[Spliffdaddy]

- Chattanooga, TN -

"An atheist civil rights organization on Tuesday charged that a partisan campaign ad filmed in a Tennessee Baptist church sends a “divisive” message and is “religionizing” important public policy issues.

The television commercial was filmed on behalf of candidate Harold Ford, Jr. who is running against Bob Corker.

“To our knowledge, this is the first time a partisan political ad has been produced using the backdrop of a church,” said Ellen Johnson, president of American Atheists. “It’s part of a larger and disturbing trend where candidates are invoking religion in order to woo constituencies and win elections.”

Ms. Johnson added that by “playing the religion card,” candidates like Mr. Ford were marginalizing and excluding millions of Atheists, Freethinkers, Secular Humanists and other nonbelievers.

Dave Silverman, communications director for American Atheists, said that Mr. Ford’s ad "is more than a simple statement of personal beliefs.
It’s pandering, and it raises serious questions about a candidate who does something like this would represent all of the people in his state if elected, or uphold the separation of church and state.”

American Atheists is a nationwide movement which defends the civil rights of nonbelievers, works for the separation of church and state, and addresses issues of First Amendment public policy."


As if it wasn't hard enough *not* to offend any of the countless organized faiths - now we must be careful not to offend the atheists.

Seems to be a lot of thin-skinned folks in the world today.

[RAILhead]

Victims, aren't we all...

[Saetre]

While I don't find it offensive it seems like an ad of this sort would turn off lots of people, not just atheists.

[BRussell]

I just looked out my window, and I see throngs of atheists rioting in the streets and burning Ford in effigy. BTW, the ad is here, called "Difference."

[Spliffdaddy]

Depends on where you air it. It would work well anywhere in the 'bible belt'. And Chattanooga qualifies.

Fully 80+ percent of the US population fancies themselves as religious.

[Spliffdaddy]

The Democrats have a new strategy....they're trying to appeal to religious folks now. Well, after they saw a poll that showed religious folks were equally divided between Democrats and Republicans.

Be prepared for some mis-steps by the Dems. They don't quite know how best to appeal to religious folks. I'm sure they'll offend their atheist base - but it ain't like they're going to vote for Republicans, anyways. The Dems know they control the atheists and black votes - and, no matter what they do, those votes aren't going anywhere.

[subego]

Originally Posted by Spliffdaddy

sends a “divisive” message

A campaign ad sending a divisive message...

Who'da thunkit?

[Orion27]

X-mas is around the corner. I'm planning to have a big X-mas tree this year as well as a X-mas day sale of all the X-mas stuff I don't sell. Muslims just ought to get a life.

[D. S. Troyer]

Originally Posted by Spliffdaddy

Depends on where you air it. It would work well anywhere in the 'bible belt'. And Chattanooga qualifies.

Fully 80+ percent of the US population fancies themselves as religious.

Fully 100+ percent of US prisoners fancies themselves as religious.

[Spliffdaddy]

heh. true.

[macintologist]

Happy Holidays, Spliff

[voodoo]

I love this




Very creative!

V

[Spliffdaddy]

This is the best part of the article:


"An atheist civil rights organization on Tuesday charged that a partisan campaign ad..."

A *partisan* campaign ad?

What? you're supposed to give equal time to your opponent?

Better tell the others.

[marden]

Individual atheists may be fine people. And I have no problem with moderate atheists. We just share different values.

[nonhuman]

Ugh. As an atheist, I find their reaction far more disturbing than the ad itself. There's nothing wrong with other people holding different beliefs, and there's certainly nothing wrong with a political candidate identifying himself according to those beliefs.

If you don't like it tell him by voting for someone else.

[black bear theory]

Originally Posted by subego

A campaign ad sending a divisive message...

Who'da thunkit?

everybody is going to find something to complain about at some time.

“I refuse to join any club that would have me as a member.” - groucho marx

[Dakar]

This sound pretty ridiculous.

[Jawbone54]

"The main accomplishment of almost all organized protests is to annoy people who are not in them." - Dave Barry

[Kevin]

Originally Posted by nonhuman

Ugh. As an atheist, I find their reaction far more disturbing than the ad itself. There's nothing wrong with other people holding different beliefs, and there's certainly nothing wrong with a political candidate identifying himself according to those beliefs.

If you don't like it tell him by voting for someone else.

Winner.