KENTWOOD, MI — A national atheist group chapter is claiming victory in a religious discrimination lawsuit brought against a Detroit-area country club that canceled a 2011 speech by famous atheist author Richard Dawkins allegedly because of the man’s lack of religious belief.

The Center for Inquiry Michigan, based in Kentwood, said a settlement was reached Tuesday, Feb. 26, in the federal lawsuit bought against the Wyndgate Country Club of Rochester Hills in April 2012 in U.S. District Court.

The group sued the club for unspecified damages after it canceled a Oct. 12, 2011 speech and dinner event by Dawkins, a British evolutionary biologist who has authored several prominent books on atheism.

The CFI alleged the Rochester Hills club illegally denied use of its facilities to the public based on religious beliefs after owner Larry Winget saw Dawkins discuss his new book on the Fox News show "The O'Reilly Factor."

The CFI alleged violations of Title II of the federal Civil Rights Act of 1964, and the Michigan Civil Rights Act, as well as breach of contract after the club put the kibosh on the dinner event.

According to the complaint, CFI alleged that club employees acting under the direction of Winget called them to cancel the event because Winget “does not wish to associate with certain individuals or philosophies.”

Jeff Seaver and Jennifer Beahan with the Center for Inquiry-Michigan, an atheist group which sued a Detroit-area country club for religious discrimination following a canceled speech by author Richard Dawkins.

The 100 seat, $95 per-ticket dinner was relocated to the Royal Park Hotel in Rochester.

CFI Michigan executive director Jeff Seaver was plaintiff in the case. Messages left with Wyndgate administrative staff seeking comment on the case were not returned on Tuesday.

Financial terms of the settlement were not disclosed, but CFI Michigan representative Jennifer Beahan said “I’m happy it was a good amount we are able to cover our costs and support our programming” with.

The organization describes itself as "advocating for science, reason, and secular values." In late 2011, the CFI sparked a flurry of debate in heavily-religious West Michigan with a highway billboard that questioned the necessity of God in a person's daily life.

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New York-based CFI legal director Steven Fox said “this is the first case we know of that uses the civil rights that protect against discrimination in use of public accommodations on behalf of the non-religious.”

Because the case was not decided by a judge or jury, it is not technically precedent setting, but Fox said it should be “persuasive to some other court that the non-religious do have these rights.”

Editor's note: Sensitivity training was not part of a settlement between the Center for Inquiry and Wyndgate Country Club. Incorrect information about the settlement was provided to MLive by CFI.

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