Rep. John Fleming was the guest on “WallBuilders Live” today, discussing his effort to prevent the military from creating positions for atheist chaplains. After Fleming alleged that the proposal itself was nothing more than an effort to drive religion out of the military, David Barton blamed the entire thing on the Supreme Court, delivering a convoluted argument alleging that atheism is itself a religion and therefore should be banned from public school in the name of separation of church and state:
The Supreme Court opened the door to all of this. Back in decisions like U.S. vs Seeger and others, the court, in their dislike for traditional religion, they defined religion as whatever someone believes so sincerely and so strongly that it affects the way they act.
Now, if that’s the case, by the court’s definition, atheism and humanism would be religious because they affect the way people act. But if that’s the case, then why don’t we have the separation of church and state with them, if they’re a religion?
Darwinism and evolution is a religion. Why don’t we say ‘hey, we can’t teach Darwinism in school. That affects the way people behave. I demand separation of church and state. Get Darwinism out of the classroom.’
Or why don’t we say ‘hey, I don’t see any prayers going at graduation; that’s atheism! I demand separation of church and state. Atheism has chaplains, they’re a religion. Get atheism out of the schools.’
Hmmm, so not having prayer in school is now a violation of the separation of church and state? So what is the solution? To require prayer? Because that’s somehow not a violation?
