With a lot of the pro-marriage, pro-family, pro-”Christian”* crap we all get to look at, it’s at least…refreshing to see some diverse views in ad space. Read about DC’s “Why believe in a God?” ads. People are pissed!
Why, oh why, do some faithful people get so fucking upset when there are people who don’t believe what they believe? I understand the urge to evangelize, but come on. Ignore non-Christian religious folks. How many strands of Christianity are there, and how much do they really have in common?
I get people’s religious beliefs shoved in my face constantly, without shoving my lack of belief in anyone’s face. I’m glad someone is doing it, though, no matter how I feel about what I might call “God” in place of any faith in my lapsed Catholicism.
Belief that can’t be held alone is weak belief indeed.
*[What's a "Christian"? What's a vegetable? Show me "vegetable"! Christians are usually members of a Church or denomination of some kind. Be more specific, Johnny! Asparagus!]
No doubt some of the ire is coming from those that don’t want to hear ideas different than their own. But in this case I wonder how much of it comes from people thinking that the city is taking a side/stance on the issue by allowing the ad to be put on the buses.
How many complaints would they get if there were anti-abortion ads on the buses?
Steven
IN
I would hope they’d get a lot of complaints for anti-abortion signs if they’re the fetus-in-the-jar types. There’s just disrespectful for the life that they claim is viable. (Now I’m just venting one of my peeves.)
I’m pretty sure they are required to give ad space to whoever pays for it within their current guidelines, but I think you’re right that it looks like they support the ads they print and are taking a side. Seeing as how it is a public organization, maybe they should add religious ads (which this one might be?) to the list of no-nos along with profanity and things that incite violence:)
Man it really irritates me when someone identifies themselves as “Christian”. I’ve participated in two distinctly different organized religions that claim Jesus Christ as their savior, the Roman Catholic Church and the Presbyterian Church, respectively. I’ve never in my life said to anyone “I’m a Christian.” Maybe, “I’m a Catholic” or “I attend a Presbyterian church”. I’ve actually told “Christians” that I attend a presbyterian church and been asked “Oh, are you a ‘Christian’?” I’ve always been kind of dumbfounded at first by that question, but usually answer, “Well, yes.” I’ve often wanted to give these “Christians” a lecture on the history of Christianity, starting with the 12 apostles, and rolling up through Luther and Calvin, but I know it would be pointless. When I think of all the trouble that organized religion has caused over the last 2000 years, its hard to get up and identify myself with anything.
The world would be a better place if human beings didn’t feel the constant need to make everyone else agree with their line of thinking. Live and let live.
The world would be a better place if human beings didn’t feel the constant need to make everyone else agree with their line of thinking.
Amen:)
Organized religion has only caused trouble over the past 2000 years?!?!? ;-)
Steven
IN
Pro-Christian isnt “crap”. Please get over your oh-so-fashionable habit of dissing everything Christian.
Looks like I will have to abandon the left, given all the Christian-bashing and Chriostianophobia I see going on. People dont even think about how hurtful it is to diss the beliefs of their fellow human beings. remember, dont judge all Christians by the words and actions of a very small minority, who hold outrageous beliefs.
“Pro-Christian isnt ‘crap’”
That is not what I said at all. I never said it was.
“With a lot of the pro-marriage, pro-family, pro-’Christian’ crap we all get to look at, it’s at least…refreshing to see some diverse views in ad space.”
That is what I said. That statement clearly indicates that the crap I’m talking about comes in those flavors, not that those flavors are necessarily crap. I see pro-peace crap, pro-vegetarian crap and pro-bike crap, too. That statement does not entail that I think any of those things are crap entirely. You’re putting words in my mouth.
[This is ignoring the fact that this is MY website, and if I wanted to call everything Christian, all trees and bunnies or everything made of metal crap or shit or worse, I can. Who is anyone to discount someone's opinion of anything just by saying, "No it's not"?]
Since when is the wholesale bashing of Christianity “fashionable”? Maybe for wannabe deep types who just read Nietzsche for the first time or people who want attention and want to shock people. Most of the anti-Christian sentiment I hear and read is reactionary. Anyway, I think we few on the cutting edge of understanding the universe are over the bullshit that is bashing any religion just for the hell of it.
I don’t know why the hell you refer to my “habit” of “dissing everything Christian.” Maybe you have me mixed up with someone else? If criticism is dissing, this might almost be fair. But criticism and dissing are not the same thing. Dissing is like telling someone they are wrong sans anything to back it up. And in the five years this blog has been running, I have seldom criticized Christianity per se anyway. I have on numerous times ranted about assholes who happen to be Christians. I stated particulars; so any generalizing is yours, not mine. I know enough good people who happen to be Christians also to prevent me from ever thinking badly about all Christians as a whole.
I am well aware that a lot of shit-slinging comes from people who do in fact hate everything Christian. They are nuts that are little better than nuts who hate everything that is not Christian. Anyone’s grouping me in with any of these people is complete bullshit, and is, frankly, falling into the trap of making gross and ill-informed generalizations that I am being accused of.
In my experience, religious nuts are the ones least sensitive to what effect dissing other people’s beliefs can have. Putting up a billboard of shiny white people getting married telling the rest of us that that is what a family looks like and what all goodness in society comes from can be an affront to people the same way that ripping up the Koran or playing Jesus action figures are. I don’t think atheists have cornered the market on insensitivity, is my point.
I think I might also point out your own generalizing of “the left” because of some people there who are anti-Christian. A large portion of the faithful people I know (most of whom are Christian) are in fact in the left.
I think I might also point out your own generalizing of “the left” because of some people there who are anti-Christian. A large portion of the faithful people I know (most of whom are Christian) are in fact in the left.
To eah his own.
each*.. that’s what happens when you try to comment too early in the morning…
Why get hateful on someone’s blog? Aren’t they allowed to have their own opinions?
I would consider myself a conservative Christian. I voted for McCain and Bush mainly on social and economic stances rather than leadership and character issues. I even teach Sunday School. But I LOVE Johnny’s blog. And like to see things through a different set of eyes. And although I don’t agree with many things he says, I sure as heck don’t want to criticize, ridicule, or in any way shut him up.
Keep up the blog, Johnny. I wanna her about big cities, bikes, moleskins, Poe, philosophy, beards and sandals. LOL
Steven
Indiana
“I contend that we are both atheists. I just believe in one fewer god than you do. When you understand why you dismiss all the other possible gods, you will understand why I dismiss yours”
– Stephen Roberts
but it’s bigger than mere religion — organised religion is merely one aspect of a much deeper anthropological/genetic drive:
“Liberals claim to want to give a hearing to other views, but then are shocked and offended to discover that there are other views.”
–William Buckley
in MY lexicon, these are faux-liberals, not genuine liberals. but they make up by far the majority. you are a true exception, sir.
tui is a kiwi beer. this is a recent billboard of theirs, which a minority of faux-christians demanded they take down, despite its meaning and intent:
http://www.stuff.co.nz/4783624a4560.html
that person left a few other dick comments on here in other places too.
heh. looks like i’ve upset poor ole ron, johnny.
i was not referring to you saltation.
oh. sorry. (it just read that way.)
Now now, LOL.