Posted on 06/21/2011 12:23:25 PM PDT by markomalley
A group of New York City atheists is demanding that the city remove a street sign honoring seven firefighters killed in the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks because they say the sign violates the separation of church and state.
The street, “Seven in Heaven Way,” was officially dedicated last weekend in Brooklyn outside the firehouse where the firefighters once served. The ceremony was attended by dozens of firefighters, city leaders and widows of the fallen men.
“There should be no signage or displays of religious nature in the public domain,” said Ken Bronstein, president of New York City Atheists. “It’s really insulting to us.” Bronstein told Fox News Radio that his organization was especially concerned with the use of the word “heaven.” “We’ve concluded as atheists there is no heaven and there’s no hell,” he said.
“And it’s a totally religious statement. It’s a question of separation of church and state.” He was nonplussed over how his opposition to the street sign might be perceived – especially since the sign is honoring fallen heroes. “It’s irrelevant who it’s for,” Bronstein said. “We think this is a very bad thing,”
David Silverman, president of American Atheists, agreed calling on the city to remove the sign. “It implies that heaven actually exists,” Silverman told Fox News Radio.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
I disagree, there is. It's not explicit, but obvious, just as the freedom of association. However, the militant anti-theists think it means the separation of religion and society, which is nowhere among the writings or thoughts of our Founders, including Thomas Jefferson. This sign forces no one to practice a religion, punishes no one for not practicing a religion, and has no possibility of making a reasonable person fear he won't get equal treatment under the law for not believing in Heaven.
The sign is simply outside of the true issue of the separation of church and state as meant by Jefferson. This is an issue of anti-theists in a culture war.
Tell them to go to hell. Oh, wait.
Then I’d demand a trial by jury of NY citizens
Having no religious signs posted = athiesim.
No god = no signs.
So, for equality, there needs to be religious signs.
West Virginia conservatives will be happy — this rabble will stay away.
WV is “Almost Heaven.” ;-)
PS: My grandparents came from there and we still have family in the south. It was shocking to see my sister’s face on a second cousin!!
And, of course, one of my favorite ice cream flavors: Heavenly Hash.
Hmmm. Haven’t seen it around lately.
What?
the separation of church and state law?
the separation of church and state practice?
the separation of church and state creed?
the separation of church and state line of demarcation?
Angry? That’s the part I don’t get. What happened to tolerance and acceptance? Most of the families of the victims believe in some form of Heaven. That’s just how it is, get over it.
If they named a street “Nothing”, or “Nowhere”, or even “Kaput” in honor of atheists who have died, I’d be ok with that.
Intolerant atheists offend and anger me! :)
Militant atheists and militant homosexuals are suffering from great pathology. They can’t stand that other people have different ideas than they about the creation of man and the rules of human societies. These folks are the biggest enemy of diversity.
Frankly I find offended atheists offensive and unAmerican.
I do not believe in atheists. People who label themselves atheists are all about getting attention and making noise.
Thhis Anti-Christian BIGOT would HATE Washington DC and many other official state and federal buildings throughout the country which are engraved with scripture and more.
Hate-Filled Anti-American, Anti-Christian BIGOT.
“It was shocking to see my sister’s face on a second cousin!!”
Why is your sister letting others wear her face?!
I’m in Ohio, but way back in my mother’s family, they came from West Virginia. A lot of WV folks were in this area when I was young. They came to work in the factories. I used to laugh at the “hillbillies”.
Now that I’m over 50, I appreciate the simplicity of the country way. I could see myself retiring to KY or WV. Beautiful country, slower pace, more temperate climate, and a lot less liberals.
I guess they would absolutely die if they went to St. Petersburg or St. Paul or Los Angeles, or San Francisco, or San Antonio or any number of American and European and Latin American cities.
These militant atheists should be put in stocks and bonds and people should throw tomatoes at them for being so annoying.
Great, now you’ve offended atheists and muslims…
Think of all the books they would ban.
While they're at it, why don't the call for renaming the cities of St. Paul, MN, and St. Petersburg, FL, too?
-PJ
Based on the random firings of neurons in our brains, which themselves were created by random beneficial arrangements of molecules.
And we totally trust our reasoning.
Ah yes, life would be bliss without Christians and Jews. /s
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