Atheist activists have filed a lawsuit through the ACLU against the U.S. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) last week to have the Declaration of Independence removed from public viewing at the Capitol Rotunda. The activists maintain that a document with multiple references to God in its text prominently displayed on government property is completely 'unconstitutional' in addition to being highly 'offensive.'

The claimants, a newly registered non-profit group, Organizing for Secular Justice, have issued a press-release with this explanation: "For far too long has the religious right been suppressing our liberties by force-feeding the idea of a Christian God to individuals under the guise of freedom. To evolve past such archaic ideas and superstitions is an idea whose time has come. This charade of bigotry ends now!"

If the lawsuit is successful, the Declaration of Independence will be removed from the Rotunda of the National Archives and placed into permanent storage, away from the public eye.

"We're better off this way," said Bryon Fuller, one of the directors at Organizing for Secular Justice. "As long as there remains any reference to God of any kind in a public building, especially within that outdated wrinkled-up piece of paper showcased in the Capitol, there it will remain as a monument to ignorance, tyranny, and oppression of everyday Americans. In its current form the Declaration of Independence is by far the biggest threat to our liberties. There is no place for it in a truly free and modern society."

"Our agenda is not as radical as some may think," noted Fuller. "We don't want to destroy the Declaration of Independence or even to hide it from the public forever, we're not barbarians. But while it is in storage, our plan is to give it a little, shall we call it, cosmetic face-lift with the help of Europe's top art restoration authorities, namely, the Royal Office of Antiquities based in London, England. They will carefully restore the Declaration of Independence by carefully scraping off language related to 'God,' 'liberty,' and 'independence,' using the skills and techniques they've become famous for while repairing priceless but damaged works of art. Once historical and secular justice is restored, we'll allow the document to be put back on public display."

Activists at Organizing for Secular Justice are inclined to keep terms like "Laws of Nature" in the first paragraph of the Declaration of Independence, which says, "to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them," but they are adamant about removing "and Nature's God" from the original.

"The phrase may have had some weight back in the 18th century," explained Fuller, "but in our age of science and progress it means absolutely nothing and only confuses students in Common Core social studies, who understand 'Laws of Nature' as Darwin's evolution and 'a higher and more powerful intelligence' as the federal government in Washington, D.C."

The movement started by Organizing for Secular Justice has already gained momentum among progressive educators and policymakers. The majority of academics and political experts echo the activists' claims that the writers of the 200-year-old Declaration may have been scientific ignoramuses and political simpletons. The most commonly cited evidence of that is the Founders' preference for guns and violence instead of civilized diplomacy in negotiating the tax status of the thirteen colonies with Great Britain, as well their clinging to religion and "God" as a means to justify such violence.

In their press-release, Organizing for Secular Justice expressed confidence in the success of their action, saying that their claim is rooted in a modern-day scientific consensus that the Declaration of Independence is nothing more than a collection of primitive superstitions, trivialities, hoary bromides, and patently offensive stereotypes, which have no place in a dynamic world that is increasingly moving forward towards progress, equality, and social justice.

Do not forget also to remove the words "man" and "men" (sexism, trans- and homophobia, and speciesism) and any references to their having been "created" equal. Also that bit about being justified in ridding oneself of tyrants.... No, indeed it may be best simply to let the nasty document be accidentally "erased" in transit.

[img]images/clipart/Prog_Off.gif[/img]What is up with all of you “atheists?” Hmmmm? I have many beloved friends who are self-described atheists. They are ethical, kind, benevolent, just the best people you would ever want to know. In so many ways, they embody the principles of free will, voluntary love, charity, kindness.

Where do you suppose these traits come from? Do they choose to live this way? Why yes, they do. This country was built upon the Christian principles of Free Will, etc. If you force people to love you, well, that is not love. It's tyranny. To erase America's history is tantamount to tyranny.

America is the most loving, generous, kind nation ever created on the face of the earth. Have we made mistakes? Absolutely. Are we perfect? No. No human being is perfect. Still we prevailed under the most difficult circumstances. Our Founding Fathers risked their lives and sacred honor (something they valued) to create this most unique country. Some of them actually did lose their lives, fortunes and/or their relatives.

You “new” atheists have an agenda, and that agenda is to destroy America. You are trying to “force feed” the nothingness you feel down my throat.

You make me gag. (but, not my 1st Amendment Rights)

Here's a little number from the venerable Paul Harvey, known for telling "the rest of the story":

You “new” atheists have an agenda, and that agenda is to destroy America. You are trying to “force feed” the nothingness you feel down my throat.

The Atheists of Old are now considered the Agnostics of today and spat upon for not being pure enough to be the glorious godless citizens of the state collective that we need them to be.

The correct term for the Modern Glorious Atheist that Supports the State and hates the Opiate of the Masses that is Religion with all the Fervor of one of Brother Stalin's Glorious Purges is: "Stathiest" pronounced "Stay-Thee-ist".

AlphabetSoupNotSee wrote:

You “new” atheists have an agenda, and that agenda is to destroy America. You are trying to “force feed” the nothingness you feel down my throat.

The Atheists of Old are now considered the Agnostics of today and spat upon for not being pure enough to be the glorious godless citizens of the state collective that we need them to be.

The correct term for the Modern Glorious Atheist that Supports the State and hates the Opiate of the Masses that is Religion with all the Fervor of one of Brother Stalin's Glorious Purges is: "Stathiest" pronounced "[highlight=#ffff00]Stay-Thee-ist[/highlight]".

That's thetch a thweet name. (pronounced, "thweet")