Atheists crusade against Christmas

United States
November 14, 2010 12:19pm CST
An atheist group has put up billboards showing a Nativity scene with the message: "You know it's a myth. This season use your reason." I think this makes atheists look as pathetic as the believers they're trying to slam. How about you?
3 people like this
13 responses
• United States
14 Nov 10
There are always going to be religious wars against one another. (By the way, I fully agree that Atheism is a religion). Christians are not entirely innocent either (aka: The Crusades). People act out of reason or what they believe to be the call of God. I, personally, am a Christ follower, but this does not offend me so much as it is saddening... I don't understand why everyone has to push every part of their lives on others? If Atheists think that Christians push so much, why are they involving in the same type of behaviour? It's just hypocritical and mind boggling, is all.
1 person likes this
@ra1787 (501)
• Italy
14 Nov 10
I completely agree with you using the same behaviour of proselitism that they criticize in religions seems very hypocritical. But i don't like that kind of behaviour in religious people either. The strange and even more hypocritical thing is that those who are more offended are exactly the religious people who have made of proselitism a way of life.
1 person likes this
• United States
14 Nov 10
Atheism indeed is a religion, and a dreary one at that. The belief that there is no God is just that, a belief, like Christ-inanity.
@DawGwath (1042)
• Romania
15 Nov 10
Atheism is as much of a religion as not playing football is a sport. Is your disbelief in the existence of Zeus a religion too?
@Adoniah (7513)
• United States
14 Nov 10
I don't see anything wrong with the billboard...Those of us who are not christian have to deal with 'in your face christian beliefs' all year around. If you do not believe what a christian believes then you are WRONG and bound for the 'christian hell' It does get a little boring. That billboard just breaks the monotony a little. Atheists are not pathetic. They just are not christians. Shalom~Adoniah
@Adoniah (7513)
• United States
16 Nov 10
You did not get it did you? I do not see the christian way as hope...I do agree with ra1787. Keep your beliefs to yourself unless two folks agree to a discussion. Putting this stuffup on billboards is just wrong. Actually, I think that all billboards should be outlawed. They block the beauty of our world. Shalom~Adoniah
@ra1787 (501)
• Italy
14 Nov 10
I actually find something wrong in that billboard, and i see something even wronger in the christian billboards talking about hell. (luckily there is no such thing as that in my country!!) Everyone's entitled to believe in whatever he chooses to believe, so making proselitism is completely wrong! Let people find theit own answers, since the process of finding the answer can give you so much more than taking someone else's answer as good.
• United States
15 Nov 10
Adoniah, if you don't see anything wrong with the billboard, then you shouldn't have a problem with some of those who call themselves Christian, putting up a counter billboard saying "Atheists are going to h@#$" There's nothing wrong with that either. As for your billboard comment of "break(ing) the monotony", are your lives that boring that a little beauty and hope makes it a monotony to you?
@peavey (16936)
• United States
15 Nov 10
I think everyone is entitled to their opinion, even atheists. But when anyone singles out a particular religion, they're wrong. Do they put up billboards against Kwanzaa? Or Winter Solstice celebrations? Or Halloween? No. They're aiming straight at Christians and that's not fair.
1 person likes this
@DawGwath (1042)
• Romania
15 Nov 10
"... as pathetic as the believers they're trying to slam." So you consider Christians pathetic too? I'm amazed no Christian answered how offended they feel about your statement.
1 person likes this
@DawGwath (1042)
• Romania
15 Nov 10
No, actually it's not quite obvious. But I'm not going to make a big deal about it. I agree with you, we should be tolerant, but there are things which can't be tolerated, like religious fanaticism, indoctrination and the continuous infringement of children rights.
1 person likes this
@ra1787 (501)
• Italy
15 Nov 10
It seems quite obvious to me that what the poster means is that by the point of view of atheists their attitude is as pathetic as what they see as pathetic in religious belief. It was not his point of view. By the way i still do not understand why religious people are so susceptible to being offended. Every one can say and believe whatever they want, you can't be offended by what other people believe, non believers should be offended by most of religions, since they consider them as sinners and bound to go to hell, but most of them do not make a big deal about it. Tollerance is necessary for everyone!
1 person likes this
• United States
15 Nov 10
I'm sure we would run into all sorts of trouble should we decide to put up a billboard slamming atheists! It probably wouldn't be allowed. But as a general rule, who ever has the money to put up, has the voice!
@DawGwath (1042)
• Romania
15 Nov 10
Uhm, you live in USA, right? Land of the free? How can you say you couldn't put up a billboard slamming atheists, I would be expecting them to be all over the place. I think you have all the right, although I don't see what reasonable motive you could actually bring up.
1 person likes this
• United States
15 Nov 10
Yeah, the land of the free, but we are not as free as others think. We are actually losing our freedoms right and left. However, in comparison to the rest of the world, it certainly is nothing to complain about.
2 people like this
• United States
14 Nov 10
I'm a Christian and I believe in Jesus, so I'll always say "Merry Christmas." If you get offended that's your problem. God gave Atheists the free will to not believe in Him so saying he's a myth is their choice, but Tolkien said that all myths have some truth to them so, HA! I don't really care anymore, they've been doing their "War on Christmas" forever so it's kind of old now.
1 person likes this
• United States
15 Nov 10
I heard stories about dragons. Does that mean dragons exist?
• India
18 Nov 10
They have the right to say things that want to say. At least such words are not abusive. Similarly let religious people also say things they want to say. Let people discuss and debate. It's just that when they do such things they should not hit below the belt.
@Pose123 (21635)
• Canada
15 Nov 10
Hi paulerland, I agree with you this is just nonsense. Why do atheists want to pick a fight with Christians or any other religion for that matter. Aren't they the very people who say that religion causes hatred and violence. Now they are trying to do the same thing. This sort of action only stirs up trouble and is not going to change anyone's mind, in fact it just makes Christians more determined than ever. If you want to destroy something, ignore it. Blessings.
@bestboy19 (5478)
• United States
18 Nov 10
Atheist are entitled to their opinion and are free to spend their money any way they please, "This season use your reason." What is the reasoning behind the atheist's opinion that, "it's a myth"? Why should they care if anyone does or doesn't believe in the birth of Jesus? I can understand the Christian's proselytizing. They are trying to follow the teachings of Jesus to go into all the world and preach the Gospel in order that others will find salvation through Jesus Christ, but what is the atheist's reason for proselytizing?
@bird123 (10632)
• United States
15 Nov 10
Perhaps so but could it be worse than the few christians that won't allow their children gifts because that's not what Christmas is about??? Instead of pushing their views, maybe a touch of unconditional love for everyone will teach more of what it is really all about.
@ra1787 (501)
• Italy
14 Nov 10
I believe that being offended by this is wrong. As atheist are worng when they are offended by religious symbols. Respect of the other point of view is necessary, even if the other point of view is completely opposit to ours. They are clearly trying to make proselitism, but seriously are you telling me your religion doesn't make proselitism?? So before attacking someone else's point of view it is always better to see our own actions. I never believe anyone that believes he knows the absolute truth so i have no faith in religions but neither in atheist (who are absolutely sure gods do not exist). No one has the answers so there is no point in dividing ourself about the answers when no one has them and instead we should unite in the common answerless questions everyone has.
@DawGwath (1042)
• Romania
15 Nov 10
Atheists are not 100% sure that God does not exist just as their not 100% sure the Universe was created by the Big Bang (at least most of them). You cannot say that about something you can't actually experiment or observe. It's just that compared to the Big Bang, the probability of God's (or gods) existence is next to zero, because of the lack of proof.
@DawGwath (1042)
• Romania
17 Nov 10
The same goes for Zeus, Hare Krishna, Flying Spaghetti Monster, The Great Juju up the mountain, elves, dragons, intergalactic space monkeys. It takes a great leap of faith to not believe in them.
@ra1787 (501)
• Italy
15 Nov 10
Atheism is indeed the refusal to believe in the existence of deities. Agnosticism is instead the knowing that there is no possible certain answer about the existence or non existence of gods. Lack of proof for existence and lack of proof for not existing, there is no proof in either. So declaring god to be non existing has the same truth value of declaring god existing. There is no proof, you can't say what is real and what is not. So atheism suffers from the same leap of faith that affects religions. You choose to believe that god doesn't exist without proofs (paradoxically you have faith that god doesn't exist). Agnosticism instead does not have that attitude, and is a more dogma free attitude.
1 person likes this
@jujunme (2501)
• United States
16 Nov 10
And then some atheists wonder why they're ridiculed and disliked by believers.Do they really think those of us who believe in God can be swayed or dicouraged in our beliefs by their biased and really inappropriate behavior.? What's their point? it simply amazes me how some people think that just by expressing their closed minded opinions that it will somehow change the minds and hearts of others, especially when it comes to peoples faith. They claim they are the ones being ridiculed and criticized for their non belief, this proves without doubt that it works both ways. The only ones who may be impressed by this action ,are those who believe as they do.
@ra1787 (501)
• Italy
16 Nov 10
That is exactly the point of my critizism towards the billboard. The atheists use the same wrong methods that religions use sometimes and that they are criticizing. Proselitism is a degeneration of modern religions, it is completely wrong, since it brings to fights and wars. Why can't people agree to disagree and live their lifes peacefully?
@Catana (735)
• United States
15 Nov 10
I'm an atheist, and I only partly agree with the message. Most people *don't* know it's a myth, but what difference does it make? Myths can make life more interesting and even make it easier to deal with life's difficulties. Besides, people usually believe what they were taught in childhood, and billboards aren't going to change that any more than going from door to door passing out religious pamphlets is going to change anybody. But even if I completely agreed with the message on the billboard, it's a waste of money. Religion is here to stay, right or wrong, and sticking a different belief in people's faces is as objectionable as those monster-size statues of religious figures that exist in various places.