Dr Hawkins attached a video that asserted the importance of religion, angering the American Atheists.

The video was of Harvard Business School professor Clay Christensen recounting a conversation he had with a Chinese Marxist who was completing a Harvard fellowship.

The Marxist allegedly told Christensen that he only recently realised how critical religion was to the healthy functioning of democracy.

He said that democracy is only successful if people are held accountable to God as well as society. The video ends with a statement from Christensen: "If you take away religion, you can't hire enough police."

Dr Hawkins said the video "speaks to America's greatness and its vulnerability," but at least one person at the Alabama university had a problem with the religious message.

American Atheists President David Silverman wrote an open letter to Hawkins after a University student complained.

Silverman demanded an apology for the video on the grounds that it 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." 

Silverman reported that atheists make up 11 per cent of the state's population, with higher numbers among the college-aged, and condemned Hawkins' message. 

Source: www.christiantoday.com