Minister-turned-atheist will speak about separation of church and state

Dan Barker, former Christian minister and musician turned atheist, will speak at The University of Memphis tomorrow about the separation of church and state, the First Amendment and public prayer in the Memphis City Council.

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.

Blair Barnwell, junior studio-arts major, said she does not see anything wrong with the council giving thanks to Jesus Christ before meetings but understands why others do.

"I'm not opposed to prayer, in part because I'm a Christian, although if someone doesn't wish to pray, that's their right," Barnwell said. "You can't force someone to believe in a certain thing."

Jonathan Brown, senior chemistry major, said he doesn't personally oppose or support prayer before council meetings, but thinks it is a violation of the Constitution.

"I am a Christian, I'm biased, therefore I would not oppose (city council meeting prayers)," Brown said. "However, knowing what the First Amendment states, I would advocate following the Constitution."

Lynette McQuiddy, treasurer of The U of M student organization Christians on Campus, said she is not opposed to praying before council meetings as long as its not implemented in legislation.

"I like it as long as (the council members) don't try to make laws and bills that are going to make people do things based on the council members' religion," she said.

Jason Grosser, treasurer of the CFA, said he thinks the South is less religiously diversified than other regions of the country.

"In the South, with separation of church and state, the line is kind of blurred and gray," said Grosser, who is also president of the Memphis Freethought Alliance. "As the South becomes more religiously diversified, the separation of church and state is going to become more and more important. Almost everyone I come in contact with is a Baptist or Methodist."

Grosser, who lived in Pennsylvania and California before moving to Memphis, said the organization hopes to eliminate the negative stigma of atheism in the Bible belt.

"(The CFA) wants to put a positive face on atheism in the South," he said. "A large percentage of people in the South are turned off by atheists or atheism. In other parts of the country it isn't that big of an issue."

Pinaki Bose, associate professor of economics and advisor for the CFA, said the event would be a good way for people to voice different opinions on the matter.

"It's a topic of very high relevance and interest," Bose said. "The event will stimulate discussion and creative debate on campus that is democratic and productive in a scholarly mode and scholarly environment."