Froth Slosh B'Gosh

No Satanic Display In Florida

Here comes the lawsuit?

 A Satanic display will not be joining a Festivus pole made from beer cans, an office desk chair representing the Flying Spaghetti Monster, and a nativity scene at the Florida State Capitol building.

The Florida Department of Management Services on Wednesday rejected an application to give floor space at the Capitol building to the New York-based Satanic Temple.

“The department’s position is that your proposed display is grossly offensive during the holiday season,” DMS Administrative Assistant Sherrie K. Routt told the group...

The 5-foot-by-5-foot poster the Satanists hoped to display showed an angel falling into hell along with a message reading, “Happy holidays from the Satanic Temple.”

This is a perfect example of why the government shouldn't allow any sort of religious displays on public property, because once you open that space to one point of view, you open it to all points of view, be they "joke" religions like Pastafarianism, holidays like Festivus, or beliefs like Satanism. 

If for example, a government body allowed a Wiccan group to erect a display on public property for Beltane, then they couldn't stop a Christian, or any other group from also putting up a display.  I can't think of anything that's more of a "counterpoint" to a Nativity scene than a display from a Satanist group.

If they choose to sue, I'm pretty sure they'd win.

Dreaming Of A White Santa

The stupid, it hurts.

Fox News host Megyn Kelly on Wednesday assured children viewing her program that both Jesus Christ and Santa Claus were white men even though some liberals were trying to make them black.

Fox, reporting what's really important!  I'll add that Santa, at least in his current configuration is a totally fictional character.  I'll also add that there is scant evidence for a historical Jesus as well, and even if such a person did exist, it is unlikely he looked like a European.

Merry Christmas!

No, Merry Christmas doesn't offend me.  Neither does Happy Holidays.  So no matter what your belief system, have a wonderful time, and best wishes for a new year.

I'll be heading to Virginia, so expect light posting until after the New Year.

I Smell A Lawsuit

The taxpayers of Chester, PA will likely pay a heavy price for their religious bigotry.

Chester County Pennsylvania commissioners rejected arguments this morning (Nov. 29) to rescind Resolution 58-10, which was enacted to exclude non-Judeo-Christian winter displays from the county courthouse lawn during the winter season. The resolution was originally intended to kick out the Freethought Society’s Tree of Knowledge from sharing equal space with the Jesus crèche and a Hanukkah menorah. This year, the Evangelical Pastafarian Church also requested a space on the courthouse lawn.

What puts the county in a more hazardous legal position, IMHO, is that the resolution only allows holiday displays owned by the county to be displayed, and the county only purchased decorations that are Judeo-Christian themed.  A county is, of course, a governmental agency, making their decision one that endorses a certain religious viewpoint.  They'd been on firmer, but still shaky ground if they allowed outside groups to put up displays (of course, that was the antebellum norm, which the resolution seeks to subvert), but again, if they did that, they'd have to open the grounds to anyone who wants to put up a display, and Resolution 58-10 appears worded specifically to exclude displays that do not conform to the Judeo-Christian norm.

If a lawsuit is filed, I do not see how any sane or sober judge could wind up ruling for the county.

 

No Nativity

Christianists lose in their efforts to force a municipality to allow them to set up a nativity on public property.

 City Council voted to ban all private, unattended displays in city parks. The city cited other reasons for the prohibition, including damage to the park's turf and some residents' statements that they would prefer unobstructed ocean views to seasonal displays.

Of course, that doesn't really mean "no nativity scene."  the display can still be erected on private property.  Perhaps the front lawn of a church would be a good place to start?

WoodyAllenJesus

If you're wondering why this is starting to pop up all over the intertubes, go here.

Festivus!

Christmas Shopping Aggression

I dislike shopping.  I want to get in, get out, and get home where I can lounge about in my PJ's and watch My Local Sports Team on the television.  As such, I try and know exactly what I want to get everybody on my "nice" list for Christmas, and where I'm going to get those items. 

List in hand, I headed to the shopping district closest to my route home from work, figuring a Wednesday evening would be less crowded than a weekend a couple of weeks before Christmas. 

Things went pretty smoothly, until I hit the mall's main concourse.  There, vendors in temporary booths lurk.  Most of clerks staffing these kiosks are just bored, waiting for someone to approach their wares and ring up the sale.  But some are staffed by the more predatory, aggressive hard sales types.  Those clerks are usually selling useless, overpriced junk like Power bands, turnip twaddlers, or chiropractic services.

As I made my way towards my next destination, I was approached by a sales guy trying to get me to feel some gel thingy he had in his hand (No, it was not Jerry Sandusky).  To give this guy credit, when I told him I wasn't interested, he backed off.  Fine.  I understand that these guys work on commission, and part of that involves trying find an opening to make a pitch, but "no" means "no."  So thank you, Mr. Gelthingy Representative, for taking my polite "no" in stride.

It was the next guy who got my bile rising.  "Have I got a deal for you!' he bellowed from across the concourse. 

"No Thanks."

"But I can save you money!" 

"I'm not interested in what you're selling."

"You don't even KNOW what I'm selling! (Yes, I do, you were over at the Verizon kiosk, and you're wearing a Verizon polo shirt, so you're either selling a phone, a cellular contract, or a data plan.  You don't have a phone in your hand to show me, so its a cell phone plan or data services.)

"No thank you" as I keep walking.

This toolbag continued following me, "Just give me a few minutes, I can save you moneeeeeyyyy!"

Finally I rounded on him "Look, I said NO!  Now leave me alone, stop bothering me!"  I was a bit loud, people stared. 

" Merry Christmas" he snorted, and he obviously didn't mean it.  I just kept walking.