Posted on 05/24/2009 5:59:09 AM PDT by kellynla
This provocative twist on the Bible’s opening line was plastered on the side of 25 Chicago buses this week as part of an advertising crusade by the Indiana Atheist Bus Campaign.
The ads have been cruising between downtown and the city’s North and South sides, including the No. 56 Milwaukee route, since the beginning of the week and will run through June.
"The intent of the campaign is to stimulate discussion of religion and its place in our society," said Charlie Sitzes, a spokesman for the Indiana group who with help from the American Humanist Association has collected more than $10,000 in private donations to buy the ad space in Indiana and Illinois.
The group brought its message to Chicago after a similar campaign in Indiana – to post the slogan "You can be good without God" – was rejected by transit authorities in Bloomington and stalled by officials in South Bend, who didn’t want the ads posted in time for President Barack Obama’s speech at Notre Dame.
Indiana's chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union has sued the Bloomington Public Transportation Corporation on the atheist group's behalf. Bloomington Mayor Mark Kruzan has denounced his own transit system, saying he does not condone government censorship.
"It would appear that where there is more opposition to the message that maybe that would be the place where we needed dialogue more," Sitzes said, maintaining that the slogan is a simple fact.
"All non-believers believe God is a creation of man," he said. "We used to have thousands of gods. Now we’re down to one. We’re getting closer to the true number."
Among the guidelines for determining if an advertisement can run on the CTA is a requirement that the ad be truthful and is "not directed at inciting imminent lawless action."
(Excerpt) Read more at newsblogs.chicagotribune.com ...
Semper Fi, Kelly
Just out of curiosity, would it be ok with them if we started an ad campaign that said, “In the beginning Satan created athiests”?
Would the transit system allow an ad declaring Jesus to be God? If it did and were sued would Kruzan defend it?
oldest satanic attack in the book. “ye shall be as gods”.
This isn’t about discussing God, this is about eliminating Godly discussion.
The Atheists think we don’t know what they are. We know EXACTLY what they are. Why attempt to assure us “you can be good without God”? If you’re good, then you don’t need to say it.
Same poison.
Yes, as my dad said, there are no atheists in foxholes.
And why the need for a ‘campaign’? If an atheist is what they are, just BE it. Why all of a sudden the need to ‘convert’ people?
A-THE-IST not A-THI-EST.
Disagree? When did the ACLU ever defend a gun rights case?
Have a blessed Memorial Day.
BTW... picked up the new book on Curtis LeMay. Outstanding so far....
The campaign is not intended to generate a discussion. It is intended to insult and defame the beliefs of others. It is intended to get people angry and when they react in their anger, the atheists will point to the angry reaction as proof that they were right.
...and I've never met one that worked on Christmas Day. Atheists reminds me of global warming boosters- flying their personal jets around the world to tell us we're wasteful. No hypocrisy is too great for intolerant busybodies.
Now that’s a man who knew how to win a war
Exactly- in the most tolerant country on earth. Why don't they take their message to Teheran? Lots of people believe in God there.
“The intent of the campaign is to stimulate discussion of religion and its place in our society,”
No it’s not. The intent is to give atheists smug and condescending jollies.
As if I care.... but thanks for being an internet spell check, everyone has to have a *job* that makes them feel good about themselves, glad you found one.
There's a difference between not knowing how to spell and fat-fingering the keyboard.
Take a chill pill.
These people are frightened and alone. Alone because they have no god. They want Christians as frightened and alone as they are.
There is no reason for anyone ho dosnt believe in God to try to destroy other’s faith except they want you as miserable as they are.
Actually, the truth is, I have a neuro problem that seems to be affecting my once great typing skills, but yes, you’re right. I’ve made much funnier typos in recent months!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.