Rep. Monique Davis (D-Chicago): Atheism is a danger to the state

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

The following exchange between atheist activist Rob Sherman of Buffalo Grove and Ill. Rep. Monique Davis (D-Chicago) took place Wednesday afternoon in the General Assembly as Sherman testified before the House State Government Administration Committee.

The audio: http://blogs.chicagotribune.com/news_colum...files/DAVIS.mp3

Transcript

Davis: I don’t know what you have against God, but some of us don’t have much against him. We look forward to him and his blessings. And it’s really a tragedy -- it’s tragic -- when a person who is engaged in anything related to God, they want to fight. They want to fight prayer in school.

I don’t see you (Sherman) fighting guns in school. You know?

I’m trying to understand the philosophy that you want to spread in the state of Illinois. This is the Land of Lincoln. This is the Land of Lincoln where people believe in God, where people believe in protecting their children.… What you have to spew and spread is extremely dangerous, it’s dangerous--

Sherman: What’s dangerous, ma’am?

Davis: It’s dangerous to the progression of this state. And it’s dangerous for our children to even know that your philosophy exists! Now you will go to court to fight kids to have the opportunity to be quiet for a minute. But damn if you’ll go to [court] to fight for them to keep guns out of their hands. I am fed up! Get out of that seat!

Sherman: Thank you for sharing your perspective with me, and I’m sure that if this matter does go to court---

Davis: You have no right to be here! We believe in something. You believe in destroying! You believe in destroying what this state was built upon.

http://blogs.chicagotribune.com/news_colum...onique-dav.html

[Alex+R 0]

Ugh we are so backwards sometimes.

We're a little unique in our belief in god(s) in this country. Did you know that 27 percent of French people say they believe in god? The next most pious Western country after the U.S. is Italy, at 62 percent believers. We're at 90 or so.

[Chica Yeyé 41]

Sherman does not have anything 'against God'.- He just does not believe God exists. Someone please pass Davis a chill-pill.

[Peikko 1,575]

More atheist education is required to stamp out this bigotted behaviour against them.

[Peikko 1,575]

Clearly, no one cares about atheists.

[Alex+R 0]

Nope. I'd like to stage an experiment like that one in the convenience store with the Muslim woman being discriminated against, except replace her witha guy wearing an atheist button or something.

I bet almost nobody would stand up for an atheist.

[Peikko 1,575]

Sadly I expect you are right. What is wierd is that in the absense of any proof to back up the claim, most 'anti-atheist's' seem to believe that atheism is akin to 'devil worship' which I don't quite get.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Is it immediately obvious if a person is an atheist though?

I would have though that religious persecution shares some characteristics in common with racism - certainly against muslims or anyone of particularly devout faith who wear their faith on their sleeves (or around their necks as it were).

Its hard (for me) to characterise atheism as a devout belief system - it seems (to me) to be more about apathy.

[Alex+R 0]

Is it immediately obvious if a person is an atheist though?

I would have though that religious persecution shares some characteristics in common with racism - certainly against muslims or anyone of particularly devout faith who wear their faith on their sleeves (or around their necks as it were).

Its hard (for me) to characterise atheism as a devout belief system - it seems (to me) to be more about apathy.

That's why I said they'd be wearing a pin or something. Sometimes people are persecuted for ideas. I wouldn't classify prejudice against atheists as religious prejudice, except that the prejudiced person themself is probably basing that prejudice in their own religion. But just because you can discriminate against atheists doesn't mean atheism is a religion. I guess I'm not sure what you're basing your logic on here.

eta: apatheism is based in apathy. Many atheists are really engaged with their atheism. It's not a belief system but calling it apathy is inaccurate and kind of pejorative.

[Chica Yeyé 41]

Nope. I'd like to stage an experiment like that one in the convenience store with the Muslim woman being discriminated against, except replace her witha guy wearing an atheist button or something.

I bet almost nobody would stand up for an atheist.

I would sister, and you know it.

From where I stand, other people's spirituality is none of my business, and neither is other people's business what I choose to believe in (or not to believe in).

[Dan J 277]

Is it immediately obvious if a person is an atheist though?

I would have though that religious persecution shares some characteristics in common with racism - certainly against muslims or anyone of particularly devout faith who wear their faith on their sleeves (or around their necks as it were).

Its hard (for me) to characterise atheism as a devout belief system - it seems (to me) to be more about apathy.

That's why I said they'd be wearing a pin or something. Sometimes people are persecuted for ideas. I wouldn't classify prejudice against atheists as religious prejudice, except that the prejudiced person themself is probably basing that prejudice in their own religion. But just because you can discriminate against atheists doesn't mean atheism is a religion. I guess I'm not sure what you're basing your logic on here.

eta: apatheism is based in apathy. Many atheists are really engaged with their atheism. It's not a belief system but calling it apathy is inaccurate and kind of pejorative.

In essense athiesm is a belief, but its not a religion.

Everyone has to belive something to be true, as a basis for reality. Christians belive we exist to serve God, an aethiest belives we just exist.

[Alex+R 0]

Thanks Ms. Len!

Is it immediately obvious if a person is an atheist though?

I would have though that religious persecution shares some characteristics in common with racism - certainly against muslims or anyone of particularly devout faith who wear their faith on their sleeves (or around their necks as it were).

Its hard (for me) to characterise atheism as a devout belief system - it seems (to me) to be more about apathy.

That's why I said they'd be wearing a pin or something. Sometimes people are persecuted for ideas. I wouldn't classify prejudice against atheists as religious prejudice, except that the prejudiced person themself is probably basing that prejudice in their own religion. But just because you can discriminate against atheists doesn't mean atheism is a religion. I guess I'm not sure what you're basing your logic on here.

eta: apatheism is based in apathy. Many atheists are really engaged with their atheism. It's not a belief system but calling it apathy is inaccurate and kind of pejorative.

In essense athiesm is a belief, but its not a religion.

Everyone has to belive something to be true, as a basis for reality. Christians belive we exist to serve God, an aethiest belives we just exist.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

I just have one question about atheists....why do they worship the devil?

[Chica Yeyé 41]

I just have one question about atheists....why do they worship the devil?

Cuz they are perverted minds brother....

Now, pass me my pentagram

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Is it immediately obvious if a person is an atheist though?

I would have though that religious persecution shares some characteristics in common with racism - certainly against muslims or anyone of particularly devout faith who wear their faith on their sleeves (or around their necks as it were).

Its hard (for me) to characterise atheism as a devout belief system - it seems (to me) to be more about apathy.

That's why I said they'd be wearing a pin or something. Sometimes people are persecuted for ideas. I wouldn't classify prejudice against atheists as religious prejudice, except that the prejudiced person themself is probably basing that prejudice in their own religion. But just because you can discriminate against atheists doesn't mean atheism is a religion. I guess I'm not sure what you're basing your logic on here.

eta: apatheism is based in apathy. Many atheists are really engaged with their atheism. It's not a belief system but calling it apathy is inaccurate and kind of pejorative.

I suppose I'm saying that atheism isn't a particularly obvious target for religious discrimination - the way that members of organised religious movements are. In which respect I'd say that Scientologists probably get more flak than atheists do.

On the apathy thing - For many years I used to consider myself atheist (though I don't anymore - though my own "christianity" is essentially culturally inherited rather than something I sought out, so not something that people in established church groups would likely consider particularly valid), as did many of my friends and apathy was certainly how I would characterise our outlook on it.

There are militant atheists out there like Richard Dawkins, but I've always considered him at rather the extreme end. I do however think that a lot of people who characterise themselves as atheist are really agnostic, or something in between.