Ten atheism-promoting billboards will go up in Denver over the holidays and one in Colorado Springs; the message is simple: “Don’t believe in God? You are not alone” in white letters over background that shows a mostly-cloudy blue sky. These billboards are, reportedly being paid for by a Colorado atheist group but, since the billboards for Colorado are not up yet, the news stories and Internet articles about them are showing a similar billboard that is up in Philadelphia, advertising a Philadelphia-based atheist group called the Greater Philadelphia Coalition of Reason (PhillyCor).
Joel Guttormson, a spokesman for the Denver group, Metro State Atheists, explains, “we’re putting them up in November and December because of the holidays, when church and state issues tend to come up a lot, to let non-believers, free-thinkers and atheists know that they are not alone, especially in a country like ours that is predominantly Christian.”
While the billboards are not up yet, thanks to the news media and the magic of the Internet, everyone seems to know about them and, even though their message does NOT, as the Denver News headline proclaims “question the existence of God,” they are attracting rage-filled howls of protest by religious groups and individuals.
It seems easy for me, an atheist, to rationalize billboards, pamphlets, leaflets, newspaper and Internet ads, etc. that are created by organized religions who are trying to gain new members. Religion is, after all, a business like any other business — without paying customers the rent cant be paid, the utilities will be turned off and people will loose their jobs.
I can also understand the hysterical reaction to the billboard idea by organized religion — this is religion’s competition. An atheist, by definition, does not attend religious services, does not ‘feed’ the collection plate and does not, of course, evangelize for a church. Atheists represent a loss of revenue not only to the church but, at least theoretically, to stores and malls who depend on Holiday shoppers for their largest selling season of the year. The reality, however, is that the majority of atheists still buy Christmas presents for their family members, their friends and, in some cases, for their co-workers because the majority of atheists are NOT trying to take the “Christ out of Christmas” they simply don’t believe in Him on a personal level.
It seems that atheism is now also a business — that’s the only motivation I can find for these billboards and for organizations like Metro State Atheists and PhillyCor. Well, I can’t deny anyone the opportunity to make money off of their religion (or non-religion) but I certainly don’t intend to join in to ‘get my share’ of the profits. The atheists who put up billboards, form organizations and try to tear down peoples beliefs in their religions are the “noisy” atheists — to them atheism is a profit-making business that has little to do with faith or a lack of it. These “noisy” atheists are also the ones who have trouble sustaining their non-belief, so they desperately need the company of other atheists as a support system.
People who are comfortable with their belief in a deity, or in the non-existance of one, don’t need support systems — but I guess we are in a vast minorty.
News Links:
Denver News (ABC-7): Atheist Billboards To Debut During Holidays; Message Questions Existence Of God
Colorado Springs Gazette: Another atheist group takes the billboard route
Blog Links:
Splendid Elles: Atheist Billboards in Colorado
The Atheocracy: Atheism gets on the bus
Whymrhymer’s P.O.V. can also be found at the My View from the Center
11 users commented in " Atheist Billboards? "
Follow-up comment rss or Leave a Trackback“People who are comfortable with their belief in a deity, or in the non-existance of one, don’t need support systems — but I guess we are in a vast minorty”.
WE Are, this says it all. Great post. Personal beliefs are those we choose to adopt because we have already debated the choices.
Arthur
Well lets see here, put up billboards saying you are not alone in not believing in god. Where is the money?…the old saying is follow the money, if, as the original poster and Arthur said people of faith or non-faith are comfortable with their belief systems then why are people making money off of their insecurities? Follow the money.
Other than the billboard company, who’s “making money” off the atheist messages displayed?
If atheists are called “noisy” for a few handfuls of billboards around the country, faithheads should be deemed “deafening” for the hundreds of thousands of church buildings (topped with crosses, and emitting annoying bell sounds), televangelists, radiovangelists, unwanted Gideon bibles, Mormons/JWs at the doorstep, freestanding crosses, as well as the daily coerced recitation of the God-loaded Pledge of Allegiance.
Believers can simply avert their gaze if they encounter one of the few offensive billboards. If only it were so easy for us atheists!
you wrote “An atheist, by definition, does not attend religious services, does not ‘feed’ the collection plate and does not, of course, evangelize for a church.”
but that’s not exactly true.
An atheist, by definition, is anyone who does not believe a creator/god exists.
“…atheism is now also a business — that’s the only motivation I can find for these billboards and for organizations like Metro State Atheists and PhillyCor.”
The only motivation?
How about our desire to be respected as full citizens and accepted into society as the contributing members that we are?
How about the need to stem the wave of fundamentalism that threatens to turn America into a theocracy?
How about fighting for the rights of equality for all?
How about our hopes to stop the constant tragedies brought about by blind belief in religions?
How about our desire to see medicine–unhindered by dogma–find the cures for diseases?
How about the modest proposal that we educate the public into NOT flying planes into buildings?
I mean who really cares about those billboards…honestly..I mean if I livd there bein a person whom has acceptd Jesus as my personal savior and the fact that God does xist and I didnt just sprout out of the earth like a potato that yes I do have a creator and his name is God…yah kno those signs really wuldnt affect me so much…I mean I prolly wuldnt evn notice em IF I did I wuld quickly forget about them…I mean who cares..it has no affect on my destination…or my birthday shoppn fur the holidays!!!
Hey I didnt mean to sound pushy about my feelings towards the Lord or nuthn..I wus just sayn I wuldnt notice…thats all 🙂
“…atheism is now also a business — that’s the only motivation I can find for these billboards and for organizations like Metro State Atheists and PhillyCor.”
How about taking the organizations at their word that they’re just trying to reach out to others who don’t believe in a country full of believers? Or is this foolishly naive?
Maybe you’re young enought to not remember a time when one couldn’t really discuss atheism openly. Or maybe you grew up in some magical part of the country where you were allowed not to believe. That wasn’t my experience as a child or teen. I didn’t dare mention my non-belief to friends and family until at least the late 80’s. Things have changed a lot. Maybe you don’t realize that.
Just like the gay movement of a generation ago, atheists will not be taken seriously until we are free to stand up and openly declare our position.
“I’m here, I don’t believe, get used to it!”
Atheists and agnostics are right in most of their thinking
It has been common among religious believers to look with misgiving at atheists and agnostics, and to think that they are mistaken; however, in many instances the opposite is the truth; some religious beliefs are not just irrelevant, but baseless. The “God” of main line traditions simply does not exist. I accepted the challenge of finding the One who may be recognized even by agnostics and atheists: the Existence itself. The God of religions may be denied, but nobody can deny that the Existence is. It doesn’t matter how you call it, but “All-That-Is,” is. A book (probably not written for you) “Christianity Reformed From ist Roots” tells all; perhaps its reflections will relieve your friends of the illusion, as they did for me. (Amazon.com).
Jairo Mejia, M. Psych., Santa Clara University
Episcopal Priest, Retired
Carmel Valley, California
http://www.mbay.net/~jmejia/Grudzen.htm
http://www.mbay.net/~jmejia/Churcher.htm
Here is a picture of the American flag with Under God written above Indivisible.
This is in response to the Atheist flag billboard.
http://totalentertainmentworld.com/flag.html
Thank you.
George Vreeland Hill
Its not about anyones belief. There are those who do not believe in God I know this well. I respect their views I will not argue I only wish to say that people are by choice allowed to choose what they want in their lives I am not trying to force anyone. Jesus Christ does not need to be defended if anything we need to be defended by him. One day all will realize what is happening all around them. May God have mercy and may my faith alone stand for Jesus. God bless you all.
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