An atheist group, Freedom From Religion Foundation, had their sign protesting the display of religious symbols stolen from the Illinois Capitol rotunda.
Somewhere between late Monday night and early Tuesday morning, the sign went missing. Police are investigating.
Officials overseeing the Capitol said they had received quite a few complaints about the sign, but they also said that the nativity scene had received quite a few complaints too.
The stolen sign read:
“At this season of 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.”
Representatives from the Atheist group will replace the sign with one change. The new sign will include a few words from the Bible: “Thou Shall Not Steal.”
Annie Laurie Gaylor of the Freedom From Religion Foundation expressed her discontent with the thieves. “Atheists never engage in vandalism. We don’t go around stealing the Baby Jesus. They don’t follow their own commandments.”
Their appears to be a crime spree regarding atheist signs at the present. A similar sign was stolen from the display at the Washington state Capitol but later returned. In Wisconsin, another sign was vandalized.
