Loading ...
Controversial Ad (American Humanist Association)
By ERIC GORSKI
AP Religion Writer
You better watch out. There is a new combatant in the Christmas wars.
Ads proclaiming, “Why believe in a god? Just be good for goodness’ sake,” will appear on Washington, D.C., buses starting next week and running through December. The American Humanist Association unveiled the provocative $40,000 holiday ad campaign Tuesday.
In lifting lyrics from “Santa Claus is Coming to Town,” the Washington-based group is wading into what has become a perennial debate over commercialism, religion in the public square and the meaning of Christmas.
“We are trying to reach our audience, and sometimes in order to reach an audience, everybody has to hear you,” said Fred Edwords, spokesman for the humanist group. “Our reason for doing it during the holidays is there are an awful lot of agnostics, atheists and other types of non-theists who feel a little alone during the holidays because of its association with traditional religion.”
To that end, the ads and posters will include a link to a Web site that will seek to connect and organize like-minded thinkers in the D.C. area, Edwords said.
Edwords said the purpose isn’t to argue that God doesn’t exist or change minds about a deity, although “we are trying to plant a seed of rational thought and critical thinking and questioning in people’s minds.”
The group defines humanism as “a progressive philosophy of life that, without theism, affirms our responsibility to lead ethical lives of value to self and humanity.”
4 responses so far ↓
1 Tess // Nov 12, 2008 at 7:53 pm
As a humanist I applaud the effort to cut the bs associated with ‘christmas’. Having it shoved down our throats all these years have caused me to pretty much despise this time of year. But our family now gets together for a great dinner, music, fun and laughs, leaving the gift-buying for birthdays throughout the year. The feeling of peace is amazing; I look out my window and watch the long line of cars snaking their way to the mall, driving around for 20 minutes to park, etc..I’m just so glad I’m not one of the lemmings anymore…
2 Lee // Nov 13, 2008 at 11:19 am
Interesting comment and ad campaign … but i submit to the humanists out there … why would you/should you feel left out? If you do not believe in God and Jesus as his son and savior … don’t celebrate Christmas - it is after all dedicated as the celebration of our saviors birth!!
3 valerie austin // Nov 15, 2008 at 10:51 am
WHAT DOES OBAMA HAVE TO DO WITH CHRISTMAS. LETS KEEP EVERYTHING IN PERSPECTIVE, PLEASE… JESUS IS THE REASON. NOT COMMERCIALS OR GETTING IN DEBT.
4 valerie // Nov 17, 2008 at 9:58 pm
People, lets be ingelligent here. One, who is the president of the humanist movement, certainley not one of the Black persuasion. Two, what really does santa claus have to do with Christmas. Nobody is asking you to worship an ad. That is totally ridiculous. Anybody can be good and anybody can be ignorant, that in fact has no color. Rise above low life living and come into the sunshine. Why so much hate,why so much anger. Examine yourself.
Leave a Comment