Community Corner

Should State Parks Carry a Small Library of Religious Books?

First Bibles were out in state parks in Georgia, then they were back in, and now a national atheist group wants to donate its literature for use in Georgia's state parks. Is it time to remove all books, or carry a small library?

 

After Bibles were first removed from state parks by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Gov. Nathan Deal announced that the state would return them. The Bibles had been removed while a final decision was made on the response to a citizen complaint about Bibles on state property. 

Now the Huffington Post has reported that a New Jersey-based organization, American Atheists, is awaiting an answer from the state on what the best procedure is to donate several books. 

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"We expect fair treatment, we anticipate fair treatment and we look forward to fair treatment," David Silverman, the organization's president, told the media outlet. "If the state is going to put Bibles in the cabins, they must allow alternate points of view — all alternative points of view without taking sides."

The Huffington Post reports that Deal, in announcing the decision, said any religious group was welcome to donate literature.

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Is this just getting too complicated now? Or would the answer be to allow for a small library of religious books at state parks, by any organization that wishes to donate?

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