Slovakia will discriminate atheists, MEP’s say

slovensko ^ | Tue 17 May 05

[Grzegorz 246]

Slovakia is close to starting discriminating atheists. According to Dutch MEP Sophie Veld, the Vatican will interfere in the civil lives of the citizens. Veld is one of 52 MEPs who signed a letter sent to Slovak Prime Minister Mikulas Dzurinda, protesting against the proposed treaty between Slovakia and the Holy See regarding the "Right to Exercise Conscientious Objection". The treaty is not unique to Slovakia, Veld admits.

[Tribune7]

I wasn't trying to defend atheism, just saying that the SC's opinion may be interesting in a legal sense, but not very enlightening otherwise.

Dictionary.com definitions -- excepting No. 4 -- indicate atheism should not be considered a religion. I guess basically I agree with you -- if you leave the Supreme Court out.

[Tribune7]

What is the source of atheist values anyway? Definitely not an imaginary dude who lives in the sky, that's for sure.

That's not an answer to the question :-)

[Dimensio]

If only the Supreme Court agreed with you

Can you cite a ruling where the USSC recognized atheism as a religion?

[Tribune7]

Can you cite a ruling where the USSC recognized atheism as a religion?

In Murray v. Curlett, Madalyn Murray (later O'Hair) sued to stop school prayer and Bible reading in Baltimore.

"The petition particularized the petitioners' atheistic beliefs and stated that the rule, as practiced, violated their rights in that it threatens their religious liberty by placing a premium on belief as against non-belief and subjects their freedom of conscience to the rule of the majority; it pronounces belief in God as the source of all moral and spiritual values, equating these values with religious values, and thereby renders sinister, alien and suspect the beliefs and ideals of your Petitioners, promoting doubt and question of their morality, good citizenship and good faith."

The court upheld the argument in 1963. The case had been combined with Abington Township v. Schempp.