Judge Agrees with City in Barring Atheist Sign: Agree?

by Fef Posted 2012/06/08 06:01:40

Related Topics: Religion, Christmas, Atheists, Atheist, Free, Religious, Weather, Free Speech, Holiday, Sports, Court, Federal Judge

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	Ban Antagonistic Atheist	23 votes	53%
	City Violated Free Speech	20 votes	47%

A judge says the city of Warren did not violate the law when it barred atheists from displaying an anti-religion sign next to a nativity scene at city hall.

Federal Judge Lawrence Zatkoff said Warren Mayor Jim Fouts had authority to bar the poster last Christmas because he felt it was antagonistic and would cause hostility. The judge says officials were not excluding a religious group or a non-religious group.
Warren city Mayor Jim Fouts said, “As I stated in my letter to this anti-religion group (and upheld by the Court), the Nativity Scene did not constitute an endorsement of any religion, especially in view of the fact that we allowed other religions to celebrate their holiday seasons with displays at City Hall... The bottom line is the Nativity Scene will continue to be displayed at City Hall during the holiday season and the anti-religion sign will not.”
nativity scene city hall news sports weather traffic detroit cbsdetroit

nativity scene city hall news sports weather traffic detroit cbsdetroit

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Gracie ~Gun Totin' Gracie~ 2012/06/08 06:24:35

Ban Antagonistic Atheist

+4
The judge has spoken! Hey, I have no problem with an atheist.they have free will to believe how they want to...Why does it bother the majority of them ,that the MAJORITY of our Country believes in God?
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Night71 2012/06/09 22:21:37

City Violated Free Speech

That nativity scene never happened in real life and there never any record of any jebus born or dead. If anything, city hall messed up with the theatrics.

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Dwight-AFCL>dogsbody 2012/06/09 05:52:03

Ban Antagonistic Atheist

+1
I would find it tastless at best to display a Cross next to a Star of David displayed for Hannaka or beside a Cresent or any other symbol of religion during that groups Holy Day.

Besides, atheist i have chatted with on SH constantly get royaly pissed when i refer to their "anti-faith" as a religion, so why pull such a trashy act during any Holy Day except just to spark a fight?

I've said before, atheist sure spend a lot of time obsessing with Someone They claim does not exist.

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Radical Ed 2012/06/09 05:24:47

City Violated Free Speech

Free speech means both ways or are we doing the whole christian "feel sorry for me" thing again?

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Cuppajo 2012/06/08 19:17:09

Ban Antagonistic Atheist

Take that, ya heathen bastards!

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bob h. 2012/06/08 18:14:12

City Violated Free Speech

+1
But that's the christian way.

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Doc Frank stein 2012/06/08 15:39:32

Ban Antagonistic Atheist

Too potentially inflaming next door

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BOOGIE-WOOGIE-MUSIC-MAN-ROC... 2012/06/08 14:26:37

Ban Antagonistic Atheist

But, also, and, when people come knocking on my door, aggressively trying to tell me about how to live my life, I just offer them a cigarette and a beer.......

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elijahin24 2012/06/08 13:54:56

City Violated Free Speech

+2
I don't have a problem with the ban, as long as the nativity scene is banned too. But you can't give favorable treatment to one religion, without giving those who do not share that religion equal liberty to display THEIR beliefs.

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Odinsown 2012/06/08 13:45:16

City Violated Free Speech

+2
In a public space that is dangerously close to violating (read "a complete violation of") the atheist groups right to free speech, also his reasoning is bunk, it is obvious that the nativity scene has already caused hostility, by this logic it should be removed.

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Bastion 2012/06/08 13:22:13

City Violated Free Speech

+1
I don't like your answer choices BECAUSE:

Anybody who knows me knows that I am a hard-core atheist, I I will fight for the truth.

BUT I AGREE with the ruling. The atheists responsible for this particular sign are stupid. It attacks theism . . . that's not a holiday sign.

Next time, they should try to put up something like "The Tilt of the Earth is the Reason for the Season. Happy Holidays!" - If a judge banned THAT sign, then I'd say it was a violation of free speech.

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Freeranger 2012/06/08 12:46:18

Ban Antagonistic Atheist

Reads like sound judgment to me

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elijahin24 to Freeranger 2012/06/08 13:55:41

+2
Sounds like a clear violation of the First Amendment to me.

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Freeranger to elijahin24 2012/06/08 15:12:40

And then, some of us are lucid enough to understand the difference between free speech and antagonism, which clearly, this was.

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elijahin24 to Freeranger 2012/06/08 15:21:04

+1
I don't know what the sign said, but unless it was advocating violence against someone, I don't know what it could have said that was so antagonistic.
The government is the only thing protecting our country from being a theocracy, with no religious freedom. Christians have been chipping away at that for years. Putting Nativity Scenes on courthouse lawns is part of that campaign. Why is it that it's fine for Christians to assert their beliefs, but not atheists?

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Freeranger to elijahin24 2012/06/08 16:14:42

No one's advocating that they can't. However, anyone with a remote sense of decorum would understand that placing it directly next to a Nativity scene is nothing less than antagonistic and provocation. But then, this is Soda Head isn't it?

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elijahin24 to Freeranger 2012/06/09 05:37:08

+1
Fine, then I expect all of the "Love Jesus. Repent" billboards to be removed from the area immediately surrounding the strip clubs outside of StL.

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cmdrbnd007 2012/06/08 12:35:06

Ban Antagonistic Atheist

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AM 2012/06/08 12:25:09

Ban Antagonistic Atheist

Believe [or disbelieve] whatever you want.Intolerance and forcing your views on others is when it becomes unacceptable.

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Lefty 2012/06/08 10:00:55

Ban Antagonistic Atheist

+1
Good for the Mayor Jim Fouts.

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Disko Pickle 2012/06/08 09:01:03

City Violated Free Speech

+3
"the Nativity Scene will continue to be displayed at City Hall during the holiday season"
-----------------------------...
Did you catch that anti-Christian phrase "holiday season" by the Mayor ? And you thought the Atheists were waging a war on Xmas.

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Tara-ABO-2012 2012/06/08 08:37:50

City Violated Free Speech

+2
If they are going to allow displays of all religions beliefs as the article claims. They must also display the beliefs of Atheists or they are picking and choosing which 1st Amendment Rights they are allowing and which they are banning and that is a violation of their rights

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Stryder to Tara-AB... 2012/06/08 11:55:51

+1
The judge ruled this particular sign to be to antagonistic. I believe if they toned down their rhetoric a little it would most likely be allowed.

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bob h. to Stryder 2012/06/08 18:19:03

Yeah sort of like a 1st Amendment 2.3.

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Stryder to bob h. 2012/06/08 19:29:55 (edited)

Well, Bob, there's free speech and then there's hate speech. Without knowing the actual contents of their sign, I'm going to draw the conclusion that the judge considered it bordering on hate speech.

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Tara-AB... to Stryder 2012/06/09 18:06:53

I clicked the link, I read what the sign said and it was not hateful. It simply stated the beliefs of Atheists... It was a violation of their rights IMO

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Stryder to Tara-AB... 2012/06/09 18:20:07

I guess you'd have to talk to the judge then. I don't know what was in his head.

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NEVER FORGET, NEVER FORGIVE... 2012/06/08 08:16:15
Bastion to NEVER F... 2012/06/08 13:23:57

+2
That's my exact question for theists. Including the "hell bound" part.

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elijahin24 to NEVER F... 2012/06/08 13:56:33

+2
Why can't Christians just go on their merry self-righteous way and quit forcing their mythology on the rest of us?

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Sherlock Dog BL - a Gazillion 2012/06/08 07:38:13
MorbidCynic 2012/06/08 07:02:22

Ban Antagonistic Atheist

+1
Atheists (the liberal ones) would throw a fit if a religious sign was put next to something secular.

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elijahin24 to MorbidC... 2012/06/08 13:57:46

+1
The problem isn't that they banned the sign. The problem is that they gave favorable treatment to a specific religion. If they would disallow the nativity scene, there would be no problem.

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MorbidC... to elijahin24 2012/06/08 14:13:56 (edited)

But the atheistic group was trying to antagonize the religious group which they have no right to do.

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elijahin24 to MorbidC... 2012/06/08 14:42:29

+1
But Religious groups can antagonize us?

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daylight 2012/06/08 07:01:16 (edited)

Ban Antagonistic Atheist

+2
Is just another slap in the face by the antagonistic atheist, which they will slap you over and over and over and over and over again until you yield to their ways,,,,,,,,which their ways have a sentance of death upon them. But Christ is the way

Sail away with Christ

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elijahin24 to daylight 2012/06/08 13:58:55

+1
Then let your god judge us. In the mean time, this is a nation of religious freedom and equality, and YOU are the ones who refuse to allow it to stay that way. Not us.

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daylight to elijahin24 2012/06/11 06:56:06

Really, are you talking to me? are you talking to me? If so, you are talking to the wrong person, go to BO, and then go get some wisdom from the Catholic on what this press is putting this nation of religious freedom and equality through. Bo's the one who is refusing to allow it to stay that way.

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elijahin24 to daylight 2012/06/11 08:25:19

The press can report whatever it feels it should. The press does not have legislative power.
Please tell me one religious freedom he's taken away from you.

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daylight to elijahin24 2012/06/12 16:31:07

Press - ( president) thats what I meant. Re-read my first post and put president in the place of "press".

Please tell me one religious freedom he's taken away from you.

Forcing taxpayers to support planned parenthood. It goes against what the Lord said : I am the way the truth and the life. The evil one comes to kill, steal and destroy. God says to protect the innocent, not kill them (abortion, late term, full term) its being done. This goes against my faith. Its wrong, and as a christian I must stand up for the innocent and speak out, as I am doing now.

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elijahin24 to daylight 2012/06/12 17:32:37 (edited)

The Hyde Amendment prohibits tax dollars from being used to fund abortion. Your tax dollars are paying for mamagrams, sonagrams, and other womens health services. They have a different pot of money which are paying for abortion services. I wonder if you were as strong in your principals when President Obama's predecessor was spending ridiculous amounts of your tax dollars to fund an unjust war, or to give tax-cuts to the rich?

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