Sam Simon spent his fortune on atheist billboards

[cbayer]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/the-simpsons/11461284/Sam-Simons-atheist-billboards.html

Alongside his television success and animal charity work, Simpsons co-creator Sam Simon was also a passionate advocate for atheism


Sam Simon, co-creator of "The Simpsons," at his home in Pacific Palisades, California Photo: AP

By Rebecca Hawkes
1:51PM GMT 10 Mar 2015

Sam Simon, who died on Sunday after a long battle with colon cancer, was known for his compassion for animals, his philanphropy, and for being the co-creator of one of the most popular animated televisions shows of all time, The Simpsons.

But, alongside his television success and charity work, Simon was also a passionate advocate for atheism, and a life member of the atheism action group American Atheists.

Using the "tens of millions" he made each year from The Simpsons, he helped fund the group's regular "atheist billboards" campaigns, in which prominent signs urging people to dare to question their beliefs and ditch religion pop up in cities across the US.

The boards – which offer an alternative to the aggressive religious "marketing" often seen in the US – famously included a sign reading: "You KNOW it's a Myth... This Season Celebrate REASON", which appeared in New York in Christmas 2010. (For the record: the board in question featured an image of the nativity, not an image of Father Christmas).

more at link, including images of billboards

[AtheistCrusader]

1. Oh no! One of those evangelical atheists you're always warning us about.

[trotsky]

2. Exactly the same as religious fanatics!

EXACTLY THE SAME.

[hrmjustin]

3. I don't care for when I see religious billboards and I didn't care for his.billboards.

But he certainly had the right and sometimes pissing people off is a good thing.

[cbayer]

4. I like some of his billboards.

The ones that basically sent the message that "you are not alone", I think are very positive. The ones that ridicule believers, not so much.

Anyway, it's interesting to note where all that money came from. Wonder if they will find will find another underwriter.

[hrmjustin]

5. I am sure they will get someone to underwrite it.