The Illinois Family Institute’s Attack on The Friendly Atheist Equates to Cocking a Loaded Gun

It appears that some Christians are incredulous about the uproar around Laurie Higgins (of the Illinois Family Institute) letter writing campaign against Hemant Mehta and his Friendly Atheist blog.

Let’s be clear; No one is objecting to the Institute speaking its mind about Hemant’s views. We all have the freedom to disagree with anyone’s view of anything.

What are we objecting to? I’ll let Jim from Apple Eaters explain:

If you read this as a call to action, you are not alone. Indeed, I cannot imagine who could read this as anything but a call to action for conservative, Christian parents to do something. But what is that something? It would appear that she wants these parents to band together to somehow get Mr. Mehta removed from his position as a public school teacher. What other action could she be suggesting?

Ok, Jim. You are saying Higgins wants Christian parents to do something. What something do you think she wants them to do?

…Ms. Higgins says that she simply thinks that parents should “politely insist that their children be placed in another teacher’s class.”

Jim, that seems harmless enough? What possible harm could come from children being pulled out of Hemant’s class?

If it turns out that a significant number of parents continue to insist that their child be taught by someone else, and if the school is under any obligation to respect that demand, there seems to be little way that they could continue to employ Mr. Mehta. Further, and this needs to be addressed, is it reasonable to believe that Ms. Higgins wants any child taught by someone who promoting “feckless, destructive, offensive, and immoral ideas” in his capacity as a role model? I would think not. So, while it might not be the case that Ms. Higgins called for parents to phone the school board demanding Mr. Mehta’s immediate firing, it seems ridiculous to suggest that she wants anything other than that.

I see your point, Jim. That’s not good …not good at all!

To Jon and my other Christian readers: All you need to do to recognize how bad all of this is, is to reverse your position in all this. Imagine you are a Christian teacher teaching math in a public school.

Some wicked secular organization has just learned that you attend church – every Sunday. And, to make matters worse, you believe all the stuff you hear there. Heck, you even read the Bible on your spare time!

Even though you never mention God or Jesus Christ in your classroom, those whacky secularists want parents to remove their children from your classroom. It doesn’t matter that you’ve been recognized as an exemplary math teacher. It’s your private beliefs that count.

So, a few weeks pass and half of the children in your class have been moved. The school eventually decides they cannot afford keeping a teacher who is only teaching a fraction of the students they are required to. You are let go.

What The Illinois Family Institute is doing is akin to cocking the trigger of a gun, asking someone else pull it and then claiming no responsibility for the murder.

That’s why it’s despicable and that’s why we fight for separation of church and state.

August 25, 2009 · Filed Under Atheism

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How to Piss A (Friendly) Atheist Off

Us so-called “New Atheists” have gotten a bad rap in many circles. As our numbers have grown, one counter-attack from the religious is that we are not like the old atheists – that we are militantly against religion and are attacking liberal-minded believers who are not concerned with our atheism.

For my part, I am rarely anti-theistic. Generally, as long as you don’t try to impose your beliefs on me – or the government (e.g. educational system) – I think your religion is none of my business.

And then something like the attack on Hemant Mehta – the Friendly Atheist – happens (how militant can a guy who calls himself “friendly” be?).

Links: here , here , and here.

When the religious attack good people like Hemant – try to get him FIRED from his job for beliefs that are never brought up in his MATH class (it’d be pretty difficult to talk about atheism while discussing algebra), it pisses us off.

So, now I’m mad. A lot of atheists are mad. Hemant’s unfortunate experience has reminded us that we must be vigilant to protect our rights. We must band together. We must speak out against religious wing-nuts.

Congratulations to the Illinois Family Institute for getting more of us atheists up in arms.

August 22, 2009 · Filed Under Atheism, religion

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