(To put my money where my mouth is, 4 of my last 5 dogs have been rescues, and they all have blessed ME!)
Posted on 11/23/2017 4:57:08 AM PST by markomalley
A New Jersey animal shelter’s annual pet blessings has prompted a federal lawsuit by a group called American Atheists Inc. of Cranford.
The Bergen County Animal Shelter is accused of violating the First and 14th amendments of the U.S. Constitution over two events held in 2016 and 2017. Each event featured a member of the Franciscan Order of the Divine Mercy in North Arlington.
Plaintiffs say that animal blessings at the facility are tantamount to an endorsement of religion. They seek an injunction to stop the annual event, and legal fees.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtontimes.com ...
Real atheists do not care what one does or does not worship.
Sounds more like free exercise so long as no one is forced to participate.
Hey, how about using your favorite term “ hate” to describe these mentally ill malcontents
“With one exception, the atheists I know have no problems with people of faith and respect the right of people of faith to practice as they see fit.
But journos never seem to find atheists like that. Just this kind.”
Exactly. There are radicals in nearly every political/religious group who make the others look bad. The press loves to stir the porridge.
“Most Atheists just hate or are very angry at God due to their short comings in life. “
Most? Have you been counting or have you done research? You are generalizing a whole group. Are you so insecure that you must denigrate anyone who disagrees with you?
Agreed. They’d like nothing better than their own Inquisition.
Some people get up every day and think “how can I be a jerk and cause aggravation to normal, productive people for absolutely no good reason?”
Care to take bets on who all the members of this group voted for?
Where in the Constitution does it ban pet blessings?
If you don’t believe in it what difference does it make
Was this a “federal” animal shelter created by Congress?
I can’t make an informed opinion about most atheists, but I have a couple of relatives that just can’t say the word Christian without being irritating superior and snarky. They make it quite clear that they think Christians are deluded and at least somewhat retarded.
Interestingly, they don’t seem to have the same degree of contempt for most other religions.
Myself? Most people I know don’t even know I am not religious. Partly, I think, because I am quite adamant about the rights of Christians in this country; but also because I am live and let live as long as you leave me and others alone. I’d like to think that I am the norm in that regard.
Who knows? Mass communications and social media massively distort our perceptions of what the world is really like.
Absolutely agree! Don’t even show up to court on this one. What is the court going to do? Shut down the animal shelter?
If he had showed up unprompted, on his own time, walked into the facility during normal business hours, signed in and then by himself, without staff support, wandered around the kennels blessing the animals then yes, they would have been free.
someone needs to assplain the difference in “freedom OF religion” and “freedom FROM religion” to them.
The animal shelter is a type of public square and atheists are not being prevented from expressing their belief in nothing. They’re certainly entitled to come to the shelter and do nothing as a display of their own beliefs.
No, it isn't.
Oh shut up, humorless one.
Quite so. Speaking as one, it doesn't bother me in the slightest.
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