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In reply to the discussion: Community Wants Atheist Santa Billboard Taken Down [View all]Act_of_Reparation
(9,116 posts)85. Pretty terrible analogy.
Let's say the atheists put up a similar sign but in a predominately Muslim neighborhood with the same message, but suggesting skipping going to the mosque as opposed to going to church.
To date, no one has provided a satisfactory answer as to why this is offensive. So the billboard says don't go to church, or don't go to mosque. Has it occurred to you that, perhaps, there are people in church or people in mosque who would really prefer to be somewhere else?
Perhaps the sign could go up during Ramadan.
Is Ramadan a federal holiday? Is Ramadan season accompanied by a set of associated secular traditions? No? Well, okay, then.
And there was an image of, let's say, Mohammed, presenting that message.
Now this is an interesting proposition.
Are you suggesting Santa Claus is, in Christianity, a figure of importance akin to Mohammed in the Muslim tradition? Or are you suggesting Mohammed is, in Islam, a figure of importance akin to Santa Claus in the Christian tradition?
I don't think you're going to win many friends in either camp with that one, buddy.
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Why don't they put up their own sign? Seems reasonable instead of complaining.
yeoman6987
Dec 2015
#29
I have not seen that one yet, where is it? the fundy heads around here must be exploding.
niyad
Dec 2015
#16
Spreading the idea of "being good for goodness' sake" disrespects their deeply-held beliefs ...
muriel_volestrangler
Dec 2015
#6
Kernersville is between Winston-Salem (to the west) and Greensboro (to the east)
mnhtnbb
Dec 2015
#11
I used to have a conservative friend who'd argue "You don't have a right NOT to be offended"
Bucky
Dec 2015
#13
umm, possibly because they are reacting to all the hatred and vitriol spewed by the fundie
niyad
Dec 2015
#17
Why is it okay for Christians to proclaim their beliefs but not for other people?
Arugula Latte
Dec 2015
#127
You don't seem to be applying your tsk-tsk-tsking to anyone but atheists.
Arugula Latte
Dec 2015
#155
Implying a person will 'go to hell' or whatever if they don't go to church is equally obnoxious.
Matariki
Dec 2015
#100
You should try to be more accepting of people who don't believe in fairy tales
Kalidurga
Dec 2015
#122
Please. Atheists simply proclaim their existence and certain people take it as an insult.
RedCappedBandit
Dec 2015
#32
That makes you refreshingly different from most slightly-zealous-to-rabid religious people.
Arugula Latte
Dec 2015
#154
because we are reaching out to the children...ridicule and mockery actually work
snooper2
Dec 2015
#42
I'm not following the "did it first", but tend to disagree on the respect thing...
snooper2
Dec 2015
#88
religion = mythology... Some mythology makes for good stories and movies though
snooper2
Dec 2015
#105
The difference, of course, is that no one of sound mind really believes in Santa...
TipTok
Dec 2015
#57
Why do Theists have to insult other people's beliefs to define their own?
Arugula Latte
Dec 2015
#125
goodness, are there enough fainting couches and pearls for the delicate little dears?
niyad
Dec 2015
#18
That's the standard plea of religionists desperate to frame the world by their own dogma
Orrex
Dec 2015
#38
When they insult religion while trying to insult atheism, it goes right over their heads, don't it?
Iggo
Dec 2015
#41
Creative, though unsupported allegation... like a bumper-sticker sans wit.
LanternWaste
Dec 2015
#59
I'm always amazed that so many DU "progressives" seem to think that only religious
Arugula Latte
Dec 2015
#128
The world, and even North Carolina, is not divided into just atheists and fundamentalists
muriel_volestrangler
Dec 2015
#97
Just suck it up like everybody else does. There's lots of crap we all put up with every day.
BlueJazz
Dec 2015
#31
Do you regard "just be good for goodness' sake" as negative, then?
muriel_volestrangler
Dec 2015
#64
"Too bad they couldn't put up a positive statement about their beliefs"
muriel_volestrangler
Dec 2015
#72
They're saying it's OK to be an atheist. How is that not a positive statement? nt
RedCappedBandit
Dec 2015
#121
They're just mad because there's one less anti choice billboard in the Carolinas
NightWatcher
Dec 2015
#55
This is why a melting pot/multi-cultural society will always be contentious
The2ndWheel
Dec 2015
#61
What if the message was: "Go ahead and skip the mosque! Just be good for goodness sake"
oberliner
Dec 2015
#63
"be good for goodness' sake" is not about what other people believe
muriel_volestrangler
Dec 2015
#108
Considering it seems to be a message for those who don't want to go to Church/Mosque anyways...
Humanist_Activist
Dec 2015
#138
But don't you think there might be closet atheists among the US Muslim population?
oberliner
Dec 2015
#142
I read a Facebook thread by religious family members which highlights why this is an "insult".
ieoeja
Dec 2015
#112
Because it would be lost among the thousands of other billboards that say that.
jeff47
Dec 2015
#151