Comments

You must log in or register to comment.

Comfortable_Sweet_47 t1_j15meg0 wrote

And apparently no good graphic designers

98

PiningForTheFnords t1_j17kij6 wrote

That font choice is so bad that hell is going to pop into existence just to house the one guy that made that.

12

SereneDreams03 t1_j15rnid wrote

I'm a nontheist myself, but I'm not a huge fan of the freedom from religion commercials. That guy just comes off as pretentious. Sure, I don't want religious zealots telling me what to do, but I don't want atheists telling me not to be religious. It sounds like they do some good work, but maybe they just need some better advertising.

55

Asturon t1_j16brmk wrote

The thing is, there is "SUPPOSED" to be a separation of church and state in the US. And when the govt imposes rules based on religious ideology, you HAVE to fight back. The abortion and the marriage equality issues recently demonstrate this clearly.

So, while they continue to put up religious idols at govt buildings, there should absolutely be opposing material available. I'm particularly a fan of the baby baphomet from the Satanic Temple.

The atheists aren't the ones imposing their views FROM the seat of government. A display does not force you to do anything

29

SereneDreams03 t1_j16cckj wrote

I don't disagree, and yeah, I love a lot of the stuff the satanic temple does, I'm just saying specifically I don't like the freedom from religion commercials. Like I said, they seem to do good work, it's just their marketing that rubs me the wrong way.

2

yisoonshin t1_j18l2l0 wrote

I haven't seen them before this but based on this one sign they come off very pretentious. I think it'd be better if they just kept it focused on logical arguments about the main issue, ie keep religion out of government. Instead it feels like they're "proselytizing" atheism, if you know what I mean. And at a time when people just want to celebrate, take a break and just have fun with family and friends.

6

Pwillyams1 t1_j18vtg9 wrote

How many contradictions can you fit into one post?

−1

etcpt t1_j15ubye wrote

Yeah, they definitely come across as the more militant atheist type to me. Not so much the "I don't believe in a deity, please respect that and stop trying to convert me" type as the "there is no deity, you are stupid for believing so, I am suing you because you decorated your office in accordance with your faith" type. Ironically, atheists who embody many of the traits that turn people off to blowhard theists. Which is too bad, because there are definitely important issues that they try to address, but their heavy-handed approach makes it easier to dismiss them as irrational and intolerant.

18

washdot t1_j17jrwc wrote

Are you talking about Ron Regan Junior’s commercial?

0

okileggs1992 t1_j15xi6r wrote

I don't get the issue, it was approved by facilities along with the manager regardless of the wording and all of you should know that the Winter Solstice was hijacked by the Catholic Church to convert the pagans just like Easter and every other holiday.

49

iamlucky13 t1_j16f3ko wrote

> and all of you should know that the Winter Solstice was hijacked by the Catholic Church to convert the pagans just like Easter and every other holiday.

There's not much need to know it since it really has no effect whether a person considers Christmas important or not.

Also, while that suggestion might not be completely without relevance, it's also not an argument with historical evidence, and it's far from the full background on how, lacking any records of a date when Jesus was born, various groups of Christians around the Roman world gradually consolidated on December 25 as the mutual date to celebrate it. The solstice is naturally significant to almost every non-tropical culture. Early Christian writers sometimes drew on traditional titles for Jesus like "Light of the World" to suggest the solstice - the beginning of days of increasing light - was a fitting time to celebrate His birth.

For a short summary of some of the theories on how December 25th was settled on, you could start with the Wikipedia article on Christmas,

−30

okileggs1992 t1_j1ahji0 wrote

Why would I read Wikipedia, as for the birth of Christ it was not Christmas Eve and I'm pretty sure his resurrection wasn't the beginning of spring aka Easter

1

iamlucky13 t1_j1al8st wrote

> Why would I read Wikipedia

Because it was a convenient place for me to suggest for some further discussion of the challenge of knowing when Jesus' birth actually took place (I ask you to at least consider for the sake of discussion Jesus as a real person, regardless of whether you personally believe He existed), and how Christmas came to be celebrated when it is.

> as for the birth of Christ it was not Christmas Eve

Don't you think there is at least a 1 in 365 chance?

Personally as a Christian, I never worried about whether we identified the correct date to celebrate Christmas. Who we believe Jesus to be and why His birth would be worth celebrating is really the point.

0

Final-Mycologist7785 t1_j183mpj wrote

Ahh yes Wikipedia! A 100% authentic source of information!

/s

Granted they've gotten better. But,

Going deeper than that, if you think things have been construed by people in power and/or office, and STILL choose to belive a book that has been in circulation for hundreds of years. And been a key role in government policies over litteral decades...

I'm not sure you know what you're talking about.

If laws are manipulated to achieve what those in power desire, what the fuck makes you think that hasn't been done a hundred times over in a book, that literally dictates how the majority of people live?

'Translated' by those in a convenient power place in history.

What places such a holy fucking artifact, that anyone can purchase mind you, above the rest of all else?

Shouldn't at least a couple of those raise a red flag?

I won't link a Wikipedia article. Find your own rabbit hole.

−1

iamlucky13 t1_j1ajb54 wrote

  1. I will start by restating my main point to be more clear. Your comment on solstice being chosen to convert pagans is not need to know information because:

A) A person who considers the birth of Jesus to be significant (presumably due to their religious beliefs) is not going to find their beliefs challenged by the point, "nobody recorded the actual date Jesus was born, but because some early Christians thought celebrating it on a date that pagans already used for a holiday might help convert some of them* they chose to also use that holiday."

If you think the theory that Christians would want to convert pagans is shocking news to Christians that will scandalize them away from their faith, you don't seem to know much about Christianity.

B) Nobody who doesn't consider the birth of Jesus significant is going to change their observance or non-observance of Christmas based on the same.

  1. I didn't offer a Wikipedia reference as proof. I offered it as a place where there is a summary of some of the discussion illustrating the complexity of understanding how Christmas came to be celebrate around the time of the solstice.

There are two very common corallary forms of the argumentum ad hominem fallacy that I like to call "argumentum ad Wikipediam" and "argumentum contra Wikipediam." You are demonstrating the latter.

Which is ironic, because the alternative that has been presented is to accept the authority of an unknown person posting on the internet. Or to follow the argument back to its known source with the 18th century Lutheran preacher Paul Jablonski who promoted the idea the date was chosen for pagan reasons in order to portray Catholicism as a pagan-influenced corruption of Christianity.

  1. The rest of your post seems like it might be in reference to the Bible. You really didn't clarify what you're talking about. But the topic now at hand was about the date of Christmas, which the Bible does not give any obvious clues about, and I don't see a useful reason to expand the discussion to the Bible in this thread.

* Edit - I apologize for not noticing before your are not the same poster as I previously respond to. I have edited my post to remove an reference to the prior poster's words as your own.

0

Snushine t1_j174svn wrote

Axial Tilt is the Reason for the Seasons!

24

TryFengShui t1_j162neo wrote

I'm a nonreligious person, but this is just artless, inelegant, and unnecessarily combative. I'd rather have the lyrics to Imagine.

18

bubbamike1 t1_j160ueu wrote

Why is there a manger on the Capitol Campus?

14

jthanson t1_j16fhj1 wrote

Because the Capitol Campus is a place where citizens can put up displays for the holidays. That's also why there's a menorah. I'm surprised more groups haven't taken the opportunity to share something meaningful to them in a public space.

19

tacos6for6life6 t1_j19jy4k wrote

Maybe other groups don’t feel the need to shove their personal views into other peoples ears and eyes? I don’t know, just spit balling here

−1

LoudLemming OP t1_j166126 wrote

There is also a menora. Let me try to get a full photo of the trinity.

7

mikkokilla t1_j15x1x2 wrote

I mean they're not wrong but everyone is entitled to believe what they want...

6

ImAnIdeaMan t1_j16a3g5 wrote

>everyone is entitled to believe what they want

Tell organized religion that

6

LoudLemming OP t1_j1668c3 wrote

Don't Tread on Me vibes fer sher.

Edit: seeing downvotes, I don't think I said that right.

It stupefies me how the same people who would fly the yellow flag and freak out about gun control are completely fine with a quasi-theocracy leaning from the Courts and Rs in Congress. The irony is too too rich.

Also: Reddit Karma is obviously my only religion.

−2

SquatchyNW t1_j18t5tw wrote

My question is why did the picture taker not get the manger in the photo? Or post it seperate? Just wanted to see how big it was. Curious.

5

LoudLemming OP t1_j19avou wrote

see my latest post I added link to context photos

2

carrierael77 t1_j16iy51 wrote

I absolutely love it. The holiday season isn't only for those who belive in some religious character.

2

LoudLemming OP t1_j16t8xl wrote

>The holiday season isn't only for those who belive in some religious character.

That's kind of where I am too, 'cept for Rudolf.

−1

carrierael77 t1_j17m0nn wrote

And Hermie the dentist elf!

Don't get me wrong, I am happy for those who choose religion. I am happy for anyone who finds shat they need to help them through life & guides them to being the person they want to be. We should all be so lucky. I am just happy my beliefs are respected as well.

1

LD50_irony t1_j16u14a wrote

Fun fact! Displays from individuals or community groups used to be allowed inside the Capitol via a simple permitting process. However, in the early-mud 2000s a bit of a winter holiday display war began inside the building, with multiple groups requesting permits for different holiday displays and people complaining. At that point they decided that it was too much and now displays can only done on the grounds, which is why these are on the lawn.

I get a kick out of the entire thing.

2

zer05tar t1_j18ljrc wrote

Praise those seeking truth, be weary of those who say they have found it.

2

Uglytacoma t1_j19pp2e wrote

I’m an atheist but other atheists are so embarrassing and annoying that I just tell other people that I’m kind of spiritual when the topic comes up lol.

2

thekarmabum t1_j178azz wrote

There is actually no specific mention of heaven or hell in the bible, that concept comes later on in the history of Christianity. It really only mentions god's paradise, which is a very vague term.

1

luna1288 t1_j17pcj1 wrote

Isn’t that just cringe-y as hell? Then again it’s downtown Olympia so I’m not surprised.

1

StickTimely4454 t1_j18x648 wrote

Some sort of Enlightenment-style God Of Science with Columbia as his consort would cover the bases nicely.

1

Ziggy_Spacedust t1_j19bvgi wrote

Yea but I want to believe in the dragons baby Jesus talked to

1

LoudLemming OP t1_j19f3si wrote

Well my friend that is your wonderful inalienable right. I may like to join your church - are you accepting supplicants?

2

earthcaretaker315 t1_j15x6pt wrote

I couldnt of said it better. Great job.

0

jthanson t1_j16fpkz wrote

As a matter of fact, you could. For example, you could have used the word "have" instead of the incorrect homophone "of."

8

earthcaretaker315 t1_j19jhoi wrote

Your use of homophone doesn't apply here.

homophone

noun

ho·​mo·​phone ˈhä-mə-ˌfōn ˈhō-

1

grammar : one of two or more words pronounced alike but different in meaning or derivation or spelling (such as the words to, too, and two)

2

: a character or group of characters pronounced the same as another character or group

1

jthanson t1_j19qly8 wrote

Although I appreciate your pedantry, the use of homophone is appropriate here. Although “have” and “of” are not homophones when pronounced correctly, they are indistinguishable in colloquial speech, especially in American English. The incorrect usage of “of” in place of “have” is a phenomenon of auditory language experience. In that respect, it is homophony that is to blame.

1

firephoto t1_j1aqdk8 wrote

Is it pedantry to point out something can't be corrected unless the meaning was already understood? Oh, and what is language for.. oh...

0

non-member t1_j168joq wrote

They aren’t wrong...

0

Han_Slowlo t1_j16axcp wrote

Anyone who dedicates their life to making provocative public statements about religion (from literally any standpoint, for or against) is an annoying idiot piece of shit.

Please just let people live their lives and shut the fuck up, I'm begging you.

0

BrnndoOHggns t1_j16j6dq wrote

>Please just let people live their lives and shut the fuck up, I'm begging you.

That's how a lot of us feel about religion interfering with public life, so here we are.

13

Phelnoth t1_j16zpkn wrote

If the religious stop making public statements, so will atheists. If atheists shut up, the religious will continue to evangelize. The FFRF wants there to be less religion in public spaces (the thing you want) but instead of a sign saying "there shouldn't be a manger or menorah here" or "Dear Religious People, please shut up" they made this statement instead.

If you're going to beg anyone to shut up, go to a church. The people who made this sign are on your side.

4

Yuvneas t1_j1726ya wrote

Cool, so I should just sit by while the christofascists line me up for the gas chamber.

−2

Whisenhunt55 t1_j16vkz6 wrote

Nice love this wish we really had freedom

0

funderthuck98 t1_j17kunn wrote

Never heard of "freedom from religion" before but I'm one graphic designer away from being one hundred percent on board with them. Free the people. Fuck the church. People talk about how accepting Olympia is, how diverse and friendly it can be... Imagine where we could've been by this point had we rid ourselves and others of religion long ago.

−1

dubzi_ART t1_j19711i wrote

Damn that’s kinda based but I’m on the fence about higher powers.

−2

Active-Ad3977 t1_j16hb1n wrote

Hey, they’re the ones Ronnie Reagan used to do commercials for!

−5

murderfack t1_j16uae3 wrote

Pickle Party getting more active this year.

−5