Love thy neighbor already!

When it comes to religion, I don’t like to be very vocal about it.

Now don’t get me wrong, I have nothing against religion. On the contrary: being raised as a Lutheran has helped me become the person I am today.

It has taught me to treat my friends and neighbors with the dignity and respect they deserve as fellow human beings, even if they are of a different religion than me or if they have no religion or spiritual beliefs at all.

But recently, the New Jersey-based group American Atheists has been granted permission to build a monument in honor of atheists at a county courthouse in Florida later this month.

What makes it ironic is that it will be placed right next to a pre-existing monument of the Ten Commandments, which the group claims — citing the First Amendment — should not be displayed on government property.

I know a few people who consider themselves atheists.

I have no problem engaging in a friendly conversation about our different points of view.
But if there was ever a way to show that Christians and atheists have it out for each other, this would be it.

First of all, the Ten Commandments monument shouldn’t even be there in the first place. Call me blasphemous if you want, but the First Amendment clearly states that “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or the free exercise thereof.”

Church and State are separated for a reason. Said reason is to ensure that citizens can practice whatever faith they choose without being bullied into submission or change by the overzealous powers that be.

Second, by placing the monument to atheism right next to the one of the Ten Commandments, atheists are not setting a good example for themselves or those they wish to educate.

This is not the way to open up a healthy dialogue between those who have faith in a higher power and those who do not. All this is doing is giving Christians more fuel for the fire. This action does nothing but breed hatred against those who see the world differently than they do.

What I’m trying to say is that I just don’t see why the atheist community feels any need to have its own monument in the first place.

I understand and respect that it’s your right to free speech.

But, to me, it just doesn’t seem like the right way to demonstrate to the world that you respect other religions as much as you would want to be respected.

­— tjollo@indiana.edu