Do you know why they called it "the Dark Ages?"

Take a gander at this article, (http://fb.me/IPDCnpJ1) then consider the fact that it is the year 2011. Pilots are refusing to fly these simple banners stating things like "Atheism is Patriotic" on the 4th of July because of threats of violence and the possibility of losing their jobs! I lived in Kuwait City for some time, and was in Iraq in '04 and '05 and this smacks of the same kind of religious bullshit that occurs in these ass-backwards hell holes. Apparently people have forgotten that this country was founded on the basis of religious FREEDOM and not Christian principles! Many Religious Right activists have attempted to rewrite history by asserting that the United States government derived from Christian foundations, that our Founding Fathers originally aimed for a Christian nation. This idea simply does not hold to the historical evidence.

The United States Constitution serves as the law of the land for America and indicates the intent of our Founding Fathers. The Constitution forms a secular document, and nowhere does it appeal to God, Christianity, Jesus, or any supreme being. (For those who think the date of the Constitution contradicts the last sentence, see note 1 at the end.) The U.S. government derives from people (not God), as it clearly states in the preamble: "We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect Union...." The omission of God in the Constitution did not come out of forgetfulness, but rather out of the Founding Fathers purposeful intentions to keep government separate from religion.

Seeing as Monday is the 4th of July let's address the Declaration of Independence. Many Christian's who think of America as founded upon Christianity usually present the Declaration of Independence as "proof" of a Christian America. The reason appears obvious: the Declaration mentions God. (You may notice that some Christians avoid the Constitution, with its absence of God.) However, the Declaration of Independence does not represent any law of the United States. It came before the establishment of our lawful government (the Constitution). The Declaration aimed at announcing the separation of America from Great Britain and it listed the various grievances with them. The Declaration includes the words, "The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America." The grievances against Great Britain no longer hold today, and we have more than thirteen states. Although the Declaration may have influential power, it may inspire the lofty thoughts of poets and believers, and judges may mention it in their summations, it holds no legal power today. It represents a historical document about rebellious intentions against Great Britain at a time before the formation of our government. Of course the Declaration stands as a great political document. Its author aimed at a future government designed and upheld by people and not based on a superstitious god or religious monarchy. It observed that all men "are created equal" meaning that we all have the natural ability of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. That "to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men." Please note that the Declaration says nothing about our rights secured by Christianity. It bears repeating: "Governments are instituted among men." Moreover, the mentioning of God in the Declaration does not describe the personal God of Christianity. Thomas Jefferson who held deist beliefs, wrote the majority of the Declaration. The Declaration describes "the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God." This nature's view of God agrees with deist philosophy and might even appeal to those of pantheistic beliefs, but any attempt to use the Declaration as a support for Christianity will fail for this reason alone.

Finally the fact the US was not founded on any Christian (or otherwise religious) principles is spelled out in plain terms, in black and white in the Treaty of Tripoli. "As the Government of the United States of America is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion.." How could it possibly be anymore clear?

So any claims that being an Atheist, Agnostic or otherwise in opposition to Christian beliefs are unpatriotic is absolutely false! The fact that so many pilots refused to fly these banners for such idiotic reasons makes me furious. This is a free speech issue and I hope someone with the means will take legal action against these people for denying us as Atheists our constitutional right to publicly share our beliefs, or lack there-of.

I cannot believe this is happening in the US in 2011, what IS this world coming to? Are we in fact getting dumber??? You be the judge.

Have a happy and safe 4th everyone!