Godless March on Washington

[crazyfingers]

Well I just got home from Washington DC from the Godless March on Washington.  It was quite a success. Estimates are that 2000+ people attended. There were quite a lot of good speeches and everyone was in a great mood - all except for the 40-odd Christians who were threatening us from the sidelines that we'd all burn in hell.

Mostly the Christian s just held up their threatening signs but once one of them got on a megaphone and started to disrupt the event.  Cops came by quickly and made him quit.

Washington Post

And by the way, to Exedus1234, no I did not see anyone from NAMBLA - as expected.

 

[Starscream]

Originally posted by crazyfingers
There were quite a lot of good speeches and everyone was in a great mood - all except for the 40-odd Christians who were threatening us from the sidelines that we'd all burn in hell.

What?  And that burn-in-hell argument didn't make you drop to your knees and repent?

Glad you had a good time.  Too bad I couldn't make it

Maybe next year?

 

[ZiSunka]

I thought the whole thing was pretty boring. All those people standing around demanding a right they already have. So what? Just because you don't believe doesn't give you the right to demand that no one believe. Yawn. I thought atheists were big on personal freedoms?

 

[Annabel Lee]

Originally posted by lambslove
I thought the whole thing was pretty boring. All those people standing around demanding a right they already have. So what? Just because you don't believe doesn't give you the right to demand that no one believe. Yawn. I thought atheists were big on personal freedoms?

What gives you the idea they are demanding that we not believe?
They are organizing and trying to get more political power. They have the right as citizens to do so.

 

[crazyfingers]

Originally posted by lambslove
I thought the whole thing was pretty boring. All those people standing around demanding a right they already have. So what? Just because you don't believe doesn't give you the right to demand that no one believe. Yawn. I thought atheists were big on personal freedoms?

Hello?  Who said that the goal was to demand that no one believe in a god? That's a complete misrepresentation of the goals and what went on at the march.  Were you there?

The goals were:



* We demand equal rights including fair treatment and protection in the workplace; when seeking public office and the right to serve on juries and give testimony; and in having a voice in the halls of Congress, in our state legislatures and in other government venues.

 

* We call for an end to discrimination against Atheists, Freethinkers and other "Godless Americans" in organizations which receive public funds and special entitlements, such as the Boy Scouts of America. Belief must not be a litmus test for inclusion in such groups.

 

* We demand an end to harassment and other violations of our rights in public schools. "Prayer Bullying," organized prayer and other forms of coercive religion cannot be tolerated in what should be a totally secular public school system. Public schools must not become centers for religious proselytizing, the unconstitutional promotion of religion through teaching so-called "creationism," or smuggling sectarian beliefs into the schools through ruses, such as "student-led prayer."

 

* We call for an end to the use of government tax money to subsidize religious denominations, faith-based social programs and other entitlement schemes.

 

* We demand an end to the exclusion of Atheists, Freethinkers and other "Godless Americans" as full citizens of this nation. Our leaders, including the President, must stop calling the nation to prayer, or claim that we are a "Christian" country. Godless Americans have been patriotic, and many have served -- and now serve -- in our nation's armed forces. We are fire and rescue personnel, emergency crisis personnel, white-collar and blue-collar workers. We insist on inclusion when this nation is rallied to appropriate causes!

 

* We call for an end to the display of religious mottoes and symbols on government property, and especially in public schools. We also call for the restoration of "E Pluribus Unum," ("Out of Many, One") as the secular, national motto of a free people.

 

[ZiSunka]

Exactly. They already have the right to not believe in God. They already have the right to have political power. They already have the right to assemble into peaceful protests. So why the march on Washington? Traditionally, the point of marching on Washington has been to demand rights that did not already exist. The right to vote. The right to be compensated for work fairly done. The right to be treated as full citizens. But atheists already have all the rights they need.

They just got tired of not getting all the attention they used to get. So they staged a photo-op. boring!

 

[crazyfingers]

Originally posted by lambslove
Exactly. They already have the right to not believe in God. They already have the right to have political power. They already have the right to assemble into peaceful protests. So why the march on Washington? Traditionally, the point of marching on Washington has been to demand rights that did not already exist. The right to vote. The right to be compensated for work fairly done. The right to be treated as full citizens. But atheists already have all the rights they need.

They just got tired of not getting all the attention they used to get. So they staged a photo-op. boring!

The point is to change the hearts of people and to exert political pressure where violations of C/S are happening.

In our theist society, atheists get very little respect for NO GOOD REASON and people feel completely free to denegrate us.  Look at the recent story on the Eagle Scout .  The BSA guy said that an atheist would just steal money from a wallet if he found one on the street.  Would he say the same thing about a member of any other group and get away with it?

Atheists are put down and denegrated for NO GOOD REASON except ignorance and bigortry.

 

 

 

 

[Starscream]

Originally posted by lambslove
They just got tired of not getting all the attention they used to get. So they staged a photo-op. boring!

Although you may find such a generalization personally satisfying it is nothing more than a gross misrepresentation of the true goals.\

Ask yourself this:  perhaps you are displaying the very prejudice that free-thinkers are trying to oppose?

 

[Starscream]

Originally posted by crazyfingers
The BSA guy said that an atheist would just steal money from a wallet if he found one on the street.  Would he say the same thing about a member of any other group and get away with it? 

Exactly!

Could you imagine the outcry had that guy said a Jew or Negro would always steal the money?

  

 

 

[isshinwhat]

Our leaders, including the President, must stop calling the nation to prayer

Why?

We call for an end to the display of religious mottoes and symbols on government property, and especially in public schools.

Why not allow everyone, regardless of belief, to post what they wish on public buildings, as the government is an extension of the people? As long as a double standard does not exist, why not let everyone express themselves freely, the President included.

Neal

 

[Annabel Lee]

Originally posted by isshinwhat
Why?



Why not allow everyone, regardless of belief, to post what they wish on public buildings, as the government is an extension of the people? As long as a double standard does not exist, why not let everyone express themselves freely, the President included.

Neal

Because the President is supposed to be the leader of "We the People". Atheists included.

 

[ZiSunka]

Originally posted by crazyfingers
The point is to change the hearts of people and to exert political pressure where violations of C/S are happening.

In our theist society, atheists get very little respect for NO GOOD REASON and people feel completely free to denegrate us.  Look at the recent story on the Eagle Scout .  The BSA guy said that an atheist would just steal money from a wallet if he found one on the street.  Would he say the same thing about a member of any other group and get away with it?

Atheists are put down and denegrated for NO GOOD REASON except ignorance and bigortry.

 

 

 

You get a lot more respect than you are willing to admit.

Christians, Hindus, Jews, Muslims and Buddhists are regularly killed for their beliefs. Show me one atheist in recent times who was killed for being an atheist.

And, why should you get more respect than you already get? What do atheists contribute to society?

 

[Annabel Lee]

It's in our best interest to support those who are trying to gain more political power. It's too easy to sit back smug and satisfied saying, "Why should I care, I'm a Christian."

In Germany they first came for the Communists, and I didn't speak up
because I wasn't a Communist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Jew.

Then they came for the trade unionists,and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a unionist.
Then they came for the Catholics, and I didn't speak up because I was a Protestant.
Then they came for me - and by that time no one was left to speak up.
-- Pastor Martin Niemfller

 

[crazyfingers]

Originally posted by isshinwhat
Why?

Because for him to do that it is him saying that religion is preferred over nonreligion. He, when acting as the president, should not be telling the population that religion is preferred.  James Madison who wrote the 1st ammendment said as much in his memoirs and I agree. 

Why not allow everyone, regardless of belief, to post what they wish on public buildings, as the government is an extension of the people? As long as a double standard does not exist, why not let everyone express themselves freely, the President included.

Neal

 

And you really think that Christians would allow a Satanist, Pagan, Wicchan or any other of their nonfavored groups to actually do that?  We have seen time after time after time that those in control only want their own messages and none else.

Look at that Judge Moore.  He put a huge 10Cs block of rock in his courthouse but refused the placement of an atheist symbol there.

 

 

 

 

[crazyfingers]

Originally posted by lambslove
What do atheists contribute to society? [/B]

 

Do you have any idea what you just said? We contribute as much as everyone else.  That's the point!

 

[Annabel Lee]

Originally posted by lambslove

And, why should you get more respect than you already get? What do atheists contribute to society?

As much as any Christian. And many times with less hate.

 

[isshinwhat]

We have citizens here that do not speak English. Should the President not speak English because that excludes a portion of the populus? Where does it stop?

If we are to be a free counrty, then all must have the freedom to exercise the basic rights inherent to humanity. For those who pray, it is the duty of a president to call them to prayer. Prayer is at the very least a unifying force. For those who do not pray, it is the President to enkindle solidarity between them, as well. A President should be all things to all people. He should be a symbol of unity in a diverse country.

Neal

 

[isshinwhat]

Look at that Judge Moore. He put a huge 10Cs block of rock in his courthouse but refused the placement of an atheist symbol there.

Then that was wrong of him to do so. The job of government is to make sure things like that do not happen, whether it be the Ten Commandments, the Eightfold Path, or an atheist symbol.

Neal

 

[Annabel Lee]

You know what..forget it.
I will edit what I posted. Some of you smug Christians should be ashamed of yourself.
Good luck. Pat yourself on the back and just keep saying, "Jesus loves me no matter how hateful I am towards my brothers and sisters."

 

[sampo]

How can a president be a symbol of unity in a diverse country if he openly endorses one ideaology over another?