To My Fellow Atheists...Yes, the religious/spiritual can read too...

Okay, so there’s been this petition going around on Facebook.  If you haven’t seen it, it depicts two beams in the shape of a cross from the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center and is going to be on display at the 9/11 Memorial Museum…I stand corrected, a couple petitions; one is a petition to keep the cross shaped beams in the museum and the other is to remove the cross shaped beams from the museum. 

The more common petition is to keep the cross shaped beams in the museum and to stop a lawsuit.  This is the part I have difficulty understanding: Atheists don’t want to be forced to believe how religious folks believe, so why are they telling religious…in this case, Christian folks that they can’t have cross shaped beams in the museum?  To my fellow Atheists out there dudes you’re giving other non-believers a bad rap. 

Personally, I have no problem if someone views two beams in the shape of a cross as a religious symbol.  If someone at the museum takes comfort in faith and attaching such meaning to the cross shaped beams, who am I to tell them that they’re wrong?  I don’t like it when folks push their values, lifestyles, beliefs…etc. on me and I try to show those folks the same respect. 

The attacks on 9/11 were awful!  Many people going to this museum may have lost a loved one during those attacks, in which case they should be able to seek comfort in the museum. 

Some other Atheists may say that the cross is a violation between church and state, due to the fact that the cross shaped beams have been consecrated and the word “Jesus” is carved on top and a prayer was said.  I don’t view it that way and here’s why…

We Atheists do not generally attach God and religion to a couple of beams…planks…boards…anything which is put in the shape of a cross.  I know I don’t.  So to my fellow Atheists, what is the problem?  If there is no meaning in these beams and the word “Jesus” and the religious ceremonies, then why are you creating it?  Yes my fellow Atheists you ARE attaching religious/spiritual meaning to the artifact in question.  And if you as an Atheist are giving an object religious/spiritual meaning then are you really an Atheist? 

Yes, folks something can only have powers if you label them with those properties and if you, yourselves give it those powers.  If I wanted to I could walk around and say that the book The Story of French is the most powerful and moving book in the world and that if you don’t believe that, then you’re wrong…bad example…I do that all the damn time!  But I think you get my point. 

One of the reasons I am an Atheist is because I’m fairly open minded, I have friends who are religious and spiritual.  I don’t mind when they tell me about church, or want to share a Bible verse, or pray in front of me…I may not partake, but I’m not going to stop you or tell you that you’re wrong.  To me, most religions or paths to spiritual enlightenment are too exclusive and closed minded.  My alternative is to respect you and your beliefs and in turn just respect that I don’t attach the same meaning to an artifact from the WTC.