MS Fares Poorly on Secular Coalition's Congressional Report Card

The Secular Coalition for America recently released their 2011 Congressional Report Card based on how our representatives have voted on legislation of relevance to the secular community.



Not surprisingly, our elected representatives in Mississippi did not score particularly well. Of the four representatives scored, Rep. Thompson earned a B grade while Harper, Nunnelee, and Palazzo all earned Fs.

Is there anything we can do about this? I think it would be nice to thank Rep. Thompson. Sure, he could do better. But he's still far ahead of the others. By thanking him, we also let him know that we are paying attention.

As far as the others, Secular News Daily has some great ideas about how we can hold them accountable. To contact your representative, begin here.

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Jessica Ahlquist and Christian Hate

Tayler Crocker, True Christian

Hi everyone. I've been out of pocket for the holidays, gleefully celebrating with family and doing my best to just let the world spin, but bringing me out of my cocoon is the news about Jessica Ahlquist winning her court case against her high school concerning its posting of prayer on the school's walls. I applaud her for the courage it must have taken to go against the dominant will of not only her school, but probably her community. We need more atheists like her.

Of particular interest to me is the reaction of Christians to this decision. Yet again, the courts have reaffirmed yet that the State cannot endorse religion. One would think that, by now, the Christian majority would get it. One would think that by now they would understand that they can't put their religious nonsense on public grounds, but no. And what we see is exactly what we have come to expect: The Christians, who routinely tout themselves as the highly moral (and atheists as the supremely amoral) among us, the true arbiters of goodness and decency, show themselves for what they really are: Hate mongers, simpletons, fantasy-addicts, among other descriptors I could have chosen.

Observe from Jessica's twitter feed:

"I hope there's lots of banners in hell when your rotting in there you atheist fuck"

"gods going to fuck your ass with that banner scumbag"

For an extensive catalog of the harassment Jessica has endured, follow this link.

One might cut these kids some slack because, well, they are stupid kids, but then there's this piece that has not only emphatically called Jessica a "bigot", but has posted a photoshopped photo to hammer home the point.

I can only conclude that these people, these so-called highly moral Christians, the ones with the one-way pre-punched ticket to Heaven, not only fundamentally misunderstand the constitution of the United States, but are fundamentally abhorrent, despicable people. Jessisca is a sixteen-year-old high school student, for crying out loud. Presumably grown adults attacking her in such a way is beyond the pale. So much for Christian morality.

But all of this highlights another problem: Christians, or the sort of amoral Christians highlighted in this thread, lack critical thinking skills. It demonstrates what Christianity does to the human mind. In their hateful screeds, they do what none of us atheists could possibly do with such effectiveness and clarity: They expose Christianity for what it really is. They highlight, beyond a doubt, that the moral system taught in Christianity is utterly bankrupt.

One might think they would realize the mockery they make of their own religions before they post the hate. But no, they don't, because they don't have to. That is the position of privilege Christians are afforded in the U.S. Their arrogance, their utter disregard and inability to respect a fellow human being says it all.

The hate monger who called Jessica a bigot seems to have no understanding whatsoever that the State cannot endorse religion. Further, in this laughable assertion, he writes:

"In fact, students could challenge this court case, simply based on the First Ammendment: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, OR prohibiting the free exercise thereof.”

Yeah, good luck with that one.

This stuff demonstrates, with unusual clarity, that in the Christian mindset it is A-okay to demonize an atheist, to dehumanize her. Most atheists, the reasonable lot we tend to be, tend to forget this indisputable fact: If you are an atheist, Christians hate you.

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Letter on MS Senate Concurrent Res. 505

In the interest of doing what we can to stop our state's Senate Concurrent Resolution 505, Mims has shared a letter he wrote to his representative and a few key senators. With his permission, I am posting the letter below. Hopefully, it will serve as a model for additional letters.

Dear Senators Brown, Moran, and Fillingane, and Representative Crawford:

As the Chair of the Senate Rules Committee, as my State Senator, as the author of CR 505, and as my State Representative, I want to express my opposition to Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 505.

This Resolution establishes a government committee aimed at forwarding a Judeo-Christian prayer and ministry. This is a direct violation of the U.S. Constitution's Establishment Clause as elucidated in the First Amendment. It is an affront to all non-Judeo-Christian residents of this State. It is an affront to rigorous social science research, all of which shows a negative correlation between the depth of a society's religious beliefs and the health of that society. Mississippi is the most pious of the fifty United States, and also leads in almost every negative social parameter, from teen pregnancy rates to crime rates to mortality rates to high school drop out rates to violence against women rates to divorce rates to poverty rates to obesity rates...I could go on and on.

Meanwhile, the only parameter which correlates positively with a healthy, prosperous, happy community - a high level of education - is ignored as we cut our education budget. Recent studies have shown that early education, specifically pre-K education, has a tremendous influence on positive social outcomes. I suggest that you do not spend a dime of state money or a moment of legislative time on activities which do not have a positive influence on Mississippi citizens, and do everything you can to promote education, from early education through university studies.

I know Jackson. You can walk easily to a venue from the state capitol to any number of religious institutions that can assuage any spiritual travails you may be feeling. You can also easily walk to an educational institution in need of help from the state in providing a good education for its young citizens. The same is true for almost every municipal or county seat of government in our state. I ask you to get your priorities straight and do what will really move our state forward.

Sincerely yours,



Mims H. Carter

Pass Christian

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MS Senate Concurrent Resolution 505

Mississippi atheists, please check out Senate Concurrent Resolution 505. This was just brought to my attention by a reader, and I think you will find it worth a look. It would establish a "prayer and ministry caucus" in our state legislature in order to "encourage, train and support legislative leaders in every field who believe in the power of prayer and ministry…"

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Happy Holidays, Mississippi Atheists

When someone says "happy holidays" this time of year, I always smile and think to myself, "Now here's someone who respects the fact that there are many holidays in December and that people celebrate different holidays." I take it as evidence the speaker is seeking to be inclusive rather than trying to impose his or her religious values on me. It strikes me as a sign of progress in a society with entirely too much religious conflict.

That some conservative Christians believe the Fox "News" hype that this is part of some war on Christmas is unfortunate. They are being used to raise money for right-wing politicians and probably don't even realize it. They've managed to ruin their own holidays.

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FFRF Winter Solstice Sign Comes to Mississippi State Capitol

Given that Mississippi regularly tops the list of most religious states in the U.S., it should surprise no one that our state is home to many Christians who insist on erecting blatantly religious Christmas displays in the Mississippi State Capitol building. This year is no different in that a life-sized nativity scene will be in the rotunda of the building. The good news is that just like last year, the Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF), along with the Jackson Skeptical Society, are helping to counter the religious message with a Winter Solstice sign.

You may recall that there was a nativity scene in the Capitol last year and that it prompted the FFRF to apply for a permit to contribute a reality-based message to the display. You may also recall that the permit was approved and that getting the secular display up was something of a last-minute rush job. The sign was a success, and it is great to see how much better organized and timely the efforts are this year.

According to Annie Laurie Gaylor, FFRF Co-President,

We don’t think religion, or irreligion, belongs in state capitols. But if a state is going to permit a nativity display, then we want to be sure that the views of the 16 percent of the U.S. population that is not religious are also represented.

Exactly! Like Gaylor says, religious displays do not belong on government property. The only way they can be there legally is is the door is opened to alternatives. And by getting an alternative message there, the chances that the religious message will continue to be there decreases.

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