Newest front in the Christmas wars: billboards
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(RNS) A billboard bearing a positive message about atheism has been vandalized — again.
A billboard posted in Chico, Calif., that originally read “Don’t believe in God? Join the club” was defaced on Dec. 12, less than a week after it appeared, with vandals removing the word “don’t.” RNS photo courtesy United Coalition of Reason
A billboard posted in Chico, Calif., that originally read “Don’t believe in God? Join the club” was defaced on Dec. 12, less than a week after it appeared, with vandals removing the word “don’t.” The billboard was one of 12 purchased this month by a local chapter of the United Coalition of Reason (UnitedCoR), a national organization that works to unite small, local groups of atheists and other freethinkers.
They are the latest in a long line of billboards erected by atheist groups to draw ire, both locally and nationally. Every national freethought organization that has purchased billboards or bus advertisements in the last five years has reported some form of vandalism or protest.
If the billboards attract negative attention, criticism and vandalism, why do atheists — a group that polls repeatedly rank among the least-liked group in America — buy them? Are they worth the money and the ill will they cost the groups that buy them?
“Definitely,” said David Silverman, president of American Atheists, which reportedly paid $22,000 for its 2010 billboard outside New York’s Lincoln Tunnel.
“We are raising awareness, reducing ignorance and enlightening this country. Atheists are here, atheism is growing and if you have a silly idea, we are going to challenge you on that. And God is a silly myth.”
Billboard advertising is no small matter — in 2011, U.S. businesses spent $6.4 billion on outdoor advertising, with two-thirds of that ($4.1 billion) going to billboards, according to the Outdoor Advertising Association of America.
Perhaps because they’re so visible, religious billboards and transit ads have a way of becoming ground zero in the culture wars — for and against Islam, abortion, gay marriage and other hot-button issues. And location matters: Billy Graham Parkway outside Charlotte, N.C., has seen ads for both atheism and a church’s apology after “narrow-minded” North Carolina voted to ban gay marriage. [More]
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8 Comments
Atheists are the worst enemies of this Country. They have been too succesful in removing God from our Government and society. It is because of them that this Country is falling apart. They have had a great deal of evil influence on all of us whether we recognize it or not. They must be battled against. Why is it that they are immune from the laws of this Country by stifling Religious Freedom. They are breaking the laws against the peoples right to believe in God. Why are they not prosecuted for violating the Constitution. What atheists are doing should be declared a hate crime and criminaly prosecuted. I certainly don’t see any type of vandalism on that Billboard. Rather it was the crime of hate speech on the part of those who had it put up. We need to fight back against the atheists, by using their same tactic, by going to the Courts and demanding that Freedom of Religion be respected as our Constitution guarantees. Those who blaspheme God must not be respected except in Christian Charity, feeding them, clothing them. But 0 tolerance for their evil against God and Americans.
“[Atheists] have been too succesful in removing God from our [government] and society.”
WRONG! Christian’s have been too willing to see the Gospel removed for the public square and the lives of so many! Also at blame is Vatican Council II, which undid many good works and withdrew the mission of Christendom from the world and confined it the catacombs of Rome.
Don’t be ignorant of the history. Christian’s are just as much to blame!
Remember, “all that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing.”
SHAME ON YOU ALL!
How dare you refer to those that act in truth as “vandalism”?!
How is removing a blasphemous message of hate and intolerance from the public square an act of “vandalism”?!
This was by NO MEANS an act of vandalism, but an act of love and devotion that came at great risk. SHAME on anyone who would condemn those who defend the Word of God!
Who are the TRUE vandals: those that openly deny and challenge God, disparaging others from His Grace and His Glory, or those that proclaim His Kingdom!?
CHRIST BE WITH US!
Pray for the atheists who are all dressed up with no place to go. God Made us to Know Him, Love Him, Serve Him and be Happy with Him in Heaven. Our Lady of Guadalupe brought 9 Million into the Church after Luther had led 4 million away from truth. To Jesus through Mary. Love conquers not hate.
Some time ago I heard about a Christian who was publicly debating an atheist. At one point, the Christian challenged the atheist to bring in 100 people who could testify that, BECAUSE OF THEIR ATHEISM, they had been delivered from various addictive sins such as alcohol, drugs, pornography, anger, etc. The Christian vowed to bring on the following day 100 such people whose lives had been radically altered because of their newfound faith in Christ. “Where are the people whose lives have been radically changed for the better due to atheism?” challenged the Christian. The atheist had no answer, nor was he able to provide even one name of anyone whom he knew whose life had been delivered in such a way. This is the true problem with atheism: it is utterly powerless to change people for the better in any way whatsoever. Christ, on the other hand, has been changing lives for the better for 2,000 years.
Excellent story, Richard Andrew. Thank you.
Atheists are the MOST IRRATIONAL people on the planet, yet they fancy themselves a cut above the rest. No atheist ever has or ever will provide a satisfactory answer to the question, how did the universe come to be? Appeal to the “big bang” sidesteps the question, which is, Who created the substance that exploded and created the universe? These self-described smart, rational people (the atheists) should get smarter and more rational, turn the powers of their mind to helping us understand the infallible teachings of the Church.
Good for the vandals – just goes to show that there is good in everybody, even valdals