On California coast, atheists nudge out Nativity scenes

[FBM]

These public fights are intended to raise awareness that there are a lot of people who think that religion is bullshit. That awareness gives permission to fence-sitters to join the fastest growing group of people in America - those who do not identify with any faith, or none.

Yes, very much this.

[Seth]

This is bad form. I don't get why some American atheists are such arseholes. Sure I know many are discriminated and ostrasised but shitting on religion is not a way forward. They aren't like blacks or gays who have no choice in the way they are. Civil disobedience comes across as bitchiness for them.

Come on over here and deal with the religiotards for a while, Ani. You'll either run home or join the battle, I'm betting.

Well yes, I'm aware a lot of your religious are of a 'tardness not seen in Europe except in pathetically small numbers but I don't agree with riling them. Campaign to get the religious scenes moved from public places payed with taxpayer money, sure, but putting up images os Satan etc.. is being unnecessarily contentious.

Indeed. And the fact is that all the whining of Atheists about how they are being oppressed is just so much bullshit, and what isn't, is richly deserved discrimination and marginalization.

There is no theocracy here. There is no danger whatsoever of a theocracy here. There is no undue influence of religion on government here. There is no oppression of secularists or atheists here. Nobody is rounding up Atheists and killing them. Nobody is throwing them out of their homes or seizing their goods. Nobody is whipping them in public for being Atheists. Nobody is denying them employment. It's all just so much vacuous nonsense, lies and calumnies from Atheists who hate simply for the atavistic pleasure of hating.

All the complaints have nothing to do with oppression by theists, and everything to do with oppression by Atheists. They hate theists and will do whatever they can to annoy, perturb, pester, malign, insult and otherwise demonstrate that they are intolerant assholes merely because they can and they aren't adult enough to just ignore the occasional proselytizing crank who approaches them on the street.

We have a very finely balanced legal system here that includes reams of Supreme Court jurisprudence that carefully balances the government's dual obligations to not "establish" a state religion while at the same time complying with it's equally valid mandate to both protect the free exercise of religion by citizens, and for government itself to reasonably accommodate that free exercise of religion by individuals and groups, including such expressions that take place on public property.

The Supreme Court doesn't take the absolutist, maniacal anti-theist view of the radical, militant religious arm of Atheism, it acknowledges that religion is an important part of people's lives, and an important part of our history and culture, and it draws very fine lines whereas the religious zealots of radical militant Atheism paint with a broad brush and tar everyone and everything in sight if there is so much as a whiff of religion on the air.

And that's why they are despised and marginalized, and with full and complete justification. It's no wonder that nearly half of Americans would object to their children marrying an Atheist and nearly 40 percent think that Atheists don't have the same vision for America that they do. What's surprising is that it's only 40 percent and not 85 percent, because they don't.

[Seth]

These public fights are intended to raise awareness that there are a lot of people who think that religion is bullshit. That awareness gives permission to fence-sitters to join the fastest growing group of people in America - those who do not identify with any faith, or none.

They are intended to polarize society even more than it already is, which is unfortunate. The push-back might not be so pleasant.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

Thanks, that will be helpful.

[amused]

Reported for threat of violence.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

Reported for threat of violence.

"Thank you for calling 9-1-1. Your call is very important to us. Please hold, your call will be answered in the order it was received."

[Seth]

Reported for threat of violence.

It's not a threat, it's a prediction.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

It's a threat.

[Robert_S]

Seth: Hank told me to tell you thanks.

[Tero]

Seth says:All the complaints have nothing to do with oppression by theists, and everything to do with oppression by Atheists. They hate theists and will do whatever they can to annoy, perturb, pester, malign, insult and otherwise demonstrate that they are intolerant assholes merely because they can and they aren't adult enough to just ignore the occasional proselytizing crank who approaches them on the street.

Me:yup, it sure feels good to be intolerant, not ignored.

[klr]

Reported for threat of violence.

It's not a threat, it's a prediction.

I could Godwin the thread at this point, but why bother.