Atheist Billboard Hits Idaho

By Elena Garcia, Christian Post Reporter Tuesday, March 10, 2009

A billboard in Idaho declaring "Beware of dogma" is the latest example of humanist activists using advertising to promote atheism.

Several atheist groups in Idaho, including Humanists of Idaho, recently erected the billboard ad near Fairview Avenue and Maple Grove Road in Boise.

The ad was sponsored by the Wisconsin-based Freedom From Religion Foundation, which launched a national billboard campaign in late 2007, taking its religion-free messages state-by-state.

The humanists contend dogma is to blame for laws against gay marriage and hope their sign will help keep religion out of politics, according to a FOX News affiliate in Boise.

Bryan Fischer, executive director of Idaho Values Alliance, responded to the billboard in a statement last week, saying, "The Constitution guarantees freedom of religion, not freedom from religion."

"Ironically we actually agree with the slogan, but we think the dogma Americans need to be aware of is the dogma of secular fundamentalism, which is at odds with the worldview of the Founders," he said.

Speaking to FOX Channel 12 on Sunday, Fisher added, "This country was founded on a fundamentally religious concept that there is a Creator and that Creator is the source of our fundamental civil liberties."

The FFRF has placed 27 billboards in 15 states so far. The organization is headed by Dan Barker, a former Christian Pentecostal preacher and musician.

President of the Humanists of Idaho Paul Rolig said he was "inspired" by other efforts to post up humanistic messages, according to the Boise news station.

Last year, the British Humanist Association announced it will run ads stating "There's probably no God. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life" on London buses at the beginning of 2009.

During the Christmas season, the American Humanist Association ran a $40,000 ad campaign on 200 buses in the Washington D.C. metro area. The ads read, "Why believe in a god? Just be good for goodness' sake."

A Catholic-based organization in Maryland, The Center for Family Development, countered the atheist bus campaign with pro-God ads. The pro-God ads read: "Why Believe? Because I created you and I love you, for goodness' sake - GOD."