Reader comments
Readers' forum: Stop whining about crosses

What? | 7:45 a.m. Dec. 7, 2007

This is quite the stupid and narrow-minded letter. I'm Atheist and guess what... I celebrate Christmas and if I lost a loved one in a car accident I'd be there that day putting a cross on the side of the road.
Why do you hate Atheists? Maybe you should open your heart to everyone.

Kevin | 7:47 a.m. Dec. 7, 2007

I'm not bothered by execution symbols scattered across the land. I prefer to be called "antitheist," though.

DM | 8:23 a.m. Dec. 7, 2007

What generous Christian spirit! Thank you, Mr.Christensen, for kindly showing us why we are wrong to ask for freedom from religious bias.

Comments continue below

So what | 9:30 a.m. Dec. 7, 2007

If an officer is a christian and his family wishes a memorial cross, I (an actual atheist) could care less. I don't have a single hive. But please don't have a cow if someone elects a Star of David or something else.

A little tip. Often readers of this paper like to complain about the intolerance of atheists or liberals or whatever. Calm down. There's just as much diversity of opinion among those groups as anyone else. I know Mormons who are intolerant. Does that mean that ALL Mormons are intolerant? Hardly. There's a handy little saying in the Bible (yep, this atheist knows the Bible) that says you shouldn't complain about the mote in someone else's eye when there's a beam in your own. Good advice.

l | 9:33 a.m. Dec. 7, 2007

That's not quite right, Kevin. The cross is a symbol of torture also, not just execution.

Brad Anderson | 9:35 a.m. Dec. 7, 2007

Then get off of your high horse and stop thinking that your religion should be promoted by OUR Government. If TAX dollars go to pay for YOUR Religious symbols, then it is wrong. Are you so arrogant that you believe that YOUR god is more important than all of the many god's out there?
A secular Government is good for religion. It is why Mormonism was ever created. Wouldn't have happened if the government endorsed a certain religion.
I'm not afraid of people who don't beleive in super natural being's, it's the people who are obeying a being that they have never seen, heard, or ACTUALLY spoken to that have me worried. I don't have a problem with a god, I have a problem with the people that think they speak for him/her/it/them.

Anonymous | 10:05 a.m. Dec. 7, 2007

Crosses, flags ...
Some people are so wrapped up in symbols they shut down mentally and do nothing else.

An athestist here! | 10:13 a.m. Dec. 7, 2007

Your commentary comes off as whining to me. What day is it, today? I'm an atheist. Today, is the fourth day of Hanukkah. There are other religions in America besides the Mormonism that was forced on me growing up in Utah. We said LDS prayers in public schools then. And I said: "One nation invisible, under god."

I place gods with big foot and UFO's. I do owe an apology to any Jewish children who sat through the prayers I said to appease my LDS brotheren. I showed no respect to the faith of Americans who didn't share mine religion.

I like Christmas. I listen to Christmas music. I don't believe in reindeer with glowing red noses ether. I like the symbolic simplicity of the cross.

My complaint is: if you can pay for crosses, you can pay for a Star of David. How you can return to watching Fox News. They have done a great job of telling you what I believe. Misrepresent my beliefs but just don't misrepresent Mormons!

Bob | 10:27 a.m. Dec. 7, 2007

The road signs marking dead troopers do not have anything to do with religion. They are simply advertising for the highway patrol in their justification of their services. The highway patroll officers should be respected and admired for their courage and sevice but that respect and admiration should be done while ther're alive.

For every officer killed there are hundreds, perhaps thousands of other people who lose their lives along the highway who never get a cross or any recognition.

The crosses do not honor the dead because they're not there. They are somewhere else probably in a cemetary where their remains and their monument belong.

I believe that the crosses should be done away with simply because they are not necessary and a waste of money.

James Huber | 10:59 a.m. Dec. 7, 2007

Whether or not we're offended is not the issue. Whether or not the government favors one religion or group of religions is the issue. If the government puts up a manger scene, and only a manger scene, that gives Christianity special government support. Anyone who pays the slightest attention to history or current world events should know just how bad things can get when we allow religion and government become entangled.

Anonymous | 11:30 a.m. Dec. 7, 2007

No, "I"
The cross has been and always has been a symbol of Christianity.
A reminder that Christ died for your sins.

RangerGordon | 1:40 p.m. Dec. 7, 2007

I don't know how long it's been since I've heard an atheist complain about crosses.

It seems like this time of year it's always the Christians who start hollering and picketing whenever a store puts up a sign that says "Happy Holidays."

The atheists have no corner on the market when it comes to whining.

Anonymous | 2:08 p.m. Dec. 7, 2007

You should know all about whining, RangerGordon,
You're doing a good job of it yourself.

still suffering from bigots | 2:46 p.m. Dec. 7, 2007

None of this would have ever happened had athiests not sued.

lamonte | 4:11 p.m. Dec. 7, 2007

David - what's really "tiresome" is the annual whining of Christians who claim their religious rights are being trampled on becauser they can't put images of Christ in the public square. I am a Christian (well I think I am but those evangelicals that do most of the whining don't think so) and I have never EVER felt threatened, been criticized and certainly not harrassed for expressing my religions believes - not anywhere! Let's stop making a an issue out of something that doesn't exist. Drink some egg-nog, sing a carol, donate to the Salvation Army bucket, get in the Christmas spirit and you'll forget all about those nasty athiests and you might even have compassion for them as they have no place to go on Christmas day.

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