The courtyard outside the Bradford County Courthouse in north Florida will include quotations from Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, and Madalyn Murray O’Hair, the founder of American Atheists. It will also include a list of Old Testament punishments that mandate the death penalty. The atheist monument will stand next to a copy of the Ten Commandments.

I’m in favor of the atheist monument because it will show that atheism is (1) selective in its use of history, (2) is a belief system, (3) can’t account for morality, and (4) lies about wanting worldview competition.

I doubt that the atheist monument will include Franklin’s address to the Constitutional Convention that reminded those in attendance of “a superintending Providence” that brought them to their unique place in history.

Franklin cited Psalm 127:1 to establish his point: “Unless the LORD builds the house, they labour in vain who build it.” He went on to say he saw “proofs” that “God rules in the affairs of men,” and without God’s “concurring aid, we shall succeed in this political building no better than the builders of Babel” (Gen. 11:1– 9). After the Convention, Franklin’s recommendation for an “officiate” (chaplain) was acted upon on April 9, 1789. Two chaplains were appointed, one to the House of Representatives and one to the Senate, with a salary of $500 each with no thought of violating the Constitution.

The atheist monument shows that atheism is a belief system with its own holy books and holy men. The following quotation from Madalyn Murray O’Hair is carved into the side panel of the granite monument:

“An Atheist believes that a hospital should be built instead of a church. An atheist believes that deed must be done instead of prayer said. An atheist strives for involvement in life and not escape into death. He wants disease conquered, poverty vanished, war eliminated.”

As soon as an atheist says, “I believe,” it’s an admission that atheism is a religion.

Once atheists quote writings that they claim give validity to their worldview, they admit that they have their own holy writings that we should all believe and embrace as true.

Atheists are critical of biblical law, but there is nothing in their worldview where they can maintain that anything is morally right or immorally wrong. They cannot offer incontrovertible evidence as to why the so-called “atrocities” of Hitler, Stalin, Pol Pot, and others were atrocities. Atheism has no basis to account for a moral worldview of any kind.

Competition is a good thing, that’s why atheists don’t allow it when they control the schools and the courts. For example, government schools do not allow competing origin positions. Any teacher who questions and critiques the secular religion and flawed science of evolution will most likely be fired.

Consider this story about a professor at Ball State University (BSU):

“Eric Hedin, assistant professor at BSU’s Physics and Astronomy Department, garnered controversy over teaching a course known as ‘The Boundaries of Science,’ which included works advocating Creation Science.

“While Ball State agreed to investigate Hedin back in mid-May, they have yet to reach a decision as to whether or not he should have been allowed to teach a course that included Creationism literature.”

Hedin was not advocating for Creation Science; he was only making his students aware of the position by requiring them to read original source material on the subject. The class was an elective.

As anybody who is familiar with the 1925 Scopes Trial knows, evolutionists at first only wanted “equal treatment” for the teaching of evolution. Once they got their foot in the door, everything began to change. Now that they control the educational establishment they serve as ideological gatekeepers to prohibit any competing worldview from entering.

Atheists are all about Christians and conservatives compromising, but once they’re in control of the curriculum and the courts, all competing opinions are shut out.

Dave Muscato, public relations director for American Atheists, told The Gainesville Sun that if religious groups are allowed to have monuments “it’s only appropriate that we have matching monuments.”

Muscato is a hypocrite, and he knows it. If atheism were the dominate position, atheists would never allow a monument of the Ten Commandments.