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Atheist messages displace CA park nativity scenes

Wake

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SANTA MONICA, Calif. (AP) — Jesus, Mary, Joseph and the three wise men are being crowded out by atheists.

Most of the Christmas nativity scenes that churches had placed in a Santa Monica coastal park for decades have been displaced by non-religious displays — and the churches are crying conspiracy.

The Santa Monica Nativity Scenes Committee, a coalition of 13 churches, and the Santa Monica Police Officers Association, has traditionally claimed 14 of the 21 display spaces, which are vandal-proof, cage-like areas surrounded by chain-link fencing.

The coalition displays have featured life-size depictions of the story of the birth of Jesus Christ.

But atheists got all but three of the spaces this year because of a new lottery system. The coalition got two spots to display Jesus, Mary and the wise men.
The third went to Isaac Levitansky of Chabad Channukah Menorah.

Adding to the loss, the atheists have used only three of the display areas to promote their message.

Vix now helps other atheists acquire the park spaces, including American Atheists Inc. and the Freedom From Religion Foundation.

Secularists feel a need to be more vocal and express their civil rights, he said.

"For 60 years, it's almost exclusively been the point of view of Christians putting up nativity scenes for a whole city block," Vix said.

Jameson pushed the city to give local preference in awarding the spaces. Vix doesn't live in Santa Monica.

City Attorney Marsha Moutrie wrote, however, that the Christmas displays cross the boundary into First Amendment free speech rights, which know no geographical boundaries.

"Everyone has equal rights to use the streets and parks for expressive activities, irrespective of residency," Moutrie wrote.

Source: Atheist messages displace CA park nativity scenes - Yahoo! News

The article goes in detail on how it seems atheists are trying to crowd out the Christian nativity scenes in that area. In order to be able to even put up a sign, you need to win in that lottery, but now it seems atheists got all but three of the spaces. Odd, huh?

What do you guys think of this?
 
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The article goes in detail on how it seems atheists are trying to crowd out the Christian nativity scenes in that area. In order to be able to even put up a sign, you need to win in that lottery, but now it seems atheists got all but three of the spaces. Odd, huh?

What do you guys think of this?

How many spaces are there in total? Perhaps there are simply more atheists groups that lobby for a spot compared to religious groups?
 
Nothing like the war on Christmas, fun time of year.
 
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The article goes in detail on how it seems atheists are trying to crowd out the Christian nativity scenes in that area. In order to be able to even put up a sign, you need to win in that lottery, but now it seems atheists got all but three of the spaces. Odd, huh?

What do you guys think of this?

It reminds me of how only elderly people win the lottery.
 
For not claiming to have any faith these dicks sure do want to spread their beliefs around and oppress the beliefs of others.
 
For not claiming to have any faith these dicks sure do want to spread their beliefs around and oppress the beliefs of others.

How are they oppressing the beliefs of others? Did they rig the lottery?
 
How many spaces are there in total? Perhaps there are simply more atheists groups that lobby for a spot compared to religious groups?

If I'm correct, there's 21 displays up for lottery. Traditionally churches have claimed 14 of the 21, but now atheists have claimed 18 out of 21. Something may be afoot. I can't say with certainty.
 
Starting out, it seems that what these atheists are doing is crap. If you wanted all those spaces and just happenned to win them then they should at least use them all up.

With that said, who doesn't see at least a million nativity scenes every christmas? I see ten every day while leaving my house before I get out of my neighborhood. Do we honestly need any more?
 
For not claiming to have any faith these dicks sure do want to spread their beliefs around and oppress the beliefs of others.

While I understand the irony, they are no more dicks than those who want to put their message in and are complaining now that they have competition.
 
For not claiming to have any faith these dicks sure do want to spread their beliefs around and oppress the beliefs of others.

They certainly have as much right to display their beliefs as anyone else but it would seem the idea here is to try and stop any ideas other than their own. Not that others haven't done the same thing.
 
While I understand the irony, they are no more dicks than those who want to put their message in and are complaining now that they have competition.

I don't see how these are equal. Setting up a nativity does not equate with calling an entire group of people's beliefs myth. The nativity scene is also not set up as a form of malice or confrontation like these posters are. they would be equal if a Christian group tried to crowed around a Jewish or Muslim display and called their beliefs myths publicly.
 
For not claiming to have any faith these dicks sure do want to spread their beliefs around and oppress the beliefs of others.

If you're honestly trying to argue that atheists are oppressing Christians because they got a few spots to put up signs in one city then you don't really know what oppression is.
 
I don't see how these are equal. Setting up a nativity does not equate with calling an entire group of people's beliefs myth. The nativity scene is also not set up as a form of malice or confrontation like these posters are. they would be equal if a Christian group tried to crowed around a Jewish or Muslim display and called their beliefs myths publicly.

I thought the dickish part was because they called Santa Claus a myth. It's a crappy thing to do to kids.
 
For not claiming to have any faith these dicks sure do want to spread their beliefs around and oppress the beliefs of others.

See, this is the heart of the silliness of this whole debate.

How does putting up a display about your own belief "oppress" the beliefs of others?

It's a lottery system designed to decide objectively who gets the space - because only Christians getting the space would be unfair. Right?

Here's the big picture - why do we treat these public displays like we need them to legitimize our beliefs? If we don't have an official symbol somewhere on our local courthouse, that means we're oppressed? It's absurd.
 
I don't see how these are equal. Setting up a nativity does not equate with calling an entire group of people's beliefs myth. The nativity scene is also not set up as a form of malice or confrontation like these posters are. they would be equal if a Christian group tried to crowed around a Jewish or Muslim display and called their beliefs myths publicly.

It is the same thing, it is speech about your particular belief.
 
I don't see how these are equal. Setting up a nativity does not equate with calling an entire group of people's beliefs myth. The nativity scene is also not set up as a form of malice or confrontation like these posters are. they would be equal if a Christian group tried to crowed around a Jewish or Muslim display and called their beliefs myths publicly.

That's true. The problem comes when other religions are excluded though. Hence the lottery solution.

It's weird that you see setting up a Christian display as innocent, yet setting up a different one is "oppression." Wouldn't that make a Christian display "oppression" to non-Christians?
 
The dickish part comes from the atheist messages being combative, as in attacking Christianity and other religions. It's just messages to drag down religion, is all.

You don't see nativity scenes that attack atheistic messages, now do you?

You see, this kind of stuff is what helps with the impression that atheists are dicks. It really does. It's the condescending and combative tone, fueled with disrespect, that really aids in giving them a bad rap.
 
The dickish part comes from the atheist messages being combative, as in attacking Christianity and other religions. It's just messages to drag down religion, is all.

You don't see nativity scenes that attack atheistic messages, now do you?

Uh, yes. Obviously a nativity scene proclaims a message that contradicts atheism or other religions.

I'd say a nativity scene, in an official setting, "drags down" other religions if those other religions are excluded.

You see, this kind of stuff is what helps with the impression that atheists are dicks. It really does. It's the condescending and combative tone, fueled with disrespect, that really aids in giving them a bad rap.

I hear a condescending and combative tone, fueled with disrespect, from Christians all the time too.
 
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Source: Atheist messages displace CA park nativity scenes - Yahoo! News

The article goes in detail on how it seems atheists are trying to crowd out the Christian nativity scenes in that area. In order to be able to even put up a sign, you need to win in that lottery, but now it seems atheists got all but three of the spaces. Odd, huh?

What do you guys think of this?

Anti-religious bigots are just as bad as anti-muslim bigots who pester Lowes to pull their ads from a tv show about American muslims and bigots who protest God hates fags at military funerals.
 
...The article goes in detail on how it seems atheists are trying to crowd out the Christian nativity scenes in that area. In order to be able to even put up a sign, you need to win in that lottery, but now it seems atheists got all but three of the spaces. Odd, huh?

What do you guys think of this?

freedom of speech isn't always fair.
 
Anti-religious bigots are just as bad as anti-muslim bigots who pester Lowes to pull their ads from a tv show about American muslims and bigots who protest God hates fags at military funerals.

no, the Christian bigots are worse, as they try to turn their bigotry & intolerance against non-Christians into law.
 
It is the same thing, it is speech about your particular belief.

It's the same in principal but not in practice. This would be more akin to the westboro people picketing a gay pride parade. The atheists are are essentially real life "trolls" just wanting to inflame and piss off Christians over their nativity scene. It's legal, it should be protected, but that doesn't mean they aren't acting like dicks.
 
View attachment 67119858





Source: Atheist messages displace CA park nativity scenes - Yahoo! News

The article goes in detail on how it seems atheists are trying to crowd out the Christian nativity scenes in that area. In order to be able to even put up a sign, you need to win in that lottery, but now it seems atheists got all but three of the spaces. Odd, huh?

What do you guys think of this?

It was a bit odd that 2 people won 18 of the 21 slots, with each person limited to 9 chances. It could be cheating, it could be a statistical anomaly. Certainly one can question the outcome and perhaps look into it.
 
It's the same in principal but not in practice. This would be more akin to the westboro people picketing a gay pride parade. The atheists are are essentially real life "trolls" just wanting to inflame and piss off Christians over their nativity scene. It's legal, it should be protected, but that doesn't mean they aren't acting like dicks.

Actually I think they are trying to make a political point. Being part of the vast majority religion, you probably are somewhat unaware of just what it can be like to not be part of that religion.
 
It was a bit odd that 2 people won 18 of the 21 slots, with each person limited to 9 chances. It could be cheating, it could be a statistical anomaly. Certainly one can question the outcome and perhaps look into it.

Each person could claim up to 9 slots with a win as I understood it.
 
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