Read this: "MADISON, Wis. - An atheists' group and a church are taking their rivalry on the road, using ad space on Madison Transit buses to display their competing messages. The Madison-based Freedom From Religion Foundation is spending $2,100 on six signs appearing for up to two months inside 50 buses. Each sign has a quotation questioning religion or giving reasons for not believing. A quote from the late actress Butterfly McQueen, who appeared in the movie "Gone With the Wind," says, "As my ancestors are free from slavery, I am free from the slavery of religion." In response to the ads, Pilgrims Covenant Church in Monroe said this week it purchased space on the outside of 11 Metro Transit buses for an ad quoting Psalm 14, verse 1: "The fool hath said in his heart, 'There is no God.'" The church's ads cover a large part of one side of each bus. The Rev. Ralph Ovadal said the foundation has a right to air its opinion, and the church has "the privilege to respond with truth from the word of God." The church's ads cost about $5,000. Madison Metro spokesman Mick Rusch said any ad sales help the bus system."
Of course, the obvious question of "Why?" always arises when people spend time, effort and resources to combat what they believe doesn't exist. On their Web site, the Freedom From Religion Foundation members advertise themselves as "freethinkers." I honestly don't know what they mean by that. I'm assuming they believe that anyone who espouses "religion" has somehow lost the ability to think freely for themselves. If so, we must assume, then, that (according to that line of reasoning) anyone who does not line up with non-faith-based logic is considered mentally handicapped in some form or another. But...again...it appears that their freethinking is costing them money, time and effort to fight against something they don't even believe exists. Maybe I'm not thinking clearly...but I don't get it.
Now...I do admire people who have convictions and stand their ground. Obviously, these individuals believe there is no God. They must. One does not spit in the face of God in a cavalier fashion or casually blaspheme His name. This group would not believe they are doing such...since they don't believe God exists. I'm guessing their understanding is that a mammoth number of people in the world have been duped by believing in God and they are seeking to awaken those people to their belief that He does not exist. From my perspective, the Feedom From Religion Foundation seems to be on a crusade to alter reality...a power they don't possess. Yes...I know that is my belief...and it is predicated on what I believe to be God's Word, the Bible. The Bible defines reality and eternity. It contextualizes life within the framework of God's creation and His will for His creation. And...free thinking, contrary to any other assumption, is very much built into God's creation. We are not puppets. We all choose to believe, do and pursue whatever we want. And...there are rewards and consequences to our pursuits. We must remember some important truths.
- Denying or ignoring God won't cause Him to disappear.
- Attacking believers in God won't eliminate belief in God.
- Calling yourself a "freethinker" doesn't make you one or cause someone else who thinks differently to not be one.
- Regardless of what any of us believe...we will all stand before God someday. (Yes...I know. You can say that is only my opinion. Time will tell and I am certain that is true.)
The Freedom From Religion Foundation Web site quotes atheist Richard Dawkins, who said: "The God of the Old Testament is arguably the most unpleasant character in all fiction." Again...I ask...if that is true, why would Dawkins or anyone else waste their lives fighting fiction? For myself, I would rather build my life on a foundation of truth and pursue it. So...I build my life on Christ. What about you?
"The fool says in his heart, 'There is no God.'" Psalm 53:1
"For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities-his eternal power and divine nature-have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse." Romans 1:20
"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him." John 3:16, 17
AOL news reports..."Ads proclaiming, "Why believe in a god? Just be good for goodness' sake," will appear on Washington, D.C., buses starting next week and running through December. The American Humanist Association unveiled the provocative $40,000 holiday ad campaign Tuesday..."We are trying to reach our audience, and sometimes in order to reach an audience, everybody has to hear you," said Fred Edwords, spokesman for the humanist group. "Our reason for doing it during the holidays is there are an awful lot of agnostics, atheists and other types of non-theists who feel a little alone during the holidays because of its association with traditional religion." Edwords said the purpose isn't to argue that God doesn't exist or change minds about a deity, although "we are trying to plant a seed of rational thought and critical thinking and questioning in people's minds." The group defines humanism as "a progressive philosophy of life that, without theism, affirms our responsibility to lead ethical lives of value to self and humanity."
I'm not sure what to do with such a campaign. Obviously, the philosophical bent behind the ad campaign is 180 degrees from truth. Since their campaign is built on the concept of "there is no god," I have to ask the following:
1. What is goodness? Who defines it?
2. Where did the concept of goodness come from?
3. Do the person or persons who define "goodness" then become "god" by virtue of the fact that they are setting the standard?
4. If there is no god...who determines any standard? And...if it's humanity...then which standard of the multiple individuals defining "goodness" do we choose?
5. And...regardless of how goodness is defined...why should anyone be good? And...certainly we have to ask...why be good for goodness' sake? That seems to make no sense with or without a defined standard of good. If there is no god.. .there is no "higher" authority other than the opinions of people.
6. Why on earth would anyone want to live an ethical life outside of God? What would an ethical life look like outside of God?
I can't help but ask...how can this campaign or the line of reasoning taken by the American Humanist Association be considered "rational" or "progressive?"
Anytime our opinion seeks to trump God's directives...we lose. We lose sight of life; we lose a grasp on reality; we lose perspective on the essence of character. This group claims that they feel alone during Christmas because of its association with traditional religion. I genuinely grieve that they feel alone. But it's not because of Christmas, a time when the birthday of the Incarnate God is celebrated. They feel alone because they have distanced themselves from the very One who brings peace, hope and the presence of God.
How about you? What do you think of this campaign? Where do you line up? Don't let Christmas be a time when you distance yourself from the very One who came to be near you...to indwell you...to fill you...to give you peace. Jesus...the light of the world has come.
"The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world. He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God..." John 1:9-13
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