The Freedom From Religion Foundation is once again making its freethinking presence known in the legislative heart of the Hawkeye State.
For the fourth year in a row, FFRF’s Bill of Rights “Nativity” has been installed in the Iowa state Capitol. The display depicts three Founders along with the Statue of Liberty gazing in adoration at a “baby” Bill of Rights.
A sign beside the tongue-in-cheek Nativity reads:
At this season of the Winter Solstice,
Join us in honoring the Bill of Rights, adopted on December 15, 1791, which reminds us that there can be no religious freedom without the freedom to dissent.
Keep religion and government separate!
The exhibit made its debut four years ago in response to a Christian nativity scene that went up that year for the first time in the Capitol. Then-Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad was among those who spoke at the opening ceremony for the religious display, lending an official air to the proceedings. Three years ago, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds attended the opening of the Thomas More Society-installed Nativity for its repeat run, as did a state representative.
“Such obvious religious pandering on the part of public officials in a governmental space cannot go unanswered,” comments FFRF Co-President Dan Barker. “If blatantly devotional exhibitionism is allowed in, there must be ‘room at the inn’ for our irreverence and freethought.”
This display will be available for public viewing until Dec. 18.
FFRF would like to thank member Paul Novak, an FFRF state representative, for putting up the exhibit.
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is a national state/church watchdog organization that has over 33,000 members nationwide, including hundreds of members in Iowa.
