The Theocratic Agenda

Recently, Greta Christina published a blog post about the reactions of locals in Bryan/College Station, Texas, to having an atheist group in the holiday parade.  The atheist group did nothing "rude" or "insulting", yet the locals felt insulted by their very presence.  Greta made the point, which I believe to be totally accurate, that the comments of the locals indicate their true agenda:  Their "outrage" at the "rudeness" of atheists is really just a demand for theocracy.

Just to drive home her point:  Here is a link to a story about the state government of Tennessee listing the ACLU as a terrorist organization after it sent letters to school superintendents in the state reminding them that sectarian holiday celebrations were a violation of the Constitution.

What this shows, unfortunately, is that when believers achieve positions of power in our government, they quickly ignore "man's law" in order to follow "god's law".  I have personally experienced this phenomenon.  The more authoritarian their religious views are, the more certain is this result--and the more extreme.  I can also attest that the more moderate religious believers will usually do absolutely nothing to stop this sort of thing.

Also revealing is the way that state officials tried (and lied) to cover up what they did.  Every time the local paper pointed something out that tended to prove their unethical and un-Constitutional intent, they would make a change in their website and claim that the previous version had been an error.  Like I said before, the religious lie unashamedly, especially when it's about their religion and their efforts to force others to comply with it.

What else can you expect from people who have been taught that being caught and punished is the only basis for determining right and wrong?

Read the comments at the end of the story.  Some of them are scary, but revealing.  Others are actually sufficiently intelligent and tolerant that I am encouraged enough to think humanity might actually crawl out of the pit in which it is living.  Those surprised me.  Atheists and people who believe in freedom!  Living in Tennessee!