Secular group set to host rally in support of separation between church and state in May

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By Amber Sutton | [e-mail]
on February 19, 2014 at 8:58 AM, updated February 19, 2014 at 10:05 AM

MONTGOMERY, Alabama -- On May 3, members of the Montgomery Area Freethought Association and other supporters will gather on the steps of the State Capitol Building to advocate the importance of separation between church and state.

The rally, which takes place on International Day of Reason for Secular Government, will serve as a protest against various legislation and government policies, including those that allow prayer or religious instruction in schools and those that give religious organizations special treatment through tax incentives or exemptions from public law.

"The guarantee of religious freedom granted in our Constitution does not exist merely to protect government from religious influence, it also protects the religious rights of individuals from intrusion by government," said Montgomery Area Freethought Association member Mike Walker. "Whether your religious affiliation is in step with mainstream Christian denominations or your spiritual views are more exotic and esoteric, the founders of our country believed those beliefs to be inviolable.

The single Muslim family living in a Methodist enclave has a constitutionally guaranteed right to attend public schools, attend public meetings, and generally participate in our society without their religious beliefs being demeaned, disrespected or otherwise sullied. Those same rights to spiritual freedom also apply equally to atheists, agnostics, Deists, spiritualists, and humanists."

http://www.al.com/news/montgomery/index.ssf/2014/02/atheist_group_set_to_host_rall.html

http://www.meetup.com/MontgomeryFreethought/

[cbayer]

1. Excellent, I hope that the other groups they are inviting choose to

participate as well.

And very glad that they are using the opportunity to specifically support the Muslim family.