Posted on 04/10/2006 11:15:15 PM PDT by Aussie Dasher
A media company that produced a best-selling documentary asserting that Jesus Christ never existed today launches its "War on Easter," encouraging volunteer atheists to plant copies of the film "The God Who Wasn't There" in churches across the United States.
Dubbing the effort "Operation Easter Sanity," Brian Flemming, a self-described "former Christian fundamentalist" and president of Beyond Belief Media, hopes to covertly place 666 copies of the documentary in churches by Easter Sunday, April 16. The number 666 is the biblical mark of "The Beast," which also is the name of another film by Flemming set for a 06-06-06 release.
"People go to churches to hide from the truth," Flemming said in a statement. "At no time is this more apparent than Easter, when Christians get together to convince each other that a man died, stayed dead three days, rose from the dead and then flew into the air above the clouds.
"Our nonviolent campaign sends the message that nowhere in the country is safe from the truth. Wherever Christian leaders are indoctrinating children with 2,000-year-old fairy tales, the truth may just find its way there."
Continued the former Christian: "Our 'War on Easter' is of course completely without violence of any kind. Christians believe that beating a man to a pulp and nailing him to a cross somehow solves all the world's problems. Beyond Belief Media does not."
"The God Who Wasn't There" is currently No. 5 on Amazon.com's list of best-selling documentaries.
Fleming claims to have planted copies of the DVD at Our Lady of the Angels Catholic cathedral in Los Angeles Sunday morning.
"I put the DVDs in my right inside jacket pocket," he explained on the War on Easter website. "It was a gorgeous Palm Sunday. The kind of day that makes you want to ride on a donkey and get hit with palm fronds.
"As soon as the Mass was over, I got to work hiding DVDs and flyers in hymnals and the like."
Fleming posted a photo of Cardinal Roger Mahony and himself allegedly taken after the Mass.
Responded "Eric" on the site: "Why do you feel the need to spread hate? Just because you are miserable doesnt give you the right to lash out. Listen, you need some professional help. You remind me of Hitler and what he was trying to do. Are you proud of that?"
Another poster encouraged Flemming: "That is just awesome. Someday people will wake up, and I hope your crusade helps to do just that."
If you believe in Easter so much, then get out in the streets and demonsrate by the tens of thousands strong. Otherwise, anyone protesting the demise of Christianity in U.S. culture is just making no more noise than the keys clicking on their keyboard.
Especially during MahonyFest 2006! Somehow I doubt anyone noticed those little hymnal tracts.
Can anyone say BIGOTRY!!!!!
Technically, what he's doing is no different than the folks who leave tracts at bus stops; or who ask you if "you are saved;" or who knock on your door at dinner time to talk with you about your immortal soul. Indeed, what this fellow is doing is a lot less intrusive and annoying than the latter two tactics.
Can we cite the folks leaving religious tracts at bus stops and hotel lobbies for littering?
"Freedom of religion" cuts both ways; don't push for regulations that will come back to haunt you later.
You really have no evidence to back up this assertion, do you? It's simply your bigotry showing through.
Do you feel the same way as those emotionally involved against atheism, Islam, porn, homosexuality, etc? Or do you reserve your psychological insights for only those emotionally involved against religion?
Excellent point.
He's an idiot, people that are in Church are not going to be swayed by one mans hate tracts.
Oh yeah? Tell that to the Christians who can't speak their minds in public, or where teeshirts with anti-abortion message or pray without some namby-pamby or activist judge shuting them up at every turn!
There is an active process in the world to shut Chirstians up, because men love darkness rather than light, haven't you heard?
It'll be really amusing to see this creep try and explain his actions and statements when standing before God to be judged. What do you think he'll say, before being inevitably chucked into everlasting fire?
So your solution is to ban the other guy's free speech? You would simply be enshrining into law the bigotry that will be used to shut you up completely.
oh I totally agree with you there!
I don't think they hate religion, I think they hate God-- they hate even the very idea of God. Allah isn't God, ditto the Hindu gods, hence, no problem. But the God of the Bible, the God of Judaism and Christianity, DOES exist and IS God. Ergo, problem.
I can't help but notice how these acts of hatred by Atheist twits are on the increase.
Poor, misguided, hate-filled little people.
It could simply be they don't believe in Him. I don't believe in Santa Claus, but I don't hate him.
Here was their press release:
Copies of Controversial Documentary Are Hidden in Churches Throughout U.S.
HOLLYWOOD, CA - April 11 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- Declaring War on Easter, Beyond Belief Media has launched a preemptive attack on the Christian holiday, the company announced today. "Operation Easter Sanity" has already begun (www.waroneaster.org).
Using its documentary THE GOD WHO WASN'T THERE as the chief weapon, Beyond Belief Media is covertly planting DVDs of the film in churches throughout the United States. The popular movie, currently ranked #1 on Amazon.com's independent documentaries list, is critical of the irrational beliefs of Christians and asserts that Jesus Christ did not exist.
A total of 666 DVDs will be hidden like "Easter eggs" in sanctuaries, church yards and other holy areas by Beyond Belief Media's national team of volunteers. The DVDs will be slipped into hymnals and other locations where they are likely to be discovered by unsuspecting worshippers.
Some DVDs of THE GOD WHO WASN'T THERE will be planted by undercover operatives among actual Easter eggs at churches holding egg hunts on Easter Sunday.
"People go to churches to hide from the truth," explained Beyond Belief Media president Brian Flemming, a former Christian fundamentalist. "At no time is this more apparent than Easter, when Christians get together to convince each other that a man died, stayed dead three days, rose from the dead and then flew into the air above the clouds.
"Our nonviolent campaign sends the message that nowhere in the country is safe from the truth. Wherever Christian leaders are indoctrinating children with 2000-year-old fairy tales, the truth may just find its way there.
"Our 'War on Easter' is of course completely without violence of any kind. Christians believe that beating a man to a pulp and nailing him to a cross somehow solves all the world's problems. Beyond Belief Media does not."
A Website offering more details, including "battle reports" from covert operatives, is on the Web at: http://www.waroneaster.org
Rule #1 (IMHO/YMMV) when dealing with WND is to double-check and verify their sources. They've fallen for this little trick far too many times.
Oh, and btw, the "war on easter" website and the "beyond belief media" website are hosted by a provider from Karlsruhe, Germany. Both homepages bring up 404 errors.
Maybe, but Christianity or Judeo-Christianity is a big part of the American way.
You really have no evidence to back up this assertion, do you?
That's why I called it a bet. Guess what though, I used Google and got a direct qoute from Brian Fleming himself:
Did I have this guy figured out or not? You lose the bet, I win.
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