Dec 02 2008
Atheists put up sign next to a nativity scene at Washington Capital
A group of atheists and agnostics has placed a sign at the Capitol building that says, in part: ”Religion is but myth and superstition that hardens hearts and enslaves minds.”
The sign, sponsored by the Madison, Wisc.-based Freedom From Religion Foundation, is in part a reaction to a Nativity scene put up in the Capitol by a private citizen.
“Non-believers are a part of the fabric of America and we claim our place at the table to exercise free speech and freedom of religion, which includes freedom from religion,” said Dan Barker, 59, the foundation co-president who came from Madison for the sign’s unveiling.
The foundation’s sign is the latest round in what’s become sort of an annual winter tradition: debating what are appropriate religious symbols to put up in the public square.
Read more here.
[From me]
So what! If they want to be party poopers let them. If I brought my children by that it would be a great learning opportunity to share with them what atheists believe don’t believe. It is a lot of publicity and news for a non-story. That sign won’t change what I believe about the birth of Christ.
What do you think?
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6 responses so far
I tend to agree with you Kevin. Much ado about nothing. I honestly doubt their display will have much impact on anyone UNLESS people who call themselves Christians get all up in arms about it and give it undue publicity (could that be what they are hoping for?) I say let them put it there. And then turn a blind eye by saying, “And you point is what?”
Bill(cycleguy)’s last blog post..What is Your Idea?
Yep. Sometimes the best thing to do with childish “look at me!” behavior is to just ignore it.
Neil’s last blog post..From one collection of cells to another
I think those guys have WAY too much time on their hands.
As for me, I’ll just ignore them. They want more than anything attention and a response.
Good blogging, Kevin, as always!
David Richardson’s last blog post..Does Not Change
i think what we have to remember is that those folks had every bit as much right to be there with their sign as those who put the nativity there. if you make such a bold public statement such as putting a nativity(a huge religious symbol) on a government monument(the same government whose costitution guarantees freedom of/from religion), some opposition should be expected. i have been through olymipia, wa, and know it to be largely inhabited by punk rockers and “left-thinking individuals”-in other words people who are unabashed about speaking their minds, in sometimes controversial ways, and surely the folks who put the nativity up knew that-who knows, perhaps they were looking for that sort of reaction. but i think it’s dangerous to just ignore/write them(the athiests) off as party poopers or idiots. to me, this isn’t a matter of whose theology is correct, it’s a matter of freedom of speech, something that we are all entitled to. you can’t have one without the other. Kevin, i think you hit it on the head when you said that it really doesn’t change your beliefs about the birth of christ, and i admire and respect that. but we must respect the beliefs and convictions of others that may disagree. i don’t recall in the article the athiests ever challenging the christians’ right to display what they believe. and i think the alloof, frenchman’s-wave-because-you-know-so-much-better approach is exactly what they want. sure would be nice to give ‘em somethng different. it is christmas, after all.
This link sums it up:
http://www.joemartino.name/metamorphic/2008/11/an-interesting-cartoon.html
I saved that cartoon to my computer… I think it is profound and life-changing! Good find!