War on xmas, dep't - atheists in olympia!

(photo, The Olympian: Dan Barker tells reporters his version of The Old, Old Story. )

It's an answer to a talk radio prayer.

Atheists unveiled an anti-religious "holiday" sign in the state Capitol, joining a crêche and a "holiday tree."

The placard reads, "There is only our natural world. Religion is but myth and superstition that hardens hearts and enslaves minds."

The story underlines the foolishness of this annual mishegoss, which serves nothing but to make radio talking points and religionists look daffier.

The sigh was installed Monday by Washington members of the Freedom From Religion Foundation, a national group based in Madison, Wis.

"Our members want equal time,"said the foundation's co-president, Dan Barker, "Not to muscle, not to coerce, but just to have a place at the table."

Western Washington is about to get famous, and once again it's for all the wrong reasons! We used to be famous for apples, now it's because we're one of the least churched regions in the country, and a haven for "San Francisco-style" liberals.

We won't get any relief on talk radio from this story. We guarantee Laura Ingraham (KTTH m-f, 6-9p) will screech; Billo Reilly might even send one of his "producers" to try embarrass the head of General Administration in Olympia, who ever that may be.

Outrage will be feigned anew: Caution! this is a no-sin zone!

Don't forget the locals: Dori (KIRO m-f, 12-3p) will birth (by immaculate conception, presumably) the customary dairy mammal; John and Ken (KOMO m-f,10a-2p) will bicker; and Dave Boze (KTTH m-f, 3-6p) will harrumph his customary harrumph.

Of course, the media who make their living trying to get people's blood pressure up, love this -- it's an issue they've worked long and cynically to create and promote; but the religionists who seriously believe this is sinful and blasphemous, we gotta ask: What the hell did you expect??

Can the Wiccan's be far behind? We hope not.

In 2006, Jews put up a menorah in the Capitol, which prompted local real estate agent Ron Wesselius to propose nativity scene which was turned down by the State who said they didn't have the resources to wade through issues of government religious endorsement.

Wesselius sued, and his Nativity scene was installed in 2007 and again this year. No menorah is on display this year, but the state has plainly said, if we accept one religion, we must accept everybody.

If you want to tread in on the people's secular turf, then Sweet Jesus, it's fair game to all!

Comments

[frency]

Laura Ingraham is on KVI, 3p-6p

[Upton]

Yeah, I heard Frank Shiers sniveling about this yesterday. He and others like him don't want anything to interfere or challenge their belief in fairy tales.

Lets see, on one side you have the scientific community (which as a higher percentage of atheists than the general public). On the other side, you have goofballs like Shiers or BillO...

[chucks]

The Mesiah, Obama is one of them religionist, shitting that crap right in to the brains of his daughters. Not only is Joe Biden a religionist, he is a freaking Catholic. That is about as close to the worst of religionist as a believer in fairy tales can get besides Muslims and Seventh Day Adventist's. Al Gore is a Global Warmingist (though I think he is just in it for the money).
When did atheism become a religion that needed a sign in the capital, anyway?

[Brian]

Why all of the HATE towards people with faith? Are you all that uncomfortable with your own beliefs that you have to trash others?

The War on Christmas is really just a small battle in the War on Christianity.

[Lesbian Teacher]

Im an atheist, but this so silly, these guys are just as pathetic as BillO. Christmas is for kids, not adults, get the fuck over it.

[The Beast Rabban (formerly Gay Gary)]

I support what the Freedom from Religion Foundation is doing. I'm tired of having Christmas shoved up my urethra.

[Brian]

I'm proud of you Gary.
I'm sure you never accept gifts, listen to Christmas music, take the 25th as a holiday, go to Christmas parties, eat Christmas candy, decorate for the holidays or feel any extra warmth towards the rest of humanity during that time of year :)

[The Beast Rabban (formerly Gay Gary)]

I'm sure you never accept gifts

I act with social grace; when offered a gift I accept it.

listen to Christmas music,

correct, I do not

take the 25th as a holiday

school is closed on the 25th, that's not my choice

go to Christmas parties,

correct, I do not

eat Christmas candy,

I don't eat candy generally. It's bad for you.

decorate for the holidays

correct, yet again

or feel any extra warmth towards the rest of humanity during that time of year

correct once more, I have just as much disdain for humanity in general as always

[Brian]

YOU CRACK ME UP!

[The Beast Rabban (formerly Gay Gary)]

YOU ARE MY BUNDLE OF JOY!

(is it so hard to believe that there are actual -gasp- non-Christians here in Americker?)

[Brian]

No, not since I happen to be one of them myself.

[The Beast Rabban (formerly Gay Gary)]

Then how hard is it to believe that - unlike you - some non-Christians do not observe "commercial Christmas"? Some of us find the lights and music, etc., absolutely nauseating. They make we want to puke.

[sparky]

In a small southern town there was a "Nativity Scene" that showed great skill and talent had gone into creating it. One small feature bothered me. The three wise men were wearing firemen's helmets.

Totally unable to come up with a reason or explanation, I left. At a "Quik Stop" on the edge of town, I asked the lady behind the counter about the helmets.

She exploded into a rage, yelling at me, "You darn Yankees never do read the Bible!"

I assured her that I did, but simply couldn't recall anything about firemen in the Bible.

She jerked her Bible from behind the counter and ruffled thru some pages, and finally jabbed her finger at a passage. Sticking it in my face she said "See, it says right here, 'The three wise man came from afar.'"

[Boo]

It's not for all the wrong reasons. This is a very right reason.

[The Beast Rabban (formerly Gay Gary)]

I assured her that I did ...

She'd probably heard about your problem providing source citations for your dubious stats (I believe your standard rebut when asked is "this conversation no longer interests me", right?) so didn't believe you. Just a guess, sweetie.