Atheist Group Demands Apology From Alabama School Over Emailed Video

An atheist group is requesting an apology from a local university in Alabama after the school's chancellor released a YouTube video that speaks of religion and democracy.

The national group American Atheists recently sent a letter to Troy University Chancellor Jack Hawkins regarding a 90-second YouTube video he recently sent to students and staff that discusses a connection between religion and democracy.

The video shows Harvard Business School Professor Clay Christensen recalling a conversation about religion he had with a communist Marxist visiting the university from China. Christensen explains that the two men discussed how difficult it is for the law and democracy to exist without religion.

"As religion loses its influence over the lives of Americans, what will happen to democracy? Where are the institutions that are going to teach the next generation of Americans, that they too need to voluntarily choose to obey the laws," Christensen says in the video.

"Because if you take away religion, you can't hire enough police," the Harvard professor adds.

Earlier this week, American Atheist President David Silverman sent a letter to the university's chancellor, asking him to apologize for sending the email to students and staff.

Silverman argues that the video "asserts that religion, particularly Judeo-Christian beliefs, are necessary to be moral, law-abiding citizens, and implies that those who do not attend church will be anti-democracy and anti-social members of society."

The atheist group asks for a "for a public apology to the student, and other atheists whom you have disparaged with the video you included in your email."