Do these athiests have a point?

[officer2002]

http://www.theblaze.com/stories/unconst ... believers/

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/10/24/at ... latestnews

I have never heard of a law suit like this before.

[99percentatheism]

http://www.theblaze.com/stories/unconst ... believers/

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/10/24/at ... latestnews

I have never heard of a law suit like this before.

Wellllll, it seems that it's not only the fringe religionists that proclaim that the sky is falling:

Persons who are not affiliated with any religion constitute 16% of the US population. Unfortunately, the choice of persons to conduct ceremonies for marriages, same sex commitments, memorials, and other rites of passage is usually between religious clergy and civil officials.

For a nonreligious person this can be a traumatic experience.

They may be required to go through religious counseling and/or have religious references in their ceremony.

They may be prevented from having their choice of music or readings as part of the ceremony.

The local minister called on to conduct a funeral/memorial may preach a “come to Jesus� sermon or otherwise use religious references that are not in keeping with the worldview of the person being memorialized. Many of us have seen this done.

There are any number of Universalist "Ministers" that will perform a marriage for atheists. Or anything else as well.

C'mon now?

Isn't this yet another thinly vieled chopping at the religious tree of America?

[Choir Loft]

According to the constitution, states have the right to pass and enforce such laws. The federal government has no legal constitutional authority to interfere.

Sure they do. A state can pass laws that legalize slavery and burning heretics at the stake. The federal government has every right - and obligation - to 'interfere'. States rights are not absolute.

Welcome to the brave new fascist police state we've created.

Yeah, the sky is falling....

If you are referring to religious dogmatics of a few hundred or so years ago, you also need to consider that the extreme punishment of witches was (sadly) abandoned long before the constitution was written. In my opinion it should be reinstated.

If you are referring to legalized slavery and its end over one hundred fifty years ago, you also need to consider that it was suppressed not by constitutional law but by the gun. Even more, the war between the states was executed in direct violation of and beyond the scope of constitutional law. Violations were many including but not limited to the right of a free press, the right of habeas corpus and the constitutional mandate for congress alone to declare war. The war was prosecuted by Abraham Lincoln, but never approved by congress. Neither was any surrender arranged or accepted by any of the seceding states. Technically and legally a condition of secession still exists. The only difference is that the states are now subject to military occupation by Federal forces. That's the LAW and that's the brutal truth of it.

Abraham Lincoln was a criminal, constitutionally speaking. THE ONLY positive thing that resulted from his administration was the Emancipation Proclamation. That too, was an illegal document because a president cannot make law by edict. Shortly thereafter the Emancipation was passed into law by congress. At that point it became the law of the land. Politically, congress was forced into it by the presidential declaration. At that point, congress couldn't refuse to pass it. That was the game plan and Lincoln won. So did millions of innocent Americans. And so most of us forgive Father Abraham for his sins of aggression. Most. Not all.

But slavery never really ended in America and neither did the bloody practice of witchcraft, now more correctly labeled satan worship.

Oh yes, indeed there is satan worship. A personal testimony here if I may be so bold (and I will). A memorial ceremony was held at a local church yesterday for a young woman whose three children were taken and murdered as part of a satanic ritual of human sacrifice. What punishment should be meted out to people who brutalize innocent children like this? Hugs and kisses? I say burning at the stake is too good for them.

As to slavery, it's alive and well in these United States. I'm talking about human bondage and not sex games either. Every large and medium sized city has a booming business peddling human flesh. Sex slaves. My wife and I have been involved in safe houses and safe ministries for those who are able to escape this culture - and I'm here to tell you that there are very few who do.

Then there is the economic slavery that every single American of working age is bound to. You know exactly what I'm referring to. Every Monday morning you know it - or what may pass for Monday in your life. Even if you are so blessed as to have a vocation that you enjoy there is still the economic slavery of taxes, credit cards, more taxes, escalating utility bills, more taxes, food bills, even more taxes, fuel bills and bills from charitable organizations that you sometimes feel obligated to help with, as well as taxes.

Do you feel free or do you feel chained to your obligations? Do you feel the suction on your wallet? Do you notice all the increasing restrictions of movement and liberty in our proud new fascist police state? Do you really believe that the individual citizen has any effect upon the policies of the rulers of the Federal government? You're dreaming if you do.

It's called slavery. There is no better word to describe it and it did not end with Lincoln's proclamation. Ask most non-white folks how free they really feel. What they've known for a long time is only just now beginning to dawn on white folk. Slavery. It's not just history any more.

hmmmm?

The only real freedom is Jesus Christ. Really. There is no law that says you must believe (the USA isn't under Sharia law - yet). There is no law that says you have to get up and go out to church. There is no law (yet) that says you must pray.

Yet the only true liberty has been abandoned by the church, the only real organization on the planet that has God's seal of approval for publication and application of the Good News that a relationship with God is possible and practical.

but that's just me, hollering from the choir loft...

[Tiberius47]

(I have never heard about a lawsuit over Muslim prayers, displays or parades. Please inform me of any that have happened if you know of any.)

I'm not aware that any government body in the USA has actually done any of these things.

[McCulloch]

If you are referring to religious dogmatics of a few hundred or so years ago, you also need to consider that the extreme punishment of witches was (sadly) abandoned long before the constitution was written. In my opinion it should be reinstated.

But slavery never really ended in America and neither did the bloody practice of witchcraft, now more correctly labeled satan worship.

Oh yes, indeed there is satan worship. A personal testimony here if I may be so bold (and I will). A memorial ceremony was held at a local church yesterday for a young woman whose three children were taken and murdered as part of a satanic ritual of human sacrifice. What punishment should be meted out to people who brutalize innocent children like this? Hugs and kisses? I say burning at the stake is too good for them.

Then there is the economic slavery that every single American of working age is bound to. You know exactly what I'm referring to. Every Monday morning you know it - or what may pass for Monday in your life. Even if you are so blessed as to have a vocation that you enjoy there is still the economic slavery of taxes, credit cards, more taxes, escalating utility bills, more taxes, food bills, even more taxes, fuel bills and bills from charitable organizations that you sometimes feel obligated to help with, as well as taxes.

The only real freedom is Jesus Christ. Really. There is no law that says you must believe (the USA isn't under Sharia law - yet). There is no law that says you have to get up and go out to church. There is no law (yet) that says you must pray.

[Choir Loft]

Well if you are implying we are soft on Muslims, you are wrong. If you know of any Islamic display on the lawns of city hall, officially lead prayer to Allah etc, I am sure there are prenty of lawyers that would like to take the case up.

There aren't any Islamic displays in public for the simple reason that icons or representations of Mohammad or any other Islamic figure or aspect of the faith is forbidden by Sharia law.

The only public display of the religion are quotations of scripture or the statement of faith, called the shahada.

The shahada reads as follows; "there is no god but Allah and Mohammad is his prophet".

The shahada, written in arabic, appears on prominent flags and banners. The flag of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, for example, is a green field with the text of the shahada on top and sword of Mohammad on the bottom.

The Muslim 'flag of religion', also called the flag of jihad (or struggle), is a black flag with the shahada text written in white, sometimes in yellow. The flag may also bear the graphic of a sword or automatic rifle. The flag of religion has also been adopted by the members of Al Qaeda, the international terrorist organization.

Next time you see an Islamic parade, look for the flag of religion in the background. It is always there prominently and proudly displayed on the streets of America - thumbing its nose at us all.

and that's just me, hollering from the choir loft...

[Artie]

To the contrary the religion of atheism is the only one that has no belief in any god and thus is established when they win those lawsuits.

There is no "religion of atheism". "Religion is an organized collection of belief systems, cultural systems, and world views that relate humanity to spirituality and, sometimes, to moral values." Wikipedia. Atheism simply means "lack of belief in gods". It is no more a religion than Asantaism, a lack of belief in Santa Claus. Secular Jews and Buddhists don't believe in gods either. Those are religions.

[99percentatheism]

[Replying to post 1 by officer2002]

For Christians, marriage is a man and woman until death does them part with little other reasons for dissolution. Jesus is clear that marriage is a man and woman and that after death they are no longer married.

Duh time. Sinfulness that causes marriages to fail need repentence of the guilty person.

Stop caring what the Godless and heretics do. Shake the dust off your feet and move on to more worthwhile crowds. Jesus said that too.

Atheists have a point only to the whacky world of secularism.

[Bust Nak]

There aren't any Islamic displays in public for the simple reason that icons or representations of Mohammad or any other Islamic figure or aspect of the faith is forbidden by Sharia law.

The only public display of the religion are quotations of scripture or the statement of faith, called the shahada.

The shahada reads as follows; "there is no god but Allah and Mohammad is his prophet".

The shahada, written in arabic, appears on prominent flags and banners. The flag of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, for example, is a green field with the text of the shahada on top and sword of Mohammad on the bottom.

The Muslim 'flag of religion', also called the flag of jihad (or struggle), is a black flag with the shahada text written in white, sometimes in yellow. The flag may also bear the graphic of a sword or automatic rifle. The flag of religion has also been adopted by the members of Al Qaeda, the international terrorist organization.

Next time you see an Islamic parade, look for the flag of religion in the background. It is always there prominently and proudly displayed on the streets of America - thumbing its nose at us all.

Are you just being informative, or are you suggesting these examples are comparible to the kind of stuff atheists are suing the government for?

[McCulloch]

Atheists have a point only to the whacky world of secularism.

Secularism is the principle of separation of government institutions, and the persons mandated to represent the State, from religious institutions and religious dignitaries. In the United States state secularism serves to protect religion and the religious from governmental interference and to protect executive, legislative and judicial governmental bodies from religious interference. There is nothing whacky about secularism nor is it the province solely of atheists.

[99percentatheism]

Atheists have a point only to the whacky world of secularism.

Secularism is the principle of separation of government institutions, and the persons mandated to represent the State, from religious institutions and religious dignitaries. In the United States state secularism serves to protect religion and the religious from governmental interference and to protect executive, legislative and judicial governmental bodies from religious interference. There is nothing whacky about secularism nor is it the province solely of atheists.

"Protect religion"?

Your opinion is duly noted.

Here's mine:

Maybe once upon a time. Now "secularism" and secular forces are synonymous with atheistic, materialism and humanism. The word and influence is now used to attack religion and the religious. It sure seems that the word and actions of "Secularists" and secularism, mean expulsion of religion and the religious from having influence on laws and pop culture. It is now an action more akin to bigotry and hate towards Christians more often than not. It looks like the atheistic and humanist fires of the French Revolution are being re-stoked.