The Washington Times reports that American Atheists have figured out what Catholics have long proclaimed:
American Atheists unveiled Wednesday the “War on Christmas” line-up on its television channel, AtheistTV, featuring “original programs proclaiming the truth about Christmas on December 24 and December 25, featuring scholars and celebrities from the atheist community.”
“Christmas is hard for many atheists, so we will provide programming free from superstition and fairy tales that allows families to watch together and not worry about being preached at,” American Atheists President Dave Silverman said in a statement.
It turns out serious Atheists, like serious Christians, want to safeguard their faith — or lack thereof. As the Catechism observes:
1783 Conscience must be informed and moral judgment enlightened. A well-formed conscience is upright and truthful. It formulates its judgments according to reason, in conformity with the true good willed by the wisdom of the Creator. The education of conscience is indispensable for human beings who are subjected to negative influences and tempted by sin to prefer their own judgment and to reject authoritative teachings.
1784 The education of the conscience is a lifelong task. From the earliest years, it awakens the child to the knowledge and practice of the interior law recognized by conscience. Prudent education teaches virtue; it prevents or cures fear, selfishness and pride, resentment arising from guilt, and feelings of complacency, born of human weakness and faults. the education of the conscience guarantees freedom and engenders peace of heart.
1785 In the formation of conscience the Word of God is the light for our path,54 we must assimilate it in faith and prayer and put it into practice.
And with regard to the media explicitly:
2496 The means of social communication (especially the mass media) can give rise to a certain passivity among users, making them less than vigilant consumers of what is said or shown. Users should practice moderation and discipline in their approach to the mass media. They will want to form enlightened and correct consciences the more easily to resist unwholesome influences.
Be careful what you let into your home. Think not only about who and what are influencing your children, but what kind of education you are giving yourself.
And if you were feeling self-conscious about doing that before, what with people telling you that prudence was really just you being “intolerant” or “close-minded”, now you can point to your friendly local Atheists and observe that you’re just using common sense.
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Image by New York : Irving Berlin Inc., publisher. [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
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