美國無神論讚揚最高法院依據美國憲法維護政教分離原則的2判決

美國無神論讚揚最高法院依據美國憲法維護政教分離原則的判決

For Immediate Release: October 1, 2007
Atheists Praise High Court Rulings Protecting State-Church Separation
AMERICAN ATHEISTS applauded this morning’s decision by the U.S. Supreme
Court to let stand two lower court rulings upholding the First Amendment’
s establishment clause guaranteeing the separation of government and religion.

In CATHOLIC CHARITIES OF THE DIOCESE OF ALBANY v. DINALLO, justices supported
the decision of the New York State Court of Appeals that faith-based social
service organizations which hire non-Catholic staffers must subsidize birth
control/family planning devices as part of preion drug coverage.
In FAITH CENTER CHURCH v. GLOVER, the high court let standing a 9th U.S.
Circuit Court decision that while public libraries must accommodate religious
meetings as they do other organizations, public facilities may not be made
available for religious worship.
Ellen Johnson, President of American Atheists said she was pleasantly surprised
by today’s rulings.
“The high court justices got it right, and drew the legal line when it
comes to providing faith-based social programs and other religious groups
with special, discriminatory legal protections.”
Dave Silverman, Communications Director for American Atheists, said that
while today’s Supreme Court decision was encouraging, the effort to protect
the First Amendment’s establishment clause must continue.
“Religious organizations continue to demand ‘special rights’ above and
beyond what are provided to private individuals, business and secular groups,
” said Mr. Silverman. “We say: there must be a level playing field, and
that churches or other religious organizations cannot ignore anti-discrimination
statutes or other laws by citing the teachings of their particular faith.”

American Atheists is a nationwide movement which defends the civil rights
of nonbelievers, works for the separation of church and state, and addresses
issues of First Amendment public policy.

http://www.atheists.org/