Tis the season....

[Pete]

Do you guys think we should knock down the washington monument or utterly destroy the infra structure or maby design your own city with your own government that leaves 0 traces of a Godly form of government.

Whatever one may think. DC was designed with crosses in the lay out . Biblical scripture was chisled in marble and granite in alot of the historical area in the days our founding fathers.
The original american dream was not a 4bedroon house with a corvette in the drive way and a 6 figure salery. It was to have the freedom to worship God as they saw fit.

A true atheist shouldn't care one way or another if people display religious symbols. The fact that it bothers them tells me they have a belief which knotes hatred of God and not a non existance of God,,,,,,which is the opposite of a religious person who knotes the love of God. Well most religioons

I dont care if people put leprecons statues on their front lawns I dont believe in them and it would never occure to me to put up an anti lepricon sign next to them noting my disbelief in them and telling people of the bondage all that guiness guzzling puts in those lepricon believers.

I tend to see atheists such as these as God haters and not merly someone who simply doesn't believe in God.
Oh yes there were plenty of God haters in biblical times ,,,very similar as today. Those with heardened hearts against that which is Godly.

While its true alot of religions put people in bondage and play with peoples emotions ,,,it has nothing to do with God. Religion and God are not synononous. . You can read some of that in Malachi.
All that matters to God is what you do according to his will not what you say!
And that has caused many religions to get a bad rap as it may have so justifyably deserve.

People who fight against God ,,hate God,,,pretty simple

Pete

[K.Bullock]

It's called Christmas the season when we traditionaly celebrate OUR beliefs. If you Atheists want to celebrate your own holiday feel free, I won't object and won't interfere, just stay out of mine.

My sentiments exactly.

[YardleyLabs]

I guess my feeling is that if you want exclusivity, restrict your displays to church property and stay off public lands. There's big difference between being a country where the majority are Christian and being a Christian country. We are definitely the former for now, but I hope that we never become the latter. Happily that cannot happen without a Constitutional amendment.

[cotts135]

Just ask how many tattoos &/or piercings - that'll give you a chronology!

Marvin, so you can make an informed and educated guess on what type of person I am I have one tatoo and no piercings.

The Times had an article this AM about the atheists - now 122 dues paying members in their little group. The reporter gushs over the strides these people have made. Atheism has been around since I was a little guy, doesn't sound to me like much of a stride. If they want to be that way, let them, just stay out of my face.

Your missing the point on this. This is not so much a issue of Freedom of Religion, It's more a Freedom of choice issue. So if I read your last sentence correctly it seems it's okay to have a Religious display but not so much for the Aethist's. Don't want them in your face ......... right.

[Hoosier]

Your missing the point on this. This is not so much a issue of Freedom of Religion, It's more a Freedom of choice issue. So if I read your last sentence correctly it seems it's okay to have a Religious display but not so much for the Aethist's. Don't want them in your face ......... right.

I think the point is it's disrespectful to put the Atheist display right next to the Christian display. It's intent to get a reaction. So they can complain about the reaction.

[YardleyLabs]

Do you guys think we should knock down the washington monument or utterly destroy the infra structure or maby design your own city with your own government that leaves 0 traces of a Godly form of government.

Whatever one may think. DC was designed with crosses in the lay out . Biblical scripture was chisled in marble and granite in alot of the historical area in the days our founding fathers.
The original american dream was not a 4bedroon house with a corvette in the drive way and a 6 figure salery. It was to have the freedom to worship God as they saw fit.

A true atheist shouldn't care one way or another if people display religious symbols. The fact that it bothers them tells me they have a belief which knotes hatred of God and not a non existance of God,,,,,,which is the opposite of a religious person who knotes the love of God. Well most religioons

I dont care if people put leprecons statues on their front lawns I dont believe in them and it would never occure to me to put up an anti lepricon sign next to them noting my disbelief in them and telling people of the bondage all that guiness guzzling puts in those lepricon believers.

I tend to see atheists such as these as God haters and not merly someone who simply doesn't believe in God.
Oh yes there were plenty of God haters in biblical times ,,,very similar as today. Those with heardened hearts against that which is Godly.

While its true alot of religions put people in bondage and play with peoples emotions ,,,it has nothing to do with God. Religion and God are not synononous. . You can read some of that in Malachi.
All that matters to God is what you do according to his will not what you say!
And that has caused many religions to get a bad rap as it may have so justifyably deserve.

People who fight against God ,,hate God,,,pretty simple

Pete

Pete,

As I noted in my original comment, I couldn't care less about anyone's religious beliefs. However, I do care about those who believe that they have some innate right to use public resources in a preferential manner because their beliefs are in some way special. There are millions of atheists in this country and millions of more around the world. It says something if a so-called atheist group only has 122 dues paying members. Obviously the members of the group represent only themselves, not some broader group.

I've never been a Christian, but I've always celebrated Christmas and even call it Christmas. I love the "spirit of Christmas", its celebration of generosity and love, and welcome those who seek to make it a little less commercial and a little more thoughtful. If that is done with a billboard in Washington saying "Just be good for goodness sake", it doesn't bother me that the message comes from an atheist. If the message comes from someone saying that anyone who believes in God is an idiot, my reaction is that the person has shown their own intolerance and character and deserves the respect they have earned.

All that said, the notion that any religious group should be given "ownership" of the messages associated with some particular day, month or months on the calendar is one I find to be ridiculous. Our world is full of self righteous people who shove their beliefs in the faces of people trying to go about their otherwise legal business. I suspect that many in this discussion have either done this themselves or supported those that have.

Usually those doing this justify their actions based on the fact that their beliefs are right (An example might be those who virtually assault women entering abortion clinics with messages that they are murderers.). In my mind, rude behavior is rude regardless of the reason. Our Constitution gives us the right to be rude. It doesn't mean any of us need to like it all the time.

[cotts135]

I think the point is it's disrespectful to put the Atheist display right next to the Christian display. It's intent to get a reaction. So they can complain about the reaction.

If you know it is their intention to get a reaction then tell me why you react. If they are ignored maybe they will go away..........................

I think we can agree that their rights are the same as the Christians. You don't see them trying to put their signs at Churches or private property. Only at government institutions. You only find it disrespectful because you don't agree with them.
If you feel that they don't have those rights I would like to hear your reasons.

[K.Bullock]

If you know it is their intention to get a reaction then tell me why you react. If they are ignored maybe they will go away..........................

I think we can agree that their rights are the same as the Christians. You don't see them trying to put their signs at Churches or private property. Only at government institutions. You only find it disrespectful because you don't agree with them.
If you feel that they don't have those rights I would like to hear your reasons.

What rights are you talking about exactly, ...then we can begin.

[cotts135]

What rights are you talking about exactly, ...then we can begin.

I see this incident more a Freedom of Speech issue than a Freedom of Religion one.

[K.Bullock]

I see this incident more a Freedom of Speech issue than a Freedom of Religion one.

How were the atheists rights violated?