Man Created God

[Vice]

So Im walking in Downtown Chicago and a Bus passes by and I notice a very Strange Advertisment on the side of the Bus.

"In the Beginning Man Created God"



So I looked into this and heres what i came up with.

Atheists roll out ad campaign
"In the Beginning, Man Created God."

This provocative twist on the Bible’s opening line was plastered on the side of 25 Chicago buses this week as part of an advertising crusade by the Indiana Atheist Bus Campaign.

The ads have been cruising between downtown and the city’s North and South sides, including the No. 56 Milwaukee route, since the beginning of the week and will run through June.

"The intent of the campaign is to stimulate discussion of religion and its place in our society," said Charlie Sitzes, a spokesman for the Indiana group who with help from the American Humanist Association has collected more than $10,000 in private donations to buy the ad space in Indiana and Illinois.

The group brought its message to Chicago after a similar campaign in Indiana – to post the slogan "You can be good without God" – was rejected by transit authorities in Bloomington and stalled by officials in South Bend, who didn’t want the ads posted in time for President Barack Obama’s speech at Notre Dame.

Indiana's chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union has sued the Bloomington Public Transportation Corporation on the atheist group's behalf. Bloomington Mayor Mark Kruzan has denounced his own transit system, saying he does not condone government censorship.

"It would appear that where there is more opposition to the message that maybe that would be the place where we needed dialogue more," Sitzes said, maintaining that the slogan is a simple fact.

"All non-believers believe God is a creation of man," he said. "We used to have thousands of gods. Now we’re down to one. We’re getting closer to the true number."

Among the guidelines for determining if an advertisement can run on the CTA is a requirement that the ad be truthful and is "not directed at inciting imminent lawless action."

Last year, eight religious organizations advertised on the city’s mass transit including Muslims, Roman Catholics, Christian Scientists and Seventh Day Adventists. Trinity Christian College is the only religious organization currently advertising on CTA.

Sitzes regrets that the ad campaign– inspired by similar signs in Europe– has encountered so much opposition in his home state. British ads sarcastically consoled passengers with the message: "There’s probably no God. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life."

Last November, the American Humanist Association plastered buses in the nation’s capital with pictures of a man in a Santa suit asking: "Why believe in a god? Just be good for goodness’ sake."

"[Chicago’s] slogan makes the point that religion is a social, man-made creation – like literature, art, politics, and science – and as such, it should be subject to debate like everything else," Sitzes said. He said the perspective of atheists, agnostics and secular humanists are often ignored in the public square

"Atheists, agnostics and secular humanists have a unique perspective on the topic that usually gets ignored in public discussion, and we’d like to make ourselves heard," he said. "The ads aren’t an attack on religious people but an affirmation of a different point of view."

What do you think? Conversation starter or attack ad?

[Massive Attack]

These kinds of atheists are just as bad as what they oppose.

[Leonard]

"The intent of the campaign is to stimulate discussion of religion and its place in our society"

Eh, I don't think so.

This provocative twist on the Bible’s opening line was plastered on the side of 25 Chicago buses this week as part of an advertising crusade by the Indiana Atheist Bus Campaign.

Originally Posted by Massive Attack

These kinds of atheists are just as bad as what they oppose.

Exactly.

"Advertising crusade"? Oh boy.

[Bangkok Superpussy]

Originally Posted by Massive Attack

These kinds of atheists are just as bad as what they oppose.

How so? The fact that this campaign is facing so much opposition says a lot about how Atheists are socially received, and I don't think that my people are any less entitled to appear in the debate than any other belief system. It's most definitely not an attack ad, but I can't say I'd mind if it was. I don't think kindness is an effective way to be recognized.

The funny thing is that I almost feel like this slogan was stolen from me. I've been using the expression "Man made God in his image" for years.

[Zion]

Originally Posted by Sam

I've been using the expression "Man made God in his image" for years.

And that is something i have always admired (the slogan i mean). Many people of our
past have created gods, and all share a common likeness. They all have features to that
of man.

[Alaude Drenxta]

I think, even if it doesn't work, it proves a point.

The concept of religion is widely accepted. They said it must be "the truth" and yet there are, listed, more than 4 different religions that each advertised there. Obviously, at least three are not the the truth, if not four. However, a non-religious person does not have the same right to publicly express their beliefs, because the only apparent way of doing so is to directly refute some one else's religion.

[Azrael]

I have no problem with athiests as long as they don't begin condemning religion because that's just gives the fundamentalists reason to push any moderates into their camps.

Athiesm and Theism should co-exist peacefully.

[Massive Attack]

There are other ways of getting people to talk about "religion and its place in society". It just seems a little ambiguous; sure, it's raising awareness, but to me it seems a bit pushy. The people who gave quotes on this didn't help their case. Yeah, I'm an atheist, but I don't feel the need to convert people; they can be what they want as long as it isn't interfering with anyone.

[Bangkok Superpussy]

Originally Posted by Sa'id

I have no problem with athiests as long as they don't begin condemning religion because that's just gives the fundamentalists reason to push any moderates into their camps.

Athiesm and Theism should co-exist peacefully.

I disagree on both points.

People who are only moderately religious are more and more switching to the Atheist/Agnostic/Deistic side. I should probably link to some sort of a study to validate that claim, but do I really need to? Just a few weeks ago the local news ran a story about how people are denouncing their faiths in record numbers, and I live in the dead center of the Bible Belt. The point is that the gap between theism and atheism is widening, and Atheism will win, make no mistake about that. But does that mean that atheists and theists should not be able to co-exist peacefully? Absolutely not. Some of my best friends are religious. That doesn't mean that this isn't an issue we ought to debate. For what seems like forever, religion has been an untouchable subject -- whenever somebody says "faith" we're all expected to back off and stow all criticism. And I think that's bullshit.

Originally Posted by Massive Attack

There are other ways of getting people to talk about "religion and its place in society". It just seems a little ambiguous; sure, it's raising awareness, but to me it seems a bit pushy. The people who gave quotes on this didn't help their case. Yeah, I'm an atheist, but I don't feel the need to convert people; they can be what they want as long as it isn't interfering with anyone.

A bit pushy? Galen, the Atheist community tried the subtle approach before you and I were even born and it did not work at all.

The way I see it, it isn't about converting people, it is about teaching them how to think critically and rationally. Atheists who don't realize that removing a person's belief in God without replacing it with the ability to reason logically are naive idiots, and I'm not willing to make a call on whether or not the people sponsoring this campaign fall into that category.

[Azrael]

Originally Posted by Sam

I disagree on both points.

People who are only moderately religious are more and more switching to the Atheist/Agnostic/Deistic side. I should probably link to some sort of a study to validate that claim, but do I really need to? Just a few weeks ago the local news ran a story about how people are denouncing their faiths in record numbers, and I live in the dead center of the Bible Belt. The point is that the gap between theism and atheism is widening, and Atheism will win, make no mistake about that. But does that mean that atheists and theists should not be able to co-exist peacefully? Absolutely not. Some of my best friends are religious. That doesn't mean that this isn't an issue we ought to debate. For what seems like forever, religion has been an untouchable subject -- whenever somebody says "faith" we're all expected to back off and stow all criticism. And I think that's bullshit.

Some people are likely to be felt offended by although I'm not religious but I take to consideration any potential backlash.

By the way, this is happening in the Bible South especially? You must be lying.

[WilliamTheWise]

Man, that sign is colorful.
Plus look at how the people in the pic aren't even play attention to the sign. lol

Originally Posted by Sam

How so? The fact that this campaign is facing so much opposition says a lot about how Atheists are socially received

It does
Now lets see how local Religous leaders respond.

[Bangkok Superpussy]

Originally Posted by Sa'id

By the way, this is happening in the Bible South especially? You must be lying.

I wouldn't say especially, but I guess the Atheist population in Oklahoma has dramatically grown in the last couple of years (provided that it's still tiny, but it shows you where the moderates are ending up).

[Azrael]

Originally Posted by Sam

I wouldn't say especially, but I guess the Atheist population in Oklahoma has dramatically grown in the last couple of years (provided that it's still tiny, but it shows you where the moderates are ending up).

Nothing wrong with that although you must be aware that it is the Deep South mainly that is the most difficult to get the message across.

[Bangkok Superpussy]

Geographically Oklahoma may not be part of the deep south, but I'll be damned if it isn't as Christy as anywhere else I've been...

[Massive Attack]

I forgot to keep in mind that this is in America. So yeah, I guess I agree with you now. My friend from over there just told me her mother didn't know what an atheist was until a couple of months ago, which just made me realise that people aren't as well educated about these sorts of things. People over here aren't too religious anyway, so it would come off as a little disrespectful if anything.