GENTRY — The Freedom From Religion Foundation - known for its attempts to make Americans free from religion rather than protecting their religious freedom and a group which works to keep all references to God and religion out of public life - is looking forward to the day when its members are truly free from all Bible-believing Christians and their calls for repentance and faith in Jesus Christ.
The group, which boasts of its members saying they are unabashed atheists "not afraid of burning in hell," says it is actually looking forward to hell fire and doesn't want any Christians to try to stop them from going there, according to the organization's website.
"We want those Christians to quit reading us the Bible, praying for us and warning us that we will end up in the fires of hell forever if we don't repent," said Jason Burns, a fiery spokesperson for FFRF, at a rally held across the street from a conservative Bible church on Sunday. "Don't those Christians know we want a world away from God and free of religion?"
FFRF, a group which has publicly called Franklin Graham "Crackers" and issues certificates of "debaptism" so that its members can renounce their baptismal vows and repudiate the Christian Faith, is for unity and against all hate, the FFRF website states. The group also publishes "nontracts" in which it ridicules Christianity and seeks to debunk Biblical teachings, thus illustrating the organization's love for all and desire to unite all Americans, except Christians. To help promote love and unity and put an end to hate, it also publishes a magazine entitled "Freethought Today" in which no Christian thought or Christian love may be expressed.
Recent FFRF accomplishments for freedom include the stifling of student-led prayers at local public school graduations - including those of Gentry High School - thus stripping students and staff of their constitutionally-guaranteed right to practice their faith. The group insists that Gentry schools "ensure that religious rituals are not a part of graduation ceremonies or any other school-sponsored events" but would welcome the opportunity to visit the schools and distribute its anti-religious religious materials.
In Middleton, Wisc., the group protested against lunches in a park adjacent to a public school where Bibles and religious materials were made available to students but then began distributing tracts and materials of their own to advance FFRF's religious views against the Bible and Christianity. In Madison, Wisc., the group succeeded in adding atheism to a protected religious class and is now seeking the same protection on a national and international level, thus proving the group's claim to be an anti-religious religion.
"We believe in freedom from religion and should be allowed to proselytize at public schools and in public forums to destroy the faith of Christian children and uneducated adults and win them over to atheism or, at least, agnosticism," said Shamae Free, author and writer of children's propaganda materials for the group.
FFRF seeks to advance its anti-religious views in schools and at every level of government institution while, at the same time, restricting the rights of Christians to practice their faith in public or exercise their rights to free speech.
"It's only fair," said Bobby Sappington, in charge of FFRF historical research. "Christians have had rights to preach their faith for 2,000 years. Now, it's our turn to talk and make the Christians be quiet."
FFRF, a non-profit, educational organization whose dues and donations are deductible for income-tax purposes, is seeking to end tax benefits for churches and Christian educational institutions.
"Government can't do anything to help spread religion," said Cash Retainer, attorney for FFRP; "but, since we're opposed to religion, we are entitled to government benefits and tax breaks."
And according to the Bible, it appears FFRF members will finally get their wish. They will be in a place away from the presence of God and free of all true Christians and their religion -- unless, of course, God hears the prayers of Christians and brings even some members of the FFRF to repentance and faith.
The apostle Paul wrote (2 Thessalonians 1:7-10): "The Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; when he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day."
FFRF members are praying that Christians quit praying, but Christians keep praying for FFRF members anyway.
S.A. Tired covers fictitious news from an unrealistic perspective for the Eagle Observer. He may be contacted by email at [email protected]. News and views in Spinning the News are claimed by no one else but the author.
Editorial on 06/29/2016