r/atheism

FFRF Action Fund honors Tool lead singer Maynard James Keenan as its “Secularist of the Week” for his recent remarks on the importance of state/church separation.

Keenan, who is also the frontman of the bands A Perfect Circle and Puscifer, spoke in a recent interview with the Arizona Republic about the current political climate in the United States and its religious fundamentalism while promoting a new Puscifer project and an upcoming concert in Phoenix. Puscifer’s latest album, titled “Normal Isn’t,” was released in February, leading Keenan to reflect on the “pretty insane times” our country is experiencing. He stressed that none of the current realities in the United States can be considered normal.

When the interviewer asked Keenan how our country has gotten to this point, Keenan reflected on the undermining of our education system.

“That’s definitely historically where regimes start,” Keenan said. “[Making] sure that the people are kind of dumb and then they can just kind of tell them whatever they want and they don’t have the frame of reference or the tools to debunk what they’re being told, to critically think, to reason out puzzles — and then you end up here.”

The conversation then turned to religious fundamentalism and its lasting impact on society.

“This has to find a balance,” Keenan stressed. “It has to be a breaking point when you have religious fundamentalists calling all the shots. True believers are scary. It doesn’t sustain, right?”

He continued, “Historically, when you have people that are choosing violent oppressions, it doesn’t last. It lasts long enough to hurt and do damage, like generational damage, but it doesn’t last.”

When the interviewer remarked on the absurdity of young people being drawn to religious fundamentalism, Keenan agreed and pointed to the vitality of state/church separation.

“The separation of church and state, I absolutely believe that, because when it comes to state, it’s like … It’s a mechanism,” Keenan said. “It’s a car, it’s an engine, it’s mechanics. There’s no faith involved. There’s a mechanics to this thing. You can have your faith, but it shouldn’t affect how your car runs.”

Read Keenan’s full interview with the Arizona Republic here.

The FFRF Action Fund warmly thanks Keenan for naming the constitutional separation of state and church as a bedrock of American society. Public figures who raise awareness of the dangers of religious fundamentalism and encroachment on the wall between state and church are always a welcome addition in the ongoing fight to safeguard our secular democracy.

Did anyone else find this really sad and distasteful? This man had the opportunity to send people (especially young people) on a journey of scientific discovery. Instead, he sent them backwards to the mythological, tribal beliefs of people from over 2000 years ago. It is awful when you think about it.

Instead of inspiring people in scientific discovery and generating more curiosity about science and the universe, he took the choice to prattle on about the 'beauty of creation' and 'reading the bible'. It is so sad that he hijacked such a wonderful scientific moment, and progressive human success story, to go into preaching mode and to try to spread his profoundly unscientific religious propaganda. I realise he is a pilot and not a scientist, but how is it possible to end up with someone with such anti-science beliefs like this on one of the most extraordinary scientific missions for humanity in recent times?

Personally I wouldn’t, when it comes to friendship it’s no issue, since most of my friends are atheists and not super overbearingly religious. But I would want to date someone with similar worldviews to me and I think when it comes to potentially dating a religious person the would definitely want to push their religion onto me or integrate it into our future, such as how we raise our children, which is a complete no go for me. I just wouldn’t be comfortable building a life with a person who strongly believes in something that I think it’s nonsense.

I don’t even mean it in an antinatalist way. Having kids when you don’t believe they could end up going to a place of eternal suffering in the future is normal.

But if you believe in hell, you’re forcing someone into a test where failure results in eternal conscious torment without their consent.

It’s wild that, in spite of that, religious people tend to have more children.

So, I was at an Olive Garden with my gf. We went to go use the restroom and there was a cross with a gospel paper beside it under the soap dispenser. Maybe I am a hateful atheist but I hate seeing people leaving things such as gospels in places without permission. To me, this is litter. It is like when people leave Christianity stickers on park benches. People do not need to leave their religion on places to inconvenience others. I do not like seeing stuff defaced with religion anything. If you want to GIVE if to someone.. that is different. Maybe this is a dumb take, but leaving things for others who have to clean it up is disrespectful.

The Florida attorney general is FFRF Action Fund’s “Theocrat of the Week” for indicating that he will no longer enforce the state Constitution’s clear prohibition on public funding of religion.

Last week, Attorney General James Uthmeier issued a memo announcing that his office will not enforce the state Constitution’s ban on the use of public funds in the “aid of any church, sect, or religious denomination or in aid of any sectarian institution,” as outlined in Article I, Section 3, of the Florida Constitution. The memo puts forward distorted and historically inaccurate depictions of the First Amendment, claiming that it allows the government to “encourage” Christianity and that Christianity is constitutionally privileged. In response, FFRF Action Fund’s parent organization, the Freedom From Religion Foundation, sent a timely letter to the attorney general, demanding that he honor the rule of law and true religious freedom.

Uthmeier contends in the memo that none of Article I, Section 3 is constitutional and therefore cannot be enforced. Under Uthmeier’s guidance, Florida will ignore the will of the people and will allow taxpayer dollars to directly fund religion, funneling public funds into religious charter schools and scholarships for religious schools.

“Establishment and encouragement are not the same,” Uthmeier writes about the First Amendment’s Establishment Clause in the memo. “No Framer would have conflated the two. The First Amendment prohibits the former (at the federal level), but not the latter.”

Uthmeier continues relying on a distorted historical lens, “It is clear, then, that the First Amendment did not displace Christianity as the center of the nation’s religious identity. At the Framing, ‘the general, if not universal, sentiment in America was that Christianity ought to receive encouragement from the State, so far as such encouragement was not incompatible with the private rights of conscience, and the freedom of religious worship. An attempt to level all religions, and to make it a matter of state policy to hold all in utter indifference, would have created universal disapprobation, if not universal indignation.’”

Uthmeier also specifically singles out the nonreligious in the memo, writing, “The First Amendment’s focus on religion was intentional: Actions motivated by nonreligious beliefs (be they philosophical, political, ideological, or social) do not receive the same protection. … The Free Exercise Clause does, of course, protect the right not to believe in any particular faith … but it does not privilege actions motivated by unbelief in the same way it privileges actions motivated by belief.”

The memo argues that the state’s requirement for charter schools, which, of course, are public schools, to be “nonsectarian in its programs, admission policies, employment practices, and operations,” is a “blanket exclusion of all religious entities” and violates the First Amendment.

“Florida’s Constitution rightly recognizes that ‘We, the people of the state of Florida,’ are ‘grateful to Almighty God for our constitutional liberty,’” Uthmeier writes in the memo’s conclusion. “That constitutional liberty includes the right for religious people and entities to participate in public programs and benefits like everyone else. Any law, or any interpretation of the state Constitution, that violates this basic right will not — consistent with my oath — be enforced or defended by my office.”

By removing total enforcement of the Florida Constitution, Uthmeier is encouraging religious groups to launch charter schools in the Sunshine State. Of course, watchdog groups like FFRF will be there to litigate any attempts at establishing unconstitutional religious charter schools.

Uthmeier has a history of ignoring the Florida Constitution to privilege Christianity. In December, FFRF criticized Uthemier for falsely accusing private companies, professional organizations and local governments of “anti-Christian discrimination” (including Microsoft and the American Bar Association).

FFRF Action Fund asserts that Uthmeier cannot pick and choose which parts of the Florida Constitution he wishes to enforce. He has a duty to follow the rule of law and abide by the state Constitution’s no-aid clause. His memo clearly indicates that the attorney general is willing to abuse his government authority to privilege his religion — wholly earning Uthmeier his “Theocrat” label.

Yeah, lol. Fucking dead imaginary guy from 2000 years ago and he’s desperate for your affections and love. He desperately wants you to believe in him and if you don’t he got his temper tantrum pot to throw in everyone he doesn’t liKE!! Haha, it’s so funny how cultures and people actually force that on people.

It’s also funny how they wrote him like he’s a god who created everyone and everything. Lol, the next fucking bum from a religion being propped up like he’s important 🤣.

I think I’ll believe in the Flying Spaghetti Monster, who boiled in oil for our sins!!

There was a No Kings rally a bit ago at Jackson, Wyoming. This video is primarily focused on interviewing the people at the rally. But starting at 11:23, there was a street preacher who was blaring his microphone. The mayor of Jackson had a little chat with the preacher who, as expected, was quite rude to him. He then dropped it one police confronted him and made him stop. He then calls this persecution.