Rael bestows 'Honorary Guide' title on Calif. high school student who omitted God reference while leading the Pledge of Allegiance

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Nov 10, 2014, 02:37 ET

LAS VEGAS, Nov. 10, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Rael, founder and spiritual leader of the International Raelian Movement, has once again conferred the Movement's 'Honorary Guide for Humanity' title upon an individual who steadfastly refuses to publicly acknowledge an all-powerful deity or deities, according to a statement released today by the International Raelian Movement (IRM).

According to CBS Sacramento, Derek Giardina, a 17-year-old student at West High School in Tracy, California, was punished for excising the words 'under God' while leading his classmates in a recital of the Pledge of Allegiance that was also broadcast over the school's PA system. Giardina told CBS that he had agreed to lead the pledge in accordance with a school requirement but that he would rather not recite it at all, since he's neither religious nor patriotic.

"I decided to award him the title of 'Honorary Guide of Mankind' because he is a perfect example of integrity and noncompliance with discriminatory traditions," Rael said.

A few years ago, California attorney Michael Newdow received the same Honorary Guide distinction from Rael for suing to remove the words "under God" from the Pledge of Allegiance. He then filed another lawsuit in Washington, D.C., to remove any reference to God from all U.S. government procedures, including the inauguration ceremony.

In addition, individuals like Raelian Guide Thomas Kaenzig have fought successfully for the right to a citizenship ceremony that omits all references to God.

"School administrators need to take note," Kaenzig said. "For Derek Giardina's courageous act of omitting words signifying something he doesn't believe, his grade point average was lowered to a C. This is an outrageous violation of his human rights. No school should have the right to make students recite words that violate their religious or political beliefs. Schools, along with all other public institutions, should guarantee freedom of religion. At the same time, they should be free from religious messages themselves. The Pledge of Allegiance should include no religious reference whatsoever, which was the way it was until the McCarthy era."
Kaenzig said Giardina has the support of Raelians around the world, as well as kudos from Rael himself.

Along with being an "Honorary Guide" of the Raelian Movement, a distinction Rael confers on only a very few individuals each year, Giardina is also the youngest individual to be so honored, according to Kaenzig.

SOURCE Raelian Movement