BODY,.aolmailheader {font-size:10pt; color:black; font-family:Arial;} a.aolmailheader:link {color:blue; text-decoration:underline; font-weight:normal;} a.aolmailheader:visited {color:magenta; text-decoration:underline; font-weight:normal;} a.aolmailheader:active {color:blue; text-decoration:underline; font-weight:normal;} a.aolmailheader:hover {color:blue; text-decoration:underline; font-weight:normal;} AMERICAN ATHEISTS, INC.
http://www.atheists.org
http://www.americanatheist.org
ATHEISTS OPPOSE CHRISTIAN SCIENCE "FAITH HEALING"
PROVISIONS IN HEALTH CARE REFORM BILLS
An Atheist public policy organization today called for elimination of
requirements in Senate legislation which would reimburse faith-based
"healers" for their services.
The Senate Finance Committee has taken up the America's Healthy Future
Act of 2009 which has an amendment titled "Religious Non-discrimination
in Healthcare. The provision bans insurance companies from denying
patients "benefits for religious or spiritual healthcare. Similar
legislation, the Affordable Health Choices Act, has already cleared the
U.S. Senate, and has a similar provision.
Dr. Ed Buckner, President of American Atheists, warned that the measure
amounts to a public subsidy for certain religious groups.
"Any adult in the legislative or executive branch of the federal
government, or of any state government, who wants to use unproven,
unscientific 'remedies' should be free to do so," said Buckner. "But
support for such irrational nonsense violates the separation of
religion and government and the canons of good sense. Including
faith-healing or other non-medical 'treatment' in health care
legislation must be rejected."
Dave Silverman, Communications Director for American Atheists, said that
Christian Science and other faith-based healers already receive public
money, and that the policy is not based on good science.
"We need to spend that money on providing solid, fact-based medicine.
Reimbursing the faith-healing industry wastes precious resources, and
violates the separation of church and state."
AMERICAN ATHEISTS is a nationwide movement that defends civil rights for
Atheists; works for the total separation of church and state; and
addresses issues of First
Amendment public policy.
American Atheists, Inc.
PO BOX 158
Cranford, NJ 07016
Tel.: (908) 276-7300
Fax: (908) 276-7402
