A day after Nativity scene erected, atheist sign posted in State Capitol (NE)

[Omaha Steve]

Source: Omaha World Herald

By Paul Hammel

LINCOLN — In the “that-didn’t-take-long” category, an atheist sign was posted Friday at the first-floor Rotunda of the Nebraska State Capitol, one day after a first-ever Nativity scene was erected there.

“Religion is but myth and superstition,” the sign says.

Scott Braley, a Lincoln electrical contractor, said he felt compelled to provide an atheist message after learning about the Nativity scene, placed in the Capitol by a Catholic-associated group, the Thomas More Society.

Braley said he is an atheist and a member of the Freedom from Religion Foundation, which seeks to keep religion and government separate.

FULL story at link.



PAUL HAMMEL

Scott Braley stands by his atheist sign on the first floor of the Nebraska State Capitol.


Read more: http://www.omaha.com/news/nebraska/a-day-after-nativity-scene-erected-atheist-sign-posted-in/article_6a657f4b-17f5-5e06-8391-e0fb98d1ccd4.html

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Related Story

No protests over Nebraska State Capitol Nativity scene; is a Festivus pole on the way? http://www.omaha.com/news/nebraska/no-protests-over-nebraska-state-capitol-nativity-scene-is-a/article_5aff27de-4d65-5796-b33d-59dced580cfc.html

[BlueJazz]

1. Good for him. Takes character to stand up for what you believe. (either side)

[cheapdate]

2. Mr. Braley earns my respect.

[NoJusticeNoPeace]

3. Too bad the people who put up these nativity scenes are also the first ones to become furious

when a single mother of 3 asks for food.

[Beartracks]

11. Daily charity as an act of faith VS voting.

I'd say that a large percentage of Catholics practice charity as a routine matter of their faith, with some working with the poor and homeless directly, and a great many more giving donations of food and money through the church. I think such compassion is a common thing in the day-to-day routine of many Catholics, even if it is remote and hands-off for most of them. HOWEVER... I think those that live their faith in such a manner probably still tend to VOTE for the party that freaks about welfare and "hand-outs" and all such manner of organized compassion. And they likely vote that way because, for so many, the abortion issue simply trumps the social justice issues.

So while many Catholics may be personally compassionate, they end up voting non-compassionately in large numbers.

===================

[Psephos]

15. Actually, Catholics historically trended Democratic.

The "Catholic Bloc," however, is a thing of the past and has been for some time.

Bush won the Catholic vote, 52 percent to 47 percent 2004. Obama won the Catholic vote 54 percent to 45 percent, in 2008. Obama carried Catholics 50 percent to 48 percent in 2012. Exit polling showed the voting electorate to be 27% Catholic.

Recall that the Hispanic vote is heavily weighted Catholic, is growing faster than any other religious demographic, and does not put "freaking out about hand outs" high on its priorities. The truth is, neither do most non-Hispanic Catholics.

The self-defeating hostility of some in the Democratic Party toward people of faith can only serve to drive them away from the party over time. I never have understood why we would want to alienate millions of people who practice religion through service, charity, and compassion. Most Catholics are not evangelical, and the stereotypes I hear over and over are frankly ridiculous, and sometimes downright loathesome. So much for tolerance and diversity.

Your points about the Catholic inclination toward charity and compassion are spot-on. Good discussion.

[KingCharlemagne]

28. The current Pope is a nigh-Commie! Warms my (Democratic) Socialist heart every time I read

about yet another of His Holiness' exploits.



http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2014/12/pope-francis-cuba-us-deal-diplomacy

[Psephos]

35. lol warms mine too n/t

[hifiguy]

38. He has a long way to go on some issues, but this atheist

definitely admires his whole-hearted embrace of the Catholic Church's social teachings. It's a long step in a good direction. Best pope since John XXIII.

[KingCharlemagne]

43. Check this out. On His 78th Birthday, Francis

gave out 400 sleeping bags to some of Rome's homeless.

I swear, you cannot make this shit up!

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/12/18/pope-francis-sleeping-bags-homeless-birthday_n_6349210.html

[hifiguy]

44. That is the act of someone who actually believes in

practicing christianity rather than just professing to believe in it. Francis is a good man.

[840high]

4. Stupid. It's Christmas.

[Warren Stupidity]

22. It is a public facility. The winter holiday is celebrated by people of different faiths and of no

faith at all. So why exactly is it stupid for a non Christian display to accompany a Christian display in a public facility?

[hifiguy]

40. Celebration of the winter solstice and the impending return of the sun

is almost certainly as old as humanity itself. The Xtians just co-opted the Roman Satunalia and grafted jebus onto it.

[jberryhill]

33. OMG, now that's funny

I don't know if you meant that sarcastically, but you owe me a new keyboard.

[Fred Sanders]

5. Celebrating the solstices are celebrations of fact and science, not fantasy and myth...it is a better

and more intellectual way to mark the joys of life and the passage of time.

Religion substitutes the natural world of nature for the unnatural world of faith.

Isn't religion the unnatural state?

[graegoyle]

6. Let's get Christ back out of Christmas.

[Skittles]

10. need to put Christ back into Christians

too many of them claim they believe in him but do not act accordingly

[KingCharlemagne]

29. "Backward, Christian Soldiers" - nt

[JEFF9K]

27. His work was done.

He got his publicity, made his point, and left.

[lexington filly]

8. I'm for separation of church and State--every--day of the year.

[vkkv]

9. Religion is the oldest, most profitable marketing scam on the planet.

Religion is the oldest, most profitable marketing scam on the planet.

What they do is, sell a product, salvation, which costs absolutely nothing to make and sell it to gullible people looking for answers that science can't entirely explain. Religious organizations have grown and profited through history by assimilating many cultures and traditions to spread it's viral poison of guilt, shame, selfishness and eternal life in Heaven, Garden Of The Gods, or Valhalla, or Elysian Fields, or The Cedar Forest or the Happy Hunting Ground, or, Stovokor...

Martin Luther formed a new church because the Pope was corruptly selling slices of Heaven known as "indulgences". The Pope was on the take from both poor and wealthy supporters.

Heaven? Now that is one big, eternal entitlement!

If I believe in God, then I am entitled to a cushy life in Heaven forever.
Just place cash in bowl.

If I believe in God, then I am entitled to a cushy life in Heaven forever.
Just place cash in bowl.

If I believe in God, then I am entitled to a cushy life in Heaven forever.
Just place cash...

[jtuck004]

16. I watched that special on PBS, and it reminded me of our political parties.

I have a feeling if I took a pilgrimage to D.C. like he did to Rome I would find the same things. But without the moral veneer.

[hifiguy]

41. "Religion began when the first con man

met the first fool." attributed to Mark Twain

[maddiemom]

12. Scott Braley

As an agnostic, I concur with Braley's statement. However, I don't see raining on the traditional "Christian" Christmas parade, which makes so many happy. However: Why was this the "first ever" Nativity Scene in place there? I sense a larger story.

[cheapdate]

13. Because some Christians were making a statement is my guess.

I've seen this same kind of stuff in Tennessee. There are some kinds of evangelical Christians that deliberately want to make a statement about their God and his relationship with the state.

[DeSwiss]

14. K&R

- Jesus would approve, I'm sure of it!

[hifiguy]

42. Holy Cow!

[Feral Child]

17. K&R n/t

[Township75]

18. The first step to separating church and state is making Christmas no longer a holiday. M

Take it and Christmas Eve off the list. Everyone goes to work and no wage worker gets time and a half for working thhat day. Then they will be released from from the oppressive religious hold on them and made free to look at the natural earth.

[NutmegYankee]

21. Far too many people celebrate Christmas to do that.

People who want it off will request to have it off and if a business forces them to work, they will get sued. I have no issue with the government giving the day off as a paid holiday - a majority of it's workers want that day off.

[Township75]

36. If it is not a holiday then how can they be sued for not giving them the day off

Companies can turn down requests for vacation anytime hey want without getting sued.

[NutmegYankee]

37. Religious accommodation.

Part of the Civil Rights act of 1964. Like it or not, Christmas is a Major Christian family holiday and most will expect it off. Many non-Christians also use the day as a family get together day. There is little good reason to force people to work on it when mere profit is at risk. Those in emergency services know they may need to work it, but most places don't need to be doing business that day.

It is just good policy to give people that day off. Failure to do so would just cause a lot of hatred and discontent needlessly. People want to get together with family on that day.

[Warren Stupidity]

31. A better idea woud be to make it a national week long secular winter celebration.

So instead of grinching all over Christmas, expand it and make it officially inclusive.

[Township75]

34. So corporations are goingo take away two days and give 7?

Good luck with that!

[Warren Stupidity]

39. Well, neither proposol has a snowball's chance in hell, but...

the point was that rather than take something away that is hugely popular but problematic, expand it and make it inclusive at the same time.

But I agree, we live in a society where we are ruled by corporate elites with no sense of civic responsibility, so there is no chance that anything that would require sacrifice from them is "off the table".

[LiberalElite]

19. Isn't the Winter Solstice a pagan holiday?

So, how is that an "atheist" sign? Looks more like a mixed message to me.

[Warren Stupidity]

23. It is an astronomical event.

Last edited Sat Dec 20, 2014, 03:47 PM - Edit history (1)

The traditional celebrations of the solstice in many cultures (what you refer to inaccurately as "pagan&quot are a marking of that event, of the advent of winter.

It is an atheist sign because it states core atheist values: there are no gods, no heaven, no hell, just the natural world around us. The solstice seems an entirely appropriate time to note that.

[LiberalElite]

45. Ok true that

it is an astronomical event. However I know "pagans" who observe the solstice and other astronomical events so I'm not sure about the inaccuracy. I have a B.A. in Anthropology but I'm no Margaret Mead.

[hughee99]

20. I find both offensive. Neither the nativity nor this sign belongs in the Nebraska state capitol.

n/t

[niyad]

24. do you even understand what solstice is? it is an actual fact--the shortest day, longest

night of the year. sol-stice (meaning, "sun stands still&quot

Shortest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere

The December solstice is on either December 20, 21, 22 or 23. It is called Winter Solstice in the Northern Hemisphere, where it is the shortest day of the year. In the Southern Hemisphere, it is the Summer Solstice and the longest day of the year.
Solstice in December
The North Pole is tilted furthest from the Sun.
The Sun's position

The Sun is directly overhead of the Tropic of Capricorn in the Southern Hemisphere during the December Solstice.

The December Solstice occurs when the Sun reaches its most southerly declination of -23.5 degrees. In other words, when the North Pole is tilted furthest – 23.5 degrees – away from the Sun.
When is the December solstice?

December Solstice in Wichita, Kansas, U.S.A. is on
Sunday, December 21, 2014 at 5:03 PM CST (Change city)

December Solstice in Universal Coordinated Time is on
Sunday, December 21, 2014 at 23:03 UTC

Local times for December Solstice 2014 worldwide
Sunrise, sunset and daylength around December Solstice 2014
Day and Night map for December Solstice 2014
Countdown to December Solstice 2014 in Wichita, Kansas, U.S.A.
Equinoxes and solstices from 2000–2049


. . . .

Winter solstice
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This article is about the astronomical and cultural event of winter solstice, also known as midwinter. For other uses, see Winter solstice (disambiguation), Midwinter (disambiguation) or also see Solstice.
Winter solstice
Also called Midwinter, Yule, the Longest Night
Observed by Various cultures, ancient and modern
Type Cultural, seasonal, astronomical
Significance Astronomically marks the beginning of shortening nights and lengthening days
Celebrations Festivals, spending time with loved ones, feasting, singing, dancing, fires
Date Between December 21 and December 22 (NH)
Between June 20 and June 21 (SH)
Frequency annual
Related to Winter festivals and the solstice
Winter solstice in Northern Hemisphere over Asia.



Winter solstice is an ********astronomical phenomenon***** which marks the shortest day and the longest night of the year. Winter solstice occurs for the Northern Hemisphere in December and for the Southern Hemisphere in June.

The axial tilt of Earth and gyroscopic effects of the planet's daily rotation keep the axis of rotation pointed at the same point in the sky. As the Earth follows its orbit around the Sun, the same hemisphere that faced away from the Sun, experiencing winter, will, in half a year, face towards the Sun and experience summer. Because the two hemispheres face opposite directions along the planetary pole, as one polar hemisphere experiences winter, the other experiences summer.

More evident from high latitudes, a hemisphere's winter solstice occurs on the shortest day and longest night of the year, when the sun's daily maximum elevation in the sky is the lowest.[1] The winter solstice itself lasts only a moment in time, so other terms are used for the day on which it occurs, such as "midwinter", or the "shortest day". It is often considered the "first day of winter" or the "start of winter" (Lidong in the East Asian calendars), although in meteorology winter spans the entire period of December through February. The seasonal significance of the winter solstice is in the reversal of the gradual lengthening of nights and shortening of days. The earliest sunset and latest sunrise dates differ from winter solstice, however, and these depend on latitude, due to the variation in the solar day throughout the year caused by the Earth's elliptical orbit (see earliest and latest sunrise and sunset).

. . .

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winter_solstice

[hughee99]

26. No shit. Really?

Please tell me how a vast majority of that sign has ANYTHING at all to do with the solstice? The fact that you're focusing on that shows the weakness (or dishonesty) of the argument you're making.

If the sign were ONLY the first sentence, it would be far less an issue. Government buildings aren't the place to tell people what they should believe... they're also not the place to tell people what they SHOULDN'T believe.

[HappyMe]

30. I agree.

Neither the Nativity scene nor the sign belong in a government building.

[KingCharlemagne]

25. Next up, a sign from the local Marxist chapter:

"Religion is the sigh of the oppressed creature, the heart of a heartless world, and the soul of soulless conditions. It is the opium of the people."

~Karl Marx, A Contribution to the Critique of Hegel's Philosophy of Right (1843)

[True Blue Door]

32. Too wordy.

Better:

"No Lords in a democracy!"