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Hi-Tech Nativity Security

To combat vandalism and theft of their holiday displays, many churches and cities are turning to a technological answer. After one of their cows was stolen, St. Marks Episcopal Church in Glen Ellyn, Ill. installed GPS devices in the figurines of its nativity scene. This year the village of Wellington, Fla. added security cameras to protect their display. From the article: "BrickHouse Security in New York City offered churches and synagogues free GPS and cameras to protect their displays this season. Seventy have signed up so far. About 24 of them are also installing security cameras. In Merrick, N.Y., the Chabad Center for Jewish Life is putting GPS in its 8-foot menorah on display in a park."

110 comments

  1. Merry xmas, thanks for the free tech! by countSudoku() · · Score: 1

    So, what's to keep the offenders from disabling the GPS and using it for their own non-denominational service? Why not deploy flying drones to combat the would-be evil doers? What about the effect of CMEs on the GPS unit in Baby Jesus' head?

    --
    This is the NSA, we're gonna geet U h@x0r5! Also, what is a h@x0r5?
    1. Re:Merry xmas, thanks for the free tech! by Monkeedude1212 · · Score: 1

      We need more seminars that explain that Surveillance != Security.

      Okay, you've got footage of a dozen people in ski masks trashing your nativity scene and then you use the GPS the next day to track down 12 different locations where they've been scattered in random fields.

      Congrats guys, that think tank sessions sure paid for itself. And so did the electronics.

    2. Re:Merry xmas, thanks for the free tech! by gd2shoe · · Score: 1

      So, what's to keep the offenders from disabling the GPS and using it for their own non-denominational service?

      I would have said secrecy (security through obscurity), but I guess the cat's out of the bag now...

      --
      I won't join Slashcott. OTOH, If Beta goes live, I just won't be back until it's fixed. Sorry Dice.
    3. Re:Merry xmas, thanks for the free tech! by dgatwood · · Score: 2

      Well, at least they get them back. Without trackers, that's not nearly as likely when they're hidden in some kid's dorm room or some frat house basement.

      --

      Check out my sci-fi/humor trilogy at PatriotsBooks.

    4. Re:Merry xmas, thanks for the free tech! by cayenne8 · · Score: 4, Interesting
      Ok, I know this is a "get off of my lawn" type moment...but what the hell happened to us in this country??

      When I grew up, you rarely if EVER heard of shit like this going on. Hell, as a family, we'd all get in the car on a cold winter night, like many other families, and go look at the decorations at homes, at churches and yes..even the capitol building (I grew up mostly in the capitol city of my state).

      And yes..there was a nativity scene at the capitol...was common to see across the US and no one had a cow over it.

      But seriously....no one worried about it getting stolen, we all kind of respected someone taking the time to put up some decorations at the very least.

      WTF has our country come to...everything is target for theft or vandalism?

      Hell, growing up...Halloween was about the only holiday you had to worry about that...and it was minor.

      --
      Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.........
    5. Re:Merry xmas, thanks for the free tech! by Drantin · · Score: 0

      I recommend burying baby Jesus directly beneath the food trough.

      --
      Actio personalis moritur cum persona. (Dead men don't sue)
    6. Re:Merry xmas, thanks for the free tech! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Do you have any solutions?

    7. Re:Merry xmas, thanks for the free tech! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Here's the answer no one else will tell you: it's the third world mentality seeping into everything. And, no, it's not racial: it's cultural. There's too many cultures here now that don't respect property or education or anything our country (or any modern nation) was built upon. So there you have it in a politically incorrect nutshell. We'll throw money at it, try to legislate around it, but until people, en masse, are willing to stand up and stand together to say"No more of this fucking bullshit" it will continue and get worse.

      OK, time for the mods to hit me with -5 The Truth Hurts

    8. Re:Merry xmas, thanks for the free tech! by Creosote · · Score: 0

      Let's see... do Virginia rednecks whose great-great-grandaddies undoubtedly fought for the Confederacy count as owning third-world mentalities? Because I'm in a rural service club in central VA that puts up a Nativity scene every year, and granted a couple of years ago when someone stole the baby Jesus doll and replaced it with a bottle of beer it was a Corona beer, but I'd still bet pretty good money that it was a Morris or a Shiflett who did it rather than a Gonzales or a Gomez...

    9. Re:Merry xmas, thanks for the free tech! by MoonBuggy · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Since I wasn't around in the 'old days' (for any reasonable definition of the term, anyway), I can't comment first-hand, but I'd theorise that the changes are based on urbanisation and corporatisation destroying the small community groups that people used to inhabit. If your action has a negative consequence to you personally, or someone you know, that obviously serves as a disincentive - basically, a person only has a direct incentive to be considerate if their actions are likely to affect someone within their 'monkeysphere'. It used to be the case that most of the people you regularly interacted with had some level of connection to you personally, so no problem there. In general, people don't immediately default to 'asshat' as soon as they think nobody they know is watching (although there are exceptions), but there's a secondary driving factor: this level of disaffection doesn't just appear spontaneously, it's engendered by the fact that those who shape the society we do live in do so in a largely impersonal manner - when the organisations we deal with every day don't care about whether they're screwing us over, it tends to rub off. People are left with no disincentive against bad behaviour, and little incentive for good behaviour. I'm not saying this excuses the people being asshats, of course, but it does provide some reasonable explanation of "what the hell happened to us" (which was quite possible meant to be rhetorical, but anyway...).

      It's not all bad, though. The flipside is that the socially-enforced conformism of small communities is much more conducive to discrimination, repression of the 'out group', and ostracism of those who fail to follow the (often unwritten and/or illogical) 'rules'. Small communities protect the status quo, for better or worse. Whether it's a worthwhile trade off is a matter of personal opinion.

    10. Re:Merry xmas, thanks for the free tech! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      live in a small city and you will see nothing has changed !

      Big cities sucks for living but they sure rocks for partying

    11. Re:Merry xmas, thanks for the free tech! by cayenne8 · · Score: 1

      I grew up in reasonably large cities when I was young, my comments were not coming from a rural small town locale.

      --
      Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.........
    12. Re:Merry xmas, thanks for the free tech! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Well, it was a Corona...

    13. Re:Merry xmas, thanks for the free tech! by jameskojiro · · Score: 1

      I recommend not screwing with other people's private property despite how much you may loathe it.

      --
      Tsukasa: All I really want, is to be left alone...
    14. Re:Merry xmas, thanks for the free tech! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Not sure when or where you grew up, but this time of year was always a great time to go around putting various figures in compromising positions, move them to golf courses, playgrounds or steal them and leave fake ransom notes. The animatronic deer are great for this, the bobbing heads are used to great effect when placed in certain positions. We did this all through jr high and high school, and it wasn't the "bad kids" or "burnouts" doing it either. generally each group would find time at least one weekend after or during a party to go out and do this, preps, jocks, stoners, geeks, pretty much everyone. This was in the late 90s through early 2000s, and it wasn't new then. I'm guessing it's as old as smashing pumpkins on halloween. Get a bunch of bored suburban kids together and they are going to FSU.

    15. Re:Merry xmas, thanks for the free tech! by jameskojiro · · Score: 1

      You can't steal the GPS units, because they are just using the GPS units the priests have attached to their own ankles as part of their parole for being a sex offender.

      This "article" is nothing but the church trying to put a positive spin on the problem of kiddy fiddling priests.

      --
      Tsukasa: All I really want, is to be left alone...
    16. Re:Merry xmas, thanks for the free tech! by khallow · · Score: 2

      urbanisation and corporatisation

      Or there's governmentization and infantization. I can make up ideologically suitable words too.

    17. Re:Merry xmas, thanks for the free tech! by nospam007 · · Score: 1

      You mean, the cow is out of the barn?

    18. Re:Merry xmas, thanks for the free tech! by tycoex · · Score: 1

      Ha! You really think the term "urbanization" is made up?

      For Christ's sake, go to school. Maybe read a book even.

    19. Re:Merry xmas, thanks for the free tech! by MoonBuggy · · Score: 1

      I'm really not intending to push any particular ideology (given the choice I'll take the impersonal city, even with its problems), and (according to Google) I'm using both words correctly. If you think they make the post sound biased, replace them with "greater urban population" and "greater corporate power" - both factual descriptions from the data I can see.

      I put forward a (IMO reasonable) hypothesis on why these changes can lead to a lowered sense of personal responsibility - pick on the logic, if you think it's flawed, not the language.

    20. Re:Merry xmas, thanks for the free tech! by bware · · Score: 1

      When I grew up, you rarely if EVER heard of shit like this going on.

      Come on. Get real. When I grew up, kids that I knew regularly did this kind of shit. Every xmas. And my dad told me about the shit that his friends did, and the shit that grandpa's friends did. You never heard of a outhouse getting put on the courthouse lawn, or a nativity scene ending up on top of a flagpole? Not us, we were all saints. But if you thinkk this kind of stuff didn't go on 50, 75, and 100 years ago, you are kidding yourself. I saw it happen in small town BFE and big town suburbia. People are the same all over, and for all of history.

    21. Re:Merry xmas, thanks for the free tech! by Degro · · Score: 3, Insightful

      I don't know, that's easy to say when you pick out one relatively short timespan as 'what this country was built on'. The dismantling of other cultures seems more accurate. So many the nativity vandals are keeping it old-school and true.

    22. Re:Merry xmas, thanks for the free tech! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Dude's point was that is was cultural, not racial, so it could be a Morris who adopted a more primitive (Vandal) culture. But to counter the original assertion that these are aspects of modern 3rd world cultures, consider the history of VA. Vandalism, banditry, untidiness, etc.. was always a problem in rural VA - forever. That's why everyone needs guns. Dependence on pensions benefits, social security, and other hand-outs haven't helped the cause of respect for property rights. More to the point, was the beer bottle empty or full? If the beer was full, it could not be vandalism.

    23. Re:Merry xmas, thanks for the free tech! by gregrah · · Score: 1

      Anecdotally speaking, the most destructive and disrespectful groups of people that I've ever met have generally been made up of drunken white teenage men (full disclosure: I am a white male who in the past has in the past also been a drunken teenager). For example - the riots that occurred in Boston after the Red Sox *won* the world series were nothing but pointless destruction.

      I actually think a lot of these kids might benefit from the experience of living for a while in a third world country.

    24. Re:Merry xmas, thanks for the free tech! by khallow · · Score: 1

      If you think they make the post sound biased, replace them with "greater urban population" and "greater corporate power"

      A big pet peeve of mine on Slashdot is that "corporate" is misused here (I rather frequently get into flame wars over this sort of thing). There's no problem stemming from corporation, but rather from people with a lot of money pursuing their interests at the expense of the general welfare. Yet I frequently read anti-corporatist Slashdotters advocate the end of corporations or limitations on the rights of corporations (under the dubious theory that a corporation has at least the rights of citizens and it shouldn't have those rights).

    25. Re:Merry xmas, thanks for the free tech! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
      I recommend that you answer this question.

      Tsukasa: All I really want, is to be left alone...

      What Tsukasa is that? The one from Lucky Star?
      I shall be awaiting your reply.

    26. Re:Merry xmas, thanks for the free tech! by jameskojiro · · Score: 1

      .Hack//Sign

      --
      Tsukasa: All I really want, is to be left alone...
    27. Re:Merry xmas, thanks for the free tech! by Hognoxious · · Score: 1

      If the beer was full, it could not be vandalism.

      Depends. Full of what?

      --
      Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."
    28. Re:Merry xmas, thanks for the free tech! by mvdwege · · Score: 1

      No, you get into flame wars because you're a raving idiot.

      Mart

      --
      "I know I will be modded down for this": where's the option '-1, Asking for it'?
    29. Re:Merry xmas, thanks for the free tech! by bareman · · Score: 1

      No one told you "shit like this" was going on because you were three years old. The Good Old Days when everyone treated everyone else and their property with respect haven't happened yet. Temporal proximity to events tends to lead to exaggeration regarding their severity but it has always been this way. There are wonders and horrors aplenty in this world. Be thankful many of the old horrors have been vanquished, strive to remove those that remain, and enjoy.

    30. Re:Merry xmas, thanks for the free tech! by Jason+Levine · · Score: 1

      I don't think this is a new phenomenon. Growing up, we had a nice, big Menorah display that a local synagogue put up. It was found knocked over (while the nearby nativity scene was undisturbed). It was fixed back up and members of the community volunteered to take turns watching it during the night. I remember sitting in the car with my father watching it, making sure that no vandals tried a repeat performance. I can't recall whether or not the vandals were ever caught, but, sadly, this kind of stuff has been happening for a long time.

      --
      My sci-fi novel, Ghost Thief, is now available from Amazon.com.
    31. Re:Merry xmas, thanks for the free tech! by natehoy · · Score: 1

      Shit like this happened back then, too. It's just that a stolen nativity scene in Virginia wouldn't make the news in Kentucky, and one in California wouldn't make the news in New Jersey. We read about this shit because it sells eyeballs and subscriptions, like all bad news, and when we run out of the other shit that's been happening forever (murder, rape, etc) we cover less and less important stories further and further away.

      I'm not saying that stealing a nativity scene is somehow OK, it's just that 30 years ago it would have been purely local news of local interest, not national scare-filler.

      --
      "This post contains words, known to the State of California to cause thought. Wash brain thoroughly after reading."
    32. Re:Merry xmas, thanks for the free tech! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Is anyone old enough to remember the TV show Dragnet? A priest calls the police to report the theft of baby Jesus from the altar? It turns out a little boy took Jesus for a ride in his new wagon as a way of showing thanks.
      I know it seems sappy, but compared to the commercial tie-in of Christmas it was kind of refreshing.

    33. Re:Merry xmas, thanks for the free tech! by operagost · · Score: 1

      You forgot to add, "get off my lawn!" Yours are outdated sentiments in our entitlement culture that has been growing for decades.

      --

      Gamingmuseum.com: Give your 3D accelerator a rest.
    34. Re:Merry xmas, thanks for the free tech! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Here's the answer no one else will tell you: it's the third world mentality seeping into everything. And, no, it's not racial: it's cultural. There's too many cultures here now that don't respect property or education or anything our country (or any modern nation) was built upon. So there you have it in a politically incorrect nutshell. We'll throw money at it, try to legislate around it, but until people, en masse, are willing to stand up and stand together to say"No more of this fucking bullshit" it will continue and get worse.

      OK, time for the mods to hit me with -5 The Truth Hurts

      Enough about our political leaders. No one would accuse them of demolishing nativity scenes. Much too small. Why play with nativity scene cows when you can demolish whole countries, Iraq, Afghanistan, etc.

      Peace on earth and "No more of this fucking bullshit" (from an Atheist Peacnik).

    35. Re:Merry xmas, thanks for the free tech! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      No kidding. I live in a really nice neighborhood now, and even there we're starting to get graffiti and other issues. I don't even want to go near my old neighborhood (which was nice just a couple years ago) unless I've got my gun on me. Things have really gotten out of control just in the last 2 years.

  2. I think this one is better by neo8750 · · Score: 0

    I dont know why but i feel this is a better example. http://pics.nase-bohren.de/schweinekrippe.jpg

    1. Re:I think this one is better by ColdWetDog · · Score: 1

      Definitely not a kosher security measure.

      --
      Faster! Faster! Faster would be better!
    2. Re:I think this one is better by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Happy Hanukkah to you too!

  3. OT: Your sig. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Do you have this sig all the time, or did you just change it to this today? Either way, awesome sig.

  4. Two eyes in the sky? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I thought baby Jesus or whoever was already supposed to be watching from the sky... How redundant to have both of these systems in place, all to protect a plastic cow.

    1. Re:Two eyes in the sky? by Pseudonym+Authority · · Score: 1

      No, you're thinking of Santa.

  5. Hobo Jesus by Anne_Nonymous · · Score: 1

    Baby Jesus is just begging to take a ride on a freight train.

  6. Not really nebrrd news. by Ismellpoop · · Score: 1

    Unless you have a raging hardon for GPS transmitters.
    Also this is the second /. story today that was on http://www.fark.com/ yesterday. Seams lately there has been lots of day old Fark news here.

  7. Re:I would by Picardo85 · · Score: 0

    go and just grab all the GPS transmitters and put them on city busses or something and then watch the church ppl looking stupid.

    You don't need to help them out, they look stupid on their own just fine!

    good point ... but it can't hurt to make it worse :)

  8. Spread the message by zlel · · Score: 1

    not the cow?

    1. Re:Spread the message by anax · · Score: 1

      Jesus turns the other cheek, but the cow fights back.

    2. Re:Spread the message by Dekker3D · · Score: 1

      ChristCow, ready to spread some moootilation?

  9. Well... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    That's certainly one way to help more people find Jesus.

  10. Wrong. Wrong. Wrong. by NanoGeek · · Score: 2

    There's something wrong with people when you have to go to such lengths to keep vandals off of a harmless nativity scene.

    1. Re:Wrong. Wrong. Wrong. by jameskojiro · · Score: 1

      Lack of respect for personal property rights fueled by an out of control class envy fed by popular media?

      --
      Tsukasa: All I really want, is to be left alone...
  11. What ever... by MrQuacker · · Score: 1

    Whatever happened to just putting up a claymore and a sign?

  12. Vandalism, theft, terrorism... by Ismellpoop · · Score: 2

    (in the days of bomb this bomb that would you want to be caught putting "things" on public transportation?) All to make Christian's, who are trying to protect their property, look silly to someone with the intelligence of Beavis and Butthead.

    1. Re:Vandalism, theft, terrorism... by sumdumass · · Score: 1

      Heh.. That would be funny, they removed the GPS only to replace it on the mass transit and leave without being scene. Now their prank turns into a federal investigation and a bombsquad blowing it up because they aren't sure what the device they activated actually did.

      Yea, I can see that backfiring really bad.

  13. The "mangershitting" must be bad this year by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    This trend started a few years back. Looks like it's continuing to pick up speed.

  14. Other Options by Trip6 · · Score: 1

    No style at all. How about:

    + Autonomous ruler/knuckle coupling
    + Lightening bolts from an angered God
    + A pressure sensitive switch that activates a loudspeaker issuing guilt-riddin admonishments
    + Holy water spray - IT BURNS!
    + Trap door straight to hell

    --
    I hate being bipolar; it's awesome!
  15. jesus/beer by turkeydance · · Score: 1

    "back in the day" we hired local High School football players as 24/7 security for 30 days. cheaper than tech and more effective. baby Jesus likes Beer. bet you didn't know that.

    1. Re:jesus/beer by operagost · · Score: 1

      Clearly, we need to lower the drinking age back to 18.

      --

      Gamingmuseum.com: Give your 3D accelerator a rest.
  16. Could Be Worse? by IonOtter · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Well, at least they're just stealing the stuff? It's not like you can sell this sort of thing on eBay or Craigslist, so it's probably a prank.

    Things could be a much worse.

    --
    [End Of Line]
    1. Re:Could Be Worse? by StikyPad · · Score: 1

      Exactly, and we all know Jesus said to prevent and prosecute pranks and ridicule at any cost. Oh wait, that was Chairman Mao. Well, Jesus, Mao, whatever.. the point stands that you can't just turn the other cheek when this sort of thing happens.

  17. Atheist Fundamentalists: Angry, Violent, and... by RobotRunAmok · · Score: 2, Interesting

    ...and a growing cult. Not saying the creches are being stolen by the Atheists, probably "just kids." But these days, those Atheists DO get their noses out of joint when confronted with public displays that run counter to their own belief systems.

    Not all Atheists are vandalizing extremists, of course. Most of them have moderate beliefs, contribute productively to society, and love America just like you or I.

    1. Re:Atheist Fundamentalists: Angry, Violent, and... by fredjh · · Score: 1

      Yeah, I'd say it's mostly kids... kids who have no respect for other people's property. I'm not particularly religious, but I don't trash religion in front of my kids... I'm a live and let live kind of person; but children who have no respect and grow up in households where angry dad continuously trashes religion is a recipe for this kind of behavior.

      And unlike the AC who responded, the fact is that if you are brought up to be a good Christian, you respect other religions; if you are brought up to be a good Jew, you respect other religions... only a complete moron thinks every church preaches hate against all other forms of worship.

      --
      Stupid, sexy Flanders.
    2. Re:Atheist Fundamentalists: Angry, Violent, and... by RobotRunAmok · · Score: 1, Insightful

      "Humorless"

      I left out that most Atheist Fundamentalists are humorless and take themselves and their religion ver-r-r-r-ry seriously.

    3. Re:Atheist Fundamentalists: Angry, Violent, and... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      That does it. I'm declaring a Jihad on you. However, Athe certainly isn't without mercy, so if you convert right now I'll call off the Jihad.

    4. Re:Atheist Fundamentalists: Angry, Violent, and... by retchdog · · Score: 1

      As an atheist, I don't understand the idea of good Christians respecting other religions. Why would you "respect" a practice that is sending innocent people to hell? If I were a Christian, my kid would hate the other religions but put on a calculated appearance in order to convert their followers. Sounds ghastly, really.

      Likewise Judaism, where there is still a marginal (admittedly very marginal) debate on whether it is okay to break the Shabbat restrictions in order to save a goy's life.

      Of course I would teach my children respect for others' possessions, but I'd also teach them the horrible things that strictly-adhered-to religion would entail. For example, as far as I can figure it, the Westboro Baptist Church is closer to real Christianity than those churches whom they rail against.

      Oh, and I do love these slashdot troll articles...

      --
      "They were pure niggers." – Noam Chomsky
    5. Re:Atheist Fundamentalists: Angry, Violent, and... by jameskojiro · · Score: 1

      If the displays that are being vandalized are on church property then I have no problem with them using security cameras and prosecuting the people who vandalize/steal parts from them to the fullest extent of the law. Church property = private property.

      Do I think churches should be taxed like any other business, YES.

      Do i think nativity scenes don't belong on public property, YES.

      Do I think people can put a nativity scene in their own front yard, YES.

      Do I think churches can put a Nativity Scene on their own property, YES.

      Do i think they should keep the phrase "Merry Christmas", YES, mostly because it drives the rabid atheists crazy, but mostly because the foolish Christians don't realize that "Christmas" itself is a stolen pagan holiday that used to be called "Winter Solstice" or "Saturnalia"

      I am a Libertarian, and an Agnostic, but I am not a rabid Atheist, and I don't condone the vandalism done by the more rabid schmuck like atheists and the stuipid teenagers or adults looking for a cheap thrill.

      --
      Tsukasa: All I really want, is to be left alone...
    6. Re:Atheist Fundamentalists: Angry, Violent, and... by jameskojiro · · Score: 1

      Gary Johnston: I was just a boy when the infidels came to my village in their Blackhawk helicopters. The infidels fired at the oil fields and they lit up like the eyes of Allah. Burning oil rained down from the sky and cooked everything it touched. I could only hide myself and cry as my goats were consumed by the fiery black liquid death. In the midst of the chaos, I could swear that I heard my goats screaming for help. As quickly as they had come, the infidels were gone. It was on that day I put a jihad on them. And if you don't believe it, then you'd better kill me now, because I'll put a jihad on you, too.

      --
      Tsukasa: All I really want, is to be left alone...
    7. Re:Atheist Fundamentalists: Angry, Violent, and... by jameskojiro · · Score: 4, Interesting

      [ Why would you "respect" a practice that is sending innocent people to hell? ]

      As an Atheist why would this even concern you as you don't even believe in Heaven or Hell, or do you? Why would you care if someone somewhere thinks you are going straight to hell unless deep down you were troubled they might have the slightest possibility of being right about you possible eternal salvation?

      I am Agnostic and I am not bothered at all if my next door neighbor thinks I am going to the fiery pits of Satan's backyard. I could care less what they think of me. I am not a prick either who tries to tell them how wrong they are for believing in a higher power. Instead I try to live my life the best I can and lead by example. If they try to spout any religious nonsense at me I politely tell them I am not interested and don't get into an ass hole screaming match with them. If they object I tell them that in this country we have personal responsibility and if I go to hell then I am responsible for my own soul if they think it exists and if I end up in "hell" then it was my own conscious decision and right protected by the constitution.

      --
      Tsukasa: All I really want, is to be left alone...
    8. Re:Atheist Fundamentalists: Angry, Violent, and... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      He didn't say he was concerned or cared, just confused. When the Catholics, Buddhists, Methodists etc get together with each other to talk about all the neat stuff they have in common, why aren't they all saying to each other "you're gonna burn in hell" or "you'll be reincarnated forever" or "Vishnu will eat your eyes" or whatever it is they keep telling their own followers?

      I think he's right about those nutty Westboro Baptist mob being the only consistent ones, too.

    9. Re:Atheist Fundamentalists: Angry, Violent, and... by formfeed · · Score: 1

      Atheist Fundamentalists are the counterpart to religious Fundamentalists.They both share the same image of a righteous, vengeful, narrow-minded god, who's about a half a step away from Zeus. - Which sums up both groups views on religion.

    10. Re:Atheist Fundamentalists: Angry, Violent, and... by Asm-Coder · · Score: 2

      The key word here is tolerance. Everything the GP said could equally be applied to someone who was raised to be a "good person". (and in reality, religion has very little to do with it.) Most religions put a great deal of weight on being/raising your kids to be good people, and as a result there may be a higher average number of "good" people in religious communities.

      As for your comments about religions condemning followers of other religions to hell, I think you have a skewed understanding of religion. While religions frequently say that nonbelievers will be punished, most religious people (and church leaders) believe that it is far more important to be be a good person than to be a member or the correct church. (Trust me, there are bad people in all religions, and most churchgoers wouldn't have any doubts as what will happen to those people) Antecedently, basically all of the protestant friends I have are of the opinion that since God is supposed to be forgiving, anyone who is trying to be a good person will be rewarded. Some Churches don't even believe in a "hell", but rather teach that you will be rewarded according to you actions in this life. (examples: Mormonism, Buddhism) My understanding of the Bahá'í religion is that they don't regard hell as a punishment. I don't know enough about Islam or Judaism to be willing to comment on their beliefs, but I'm willing to bet that the majority of their followers are likewise tolerant of other religions and may not automatically assume nonbelievers are doomed to hell.

      Remember, most beliefs are not the polarized fields that some of the media (and frequently others) would have you believe. Most people's beliefs may align with a belief system, but they don't go to extremes. Not all Islamics are terrorists bent on destroying western culture, not all open-source users are anti-close-source, and not all feminists have hair on their legs. :P

    11. Re:Atheist Fundamentalists: Angry, Violent, and... by anagama · · Score: 1

      I'm an atheist. Never felt the need to vandalize a nativity -- never even think much about nativity scenes unless one is right there in front of me, and then I just critique the quality of the representations (there are lots of lame decorations in the world). Anyway, I doubt atheists are mostly responsible -- a much more likely source of vandalism, antagonism (war and death camps) is other competing religions.

      --
      What changed under Obama? Nothing Good
    12. Re:Atheist Fundamentalists: Angry, Violent, and... by anagama · · Score: 1

      Atheist fundamentalists -- all three of them? 1.6% of US citizens describe themselves as atheist ( http://religions.pewforum.org/reports ). Most atheists are "live and let live" type people having been at the wrong end of religious discrimination for just about ever. Newer atheists tend to be noisier, but that fades.

      Anyway, let's be generous and say 10% of atheists are "fundamentalists" (probably more like 1% or less). That means with a 300m population, the US, there would be 480,000 militant atheists. Compared to the 78,000,000 evangelicals, I think the bible bangers have nothing to fear from those damned atheists.

      Christians with a persecution complex: that's like Bill Gates feeling poor.

      --
      What changed under Obama? Nothing Good
    13. Re:Atheist Fundamentalists: Angry, Violent, and... by Jason+Levine · · Score: 1

      I'm not an Atheist or Agnostic (I'm Jewish) but that's pretty much sums up my views on what other people think. My neighbors might think I'm going to hell because I don't accept Jesus as the Messiah. More religious Jews might think I'm not being the "best Jew I can be" because I don't follow all of the laws to the strict letter (as defined by them). In the end, I don't try to force my religious views on others and appreciate it when they don't try to force their religious views on me. I'm more than willing to discuss my religion with anybody who is interested, so long as it is a honest interest and not an attempt to open a "save my soul" discussion.

      And yes, I've encountered the "save your soul" types. Oddly enough, the most recent encounter was in an elevator at Walmart. Did they really think they'd convert my family between the span of two floors?!!

      --
      My sci-fi novel, Ghost Thief, is now available from Amazon.com.
    14. Re:Atheist Fundamentalists: Angry, Violent, and... by Chriscypher · · Score: 1

      [ Why would you "respect" a practice that is sending innocent people to hell? ]

      As an Atheist why would this even concern you as you don't even believe in Heaven or Hell, or do you? Why would you care if someone somewhere thinks you are going straight to hell unless deep down you were troubled they might have the slightest possibility of being right about you possible eternal salvation?

      And why would you take offense if I claimed as fact that you deserve to suffer because of your membership in an ethnic group? You are different from I, therefore it's your fault. I'm just the messenger. String 'em up boys.

      It's all bigotry, plain and simple.

      "Because you are [insert ethnic group here], you are subhuman and deserve to suffer" ... is no different from ...

      "Because you do not believe as I do, you will suffer infinite, endless pain."

      Just because someone claims to know God's will does not whitewash the fact that they are spewing bigotry.

      Intolerance must not be tolerated.

      --
      "You have liberated me from thought."
    15. Re:Atheist Fundamentalists: Angry, Violent, and... by Creedo · · Score: 1

      Got any data to actually back up such a stupid statement? Or do you think that some angry posts on the internet and the occasional public sign somehow match up with the centuries of religious violence? And what the fuck does atheism have with loving America or not?

      --
      All that is necessary for the triumph of good is that evil men do nothing.
    16. Re:Atheist Fundamentalists: Angry, Violent, and... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Why would you "respect" a practice that is sending innocent people to hell?

      Because the Bible teaches that we are only innocent by our standards: (Romans 3:10, quoting Psalm 14)

      As it is written:

      “There is no one righteous, not even one;
      there is no one who understands;
      there is no one who seeks God.
      All have turned away,
      they have together become worthless;
      there is no one who does good,
      not even one.”
      “Their throats are open graves;
      their tongues practice deceit.”
      “The poison of vipers is on their lips.”
      “Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.”
      “Their feet are swift to shed blood;
      ruin and misery mark their ways,
      and the way of peace they do not know.”
      “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”

      Christianity has always required that the practitioner view himself as an unworthy sinner in need of salvation from God's coming judgement. Anyway, why would someone need to put on a "calculated appearance" if the intent is to offer someone something better than what they have? I'm not denying that some are obviously false in their approach, but to a believer it's as much an act of kindness as alerting them of any other danger.

    17. Re:Atheist Fundamentalists: Angry, Violent, and... by Atriqus · · Score: 1

      So in short, it's just kids, but you really wanted to go on a tangent about those evil atheists who have the audacity to point out when math and science are being abused or when non-discriminatory laws are ignored.

      --
      Hey, look! It's Bono's brother.
    18. Re:Atheist Fundamentalists: Angry, Violent, and... by Deep+Esophagus · · Score: 1

      It's not a matter of respecting other religions; it's a matter of respecting other PEOPLE. As a Baptist, I believe that those who do not accept Jesus as the promised Messiah are not getting into heaven. As a follower of Christ's teachings to unconditionally love, I am *not* to find happiness in that consequence, nor am I to abuse or disparage those who have not accepted what I believe is the only path to salvation. I am expected to make sure they know how to avoid eternal destruction, but once they have that information the rest is up to God and not my problem.

      Westboro Baptist Church ignores pretty much everything Jesus said on the subject of love and respect. Unless you have read the New Testament enough to grok what Paul and the other authors have to say on Christian canon, you have no basis to back up your concept of what "real Christianity" is or who does/does not illustrate those beliefs. From what I've seen, most people who claim to speak on behalf of God fail to grasp the simple concept of "love your neighbor". The higher profile of the speaker, the more it seems he or she gets into grandstanding and political posturing and arrogance, and loses any shred of humility and compassion that might have originally existed.

      And I say this with the full realization that underneath it all, I'm no better than they are. I give in to my own prejudices from time to time; God knows I can be as arrogant and elitist as the worst of them. So I really try to avoid casting the first stone, either at nonbelievers or believers whose actions and words make them out to be idiots.

    19. Re:Atheist Fundamentalists: Angry, Violent, and... by RapmasterT · · Score: 2

      ...and a growing cult. Not saying the creches are being stolen by the Atheists, probably "just kids." But these days, those Atheists DO get their noses out of joint when confronted with public displays that run counter to their own belief systems.

      Not all Atheists are vandalizing extremists, of course. Most of them have moderate beliefs, contribute productively to society, and love America just like you or I.

      Typically what atheists get out of joint about is the government endorsing a particular religion to the exclusion of all others. The very same christians who say "what's the big deal" about a nativity scene seem to be VERY concerned about displays of Islam, Judaism, Wicca, Satanism, etc.

      Or would you support the local Church of Satan putting up a display in the public places during whatever holiday they wanted to celebrate?

    20. Re:Atheist Fundamentalists: Angry, Violent, and... by operagost · · Score: 1

      As an atheist, I don't understand the idea of good Christians respecting other religions. Why would you "respect" a practice that is sending innocent people to hell?

      Because trashing someone's menorah isn't exactly going to warm their opinions to you? When Jesus threw a fit in a temple, it was a Jewish temple, not a Roman one. Judgment and reform are practiced on the inside. To the outside, the best one can do is practice positive words and action.

      Likewise Judaism, where there is still a marginal (admittedly very marginal) debate on whether it is okay to break the Shabbat restrictions in order to save a goy's life.

      Jesus already solved this issue in Matthew 12.

      For example, as far as I can figure it, the Westboro Baptist Church is closer to real Christianity than those churches whom they rail against.

      Nope. Jesus wasn't much for trolling.

      --

      Gamingmuseum.com: Give your 3D accelerator a rest.
    21. Re:Atheist Fundamentalists: Angry, Violent, and... by operagost · · Score: 1

      Antecedently, basically all of the protestant friends I have are of the opinion that since God is supposed to be forgiving, anyone who is trying to be a good person will be rewarded.

      It's written that all our good works are filthy rags. Salvation comes only from the realization that you can't save yourself; you need Jesus's sinless sacrifice to do it. This includes those who existed before Jesus appeared on Earth; God had promised a Messiah to those who trusted in him. For those who haven't heard the specific revelations of the Bible, that's a different theological argument that's way too deep to go into here. But anyone who has heard the Word and calls himself a Christian should really get this.

      --

      Gamingmuseum.com: Give your 3D accelerator a rest.
    22. Re:Atheist Fundamentalists: Angry, Violent, and... by operagost · · Score: 1

      It's all bigotry, plain and simple.

      "Because you are [insert ethnic group here], you are subhuman and deserve to suffer" ... is no different from ...

      "Because you do not believe as I do, you will suffer infinite, endless pain."

      Anyone who believes that really is wrong; I agree. But that's not what is written.

      Romans 3:23 - All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

      Intolerance must not be tolerated.

      Irony must not be ironic.

      --

      Gamingmuseum.com: Give your 3D accelerator a rest.
    23. Re:Atheist Fundamentalists: Angry, Violent, and... by operagost · · Score: 1

      I guess it's safe to admit that the evangelicals are pretty tolerant, then? After all, they are a significant portion of the population, yet being atheist is still legal.

      --

      Gamingmuseum.com: Give your 3D accelerator a rest.
    24. Re:Atheist Fundamentalists: Angry, Violent, and... by anagama · · Score: 1

      Only because the constitution hasn't totally been shredded yet. Wait 25 years.

      --
      What changed under Obama? Nothing Good
  18. Better yet... by FatLittleMonkey · · Score: 1

    Hmmm, GPS tracker plus red and green dye-pack? (And a speaker, "Ho! Ho! Ho! Merry Christmas!")

    --
    Science is all about firing a drunk pig out of a cannon just to see what happens.
  19. only solution is tsa screening for everyone by Dan667 · · Score: 2

    everyone in the city must be naked scanned and groped several times a day to be safe from evil doers that might try to do something to the nativity scene.

  20. whatever happened to "turn the other cheek"? by martin-boundary · · Score: 1

    If they steal your christmas cow, hunt them down with extreme diligence and furious haste, and give them the other cow that they left behind so that they can get a better price on ebay for the complete set.

  21. Ok, So the GPS prevents baby Jesus from theft... by wierd_w · · Score: 5, Funny

    But what prevents would-be vandals from serrupticiously "Laying down" the 3 wise men in the snow, covering them up, and then placing a motion activated dancing santa with a strap on, and two yard gnomes in their place?

    (Bonus, "replace" Joseph with a white lawn jockey. [gotta be PC, afterall.])

    I suppose the camera would be a deturrant, but the enterprising geek could still deploy a portable EMI/EMP generator from the back of the panel van they use to perform the vandalism with. (You can get plans on the internet.)

    Other amusing vandalism ideas (non-inclusive):

    Put obviously fake dynamite bandoliers on all the male nativity characters. (Bonus if you put a burkha robe on Mary)
    Put a fake beard on Mary. (A santa beard is acceptable, but a dark black one is better due to increased visibility)
    Put suet balls in strategic locations so the indemic pidgeon population does the defacement for you
    Make an FSM snowman that totally obstructs the view of the nativity scene from the road.
    Put pink flamingos in the scene, then put brightly colored hawaiian shirts and hoola skirts on everyone.
    Wrap all the nativity figures up in toilet paper like mummies
    Load an electric paint sprayer with water and green food coloring; Spray "We accept cash and credit", "Salvation at LOW LOW PRICES!" on the snow of the church's lawn

    etc, etc.

    Stealing the nativity characters is boring in comparison to the many MANY different ways you could fuck with a church this time of year!

  22. Re:Ok, So the GPS prevents baby Jesus from theft.. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Ohh, great. Just like Wikileaks revealing terrorist targets, you've gone and given ideas to vandals. Once the government figures out how, they will prosecute you for that!

  23. Re:Ok, So the GPS prevents baby Jesus from theft.. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Hopefully the same thing that prevents me from shitting on your lawn... decency.

  24. You know, I have one simple request. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    And that is to have baby Jesus with frickin' laser beams attached to his head!

  25. Re:Ok, So the GPS prevents baby Jesus from theft.. by wierd_w · · Score: 1

    Feel free- The neighbor's dog does it all the time and I dont complain. Makes the grass greener.

    (You, sir, are forgetting that I am a geek and almost never go outside anyway.)

  26. OK by koan · · Score: 1

    My frat brothers and I would like to know if you could be a little more specific as to where the GPS on the menorah is actually placed.

    --
    "If any question why we died, Tell them because our fathers lied."
  27. Re:Ok, So the GPS prevents baby Jesus from theft.. by koan · · Score: 1

    You're expecting to much from these thieves as they are most likely so drunk thinking isn't an option.

    --
    "If any question why we died, Tell them because our fathers lied."
  28. Aw hell... by way2trivial · · Score: 1

    one thing I never understood about a large religion?

    the Jehovas Witness believe only 144,000 are going to heaven during the rapture...
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jehovas_Witness#Life_after_death

    why then, are they always trying for more members? there are 7.3 million members today, so a less than 2% chance of making it, and yet they keep trying for more members? if I was a jehova's witness I'd DAMN SURE try and get everyone I knew to be something else.... happily!

    --
    every day http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Random
    1. Re:Aw hell... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Two words: "Pyramid Scheme"

      You earn soul points by converting others, and only those with a large network of soul point collectors acting under them get the magic carpet ride to hebben.

      It's like Amway, only they don't bother giving you the useless crap when you give your money.

  29. This could happen... by az1324 · · Score: 3, Funny

    "What do you mean he's not in there? The GPS tracker clearly shows Jesus should be inside the tomb."

  30. Figures. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    So it's the usual bullshit of "blame the atheist" if it happens to a church, eh?

    I guess none of the religious retards have heard of "internecine strife"?

  31. Re:Ok, So the GPS prevents baby Jesus from theft.. by SleazyRidr · · Score: 1

    If people had decency they wouldn't need the GPS in the first place, this story wouldn't have been written and you wouldn't have made that comment! Does that count as a paradox?

  32. Re:Ok, So the GPS prevents baby Jesus from theft.. by argStyopa · · Score: 1

    ...Which itself is almost more of a meta comment on society than you intend.

    I mean, yes, there are many, many ways one can 'fuck with a church'. Congratulations?

    Let's see: a building that houses an organisation that you might indeed disagree with, but whose members find comfort, solace, and peace in their participation. An organization whose impact is overwhelmingly positive, and you want to 'fuck with it'.

    You kick down little kids' snowmen too?

    Why is the planet so overpopulated with assholes? Is it the narcissism inherent in the atomization of society?

    --
    -Styopa
  33. Pfffttt .... by gstoddart · · Score: 1

    Just fire up one of these babies.

    Problem solved.

    --
    Lost at C:>. Found at C.
  34. Re:Ok, So the GPS prevents baby Jesus from theft.. by wierd_w · · Score: 1

    Like with all overtly negative activities, the target must be truly deserving.

    Take for instance a certain sect of baptist churches in the US recently... The ones that like to "petition" at people's funerals?

    Yeah. Not all churches are clean, pure and white like you paint them above. Some might actually be deserving of a little vandalism, (However, it should be pointed out that this was a devil's advocate type joke post, not an edict for vandals to go do those things. EG, it was meant to point out that the security measures taken by the church only address a very narrow aspect of the vandalism issue. The reasons for vandalism were never addressed. Thanks for painting me as a jackass by the way. So nice when people pull an ad hominem on me.)

  35. Will they forgive the thieves? by mrnick · · Score: 1

    So someone steals a baby Jesus with a hidden GPS tracker in it that gets stolen. After tracking them down what happens, they forgive them?

    --

    Encryption: I may not agree with what you say, but I will defend your right to encrypt it...
  36. Year in URL by SeNtM · · Score: 2

    No one bothered to look at the URL...or the creation date of the article. This story is from 2008.

    --
    "There ought to be limits to freedom." -George W. Bush