FOX News Angry at Lack of Religious Displays in State Capitol

[pokerfan]

by Hemant Mehta
November 27th, 2009

FOX News Channel can’t believe it. The Capitol Building in Washington State isn’t allowing atheist displays or Nativity scenes or anything else… How *dare* the state government treat all groups equally?! Essentially, they’re reporting on what is a lack of news. They cover it if no religious/non-religious displays go up. They cover it if atheist displays go up. They won’t be satisfied until a Nativity scene — and no other display — is prominently in all government buildings. In other words, screw the Jews and Muslims and any other group that has something to celebrate over this holiday season.

http://friendlyatheist.com/2009/11/27/fox-news-angry-at-lack-of-religious-displays-in-washington-state-capitol

[Sarah Ibarruri]

1. May I correct that headline? It's Fux News nt

[sakabatou]

2. GASP! O NOES!!

[Sebastian Doyle]

3. Hey FAUX.... fuck you.

If a bunch of goddamn teabaggers show up here again, I'll pepper spray the filthy fucking bastards in the face myself. Won't wait for the cops to show up.

[imdjh]

4. Do Muslims decorate for holidays? How about Jews?

Decorating is arguably a pagan type of thing, so I would be surprised if there were traditional Jewish decorations for Hanukkah. Islam is pretty dour when it comes to such things, and I'm not aware of a corresponding holiday at this time anyway. The atheist "decorations" were funny when someone first thought it up, but it's actually a bit childish to insist on it every year- this isn't a competition.

My town has Christmas decorations, but they are considered "secular" because it's Santa and pretty lights and stuff, nothing too religious. I don't mind. I like Christmas. As for the Keep Christ In Christmas assholes, ignore them along with the No Decorations assholes.

[rd_kent]

9. Who said anything about not putting up decorations?

Were talking a nativity scene here.

[imdjh]

13. Choose your battles. A creche is a traditional decoration. It's no big deal.

We talking about CHRISTmas here. And even if it has become a cross cultural American national holiday, its origin is still religious. So it would be rather silly to exclude a traditional decoration because it's "too religious".

[darkstar3]

17. Um, WRONG

The only thing Christian about the origin of Christmas is the name.

The date is taken from a combination of various Solstice celebrations, and Mithra's birthday.
The tree is from the German Yule.
The gifts are from various European Pagan holidays around the same time, some of them based on Solstice.

So the only things left are the name and the story, and WHOOPS, it looks like Mithra got there first on the story...

[imdjh]

19. Yeah, yeah.... so it matters even less.

[darkstar3]

20. Actually, it matters more.

Why? Because the Christians have spent generations co-opting this holiday and many others. Allowing them to continue doing so does a disservice to everyone who isn't Christian.

Further, while most Christmas iconography is secular, a creche is most certainly not, and that is why it is the favorite Christmas decoration of the pushy Christians. It is one of the few Christmas decorations that is decidedly UN-inclusive, and as such should never be allowed on public property.

[rd_kent]

22. You are right, you matter even less.

You make a big production about how christmas is a christian thing, are proven WRONG, and then brush it off like it never happened. That is some very douchebag-like behavior there.

[rd_kent]

21. Your ignorance speaks volumes

Dec 25 was ORIGINALLY a PAGAN winter solstice festival, NOT a christian holiday. Every good christian should know that jesus was NOT born on Dec 25. That tree in your living room....thats a left over from that PAGAN festival. That jolly fat man that brings presents to kids.....NOT even REMOTELY related to christianity.

So tell me again, what exactly is christian about christmas?

[imdjh]

24. Yes dear, everyone knows that. It's irrelevant, but everyone knows it.

It doesn't alter the fact that the holiday on the American calendar is Christmas, and that the cultural function of Christmas in American culture is the Christian religious holiday.

[rd_kent]

26. No, its not. Not all all, dear.

My point was that there is nothing chistian about christmas. If it was, christmas would be a day of church and prayer. Its not religious in any way for most people, even those that do believe in god.

[darkstar3]

28. "the cultural function of Christmas in American culture is the Christian religion holiday."

:wtf:
Because reindeer, a jolly old fat man, decorated trees, lights everywhere, large gatherings with food and presents are all of Christian origin...

Right...

[onager]

12. Many Egyptian Muslims celebrate Xmas.

I just spent several years living in Alexandria, Egypt. During late November - December, I saw Santa, elves, reindeer and even the occasional creche in many stores.

This Xmas stuff can't be solely for the benefit of the native Coptic Xians. They are only about 5% of the population, and don't celebrate Xmas until January 8 anyhow. (They follow the Orthodox calendar.)

From my atheist POV, it seems that the Egyptians have kept the best parts of Xmas (like giving gifts) and dumped the worst parts (like Jesus).

For the record, Muslim kids have the equivalent of 2 Xmases already, with the two big Eid celebrations. They traditionally get gifts of new clothes, toys for younger kids, and money for teens. Though in these modern times, they prefer pre-paid credit cards instead of real money. I heard that from many Egyptian Dads.

I also saw the big temporary vendor booths go up a few days before the Eid celebrations in Alexandria. They were crammed with kid-sized clothes and cheap toys. Mostly made in China, of course.

[imdjh]

14. Many American Jews celebrate Christmas. My friend with the most invested in Christmas...

... decorations is Jewish. His store is decorated for Christmas (and isn't actually Christmas heavy) and his house is totally decked out.

[rd_kent]

23. So you answered your OWN post and refuted your OWN babble. Priceless.

You are one to be ignored, as you are obviously just trying to be inflammatory. Mods will be alerted.

I wonder if there is a tombstone in your future.

[imdjh]

25. Is there something wrong with you?

[rd_kent]

27. Yes, there is. Its you and those ignorant like you.

[AsahinaKimi]

5. Does this mean the War on Christmas has begun ?

Watch out! INCOMING!! HERE COMES The Bill O'Reilly tirades!

[47of74]

6. Let the War on Christmas 2009 (TM) begin

Under the command of General Bill-O-the-Clown.

[AsahinaKimi]

7. haha

See post above.. GET OUT OF MY HEAD!! or Great minds think alike!

[Bitwit1234]

8. This is why our founding fathers

were wise enough to try to separate church and state. Each should have it's own place.

[Va Lefty]

10. Jeez, you just know this shit is going to multiplied by a factor of 10 this year

because The President is really a MUSLIM. :sarcasm:

[geckosfeet]

11. That headline should have stopped at "FOX News Angry".

[jwirr]

15. It is time that fixed news realizes that their big mouth idiots pretending

to be "Christians" and doing nothing but spewing hate is a very big part of the turnoff toward religion in general. They are not winning the hearts and minds of the American public.

[DeSwiss]

16. ....

- K&R

[darkstar3]

18. If only...+1