Happy Holidays, There Is No God

Dec. 2, 2010— -- 'Tis the season for attacks on what atheists call the folly of believing in the Christmas story.

Atheist groups have escalated a billboard offensive that they began last year, including a large sign on the New Jersey side of the Lincoln Tunnel that shows a Nativity scene and words in script reminiscent of Christmas cards that states, "You Know it's a Myth. This Season Celebrate Reason."

A Catholic group has fought back with a pro-Christmas billboard on the New York City side of the tunnel with a similar billboard that proclaims, "You Know it's Real. This Season Celebrate Jesus."

The groups behind the bah-humbug campaign say Christmas is the perfect time to promote a religion-free lifestyle, and they are doing so on billboards, magazines, trains, buses and televisions across the country. The aim of the ad blitz is to encourage nonbelievers to go public with their, well, disbelief.

"Trying to get folks to come out of the closet and be honest and open about their non-theism, that's very important to us," said Roy Speckhardt, executive director of the American Humanist Association in Washington.

In 2009, Speckhardt's group said it ran the "first-ever national godless holiday campaign." Photos featured smiling people in Santa caps with the words "No God?... No Problem!" and the slogan "Be good for goodness' sake."

This year, the American Humanist Association ditched the holiday puns and seasonal cheer, and launched a set of monochrome ads. The campaign uses what it considers disturbing scripture passages about women, genocide, and homosexuality, such as this one from the New Testament:

"If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters – yes, even his own life – he cannot be my disciple." (Jesus, Luke 14:26, New International Version)

It contrasts such quotes with others from prominent non-believers, in this case Katherine Hepburn:

"I'm an atheist, and that's it. I believe there's nothing we can know except that we should be kind to each other and do what we can for each other."

The association runs ads year-round, but they garner more attention during the holiday season.

"I think doing non-theistic ads during the holiday makes sense, because we're bombarded with religious messages at this time," said Speckhardt. "Why not have some alternate ones out there?"