Atheist Holiday Display Sparks Outcry

Hundreds Rally At Washington State Capitol Against Sign Calling Religion A "Myth"

(AP)  Several hundred people rallied at the state Capitol on Sunday to protest a holiday display inside that provoked a national outcry by disparaging religion and declaring there is no God.

The "winter solstice" sign sponsored by the atheistic Freedom from Religion Foundation calls religion "myth and superstition that hardens hearts and enslaves minds."

An organizer at Sunday's rally, Steve Wilson, said outrage over the display was growing, and that it was offensive to people of all faiths.

"When it comes to disparaging my faith on public property, that's where I draw the line," Wilson said.

Three counter-protesters stood at the side of the rally, holding up signs that said, "Get Over It."

The sign went up Monday in the Capitol rotunda, alongside a "holiday" tree and a nativity scene.

It generated national debate after TV talk-show host Bill O'Reilly made it an issue on his program. Gov. Chris Gregoire's office reported receiving hundreds of calls, mostly to protest the state's decision to allow the sign to be displayed.

Gregoire and Republican Attorney General Rob McKenna have defended the atheists' right under the law to display their sign in the Capitol.

The state began granting broader access to religious displays a few years back, after a Jewish group added a Hanukkah menorah to the long-standing display of a massive evergreen Christmas tree - these days called a "holiday tree" - sponsored by the Association of Washington Business.

Organizers pleaded with Sunday's crowd to keep their messages positive, but there were still signs portraying Gregoire as a Grinch. Even scheduled speakers took political pot shots.

"You have led the State of Washington to be the armpit of America. And I'm afraid that our governor is the one adding the offensive odor to the armpit," said the Rev. Ken Hutcherson, a Christian preacher known in the region for his commentary on social issues.

Also on hand was a manger scene made from balloons. The wise men were missing, but the scene included an image of O'Reilly slugging Gregoire.

"He's knocking the sense of God into her," balloon artist Adam Lee told KING-TV.

The atheist sign was briefly stolen Friday, but was returned to the Capitol after somebody dropped it off at a Seattle radio station. It was restored to its display site, along with the added message, "Thou shalt not steal."

Washington State Patrol troopers were on duty at the rally site, but no problems were reported.

[barbaram99]

Let them be happy in theirlife styles. Christianity does not have all the answers. There are good people who don''t believe in god. Lets get along as a people. America will not have a state church. So get over that. I was not raised in church and so that is not apart of my life. The Golden Rule is for all.Treat others as ye want them to treat ye. There is no true church and all teach sometime different and it is humans doing the lip service. This is the holiday season,

[alanrobisch]

There is no proof that God exists.
I know in my heart of hearts that man created god.



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Posted by wagolf1 at 02:38 PM : Dec 10, 2008
+ report abuse

so what

[displeased]

I would rather believe now and be right than to not beleive and be wrong when the time comes.
Posted by wvu7462

How do you know what to believe in? Do you really think you''ll be punished for not believing something we''re not capable of knowing?

[silverstar06]

The fact of the matter is: Neandethals did not possess the mental capacities nor the frontal lobe pronouncement which enabled those like the Cro Magnon to expand their intelligence and abstract their eviroment. The neanderthal only saw mud in dirt and water, while the Cro Magnon saw building material. As atheists, I can understand that one would be emotionally connected to one''s genetic heritage. But this is no reason to topple and usurp that which another has created (e.g. a nation) --as was mentioned ''my currency'' and ''my State Capitols'' -duh!

[silverstar06]

It was the Christians that did the awful things to others who were different than them. They were so cold to have done the things as burn them to the stake for being blind,mentally ill,for any number of reasons . They were not whiches at all. The sad thing is they love Jesus and at thae time burn people alive for being handicapped,transgendered,for a woman to use her mind,and want to better herself,etc. It is no different today. Time to clean house.
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Posted by BarbaraM99 at 07:00 PM : Dec 09, 2008

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Believe me, there were always people/Christians who revolted against these horrors. But as there were enough of those on the sides of the killers who did not believe in Divine punishmet (such as atheists!!), the murderers had plenty of help sentencing and executing the charged believers brutally. They were surely not Chistians!

[mrjustice1]

Religion is real bad news.

It is now, and always has been dangerous, divisive, delusional, destructive and deadly.

[truthislife1]

This exposure of Christian hypocrisy is just what I wanted for Christmas.


Posted by tngreen


Hypocrisy is a world problem, not a church or Christian problem.

[barbaram99]

It was the Christians that did the awful things to others who were different than them. They were so cold to have done the things as burn them to the stake for being blind,mentally ill,for any number of reasons . They were not whiches at all. The sad thing is they love Jesus and at thae time burn people alive for being handicapped,transgendered,for a woman to use her mind,and want to better herself,etc. It is no different today. Time to clean house.

[barbaram99]

Let just enjoy this season. We all have our way of life. Some go to church,some don''t. As a people we all believe differently. There are more inportant things than this HOLY WAR or Which hunt. Yes the Christian Movement has a bloody history and so do other ones as well. Most of the sybols are not Christiam at all. We say Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays. We have no idea what Jesus''s birthday was or is for that matter as they never wrote it down. The church being the CatholiC Church picked Dec.25th. Noboby reals knows.Let God do His thing. We as a people live our lives in this world as good kind folks. The church is a business and should be taxed and the problem is greed. They take from the poor who can''t afford so. Christmas was banned in New England many years ago by the puritians and they were wrong, The Indians if they would have sent them back where they came from then this nation whould be better off as whites have done more damage. They still don''t trust white people to this day. Yes they were forced to live white. I don''t care for street preachers yelling. I just walk by. The gent in the story Ken who ever hates. We have rights that are in the constution. Every American has the same rights.

[wiswolf2]

I refuse to predicate my life on a collection of 3000 year old fire-side chats that were written down many, many years after they were spoken. I refuse to accept, as "Divine Wisdom" the chronicles of a Bronze Age society who thought that a wheelbarrow was a "high tech" device. I refuse to accept, as fact, that all creatures were created within the space of one week, by some invisible force which imbued dirt into a primary life-form. Please don''t try to force-feed your myths, legends and creed upon me...and if I choose to place a non-religious display on Public Property, kindly do not attack me. Incidentally, you can remove the stele of the Ten Commandments from many State capitols. You can also remove "In God We Trust" from my currency. Separation of Church & State MUST be accepted and tolerated. After all, it''s part of our founding documents.

[tomanyt]

You atheists are stupid with your lack of insight.

You would be the kind of people who could nail live humans to crosses or burn them at stakes alive, with no remorse, because you don''''t believe that there is a God who''''s gonna punish you for it. THAT is one real good reason to at least hold on to the notion that there may be one. So that people like you aren''''t out to prove your disbelief with pervesity.
Posted by silverStar06.....How old are you?

[displeased]

You would be the kind of people who could nail live humans to crosses or burn them at stakes alive, with no remorse, because you don''''t believe that there is a God who''''s gonna punish you for it.
Posted by silverStar06

Sorry, but it is the religious types that torture people to death for not believing. And that includes Christians too, just 300 years ago.

Atheists have morals too. We don''t need you religious types to tell us what''s right and wrong. And ANYBODY, regardless which religion, or non-religion they belong, has the capabilities of doing bad things.

[silverstar06]

You atheists are stupid with your lack of insight.

You would be the kind of people who could nail live humans to crosses or burn them at stakes alive, with no remorse, because you don''t believe that there is a God who''s gonna punish you for it. THAT is one real good reason to at least hold on to the notion that there may be one. So that people like you aren''t out to prove your disbelief with pervesity.

[hatesthecolt]

HonestAbe8:
Religion:a set of beliefs concerning the cause, nature, and purpose of the universe.

Atheism which is a belief in no supreme being qualifies.

[hatesthecolt]

HonestAbe8:
Religion:a set of beliefs concerning the cause, nature, and purpose of the universe.

Atheism which is a belief in no supreme being qualifies.

[hatesthecolt]

HonestAbe8:
Religion:a set of beliefs concerning the cause, nature, and purpose of the universe.

Atheism which is a belief in no supreme being qualifies.

[honestabe8]

Clover: "Deal with it"? No need to be confrontational. I merely asked how atheism was a religion.

[clovernyc]

Atheism is officially a religion (i.e., a world view) so the hypocrisy of not allowing one religion to post a sign over another is obvious.

More important, who cares if an atheist or a Wiccan or a Hindu priest for that matter posts a sign on public property?

The real issue is freedom of speech and freedom of religion which the Constitution protects for all.

[clovernyc]

HonestAbe,

I neither solicit nor need your opinion or agreement.

Atheism is a religion. Deal with it.

[honestabe8]

Clover: I got no interest in getting followers. I have my view (outlook or world view) and I don''t need others to validate it.