Christmas A MYTH Billboard

lizziep · 12-08-2010, 12:56 AM

i saw this the other day and was pretty offended and i'm not even christian. i feel like these people aren't really atheists, but bitter angry former christians. i think taking any religious symbol and desecrating it as they did is unacceptable. they have a right to do it, i won't argue that, but it's a bad way to get your point across and it makes the rest of us reasonable people look like a-holes.

Coondocks · 12-10-2010, 09:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EZMONEY

Some people really go out of their way to express their feelings....

Something tells me these folks need to take an anger management class

http://www.nctimes.com/lifestyles/fa...d7ea45f51.html

Im not one to get into a religious debate about whos right, whos wrong, whos this whos that. Believe what you want, its not going to change my choices or life what direction some one else takes.
That being said, I have to agree with EZMONEY, there seems to be anger issues there. Declaring war on Christmas? really? That just sounds a bit extreme.
Of course anyone, and everyone, should and is free to express their own thoughts and feelings but there is a way to do it tastefully and respectfully - I think that should be expected of anyone, not just this group, but every group.
I haven't seen the billboard in question, so I'm not going to comment if it's disrespectful - to me it was saying they'll show what a war on christmas looks like. It actually scared me a little.
What is so hard about agreeing to disagree, wishing the other party the best in life and moving on?

mandalinn82 · 12-10-2010, 12:18 PM

Quote:

Declaring war on Christmas? really? That just sounds a bit extreme.

The "War on Christmas" term was made popular in the early 2000's by conservative commentators. It was in reference to the removal of "Christmas" from the public sector, and the replacement of references to that with "holiday" (as well as other controversies over public displays of faith-related imagery that arose during that time). It seems like the billboard itself (EZ, do you have a photo?) said "Christmas is a Myth", and in an interview, one of the organizers said "If you are going to say we're declaring a war on Christmas, this is what it would look like". The term didn't originate with the people placing that sign.

EZMONEY · 12-10-2010, 04:30 PM

Amanda the photo was removed from the article a day or two after I posted....the billboard wasn't offensive to me....all I remember about it was saying Christmas was a myth....most of my thoughts were with the guy in the article.

lizziep · 12-10-2010, 06:17 PM

to me the image was what was offensive, not the statement. It show a beautiful scene- the wisemen coming to visit the baby jesus- and then it made it's comment about it being a myth and this year celebrate reason.
i personally think that image was overkill and took them over the top from people who are expressing their own faith/opinions to angry extremists. the open hostility towards the christian faith seems overboard, leading me to agree- these people are angry and likely former christians themselves. most people i know who are atheists/pagan/whatever who were not christian first do not hold such anger and hatred toward the religion.

EZMONEY · 12-10-2010, 07:03 PM

Nice point of view on the billboard LIZZIE...when I said I wasn't offended I think it is because I am used to seeing/hearing stuff like that through out my day from time to time...life.

Obviously, not everyone that calls themselves a christian is one...and even those that are don't act like it all the time...me included....none of us are perfect.

There is a big difference between disagreeing with another persons religion/lifestyle and attacking it. I don't agree with Hanukkah but I can't recall ever attacking it...in fact I participated in the observance several times in my late teens with my high school girlfriend.

lizziep · 12-11-2010, 01:41 AM

exactly, EZ, you don't need to attack it because it doesn't have anything to do with you. I don't understand why these "humanists" need to attack Christianity- but no other religious holidays around this time. It just makes them look bad.

kaplods · 12-11-2010, 06:19 AM

Can you imagine if everything people thought of as "myth" were to be "debunked" on billboards? There'd have to be a billboard every six inches.

Sorry kids, no toothfairy, no Easter bunny, Mommy and Daddy don't know everything, You can't really be anything you want to be when you grow up, Your artwork sucks, Wrestling isn't real, You're not really as cute or as smart as your parents say you are, Horton didn't really hear a Who...

Not to the mention the strings of billboards "debunking" the "debunking."

"Caffeine (or artificial sweeteners or water consumption or whatever else) is bad for you is a myth,"

"No it Isn't"

"Yes it Is."

"No it Isn't"

"Yes it Is."

"No it Isn't"

"Yes it Is."

"No it Isn't"

"Yes it Is."

EZMONEY · 12-11-2010, 07:52 AM

You're killin' me Colleen!

lizziep · 12-11-2010, 02:40 PM

bwahahah i can totally see the "your artwork sucks" billboard with a picture of some childs picture of the square house and stick people depicting their family. hahahaha.

and the "you're not as cute and smart as your parents say you are" in my mind is that picture every parent has of that time their kid got into their dirty diaper and painted the walls. actually- that might work for your artwork sucks too. hmm...

eclipse · 12-11-2010, 02:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EZMONEY

Here in southern California we don't usually see billboards on religion...but as far as sinners go....we all fall into that category

I dunno - I see plenty of Jesus is the reason for the Season, Jesus is the only reason for the season, and Jesus is the reason for every Season billboards in San Diego. My guess is that the Myth billboard was a direct response to those types - although I probably would have gone with something like "Axial Tilt is the Reason for the Season." It's funnier.

EZMONEY · 12-11-2010, 08:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eclipse

I dunno - I see plenty of Jesus is the reason for the Season, Jesus is the only reason for the season, and Jesus is the reason for every Season billboards in San Diego. My guess is that the Myth billboard was a direct response to those types - although I probably would have gone with something like "Axial Tilt is the Reason for the Season." It's funnier.

I hadn't really noticed all the Jesus billboards....I'm usually too busy checking out the ones for the casinos and which 60/70's band is playing for an outrageous ticket price...my bad

If I ever have enough $$$ my billboard may read...Jesus Is The REASON For The Axial Tilt

Rosinante · 12-12-2010, 09:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lizziep

i saw this the other day and was pretty offended and i'm not even christian. i feel like these people aren't really atheists, but bitter angry former christians. i think taking any religious symbol and desecrating it as they did is unacceptable. they have a right to do it, i won't argue that, but it's a bad way to get your point across and it makes the rest of us reasonable people look like a-holes.

I want to give you a medal or a hug or both.

I want the right, as a Christian, to be able to display religious Christmas imagery.
Because I want that right, I accept that people of other faiths and no faith have the right to display their religious imagery too, or their imagery/billboards that make clear they do not hold religious belief.

There has to be a way of displaying those imageries and views without attacking or desecrating others' imageries or views. To be just about attack is, frankly, not very grown up.

I don't know about in the States but here in England we're very hot on people's rights to be offensive about faith but non-existent about people of faith's rights not to have their faith ridiculed and, often verbally desecrated.