Comments on: On the FFRF sign in Olympia (to Dan Barker) http://tacomaatheist.com/archives/355 Guided by reason, informed by science, motivated by compassion Wed, 30 Nov 2011 05:36:19 -0600 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Amanda http://tacomaatheist.com/archives/355/comment-page-1#comment-19 Amanda Wed, 10 Dec 2008 18:49:58 +0000 http://www.tacomaatheists.com/?p=355#comment-19 To be fair, they did contact many of us way back in August about the plaque. But at that point, it was a possibility, and this group was only a wee three months old and still forming a consensus. We should have paid more attention to the wording at that point. *I* should have brought this up at the meetings. But no, I dropped the ball. So for that, I apologize. I should have made a fuss with Dan and Darrell at the outset. To be fair, they did contact many of us way back in August about the plaque. But at that point, it was a possibility, and this group was only a wee three months old and still forming a consensus. We should have paid more attention to the wording at that point. *I* should have brought this up at the meetings. But no, I dropped the ball. So for that, I apologize. I should have made a fuss with Dan and Darrell at the outset.

]]> By: Sir Godfree http://tacomaatheist.com/archives/355/comment-page-1#comment-18 Sir Godfree Wed, 10 Dec 2008 07:42:11 +0000 http://www.tacomaatheists.com/?p=355#comment-18 PS, no displays of any religious or anti-religious nature on government property. Government exists to do our business; churches to do the lord's. Render unto Caesar. Is that so complicated? I regret the damning tone of the FFRF's sign. I give those guys money...I appreciate them responding to the Nativity, but to leave a steaming turd on our doorstep and then go back to Wisconsin (to quote our dear leader)... irresponsible. They should have consulted the locals if they wanted our buy-in. I don't get the feeling that WA, irreligious as we are, is the kind of place where people like to put fingers in one another's eyes. And I support the Flying Spaghetti Monster display. PS, no displays of any religious or anti-religious nature on government property. Government exists to do our business; churches to do the lord’s. Render unto Caesar. Is that so complicated?

I regret the damning tone of the FFRF’s sign. I give those guys money…I appreciate them responding to the Nativity, but to leave a steaming turd on our doorstep and then go back to Wisconsin (to quote our dear leader)… irresponsible. They should have consulted the locals if they wanted our buy-in. I don’t get the feeling that WA, irreligious as we are, is the kind of place where people like to put fingers in one another’s eyes.

And I support the Flying Spaghetti Monster display.

]]> By: Sir Godfree http://tacomaatheist.com/archives/355/comment-page-1#comment-17 Sir Godfree Wed, 10 Dec 2008 07:36:24 +0000 http://www.tacomaatheists.com/?p=355#comment-17 Ignore the bitter anti-theists. They have a right to react to Christian oppression, but like all victims, they need to get past it if they hope to achieve happiness. When John Lennon imagined a world without religion, or the Commies tried to enforce it as dogma, it was certainly as well intentioned as any Christocentric utopian vision. But how naive. Religion is an evolved part of most human cultures, and will persist because it serves a number of social and psychological functions for those too weak or unscientific to accept the "null" hypothesis. Many humans are weak, or uneducated, or both, and cannot stare into the void, and we should have mercy upon their human souls. I say that not to denigrate or challenge anyone, but as a fact. The sheeple are mostly good people and deserve our (elitist) respect because they are human; and in return we should expect their (pitying) Christ-like love. Some of my relatives are sorely misled on crucial political matters; I like to say, some of my best friends are wrong. It does not stop me from loving them and welcoming them into my home. And such is the tense but colorful nature of a functioning community in a pluralistic, democratic society. Ours if we can keep it. Bark at the moon if it makes you feel one with nature; hang a suffering dude on the wall, put your bum in the air and your nose toward Mecca, it's a free country, praise the lord of your choice (I'm praising Mickey Mouse today). Just don't expect your neighbor to agree with you. Ignore the bitter anti-theists. They have a right to react to Christian oppression, but like all victims, they need to get past it if they hope to achieve happiness. When John Lennon imagined a world without religion, or the Commies tried to enforce it as dogma, it was certainly as well intentioned as any Christocentric utopian vision. But how naive. Religion is an evolved part of most human cultures, and will persist because it serves a number of social and psychological functions for those too weak or unscientific to accept the “null” hypothesis. Many humans are weak, or uneducated, or both, and cannot stare into the void, and we should have mercy upon their human souls. I say that not to denigrate or challenge anyone, but as a fact. The sheeple are mostly good people and deserve our (elitist) respect because they are human; and in return we should expect their (pitying) Christ-like love. Some of my relatives are sorely misled on crucial political matters; I like to say, some of my best friends are wrong. It does not stop me from loving them and welcoming them into my home. And such is the tense but colorful nature of a functioning community in a pluralistic, democratic society. Ours if we can keep it. Bark at the moon if it makes you feel one with nature; hang a suffering dude on the wall, put your bum in the air and your nose toward Mecca, it’s a free country, praise the lord of your choice (I’m praising Mickey Mouse today). Just don’t expect your neighbor to agree with you.

]]> By: Amanda http://tacomaatheist.com/archives/355/comment-page-1#comment-15 Amanda Wed, 10 Dec 2008 02:37:26 +0000 http://www.tacomaatheists.com/?p=355#comment-15 There are some new comments on the Seattle Atheists blog (http://seattleatheists.org/wordpress/2008/12/06/press-release-ffrf-plaque/), many of which call Seattle Atheists and Tacoma Atheists, and all of the organizations in the area, a bunch of spineless, touchy-feely, milquetoast coffee-klatch, blah blah blah. Maybe it's because we're Atheists and not screaming, yelling anti-theists. The response seems to be split about 70/30 in favor of our stance, and since we (Tacoma Atheists) have 20-plus new members in the past week or so, and several new lifetime members in Seattle, I'd say the approach is favorable to a great many Atheists in the region. I for one, am not going to roll over just because someone posts a comment on a blog. I'll listen if you're engaged in the community. Show up for meetings and elections. Heck, there's even an open invitation to guest posters for this very blog, which I extend to members. So if you really want to be a part of the process, then do it, or shut up and quit whining. There are some new comments on the Seattle Atheists blog (http://seattleatheists.org/wordpress/2008/12/06/press-release-ffrf-plaque/), many of which call Seattle Atheists and Tacoma Atheists, and all of the organizations in the area, a bunch of spineless, touchy-feely, milquetoast coffee-klatch, blah blah blah. Maybe it’s because we’re Atheists and not screaming, yelling anti-theists.

The response seems to be split about 70/30 in favor of our stance, and since we (Tacoma Atheists) have 20-plus new members in the past week or so, and several new lifetime members in Seattle, I’d say the approach is favorable to a great many Atheists in the region.

I for one, am not going to roll over just because someone posts a comment on a blog. I’ll listen if you’re engaged in the community. Show up for meetings and elections. Heck, there’s even an open invitation to guest posters for this very blog, which I extend to members. So if you really want to be a part of the process, then do it, or shut up and quit whining.

]]> By: NineInchNachos http://tacomaatheist.com/archives/355/comment-page-1#comment-13 NineInchNachos Fri, 05 Dec 2008 21:43:53 +0000 http://www.tacomaatheists.com/?p=355#comment-13 maybe next year we can have a flying spagetti monster display at the capitol maybe next year we can have a flying spagetti monster display at the capitol

]]> By: NineInchNachos http://tacomaatheist.com/archives/355/comment-page-1#comment-12 NineInchNachos Fri, 05 Dec 2008 21:43:18 +0000 http://www.tacomaatheists.com/?p=355#comment-12 story made it to boing boing. critical hipster mass has been reached! http://www.boingboing.net/2008/12/05/atheist-sign-by-nati.html story made it to boing boing. critical hipster mass has been reached!

http://www.boingboing.net/2008/12/05/atheist-sign-by-nati.html

]]> By: fosters http://tacomaatheist.com/archives/355/comment-page-1#comment-10 fosters Fri, 05 Dec 2008 16:36:15 +0000 http://www.tacomaatheists.com/?p=355#comment-10 As a devout Christian myself, I am thankful for your article and have sincere respect for your choice of faith. Thanks for setting the record straight for atheism without attacking EVERY other person's choice. As a devout Christian myself, I am thankful for your article and have sincere respect for your choice of faith. Thanks for setting the record straight for atheism without attacking EVERY other person’s choice.

]]> By: IceArrow88 http://tacomaatheist.com/archives/355/comment-page-1#comment-8 IceArrow88 Fri, 05 Dec 2008 04:19:15 +0000 http://www.tacomaatheists.com/?p=355#comment-8 Great response, Amanda! I couldn't have said it better myself. I wonder what Dan would have to say about it. Great response, Amanda! I couldn’t have said it better myself. I wonder what Dan would have to say about it.

]]> By: NineInchNachos http://tacomaatheist.com/archives/355/comment-page-1#comment-7 NineInchNachos Thu, 04 Dec 2008 23:23:15 +0000 http://www.tacomaatheists.com/?p=355#comment-7 Amen! Amen!

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