FFRF Asks Albuquerque to “Keep Religion Out Of Government” with New Billboard

The sign is the latest addition to a series of church and state separation billboards by the Freedom From Religion Foundation.

A new billboard in New Mexico reads “Keep Religion OUT of Government.” The billboard, at 152 Montano Road NW in Albuquerque, was commissioned by the Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF). The group is fed up with the government bodies openly displaying their Christian faith through prayers during meetings and by setting up Christian signs. The FFRF believes that as a nation of equal freedom to all religions, government officials should avoid religion in their official work.

FFRF Asks Albuquerque to “Keep Religion Out Of Government” with New Billboard[/tweetthis]

The billboard could not have come at a better time than now, especially considering how heavily religion played into this year’s presidential election. Christian organizations have said Christianity in America is under attack from non-Christian forces, and a leader was needed who would restore America’s white Christian culture back to power.

Pro-choice activists, LGBTQ activists, and Americans who are pushing for a completely secular state are not happy with the results of the election. The Freedom From Religion Foundation has come up with a simple, yet powerful reminder that religion and politics should not be mixed.

In the past, the FFRF has put up similar billboards calling for a separation of state and religion. For example, “Praise Darwin: Evolve Beyond Belief" popped up after western Colorado refused to accept their proposal to proclaim Darwin’s bicentennial birthday as a day of honor. In 2008, FFRF erected two billboards in Denver, the first saying “Imagine No Religion,” followed by another two months later with a similar message as this month’s billboard: “Keep Religion OUT of Politics.” In 2009, a “Keep Religion OUT of Government” billboard was posted in Grand Junction, Colorado in response to the local government having a difficult time keeping church and state separate in public meetings.

"This is a timely reminder to our new government that our nation was founded on the uniquely American principle that religion should stay out of the public sphere," says FFRF Co-President Annie Laurie Gaylor. "The framers of our godless Constitution were wise to realize the wars, strife, terrorism and persecution go hand in hand when religion is allied with government. The incoming administration would do well to remember that."

The FFRF also insists that the city has a growing number of people who want their governing body to maintain a neutral stand on religion, and hopes that this billboard will give a voice to these people.

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