It’s crazy that there are — at least — hundreds of thousands of people who think like this. I love America and believe in the American experiment. But people like this are against freedom, yet think they are more “pro-American” than those of us who would gladly stand up for their right to say and think something like this.
(via Lisa)
The “American experiment”. I like that.
I sometimes think a fatal flaw of this country is that we forget how young we are as a country. Despite that fact, for some reason our egos have grown bigger than most, and important things like questioning tradition and discussing new ways of moving forward (in some respects) can be seen as unpatriotic!
I have to wonder if George Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin would count as ‘anti-american.’
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Founding_Fathers_of_the_United_States#Religion
(just to clarify I didn’t mean that Jefferson et al were atheists precisely, simply that the ‘god’ they believed in is farther from the god of christian theism than the god of islam; and many other gods they presumably do not want influencing public policy.)
Now, who is going to call the billboard company and protest this sign as an eye-sore and an offence. Like was done to the FFRF sign in California? This does work both ways, does it not?
Good grief!
‘Anti-god is Anti-American.’
In spite of the First Amendment?
‘Anti-American is Treason’
Iraq is Anti-American, so, I guess they are treasonous?
‘Traitors lead to civil war’
Don’t we just execute traitors?
Three false premises and you supply your own conclusions. What a convincing non-argument. Reading this does convince me of one thing though; it is not we atheists who are the lunatics!
I think that this polemical sign indicates that the atheist billboards, bus signs, etc. are having a positive effect. The more we call attention to our desire for freedom from religion the more obscene results like this we will get. Many people will read this sign and say, as I did, good grief, that makes no sense at all.
Not to draw an unneccessary connection, but this delightful little slogan has a very similar beat to Orwell’s; “War is Peace; Freedom is Slavery; Ignorance is Strength.”.
Interesting how a whole argument, no matter how inane or pointless, can be condensed into an easily absorbable motto.
As a Christian, I too am offended by this sign, as would many of my Christian friends. I certainly hope that it does not represent the view of a majority of Christians. Freedom is for everyone.
it does… you just have to be louder than the hateful ones so us atheists know you exist
So I guess all the Atheist Soldiers that are now and have been fighting for your rights to think this way are un-American? I just have one word for anybody that believes in a crock like this, it’s “Therapy”!!! If you buy into this, you need some help. You want to know who it is that tends to start wars/revolutions/acts of terror? Those that have a problem with people that have different beliefs then them. Those that want to force their belief system on the rest of us that have applied rationality and reason to our lives rather than an invisible man to push morality and responsibility that normal humans possess already. My life, my beliefs, how I choose to live my life is absolutely none of anyone’s business other than my own in any way shape or form. It seems that the religious amongst us seem to have a problem with the conscious thought eating away in their minds that someone (God) is always watching over their shoulder every single moment of every single day of their lives judging their every thought or every action. Wow, that’s gotta suck. I just do everything I do under the notion of how I’d feel if I was on the receiving end of the actions. I just live by the golden rule. I’m sorry that I have a clear conscious and that I have less stress and live a happier life not spending all my time looking over my shoulder for an invisible judgmental fool that makes me depressed and tells me what to do. Seems these people have a real problem with us and want to force us to the same crappy life that they lead and have a problem with our happiness. They are the ones that start revolutions and perform terrorist acts around the world. Seems to me that religion is the problem at hand, and not the lack of. How many acts of terrorism can you name in the last 50 years that aren’t based on a religious belief or faction or desire for conversion? Go ahead, try to find/name one? Religion equals terrorism, period. Signs like this prove my point. Enjoy your life of miserable damnation that I and others have fought for years to provide you the ability/freedom to have in this great country. I for one will be enjoying my comfortable, stress-free, atheist lifestyle and I know my non-judgmental beliefs make me a better person than you.
It simply betrays their own ignorance. They are very small-minded people who adopt this point of view. Jingoism is not patriotism. It sounds like they’re advocating “My country, right or wrong.” How different this country would be if the Founding Fathers had taken that attitude and not revolted against England. The irony seems to escape them.
Woah, an argument that is logically valid!
However, just because its logically valid, does not mean its logically sound.
1st line: Not all atheists are lunatics
2nd line: First Amendment, anybody?
3rd line: Apparently, things were supposed to remain as they were right after the constitution was made… can we say Slavery? Limited voting rights? Oh yes, the first amendment still applies during this period too….
4th line: Traitors: anyone who disagrees with my beliefs. That sure is American!
It’s funny how those who beat their chests and chant “USA! USA!” the most loudly are the same ones who are least interested in the freedoms that define the country.
I’ve noticed this picture making the rounds on the Internet the past few weeks. From what I understand, Rev. E.F. Briggs died in 2006, so I don’t know if the sign is still up or when it was originally put up (I would assume prior to 2006).
Snopes.com has a thread about it:
http://message.snopes.com/showthread.php?t=3755
Tried to post my comment as a photo in html, but it didn’t work. Please click on the following link:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3014/3105781098_feac7b91a0.jpg
“Anti-god is Anti-American”
Many Christians in America believe this, because they no longer worship Jesus but instead worship the United States. The evangelical church in America has become so corrupt and morally bankrupt that it no longer resembles any of the teachings of Christ. The Southern Baptists and conservative Christian fundamentalists of the Religious Right have become a misguided group who traded the Gospel of Jesus for the Gospel of American Empire; who traded Jesus’ calls to end poverty and violence for the Empire’s call to wage war and to profit from the underprivileged. They seek only to fill their pockets and gain political power.
Evangelical churches in America have become just like the Catholic church before the Reformation, and maybe even just like the religious leaders of Jesus’ era as well. It is as if the 12 disciples wore “God Bless Rome” t-shirts.
Oh, and another thought – it was Christians who led the nation into the Civil War.
Want to talk about trators? Look no further than the Southern Baptists.
Southern Christians used the Bible to support their cherished institution of slavery. In fact, the Southern Baptist Convention, the largest Protestant denomination in the U.S. with 16 million members, was founded to support white supremacy and the right to own slaves. The Southern Baptists helped form the backbone of the Confederacy.
The Southern Baptist Convention finally offered a halfhearted apology for it’s fanatical support of slavery… in 1995.
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it’s a good thing rev. e. f. briggs left his address on the message, so we can send him an “anti-american” messages in the mail… without too much difficulty i imagine that one could even figure out his phone number, and i can assure you that as much as people like rev. e. f. briggs hate getting “anti-american” mail, they hate even more getting “anti-american” phone calls…
Interesting how it begins with “Attention Lunatic Atheists & Their Lawyers!”
What a nasty attempt at tarring by association.
przxqgl: He’s dead, so far as I know…
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Wouldn’t holding a make-believe friend in the sky as your supreme authority make you a traitor to this country?
The propitious smiles of Heaven can never be expected on a nation that disregards the eternal rules of order and right which Heaven itself has ordained
Which heaven?
Civil Wars (in America) lead to new civil rights.
We don’t want that!
Amusing his PO Box was 666. I think that if anyone is “starting a civil war” it must be the fanatical religions that demand “Fear for your immortal soul! Join us or go to hell!”. Are all Christians like that? No.
That goes the opposite direction too. Our middle eastern conflict has some roots in this jihad, fanatical religions who think they (and their ancient books) know how mankind should conduct himself or die. Are all Muslims like that? No.
Are all atheists trying to destroy the religious foundation? No. But taking god out of the programming of the American people isn’t something to be ashamed of. Freedom of choice, not prior programming. Once the suggestion isn’t built in you can find people who honestly join your religion cause they want to, not because they’ve been overexposed and think it must be right cause of it’s popularity.