Do You Find The New "You Don't Need God" Billboards Offensive?

[serious crayons]

"In summary, Biblically unsaved people are:

in spiritual darkness, under the power of Satan, without hope, enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures, living in malice and envy, being hated and hating others, spiritually harassed and helpless, with many woes, in the trap of the devil, under the dominion of darkness, spiritually dead, living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry, sexually immoral, impure, greedy, living an empty way of life, slaves to sin, homosexuals, thieves, drunkards, slanderers, swindlers, wicked."

Well, that explains a lot about my current life.    I am definitely under the dominion of darkness.

I'm somewhat on the fence about this billboard. The message itself doesn't offend me, of course, since I totally agree with it.

But as someone who is always annoyed by Christian (and anti-abortion) billboards telling me what to think about God and fetuses as I drive along the highway, I hesitate to endorse the posting of a similar message from the "other side." I'd be in favor of limiting our billboard content to radio stations, hospitals and restaurants and letting people sort out their religious beliefs on their own.

[Marge_Innavera]

LMAO @ "Christian in their heart".

I've heard that at a few funerals of people who'd never expressed any particular interest in religion.  Both times it was based on the account of a hospital chaplain who asked the dying patient 'can I pray for [or with] you?' and they nodded.

The list of those "unsaved" is not surprising, although I did chuckle at "slaves to sin" description.  I pictured a man in shackles, chained to the word "SIN" in big, red letters.

I found the "living in debauchery" rather appealing myself.  Haven't been able to afford much debauchery in the past few years.   

[Monika]

Sin is hot


 

[Marina]

I found the "living in debauchery" rather appealing myself.  Haven't been able to afford much debauchery in the past few years.

   

Ha!  Your comment made me smile.   That's sure a long list of sins.   But, we were given joie de vivre, so I think a higher power intended us to have joy and happiness.  There's nothing wrong with that! 


I'm offended by the billboards, because I don't believe any side or anywhere in the middle, has the right to tell someone else what or how to believe.   

[Shakesthecoffecan]

Sin is hot


 

Amen, baby!   

[delalluvia]

I'm offended by the billboards, because I don't believe any side or anywhere in the middle, has the right to tell someone else what or how to believe.   

But is it offensive to tell the truth?  Nothing about this billboard is false.

[serious crayons]

But is it offensive to tell the truth?  Nothing about this billboard is false.

For some people, it isn't the truth.

"You don't need God, to hope, to care ..."

I mean, you and I would say, of course you don't. But others feel that they do, so the statement is false for THEM. Is it a billboard's place to tell people what they need or don't need, vis-a-vis the Almighty?

I'm sure it's absolute scientific truth that a fetus' heartbeat can be detected at 12 weeks or whatever it is they say. Does that make those billboards perfectly fine? It may even be true that all babies are precious gifts or that Jesus loves me. Whatever. I don't necessarily need to see those reminders on the billboards I drive past, so I can see the point of the other side saying they don't either.

Religious billboards annoy me, and I don't think a tit-for-tat response in kind is necessarily the best approach. As an agnostic, I'd rather stay above proselytizing via roadside advertisement.

[delalluvia]

For some people, it isn't the truth.

"You don't need God, to hope, to care ..."

I mean, you and I would say, of course you don't. But others feel that they do, so the statement is false for THEM. Is it a billboard's place to tell people what they need or don't need, vis-a-vis the Almighty?

I'm sure it's absolute scientific truth that a fetus' heartbeat can be detected at 12 weeks or whatever it is they say. Does that make those billboards perfectly fine? It may even be true that all babies are precious gifts or that Jesus loves me. Whatever. I don't necessarily need to see those reminders on the billboards I drive past, so I can see the point of the other side saying they don't either.

Religious billboards annoy me, and I don't think a tit-for-tat response in kind is necessarily the best approach. As an agnostic, I'd rather stay above proselytizing via roadside advertisement.

No, they say  they can't care/love/whatever without god, but they most certainly do and they can see from other people around them that they can without a problem.

Basically, they're just saying, "I can't imagine life without ice cream." when it's just a preference, not a reality.

[Marina]

But is it offensive to tell the truth?  Nothing about this billboard is false.

I was going to say the same thing as Crayonlicious - it isn't the truth, for everyone.   Some people need religion and spirituality in their lives to be happy, myself being one of them.   If I thought mankind was all there was, I'd be very unhappy.   Where I draw the line for any type of belief is when it's forced upon others.   Some people do a lot of caring through their religious organizations as well.  

This statement can no more be proven than the existence of a higher power, and is just about the same tactic used by fantatics of any religion.  Every person is entitled to their own thoughts, beliefs and conclusions.   If I were to see this driving down a highway in my car for however many miles, I'd feel a captive audience with another kind of unprovable dogma being forced upon me.

[delalluvia]

I was going to say the same thing as Crayonlicious - it isn't the truth, for everyone.   Some people need religion and spirituality in their lives to be happy, myself being one of them.   If I thought mankind was all there was, I'd be very unhappy.   Where I draw the line for any type of belief is when it's forced upon others.   Some people do a lot of caring through their religious organizations as well.

Hi Marina, just a quibble, but the billboard didn't mention happiness.  It said, 'love, caring and hope'.  

Can people do these things/have these things without belief in god?  Of course.  People do it every single day and they don't suddenly drop dead or want to kill themselves.

That's reality.  That's the truth this billboard is saying and there's really no getting around it.