A Tree of Knowledge in Kansas City

December 19, 2011 By Hemant Mehta 16 Comments

They may not be able to have one in Pennsylvania, but the Kansas City Atheist Coalition created their own Tree of Knowledge and it looks great :)

The tree’s ornaments are pictures of famous skeptics/atheists who have challenged us to look beyond mindless dogma:

They also “adopted” two families in need, buying gifts for the kids and raising $340 for gift cards for the parents. Such a simple gesture, yet so helpful and powerful. And all without the help of a deity.

(Thanks to Sarah for the link!)

Filed Under: Atheist Generosity, General, War on Christmas 16 Comments

‘Keep Christ in Christmas’ Banner is Next Target in The ‘War on Christmas’

December 17, 2011 By Carrie 83 Comments

I feel like I have read the same story again and again. I don’t understand what people don’t get about the simple words of the First Amendment. Yet once again, we have an issue of a municipality apparently raising a (literal) banner in support of sectarian values. “Keep Christ in Christmas,” urges the banner. (Are they worried about our spelling skills? Concerned about “Xmas“?)

121211 CHRIST IN CHRISTMASLast week, the Freedom From Religion Foundation wrote a letter to the mayor of Pitman, New Jersey, Mike Batten, to ask that the banner be moved to private property. The response appears to be, “It already is.”

Borough attorney Brian Duffield says that the sign is hung from a bank building on one end and a privately-owned telephone pole on the other. FFRF said that it wrote the letter after hearing from a Pitman resident who saw Pitman firefighters putting the banner up between two city light poles.

Either way, it seems like a juvenile bit of mental gymnastics. Duffield said that the borough can regulate signs and requires permits for that sort of banner, but said that because it’s not on government property there’s nothing else that can be done.

In other words, the city of Pitman is hovering its index finger an inch from our collective nose and saying, “I’m not touching you!”

The banner has a subtitle which reads “Knights of Columbus 6247,” which only makes it worse, not better. This explicitly Catholic organization should not be allowed a monopoly on government property to propagandize. Even worse, it is part of a 5-decade-long nation-wide campaign of such “reminders.” (It’s in the name, people, we get it).

The problem is that the endorsement of religion is certainly implied, and Mayor Batten should do something about it. Though he makes his feelings clear about it, using the age-old argument I wish would go the way of the Dodo: “It’s sad, because the beginning of our town was religious and we have 13 churches. And I’m surprised because a banner has hung there for many years and we’ve never heard complaints before.”

Translation: “All you people who are marginalized and ostracized should stay that way forever! It makes me sad that you’re finally protesting the unfair privilege of my religion!”

Aside from the fact that Christianity actually co-opted other holidays to create Christ-Mass, there’s the very obvious fact that many people don’t include Christ in their holidays at all. These sorts of banners only serve to exclude and marginalize all of those people who either don’t celebrate Christmas or who do but have no need for Jebus in their celebrations.

One local resident had this to say about the issue: “But why should (FFRF) step on the rights of other people? I have my right to celebrate Christmas, just as a Jewish person has their right to celebrate Hanukah. Just as an African-American has the right to celebrate Kwaanza. It’s up to the individual.”

“Rights.” You keep using that word; I don’t think it means what you think it means.

One way or another, the banner needs to come down. My favorite part of this story is FFRF’s alternative proposal: their own banner. The proposed text:

“At this season of the Winter Solstice, may reason prevail. There are not gods, no devils, no angels, nor heaven or hell. There is only our natural world. Religion is but myth and superstition that hardens hearts and enslaves minds. Freedom From Religion Foundation.”

Now that’s a reminder.

Filed Under: FFRF, General, Politics, War on Christmas 83 Comments

Arkansas Superintendent Puts Up Nativity Scene in Public School

December 16, 2011 By Hemant Mehta 34 Comments

Jerry Noble, the superintendent of the Green County Tech school district in Arkansas, must hate his job.

He’s doing everything in his power to push his faith onto students, just hoping and waiting for someone to bring on a lawsuit:

“Enough is enough,” said Jerry Noble, superintendent of the Green County Tech school district. “It’s His birthday. We celebrate Jesus’ birthday. One person should not be offended by that. We don’t leave it up all year. We’re not promoting religion. It’s not an effort to convert anybody.”

Yeah! He’s not promoting religion! He’s just telling Jew and Muslims and Hindus that their beliefs don’t matter and they should all pay their respects to the Christian prophet.

Also, kids, when you learn about the Constitution in your Government class, tell your teacher that it’s a waste of your time. The Constitution doesn’t matter. The superintendent said so.

Noble said they had received some complaints about the decorations and after consulting with an attorney, he decided to remove the Nativity.

“My personal belief is that we should fight this sort of thing, but I didn’t want to put the school district at risk,” he said. “I could not take it upon myself to get the school in a legal entanglement over separation of church and state because we would have to use tax dollars to fight it and that’s not my job to do that.”

But his decision sparked a massive outcry in the community — and one organization offered to cover any legal costs the school system might incur over a lawsuit. That offer helped change the superintendent’s mind.

So, basically, his thought process went something like this:

I shouldn’t leave this display up because it could break the law. Wait, the Alliance Defense Fund will pay our legal fees? Fuck the law. Let’s praise Jebus.

Maybe I’m wrong, though. Noble seems like a decent guy. In fact, he doesn’t really want to offend people of other faiths. No. If he’s gonna pick a fight with anyone, it’s the goddamned atheists:

Noble, who is a Christian, said he doesn’t understand why anyone would be offended by the Nativity.

“Personally, I’m a Christian and if I’m going to offend somebody, I’d rather offend the non-believer — if it’s legal to do so,” he said.

Isn’t that sweet of him…

We’re not offended by the Nativity.

We’re offended because you’re presenting the Nativity as the only representation of how people are celebrating the holidays.

We’re offended because you’re not putting up displays from people of other faiths and no faith.

We’re offended because you don’t seem to give a shit that there are students in your district who aren’t Christian and may not accept Christ like you do.

We’re offended because you’re a leader and you should be setting an example for the kids, not making several of them feel left out.

We’re offended because you should know better than that.

So this is the example Jerry Noble is setting for children: It’s ok to break the law. It’s fine to flaunt your privilege when you’re in the majority. It’s perfectly acceptable to egg on a lawsuit when someone with money says they’ll cover your court costs.

Well, if he wants a lawsuit, let’s bring him one. The ACLU already knows about this. The FFRF has been notified.

If you’re a teacher or parent in the district, please get in touch with me and I’ll direct you to the right places.

(Thanks to Meaghan for the link)

Filed Under: Education, General, War on Christmas 34 Comments

How Dare Those Atheists Share Public Space with Christians?!

December 15, 2011 By M J Shepherd 3 Comments

(A response to this story)

Filed Under: General, Humor, Politics, War on Christmas 3 Comments

Christians Lose Nativity Scene Display Spots to Atheists

December 15, 2011 By Hemant Mehta 134 Comments

What happens when a local government allows groups to put up holiday displays on public property? They can’t legally favor one group over another, so they have to be fair about doling out spaces.

In Santa Monica, California, 21 display places were up for grabs and a lottery determined who’d get the spaces.

Atheists won 18 of the spots. (Though they’re only using three of them.)

Christians won 2.

Jews won 1.

Guess who’s complaining?

The Nativity story that once took 14 displays to tell — from the Annunciation, continuing to the manger in Bethlehem and onto infant Jesus’ journey to Egypt and back to Nazareth — had to be abridged to three and crammed into two plots.

Now, people walking down the sidewalk pass scenes of the Annunciation, the creche and tidings of “Peace on Earth.” Then, a few yards away, a poster from American Atheists: “37 Million Americans Know MYTHS When They See Them. What do you see?”

Apparently, a few local Christians don’t understand how lotteries work. You enter. You might win. You might lose. But you can’t sit back and assume no one else will play the game.

“A small group of out-of-town atheists is trying to hijack Santa Monica’s nearly 60-year-long Christmas tradition,” said Hunter Jameson, chairman of the Santa Monica Nativity Scenes Committee, the group that works with more than a dozen churches and civic groups to organize the display.

…

“Their goal is getting rid of us, and squelching our 1st Amendment rights,” said Jameson, 65, who no longer lives in Santa Monica but still worships at Lighthouse Church of Santa Monica.

Yes, we’re squelching the Christians’ First Amendment rights because we happened to be selected in a lottery in which they had every opportunity to enter…

Here’s how it worked: You could apply for up to 9 display spaces. 13 people applied for spots and two of the eventual winners (Joe Naranja and Raymond McNeely) happened to be atheists who put down that they wanted all 9 of their allotted spots.

You would think that with so many churches in the area, Christians would’ve entered a few more times and put down that they wanted more spots… or maybe they just don’t know how probability works. Either way, it’s their own damn fault.

Does anyone really believe they would’ve been perfectly fine if they had won 17 spots while the atheists won only 1? Of course not. As long as we’re in the picture at all, they’re gonna whine about it.

Kudos to atheist Damon Vix for leading the charge and getting atheists entered in the drawing.

By the way, the media is spinning this story like crazy, with headlines reading “Atheist Displays Push Nativity Scenes Out of Santa Monica, California Park” and “Atheist Messages Displace CA Park Nativity Scenes.”

Those headlines are unfair and inaccurate. Don’t let anyone get away with saying we “pushed” or “displaced” Christians out of their spaces. It was never their space to begin with.

Filed Under: General, Politics, War on Christmas 134 Comments

How to Decorate Your Tree Like a Good Atheist

December 13, 2011 By Lauren 71 Comments

Because I’m cheap frugal, I’ve never had a Christmas tree since coming to adulthood. While I haven’t missed it, I know that some people just aren’t willing to have a winter season without their holiday decorations. But, as an atheist, what are you to do with all the Baby Jesuses or, really, even the Santa Clauses? Doesn’t he promote blind faith in something ridiculous as well?

As it turns out, there seems to be a certain protocol for atheists decorating their Christmas trees, and it all starts with the tree topper. No angels or stars of Bethlehem here! However, don’t let that fool you into thinking you can use just any ol’ thing. As religious folks may say seriously, and as I’m putting forward jovially, atheists have their gods too and these are what should adorn the top of our trees this season:

Spock. I realize he’s not a supernatural being but, as skeptics, can any of us really deny having an awesome respect for Vulcan logic?

…

Power-Up Star. In my estimation, you pray to the Power-Up Star by punching the brick it’s hidden in. Then it goes inside you and makes you awesome!… for a short while. So, while not a major god, the Power-Up Star is more like a minor deity or devil, playing tricks on you so you’re more likely to run around like a crazy person then fall down a hole.

…

Yoda. He’s a little green man who can move stuff with his mind and carries a sword made of light! If those aren’t god-like descriptors, then I don’t know what are. Get, you must.

(We like Yoda so much, there’s even another one here!)

…

Not last, but most probably least, there’s Satan. I’m sure there’s a fair group of people who would call this our god and expect us to have him on our trees.

I’m also sure that there’s another group of people who would get great enjoyment from watching the first group foam at the mouth.

…

Cthulhu. He is an Elder God, after all. And doesn’t placing his horrific likeness in a prominent location of your home mean you’re a cultist?

…

Of course, no list would be complete with the Flying Spaghetti Monster. A fake god of the fake gods; our current, ultimate I-don’t-believe-in-gods god. This tree topper will mark you as the atheist-in-the-know for Christmas, and all of your unbelieving friends will be super jealous of you.

…

So remember: When waging your War on Christmas, you must make sure to take the blasphemy all the way to the top of your tree. It seems the ungodliness will trickle down from there in the form of bacon, microbe, or circuit board ornaments.

If you have a tree this year, how are you decorating it?

Filed Under: General, Humor, War on Christmas 71 Comments

The Non-Christian History of Christmas

December 12, 2011 By Hemant Mehta 17 Comments

Is there anything Christian about Christmas?

TheThinkingAtheist takes us through a history of the holiday in To XMAS and Beyond!:



Filed Under: General, War on Christmas 17 Comments

The Result of the ‘War on Christmas’

December 11, 2011 By katied 18 Comments

Look at what all you evil Jews, atheists, and gays are doing to children because of your “War on Christmas!”

Have you no decency…?

Filed Under: General, Humor, War on Christmas 18 Comments

Lucifer’s 2011 Toy Chest

December 10, 2011 By Hemant Mehta 23 Comments

Landover Baptist Church has released its 2011 List of Banned Christmas Toys:

My favorite of the bunch:

I plan on being sacrilegious and gifting one to myself, though…

Filed Under: General, Humor, War on Christmas 23 Comments

Please Don’t Wish Me a Merry Christmas

December 9, 2011 By Hemant Mehta 27 Comments

Over at ccMixter.org, a music site where remixing is the norm, Kara (better known as Mind Map That) has written a really catchy song called “Please Don’t Wish Me a Merry Christmas” :)

You can stream it right here.

You have to appreciate a chorus that goes like this:

Please don’t wish me a Merry Christmas (ho, ho, ho)
Please just skip to a Happy New Year (fa-la-la)
Please don’t wish me a Merry Christmas (ho, ho, ho)
Though I hope yours is filled of love and cheer.

I don’t even care if people say the phrase to me, but I’m *so* putting that song on repeat in my place over the next month… (and after you listen to it, so will you!)

If you have the skills to do so, you’re welcome to remix the song, cover it, use it in a show, post it online, share it, etc. (Just do the right thing, though, and give Kara credit.)

Filed Under: General, Pop Culture, War on Christmas 27 Comments
« Older Posts
Newer Posts »