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Demonic Kitten

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The most reliable annual “war on Christmas” fodder in all the land has arrived: A billboard, released by an atheist group, prodding at the religious foundation of the Christmas season with a reminder that atheists exist.

This year’s billboard — as it has in the past — comes from American Atheists. And this year’s billboard — as it has in the past — will fail to live up to the worst fears of its critics.

Don’t worry, Christmas is still coming. Billboards don’t cancel Christmas.

The billboard will appear in Memphis, Nashville, Milwaukee, St. Louis and Fort Smith, Arkansas — right in the middle of a handful of red states. The campaign, according to an American Atheists news release, is “aimed at in-the-closet atheists who are pressured to observe religious traditions during the holidays” and who might want to attend the group’s Memphis conference next year. Running from Dec. 1 through Dec. 24, the campaign will also give the group a lot of press coverage (like this article) in the lead-up to Christmas.

“Dear Santa,” the billboard reads. “All I want for Christmas is to skip church! I’m too old for fairy tales.”

Last year, the same group purchased a billboard in Times Square. A state senator took the bait and asked for the billboard to come down. The group responded by announcing it would put up a similar billboard in the senator’s home district, on Staten Island.

In 2012, American Atheists had ANOTHER billboard in Times Square, this one reading: “Keep the Merry! Dump the Myth!” Similar billboards from the group go back at least four years, to 2010.

Effective or not, the campaigns are certainly good at attracting attention to an affiliation that does not fare particularly well in public opinion polls.

According to a Pew poll on belief, many of the states targeted by the campaign have a smaller-than-average percentage of people who responded that they do not believe in God. In Tennessee, for instance, just 2 percent of respondents said they do not believe in God; 12 percent of respondents stated that they were religiously unaffiliated (the national averages are 5 percent and 16 percent, respectively).

But American Atheists said it is bringing the campaign to the South not because of the quantity of atheists there, but because “discrimination and mistrust of atheists is especially pronounced” in the region.

Although atheists (along with the religiously affiliated) debate the extent of backlash and discrimination atheists face across the country, that history is written into state law: Tennessee, along with seven other states, has a law on the books banning atheists from holding public office — though those laws are unenforceable thanks to a mid-20th century Supreme Court decision. In Mississippi, where the atheist group failed to secure placement for an ad in Jackson, two unenforceable laws prevent atheists from holding office and from testifying in court.

Overall, American attitudes towards atheists are not positive. In a poll earlier this year, a majority of Americans said that a belief in God is necessary for individual morality. And a temperature-based rating system from Pew measuring how people in the United States feel about different faith groups found that Americans, by a wide margin, have the “coldest” feelings for atheists and Muslims, of all religious groups.

Will this billboard change those numbers? Probably not. But every Christmas now comes with a war on Christmas. This billboard will help to kick off the season.


Just like to say I have respect for those who don't share my Christian believes and prefer not to judge or mock others for their religion or lack thereof. I also like to have that respect returned by others. My friends range from athiests to pagans to fellow Christians to everything else including religions I can't even remember the names of. We can all discuss our believes together calmly and get insight into each other's point of view without judgement. Is it really so hard for people of different beliefs to respect each other? Calling God an imaginary sky daddy to a Christian that shows every bit of respect for your point of view or telling people who aren't Christians they're going to hell is hardly proper behavior.
This one's hardly an attack on anyone, except maybe those who don't actually believe but go through the motions, anyhow.

And, if anything, isn't that the kind of person that Christians wouldn't want in their churches, anyway?

Demonic Kitten

Keltic Hero
This one's hardly an attack on anyone, except maybe those who don't actually believe but go through the motions, anyhow.

And, if anything, isn't that the kind of person that Christians wouldn't want in their churches, anyway?

I'm referring to some of the comments on that article from one person in particular going off on all non-athiests and twisting the main goal of the ads to say people should shed religion all together. And a few I know who try putting down all religious people at any chance almost obsessively. And a few religious people I knew in the past who wouldn't even speak to people of different religion. My point is we should all just learn to accept the different beliefs of people around us without insulting each other for believing different. I'm not referring to the ad specifically.

Hardcore Regular

Let me know when the war on ramadan happens then ill believe these people have principles
holidazedV2
Let me know when the war on ramadan happens then ill believe these people have principles


I think Bill Maher lost his Liberal card for daring to apply the same rules to Islam that he applied to every other religion.
Tasteless and juvenile, but I don't see what's offensive about it. Christianity has never had a problem with tactics like this themselves. One need look around my home town for glaring examples of that.
burning_eyes
Keltic Hero
holidazedV2
Let me know when the war on ramadan happens then ill believe these people have principles


I think Bill Maher lost his Liberal card for daring to apply the same rules to Islam that he applied to every other religion.


I've always wondered why the American left is so kid gloved with a system that lives up to everything they say they're afraid of from American conservative Christianity.
Harry Klegg
burning_eyes
Keltic Hero
holidazedV2
Let me know when the war on ramadan happens then ill believe these people have principles


I think Bill Maher lost his Liberal card for daring to apply the same rules to Islam that he applied to every other religion.


I've always wondered why the American left is so kid gloved with a system that lives up to everything they say they're afraid of from American conservative Christianity.


Largely because the American right is against them, so the American left feels obligated to be on their side just so they don't look like they're agreeing with the American right about something.

KyoukaKuze's Wife

Newbie Prophet

I don't have to respect your beliefs at all.
I find them silly and I will forever make fun of them.

On this war on Christmas stupidity it makes me cheeze every time I see a sign on a lawn that says "Remember the reason for the season" followed up with a nativity scene.

If they have no respect for the religions and people that they tried to wipe from history I will forever have no respect for any of their a** backwards arguments to keep "Christ" in Christmas.

Destructive Detective

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Keltic Hero
holidazedV2
Let me know when the war on ramadan happens then ill believe these people have principles


I think Bill Maher lost his Liberal card for daring to apply the same rules to Islam that he applied to every other religion.
No, he lost that when he announced he was voting for Bob Dole.

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Christians have every right to make billboards that are pro-Christianity. Why can't Atheists make billboards that are pro-Atheism?

As for beliefs, beliefs don't deserve respect. People deserve a certain amount of respect, but not beliefs. You don't have to respect my beliefs. You do have to respect my right to them, as long as no laws are being broken.

I believe that Christianity is morally incorrect. However, I live in a world of Christianity, in a bible belt, in the south. There isn't much I can do except let people be.

Now, what some people forget is that Atheists can celebrate Christmas, and often do. Christmas is actually pretty secular. Yes, it's a mix of pagan religions with some Christian seasoning, but really it's pretty damn secular now. You don't have to have any religion to be a part of it. However, there are several Christians who assume Christmas is only for Christians, and there are some who believe there is a war on Christmas.

There is not a war on Christmas. Chill the ******** out. Until people are treating you like second class or less citizens because of your religion, you need to shut the ******** up. (not directed to you, OP, but to certain Christians)

Christmas is one of the most popular holidays in the world, and U.S.A. is no exception. The holiday is not going away. Nobody is destroying it. It's stronger than ever. Just look at how much hell we go through just to get people presents. And before you ask, yes, Christmas is mostly about presents. It's also about decorations, and being nice to people, but the whole point is presents. Still, you can celebrate however you want. I don't care.

Enduring Survivor

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I say let them have their billboards. I mean, I'm a Christian and I don't agree with them just as they don't agree with me but I see no problem with them placing these up. IMHO someone who is truly connected to their beliefs as a Christian can use this as an example to teach them more about the God they believe in such as saying "Well, you see (fill in child's name) some people do not believe as we do and they think God isn't real. Not everyone is like those we go to church with..." Just as if I was an Atheist I could use the "reason for the season" sign to say "You see (fill in child's name) some people think that there is a god and here is why we do not believe as they do..." If people would use these things as learning and teaching methods it'd be much more peaceful. With that said, maybe I'm not the best person to answer this because while I'm a Christian I do not celebrate Christmas as a religious holiday. History shows it was originally Pagan celebration that the Catholic church used the date of to try and convert Pagans to Christianity. Many holidays were originally Pagan. In reality, historians seem to believe that Christ was actually born around the middle of April.

Witty Conversationalist



      Why is it such a big deal?

      I visit family two cities over and it takes about a half hour to get there. Within that time, I see eight billboards with sayings such as, "Love God. Love People.", "Why God? Why Not?", "Be a true American and attend church" and other things like that. You can look at billboards or choose not to look at them.

      As far as Christmas goes, I don't even celebrate for the religious purpose behind it. I just like being with family and friends and eating food. Omnomnom. Food. Funny thing is, my friends don't even celebrate Christmas. They celebrate St. Nick's Day on the 6th of December. They are Mormon, that's why. So how does all of this mean a war on Christmas?

      I guess I don't understand why this whole thing is a huge deal. Someone mind explaining it to me?

Time-traveling Senshi

          Here's the ironic and funny thing. Twice a year every year for the last ten years (next month actually) I drive through Kentucky, Tennessee, and Georgia to get to and from the Gulf Coast side of Florida. In Tennessee and Georgia you pass by huge billboards that proclaim how good God is and how the Christian Church will save your soul. Then as little as fifty to sixty feet down the road from the religious billboard, sometimes right next to it, there's a huge billboard for a strip joint, adult bookstore, adult toy store, or even the racy truck stop (yes there's a racy truck stop where women strip for truckers). These places tout that they're very conservatively Christian and yet there they are the billboards for strip joints and sex shops right alongside them.

          If Christians can have a huge metal cross on the side of the Interstate near Effingham, IL then Atheists are allowed to toss up a seasonal billboard. However, they're demanding that our overly PC society include them in everything religious because they don't see themselves as being non religious. They're now claiming Atheism is a religion and should be treated like Christianity and Judaism when it comes to holiday displays even though one group wants people to free from religion. Their symbol a very large very gaudy stick out like a sore thumb red letter A. Last year they demanded their way into the holiday displays at Daley Plaza in Chicago and the reactions to it were very mixed. The thing is, they claim to not believe in any god at all and yet here they are demanding equal time and to be treated like every other religion out there when they don't believe in religion. Kind of strange if you ask me.

Feral Nymph

Erholung


      I guess I don't understand why this whole thing is a huge deal. Someone mind explaining it to me?



Because the louder, more fundamental Christians are operating under the delusion that they are always being persecuted. That may be the case in some countries, but it's not in the US. So US fundies have to seek out things to feel persecuted about for reasons. And that's how the 'War on Christmas' began.

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