Atheist group posts “there is no God” display next to nativity scene
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Atheist group posts
An atheist group has unveiled an anti-religion placard in the Washington state Capitol, joining a Christian Nativity scene and
KING
Published: December 2, 2008
Published: December 2, 2008
An atheist group has unveiled an anti-religion placard in the Washington state Capitol, joining a Christian Nativity scene and “holiday tree” on display during December.
The placard 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 and superstition that hardens hearts and enslaves minds.“
The foundation’s co-president, Dan Barker, said it was important for atheists to offer their viewpoint alongside the overtly religious Nativity scene and Christmas-style holiday tree.
“Our members want equal time,“ Barker said. “Not to muscle, not to coerce, but just to have a place at the table.“
The three displays, all privately sponsored, were granted permits from state groundskeepers to be placed in the Capitol’s grand marble hallways.
On Monday, the Nativity scene and atheist sign were installed alongside each other in a hallway between the state Senate and House chambers, separated by a large bust of the state’s namesake, George Washington.
For now, the atheist sign is a stand-in.
A metal plaque meant for display was delayed by a shipping error, Barker said.
It will be two-sided, with a lengthy message on the main side, and “Keep State/Church Separate” on the back.
The state says the display is free speech and passed certain criteria, and can’t be seen as state endorsement.
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Attended a religeous college perhaps?
St. Mary's, Loyola, Texas Christian, ETC???
Or maybe a physics instructor no?
What's your expertise in the "earth sciences? is my point/question please sir?
No I am not clergy. Educator actually, science.
The biblical story of Jesus and Mary were stolen from Egyptian mythology! Don’t believe me??? Look up the ancient Egyptian story of Isis and Horus written thousands of years before Jesus supposedly even existed! Yep!
Christian folks? Do you really know who, what, why, and for what reasons they invented the bible. The info is out there.
Good Luck,
Ex-Delusional Believer
"The word God is for me nothing more than the expression and product of human weaknesses, the Bible a collection of honourable but still primitive legends which are nevertheless pretty childish."
Albert Einstein
Oldragbagger,
Go ahead and force yourself to believe in one of the many gods invented by men.
If you really believe in the myth of an afterlife then you probably won’t live this life to the fullest. You’re probably wishing for WW3 to begin too. You think that’ll bring on the rapture. His type of thinking is very dangerous to American society! Remember, I used to think like you and then questioned it. Please consider researching your belief system. It and you really make no sense. I take it you know nothing of evolution, so until you learn then there’s no reasoning with you. You are simply brainwashed into believing in something that is simply NOT TRUE.
Good luck.
Mr. Rational Thinker
PS Are you clergy?
I find the utter hopelessness, loneliness of the spirit and moral ambiguity of a world devoid of a God to be the saddest alternative possible for the human race. However, God has granted all the free will to choose this state of despair and confusion if they so desire.
Consider this, if you spend your life believing in God and you are wrong, nothing is lost. If you believe in nothing and you are wrong, all is lost.
My prayers are with all who need to discover that there is more to this life and that in fact they are not the result of a cosmic accident but are the creation of a loving God who treasures them above all else. Although you may reject that prayer, I say God bless you anyway, and have a very Merry Christmas.
oldragbagger
oldragbagger,
Never claimed I understood the bible after reading it. Said it’s loaded with bad ugly things done by an ugly god.
You said, “One thing I think they universally agree upon is that full understanding will only be acquired when God reveals all to us.”
Well no one will ever understand then! Sorry. NO GOD TO HELP!
The belief in a sky fairy is just childish.
Happy Holidays,
Mr. Motekeeper
I find it interesting that motekeeper thinks that it takes a good "several months" to understand evolution but yet believes that the Bible can be understood in a single reading. Generations of highly intelligent and educated (yes, education is not reserved only for the humanist) theologians have devoted thier entire lives to understanding the Bible and although they build upon the understanding of those past the one thing I think they universally agree upon is that full understanding will only be acquired when God reveals all to us.
There are some things they do agree upon though and the most important I believe is that there are no errors in the Bible. Motekeeper made a point about our increase in knowledge which he/she believes implies that those ancient men believed in false things simply because they knew no better. I propose that this is exactly what makes the Bible so amazing. Motekeeper is correct that in a scientific discovery sense they had no way to know the things that they knew, yet if someone gives the scripture deep study (at least the amount of time they would devote to any serious in depth study of evolution) they would find that there are statements in there that put forth very complex scientific principles that they couldn't have understood in any other than a God inspired way.
The Bible is comprised of 66 books, written by over 40 authors over a period of a couple thousand years, yet throughout this amazing book there is a consistent theme. I defy you to put together a collection of a number of evolution books written by the same number of authors and see if you get perfect consistency. I declare that you will not. You will get a lot of differing theories and opinions.
If you are really interested in giving the Bible a serious look to see if maybe your lack of understanding is the key to your lack of faith, I suggest you start with a Mp3 study called "Learn the Bible in 24 Hours". It is done by a man named Chuck Missler who is himself a scientist and mathemetician, and a devout born-again Christian who has devoted the last many years to the study of scripture and who has found NO CONTRADICTIONS between the teachings of the Bible and the teachings of science.
We are truly more wonderfully made than any humanist theory could possibly account for. And thank GOD for it.
Merry Christmas
Let me start by saying freedom of religion and speech are beautiful and essential rights that all people should enjoy. In that context, the atheist have every right to say and display the message they have placed in Washington. That in mind, the display is also a sad note illustrating the hatred that atheist have towards anyone that cares to believe in something greater.
Simply breaking down the plaque demonstrates the vicious, seething hatred: "Religion...hardens hearts and enslaves minds." Religion is a myth. Religion is not even rational because reason has not yet prevailed. Dare I say that the plaque is demonizing (HaHa) religion and those that believe in a religion. I always thought that atheist wanted to happily co-exist with religious people - I had no idea how much they despised them.
I went to an atheist website to gain better understanding of atheism and what it meant. As the plaque indicated, atheists like to celebrate solstices and equinoxes, unique events that highlight occurrences between the sun, moon and earth(natural world in atheist-speak). In the Northern hemisphere, the winter solstice is the shortest and lowest path the sun makes across the skyline. Conversely, the summer solstice is the highest and longest path the sun takes across the skyline.
In olden days, many societies tracked and celebrated these 'natural' events. These same societies often worshiped the sun and moon and often believed them to be...gods. Even though these societies must be wrong on religion(according to the atheist), atheists believe they had part of it right - we should celebrate these 'natural' events and the harmonious co-existence between man and the natural world. After all, if it weren't for the impact of the sun and moon on the earth, the 'primordial ooze' that we come from may not have existed. In fact, the more I read about atheism, the more I realized that atheist prefer to co-exist with nature(plants and animals) than with silly people that believe in that religion-thingy.
I found it extremely curious that atheists decided to celebrate the very days that were religious foundations in archaic societies. Surely, there would be days that didn't have religious connotations already embedded in them.
Even more, atheist celebrate cosmic bodies and events like they caused our creation, as if the moon intentionally whirled around the earth knowing that by doing so, it was helping start life on earth. It doesn't make sense. A true atheist would have to see any causal relationship between the sun, moon and earth as an accident, a coincidence and nothing more. The beginning of life is simply nothing more than a tremendous instance of being in the 'right place at the right time.' the 'natural world' had no role in life beginning except for just being there.
Additionally, if an atheist would truly look at the 'natural world,' the atheist would realize that nature is a violent and destructive force that intentionally tries to destroy life, certainly not co-exist with it.
Consider that 99% of all plants and animals that have existed on earth are now extinct. Any rational atheist would have to conclude that the 'natural world' is out to kill us. If that is true, why celebrate 'natural' worldly events, or try to immerse yourself in being part of nature?
When it is all boiled down, I guess I feel a little sorry for the atheist - they have nothing to believe in; they resent anyone that does believe; and they celebrate events that are contradictory to their very own scientific reasoning.
I guess I'll pray for them.
Don't give yourself so much credit. I didn't run away, I simply have more important things to do in my life than to sit around waiting for an opportunity to compete in an arguement.
Your question is ignorant.
And the purpose of watching the movie, which in fact is a documentary, would be to see examples of multiple sworn 'atheists' (which I've already explained do not exist) who can't even themselves prove that there is in fact no God. All they were asked to do was explain...Where did we come from then? And they can't answer the question.
I've done my best trying to adequately explain my stance on things, and I've given you all the information I have. I am not interested in competing in a shouting match. I have better things to do. I'd rather direct you to raptureready.com
...goodnite, and I pray God leads and guides to where you are supposed to be. God bless and Merry Christmas.
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