Statue of Isaac Newton at Britain's Royal Society with head librarian
Keith Moore standing behind it. It was the free exchange of ideas coupled
with testing and experimentation at the Royal Society which is responsible
for most of the progress humanity has accomplished in the last few hundred
years. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis)
In California and in Illinois holiday Atheism exhibits put up have been physically attacked. In Illinois the attack was carried out by a politician. It is unknown who vandalized the exhibit in California.
The Atheist exhibit in California was a gnome with the face of Charles Darwin along with the words, "Reason's Greetings!". Even though Darwin was not an Atheist, he went back and forth between Deism and Agnosticism, he is embraced by all free thinkers.
In Illinois the person who tried to remove the Atheist exhibit in the rotunda of the capitol in Springfield was William Kelly from Chicago. He was stopped from doing so by the Capitol police and was escorted from the building. Kelly is a conservative Republican. He said the Atheist exhibit was "hate speech" and that's why he tried to take it down. Of course, what is hate speech to one person is not hate speech to another. Much more importantly is the First Amendment to the United States Constitution which guarantees free speech in the U.S. The William Kellys of the world should not be permitted to determine which speech is acceptable and which is not, and the First Amendment makes sure this does not happen. The established British government in America in 1776 thought what Sam Adams and Patrick Henry were saying and what Thomas Paine was writing was "hate speech"!
Kelly said, "I don't think the State of Illinois has any business denigrating or mocking any religion, and I think that's what the verbiage on the sign was doing." Since the State of Illinois did not sponsor the sign, it simply allowed it to be placed among the other holiday exhibits, the State of Illinois was not denigrating or mocking any religion, the sponsors of the sign, the Freedom From Religion Foundation, was. The members of the foundation are Americans who have First Amendment rights which includes mocking religions. Why anyone would think that religion is above objective reasoning and its consequences is incomprehensible.
The sign reads, "At the time of the winter solstice, let reason prevail. There are no gods, no devils, no angels, no heaven or hell. There is only our natural world. Religion is just myth and superstition that hardens hearts and enslaves minds." As a Deist I don't agree with the implication the statement makes that there is no, as Albert Einstein said, "superior reasoning power" which designed the designs found throughout Nature. Deistic Intelligent Design is free of the nonsense found in the various competing "holy" books of the various competing "revealed" religions. As the former Atheist and current Deist Antony Flew asked, "How can a universe of mindless matter produce beings with intrinsic ends, self replication capabilities and coded chemistry?" Even though Atheism doesn't make sense to me just as the "revealed" religions don't make sense, I strongly believe that the free exchange of ideas on absolutely every topic should be encouraged and not stifled. A free exchange of ideas is the only way real progress can ever be made.
Comments
Let me be clear that I am an atheist and personally dislike prejudice against atheists. Atheists absolutely need to make their presence known in society and celebrate the holidays. Atheism should (respectfully) challenge religion in the marketplace of ideas. I am concerned by hate mail and anger against signs saying things like "No God, No Problem".
However, the FFRF put up signs in Illinois and elsewhere stating that "Religion is just myth and superstition that hardens hearts and enslaves minds" as part of displays for a holiday season that for many people has religious significance. Such signs are obviously insensitive and intolerant of religion. It is no wonder that some are angry at and attack these signs. Us atheists wouldn't like it if someone put up a sign stating that "Atheism is just a myth that keeps people from the Truth of God", so we shouldn't put up similar signs ourselves. Atheists should show tolerance if they want to be treated with tolerance.
Very reasoned response Jason.
It is absolutely hate; this would not be tolerated if something similar were said about homosexuality or people of a certain color.
Intelligent design is NOT "free of the nonsense found in the various competing 'holy' books of the various competing 'revealed' religions.
"Indeed, intelligent design is just the Logos theology of John’s Gospel restated in the idiom of information theory." -- William Dembski.
Intelligent design was created as, and remains, simply a repackaging for the same tired old long-debunked creationist anti-evolution arguments. It has no substantive content other than these canards.
Hrafn, the author was explicitly referring to DEIST Intelligent Design. Follow the link to another article by the author on Deist Intelligent Design. Deist Intelligent Design as the author describes it isn't "a repackaging for ... creationist anti-evolutionist arguments" that you are referring to. You are criticizing the author for something he didn't even say. You need to read more carefully before commenting.
Deism is just another bad "ism", and "god" in any case still doesn't make sense. Just because you cannot understand how the natural world (or universe) came to be without a deity doesn't make it any less plausible. If perhaps you were among the most brilliant minds of any time in human history, I might give your arguments some weight, but as it is, you are just another blogger with an opinion, which in my opinion, makes no more sense than any other supernatural belief. As an atheist, I think I find deism as more unbelievable or troublesome than theism. You make the logic leap to a point, but you still find some way to squeak "god" into the equation to fill in the missing holes in the your understanding of the universe. ...but that is exactly what theism is. It is a crutch for people who cannot accept that there are no supernatural beings. The bottom line is that deism is just a devious form of theism wrapped in free-thinker clothes.
If the godbots actually believed they were right, they would welcome the display. It's their fear of being wrong that causes them to lash out with typical religious violence, the same sort that fills the history books.
The only reason the godbots in this case didn't use bombs or guns is because they know they'd be accountable and couldn't rationalize it.
Jason. The atheist signs are right on the mark. You forget that by putting up Christmas displays on public property that the Christian's including those who hold power in government are slapping everyone else in the face asserting the truth of their beliefs while snubbing everyone else. They do not seem to be overly concerned about anyone else's feelings while they proselytize. They don't care that not only atheists but those of all other religions might feel offended at their special treatment, using public property in this manner, to spread their myths and superstitions. Why should Christianity be given a free pass to do this? Why should public property have any religious affiliation at all? There are plenty of churches and private properties they can use for this. Why not erect their displays there?
I think physically attacking such hate speech is wrong. Instead such hate speech as the intolerant people at the FFRF put out shouldn't be allowed. It is fine if they wish to say the celebrate the winter solstice but to attack others for celebrating other beliefs is wrong.
@Jason
"Us atheists wouldn't like it if someone put up a sign stating that "Atheism is just a myth that keeps people from the Truth of God", so we shouldn't put up similar signs ourselves."
Yet such signs do get put up, and the ideas behind them are espoused every sunday across the country to masses very willing to accept it. They are allowed to do so, and it is not classified as hate speech.
It is, similarly, not hate speech when we say the same things in the public forum. If religious iconography is allowed, then so is dissenting opinion, however coarsely worded it may be.
Jason, All religions specifically target atheism within their doctrine, read up on the penalties for apostasy within your religion and any others.
The statements made by the atheist groups are no worse than what you see on signs outside churches every day and the vitriol you get from the righteous. This backlash is a normal effect of the growth of a new social group. Forming, storming, norming and performing, this is step two, give us some time, we will reach balance (through norming), of course by then, religion will finally be relegated to the place it should be - a personal choice, NOT an enforceable mechanism for judging and descriminating against people. We can only hope that we reach this point before too much damage is done.
Sorry, last comment should have been directed to John.
agnosticism *is* atheism. deism is not, but because an agnostic does not believe in a god (he does *not* have to deny on exists or say that is no god) they are an atheist be atheists simply have to lack [a] a belief in a god [theism].
"And so I believe to-day that my conduct is in accordance with the will of the Almighty Creator. In standing guard against the Jew I am defending the handiwork of the Lord." - Adolph Hitler
"As the former Atheist and current Deist Antony Flew asked, "How can a universe of mindless matter produce beings with intrinsic ends, self replication capabilities and coded chemistry?""
you know, instead of posting this question ad nauseum on the internet as though it were profound, you could ask any biologist, anywhere, and get a pretty good answer. Ignorance is nothing to be ashamed of, but HIDING from an answer that is readily available, is unworthy.
religious people are religious for emotional reasons. this isnt to deprecate anybody (it is the least offensive thing about religion), but quit pretending your conversion is on intellectual grounds, ok?
God is imaginary. It's really very simple.
This article is interesting, but written at about a fifth-grade level.
Oh, why must I live in a state where us atheist are prosecuted just because we decided not to believe what parents tried to drill into our heads. There are no miracles, only chance. Doctors, fire fighters, police officers, and teachers are our real heroes, not a malicious sky daddy.
it's frustrating when people who portray themselve's as intellectuals conveniently skip over the most clearly-worded comment on this page.
Dave, you are a genius. Well said, and a totally solid point, one that cannot be refuted. Someone needed to say that.
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