Move over atheist bus campaign. The American Humanist Association has entered the godless advertising field with a vengeance! This weekend, 200 buses and 50 rail cars in the Washington DC area will begin featuring smiling individuals in Santa hats on interior ads, along with the words, "NO GOD? NO PROBLEM!" 20 buses will have similar ads on their sides or tails. In early December, transit system vehicles with these ads will appear in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and San Francisco. It's all part of AHA's first-ever nation-wide humanist holiday campaign.The purpose of the ads is to raise awareness of the idea that you can be good without God. This is supported in some of the interior bus ads with the addition of a smaller print message, "Be Good for Goodness' Sake. Humanism is the idea that you can be good without a belief in God," below the larger one.
As Roy Speckhardt, executive director of the American Humanist Association, explains, "Humanists have always understood that striving to make the world a better place is one of humanity's most important responsibilities. Religion does not have a monopoly on morality--millions of people are good without believing in God."
"We're hoping this campaign will build awareness about the humanist movement and our ethical life philosophy--particularly among the 'nones:' the rapidly growing percentage of people who claim no religion," added Speckhardt.
Photo Credit:
1) Interior bus ad (courtesy of www.americanhumanist.org)
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Comments
christ-ey people stole the holiday from pagans
Anybody with some money to spare want to sue the US Postal Service to deliver their mail on Christmas? It's on my bucket list if somebody else doesn't beat me to it...
If you don't have God, who defines good? Everyone?
If you don't have God, who defines good? Everyone?
Silly humanist: yes, everyone defines good. Even you. If god told you to murder and steal, would you do it? Don't say he wouldn't - he has in the past, and still does according to some. If you're not happy with the idea of doing things just because your priest says that's what god wants, then it shows that you have your own idea of what is good. Just like everyone else.
Sure, we don't all agree all the time. But we can still get along.
"Good" is not such a hard idea. When your mom said "Eat your greens - they're good for you" you knew what she meant. When you were scared by a "bad" dog, it was not so hard to understand. You don't need to pay a priest to tell you these things - they are innate.
How are these ads the "1st ever" since they placed ads with the same sentiment last year?
The ads are mere propaganda that answers to an argument that no one has made. The claim is not that atheistic lack of morals but a lack of moral premise, lack of ethos.
Yet again, during a time of the year when people are generally more inclined towards charity—peace on earth and good will towards non-gender specific personages—atheists are busily collecting hundreds upon hundreds of thousands of dollars during a time of recession not in order to help anyone in real material need but in order to purchase bill boards and bus ads whereby they seek to demonstrate, to themselves, just how clever they are—need any more be said?
Theirs is the first ever because a different organization is doing it this time. This is the first time they've ever done this.
You do realize that there's more than one group to which we atheists belong, right?
Actually the humanists do have an ethos; humanity and what is good for it. I decide if stealing is ok by examining what impact it will have on others (harm), on myself (anxiousness at having commited a crime) and on my family (harm if I am arrested).
You have to check in with your invisible friend. Which of us lacks an ethos, again?
What moral premise allowed slavery? What moral premise said it was ok to prevent women from voting? What moral premise says women shouldn't "stumble" the men in their lives and should dress in burkhas?
Clever ad. It would have been even better with a smiling Stalin, Mao and Pol Pot in those hats.
Yeah, because Christians put pictures of their worst murderers on posters all the time.
:eyeroll:
I don't appreciate the humanists apparent need to ram their philosphy down my throat any more than I do the same tendency from the religoids...I'll make up my own mind...don't think a "jeezuz saves" or "down with god" bumper sticker is going to sway anyone...
To Studley, and atheists don't appreciate your religious philosophy being jammed down our throats ALL the time either. The truth will not be denied.
"As Roy Speckhardt, executive director of the American Humanist Association, explains, "Humanists have always understood that striving to make the world a better place is one of humanity's most important responsibilities. Religion does not have a monopoly on morality--millions of people are good without believing in God."
"We're hoping this campaign will build awareness about the humanist movement and our ethical life philosophy--particularly among the 'nones:' the rapidly growing percentage of people who claim no religion," added Speckhardt."
First of all, congratulations to Hugh here for writing under "Atheist" and not Humanist.
Re: the above quote Humanism is being suffocated through being identified with atheism. Religious acrimony has the same appeal to atheists, it seems, as women do to gay men. No attraction at all, supposedly, yet they feel compelled to mimic them above all else.
See my other reasons at Vancouver Humanism Examiner.
Best Regards
Dwight
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