Merry Christmas My Atheist Friends!

Members of the FFRF displaying their banner on public property

There are many things we can count on during Christmas, and some of those things I wish just wouldn't happen but they do. One such thing is the seasonal, but ongoing, battle waged by atheists against anything that would have something to do with Christ put on public display by a government (e.g. see this FOX news article here). One rancorous atheist group working full time to ensure that governments in the US are cleansed of any mention of the Triune God or Christ is the Freedom From Religion Foundation. The FFRF is presided over by an ex-Pentecostal minister, Dan Barker. In fact, I chatted with Mr. Barker on the phone years ago when I was an atheist and a member of the FFRF. I, too, had been a Pentecostal pastor prior to becoming an atheist and joining in with other "evangelical" atheists around the country to fight the evil Christians who dared to put a Christmas creche on public property!

The Scriptures rightly describe atheists as fools (see Psalm 14:1). Certainly what organizations such as the Freedom From Religion Foundation are doing is foolish. Whether these atheists like it or not, Christmas has as its historical roots a celebration of the advent of the Messiah, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world, Jesus Christ. Like it or not, Christians have chosen to celebrate the birth of Christ on December 25th and there may always be areas in the country where people want to see nativity scenes decorating public walkways and the like on that day. Indeed, one doesn't even have to be a Christian to understand that "Christmas" is about Jesus' birthday. Even my Buddhist Mother-in-law gets that! 

As a Christian I simply can't understand why the evangelical atheists, such as Dan Barker and company, just can't stop from falling all over each other in their efforts to stop city halls from putting up a nativity scene. What gives? After all, assembling a collection of plastic dolls made to resemble a scene depicting a new born baby Jesus in a bed of hay on public property is not an establishment of religion by the state. In other words, a Christmas creche on public grounds is not an action by government prohibiting the free exercise of any other religion. Would the atheists kindly point out how such is a violation of the establishment clause of the US Constitution? Besides, what other religions are vying for precious public space to put on display items which signify their celebrations on December 25th? Well, apparently those religious nuts of atheism are just such people.

The members of the Freedom From Religion Foundation don't seem to mind at all celebrating the Winter Solstice, a pagan holy day, on December 21st as evidenced by the banners they create and fight to place on public property. The banners they've created read, "At this season of THE WINTER SOLSTICE may reason prevail. There are no gods, no devils, no angels, no heaven, no hell. There is only our natural world. Religion is but myth and superstition that hardens hearts and enslaves minds" (source).  

Is Dan Barker seeking out the government to establish a pagan day of celebration, the winter solstice, in lieu of placing one of their ridiculous banners on government property? I don't think so, so why does the FFRF believe that a creche on public property establishes religion? Aren't these atheists being hypocrites? Aren't they pushing a "religious celebration," namely the Winter Solstice, in tribute to their "god" reason?

The fact of the matter is that evangelical atheists, such as those belonging to the Freedom From Religion Foundation, ironically hate God. The very being they claim has no existence, they spend night and day fighting. Where are the anti-Santa Claus movements? Indeed, why isn't the FFRF fighting to have Santa Claus and Rudolph depictions removed from government buildings, since don't they send a message connected to Christmas? I'll tell you why Barker and company don't fight to have things such as a drawing of Santa Claus removed from a public school. They don't do it because Santa Claus doesn't really exist, but God does and His existence is evident all around us (Romans 1:20). Dan Barker and the evangelical atheists fight as hard as they do, because they want to eradicate from their hearts the constant gnawing of the knowledge that their Creator truly exists and they are in trouble with Him. 

This Christmas I want to wish all my atheist friends a very Merry CHRISTmas!  I also want to suggest they get over themselves and stop fighting "city hall" so hard on the issue of Christmas decorations, such as a nativity scene, being placed on public property. Since Christ is just a figment of the Christian's imagination, then the members of the Freedom From Religion Foundation, or any other atheists, shouldn't be so worked up.

Have a Merry CHRISTmas my friends and remember that the reason for the season is the Lamb of God, Christ Jesus, who died on a cross to take away the sins of the whole world. That is truly something to be celebrated, not just once a year, but everyday.