Battle of the billboards: Atheists mock Judgment Day signs, put up their own

[Newsjock]

Source: Oakland Tribune

A philosophical debate as to mankind's continuing existence versus impending doom has reached new heights: on a 68-foot billboard on top of a San Francisco T.J. Maxx.

The sign, alongside eastbound Interstate 80 on the approach to the Bay Bridge, went up Wednesday. It reads: "The Rapture -- You KNOW it's Nonsense. 2000 Years of 'Any Day Now.'"

... "We just want people to know that life is about living rather than focusing on how glorious things can be after we die," Hicok said by phone Friday from the American Atheists National Convention in Des Moines, Iowa. He said the anti-rapture signs are also up in Houston and Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.

"It's a troublesome thing going on with these (Judgment Day) billboards," he said. "There's been a tremendous amount of money spent on them by not-wealthy people all over the country who have been frightened into believing this is the end of the world. I think getting money from people for something like that is fundamentally wrong."

Read more: http://www.contracostatimes.com/ci_17910515?IADID=Search-www.contracostatimes.com-www.contracostatimes.com&nclick_check=1

[Buzz Clik]

1. Well, it's a waste of time and money, but it gave somebody a job.

Why the need for evangelism?

[pintobean]

9. I thought the story was about evangelical atheism

:shrug:

[Buzz Clik]

20. me, too

[notadmblnd]

2. Well what ever you do, don't criticize them here on Easter

It upsets the forum.

[seabeyond]

5. just makes a lot of people look petty..... hey i know, tomorrow lets bash fat people

and the next day, gays, and and and

:thumbsup:

[Tesha]

8. Actually, this society would probably be a lot healthier if a lot more people...

...stood against ignorance (including religiously-
inspired ignorance).

Tesha

[seabeyond]

10. disrespect, bashinng, pettiness.... nothing admirable there. want to stand against ignorance?

i am all for it.

being ugly for the sake of hurting others

doesnt do a damn thing for me and certainly not in "this societies" best interest

[Tesha]

17. The billboard simply spoke the honest truth.

There is no god, there is no rapture, and after
you're dead, you're dead.

Tesha

[seabeyond]

i am not discussing the billboard. the post i replied was a discussion of using du to bash

a group of people

[notadmblnd]

38. So you never bash republicans?

I know it is hard to believe, but they would claim that they are a group of people too.

[coalition_unwilling]

42. Would you say this Republican is a 'human' or a 'person'?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x947310

[notadmblnd]

44. Unfortunately, yes.

[seabeyond]

48. i prefer to argue the issues rather than immature name calling. nt

[RC]

53. DU was setup to bash a group of people.

It's in the rules. :evilgrin:

[Logical]

11. So making fun of appearance is the same as making fun of beliefs??? Really?

[seabeyond]

12. yes really. a manipulated excuse to be ugly. nt

[Logical]

13. So I cannot make fun of anti-gay beliefs or pro-KKK beliefs either???

[seabeyond]

15. you can make fun of whatever you want. it will be projected onto you though.

a lot of people that believe in christianity has not done anything to you at all. good people. minding their own business. yet you and others call them out for ridicule. why that makes you feel all warm and cozy, i am clueless. but ugly it is.

[Logical]

19. When did I make fun of religion?? My argument is saying that insulting a belief....

is the same as insulting appearance. A belief is a chosen behavior. Appearance is not. So I think making fun of a overweight person is much worse than saying "KKK members are idiots!". That you see no difference is telling.

[seabeyond]

22. i am not getting into a discussion if it is ethically alright to bash fat people. nt

[Logical]

24. So you admit you were wrong. OK. n-t

[Name removed]

26. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Logical]

30. Find one post where I make fun of anyone other than GOP supporters. n-t

[seabeyond]

32. i repeat, if you are not part of the eater/christian bashing this morning, i am not addressing

you

[Logical]

21. "christianity has not done anything to you at all"....that might be the most....

gullible statement I have seen in a while.

[seabeyond]

25. how totally dishonest of you. A LOT OF PEOPLE who believe in christianity

has not done anything to you.

your post is dishonest. hardly merits any respect

[Logical]

28. A lot of christans have done many bad things against Gays, unwed mothers, etc. Not all of them....

but a LOT of them. And lets examine history and see what religion has done.

So please do not try to tell me religion is not worthy of discussion.

You are too biased to look logically at this topic.

And I have never made fun of a religious person. EVER!

[seabeyond]

31. if you are not a part of the easter bashing and christian bashing, then my post does not

address you, firstly

you dont know anyting about my beliefs so another assumption and miscalculation on your part stating i am "too biased" to look at the topic logically.

i have absolutley no issue at all addressing the problems christianity has caused in the world or this nation, especially the last decade and half. i do it often

[Logical]

34. OK, then Happy Easter to you and your family! Have a good one! n-t

[ZombieHorde]

63. Is cutting a quote to alter its meaning logical to you?

Is that how your mind works? Interesting.

[Deep13]

72. Pointing out that someone is wrong is not "being ugly." nt

[JoePhilly]

16. As a fat guy sitting here eating a giant cholcolate Easter bunny, I'm offended.

[seabeyond]

18. no junk food before 12. chocolate easter bunnies for breakfast big no no in our house. nt

[JoePhilly]

23. lol ... around here, by 11am, it's every chocolate bunny for himself!!

[seabeyond]

27. ah haha. cute. nt

[notadmblnd]

36. I will defend your right to do just that.

What I won't do is come here and complain because you called me or anyone else fat, gay or a religious hypocrite. I am not an admin nor a moderator. Those are the people who judge what is or is not appropriate for this message board.

What I am capable of doing- is passing by or ignoring posts that don't interest me or that may offend my delicate sensibilities. It really is quite easy to do. And I certainly don't feel compelled to come here and call people out on their pettiness.

[seabeyond]

47. ah, so you defend the right to bash, but not the right for people calling out those that bash

lmao

that is funny.

i hold to your right to bash, and my right to call out the ugliness... how about that?

[notadmblnd]

50. I'm not shaming people for calling out the bashers nor saying they shouldn't do it

That stuff you made up. I'm simply responding to your response of my post and pointing out the hypocrisy. If you think that is funny, well then, I'm glad you had a good laugh.

[seabeyond]

51. i see an hypocrisy in demanding the privilege of bashing a group, but dare not

challenge those that bash.

[notadmblnd]

54. challenge all you want

If it is what you choose to have yourself all worked up over today, then so be it.

[seabeyond]

58. thank you for allowing me the right to challenge. to say i am worked up over anything is as silly

as me assuming the same about you

hence

challenging your intended jab that i am work up over shit.

but good try. a norm for du

[notadmblnd]

61. I didn't say you were worked up

I said, If that is what you choose, then so be it.

[seabeyond]

62. well, gee. like we are going to pretend now, lol. nt

[L. Coyote]

35. Yeah, the Jesus was a zombie, didn't really die, just took that drug story

is upsetting to those who believe people rise from the dead after 36 or so hours putrifying :rofl:

[Fumesucker]

3. The Millenial nonsense didn't hit peak until well after 1000 AD, we have another decade or two..

Peak Fundie may be a ways off, if it's not an outright fantasy.

[cali]

4. there really wasn't much in the way of millennial fever until

the 15th century-at least not much documentation of it. great book on the subject:


http://www.amazon.com/Pursuit-Millennium-Revolutionary-Millenarians-Anarchists/dp/0195004566

[Tesha]

7. Frankly, I'm betting on 19 January 2038 at 03:14:08 UTC...

...cause I *KNOW* God uses binary, the ultimately
beautiful and simplest counting system.

Tesha

[JackRiddler]

39. Please translate that date into binary for us, so we can get the joke. Thanks.

[coalition_unwilling]

43. My God prefers Base 12 to Base 2 - n/t

[ashling]

6. fundamentally wrong.

well, these people are fundamentalist

:shrug:






:sarcasm:

[FLPanhandle]

14. I don't think it's a good tactic for athiests

However, whenever one of these gets put up it makes the news and people say it's disrespectful. Odd that I've never seen a news story about a religious billboard.

I disagree with putting it up, but if the media wants to jump on it they should use it as a contrast to how many religious messages are thrust in our faces each day.

[Warren Stupidity]

37. Yes atheists should hide and be quiet.

[FLPanhandle]

40. I'm an atheist too and you missed my point

I don't think they are effective, especially when mentioning a specific belief of one religion (like this example of the Rapture).

Billboards probably aren't going to change any ones minds but if atheists are going to put up one I like the Dawkins billboards better.



My point was I wish the media would treat every religious billboard with the same outrage & attention they give to the atheist ones.

[Warren Stupidity]

41. There is no such thing as bad PR.

Getting the billboards on tv is actually a huge win. Billboards are cheap compared to tv ads, and broadcast media corporations are notorious for refusing to take ads from our side.

I say get the message out and good for anyone who manages to do so. I refuse to quibble over the wording.

[Arugula Latte]

59. If it gets just one person to stop & think about whether there really is a deity, it's a good thing

A lot of people are in a bubble and have no idea there are many people who think differently.

[and-justice-for-all]

46. It is a fine tactic and I refuse to remain quite in my views of religion

something that does nothing but continue to cause far more harm then good.

[Silent3]

56. I don't think you understand what atheists gain by speaking out.

So often I hear this kind of response about how nothing atheists say is going to change anyone's minds, or comments like "You attract more flies with honey rather than vinegar", etc. It's as if the only options open to atheists are either to shut up and be quiet, or risk alienating people even more, possibly counterproductively driving more people to religion ("Who wants to be like those nasty atheists!") and defensively driving believers deeper into belief.



First of all, a billboard like this is really a lot closer to "honey" than "vinegar" compared to what many religious people say about atheists. Not that atheists aren't sometimes quite scathing, but even when they're mincingly delicate, hypersensitivity to criticism of religion will amplify mild criticism into "belittling" and "vicious attacks". If you measured this billboard on the scale of diplomacy we expect and accept in political debate, it would practically be a love letter to the Rapture-ready crowd.

Second, and more importantly, changing individual hardened opinions on the spot hardly ever happens on any issue, no matter how good or bad your reasoning, how fierce or friendly your emotional tone. Judging the effectiveness of a message like this billboard by trying to imagine a rabid fundamentalist reading the billboard, saying to himself, "Gosh, I never thought of it that way!" and becoming an atheist on the spot is utterly beside the point.

What atheists gain by speaking out is letting everyone know atheists are out there. These messages let fellow atheists know they aren't alone. They let those who are sitting on the fence, who have their doubts about religion, see another view that has long been nearly absent for public debate. These types of messages help knock religion down from its protected pedestal and bring it down to earth where it should be, enjoying no more special exemption from criticism than political views, economic theories, scientific debates, or other matters of opinion and philosophy.

[darkstar3]

65. Well said.

:applause:

[Trajan]

29. Amazing how many feel so persecuted by this ....

Dont worry .... It wont be long before the righteous hold sway, and us atheist vermin again feed fires stoked in public squares to the acclaim of the faithful .. and then you can get back to the hard work of instilling fear into the masses without having to worry about atheistic dissent ..... History bears this out ...

Your venerated rituals and practices will again be safe from public scrutiny ...

[Arugula Latte]

60. Well, hopefully their sanctimonious asses will be raptured in a month

Leaving the cool people to rule the earth. :)

[L. Coyote]

33. We need about 1,000 billboards like this with the message that there is a rational alternative

to believing a huge pile of bullshit!

[and-justice-for-all]

45. The sign is great...

and Atheist have as much right to say what they want as anybody else.

When something as outlandish as the rapture or any other religious trite and its fear mongering are being sold are being literally true, then is should be said how absurd it really is.

[ChadwickHenryWard]

49. I eagerly await May 22nd.

The wailing and gnashing of teeth of those who predicted the Rapture will be therapeutic.

[Ian David]

55. No, they'll just claim the prayed really, REALLY hard and saved us all. n/t

[Newsjock]

52. Thanks to everyone who mucked up this topic and got it moved

This wasn't about you.

[Trajan]

57. What did you expect ?

These stories always draw out the emotions on both sides ...

It never fails ... We should not expect it will be different the next time, either.

I am just as guilty as the others .... I simply refuse to be stifled on demand ....

Even then - I would not call my catholic granny out during Easter dinner ... LOL ... I do have at least the smallest amount of discretion ...

[dimbear]

64. The apocalyptists think they have everything to gain and nothing to lose by their predictions.

The billboard points out that they will at least lose credibility. Whether they had much or whether it was of any value is another thing, but at least a few heads will be scratched.

I vote the billboards are a good thing.

Oh, and yes indeed they are evangelical billboards. Evangel means 'good news.' The good news is the rapture ain't gonna happen.

[humblebum]

66. I consider American Atheists to be one of the most bigoted organizations

in the US today.

[darkstar3]

68. You would.

[humblebum]

69. Not only would I, I do. nt

[struggle4progress]

67. I guess folk can shell out their shekels to battle the "May 21sters" if they want, but

but spending time and treasure to fight "May 21st-ism" seems to me just as silly and pointless as spending time and treasure to promote "May 21st-ism"

[humblebum]

70. Now we'll have no more of that common sense stuff! nt

[Meshuga]

71. I have seen those May 21st billboards

And I think they don't need response billboard since the "judgement day" billboards already looks stupid on their own and they already mock themselves with no response needed. Perhaps the best response to that billboard would be to put a Terminator billboard warning drivers that the machines are taking over in 1995 to initiate judgement day and that John O'Connor is our only hope.