a. What others have said (that not singing carols in school isn’t stopping anybody from believing anything).
b. It would be pretty chaotic in certain diverse (religion-wise) schools if they had to cater for everybody’s different religious practices (I mean that would be the only fair thing, right? Surely you don’t believe that only christian should get to sing their carols.
c. We didn’t sing carols in school but I did have to go through the motions of saying a prayer and crossing myself in morning assembly for 12 years (plus having to go to church on certain occasions ). How is that fair?
That reminds me of a retort made by Abraham Lincoiln during the Civil War, which expressed the frustration arising from the conflict of the cunning versus the innocent:
“Must I shoot a simple-minded soldier who deserts, while I must not touch one hair on the head of a wily agitator who induces him to desert?”
Thank you, Reggie Mantle.
Admit it–your goal is not free expression but the suppression of religion–you say “pro-atheist display next to a Nativity scene.” As far as I am concerned that’s like putting a picture of cowpies ***next to ***a picture of an appetizing dinner. Equal time?
Some of us *like *cowpies.
You realize that from my POV, the nativity scene is the cowpie, right?
So, the Christians who protested were so insecure that they couldn’t stand a competing point of view in the public space? And is dropping belief in your god equivalent to deserting?
Ever think that to some of us the Nativity Scene is more like the cow pie than any atheist display?
Not to mention that there are plenty of non-Christians out there who don’t need to have Christian propaganda on public space. Some people celebrate Chanukah in Santa Monica after all.
why do you even care? since the nativity scene is ‘not accurate’ and christmas is a pagan holiday?
and remember - it was the ‘christians’ who sought to ‘suppress’ the expression of others here - and they lost - and in fighting it - they lost their own ‘freedom to express’ in this area as well (freedom is freedom for all - not just for things we like).
De gustibus non est disputandum.
And what is that worth to me? 
Asumming the person is an atheist.
It doesn’t matter because god doesn’t exist. An expletive reference to your imaginary friend is therefore just a slight bit of ammusement.
[…]*
So you’re practicing psychoanalysis now? :rolleyes:
But atheist propaganda on public space is just fine, eh?
“Some people practice Chankukah.” I am aware of that. There are Jews in Santa Monica–doesn’t that toast your shorts?
I agree with your first paragraph altogether–the Nativity scene is historically, even Biblically, incorrect. Given the authority I would not support it any more than you would. Christmas is a pagan holiday.
The scenes, however, have been a landmark in Santa Monica for many years. I used to live in Venice, and when we were little our parents would drive us down Ocean Avenue to look at them. Our family is gone now, and I have no kids…what can parents in the Centinela area show their kids now? Movie ads? 
They could always open their eyes and minds to the amazing things in the universe, such as art, wildlife, or even astronomy, rather than showing them a mundane representation of a silly fairy tale.
It seems to me that those who founded the US had some pretty good ideas, but those have been eroded over the last couple of centuries by “cunning” Christians to such an extent that many have now come to see any situation where Christianity is not given a privileged position as an attack on them.
You don’t get it - the first remark was a bit of sarcasm pointed to you - why would you want such scenes available to propagate a ‘lie’ as you believe - also given the nature of your sect - you should be ‘celebrating’ any govt ‘suppression’ of religion - as it shows we’re truly in the ‘last days’ - but then we get to the real nature of your mis-understanding -
They can still show them those scenes - just wont be on ‘public’ land as it were.
The ‘Christians’ (not the govt or the atheists) were the ones that brought the lawsuit in an attempt to suppress others freedom of speech in a public square.
Do you not understand that ?
I personally could care less as to the ‘validity’ of the scenes - they are part/parcel with the celebration of the holiday - I do not agree that Christmas is a ‘pagan’ holiday. While it shares many traditions that come from other celebrations, the holiday and the celebration it was intended for is purely ‘christian’.
<bolding mine>
It’s also interesting that you note that IF you were given the authority - YOU would have those things removed from the public square - hypocrite much?
and as my last post said - I don’t care - I did not ‘move’ to have them removed - I find them as part of the tradition for the holiday - However, if they are going to be on display - than equal footing must be given to ALL - not just the ‘ones you like’.
If they were not insecure, why get upset about it?
**
I’d prefer neither. But if you are going to let religious stuff in, you need to let atheist stuff in.
That was an obscure Tom Lehrer reference you just missed.
No churches there? I used to live next door to a little Catholic Church which had a Nativity scene each December. That’s where they belong.
Now gaudy Christmas decorations are for everybody.
Yeah…and didn’t you wish you could knock it down? :rolleyes:
How do you raise kids without brainwashing them? Isn’t brainwashing a simply part of parenting? Do you expect children to make an informed decision on their own?
Where did he say that?
ANyone can read his full quote - “where they belong” - why would you need to ‘edit’ that out ?
Who edited anything out? I used only that part of the quote because I tried to made a point: Atheists consider religion a nuisance and would eradicate it if they could (cf. the Bolsheviki in 1918). Right from the start I sensed an ulterior motive in the issue in Santa Monica, and that was to drive the scenery out of Palisades Park along Ocean Avenue in Santa Monica. Who knows, the churches themselves may be next. I trust you about as far as I can throw an anvil.