Posted on 12/24/2009 7:49:55 AM PST by Former Fetus
I would put a sign next to theirs. “Hey Atheist’s, if you do not recognise GOD he will not recognise you. And you are going to be dead a long, Long, time.”
“This is a CHRISTIAN Nation.”
_______
No this is a wholly secular nation with many Christians in it.
My point is not that these people don’t have the right to say it, but that government should not beexpected to promote one religion bashing another. Might as well let the Klan put up an anti-Catholic display. I’m not in favor of vandalism, but the content of the sign puts it well outside the legitimate role of government.
The “co-president” of the Freedom From Religion Foundation answered that one on O’Reilly. It’s because the days only get longer from here, so it’s a celebration of coming out of darkness. Of course, that’s just tap dancing so they can explain why they don’t work on Christmas and still give gifts, party, etc.
I plan to call the FFRF today and see if they’re in. Anyone want to make bets? :-)
A nation whose third president, a deist, gave Christian missionaries money right out of the treasury.
Given the statements of the Founders and Framers, arguing that this is a secular nation is like arguing that we're not an English-speaking nation because the Constitution doesn't officially establish English.
Oh yeah? Just get out your constitution and see where it establishes this as a Christian Nation. Its right here in Article ... um... I’m looking for it ... gotta be here somewhere.... [nervous laughter] ...mmmm... I’ll have to get back to ya on that...
But it is, just take everyone’s word for it.
This isn’t about agreeing with their sign, it is about the law that gives all of us our rights, be it Christian, Atheist, Buddhist, or Moonie. Those rights gives us our freedom to seek God, we can’t seek Him freely if we aren’t free in the first place. If we start banning other displays, we become no better than those who try to ban Christmas displays.
Having trouble finding it? It's in there keep looking.
I'll check back later to see if we need to bail you out.
My point is not that these people don’t have the right to say it, but that government should not be expected to promote one religion bashing another. Might as well let the Klan put up an anti-Catholic display. I’m not in favor of vandalism, but the content of the sign puts it well outside the legitimate role of government.
Promotion would be if they put it up themselves, in this case, it seems they simply offered the space for all to put up displays, thus the variety described.
Atheists have used the argument often that Christmas displays are ‘bashing’ them or are hate in some sort. We should rise above that.
Their display does their side far more harm than good. We should rise above their antics and let the people see them and decide which represents the spirit they would rather be in, a spirit of love or a spirit of hate.
And a Merry Christmas to all. You don't have to believe in anything to wish happiness on others. You do have to be a bitter, arrogant, and ultimately futile human being to insist on denying it, even if it appears to you an illusion.
When in doubt, quote Heinlein:
"A religion is sometime a source of happiness, and I would not deprive anyone of happiness. But it is a comfort appropriate for the weak, not for the strong. The great trouble with religion — any religion — is that a religionist, having accepted certain propositions by faith, cannot thereafter judge those propositions by evidence. One may bask at the warm fire of faith or choose to live in the bleak uncertainty of reason — but one cannot have both."
That's bilgewater. What you're calling "rising above" is just accepting a vicious slur as if it were fact. It's like letting Al Sharpton get away with saying the neighborhood department store is allied with the Klan because they sell white sheets.
Their display does their side far more harm than good. We should rise above their antics and let the people see them and decide which represents the spirit they would rather be in, a spirit of love or a spirit of hate.
Nice as a general principle, but the problem is that setting a precedent where the government tolerates diplays bashing other faiths on its property is far more damaging to our civic life than any benefit we could hope to realize by just accepting the lies.
Given the statements of the Founders and Framers, arguing that this is a secular nation is like arguing that we’re not an English-speaking nation because the Constitution doesn’t officially establish English.
You do know that there’s nothing in the Constitution that says we’re an English-speaking nation, right?
As much as I respect Heinlein, his statement is silly in a world where Aquinas, Augustine and Newton (just to name a few) have gone before him.
I agree, I’m not christian, I am an american.
If we allow religious iconography on public lands, then it has to be open to all. Freedom of speech is tough, but we are a free country. Either let everyone put something up, or no one put something up, we don’t have a state religion in America.
It isn't really much of a logical proposition. The critic states that in his opinion the two are incompatible and hence in his opinion people cannot be happy with both. The commonality is "in his opinion." Mine is that he is mistaken. I have evidence. He does not.
My principal point remains, however, that to go out of one's way to deliberately mock another's beliefs at a time when they are most vulnerable to such mockery is an act of rudeness and intolerance. It should be beneath well-adjusted adults. Would you agree with that?
Communism was atheistic, but it wasn't atheism. By that logic, churches are religious so we're okay to equate them with jihadist mosques.
They don't like the competition. They like to use their majority position in the public and government to give their religion special standing and exclude others.
LOL, would you care to clarify the "atheist religious view" thing?
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