# Your beliefs and thoughts on the "atheist billboard" **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 28, 2010, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-beliefs-and-thoughts-on-the-atheist-billboard/562195 "2010-11-28T19:26:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 8
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2010, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-beliefs-and-thoughts-on-the-atheist-billboard/562195/141 "2010-11-29T21:13:12Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > **Czarcasm** , I am dropped jawed over that site. The name-calling by the so-called "Christians is despicable. The atheists in that site badly need a “Dissent is the Highest American Virtue” billboard. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Ostrya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/35a633/32.png) [@Ostrya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ostrya)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2010, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-beliefs-and-thoughts-on-the-atheist-billboard/562195/142 "2010-11-29T21:31:58Z")
This thread is going to hand in one of those hell baskets. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2010, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-beliefs-and-thoughts-on-the-atheist-billboard/562195/143 "2010-11-29T21:43:44Z")
I’d rather see a banner like the one in my sig (I copied it from something I saw online) 😉 ---
**Author:** ![NDP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ndp/32/55_2.png) [@NDP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NDP)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2010, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-beliefs-and-thoughts-on-the-atheist-billboard/562195/144 "2010-11-30T00:33:05Z")
> [@fuzzypickles](#): > > [This one’s particularly stupid](http://www.dangeroustalk.net/images/billboard/bb-christian7.jpg), since the Bible itself _starts_ with a reference to the actual Big Bang (ref. Genesis 1:3) > > Unless they’re saying that God’s not a Johnny Galecki fan? Maybe the billboard’s not trying to cast doubt on the Big Bang itself so much as criticizing the fact it’s only considered a “theory”? It’s like an old cartoon I once saw that featured a battered Supreme Being with gunpowder burns all over Him telling a recently-deceased scientist “What do you mean by Big Bang _Theory_?” ---
**Author:** ![Dallas\_Jones](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dallas_jones/32/3277_2.png) [@Dallas\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dallas_Jones)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2010, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-beliefs-and-thoughts-on-the-atheist-billboard/562195/145 "2010-11-30T00:43:40Z")
Very poor taste. Does not play well with others. Poster needs diversity training. Very bigoted. Of course, acceptance of diverse views and life styles is only valid if it is in regard to your beliefs, not those of others. ---
**Author:** ![amarinth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3be4f8/32.png) [@amarinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarinth)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2010, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-beliefs-and-thoughts-on-the-atheist-billboard/562195/146 "2010-11-30T00:58:57Z")
> [@Ludovic](#): > > Theyre bord has a font! > > Okay, other than the font, I can’t see the big deal pro- or against- this ad. I was actually pleased to see an attempt at design. The last pro-atheist billboard/sign I remember a brouhaha over was simply aesthetically unpleasing. They didn’t even try. This group actually chose a font - admittedly, it was papyrus - but it was still a choice. ---
**Author:** ![fumster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e9c0ed/32.png) [@fumster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fumster)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2010, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-beliefs-and-thoughts-on-the-atheist-billboard/562195/147 "2010-11-30T01:25:11Z")
> [@the lone cashew](#): > > To **Not All That Bright** - **Gary (formerly “the invis. wombat”)** already gave some good examples of potentially more obnoxious atheist messages. And I know for certain there are much more mild Christian promoting billboards out there, see them all the time. “Jesus Come Into My Heart” is one that is on a freeway nearby. The comparative selections to which I am referring are skewed. > > Also, missed the edit window, I voted “Not a Christian, have a problem with it” (since “atheist” is not offered in the selections) If only there were a way to search for images that would back up your claim. ---
**Author:** ![fumster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e9c0ed/32.png) [@fumster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fumster)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2010, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-beliefs-and-thoughts-on-the-atheist-billboard/562195/148 "2010-11-30T01:29:03Z")
> [@A Monkey With a Gun](#): > > You didn’t try very hard. I found [this one](http://www.the-atheist.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/slaverybillboard.jpg) in under a minute. I’d say “Christians love slavery” is on par with “atheists hate america”. There is nothing more offensive than quoting verbatim. How dare they! ---
**Author:** ![Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f04885/32.png) [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2010, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-beliefs-and-thoughts-on-the-atheist-billboard/562195/149 "2010-11-30T01:37:37Z")
[QUOTE=Really Not All That Bright;13193473My experience with people like that is that they’re the nicest in the world. Unfortunately, they’re pretty irrelevant for political purposes, since they don’t vote.[/QUOTE] Actually the Amish do vote at least in local elections. ---
**Author:** ![armedmonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@armedmonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/armedmonkey)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2010, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-beliefs-and-thoughts-on-the-atheist-billboard/562195/150 "2010-11-30T01:59:06Z")
> [@sh1bu1](#): > > There is nothing more offensive than quoting verbatim. How dare they! “God. Loving slavery since 4,000 BC” is verbatim? I am done here. Debating with many of the atheists on this board is pointless. They do not use reason in debate, but instead are blind apologists for even their most distasteful extremists. ---
**Author:** ![Onomatopoeia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/onomatopoeia/32/4145_2.png) [@Onomatopoeia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Onomatopoeia)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2010, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-beliefs-and-thoughts-on-the-atheist-billboard/562195/151 "2010-11-30T02:13:11Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > [Compare the Christian billboards to the atheist billboards](http://www.dangeroustalk.net/billboard-wars.html#christian) then, and tell us which group you’d rather associate with. > edited to add-unauthorized mind-reading suspected here. There’s a billboard on the NJ Turnpike that is very similar to the Berlin Ohio one in your link. Not South Carolina, or Alabama, or Kentucky, or even Kansas, but the **New Jersey** Turnpike. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2010, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-beliefs-and-thoughts-on-the-atheist-billboard/562195/152 "2010-11-30T03:01:01Z")
I’m not a Christian, I celebrate the winter solstice with gift-giving and wassail, and while I can’t get excited about the atheist billboard, it was a dopey idea. There’s no good reason to piss off the faithful at one of their big celebration times, much the same as vegans should have more sense than to proselytize at Thanksgiving. ---
**Author:** ![Two\_Many\_Cats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8dc957/32.png) [@Two\_Many\_Cats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Two_Many_Cats)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2010, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-beliefs-and-thoughts-on-the-atheist-billboard/562195/153 "2010-11-30T06:08:59Z")
> [@pepperlandgirl](#): > > What? Nobody knows that an obvious myth that shares several similarities with previous myths is a myth? Yes, we do. You may not like that term. You may even have a misunderstanding of what the word means and why people use it in this context, but for the vast majority of the world, the story of the nativity is no more real or fact or true than the story of Zeus turning into a swan to knock some chick up. Who cares if people thought Jesus was an actual man? Ancient peoples thought lots of crazy shit, we don’t need to take their word on things. I do know the definition of the word myth. It is a tale, usually with religious overtones, that is understood to be fictional. Since the billboard depicts the actual birth of Jesus with the words “You KNOW it’s a myth”, I can only assume that the billboard is saying that Jesus was never born, therefore he never existed. I don’t believe the militant athiest types have proved their point about that little factoid. I believe Jesus existed. Born of a virgin? Angels singing upon his arrival? Probably not. But yes, there actually was such a person. Are athiests in general so revved up to insist that Moses never existed? Or Buddha? Or Mohammed? Gee, I wonder why? Being obnoxious because others are being obnoxious is never the classy thing to do. ---
**Author:** ![fuzzypickles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/9d8465/32.png) [@fuzzypickles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fuzzypickles)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2010, 6:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-beliefs-and-thoughts-on-the-atheist-billboard/562195/154 "2010-11-30T06:21:01Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > There’s no good reason to piss off the faithful at one of their big celebration times, much the same as vegans should have more sense than to proselytize at Thanksgiving. Vegans aren’t nearly as obnoxious as Christians. They smell funny, but that’s about it. 😉 > [@Two\_Many\_Cats](#): > > I do know the definition of the word myth. It is a tale, usually with religious overtones, that is understood to be fictional. Since the billboard depicts the actual birth of Jesus with the words “You KNOW it’s a myth”, I can only assume that the billboard is saying that Jesus was never born, therefore he never existed. > I don’t believe the militant athiest types have proved their point about that little factoid. The birth of Jesus Christ, as portrayed in the Bible, has absolutely nothing to do with Christmas. Even hard-core Christians concede that Jesus was actually born in spring or summer, but we traditionally celebrate his birthday on December 25th [del]because they stole the pagan holiday celebrating the winter solstice, just like Easter, All-Saints Day, and nearly every other Christian-oriented holiday[/del] for no particular reason. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2010, 6:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-beliefs-and-thoughts-on-the-atheist-billboard/562195/155 "2010-11-30T06:31:02Z")
> [@Two\_Many\_Cats](#): > > Are athiests in general so revved up to insist that Moses never existed? He didn’t. There probably was a guy the legend of Jesus was built on, but Moses appears to be pure fabrication I understand. > [@Two\_Many\_Cats](#): > > Or Buddha? Or Mohammed? Gee, I wonder why? Because the Buddhists and Muslims aren’t a major threat to most of the people who post here. Upon further thought I’ve come to the conclusion that I disapprove of the sign. As foolish I find it, I’m also quite sure that the typical Christian really does believe his or her religion and doesn’t therefore “_know_ that it’s a myth”. And it certainly irritates me when some Christian claims that atheists “really know that God exists.” I don’t care about obnoxious, but it is _inaccurate_. I’d be more inclined to put up something like “It’s a myth, accept it.” Or “The followers of Zeus thought he was real too.” When your opponent is in the wrong you can be insulting without being inaccurate, and it only strengthens the insult. ---
**Author:** ![Bites\_When\_Provoked](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bites_when_provoked/32/18073_2.png) [@Bites\_When\_Provoked](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bites_When_Provoked)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2010, 6:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-beliefs-and-thoughts-on-the-atheist-billboard/562195/156 "2010-11-30T06:56:10Z")
> [@K364](#): > > Atheist here. Don’t believe in attack ads of any type. > > Atheists should put up billboards telling people that they’ve got each other, and that’s all they’ve got… that is, stop searching for magic and start looking out for yourself, your family, your community and your country. Atheist here, also, and this is exactly what I’m thinking. ---
**Author:** ![Ostrya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/35a633/32.png) [@Ostrya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ostrya)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2010, 8:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-beliefs-and-thoughts-on-the-atheist-billboard/562195/157 "2010-11-30T08:34:10Z")
I agree.^^ There are several posters I have agreed with in this thread and **K364** is one of them. Also, did I mention I don’t agree with that cranky **Czarcasm**? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2010, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-beliefs-and-thoughts-on-the-atheist-billboard/562195/158 "2010-11-30T15:17:10Z")
> [@NDP](#): > > [What](http://0.tqn.com/d/atheism/1/0/m/z/2/Crush-a-Creche-e.jpg) > [about](http://0.tqn.com/d/atheism/1/0/y/z/2/Grinch-Was-Right-e.jpg) > [posters](http://0.tqn.com/d/atheism/1/0/0/-/3/Santa-Is-A-Lie-e.jpg) > [like](http://0.tqn.com/d/atheism/1/0/q/z/2/Boycott-Christmas-e.jpg) > [these](http://0.tqn.com/d/atheism/1/0/F/4/3/Save-From-Savior-e.jpg)? Could you please provide a link to the front page of this website? I am unable to find out who started it and where they stand on the issue? ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2010, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-beliefs-and-thoughts-on-the-atheist-billboard/562195/159 "2010-11-30T15:30:11Z")
I believe the stand on the issue is humor. Those are examples of what we commonly refer to as “jokes.” ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2010, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-beliefs-and-thoughts-on-the-atheist-billboard/562195/160 "2010-11-30T15:34:48Z")
> [@Two\_Many\_Cats](#): > > I do know the definition of the word myth. It is a tale, usually with religious overtones, **that is understood to be fictional**. Emphasis mine. This is not true. According to [dictionary.com](http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/myth), the first definition of myth is “a traditional or legendary story, usually concerning some being or hero or event, _with or without a determinable basis of fact or a natural explanation_, esp. one that is concerned with deities or demigods and explains some practice, rite, or phenomenon of nature.” Categorizing a story as a “myth” in the technical meaning of the word has no bearing on its historicity, as I said earlier in this thread. Which is one of the reasons that this billboard provokes more of an eye-roll from me than any outrage, since I can both believe the nativity story and acknowledge it’s mythic-ness at the same time. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-beliefs-and-thoughts-on-the-atheist-billboard/562195.md?page=7) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-beliefs-and-thoughts-on-the-atheist-billboard/562195.md?page=9)