The Freedom From Religion Foundation and the Atheists, Humanists, and Agnostics at University of Wisconsin- Madison, are teaming up to host an event to celebrate Blasphemy Rights Day called, “Is Blasphemy OK?” Wednesday Sept. 25, from 3p.m to 6p.m., attendees may purchase water balloons to playfully “stone” atheist students and FFRF staffers.
Among the “condemned”: Chris Calvey, atheist student and just-named Brian Bolton first-place graduate essay contest winner. For a double whammy, “stone” an atheist and attorney, Andrew Seidel, a lawyer at FFRF. FFRF Co-President Dan Barker, former evangelical preacher and author of “Godless,” may make an appearance.
Earlier this year, FFRF, a national state/church watchdog based in Madison, partnered with the Secular Student Alliance, a national group of which AHA-UW is an affiliate, to educate atheist students about their constitutional rights and to protect those rights.
The University of South Carolina SSA affiliate originally created Stone A Heathen for Blasphemy Rights Day (Sept. 30) as a protest against religiously motivated stonings in countries such as Iran.
The UW-Madison event will feature posters with biblical quotes calling for the stoning of atheists and blasphemers:
- “And everyone who would not seek the Lord, the God of Israel, was to be put to death, whether small or great, whether man or woman.” (2 Chronicles 15:13)
- “You shall stone him to death with stones, because he sought to draw you away from the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.” (Deuteronomy 13:10)
- “Anyone who blasphemes the name of the LORD is to be put to death.” Leviticus 24:16
All money raised will go to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. So buy some water balloons, stone a heathen (or a lawyer), and help FFRF and the SSA find a cure for cancer!
Where: 333 East Campus Mall • Madison, WI 53715-1380 (In front of the Student Activities Center – See Map Below)
When: Wednesday, Sept. 25, 3PM to 6PM
For more information: Amanda Supak ([email protected])
