Reason's Greetings

OLYMPIA — In the latest round of what's become almost a winter tradition — conflicts over religious symbols in public places — a group of atheists and agnostics have put up a sign in the state Capitol that says, in part: "Religion is but myth and superstition that hardens hearts and enslaves minds."

Freedom From Religion Foundation members put up the sign Monday, partly in response to a nearby Nativity scene. They also debuted a billboard in downtown Olympia that reads: "Reason's Greetings."

"Nonbelievers 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, co-president of the Wisconsin-based foundation.

Of course, their freedom from religion can't come at the expense of another's freedom to express their religion, which is kind of fundamental in the Bill of Rights.  Their right is not freedom from religion, but the freedom not to have congress prohibit their free exercise.  That's what the Constitution says.

I suppose allowing the display is necessary in a pluralist society and the way the law has been interpreted by the courts.  However I think there are a few  differences that put the atheist display in a different category than the other displays at this time of year. 

First, the atheist display doesn't simply express a tenant of their belief, it is actually mocking the religious displays along side it.  A nativity and a mennorrah side by side each express something about the religion they represent without denigrating the other.  It truly is pluralistic with various religious views of this season expressed.  The atheist display, however, denigrates religion and I don't think that's in the spirit of these public displays.  Let's have a debate about their claims about religion in the proper setting.  But this display is disrespectful in a way the religious ones are not.

The second difference I think is that there's no necessary reason the atheists display has to be done now, side by side with the nativity or mennorrah, and it could just as well be displayed another time of the year.  There's nothing specifically seasonal in the atheist views as there are in the religion displays.  Atheists aren't excluded from Christmas, as I heard one atheist claim in an interview, as the rationale for the display.  Secular features of Christmas coexist comfortably already with the religious ones.  Nothing about religion bars atheists from getting in the Christmas spirit.  There is nothing specifically atheistic about Christmas that compels such a display right now, especially when theirs mocks the religious observances of the holidays.

Religious pluralism doesn't mean a naked public square that is atheistic, religion being preserved only in the private realm.  It means the free expression of all views.  Atheists can be given the same access to display their views in public buildings without giving them the opportunity to denigrate the religious features of Christmas and Hannukah that are important to many other citizens.

Finally, I think an effective way to counter their assertions that "religion hardens hearts and enslaves minds" is to live lives that display generous and warm hearts, sharp and informed minds, which are both honoring to God and a good witness.  And that would be a compelling response to their misapprehensions about religion.

Comments

[Kevin W]

To the exclusion of ‘rights’, in other words, separating what is and isn't expression for a second:

I find intent to be a huge part of this. The atheist’s intent is entirely different. Is it an intent compelled by integrity? Is it compelled by “inclusion”? Maybe compassion and love?

But we’re again reminded, Religion is supposed to “harden hearts and enslave minds”

Weird times.

I like “Reason’s Greetings” as in “Stand To Reason”

[Dan]

Very very well said.

[Patrick Lacaire]

It is interesting that this parasitic exercise receives the acceptance that it does. I say parasitic because atheism is that which cannot survive without its host - theism. It is an "it ain't so" type of irrationality that offers itself as intellectually sound. It is not. Atheism is an anti what already exists movement with no inherent constituent parts that causes it to cohere. At its core is absence.

And yet it prevails upon thinking people so often in so many areas to the harm of society and culture. It reminds of the childrens movie "The Never Ending Story", where all things over time give way to the nothing that overtakes almost all of the universe.

Atheism is the nothing.

[Riesling]

How can you even participate in the clause, "Freedom of Religion", if you dont even hold to one? If you reject the notion of a higher authority, you should logically Opt out of Christmas, unless of course, (of course!) your intentions are a bit more rotten than you claim... Now that couldent be the case could it?

[Pointout]

Ha, except atheism IS a religion and a superstition, and an irrational one at that (see The Irrational Atheist by Vox Day).

[Riesling]

Pointout, I agree athiesm is by all means a religion, even though im sure alot of so called athiests would detest that statement. I was simply going by the billboards line of logic.

[Bryan]

The not such a great ambassador part of me just had an image of some well lit counter signage (counter to the 'hardening of hearts and closing of minds' bit) listing the death tolls of the bloodiest atheist regimes such as Mao and Stalin.

"Atheist dictators were responsible for more deaths in the 20th century alone than Christianity is responsible for in over 20 centuries! Merry Godless Christmas!"

[Damian]

How does asserting a negative in the absolute (impossible) constitute reason? Ironically the athiest appeal to the constitution is funny considering that worldview would never have come up with this constitution in the first place.

[RickY]

I sometimes forget that Satan is at work in the world just as God is. What else can explain a movement that at its core fights against the notion of God. Wait, says the atheist! There are other explanations. We just know we're right and you're wrong. Your ideas are stupid and irrational. We know best, and we just want you and everyone else to know about it so more people will think like us. And, we also do not want to be forced to live by your God's standards as your precious bible lays it out, which affects our freedom and how we live our lives. Hmmm....man decides he is right, wants no part of being subject to God's standards, and wants to lead others away from God. Still sounds like Satan at work to me.

[Wanda Zippler]

Just to back up what Melinda said
The ninth amendment says "The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.
In other words it is unconstitutional to interpret the constitution as saying freedom from religion.

[Augustine]

Well, this isn't fair... I don't think Melinda wanted us to "beat up the atheist." I'll throw out some thoughts.

To Kevin W's
"But we’re again reminded, Religion is supposed to “harden hearts and enslave minds”"

I don't know about you, but my take on Christianity is supposed to make a heart more sensitive and a mind that is taking captive the thoughts/philosophies of the world.

[Augustine]

And the idea that atheism is just a religiously held belief that religion is false is being uncharitable to their position. They believe that we have gotten far enough in science to discard religion altogether. I don't know about you, but, to be intellectually honest, I think that all Christians would be in the pitiful position that Paul described if science did disprove Christianity.

[Augustine]

I agree with your sentiments that atheism leads to relativism and relativism moral harm. The degradation of marriage is an example of moral relativism. But in that regard, Christians aren't doing too much better.

I believe that once we see atheist as precious humans seeking truth, we can finally begin to speak effectively towards them. If we think them as religious fundamentalist of atheism (which some are), a barrier is created that need not be there.

[Shaun]

Augustine, you said:

"I think that all Christians would be in the pitiful position that Paul described if science did disprove Christianity."

A couple questions:

Do you believe that science *has* disproved Christianity?

If not, then can you say more about your quoted statement above?

Thanks!

[Riesling]

An update to this story:
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2008470773_webatheist05m.html

[ToNy]

Gosh I hate atheists.

And I am basically one of them.

They're so dull.

[Robert Casteline]

ToNy,

Rest assured: no one will ever call you dull.

Love & kisses,
Robert

[Riesling]

no one here atleast!

[Steven Carr]

Why doesn't somebody simply steal the sign and throw it in a ditch to show that atheists should learn tolerance of what other people say?

[Garry Sahl]

Darwinian Humanist Atheism has educated people to pursue their own selfish desires. Humanist atheists forget that far more evil has been done in the name of institutionalized atheism than in the name of christianity. More blood has been spilled as a result of institutionalized atheism in the 20th and 21st centuries than all other causes in all the other centuries combined.

By attacking christian public expression and establishing Politically Correct Darwinian Humanist Atheism as a religion and institutionalizing atheism in the State, schools and universities, humanists have successfully removed christianity and the moral law from Western Society even in the church it sometimes seems. As a result many people behave as if there is no God-given standard of behavior and the enforced anti-God state of mind feeds this nihilism to which modern western people are educated from pre-kidergarten to university grad school. Atheists have gradually taken away our right to even speak in the academy. We all suffer because of this. How long are we going to put up with this diabolical behavior?

[Jim]

Here's a billboard Christians could put up in response--"Season's Freedom"--with a manger scene underneath, and "with love from Olympia's Christians".

[Garry Sahl]

That's a good idea Jim and I really miss the nativity scenes, but they are against the State religion. In the guise of separation of church and state christianity has been separated from Western Civilization. My Grandfather taught me the only reason that he was nolonger a slave was because of Genesis 1:27. Now humanist atheist judges decide what is right or wrong by Darwinian humanist logic. The ten commandments are outlawed in the school-room and court-room, and they are out of peoples minds. The atheist State has relegated christians as second class citizens. How long are we going to let this go on? This is unjust.

[Randall]

It's partially amusing that FFRF co-founder Annie Laurie Gaylor stated ""I guess they don't follow their own commandments," after the FFRF sign was found in a ditch. Her statement assumes that Christians did it, and that they are hypocrites, but did anyone stop to ask her why she automatically assumed Christians did the theft?

More to the point Dan Barker says "If there can be a Nativity scene saying that we are all going to hell if we don't bow down to Jesus, we should be at the table to share our views."

Someone should straighten Dan out on this misconception, the very purpose of the Nativity was a divine being who came down to earth to keep us from ending up in this horrible place called hell. And that is really good news indeed worth sharing with everyone.

Dan's statements reveal what is really wrong - he says "we respond that we kind of feel that the Christian message is the hate message,"..."On that Nativity scene, there is this threat of internal violence if we don't submit to that master."

He needs to be reminded that the human heart actually hates God and is violent towards Him. This is the real wrong. The picture he's painted is 100% backwards, but then again I guess that's why Jesus had to come to earth because we would never have come to God on our own.

I think Christians should invite Dan for a joyous Christmas eve service, let him see the joy on our faces and the thanksgiving and appreciation of God's love in His undeserved gift of his son.

Maybe then Dan might not be the grinch.

We do need to try to put a smile on his face.

[Pointout]

" They believe that we have gotten far enough in science to discard religion altogether."

They might BELIEVE that. It certainly is something they hold in high FAITH.

But as noted in the book I cited (The Irrational Atheist) and others, the Evangelical Atheists actually very poor scientists.

Atheists are wonderful scientismists. They practice good scientistry to a T. But have little to no actual, real SCIENCE to back up their claims.