*******DISCLAIMER this post is an edited version of material produced by Ben Stein. All credit for articulation should go to Ben Stein.*********
My confession:
I am an Atheist, and every single one of my ancestors was Atheist. And it does not bother me even a little bit when people call those beautiful lit up, bejewelled trees, Christmas trees. I don't feel threatened. I don't feel discriminated against. That's what they are, Christmas trees.
It doesn't bother me a bit when people say, 'Merry Christmas' to me. I don't think they are slighting me or getting ready to put me in a noose. In fact, I kind of like it. It shows that we are all brothers and sisters celebrating this happy time of year. It doesn't bother me at all that there is a manger scene on display at every shopping centre, day-care, kindi, public school, public area in Australia. It doesn’t bother me having to see religious material everywhere I go ie. park benches, bus stops, public restrooms, on ATMs, in my mail boxe, on public phones, attached my hotel doorknob, in laundromats , under windshield wipers of my vehicles. As longs as it’s recycled paper I should add.
I don't like getting pushed around for being an Atheist, and I don't think Muslims like getting pushed around for being Muslims. I think people who don’t believe in god/allah/unicorns are sick and tired of getting pushed around, period. I also think we are sick of being caught in the middle of wars over deities. I have no idea where the concept came from, that Australia is an explicitly christian/religious country. I can't find it in the Constitution and I don't like it being shoved down my throat.
Or maybe I can put it another way: where did the idea come from that we should worship something, and we aren't allowed to not worship and just enjoy life for what it is? I guess that's a sign that I'm getting old, too.
Funny how simple it is for people to trash Atheists, believe non-sense and then wonder why they think the world's going to hell. Funny how people believe what the bible (fiction novel) says. But question the secular scientific process. Funny how you can send 'anti-science jokes, racist, sexist, bigamous’ jokes through e-mail and they spread like wildfire, but when you start sending ’jokes/facts’ regarding the delusional religious beliefs people have, people think twice about sharing. Funny how lewd, crude, vulgar and obscene bible passages that incite the most obscene acts in humans history pass freely through unabated , but public discussion of Secular Humanism is suppressed in the school and workplace.
Are you praying yet?
Funny how they can be more worried about an imaginary god/s thinks of them, instead of the consequences of their actions.
Pass it on if you think it has merit.
If not, then just discard it.... no one will know you did. But, if you discard this thought process, don't sit back and complain about what bad shape the world is in.
My Best Regards, Honestly and respectfully
AntN (points only)
*******DISCLAIMER this post is an edited version of material produced by Ben Stein. All credit for articulation should go to Ben Stein.*********
