The American Atheists logo, based on the atomic model. Officially, the letter 'A' in the middle stands for the country "America" and would in theory change for expansion into other countries. The open-ended vertical orbital signifies that not all is known yet.

American Atheists is an organization in the U.S. dedicated to defending the civil liberties of atheists and advocating for the complete separation of church and state. Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... For other uses, see Atom (disambiguation). ... Motto: (Out Of Many, One) (traditional) In God We Trust (1956 to date) Anthem: The Star-Spangled Banner Capital Washington D.C. Largest city New York City None at federal level (English de facto) Government Federal constitutional republic  - President George Walker Bush (R)  - Vice President Dick Cheney (R) Independence from... For other uses, see United States (disambiguation) and US (disambiguation). ... Civil liberties is the name given to freedoms that protect the individual from government. ... “Atheist” redirects here. ... Constantines Conversion, depicting the conversion of Emperor Constantine the Great to Christianity, by Peter Paul Rubens. ...

Origins

Founded in 1963 by Madalyn Murray O'Hair (born Madalyn Mays, she would later adopt her more famous surnames, Murray and O'Hair, in 1945 and 1965, respectively) as the Society of Separationists, American Atheists emerged from the cases Abington School District v. Schempp and Murray v. Curlett (1959) which were later consolidated. Both Abington and Murray challenged mandatory prayer in public schools. Over the years American Atheists has filed numerous lawsuits against public institutions it considers to have breached the wall of separation between church and state. The organization, which has approximately 2,200 members, is currently headquartered in Cranford, New Jersey. Madalyn Murray OHair (April 13, 1919 – September 29, 1995) was an American who founded American Atheists and campaigned for the separation of church and state. ... Holding The Court decided 8-1 in favor of the respondent, Edward Schempp, and declared sanctioned organized Bible reading in public schools in the United States to be unconstitutional. ... Holding The Court decided 8-1 in favor of the respondent, Edward Schempp, and declared sanctioned organized Bible reading in public schools in the United States to be unconstitutional. ... Mary Magdalene in prayer. ... The term public school has two contrary meanings: In England, one of a small number of prestigious historic schools open to the public which normally charge fees and are financed by bodies other than the state, commonly as private charitable trusts; here the word public is used much as in... Thomas Jefferson wrote a letter to the Danbury Baptist Association in 1802, which contains the phrase wall of separation between church and state. ... Map of Cranford Township in Union County. ...

In 1959, Murray filed her case on behalf of her son, William J. Murray, who was being forced to attend bible readings in school and was being harassed by teachers and school administrators for refusing to participate. This Gutenberg Bible is displayed by the United States Library. ...

The consolidated case, usually cited as Abington School District v. Schempp (although, arguably, Murray v. Curlett became the more famous of the two,) was argued before the United States Supreme Court on February 27 and February 28, 1963. In her opening statement, Madalyn Murray said: The Supreme Court Building, Washington, D.C. The Supreme Court Building, Washington, D.C., (large image) The Supreme Court of the United States, located in Washington, D.C., is the highest court (see supreme court) in the United States; that is, it has ultimate judicial authority within the United States... is the 58th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... February 28 is the 59th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ...

"Your petitioners are atheists, and they define their lifestyle as follows:

An atheist loves himself and his fellow man instead of a god. An atheist thinks that heaven is something for which we should work for now — here on earth — for all men together to enjoy. An atheist accepts that he can get no help through prayer but that he must find in himself the inner conviction and strength to meet life, to grapple with it, subdue and enjoy it. An atheist thinks that only in knowledge of himself and a knowledge of his fellow man can he find the understanding that will help to a life of fulfillment.

Therefore, he seeks to know himself and his fellow man rather than to 'know' a god. An atheist knows that a hospital should be built instead of a church. An atheist knows that a deed must be done instead of a prayer said. An atheist strives for involvement in life and not escape into death.

He wants disease conquered, poverty vanquished, war eliminated. He wants man to understand and love man. He wants an ethical way of life. He knows that we cannot rely on a god nor channel action into prayer nor hope for an end of troubles in a hereafter. He knows that we are our brothers' keepers in that we are, first, keepers of our lives; that we are responsible persons, that the job is here and the time is now."

The justices rendered their decision on June 17, 1963. It was in favor of the petitioners, 8-1. They ruled that state-mandated prayer and unison bible readings in public schools were a violation of the Establishment Clause in the First Amendment to the United States Constitution. Justice Potter Stewart was the sole dissenter. is the 168th day of the year (169th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The first ten Amendments to the U.S. Constitution make up the Bill of Rights. ... The first ten Amendments to the U.S. Constitution make up the Bill of Rights. ... Wikisource has original text related to this article: The United States Constitution The United States Constitution is the supreme law of the United States of America. ... The Supreme Court of the United States is the supreme court in the United States. ... Potter Stewart (January 23, 1915 – December 7, 1985) was an Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court. ...

Later Events

On Mother's Day, 1980, William Murray announced that he had been born again and become an evangelical Baptist, eventually being ordained as a minister. Madalyn, who despised "dirty Christers," as she referred to them [1], made the following statement shortly afterward: "One could call this a postnatal abortion on the part of a mother, I guess; I repudiate him entirely and completely for now and all times. He is beyond human forgiveness." [2] Mothers Day is a holiday honoring mothers, celebrated on various days in many places around the world. ... William J. Murray is a self-professed born again Christian who might be best known to the public for writing My Life Without God and heading the William J. Murray Evangelistic Association. ... Born again Cristian: A person who has renewed their christian faith ... Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Luther Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Coptic Orthodox Pope · Roman Catholic Pope Archbishop of Canterbury · Patriarch of Constantinople Christianity Portal This box:      Baptist...

On August 27, 1995, Madalyn, Jon, and Robin O'Hair disappeared from the organization's former Austin, Texas headquarters. Ellen Johnson, a second-generation atheist, assumed control of American Atheists shortly after the disappearance. William Murray, to his credit, would later urge authorities to investigate the disappearances. The case remained unsolved amid rumors that the O'Hairs had actually absconded with organization funds and $500,000 in gold coins and fled to New Zealand, until a man named David Roland Waters, an ex-convict who had worked with the organization, revealed to authorities that they had been buried on a 50,000-acre (200 km²) ranch located in Camp Ranch, Texas. [3] An excavation of the site Waters named led to the recovery of what proved to be the mutilated, dismembered and decomposed bodies of the famous atheist and her son and granddaughter. Waters, although not convicted of murder, was convicted of several lesser related charges. Three years later Waters died of lung cancer while imprisoned. is the 239th day of the year (240th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1995 (MCMXCV) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full 1995 Gregorian calendar). ... Nickname: Location in the state of Texas Coordinates: , Country State Counties Travis County Government  - Mayor Will Wynn Area  - City  296. ... Ellen Johnson is the current president of American Atheists. ...

The mutilation of the bodies, particularly that of Madalyn Murray O'Hair herself, was extensive. She was only identified by the serial number of her artificial hip implant. In keeping with her wishes, a simple funeral devoid of religious ceremony was held. The O'Hairs were buried in unmarked graves. For additional information on hip replacement in animals, specifically dogs, please see Hip replacement (animal) In this X-ray, the patient’s right hip (on the left in the photograph) has been replaced, with the “ball” of this ball-and-socket joint replaced by a metal head that is set...

On November 2, 2002, at the Godless Americans March on Washington, Ellen Johnson announced the formation of the Godless Americans Political Action Committee (GAMPAC), a PAC to endorse political candidates who support the separation of church and state. The PAC was officially launched on March 9, 2004. It endorsed John Kerry, a practicing Roman Catholic, for the 2004 United States Presidential election, despite Kerry being a cosponsor of the Senate resolution which strongly disapproved of the Ninth Circuit court's decision in the Newdow case, which found the phrase under God in the Pledge of Allegiance unconstitutional [4]. is the 306th day of the year (307th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also see: 2002 (number). ... In the United States, a political action committee, or PAC, is the name commonly given to a private group organized to elect or defeat government officials in order to promote legislation, often supporting the groups special interests. ... John Forbes Kerry (born December 11, 1943) is the junior United States Senator from Massachusetts, in his fourth term of office. ... Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Luther Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Archbishop of Canterbury · Catholic Pope Coptic Pope · Ecumenical Patriarch Christianity Portal This box:      As a Christian ecclesiastical... Presidential electoral votes by state. ... The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit is a federal court with appellate jurisdiction over the district courts in the following districts: District of Alaska District of Arizona Central District of California Eastern District of California Northern District of California Southern District of California District of Hawaii... Holding A noncustodial parent did not have standing in federal court to allege that his childs school violated the Establishment Clause by leading students in the recital of the phrase one nation, under God in the Pledge of Allegiance. ... The Pledge of Allegiance is a promise or oath of allegiance to the United States as represented by its national flag. ... The Pledge of Allegiance is a promise or oath of allegiance to the United States as represented by its national flag. ...

Court cases

Taken from [5]

• Murray v. Curlett (1963) Challenged Bible reading and prayer recitation in Maryland public schools.

• Murray v. United States (1964) To force the Federal Communications Commission to extend the Fairness Doctrine so that Atheists could have equal time with religion on radio and television.

• Murray v. Nixon (1970) Challenged weekly religious services in the White House.

• O'Hair v. Paine (1971) Challenged NASA's religious use of the space program to require astronauts to read the Bible during a space flight.

• O'Hair v. Cooke (1977) Challenged the opening prayer at city council meetings in Austin, Texas.

• O'Hair v. Blumenthal (1978) Challenged the inclusion of the phrase "In God We Trust" on U.S. currency.

• O'Hair v. Hill (1978) To have removed from the Texas constitution a provision requiring a belief in god of persons holding offices of public trust.

• O'Hair v. Andrus (1979) Challenged the use of National Park facilities for the pope to hold a Roman Catholic mass on the Mall in Washington, D.C..

• O'Hair v. Clements (1980) This case tried to remove the nativity scene displayed in the rotunda of the capitol building in Austin, Texas.

Holding The Court decided 8-1 in favor of the respondent, Edward Schempp, and declared sanctioned organized Bible reading in public schools in the United States to be unconstitutional. ... The FCCs official seal. ... The Fairness Doctrine was a United States FCC regulation requiring broadcast licensees to present controversial issues of public importance in a manner deemed by the FCC to be honest, equitable and balanced. ... Nickname: Location in the state of Texas Coordinates: , Country State Counties Travis County Government  - Mayor Will Wynn Area  - City  296. ... In God We Trust on the twenty dollar bill In God We Trust is the current national motto of the United States and also the motto for the state of Florida. ... Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada A national park is a reserve of land, usually, but not always (see National Parks of England and Wales), declared and owned by a national government, protected from most human development and pollution. ... The Roman Catholic Church, most often spoken of simply as the Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with over one billion members. ... For other uses, see Washington, D.C. (disambiguation). ... A traditional nativity scene from Naples, Italy A nativity scene, also called a crib or crèche (meaning crib or manger in French) generally refers to any depiction of the birth or birthplace of Jesus. ...

Trivia

• In August 1987 an accredited reporter for American Atheist News Journal, Robert I. Sherman, attended a campaign dinner for George H. W. Bush. (Sherman claimed his seven year-old son was "brutalized" at school for refusing to pledge to a "nation under God.") Sherman asked Bush what he would do to appeal to the Americans who are Atheists, to which Bush, in part, allegedly replied "I don't know that Atheists should be considered as citizens."[6]
• The American Atheists organization was the subject of the television show American Justice. It examined the August 1995 murders of Madalyn Murray O'Hair and two family members.
• The logo of the American Atheists is an allowed "emblem of belief" approved by the US Department of Veterans Affairs "for Placement on Government Headstones and Markers" [7]

George Herbert Walker Bush (born June 12, 1924) was the 41st President of the United States, serving from 1989 to 1993. ... American Justice is an hour-long criminal justice program on the cable channel A&E Network, hosted by Bill Kurtis. ... The United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is a Cabinet department of the United States government responsible for administering programs of veterans benefits for veterans, their families, and survivors. ...

See also

• A Secular Humanist Declaration
• Charles E. Stevens American Atheist Library and Archives
• Dave Kong director of the California chapter.
• Godless Americans March on Washington
• Secular Student Alliance
• David Seaborg
• Atomic whirl

A Secular Humanist Declaration was an argument for and statement of belief in Democratic Secular Humanism. ... Charles E. Stevens American Atheist Library and Archives, also known as CESAALA, is a collection of over 50,000 volumnes of books, documents, and various other research tools. ... Dave Kong speaking at a rally. ... GAMOW logo The Godless Americans March on Washington (GAMOW) occurred in Washington, DC on November 2, 2002. ... The Secular Student Aliance logo Founded in May of 2000, The Secular Student Alliance (SSA) is the only independent, democratically structured organization in the U.S. that serves the needs of secular high school and college students. ... David Seaborg (b. ... The atomic whirl The atomic whirl is the logo of the American Atheists, and has come to be used as a symbol of atheism in general. ...

External links

• American Atheists Official Website
• godlessAmerican
• Godless Americans PAC