A plan to protect the rights of religious dissenters and compel Christians and government to obey the law.

The goal of unchurched Americans—an estimated 150 million—is to see that organized religion and government obey the U.S. Constitution and laws of the land.

Organized religion is influencing elected representatives to enact laws regulating the way we live and is subsidized at our own expense. The object of this contract is to first offset the creeping intrusion of the Christian Right bent on controlling the country.

This Contract With Congress is steadfast in upholding the separation of state and church, and assures that religious dissenters' rights are not abridged in employment, education, government jobs, military branches and public offices.

This alliance supports such conservative aims as welfare reforms, term limits, tax relief, stricter enforcement of immigration laws, etc., but it takes exception to rule by religious intrusion in government and education.

The Christian Coalition's "Contract with the American Family" is the work of a political group of 1.6 million, gearing up to dictate the agenda for the U. S. Congress. "Contract With Congress" is a reminder that what happens to government, family, education, etc., is a matter for reason and a common sense approach—not religion!

The Contract With Congress is opposed to allowing this country to be turned into a theocracy. It reminds the Congress that the power of government is derived from the "consent of the people" - its source is not religious. The unchurched do have a right to be heard in Congress.

1. Sacrosanctness of Separation of Church and State
The restoration of freedom from religion in a democracy

The intrusion of religion in public schools is causing division and fostering hostility nationwide. The nation's first public school system in the mid-nineteenth century received no help from the Christian sects. They were opposed to free public education. Freedom from religion is being violated in spite of the the U. S. Constitution.

Intrusion of religion in public schools divides students and public opinion. On the other hand secularism has never been imposed on religious schools. Churches and their schools are all protected from secular encroachment by the First Amendment.

Ours is not a Christian nation. Yet children of all faiths are free to attend our public schools at taxpayers' expense with no stigma being attached to them.

Religious activities in public schools such as church music, caroling and prayer are all offensive to separation of church and state. The founding Christian, Jesus, classified those who prayed in public as "hypocrites." (Matt. 6:5.) Teaching about religion does not offend the First Amendment. Religious indoctrination, including the above-mentioned activities, does.

Contract With Congress urges government to remain neutral in matters of religion and to keep all public-supported schools secular.

2. The Constitution Forbids the Endorsement of Religion
National Day of Prayer & Congress chaplaincies violate the First Amendment.

A National Day of Prayer was established on April 17, 1952, in defiance of the First Amendment ("Congress shall make no law . . ."). Our nation was built on rules of "Laws and ideas of justice," not on colonial prayers. Government involvement in prayer planning is not only unconstitutional but shows preference.

The same reasoning applies to chaplaincies in both houses of Congress. Opening each day's deliberations with a prayer by a chaplain implies that members of Congress are incapable of decision making without the aid of an outside force. Additionally, the annual cost of chaplains is over a quarter of a million dollars.

Contract With Congress calls for: 1. an end to National Prayer Day, and 2. an end to chaplains in Congress. Both are a violation of the U. S. Constitution.

3. Restoring Secular Services to Secular Agencies
Legislative action to forbid organized religion from participating in all social relief services.

Administration of our nation's social services is a "public and civic duty," and should not be placed into the hands of organized religion. Ironically the government, federal, state, city and county, pay hundreds of millions annually to churches to administer relief programs with "taxpayers' money."

Under the guise of freedom of religion, religious profiteers take advantage of social relief services to advance their cause. Evangelism has become organized big business. It is now involved in education, hospitals, recreation, real estate, pension systems, and much more. Annually they rake in millions—Tax-Free—in flagrant violation of the U. S. Constitution.

Contract With Congress points out that religious intrusion in social services provokes hatred, divides people and in the process destroys its own credibility.

4. Promoting Sex Education in Public Schools
Enactment of strong legislation to enhance sex education in public schools.

Contract With Congress is in favor of improving America's school system, but it cannot do it with the promiscuous teenage out-of-control sexual behavior. Americans cannot remain apathetic or tolerant of overpopulation when faced with the following facts:

1. U. S. leads the world with fatherless families;

2. more than a million teenagers become pregnant each year;

3. about 73% of black teenagers have babies out of wedlock;

4. U. S. now has an army of about 12 million illegitimate children;

5. annual health care costs $30 billion in special services to teenagers with babies.

Pregnant teens usually quit school, some lose parental support, and many turn to alcohol and drugs and have repeat pregnancies. They not only create a permanent underclass of unschooled, unskilled, and unemployables, but become underwriters of illegitimacy and overload the welfare system.

Americans have a moral stake in putting an end to children having children. We do not advocate increased spending, but since parents fail to properly educate their children on matters of sex, the problem falls on public schools.

Contract with Congress urges swift passage of meaningful sex education in public schools to rescue our youth from the teenage trap.

5. Terminate Oath Taking on the Bible and Religious Motto on Currency
The U. S. Constitution forbids The endorsement of religion, consequently The phrases: "So help me God, " and "In God We Trust" are unconstitutional and show preference for a particular religion (Theism).

1. Oath taking for public office and court system using the expression "So Help Me God" is a direct violation of Article VI which forbids a "religious test." Even Christ forbids taking an oath in public (Matt. 5:34-37).

2. On our money system the phrase "in God We Trust" is an intrusion of religion in direct violation of separation of church and state. The U.S. Constitution has NO "so help me God" and this should not be included in the oath. Oath taking should be done on the Constitution—not the Bible because it shows preference for a particular religion—Christianity. Our monetary secular slogan should return to "E Pluribus Unum" (Of Many One).

6. Prohibit Religious Rituals That Kill or Mutilate Children and Animals
Responsibility for The health, safety and welfare of all Americans devolves directly upon The government.

Medicine has traditionally incurred the hostility of religion. Vaccination, chloroform and quinine were all denounced as "sinful" and "contrary to Holy Writ." The battle of medicine against suffering was finally won— however, there are some religions which withhold medical treatment to innocent children and some which prevent blood transfusions when needed, which caused numerous fatalities.

The sacramental drinking of wine from a common chalice constitutes a threat to public health, as communicable diseases are transmitted in this manner. Currently most Christian sects use alternate methods.

In the southern states there are religious sects which handle rattlesnakes and drink poison to demonstrate their faith, justifying this by the Bible (Mark 16:18). Many have died as a result of this dangerous unwarranted practice.

In the cult of voodooism, goats, chickens, pigeons, lizards, etc., are sacrificed in appealing to their gods. Such barbaric rituals disgrace religion and are contrary to reason and common sense.

Contract With Congress advocates legislation to end all unhealthy, life-threatening and barbaric rituals under the cloak of religion.

7. End All Tax Exemptions for All Non-Church Related Businesses
Churches invest their billions in profit making enterprises and then use this illegal wealth to lobby in violation of MS laws.

The IRS Section 501 (c) (3) gives all churches the privilege to own land, buildings, cemeteries, etc., and pay no taxes. All religions are granted tax-exempt status provided they do not engage in any "political or legislative activity." Congress looks the other way whenever the IRS Code is broken by religious groups.

Contract With Congress stands for ending all tax-exempt status to non-religious profit-making businesses. Churches must function strictly as non-profit organizations.

Conclusion
Contract With Congress is a long overdue secular agenda. The ideas in this contract are designed to assist members of Congress in strengthening separation of church and state.

We welcome the support of all fair-minded Americans. This will be necessary in order to secure future generations with a government free from religious intrusion and subservient to the will of a free people. We must set aside our personal feelings and unite into one mighty battering ram against the enemies of FREEDOM.

Bolder Landry is an scholar, lecturer and author He was a history reacher for many years and is a staunch Thomas Paine fan. He has written several books and currently resides in San Diego, California.