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 The American Atheists' president acknowledges that the pair of new billboards will likely cause a stir.
March 1st, 2012
05:00 AM ET
Atheist group targets Muslims, Jews with ‘myth’ billboards in Arabic and HebrewBy Dan Merica, CNN (CNN) – The billboard wars between atheists and believers have raged for years now, especially around New York City, and a national atheist group is poised to take the battle a step further with billboards in Muslim and Jewish enclaves bearing messages in Arabic and Hebrew. American Atheists, a national organization, will unveil the billboards Monday on Broadway in heavily Muslim Paterson, New Jersey and in a heavily Jewish Brooklyn neighborhood, immediately after the Williamsburg Bridge. “You know it’s a myth … and you have a choice,” the billboards say. The Patterson version is in English and Arabic, and the Brooklyn one in English and Hebrew. To the right of the text on the Arabic sign is the word for God, Allah. To the right of the text on the Hebrew sign is the word for God, Yahweh. Dave Silverman, the president of American Atheists, said the signs are intended to reach atheists in the Muslim and Jewish enclaves who may feel isolated because they are surrounded by believers. “Those communities are designed to keep atheists in the ranks,” he says. “If there are atheists in those communities, we are reaching out to them. We are letting them know that we see them, we acknowledge them and they don't have to live that way if they don’t want to.” CNN’s Belief Blog: The faith angles behind the biggest stories Silverman says the signs advertise the American Atheists’ upcoming convention and an atheist rally, called the Reason Rally, in Washington next month. Atheists have long pointed to surveys that suggest atheists and agnostics make up between 3% and 4% of the U.S. population. That number increases when Americans unaffiliated with any religion are included. The Pew Center’s U.S. Religious Landscape Survey found that 16% are unaffiliated, though only a fraction of those are avowed atheists and agnostics. Silverman acknowledges that the pair of new billboards will likely cause a stir. “People are going to be upset,” he says. “That is not our concern.” “We are not trying to inflame anything,” he continued. “We are trying to advertise our existence to atheist in those communities. The objective is not to inflame but rather to advertise the atheist movement in the Muslim and Jewish community.” The billboards will be up for one month and cost American Atheists, based in New Jersey, less than $15,000 each, according to Silverman. Mohamed Elfilali, executive director of the Islamic Center of Passaic County, laughed when he learned the Arabic billboard would go up in the same town as his office. He says he’s surprised that someone is spending money on such a sign. “It is not the first and won’t be the last time people have said things about God or religion,” Elfilali says. “I respect people’s opinion about God; obviously they are entitled to it. I don’t think God is a myth, but that doesn’t exclude people to have a different opinion.” But Elfilali bemoaned the billboards as another example of a hyper-polarized world. “Sadly, there is a need to polarize society as opposed to build bridges,” he says. “That is the century that we live in. It is very polarized, very politicized.” The Brooklyn billboard is likely to raise eyebrows among Jews, in part because Orthodox Jews don't write out the name of God, as the billboard does. “It is an emotional word, there will be an emotional response," said Rabbi Kenneth Brander, dean of Yeshiva University's Center for the Jewish Future. "People will look at it in a bizarre way. People won’t understand why someone needed to write that out.” To get around the prohibition, Jews usually use only one Hebrew letter in place of the word. In the Torah scroll, though, the word is found and it is pronounced Adonai, which means “my master.” Rabbi Serge Lippe of the Brooklyn Heights Synagogue was more dismissive than outraged about the billboards. “The great thing about America is we are marketplace for ideas,” he says. “People put up awful, inappropriate billboards expressing their ideas and that is embraced.” But Lippe acknowledged that there are a lot of agnostic and atheist Jews. A recent Gallup survey found 53% of Jews identified as nonreligious. Among American Jews, 17% identified as very religious and 30% identified as moderately religious. “When you have two Jews in the room, you have three opinions,” joked Lippe. American Atheists have used the word “myth” to describe religion and God on billboards before. Last November, the organization went up with a billboard immediately before the New Jersey entrance to the Lincoln tunnel that showed the three wise men heading to Bethlehem and stated “You KNOW it’s a Myth. This Season, Celebrate Reason.” At the time, the American Atheists said the billboard was to encourage Atheists to come out of the closet with their beliefs and to dispel the myth that Christianity owns the solstice season. The Christmas billboard led to a “counter punch” by the Catholic League, a New York-based Catholic advocacy group. The Catholic League put up a competing billboard that said, “You Know It's Real: This Season Celebrate Jesus." Silverman says his group’s billboard campaigns will continue long into the future. “There will be more billboards,” Silverman says. “We are not going to be limiting to Muslims and Jews, we are going to be putting up multiple billboards in multiple communities in order to get atheists to come out of the closet.” soundoff (5,946 Responses)« Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 Next »
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The CNN Belief Blog covers the faith angles of the day's biggest stories, from breaking news to politics to entertainment, fostering a global conversation about the role of religion and belief in readers' lives. It's edited by CNN's Daniel Burke with contributions from Eric Marrapodi and CNN's worldwide news gathering team.  |
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Hey everyone! Atheism is NOT a RELIGION! It's a society that is Willing and Able to change based on NEW information. RELIGION does Neither!
Yeah. . . it's a religion. You just don't want to admit it. As far as any belief goes, the choice to not believe is still a belief. You've got to serve someone dude.
G .. ski2xs is suffering from indoctrination. A-theism (non-theism) is a non belief, the natural state until someone fills your head with what to believe. ski2xs is in so deep they can't imagine NOT having something to follow & that's the problem. There are infinite things I do not bellieve in .. that doesn't mean I have a belief in NOT beliving in them .. c'mon ski dude!
@If Horses Had Butts (ROFL)
Awwww. . . ain't that precious. . . You believe I have a belief? See. . . now your serving me! 🙂
Interestingly enough, I do not become enraged at people who believe in Santa Claus... Modern day atheism is indeed a religion in just about every sense of the word.
@ski2xs: I am sorry, but you are mistaken. To "believe" that no god or gods exist would require the denial of evidence that proves that a god exists. You will need to provide verifiable evidence that your god exists before I can "believe" that it does not.
As Bill Maher said: "Atheism is a religion like abstinence is a se-xual position".
anon, "I do not become enraged at people who believe in Santa Claus"
You might be enraged if Santa Clausists were trying to infiltrate government and set up laws and public policies according to their myth, and if they continually denigrated you for not believing.
@Eric
Actually, in order for Atheism to be removed from being a belief, then you must prove there isn't a God, or even a magic spaghetti sky man. Try again there Eric, just because Bill the Cat says 'ACK!". . . doesn't make it true 🙂
BTW. . .do you believe in strong quantum forces?
Ahh semantics. Belief does not equal religion. Atheism is not a religion, that doesn't mean it's not a belief. I believe all religion is false. I believe I will have another thin mint (just got my girl scout cookie order), that does not make girl scout cookies a religion. I will continue to believe religion is false until I see empirical proof otherwise.
@ski2xs: The burden of proof lies with those making a claim. You have not satisfied your burden of proof regarding your claim that your god exists.
You really should stay in the shallow end of the pool if that is the best you can come up with.
What new information?
Even the term"Belief Blog" frames the conversation. It offers authority to "belief" in absence of fact.
Religious people are so immersed in their everyday rhetoric that it is hard to even talk in ways that don't color the conversation in a religious prejudice.
Just the fact that CNN has a "belief blog" gives false credibility to religion. However CNN's motivation in this is NOT to promote religion .. it's to manipulate us into posts and web hits to increase traffic which increases advertising dollars.
So now they have the nerve to bring the tetragrammaton into their hate campaign... These people are teasing a dog with big teeth now... Some people pretend to believe in free choice and then make it clear they are just bigots... Boy is this group on for a surprise.
David Silverman.... you forgot what happened to your people not long time ago in Europe your moron
What happened in Europe is either: (a) God didn't like the Jews and chose the Nazis as his tool to express his dislike, (b) God simply didn't care, (c) God was powerless to stop the Nazis, or (d) God doesn't exist.
Not sure what your point is here...
Is that some sort of veiled threat? Just what exactly are you proposing?
Well I was proposing logic (I guess for some that is a threat). Mosey was proposing a lack of logic. Not sure who you are referring to...
Mitt Romney is a drooling idiot. Religion is for weak-minded morons.
I'm not religious and I'd love it if that were more acceptable where I live, in the Bible Belt. But I hardly think rude billboards are the way to make that happen. How about finding ways to show what we have in common instead? For instance, I may not believe in an afterlife or the creation story, but I do believe in right and wrong, the Golden Rule, and respecting other people's beliefs. I still feel like I am a moral person and strive to instill that sense of right and wrong in my children. I disagree with what the people buying those billboards are doing. It's important to understand that we all see the world differently and if we want other people to respect us, we have to respect them.
Well said.
The billboards are not necessarily there to re-shape atheists' image. They are there to encourage closet atheists to seek out the atheist community and come out.
The billboard is for those of us who feel marginalized by our communities and are very reassuring.
So you believe in live and let live as long as I hide in a closet and do not reach out to like minded people - So much for your so called 'tolerance!'
Well I for one wouldn't feel more confident about telling people in my community I belong to a group that would post a billboard like that.
You hit the nail on the head. I’m in the south as well, albeit the most liberal part. Freeing people's minds doesn't happen by billboard assaults. It happens through education and by example. I hate the word 'atheist' but I'm proud to be one. I don't need to have morality preached at me by people who believe they have some level of superiority simply because they believe in ‘god’. The thing that always slays me is that people don’t understand where morality really comes from. It comes from within; your experiences, environment and culture. What we believe to be morally reprehensible in the U.S. may be perfectly acceptable somewhere else. If a person is inherently good or bad, they will act accordingly – we atheists simply do good things without the threat of ‘eternal damnation….’.
What is rude about the truth? Christians seem to think it's not rude to shove their "truth" down other peoples throats, but it's the truth because their book says it is. I think it's the height of rudeness to tell me I'm going to your bad place because I don't believe the same as you! Let's face facts here, the religions esposed in the bible, the quran, the baghvad ghita, the satanic bible and every other writing of MAN is just what the billboards say, myth. I used to be ok with just letting it be. I used to say live and let live, let everyone believe what they want. But it became increasingly clear to me, that the religious are not paying me the same courtesy, so why should I? Religion in totality, xtian or otherwise is a danger to society and this planet's well being.
This is why it's so embarrassing to say "I don't believe in a god" because then everyone clumps you up with these morons and try to argue the point that you're not Atheist because you don't want a stupid label, it never works... Safest route claim you're Agnostic and move along.
Then FIGHT for the respect you deserve.
Once you strike the first blow, you may find you enjoy the taste of blood.
Or you can hide, and wait for them to come for you.
I prefer to have the bals to tell the truth about my position and the knowledge / understanding to back me up .. that's how we'll change this rediculous mindset of fear.
I'm an atheist and proud of it. I was ambivalent about religion then I heard some truth claims about the Bible. It didn't take me very long to do my homework and realize it was all "shamelessly invented".
Nothing worthwhile is ever easy. Cowering afraid in the dark is not the way to bring the light of reason to the world. We must be vocal, and harshly so sometimes to get the point across.
There are no gods or goddesses, demons or devils, ghosts or goblins. Religion was invented by man to control the masses.
i could care less what they write.. only thing there doing is causing more harm to themselves than good.. might as well set their $$ on fire..
Is God a myth? I don't know.
Do I have a choice? Most definitely. And I choose to believe.
That is faith; to believe in a concept that is neither provable nor refutable.
I am aware of the disillusionment many athesists have of "religion," because of religious hypocrisy. And I agree. I think many of us who are religious should celebrate the fact that there are athesists in this country. Why? Because the fact that they choose to believe in no religion represents individual choice and the freedom to make that choice. Many of us cannot say the same in other ultra-religious countries.
Religion is a choice. If I could change anything in the world, I would change how we teach religion to those who want to learn. Religion is a matter of choice. That is why it is so beautiful.
Ironically, I agree with those billboards. In fact, we should get rid of some of the religious billboards across the country that shove religion down people's throats. Show people that everything is a matter of choice. That is what it means to be human.
What you say is true – a lot of atheists choose that belief system because of perceived hypocricies they see within religions and religious people – but many of us also simply just don't have a capacity for faith. I'm just too skeptical in the end. It just seems too convenient an explanation for me, especially when God gets loopholes like "Well if God created the universe, what created God?" "Oh nothing! He's God, the rules don't apply to him!" I find that to be a very convenient way to never have to question anything, and I am by nature a questioning person. For the record, yes, I have always been an atheist. From birth up to age 35. Everything I needed to know about right and wrong, I learned from Superman.
I don't think people chose to believe or not believe. I think people are compelled to believe what they believe.
So tell me how is it "beautiful" to be able to CHOOSE WHAT IS THE TRUTH!?!? What if you make the wrong choice??
This is a sign of the times. People will choose sides in the times of the end. Polarization is just creating groups with boundaries, this is nothing new, this is nothing modern. Hatred and strife are not driving these people to kill each other physically, they are trying to destroy each other morally, mentally, psychologically on the plains of desperation. False religion has enslaved man for centuries and this Atheistic godless element has reared its head in opposition. Evolutionists and the like keep mounting "evidence" to convince themselves but they too are doing the same thing Christendom did for centuries, enslave believers. Ironically, Atheists are from the same mold as false religion, they promise the freedom of a more liberating way of life but it itself is a religion. To believe in Evolution is a religion all onto itself. They are like the black man calling foul because he was disqualified for a job, not realizing he needs more skillsets. They are like muslims crying for "fair" treatment so they can receive special religious exceptions. Evolution took over schools much the same way, then kicked out prayer time and pushed Evolution down our throats like false religion did. Jesus will separate the sheep from the goats.
Closet agnostic. Come on out.
I hope these people realize that a majority of Muslims in this world actually don't speak, read, or write Arabic.
Actually, it is reasonable to assume a great percentage of them don't read or write anything. They are illiterate.
They're targeting Muslims in NJ not the entire world. US Muslims overwhelmingly speak arabic.
Maybe that's why they only paid for them to be posted in New York.
Most Muslims don't read at all!
Silly.
That's why they have such strict laws about drawing. It's all they are able to understand.
Silverman is worried about being attacked by Jews and Muslims..... yet when he attack Christians he is not worried 😮
Ask him how many death threats he gets daily.
There is a sign just as you are leaving Reno on South 395 - My heart rejoiced the first time i saw it...after I did a double. triple take... Money well spent, thank you!
I hope David Silverman suffers in stroke...... He is Jewish and embarrassing our Jewish community 🙁
Have you ever considered that MAYBE you're wrong??
Did you mean "suffers a stroke"?
I'm Jewish and an atheist, and I hope the same for you, NY.
The world needs less of your kind.
FUUUUUUUUUUUUCK ATHEITS FUUUUUUUUUCK!!!!!! I HOPE A MUSLIM SHOOT SILVERMAN IN HEAD I HOPE
If your God was real why do you fear atheists so much as to want them dead? Or is it that your faith is not as strong as you would like it to be and you think a highway sign just might convert you? And yes, religious zealots are very good at killing anyone who disagrees with them and I'm sure if your evil and violent God exists he would approve.
What? What Muslim would do such a thing? I thought you were all so peaceful and peace-loving and Islam is a religion of Peace....LOLOLOL
Well aren't you a shining beacon of intellectualism.
Perhaps I should "speak your language".
Grok have big stick! Grok hit animal with stick. Grok eat good.
Thank you Mr. Silverman for not targeting only Christians..... 🙂
3.....2......1.....
Atheists are the only true humans worthy of inheriting the earth. All religions are false and exist by pear pressure and should be declared illegal same as belonging to the Nazi group.
I don't feel any pressure from pears. It's just a fruit for christ's sake!
It is kind of amazing that in the same breath you declare that only your group are true humans, and denounce the Nazis.
Take a look in the mirror: The Nazi is you!
attack of the killer pears!
Oh my! That is impossible. Inheriting the earth is not a religious affair. Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the Earth. Didn't see religion aka non-religion there.
a pear maybe just a fruit but the fruit agenda is real in ths country
If your pears are feeling any pressure may I suggest looser pantaloons.
A pear a day keeps the peers away.
ROFLMBOBO! The religion of instigation. BWAH!
Doesn't your statement of having only one group that superior to others and everyone else should cease to exist, make you like the Nazis?
@Ahhhhhh: Not even Nazi pears? They're pretty scary I think...
@Johnny
How much you wanna bet that most of the Nazis were Christian?
Apples, bananas, and pears... oh my! Apples, bananas, and pears... oh my! Apples, bananas, and pears... oh my!
Last time I went fruitdiving, the pear pressure nearly gave me the bends.
cornballs with billboards.
This is all very entertaining. Believe, don't believe. NO ONE KNOWS until they have died and crossed over to the next phase of the life forces existence. I do KNOW this, that religion is responsible for more pain, misery and unhappiness than any other force on the planet. No religion is without sin, even buddist have participated in violence over belief. None truly want the other to think or reason, just accept blindly what they are told to do. Face it folks, its all about power over your fellow man.
I think that greed is responsible for more pain than religion.
I want. I need. I lust. I take. Religions generally denounce the passions that drive people to cause pain, but people are people all the same.
I'm pretty sure communism and fascism hold those mantels. Both not affiliated with religion. At least with religion you can point to some of the good it does; charity etc... You can't do the same with all these other movements... Overall Humans corrupt everything, deal with it.
May Allah kill all atheists and insallah David Silverman gets cancer and die that son of a b!tch
Your Allah sounds like a murderer. Personally, I wouldn't worship an evil god, even if he did exist.
And I wish the same for you.
Evil evil man Saliba!!
U make Allah sound the total opposite of what HE is ! Everyone can do whatever the wish to, Our work is to see ourselves n do right
Peace
David Silverman – the founder of American Atheist – is a Jew....
He's a mother F*c*er who s^ck his fathers d!ck...... ALL ATHEISTS WILL SUFFER AND BURN IN HELL!!!!!!
And you wonder why some people are antagonistic towards believers?
I smell an atheist rat!
There is no Hell in the Jewish faith. There is a purgatory but no Hell. As for "s*ck his fathers d*ck", isn't that what the little boys are made to do to the priests. "Yes Father Michael, I will do this if you promise I won't go to Hell."
Yeah, this post just has compassion written all over it, doesn't it?
YEP SURELY AN ATHEIST!
Hey, !. Tell us how you really feel. LOL......
You must be a muslim. And an illiterate one at that.
How religious of you...
It's because the zealots have been claiming God will come punish us for so long and he never shows up, no lightning, no nothing, so they are starting to lose their faith which makes them even more mad so all they can do it try to take over Gods job of passing judgement by attacking and screaming vitriol at those who's continued existence and prosperity seems to prove their life a lie.