On June 29, 2013 AD what is perhaps the first ever Atheist monument was unveiled on the government grounds of the Bradford County Courthouse in Starke, Florida.
It is reported that “About 200 people attended the unveiling” and that “Most were supportive, though there were protesters…[who] blasted Christian country music and waved ‘Honk for Jesus’ signs.” So, let us note that it was not exactly a momentous event as there were likely more people at the fast food joint down the street. But it is making the cyber rounds nevertheless.
The monument is part column and part bench thus, David Silverman, president of American Atheists, notes:
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.
Well, one could argue that it is functional in that it represents Atheism’s tendency to sit by and do nothing but mock and condemn. Studies consistently show that Atheists and Agnostics are amongst the lest charitable, least social and least moral amongst us—see Are Atheists Healthy, Happy, Moral, etc.?
Moreover, they are most certainly not about the “real and the physical” as their “faith” is based upon the belief that nothing exploded for no reason and made everything for no purpose. More to the point, they hold that the universe is run by invisible, intangible, omnipotent, omnipresent, infallible laws.
In keeping with American Atheists’ consistent expressions of their lack of knowledge of subjects they seek to tackle, Silverman further notes:
Some people think it’s an attack simply by us exerting our existence. They put a monument on a public lawn that, if you put it in context, says atheists should be killed. It is an attack, but it’s an attack on Christian privilege, not an attack on Christians themselves, and not so much an attack on Christianity.
The Atheist monument was placed on the spot in order to counteract a monument to the Ten Commandments. This is because, by definition, Atheists taken a negative position and thus, never have original ideas but can only copy, mock and corrupt.
Now, just what about the Ten Commandments calls for the execution of Atheists? Whatever the case may be, their PR scam is to make such inflammatory statements even when they are baseless since the media will not challenge them on it.
Also indicative of their lack of general knowledge is the following, as per their website:
separation of religion and government because the monument is on government land…
Moreover, Silverman stated:
We’re not going to let them do it without a counterpoint. 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 nonreligion…
We have maintained from the beginning that the Ten Commandments doesn’t belong on government property. There is no secular purpose for the monument whatsoever and it makes atheists feel like second-class citizens. But if keeping it there means we have the right to install our own monument, then installing our own is exactly what we’ll do…
But a religious, and now an Atheist religion, monument on government property does not equal a government imposition to hold to any particular faith in god(s) or “faith” in materialism.
American Atheists’ regional operations director Ken Loukinen ads,
When it comes to government and religion, there are only two ways to show equality: all or none.
This is a false dichotomy, a logically fallacious choice between two which disregards a third choice. It is only natural that a majority would have more obvious, more numerous, displays.
This issue came to a head because The Community Men’s Fellowship had had the Ten Commandments posted and the American Atheists sued to have it removed. Failing; the opted to do that which they consider a violation of the constitution in an “if you can’t beat ’em, join ’em” move. Well, the Christians took a different approach which is “if you can’t join ’em, beat ’em.” The Men’s group, “praised the compromise that allowed them to keep their monument”:
We want you all to remember that this issue was won on the basis of this being a free-speech issue, so don’t be alarmed when the American Atheists want to erect their own sign or monument. It’s their right. As for us, we will continue to honor the Lord, and that’s what matters.
Proof That God Exists‘ author, Sye Ten Bruggencate showed up with a toilet seat as an appropriate addition to the seat part of the Atheist monument. He should have had Psalm 1:1 etched on it:
How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, Nor stand in the path of sinners, Nor sit in the seat of scoffers!
Eric Hovind:
jumped atop the peak of the monument and shouted his thanks to the atheists for giving him a platform to declare that Jesus is real. Atheists shouted at him, and he stepped down after about a minute. One man yelled that religion is a fairy tale.
“The problem is it’s not a fairy tale,” Hovind said. “We definitely have freedom of religion, not freedom from religion.”
Hovind and Tubbs did say they respect the right of the group to install the monument, even if they disagree with the message behind it. That someone appealed to a well-within-the-box-Atheist-group-think-talking-point-de jour is not surprising as employing childish taunts such as that “religion is a fairy tale” is very, very common amongst Atheists.
There is a very good reason for this as very many Atheists became so at a very early age. This means that they rejected their own childish concepts of God and simply maintain childish concepts of God which they continue to reject into their adulthood. In other words, they create a false god in their own childish image and then reject that straw-god.
In fact, Dave Silverman himself has noted that he rejected God at a young age (see American Atheists’ Dave Silverman) and, in fact, as is noted in his bio, “has an eight-year old daughter who has already beaten him in a fair-and-square debate!” (although, the bio does not elucidate what they debated).
As for the monument:
The bench has quotes from Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, John Adams and Madalyn Murray O’Hair, the founder of American Atheists.
It also has a list of Old Testament punishments for violating the Ten Commandments, including death and stoning.
Apart from secular quotes, the atheist monument features an excerpt from the Treaty of Tripoli, signed by President John Adams, which says, “The United States is in no sense founded on the Christian religion.”
Interestingly, the quote Thomas Jefferson and John Adams; Adams to the effect of that the USA “is in no sense founded on the Christian religion.” They fail to note that, deist or not, Jefferson attended Christian church worship services at a church which held its services inside of the Capitol Building—something for which, today, the American Atheists would sue him.
Well, we have considered such quotes before so those interested can see: Positive Atheism – Cliff Walker : Weak Bible Week Poster, part 2 of 7
For info on Madalyn Murray O’Hair in particular, see here.
For details on the issue of “punishments for violating the Ten Commandments, including death and stoning” see Christopher Hitchens – Theological Fallacies and Miscomprehensions, part III of III. In short, the Ten Commandments were for those living in Israel’s theocratic, monarchically administered, kingdom and those living there had agreed to live by those laws.
One wonders why they did not add other quotes such as the following from the supposed champion of reason, the celebrity Atheist Sam Harris:
Some beliefs are so dangerous that it may be ethical to kill people for believing them.
Or this one from fellow neo-Atheist-celeb Richard Dawkins:
What’s to prevent us from saying Hitler wasn’t right? I mean, that is a genuinely difficult question.
Or this from Sir Arthur Keith:
The German Fuehrer, as I have consistently maintained, is an evolutionist; he has consciously sought to make the practice of Germany conform to the theory of evolution. He has failed, not because the theory of evolution is false, but because he has made three fatal blunders in its application.
Or from Hitler’s biographer who says of him and he is:
A man who believed neither in God nor in conscience.
Or, why not go to Hitler himself who noted:
I am myself a heathen to the core
But, actually, Hitler is a complex issue about which you can read here: Was Hitler a Christian or an Atheist?
Or why did they not note that the Encyclopedia of Wars was compiled by nine history professors who specifically conducted research for the text for a decade in order to chronicle 1,763 wars. The survey of wars covers a time span from 8000 BC to 2003 AD. From over 10,000 years of war 123 wars, which is 6.98 percent, are considered to have been religious wars. Moreover, half of those were involved Islam.
For more and more and more quotes they could have added, see:
Atheism and Communism
About.com, Austin Cline, Adolf Hitler and the Continued Promulgation of Nazi Propaganda, part 1
Adolf Hitler Was a Christian! Was Adolf Hitler a Christian?, part 1
Adolf Hitler’s Birthday Present – Joe Keysor, “Hitler, the Holocaust, and the Bible”
Adolf Hitler’s Ethic: The Nazi Pursuit of Evolutionary Progress
From Zeitgeist to Poltergeist, Part 1 of 13
Moscow Patriarchate and Sergianism – Adaptation to Soviet / Communist Atheism
The “dejewification” of the Bible by Adolf Hitler
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Notes:
Brendan Farrington, “Atheists unveil Florida monument near Ten Commandments,” MSN
The Associated Press, “Florida atheists unveil monument to nonbelief in God to sit alongside slab of Ten Commandments,” July 1, 2013 AD
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