Sunday, August 26, 2012

Atheists' Ads: De-Christianize American Politics

More than one atheist organization has turned to highway billboards in an attempt to strike Christianity from public discussion in the presidential campaigns.

For background, read 'Religions are Scams:' New Atheist Advertising Campaign and yet God says I Still Love You Atheists

Also read how cities allow atheists to advertise, but not Christians



-- From "Atheist billboards mock Romney, Obama religion" by Cathy Lynn Grossman, USA TODAY 8/14/12

[The American Atheists are] unveiling a new in-your-face-to-the-faithful billboard campaign, timed to the national presidential nominating conventions.

Today's press conference revealed signs that call God "sadistic" and Jesus "useless" as a savior (his image is show as toast, literally) and conclude that Atheism, by contrast, is "simply reasonable."

But evidently the American Atheists don't consider Mormons to be Christians, since they prepared a separate billboard attack on their faith. It derides their idea of God as a "space alien" and notes that Mormons offer a proxy baptism to dead relatives -- a practice the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints acknowledges has gotten out of hand with some believers inappropriately baptizing Holocaust victims and others not related to their own families.

But GOP delegates won't see the attack on their faith on their way to nominate Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan in Tampa. Spokeswoman Teresa MacBain says no one in Tampa would rent them billboard space. So watch for both texts in Charlotte, N.C., where the Democrats will gather in September.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Controversial atheist billboards up in Charlotte" by Sarah Rosario, WSOC-TV9 (Charlotte, NC) 8/13/12


American Atheist president David Silverman said he's well aware of the effect the billboards will have on the many people of faith in Charlotte but said he's just exercising his First Amendment rights. He said he put them up on purpose before the Democratic National Convention.

"We're using our First Amendment rights to ridicule the silliness of religion. If they see this as an attack that's fine, what we're doing here is raising the awareness of the silly parts of these religions. So that people can ask themselves 'do we want this type of person in the White House,'" said Silverman.

Silverman said their message is to separate religion from politics, and to make people to think twice about who they'll vote for in this upcoming November election.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "American Atheist Billboard Calls Jesus 'Useless Savior'" by Myles Collier, Christian Post Contributor 8/20/12

"Our political system is rife with religion and it depends too much on religion and not enough on substance," David Silverman, president of American Atheists, said in a statement.

"Religion is silly and religion has components that are inherently divisive. … There is no place for any of that in the political system," he added.

And so the atheist group is attacking Christianity for what they feel is the promotion of hate.

"The election of our leaders in the United States is one of the most important decisions that we as citizens make. Allowing our judgment to be clouded by sheer silliness is unacceptable. We want to show the people of our country the foolishness of mixing religion with politics," Silverman read in a statement.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Atheist Billboards come down in Charlotte, NC." by Don Lacey, Tucson Citizen 8/25/12


American Atheists announced today that the billboards the organization had placed in Charlotte, NC, ahead of the Republican and Democratic National Conventions, criticizing Christianity and Mormonism would be coming down weeks early.

[The statement included the following:]

. . . American Atheists decided to pull the signs [in Charlotte] as a result of the negative impact they were having on the company that we contracted with. . . .

In Tampa, no one would take the job and put our signs up. That is their right. Private businesses that are not places of public accommodations are allowed to discriminate on the basis of religion.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.



. . . a different atheist organization:

From "Atheist Group to Post 'God Fixation Won't Fix This Nation' Billboards for Party Conventions" by Michael Gryboski, Christian Post Reporter 8/25/12


The Freedom From Religion Foundation, based in Madison, posted a billboard on Thursday in Tampa, Fla. and will be placing two billboards in Charlotte, N.C.

In a statement, FFRF Co-President Dan Barker said . . . "Essentially, we secularists, who comprise nearly a fifth of the U.S. population, are telling government officials that it's time to get off your knees and get to work!"

Gary Schneeberger, vice president of communications for Focus on the Family, told The Christian Post that FFRF was professing a minority opinion.

"The great thing about America is the freedom to share even unpopular opinions in the public square – and with poll after poll finding that about 9 in 10 Americans believe in God, this is clearly not a very widespread opinion," said Schneeberger.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

Also read that
Abortion & Marriage are Top Issues in the Election and read how the Iowa Christian Presidential Forum Riled the Secularists