Culture

Humanists Launch Godless Holiday Campaign

by talentedchimp | November 11, 2008 at 08:56 pm

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"Why believe in a god? Just be good for goodness' sake," proclaims a new holiday ad from the American Humanist Association. Already appearing today in the New York Times and Washington Post, the message will soon be blazoned on the sides, taillights, and interiors of over 200 Washington DC Metro buses.

It's the first ad campaign of its kind in the United States, and the American Humanist Association predicts it will raise public awareness of humanism as well as controversy over humanist ideas.

"Humanists have always understood that you don't need a god to be good," said Roy Speckhardt, executive director of the American Humanist Association. "So that's the point we're making with this advertising campaign. Morality doesn't come from religion. It's a set of values embraced by individuals and society based on empathy, fairness, and experience."

This is a brave move in a country that seems to be gripped (according to the media) in a tide of resurgent Christianity and evangelism, where expressing doubts about one's belief in, or the existence of, god is akin to declaring yourself anti-American.

They must've seen the Atheist Bus campaign in the UK. We need more of this type of advertising to bring Humanism and Atheism out from under the umbrella of "heresy".

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Uwe Paschen

at 04:43 on November 12th, 2008

Interesting Idea and it was tried in a way before in the the late 60th and 70th. Maybe this time around it will make a greater impact, I do however doubt that since we are in a recession people tent to look for a God and father to save them, yet once they are well again they some how forget they previous plea and cry for salvation. Yes we should most definably be good and decent with or with out God or Religion of any kind.

Now those that mix God and religion with politics and or Patriotism did some how miss the point totally of the prophets teachings, may those be Christ, or Mohammed or Buddha ...