By Donald
B. Ardell – August 29, 2010
The Freedom from Religion Foundation (FFRF) sponsors
billboards around the country promoting freethought points of view. Such ideas
as shown on the billboards are, of course, very much at odds with prevailing
Christian orthodoxy. For one thing, the long-standing deference to religion in
this country has led most of the faithful to the erroneous assumption that
skepticism about their cherished superstitions are not widely held; for
another, believers erroneously assume that freethinkers shy about challenging
norms and policies that favor Christianity. The billboard messages should put
such erroneous assumptions to rest. They include phrases such as:
* In reason we trust.
* Imagine no religion.
* God and government: a dangerous mix.
* Sleep in on Sunday
Personally, I'm not too fond of the last one, unless the
only alternative to sleeping in was to get up and go to church. In that case,
I'd favor sleeping in. But, that's not the case. Except that it would take too
much space, I think the billboard should suggest getting up - and going for a
run, a walk or a cup of coffee. Why waste precious time in a house of
superstition, worshiping an imaginary friend, seeking favors when it's clear "nothing
fails like prayer" (another of the FFRF billboard messages)?
I will append a few of the billboards throughout this
article for your entertainment. This one is a moving billboard, on a bus
in Chicago.
My wish for the billboard campaign is that it leads us to be
more like the British! No, I do not favor support for royalty - that tradition
is almost as foolish as religion. But, it would be nice if our people could
liberate themselves from religion, as the Brits are doing.
Did you know:
* 63 percent of Brits are non-believers?
* 82 percent view religion as a cause of harmful division?
* Only 6 percent of the people attend church services?
Religion is weaker in Britain because people there are tired
of the policies it promotes - including:
* Discrimination against women and gays
* Opposition to scientific applications (e.g., unrestricted
stem cell research)
* Obstruction of science education (e.g., the teaching of
evolution)
* Support for laws that inhibit sexual and other expressions
(e.g., birth control education, reproductive services) and
* Entitlements that allow religion to prosper at the expense
of taxpayers.
Religions make claims that are largely insulated from
analysis or criticism, assertions that are often preposterous and always
devoid of evidence. The Brits don't put up with that to the extend that
they used to, and we should not, either.
Some leaders of the Church of England cry,
"religious persecution," saying they are victims
of "Christophobia," that the faithful are second-class citizens.
Few take this plea seriously.
A large segment of the population is tired of favors
for religion, and they want an end to traditions that grant subsidies and
other supports for religion.
Why all the backlash in England? In good part, it is
because the people there increasingly realize that religion promotes prejudice
against persons of other faiths and no faith. It is divisive. Worst of
all, perhaps, it promotes and honors nonsensical thinking and beliefs,
like Virgin births, transubstantiation and miracles that defy reason. For
all such palaver, there is not a shred of proof.
Believe it or not, the Brits still suffer from a
quasi-legislative body called the "House of Lords" (really - I'm
not making this up). This body of high officials contains 26 bishops, none
elected but all paid by the government, meaning the people, believers and
faithful alike. But, at least most of the people are now growing
tired of it and efforts are underway for changes after centuries of such
favors to religion.
Does that sound like Christians are victims? They ought
to be prosecuted for some of the above abuses against fairness and reason
and common sense, but they certainly are not under any such pressures.
But, the tide is going out on primitive thinking and unlike nature's ebb
and flow, it may not be coming back for a long while, if ever.
Let's hope the resistance spreads, to America and
beyond. Whether with billboards or something else, let's participate in a
movement toward reason, liberty and democratic life, free of special
privileges and mandated support for any religion.
Donald B. Ardell is the Well
Infidel. He favors evidence over
faith, reason over revelation and meaning and purpose over spirituality. His enthusiasm for reason, exuberance
and liberty are reflected in his books (14), newsletter (545 editions of a
weekly report) and lectures across North America and a dozen other countries.