Sunday, June 30, 2013

Atheist group puts up monument in response to Ten Commandments monument.

Courtesy of Yahoo News: 

A group of atheists unveiled a monument to their nonbelief in God on Saturday to sit alongside a granite slab that lists the Ten Commandments in front of the Bradford County courthouse. 

As a small group of protesters blasted Christian country music and waved "Honk for Jesus" signs, the atheists celebrated what they believe is the first atheist monument allowed on government property in the United States. 

"When you look at this monument, the first thing you will notice is that it has a function. Atheists are about the real and the physical, so we selected to place this monument in the form of a bench," said David Silverman, president of American Atheists. 

It also serves another function — a counter to the religious monument that the New Jersey-based group wanted removed. It's a case of if you can't beat 'em, join 'em. 

American Atheists sued to try to have the stone slab with the Ten Commandments taken away from the courthouse lawn in this rural, conservative north Florida town best known for the prison that confines death row inmates. The Community Men's Fellowship erected the monument in what's described as a free speech zone. During mediation on the case, the atheist group was told it could have its own monument, too. David Silverman, president of American Atheists, stands on a Ten Commandments and says why he thinks … 

"We're not going to let them do it without a counterpoint," Silverman said. "If we do it without a counterpoint, it's going to appear very strongly that the government actually endorses one religion over another, or — I should say — religion in general over non-religion."

Let me just go on record as saying that the idea of Atheists putting up a monument to rational thought seems a little ridiculous to me. It is kind of like  putting up a statue commemorating breathing.

Shouldn't be necessary.

However I do understand the desire to have a counterpoint to this.

I mean that is just obnoxious.

Besides there is not ONE Christian living today who follows those ten commandments. Not one.

Oh well at lest the Atheists made their point which I ma sure was welcomed by the goodhearted. loving Christians in the area. Right?

About 200 people attended the unveiling. Most were supportive, though there were protesters, including a group from Florida League of the South that had signs that said "Yankees Go Home." 

At one point someone in a car driving by tossed a toilet seat and a roll of toilet paper at the crowd. Neither struck anyone. At another point, Eric Hovind, 35, of Pensacola jumped atop the peak of the monument and shouted his thanks to the atheists for giving him a platform to declare Jesus is real.

Oh yeah, what was I thinking?

You know every time I see another monument to the Ten Commandments or a saint go up, or see another church or temple being built, I just remember this.

The monuments and statues may indeed endure, but the reasons behind them, and the Gods they were meant to worship, will someday be lost in the fog of history.

I have little doubt that someday our children's children will study about Jesus Christ in Edith Hamilton's new and revised book on Mythology, right along with other great religious icons such as Ra, Zeus, and Thor.

11 comments:

  1. Leland11:03 AM

    And of course, the Ten Commandments as shown are wrong again. They ALWAYS misquote the Sixth!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anonymous11:13 AM

    Sure free speech means lying at every opportunity to separate people from their money? Isn't Eric Hovind's daddy in prison for tax evasion and stealing and grifting from other christofascists through his "ministry", and then refusing to pay taxes?

    A tale of caution for Sarah that she will not heed.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Beldar Poseidon Conehead11:35 AM

    Sorry, Dude. Ra and Thor are strictly wanna-de(iet)es. The only true terrifying and awful God is ALL MIGHTY ZEUS!!! Just ask all the other Gods on Mt. Olympus. If they don't know, who else would know???

    But seriously, what's with the black metal spike (punji stick?) protruding dangerously from the athiests monument's back rest?

    NOT COOL!! So not cool...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. How long are you going to keep licking Zeus's sandals and looking up his tunic Beldar?

      I mean let a deity rape a maiden or two, while disguised as bull or swan, and some people start throwing themselves at him like he's Justin Bieber.

      Look the guy had his run, it's over. There will be other gods, there always are.

      In the meantime just live your life. As sad and pointless as it might be.

      Delete
    2. Beldar Jupiter Conehead1:35 PM

      Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!!! Just... WHOA!!!

      Why you have to hate on me jus' 'cuz I worship the ALL MIGHTY ZEUS???? Do I bag on you for anything YOU say??? Wait... Never mind, scratch that.

      Not to belabor the point, but that sandal/tunic thing you throw in my face, involved Aphrodite - a MAJOR hottie, btw - not Zeus. You should be so lucky...

      Anyway, what gives you the right to declare Zeus "over"? He's been EXTREMELY popular for thousands of years, if the myths are all true, which I'm pretty sure they are. And if you think my life seems pointless now, just wait till the AFTERLIFE when I'll have an important job in Zeus' court and you'll be spending eternity as a bug, or municipal graffiti remover!

      Hey, Gryphen - if that's really your actual name, which I'll bet a handful of George W. Bush commemorative Parisian public toilet tokens, it is NOT - can't we all just get along? Instead of bagging on me for religious beliefs that apparently differ from yours, can't we just share a visceral and intense contempt for The Execrable Screechy Wretch(tm)?

      And Justin Bieber, also, too?

      Delete
    3. Anonymous6:12 PM

      Hey Beldar, how about passing one of those W tokens for the shitter this way? I need to take a Sarah pretty bad, and afterwards I'll be sure to wipe my Toad real well. Unlike Granny "The no ass-wipe" Grifter.

      Delete
    4. Chella2:49 AM

      I love the snarktastic banter between you two, beldar and gryph

      Delete
  4. Anonymous11:52 AM

    I think it's great! Yeah, I'm a Christian, and I believe it is totally inappropriate to have the Ten Commandments on government property. Putting "In God We Trust" on money is downright creepy. BTW, being Christian and embracing all kinds of diversity don't have to be mutually exclusive. In fact, embracing diversity is what Jesus was all about. Many "Christians" have totally overlooked that. It's inconvenient for them. I have atheist friends, AND I never try to convert them to my way of thinking. We do have lively discussions, though, with lots of humor in the remarks.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Leland12:31 PM

      Too bad there aren't a helluva lot more of you!

      Delete
  5. Anonymous4:21 PM

    Note that 8 of the 10 commandments are negative ones, about something you should NOT do. The only things you are told TO DO are to keep the Sabbath and honor your parents.

    Sometimes I think Moses had his arms full of the 2 stone tablets pictured above and couldn’t also carry the other two that listed the other 10 commandments we were to follow. You know like:

    11. Thou shalt not hate.
    12. Thou shalt not covet money.
    13. Thou shalt honor and care for the children of the world.
    14. Thou shalt speak with kindness at all times.
    15. Thou shalt care for those among us who have less than ye.
    16. Remember thou came from woman, and honor her.
    17. Thou shalt ensure all humans have their basic needs met.
    18. Remember you have 2 ears and one mouth. Use them in that proportion.
    19. Thou shalt always do your best.
    20. Thou shalt care for this beautiful planet that I labored to create as the sacred place it is.

    CathleenD

    ReplyDelete
  6. Leland5:10 PM

    Very nicely put, CathleenD and I agree one hundred per cent that we SHOULD be doing those things.

    Only one problem: You apparently have forgotten that the Ten Commandments were offered to the jewish people by an insane, murderous god and taking care of his weaker peoples was definitely NOT what he was looking for at the time of Moses.

    ReplyDelete

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