Museum in censorship row over Darwin sign - Northampton Chronicle and Echo

I'm really sick of the way everyone leaps to remove anything that's deemed offensive to bloody religious people.... I bet if there was a sign up for creationism and someone complained about it they'd be told to put up with it.

It's almost our fault though as we promised that we would never persecute the religious again after the holocaust and what the commies did, but the thing is we didn't define exactly what persecution was - we're so apologetic over things which frankly had nothing to do with us we're basically giving the nutters the run of the house. I think it's just the extreme minority which are like this and it gives a bad name to the slightly more open minded (if it's possible) and moderate religious people.

Things must be different in UK... Here it's just the opposite. If you even mention the word "Christian" in a public situation, you are immediately flogged and tortured.... well almost.

It's funny, because I feel the same way about how everyone here leaps to remove anything religious because some agnostic says it's offensive and against the seperation of church and state. I guess it's just a touchy subject with some people.

I just hate all religion...its a dangerous entity that causes death and desruction all over the world.....and its right up there with greed and power, the two other reasons this world is shit!!!

From 1 complaint? How about the person who complaining excercising their freedom of choice by not looking at the exhibit, no one was there holding this persons head making them read the frigging the document.

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Oh, for Christ's sake.

"Set a new course. There's coffee in that nebula." -- Capt. Janeway, Star Trek: Voyager

If there was such a sign (at other than a religious location) I might well complain. Here there are laws against interfering with religious services. The law against god-botherers interfering with scientific expositions seems not to have been written.

I'd complain too, but I don't think the complaint would be listened to.

I think it's fair that we do. Given that for quite a large part of history god-botherers have been able at least to stifle open debate, interfere in secular education, and at worst execute anyone not vocally part of their in-group, we are needed to bring balance to the Force, or to be the Yin to their Yang, or however we might see it.

All the while, religion has enjoyed protection from similar secular interference and, often, little perks like tax exemptions as well.

Or in other words, we claim equal rites.

I agree ... religion is one of the touchiest subjects around. It sets off people's emotional reactions very quickly.

Speaking for myself, I don't have a "knee-jerk" response to every religious statement or activity. It depends on the circumstances.

I suspect that one reason Christians (in the US, at least, since that's where I live) react negatively is that they are used to taking their religious freedom for granted. Which is as it should be, except that they are now seeing what it's like to be in the minority.

When you are in the majority, you just take it for granted that you can do what you want. You don't have to think about it. You just assume "that's how it is." Your way is the "normal" way to be. But when you are in the minority, you are always aware of what you are doing and what the potential consequences may be. You have to be: your emotional, financial and physical wellbeing may depend on it.

So when Christians (especially the fundamentalist variety) are asked to stop doing a certain thing, or at least to pause and think about it, they are quick to exclaim, "Unfair! Persecution!" But in fact, it's often just that they're now being required to do what non-Christians have always had to do ... stop and think, and consider others, and recognize that their way is not necessarily the only way to be.

To give an example, I live near a very small town that puts up Christmas decorations, including a lighted creche, at the toll booth to the bridge across the river. I don't have a problem with that, and I actually look forward to seeing it. I find it welcoming on a dark and cold night.

However, when I lived near New Orleans, I worked at courthouses in various rural parishes (that's Louisiana's word for counties.) When I'd get to the town where the courthouse was, quite often I'd see a sign put up by the local government, on public property, that said "Jesus is Lord of Franklinton" or whatever the name of the town was.

I used to think, "How can they get away with that? Don't they understand that not everyone in Franklinton is Christian? Or do they just not care?"

Eventually, they were sued in federal court, and of course the usual "persecution" claims were made. But was it, really?


There are definitely open-minded people who are religious. I know many. It's unfortunate that the current crop of hard-core fundamentalists have co-opted the term "Christian" to apply only to themselves.

"Set a new course. There's coffee in that nebula." -- Capt. Janeway, Star Trek: Voyager