There has been no mention of tax dollars being used. Even if tax dollars were used, they put up displays by each religion that requested an addition. I could argue that, by restricting the use of tax dollars by any religious organization, government effectively endorses atheism.Agent_Dung_Bomb wrote:
I have no problem with what you said, because I essentially said the same thing on page one. However, we disagree on the point of using tax dollars. These displays should not be done using a single red cent of tax payer money. If a group wants to privately fund it, so be it. I have no problem with the location of the displays, as long as they are temporary during a holiday, and as long as all belief systems have the same opportunity. But no tax dollars, period.Stingray24 wrote:
It would not cause an outrage during a Muslim holiday season, nor would a Muslim display endorse Islam over other religions. In the same way, the nativity is singular only because Christianity is the only religion celebrating their most holy holiday this time of year. Next year, Hanukkah will fall on December 22nd so a if Jews would like a Menorah displayed alongside, it should be included. Then when Ramadan comes around in the fall season, Muslims can have their display. The Muslim or Jewish display would not infringe on my religious freedom in any way. Muslims are taxpayers just like everyone else and as long as they aren't forcing conversion I'm good. I wholeheartedly disagree that any religious display is endorsement and not simple acknowledgment and expression. That is where we differ.Drakef wrote:
Stingray, you know as well as anyone else that a Muslim display would cause a tremendous outrage that the government would allocate tax dollars to a Muslim monument and that it endorsed the religion over others. It is completely apt, and demonstrates why there are those of us who would protest the advocation of Christianity and the allocation of tax dollars to set up a nativity scene. It is not enough that atheists are able to set up their own display (never mind that atheism is not an organized group that endorses any particular theme that would be sufficient for a display), but that if the government creates a nativity scene, should they not create an atheist display, or a Muslim display, or a Jewish display? A nativity scene by the government is not a religious expression, but a religious endorsement. It should be protected that anyone can create a religious expression (that does not infringe on others), but not that a singular one is protected by the government.
A Santa Claus display was included along with a wreath with a pentacle at the request of Wicca followers, so there goes the singular endorsement argument.