Mocking atheists will not solve Toledo/Tama Co.’s problems. Pastor Todd, Mayor Sokol, Supply Board

contributed photo Justin Scott of Denver, Iowa, appears in a FoxNews article about the Toledo Christmas controversy.

“It’s like déjà vu, all over again.” —Yogi Berra

Over the past year, Toledo and Tama County have witnessed a disturbing trend of intolerance, but not from atheists or Satanists, who have been unfairly scapegoated. Instead, the real source of this controversy comes from a handful of elected officials and one loud, hate-filled individual masquerading as a religious leader.

It all started in December 2023, when I pointed out to the city of Toledo that a nativity scene on fire station property violated the Constitution and filed a lengthy and costly lawsuit against the city. Despite reports to the contrary, I never demanded that they remove it completely, instead I suggested ways to improve it to keep it legal.

Instead of responding to me directly, Mayor Sokol decided it would be better to instead run to Fox News and report harassment from an out-of-town atheist. Instead of quietly dealing with the problem behind closed doors, it was the mayor who decided to turn it into a public spectacle.

Soon after, Pastor Todd decided that Christ’s teachings of love, patience and kindness—the foundation of Christianity for many Christians—were not enough for him. Instead, he launched into a hate-filled sermon (you can find it on YouTube), resorted to demonizing atheists, and declared that my efforts were nothing more than an attack not only on Christmas, but on Christianity itself. His rant, which was the exact opposite of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, branded atheists as “bloodthirsty killers of the infant Jesus” and spewed harmful, unfounded rhetoric designed to mislead and drive his congregation into madness; To hell with understanding the legal and ethical issues of this issue or preaching tolerance and patience.

Then, in September 2024, the Satanic Temple of Iowa, simply exercising its rights to free speech, religious freedom and peaceful assembly, was told that Pastor Todd and his lemmings, as well as Tama Co., were not welcome in society. . Supervisory Board.

And now, almost a year later, and as if all of this wasn’t enough, Pastor Todd continues to spin the wheel of bigotry at full speed, boasting on Facebook that his church’s annual nativity scene will now demonize not only atheists, but atheists as well. the celebration of the so-called Nativity of Christ (let’s leave this discussion for another day). From his post, it appears that the exhibit now features a figure of the bloodthirsty King Herod with a bloody knife and the word “atheist” scrawled on his forehead.

If you think I’m offended by this, let me assure you that I’m not. In fact, I find it almost laughable that, according to Pastor Todd, I have apparently been living rent-free for the past year. What’s truly tragic, however, is that this demonstrates the misplaced priorities of some of the so-called “leaders” in your community. Pastor Todd, Mayor Sokol and the entire Board of Supervisors could have spent the past year focusing their time and energy on helping those in need – there are many in this community who could benefit from their support. Instead, they have chosen to squander their influence on divisive rhetoric, childish trolling and divisiveness. This isn’t just a missed opportunity; This is a blatant abuse of his position of power.

It is time for Christians in Toledo and Tama County—and throughout Iowa who truly follow the teachings of Christ—those who understand that love and compassion should be extended to all, including those who believe differently—to step forward and speak out for the religious pluralism in our country. state and country. Write a letter to Pastor Todd. Write a letter to Mayor Sokol. Send an email to the Board of Supervisors. Speak up during public comments. Don’t let this continue unchecked. If you want to live in a community and state where all Iowans—atheists, Satanists, and Christians alike—feel welcome, now is the time to act.

The truth is that ridiculing atheists, Satanists and other non-Christians will not solve the problems of Toledo and all of Iowa. It will not help the hungry, improve schools, or unite your community or our state. This will only divide people, and we are already divided enough as a country.

The real solution is simple: focus on what brings people together, not what divides them. Or get ready to experience that feeling of déjà vu all over again.

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Justin Scott is a proud atheist who has been fighting for the separation of religion and government for nearly a decade. His advocacy includes founding the Atheists of Eastern Iowa, holding the first-ever atheist prayer at the Iowa State Capitol, ending government-sponsored prayer throughout Iowa, and receiving numerous national awards, including the coveted Atheist of the Year award from American Atheist magazine. . He can be reached at [email protected].