American Atheists launched an anti-Christmas ad campaign Tuesday with a nationwide billboard campaign, according to reports.
The group behind the campaign issued a press release announcing the ad buy, which seeks to celebrate “atheist Christmas,” and to “remove” the negative stigma about Atheists during Christmastime.
“It is important for people to know religion has nothing to do with being a good person, and that being open and honest about what you believe — and don’t believe — is the best gift you can give this holiday season,” said David Silverman, president of American Atheists. “More and more Americans are leaving religion, but we still have work to do when it comes to fighting the stigma many atheists face.”
The billboards feature the words, “Make Christmas Great Again. Skip Church.” Another featured a text message conversation between two girls, and one says that they plan to skip church, adding that her mother will “get over it.”
The worst part about the ad is that the people who appear in the billboard ads aren’t actually atheists. They are devout Christians who agreed to appear in stock photos for an independent company. “Normally, I could care less, but this hits a little under the belt for me,” Candy Burns said Monday. “I’m not an atheist. I love the Lord. My daughter is not an atheist. I have a life in Christ.”
The group doesn’t just operate during the holidays, National Review noted the group’s name is connected to several ongoing legal disputes, often involving crosses on public land, or the name of God in public documents. The group does not attack any other religion other than Christianity, reports National Review.
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