Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Religion Atheists' bus ads now on Little Rock streets
Posted by Max Brantley on Tue, Oct 4, 2011 at 12:35 PM
18 Central Arkansas Transit buses are now carrying the disputed ads bearing the legend:
"Are You Good Without God? Millions are."
They'll run for four weeks, including during the Oct. 14-23 run of the highly attended Arkansas State Fair. News release follows from the Central Arkansas Coalition of Reason. The bus ads will cost $5,216.
Under terms of an injunction issued by federal Judge Susan Webber Wright, the group had to post a $15,000 bond to cover potential damage to buses and ads. The bus company and its ad agency had originally refused to run the ads, fearing backlash, though they had accepted church advertising previously.
NEWS RELEASE
"Are you good without God?
Millions are."
These words, superimposed over an image of blue sky and white clouds, appear in queen-sized ads on the outsides of 18 Central Arkansas Transit Authority (CATA) buses serving Little Rock. The ads will be up for four weeks, which includes the October 14-23 run of the Arkansas State Fair. They were placed by the Central Arkansas Coalition of Reason (Central Arkansas CoR) with $5,216.00 in funding from the United Coalition of Reason (UnitedCoR).
The posting of these ads by On The Move Advertising (OTMA) is in fulfillment of a federal court order handed down in response to a June 1 lawsuit by UnitedCoR, represented by the Appignani Humanist Legal Center of the American Humanist Association (AHA). In its suit, UnitedCoR alleged that CATA and OTMA had violated its constitutional free speech rights by declining to apply the same acceptance standards to atheist ads as it applies to religious ones. At a hearing held August 11, UnitedCoR sought a preliminary injunction requiring CATA and OTMA to give equal treatment. The injunction was granted by Federal Judge Susan Webber Wright, and the appearance of these ads is the result.
Originally, Central Arkansas CoR had wanted its ads to run during Little Rock's Riverfest this past May. But now, in the wake of the successful litigation, it has chosen to take advantage of the increased audience provided by the state fair and the fact that two CATA bus routes serve the fairgrounds. CATA routes also serve local college campuses and, with classes now in session, Central Arkansas CoR leaders hope their ads will reach students as well. Two new Secular Student Alliance groups have formed this semester under the Central Arkansas CoR umbrella.
Beyond this, the Little Rock campaign is part of a nationwide effort. Since the spring of 2009 there have been similar bus ad and billboard campaigns in 25 states and the District of Columbia. These include an April 2010 bus and billboard campaign in Fayetteville, Arkansas, as well as campaigns in Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois,
Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, Utah, Washington, and West Virginia.
"The Little Rock effort is part of a nationwide awareness campaign that is reaching out to the millions of atheists and agnostics living in the United States," explained Fred Edwords, national director of the United Coalition of Reason. "Often such nontheists don't realize there's a community for them because our culture is dominated by biblical faiths. We want our work to show them they aren't alone."
Attracting the like minded isn't the only goal of the effort. "We want folks to understand that atheists and agnostics are a legitimate part of the community," said LeeWood Thomas, media representative for the Central Arkansas Coalition of Reason. "People like us live all over Arkansas. We're your friends and family, neighbors and coworkers, and maybe even the person sitting next to you in church."
"Being visible is important to us," Edwords concluded, "because nontheists in our society often don't know many people who think like they do. We are reaching out to them, just as traditionally religious organizations reach out to their audience.
Comments (79)
Showing 1-50 of 79
Shall we start a pool on how long it will take for some good christian group to deface them?
like
dislikeDefacing of such bus ads is actually a rare occurrence. But no worries, we already purchased extras (as we always do) so that any defaced ones can be quickly replaced in a matter of hours. Thus nobody will gain anything by such an action.
Fred Edwords
National Director
United Coalition of Reason
...or more likely a bunch of socialist reprobates claiming to be a Christian group.
What is the goal of the united coalition of reason? I have read your website, but don't really understand your cause or motivation. If you don't believe in God, then just don't believe in God. What message are you trying to promote? Most religious (whatever your affiliation is) get the fact that their are non-believers of faith out there. It just seems like a waste of time.
@arkansas panic fan
You "said" you read their website. Did you not comprehend the paragraph that read-
"Like anyone, we all benefit from a supportive community for friends, charity, and fostering a better understanding of secular values with our neighbors. Atheists, agnostics, freethinkers, humanists, skeptics, non-religious, lost tourists, and the confused are all welcome to join us!"
Seems pretty clear what their motivation is.
What remains unclear is what your objection to them is?
Just for grins, apf, tell people that you are an atheist. You will get a much different reaction than if you tell them that you are a Baptist, or a Catholic, or even a Jew.
So, the message is, "You can be an atheist and still be a good person. You can even identify with that and with other atheists, just like the superstitious people do."
"Like anyone, we all benefit from a supportive community for friends, charity, and fostering a better understanding of secular values with our neighbors. Atheists, agnostics, freethinkers, humanists, skeptics, non-religious, lost tourists, and the confused are all welcome to join us!"
That doesn't explain cause or motivation or goals.
"What remains unclear is what your objection to them is?"
Good try at being a smartass. I have no problem with atheists, buddhists, hindu, etc. I just think it is a waste of time to promote the idea of "not" believing. That is all.
If they are there for charitable work, what are the charities they support and help?
APFan. Perfectly put. We're The Coalition of Reason and we believe in not believing and believe you too might have the faith required to not believe if you could just believe. Why do I get the feeling The Comedy Channel is involved, or this is an off shoot of Monty Python, or all natural smoking products are being used.
OH MY GOD!!!!!!!! THEY'RE RIOTING IN THE STREETS OF LITTLE ROCK!!! THE CLINTON LIBRARY IS ON FIRE!!!! 630 IS SHUT DOWN!!!! ZOMBIES ARE ROAMING AROUND THE GOLF COURSE AND THE WAR MEMORIAL STADIUM!!!! TEAR GAS, FIRE HOSES, SHIELDS AND BATONS AND -----------------/yawn
i wonder if everybody on both sides has yet to sit back and go "Shit, this really ain't no big FAMINE'ing deal, is it?!"
really had to have a lawsuit over this? shame on the transit authority.... brought 10X's the publicity for NoGodders
So, the message is, "You can be an atheist and still be a good person. You can even identify with that and with other atheists, just like the superstitious people do."
Let's get philosophical for a moment. On the grounds of morals and atheists. Sure there are good people out there with regards to any religion or non-believer. I don't dispute this at all. But if you are an atheist, what does it matter if you are good or bad? That really does not exist in their system of beliefs or non-beliefs, right? Technically there is no "good" or "bad". Since good or bad is really a basis on evil or not evil, which is a religious implication. There can be societal norms that you may believe in and act in accordance to, but at the end of the day, does it really matter to an atheist? You could take the same thought process into love. That really cannot exist in an atheist's world either.
No one really knows if something does or doesn't exist do they? You have to have faith one way or the other.
Seriously kids? You're asking why a group of non-believers might try to make other people give-up unexamined belief?
See the following, for a start:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crusades
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muslim_Conque…
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slavery_in_th…
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albigensian_C…
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northern_Crus…
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thirty_Years_…
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jihad
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giordano_Brun…
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_by_burn…
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trial_by_orde…
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cult
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antiintellect…
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Censorship
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iranian_Revol…
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Female_circum…
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homophobic_vi…
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catholic_chur…
I'll give you more when you're all done with those.
@ Heights Observer.
I think comparing the atrocities to man to the idea of religion is off base. Just because man misinterprets religion, doesn't mean that religion is wrong.
"No one really knows if something does or doesn't exist do they? You have to have faith one way or the other."
Nope. You say something exists. You have never seen it. You have never heard, felt, tasted or smelled it. It doesn't take faith NOT to believe something for which there is no empirical evidence.
"It doesn't take faith NOT to believe something for which there is no empirical evidence."
So you know it is NOT true? Then you would believe it is NOT true? Yet you have no evidence that it isn't true. We can yell at each other till we are blue.
As far as the reason for the group's outreach....my son is an atheist. He doesn't talk about it, unless he knows you well. When he was in school he was questioned by other students (and teachers!) about his religion. When he finally admitted his atheism, he was badgered and ostracized. Knowing he wasn't alone in those days would have been nice.
You are deficient in basic concepts of logic. When you posit the existence of something for which there is no verifiable evidence, the onus of proof is on you, the claimant.
"No. I said there is no empirical evidence. Read before responding."
Sorry. However, I believe that you do have all the empirical evidence surrounding you in everyday dealings to prove that there is some sort of god or creator. At one point there was a blank canvas, then there was the universe. The design of lungs, CO2 and O2 exchange, the pumping of blood, the communication of ants, etc. is not some cosmic coincidental chance. There is a ying and a yang to the universe. Someone created the universe, who or what that being is, no one knows. It is the ultimate mystery. I think empirical evidence helps us cope and try to understand it, however, we will really never know. Maybe the pope has an antenna in his hat and this helps him communicate.
No need in lashing out at me, for I was not lashing out. I was merely stating that the campaign for non-believers to believe in nothing is a waste of time and resources. Instead of bus ads, why not throw that money at the charities that the organization claims to be associated.
I can see why your son was picked on at school. Probably not because of his religious beliefs.
I live and work in downtown Little Rock. I've been here over 11 years. If I told anybody at work that I was an atheist, my career would be in serious jeopardy. Even though I work for the government, we have prayers at almost every function. No one thinks twice, and I'm sure not going to bring it up. People post fliers for the Baptist Church events all the time. Arkansas is, quite frankly, the Bible Belt Buckle. Just look at our ridiculous laws in this state. Maybe I will join the coalition of Reason, just so I'll know there are other sane people in town. Maybe I'll make a friend or two.
"Maybe I will join the coalition of Reason, just so I'll know there are other sane people in town. Maybe I'll make a friend or two."
So the coalition of reason is an organization to make friends with others who are not insane? LOL. Best explanation yet.
Could be APC. Maybe I'll just enjoy conversations with people who don't have their head up their asses.
"No one really knows if something does or doesn't exist do they? You have to have faith one way or the other."
Sure, there is no absolute knowledge, but stating this is not helpful. Think about what you're claiming here. You're saying that one man's made up delusions fairy tale about dragons, wizards, spells, and aliens is just as believable or valid as another man's pointing out that an apple is on the table.
Everybody has a filters that they use to allow existence claims to be rejected, accepted, or suspended. Do you believe in leprechauns at the end of the rainbow? Why? Because you see no evidence for it. Skeptics can shake off or avoid religious indoctrination and not be afraid to say, "Show me this God of yours".
"I can see why your son was picked on at school. Probably not because of his religious beliefs."
Marvelous. You are a living testament to a kindly creator.
@ Liberal, I never stated if the creator was kind or not. I just state that there is a creator. It obviously has a sense of humor and created assholes such as you.
@50to49, not all religious people have their heads up their asses. I would bet that a large percentage of those religious people you work with would help you should you encounter some sort of disaster or bad fortune in your life.
You should read more carefully. Where in here have I stated I was a Christian? Another asshole assumption.
@ apf " The design of lungs, CO2 and O2 exchange, the pumping of blood "
It seems like you don't understand Evolution and please don't mix "the birth of the Universe" with Evolution, they're two completely different things.
Also, since you don't understand the "ying and yang" of life, you go running to a made of being as an answer? Why not just pick Big Foot? It's completely nonsense to choose a finctional story (I stated that because you don't have ANY evidence that your god is real) and spend your whole life worshipping some idol with no evidence for it.
If I told you that I'll sell you a 100 bars of invisible gold for 1000.00 and make you rich, would you do it without seeing the bars? It's the same principal with worshipping something you don't have proof is real. It's crazy and the rest of us have to deal with your thought process........because we all know that religious people vote for laws to follow their finctional bible....well, at least the parts in it that THEY want to believe is true.....they seem to "skip" sections of the books that are rather "bat ass crazy".
Maybe that's why you didn't comprehend my "soft answer turning away wrath" routine. Sorry, I guess you were just gently spoofing me. Well played!
"It seems like you don't understand Evolution and please don't mix "the birth of the Universe" with Evolution, they're two completely different things.
Also, since you don't understand the "ying and yang" of life, you go running to a made of being as an answer? Why not just pick Big Foot? It's completely nonsense to choose a finctional story (I stated that because you don't have ANY evidence that your god is real) and spend your whole life worshipping some idol with no evidence for it.
If I told you that I'll sell you a 100 bars of invisible gold for 1000.00 and make you rich, would you do it without seeing the bars? It's the same principal with worshipping something you don't have proof is real. It's crazy and the rest of us have to deal with your thought process........because we all know that religious people vote for laws to follow their finctional bible....well, at least the parts in it that THEY want to believe is true.....they seem to "skip" sections of the books that are rather "bat ass crazy".
Actually, I think life and evolution go hand in hand. I believe in intelligent design. That is my stance. Something created this universe and designed it as such. It didn't happen randomly. I am glad that you believe that something doesn't exist. You have that right, but instead of wasting resources and time and money telling people that you don't believe, why not use that energy towards a cause or a charity that you do believe in. Still no one has answered what charities the Coalition for Reason believes in.
I was trying to stay out of this, but Athiest has forced my hand.
First, "you go running to a made of (I assume you meant 'up') being as an answer? No, I do not turn to my faith because I misunderstand something in life. All people of faith are not confused or ignorant as you imply. I do not worship an idol nor do I need any evidence that God is real. You fall into the trap of so many people (religious and nonreligious) when you demand evidence on your terms or none at all. I have known the love and mercy of God in my life and your acceptance of that is not necessary for my faith to thrive. Simply put, you don't get a vote in my faith life just as I don't get a vote in yours.
Second, the invisible gold metaphor is just silly.
Third, you have no idea what I vote for or against. You make assumptions about my finctional (again I assume you meant fictional) bible without having any evidence about my own ethic or that of my community in terms of interpreting that ancient text.
As I wrote in my letter to the editor in response to the recent article in the Times about athiests, it is a disservice to an important conversation when people speak in vague and often prejudiced generalities about groups with which they disagree. If you are an athiest and that nurtures your life and you find solace and peace in it and you are motivated to be a better person by it, I say good for you. For me, faith in God and Jesus Christ does that for me. If it didn't, I would not have devoted most of my adult life to a vocation in ministry.
Finally, athiest, I think you could take a good lesson from Lyndon Johnson. When he was leader of the Senate he said on more than one occasion that he would rather win a convert than an argument. I suggest dialing back the vitriol and the ad hominem attacks and perhaps state your case rather than argue against one that has not been made.
Just a thought.
How can they be good without God if they don't believe in God? It is like advertising that they are good without xz1!785dfm. It is pointless unless they aren't really atheists, but are anti-religion like many of those who commented on the article.
Oh, and on the Intelligent Design business. I am a life long Christian and an ordained minister and I could really give a crap what the answer is. Winning an argument about the creation of the universe will not do anything to end hunger, or bring potable water to billions without, or free the captives, or end oppression of women in much of the world, or do anything to bring to fruition the promise of equal rights and dignity for all people or end the shame of racial bigotry or the violence against GLBTQ youth and adults.
At some point this whole debate becomes little more than a distraction for those with enough food, water and shelter to have time to worry about this stuff.
Again, just a thought.
"Oh, and on the Intelligent Design business. I am a life long Christian and an ordained minister and I could really give a crap what the answer is. Winning an argument about the creation of the universe will not do anything to end hunger, or bring potable water to billions without, or free the captives, or end oppression of women in much of the world, or do anything to bring to fruition the promise of equal rights and dignity for all people or end the shame of racial bigotry or the violence against GLBTQ youth and adults."
You seemed to have covered it all there. Wait, you forgot world peace.
"How can they be good without God if they don't believe in God?"
Had to smile at that one. Can we be good without unicorns? I would hope so but those confused about elementary logic might disagree.
Btw, and more seriously, Bertrand Russell built part of his reputation as a philosopher on solving the following puzzle: Is the statement "The King of France is bald" true or false? It can't be true since there is no bald King of France, but if it is false, that seems to imply that the King of France has hair.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Definite_desc…
Oh, and yes, Russell, was an atheist.
"Many orthodox people speak as though it were the business of sceptics to disprove received dogmas rather than of dogmatists to prove them. This is, of course, a mistake. If I were to suggest that between the Earth and Mars there is a china teapot revolving about the sun in an elliptical orbit, nobody would be able to disprove my assertion provided I were careful to add that the teapot is too small to be revealed even by our most powerful telescopes. But if I were to go on to say that, since my assertion cannot be disproved, it is intolerable presumption on the part of human reason to doubt it, I should rightly be thought to be talking nonsense. If, however, the existence of such a teapot were affirmed in ancient books, taught as the sacred truth every Sunday, and instilled into the minds of children at school, hesitation to believe in its existence would become a mark of eccentricity and entitle the doubter to the attentions of the psychiatrist in an enlightened age or of the Inquisitor in an earlier time."
Millions upon millions of people are honest, ethical, empathetic, charitable, kind, loving, peaceable, generous, forgiving and guided by a respect for life "without (believing in or accepting the concept of any) God."
You'd think it would go without saying. But judging by the conduct some here have reported, it's worth saying.
It's worth saying to open-minded religious people who may have assumed otherwise, but will now change their views.
It's worth saying on behalf of people who aren't religious and would like others to accept them as good human beings without launching into "why atheism" lecture at a cocktail party or lunch break.
It's worth saying on behalf of those who may feel isolated or distanced by religious folk or institutions.
The fact that it's subject to debate here tells me it's worth saying.
The fact that I've got God doesn't make me better than anyone else. It just makes me better than I'd be otherwise.
>>Yet you have no evidence that it isn't true. We can yell at each other till we are blue.<<
The absence of evidence is proof of what?
As Spdle Lib noted if one makes an assertion then it's upon the assertive one to provide proof.
Prosecutor: "Well the accused cannot prove he was not at the murder scene."
How many times do the stupid have that thrown at them?
If God told you to, would you kill your children?
If you answered "no", you're probably an atheist.
If you answered "no", love and morality are more important to you than your faith.
If you answered "no", realize that morality is separate from the dictates of God.
If you answered "yes", please reconsider.
*Tip of the hat to Penn Jillette, Author of "God, No"
MoMoney rules this world. As for god it's a good invention for worshiping MoMoney.
Praise be to MoMoney! It cuts thru the bullshit, the doubt, the confusion and drives home what truly matters.
They only put on the ads so they can increase membership and one day have "dues" that will pay for a master atheist to be their group president at $50k. Easy way to make legal money. The problem with organized religion is that it is organized, same thing with this atheist group. They love the drama and publicity, they consider it product marketing to increase membership ranks and mark these words within 2 years will have membership dues to pay for Administration.
"...any defaced ones can be quickly replaced in a matter of hours."
I'm imagining a rapid response sign replacement task force on call 24 hours a day. Would a CAT bus have to return to the bus barn to get cleaned up and a replacement sign installed or could it be done on site like windshield repairs?
Btw, for people who believe in Evolution. Why do you accept it as it currently is stated? It goes against every physics law. Energy degrades with time. Objects get smaller over time. Energy and matter will break down into smaller and smaller pieces. Not get better, not grow from a random collection of dirt into a slug which then turns into something slightly larger. Where is the counter to radiation that would reduce the effects of cancer on species growth?
The problem with evolution is it requires a HUGE amount of time to make any sense. But the laws of time and energy go against the theory of Evolution.
Blinders are on both sides of this issue for sure. People are so hung up that Evolution must be right that they are ignoring and not funding further research on other ideas (not talking creation or intelligent design).
Proof evolution is a fraud is right here in everyone's comments. People aren't getting smarter, we just have better methods of teaching, but according to evolution the world should be made up of IQ 200+ people. Reason why it's not? Radiation and the truth that the Evolution map is really the future devolution map.
Atheists are ineligible to hold public office in Arkansas. That means they are not recognized by our constitution as full citizens and therefore should not expect the same rights as full citizens. They're more like gays -- when it comes to equal treatment under the law, they simply aren't eligible.
This is why we are a republic under a constitution rather than a democracy. A democracy might shamelessly and thoughtlessly vote to grant any minority equal rights, but a republic lives by the constitution and if a non-white, non-straight, non-Christian, non-whatever doesn't like it, there's always another country in which to live.
It's an interesting, if pointless, discussion.
If "evidence" is (as in legal terms), information "having any tendency to make [the fact at issue] more probable or less probable than it would be without the [information]," then...
Does the information that the earth rotates, like, err, clockwork, at 1037.5646 miles per hour at the equator make the existence of a creator more or less probable than it would be without the information?
Does the information that earth is hundreds of millions of years old make the existence of a creator more or less probable than it would be without the information?
The *degree* to which the information makes the fact at issue more or less probable is not what defines evidence -- that's the probative value of the evidence, which may be slight.
So...I'm not offfering answers. I'm offering questions, or perhaps an analytical methodology.
According to the Old Testament, "religion is as vain as any creation of man." But, who you gunna believe?
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