WTF is a "holiday" tree? It's meaningless. There is no tradition of such a thing. This just seems like childish attention-seeking to me.
Atheists are less-than-pleased following Chester County, Pennsylvania’s refusal to allow a “holiday” Tree of Knowledge on the county’s courthouse lawn. This is the second year in a row that officials have denied the request.
Last month, Margaret Downey, the group’s president and founder, wrote a letter — complete with 350 signatures from supporters — to Chester County commissioners asking for permission to place the tree on government grounds. Last week, local leaders told Downey that she and her group would not be able to do so.
According to the Daily Local News, the atheist tree was allowed from 2007 until 2009. Rather than using Christmas ornaments, non-believers would decorate the “Tree of Knowledge” with their favorite “non-theistic” book sleeves.
In a 2010 vote, the county decided to stop allowing holiday displays from various groups, with local leaders pledging to create and maintain a festive display of their own.
The county display last year included Santa in a sleigh, a toy train, banners proclaiming “Peace on Earth” and “Seasons Greetings,” and a wreath honoring military service members, as well as a traditional creche and a menorah.
The county’s refusal to allow the tree is creating angst among non-believers. ”We just want our citizenship to be recognized and the community to understand our diversity,” Downey explains.
Source
Who is not recognizing them? They are citizens like anyone else. And everybody knows there are atheists who are part of America's "diversity".
16 comments:
Judaism: deities: 1 = Religion
Christianity: deities: 1 = Religion
Islam: deities: 1 = Religion
Buddhism: deities: 0 = Religion
Hinduism: deities: n = Religion
Sikhism: deities: 1 = Religion
Wicca: deities: 2 = Religion
New Age: deities: n = Religion
Satanism: deities: 1 = Religion
Unarius: whatever = Religion
etc.
If we categorize the above belief systems as religions, then:
Atheism: deities: 0 = Religion
Atheism is as much of a religion as those other faiths, they just don't worship a deity. The Tree of Knowledge is an Atheist religious decoration and therefore, by their own standards, should not be permitted on public property.
Note to nitpickers: Yes, yes, I know those are simplified numbers. Try not to miss the point.
@12:58 - What an odd comparison you present.
All those symbols are pagan or secular - the decorated tree, Santa (too mutated from St Nicholas to be the same), and most other "Xmas"-related "stuff". Only the 'Nativity' scene is christ-related, though even much of that seems to have mythical symbols, and there is nothing about Jesus' birth in the oldest gospels like Mark, and St Paul hardly spoke of Jesus' actual life on Earth.
All atheists should be burned at the stake on Dec. 25th, in a non-religious ceremony of course. And, since no chemicals or electricity is used, it would keep the EnviroNazi's happy.
I wonder if that would be considered a "Christmas display". Hmmm...
3:34 - The Inquisition would have been very proud of your Christian "final solution".
"There have been a lot of Christians who have been very mean and nasty for many hundreds of years."
Especially the ones here on this blog.
"There have been a lot of Christians who have been very mean and nasty for many hundreds of years".
Name one.
They see no irony in demanding a holyday symbol of atheism?
Anonymous 4:00 AM said...
"3:34 - The Inquisition would have been very proud of your Christian "final solution".
Why do you assume i'm Christian? If i were, i would be calling for an end to the notion of "turn the other cheek". It's time they started turning other peoples cheeks.
I suppose they realy beleive all the poppycock from RICHARD DAWKINS abd CARL SAGAN and belive also that CHARLES DARWIN was absolutly right Proving their totaly brainwashing on this evolution nonsense
At least the gentlemen you cite were able to spell in their native language. Unless you're a foreign Bird, your poor English further undermines your credibility (as well as your poor reasoning).
By the way, atheism has nothing to do with accepting "evolution" or cosmological theories. Many Christians accept them or don't dismiss them out of hand without even understanding them like you.
Annon 5:14 PILTDOWN MAN was a proven fake and so was the dynobird produced by NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC
So do you think that fake relics of the "True Cross" or "Christ's Crown of Thorns", "Nails from the Cross", etc., etc. means Christianity must be fake too?
Are 'Kee Bird' and 'Bird of Paradise' the same avian species sharing the same bird-brain?
Atheists believe just as much as theists.. But where theists believe there is a God or gods, atheists believe there is no God or gods. Either belief can only be taken on faith.. Its the faith that makes Christianity, Judaism, Islam, and Atheism all religions. So if the government is not allowed to promote Christianity then it should also not be allowed to promote Atheism.
Athiests believe there is no god/s because there is no real or empirical evidence.
Theists believe there is a god/s only through wishful-thinking (and particular religions extend that into complex contrived doctines and dogmas that have even less grounds for justification!)
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