Is Atheist Display "Tolerant"?
TChris on the lefty site Talk Left claims that the atheist display outside the Washington state capitol, considered "equal time" for the Christian and Jewish displays, is simply a matter of Constitutional protection. The outrage that protestors and Bill O’Reilly are expressing somehow proves that they don’t really want freedom of religion.
Except this display of atheism is not simply a display. It’s scorn and ridicule. Here’s the text:
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 and superstition that hardens hearts and enslaves minds.
Aside from the first sentence, the rest is a denigration of all the other displays. Indeed the sponsors say so.
"It’s not a religious display; it is an attack on religion,” Freedom From Religion co-president Dan Barker said. His group was behind the atheist display.
How "tolerant". And it points out the fact that this is decidedly not a case of equal time or freedom of/from religion, in spite of the cover that Washington state politicians are taking behind the Constitution.
Gregoire and the state’s attorney general responded to criticism by citing the First Amendment and releasing this joint statement:
“Once government admits one religious display or viewpoint onto public property, it may not discriminate against the content of other displays, including the viewpoints of non-believers."
The nativity scene is a positive expression of belief, speaking no ill to those who don’t agree with it or believe in it. The "Solstice Sign" is a protest specifically against those with different beliefs. They are completely different things. A nativity scene on government grounds does not guarantee the right to protest against it right next to it, any more than it would somehow guarantee the right for the KKK to put up its own display next to it. They are completely different things, and those in Washington state who are sponsoring the sign and defending it seem to completely miss the concept.
But it does give us insight into what organized atheism considers "tolerance" towards religion. They don’t just want equal time; they want additional rights to denigrate it. That’s not equal.
Filed under: Atheism • Christianity • Doug • Government • Religion
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Ah, yes. Those of us in Washington who possess the slightest amount of grace, humility and intelligence are oh-so-proud of the national coverage we are receiving. Between this and our rejected ornament for the White House tree it is really becoming shameful to hail from this fair state.
Atheism is fast becoming a way to define oneself as someone who hates religion and all religious people, not just a person without a belief in God. Very tolerant indeed.
You have my condolences. 🙂
I agree fully that this is an intolerant sign and ought to be changed, if they wish for it to be up in the spirit of celebration of a holiday season.
But I also have to note that I do not find it surprising that, after years of being demonized in various ways by many – not all – religious folk, that some atheists are disgusted by “the religious” and have a desire to want to strike back. How many times can you be called a disgusting heathen who is immoral and hellbound (etc, etc) before you begin to dislike those who call you such?
Our actions have repercussions. If Christians spoke more clearly in a spirit of Love and grace, then it would be more obvious that this is what we’re about.
Dan- You make an excellent point. Our aspiration as Christians should always be “they will know we are Christians by our love.” How wonderful that would be.
However, I frequently tell my own children that they should never use the bad behavior of others as an excuse for their own bad behavior. The “well, he did it to me!” argument doesn’t fly in my house. The spirit of hostility this group has displayed is truly inexcusable.
No argument there, they are not very fair or community-minded in their display message (at least the last half of it), in my opinion.
Still, some might say that this is the atheist equivalent to Christian sermons and rants about atheists being doomed to hell and being awful people. The difference is, I reckon, that Christians don’t usually make such damning messages part of their Christmas holiday displays.