Atheists are, apparently by their mere existence, offensive to many.

[cynatnite]

Earlier this week, the Des Moines bus system abruptly removed ads from their vehicles that had been purchased by an atheist group. The bus system had received numerous calls and complaints, and apparently some people actually refused to ride busses that had the ad. The Governor of Iowa, when asked, said that he "was disturbed personally" by the ads.

snip:
The ads said, "Don't believe in God? You are not alone." They also had the website address for the group that purchased the ads. And nothing else.

That message - the simple message that there is, in fact, more than one person on the planet who does not believe in God - was so offensive that it "disturbed" the Governor of Iowa. It was so offensive that people didn't want to get on busses that carried the message. Apparently, it's so offensive that there needs to be some sort of "balance" between free speech and the messages being sent.

The bus system has apparently offered to work with the group to come up with a new ad that will be less offensive, but I'm having a really hard time believing that's a sincere offer - in large part because I'm having a hard time finding anything offensive about the first one.

And people wonder why there are angry atheists around.

Oh, and Des Moines residents? If you find that ad to be too offensive to allow you to get on a bus that bears it, I've got a suggestion for you: walk.

http://scienceblogs.com/authority/2009/08/atheists_are_apparently_by_the.php

[phantom power]

1. Our existence is an implicit threat.

For people who have organized their entire world-view, and their entire lifestyle, around god, the existence of atheists is understandably quite threatening. "Your entire life might have been based on a lie."

It's also a threat to the power structure comprised by organized religions. If you're the Pope, or Sun yung Moon, or Jerry Falwell, an active atheist movement is a direct threat to your political power and your economic gravy train.

[laconicsax]

5. I say explicit threat.

Our 2% is going to round up their 75% and throw them in reeducation camps where we'll torture the god out of them. Nothing implicit about the atheist agenda.

[immoderate]

2. There is fear there.

We are unencumbered. It bothers them. They hate us for our freedom.

--imm

[WhollyHeretic]

3. Why can't you angry athiests leave those poor christians alone?

Do you have to berate them at every turn?

[laconicsax]

4. That ad was just so shrill!

Accompanying thread in R/T
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=214x215399

So far no claims of shrill, militant, fundamentalist atheists mocking religious people...yet.

on edit: fundamentalist ends in "ist," not "its."

[stopbush]

6. Glad to be of offense

if who I'm offending are people stupid enough to believe so deeply in fantasy that they try to impose it on everybody else.

[ZombieHorde]

7. Yes, we are very offensive to many people. nt

[Manifestor_of_Light]

8. The Christmas sign in our local downtown says

JESUS IS THE REASON FOR THE SEASON in lights.

However, next Christmas i will make a sign on my property that says the following:

AXIAL TILT IS THE REASON FOR THE SEASON


:rofl:

[Goblinmonger]

9. Make that available on Zazzle

and I'll buy one.

[frogmarch]

12. Brilliant!

:applause: Love it!

[Manifestor_of_Light]

10. Ya can't criticize xtianity at all....

I was on a yahoogroups list on another subject (psychological stuff) and I stated that the morals of the superstitious illiterate goatherders, the ancient Hebrews, were mostly not good principles to follow. Ferinstance, sacrificing animals.

From this the idiots extrapolated that I was a Nazi and I hated Jews. :wtf:


They also said that Jews were a race. I corrected them and said Judaism is a religion.

They were really reaching on that one. They don't know that Michelle Obama's uncle is a rabbi, either.


:wtf: :banghead:

[TZ]

15. Jews can be considered a race.

Definitely. There are definite diseases associated with Jews..For a good illustration of this I suggest googling Askhenazi Jews. Really- Judaism is considered both a religion and a heritage/ethnicity...

[Manifestor_of_Light]

16. Yes, but ...

when anyone can convert and be accepted that is not genetically related to an Ashkenazi/Sephardic Jew, then it is no longer solely a race.

Michelle Obama's uncle Capers Funnye is a rabbi.

[frogmarch]

11. I love that about us.

We can get under people's skins without expending much effort. Knowing that is truly empowering. :-)

[trotsky]

13. Hell, you see that on DU all the time.

To a significant number of DU Christians, merely stating that you don't believe in god is MILITANT FUNDIE ATHEIST PROSELYTIZING.

[Deep13]

14. I even offend myself!

Damn me for denying god!