Pennsylvania atheist threatens to desecrate Quran over state bill

[rug]

By Eric Veronikis| Religion News Service, Updated: Tuesday, July 17, 6:00 PM

HARRISBURG, Pa. — The director of the Pennsylvania chapter of American Atheists says he will desecrate the Quran if the state House of Representatives doesn’t drop a “Year of Religious Diversity” resolution.

Ernest Perce, of Harrisburg, Pa., said he plans to flog the Quran in the state Capitol Rotunda on Sept. 24 should the House not agree to nullify the resolution before it reconvenes from summer recess that day.

Like the “Year of the Bible” resolution adopted in January, the “Year of Religious Diversity” resolution illegally intertwines religion and state, Perce said.

“The Year of the Bible” resolution is being challenged in federal court by the Freedom From Religion Foundation.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/on-faith/pennsylvania-atheist-threatens-to-desecrate-quran-over-state-bill/2012/07/17/gJQAJfilrW_story.html

[frogmarch]

1. That would be stupid of him.

Like Perce, I dislike the resolution, but flogging the Quran seems an absurd thing to do.

Article snip:

According to the religious diversity resolution, the Bible, and Quran and other sacred texts “impart great wisdom and beauty to believers and are appreciated and respected by nonbelievers as well.”

Oh, really?

[cbayer]

2. Wow, what a profoundly stupid thing to do.

I totally disagree with the year of the bible thing, but this is just dumb.

[skepticscott]

14. There you go

insulting people for acting on their deeply held beliefs, while trashing anyone else who does the same. Could you be any more of a hypocrite?

[madrchsod]

3. what a moran.....

[struggle4progress]

5. "Zombie Mohammed" of "The Parading Atheists" is gonna approve

[rug]

8. This is Zombie Mohammed.

The same Ernest Perce.

[struggle4progress]

11. a fortiori, then

[cbayer]

12. It's the same guy?? They really need to lose this loser.

[longship]

6. Atheists should leave desecration to the theists!

Atheists did not blow up the Bayaman Buddhas. Atheists would not burn Bibles, Qurans, or other historic texts.

Any atheist would recognize the importance of historic texts, and cultural landmarks. Although atheists may not worship the Bayaman Buddhas, we recognize their cultural heritage.

I am a lifelong atheist, but I deeply appreciate the sacred artistic heritage. Whether it is Michaelangelo, or Bach, our culture has a compelling history of religious influence. It is engrained in our culture. That is why I love sacred music; why I love the intricacies of the Bible; why I see that culture is wrapped up in these cultural memes. To destroy them is to attempt to erase history. That's something that pisses me off.

Only an asshole would do that.

[dimbear]

7. Pastor Terry Jones got 12 people killed doing this sort of nonsense. Let's let his record stand.

This isn't our bailiwick.

[jeepnstein]

9. Amen!

[okasha]

13. No true Scotsman fallacy.

n/t

[longship]

17. Also called the toupé fallacy.

I agree with you here. But, certainly there are not many examples of atheists destroying religious icons.

IMHO, this would be an interesting study. I would welcome such a study. I would bet that the religious are more intolerant than non-believers. I would be willing to change my opinion if there was data that contradicted it.

Which takes me to a question I ask many: what evidence would it take for you to change your mind?

[skepticscott]

15. Disrespecting one printed copy out of millions

isn't "destroying" or "erasing" anything. Destroying or defacing unique and irreplaceable works of art, whether religious or secular, is an entirely different matter.

[muriel_volestrangler]

10. This seems a pretty dumb move to me

The 'religious diversity' resolution includes:

... and other religious traditions, as well as many who claim no religious affiliation and nonbelievers; ...

http://www.legis.state.pa.us/CFDOCS/Legis/PN/Public/btCheck.cfm?txtType=DOC&sessYr=2011&sessInd=0&billBody=H&billTyp=R&billNbr=0771&pn=3732

and the bit Pearce objects to doesn't say "all nonbelievers". It looks like bad-tempered publicity seeking.

[cleanhippie]

16. Yeah, so what?

Was there a point to be made by posting this?

[struggle4progress]

18. "The Continuing Adventures of Zombie Mohammed" doesn't interest you?

[cleanhippie]

19. No, not really.

But the hand wringing that ensues in the aftermath certainly does.