beginning at 2:00 PM at theVernon Manor Hotel, 400 Oak St. in Cincinnati, Ohio. The event is free andopen to the public, and is parking at the Vernon Manor. For furtherinformation including detailed driving directions, visithttp://www.gofigger.org . WHO & WHAT: Frank Zindler speaking on The Myth of Nazareth WHEN: This Sunday, April 27, 2008 beginning at 2:00 PM WHERE: Vernon Manor Hotel, 400 Oak St. in Cincinnati, Ohio. The event isfree and open to the public, and is parking at the Vernon Manor. MORE INFO: http://www.gofigger.org (AMERICAN ATHEISTS is a nationwide movement that defends civil rights forAtheists, Freethinkers and other nonbelievers; works for the totalseparation of church and state; and addresses issues of First Amendmentpublic policy.)

“Expelled the movie” is being sued by Yoko Ono, in what may be the best thing she ever did.It seems our less-than-honest friends at Expelled not only lied to viewers about the intellectual viability of an invisible man in the sky, but they also used IMAGINE without permission. Lennon’s song is anything but religious, and Yoko wants to make sure her husband’s name is not used for such tripe.

Yoko Ono is suing the producers of a movie that challenges the concept of Darwinian evolution, saying they used the song “Imagine” without her permission and led the blogosphere to accuse her of “selling out.” …Ono’s lawsuit claims the producers did not ask for permission either because they knew they could not get it or because they did not want to pay for the rights. It objects to the way “Imagine” is listed in the film’s credits, saying it suggested to members of the news media and others that the song’s use had been approved. “Internet ‘bloggers’ immediately began accusing Mrs. Lennon of ‘selling out’ by licensing the song to defendants,” says the complaint, filed this week. The lawsuit calls “Imagine” Lennon’s signature song, saying it “has become closely associated with and is synonymous with John Lennon.” The complaint, which also names other firms involved with the movie, asks the court to stop the filmmakers from distributing, selling and promoting the movie, and it seeks financial damages. It was filed on behalf of Ono, Lennon’s sons Sean and Julian, and EMI Blackwood Music Inc.

Instead, check out the Forgiving the Franklins Movie, which looks more interestinghttp://www.forgivingthefranklinsthemovie.com/press/atheist.pdf

MICHIGAN ATHEISTS TO COUNTER “NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER” WITH BLOOD DONATIONSPositive Life-Saving Action, Not Passive Prayer, Is the MessageWhat will you do on May 1, 2008, the “National Day of Prayer?” If you are an Atheist and do not accept prayer as an answer to human suffering, join us. On May 1st, groups of Atheists in scores of American cities will go to their local Blood Banks to donate blood and sign up for organ-donor programs. We call our blood donation program B.L.O.O.D., an acronym for Benefiting Lives of Others Donations. It’s simple. Here’s what you do: 1) Find your local blood bank by accessing http://www.americanblood.org/ (Bottom left corner, type in your zip code to find your local blood bank.) 2) Tell your local Red Cross Donation Center that you are donating on behalf of the Michigan Atheists Blood drive. Then……………… 3) Report your donation to Michigan Atheists B.L.O.O.D chariman, Chris McLaughlin at ccmclaugh@comcast.net who will report your donation to national B.L.O.O.D4) If you live near the Detroit Metro area, please join Michigan AtheistsWHEN: May 1, 2008TIME: 4:00-6:45pmWHERE: American Red Cross Donation Center, 1605 S. Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Hills, MI 48302 Thanks for your support. For additional information contact, Chris McLaughlin, Michigan Atheists B.L.O.O.D Chairman Ccmclaugh@comcast.netFORWARDED MESSAGE BY:ARLENE-MARIE, Michigan Atheists Affiliate Director(313) 938-5960 amarie@atheists.org http://www.michiganatheists.org/P.O. Box 0025, Allen Park, MI 48101Michigan Atheists is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, social and educational organization defending Atheists civil rights and dedicated to the complete and absolute separation of state and church. Action without discussion is dangerous. Discussion without action is futile.

CATHOLIC priest who floated away under hundreds of helium balloons in a bid to raise money for his parish is missing off Brazil.Only pieces of the party balloons have been found by searchers looking for Reverend Adelir Antonio de Carli off the coast of Santa Catarina state, the Associated Press reported.Mr de Carli, 41, lifted off from the port city of Paranagua yesterday afternoon wearing a helmet, thermal suit and a parachute.He was reported missing about eight hours later after losing contact with port authority officials, according to the treasurer of his Sao Cristovao parish, Denise Gallas.Mr de Carli had been trying to break a 19-hour record for flying with balloons to raise money for a spiritual rest-stop for truckers in Paranagua, Brazil’s second-largest port for agricultural products.A video posted on the G1 website of Globo TV showed the smiling 41-year-old priest slipping into a flight suit, being strapped to a seat attached to a huge column green, red, white and yellow balloons, and soaring into the air to the cheers of a crowd.He soared to an altitude of 6000m then descended to about 2500m for his flight to the city of Dourados, 750km northwest of his parish.But winds pushed him out to sea and Mr de Carli was 50km off the coast when he last contacted Paranagua’s port authority, Ms Gallas said.

All Howard Stern fans seem to have the same song running through their head.