On any given day of the week, I try not to talk about negative things about religion. It gets old. And really, it's not like every believer does this kind of thing. I'd no sooner judge all of Islam for one shooter as I'd just all Christianity from the KKK or all atheism for, well, all of my bad behavior.

Then there are stories like these that I just can't pass up.

Let's start in Cincinnati. I've never been there other than watching "WKRP" reruns as a kid (which led to a lifelong crush on Loni Anderson and her perfect ankles). And I really don't mind the atheist billboard project. The idea is that according to some polls, the population of non-believers to believers in the United States is actually around 5-10% - only non-believers are not as organized. 

Hence, the Atheist Billboard concept: let non-believers know they're not completely alone.  That there are other people who don't believe in divine beings like you do. Seems rather innofenseive - just saying "Hey, don't believe in God? Well, there are others out there like you."

Evidently, though this is too much for some people. You have people being threatened for owning the building where one of the billboards is operating in Cincinnati.  Yes, that's right - the people who believe that Jesus said "Turn the other cheek", "bless your enemies" think the way to do that is to call up and threaten people with violence unless they take down a sign.

Evidently, the very idea that there are people who don't believe like you do is enough to threaten violence.  Really, kids?

Of course, that's probably the same thinking that leads  a pastor to decide he's going to have a pro-hate crime rally to protest the recent hate crimes legislation signed into law:

 The "Rally for Religious Freedom" in front of the Department of Justice in Washington is intended to force Attorney General Eric Holder either to address the issues or be put in a position of ignoring those who say they are violating the provisions of the federal law, Cass said.  "We're basically going to defy the law, and challenge it," Cass told WND. "We're going to declare the whole counsel of God, including those parts that some may consider 'inciting a hate crime' to see if the attorney general is going to come down and arrest a group of peaceful clergy exercising their First Amendment rights." (Emphasis added)

 Granted, this clearly isn't how "hate crimes" works. It's like any other crime committed: you don't just weigh the actions, but the intent. 

Take murder. If two people are having an argument and one shoots the other, it might be second degree murder. But if the police find evidence and prove in court that the killer bought a gun months ago, wrote in their journal "The next time I have an argument with So-and-So, I'm totally going to kill them!" - now it's first degree murder, and you can be sent to jail for a longer period of time.

And, with hate crimes law, if the case is made and proved that you committed the crime *because* the person was of a different race/religion/country of origin/and now sexual preference or transgendered, then the courts can send you to jail for even longer.

That's it, Pastor Cass. It doesn't mean you have to stop being a bigot or that you can't stand up and be an utter jackass going on about how horrible "the gays" are and how they're lifestyle makes the community fabulous.  You're still allowed to say that.

You're just not allowed to commit a crime, then avoid *extra penalties* if you do it because they're a gay person.

I know - it's a hard concept when you have people like Carrie Prejean thinking that if you criticize her you're infringing upon her freedom of speech. 

I think what I don't understand, and this is even as a former believer, is the idea that you have to commit a crime in the name of a god that - punishes people for crimes. By their own rules, it's "Thou shalt not lie", not "That shalt not lie - except when its to make your believe in God look good."

Then, there was this total hippy who said:

 ²¹"You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, 'Do not murder,^[a] and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.' ²²But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother^[b]will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to his brother, 'Raca,^[c]' is answerable to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, 'You fool!' will be in danger of the fire of hell. (Matthew 5:21-22)

But then again, I'm not sure the "Christians" who threaten and hate in the name of Jesus would listen to that guy anyway.