Op Ed Letter: Americans should fight atheist "hate groups"

[lilwriter85]

http://standardspeaker.com/opinion/lett ... -1.1385122

 

 

Quote

Editor,

 

In 1963, a woman named Madalyn Murray O'Hair founded a non-profit group called American Atheists. In 1976, the year of the 200th birthday of the United States, a liberal feminist named Annie Laurie Gaylor, along with her mother, founded another non-profit group very similar to American Atheists called the Freedom From Religion Foundation, (FFRF).

 

Over time, the AA and the FFRF, under both O'Hair's and Gaylor's radical leaderships, began illegally interfering in schools and local and state governments of America trying to force them to remove anything religious on their property through threats of lawsuits. Both the AA and FFRF, today, are still pursuing these similar actions.

 

In their eyes, their "reason" for doing this is because these themes being portrayed on public property are a so-called violation of the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which states: "Congress shall make no law respecting the establishment of a religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof." To the AA and FFRF, this phrase literally means separation of church and state, even though the words "Separation of Church and State" are nowhere found anywhere in the Constitution.

 

After all the threatening actions that have been done by the AA and the FFRF against schools and governments, there's only one way to best describe these two liberal atheist organizations: they are hate groups. If they weren't hate groups, they wouldn't be bashing or criticizing Americans just because they have religious backgrounds and trying to force their secular views on them or on schools or on governments.

 

Truth be known, the only reason the FFRF and AA want complete and total separation of church and state is because they hate religions and want them outlawed in the United States and the rest of the world.

 

And why do these two liberal groups hate religions so much? Well, in their own perspective, they claim that religions are responsible for all the wars and conflicts in world history. These include the Crusades, the Inquisition, and the Salem witch hunts. While this is all true and indeed accurate, it is still ignorant of the liberal atheists to be putting the blame on religions for all the problems in America and in the world today. They need to understand that religions are absolutely nothing like they were thousands of years ago. Religious people, a very large majority of them, are peaceful, and even they condemn the old crusades, inquisition, and witch hunts. Bottom line: the majority of religions have changed virtuously.

 

To the point of all this, I believe that it's time for the American Atheists and the Freedom From Religion Foundation to stop their intolerant and prejudiced actions against religions and to leave innocent religious people alone. It's time for them to stop living in the dark past of the crusades and witch hunts and start moving on and living in the moment. It's time for them to stop forcing their secular atheistic views on schools, people, and the local, state and federal governments.

 

And most of all, it's time for the American people to start standing up for religious freedom and liberty and to start standing up against these two hateful liberal atheist groups and end their prejudices against religions once and for all.

 

God Bless America, always and forever.

 

Michael Puhak,

 

Conyngham

 

[BlueberryBird]

In other words: "let's stand up for religious freedom by telling other people that they are doing it wrong."

Got it.

[mkitten]

Alrighty then, is Mr. Puhak willing to give Judaism, Islam, Paganism, Wiccans, Buddahists, Pastafarianism (if I got anything wrong here in my list, please excuse my ignorance and call me on it), etc. equal representation in both schools and government? Christianity (which I'm going to assume is the religion he is speaking of) is not the only religion practiced here in the United States. I have never met an atheist who is hateful and prejudiced against religious individuals (and I know many atheists.) I have, however, had the displeasure of meeting large numbers of hateful, prejudiced religious "good Christians" who have no problem telling me that I'm going to hell because I don't believe/act/dress exactly like they do. If that's not hateful I don't know what is.

[CallmeChaCha]

I have, however, had the displeasure of meeting large numbers of hateful, prejudiced religious "good Christians" who have no problem telling me that I'm going to hell because I don't believe/act/dress exactly like they do. If that's not hateful I don't know what is.

Same here! I've even been called a devil worshiper :!:

[Roycroft]

And don't forget being accused of 'having no moral compass'!

Because we all know that being an ethical person requires belief in a supernatural being. :?

[themadapple]

Yep. I have no moral compass at all. Threats of the eternal hellfires of damnation don't bother me because I don't believe in Hell. I am forsaken, woo-hoo!

[Maude]

And why do these two liberal groups hate religions so much? Well, in their own perspective, they claim that religions are responsible for all the wars and conflicts in world history. These include the Crusades, the Inquisition, and the Salem witch hunts. While this is all true and indeed accurate, it is still ignorant of the liberal atheists to be putting the blame on religions for all the problems in America and in the world today. They need to understand that religions are absolutely nothing like they were thousands of years ago. Religious people, a very large majority of them, are peaceful, and even they condemn the old crusades, inquisition, and witch hunts. Bottom line: the majority of religions have changed virtuously.

First of all, that's a terrible rebuttal. When you're trying to refute something, Mr. Puhak, you begin by listing evidence to support your position. I'm not going to accept something because you say it's so. Secondly, while religions - individually and as a collective whole - have changed over the years in many ways, they're also still the same in many others. For example, everywhere I look today, I see in-fighting between Christians, misogyny, and slander against minorities. There's also the little matter of that Republican candidate endorsing the death penalty for 'rebellious' kids. I see very little change here. In conclusion, you need to get educated, Mr. Puhak. Fast.

[lilwriter85]

Alrighty then, is Mr. Puhak willing to give Judaism, Islam, Paganism, Wiccans, Buddahists, Pastafarianism (if I got anything wrong here in my list, please excuse my ignorance and call me on it), etc. equal representation in both schools and government? Christianity (which I'm going to assume is the religion he is speaking of) is not the only religion practiced here in the United States. I have never met an atheist who is hateful and prejudiced against religious individuals (and I know many atheists.) I have, however, had the displeasure of meeting large numbers of hateful, prejudiced religious "good Christians" who have no problem telling me that I'm going to hell because I don't believe/act/dress exactly like they do. If that's not hateful I don't know what is.

Mr. Puhak probably wouldn't be willing to give those religions equal representation in schools and government. He knows it, but didn't want to say it in his article. People like him are the types that only think of Christians like them.

[Sola]

Same here! I've even been called a devil worshiper :!:

Ha! Me too. I've been told I'm a Satan/Satin worshipper - they might have a point about Satin, but I don't believe in Satan. My god is Dawkins/Darwin/Hitchins/insert whatever famous atheist has come to their attention. I cannot possibly be moral as I have no moral compass. Yada yada yada.

[mkitten]

Ha! Me too. I've been told I'm a Satan/Satin worshipper - they might have a point about Satin, but I don't believe in Satan. My god is Dawkins/Darwin/Hitchins/insert whatever famous atheist has come to their attention. I cannot possibly be moral as I have no moral compass. Yada yada yada.

I've been told pretty much the same thing. I really don't care what people call me but it really burns me that (certain family member) told my 6 year old that "all the bad people" were going to burn in hell forever when Jesus came. :angry-cussingblack: I've told (family member) that all things religious in nature are never to be discussed with my kids. I still can't believe the nerve and the utter inappropriatness of using that kind of imagery with a 6 year old. It's been my experience that the "good Chrisitians" have no problem with trying to indoctrinate other people's children with their religion, but if someone were to tell them anything that was off of their "party line" they would call you the devil and scream for hours about how were going to burn, how dare you, etc. Even if that something was "Happy Holidays!"

(I've had that happen to me, "No, it should be 'Merry CHRISTmas'!")

[ADoyle90815]

I've been told pretty much the same thing. I really don't care what people call me but it really burns me that (certain family member) told my 6 year old that "all the bad people" were going to burn in hell forever when Jesus came. :angry-cussingblack: I've told (family member) that all things religious in nature are never to be discussed with my kids. I still can't believe the nerve and the utter inappropriatness of using that kind of imagery with a 6 year old. It's been my experience that the "good Chrisitians" have no problem with trying to indoctrinate other people's children with their religion, but if someone were to tell them anything that was off of their "party line" they would call you the devil and scream for hours about how were going to burn, how dare you, etc. Even if that something was "Happy Holidays!"

(I've had that happen to me, "No, it should be 'Merry CHRISTmas'!")

That's true, people who call themselves Christians sometimes are the least Christ-like people out there. The reason people say "Happy Holidays" is that there are other religions who have major holidays around the same time as Christmas. If they read their Bible, they would see one such holiday that started during the Old Testament when a single day's worth of lamp oil lasted a full 8 nights.

[CanadianHippie]

Wait... So attempting to uphold the constitution through legal means (i.e. The courts if the schools won't abide by the law) makes them a hate group?

[mkitten]

Wait... So attempting to uphold the constitution through legal means (i.e. The courts if the schools won't abide by the law) makes them a hate group?

Didn't you know that if you disagree with or not follow the exact same "flavor" of Christianity that certain people do that automatically qualifiies you as being "hateful and intolerant?" :? In all seriouseness, some of the Christian right here in the States trot out the "religious persecution" card every chance they get and act like martyrs when Jewish/Atheist/Muslim parents ask for such "ridiculous" things such as not allowing Christian prayers in public schools. It's been 50 years since the US Supreme Court ruled against religion-specific prayer in public schools, and one wouldn't think that this was still an issue, but...

http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2012 ... ate-issue/

[NjoyingNsanity]

I'm just waiting for the day the come out of the prayer closet with their full on cray cray and demand that we start putting to death anyone that doesn't subscribe to their brand of Christianity. Sometimes I get the feeling some of them are really bummed that the Spanish Inquisition and the Salem witch trials had to end. I have a feeling some of them would really enjoy a good old fashioned burning at the stake of some poor soul who had the audacity to think for themselves.

[keen23]

After reading that wonderful Op Ed letter, I believe it's time for me to get a paid membership in FFRF.

[slickcat79]

Wait... So attempting to uphold the constitution through legal means (i.e. The courts if the schools won't abide by the law) makes them a hate group?

Yes. And by requiring government entities to abide by the constitution, they are somehow forcibly removing christians' rights to practice their religion. It's an absolute travesty how the number of US christians has been whittled away to a mere 82% of the population :roll:

That's true, people who call themselves Christians sometimes are the least Christ-like people out there. The reason people say "Happy Holidays" is that there are other religions who have major holidays around the same time as Christmas. If they read their Bible, they would see one such holiday that started during the Old Testament when a single day's worth of lamp oil lasted a full 8 nights.

When I worked as a cashier, I used to wish people a good holiday because there is only one winter holiday in retail: HalloThanksMaKah. It was just a catch-all for Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah, New Year's, etc, regardless of what people might celebrate in December.