First Amendment -- The Constitution of the United States
An Educational Organization
Preserving the "Wall of Separation"
See Also...

• School Prayer Decision -- Murray v. Curlett
• Your Petitioners Are Atheists -- Atheist Civil Rights
• The Battle is Joined by Madalyn O'Hair
• Adobe Acrobat copy of American Atheists Amicus Brief. Filed by American Atheists in support of Dr. Michael Newdow's Secular Pledge case.
• Misquoting the founding fathers in North Carolina by Wayne Aiken
• What's wrong with a few harmless prayers? by Ron Barrier
• Before The Court Ruled - Were they really "The Good Ol' Days"? by David Lee

First Amendment

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances."
    -- First Amendment, The Constitution of the United States

An Educational Organization

AMERICAN ATHEISTS is an educational organization dedicated to the complete and absolute separation of state and church. We accept and support the explanation of Thomas Jefferson that the first Amendment to the Constitution was designed to forge a "wall of separation" between government and religious movements. American atheists likewise affirms Jefferson's declaration that no one "shall be compelled to frequent or support any religious worship, place, or ministry whatsoever.."

Jefferson was the author of the Virginia Statutes of Religious Freedom, wherein he presented many of his ideas concerning liberty and individual conscience and freedom from coercive, religious institutions. He was also an intellectual skeptic and deist, who embraced not the Judeo-Christian deity, but the notion of "Nature and nature's god." He condemned the practice of "established religions" -- state supported churches similar to those which had existed in colonial America and throughout most of Europe, saying that to "compel a man to furnish contributions of money for the propagation of (religious) opinions which he disbelieves is sinful and tyrannical."

It was in his 1802 letter to "the Baptists of Danbury, Connecticut" that he put forth some of his strongest language concerning the relationship of government and religious faith:

"I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof, ' thus building a wall of separation between church and state."

Preserving the "Wall of Separation"

American Atheists has labored for over three decades to preserve this "wall of separation", and in doing so, to protect the civil rights of Atheists and non-believers. While we acknowledge the importance of the First Amendment in protecting the various religious groups of this nation -- "religious liberty" -- we also note that the majority of Americans are "un-churched." Tens of millions of citizens are not regular attendees at churches, mosques or temples, and religious faith plays a minimal role in their lives.

And there are over 25,000,000 Americans who describe themselves as Atheists, religious skeptics, non-believers or with similar terms. We have no use for religious creeds; we doubt the efficacy of prayer and religious ritual; and we object to supporting through tax money any religious establishment, event, or ritual.

We are aware that in legal issues concerning "religious liberty", there are those affected to have no religious beliefs whatsoever. American Atheist labors on behalf of the civil rights of these non-believers who defend the right to freedom from religion.

See Also...

• School Prayer Decision
  Murray v. Curlett

• Your Petitioners Are Atheists
  Standing firm on behalf of Atheist civil rights.

• The Battle is Joined
  A First Amendment perspective by Madalyn Murray O'Hair

• Adobe Acrobat file of American Atheists Amicus Brief in support of Dr. Michael Newdow's case in favor of a "godless" pledge of allegiance.

• Christian Revisionism
  Distorting the Historical Record for Religious Ends

• What's wrong with a few harmless prayers?
  Ron Barrier explains what's wrong with praying in schools and courtrooms.

• Before The Court Ruled - Were They Really "The Good Ol' Days"?
  David Lee looks at some statistics on trends after the Supreme Court banned organized prayer in public schools.

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