But a small group of protesters from the Smyrna-based Atlanta Freethought Society and American Atheists say they will protest the event on the sidewalk outside of the Cobb Galleria Centre, where the event will be held, as they take issue with the fact that the phone number listed to call for more information is a Cobb County line.
Virgil Moon, Cobb County Support Services Agency director and president of the Cobb County Prayer Breakfast Committee, Inc., which puts on the breakfast every year, confirmed that the voicemail-only landline at (770) 528-3328 is run out of his office, and that his administrative staff is in charge of answering messages requesting information. Moon said the department has operated the line since at least 2004, and that while staff work the lines, all work related to the breakfast is done during non-county working hours and they are reimbursed by the committee for hours worked.
Last year, Moon said the committee paid staff $524.95 for work performed organizing the breakfast. The phone line costs 20 cents a month and the committee also
reimburses the county for the $2.40 it takes to keep phone lines open throughout the year.
“In our opinion, local governments should not be running religious services. Churches should do that. It’s not an appropriate role for them to be using county resources for a religious event,” said Steve Yothment, president of the Atlanta Freethought Society. Yothment said his group has 120 paying members and another 120 to 130 active participants.
Yothment said the group protested the breakfast five years ago, but decided to protest this year when members saw on a flier being handed out that the phone number listed is a county government office number.
“Clearly, the Cobb County government is involved in setting up the prayer breakfast, and we see that as a conflict,” Yothment said.
When asked if he viewed the county’s participation as a violation of the separation of church and state, Moon said he did not.
“It’s a non-denominational event, and mostly, the people who make up the committee are business people. The Board (of Commissioners) passed a proclamation in the ’80’s saying they support this event as a way for the community to come together,” Moon said.
Moon said the county is not donating any money to the breakfast, and while a table is set up for the Board of Commissioners, Moon said it is a “comp table” where no money is exchanged between the county and the breakfast committee.
This year’s featured speaker is newly appointed Lockheed-Martin Aeronautics Vice President and General Manager Shan Cooper. Moon said other speakers include: Scott Gregory, emcee; Old Testament Reader, Nancy Blithe; New Testament reader, Jared Harris; Lisa Olens, Benediction; and Andrew Egan will introduce Gregory.
Tickets are $20 each or $200 for a table of 10.
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You imply that all those who believe in separation of church and state are atheistic; absolutely false. I’m a fervent supporter of separation of church as state and I am in fact a church going Christian. I do not want Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism, etc. supported by my local Government any more than practitioners of those religions want Christianity supported by Government, in spite of our clear majority (hence the protections offered under the 1st amendment)
What part of "confirmed that the voicemail-only landline at (770) 528-3328 is run out of HIS OFFICE, and that HIS ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF is IN CHARGE of answering messages requesting information" makes you think this is NOT a de facto government event? His staff (i.e., government staff) should not be supporting anybody's religious activities.
What’s he doing running a non-profit organization out of his government office in the first place!
@ Against FreeThinking anyone who turns this into "government employees aren't allowed to be Christians" argument have hopped off the "rational thought" train a long time ago. We are a nation of laws, not of men (with particular religious convictions). Those laws serve to protect our freedoms, one of which is the freedom to practice whatever religion we choose or no religion at all if that is our preference.
I really wonder what they are against. Are they against God, and any acknowledgement of Him? Do they really think that since the founding of this country on Christian principles that Government employees and government officials are going to stop believing in God the minute they go into a government building?
Do these people think that God is a myth and just do not want anyone believing in Him? Why should anyone care what anyone else believes?
On day, if these people are actually non-believers, they are going to find out they are wrong.
Your point is moot because it's NOT a government event. Who are you or me or anyone to tell someone they can't pray when they want? No matter where they work. If someone wants to take a break & read the Bible, Torah, Koran etc are you going to tell them they can't?
I've never been to one of these meetings but I have a feeling they pray before they eat & maybe after & the rest of the time is spent gossiping.
God is the reason we are here and the reason we have somewhere to go after this life is over. Our nation needs a prayer breakfast every morning! Praise God for all this country has become.
My issue is Mr. Moon should pay for the phone line out of his own pocket. He's getting such a good deal on maintaining the line because it's bundled in with the county numbers.
"Cobb County" in the title of the prayer breakfast means nothing. It doesn't say "cobb county government prayer breakfast".
Other than the phone line how is this a violation of church & state? Is the man not allowed to have a job?