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Atheist books placed alongside bibles in state park cabins

By Jeff Dore
By Jeff Dore
Atheists delivered books of their choosing to Red Mountain State Park cabins after Gov. Nathan Deal approved their presence alongside Bibles.
"One for each bedroom," said Ed Buckner former president of the American Atheists. "Same as the Bibles we're told."
A few months ago, Buckner found nine Bibles in bedrooms at state park cabins. He lodged a complaint and the state temporarily removed Bibles to consider constitutional implications.
When the governor had them returned, he said other religious texts could be placed in cabins with the Bibles.
"There's always two sides you know: The dark side and the light," said park visitor David Smith. "And the light side always outshines darkness, so there you go."
Buckner said religious books should be in libraries, not parks.
"It promotes hatred of atheists," he said. "There are things it does that I don't think the state should be involved with. But if they're going to be involved, we should at least have some counters to it."
The books delivered are "Skeptically Annotated Bibles" and "Fear Faith Fact Fantasy." The group plans to deliver books called
"Why I am not a Muslim" to another state park next week.
All books have to be reviewed by park management before being distributed in the rooms.
The atheists put a sticker in every book saying it was donated as part of a program developed by Deal.
"I just hope there's enough room to put my miscellaneous change in the drawer," said park visitor Robbie Simmons.
Deal did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the matter.

WSBTV

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