Atheist Michael Newdow Sues to Remove Reference to God From Inauguration

Newdow also sued to remove religion from inaugurations in 2001 and 2005, and has spoken of attempting to remove "In God we trust" from U.S. currency.

Michael Newdow is joined in the fight by the group The Freedom From Religion Foundation. Dan Barker, president of the organization, told Fox News Radio:

"We're hoping to stop prayer and religious rituals at governmental functions, especially at the inauguration. The inauguration is not a religious event. It is a secular event of a secular country that includes all Americans, including those of us who are not Christians, including those of us who are not believers."

In all, Michael Newdow, 17 other individuals and 10 groups representing atheists sued Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts Jr., the Rev. Joseph E. Lowery and pastor Rick Warren, filing the complaint in U.S. District Court.

In a way, if we are speaking of true separation of church and state, they have a point. I would ask the following, however: is this more important to these people than global warming? Than starvation in Africa? I guess, to Michael Newdow and the rest, it is.

Scott Walter, executive director of the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, called the lawsuit a "publicity stunt" in a statement yesterday. He added:

"Newdow's lawsuit over the inauguration is a lot like the streaker at the Super Bowl: a pale, self-absorbed distraction. And anybody who looks at it carefully can see there's not much there."