ATHEISTS DESERVE THEIR OWN HOLIDAY—NOTHINGDAY

Catholic League ^ | December 23, 2004 | William Donohue

[NYer]

 

December 23, 2004 

ATHEISTS DESERVE THEIR OWN HOLIDAY—NOTHINGDAY 

Catholic League president William Donohue released the following comments on the Christmas wars today:   

 

“Robert Tiernan, a spokesman for the Freedom from Religion Foundation, is demanding that atheists be represented in next year’s Parade of Lights in Denver.  He wants a ‘winter solstice’ float instead of a Christian one.  He deserves better.

 

“Atheists deserve to have their own holiday—Nothingday—the purpose of which would be to honor what they believe in, which is absolutely nothing.  Nothingday would be held on the day of the winter solstice and would be celebrated by holding nationwide conferences explicitly designed to accomplish nothing. 

 

“For example, there would be seminars and workshops on the virtue of standing for nothing.  Participants would be invited to watch a video on the meaning of Nothingday and would then discover—to their utter delight—that there’s nothing on the tape.  Tables outside conference rooms would be set up, though there would be nothing on them.  Breakout sessions would allow participants to huddle in corners for the express purpose of doing nothing.  When they reassemble, their team leader would be able to report that they have accomplished absolutely nothing.  Naturally, no minutes would be kept. 

 

“They would then repair to the cocktail lounge where they would all be given empty glasses.  Dinner would follow, though nothing would be served.  At the awards ceremony, those who best represent the spirit of nothing would, of course, be given nothing for their efforts.  Best of all, the keynote speaker wouldn’t open his mouth, allowing everyone to just sit there, staring endlessly into space.

 

“Quite frankly, this sounds a heck of a lot better than the conferences I’ve been to.”

 

The Catholic League is the nation's largest Catholic civil rights organization. It defends individual Catholics and the institutional Church from defamation and discrimination.
 

[Melas]

Plenty of atheists and theists alike will be at work. Is there some soft of point here?

[Melas]

I like your father already.

[SamAdams76]

So will plenty of Christians. Is there some kind of point there?

[Diverdogz]

Once again, the extremists on our side with mouths bigger than their brains make us all look like maniacal zealots.

Thankfully, there are a few like you around who recognize that atheists are as likely or unlikely to be decent, caring human beings as those calling themselves Christian.

[Long Cut]

I particularly liked such Christian sentiment as expressed in #6, 14, 34, and my favorite, #18.

so much for all that "Christmas Spirit" we hear so much about.

[Diverdogz]

Note to Sam, ...if you drew a proper Venn Diagram, you'd see that Christians are a subset of theists...so I think he did make his point :)

[Long Cut]

I also realize that neither the conservative movement nor the Republican party has any religious reqirements for membership.

If someone wishes to vote for our candidates, their religious beliefs (or lack thereof) matter not a whit. However, it is insanity on the Right's part to actively drive them away with vile nonsense like the post which began this thread, and others.

Not to mention completely rude, bigoted, and arrogant.

[Long Cut]

I also realize that neither the conservative movement nor the Republican party has any religious reqirements for membership.

If someone wishes to vote for our candidates, their religious beliefs (or lack thereof) matter not a whit. However, it is insanity on the Right's part to actively drive them away with vile nonsense like the post which began this thread, and others.

Not to mention completely rude, bigoted, and arrogant.

[Diverdogz]

Obviously, many on the right have made the political calculation that bashing Atheists HELPS more than it hurts.

[escapefromboston]

Atheists behave in rude condescending manner to Religious people in general (and Christians in particular) so is it surprising for Religious people to act differently?

Yes we should all behave better but is it really that shocking?

The news is filled with so called Atheists trying to destroy our traditions. Christians are just letting off some steam.
I say "so called Atheists" because I can't imagine a real Atheist caring if they put up a nativity scene

[Raycpa]

Not to mention completely rude, bigoted, and arrogant.

On what basis do you believe this ? What is your authority ?

[BikerNYC]

If there is no God, there is no value...

What tripe. Of course there is value. The shell that is sitting on the table in front of me has value, not because there is a God, but because my niece gave it to me. My family has value, my friends have value, my job has value, this website has value, not because there is a God, but because I find them valuable. They mean something to me. I don't expect anyone else to find value in my shell, but so what, they find value in other things.

Your thesis removes the human being from the equation. To you, there is value in things independent of our judgments. To you, my shell has some sort of inherent value derived from God. That's absurd. It has value because it came from a little girl's hand.

[Clorinox]

"I assume you raised this question because you assume satan is co-equal with God. He is not. He was created by God with all the other angels. Just as man denies God's sovereignty, so to did satan."

Why does evil exist if God is all-powerful. Why doesn't he destroy evil?

[escapefromboston]

People like to feel like they are being oppressed and are victims. It goes across all religions and races, it is what ties all Americans together! Being whiny!

[Raycpa]

Why does evil exist if God is all-powerful. Why doesn't he destroy evil?

Great question. When God finished his creation, he saw that it was good. In other words everything was good.

Sin and or evil began with disobedience to God by our choice. Why did God chose to give us the freedom to sin ? Why did God provide his son to die in our stead ?

The answer is love. Love is not logical or rational. The bible explains that God loves us and considers himself to be our father. God desires that we love him back.

[LiteKeeper]

They already have their own day - 1 April - see Psalm 14:1

[Long Cut]

"Christians are just letting off some steam."

Sure...replace "atheists" with "Jews", or any other religious or ethnic group, and ask then if you'd defend it as you are.

While you're at it, imagine you're a reporter, say, from a news network doing research for a story about conservatives and Christmas. You find this thread.

Care to guess, what with some of the quotes, what'd be written? The President himself would disavow this site.

[Long Cut]

"On what basis do you believe this ?"

Oh, calling atheists "all liars", "insane", and the wonderful sentiment expressed in #18. All of these sentiments, and more, were expressed within 100 posts. Did you miss them, or just agree with them so much that they didn't strike you as rotten?

If anyone referred to YOUR personal beliefs this way, you'd be ready to let go with both barrels. It's not right just because you don't like atheists.

"What is your authority ?"

What's YOURS?

[Long Cut]

"People like to feel like they are being oppressed and are victims. It goes across all religions and races, it is what ties all Americans together! Being whiny!"

Yep, we see it right here, with Christians whining about those "EEEEEVVVIIILLLllll Atheists" trying to "destroy Christmas", and using it to justify their own bad behavior (which, BTW, only justifies the atheists' claims).

[Long Cut]

"Obviously, many on the right have made the political calculation that bashing Atheists HELPS more than it hurts."

If so, then that is truly a sad thing. Not to mention blindingly stupid, and politically suicidal in the long run.