Comment

Comment by sk8eycat on June 29, 2011 at 12:35pm

This News Release has me steaming:

http://ffrf.org/news/releases/church-complains-good-without-god-bil...

A billboard featuring a cheerful student saying, “I can be good without God,” was too much for the delicate sensibilities of a local church in Columbus, Ohio, which insisted late last week that a local billboard company remove the message.

The billboard picturing Dylan Galos, a Columbus student and atheist, was removed and is awaiting placement at an alternate eastside Columbus location.

Not so much that a church complained, that's to be expected from people who are obviously unsure about their invisible imaginary friend's existence, but that the billboard company caved in to the complaint and moved the sign to another location.  Why does a whine from a church outweigh the rights of the people who paid for the billboard?

Comment by Paula T. on June 29, 2011 at 10:57am

Well put, Wanda & Jeronimo!  The more I read here and on various other atheist resources, the more confident I become in my ability to share why I am an atheist when asked.  The knowledge I've gained is invaluable, even from comments like Jeronimo's.  Thanks to all :)

Comment by Jeronimo Lemos de Freitas Filho on June 29, 2011 at 8:48am

Hey Wanda, thanks for the support.

I think if everyone do a little bit at the end we will achieve something big. If we just change the word religion for mythology in every discussion we have, this word will be more and more common. At the same time we have to take advantage of every opportunity to point out the nonsense of religions and criticizes the advantages they have. Let’s share it.

Have a great day,

Comment by Wanda T on June 29, 2011 at 8:29am

Very well articulated, Jeronimo! You make an excellent case and I'm happy to join you in the endeavor.  I'm one who sees great potential in individual effort. Every paradigm ever shifted started with a single push.

Comment by Jeronimo Lemos de Freitas Filho on June 29, 2011 at 2:43am

Dear Sean,

 

You are right, changing the status from religion to mythology will not make people stop believing in miracles, invisible friends, divine power/moral, etc. But I don't think that mythology followers are receiving subsides from government as religion is, nor fiscal advantages and legal privileges. I respect the right of mature and enlightened people have to believe in whatever they want. What I don't think it is fair is to put these beliefs in a almost untouched position above of everybody else. Not so long time ago slavery use to be seen as normal as well as smoke in flights use to be. Now a day if you try to do such a thing you are in trouble. People mind changed about these bad practices, so let’s start changing people mind about religion being something more real than mythology. Let’s stop their privileges. This is the first step.

Thank you for your participation.  

Comment by Sean Murphy on June 28, 2011 at 6:53pm

I know people who believe in the Greek myths, and still practice those rituals. On the other hand, they are much better people with better morals than most of the Christians seem to be. So while referring to religion as myth won't stop people from worshiping, maybe it will make them better people...

Ad yes, I know, the logic is entirely fallacious.

Comment by Jeronimo Lemos de Freitas Filho on June 28, 2011 at 5:37am

Dear all,

I've just posted the text below in my blog here at AtheistNexus but since it is about freedowm from religion, I am posting it here too.

We at LP are wondering why today’s religions are seen as something with a superior status than the beliefs classified as mythology. Are they so different? Why even non-religious people use to accept the Abrahamic god and its hundred Catholic saints as something real, while other mythological divinities are considered legends?  This distinction gives advantages to theists which nobody else has. They have fiscal advantages, financial subsides, a special status and protection which, we believe, is not compatible with democracy.

We think it is fair the fact that before launching a medication in the market, a pharmaceutical company must test it for several years and spend a lot of money in research. They must prove its efficacy and make exhaustive tests to well know its side-effects. They are complained by law to advise people about it and publish the test results as well as its composition in its notice, in order to avoid issues as for instance, making money with something inherent or putting people life in danger by drinking toxic chemicals. Moreover, when a medication causes damages to people health it is quickly recalled from the market and the company is complained to respond in court.  So, why religion can freely make money in name of Jesus and disseminates the Biblical scriptures -which are clearly against the Human Rights principles- as being the right moral path to follow, without being complained to justify, supported by evidences, its efficacy or point out their “side effects”? Why churches are allowed to convince fragile, illiterate and suffering people and children to follow such a moral guide, without being complained to prove that it is real and not an old-fashioned fantasy? If we compare the damage caused by medication with the ones caused by religion beliefs along of the history, we quickly realize how worst is religion. We think that we should advocate for reviewing these privileges and advise people and decision makers about this antidemocratic nonsense. I completely respect the right of everyone to believe or follow a certain belief or religion. Everybody must be free for believe in whatever he or she wants. What I am suggesting is to advise people about the lack of scientific evidences of a certain belief. Negationist and racist speeches are no longer under the freedom of speech’s shield because there are evidences which points out their danger. I really hope that the same thing will happen to religion. We have to collect facts to support our arguments.

As a first step we would like to invite everybody to replace the term “religion” by “mythology”. We believe that if in a few years the common sense makes people see these religions just like they see the Greek mythology, we will see a huge improvement in life quality around the world. We don’t know about damages caused by the followers of Thor or Zeus. When I am in a discussion against a theist I use as much as possible the term mythology instead of religion because I want to make it sound natural to people. We should change this status in the collective unconscious.

The second point, which can be carried out in parallel, is to advocate for the democratic rights -that everyone should deserve in a democracy- of being officially informed if the beliefs in which they believe are supported by evidences or not. They should be informed about the lack of scientific evidence for miracles, or for the power of pray or even for the historical authenticity of some Biblical personages like Moses, Abraham or even Jesus.

I hope that someday someone will bring a church or a priest in justice clamming against false miracles or a promise which was not accomplished. You must see what evangelical churches are doing in Brazil to steal people money. Things such as diplomas signed by Jesus Christ, pre-dated tenth checks which will be discounted every month. They are even sending their believers in justice when they don’t pay the monthly tenth.

We don’t want mitigate people freedom of speech or the right of everyone to believe in whatever he or she wants. We are not asking to anybody to cut off anything from the holy texts. What we want is to guarantee everybody’s right to the transparence and truth, maybe the most important pillar in a true democracy. Why we protect children from alcohol and drugs but not from construct their moral values based in misogyny, racism, xenophobia, intolerance, and homophobia? I can give as an example the law to protect people health from the tobacco industry. The cigarettes are still the same, but there are strong warnings in the package and campaigns in TV.

Please forgive my English. I am not a native English speaker. You can trust me; I do it really better in Portuguese.

 

I look forward to hearing from you and in the meantime; should you have any queries, please do not hesitate to contact me,

Jeronimo Freitas

LP - Vice-President.

jeronimofreitas@livrespensadores.org

www.livrespensadores.org

Twitter: @jeronimofreitas

Comment by Ramachandran S on June 28, 2011 at 3:24am

Species Human beings arrogance led to the todays world of absurd assumption of God,religion etc.,   Universe is a puzzle and it will remain forever.  What is essential is to go get pardon for sins.  A sin is sin there will be one or more sufferers may be self or others. Why to bother about next birth, what is needed is action in this birth.  We should promote the idea of freedom from religion and should name our movement and propagate rather than fighting religionists who according to me have no view of their own life (borrowed) .

Comment by amanda alexander on June 18, 2011 at 1:23am

This seems new and interesting and It seems like I may be able to have an intelligent conversation for once without it leading to argument (I don't mind debate) Just argument

 

Comment by Dustin Finney on June 17, 2011 at 2:04am

I'm in Portland, OR and looking for other FFRFers in my area. I want to find some other activist-minded people to attend council meetings and organize letter campaigns and the like. Any takers?

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