Hemant brought this up on his blog- so credit for drawing my attention to it goes to him. Not sure how he found out about but it passed: Recognizing the importance of Christmas and the Christian faith: http://www.govtrack.us/congress/billtext.xpd?bill=hr110-847
Don’t they know that Xmas is Pagan, not Christian? Oh this thing just ignores so many groups of people- Jews, Pagans, non-theists, etc etc
Pete Stark and eight others voted against it, but it would seem to me that the majority are attempting to trample the first amendment and make Christianity the official religion of the U.S.. It’s cutting it awfully close if it isn’t. I wonder what the FFRF is going to say about this? Or other Secular groups? Like I said else where, it seems to be getting worse, not better, OR the Religious Reich is getting louder. Whatever the case, we don’t have freedom of religion because we don’t have freedom from religion. :(
This is significantly disturbing. The great strides forward in tolerance the last 200 years appear to be “too much too fast” for most to handle. It really disturbs me that steps backwards are necessary.
Come on. If you read the resolution carefully, it’s just a meaningless piece of drivel meant to pander to his constitutents. And all the others voted for it because they recognized a) that it doesn’t carry any force, and b) that if they didn’t, their opponent in the next election will wave that around to get dumb religious people to vote against the incumbent.
Yes Mriana, and it is still a breach of church state separation. I bigoted twist of words.
rejects bigotry and persecution directed against Christians, both in the United States and worldwide
Please. When has that ever been an issue in the history of the United States? The point is to stifle non-christian points of view that contradict christian ones.
I’d write one to Boy Blunt (which is what everyone here calls Roy Blunt), but he would just place it in file 13. He doesn’t pay any attention to you unless you support him. Sadly, from what I’ve heard, few do support him. McCatskill (again corruption of her name) has no kitty skills. My cats are smarter than she is. Both of them voted for this damn thing. I’m just amazed how much our gov. doesn’t know our Constitution. :(
[quote author="updated version"]*Whereas the winter solstice, a holiday of great significance to Americans and many other cultures and nationalities, is celebrated annually by atheists throughout the United States and the world;
*Whereas there are approximately 35,000,000 atheists in the United States, making atheism the religion of over fifteen percent of the American population;
*Whereas there are approximately 350,000,000 atheists throughout the world, making atheism as sizable as most religions in the world and the much of the world population;
*Whereas identify themselves as those who do not believe in deluded fantasies about salvation from sin offered or bullshit about sacrifice by an imaginary savior, Jesus Christ, who, is a stupid and destructive fantasy to the detriment of humankind, commit themselves to living their lives in slavery to the Holy Bible;Whereas atheists and atheism have contributed greatly to the development of western civilization;
*Whereas the United States, being founded as a constitutional republic in the traditions of western civilization, finds much in its history that points observers back to its non-religious roots;
*Whereas on December 21st of each calendar year, American atheists observe the winter solstice, a time that has nothing at all to do with stupid ideas about non-existent deities; they do not involve “christ” in their christmas;
*Whereas for atheists, the solstice is not celebrated as a sectarian cult day; and
*Whereas many atheists throughout the United States and the rest of the world, celebrate the solstice as a time to serve others: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(1) recognizes that atheism is as great as any religion of the world;
(2) expresses continued support for atheists in the United States and worldwide;
(3) acknowledges the international religious and historical importance of atheists and their lack of faith;
(4) acknowledges and supports the role played by atheists and atheism in the founding of the United States and in the formation of the
western civilization;
(5) rejects bigotry and persecution directed against atheists, both in the United States and worldwide; and
(6) expresses its deepest respect to American atheists and atheists throughout the world.
Sorry folks, but I guess that I’m just wasting my time venting. I know that my dream of a tolerant America is far from a reality at this point.
Sometimes you have to think they they do this kind of thing, wanting us Secularists to complain. That way they get to put on their hair shirts and moan and complain about how “their Savior” gets no respect. :(
Having been pretty disturbed by H. Res. 847, I did some looking and found the following two previous resolutions addressing Islam and Hinduism. I still think it’s ridiculous that the government felt it necessary to comment on individual religions, and that the Christmas resolution goes noticeably farther that the other two, wich sound almost grudging by comparison, but at least they’re being a bit more inclusive than it might appear from HR 847 alone. I wonder what other similar nonsense gets passed that we don’t notice?
The Constitution of Iran recognizes Christianity. The Constitution of the United States doesn’t. So, why isn’t Iran considered by the religious right to be a Christian Nation?
Article 13
Zoroastrian, Jewish, and Christian Iranians are the only recognized religious minorities, who, within the limits of the law, are free to perform their religious rites and ceremonies, and to act according to their own canon in matters of personal affairs and religious education.
