Atheist Moves to Christian town, sees Christian symbols, sues Christians

[Scarfather]

http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080621/METRO/806210306/1409/METRO

This story made me laugh. I've been to Frankenmuth. If I were atheist, it would have felt like Deliverance.

I fail to see how anybody would move anywhere without knowing about the town, and this story reeks of a douchebag who moved there just to start shit.

What do you schmoes think about this? I'm not Christian or atheist, but if I were either and willingly moved into a community made up almost entirely of the other, I'd mind my own business.

[Brando @$$ Fat]

With a name like Frankenmouth, it can't possibly be good.

I just glanced over that part about him being the Green Party candidate and laughed. He got thousands of votes but he can barely get shit from these people. Then again, probably none of them voted for him.

Technically, the crosses shouldn't be there, but it's pretty sad that this guy is making it his prerogative to get them taken down.

[mel1ssa]

i will not argue with lloyd clarke's position. it is pointless. (you can't see it, but i grit my teeth while i type this).

i am curious, though, how he holds a dollar bill and doesn't feel 'unwelcome' to spend it.



edit: i should have said, i won't argue with lloyd clarke's ability to do this. that is, however, a different question than should he have done this.

[Homyrrh]

Clarke, who said he sometimes feels like he's the one hanging from the cross, isn't the only person trying to avoid the glaring spotlight the issue has focused on the city.
F'ing wow...

[Badbird]

That town sounds pretty freaking crazy. I feel sorry for that guy.

[Homyrrh]

That town sounds pretty freaking crazy. I feel sorry for that guy.
Even as a man of faith, little cult-like societies like that have a dinstinctcreep to them, but it's foolish to try to throw yourself into somethign like that. I feel more sorry for the 14 blacks and 13 Asians...

[MISFITS_Fiend]

Sounds like the guy should have done some research before he moved.

[SpoonMan999]

I'm not religious at all, I belong to no church and I pratice no particular faith (I'm agnostic). However, I think people should have the right to display their faith and not have some atheist who wants to start shit and make it look like he's descriminated against. It's like changing the Pledge of Allegiance or taking the word "God" off of currency...it's been this way since before I was born and it doesn't hurt anything, so get off your high horse and get over it.

[Badbird]

I'm not religious at all, I belong to no church and I pratice no particular faith (I'm agnostic). However, I think people should have the right to display their faith and not have some atheist who wants to start shit and make it look like he's descriminated against. It's like changing the Pledge of Allegiance or taking the word "God" off of currency...it's been this way since before I was born and it doesn't hurt anything, so get off your high horse and get over it.

Just because it's been that way since you were born, doesn't make it right, or even okay.

I imagine most of our grandparents grew up with segregated school/drinking fountains. That wasn't right either.

God wasn't in the Pledge until the 1950s as a knee jerk against the red scare. Hell, we shouldn't even be speaking a pledge of allegiance in the first place.

People can display their faith all they want, but not on government property or anything funded by tax payers. Clearly this town has broken some rules.

[MISFITS_Fiend]

Just because it's been that way since you were born, doesn't make it right, or even okay.

Doesn't make it not right either. How are you personally affected by it?


I imagine most of our grandparents grew up with segregated school/drinking fountains. That wasn't right either.

So you're comparing the Pledge of Allegiance and the word "God" in currency to racism? That's really reaching.

[Homyrrh]

Just because it's been that way since you were born, doesn't make it right, or even okay.

I imagine most of our grandparents grew up with segregated school/drinking fountains. That wasn't right either.

God wasn't in the Pledge until the 1950s as a knee jerk against the red scare. Hell, we shouldn't even be speaking a pledge of allegiance in the first place.

People can display their faith all they want, but not on government property or anything funded by tax payers. Clearly this town has broken some rules.
Just a bit more ambiguous than that. No, taxpayers should not be funding religious establishments.

However, I second what MISFITS said. And I add that to say people shouldn't say the pledge to their country is blasphemous and ingrateful. 'Under God'? Does it matter? Do people have one more thing to complain about? Just don't say that one word if it's one more thing to moan about...

It's like black colleges...good luck getting in if oyu went to Pencey Prep, Chad. Does anyone care? No, but they still get they're federal funding despite their 97% black population.

[MISFITS_Fiend]

Just a bitAnd I add that to say people shouldn't say the pledge to their country is blasphemous and ingrateful. 'Under God'? Does it matter? Do people have one more thing to complain about? Just don't say that one word if it's one more thing to moan about...

Thanks, Homyrrh. I forgot to mention that. Saying the Pledge of Allegiance does not mean you are pledging allegiance to God, but to your country.

If you don't like it, well..."Holiday In Cambodia" by the Dead Kennedys comes to mind. :)

[Badbird]

Thanks, Homyrrh. I forgot to mention that. Saying the Pledge of Allegiance does not mean you are pledging allegiance to God, but to your country.

If you don't like it, well..."Holiday In Cambodia" by the Dead Kennedys comes to mind. :)

Technically, you are pledging to the flag, hence "I pledge allegiance to the flag..." And claiming it is One nation, under God is an endorsement of religion and shouldn't be said.

Hell, the whole pledge thing reeks of mind control anyway. I find it creepy.

[The Postmaster General]

This reminds me of the time I tried to open a strip club in Amish country. I really rocked the town.

I bet this guy watched a lot of Footloose as a kid!

[Homyrrh]

Technically, you are pledging to the flag, hence "I pledge allegiance to the flag..." And claiming it is One nation, under God is an endorsement of religion and shouldn't be said.

Hell, the whole pledge thing reeks of mind control anyway. I find it creepy.
It's a "metaphor", perhaps blatant "symbolism". The flag itself, inclusive of the colors and patterns, is a resounding symbol of the USA---the fifty stars, the thirteen stripes, the blood red, etc. If you're implying it's idolatry, the consequent lunacy I'd deem you as adhering too would at least partially excuse such a ludicrous statement as saying the pledge "reeks of mind control".

It is one nation, but no one is forced to say it. I'd said it everday of grade, middle and high school, but once I was in secondary education, there were several students who sat down and looked away from the flag. I had a grave personal issue with that, but the school, as a public institution, had no concern.

[SpoonMan999]

I don't see how it hurts anything and why tax dollars have to be wasted in courts to deal with these BS issues.

[Kevin Lockard]

I'm an atheist, and I can't say I'm too bothered by God's name being in the pledge either. I don't think it ever should have been put up there, I wouldn't mind if it did cease to exist, but how is it really any different than saying "Oh my god" or "thank god", or something similar, in everyday conversations, even if only as a figure of speech?

There are more important issues, even regarding religion, that we should be concerned with than something like that.

[Homyrrh]

I'm an atheist, and I can't say I'm too bothered by God's name being in the pledge either. I don't think it ever should have been put up there, I wouldn't mind if it did cease to exist, but how is it really any different than saying "Oh my god" or "thank god", or something similar, in everyday conversations, even if only as a figure of speech?

There are more important issues, even regarding religion, that we should be concerned with than something like that.
Yeah, the wording of the Pledge notes that the nation we are pledging to is "under God", not that we're pledging to the God of out nation. It's become ritual and nothing else.