The Colorado Supreme Court has ruled 5-2 that an atheist group lacks the standing to challenge the state’s Day of Prayer proclamations.

In the majority opinion, Chief Justice Nancy E. Rice wrote, “Although we do not question the sincerity of Respondents’ feelings, without more, their circuitous exposure to the honorary proclamations and concomitant belief that the proclamations expressed the Governor’s preference for religion is simply too indirect and incidental an injury to confer individual standing.”

The Wisconsin-based Freedom From Religion Foundation filed suit on behalf of four Colorado citizens who objected to the proclamations, which are issued annually by the governor to coincide with the national Day of Prayer event. According to the Durango Herald, Mike Smith, David Habecker, Timothy G. Bailey and Jeff Baysinger are FFRF members and identify as atheists.

The FFRF slammed the ruling in Hickenlooper v. Freedom From Religion Foundation. Its co-president, Annie Laurie Gaylor, said in a statement, “Under today’s precedent, if Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper decided to proclaim a state religion, no state citizen would have the right to challenge him!”