Atheists in Washington Going After Christmas
Alongside a Nativity scene at the Legislative Building in Olympia, Washington, a sign put up by an atheist group is celebrating the winter solstice. But it’s the rest of the sign that has some residents and Christian organizations calling atheists “Scrooges” for attacking the celebration of the birth of Jesus.
From the Seattle Times:
A protest, several counter-signs and a news conference are the latest in a flurry of activity spurred by a sign put up Monday by an atheist group in the Capitol building in Olympia.
Members of the Freedom From Religion Foundation, a group of atheists and agnostics, put up the sign that says, in part: “Religion is but myth and superstition that hardens hearts and enslaves minds.” It was partly a response to a Nativity scene put up nearby by a private citizen.
Steve Wilson, 28, of Federal Way, is organizing a protest for 2 p.m. Sunday on the Capitol steps.
Wilson, who attends the nondenominational Christian Faith Center, said atheists have a right to air their views but that the sign they put up is disparaging to people of all faiths.
His plan is to hold “a pro-faith rally rather than an anti-atheist” demonstration, he said. “We just want to go show our support for people of faith. We don’t want any hate. We want to display a message of God’s love for all people.”
On Friday, Pastor Ken Hutcherson of Redmond’s Antioch Bible Church, plans to hold a news conference at the Capitol to unveil his own sign, which says, in part: “There is one God…. Atheism is but myth and superstition that hardens hearts and enslaves minds.”
Earlier Thursday, two Olympia residents put up a “Statement of Christmas” sign, said Steve Valandra, spokesman for the Department of General Administration, which maintains the Capitol grounds.
Valandra said since Wednesday, his office has handled more than 300 calls on the issue — most from out of state, and that he anticipates getting more requests for other displays.
Earlier this week, Gov. Christine Gregoire’s office was inundated with calls — about 200 an hour, a spokesperson said, after Fox News’ Bill O’Reilly urged viewers to call to protest.
From CNN:
“Religion is but myth and superstition that hardens hearts and enslaves minds,” the sign says in part.
Dan Barker, a former evangelical preacher who now heads up the atheist and agnostic Freedom From Religion Foundation, said it was important for atheists to see their viewpoints validated alongside everyone else’s.
Barker said the display is especially important given that 25 percent of Washington state residents are unaffiliated with religion or do not believe in God. (A recent survey by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life found 23 percent of Washingtonians said they were unaffiliated with a religion and 7 percent said they didn’t believe in God.)
“It’s not that we are trying to coerce anyone; in a way our sign is a signal of protest,” Barker said. “If there can be a Nativity scene saying that we are all going to hell if we don’t bow down to Jesus, we should be at the table to share our views.”
He said if anything, it’s the Nativity scene that is the intrusion.
“Most people think December is for Christians and view our signs as an intrusion, when actually it’s the other way around,” he said. “People have been celebrating the winter solstice long before Christmas. We see Christianity as the intruder, trying to steal the holiday from all of us humans.”
The scene in Washington state is not unfamiliar. Barker has had signs in Madison, Wisconsin, for 13 years. The placard is often turned around so the message can’t be seen, and one year, someone threw acid on it, forcing the group to encase it in Plexiglas.
This entry was posted on December 5, 2008 at 6:33 am and is filed under Uncategorized. You can subscribe via RSS 2.0 feed to this post's comments.
Tags: Atheism, Atheists, Athiest Capitol, Athiests Washington, Bill O'Reilly, Christian, Christine Gregoire, Christmas, Dan Barker, Freedom From Religion Foundation, Freedom of Religion, God, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Ken Hutcherson, Nativity, Olympia, Olympia Capitol, Protest, Redmond, Religion, Steve Valandra, Steve Wilson
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Kreuzer's Korner 
December 5, 2008 at 7:52 am
Atheists and Buddhist can go to hell.
December 5, 2008 at 8:07 am
But Christians are 999/1000 Athiests.
Pray to Isis? Pray to Posidon? Pray to Mars?
And looking at History Christians have done a lot worse to athiests and other religions than call them bad names.
Once we beleived in Hercules- Now he’s a Disney cartoon. 2008
Once we believed in Jesus – Now he’s a Disney hologram, 2108 ? 2208?
December 5, 2008 at 12:10 pm
The real shame here is the failure to include the one “true message” of the season, which of course is: That we have all been blessed by the Flying Spaghetti Monster (“FSM”). And because of these wonderful blessing we should all gather round and make offerings of parmesan cheese and red pepper!
And to address the concerns about evolution, creationism and Flying Spaghetti Monsterism. I think we can all look forward to the time when these three theories are given equal time in our science classrooms across the country, and eventually the world; One third time for Intelligent Design, one third time for Flying Spaghetti Monsterism, and one third time for logical conjecture based on overwhelming observable evidence.
Thank you and good day.
December 7, 2008 at 11:14 am
K needs to learn how to spell!
December 7, 2008 at 7:23 pm
All my life I never believed in anything transcendent. I went through my life alienated, alone, and often experimented with drugs and alcohol. There had to be something more, something beyond myself in the world, but I’d learned to repress this hope. One day I was making lunch in my cardboard house under the bridge, which I had insulated with Wall Street Journal editorials of a certain free-market conservative bent. Suddenly, a blinding light exploded around me and I had the most euphoric sensation I had ever experienced. I woke up what must have been hours later, feeling exhausted; as if I’d just crossed a giant desert. An empty can of Chef Boyardee lay beside me, and when I went to the mirror, my mouth was surrounded with tomato sauce and a trail of red puddles led out of the open window. Only then did I realize what had transpired. Only then did I finally see the Truth. I huddled there, chilled and trembling in the corner, soaked in my own tears, only regretting the fact that I could not find the truth by myself, that it had to finally turn out this way. I had been noodled.
December 8, 2008 at 1:10 pm
I was raised southern baptist but I’m not one that belittles others for their beliefs. If atheists want to have a sign that celebrates the Winter Solstice such as the Nativity Scene does for Christmas and Hanukkah’s Menorah. But unfortunately the sign posted isn’t one of celebration. This is a deliberate attack on religions. Any religion is being attacked by stating that their beliefs are enslaved and believe in a myth is a great sign of how atheists are truly the intolerant ones. During the time of Christmas you don’t see Christians or any other religions putting up signs stating you don’t believe in this you’ll go to hell. So why is it that the atheist can’t do the same. I say if the atheist want to put up a display to celebrate the Winter Solstice then by all means do so, but put one up that actually is celebrating it. Not one stating that everyone else is living in a fairy tale land.
December 8, 2008 at 3:59 pm
David, yeah well, you’re entitled to the moral high ground once you quit bombing those with only slightly different worldviews. The Christian reaction to the sign only demonstrates the validity of its statements. But I get it; these days turning the other cheek is equivalent to pulling the trigger. Our bad.
December 14, 2008 at 6:21 am
Whatever happened to freedom of expression?
Bad enough the winter solstice was hijacked, now freedom of speech is beginning to be hijacked because of differing opinions.
Its great if one has faith, let them have it, its also great if one has a lack there of, let them have it also. America is not based on the Christian principles which is propagated into the public mindset. Whats irritating, anytime criticizes or has a differing opinion of a religious view, the persecution card gets pulled. I respect the fact Gregoire, regardless of faith, gave the option to display such a message, it reaffirms there is bipartisanship within our government and not a one sided worldview.
Bill O’ Reilly, mister lufah himself, needs to read a history book once in a while and STFU.
To all of you faith based individuals, I leave you with this little gem.
“As the Government of the United States of America is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion” Treaty of Tripoli 1796-1797 Article 11.
January 17, 2009 at 10:59 pm
The atheists are right. After listening to the right-wing Christians, I’m convinced that religion does harden hearts and minds.
February 26, 2011 at 11:17 am
Religion is a problem too much of the time.