Atheist Groups Promote a Holiday Message: Join Us

[nhboy (Premo)]

Link

"Just in time for the holiday season, Americans are about to be hit with a spate of advertisements promoting the joy and wisdom of atheism.

Four separate and competing national organizations representing various streams of atheists, humanists and freethinkers will soon be spreading their gospel through advertisements on billboards, buses and trains, and in newspapers and magazines.

The latest, announced on Tuesday in Washington, is the first to include spots on television and cable. This campaign juxtaposes particularly primitive — even barbaric — passages from the Bible and the Koran with quotations from nonbelievers and humanists like Albert Einstein and Katharine Hepburn."

[Pete]

Awww bless their little hearts

[Starman3000m]

Originally Posted by nhboy

Link

"Just in time for the holiday season, Americans are about to be hit with a spate of advertisements promoting the joy and wisdom of atheism.

Four separate and competing national organizations representing various streams of atheists, humanists and freethinkers will soon be spreading their gospel through advertisements on billboards, buses and trains, and in newspapers and magazines.

The latest, announced on Tuesday in Washington, is the first to include spots on television and cable. This campaign juxtaposes particularly primitive — even barbaric — passages from the Bible and the Koran with quotations from nonbelievers and humanists like Albert Einstein and Katharine Hepburn."

From the article:

“We must denounce politicians that contend U.S. law should be based on the Bible and the Ten Commandments,” said Todd Stiefel, a retired pharmaceutical company executive who is underwriting most of the ad campaign that cites alarming Scripture passages. “It has not been based on these and should never be. Our founding fathers created a secular democracy.”

Atheists please explain: Even if you don't like the first few references of honoring God and setting aside the day of worship as written in the Ten Commandments, would you agree or disagree that the remaining portions of the Ten Commandments should still be used as a guideline for America:

- Honour thy father and thy mother...

- Thou shalt not kill.

- Thou shalt not commit adultery.

- Thou shalt not steal.

- Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.

- Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's.

[Zguy28]

Originally Posted by Starman3000m

“We must denounce politicians that contend U.S. law should be based on the Bible and the Ten Commandments,” said Todd Stiefel, a retired pharmaceutical company executive who is underwriting most of the ad campaign

Oh, so a pharma executive is bankrolling this abomination? Do us a favor and stop fleecing the American public with overpriced medicine. That's something we actually need as opposed to foolishness like atheism.

[Ignatiuslives]

You are missing the point Starman.

[Starman3000m]

Originally Posted by Ignatiuslives

You are missing the point Starman.

The point? What - Atheists don't like being reminded what is right and what is wrong and "who" it was that set those guidelines?

[MMDad]

Originally Posted by Starman3000m

The point? What - Atheists don't like being reminded what is right and what is wrong and "who" it was that set those guidelines?

By your logic, only those cultures that are based on Judeo-Christian teaching would have those rules, but that simply is not true.

A valid argument is the fact that the Founding Fathers did base their philosophy on their Judeo-Christian beliefs. Atheists can wish that wasn't true, but they're wrong. "Endowed by their creator" sort of implies that there is a creator.

[Starman3000m]

Originally Posted by MMDad

By your logic, only those cultures that are based on Judeo-Christian teaching would have those rules, but that simply is not true.

A valid argument is the fact that the Founding Fathers did base their philosophy on their Judeo-Christian beliefs. Atheists can wish that wasn't true, but they're wrong. "Endowed by their creator" sort of implies that there is a creator.

If being taught "good from evil" came from somewhere it sure wasn't through the philosophy of mortal man and here's the reason:

Contrary to humanist thinking (and some religious thought) that believes "man is basically good," the Bible informs us that, due to our fallen nature, mankind is inherently bent on doing bad things and bent on defying authority. No one likes being told what to do by someone else. Due to man's inability to be respectful of one another, Laws were introduced in order to keep us in line.

Atheists may not like the idea of giving God the credit for establishing the basic laws of the Ten Commandments to live by but I'd hope to think that Atheists can agree we need them. So who gave them?

[Ignatiuslives]

Originally Posted by Starman3000m

If being taught "good from evil" came from somewhere it sure wasn't through the philosophy of mortal man and here's the reason:

Contrary to humanist thinking (and some religious thought) that believes "man is basically good," the Bible informs us that, due to our fallen nature, mankind is inherently bent on doing bad things and bent on defying authority. No one likes being told what to do by someone else. Due to man's inability to be respectful of one another, Laws were introduced in order to keep us in line.

Atheists may not like the idea of giving God the credit for establishing the basic laws of the Ten Commandments to live by but I'd hope to think that Atheists can agree we need them. So who gave them?

What about me?
I don't think man is basically "good"... whatever that means. Why don't you extend your knowledge of moral philosophy beyond scripture? It is quite an interesting topic.

[Starman3000m]

Originally Posted by Ignatiuslives

What about me?
I don't think man is basically "good"... whatever that means. Why don't you extend your knowledge of moral philosophy beyond scripture? It is quite an interesting topic.

OK - even if you are an Atheist, at least you are one to see the reality of our basic human condition. So, if we go beyond the explanation of moral philosophy and Biblical guidelines that the Prophets, Jesus, and the Disciples spoke of, we would have to rely on the explanation of Psychologists and Psychiatrists of why mankind is "bad" and "immoral".

First: I'm sure we can all agree that people have an inner sense (awareness) of when one is doing good and when one is doing wrong. For the most part this is taught within culture and society and yet there are people who seem to have no conscious at all. However, the basic guidelines given in the Ten Commandments are still as effective to live by today even if one does not want to believe that a Divine Creator set them forth a few thousand years ago.

Herein is the difference of how we view the situation:
The Bible indicates that mankind's problem of not doing right nor having love for others is a spiritual condition that must be dealt with so that we can have a "renewing of the mind" and develop a respectful and loving attitude toward others. Jesus proclaimed that we need to receive that condition of love from God who can change the hearts of man.

On the other hand, psychology believes that choosing to do right from wrong is a mental decision that can be followed by most people and for those who can't the problems can be cured through therapy and medicine.

Still, for those who are "law-abiding citizens" we will find that there is still the tendency to go ahead and disobey laws anyway if they believe they can get away with it. The speed limit is a good example.

Conclusion: Mankind is inherently bent on disobedience and that's what has caused our problems all along. Jesus proclaimed that there are only two laws to live by and that is to Love God and love your neighbor (even one's enemies).

Even if an Atheists refuses to believe in God, he/she should still be able to agree that loving one's neighbor is a good start and would certainly help curtail the woes and evil that mankind brings upon itself. Where does that love come from? Jesus said we can receive it from God.