| | If atheism is not a religion, then the expression of atheistic ideas is still covered by the First Amendment, but only by the [[free speech]] and [[free press]] clauses. | | If atheism is not a religion, then the expression of atheistic ideas is still covered by the First Amendment, but only by the [[free speech]] and [[free press]] clauses. |
| − | The implications go deeper, affecting [[public education]]. If atheism is a religion, then the atheism adhering to the [[methodological naturalism]] of [[physical science]] cannot be given excessive government support. That would violate the [[establishment of religion]] clause. So, [[evolution]] education would have to allow students freedom to dissent from the "orthodox" [[pseudoscience|pseudoscientific]] view that human beings evolved from earlier forms of life without any intervention from God. It should be noted that biology courses only require knowledge of the theory of evolution, its mechanisms, and the evidence supporting it, rather than belief that evolution occurred.<ref>See [[Kenneth Miller]]'s testimony in ''Selden v. Cobb County', available at [http://ncse.com/files/pub/legal/selman/district_court/20041108_testimony_rogers_mccoy.txt], p. 178</ref> | + | The implications go deeper, affecting [[public education]]. If atheism is a religion, then the atheism adhering to the [[methodological naturalism]] of [[physical science]] cannot be given excessive government support. That would violate the [[establishment of religion]] clause. So, [[evolution]] education would have to allow students freedom to dissent from the "orthodox" [[pseudoscience|pseudoscientific]] view that human beings evolved from earlier forms of life without any intervention from God. It should be noted that biology courses only require knowledge of the theory of evolution, its mechanisms, and the evidence supporting it, rather than belief that evolution occurred.<ref>See [[Kenneth Miller]]'s testimony in ''Selden v. Cobb County'', available at [http://ncse.com/files/pub/legal/selman/district_court/20041108_testimony_rogers_mccoy.txt], p. 178</ref> |
| | In 2013, a trend of atheist churches began and atheist church services were reported on in the ''[[New York Times]]'', ''[[The Blaze]]'' and other major news outlets.<ref> | | In 2013, a trend of atheist churches began and atheist church services were reported on in the ''[[New York Times]]'', ''[[The Blaze]]'' and other major news outlets.<ref> |