Tag Archives: freedom from religion foundation

Military Atheists, Michael Weinstein Attack Religious Beliefs. Again.

How many data points does it take to prove a trend?

Michael Weinstein has, yet again, shown that his “religious freedom” organization is concerned primarily with encouraging the government to restrict religious freedom based on the content of peoples’ religious beliefs in relation to the US military:

American Atheists Inc., the Freedom from Religion Foundation and the Military Religious Freedom Foundation, in an Aug. 6 letter to Mabus and Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Jonathan Greenert, argued the Marine Corps base has denied them equal treatment by first stalling and then denying their requests for access…

“We are disturbed that the government is giving such extensive support, including assets, resources and personnel, to a single sect of Christianity,” the three groups wrote in their letter to Mabus. “Even more troubling is the ‘doomsday’ nature of the CCCM. … The last thing Camp Pendleton needs is a large group of well-armed Marines convinced of an imminent doomsday crisis.”

Notice the groups give lip service to the issue of “governmental preference,” but they focus on the content of the religious beliefs.  Those beliefs aren’t just crazy — because crazy is still permissible — the critics claim the beliefs are dangerous.

That’s been a common theme of Weinstein’s for years — with every Read more

Court Upholds Exclusion of Atheist Christmas Display

A federal district court has ruled that the City of Warren, Michigan, was within its rights to exclude an atheist display from its annual public Christmas display.  In short, the court said the purpose of the atheist display was to be nothing more than a counter-display and its content could be disruptive.

[T]he Mayor sets forth permissible bases for denial—that the Sign was meant to counter the Nativity Scene, not celebrate the holiday season, and that the anti-religious language of the sign, in this context, could lead to a disruption of city business. There is nothing indicating the Mayor denied placement of the Sign solely in defense of religion; religion was simply not the appropriate subject-matter.

The case was Freedom from Religion Foundation, Inc. v. City of Warren, Michigan.

This is relevant to the military because atheists last year tried the same Read more

Atheists Demand Jesus Come Down from Montana Mountain

The aptly named Freedom From Religion Foundation has demanded that the “Big Mountain Jesus” be torn down, because it resides on (leased) US government land.  Interestingly, it has a military connection: It was raised by the local Knights of Columbus in honor of the 10th Mountain Division:

They call him Big Mountain Jesus: a six-foot statue of Christ, draped in a baby blue robe and gazing out over the majestic Flathead Valley from his perch along a ski run at the Whitefish Mountain Resort in Montana.

He has been there for more than 50 years, erected by the local Knights of Columbus chapter in honor of the soldiers from the 10th Mountain Division who told of seeing similar shrines in the mountains of Italy during World War II.

The Knights of Columbus have asked, naturally, to intervene in the case between the FFRF and the Forest Service.  Even the local resort manager saw the historical value of the statue beyond religion:  Read more

Atheists Demand Removal of Cross from War Memorial. Again.

Update: Liberty Counsel has agreed to defend the town of Woonsocket for free.

The awkwardly named Freedom From Religion Foundation has apparently demanded that a war memorial in Woonsocket, Rhode Island, be removed because it has a cross on it.  The memorial

was erected nearly a century ago to honor the city’s war dead, including three brothers killed in World War I.

The town’s mayor had an interesting response to the call to tear down the 91-year old memorial:

Mayor Leo Fontaine told the Woonsocket Call he will not remove the cross “under any circumstances.”

However, the town is reportedly strapped for cash and may not be able to afford a legal defense.

Atheists and critics of various stripes — including Americans United for the Separation of Church and State and Jason Torpy — have Read more

Rock Beyond Belief: The Truth Comes Out

Apparently, Michael Weinstein of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation thinks atheists need special government support to be considered “equal” with Christians.

The media has had a chance to digest the accusations the US Army post at Fort Bragg discriminated against atheists in their treatment of “Rock Beyond Belief,” and apparently interviewed those involved.

Doesn’t look good for Weinstein and his MRFF crowd.

“I think it all boils down to money,” [Col Stephen] Sicinski said Read more

Atheists Stretch for Something to be Offended By

During the Christmas season it is not unusual to hear the controversy over whether “Merry Christmas” is being intentionally censored or avoided.  Regardless of your political or religious persuasion, there are some ridiculous examples of scornful “Merry Christmas” retorts to what may be sincere well wishes expressed in the “wrong” words of “Happy Holidays.”  Some have rightly said that some Merry Christmas-ers are just looking for something to get twisted over.

Likewise, atheists now have their own manufactured cause célèbre.

The Global Assessment Tool (GAT) Soldier Fitness Tracker (SFT) is part of the Army’s Comprehensive Soldier Fitness initiative.  It is designed to help Soldiers self-assess their Emotional, Social, Family, and Spiritual resiliency.  Atheists have taken umbrage at the “Spiritual” section, Read more

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