Undercurrent of Atheist Mockery at Travis AFB Christmas Display
A variety of sites have noted the decision by Travis AFB to defend its nativity and Menorah. A few have noted the Travis AFB chaplains helped local atheist Airman SSgt Dan Rawlings erect an atheist display.
As more find out about it, more commenters are also questioning the Air Force’s decision to allow the atheist sign — not because of the sign itself, but the “flying spaghetti monster” on it [ellipses original]:
the flying spaghetti monster display is now up…mocking every belief out there. They had a great opportunity to be recognized and they turned it into a mockery. Sad, really. Great job staff sergeant…17 years without a complaint, you come along…complain, then mock everyone with your display. Isn’t that against military policies…to mock others?
As noted previously, even local non-religious people have said the atheists appear to be mocking their fellow Airmen by including the “flying spaghetti monster” on their sign. Again, as said before, official articles indicate the Air Force has a “zero tolerance” policy on “disparaging” others’ race, ethnicity, sex, color, disability…and religion.
The FSM was “invented” several years ago…as a parody for God.
The nativity allows Christians to celebrate Christmas. The Menorah allows Jews to celebrate Hanukkah. The 22 other cards allow military members of any persuasion to celebrate Santa, gift-giving, family, or whatever they want.
The atheists are the only ones to use their display to belittle the beliefs of their fellow Airmen, rather than celebrate something of their own.
If this were any other belief system, Michael Weinstein and Jason Torpy would be excoriating the military for making servicemembers feel like ‘second class’ citizens. But then, the central tenet of atheism seems to be mockery, doesn’t it? As said before, atheists are establishing themselves as nothing more than an asterisk on Christianity.
Come now JD. If the Flying Spaghetti Monster mocks God isn’t it fair to say that God mocks the Flying Spaghetti monster?
Since there is no empirical evidence to support the existence of either, aren’t they in the same boat?
The Atheist is mocked every day in Christian publications, church services and the military. Even the Pagans take it in the shorts from Military and even Congress.
I think its eminently fair that turnabout is fair play.
No special rights or protections for Christianity if its mockers of Atheism and Paganism are not prevented from doing so.
“Great job staff sergeant…17 years without a complaint, you come along…complain”
How long did the Dark Ages last? Man that idiot who came up with the Magna Carta is such a complainer… I can’t imagine he would want to change hundreds of years of feudalistic oppression.
Just because something has been happening for a long time does not make it alright. How long did we have slavery? How long were women not allowed to vote. How long were Christians persecuted in ancient Rome?
They had the audacity to complain, and so do I.
Dan Rawlings
@Dan Rawlings
Interesting that you chose to reply to the 13 or so words in the middle while ignoring the actual topic of the entire comment, which was repeated four times within it.
Would you like to comment on that?
How come this tiny minority of supposedly oppressed and powerless individuals are allowed to bend all the rules while the rest of us have to walk on a very thin line? That’s what i want to know. If this is what the militant-atheists mean by “oppression” i don’t even want to know what they mean by “equality”…
@Andrew B.
The reason is constitutional fairness. If majority religions were able to walk all over minorities then our founding principles would be violated.
Whether Christian or Hindu, your beliefs have equal positions in Democracy. When one religion seeks to marginalize another they fall afoul of our charter.
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