Are they so insecure in their own faith that they have to try to quash anyone with a different viewpoint? Are they just carrying on the age-old tradition of trying to crush the "heretics"?
And have you seen the profanity-laced, misspelled tirades that many of these "good" Christians go on when writing to atheist groups like the Freedom from Religion Foundation?
Yeah, yeah, I know, not EVERY Christian acts this way, but FAR TOO MANY of them do. It would seem like they don't even believe in the teachings of their savior, Jesus Christ, much less practice them. And they call atheists immoral! Atheists are scorned on a level with pedophiles, and that has to stop. This is what we get for actually USING OUR MINDS!?!
America's shameful Christian crime spree
By: William Hamby
There's a rampant crime spree going on in America. You won't hear about it through most media sources, and you aren't likely to hear anyone calling it what it really is: a Christian crime spree. But that's a very accurate description.
Over the last few years, various atheist and skeptic groups have started posting billboards, banners, and other advertisements all over the country. In response, many Christians are taking it upon themselves to steal or deface them. The most recent incident was in Virginia, where a Freedom from Religion Foundation banner was stolen. The press release title is telling: "Another FFRF solstice banner disappears." All told, FFRF placed 12 banners in December 2012. Five of them were stolen or vandalized. (That's 42%.)
Another atheist group in Roanoke, Va, placed four signs. Two of them were vandalized. In May of last year, an American Atheists billboard made it one day before it was vandalized. A Fresno, CA atheist billboard lasted all of three days. This kind of thing has happened in North Carolina, New Jersey and Portland, to name a few.
Of course, the public is outraged, right? Freedom of speech is sacred, right? Well, maybe not so much. In fact, if the media and blogosphere are to be believed, it's the atheists' fault for speaking something so unspeakable. The idea that there are atheists out there who would dare to mention their beliefs? Intolerable. Said one blogger,
Here's something else to put in the open. We have every reason to believe these are all (or mostly) Christians perpetrating these crimes. In the previous example, it's obvious, but in other cases, we have to ask, "Who else would it be?" Who else has a reasonable motive to attack atheists in particular? Christianity is, after all, the overwhelming majority religion in America, and no other religious group has been as openly hostile to atheists.
In response to this observation, there will inevitably be cries of injustice from "moderate" Christians. (Think about that for a second. Christians will be upset at atheists for pointing out that Christians are committing crimes against us.) These protests are red herrings, as usual. It is patently obvious that all Christians are not committing crimes against atheists. In the first place, there aren't enough billboards to go around. In the second, nearly all of us atheists know and are friends with Christians who accept our views. We know it's not all Christians. But it is some Christians.
Finally, let's admit that regardless of legal hair-splitting, these are hate crimes. They are crimes committed by people who hate our views and even hate us so much that they take it upon themselves to prevent other people from hearing our voices. The existence of Christian hate for atheists is so well documented at this point that there ought to be no need for justification. Nevertheless, we would be remiss if we didn't remind readers of the inexcusable treatment of Jessica Ahlquist. Or the litany of abuses hurled at atheists during the 9/11 Memorial lawsuit. There are a lot of Christians who hate atheists. It is surely these Christians who have also resorted to crime in the name of Jesus.
Fortunately, there is a bright silver lining to this crime wave. In a nutshell, the Christians are proving us right. Every time an atheist billboard is defaced or stolen, a Christian is proving not only that (s)he is hatefully intolerant of atheists, but that (s)he is willing to commit crimes in the name of Jesus. In the days before the internet, Christians -- especially in rural areas -- could oppress and discriminate with near impunity, and no one would be the wiser. Today, we are watching and taking notes.
Each act of vandalism also gives us atheists the chance to take the moral high ground. There are countless Christian billboards, posters, marquis, and other displays all over the country, and today as always, they are virtually unmolested. If atheists were in the business of perpetrating hate crimes against Christians, it would be noticed. Do we really believe that Bill O'Reilly or Sean Hannity would pass up the opportunity to publicize an "atheist crime wave?" Given their penchant for exaggeration and even fabrication, it's even more telling that no such accusations are brought forth. There simply isn't enough actual atheist vs. Christian crime to make even a flimsy case.
Of course, there are occasional exceptions to this rule. Atheist vandalism does happen from time to time, and when it does, the atheist community soundly condemns the vandals, and raises funds to repair the damaged property. As of this writing, a thorough Google search could find no similar Christian fund to repair atheist billboards. One is forced to wonder if this is the reason no Christian pundits are rushing to allege an atheist crime wave. Perhaps they know that in doing so, they would expose their own crime wave as well as "moderate" Christians' unwillingness to condemn the acts or offer reparations.
This is a win-win situation for atheists. A billboard that escapes assault conveys our message to the public. A vandalized billboard is also money well spent. It is a dramatic demonstration of just how marginalized we are, and just how intolerant many Christians are towards us. We can (and do) generate our own publicity through social media and blogs. We energize our philosophical brothers and sisters to continue the work of social change. We become more convinced that our work is necessary.
The time has passed when Christians could bully us with impunity. No longer will we sulk silently into a corner for fear of further reprisal. We are a powerful community, and we are gaining strength. It is this power that frightens many Christians, and some are resorting to crime in the name of their god. This is a victory for us, for only the powerless resort to such base acts. These vandals are aware that they can no longer expect our silent complicity in their religious culture, and all they can manage to do is pester us with petty theft and spray cans. We will continue to display our billboards, and whether they let them stand or tear them down, it is we who are winning this culture war.
Amen!
Original.
There's a rampant crime spree going on in America. You won't hear about it through most media sources, and you aren't likely to hear anyone calling it what it really is: a Christian crime spree. But that's a very accurate description.
Over the last few years, various atheist and skeptic groups have started posting billboards, banners, and other advertisements all over the country. In response, many Christians are taking it upon themselves to steal or deface them. The most recent incident was in Virginia, where a Freedom from Religion Foundation banner was stolen. The press release title is telling: "Another FFRF solstice banner disappears." All told, FFRF placed 12 banners in December 2012. Five of them were stolen or vandalized. (That's 42%.)
Another atheist group in Roanoke, Va, placed four signs. Two of them were vandalized. In May of last year, an American Atheists billboard made it one day before it was vandalized. A Fresno, CA atheist billboard lasted all of three days. This kind of thing has happened in North Carolina, New Jersey and Portland, to name a few.
Of course, the public is outraged, right? Freedom of speech is sacred, right? Well, maybe not so much. In fact, if the media and blogosphere are to be believed, it's the atheists' fault for speaking something so unspeakable. The idea that there are atheists out there who would dare to mention their beliefs? Intolerable. Said one blogger,
Never would I encourage vandalism, but in this case I think I’ll let it slide. Atheists have been vandalizing my beliefs for years, so it’s about time the shoe was on the other foot...
The best part of this whole situation, though, is that these secular billboards were part of a Fourth of July project that placed similar ads in Greensboro, Raleigh and a handful of other cities – and it totally backfired. They underestimated their demographic, and because the vandalism occurred days before the Fourth, no one could service the billboard until after the holiday. It’s the small victories in life that make it all worthwhile.Let's get a few things on the table from the start. Vandalism is a crime. Theft is a crime. In fact, theft is specifically prohibited by the Ten Commandments. Nevertheless, when it's atheists who are the victims of these crimes, there is little or no sympathy, and sometimes the criminals even get TV time. After vandalizing a sign in Pennsylvania in front of news cameras, a young man had this to say:
“I just think in the light of the elementary school massacre in Connecticut, that we shouldn’t be divided as a country over petty stuff like is there a God or isn’t there a God,” McDonald reportedly said. “If they wanted to put the sign down here with us, that’s fine because we’re united. But to put it above everybody? No, it’s symbolic."Three days after this criminal act, the authorities had made no efforts to bring the criminal to justice. It appears that as of this writing, no charges have been filed and there has been no arrest despite concrete evidence of both the crime and the perpetrator.
Here's something else to put in the open. We have every reason to believe these are all (or mostly) Christians perpetrating these crimes. In the previous example, it's obvious, but in other cases, we have to ask, "Who else would it be?" Who else has a reasonable motive to attack atheists in particular? Christianity is, after all, the overwhelming majority religion in America, and no other religious group has been as openly hostile to atheists.
In response to this observation, there will inevitably be cries of injustice from "moderate" Christians. (Think about that for a second. Christians will be upset at atheists for pointing out that Christians are committing crimes against us.) These protests are red herrings, as usual. It is patently obvious that all Christians are not committing crimes against atheists. In the first place, there aren't enough billboards to go around. In the second, nearly all of us atheists know and are friends with Christians who accept our views. We know it's not all Christians. But it is some Christians.
Finally, let's admit that regardless of legal hair-splitting, these are hate crimes. They are crimes committed by people who hate our views and even hate us so much that they take it upon themselves to prevent other people from hearing our voices. The existence of Christian hate for atheists is so well documented at this point that there ought to be no need for justification. Nevertheless, we would be remiss if we didn't remind readers of the inexcusable treatment of Jessica Ahlquist. Or the litany of abuses hurled at atheists during the 9/11 Memorial lawsuit. There are a lot of Christians who hate atheists. It is surely these Christians who have also resorted to crime in the name of Jesus.
Fortunately, there is a bright silver lining to this crime wave. In a nutshell, the Christians are proving us right. Every time an atheist billboard is defaced or stolen, a Christian is proving not only that (s)he is hatefully intolerant of atheists, but that (s)he is willing to commit crimes in the name of Jesus. In the days before the internet, Christians -- especially in rural areas -- could oppress and discriminate with near impunity, and no one would be the wiser. Today, we are watching and taking notes.
Each act of vandalism also gives us atheists the chance to take the moral high ground. There are countless Christian billboards, posters, marquis, and other displays all over the country, and today as always, they are virtually unmolested. If atheists were in the business of perpetrating hate crimes against Christians, it would be noticed. Do we really believe that Bill O'Reilly or Sean Hannity would pass up the opportunity to publicize an "atheist crime wave?" Given their penchant for exaggeration and even fabrication, it's even more telling that no such accusations are brought forth. There simply isn't enough actual atheist vs. Christian crime to make even a flimsy case.
Of course, there are occasional exceptions to this rule. Atheist vandalism does happen from time to time, and when it does, the atheist community soundly condemns the vandals, and raises funds to repair the damaged property. As of this writing, a thorough Google search could find no similar Christian fund to repair atheist billboards. One is forced to wonder if this is the reason no Christian pundits are rushing to allege an atheist crime wave. Perhaps they know that in doing so, they would expose their own crime wave as well as "moderate" Christians' unwillingness to condemn the acts or offer reparations.
This is a win-win situation for atheists. A billboard that escapes assault conveys our message to the public. A vandalized billboard is also money well spent. It is a dramatic demonstration of just how marginalized we are, and just how intolerant many Christians are towards us. We can (and do) generate our own publicity through social media and blogs. We energize our philosophical brothers and sisters to continue the work of social change. We become more convinced that our work is necessary.
The time has passed when Christians could bully us with impunity. No longer will we sulk silently into a corner for fear of further reprisal. We are a powerful community, and we are gaining strength. It is this power that frightens many Christians, and some are resorting to crime in the name of their god. This is a victory for us, for only the powerless resort to such base acts. These vandals are aware that they can no longer expect our silent complicity in their religious culture, and all they can manage to do is pester us with petty theft and spray cans. We will continue to display our billboards, and whether they let them stand or tear them down, it is we who are winning this culture war.
Amen!
Original.
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