Gideon Never Imagined This!

By Rod Anderson, CP Cartoonist Tuesday, May 21, 2013

The American Atheists of Cranford, N.J., announced Friday they will be sending books on atheism to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources to be placed next to Gideon Bibles inside every cabin and lodge at the state's parks.

On April 28, Ed Buchner, the former president of American Atheists, a nonprofit organization that was founded by Madalyn Murray O'Hair in 1963, complained to the Department after he found "nine Bibles" inside his cabin, according to American Atheists.

In a move to avoid controversy, and a potential lawsuit, the decision was made to remove all Bibles from the state's parks that had been donated by The Gideons International, an interdenominational Christian association.

On Wednesday, following a meeting with Georgia Attorney General Sam Olens, Gov. Nathan Deal instructed the Department to return every Bible to cabins at the state's parks.