Atheist billboard stirs up unneeded controversy, yet again - this time it's Hasidic Jews whose craw - Polidicks

[URL="http://usnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/03/06/10595033-atheist-billboard-hits-snag-in-hasidic-neighborhood"]http://usnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/03/06/10595033-atheist-billboard-hits-snag-in-hasidic-neighborhood[/URL] [quote=Kari Huus, msnbc.com]For American Atheists, Tuesday was meant to be a big day for getting out their godless message — with the unveiling of a billboard in a heavily Jewish neighborhood in New York City. But plans to erect the sign in the Williamsburg area of Brooklyn were altered at the last minute when the owner of site refused access to the installers. [IMG]http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/MSNBC/Components/Photo/_new/120306-american-atheists-430p.photoblog600.jpg[/IMG] Written in Hebrew and English, the sign was to have read: "You know it’s a myth … and you have a choice." It is an advertisement for the upcoming "Reason Rally" in Washington, D.C., billed as the biggest atheist gathering in U.S. history, and for the American Atheists' convention immediately afterward. [B]It was also intended to urge non-believers to overcome their fears and "come out" in their heavily religious communities.[/B] [B]"We believe that (these) communities are teeming with atheists due to the emails we regularly receive,"[/B] said American Atheists President Dave Silverman, a nonprofit that seeks civil rights for non-believers and absolute separation of church and state. [B]"We have received a dozen emails from Hasidic Atheist Jews since we announced the billboards. … They feel totally alone. We want to tell them they are not alone."[/B] Silverman was at the site with the advertising company to erect the giant sign atop a residential building. But landlord Kenny Stier refused to allow workers from the advertising company Clear Channel into the building, said Silverman. He told [URL="http://www.brooklynpaper.com/stories/35/10/dtg_atheistsign_2012_03_09_bk.html"]The Brooklyn Paper[/URL] that he believes powerful rabbis in the largely ultra-Orthodox Hasidic Jewish area persuaded Stier to block the billboard. "It has been very disconcerting to see that the traditional victims of religious bigotry have become the purveyors of religious bigotry," said Silverman, who was raised in the Jewish faith. Stier could not immediately be reach for comment, but The Brooklyn Paper quoted him as saying, "I don’t want to get involved in this." Williamsburg Rabbi David Niederman told the paper the sign is "a disgrace. ... The name of god is very holy to us and to the whole world." [URL="http://usnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/02/16/10429346-atheists-bill-big-names-for-coming-out-party-in-capital"]Atheists bill big names for 'coming out' party in the capital[/URL] The atheist organization has already selected a new site along the Brooklyn-Queens expressway not far away, and will try again on Thursday to erect it there. On Wednesday, American Atheists were slated to post another billboard to near the Islamic center of the heavily Muslim community in Paterson, N.J. — identical except written in Arabic and English. They have not received any blowback in that community, Silverman said. "We’re not particularly disturbed about it,” said Ibrahim Hooper, spokesman for the Council on American Islamic Relations. "We believe it’s their First Amendment right to put them up. … Obviously they placed them to be provocative, but that’s also their right."[/quote] Once again, because someone is going to miss this part: [quote][B]It was also intended to urge non-believers to overcome their fears and "come out" in their heavily religious communities.[/B] [B]"We believe that (these) communities are teeming with atheists due to the emails we regularly receive,"[/B] said American Atheists President Dave Silverman, a nonprofit that seeks civil rights for non-believers and absolute separation of church and state. [B]"We have received a dozen emails from Hasidic Atheist Jews since we announced the billboards. … They feel totally alone. We want to tell them they are not alone."[/B][/quote]

A bit confrontational, but ultimately harmless.

Fed up of the mindset that if you're an atheist it's your duty to tell everybody how much better you are than religious people, and that all of their beliefs are stupid. edit: Before rating me dumb, take the time to actually think. If this was a religious billboard insulting atheism, you'd all be up in arms about it. Like Funky Pickle said, there are obnoxious people in both groups.

[quote]Hasidic Atheist Jews[/quote] Fucking what???

[QUOTE=Nossy;35038090]Fed up of the mindset that if you're an atheist it's your duty to tell everybody how much better you are than them, and that all of their beliefs are stupid.[/QUOTE] Because that's totally what they're doing and you totally actually read the article.

[QUOTE=Nossy;35038090]Fed up of the mindset that if you're an atheist it's your duty to tell everybody how much better you are than them, and that all of their beliefs are stupid.[/QUOTE] You mean just like what every other religion does aswell then eh? That mindset exists EVERYWHERE

How I feel about this depends on what billboards are usually there. If there are usually ones promoting a specific religion then this is bullshit, their beliefs should not decide who has a say. If there are usually unrelated signs then maybe I could understand why they made that decision

[QUOTE=Megafan;35038051]A bit confrontational, but ultimately harmless.[/QUOTE] If it were a religious board promoting creationism at e.g. MIT, it'd be a huge outrage. The statement isn't very subtle and it kinda insults people's intelligence (which isn't the way to promote something). I think this is a bit useless, you don't make lifelong religious people suddenly stop believing with a billboard.

[QUOTE=Nossy;35038090]Fed up of the mindset that if you're an atheist it's your duty to tell everybody how much better you are than them, and that all of their beliefs are stupid.[/QUOTE] [IMG]http://i.imgur.com/rM4dH.jpg[/IMG]

[QUOTE=VaSTinY;35038124]You mean just like what every other religion does aswell then eh?[/QUOTE] Believe it or not, not everybody who has a religion believes or acts the same way, and not all religious people shove it down your throat. I detest any group that tries to shove their beliefs down other peoples throats, whether it be a group of religious people or a group of atheists. I don't know why we can't all just get the fuck along and let people believe what they want to believe, instead of trying to stir up shit.

[QUOTE=Number-41;35038132]If it were a religious board promoting creationism at e.g. MIT, it'd be a huge outrage... [/QUOTE] As anything promoting creationism justly should.

[QUOTE=Noble;35038143][IMG]http://i.imgur.com/rM4dH.jpg[/IMG][/QUOTE] Like I said, not every religious person believes that is right. To go and insult the beliefs of every person who follows that religion is equally as wrong as the people who designed that billboard.

Orthodox Jews, all You need to know. They are the extremist sect of Judaism.

[QUOTE=Number-41;35038132]If it were a religious board promoting creationism at e.g. MIT, it'd be a huge outrage...[/QUOTE] To be fair, creationism is fucking stupid. Atheism isn't a belief that defies all established scientific knowledge, being religious isn't either, but creationism is.

[QUOTE=Noble;35038143][IMG]http://i.imgur.com/rM4dH.jpg[/IMG][/QUOTE] True, there are obnoxious people on both sides.

[QUOTE=Number-41;35038132]If it were a religious board promoting creationism at e.g. MIT, it'd be a huge outrage... I think this is a bit useless, you don't make lifelong religious people suddenly stop believing with a billboard.[/QUOTE] Creationism is absolutely moronic and that board would more likely be met with laughter by educated people than having them take offense to it. The point of the billboards in the OP is to make the atheist community who aren't open about their (lack of) beliefs feel like they aren't alone in society, not to convert lifelong religious people.

[QUOTE=Chrille;35038194]To be fair, creationism is fucking stupid. Atheism isn't a belief that defies all established scientific knowledge, being religious isn't either, but creationism is.[/QUOTE] I was just trying to get the point across that the billboard's statement isn't very subtle, it's almost insulting every religious person's intelligence (which is not the way to promote something)

"atheists are total shitmongers who all need to get a life. Oh, and before I forget, they also need to be less insulting and judgmental."

hasidic jews are my favorite religious minority they look so fucking silly [img]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/62/Schneur_Zalman_of_Liadi.jpg[/img]

Seems fairly harmless to me. At least it doesn't call me a murderer or a criminal for not believing in a fairy tale.

[QUOTE=LCBADs;35038270]"atheists are total shitmongers who all need to get a life. Oh, and before I forget, they also need to be less insulting and judgmental."[/QUOTE] Er...who said that?

[QUOTE=Noble;35038143][IMG]http://i.imgur.com/rM4dH.jpg[/IMG][/QUOTE] Hahaha, this is why I love America.

Sorry, but you don't have a choice in your religion your religion mostly is based around HOW you grew up and WHAT you grew up doing. It's based on personal experiences and your mode of thought. To be fair though, religious extremists are way more stupid than atheist extremists. Militant atheist's are pretty stupid too though. [editline]7th March 2012[/editline] [QUOTE=Noble;35038143][IMG]http://i.imgur.com/rM4dH.jpg[/IMG][/QUOTE] so fucking stupid

[QUOTE=Chrille;35038194]To be fair, creationism is fucking stupid. Atheism isn't a belief that defies all established scientific knowledge, being religious isn't either, but creationism is.[/QUOTE] Well, I don't think creationism itself is really all that stupid - it wouldn't be entirely stupid to assume that there is a god, just that he's really stupid and flat-out malignant most of the time. I think that, largely, we simply don't know enough about the universe to be making any real assumptions on the creation of the universe. Big bang's pretty much proven science - anything outside of "99% sure" is basically fair game as far as I'm concerned.

Insulting other people's beliefs never accomplishes anything. Also, just because other people are dicks to you doesn't give you the right to be a dick to them.

I don't see the big deal. Like others have said, every single group does this. There are the annoying militant type atheists, but this doesn't really show that. These aren't nearly as insulting as others I've seen.

[QUOTE=acidcj;35038418]Insulting other people's beliefs never accomplishes anything. Also, just because other people are dicks to you doesn't give you the right to be a dick to them.[/QUOTE] It's American Atheists, the group are a bunch of dicks any way.

[QUOTE=Nossy;35038154]Believe it or not, not everybody who has a religion believes or acts the same way, and not all religious people shove it down your throat. I detest any group that tries to shove their beliefs down other peoples throats, whether it be a group of religious people or a group of atheists. I don't know why we can't all just get the fuck along and let people believe what they want to believe, instead of trying to stir up shit.[/QUOTE] I know, but there are big majorities within all groups wether religious or atheist that do it, I'm talking about them not the ones who are actually a good example for their group/religion

Im glad someone is saying this. How long has religion had a monopoly of spatting shit out like they are the truth. As soon as us atheists speak out its the end of the world. Fucking religion makes me sick. How can so many people be so fucking retarded to think they will still be alive after their dead. Keep these billboards up, it's a bout time this world realized their not some special product of a man in the sky. Atheists are dicks because their sick of having to deal with hypocritical religious assholes who flip shit that we speak out. We don't want to watch our species be this dumb, sorry if your offended, but come on. Does no one else think this should be a major priority of our species? Like come on, this has gone on long enough.

[QUOTE=VaSTinY;35038523]I know, but there are big majorities within all groups wether religious or atheist that do it, I'm talking about them not the ones who are actually a good example for their group/religion[/QUOTE] I recall somebody once did some mathematics and proved that only 5% of Islamists are composed of radicals of any sort. Maybe it was FlakAttack or Xenocidebot or someone. Just food for thought.