Right Idea, Wrong Way: Atheists vs. Christians

I'm going to start a series of posts about having the right idea but doing something about it the wrong way because I find it particularly ironic how many times this happens to generally smart people.

Today's installment is one that's been in the news for a about a week now. You can read some of the discussion in articles from news outlets documented by the creators of the sign: Freedom From Religion

Governer Gregoire had the right idea: Let different religions (or non-religions) each have a share of the stage at the state capitol rather than endorsing only Christmas which is, admittedly, a Christian winter celebration. The state exercised a "permitting" process to make sure that there was some control over what went into the building. They had little choice because otherwise it could have become anything from chaos to a public safety hazard.

What went wrong: Instead of letting only "postitive oriented" displays like a Menorah, Christmas Tree, Chreche, Santa Claus or Festivus they permitted a "negative oriented" display from a Wisconson Atheist group. Am I ticked because they are Atheists? No. I'm closer to that than Christianity. But the display wasn't "pro Atheist", it was "Anti-Christian" by declaring things that Christians care about as wrong, irrelevant, and "Religion is but myth and superstition that hardens hearts and enslaves minds."

That was wrong! That's not celebration. That is a negative publicity campaign and, ironically, tactics like that are part of the reason that I have not been supportive of Christians. In the USA many of them accept their beliefs and then work very hard to convince you that if you don't accept their beliefs that you are a lesser person than they. I've disliked that attitude from many Christians for three decades now.

Imagine my disappointment when I found the Atheists doing the same thing back. Shame to them. Shame to Gov. Gregoire for letting them turn a celebratory stage into a second-grade "I'm right and you are wrong" argument.

If the display can't be positive - or at least neutral in tone - then it shouldn't be there. That is where the Governor took the good idea but let the FFRF do it the wrong way.

Now fix it!

Happy Winter Holidays to everyone whatever you are!