Atheist protests `In God We Trust' posting
On October 16, 2001 "Sullivan County Commissioners who stayed in their
seats got an earful Monday morning from an atheist who railed a
decision to post "In God We Trust." Carletta Sims, Tennessee
director of American Atheists, railed, "What exactly is your purpose in disobeying the principles of
separation of church and state?
The cliche that this country was founded on religious principles
is an excuse for hurting others (and) is outdated, oppressive,
regressive and arguably wrong, according to experts on the subject."
Several commissioners walked out, but those in the audience spoke out against Sims before a group noisily left en masse. "I don't believe in trash," screamed one women as she stormed out. All of this was over three 11- by 14-inch wood-framed prints of the national motto to be placed in justice centers in Blountville, Kingsport and Bristol.
The very same thing is posted at the school board building in Washington County, Virginia where I live. The original Ten Commandments plague was hung by the Sullivan Baptist Association to prove America was founding on the Bible. As of September 2007 all the pictures and plaques are still hanging, and Mrs. Sims is nowhere to be found. Posted/edited by Lewis Loflin. Ref. Bristol Herald Courier. Also note the comments below. These were posted in the Kingsport Times-News.
Poster child
Do the freedoms Carletta Sims enjoys leave a bad taste in her mouth? Does the money she spends burn her hands because the word "God" is imprinted on it? She is the poster child for what we fight wars for: the right of expression. As Americans we must tolerate her and as Christians, we must love and pray for her soul (yes, she too, has a soul). Her government was found with Christian morals in mind. Her government protects her from those who would take away her freedoms.
My God makes it possible. He makes all things possible.
While it is important to tolerate and allow her to vent, she should allow me the same courtesy. If she doesn't like what she has here, I (and others) would gladly take up a collection and give her and her "25 million'' cohorts a one-way ticket to Afghanistan.
Deanna Patterson
Church Hill
Satan is laughing
Our country was founded and built on the saying "In God we trust.'' We opened our country to everyone that seeks religious freedom. Now some of them are telling us how and when we can show our belief in God or our Lord Jesus Christ. You can bet that Satan is laughing at us God-fearing Americans.
We now have our professional politicians singing "God Bless America" and praying in public offices. These are the same people that helped a few take the rights of many to also pray in public places that our tax money helped build. Our children can wear clothes many of us wouldn't use as grease rags, they can cuss and swear, wear studs and rings in all parts of their bodies and have multicolored hair and all of this is part of their right to free speech. But let one of our children says the words "God," "Jesus" or pray and they get sent home. What about their right of free speech?
God bless America signs are everywhere. Why should he? We have forsaken our God and our forefathers in America. We need to wake up, get off our behinds and stand up for our rights as one nation under God. Then, maybe God will bless America, again.
David Lyons
Kingsport
No regrets
I will spare Miss Sims scriptural references because I know she does not believe them to be true. I will continue to believe in God, His plan for my life, see His creativity all around me, pray daily, trust Him even when I don't understand, do my best to live according to His written instructions, treat my fellow human beings with respect because they have inherit value from Him, and look with anticipation to being in His presence in a better place when my life is over here.
And when my life here is over, should I find I've been duped into believing a cockamamie fairy tale - that we all really did crawl out of the sea, waste a lot of good metal with meaningless inscriptions, and that this is as good as it gets because what waits beyond is nothing, then so be it. I would still be convinced that my life here has benefited far greater from my belief and faith in God then it would have been without it. No regrets.
Dwayne Godsey
Blountville
Atheist terrorism
Ms. Sims and her like are spreading atheist terrorism among Christians with their propaganda of the devil. Maybe Ms. Sims should take a trip to Afghanistan. They might keep her.
Phil Davis
Kingsport
Sims lashes out
If Ms. Sims is an unbeliever, why does she constantly lash out at everything that has to do with God? If she doesn't believe, why worry about the plaques or the Ten Commandments put up in public? If she doesn't want to believe, then don't believe, but don't lash out at the people that do.
She obviously wonders if there is a God because she stated that "if a god couldn't stop airplanes from plowing into our very economy, the lifeblood of a nation, then he/she/it sure doesn't love America.'' I think she wants an explanation. I hope she finds a better understanding of things instead of using anger to get through events like the one our country is going through right now.
Kristen Hall
Gate City, VA.
Eternal choice
I am saddened by Carletta Sims' lack of relationship with a kind, loving and ever present God. The events of Sept. 11 do not define God, nor do they limit him. I am overjoyed that most people are seeking the Lord in this time of crisis.
I feel that as a nation we are blessed to have a president that professes that Jesus Christ is Lord of his life. I am thankful that he seeks God's guidance in making decisions. I certainly sleep easier knowing that come what may, my ultimate destiny remains with the One that died for me at Calvary.
Ms. Sims, sadly, is choosing to deny the existence of God. This is the greatest human tragedy. Buildings can be rebuilt, economies do recover, but facing death without accepting Christ is eternal.
Jennifer Griffin
Mt. Carmel
Quiet long enough
I am a one-God, Apostolic, tongue-talking believer. I believe Genesis 1:1. I believe John 1:1-3. And I am tired of Ms. Sims pushing her viewpoints on us. This country was founded on its belief in God. That's what living here is all about. America - "In God We Trust." Freedom to believe in God and to worship God the way we want to.
She should stop trying to push her communistic, atheistic beliefs on us. If she doesn't like what America is founded on, the best thing she can do is leave this country and go to one which believes as she does. She might as well join Osama bin Laden because she's trying to do is destroy America at its foundation.
It's time for America to take a stand and defend itself. It's also time we Christians stand our ground. We've been quiet long enough. As President Bush said, "It's time to wake the sleeping giant."
Ramona Price
Weber City, VA.
One-way ticket
Since Ms. Sims is so upset from all the "God stuff" in America, I am willing to buy her a one-way ticket to Afghanistan, for her to express her opinion on the non-existence of their god! God Bless America.
Linda Davis
Rogersville
Free to choose
As though there are not enough negatives in our world, Ms. Sims is only worried about the word "God'' appearing throughout the country. We are given the freedom of religion. If she chooses to be an atheist, that is her choice.
Whether she believes it or not, there is a God. He died on a cross for her just as He did for me. One day, she will believe whether she wants to or not.
Bryan B.
Bristol, TN.
God no puppeteer
Sims rails against God claiming "God is not to be trusted ... if a God couldn't stop airplanes from plowing into ... then he/she/it sure doesn't love America.'' She makes the classic juvenile mistake of trying to make God into a puppeteer who is responsible for making everything right with the world. God has given us free will; to blame God for the abuse of our free will is an attempt to push the responsibility of exercising this free will with personal control onto a fantasized concept of God. To blame God for the existence of evil is to reject the concept of free will.
When problems come into our lives, as they do with all individuals, we reject God (or our idealized, idolized concept of God) rather than the real cause of our problems. History is full of examples of people who reject the law and entreaties of our Lord.
Frank F.
Kingsport
People like Sims
It is because of people like Carletta Sims that this nation is in the shape that it is in. This country was founded by people seeking the right to practice a religion that she is now condemning. I know she is on some type of one-woman mission to destroy Christianity, but guess what? It's not working.
Please, Mrs. Sims, are there not some volunteer organizations or something available in your community that you can get involved in during your spare time?
You're starting to repeat yourself, and it's getting a little boring. If you're not happy with us wanting to put up "religious plaques,'' maybe you would be more suited to set up residency in a quiet little country like Afghanistan where men beat you to death for not having your face properly covered.
Maybe you should go over there and tell them that their God doesn't exist.
Brandy B.
Elizabethton
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