In Lincoln, amid the supposed “ war on Christmas ” bemoaned each year by the political right, it appears the atheists really have stolen Christmas.
On Friday, a classic Christian nativity scene was erected in the rotunda of Nebraska’s capitol building. The state’s lieutenant governor, Mike Foley, was scheduled to attend.
But on 18 December the nativity will have to be moved, to make way for exhibits organised by a coalition of atheist and humanist groups who last summer booked up all available exhibition space in the rotunda for the week around Christmas Day.
From 19 to 26 December, therefore, the capitol will host an exhibition called Reason this Season, organized by Lincoln Atheists, Omaha Atheists and several other humanist associations.
“It’s going to be a big shindig,” Chris Clements of Lincoln Atheists told the Guardian. “Our message is that it’s a secular government and religion has to stay separate from that. And it’s meant to communicate that atheists are not bad people – we can be good without God.”
One of the main exhibits will be a table holding a miniature church, a miniature mosque and symbols from other religions including Judaism and Buddhism, separated from a miniature White House, Statue of Liberty and US Capitol by a model wall – a stark reminder of the separation of church and state that is enshrined in the first amendment to the constitution.
Man is this going to burn a lot of Fundamentalist asses in Nebraska.
You know typically I am not this publicly confrontational about Atheism, preferring instead to have discussions here on IM about religion and non-belief, but I have to admit that this made me chuckle.
Ultimately it is important that non-deists get the conversation out into the public so that there can be an open dialogue.
I imagine there will be a lot of shouting at first, but ultimately allowing people to see that Atheists are not goat horned, child eating, demons can really only help in the long run.
I would be willing to bet there will be far more than a "lot of shouting at first...", Gryphen. I would be willing to bet the scene will be attacked and attempts will be made to destroy it. Always at night, of course, under cover of darkness. You know, because they are so proud of their work?
ReplyDeleteI have a lot of faith concerning those people. I have faith they will do their best to completely destroy the message being sent by whatever the secularists put together and saying the country is and always has been christian and the 1st Amendment does NOT mean THEM!
Fundies do NOT listen to reason or facts.
It's in the rotunda of the capitol building so it the exhibits are destroyed it will be the security that protects the building. Also, I would think that they close and lock the doors after working hours at the end of the day.
DeleteI'll book a ticket to Lincoln! Secular government, secular schools. Reason will win in the end.
ReplyDeleteEqual time....about damn time!
ReplyDeleteI have no problem with Nativity scenes - but they belong in churches or on church property, not on public property. Hang garlands of greens and wreaths and raise a beautiful Christmas tree in the rotunda - but leave the strictly religious part for the churches to do.
ReplyDeleteBeaglemom
If only governments would -- thus the need to screw it up.
DeleteI knew nothing about Nebraska except that Penny from Big Bang came from there, so I wrote a book about Nebraska: my research showed me a place so beguiling that my husband and I went there for a week. (And then I wrote Volume II.)
ReplyDeleteIt's a wonderful place, we met generous & kind people, saw the largest indoor rain forest in the world in Lincoln and just missed their 300-mile-long yard sale in September...
Last year one of their congressmen tabled a bill to tax churches... and now this! Pigs can fly if there are people in one of the reddest of states that do this.
Reason this Season ...it's a start and a good one.
Some of Y'all are giving Nebraska more creds than you should!
ReplyDeleteReason rules, not so much.
RJ in BBistan
Let's hope they are now booking Dec 1 to Dec 26, 2016 for the same display.
ReplyDeleteAnyone think there won't be guns involved in the destruction of this exhibition?
Every Journey starts with one step, and this one's a step in the right direction. I visited an "interfaith" show of support for a mosque. I learned so much about the good in people, it restored my belief in humanity. People came out in droves, no preaching, just hugs, handshakes, and a sea of good people. This mosque was firebombed and rebuilt ten years ago, and the same thing happened then, but here's what blew me away. The mosque raised almost 20 grand for secular charities not affiliated with hate. Food banks, clothing drives, respite care, community outreach (repairs for the elderly, cleaning, painting, sweeping, plans for playgrounds and gardening etc)
ReplyDeleteThe fire was mostly contained in the lobby, and animal blood was thrown on the walls. Seeing people make time for others, then seeing their gratitude displayed in charity for others was the best present.
In their own time of need, they put others first.
Oooo. I hope they make it all out of gingerbread!
ReplyDeleteMeanwhile get a load of this "nativity". It's a "Bill of Rights" manger scene with our founding fathers substituted in.
http://blog.constitutioncenter.org/2015/12/bill-of-rights-manger-joins-annual-holiday-display-debate/
Here's Steve Martin's rendition of Atheists don't have no songs. www.youtube.com/watch?v=wogta8alHiU
Christians have their hymns and pages.
Hava Nagila's for the Jews.
Baptists have the rock of ages.
Atheists just sing the blues.
Romantics play Claire de Lune.
Born agains sing He is risen.
But no one ever wrote a tune.
For godless existentialism.
For Atheists,
There's no good news.
They'll never sing,
A song of faith.
In their songs,
They have a rule.
The "he" is always lowercase.
The "he" is always lowercase.
Some folks sing a Bach cantata.
Lutherans get Christmas trees.
Atheist songs add up to nada.
But they do have Sundays free.
Pentecostals sing, sing to heaven,
Gothics had the books of scrolls,
Numerologists count, count to seven,
Atheists have rock and roll.
For Atheists,
There's no good news.
They'll never sing,
A song of faith.
In their songs,
They have a rule.
The "he" is always lowercase.
The "he" is always lowercase.
Atheists
... Atheists
... Atheists
Don't Have No songs!
Christians have their hymns and pages.
Hava Nagila's for the Jews.
Baptists have the rock of ages.
Atheists just sing the blues.
Catholics,
Dress up for Mass.
And listen to,
Gregorian chants.
Atheists,
Just take a pass.
Watch football in their underpants.
Watch football in their underpants.
Atheists
... Atheists
... Atheists
Don't Have No songs!
www.alternet.org/story/149151/10_best_christmas_songs_for_atheists
I think the hits for me this year are goats singing Christmas Carols. Action Aid has an entire album of them, but I wish it were on DVD as I love their little goat faces.
www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/christmas-album-goats_566a8a91e4b009377b249282