A frantic believer, besides himself over the sight of a cartoon showing Santa openly declaring that God does not exist, has written the following:

"Last year I reported on [the] belligerent positive affirmation of God’s non-existence [by the Madison-based Freedom from Religion Foundation], which read:

"'At this season of the Winter Solstice, may reason prevail. There are no gods, no devils, no angels, no heaven or hell. There is only our natural world.Religion is but myth and superstition that hardens hearts and enslaves minds. Now they placed ads that state, “Yes, Virginia ... There is no God.'

"Freedom From Religion Foundation’s co-founder Annie Laurie Gaylor again affirmed their 'faith'-based dogmatheism in stating, 'The main purpose is to express something that's true that doesn't get said very much--there is no god--and it shouldn't be a taboo…If people are mad about it, it's because it's true.'

"Now they placed ads that state, 'Yes, Virginia ... There is no God.'

Ooooooh. Can't have that, now, can we? :)

The offended Xmas God-pusher strenuously continues:

"Since atheists are not interested in influencing children--wink wink, nudge nudge--'Yes, Virginia ... There is no God' refers to a September 21, 1897 A.D. edition of 'The New York Sun' which included the phrase 'Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus.' Thus, the Freedom From Religion Foundation has pictured Santa Clause positively affirming God’s non-existence."

(Yes, that was the historical reference. Perhaps it was too much to assume that readers would already know that).

Divinely distraught that a cartoon has dared depict the fictitious Santa going after the fictitious God, this designer druggist for deity then posted an image of what is heralded as "the true Santa" (*sidenote: I got one of these "true Santas" in the form of a Xmas tree ornament from my former boss, a Christian believer, who gave it to me at work):

("The Freedom From Religion Foundation Again Positively Affirms God’s Non-Existence But Where is the Evidence?," under "Atheism Is Dead," 19 January 2010, at: http://atheismisdead.blogspot.com/2010/01/freedom-from-religion-foundation-again.html
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In a "Salt Lake Tribune" article on FFRF's pro-thinking billboard campaign going on in the heart of Mormondumb during the current Xmas brain-switch-off season, the following is noted about that dastardly Santa doodle:

"[FFRF co-president Annie Laurie] Gaylor said the group had wanted to post another kind of billboard around the country but was largely rebuffed from doing so, including in Utah. That billboard would have included the phrase, "Yes, Virginia ... There Is No God" along with a picture of Santa designed by Steve Benson, an Arizona Republic cartoonist and grandson of late LDS Church President Ezra Taft Benson."

("Atheist, Agnostic Group Launches Holiday-Season Billboards in Utah," by Lisa Schencker, "Salt Lake Tribune, 16 December 2011, at: http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/news/53132983-78/utah-season-billboard-foundation.html.csp
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Indeed, that particular signage of mine (which I had conceived and drawn up for FFRF at their request) has actually been vandalized, threatened with destruction elsewhere and banned from being displayed in Las Vegas, on New York City's Times Square and in other locations. (FFRF has since filled me in on the details, while wryly congratulating me for having managed to stir the thinkless into mindless action).

("Six FFRF Signs Censored in Las Vegas," by Tina Partel, KTNV Channel 13, Las Vegas, Nevada, at; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OO-m7HNMB54; and "Ho, Ho, Ho! Yes, It’s Also the Season for Religious Skeptics," in "Freethought Today," Vol. 26 No. 10, December 2009, at: http://ffrf.org/publications/freethought-today/articles/yes-its-also-the-season-for-religious-skeptics/)


For another, but more up-close, look at the image of the evil God-smacking Santa who has gotten Christian undies in such a Jesus-jumping twist (this time without the on-camera Christians complaining and threatening destruction of the signs), see:

("YES, VIRGINIA... THERE IS NO GOD," Says Atheist Billboard," by Hugh Kramer, 17 December 2010, at: http://www.atheistnexus.org/group/atheistnews/forum/topics/yes-virginia-there-is-no-god?xg_source=activity; and "FFRF Puts Up New Billboards In Denver: 'Yes, Virginia, There Is No God,"' pon "SkepticMoney," at: http://www.skepticmoney.com/ffrf-puts-up-new-billboards-in-denver-%E2%80%9Cyes-virginia-there-is-no-god-%E2%80%9D/

)


The deep-seated unease among the believing masses when openly and brazenly challenged by non-believers (combined with pressures from commerical interests vexed about possible economic boycotts being launched by thin-skinned, enraged Christians) is amazing.

In the name of protecting the world from seeing one mythological god knee-capping another mythological god in a cartoon format, free speech gives way to private property destruction and censorship.

God bless the gag order.

What a bunch of hand-wringing, whining wunder whimps for the Word. :)



Edited 32 time(s). Last edit at 12/17/2011 08:04PM by steve benson.

I thought Santa Claus was already a Christian. Wasn’t he a catholic bishop in 4th century Asia Minor? I think that means that he was baptized at the very least.

Or maybe he's Mormon now. Has St. Nicholas' temple work been done yet? Perhaps he has appeared to President Monson, red suit and all, begging for it to be done. That strategy seemed to have worked for the Founding Fathers.

The campaign is probably very appealing (and funny) to people who already consider themselves atheists. The Santa billboard is nicely subversive. I'm not sure that it would appeal to people on the fence about it.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/17/2011 09:53PM by steve benson.

Insecure atheist rabble-rousing. Who are you to tell other people -- especially other people's children -- what to believe, anyway? Do you really need the agreement of little kids to validate your beliefs?

My take is that the billboards are not aimed at religious believers *at all*. They're very targeted. They're a wink to fellow atheists.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/18/2011 12:55AM by summer.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/18/2011 04:29AM by steve benson.

Yet, why do you keep posting to my stuff, since you insist that it "doesn't matter"?

Apparently it does matter to you. You are clearly quite insecure in insisting that it doesn't--as you continually contradict yourself by proving through your heel-nipping posts here that for you it does, indeed, matter.

Why do you do that, other than you are personally unsettled by my opinions--so much so that you tag along all over this board like some kind of grumpy groupie, hiding behind your anonymity, no less?

Talk about insecurity. Why should it matter to you what I believe or don't believe?

Glad to see that you take me so damn seriously. Prove otherwise by ignoring my posts from now on. :)



Edited 9 time(s). Last edit at 12/18/2011 04:30AM by steve benson.

Perspective:

Almost two thousand years ago xstians cornered the market on telling children what to believe, and did it with murder, fear, intimidation, and indoctrination. This is a cartoon.

... ... that something they have long cherished is untrue. They almost always reply to that news by reviling its promulgator." -- H. L. Mencken

And that's all I have to say about that.

Timothy

... And I grow more proud of that affiliation every year. Dan and Laurie are wonderful on FEETHOUGHT RADIO.

You may go to thier website at FFRF.org and click on radio. You can download archived mp3 's of thier past broadcasts.

HH =)

The crummy artwork of Santa on bended knee in front of the manger was sent to me via facebook by a devoutly LDS riend today.