Found via Digg.
Update: According to Pete in the comments, it was actually published in Alaska’s Peninsula Clarion, but was likely sent as a joke.
I also love how the editor of the Peninsula Clarion seems to think it’s ok to discriminate against atheists merely because atheists make a “conscious choice.” Whatever the frick that means. Apparently, Sammy Davis Jr. did not make a “conscious choice” to convert to Judaism. He must have been shit-face unconscious drunk when he did it.
And what’s even worse is that the editor seems to think that deportation is acceptable based on your conscious thoughts and opinions, which goes against everything this country was founded on.
In two days, we receive more than 30 letters. Some were angry with her. Some were angry with us. They said we should be ashamed of ourselves for printing it, and that we would never have done that if it were about blacks or Jews. They’re right, we wouldn’t have. However, to be an atheist, you make a conscious choice.
This one’s been around a while:
http://www.snopes.com/politics/soapbox/atheists.asp
Well, true or not, SN sure is pwned for trolling.
I thought the eds had higher standards?
—and true or false, the idea behind the letter is true==wouldn’t we all be better off if everyone agreed with our own prejudices?
In my mind, there is no difference in thinking that America was made for God believers than in thinking it was made for self-centered capitalists==or any other set of beliefs one wants to champion or “be proud of.”
FREEDO M==other people disagreeing with your own cherished beliefs. What a terrible idea.
Expect the left to hunt this person down and look through her records now.
Hoax
If someone wants to pay for my immigration paperwork, ticket and moving expenses I would love to move to Vancouver, BC, Canada.
Running from hell
what about agnostics?
I think we finally found some of that unamerican thinking that the pols have been yacking about for the past couple of weeks.
America hate the right people or leave it, you damn hippie.
I hope that someday we finally bury the ’60s. I am one baby boomer (born 1957) that is tired of the old arguments.
“Well, true or not, SN sure is pwned for trolling.”
All I did was post a picture that someone else created. Prior to the update I made absolutely no comment myself and included an exact quote in the headline. So exactly what did I do wrong?!
asperante what about agnostics?
Or more importantly, what that 75% of the population that really don’t give a shit either way?
Most political and religious arguments fail to recognize that actually, most people just don’t care (or don’t care very much).
Translated: We’ll forgive the blacks and the jews for what they are because they didn’t make a conscious choice to be blacks and jews.
Ignorance at its finest.
It’s Alaska after all. It’s like the south and Canada, we let them tag along but we make them sit and the kiddie table.
“I also love how the editor of the Peninsula Clarion seems to think it’s ok to discriminate against atheists merely because atheists make a “conscious choice.””
Umm, it’s a free country with a free press. People have a right to discriminate in this fashion. What country do you live in SN?
this statement completely contradicts itself. it starts by saying US has freedom of speech, religion, etc. but then it says atheists should be kicked out?! thats like saying the sky is blue followed by, “but wait no it’s really black”. i hope this is fake because if its real it turns my stomach.
“People have a right to discriminate in this fashion.”
Nope, they do not. If you can show me a law or a published case which gives the US the right to deport atheists I’ll admit I’m wrong. I won’t be holding my breath.
I live in the US, by the way.
Atheism is an inferior system of thought to mathematics and even mathematics is a religion:
“If a religion is defined to be a system of ideas that contains unprovable statements, then Gödel taught us that mathematics is not only a religion, it is the only religion that can prove itself to be one.” –Bertrand Russell.
“Suppose we loosely define a religion as any discipline whose foundations rest on an element of faith, irrespective of any element of reason which may be present. [Atheism], for example, would be a religion under this definition. But mathematics would hold the unique position of being the only branch of theology possessing a rigorous demonstration of the fact that it should be so classified.” –H. Eves, In Mathematical Circles, Boston: Prindle, Weber and Schmidt, 1969.
#14 SN said, “Nope, they do not. If you can show me a law or a published case which gives the US the right to discriminate ”
“People & “The US” are two different things. Reading is Fundamental.
So, yes, people have a right to say and publish this type of thing.
See: 1st Amendment
Do you need any other training?
the letter to the editor is a hoax.
but let’s do a little fact checking anyway, shall we?
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.
that’s the very first thing our founding fathers wanted to clarify. it’s plain as day.
it doesn’t say you have to do anything religious, just that you’re free do so as you please.
bada boom bada bip, that’s it.
(p.s. showing scripture passages in government buildings is a clear attempt at establishing religion, and so is teaching scripture-based pseudo-science and that’s why doing so is unamerican — just sayin’)
[I think you meant bada boom, bada bing. – ed.]
#17 grog, “(p.s. showing scripture passages in government buildings is a clear attempt at establishing religion”
Interesting but untrue, go to the SCotUS building someday.
Last time I checked Jesus didn’t ride no snowmobile.
#18 i was referencing the rampant push to put the 10 commandments up all over the place, but point well taken.
I pray for the end of an era marked by people taking what other people say on faith. Nobody is born a christian, jew, muslim or hindu.
We all are told things that make us take up those notions, accepting them before we know enough to weigh evidence or think for ourselves.
Four-year-olds would make lousy jurors, yet your inner four-year-old is who gave you “faith.”
Other beliefs of four-year-olds: tooth fairy, santa clause, easter bunny, monsters under the bed, boogie man, witches and superman.
That’s why I wear a bracelet inscribed with “What would boogie man do?”
I like the “The US is based on having freedom of religion… But you must believe” That one cracks me up
It’s an editorial piece.
Although I don’t agree with her, she does have the absolute right to say what she wants. And I’ll kick anyone in the balls that tries to take that away from the uptight holier than thou bible thumping wall-eyed vacant stare bitch.
Let us pray.
#23
AMEN to that brother! Nothing more important than the right to be a complete and absolute moron. I mean, think of a world without them, bunch of smart-asses with nobody to take advantage of. Now tell me, where would be the fun in that.
Defend your right to be stupid! GO VOTE!
I’m contemplating another take on the issue of religion and government that I read recently. Were the founding fathers interested in protecting government from religion or protecting religion from government?
#26 “Were the founding fathers interested in protecting government from religion or protecting religion from government?”
If you read their correspondence and debates you’ll find it was both, to some degree.
The tone of that letter sounded exactly like a Dvorak.org editor talking about religion.
#18, Cow-Paddy, the Ignorant Shit Talking Sociopath and Constitutional and Bathroom Expert.
Ok, so go to the Supreme Court Building and tell us what you see. Would it be the depictions of all the various historical law givers of modern law? Men such as Menes, Hammurabi, Moses, Solomon, Lycurgus, Solon, Draco, Confucius, Augustus, Justinian, Muhammad, Charlemagne, John of England, Louis IX of France, Hugo Grotius, Sir William Blackstone, John Marshall, and Napoleon.
What about the depiction of “Moses? The tablets he carries are actually supposed to be the Bill of Rights.
#26 & #28
given how the right thinks that government is no good at running things like schools, healthcare, welfare, etc., it strikes me odd that they would be so quick to welcome the govt into their ranks.
seems like damned fool thing to do, inviting a pack of blood-thirsty lawyers to ecumenical enclaves.
is nothing sacred? hhaahhahahahahahhaa!
#30 – Don’t worry about all of that, Fusion. You’ll always be able to worship me.