Australian Atheists Urge People to 'Escape Religion' in Billboard Campaign, Argue That World Suffers Because of Religion
The Sydney Atheists group in Australia has put up a billboard campaign with the message: "Have you escaped religion? We have!" The atheists are arguing that the world suffers because of religion, and said that it makes "no sense" to believe in such "fantasy."
"This world suffers so much at the hands of religion; it doesn't make any sense to believe these stories. It's just fantasy," Steve Marton, the organization's president, told news.com.au.
"Every religion has an agenda, and those agenda are to control people. Most religions have an end goal and usually that involves power and money," he added.
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"Most of us have found a lot of fallacies in religion. If you read the Bible or the Quran, as I have, there's so much contradiction, inconsistency, and hate and anger that's all directed for a purpose."
The billboards, put up earlier this week in conjunction with the Atheist Foundation of Australia, can be seen from the M4 Freeway at West Homebush in Sydney.
The group notes in a press release that most of its members once belonged to a religion, ranging from Judaism, Christianity and Islam to Hinduism and Sikhism. The atheists assert that it's reasonable to conclude that since all religions say that they're uniquely correct, that means that they're all false.
"Sydney Atheists invite those who are trapped by religious belief to escape the bounds and strictures of their religions to gain freedom of thought, deed and a better life, governed by morals that are determined through rational, humane and sceptical thinking and the just laws of the land," the group states.
Marton said that the billboards cost "many thousands of dollars," but argued that they're not meant to be derogatory.
"We just want to ask a question. It's an invitation to people. If they are offended by the billboard, I find that sad and unfortunate. What we're really trying to do is to free yourselves of the bonds, of the chains that enveloped you. If you are offended, by that, we are very sorry," the Sydney Atheist president said.
In response, Simon Smart, director of the Centre for Public Christianity, said that he welcomes the opportunity to discuss important questions relating to society.
"I think there are versions of religions that can feel oppressive and intolerant and restrictive, but the Christian faith is about finding the fullest life imaginable," Smart said.
"You've got to get to the heart of the Christian faith. Jesus' voice was a call to true freedom and a connection to God and, through that connection, to other people, such that you would find meaning, purpose and, in fact, joy."
Several atheist groups in the U.S. have also organized billboard campaigns in recent months. Earlier in January, some residents in Colton, California, spoke out against billboards funded by the United Coalition of Reason, which read: "Don't believe in a God? You are not alone."
Colton resident Cyndi Bulger said: "Everybody's an individual, so you shouldn't be told how you should think or what you should believe."
