Why Won't Alabama Let Atheists Vote?
Why Won't Alabama Let Atheists Vote?
You shouldn't have to perjure yourself to exercise your rights!
The State of Alabama is being sued by the Freedom From Religious Foundation on behalf of atheists in the state who were required to sign an oath to God in order to register to vote.
Besides the inclusion of “so help me God” being unnecessary and unconstitutional, if we were to get technical, anyone who does not profess faith in God is committing perjury by signing it. As stated on the form, “If you falsely sign this statement, you can be convicted and imprisoned for up to five years.” When an atheist being represented in the case contacted the office of the Secretary of State about not being able to honorably sign the form, he was given an ultimatum: sign it or don’t vote.
The solution of removing the oath would be simple enough to satisfy those of every creed, but Alabama would rather spend taxpayer money in federal court defending their need to plaster mention of God on every surface in government. Insecure in your relationship with God, Alabama?
We can’t wait to see the new Borat movie.
Borat told an apparently gullible pastor at a crisis pregnancy center that he impregnated his daughter...Jagshemash. If you see only one moviefilm this year, please see the only one that got made - mine. Great success! Please, you look. Chenquieh. https://t.co/ygtv4RT4GG
Sacha Baron Cohen @SachaBaronCohenIt’s always been baffling that Republicans get the “pro-life” vote, considered their propensity to keep kids in cages, their pro-death penalty stance, their trigger happy position on guns and war, their desire to strip citizens of healthcare, their fight to create obstacles to obtaining birth control (even though it prevents the need for an abortion)— we could go on and on. The point isn’t missed on a new group that launched today, “Pro-Life Evangelicals for Biden,” co-founded by Richard Nixon’s former pastor, John Huffman.
“We want to make it clear that there is a dimension to pro-life that goes beyond abortion,” Huffman told CNN.
While I won’t go so far as to say we have more in common than not, we do welcome this better-reasoned version of “pro-life” to our side of the political spectrum.
This is an awful take on our current mess from InfoWars co-host DeAnna Lorraine:
As a result of a flood of child sexual abuse lawsuits, The Diocese of Rockville Centre in New York is declaring bankruptcy, making them largest diocese to go bust so far. The State of New York temporary lifted the statute of limitations for abuse victims in 2017 and the diocese has paid out over $62 million to approximately 350 sexual abuse victims since. The remaining 200 victims awaiting justice will likely be prioritized when the diocese’s assets are sold off.
We celebrate this downfall awkwardly. On one hand, a lot of torment and abuse has been brought to light and will hopefully come to an end. On the other hand, there is a debatable amount of good these churches have brought to their communities in the form of resources, employment, and education. According to the diocese’s announcement, churches and schools will remain open and the financial hit will be mostly on the administrative side.You’ve got to hand it to the priests in the video, who didn’t dodge the Church’s guilt on the matter.
Conservatives like Bill Donohue of The Catholic League want so badly for there to be a war against Christianity — a reason to cry persecution — that they invent hostility to report. Like how he decries the newly-launched “Humanists for Biden” is a group of “Christian bashers,” basing his claim on nothing more than the group’s general progressive views. Sure, Humanists are opposed to a lot of the same things Conservative Christians want — like school vouchers, abortion restrictions, and prevailing Christian Nationalism — but to say a group in disagreement with you only exists to be slanderous is to admit you have no mature defense for your positions. I will give Donohue a penalty point because Hemant did refer to him as a “blowhard” in the original post.
Right-wing activist Dave Daubenmire can’t even allow his political enemies to maintain their humanity. Like, literally, he claims Joe Biden isn’t human. In his post-debate chat with Sheila Zilinsky on her conspiracy theory podcast, Daubenmire said:
“It’s like he’s not even a human being,” Daubenmire said. “It’s like there’s nothing inside there.”
“You look deeply into the eyes of Joe last night, and, boy, I just [don’t know],” he added. “One of the listeners to my own show said today — and Sheila, you can go back and look at this — there’s no aura around Joe Biden. He’s just kind of there, you know? So, you have to ask yourself what or who is speaking through that guy? Because he’s there, he’s looking in the camera, he’s saying stuff, but he’s basically emotionless. There’s something supernatural, Sheila, that’s happening in the governmental realm that I don’t think the average person — certainly even the average Christian — has any concept of what it is.”
Honestly, I can see where they’re coming from, considering Trump is their standard for normal. When Joe Biden is standing beside a petulant man-baby who is spewing lies and insults about his intelligence and family and Joe maintains composure, it is as if something otherworldly, or “presidential,” is speaking through him.
Camp Quest is saying a fond farewell to exiting Executive Director Kim Newton and welcoming Sarah Bingham Miller to her new position as Interim Executive Director. Miller is rising from within the organization, having joined Camp Quest in 2018 as Development Director.
Foundation Beyond Belief also welcomes a new Executive Director, Tif Ho. According to FBB’s announcement,
“Tif is a long-time humanist and secular Buddhist who believes strongly in the interconnectivity of the global community and our collective responsibility toward one another. She has a background as an executive and marketing consultant for early-stage startups, and experience at nonprofits across various causes.”
Friendly Atheist welcomes both Sarah and Tif to their new leadership roles!
We discussed a lot of these stories on the latest podcast:
Finally, be honest with us, you were thinking this when you heard all the news over the past 24 hours, weren’t you…?
