The Atheist Holiday Sign is National News

[ryanlion]

So that sign that is up in the capital building has apparently pissed Bill O'Reilly off.

Click to view

I don't particularly care for the sign, not because it's atheist, but just the tone of the message seems hostile rather than celebratory, and I like to be in a cheerful (as possible) mood at this time of year. However I do like seeing the first amendment at

Comments

[codyswifey08]

I have no problem with atheist people because we all have the freedom to voice our opinions and believe what we think is right regardless. So I can see why they'd place this sign up and I agree with you on the fact that it's a bit hostile and Christmas is a time to be more cheerful. But since this country was founded on Christianity I believe that the government's decisions should be based on Christian beliefs. People make the decision on who they wish to be but I don't think we should represent other religions because this country wasn't founded on christianity.

But when it comes down to holidays it'd probably be best if there were no types of decorations or anything because it's always going to be an issue.

[xythen]

I sorta thought this country was founded on freedom of religion.

It seems to be more "freedom of religion, as long as its Christianity" some days. :|

[chiaspod]

You go ahead and let me know when they ban practicing Samhain, Purim, Diwali, or Ramadan, 'k?

Allowing one religion to celebrate its holiday doesn't mean that the other religions can't ... and I've not seen any articles, papers, complaints, whatever that the local synagogue or mosque asked for a display and was denied.

Now to see if I can salvage anything coherent out of the original respondent's post to try to give a reasonable answer.

[xythen]

Yes, indeed, there are asses of all religious/philosophical flavors out there (as demonstrated in the sign of the original post

[rimrunner]

The great irony here is that the Puritans, whose values still reverberate through our society, would have frowned upon Christmas trees and nativity scenes.

Have you ever read Stephen Nissenbaum's The Battle for Christmas?

I now giggle whenever anyone talks about getting back to fine old Christmas traditions. Personally I think a Lord of Misrule would liven things up tremendously...

[ms_vermilion]

I agree with you, and I think it is an incredibly silly thing to get upset about. Something people disagree with is viewable in a governmentally sanctioned public place - So what? (It's just as silly as people getting upset over a nativity scene on view, as if that were some personal affront to them if they're not Christian.)

[chiaspod]

The sign reads:
“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 that and superstition that hardens our hearts and enslaves minds.”

After the first sentence, they're just being dicks. If the nativity scene were one that inherently communicated "yay, Christ is borne. Accept him or burn in Hell, fuckers", I'd understand the atheists' sign. But as it stands right now? Mean-spirited, ironically preachy, and douche-like.

[chiaspod]

Here's my quick parsing of the sign:

First sentence - ok, simple statement of belief. I'm good with reason.

Second and third sentence - a bit prick-ish. There's an implicit message, given the placement of the sign, of "hey, those guys over there? They're wrong. Completely wrong. Egregiously wrong." I'm with pahana on this, I think: if you want to take a day to say "the other guy's wrong," do it on your own time. Don't piss in the other guy's Christy-O's. Do it on Annual Atheist Day (April 15th, when most people think there is no God).

That last sentence? "We said the other guy was wrong. We lied - Christians want to enslave you and EAT YOUR BABIES."

And that's what makes it Super-Douchey.

[eregyrn]

Yeah, my take basically boils down to:

Freedom of speech/expression is a celebration of our rights as Americans. And there is no more honest celebration of that right than acknowledging it in relation to speech that, in fact, infuriates us. (Take that, O'Reilly.)

However -- freedom of speech is not freedom from being called an asshat. (Too many people, esp. on the internet these days, tend to equate "freedom of speech" with "freedom from criticism" -- hah, NO.)

So, y'all go ahead and exercise your freedom of speech (and of religion, or freedom from it) alllll you like. If you're being a dick about it, I'm going to point out that you're being a dick. That's my... right.

And wow, are they dicks.