Minister-turned-atheist will speak about separation of church and state
By: Louis Goggans
Issue date: 12/2/09 Section: Other Stories
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Barker, the co-president of the Freedom From Religion Foundation, a nationwide nonprofit organization that advocates the separation of church and state, is the first speaker hosted on campus by The U of M Campus Freethinkers Association.
The group, which is composed of atheists, agnostics and rationalists, among others, will hold the free event in the Michael D. Rose Theatre at 7 p.m.
The FFRA recently wrote an open letter to the city council claiming that opening the meetings with prayer was a violation of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution, which says, in part, that "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof..."
The accusations in the letter will be the main topics of discussion at the event, said Jeanne Hanna, vice president of Campus Freethinkers Association.
Hanna said there are three significant violations continuously made by the city council in its meetings.
"They pray as a group in council sessions, particularly in Jesus' name, which is a violation of church and state. They're not supposed to do that," Hanna said. "There are biblical references on the Memphis City Council's website, which is a violation of church and state. They use taxpayers' money to provide gift bags to religious leaders who come and officiate prayer sessions."
Barker presented the letter to the council and assured them that a lawsuit could follow if members continued to violate the First Amendment.
In the FFRF's letter, the organization expressed its opposition of the council's "Chaplain of the Day," program. The program allows different clergy members to open each city council meeting with a prayer. The chaplain receives an honorary certificate and a "goody bag," according to the letter.
The organization claimed in the letter that the program "promotes religion and demonstrates the council's preference for religion over irreligion."
"The council should not be in the business of regularly recognizing local clergy members through official proclamations and presenting them with gifts," according to the letter.