American Atheists, Inc.
P O Box 140195
Austin, TX 78714-0195
(512) 458-1244


November 25, 1994


Rep. Newt Gingrich
2428 Russell House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515-1006
                                   in re: Silent Prayer
                                   in Public Schools
Newt Gingrich:
     It is disingenuous of you to propose a constitutional
amendment to place silent prayer in the public schools. And, it
is interesting that mainline religions, civil libertarian groups,
and politicians of all stripes speak to prayer.

     Everyone involved, however, knows that is not the real
issue. The underlying question is: "What good is prayer since
there is no god to whom it can be addressed?" Curiously your
remarks reflect that you have a basic recognition of the problem
as you repeat the Atheist plea that all of humankind must contend
with "objective reality," an Ayn Rand phrase constantly used by
Atheists to separate nature from religious fantasy.

     In fact, your initial statement was to the effect that:

          We need the debate over secularism versus the right of
     a spiritual life. We need the debate over freedom of
     religion versus freedom against (i.e. from) religion.

     American Atheists is in hearty agreement with your
perception. Indeed, let us have the show down. Does our heritage
give us "freedom of the mind" or constriction of thinking by
adherence to the dogmas of defunct religious ideology? Is your
"life of the spirit and the soul" with power "from the Creator"
an appropriate basis on which to order life or should we embrace
a weltanschauung (a comprehensive conception of the world) based
on objective reality?

                         AMERICAN ATHEIST GHQ INC.



                         Madalyn Murray O'Hair
                         Founder



Jon G. Murray
President


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