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 A billboard criticizing Christianity is going up in Charlotte, North Carolina, host city of the upcoming Democratic National Convention.
August 13th, 2012
10:03 AM ET
First on CNN: Atheist group targets presidential candidates' faith with billboardsBy Dan Merica, CNN Washington (CNN) - A prominent atheist group is using next month's Democratic National Convention to take aim at the presidential candidates' religion, putting up billboards targeting Mormonism and Christianity in Charlotte, North Carolina. “Our political system is rife with religion and it depends too much on religion and not enough on substance," said David Silverman, president of American Atheists, sponsor of the ads. "Religion is silly and religion has components that are inherently divisive. … There is no place for any of that in the political system,” he said. The billboards go up Monday in Charlotte and will stay up for a month at a cost of roughly $15,000. The Democratic convention runs September 3-6. CNN’s Belief Blog: The faith angles behind the biggest stories The billboard targeting Christianity features an image of Jesus Christ on toast and this description of the faith: "Sadistic God; Useless Savior, 30,000+ Versions of ‘Truth,’ Promotes Hates, Calls it ‘Love.’ ”
The billboard targeting Mormonism lambastes - and, Mormons would say, distorts - specific Mormon doctrines: "God is a Space Alien, Baptizes Dead People, Big Money, Big Bigotry.” The Mormon billboard features a man in white underwear, a reference to special Mormon garments. Follow the CNN Belief Blog on Twitter Both billboards feature the line "Atheism: Simply Reasonable." American Atheists had wanted to put the anti-Mormon billboard in Tampa, Florida, to coincide with the Republican National Convention there later this month. Presumptive GOP nominee Mitt Romney is a Mormon. When no billboard company in the city would lease the group space for such a sign, Silverman said the organization decided to focus solely on the Democrats in Charlotte. “Presidential conventions are for ideas, not ideology - platforms, not platitudes," Silverman said. "If a person believes stupid things, we have every right to question his or her judgment, and that directly impacts how the nonreligious voter votes.” CNN Belief Blog: Atheist leader hopes to mobilize closeted nonbelievers Some religious leaders said the billboards showed a misunderstanding of how faith works. "That billboard makes the most common high-school error when it comes to atheism," wrote the Rev. James Martin, a Jesuit priest and author, in an e-mail to CNN. "It's not arguing against the existence of God, but against religion. The American Atheists need to go back to school on this one." Martin also questioned the language used on the billboard: "And as for 'promoting hate' they're doing a bang-up job themselves with that billboard." Terryl Givens, a Mormon professor at the University of Richmond, called American Atheists "petty and vindictive." “If this example of adolescent silliness is what atheists mean by being reasonable, then neither Mormons nor other Christians have much to worry about," he said of the billboards. "When atheists organize to serve the poor and needy of the world, they will be taken more seriously." CNN Belief Blog: Unbelieving preachers 'come out' as atheists It's not the first time the American Atheists group has released in-your-face billboards. Earlier this year, the group put up two billboards in heavily Muslim and Jewish enclaves in New Jersey and New York bearing messages in Arabic and Hebrew. “You know it’s a myth … and you have a choice,” the billboards said. At the time, Silverman said the signs were intended to reach atheists in Muslim and Jewish areas who may feel isolated because they are surrounded by believers. In addition to the billboards, Silverman said his group plans to stage protests at both conventions. |
  About this blog
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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How can one be so arrogant and blind to think we are all just an accident of nature.......look at the thousands of different life forms and....we all have blood, brains, nerves, reproductive organs....at least mammals anyway.......that sure is some neat trick, just append by accident eh? Wow, I wish I was that simple minded sometimes.
And I wish you had taken a biology class so that you would know how mind-numbingly stupid that straw man argument is.
I wish you'd have been raised right to see how empty your argument is. Pity.
Notice when the world starts turning to crap people are losing their religion....just like it says in the book.
Why are u using freethinker? That's an oxymoron! The answer to your inquiry is in most libraries and Universities, if your intellectual laziness will allow you to actually be a free-thinker!
"Freethinker"...really?
Bubonic Plague. Anthrax. Polio. Leprosy. Colo-rectal cancer. Typhoid. Diptheria. Multiple Sclerosis. Huntington's Disease. Lukemia. Small pox.
Please explain your god's 'intelligent design' of these (and many, many thousands of others) natural horrors. After all, if you are going to use the 'complexity of the human body' as evidence of divinity (it isnt, you half-wit), then dont you have to also try and explain the complexity of the bubonic plague virus, also intelligently designed by your all-good, wonderful munificent god?
Natural selection is no accident
You clearly do not understand the process of evolution. The driving force for evolution is not random error. It is not chance. The driving force is that same type of natural forces that have enough power to create mountains. Can you argue that the mountains are not the result of physical forces on the earth's crust? Can you possible imagine what similar forces working at the molecular level can do over millions of years? The problem is your perspective is limited to what you know, and when you rely on religion to tell you what you should know and what truth is, you are stuck in a future where you will know nothing except what someone told you was the "word of god." You rely on statements that are contrived to be beyond reason, beyond the test of logic and reason. You are playing a sick shell game. Welcome back to the dark ages.
"Wow, I wish I was that simple minded sometimes"- you are! That's the problem, you're the alcoholic in denial! You have a brain and are not using it, a Pythagorean heretic!
I didn't make an argument. I pointed out the fact that you are using a logical fallacy. If you would like me to make a counter argument please present an argument not based on a lie.
@Freethinker,
Your initial argument draws on false points to make weak conclusions. Huebert pointed that out rather succinctly. IF you see his argument as hollow it's because you're not being subjective (not terribly surprising).
The "complexity" you claim as proof of divine crafting is a horrible thing to try and use at proof. 1) It's not that complex, it actually makes perfect sense in its forms and functions (usually), and if you examine the progression of simplest to most complex lifeforms you can watch the increasing complexity take shape and purpose. There are however strange features and vestigial organs, which brings me to point number 2) Complexity is not a sign of intelligent design. Ask any engineer, a well designed system is simple. Teh fact taht there are redundant, vestigial, self damaging, and overly complex components in life forms means that either a- there is no designer, they developed through natural progession of mutation, proliferation, and survival or b- there is a designer, but he's an idiot. Your choice.
I think many of you are missing Freethinkers point. Maybe I have not understood what he is saying but here is my take. There are many possible connections between religion and science and I'm not saying the Bible was written by God, the Bible was written by Rome and I do believe Jesus was real but so many who have studied the Bible miss the point, there is a metaphorical meaning where Jesus is supposed to be an example for man of what they can achieve. Jesus would never have been bigoted although many of my fellow Christians are. Perhaps I am becoming more agnostic but here is my point, who is to say the Big Bang was not "Let there be light"? In a sesne, isn't that exactly what happened? Here is the truth about God as I perceive it, he created the Universe and let life evolve on its own and left us to our own devices. Death is just a part of life, how you live your life, regardless of your beliefs is your choice, we will all end up in the same place when we die, whether you are in a hole or in Heaven, no one knows, True Christian believers believe we will be in Heaven, Athiests believe we'll be in the hole. What does it really matter. The majority of Christians don't hurt but help people. All the anger and hate from BOTH sides just needs to stop, start respecting each other more. I wish people could take that first brave step as it will take much courage for all of us to admit our faults and yes, you guys have them too but that is perfectly fine. My guess is your still a decent person just like myself and Freethinker. That is the point you miss. Do not judge an entire group on the actions of a few, isn't that what you claim Christians do? Maybe look in the mirror sometimes and ask that question, might help you be less resentful and hateful.
with no religion in there life there gonna come up with some goofey crap like this, i mean, what does an atheist say when someboby sneezes?
Really?
Gesundheit. Why, do you believe that there is a chance your soul will escape or that the sneeze is caused by demons? Because that's why religions say "Bless you".
Gesundheit – which means health...and you have to be joking ...right?
Generally I don't say anything. I expect the person that sneezes to say 'excuse me'.
Words.........no one cares. We know what we believe. CNN move on please..........
I support this message.
This is stupid move by the American Atheists. If history has taught us anything repeatedly, it's that religious organizations and their followers are the most hateful and violent people on earth. They will take action against this group, with billboard defacing only the first step.
“Any violence which does not spring from a spiritual base, will be wavering and uncertain. It lacks the stability which can only rest in a fanatical outlook.” – Adolf Hitler
Yeah, totally. Because there is such a long history of violence against atheist billboards. What a joke. At least American Christians aren't the only people who are desperate to paint themselves as martyrs for absolutely no reason whatsoever. We have whiney atheists to keep them close company.
99% of all human beings have faith in a creator, a higher power.....but we are supposed to listen to these Athiest attention seekers who are Athiest only because they want to be different and unique......a TRUE Athiest would not even argue or post or belittle someone of faith, these are all spoiled children who didn't get the love they deserved as kids. Lost souls.
Another Lie.
13 percent OPENLY believe religion is Bullsh1t. another 10 percent are to terrigfied to admit it.
I like how you use the "No True Scotsman" fallacy for a group you are not a member of.
13% my butt.......12% of those are college kids trying to get laid by being cool and hip. Athiest think they are so smart, smarter than everyone else.....news flash....YOU'RE NOT!
Freethinker, why would you post such an obvious and easily disprovable lie? No, not even close to 99% of humans believe in the divine. By posting such a silly and clear lie, you pretty much instantly incinerated whatever credibility any of your claims might have pretended to have.
1%? How about you do some research before posting percentages that are wrong and show your lack of knowledge on a subject. We fight with words where as our targets have fought with violence, you tell me who is more child like.
Such intelligent talk from someone who doesn't have faith.....makes me chuckle
Freethinker... first of all, you're not a free thinker if you simply believe in some invisible man in the sky story that you were told over and over again as a kid. You're a brain-washed-idiot. Please change your handle to say that. Second of all, America is the only first world country with such a big religious epidemic. All other developed nations and shed the stupidity of religion a long time ago and are making much better strides. Atheists: 44% of UK, 52% of Canada, 64% of Australia, 86% of Switzerland and in the US, 11%. That's really sad that only 11% of Americans have had the courage and intelligence to question the stupidity of religion.
To 'Freethinker' – Newsflash....You are not one. You are part of the sheeple. Just listen to yourself, if you can stand it.
Methinks you doth troll too much.
I get nervous when adults believe in fairy tales. Religion is kooky.
amen 🙂
I agree with you. That is why I don't have the blind faith required to believe in Darwinism.
"It's not arguing against the existence of God, but against religion."
Hello, God. If you are out there, please speak up, or forever hold your piece, or is it peace? Hello. Hello. God. Are you there? Where are thou? The children are acting up again. Is the devil making them do it? For heaven's sake, God get your butt down here or speak to Michelle Bachman again.
Maybe, there isn't a God! Now what?
what would Jesus do?
religion can be bad if you take seriously. and there is the problem with it, many want and some even demand that you take it so seriously that it runs your life. if used like mediation just to calm you down and as a guide for right & wrong, it's okay. however, hardly anyone uses it that way.
what's the difference between following it as a guide for right and wrong and allowing it to run your life?
Basic logic lesson.
Either there is a "god" which means there is an overarching moral code or there isn't.
If there is no "god" then there is no right or wrong (it is only subjective from person to person).
If there is no right or wrong, then there is nothing wrong with believing whatever you wish.
If there is nothing right or wrong, then attempting to force your beliefs on others is perfectly in line with reality.
If it is no wrong to force your beliefs on others, then take the reasoned approach and shut up because you are fighting a battle for nothing but your own pathetic ego.
Of course, if there is right and wrong (and not just your own private definition that means nothing outside your own mind), you need to explain where it came from and one cannot appeal to natural laws for this because then it is not right or wrong but just, "is" and we are back to you just popping off for your own little ignorant egotistical needs.
So, along with evolution and logic, you have no notion of the social contract?
Is there a difference between faith and gullibility?
One cost you a lot of money and all you are left with is an old Chevy Nova. The other cost you a lot of money and leaves you with nothing.
Not to the gullible.
There is to the faithful
I am an Atheist. There is a wing of atheism that is angry and in your face. People that dont want god in schools or speaches... I personally could care less. Just give me the same respect to not believe as I give you to believe. I am not angry.... Most of the time when I tell someone I am an atheist they take it as a direct attack on THEIR beliefs. Then they think I must be evil or worship the devil... NOPE.... Just a regular guy that loves his country and pays his taxes and raises a family. I believe in the message. Not in how it was conveyed... I am not biased.... We are all flawed!! 🙂
I pray that you are able to continue living between the extremes. It appears however that things are coming to a head. You might consider more deeply your commitments.
Danimal. Nice post. I'm Christian although not really seriously into the Church scene. I don't lilke many of the people that go to my church. They do hate. I don't. I want people to do what they wish and if they don't hurt anyone then more power to them. I just want to live my life and be a regular dude. We teach our son about Jesus but are teaching it's wrong to hate and that people are all different and if he wants to have some Christian friends fine, if he wants to have some Gay friends fine, if he wants to have some Athiest friends fine, if he wants to have a transgender friend fine, if he wants to have a Black, Latino, Asian, Muslim, Sikh, whatever friend fine, as long as they are decent people I don't care but if he says anything bigoted he will get a pop on his backside just like I would have. I think people pigeonhole Athiests as all angry like Christians are pigeonholed as all bigots. I wish more common sense would prevail and people let people decide for themselves. I look at it this way. Humans stand at a precipice between the jungle and the stars, we can act like apes or we can act like a higher form of life. I'm taking the high road.
read this:
http://gretachristina.typepad.com/greta_christinas_weblog/2007/10/atheists-and-an.html
then tell me you're not angry
Bill...this wasn't your moment to jump in and try to convert.
CJ, you don't know this person. Go away.
There may be angry (vocal) atheists but at least we haven't staked and burned those who disagree.
Thank you for being the only ogically-thinking self-proclaimed atheist on the board today Danimal.
And don't mind the infantile "atheists" telling you to be an extremist, they are what Lenin called, "useful idiots" because they demand that all people take the violent extreme positions so they can feel powerful and smart.
You are a credit to atheists.
@ Rich,
Yeah, atheists have enslaved and killed the families along with the religious people they oppressed – that is so much better right.
Vivisections are so much more reasonable than a burning at the stake right?
The gulags and starvation for years while getting forced labor is so much better right?
You and your ilk are sickening.
You give humans (whether atheists or not) a bad name.
You'll be hard pressed to find any regimes who committed atrocities as a direct result of their atheism.
For christianity, not so much.
Yeesh, another one butchering history. Wish they'd at least take a class on Russian history before they embarass themselves.
I reall think it's important to point out that atheists share only one belief, that there is no or insufficent evidence for the existence of gods. Other than that, we are everyone else. Leftists, rightists, nutcases, racists, rich, poor, middle class, gun supporters, gun opposers, fervent supporters of women's rights, fervent opponents who think they are going too far. If you add Buddhists, who are technically athiests, we get even more diverse. We share that one idea and beyond that it's pot luck.
We tend to compose less of the prison population than our average, have a much higher precentage of the scientific community. We have always been very under-represented in any elected body. Don't sound like bad folks, do they?
Atheism has nothing to do with evolution or the Big Bang, it predates them by thousands of years. If both theories were invalidated tomorrow, it would not change atheism at all. Disproving one possibility does not suddenly allow god to become a default position.
There seems to be more of us, very slowly but steadily, on a world wide basis. You will have to expect a few more militant types because of that. Most of us, certainly the few I know, really could care less about the religion circus in elections or religion in general. We have never found the need to go door to door and annoy our neighbours. We don't have to erect large expensive buildings to we can huddle together in fellowship. And even the billboards by our "militants" are so rare that they immediately become an over-discussed subject (I mean really, I pass 5 christian billboards, 2 of them tasteless anti-abortion ads, every morning I head to work, and I still don't care).
But most of us will stand up when you try to do something outlandish and hurtful to the country, like the attempts to steamroll creationism into the curriculum. Other than that, you can relax.
Romney is not even a Christian.
no politician is really religious because you can lie that much and be one
Me thinks you doth protest too much. Why rail against Someone who doesn't exist? Hmmm? If Christianity hasn't disappeared after 2000 years, it's not going anywhere. Mr. Atheist–If you're right, and I'm wrong, it doesn't matter. You've lived your life according to YOUR beliefs, and I've lived mine–period. But, if I'm right to believe there is a God, who is perfect love and perfect justice at the same time, who cared enough to drop everything to come and save me, little as I am in the great scheme of things–well, you've gambled with your life and lost. Personally, I think it takes more "faith" to believe in Evolution, than it does in a Greater Intelligence who designed and planned everything. As intricate as the human body is, with all its systems, defenses, and healing properties, it only makes sense. You don't look at the Golden Gate Bridge and think it just "magically" appeared–someone designed and built it. Our own creativity should be a clue to Someone greater than ourselves–don't you think?
" Why rail against Someone who doesn't exist?"
If people were telling me I am evil for not accepting Santa Clause as my lord and savior I would rail against him as well.
Stop making sense Debbie, it confuses them.
Debbie
We rail against Christ for the same reason we rail against other forms of bigotry racisim and bias.
Your religion is an evil that needs to be purged from modernity, and sent back into the stomne age with all the other ridiculous Gods of the past.
Debbie: Amen!
Huebert: But do you know of a any adult who has converted to believing in Santa Claus?
William
What about Christianity is evil?
@Topher
What does that matter?
Topher, you're just silly.
Huebert
Just that there's a big difference in someone believing in our traditional fairy tales and believing in a god.
sam
Care to elaborate?
@Debbie
You said, "Why rail against Someone who doesn't exist?"
Religion exists. Delusion exists. Discrimination based on it exists.
You said, "Mr. Atheist–If you're right, and I'm wrong, it doesn't matter. You've lived your life according to YOUR beliefs, and I've lived mine–period. But, if I'm right to believe there is a God, who is perfect love and perfect justice at the same time, who cared enough to drop everything to come and save me, little as I am in the great scheme of things–well, you've gambled with your life and lost."
Major Pascal's Wager fail.
Pascal's Wager:
In effect, Pascal's wager states that while we can't know with absolute certainty whether the christian god exists, a rational evaluation should lead to a belief. If having to choose between believing (in the christian god), or not believing, the reward for being correct, and the price for being wrong, tips the balance in favor of believing.
It says, if you believe and are correct, you will gain heaven, while the price for being wrong is nothing. On the other hand, if you don't believe, it says you will gain nothing for being right, yet lose everything if you are wrong. So, belief results in a win/neutral, and non-belief in a neutral/lose position, tipping the balance clearly in favor of the "belief" position.
Why Pascal's Wager is a fallacy:
a) Pascal's Wager assumes that there are only two options.
b) Pascal's Wager assumes the christian god doesn't care whether someone actually believes, or simply goes through the motions.
c) Pascal's Wager discounts the price paid for belief before death.
d) Pascal's Wager vastly overestimates the odds for the reward and the risk of punishment.
Positing only two options is ridiculous. There are, of course, thousands of possibilities when it comes to gods. Based on the evidence available for these gods, it is not reasonable to assume one is more likely than any of the others. To increase the odds of a positive outcome of this wager, the believer would have to believe in, and worship, every possible god. Including the ones that haven't been invented yet. Aside from the drain on the available time, it presents the problem that quite a few of these gods are pretty selfish. They frown upon believers believing in other gods. In some religions that is enough to not be eligible for the reward (making the belief position a lose/neutral one).
Also, just going through the motions and pretending to believe may fool your community, but it can't fool an all-knowing god. It is very unlikely that anyone would gain the ultimate reward for simply faking belief (making the belief position a lose/neutral one).
The price paid for the belief position isn't nothing. It involves going through the rituals, day after day, week after week. It may have severe side effects on physical and mental health. Sex life suffers, too.
In estimating whether the cost of any given action is worth it, an evaluation of risk versus reward is in order.
Risk is (simplistically) the chance that a negative event occurs, multiplied by the cost of that event. As an example, being hit by a meteorite carries a very high cost (probably death), but since the odds are extremely low, the risk associated with it is low. Similarly, the chance of getting rained on is pretty high, but the cost is very low, representing also a low risk. On the other hand the cost and chances of, and therefore the risk associated with, a traffic accident are high.
The choice whether to mitigate a risk depends on, among other things, the severity of the risk, the cost of the mitigation and the tolerance of that risk. In the above examples, the cost to mitigate each risk are; exorbitant, low and high, respectively. Methods to reduce or eliminate the risk of meteorite impacts are cost prohibitive and far exceed the risk. An umbrella and a check of the weather forecast effectively mitigate the risk of getting rained on, and is easily worth the cost. Car crashes, and their after-effects are mitigated to various degrees by expensive technology (from street surface technology to driver training, airbags and traction control). People bear those costs to their financial ability and tolerance for the risk.
A similar reasoning applies to reward. The choice whether to pursue a reward is guided by the perception value of the reward, the perception of the odds of gaining the reward and the cost to pursue it.
In the belief versus non-belief question, believers tend to irrationally overestimate both the reward for belief, and the risk associated with non-belief.
You said, "Personally, I think it takes more "faith" to believe in Evolution, than it does in a Greater Intelligence who designed and planned everything."
Try no to think too hard. You're not very good at it.
You said, "As intricate as the human body is, with all its systems, defenses, and healing properties, it only makes sense. You don't look at the Golden Gate Bridge and think it just "magically" appeared–someone designed and built it. Our own creativity should be a clue to Someone greater than ourselves–don't you think?"
If thought you were able to process simple information, I'd recommend you pick up a science book.
So who designed and created God then Debbie?
If God exists he should be much more complex than humans, if not at least as complex. So are we to believe that humans had to be designed because of their complexity and God on the other hand just came out of nowhere?
@topher
What is the difference between believing in a traditional fairy tale and believing in god? Both are found in books, Both are completely unsubstantiated, and both require a belief in magic. I don't see a great difference. Perhaps you could explain it to me?
Topher, I don't need to elaborate. You prove it with every post.
Why stake and burn those who don't believe; your god is "all powerful" can't he stand up for himself?
The ancient Egyptian religion lasted for 4000 years but it went belly up. Longevity does not make a proposition true.
Debbie,
" If Christianity hasn't disappeared after 2000 years, it's not going anywhere."
Hinduism has been around for about 7000 years – that MUST mean it's true, right? Come to Vishnu, Shiva, Brahma, Lakshmi, Kali, etc., little Debbie!
@Debbie, - " Personally, I think it takes more "faith" to believe in Evolution, than it does in a Greater Intelligence who designed and planned everything."
Saying, "Godddidit." takes no thought at all.
The whole saving story just baffles me. If I have the story right. He died on the cross, was resurrected within a couple of days, and became the ruler of the universe. Pretty much nothing changes for anyone else,(eventually) for a while they are presecuted, then they get to do some serious persecuting themselves. Sounds like only one person benefitted.
Athiest should stop shoving their ideas and beliefs down my throat, they are worse than liberals......Er wait, liberals, Athiest, narcissistic children, gay activists, people against guns, people for Obamma......ahhhh I get it now, THEY ARE SHEEPLE! Too much tv and Internet brainwashes the weak.
How was Bill O'Riley last night?
huh?
Your point might have landed better if you were coherent, or could spell. Or not.
So let me get this straight, we're shoving beliefs down your throat? Yet the very Country we live in is governed by the beliefs of Christianity and that somehow is not shoving beliefs down people's throats? You're religion is against two men marrying so it is illegal, yet that isn't shoving your religion? Let's make the tables equal and then see who is shoving what down who's throat, oh wait that would require RATIONALITY, which is not so many steps from Atheism.
No he watches too much Faux News on Fox.
Look up the name Christopher Hitchens. It's getting difficult to not treat you like a complete simpleton.
Thought I should point out that we really should stop sending our people door to door to try and trick people into our beliefs. Oh wait, that's religion. Ok, we should close down those TV networks that are devoted solely to our way of thinking and demonize anyone who does not think the same. Oh wait, that's religion. Ok, we have to stop having those travelling revivals that draw the gullible in with promises of faith healing. Oh wait, that's religion. Ok, we should stop have our representatives present at the inauguration for who knows what reason. Oh wait, that's religion. We shouldn't allow travelling caravans of winebagos predicting the end of the world to convince people to sell everything they own and get ready for the end. Oh wait, that's religion. WE should absolutely stop those nutty groups that go to soldiers funerals and scream hateful, idiotic things at the grieving relatives. Oh wait, that's religion.
Really, you equate a couple of billboards with all of that? I didn't even bother to get into how many religious billboards out there. Come now, I have stood all of the above (and much more) for decades and never raised a hand to stop their nutty beliefs. If all you have to complain about is a couple of billboards, it's time to toughen up princess.
Ah religion... the only mental disorder that merits a whole slew of tax deductions.
I love the typical response of "Why not let people believe what they want, as long as it doesn't harm others."
Well, it does harm others. People of religious beliefs believe in things that have no prior experience or proof and hold them as true. This affects how people live, how they learn and ultimately how our society / culture progresses or fails.
When a group has to indoctrinate children with lies and a thought process that discourages critical thinking we are all affected.
Just this morning, I read an article about how some Home Schooled and or religious school children are not taught set theory in mathematics because it goes against their "christian" beliefs. Yes, you read that correctly. People are that crazy in this country that they are "offended" by mathematics and it will make their children stray away from the flock. And of course you have the "moral" issues and the evil "Evolution" issues too.
If we continue to raise children with just outright lies and lack of critical thinking skills our future is doomed. Technology is the principle component that allows a culture to survive. If we do not have people with these skills (critical thinking etc...) we will fail. So Yes, these beliefs hurt everyone just not the crazy religious people tucked away in their bubbles.
So in closing, if you're beliefs can't hold up to scrutiny it's not scrutiny that is the problem.
We need to move forward not backward.
Some people are weak willed and actually do need traditional religion. Just imagine the people who say 'how come you don't murder people if you don't believe in god!'
Do you really want those people to suddenly not believe in god? That belief is the only thing holding back SO MUCH crazy.
Huzzah!
I have a greater faith in atheism than any monotheistic system. I think the latter is a left over genetic defect developed from fear of unknown phenomenon and then used to exploit the weak and ignorant. There is no usefulness in killing another in the justification of a made up god. Humanity will sink under its own belief system of monotheism. I am still unable to figure out Hinduism, although I am only in the second volume of the Upanishads.
You illustrate a basic flaw in most atheists approach to spirituality. It isn't usually possible to t read a book or two and plumb the depths of most religions. People devote their entire lives to the practice of the tenets they believe in in the pursuit of truth for themselves.
We all believe in some type of fairy tale whether you are religious, new age or atheist. But hey, its a free country to go and waste your money – just remember to look past those starving homeless people on your way to work.
Fairy Tale?
Not much belief from Non Believers.
Anyone who claims a fact that they cannot prove is going on faith. Trying to get people to join your faith is something religions do. They are trying to get you to join their atheist religion. So you can donate to their atheist cause, to line their pockets and put up more billboards.
Tell me, atheists, have you ever driven by a billboard that had something like 'god is the truth!' or whatever on it, and suddenly thought, "y'know, that billboard is right, I'm going to go convert right now!" Of course not. Because that's ridiculous. Yet you believe that others would do the same for your billboards?
If you don't believe in god, why do you need the validation from others joining you? Discriminating against people of different faiths is something else religions do. If you don't believe in something, why do you assume that someone else needs to care that you don't believe? If you don't believe, why do you keep focusing on it?
Atheism itself may not be a religion, but the American Atheists are. Looking to have their coffers filled like any other.
Wrong.
We are empowering people who are trapped in a lie.
Being open abot rejecting the lies is DANGEROUS, We want them to know they can admit they don't believe.
Break the cycle of lies and cruelty. Set themselves free!
You think so, because your religion has made you believe so.
William, your conclusions are no more than opinions. Everyone has a right to one I suppose.
That doesnt even make sense. Not believing in fairy tales is not 'faith'.
Not believing in Santa Claus is not an act of 'faith', its an act of realism. Can you PROVE there is no santa Claus (or tooth fairy or leprachauns, or Unicorns or, for that matter, other gods like Ra, Odin and Mithras)? No, of course you cannot, but you would not claim NOT believing is an act of faith.
If religion had not become a central part of politics in this country, then Athiest movements like this would probably disapear. But they exist because people, even peopleof faith, are fed up with being asked what would jesus do by every political and financial leader, most of whom spend their lives violating everything Jesus believed.
Religion will never go away, but if we can get it out of public life, the US will be a better country for it.
Going ou7t of your way to tell others what they should believe or not believe makes it a religion. Simply not believing doesn't mean you push your beliefs (or disbeliefs, just as provable) on others. You are religious fanatics. Real atheists don't care.
Couldn't have said it better myself. Nice to read something from a person with common sense.
You're not very consistent. First you claim that atheists are stupid for putting up billboards, then you compare that to religions putting up billboards, but yet you're trying to get people to be religious.
You don't make any logical sense. You're ILLOGICAL. (That means you're d-u-m-b).
I'm not trying to get anyone to be religious. I'm agnostic. I think you're all fools.
@t3chsupport – You may surprised to realize that YOU are an atheist. The only difference between you and me is that I disbelieve in ONE MORE GOD than you do.
As an older American I am not sure about how I feel about how "in your face" the gesture of putting up billboards is, but I DO appreciate that atheists of all ages are beginning to speak up about how dorked up our country has become by allowing a group of right wing nut jobs co-opt our political system. The founding fathers had it right – long live the separation of church and state.
There's a difference between shoving religion down peoples' throats, and educating people as to the logical flaws in theistic arguments.
Hmmm almost every religious billboard I have seen provides contact information so that you can send money. Certainly the religious TV shows make a point of soliciting money every episode, and agressively follow up with mailings for more money. Can you say the same for those 2 billboards? Good luck finding an atheist TV show to check, the only one I know of is the Atheist Experience, and the only money I have every seen asked for is donation to charities (not atheist charities, mainstream).
How can someone say they don't believe in god, yet they believe in their own intrinsic values? Atheists are just a little bit full of it if you think about it. Poor misguided kids who don't understand faith.......mix a little bit of narcissism and hey, you got an Athiest.
Freethinker?
I suspect "indoctrinated Idiot" would be more accurate a description.
Freethinker my values are not a belief. Even more important is the fact that morality existed long before religion.
Absurd and illogical. Almost every moral and value you currently hold dear is a modern secular moral. None come from your so called holy book. That why you believe in not killing (a secular law that long predates the bible) but politely ignore the Bible's rules on human slavery, inferiority of women, and slaughtering those who believe differently. You cherry pick the values of the bible, ignoring all those that dont happen to fit the HUMANIST values of modern secular society.
Wow! Praying to God for an indiivual achievement is Narcissism. I'm me, god, I'm great, so let me win! Faith is really just Hope! Kids are calling adults on their BS and it has nothing to do with understanding faith!
Judgemental much, you fake Christian?
freethinker,a little confused you are.
Freethinker (not Deep Thinker) – Hi, over 50 here, but thanks for calling me a kid. You made my morning.
Exactly the same way that a bunch of people of different religions who believe in a lot of different Gods can get together and agree on a set of common laws and rules and more or less get along – as long as they don't bring their Gods into it!
trollas gonna troll.