Posted on 12/07/2005 12:07:15 PM PST by dukeman
A sign promoting the separation of church and state now accompanies the many holiday decorations at the State Capitol as of Friday.
The Madison-based Freedom From Religion Foundation posted their annual “Winter Solstice” sign in the first-floor rotunda area, which has been gracing the building for the past 10 years despite mixed reactions from those who visit the state’s seat of government.
The sign declares: “At this season of the Winter Solstice may reason prevail. There are no gods, no devils, no angels, no heaven or hell. There is only our natural world. Religion is but myth and superstition that hardens hearts and enslaves minds.”
Annie Laurie Gaylor, co-president of the foundation, said the FFRF strictly followed the state procedures regarding the proper way to post a sign, which is in response to the regular appearance of Christmas-like and religious decorations adorning the capitol each winter season.
“We felt that it would be important to have a sign saying to keep church and state separate,” Gaylor said.
In the past, however, the sign had been vandalized and stolen. Though the perpetrator was never found from a marring of the sign which took place several years ago, Gaylor noted “it looked like an inside job.”
As a warning to those intending to take or damage the sign, the back of it reads, “Thou shalt not steal,” as well as “State/Church: Keep them Separate.”
Gaylor even noted an instance where former Gov. Tommy Thompson removed a banner with their message from the rotunda.
“He also changed the rules so there could be nothing like that allowed again,” Gaylor said. “But you could put up a little 30-by-40 inch sign, so we started to put up this sign at that time.”
State Rep. Scott Suder, R-Abbotsford, said he disagreed with the placement of the sign at the capitol.
“Apparently Scrooge left his sign in the capitol and I wish Governor Doyle would remove it,” Suder said. “I think it is unnecessary for the Freedom From Religion Foundation to attack Christmas.”
Suder said the sign “has demeaned people of all faiths” and sends a bad message to everyone who visits the capitol, especially children; Suder also said the group “struggles for relevance” and has gotten negative reactions.
“We have had groups or individuals come down who have been very disgusted with the sign; they find [the FFRF] message to be both appalling and very disturbing,” Suder said, adding he encourages people to post “pro-Christmas” signs or signs promoting their own religion in response.
“Most people ignore it, but it does disturb some, and it’s unfortunate that this group has to continue to promote their agenda against all religions,” Suder said.
Some at the capitol took the sign with a grain of salt.
“It doesn’t really affect anything we’re doing,” Mike Prentiss, a spokesperson for State Sen. Scott Fitzgerald said. “They have been given the right to put the sign up, and they put the sign up — it is what it is.”
Fourteen percent of the U.S. population is not religious, Gaylor said, adding many Wisconsinites pay homage to the sign annually.
“There are people who come back every year,” Gaylor said. “I think it’s been a little bit of a tourist attraction.”
Both Suder and Prentiss said, however, they feel most citizens in the state disagree with the sign’s message.
“I certainly do not think they represent the views of the majority of people in Wisconsin, which is a good thing,” Prentiss said.
"the back of it reads, “Thou shalt not steal,”
LOL!!
Of course you felt. It takes a brain to think.
These people are beneath contempt.
If they dont wish to believe in anything thats fine, they should just go somewhere and STFU.
“At this season of the Winter Solstice may reason prevail. There are no gods, no devils, no angels, no heaven or hell. There is only our natural world. Religion is but myth and superstition that hardens hearts and enslaves minds.”
They can post their beliefs but forbid us ours?
If religion is so evil, WHY THE HECK ARE THEY QUOTING IT?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?
Hypocrites!!!!!!!!
But still, you'll have to take it on faith!
Sounds like a religious conviction to me.
Isn't there a religion that celebrate Winter Solstice? The group should be named Freedom from Christianity instead of Freedom from Religion.
"The message from this group spreads absolutely no goodwill whatsoever."
You cannot spead something that you do not have....they clearly do not have any good will to spread around.
If religion hardens hearts and enslaves minds, why are opponents of religion using imagery taken directly from the Christian Bible - namely the imagery of hearts being hardened and minds enslaved?
Is it not ridiculous?
Quite a few. The most common in the US is, I suppose, the synthetic religion known as "Wicca" by its illiterate proponents.
"There are no gods, no devils, no angels, no heaven or hell. There is only our natural world."
Then, for them, may their belief be granted!
Nice of them to acknowledge the seventh commandment. Maybe they should keep it in context by acknowledging the first commandment, too...
"You shall have no other gods before Me"
That's their belief.
There is a GOD. There is a devil. There are angels in heaven but not in Hell
That is my belief.
Why can they promote their beliefs but I can't promote mine?
Athiesm is a religion. So if we're going to separate church and state, you should be removing yourself.
I strongly object to this "hemispheric" language, which tries to force our northern hemisphere seasons upon all the peoples of the world. I can't believe the utter arrogance of these people.
1. This sign does not promote separation of church and state. It uses government property to promote atheism in a rather aggressive and confrontational way. Isn't this against the spirit of the separation doctrine?
2. It takes nerve to fall back on the Ten Commandments to discourage theft and vandalism. If I agree with the sign, then "Thou shalt not steal" carries no weight with me.
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