Atheistic billboards send ripples of dissent across God-fearing America

[babsbunny]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/feb/17/american-atheists-nationwide-campaign

Campaign is riposte to Christian businessman spending $50,000 on posters denouncing separation of church and state

Ed Pilkington in New York

In a country where more than eight in 10 people regard themselves as religious, it takes more than a little guts to preach about a world without God. But that's the message that is creeping across America, spreading ripples of dissent in its wake.

From Tampa in Florida, to Cincinnati, Ohio, and all the way across to Sacramento in California, billboards have been cropping up with messages that run across the grain of America's normally devout discourse. "Don't believe in God? You're not alone!" were the first posters to be put up, in Arizona, Colorado, Texas and parts of the north-east. "Being a good person doesn't require God," read another.

[Ozymanithrax]

1. If God disliked the billbarods, there would be no billboards.

Certainly, the creator of the Universe should be big enough to stand up for Gods self.

[Name removed]

2. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Ozymanithrax]

8. No, my post implied that God does not give a fig about the billboards.

Me, I'm an agnostic. I can neither prove not disprove the existence of God, though most of the myth written in various holy books from a wide spectrum of civilizations is easily disprovable. I do not live my life as if I had to answer to some distant God. I live it as if I had to answer to my conscience, my family, my friends, and the laws of the country. If after I die I find myself in the presence of Deity, I will be greatly surprised as I see no reason why a being that could create the Universe would need to keep my around to sing its praises. In my view, my life is an emergent property of the basic laws governing this universe and death is an end to my existence. But I'm open to another ending.

But if there is a God or Gods that created the Universe, it or they are clearly open to a diversity of views as to it or their existence. If it or they are big enough to let people question it or their existence then I see no reason why we should descend to pettiness.

[movonne]

3. Why are they so afraid of Atheist??? I thought that we have freedom

to be what we wanted...these are the people who yell freedom first except if it doesn't agree with their point of view...

[Skittles]

6. it's amazing how little faith they acually have

so easily threatened

[Name removed]

4. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Skittles]

5. LOL

:rofl:

please

[KonaKane]

11. It's true. Google up "atheist fundamentalist", and you'll have more to digest

than you'll ever want to. I am only saying this about the militant annoying ones, who are increasing in number. I have nothing against atheists who are still thinking, compassionate and humanist-minded people.

[Skittles]

16. once again

:rofl: - whatever atheist fundies may exist they don't even come CLOSE in amount or sheer nuttiness to the average holy roller

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

20. Alright, I googled it.

There was an op-ed debunking the idea as a myth. An amazon book fearmongering over atheist fundamentalist, written by a religious fundamentalist no less. An op-ed from Texas, written by a religious fundamentalist. And the wikipedia entry on fundamentalism, with a short blurb on "atheist fundamentalism" basically explaining how stupid the notion is.

[KonaKane]

23. You selectively read the returns, I see.

Not surprising.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

27. That was the first page.

You did ask me to google it, after all.

If you want me to read something specific, show it to me, and then I'll show you why you're wrong.

[Name removed]

31. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

34. No, I didn't.

Those were the sites on the first page in order.

I cut out a couple, but those were basically just blog posts pointing out how stupid the idea is. There are a couple of videos, but I didn't watch those.

[KonaKane]

37. Bingo. Selective.

Very Flying Spaghetti Monster of you.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

38. Selective because I didn't watch the videos?

If what they've got to say is so important, they can type it out and you can link to it.

The flying spaghetti monster's got you all upset? Figures.

[KonaKane]

41. If the foo shits....

[Touchdown]

32. Yeah! I want to go to a fundy x-tian website who seeks to define atheists

as fundys. :eyes:

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

9. That's a good point.

They're always running around burning nothing on black people's lawns. Burning at the stake any astronomer who challenges their notion of heliocentrism. Healing people by laying on medicine.

Fucking kooks.

[KonaKane]

12. Kooks are kooks.

Whether they brandish a Bible or a tattoo of Madaleine Murray O'Hare.

[girl gone mad]

18. Really, cause tattoos of Madaleine Murray O'Hare are as commonplace as bibles these days.

How does one brandish a tattoo, anhow? And what would one accomplish by doing so? Promote page boy hairstyles?

:crazy:

[KonaKane]

21. Why does it matter about frequency? The idea is the same.

Fundamentalism in anything is a turn off for me. Better to keep an open, inquiring mind and yes, there are plenty of people of faith who do that.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

24. Is everybody who gets a religious tattoo a fundamentalist?

What about people who get tattoos of skulls or dragons or cartoon characters?

[KonaKane]

29. You'd have to assess the person, not the tattoo.

Donchathink?

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

35. But you're assessing that tattoo.

People who have O'Hare tattoos are atheist fundamentalists, by your definition.

[KonaKane]

39. I was assessing kooks, not tattoos. Go back and read it again.

.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

45. Let's have a contest.

I'll name christian kooks who have Bibles, and you name atheist kooks who have Madeline O'Hare tattoos.

I'll go first.

Fred Phelps.

Your turn.

[ElboRuum]

52. Well...

Skulls would indicate Necrobiological Fundamentalists, dragons would indicate Mythological Fundamentalists, and cartoon characters would probably indicate the Disney Resurrection cult.

Tattoos are fundamental.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

22. Or complaining about atheist fundamentalism.

[KonaKane]

25. Any kind of fundamentalism is worth criticizing.

Same mentality, same stench.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

28. Not the imaginary kind.

[KonaKane]

30. All fundamentalism originates from the imagination.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

36. So you're a self-admitted fundamentalist?

[KonaKane]

40. Not in any way, shape or form.

I merely leveled a criticism of fundamentalism, no matter what the content.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

42. Ah, so you're denying it.

Figures.

[Fumesucker]

44. I just Googled "O'Hair tattoo" and looked at images, got zippo..

Nada, zero, no tats of O'Hair at all..

[stopbush]

50. Wouldn't you have to admit that believing in invisible supernatural beings

of any stripe - Thor, Anubis, Apollo, Ra - is by definition kookier than believing in things for which there is actual objective proof?

[girl gone mad]

13. Yes, it's really annoying when people..

stop letting religious bigots walk all over them and stand up for themselves. Those damn atheists should just sit the fuck back down and keep their mouths shut already!!1!

[Skittles]

17. AMEN TO THAT GIRL

:rofl:

[KonaKane]

33. Hyperbole much?

I dont think anyone was supporting religious bigots, or asking atheists to sit down and shut up. Now, give another shot to rationality.

[stopbush]

51. Yes, the "new atheists" have been at it for almost 5 years!!

It's time for them to sit down and shut up. Things were so much better and civil during the 2,000 uninterrupted years of the Christians having the field to themselves.

5 years v 2,000. I know who I'd like to see keeping their mouths shut for, oh, the next 1995 years.

[boppers]

15. Large groups have less intellectual and more annoying members.

After all, half the population is below average.

:evilgrin:

[immoderate]

19. Dontcha hate it when those atheists come knocking on your door?

They always want contributions. And then they get elected to school boards so they can foist their scientific views on us.

I miss their intellectualism.

--imm

[ChairmanAgnostic]

26. yeah. right. I cannot imagine how any atheist could ever be as bad as

Pat Robertson, Jerry Falwell, and all too many other examples?

How many atheists threaten their own demise, unless they receive a million in cash before the end of the week?
How many agnostics do their best to force their ideas, based on silly stolen fairy tales, upon unsuspecting children in lieu of real science?

[dysfunctional press]

43. how so..?

list a few examples.

[tridim]

46. And this affects other non-religious people in what way?

[ThomWV]

7. If the people who are putting these up need contributions all they need do is ask.

[boppers]

10. LOL: FTA:

"And in Tampa, the believers have hit back with another campaign pouring scorn on the coalition with the help of quotations from George Washington."

HAHAhahahahaha.... Washington was a Deist, which in modern terms, would be viewed as an atheist or other non-theist, since Deists don't believe in prayer, worshiping god(s), miracles, or organized religions.


edit: markup typo

[Name removed]

14. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[JanMichael]

47. Seeing how there's a billboard in front of most churches and...

...Jesus billboard every 2 miles I can't see why they'd get so pissy about a handful of Atheist billboards.

I mean come the fuck on, religious shit is everywhere in this country...a little competition never hurt anyone, right?

[reggie the dog]

48. trent said it best "your god is dead and no one cares, if there is a

hell, i will see you there" I looked on wikipedia, I live in the most athiest country in Europe, France, with a solid 33 percent of athiests. Shouldnt something horrible of happend to us if there were a god? oh right, it already did, we have that evil socialized medecine. You have 1.6 percent athiests in the USA. Any wonder it seems that americans vote right wing and seem to think salvation and help will appear out of nowhere and that french people vote right wing because they know that even the right wing knows it is necessary to regulate the market because "god" is not up there doing it for us....

[JoeyT]

49. Something horrible has happened.

You live in France and I don't. I can't imagine anything more terrible than that.

[reggie the dog]

54. lmao

[DeSwiss]

53. Well, now here's a billboard....

.....touting a product that I think we can all agree is definitely bad for your health:

[humblebum]

55. Atheist billboards and posters were very common and popular

in 1920's Russia. Nothing new about them.

[darkstar3]

56. And what does that have to do with the tea market in China? n/t

[humblebum]

58. History sometimes repeats itself. nt

[darkstar3]

59. Yes,

because America today in any way resembles 1920's Russia...:eyes:

You seriously need a new topic, especially when you consider the fact that you didn't finish this discussion last time. Also, you might try, just once, to stay on topic. Your pathetic attempts at thread hijacking are getting more obvious and less sensical.

[humblebum]

60. Do you realize that you are totally unable to argue any topic

on any point? You are a master of diversion, ad hominems of personal insult, and yes, I very much finished every discussion we have ever had.

[darkstar3]

61. Did you?

Follow the link and look. You never had an answer to the fact that you contradicted yourself.

And I find your projection amusing. You are the one attempting to master diversion through thread-hijacks. You are the one participating in ad hom arguments, as I have shown you time and time again. You are the one unable to complete an argument without restating your hypothesis as a supporting fact. And as for personal insult, I have done no such thing here. I have simply shown complete disdain for your arguments and your off-topic rantings. A personal insult would be more along the lines of "you are the dumbest one-trick-pony that I have ever had the misfortune to butt heads with, and I hope fervently that you have never spawned, because the genetic defectives that would sprout from your loins would be a drain on the sanity and prosperity of society as a whole."

But of course, I never said that.

Now, let us end this stupidity here, so the thread can get back on-topic. If you have something to say to me, say it in the thread where we never finished our business, PM me, or start your own damn thread.

[humblebum]

62. I see no contradictions and I still say that you are unable

to argue coherently. There is nothing being hijacked. This is an open forum. My statements concern atheist advertisements. I am politically very liberal and I stand for diversity and tolerance. Now whether you disdain my input or not is really of no concern to me. I would advise you to block or ignore my statements if you have such a problem.

[darkstar3]

63. Weak tea, as usual.

Clearly you wish to debate atheism, and specifically atheism as it relates to Communist Russia. That's not what this thread is about, which is why you're guilty of hijacking. If you wish to have that debate, then start your own thread.

Unless of course you know you'll be shredded...

I am politically very liberal and I stand for diversity and tolerance.
If that is true, why do you feel the need to state it here where it is unrelated?

[humblebum]

64. Because YOU are quite intolerant of arguments YOU consider

irrelevant.

[darkstar3]

65. Sure,

because mocking your inability to post in R/T on any other topic besides atheism in Communist Russia is intolerant...:eyes:

Oh, to be sure, one of us certainly has an issue with tolerance, but I'm fairly certain it's not me.

You still have the right and ability to post your views as an OP, where they can't be referred to as irrelevant to the matter at hand. Go ahead. Give the rest of us a comedy of errors and incompetence as you splutter to defend your one and only baseless assertion that atheism is responsible for the mass murders of the Communists.

I'll even do you one better: Show me, in your own thread, how this position is anything but an ad hom tu quoque. Show me how it answers, changes, or debates anything brought up in this forum regarding Christianity, Islam, Judaism, or any other religion for that matter. Show me that you even understand what ad hom tu quoque means. Show me these things, and I will grant your fondest wish, and leave you alone.

[humblebum]

66. You are doing it again. nt

[darkstar3]

67. A pithy, reasonable, and well thought out response.

:sarcasm:

[humblebum]

68. Seems to be the only kind of response that you understand.

As I said before, you are a master at distraction from the main point of discussion. Overall, though, your skills of logic and debate are lowly to non-existent, at best. Organized militant atheism has a history just like any religion or philosophy, and the environment in which it develops is shaped by the times, the attitudes, and the culture of that particular moment in history. I will continue to comment on any matter whatsoever without regard for your opinion of it.




"Bells are ringing now in vain
Empty chairs in church remain
Prayer - that is out-moded thing
There is a time to start reading."
- Homolova Olga

[darkstar3]

69. Once again

you show your penchant for projection and your cowardice to post your views as an OP so that everyone can take a swing at them. You are already keenly aware of the fact that your views are slanted and your arguments unsubstantiated, which is why you relegate your stupidity to hijacking the OPs of other posters and then running away when you contradict yourself. It is a nearly vain attempt to avoid being completely embarrassed.

Post an OP. Prove me wrong.

PS:
I will continue to comment on any matter whatsoever without regard for your opinion of it.
If you don't care what I think, then why don't YOU put ME on ignore? Could it be because deep down you know that my posts expose yours for the falsehoods they are, and if you don't respond to them people might actually see through your BS?

PPS:
You still haven't shown how anything you have to say on the topic of atheism qualifies as anything more than ad hom, and when pressed to do so you bring more ad hom against me and then attempt to restate your hypothesis as supporting fact. You still haven't answered the post I linked to upthread, where I clearly show that you have contradicted yourself. You still haven't managed to post anything relevant to THIS thread. Show everyone here that you actually understand the concept of on-topic debate; post your own thread, say your piece in full, and let's see what happens.

[humblebum]

70. Consider yourself blocked. nt

[darkstar3]

71. Quel damage!

:eyes:

Now let's see if you bother to post an OP.

[humblebum]

72. I believe the proper spelling is "dommage". nt.

[darkstar3]

73. I believe you said you blocked me. n/t

[humblebum]

74. No, I believe I said "Consider yourself blocked". That's a big part of

your problem. You consistently miss the finer points. Now, you have been blocked.

[darkstar3]

75. Wow.

You think there's a "finer point" to the phrase "Consider yourself blocked" that somehow means you didn't block me? You fail at English, just like you fail at substantiation, and I suspect just like you fail at so many other things in life.

Now go home and get your fuckin' shinebox.

[piratefish08]

57. So "god fearing america" is afraid of words on a sign, BUT not afraid to knock on MY door

to tell me about god in person??!?!

a big hearty FUCK YOU to all the hypocrites.