Atheists turn to billboard sites

[Rabi'ya]

Atheists turn to billboard sites

The group behind a controversial atheist bus-poster campaign is urging parents not to label their children with their own religious faith.
The British Humanist Association (BHA) has launched a series of billboard advertisements carrying its message.
The posters are part of a campaign to challenge state-funded faith schools.
Professor Richard Dawkins, who has part-funded the campaign for capital cities, says labelling children as "religious" is a form of brainwashing.
The posters have gone up in London, Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast.
They show one or two young children surrounded by religious labels, such as Catholic, Muslim and Hindu, mixed with secular descriptions including Marxist and anarchist.
The advert's slogan says: "Please don't label me. Let me grow up and choose for myself."
'Freedom'
Campaign supporters hope the posters will discourage people from assuming that children share their parents' beliefs.
Last January a £140,000 advertising campaign was launched by the BHA on buses and the London Underground with the message: "There's probably no God. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life."
Ariane Sherine, who had the idea for the bus and Tube campaign, said: "One of the issues raised again and again by donors to the campaign was the issue of children having the freedom to grow up and decide for themselves what they believe.
"I hope this poster campaign will encourage the government, media and public to see children as individuals, free to make their own choices, and accord them the liberty and respect they deserve."
The BHA said the billboards were going up to coincide with Universal Children's Day on Friday.

Source

[Insaanah]

:sl:

Thanks for sharing sis, I didn't know about that!

Well in that case, perhaps children shouldn't be taught good manners either, and they should be left to decide for themselves what constiutes being a good citizen? In fact why teach them anything? It'd be interesting to see how that would work out for society....

Thanks for sharing sis.

[جوري]

http://www.islamicboard.com/health-s...ic-claims.html

someone should keep 'humanists' abreast the latest trends.. they always seem to be the last to know..
aren't they in fact forcing them to choose by such a billboard?..

dawkin' is such a joke.. I hope his campaigns run him bankrupt, he seems to have flipped his lid so late in his twilight years...

[JaffaCäke]

someone should keep 'humanists' abreast the latest trends..

Didn't you say that God belief and religion are separate?

The fellow is simply inept at distinguishing 'proof of God' from why Christianity and not Jainism, that is a complete other category..

Why the turn-around here?

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[جوري]

Didn't you say that God belief and religion are separate?Why the turn-around here?

The billboard is brought to you courtesy of atheists-- can you not read?

all the best

[JaffaCäke]

And all they're asking is for parents to let their child choose its own religion (or whether they will be religious or not). What does innate God belief (as in the article) have to do with that?

[جوري]

And all they're asking is for parents to let their child choose its own religion (or whether they will be religious or not). What does innate God belief (as in the article) have to do with that?

actually given that it is brought by atheists, the message is to let them grow up atheists. Since when did Dawkins care for any religion?

The article simply enforces that atheism (a cult all its own) isn't the natural state of being for children and pushing non-belief is as bad as pushing any brand of belief, was that too difficult for you?

[ardianto]

JaffaCake,

All believers are under obligation to teach religion to their children.

[Humbler_359]

Why are these Athiests afraid of God that will be in Day of Judgement?

No God, probably YEP....... you are still breathing, hearing, vision, and alive today because you are taking care from God til the time is running out when HE will call you.

[glo]

Actually, I don't see this campaign as pro-atheism at all.

It is saying that nobody should force their religious views and beliefs onto their children, but allow their children to make their own choices - that includes atheists not indoctrinating their children that there is no God.

[JaffaCäke]

actually given that it is brought by atheists, the message is to let them grow up atheists.

How do you reconcile that with the words that are actually written on the billboard?

[جوري]

How do you reconcile that with the words that are actually written on the billboard?

Which part needs reconciliation, the richard.net or atheistcampagin.org? you didn't learn anything from your time out it seems?

all the best

[GuestFellow]

Professor Richard Dawkins, who has part-funded the campaign for capital cities, says labelling children as "religious" is a form of brainwashing.

^ I think Dorkins is the one who is brainwashed. o_o

[tango92]

oh yeah lets let the kids decide wether they think they should be allowed to steal and lie aswell - why brainwash them into thinking these are "bad" things,

sob sob, the opression of the children of the world.

frankly i think theyve stabbed themselves in the foot with this one, every parent who sees it will have a stronger resolve to teach their kids religion

[JaffaCäke]

The "Choose for myself" part, clearly. There is no direction to accept atheism, and the person reading the board is not the one who will be left to choose. Their children will be the ones choosing, and they would not have read the list of funders.

[GuestFellow]

I don't think this is promoting Atheism but kids are too young to decide what choices to make so they need some guidance. Religion provides them structure and encourages them to be good citizens.

[JaffaCäke]

kids are too young to decide what choices to make.

Exactly why this billboard exists.

Religion provides them structure and encourages them to be good citizens.

If you can't instill reasonable values in your children without religion then you're a pretty poor parent.
What's to stop you instilling values like kindness and honesty outside a religious context?

[IbnAbdulHakim]

lol

let them do what they please


Allah will guide whom he wills

[GuestFellow]

What's to stop you instilling values like kindness and honesty outside a religious context?

What do you mean by reasonable values? Yes honesty and kindness are quite basic morals. But things like drinking alcohol and dating are normal in some households in the UK and children grow up to think it is acceptable when it is not.

Besides societies in Britain are messed up. High teenage pregnancy rates, high crime rate, rise in promiscuity and many dysfunctional families. So yeah Secularism is excellent for society.

Parents can raise their children how they please. As long as they are not physically or mentally harming their children, then I don't need to step in and do the parents job to raise their children.

[KAding]

This doesn't mean that children need to get an atheist upbringing, but rather an agnostic one. One should choose ones religion like one chooses ones political convictions or profession, namely when one reaches adulthood.

A nice ideal. But not quite realistic I think.

[JaffaCäke]

What do you mean by reasonable values?

Whatever basic values would allow them to function in society, and within the law.

Besides societies in Britain are messed up. High teenage pregnancy rates, high crime rate, rise in promiscuity and many dysfunctional families. So yeah Secularism is excellent for society.

I remember reading a study that linked increase teen pregnancy with a more religious population. This was in the US however. [Haven't looked at the actual data but this seems interesting].

Central and South America and most of Africa rank near the top of crime statistics, mostly very religious areas.
[Other stuff]

If you have some real data to back up your claims I'd love to see them (honestly).

[Maryan0]

There are athiest billboards on the public transportation in my city with slogans like "there probably is no god so do what you want". I find it interesting that a group that professes to hate organized religion resorts to tactics used by organized religion to spread their message. The fact that atheists are now even considered a group seems contradictory in itself.

[جوري]

The "Choose for myself" part, clearly. There is no direction to accept atheism, and the person reading the board is not the one who will be left to choose. Their children will be the ones choosing, and they would not have read the list of funders.

Really, I am sure you'd feel the same then, if the billboard stated the same but was founded by the Mormons or Zoroastrian.org

all the best

[JaffaCäke]

Really, I am sure you'd feel the same then, if the billboard stated the same but was founded by the Mormons or Zoroastrian.org

Yes, though of course I'd be very surprised if any organised religion did that.

[جوري]

Yes, though of course I'd be very surprised if any organised religion did that.

but not surprised that the cult of atheism sponsored it just the same?

all the best and until you make a new account (have a nice life) :skeleton:

[JaffäCake]

I'm not surprised no, it's their assumption that people thinking for themselves will lead to atheism, or some other state or non-religion. You could assume that of the organised religions too but I think they would fear 'evil' influences too much to want to leave it chance.

[GuestFellow]

Whatever basic values would allow them to function in society, and within the law.

Well what is reasonable values within the law?

I remember reading a study that linked increase teen pregnancy with a more religious population. This was in the US however. [Haven't looked at the actual data but this seems interesting].

Central and South America and most of Africa rank near the top of crime statistics, mostly very religious areas.
[Other stuff]

Right and America is extremely religious and adopt the full Christianity faith. Second link is not working.

If you have some real data to back up your claims I'd love to see them (honestly).

Secularism has no guidance on how to live your life. Recently on BBC Panorama reported Social Workers on a daily basis receives calls on how children are being mistreated. No guidance at all to the extent where parents cannot offer proper care to their own children.

I think it was called Social workers: A frontline view.

[_tariq_]

Well what is reasonable values within the law?

If it's within the law, it's reasonable, generally speaking. Values do change over time though, so that might not always be the case.

Right and America is extremely religious and adopt the full Christianity faith. Second link is not working.

Weird, works for me.

Secularism has no guidance on how to live your life.

Try common sense and the law of the land.

Recently on BBC Panorama reported Social Workers on a daily basis receives calls on how children are being mistreated. No guidance at all to the extent where parents cannot offer proper care to their own children.

I think it was called Social workers: A frontline view.

Try looking for some articles about the sexual abuse of children in religious nations where sexes are separated.

[جوري]

I'm not surprised no, it's their assumption that people thinking for themselves will lead to atheism, or some other state or non-religion. You could assume that of the organised religions too but I think they would fear 'evil' influences too much to want to leave it chance.

I don't think atheists think for themselves at all.. perhaps a couple who are exceptionally loud as they too need to reinforce their beliefs in front of an audience, the rest just jump on that bandwagon because it is trendy and they'd hate to be left 'behind' to Archaic trends. I haven't encountered one atheist that can defend his beliefs with any dexterity without resorting to ad homs and ad hocs. It is a belief like any other, only starting two steps behind everyone else and spiced with attitude to make up for the short comings..

all the best

[Humbler_359]

There is billboard in Toronto,

:cry:

[جوري]

making an Arabic name now you the right idea, you should also change your way of life to Muslim and go under for a while, then go with the flow, and then start your attack, it might give you some leverage then longevity and convince the members that you are just a sad apostate... take lessons from 'Faysal'-- there is a way to survive, didn't evolution teach you anything?

all the best

[valerie26]

I don't think atheists think for themselves at all..

I think that might be a mistake :)

the rest just jump on that bandwagon because it is trendy and they'd hate to be left 'behind' to Archaic trends.

I think that might be a mistake too.

I haven't encountered one atheist that can defend his beliefs with any dexterity without resorting to ad homs and ad hocs.

I could say the same about theists

It is a belief like any other

Wrong, see here


I don't want to pretend to be a muslim, I just need sufficient time to post before getting banned :) I suppose I might be better saving up my replies and posting in bulk.

[Uthman]

Why don't I just close this thread for now, eh?