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Atheists Offer 'Reason's Greetings' in Marketing Blitz

With fewer Americans claiming organized religion, nonbelievers step up campaign

By Ambreen Ali,  Newser User

Posted Nov 18, 2008 2:25 PM CST
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(Newser) – It just isn’t the holiday season in America until nonbelievers and the devout begin sparring. This year, the godless are on the offensive, launching a marketing campaign to capitalize on the loosening grip of organized religion, telling neighbors, “We’re just like you,” the Wall Street Journal reports. Next month’s HumanLight celebration is intended as another milestone in their fight to enter America’s mainstream.

Conservative Christians scoff at the blitz, saying only 5% of Americans flatly deny God’s existence. The religious are countering this season’s nonbelievers campaign with their own—including billboards that ask, “Why do atheists hate America?” Yet the secular, who for the first time have a lobbyist in Washington, seem undeterred. “Step one is for people to know we’re not crazy,” says one.

Sidney Kass, a member of San Francisco's chapter of American Atheists, holds up a copy of the original Pledge of Allegiance that does not contain the words under God during a protest, Dec. 4, 2007.
Sidney Kass, a member of San Francisco's chapter of American Atheists, holds up a copy of the original Pledge of Allegiance that does not contain the words "under God" during a protest, Dec. 4, 2007.   (AP Photo)
Freedom From Religion Foundation co-president Annie Laurie Gaylor stands in front of the door at the foundation's headquarters in Madison, Wis.
Freedom From Religion Foundation co-president Annie Laurie Gaylor stands in front of the door at the foundation's headquarters in Madison, Wis.   (AP Photo)
A Darwin Fish is seen in this file photo.
A "Darwin Fish" is seen in this file photo.   (©Waka Jawaka)
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A pastor can say to his flock, 'All rise,' and everyone rises. But try that in an atheist meeting. A third of the people will rise. A third will tell you to go to hell. And a third will start arguing. - Marvin Straus, co-founder of  a Colorado atheist group

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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 4 comments
Guest
Dec 21, 2009 3:23 AM CST
I think this is refreshing: if religious people weren't trying to push their superstition and anti-gay bigotry on the rest of us, like they did in California in the 2008 elections, non-religious people wouldn't feel like we have to push their religion out of the public sphere. We do not share religious views, we think religions are harmful, promote anti-democratic and anti-secular views, promote intolerance and terrorism, and should be a private matter and that our public policies should not be governed by superstitious beliefs.
Guest
Nov 21, 2008 8:26 PM CST
Are you saying all liberals are atheists? If so you are very very wrong.
Guest
Nov 20, 2008 4:41 AM CST
The principle is simple: The Founding Fathers were inspired to create the first and only country on this planet based on the principles of Christianity. Having seen the opposite (and studied history - something most bloggers don't seem to do), they decided this society would be exceptional. Ever since then, we've had to suffer the taunts of short-sighted, selfish liberals who demand that we act (and suffer the consequences) like the rest of the world. I say "if you want to be like the rest of the world, they will welcome you there without as much as a blink. Prepare for us to defend the tenets of this great and blessed nation." To ignore those tenets IS to be unpatriotic and ungrateful for the wisdom of those first Americans.

Agnostics feel alone on the holidays: humanist
Associated Press

'Positive atheism' PR won't work
Christian Post

A battle for 'soul of America's billboards'
Gawker

Denver billboards reach out to nonbelievers
ABC Denver

 
religion • secularism • Christian conservatives • lobbyists • Christmas • atheists • nonbelievers • HumanLight • Bill Maher Grid

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