Very few american atheists do not celebrate during the holiday season.

As for the sign, it does not bother me for the same reason that Christian signs do not. If you rented the space, put up whatever you want. I am so sick of American citizens thinking they have the right to be offended. They don't.

I pity you if you don't see the difference.

The reason for the season is to celebrate peace and good will towards men as personified by Jesus Christ and now we have a politically motivated group (the American Atheists Organization) making a political statement designed to disrupt the peace that the season tries to promote.

FYP

Lot's of people celebrate the season.

But why would you want to disrupt the season by politicizing it.

It's a publicity study by a politically motivated organization. That's all.

About as well as the Jesus loves you sign would in a predominantly muslim country.

You missed the mark on this one Melchy.... you make me sad.

Ah, the old "others are intolerant, too" defense.

Of course it is a publicity stunt. I was objecting to your 'its not their season' because it is. It is everybody's season. They just think they have a better reason to celebrate it and want to publicize it.

I'm not going to break the peace any further arguing with you.

Christians know that lasting peace in the world only comes at Christ's second coming.

Personal peace is something you have to claim for yourself then refuse to let anyone disturb it.

Gotta say, if I was a Christian I'd definitely be shaking my fists at that. How about at Easter a billboard with Christ on the cross and the caption "You KNOW he's dead, morons!"

inflammatory billboard is inflammatory. could've made it simply a message to athiests encouraging them to have a good holiday season. not saying it's wrong of them to put up, or that "jesus is the only reason for the season" is not also inflammatory, but it is much less so.

I am not sure when you think the peace is going to break (not sure quite what you mean by that TBH) but that was not where I was headed. You were mistaken about something so I explained it, that is all. These people are not trying to anger or insult Christians (I assume that is what you mean with the peace stuff with them), they are simply expressing their position. You would not be taking this position if the sign read, "You know He's real, this season celebrate Christ.'

There probably is a sliding scale of outrage on these types of things.

• Easter skepticism is probably the most difficult for them
  
• Followed closely by Christmas skepticism
  
• Skepticism of the Jesus "miracles" is probably next in line, although very few if any Christians defended the silly 4 drachma coin in the fishes mouth story
  
• Skepticism of "Old Testament" myths is the least offensive to Christians

Or is any skepticism equally repugnant to Christians?

can't paintbrush them all. The Bible literalists would get pissed if you suggested that Noah's ark is a fable. Other Christians accept that its a metaphor.

You can be sure that no matter what, O'Reilly type figures will pretend its something more insidious and Splenda will take it as a personal attack on her.

I mostly just think it's another example of atheists being tone deaf about the way they present themselves. Sure, we don't believe the story of the immaculate conception, three wise men being led to a stable in Bethlehem by the star of David bearing precious gifts for the miracle baby, etc. But presenting it in this form on a billboard just makes us look like a**holes. See also: Atheists forming a group called "The Brights" (to distinguish themselves from The Dulls I guess, which highlights how very clever they are).

The sign was dedicated to breaking Christians' peace.

They didn't hang that sign to convince atheists.

Standard... despite the stated reasons the sign was dedicated, Splenda ignores that and uses her magical mind reading powers to tell us the real reason it was done.

She knows why they did. She's probably using that feminine logic she's bragged out that is completely different then regular logic, has different results yet works just as well.

You know, splenda, if the first line is addressing people who do know, as in, "you KNOW its a myth" - the sign is addressing people who know it is a myth-- in other words, atheists.

Finally, let's pretend for a second that we throw all reason out the window and accept that your mind reading powers are real and working. And that they nefariously put the sign up to "break the Christian's peace" (whatever the hell that means)... who cares? Are most christians (other then you, of course) so fragile that their peace is threatened by free speech? Aren't you the first to drop the drama bomb and accuse everyone of trying to silence you when they do nothing more the disagree with you?

Even if Evilsteve is correct that its not the best way for atheists to present themselves, isn't the histrionic reaction of Christians to these sorts even worse? I would think a bunch of adults would go, "I don't agree with that sign." and forget about it.

No. And again, you wouldn't be sayin this the other way around if the sign read, "You know He's real, this season celebrate Christ.'

They didn't post it to convince anybody of anything.

LOL

Reasonable since 1963

What were they before?

Scottish?

Eh. Christian privilege exists in the U.S., but atheists don't have to enforce it. If some Christians are offended by this billboard, they should stop being so thin-skinned and realize that non-Christians celebrate the Christmas holidays for different reasons than their own.

It is hard for me to argue that this is in bad taste or intentionally inflammatory when just about anything atheists put up promoting and discussing our lack of belief is likely to be taken as offensive or in bad taste. In the U.S. I often feel the only acceptable thing for an atheist to do is be quiet, always. It is not unheard of for coworkers and employers to talk about their church, religious plans for the holidays, etc. and it often becomes very often how much of a network religious organizations serve as. Even the small things can be annoying when it seems everyone is pretty much assuming you are Christian or at least some kind of theist. I feel this is especially so as a black atheist because the question I often get is not "Are you Christian?" but "What church do you go to?"

Also, if we put up a fuss about all the proselytizing signs that Christians put up. I am always seeing signs along the lines of "The Ten Commandments, I meant it", etc. and being signed "from God." Not to mention all the television commercials, sidewalk preaching, door-to-door walking, prayers at graduations, prayers at sports games, National Day of Prayer, God in the Pledge and on our money, swearing to trust in God as part of some military oaths, some places not selling alcohol certain hours on Sundays, the way we define marriage, missionaries, etc. It is a sign, no different than any other, and also:

Why isn't "Jesus is the reason" just as offensive given the history of Christmas, the history of the symbols associated with it, and the reason it is celebrated when it is? As someone above said, it is Christian privilege.

edit: I think it is important because it challenges theism is the default. Just saw the spokesperson for the group on the news, does come across as a not very cool person. One of the gnostic atheists knows there is no god, etc.

Ahhhhhh, but it is not Christians' season either (at least not originally), as they stole it from those that celebrated the solstice thousands of years before Christ.