Christian censorship: Atheist billboard taken down

[Daedalean's_Sun]

And when one of those trades on Christmas in a way that is antithetical to the Christian celebration that will mean something.

So do you oppose all non-christian religious billboards during Christmas season?

 

[genuineoriginal]

It shows how much you like to dissemble.

If by "dissemble" you mean correcting the woefully ignorant, then you would be right, but no one but you would use that word to mean that.

It's a very Christian thing to ask.

No, there was not a single thing Christian about the question you asked.

It should prompt some Christian introspection.

Something Atheists like to do to sow doubt, yes.

Maybe some Christians would be that filled with rage. Something to think about, for sure.

Christians do not go around speculating that billboards can cause Christians to be so filled with rage that they will crash their cars.
Atheists might speculate on that because of their low opinions of Christians, but Christians would not.

Christians should be able to pass that billboard without the overreaction I'm seeing from you.

What overreaction to the billboard are you seeing in me?

Please provide quotes of my exact words of overreacting to the billboard.

If you can't provide those quotes, please get your eyes checked and then see a psychiatrist with your problem of seeing things that are not there.

 

[fool]

Why? It doesn't impact or reach the point.

Sure it does, spell it out for us.
We've got the OP billboard.
Angel4Truth has provided another example of a billboard.
Four states have Robert E Lee day coincident with MLK day (depending on the calander).
And then let's throw in wearing an SS uniform to a Holocaust Museum.
How do those arrange on a continuum for you?

Do you think people tend to complain when something annoys them on a scale of 1 to 10 at your particular slotting? lain:

Slot it yourself for us.
You threw out "tasteless" when do we get to "vile"?
Just trying to gauge.

How many Robert E. Lee parties were there this year? How many billboards were erected along you interstate with, "Don't believe in celebrating slain civil rights leaders? You're not alone"?

Don't know, I don't get invited to many parties since that one time at the lake.

Atheists don't come into the world any more than Christians do. But those particular atheists deliberately chose the week before Christmas and it takes a willful sort of naivete to miss the point of that,

I don't miss the point at all, YOU take offence at the mere existence of the Atheists.
Angel posted a fine example of a billboard that fit all your objections and I would agree with you if we were talking about THAT billboard.
But to object to the billboard we are talking about is simply intolerance of something you need not even notice.

the foreseeable impact of it and the press waiting to be generated by it. Clever? Certainly and as certainly in poor taste.

So what should the December Atheists billboard say that will not offend you?
I'm askin.

 

[zoo22]

We're talking about why Town finds it tasteless that Atheists would have a billboard in December.

It's "the dominant culture's religious holy month."

Atheists should put their billboard up in say, May when it would be "just a peculiar billboard you see in route to Spring Break."

Problem solved.*











*Except for the regular death threats and vandalism and complaints when atheist billboards go up, no matter what time of year. (But that was probably Muslims. Christians wouldn't do something like that... I mean, Je Suis Charlie, right?)

 

[Town Heretic]

Fair enough. Though it was implied...

Rather the implication was possible but unintended.

and the terms explicitly used are certainly not complimentary.

Actions between opposing parties rarely are.

More to the point...a November ad would save you unwanted consternation...or would it?

I suggested it more to serve the stated purpose of gathering isolated members of that mindset and giving them time to prepare for what is apparently an emotional onslaught for them. Waiting until the week of doesn't seem particularly suited.

Though some bask within the tyrannical realm of the majority.

Because nothing screams tyranny quite like finding a thing not being prohibited to be in poor taste. And majority isn't a dirty word any more than minority holds inherent virtue. Pedophiles are in the minority and the majority of people I know have a pronounced disdain for racism, by way of illustration.

Though I'm digressing.

Coin of the realm.

Mere speculation...

Apt illustration. I'm not speculating about my reaction nor am I in noting that there are occasions where the freedom to act isn't in question, but the value of the action can be.

short-sighted I might add.

You could add tyrannical, but you'd be wrong and without a leg to stand either on.

Don't project a lack of value to that which you personally refuse to find any.

Don't project my projection unless you're going to quote me so you'll know it exists outside of your noggin.

This rationale would be plausible if your assessment was more than merely a matter of personal taste.

Whether or not you should pick your nose at the dinner table is also a matter of personal taste and upbringing, of the context regarding appropriateness. Very little of what we value and act upon arises out of objective necessity, so the distinction doesn't trouble me.

 

[Angel4Truth]

Going to play devils advocate here about the billboard in the op. Its pretty non descript (meaning in context to the other one i posted which mocked Christianity clearly).

I can see how in secular atheistic thinking, that it could be seen as reaching out in this way-

Consider this, loads of people are alone at Christmas and can be depressed especially at that time of year and some even commit suicide at Christmas time, and i would think a great many atheist are estranged from family and or friends at Christmas time because of their lack of belief.

So, i could understand that (the one in the op) billboard as simply being a way to reach out to those without faith who are alone and feeling alone and it being nothing more than that.

Personally i would just drive right by a billboard like in the op and think nothing more of it than any advertisement, since its not going out of its way to offend, or mock Christians and Christianity.

The other one that i posted though, i would be angry if i saw it in person - because its intend is clearly to inflame and in bad taste and its sole purpose imo is to target children and trash Christmas and Christianity.

Huge difference.

 

[fool]

I don't read an entire thread thats this long before responding usually, do you?

I still see the need to update the ops concern, if thats ok with you?

I don't think the OP was really concerned about that but carry on.

 

[fool]

No, we're talking about why it's in poor taste for atheists to launch a contrary message in a billboard the week of Christmas. A bit different.

Not a contrary message.
What Angel posted would be a contrary message.
This is not that.

 

[annabenedetti]

If by "dissemble" you mean correcting the woefully ignorant, then you would be right, but no one but you would use that word to mean that.

verb (used with object), dissembled, dissembling. 1. to give a false or misleading appearance to; conceal the truth or real nature of:

That's what you do.

No, there was not a single thing Christian about the question you asked.

Something Atheists like to do to sow doubt, yes.

Maybe that's your problem. Maybe you don't ever stop to check yourself, check your motivations, question whether or not you're on the right track. And if you're that susceptible to doubt, that's a problem. You should do some introspection.

Christians do not go around speculating that billboards can cause Christians to be so filled with rage that they will crash their cars.
Atheists might speculate on that because of their low opinions of Christians, but Christians would not.

But you know you were the one with the low expectations. I expected much better from Christians than you did.

What overreaction to the billboard are you seeing in me?

Please provide quotes of my exact words of overreacting to the billboard.​

It is a churlish act anytime during the year, but it is a boorishly churlish act during Christmas.

No, but they deliberately put up a billboard during Christmas just to screw around with Christians, and you know it.

Because of the churlishness implicit in the timing of the billboard to coincide with Christmas time, the answer is, "Yes, but you already knew that, so stop being an idiot."

It is churlish because it is similar to yelling "fire" in a crowded theatre to see if you can provoke a reaction.

​

Yelling "fire" in a crowded theater? You seriously think that billboard was comparable to that?

If you can't provide those quotes, please get your eyes checked and then see a psychiatrist with your problem of seeing things that are not there.

I can see why you've taken the word "churlish" to heart.


Here's the thing: you're totally incensed about a billboard you didn't even have to drive past. How in the world do you get through life surrounded by people who don't share your worldview, without becoming completely undone? News flash: There are people out there who don't agree with you. If you have the peace within you that faith should provide, this billboard shouldn't loom so large for you. Something to think about.

 

[fool]

I would never do that.

Spoiler

Haven't read much Heinlein have you.

 

[Town Heretic]

It's "the dominant culture's religious holy month."

Too Muslim sounding for you?

Again, Christianity is the religion of the majority of people who live in the compact. And the month begins a celebration of the birth of it's savior.

Atheists should put their billboard up in say, May when it would be "just a peculiar billboard you see in route to Spring Break."

Rather, they shouldn't aim their advertising for the week of Christmas unless they mean to trade on that and when or if they do it's in poor taste.

Problem solved. *Except for the regular death threats and vandalism and whatnot when atheist billboards go up. (But that was probably Muslims. Right? I mean, Je Suis Charlie).

You should start a thread on that. Christians should be offended by that sort of activity from anyone among the faithful. How often is that happening? How many billboard erecting atheists have died or been seriously injured so far? I haven't heard of it, but given how infrequently I watch the news...

Otherwise, nothing says reasonable objection quite like associating a personal valuation on that trading with people who make death threats and vandalize private property.

 

[Town Heretic]

Not a contrary message.

"Don't believe in a god? You're not alone" is a message that runs contrary to the context of Christianity. It is in its nature antithetical even if it isn't as aggressive as others. Pushing that agenda is anyone's right. Scheduling that advertisement the week of Christmas is needless and the obvious reason for it is tasteless.

 

[Daedalean's_Sun]

You are welcome.
Freedom of religious expression is in the First Amendment of the United States Constitution.

This isn't really a first amendment issue.

It is churlish because it is similar to yelling "fire" in a crowded theatre to see if you can provoke a reaction.

People have been trampled to death in situations like that. Perhaps Christians have such a negative reaction to this billboard that they begin to swerve off the road and crash, and mountains upon mountains of cars pile up around the radius of the billboard like some sort of spontaneous junkyard :crackup:.

 

[fool]

Going to play devils advocate here about the billboard in the op. Its pretty non descript (meaning in context to the other one i posted which mocked Christianity clearly).

I can see how in secular atheistic thinking, that it could be seen as reaching out in this way-

Consider this, loads of people are alone at Christmas and can be depressed especially at that time of year and some even commit suicide at Christmas time, and i would think a great many atheist are estranged from family and or friends at Christmas time because of their lack of belief.

So, i could understand that (the one in the op) billboard as simply being a way to reach out to those without faith who are alone and feeling alone and it being nothing more than that.

Personally i would just drive right by a billboard like in the op and think nothing more of it than any advertisement, since its not going out of its way to offend, or mock Christians and Christianity.

The other one that i posted though, i would be angry if i saw it in person - because its intend is clearly to inflame and in bad taste and its sole purpose imo is to target children and trash Christmas and Christianity.

Huge difference.

Thank You!

 

[Daedalean's_Sun]

"Don't believe in a god? You're not alone" is a message that runs contrary to the context of Christianity. It is in its nature antithetical even if it isn't as aggressive as others. Pushing that agenda is anyone's right. Scheduling that advertisement the week of Christmas is needless and the obvious reason for it is tasteless.

The "agenda" of atheists meeting on a website? Sounds very spooky! The Bible very clearly says that atheists shouldn't meet, they should be isolated and alone, and depressed preferably.

 

[genuineoriginal]

verb (used with object), dissembled, dissembling. 1. to give a false or misleading appearance to; conceal the truth or real nature of:

That's what you do annabenedetti does.

FTFY.

Here's the thing: you're totally incensed about a billboard you didn't even have to drive past.

See, there you go doing it again.

 

[annabenedetti]

FTFY.


See, there you go doing it again.

:chuckle: No worries, I got your number.

 

[genuineoriginal]

Haven't read much Heinlein have you.

I have read most of his works.

 

[genuineoriginal]

Perhaps Christians have such a negative reaction to this billboard that they begin to swerve off the road and crash, and mountains upon mountains of cars pile up around the radius of the billboard like some sort of spontaneous junkyard :crackup:.

Isn't it amazing that an Atheist like you and a self-proclaimed "Christian" like annabenedetti have the same low opinion of Christians?

 

[annabenedetti]

Isn't it amazing that an Atheist like you and a self-proclaimed "Christian" like annabenedetti have the same low opinion of Christians?

You should stop lying. It's not very Christian.