So, for discussion and erudition, I offer something...interesting, that had effects the perpetrators were not anticipating.
So the University of Wisconsin in the US has an "Athiest, Humanist & Agnostic Association." Good for them.
Apparently, they decided to make a graveyard for "dead" gods, who they think are no longer worshiped. The entire thing was prefaced by this sign:
And went on for quite awhile, with gods from every continent.
They apparently seemed shocked that they in turn, got protests from many pagans, posting on their blog the following:
Quote:Our display even grew angry responses from many pagans around the world! Because it's not a proper atheism display unless you piss a lot of people off...
Other pagans apparently turned the "god graveyard" into a giant open air shrine or shrines, even leaving offerings behind:
Now, I am all for free speech and free expression. Heck, if I was there, I'd probably be leaving offerings too, and turning their display on it's head in my own way, but I find it an oddly antagonistic display from an organization that, according to them:
Quote:...promote the discussion of faith and religion on the UW-Madison campus. Through our services and programs AHA seeks to educate students on issues important to the secular community, and encourage the personal development of one’s religious identity. The activities of AHA include, but are not limited to:
1) Establishing a Secular Support Group for the secular student community and those seeking to learn about secular issues.
2) Facilitate the personal development of individuals’ religious beliefs through the Faith Questioning service.
3) Sponsoring educational events, inviting engaging speakers, and fostering constructive student dialogue on topics relating to religion through the Freethought Speaker Series and Freethought Festival.
4) Collaborating with fellow religious student organizations on campus to foster a greater degree of mutual understanding between atheists and people of faith, through the Freethought Forum.
5) To raise public awareness about the misconceptions surrounding nonbelievers, and to educate the campus community about our values, through Ask An Atheist Tabling.
6) Participating in volunteering and service projects in order to do our part to make the UW campus and the world a better place."
See the bits I bolded. Do you think that the sentiments of "it's not a proper atheist display if you don't piss someone off" and the way that this was presented jives with what they suggest they want to do? Do you feel it was a "good" display? Do you feel that this kind of protest or display is something more atheists should be doing, or do you think it reflects the non-believer community in a bad light?
To fellow pagans, though, I offer this as well -- why haven't we set up public shrines places? I realise it was reactionary and in response to what some felt, however it was intended, that the "graveyard" was disrespectful to our gods and therefore they responded by leaving offerings and turning it into a shrine -- but why haven't we done these things for ourselves? Is it because we fear vandalism, or are happy in our own little circles? Or just a matter of logistics or how to do it?
And now I will sit in a corner and shut it.