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Atheists in Oklahoma City have erected a billboard seeking fellow non-believers, and Satanists have scheduled a conference in a city-owned building, drawing criticism from ministers in a state where more than eight out of 10 people say they are Christians…
Nick Singer, the coordinator of a local atheists’ group called “Coalition of Reason,” recently received $5,250 from its national counterpart to erect the billboard along Interstate 44 near the Oklahoma State Fair, which opens Wednesday. Its message reads, “Don’t believe in God? Join the club…”
Legislators pray in their chambers, led by a “minister of the day,” usually Christian. The Oklahoma City Thunder is one of the few NBA teams to begin each contest after a non-denominational prayer delivered by a minister on the public address system…
The Satanists, calling themselves the Church of the IV Majesties, have reserved a room at the Oklahoma City Civic Center for a “blasphemy ritual,” said James Hale, a founding member.
“I guess you could say we’re poking a dog with a stick. That’s the point of Satanism — to question all things,” Hale said.
Singer, from the atheists’ group, said his group has no connection to the Satanists.
“As far as Satan goes, we don’t believe in him either,” he said.
If you wonder whose hatred and fear might surpass any respect for constitutional freedoms, the answer is:
“It’s not the people who don’t believe in God that worry me,” said Robin Meyers, senior minister at Mayflower Congregational Church…”It’s some of the people who do.
“Fundamentalism is the enemy worldwide, no matter what the strain.”
@Dallas
I don’t care what city you live in, there are religious nuts all over America. I live in California and I am amazed at some of the crazy things that educated people believe. Even my girlfriend went to the dark side when she joined a Christian group. I am convinced that there is no hope for us, people are just plain stupid.
Religion does give me the creeps. What quality of mind/experience does it prey on?
My old but still current favorite example: Imagine being Ted Turner, icon of independent thinking marrying another icon of the same: Jane Fonda. Then in her declining age, but still better looking than most, she turns religious. With her turning a profit on all her other private interests, odd she hasn’t tried to make another few millions off a book or video’s on being born again?
I’d pay to know the metamorphosis. So many red flags in relationships: “I hate xxx” or “I love God.”
Hold the dookie.
““It’s not the people who don’t believe in God that worry me,” said Robin Meyers, senior minister at Mayflower Congregational Church…”It’s some of the people who do.”
This is my take on most people as well. I’ve met way too many of these religious fanatics to want to stay away even if they appear “nice” at the beginning. The amount of hate in these people will really surprise and astound you if you don’t already know.
Let’s see, the person who suggested everyone draw Mohammad Day has gone into hiding with a new identity, and somehow the problem is the Christians?
Well done Mike. Defending the ridiculous with the irrelevant.
So where is their ire for Christmas, Easter and Thanksgiving not being a federal holiday. Oh that’s right, even atheists like presents, chocolate bunnies and feasting with football.
Every year Christians complain how the “Christ” has been hijacked and the day is now so commercial. BUT, I guess all the economic spending is being done by those celebrating the Winter Solstice. Along with Christmas Trees and Mistletoe.
Easter used to be the celebration of the Spring Equinox before it too was hijacked to celebrate someone finding an empty tomb. What all that candy and eggs have to do with an empty tomb is beyond me too.
Thanksgiving is a truly “Made in America” holiday. Although most temperate zone countries/cultures do have some ancient harvest celebrations, Thanksgiving was a regional celebration until Lincoln started celebrating it in the White House. Even then, it took 70 some years for FDR to establish what day it would be.
Just like theists, atheists, are still human and will cherry pick what they like and toss the rest.
Aahh yes. Atheists will pick and chose what they celebrate. When was the last time you saw an atheist celebrating an empty tomb or a interrupted a winter solstice festival with some phony crap about a baby born in August?
#33 I agree! I also have at least one family members that went off the deep end into religious weirdness. I tend to smile politely but sit on the other end of the family reunion table….. if you know what I mean.
Beliefs are quite fascinating in terms of seeing just how fragile the human mind is (pretty freak’n scary). I think it’s a consequence of our species having a large brain.
That’s why I’m sure birds sit on telephone lines looking at us and saying..”wow, those hateful things do weird things to each other, glad they don’t fly”
#29, You forgot scumbag hypocrite scammer.
Observing mankind is like observing dogs fighting over territory, a bitch, food, suspicion, or because of a petty difference. I watch you, like you watch them; with curiosity and indifference.
Much like in Oklahoma during the Great Depression, there’s a dust bowl of thought in this blog. I see there are “fundies” of many stripes here…particularly of the reflexive atheists here. God bless you all. There still is time to rethink your position in life.
Angry, you are afraid of the unknown, and so pretend that it is known, even when surrounded by complete and damning rational analysis of your false belief. There is a ‘dust bowl’ between your ears that obliterates all knowledge contrary to your expectations of an afterlife, your need for immortality, and your fear of a death to nothingness. It is a detriment to our ability of reason, a detriment that has caused more suffering, war, and death that all our other animal instincts combined. I could suggest that you rethink your position, if it weren’t for the fact that you haven’t allowed rational thought to permeate your fantasy in the first place.
#44 Thanks Sceptic for your thoughtful analysis. Enough wisdom and insight to fit on the head of a pin!