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American Atheists at it again?

Rakhel

Well-Known Member
Is this Incitement?
A series of Atheist billboards are going up across the area this week and they're sure to cause some chatter.The billboards are paid for by American Atheists and read, referring to God, "You know it's a myth, and you have a choice".
Ads in Hebrew and English will be displayed Monday in Brooklyn, and one in Arabic will also go up in Paterson, New Jersey.
The term for "God" is also written in each language.
The organization says it's targeting "closeted atheists" in the Muslim and Jewish communities who might be under attack for their beliefs or lack thereof.
The billboards are not meant to enrage anyone, and the organization says their members have the right to advertise.
American Atheists say they have plans for more billboards in other communities too.
Atheist Billboard Likely To Cause Stir In Brooklyn Neighborhood - NY1.com
Video on link
Note: It was mentioned on the channel4 news that the billboard written in Hebrew will be placed in the neighborhood of WIlliamsburg. A very Haredi neighborhood of Brooklyn NY.
 

s2a

Heretic and part-time (skinny) Santa impersonator
No...it's an invitation to embrace thought and reason as alternative to myth and superstition. Only those that feel threatened by such invitations would interpret such as "incitement" to something yet undefined by you...
 

Pegg

Jehovah our God is One
Is this Incitement?Note: It was mentioned on the channel4 news that the billboard written in Hebrew will be placed in the neighborhood of WIlliamsburg. A very Haredi neighborhood of Brooklyn NY.

i just hope that they form a friendly club where their new converts can meet for socializing and emotional support.

It would be sad if their only purpose is to destroy the faith of people and then not provide them with a place where they can have their emotional and spiritual needs filled.
 

s2a

Heretic and part-time (skinny) Santa impersonator
i just hope that they form a friendly club where their new converts can meet for socializing and emotional support.

It would be sad if their only purpose is to destroy the faith of people and then not provide them with a place where they can have their emotional and spiritual needs filled.

Just for the record... atheists do not "recruit converts"...

Atheists may advocate human reason/intellect and demonstrable fact as embraceable alternatives to faith-based claims of super naturalistic cause-effect explanations, but such motives should not be interpreted as any motivated interest to "destroy the faith of people"... nor to supplant or provide any "emotional and spiritual needs" filled or unfulfilled.

Just saying... :)
 

Storm

ThrUU the Looking Glass
No...it's an invitation to embrace thought and reason as alternative to myth and superstition. Only those that feel threatened by such invitations would interpret such as "incitement" to something yet undefined by you...
Careful, your bias is showing.
 

9-10ths_Penguin

1/10 Subway Stalinist
Premium Member
Just for the record... atheists do not "recruit converts"...

Atheists may advocate human reason/intellect and demonstrable fact as embraceable alternatives to faith-based claims of super naturalistic cause-effect explanations, but such motives should not be interpreted as any motivated interest to "destroy the faith of people"... nor to supplant or provide any "emotional and spiritual needs" filled or unfulfilled.

Just saying... :)
No, I think she makes a valid point.

Especially in insular religious communities like these, religious belief (or at least affiliation) is directly tied to the mechanism by which all sorts of real social and emotional needs are fulfilled.

As it happens, there's a Recovering from Religion group in New York City. In a city like New York, I'm sure there are also other atheist groups and other community groups that can help fill the void when someone leaves a religion.
 
Hey I don't believe that Jesus saved anyone and I have no problem with this sign either. My contention is the placement.

So are you opposed to the Jesus Saves billboards in Las Vegas? There is no point contesting the placement, unless you are asserting that everyone in the vicinity is Christian/Jewish/Muslim/Whatever. We all have a choice, can we not chose to ignore the billboards?
 

s2a

Heretic and part-time (skinny) Santa impersonator
You think atheists can't proselytize?


Well, first of all, projection of one''s unsaid point as being another presented presumption is poor rebuttal at best.

Second, "to proselytize" may include efforts to influence the opinion of others, but in matters of faith based beliefs... one would be persuaded readily enough to comprehend that such beliefs transcend mere personalized opinion...and are more likely predicated upon some "revelatory" or insightful claim of a personalized "knowledge" or existential "truth".

Last I checked, atheists claim neither of those perspectives as their own... and allow "believers" to adhere as much, or in the very least to any/all of those claims as they please, as long as they do not insist that others follow or be forced to obey their own accepted perspectives as a generalized rule of law or enforcement.
 

Rakhel

Well-Known Member
when I lived in Mississippi, a strip club tried to start a business. Above the business was a billboard that said "Jesus Saves." Were all the patrons atheist? I seriously doubt it. Same goes for the ones in Vegas. Are all gamblers atheist? I find that funny. I gamble myself.
Here is the thing. These signs are going up in insular communities. Everyone in the area that one of these particular billboards are Haredi Jews. Very religious. Very much opposed to outside influence. And very willing to fight to keep it that way. If they could, they would block the buses and subways from operating in their neighborhood.

I don't know much about the Arab neighborhood that the other is going up in.
 

Storm

ThrUU the Looking Glass
Well, first of all, projection of one''s unsaid point as being another presented presumption is poor rebuttal at best.
Yes, it is. Now, do I really need to explain the difference between a request for clarification and a rebuttal? :facepalm:

Second, "to proselytize" may include efforts to influence the opinion of others, but in matters of faith based beliefs... one would be persuaded readily enough to comprehend that such beliefs transcend mere personalized opinion...and are more likely predicated upon some "revelatory" or insightful claim of a personalized "knowledge" or existential "truth".
If one is a fool, sure.

Last I checked, atheists claim neither of those perspectives as their own... and allow "believers" to adhere as much, or in the very least to any/all of those claims as they please, as long as they do not insist that others follow or be forced to obey their own accepted perspectives as a generalized rule of law or enforcement.
That's not what I asked.
 

s2a

Heretic and part-time (skinny) Santa impersonator
So are you opposed to the Jesus Saves billboards in Las Vegas? There is no point contesting the placement, unless you are asserting that everyone in the vicinity is Christian/Jewish/Muslim/Whatever. We all have a choice, can we not chose to ignore the billboards?

Your inquiry was not directed towards me, but as this is an open forum, I'll lend my own reply...

A couple of instances of things to ponder upon...

I would no more take offense to a paid advertisement on a billboard proclaiming "Jesus Saves!" in Vegas that I would in another billboard saying "Jesus bets on a hard Six" (tho the latter might make me laugh aloud).

Whether or not anyone believes or wants to believe that a supernatural, all-powerful, ever-present supernatural entity resides in Vegas to single-highhandedly determine the outcome of every hand of cards, or roll of the dice, or crank pull of a slot machine as otherwise being ordained or purposed to some meaningful design within the entire cosmos ...is of no consequence to me, and seems laughable on it's premise alone.

Within whatever faith-based belief system you claim as your own... what holy text or established dogmatic adherence would ever lead you to insist or be offended by any extant paid Billboard extolling any particular perspective of any kind whatsoever? In Vegas? Really?
 

s2a

Heretic and part-time (skinny) Santa impersonator
Yes, it is. Now, do I really need to explain the difference between a request for clarification and a rebuttal? :facepalm:


If one is a fool, sure.


That's not what I asked.

I suppose this boils down to whether or not you perceive an honest and earnest reply as some universal "answer". I no more claim to speak for all atheists than I might accept another respondent as universally answerable for the entirety of Christians, monotheists, polytheists, or pagans.

But if you wish to only engage in verbal gymnastics, you may find me capable in the task as willing foil.

In matter of fact, I did "answer" your posed question as both a posited clarification and as a sarcastic rebuttal...

Which you invited by very premise...so, you're welcome:)
 

The Neo Nerd

Well-Known Member
Personally I would have suggested a less confrontational message, but its not too bad

Nope won't work.

A recent bid to the following ad on buses was shot down.

atheists_sign.jpeg



It's about as unoffensive as you can get. It doesn't matter they'll still ***** about it.
 

Pegg

Jehovah our God is One
Just for the record... atheists do not "recruit converts"...

Atheists may advocate human reason/intellect and demonstrable fact as embraceable alternatives to faith-based claims of super naturalistic cause-effect explanations, but such motives should not be interpreted as any motivated interest to "destroy the faith of people"... nor to supplant or provide any "emotional and spiritual needs" filled or unfulfilled.

Just saying... :)

yeah well thats cruel then. Because many people choose to believe in a creator because it gives them some peace of mind in a world that they have no control over.

You dont know if you will be alive tomorrow and you probably dont care, but many do care and a belief in God is what gets them through each day.

And i think what some atheists fail to appreciate is that religion is what fills that need in some people.
 

Twilight Hue

Twilight, not bright nor dark, good nor bad.
It would be sad if their only purpose is to destroy the faith of people and then not provide them with a place where they can have their emotional and spiritual needs filled.

Most Tim Horton's or Starbucks suffices engaging in idle conversation for us displaced apostates. :coffee:
 
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