Americans pissed off at pro atheist sign

GLaDOS

http://www.wsvn.com/news/articles/local/MI124870/

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (WSVN) -- Community residents are protesting a billboard they call offensive to Christians.
The recruitment billboard put up by the Florida Atheist and Secular Humanist Society stands just east of Interstate 95 on Sunrise Boulevard and 27th Avenue, next to a business owned by an African-American preacher.


The members of the community cite two main problems: born-again Christians own the business right next to the sign, and the billboard is located right in the middle of an African-American community.
Neighboring businesses have called to try to get the sign removed. "Muslim, Jew, Hindu, Christian, whoever you are, we all believe in a spiritual higher being. When you have something like this here, people don't want to come and patronize us anymore," said Theodore Hamilton, an employee at a nearby business. "We don't agree with this. We don't like this here in our community, and this is a spiritual based community."


The sign states: "Being a good person doesn't require God. Don't believe in God? You're not alone. www.FreeThoughFlorida.com."



Ken Loukinen, President of FLASH, said he had no intention of offending anyone when he paid to put the sign up. "We didn't want to incense anybody or put a derogatory statement in there," he said. "The two statements there, the first one, is basically to the public to let them know that atheists can be good, moral people, and the second part of the message is to other free thinkers who are in Broward County or in the area that may see this, that there is an organization that supports them."


But, business owners said, the sign has affected their income. Aavion McDonald works at the hair and beauty salon located right below the billboard. "There are people that come in here complaining about the sign," he said, "and that's not good for the business, and it's not good for the neighborhood."


Loukinen said he felt bad about any collateral affect the sign may have had on businesses in the area. "I apologize if it's going to affect any business. That's definitely not our intention, and we didn't choose this area specifically. This was one of the billboards available to us."
After seeing the billboard, Team of Life community activist Essie "Big Mama" Reed brought her students out to protest it Wednesday afternoon. "Nothing else matters, but that sign needs to come down. In the name of Jesus," Big Mama chanted, as she led her students in protest.


She said the sign affects something much deeper than business. "I don't know the reason for putting this sign up," said Big Mama. "It says 'Do not believe in God.' How are we going to make it? Look at our schools, everyday. Everyday there's something going on. Kids are out here killing each other, kids are here using drugs. Who else are they going to believe in?"


The billboard sponsors said they would like the community to show them the same tolerance they fought for during the civil rights era. "The women and blacks in this neighborhood, they've been discriminated before, in the recent past, as early as 30, 40 years ago," Loukinen said, "and yet, they have no problem discriminating against another group, whether it be gays or atheists."


This billboard is expected to be up for four weeks.

Very insecure reaction imo, the sign says nothing about any religion or even imply that atheism is necessarily right, just that there is a group with a similar viewpoint.

Galvasean

Nothing even remotely offensive about that. It's not telling anyone not to believe in God or that they are wrong. Very foolhardy reaction by the complainers. Makes them look incredibly insecure at best, crazy at worst.

Galvasean

Oh and anyone else think of this?

Daftendirekt

Childish reaction. No worse than any of those 'Jesus saves' type posters you see around.

DeBunny

One billboard vs almighty Jeez-hus. The offence they express is very telling. If your faith was strong enough you wouldn't care. I mean what would someone have to do to offend an atheist?

kiffer

If people are coming into your shop to complain about an advert near your shop you should just agree with them and then say "I don't like it either, it's not my billboard though... hey while your in my shop would you like to buy something"

Also it's only going to be up for a few weeks... then you can pay for one that says something nice and holy like


This is of course a photoshopped image... the original billboard didn't say that... the original said gay.

a nice selection of Billboards can be found here

I think this one is most upsetting


anyway... I'm sure there are some "nice" Christian billboards out there ... though people probably don't bother photographing them as much...

Take these ideas for example... some are warm, love affirming messages which while I obviously would have to work hard at being offended by... others are basically mafia like threats...

Down in the mouth? It’s time for a faith lift

Not bad.

God will let you get away with it until suddenly . . .

Bam! it's Threat of Torture time!

PeterIanStaker

Typical American christian reaction tbh.

DeBunny

kiffer wrote: »

anyway... I'm sure there are some "nice" Christian billboards out there ... though people probably don't bother photographing them as much...

Take these ideas for example... some are warm, love affirming messages which while I obviously would have to work hard at being offended by... others are basically mafia like threats...

From the above website:

It is my longing that through this webpage souls be credited to your account.

PayPal for souls! Awesome, sign me up. Although if I know anything about Christianity it's that only two people have soul accounts. The bank of hell and the bank of heaven

kiffer

PeterIanStaker wrote: »

Typical American christian reaction tbh.

ahhh now... in fairness... it's typical that there is this reaction ... but like in all things it's the loud mouth people that get the most air time...



Found an interesting billboard

source link

Text: “Mission Gathering Christian Church Is Sorry For The Narrow-Minded, Judgmental, Deceptive, Manipulative Actions Of Those Who Took Away The Rights And quality Of So Many In The Name Of God.”

Zillah

Essie Big Mama Reed wrote:

"It says 'Do not believe in God."

No it doesn't you absolute moron.

Also, stop using your students for political purposes. Seriously, these people are unbelievable. Much like the Lisbon No campaign, the stupidity and deceit I see in the opposition is a major factor for reassuring me I've chosen the right side.

kiffer

Zillah wrote: »

Not it doesn't you absolute moron.

Also, stop using your students for political purposes. Seriously, these people are unbelievable. Much like the Lisbon No campaign, the stupidity and deceit I see in the opposition is a major factor for reassuring me I've chosen the right side.

It says "Don't believe in God?"... without the question mark it could be considered an order/suggestion... Now while it does actually have a question mark some people are a bit dim and may miss that...
Obviously some people are that dim, Big Momma for example, but those dim people will be easily swayed back to the flock later anyway...

Overheal

you know living in SC i see religious billboards all the time and it doesnt bother me a dot.

suddenly someone doesnt believe in god and wants to express it and youd swear the sky was falling.

you know whats really fcuked up though? I feel like if i put so much as a bumper sticker on my car about it, someone will bust in my tail light with a baseball bat, or just as annoyingly, keep pasting church flyers on my windshield..

fifth

Here in the philippines, there's lots of those 'jesus saves' billboards, and huge buildings with big leon lettering saying things like "jesus is the truth" etc..Very very religious country

fitz0

They have an excellent abbreviation for their organisation.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MS4_Z84-rRE

Teferi

It's America. What do you expect?

Zombrex

http://www.dangeroustalk.net/billboard-wars.html

It is funny how the atheist ones are rather positive and about acceptance while the theist ones are pretty bad, playing on fear and guilt.

kiffer

Wicknight wrote: »

http://www.dangeroustalk.net/billboard-wars.html

It is funny how the atheist ones are rather positive and about acceptance while the theist ones are pretty bad, playing on fear and guilt.

I spotted that too ... but it could be a selection issue... Less people are bothered enough to take photos of inoffensive billboards.

robindch

Wicknight wrote: »

It is funny how the atheist ones are rather positive

Ah, but without godly motivation, it's not really positive!

Wicknight wrote: »

[...]the theist ones are pretty bad, playing on fear and guilt.

But it's loving fear and guilt

Petrovia

kiffer wrote: »

I spotted that too ... but it could be a selection issue... Less people are bothered enough to take photos of inoffensive billboards.

True, all I've ever seen myself are 'Jesus loves you'-type ones.

kiffer

Petrovia wrote: »

True, all I've ever seen myself are 'Jesus loves you'-type ones.

but that's also wrong because there are definitely "comply or fry" type posters around...

Also Posters can be both... "Jesus loves you, he'd be really sad to see you tortured in hell"
Carrot and Stick so to speak...

Petrovia

kiffer wrote: »

but that's also wrong because there are definitely "comply or fry" type posters around...

Also Posters can be both... "Jesus loves you, he'd be really sad to see you tortured in hell"
Carrot and Stick so to speak...

Oh yes, but we already have the pictures to prove that.

I also think that they're just not around where I live. It would probably just result in less members. And the churches are nearly empty anyway, so they can't really afford to risk it. To be honest, the most 'offensive' ones that I see are the ones by the Society Against Swearing (a religious organisation)...



'Swearing is something that's learnt! Don't be an imitator!'

Oh and you thought of this concept of 'religion' all on your own, did you. :pac:

Fallen Buckshot

Teferi wrote: »

It's America. What do you expect?

I would Expect people to be more open minded in a melting pot of different cultures religions and languages. As my pappy always use to say its better to be pissed off than pissed on.

kiffer

Petrovia wrote: »

Oh yes, but we already have the pictures to prove that.

I also think that they're just not around where I live. It would probably just result in less members. And the churches are nearly empty anyway, so they can't really afford to risk it. To be honest, the most 'offensive' ones that I see are the ones by the Society Against Swearing (a religious organisation)...

http://www.spakenburg-zuid.nl/Portals/0/images/bondtegenvloeken.jpg

'Swearing is something that's learnt! Don't be an imitator!'

that's not offensive... Does it lose something in translation?
Churches everywhere are losing numbers... Of course we'll have someone popping their head in and telling us that their little church has increased in size but the majority of people that no longer go to the big churches haven't moved to little churches... They've just stopped going at all...
... Anyway, posters generally arn't posters for specific churches are they or at least not supposed to be...?

Oh and you thought of this concept of 'religion' all on your own, did you. :pac:

I don't know what you mean by this... Could you clarify it please.

Petrovia

kiffer wrote: »

that's not offensive... Does it lose something in translation?

No, I was trying to make the point that it's not very offensive...

Churches everywhere are losing numbers... Of course we'll have someone popping their head in and telling us that their little church has increased in size but the majority of people that no longer go to the big churches haven't moved to little churches... They've just stopped going at all...
... Anyway, posters generally arn't posters for specific churches are they or at least not supposed to be...?

I wasn't talking about any specific churches

I just meant that organised religion (well, of the christian type anyway) is so ridiculously on the decline around here that they'd better not be offensive to people or it'll go even quicker.

I don't know what you mean by this... Could you clarify it please.

The :pac: would indicate that I was making a joke of sorts. Them saying swearing is learnt behaviour, me saying religion is too (yeah, not funny when you have to explain it).

kiffer

Petrovia wrote: »

No, I was trying to make the point that it's not very offensive...



I wasn't talking about any specific churches

I just meant that organised religion (well, of the christian type anyway) is so ridiculously on the decline around here that they'd better not be offensive to people or it'll go even quicker.



The :pac: would indicate that I was making a joke of sorts. Them saying swearing is learnt behaviour, me saying religion is too (yeah, not funny when you have to explain it).

ahhh I'm on my phone so :pac: just looks like : pac :
off the bus now so no time to respond to rest of post will do so later...

toiletduck

Teferi wrote: »

It's America. What do you expect?

To be fair to the yanks, I can imagine similar outrage if it were here in Ireland.

kiffer

toiletduck wrote: »

To be fair to the yanks, I can imagine similar outrage if it were here in Ireland.

there's one way to find out... How much does billboard space cost?

Galvasean

Well a fair few got fairly annoyed with those 'probably no God' bus ads in the UK. Although this american ad is even less volatile.

Actually, if people were outraged enough by those Hunky Dorys ads to get them banned then I'm sure someone expressing a different opinion to them should cause similar outcry.

GLaDOS

Similar story here :http://www.theindychannel.com/news/19409895/detail.html (Stumbleupon really does know me...)

"You can't be good without God. You can't," said resident Amanda Delaney. "I don't think they should promote that."

Oh dear...

Kazuma

ScienceNerd wrote: »

Similar story here :http://www.theindychannel.com/news/19409895/detail.html (Stumbleupon really does know me...)



Oh dear...

Back to the "god = all good" bull**** I see :pac:

Dades

toiletduck wrote: »

To be fair to the yanks, I can imagine similar outrage if it were here in Ireland.

I don't believe that at all. You might get the odd nutter out with rosary beads and some bullsh*t letter to the papers from David Quinn or John Waters, but I think Irish people in general could care less.

axer

Those religious ones are definitely much worse. Ones like the the one in Pearse Station that goes something like "Unless you repent, you too will perish". I have always been meaning to check the price of replacing it.

GLaDOS

axer wrote: »

Those religious ones are definitely much worse. Ones like the the one in Pearse Station that goes something like "Unless you repent, you too will perish". I have always been meaning to check the price of replacing it.

I've noticed ads along that line in Phibsboro (by the shopping centre). Makes me wish I had money to waste on things like that.

Galvasean

ScienceNerd wrote: »

Similar story here :http://www.theindychannel.com/news/19409895/detail.html (Stumbleupon really does know me...)

Have you seen the opinion poll? Atheists rule the interwebz i tells ya!

catbear

A lot of people on this thread hate the idea of been labeled something they are not, yet few have commented on the title of this thread; "Americans pissed off at pro atheist sign". That's disingenuous to American atheists and I believe the title should acknowledge that.

How about "Some religious Americans pissed off at pro atheist sign".

That really bugs me about Ireland, many Irish label all Americans as affiliated to some religion yet fall to see that the Irish government have bailed out the Irish Roman Catholic Church by sharing some of the costs of the sex abuse awards. Plus not one Bishop has gone to jail in Ireland yet even though they knew about abusers and protected them.

In the US, religions get bailed out by their congregations if at all and not the state.

sonicthebadger*

catbear wrote: »

In the US, religions get bailed out by their congregations if at all and not the state.

They pay tax over there do they?

strobe

catbear wrote: »

A lot of people on this thread hate the idea of been labeled something they are not, yet few have commented on the title of this thread; "Americans pissed off at pro atheist sign". That's disingenuous to American atheists and I believe the title should acknowledge that.

How about "Some religious Americans pissed off at pro atheist sign".

That really bugs me about Ireland, many Irish label all Americans as affiliated to some religion yet fall to see that the Irish government have bailed out the Irish Roman Catholic Church by sharing some of the costs of the sex abuse awards. Plus not one Bishop has gone to jail in Ireland yet even though they knew about abusers and protected them.

In the US, religions get bailed out by their congregations if at all and not the state.

Or maybe the thread title should have been "Suspected human beings, possibly annoyed about potentially pro atheist sign, if indeed that was what it is and that is what they were"?

I don't think the thread title was a specific "ha ha look at the crazy Americans" thing. They just happened to be American. I'm sure if it was in Malta it would have read "Maltese pissed off at pro atheist sign".

Dades

catbear wrote: »

That really bugs me about Ireland, many Irish label all Americans as affiliated to some religion yet fall to see that the Irish government have bailed out the Irish Roman Catholic Church by sharing some of the costs of the sex abuse awards. Plus not one Bishop has gone to jail in Ireland yet even though they knew about abusers and protected them.

You think any of those things have gone unnoticed here?

You'd swear the Irish church got an easy ride from the folks here. Honestly your statement shows that you haven't been a regular here or that you have a very thin skin when it comes to anything that be construed as an attack on certain Americans. This forum is not Ireland.

GLaDOS

The people involved are American, therefore the use of Americans seemed fine for me. It's not like it's a tiny minority either.

robindch

catbear wrote: »

the Irish government have bailed out the Irish Roman Catholic Church by sharing some of the costs of the sex abuse awards.

The state assumed some of the responsibility, since it had failed appallingly badly in its duty of care and oversight. One can argue about whether a 50-50 split -- subsequently repudiated by the religious orders -- was fair, but the state was not blameless.

catbear wrote: »

In the US, religions get bailed out by their congregations if at all and not the state.

The religious industries in the US turn over an estimated $120 billion dollars per year -- around one and a half times the size of NAMA, to put it in some kind of perspective. Whatever other deficiencies they might have, cash is certainly not one of them.

catbear

Dades wrote: »

You think any of those things have gone unnoticed here?

You'd swear the Irish church got an easy ride from the folks here. Honestly your statement shows that you haven't been a regular here or that you have a very thin skin when it comes to anything that be construed as an attack on certain Americans. This forum is not Ireland.

How can it go unnoticed, they still have not been held accountable for aiding and abetting. Forgiveness is pointless without penance.

And yes I am not a regular in this forum. My point was that the title was inaccurate, when the IRA were bombing Britain was it right that people said similar things like all Irish are murdering nutjobs. It's not about nationalism, it's about respecting individuals, like those Americans who don't find any offense with an atheist advertisement.

strobe

catbear wrote: »

And yes I am not a regular in this forum. My point was that the title was inaccurate, when the IRA were bombing Britain was it right that people said similar things like all Irish are murdering nutjobs.

The thread title doesn't read "All Americans pissed off at pro atheist sign" though. So that point is completely mute. You are reading far too much into it.