Fox News’ Facebook page was flooded with threats calling for the rape, crucifixion, and murder of atheists. The cause? Blair Scott, Communications Director of American Atheists, appeared on Fox News to defend their lawsuit against the Ground Zero cross. Just look at some of the examples one blog collected:
Frankly, however you feel about the cross lawsuit* it irrelevant – no one deserves to be treated like this. I can’t get over how despicable these messages are. I may disagree strongly – very strongly – with some religious people, but I never wish them dead. I know this doesn’t represent all Christians, but it certainly debunks the notion that religion automatically makes you a good person.
*And if you want to know how I feel about it… go read the incredibly well written article by James Croft. No point rehashing what he already said so eloquently.
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Fox News is not exactly the media choice for the best and brightest of people…
As long as we can keep getting screen shots like this, we have their names (and in many cases, their pictures), so their hate will be immortalized for everyone to see. Incredible.
And for the record, this Christian is ashamed of what others wrote on that Facebook page. Considering that Christians are killed in other countries for practicing their faith, you’d think that American Christians (who have it pretty darn easy) wouldn’t stoop to such idiocy.
Oh my gosh. This is so sad. It makes me sad not just for me, but for my small daughter growing up in a family with two atheist parents. Her life won’t be easy.
The cops are going to be so busy!
Most polite way of putting it, ever.
Pretty sure this isn’t new to most of the readers here, and it doesn’t make their threats and ideologies any less threatening, terrifying, or real.
Most offensive is the “waste of oxygen” comment. Duh, don’t they know it just gets cycled back through the environment? What an outlandish slander, I demand a retraction!!!
I don’t understand the hate some people harbor toward those who are different.
Oh, if only.
They probably don’t understand the water cycle, either.
I tried sharing this post on Facebook. I seems a few religious people decided to whine and report the content as “spam or abuse.” FB as usual gives no reason for blocking it overall. You may want to check and ask around.
Don’t feed the troll, please.
That’s how they rigged up Fonzie’s bike to jump that shark, right? A water cycle?I can’t wait until we can look back and say, “This is when the third great awakening of American religiosity jumped the shark.”
Comments such as those show a disrespect for life and logic that may be more numerous among viewers of that “news” outlet than was previously thought. They are borne of a lack of intelligence, combined with xenophobia, authoritarianism, and a tendency to blindly follow.On a lighter note, at Governor/Pastor Rick Perry’s tent revival Saturday, he compassionately offered Texas death row inmates the choice of crucifixion instead of lethal injection.
It blocked me from sharing, too. I wrote FB a note saying I was just going to post it to Google + instead. :D
thanks for the heads up, led me to try posting as well, then contesting the blockage. everyone should do that, break through the facebook-embarassment firewall (thats my guess…)
I think this is the proper response, haha.
I guess terroristic threats aren’t against the law anymore.
This kind of hate will just feed the atheist movement. We’re like that blobby strawberry jam from Ghostbusters 2.
A good trick, I made a status post about the blockage, then I ‘commented’ on my status with the link, that posted
when the hate it pink! and sliminess covers your face! who’s name do you speak into your voice dialer? Ghost Catchers!
Just did that, too.
I wish I could say I never see Christians full of hate but I personally had one hell of a discussion with a bunch of people that told me quite frankly I don’t deserve to live in this country simply because I don’t believe in their god. Just check out this lovely discussion in the comments of this article: http://www.wnd.com/index.php?f… It’s a pity to have to put up with such garbage. Atheists are one of the most hated groups in America but no one wants to stand up for our right to not believe.
Tried posting this on FB and found it blocked by the auto-filter. I have filed an appeal/complaint/ignore me post.
Jen, Blair has said that 8,000 number is completely inaccurate. Just media blowing stuff up. FB Post: http://imgur.com/iOtJp
Personally I would have been ok with whoever wanted the cross there saying “Oh, no… not Christian, crosses were used to mark graves and stuff long before Christianity! It represents ALL those who were never found, and remain lost…” Not 100% what I would want… as I just want them to build more normal buildings there as a symbol that they will never hurt us forever, but a more… universal justification is preferable to a “RA RA RA! ‘MERICA IS CHRISTIAN!”
*starts vomiting at Gov. Perry’s offer*That offer can only be made by someone whose church doesn’t celebrate Good Friday and who apparently hasn’t seen “The Passion”. Perry makes me ashamed to be Christian.(Crucifixion is slow strangulation which takes *hours* or *days*. It was so horrific that the Romans used it only on people of whom they wanted to make an example and no Roman citizen was allowed to be put to death that way.)
Thanks for the info, I corrected it.
Pretty much sums up the level of tolerance the self described “Christians” that watch every single second of Fox News don’t have. They are all about anger and hate.That said, this should be taken seriously. Death threats are death threats even when they are ginned up by irresponsible media.
As usual, your country scares the shit out of me.
I assume that something rather less polite was going to follow the ellipses? ;-)
I like to keep myself sane by reassuring myself that it’s probably only the loudest that get heard. Probably.
I put the link from American Atheists up last week with no problem. In the AA screen shot, they have a few different ones (a second one from not-so-nice Sindy Clock) and a rant from Eileen Rourke that ends with “You have taken enough of my rights away.” ???http://atheists.org/blog/2011/…I really want to know if any of these people actually know an atheist?
What drives people to write this stuff? Its pretty sad really. I am of course including the comments that women skeptics as well. There should be a study done to figure how this happen and then what we can do to stop it. Maybe we can put spiders or cute kittens or even a pug over the bad words.
this only goes to prove that no matter how far we’ve come as a movement, as a people and as a nation; the institution of religion only serves to engender hate, and death-rhetoric against the “other.’ believe me, as a journalist, i wish nothing more than to NEVER have to report about such things. but as an atheist, this inspires with with such a rage that can never be quenched. we will combat then with our: compassion, logic, reason and just general nerdiness. and trust me, all of you, WE WILL WIN. never let that stray far from your hearts. eventually WE WILL WIN and never let yourself doubt that.
I linked to that screen shot in a comment on christian post when challenged to show evidence believers being hateful (because atheists are big meanies and christians are all lovely – apparently), but I got told it wasn’t real (no reason provided).There’s no talking to some people. The “good” christians who would never issue threats have a part of their mind that re-writes reality to edit out the ones who do.
And all the hordes of moderate christians rushed to condemn these hateful actions done by extreme christians who do not speak for the rest of them.Oh wait.
After the Norway incidentto a fundy coworker was going on with the “not a true Christian” trope and how actions like that shouldn’t give Christianity a bad name. I pointed out that there are so many denominations and definitions of Christianity that you have to accept someone’s profession of faith at their word. Also, as an atheist, it’s not for me to decide which version is the “true” Christianity.It’s amazing how they are willing to blame all of Islam for 9/11 but they won’t take responsibility for their religion producing violent nutters
I’ve been called a heathen and told I was going to hell by a (Catholic) friend, but I’ve never encountered threats of bodily harm or death wishes, but then I do live in a strongly secular country. Despite the Queen being head of state and head of the Anglican church we don’t get the Christian crazies over here, even Tony Blair waited until he’d left office before admitting he was a god botherer of such strength that he converted to Catholicism. I really do feel for you good people in America, the land of the free, and wish you freedom from religion and it’s inherent persecution.
The emotion driving most territorial hostility is fear.
Satire? I see no references to that offer anywhere on teh interwebs, and an offer like that would get a _lot_ of press, I don’t doubt.
instead of being ashamed of being a christian you should just use your brain and not be a christian.
I am terrified of Gov. Perry. He is the embodiment of the Sinclair Lewis quote “when fascism comes to America, it will be wrapped in the flag and carrying a cross”.
I doubt we’ll ever be free of the No True Scotsman fallacy.
Isn’t it the media that drives peoples thoughts? But this worked up so many people into a frenzy.