How did the humanists get my email address?

There are upsides to being a newspaper columnist, but the barrage of unwanted emails and press releases isn't one of them. Makes for a time-consuming journey through the "in" box each day.

On the other hand, sometimes I get press releases that help me stay informed about issues and trends in our culture. For example, this week I got an email from the American Humanists Association (I assume because I previously wrote a column and blog post about them -- see the post below on their anti-Christmas ad campaign in Washington DC).

This time, the humanists are taking a stand against the Boy Scouts. I have to say this strikes me as particularly bold. Who criticizes the Boy Scouts, for heaven sake?

Oh wait. That's their point. Seems the humanists don't want our new president to take on the traditional role of honorary leader of the Boy Scouts of America because the BSA discriminates against non-theists. The AHA released the text of a letter they sent to President-elect Obama which says, in part:

"In light of your campaign promise to bring the nation together in a spirit of change we need, we, the undersigned nontheist organizations, urge you to take this opportunity to signify that discrimination against atheists, agnostics, humanists, and other nontheists will not be condoned."

The AHA letter claims there are more non-theists in our country than Mormons, Jews, Hindus and Buddhists combined. Really? Where did they get this?

According a study released last June by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life, a full 92 percent of Americans say they believe in God or a higher power, including one in five of those who call themselves athiests!

Someone needs to get these folks a dictionary.

I've decided to add the humanists to my "safe" email list and not file them with junk mail. Of course, a campaign to malign the Boy Scouts and use this good and decent organization -- which happens to subscribe to a religious point of view -- as a political issue to pressure Mr. Obama, is indeed "junk."

All the more reason for me to keep reading their press releases and stay informed about their insidious and misleading activities.

What do you think?