DC Bus ads: our Opponent strikes again
You have probably heard about or seen the ads on buses in D.C. which read, “Why believe in a god? Just be good for goodness’ sake”. The ads were paid for and run by the American Humanist Association (AHA). The ads are obviously offensive, but also illogical - if God doesn’t exist, then goodness doesn’t exist. The following article from catholicnewsagency.com reveals that there is a counter ad! This is the way it’s been for 2000 years now: our Opponent attacks Christ, and the Church defends (apologizes for) Him. Thanks to the Center for Family Development! Let us all be bold apologists for Christ!!
Washington DC, Dec 3, 2008 / 04:48 am (CNA).- Following a secular humanist ad campaign in Washington D.C. which questioned religious belief, an initiative called “I Believe Too” has been launched to “counteract” the secular campaign with “a positive, upbeat ad that identifies God as mankind’s “true and loving creator.”
In November the American Humanist Association (AHA) bought advertisements on Washington D.C. buses reading “Why believe in a god? Just be good for goodness' sake.” The campaign aspired to bring together the non-religious during the holiday season.
The “I Believe Too” campaign, sponsored by the Center for Family Development, called the AHA effort a “campaign against God.” Aiming to “fight back with the same campaign they are running,” the I Believe Too ads are planned for 10 buses with side posters, 10 buses with tail posters, 200 interior bus posters.
Costs of the full campaign are estimated to be $14,000. As of Tuesday morning, 64 donors had supplied the campaign with $3,400.
The ad itself uses an image from Michelangelo’s “The Creation of Adam,” focusing upon the outstretched hands and fingers of God and Adam.
“Why Believe? Because I created you and I love you, for goodness' sake,” the ad reads, attributing its words to God.
JoEllen Murphy, the initiative’s leader, explained her motivations on the I Believe Too web site.
“After a friend forwarded me an article about the AHA ad campaign, I thought, ‘Enough!’ I am so tired of God and religion being attacked that I decided to start a counter ad campaign,” she said.
The I Believe Too web site is located at http://www.ibelievetoo.org
posted by Fr Greg @ 10:53 AM
8 comments
8 Comments:
"Faith and reason are like two wings on which the human spirit rises to the contemplation of truth," as Pope John Paul II wrote in his encyclical letter Fides et Ratio.
The AHA has given up on faith, and if "Just be good for goodness' sake" is a typical example of their reasoning, their spirits don't have a wing to rise on. No wonder they feel down at Christmas.
John Kelly's column in today's WashPost covered the counter ad campaign as well.
"Another group, Pennsylvania Friends in Christ, is also placing pro-deity ads: "Believe in God. Christ is Christmas for goodness sake."
Fred Edwords of the AHA had this to say, after Mr. Kelly suggested that the "ball" was in his organization's court:
"We've spent our advertising budget for the year. We don't feel the need to have a rolling debate - literally and figuratively. That's not likely to be productive. You can't say that much in the sound bite of a passing bus ad."
John Kelly's response:
"Oh, I don't know about that."
"We don't feel the need to have a rolling debate..."
The words of someone who's built his house on sand.
A group in Washington state was a more direct. They posted a sign next to the Nativity at the State Capitol bldg which read-
"There are no gods, no devils, no angels, no heaven or hell. Religion is but myth and superstition that hardens our hearts and enslaves our minds."
The other day I slipped at my kids'(public)school. I told a group of moms to have a great Christmas(knew I wouldn't see them all together before then). I rec'd several weird looks. I think the world's going crazy.
How can one be “good for goodness sake” if there is no basis for defining what “good” is? I’m confused.
If good were a concept of human construction then it would be infinitely malleable, wouldn’t it? How are standards defined? If no standards are defined, then how would we know the difference between good and evil? If humans decide what is right and wrong, different culture and societies at different points in time would have differing ideas about what is “moral” and what is not. If I believe that what is good for humanity from, say a Darwinist’s perspective, I could argue it would be moral to kill a developmentally disabled person so he doesn’t pass on “inferior” genes to the next generation. If morality was a human invention, then how do we have a basis for judging men like Bin Laden and Hitler? Either could (and have) argue that their morality was merely different but not wrong.
So- no; there is no good without God- impossible.
I agree that we can't be good for goodness sake when we really can't say what exactly defines goodness.
Religion is not a myth or superstition. Religion and spirituality are 2 different things, according to my Study of Religion professor (I'd have to look up those differences though, I don't know right off the top of my head). Spirituality is about one's faith in God, and religion is organized practices and beliefs about God. Not entirely certain but that sounds about right. Anyways, what I mean is how can people say that faith and religion and all is superstition when there are miracles and physical healing that cannot be attributed to mere human nature?
Unrelated to current post, but just when you thought you'd seen everything... Planned Parenthood is selling gift certificates for the holiday season. Can you imagine giving death for Christmas. How bizarre!
Another version sung to the tune of: "You Better Watch Out"
"Why believe in a God?"
Is an ad you might see,
On the side of a bus,
Drivin' round in D.C.
The AHA thinks it's comin' to town.
Their ad makes no sense,
It's offensive and odd,
To preach that goodness exists,
Without the concept of God.
The AHA seems illogical to me.
Jesus loves us in the morning,
He loves us in the night,
He loves enough to offer all,
The choice of doing what is right.
Oh, you can bet we'll watch out,
And continue to pray,
That we live a life worthy,
Of heaven some day:
Christ our King is coming to town!
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