OPINION: Thank atheists for billboard

Praise God for those activist atheists at the Freedom From Religion Foundation. At no expense to anyone else, this anti-First Amendment club is paying $1,400 to rent billboard space on North Academy Boulevard, where the organization's leaders said it will be seen by Focus on the Family employees. The lighted sign will resemble a stained glass church window, featuring the statement "Imagine No Religion."

The organization routinely and unsuccessfully asks the court system to suppress First Amendment protections of freedom of religion and freedom of religious expressions. It sued President Bush and the governor of Wisconsin (the group is based there) because the two executives urged Americans of all beliefs to pray for the United States on National Day of Prayer, established in 1952 by a congressional resolution and President Harry S. Truman. On the Day of Prayer, one can pray to Jesus, Allah, the Flying Spaghetti Monster or Mother Earth. Or one can say no prayer at all. This is the United States, where we're free to worship any god or no god.

Because atheists apparently don't pray at all, they felt left out. The suit contends the Day of Prayer creates "a hostile environment for nonbelievers, who are made to feel as if they are political outsiders." Some Americans may feel left out on National Greek Independence Day (March 25), too, or National Day of the Cowboy (July 26).

Among the FFRF's multiple anti-First Amendment crusades was a suit against the Federal Bureau of Prisons. FFRF leaders were offended because the bureau allowed a variety of faith-based programs that promote the development of faith among inmates.

The group's organizers would prefer that Americans held captive, behind bars for life in some cases, be denied the right and opportunity to partake in organized religious functions. It's not as if religious activities preempt atheist activities in prison, because a federal court precedent says prisons must facilitate atheist study sessions just as they do religious events.

The Freedom From Religion Foundation doesn't want the freedom of religion that's protected by the Constitution. Just as the organization's name states, the group wants freedom from religion and that means they must seek to force their atheist agenda on others, such as federal prisoners, by attempting to twist the First Amendment.

Despite the organization's sinister agenda, their sign in Colorado Springs will be a marvelous addition to the city. They should pay for more signs just like it. Focus on the Family and other religious organizations should offer to help fund these signs, considering them part of an ongoing information campaign.

It's wonderful for people to imagine no religion, and the Freedom From Religion Foundation should be sincerely applauded for suggesting it. First off, one can imagine some potential upsides to no religion. In a world of no religion, for example, we might not have the abuse of religion by charlatans who sell salvation. We might not have wars and conflicts that pit Muslims against Christians and Jews. We might not have Catholics fighting with Protestants, and Chinese atheists oppressing Buddhists in Tibet. Why, if we had no religion everyone would just hold hands and sing Kumbaya (oops, that's a religious tune). If we had no religion the world's atheist leaders - people like Stalin, Mao and Pol Pot - would have none of those annoying religious peasants to chop with machetes.
And certainly the Palestinians and Jews would shake hands and waive all territorial disputes, if there were no religion. Sure. Would the world come to peace, if we all had no religion? A lot of atheists believe it would, but that's wishful thinking. To date, at least, all intense efforts to eliminate religion have led to violence and death.

Though conflict and war would likely continue, some elements of society would be gone in a world without religion. Those should be advertised as part of the "Imagine No Religion" sign campaign, in which religious organizations carry on what the FFRF started. Here are just a few of the countless possibilities for signs:

• "Imagine No New Marian House Soup Kitchen"
• "Imagine No National Jewish Medical and Research Center"
• "Imagine No Compassion International"
• "Imagine No Catholic Health Initiatives"
• "Imagine No Care and Share Food Bank"
• "Imagine No Children's HopeChest"
• "Imagine No Georgetown University, Boston College or 243 other universities founded and funded by the Catholic church."
• "Imagine No Salvation Army"
• "Imagine No Alcoholics Anonymous"
• "Imagine No Large Homeless Shelters in Denver"
• "Imagine No Springs Rescue Mission"

The religious faithful should take inspiration from the Freedom From Religion Foundation. They should imagine helping with this atheist group's sign campaign. Imagine hundreds of billboards that say "Imagine No (fill in the blank with a religious charity)." A subsequent line on each sign could say: "Religion. It funds charity." Or, "Religion. It funds health care." Or, "Religion. It funds education." And so forth.

So welcome the atheist sign and carry on the message. Millions of Americans who "Imagine No Religion" see a dearth in health care, charity, education, compassion and international outreach. Whether they're religious or not, they see a world they don't want. Thank you, FFRF, for bringing this provocative message to town.