Because it gives the appearance that government is favoring a specific religion, in violation of the 14th amendment. It shows a lack of separation of church and state. If we are going to allow christian displays on public property then we also have to allow the Church of Satan to erect Baphomet as well. The issue is that Satanic churches, Muslims, and Secular belief systems are not given the same rights as Christians. Just look at the Atheists and agnostics who have attempted to give the opening invocations at our legislature meetings all over the country, and the reactions that they got. They have been berated and disrespected. This is the ground zero for the establishment of a government-favored religion.
"*The claim that America was founded as a “Christian nation” is at best a gross over-simplification and at worst a myth fabricated in order to manipulate contemporary sensibilities*. Many of the prominent “Founding Fathers,” were in fact not Christians in the sense that contemporary evangelical, mainline Protestant, and Roman Catholic churches understand the term. George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Paine, Benjamin Franklin, and a host of others were Deists, or at least influenced by deist philosophy. They conceived of God as a divine watchmaker – this impersonal, inaccessible deity set the universe in motion then sat back and watched history unfold completely independent of any transcendent intervention, miracles, or divine-human relationships (Jefferson famously edited the New Testament to remove all references to Jesus as a divine miracle worker and render him merely a moral philosopher). The position of these Founding Fathers was far from any orthodox theology of divine immanence. Further, the idea that the United States could be a “Christian nation” is theologically problematic. The only “Christian nation” which the New Testament envisions is the Kingdom of God, which transcends national, cultural, and ethnic boundaries. Were the United States to be a “Christian nation,” she would have to do more than celebrate Christmas as a federal holiday and display the Ten Commandments in her courthouses. If she were held to the same standards to which the New Testament holds the Christian community, the United States would have to embody Christian principles, including the mandate to love one’s enemy, eschew power, put away the sword, give freely without any expectation of repayment, and – because she is very rich – sell all her material possessions, donate the proceeds to the poor, then take up a cross of discipleship. The consumerism and materialism which characterize so much of the American ethos – Jefferson’s “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” was a modification of John Locke’s “life, liberty, and the pursuit of property,” and indeed most versions of the American Dream equate property with happiness – seem to be at odds with most versions of core Christian values. In short, the United States is not a “Christian nation,” and simply displaying representations of the Ten Commandments in public locations does not change this reality." On Wed, Dec 21, 2016 at 5:29 PM, Jaime Solorza <losguyswirel...@gmail.com> wrote: > yep but you will probably be yelling oh God when under dangerous or > extremely pleasurable situation, > Like Blood Sweat and Tears said, "I know there is no heaven, but I pray > there is no Hell!" > zaz...in your face > > Jaime Solorza > Wireless Systems Architect > 915-861-1390 <(915)%20861-1390> > > On Wed, Dec 21, 2016 at 2:39 PM, That One Guy /sarcasm < > thatoneguyst...@gmail.com> wrote: > >> so, we use the Gregorian calendar which is named after a pope... I wonder >> if I can skip court dates on the grounds it offends me >> >> On Wed, Dec 21, 2016 at 3:21 PM, Bill Prince <part15...@gmail.com> wrote: >> >>> Roadside displays should be free speech. >>> >>> Anything guvmint should be looked at suspiciously. Whether it is >>> christian, jewish, muslim, pagan, or whatever. >>> >>> >>> On Wednesday, December 21, 2016 12:46 PM, Jay Weekley < >>> par...@cyberbroadband.net> wrote: >>> >>> >>> Maybe. All those displays of Lady Justice at the court houses have to >>> go. >>> >>> Chuck McCown wrote: >>> > How about flowers or crosses on the side of the road where someone >>> died? >>> > >>> > Do you tear down the pyramids or stone hinge? >>> > >>> > -----Original Message----- From: Jay Weekley >>> > Sent: Wednesday, December 21, 2016 1:42 PM >>> > To: af@afmug.com >>> > Subject: Re: [AFMUG] OT - trolling again >>> > >>> > Do you stop all religious displays or just Christian, Jewish or Muslim? >>> > There are plenty of religious symbols from ancient religions all over >>> > public property. I'd kind of like them removed as well. >>> > >>> > Lewis Bergman wrote: >>> >> I have a friend who is an atheist. He compares it to how I feel about >>> >> any resources from my tax money going to abortion. Not sure I agree >>> >> with the equivalency of the resources involved but I can see his >>> >> point. If that is his only issue with my stance I would like to ask >>> >> to stop all displays of Nativity Scenes in trade for not funding any >>> >> abortions. Anyway, I thought his argument was fairly reasoned. >>> >> >>> >> I still ddon't understand why they care. It seems some are just >>> >> purely to try and rub Christians nose in the fact they don't believe >>> >> and think you are stupid for doing so. I view it like a lot of >>> >> things. I don't care f you are gay or straight, married or just >>> >> living with someone, Dem or Rep. As long as it doesn't affect me I >>> >> simply don't give a shit. >>> >> >>> >> On Wed, Dec 21, 2016 at 1:09 PM That One Guy /sarcasm >>> >> <thatoneguyst...@gmail.com <mailto:thatoneguyst...@gmail.com>> wrote: >>> >> >>> >> attention seeking behavior >>> >> >>> >> most of these "athiests" "agnostics" "satanists" whatever "ist" >>> >> they present as, couldnt even tell you the basic tenets of their >>> >> "ist" and all they do is parrot simplistic talking points from the >>> >> borg of nevergrewups ... "if you celebrate christmas, than a >>> >> pagan" nonsense like that >>> >> >>> >> society has slowly moved to the age of adulthood being a sliding >>> >> scale, with fewer and fewer on the lower end every generation. >>> >> >>> >> the bulk of actual athiests, agnostics, satanists and other non >>> >> attention whore ists could really give a shit less what others do >>> >> >>> >> just remember, just because the loudmouth makes the most noise, it >>> >> doesnt mean they represent the majority of their fellows. Also, >>> >> remember, everyone is unique, just like everyone else. >>> >> >>> >> On Wed, Dec 21, 2016 at 12:52 PM, Chuck McCown <ch...@wbmfg.com >>> >> <mailto:ch...@wbmfg.com>> wrote: >>> >> >>> >> We have days on the calendar about people. >>> >> Presidents day used to be Wash’n and Linc’n bdays. >>> >> MLK day. >>> >> Casmir Pulaski day. >>> >> Columbus day. >>> >> So, why are the atheists and others so unhappy about displays >>> >> on public property about Jesus. >>> >> I doubt anyone in Illinios would get unhappy if the local park >>> >> had a Lincoln-Douglas plaque... actually Quincy had exactly >>> >> that. >>> >> Public displays frequently celebrate or inform about events in >>> >> history. >>> >> Our legal system has its basis in the bible, with some of the >>> >> legal doctrine based on the advise of Jesus. >>> >> He lived. He taught. He gave advice. It affected history. >>> >> Just like MLK. >>> >> But on MLK day do the pentagram sculptures try to share space >>> >> with MLK events? >>> >> I don’t get why the Jesus events on public property are such >>> >> an insult or affront to some people. >>> >> >>> >> >>> >> >>> >> >>> >> -- If you only see yourself as part of the team but you don't >>> >> see >>> >> your team as part of yourself you have already failed as part of >>> >> the team. >>> >> >>> >> No virus found in this message. >>> >> Checked by AVG - www.avg.com <http://www.avg.com> >>> >> Version: 2016.0.7924 / Virus Database: 4739/13627 - Release Date: >>> >> 12/21/16 >>> >> >>> > >>> > >>> > >>> > ----- >>> > No virus found in this message. >>> > Checked by AVG - www.avg.com >>> > Version: 2016.0.7924 / Virus Database: 4739/13629 - Release Date: >>> > 12/21/16 >>> > >>> > >>> >>> >>> >>> >> >> >> -- >> If you only see yourself as part of the team but you don't see your team >> as part of yourself you have already failed as part of the team. >> > >
