All I want for Christmas

[Warren Stupidity]

Cranford, NJ—Continuing its tradition of “firebrand-style” billboards at Christmastime, American Atheists launched a new campaign in Bible Belt cities, beginning Monday. The billboards feature a young girl writing a letter to Santa; her letter reads, “Dear Santa, All I want for Christmas is to skip church! I’m too old for fairy tales.”

The billboards are located in Memphis; Nashville; St. Louis; and Fort Smith, Arkansas. A fifth billboard in Milwaukee is co-sponsored by the Southeast Wisconsin Freethinkers (SWIFT). While previous billboards have been located in urban settings such as Times Square, these billboards are located in more residential areas to be near schools and churches.

The billboards are aimed at in-the-closet atheists who are pressured to observe religious traditions during the holidays, and who might also want to attend the annual American Atheists National Convention in Memphis in April.

“Even children know churches spew absurdity, which is why they don’t want to attend services. Enjoy the time with your family and friends instead,” said American Atheists President David Silverman. “Today’s adults have no obligation to pretend to believe the lies their parents believed. It’s OK to admit that your parents were wrong about God, and it’s definitely OK to tell your children the truth.”

http://news.atheists.org/2014/12/01/atheists-promote-skip-church-christmas-billboards-in-south/

[Cartoonist]

1. I don't approve

Kinda snarky. Won't win any new friends. It even looks more like a refutation of Santa Claus than religion.

[edhopper]

4. Well

The nativity story sure sounds like a fairy tale.

[bvf]

5. If it gets some atheists out of the closet

Last edited Mon Dec 1, 2014, 11:37 PM - Edit history (1)

I think it's worth it. I bet there are tons of them silenced by social pressures of one sort or another.

Of course it won't win over any hard-core true believers, agreed, but nothing would.

My $0.02.

[Promethean]

10. I think the fairy tales meme needs to be more pervasive.

It covers all the bases: Satire, uncomfortable truth and it uses a cultural reference in the phraseology. All 3 are key tools in fighting bad ideas. Satire and cultural references reduce barriers. Uncomfortable truth is the objective.

[safeinOhio]

2. The local gun shop has 4

"Pray to end abortions" signs in front of it.
I'd love to put up a bill board near it that says "Pray to end gun violence.

[Dorian Gray]

11. I approve

of this message.

And I like the idea of an infinite billboard war here too. it would make driving down the highway amusing.

[bvf]

3. Nice to see this.

"Today’s adults have no obligation to pretend to believe the lies their parents believed. It’s OK to admit that your parents were wrong about God, and it’s definitely OK to tell your children the truth.” 

But... but... what about "Honor thy father and thy mother"??

Oh, yeah...

[rug]

6. Ah, a press release promoting a billboard promoting a convention.

Why not just link to the convention.?

Like this: http://atheists.org/convention2015

[Cartoonist]

7. Better stuff at rug's link

Under activism, they have other bilboards. Over all though, I still think they need better writers. Some of the memes posted here are better.

?tsize=600

[hrmjustin]

8. Never cared for those boards but they do make a statement.

[mr blur]

9. I think it's fine,

except that Santa is...a fairy story, so logic breakdown there.