Religious Arguing/News here---->

[HairOfTheDog]

The Creationists vs. The Atheists - they both want you!

As the holiday season approaches, the next round of billboards will be kicking off.

Billboards aren't cheap; wonder how much the religious and anti-religion organizations pay for these advertising campaigns?

........







Wonder if anyone's ever had their religious beliefs turned upside down by a billboard? Doubt it.

Bet it's a lot like political elections in the US - the majority will vote for the same party they always vote for, no matter what information is presented. The advertising investment and debates pay-off most with the undecideds.

Personally, I know a lot more people who have pulled away from religion than dived more deeply into it. A couple of jumpers too - going from one to the next (looking for the best spiritual fit, I guess). Don't know if that's representative of the population, just something that struck me when I was checking out some of the billboards.

[Duchess]

In the last 10 yrs. I've seen a lot of people pull away from it. I recall being seriously shocked when a good friend told me that she didn't believe in God. We have similar backgrounds insofar as we are both Catholic & educated by nuns. I can laugh at my reaction now but at the time I was horrified.

[Maggot]

When I think about how rare it is for all the elements and time and good luck it was for us to be on this earth with all the good things given humans on a silver platter and knowing that it is only us that have been our own worst enemy, I believe in God.

[HairOfTheDog]

In the last 10 yrs. I've seen a lot of people pull away from it. I recall being seriously shocked when a good friend told me that she didn't believe in God. We have similar backgrounds insofar as we are both Catholic & educated by nuns. I can laugh at my reaction now but at the time I was horrified.

It's interesting how efforts to recruit new members and believers have changed with technology. Lots of internet campaigns, more aggressive billboards, etc... The door-to-door missionary approach still seems alive and well, too.

Just read about this new billboard ad causing a stir in Lubbock.




JesusTattoo.org says that the controversy is not entirely unwelcome.

"We're finding that those who visit the website and watch the video come to understand the message of the campaign," Sawyer told the Post. "Certainly, like with all deeply personal relationships, not everyone approves of the image of Jesus with tattoos, but we welcome the controversy because we understand that a dialogue on the issue is the best way to spread the message."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/12...89928.html

Controversy leads to greater exposure leads to growing the flock seems to be the recruitment strategy.

[Maggot]

I dont mind the image getting changed to fit the times. Jesus Christ Superstar raised a few hairs back in the day but the young nuns accepted it and soon we were doing plays on it.


The image is just a tool the meaning and message is universal.

[HairOfTheDog]

I don't think Jesus would mind either - he seemed to be a pretty controversial figure, even back in his day.

The ones expressing offense by the image are the ones professing to be the purest of his believers.

Seems a little hypocritical. Go figure.

[Duchess]

the purest of his believers.

Those are the worst. They are the least tolerant & the most full of shit.

[crash]

I get the magical sky daddy believers putting up billboards and trying to recruit for the cause, but I don't get the athiests doing it. If you don't believe, why is it important to you that others don't too?

I'm somewhat of an atheist. I don't care if Maggot is a believer or not. It's his life.

[Duchess]

I don't care if people believe or not, it doesn't have any bearing on my opinion of them.

[sally]

I get the magical sky daddy believers putting up billboards and trying to recruit for the cause, but I don't get the athiests doing it. If you don't believe, why is it important to you that others don't too?

I don't think the athiests have an agenda. I think it's because pushing ridiculous beliefs on people annoy some atheists. They can't just put their annoyance to the side and not give a fuck since religion plays a major role in the world that doesn't always seem to have a great outcome.

[HairOfTheDog]

I get the magical sky daddy believers putting up billboards and trying to recruit for the cause, but I don't get the athiests doing it. If you don't believe, why is it important to you that others don't too?

I'm somewhat of an atheist. I don't care if Maggot is a believer or not. It's his life.

I don't care what other people believe (or don't believe) either, as individuals, living their lives as they see fit.

Then there are the organized religious groups and the organized anti-religion groups - each trying to increase their memberships and take a piece of each other's pies. Like every organization ever formed, they have agendas. IMO.

Some leaders in organized religious groups, like the Catholic League, recruit because they want to save as many souls as they can from damnation.

Some leaders from organized anti-religion groups, like the American Atheists, recruit because they want non-believers to be free to "come out" about it, without fearing governmental backlash. The American Atheists' formal agenda/mission includes protecting the civil liberties of those who would be discriminated against for expressing the opinion that religion is an irrational and irresponsible belief in the supernatural. The organization fights in court for legal protections against that perceived discrimination, particularly when it comes to ensuring separation of church and state (and schools). Big Thomas Jefferson fans.

Oh, and in terms of agenda, there's another major area of focus. The money, of course. Non profit-categorized and tax-exempted donation money. More members = more money. Business.

In fact, the American Atheists filed suit against the IRS last year. The Atheists contend that the IRS shows unfair bias towards non-profit organizations with "religious" classifications by exempting churches and such from having to disclose their financial records to the public. Secular non-profit organizations (including the American Atheists), on the other hand, are required to publicly disclose their financial records.

Here's the brief case summary for American Atheists vs. IRS:

http://www.atheists.org/legal/current/IRS

I think it's an interesting case. While I don't think the American Atheists will win the suit, I understand the rationale for filing it.

[QueenBee]

My husband was raised Southern Baptist. As an adult, he became a Christian. But still held many of his Southern Baptist intolerances when we first met 13 years ago.
A couple of weeks ago we attended the wedding of a couple I am close friends with, through my work. Near the end of the reception, which he enjoyed, Rick turned to me, and the preacher who was at our table, and said "If you had told me 13 years ago that I would be sitting here at the wedding of a gay couple, that had been officiated by a lesbian minister I would have told you that you were full of shit. " He then said, " as long as they are happy, that is important!!"

[crash]

It's funny to think, that as a five year old boy without any form of religious (or athiest) indoctrination, he probably would have thought the same thing.

[Maggot]

At 5 yrs old men & women are the same. Sex never enters the picture. At 12 yrs old though, all hell breaks loose. You can tell the orientation by then and you just gotta accept it, no matter how tough it is. Some parents see it happening and either refuse it or accept it. After that with or without consent they will do what they really want anyways. Parents only have so many years left to live by then so why screw around? Enjoy life and let them move on as adults.

[Carsman]

There are some people that say they are Atheists, and they revolt against any religion. They actually argue with religious people telling them how foolish religion is.
However, sometimes I've seen those same Atheists find themselves looking for God when they are having a life threatening or life altering situation. Funny That!

[Maggot]

They all find God in a foxhole.

[sally]

There are some people that say they are Atheists, and they revolt against any religion. They actually argue with religious people telling them how foolish religion is.
However, sometimes I've seen those same Atheists find themselves looking for God when they are having a life threatening or life altering situation. Funny That!

Of course, Atheists are human too. It's human nature to grasp on to false comfort in times of despair and grief no matter how intellectually dishonest you're being with yourself, we're that self absorbed that we cling on to hope that God will answer our prayers while ignoring trillions of others. What you once believed is absurd becomes hope out of nothing but fear and desperation. It's human nature and why religion exists.

[aussiefriend]

Once you have had your own personal spiritual experience, you get it, it's like, woah it's real. I think some atheists are afraid.

[HairOfTheDog]

There are some people that say they are Atheists, and they revolt against any religion. They actually argue with religious people telling them how foolish religion is.
However, sometimes I've seen those same Atheists find themselves looking for God when they are having a life threatening or life altering situation. Funny That!

Of course, Atheists are human too. It's human nature to grasp on to false comfort in times of despair and grief no matter how intellectually dishonest you're being with yourself. What you believe is absurd becomes hope out of nothing but fear and desperation. It's human nature and why religion exists.

I think there's a lot of truth in that.

Lots of true stories about humans who didn't believe in religion and then found God in a foxhole, or a prison cell, or an emergency room. Those are the same places that some devoted believers lose their faith too, depending on the outcome.

And, lots of true stories about ultra religious humans who preach to anybody who'll listen about how others should follow their examples; living God-fearing lives and avoiding sinful temptations (until those doing the preaching get bored or greedy or desperate enough to get busted buying hookers, or coke, or adulterating or whatever).

[crash]

Of course, Atheists are human too. It's human nature to grasp on to false comfort in times of despair and grief no matter how intellectually dishonest you're being with yourself, we're that self absorbed that we cling on to hope that God will answer our prayers while ignoring trillions of others. What you once believed is absurd becomes hope out of nothing but fear and desperation. It's human nature and why religion exists.

I think it's a fundamental human need to have some kind of faith. Some people find it in religion, some just in life itself, others in a person, people or family, others in a bottle or a pill and some find it jumping into different peoples beds every night.

It's the people that have no faith in anything that are truly lost, I guess.