For the eleventh straight year, the Freedom From Religion Foundation has put up the following sign in the Illinois State Capitol rotunda:
THE WINTER SOLSTICE
may reason prevail.
There are no gods,
no devils, no angels,
no heaven or hell.
There is only our natural world.
Religion is but
myth and superstition
that hardens hearts
and enslaves minds.
“We’d rather see the state Capitol free of religious divisiveness,” notes FFRF Co-President Dan Barker. “However, if a governmental entity allows religious displays, there must be room in the inn for our message.”
…
FFRF Co-President Annie Laurie Gaylor says, “This sign is a reminder of the real reason for the season, the Winter Solstice,” which is the shortest and darkest day of the year and takes place on Dec. 21 this year. The natural holiday heralds the rebirth of the sun and the natural new year, and has been celebrated for millennia in the Northern Hemisphere with festivals of light, evergreens, feasts and gift exchanges.
If any Christians are upset by the sign’s placement, they can lobby their elected officials to change the rules so that no religious or (explicitly) non-religious displays are allowed in the building… but that would mean banning Nativity scenes, too, so there’s no way that’s going to happen.
So visitors to the center can enjoy this display and then walk a few steps and check out the Satanic statue.
(Large portions of this article were published earlier)