Christian silliness on my local CBS

[Bill McBlueState]

Some local churches have joined forces to run commercials on the local CBS affiliate during football. The commercials consist of just a series of white-on-black screens of text. They close with an invitation to visit the station's website, giving no indication of who sponsors the messages. (I had to go to the website to find out -- from the ads alone, it looks as though the station itself is proselytizing.)

Their ad this week includes text along the following lines:

"Do you believe in the sun in the middle of the night?"

"Do you believe in love when you're alone?"

"Why not believe in God?"

I almost feel bad for them. They have so little comprehension of the mindset of people who don't buy into their superstition that they think that line of reasoning might actually work on people.

I just can't believe someone thought that sun analogy was workable. Sigh.

[laconicsax]

1. Sure, why not?

Because if you believe that the sun exists even when you can't see it, then you may be gullible enough to believe in God.

Based on some of the threads I've seen in R/T, the fact that I don't believe that the sun is destroyed after it sets and recreated in the morning before it rises means that I have a belief equal to belief in God and am a hypocrite for suggesting otherwise.

[onager]

2. That approach always baffles me.

"Why not believe in God?"

Targeted at Americans, about 90% of whom claim that they do believe in God. But with that approach, you'd think they were missionaries trying to convert some remote South Pacific tribe of happy heathens.

They are literally preaching to the converted. Like that favorite proselytizer's question: "Have you heard about Jesus?"

Well, if I'm an American, I certainly have. Over and over again. And I grew up in the rural South, where I got to hear about him every week in Sunday School and then the regular church service.

I guess it's just a form of intellectual poverty. (See? I'm not only a Fundamentalist Atheist, but I'm guilty of being the other "A" word--arrogant.)

They don't know any other way to put the question. But with nearly 2,000 years of experience, you'd think they could come up with a better sales pitch.

[moggie]

4. Why advertise toilet paper?

Everyone knows about toilet paper, right? So why do toilet paper manufacturers advertise? It's not to say hey, we have this great product you've probably never heard of, but rather to get you to buy their toilet paper rather than their competitor's.

But, yeah, that "have you heard" question does seem an odd approach. I suppose the subtext is "you may think you know all about Jesus, but listen to us instead of other churches and you'll discover you never really knew about him".

[awoke_in_2003]

7. "I guess it's just a form of intellectual poverty."

That is a great way to start a flame war. Don't ask me how I know.

[moggie]

3. Such lame analogies

Do you believe in the sun in the middle of the night?

Yes, because there's plenty of evidence that it still exists when it's not visible. If the sun were to suddenly wink out of existence during the night, I'd have about 8 minutes where my belief would be wrong, but up to now it's been vindicated every morning, and that's a better track record than any honest Christian can claim.

Do you believe in love when you're alone?

Yes, as long as there's porn available. Seriously, this is a dumb question. Since love is a mental state, of course it remains accessible to you even when the object of your love isn't present. But if you're convinced that a celebrity who you've never met loves you, you've got problems. And if you're convinced that a fictional character loves you, you ought to have your own chapter in DSM-IV.

Why not believe in God?

Why not believe in Odin? You go first! What's that? You can't just "switch on" belief that easily? You need evidence? Fancy that!

[FiveGoodMen]

5. Very well said.

[ihavenobias]

6. Agreed. n/t

[charlie]

8. Yeah, because I'm not idiot enough

to be surprised by the sun's reappearance every morning, I'm ready for God. Isn't that backward? Nevermind, I'm open for believin'. Whatever you got, shoot it my way, I'll believe the feckin' daylights out of it.

These clowns always fancy themselves the keepers of mystery. Atheists are the smug bastards with all the answers. Which is of course, completely upended. There's ALL THIS and ME in the middle of it, and I have no idea how it happened. I don't even know where to begin for an answer, until a religionist shows up and says Big Daddy's here, bow down, question time is over. Then I know enough to say -- that's definitely NOT IT, you annoying moron.

[Lost-in-FL]

9. As ridiculous as this commercial

[ihavenobias]

11. I'm disappointed.

I expected you to photoshop "God-On" (possibly with a cross shaped container) but you didn't.

:)

[WillParkinson]

10. Oh my Go....oodess! I'm an atheist no more!

This like totally cured me of my disbelief.

<yawn>

[Deep13]

12. Um, I do see the sun in the daytime.

When is god visible?

[moggie]

13. Hence the George Carlin routine n/t