You heard me.
One hundred twenty volunteers from Mt. Carmel Christian in Atlanta constructed a drive-through nativity. Wednesday night the scene was severely vandalized. Over $2000 will be required to repair the scene before it reopens tonight at 6pm.
I hope and trust I am not alone in the freethought community in feeling outrage at this news. Whether or not you support the message of the display, vandalism and violence are completely out of bounds. I’ve sent messages to the Atlanta Freethought Society, Secular Coalition for America, and the Freedom from Religion Foundation urging them to take a quick public stand on this. I’ll shortly be contacting the other national organizations as well.
One of our most fundamental shared values — free expression — has been attacked. Secular humanist organizations and individuals should take an immediate and public stand condemning these actions. If nothing else, such statements would make an eloquent counterpoint to the stolen atheist poster in Seattle.
Article in the Atlanta Journal Constitution
Send a note of support to Rev. Seth Wortman
Dare I say, “Amen”?
There was quite a shake-up at Shakesville over that stolen sign, or rather over one contributor’s irate reaction. I refrained from commenting there because there were too many issues coming up all at once and getting confused with one another. Yikes.
In any case, outrage over vandalism is a bit more legit when it’s expressed over ALL vandalism. I’m interested to see whether FFRF responds.
On a personal note, how awful for those many volunteers to see all their hard work torn down.
Comment: michellegalo – 12. December 2008 @ 11:07 am
You are absolutely right, Dale. I wouldn’t be too critical, though, of the organizations you contacted if they don’t speak out publicly. They are small, largely volunteer, under-resourced, and overburdened with the concerns of their own constituents. At the same time, they have their bureaucracies which, like all decision-making processes, tend to move slowly. The best thing is for individuals like the visitors of your blog to write e-mails to the church (as I have done), identifying themselves as humanists, etc. and expressing solidarity.
Comment: Here_and_Now – 12. December 2008 @ 11:24 pm
Too true. But Id like to see this kind of thing become part of our purpose. I’d like to see some kind of rapid positive response ability at the national level so we can take advantage of these opportunities to build bridges and generate a positive public image. Taking 10% of our defensive fighting energy and turning it into outreach would accomplish so much…
Comment: Dale – 12. December 2008 @ 11:59 pm
[...] McGowan has the right idea: I hope and trust I am not alone in the freethought community in feeling outrage at this news. [...]
Pingback: Would You Help Restore a Nativity Scene? | All Reason – 13. December 2008 @ 7:08 pm
While I certainly don’t condone violence in any circumstance, I do question what on earth the church was thinking building a drive through nativity??? In addition to being an atheist, I am also an environmentalist and the idea of people driving through there in their cars polluting the environment in the name of religion disgusts me. I wouldn’t put money towards it being rebuilt unless it was rebuilt as a walk-through nativity.
Comment: phdinparenting – 14. December 2008 @ 8:27 am
One of our most fundamental shared values — free expression — has been attacked.
You’re right, of course, but, PLEASE don’t ask me to help rebuild Sarah Palin’s church!! [cringe]
Comment: boremetotears – 14. December 2008 @ 4:37 pm
[...] My meager attempt at reaching across the aisle after the vandalism at Mt. Carmel Christian Church largely fizzled, at least in the short term. I [...]
Pingback: The Meming of Life » A Krismas potpourri Parenting Beyond Belief on secular parenting and other natural wonders – 17. December 2008 @ 1:33 pm
I’m one of those folks who lives in Seattle that was saddened about the theft of the plaque. However, we also have been talking about what had been written on the plaque itself
“Religion is but myth and superstition that hardens hearts and enslaves minds.”
While my group of friends agree with the myth part, we felt the above sentence to be insensitive and inflammatory during a season when we’d like to be focusing on goodwill towards our neighbors.
We wrote in our journals about how we felt that it didn’t represent our beliefs and we didn’t want to be associated with it at all.
Comment: bookofchange – 17. December 2008 @ 2:31 pm
I agree. I didn’t think that was necessary in the least, nor helpful. It only emphasized the idea that our worldview is an attack and a negation. I do think the claim itself is important and true, but including it in this setting constituted yet another tin-ear moment for us.
Comment: Dale – 17. December 2008 @ 2:33 pm