American Atheists CaliforniaRALLY FOR REMOVAL OF RELIGIOUS REFERENCES IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCEAND ON NATIONAL CURRENCYTuesday, December 4, 2007San Francisco Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals BuildingAmerican Atheists California, in conjunction with Bay Area Atheist and Humanist groups, will rally in front of the San Francisco Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals building on Tuesday, December 4, to support the idea of removing religious references and slogans in the Pledge of Allegiance and on national currency.In 2004, when Michael Newdow argued before the Supreme Court for removal of ?under god? in the Pledge of Allegiance, California Atheists showed their support by rallying at the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.The court dismissed that suit due to lack of standing and never addressed the real issues. Undaunted, Newdow found parents with solid standing and is now representing them in a new suit.In addition, the prolific Dr. Newdow has another suit that challenges placement of the religious slogan ?In God We Trust? on our nation?s currency. Both suits are now before the Ninth Circuit. Oral arguments have been set for December 4 in San Francisco.The rally is a celebration of unity among god-free Californians intended to not only support Dr. Newdow, but also encourage the Ninth Circuit to adhere to its landmark 2002 decision.The rally will begin at 7:30 a.m. and include a program of speakers. Signs will be provided. Both cases are scheduled for the morning session, and participants are welcome to attend court proceedings after the rally (seating on a first-come, first-served basis).The Richard Dawkins website (richarddawkins.net) is planning to tape the event for broadcast. Help us make a good showing in support of First Amendment rights.WHAT: Rally at the San Francisco Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals building (Seventh and Mission) for removing religious references and slogans in the Pledge of Allegiance and on national currencyWHEN: Tuesday, December 4, 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. MORE INFO: www.sanfranciscoatheists.com, (415) 771-9872, dksf@atheists.org. CONTACT: Dave Kong, California State Director for American Atheists dkong@atheists.org, http://www.atheists.org/ca (AMERICAN ATHEISTS is a nationwide movement that defends civil rights for Atheists, Freethinkers and other nonbelievers; works for the total separation of church and state; and addresses issues of First Amendment public policy.)
From stilhorn:
From phreedm:
Phreedm,
Of course the Declaration was a historic event and should be considered an invaluable founding document of our country. It was an appeal from reason to the British authorities to release the colonies from their dictatorial rule.
While I can certainly see why you think references to a creator/nature’s god imply references to your christian god, and therefore we must be a christian nation, you would be remiss.
The primary architect of the Declaration, Thomas Jefferson, was a deist. He, like many of the other founding fathers, were heavily influenced by the age of enlightenment, which was a revolt against religious (guess which religion in particular) and political tyranny. He personally found christianity to be absurd for many of the same reasons modern day atheists do, although he admired the morality of jesus. (I personally find it hard to admire the life of a fictional deity, but that’s another story). Jefferson’s religious views and influences are very well documented, and permeate throughout the document.
That being said, however important the document might have been, it has absolutely no legal authority in our government today. Good luck trying to sue someone for abridging your “pursuit of happiness” as protected by the Declaration of Independence.
Toad
Do you really think that invoking the name of mythological beings, on the political stage our elsewhere, is going to help us solve the real problems that we as a nation and species face?
Your particular variety of our species will be effectively extinct within our lifetimes. Good riddance to you my friend.
Comment from Phreedm:
Could it be because it was the xtian population the courts didn’t trust to tell the truth??
Good one justme!
Phreedm,
My view is that the FF included “We the PEOPLE in order to form a more perfect union” was inserted because they knew it was going to be a government set up and ran by people.
The xian trolls here are so ignorant… and angry…
Why so much anger, xians…?
Rusty
They’ve probably been spending too much time reading the Old Testy-ment.
Good one, Karen!
Phreedm,
Of course Hermeneutics originated with Biblical exegesis…but go BEYOND the origins…check out the rest of the wikipedia article…especially 20th century hermeneutics and the impact it has had on the study of ALL texts…A text is more than the written word…Read the whole article. It really is VERY useful in life….at least we agree on that one.
Hermeneutics Rocks!!!! Just had to say that
Phreedm…
I think most of the folks on this blog are asking you to contextualize the texts you cite. Hermeneutics is the way to understand the FF or any text. Go beyond “hermeneutics originated in the study of the Bible”. Of course it did! But check out the next quote:
“Heidegger, the founder of the hermeneutic paradigm, rejected the traditional account of cultural activity as a search for universally valid foundations for human action and knowledge. His main work, Sein und Zeit (1927), develops a holistic epistemology according to which all meaning is context-dependent and permanently anticipated from a particular horizon, perspective or background of intelligibility.”
There is so much more…go to
interesting stuff…
http://www.webcom.com/~paf/hlinks/hherm.html