Really mad at myself

[Mermaid]

and I am not even sure why.

A high school friend of mine posted something like this on her Facebook page:

"This song (attached is a religious song) was banned from radio stations because it has the word God in it. I am sick of all this PC crap. Anyone who does this and wants to suppress the word of God can go to hell".
The story turned out to be a falesehood: It was not banned from radio stations, it was banned from one public school's music program.

I wrote that I do not understand why people feel that they can't express themselves, and that it's silly that it's so common to think that non-Christians are trying to keep Christians down. Like when people are so defensive about "Merry Christmas" That song being banned from public schools was appropriate. She argued that we non-Christians were trying to get the word "God" off of money and a few other things. I pointed out that our constitution contains clear language on the separation of church and state, something this very country was founded on.

Are any of you fellow atheists offended when someone says "Merry Christmas"? I'm not. It pissed me off when someone asserts that I am. So I spoke up.

That was the end of that. Fuck her, she's a dumb twat anyway. It just pisses me off that it still bothers me though, and I keep wishing I had just not spoken up.

[aitm]

you'll both get over it, one of you sooner than the other.

[Mermaid]

I would really love to know if my fellow atheists are offended by the words "Merry Christmas" and by songs played by radio stations that are about God.

[aitm]

I listen to jazz stations so I don't have to hear any of that shit. During the holidays they don't really play much religious music.

[Hydra009]

I would really love to know if my fellow atheists are offended by the words "Merry Christmas" and by songs played by radio stations that are about God.

Nope.  As long as it isn't enshrined in the state, I'm fine* with people going full Jesus.

* mildly annoyed but tolerated

[Mermaid]

So why do they claim we are? Is there a way to ask people that without offending them? It's like a manufactured problem to lend credence to the argument that they are being persecuted.

It irritates the SHIT out of me.

Or, as aitm says, I'll grow up and get over it.

[Plu]

I would really love to know if my fellow atheists are offended by the words "Merry Christmas" and by songs played by radio stations that are about God.

Nah. I just turn on another station.

So why do they claim we are?

Because anything less than full-on indoctrination of every man, woman and child at all times and in every location on the planet means they're being opressed.

[Hydra009]

So why do they claim we are? Is there a way to ask people that without offending them? It's like a manufactured problem to lend credence to the argument that they are being persecuted.

They do that all the time.  Claim that they're under assault by atheists trying to marginalize Christian beliefs by pushing them out of the public square.  They usually use bullshit reasoning or lie about it to make the situation seem like more of an injustice than it really is - the ban on teacher-led prayer is equated with kicking God out of schools altogether, gay spouses allowed to have the same legal standing as straight spouses is seen as a terrible injustice inflicted on straight Christian couples, evolution and not creationism taught in schools equated with a state endorsement of atheism, etc.  Bullshit stacked on bullshit.

They do it try to garner sympathy for their causes (by making their plight seem more dire than it truly is) and to rationalize retaliation (they're simply redressing a injustice, not being an aggressor).  In this way, they're not pushing a theocratic agenda, they're simply coming out in support of freedom of religion.  You support freedom of religion, don't you?

[Poison Tree]

Are any of you fellow atheists offended when someone says "Merry Christmas"?

It depends when they say it. If it's the week of Christmas, then saying merry Christmas would be a completely normal thing to do. But when it is fucking thanksgiving then people saying "Merry Christmas" annoy he hell out of me. This last time I heard people saying "Merry Christmas" BEFORE thanksgiving. There is considerably more than a month (and several other holidays to boot) before Christmas. I can only assume they were trying to prove a "christian nation" point--especially considering the smug-bastardly attitude "Merry Christmas" was said with.

[Mermaid]

So why do they claim we are? Is there a way to ask people that without offending them? It's like a manufactured problem to lend credence to the argument that they are being persecuted.

They do that all the time.  Claim that they're under assault by atheists trying to marginalize Christian beliefs by pushing them out of the public square.  They usually use bullshit reasoning or lie about it to make the situation seem like more of an injustice than it really is - the ban on teacher-led prayer is equated with kicking God out of schools altogether, gay spouses allowed to have the same legal standing as straight spouses is seen as a terrible injustice inflicted on straight Christian couples, evolution and not creationism taught in schools equated with a state endorsement of atheism, etc.  Bullshit stacked on bullshit.

They do it try to garner sympathy for their causes (by making their plight seem more dire than it truly is) and to rationalize retaliation (they're simply redressing a injustice, not being an aggressor).  In this way, they're not pushing a theocratic agenda, they're simply coming out in support of freedom of religion.  You support freedom of religion, don't you?

What bugs me is that they are putting their stupid religious words in my mouth.

I am not offended. People say "Happy holidays" out of RESPECT for people who may not be Christian. They count, too. They are being the polar opposite of respectful and are causing drama where there IS NONE. But instead these people are trying to accuse me of being offended by Jesus? I think that's what bothers me about this, she shut me down before we could even discuss it.

I actually heard someone say "I say MERRY CHRISTMAS, and if you don't like it, you can go back to your own country"!!!

Ignorance makes me shooty-stabby.

[Brian37]

Actually I am offended, the part you don't get, is that the people who advocate for "God" on money and or represented in schools only want it when they do it, it becomes a violation of church and state when non Christians try to use the same venues or put up their own logos.

It is NOT a violation of their rights if one says "You let it all in, or you agree to keep all public setting neutral." When faced with sharing Christians will NOT want to share and blame us for something they CHOSE to do.

And as far as the money, our original motto was "E-Puribus Unum" meaning "out of many, one". "God" was not on any of the founding currency and only showed up on SOME coins in the late 1800s, so for the first century of this country there was no mention of God, just like there is none in the Constitution.

it did not get placed on all currency until the 1950s and there was no consent of non Christians to do that at all. And it was because of the "Red Scare" of Soviet communism. It was not for religious reasons, it got put on there, it was for political reasons and Christians used communism to shoehorn it on the money. But originally it was not there on any money.

And also go look up the original pledge, it too did not contain "under God". Not to mention OUR Constitution has in it's oath of office the words "NO RELIGIOUS TEST", thus any government sanctioned pledge is an endorsement of Christianity, which is forbidden by the First Amendment. Jefferson talks about this as a "wall".

If you want to know how hypocritical your friends would be try this out on them. Ask them if you can put up the following quotes next to the pledge on the classroom wall in the same font size everywhere the pledge is posted in the school.

"Question with boldness even the existence of a god, for if there be one, surely he would pay more homage to reason than to blindfolded fear" Thomas Jefferson.

Or

"As the government of the United States of America is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion" Barbary Treaty signed by both houses of Congress without dissent, into law by President John Adams June 10th, 1797

Now mind you, I ACTUALLY would NOT advise you to do this. YOU WILL get backlash and even threats.  You'll find out MOST if not a majority will be too ignorant, or in denial of history, OR simply will see YOU as evil. In any case they will see you as a trouble maker even if they agree with you.

Christians want a pecking order, they are your friends up and until you say there is no pecking order written into the Constitution, and as long as you know your place. AND THERE IS NOT, but you are kidding yourself if they don't think a pecking order is there, THEY DO.

Many of us here keep track of these types of stories and we can tell you because we see so many, that there is no way you are going to get anyone to agree on HOW to represent ANY god in a public setting which is WHY the founders left out any mention of ANY god/s from the Constitution. To them it was your personal belief to be LEFT UP TO YOU ON YOUR OWN TIME WITH YOUR OWN DIME.

[Mermaid]

I agree with all of that. Separation of church and state is paramount and I don't want government organizations or money to be tainted by that. I want "in God we trust" off money as well because it does not belong there. We are not a Christian nation. I oppose prayer in publicly funded schools as well.  

But my issue is not with that. It is with the persecution complex in the public arena. Seriously, are you offended when someone says "Merry Christmas" or when you hear Christian music on the radio?

[AllPurposeAtheist]

I'm fucking pissed off that I don't have anything to be pissed off about.. Fuck!

[mnmelt]

I would really love to know if my fellow atheists are offended by the words "Merry Christmas" and by songs played by radio stations that are about God.

Nah. I just turn on another station.

So why do they claim we are?

Because anything less than full-on indoctrination of every man, woman and child at all times and in every location on the planet means they're being opressed.

My feelings exactly..

[AllPurposeAtheist]

But I AM oppressing them daily by ignoring them and of course openly mocking their nonsense and letting them know I don't share the fantasy._