I can’t remember the campaign’s exact handle except it made people aware that there may not be god. Good on ya. Let’s not piss on people and tell them its raining. The truth is the only truth and nothing but the truth. Keep it up the good work. Eventually kids figure out there’s no man coming down the chimney and ya gotta tell them.
Love and respect another doesn’t mean we have to pay homage to false witnesses such as a god. Cheers.
—Roger
This article appears in Dec 3-9, 2009.
Roger, where does your confidence come from?
hope you aren’t celebrating CHRIST-mas this year
It’s called having self-esteem kay. Just because you feel differently doesn’t mean it’s right. People are allowed to have differing opinions. That said, I think a public transit system is not the place to have religion/non-religion advertised.
Right on, Roger.
On the 25th, I’ll enjoy seeing my family, eating turkey, opening a few presents…but I won’t be paying homage to a mythical zombie jew who was his own father.
I agree with Fever – keep your religious & non-religious points of view out of my face.
I’m not sure self-esteem and spiritual positioning are related at all, Fever. I just want to know why Roger is so very confident in his position. Woof, you too!?!
I just find sarcastic religious analogies entertaining, and I think Christmas should be about family and friends. The etymology of the word makes little difference to me- we could call it Zeusmas and I’d be equally content.
to remind you all athiests, christmas is the celebration of the birth of christ. if you aren’t celebrating for this reason, what are you celebrating exactly? there’s no such thing as christmas without christ!
woof, you are ridiculous
FSHGRL – wasn’t it originally a pagen solstice celebration (where they got the tree from) that got jacked by the christians? All hail the mighty sun! As for me personally I don’t feel I have to justify my reasons for celebrating that time of year to anyone – especially someone who feels their demograph owns that holiday.
No Junkie, Christmas was not originally a pagan holiday. You people are ridiculous with your justifications for celebrating Christmas! This is how and why Christmas has turned into a commercial holiday. It’s so sad.
And its not having OWNERSHIP of the holiday- its the PURPOSE of the holiday. WHY would you celebrate something if you don’t believe in its true origin. Thats hypocritical.
no FSHGRL, it’s no longer the PURPOSE of the holiday (except for Christians) Christ is the history of the holiday (or at least a part of it). Most people in Canada celebrate christmas as a social holiday. It’s not only commercialized, it’s been secularized as well. And I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that. Most people like Christmas or it wouldn’t still be so popular. Why not make it accessible to everyone? It’s not threatening YOUR celebration of Christ if others focus on family and friends and exchanging gifts is it? You can put up your manger scene and I’ll put out my santa and reindeer display. You can sing “O holy night” and I’ll sing “jingle bells”. It’s not hypocritical to build community and family traditions and have those traditions grow and change over time. People may be less inclined not to identify with the Christ aspect of Christmas, but most still hang on to the tradition because they identify with the sentiment of spending time with family and friends, loving one another and giving to those less fortunate. Those are still very Christ-like qualities.
Despite the commercialization, Christmas hasn’t lost it’s greater meaning for most people. And for those who argue that we should be nice to each other all year round…I agree, but a season to celebrate the sentiment and to remind each other of how we should behave is not a bad thing. We should remember our veterans all year long too, but we still have a special day set aside to remind us about it. We should always appreciate our moms and dads but we have special days set aside to honour them. We should be patriotic everyday, but we still have Canada day to formally express our love for our country with one another and fireworks. We should all appreciate the awesomeness of booze, but we have St.Patrick’s day to help remind us. Celebrations bring people together and provide a more formal outlet for expressing our collective beliefs and feelings as a community. If you don’t want to participate, or want to participate in a different way, have at ‘er. No one’s stopping you. Just don’t spoil my fun along the way.
Very well said Miles.
Then FSHGRL, celebrate Christmas the way it was originally celebrated. As it stands, what is celebrated now is not a religious holiday.
I wish you all a Hedonistic Zeusmas and a Pain-free New Year!
I have no issue with people believing in what they want to believe in, but it’s just the hypocrisy that kills me when it comes to the whole bandwagon movement of “atheism.” It’s “cool” these days to shrug off religion and hate on those who don’t, yet these same people celebrate xmas. I mean justify it all you want: xmas is about the birth of christ, no matter how commercialized and bastardized it gets in mainstream culture. Even the whole idea of getting presents comes from a christian idea of “st nicholas” leaving shit in people’s stockings hanging on the fireplace, drying…
But since people like getting stuff, TRY telling an atheist they should refrain from getting gifts on xmas…I’d venture to say 90% of them would laugh at that idea.
I think the whole idea of being agnostic is forgotten by a whole bunch of people – they figure if they don’t believe in god then they are obviously atheists….NOT true. Agnostics are sort of in the middle — they said “there might be a god but there might not be…who’s to say?” and go on their merry way. I like that idea — at least they’re being honest and not bandwagoning on some anti-religion train.
If you give most people a couple of days off work they are going to celebrate with food friends and fun. A lot of people just take Christmas and Easter as another long weekend. No reason to get offended, or force reasons upon the fun. It’s always funny to me that religious people can’t seem to just be content with their own beliefs, in order to be happy celebrating they feel the need to force everyone else to act accordingly.
PK, I really don’t care about presents at Christmas- I’ll give a few, and my parents always ask me if I want anything- and I tell them no, not really. And it’s true.
If it makes you feel better, I’ll stop saying I celebrate Christmas in favor of “Family, friends and general overindulgence sometimes towards the end of December because that’s when lots of other people do it Holiday”.
I did have a Vatican priest confirm for me that the (Catholic) church adopted the 25th as the birth of christ from the pagans. Would he lie?
The point of these Atheism ads is not to be in your face but to encourage the people who do not have a religon to not be ashamed of it. There are people all across Canada, the US, Europe, etc. who have lost jobs, families and friends because they didn’t believe in a religon. These signs are to let them know that they aren’t alone, and that there is nothing wrong with not believing in a God.
The people who through their atheism in people’s faces are just as bad as the religious people who through their religon in your face. But you shouldn’t hate on everyone for a few bad apples.
Being an Atheist myself (and a damn proud one), I celebrate Christmas as a time to be with my family and friends and as a time to have a vacation from work. Religon does not enter my celebrations in the least bit.
BTW, where did you see the bus? I’ve been dying to see it but I didn’t think it started in Halifax yet.
I thought Christmas was about the birth of Santa…
” did have a Vatican priest confirm for me that the (Catholic) church adopted the 25th as the birth of christ from the pagans. Would he lie?”
Its called Saturnalia. It was outlawed by Caligula even because it was one huge gong show. During the 12 days of Saturnalia, men would drink themselves to the point of puking, have sex with each other and often smack their wives around. They’d also go door to door while naked and cause huge ruckuses in the name of “good fun”. You know it must have been very bad – or very good – if someone like Caligula outlawed it.
PK, I’d argue that being agnostic is a much more popular trend than being atheist. If I had a nickle for every person I’ve heard say something along the lines of… “I’m more spiritual than religious” I’d be filthy rich.
I can’t wait to see those ads.
Also, I want a “Merry Zeusmas” T-Shirt, and I don’t want to wait until Zeusmas to get one.
…and great comments countering the “why not celebrate ___ every day” argument, Miles.
OP, People are entitled to believe what they want to believe.
Just because you believe in God doesn’t mean everyone does. Would you be bitching if the ad was in support of God and church. Probably not. Just because you do not agree or believe the message that is being sent doesn’t mean that it shouldn’t be said. The ad may not have supported your way of thinking but it did some elses. Be a little bit more open minded.
What would Jesus do? Take the bus or drive a car? I suspect he’d be sporting a nice Lincoln.
I’m atheist… But I’m not one of those assholes that go around saying “God doesn’t exist because…” or “Oh, you’re *insert religion belief here* get the fuck away from me”
To each their own, I go my way, you go your way sorta deal.
And screw you, I’m putting up a tree (because my family is forcing me to), drinking wine, opening a few presents, giving presents, and relaxing no matter who was born that day
Peace, love, and all that jazz!!!
What would Jesus do?
Well, he went and got himself nailed to a cross… So I don’t think I’ll be following those footsteps anytime soon…
(I’m sorry, I know it’s a joke in poor taste, but I couldn’t help myself)
I don’t know about y’all but I’m celebrating the birth of Sir Isaac Newton born Dec 25 1642.
without him, the world would be a different place.
Nice, zZz.
*fact filed away for future use.
Candy canes and Christmas trees replaced by candy apples hanging precariously from Newton’s gravity-inspiring tree? Maybe holiday cards with calculus equations on them? Carols about the laws of motion? I think zZz is on to something.
it was him or little richard… and I know the latter is used to ‘snow’ but I’m a math major at heart so…..
I’d totally do mathematical holidays, but nothing replaces my world heavyweight championship belt topping the tree.
Laws of gravity help my flying elbow.
I think it might be time to start the Religion of the Flying Spagetti Monster.
We could raise a few bucks & take out adds, on the Bus & in the Coast (lets support the place that lets us use their BBS )
We can make all kinds of stupid claims, I would like a virgin in there somewhere…maybe an extra-Virgin claim, like olive oil does ;)….mmmmmmmmm pasta, tomato sauce multigrain bread & extra virgin oil mmmmmm where’s the basalmic vinigar.
After all no one will be able to disprove our theory of belief, as long as we base it along the lines of any of the predominant, singly diety religious groups, practicing today. Yep we could start ourselves a religion, & possibly learn a little lesson from the cult of Scientology & not attempt to squeeze every thin dime out of our parishioners !
Have a little fun, drink a lot more wine than the catlicks, eat pasta with great sauces, & generally have some fun…dining would be our ‘prayer’ time, every mouthful, an offering to the great & all power , invisible (lets not forget that important part) Flying Spagetti Monster !
I’m ready to join… should I go buy some wine ?
hey i’m in…could we have multiple invisible deities perhaps some lasagna, and i get to bring my familiars they are hairy and black
Trust me fishgirl, if it wasn’t for my family I wouldn’t celebrate your annoying holiday. You can take your Christmas carols, your baby Jesus dolls, and your bible-thumping attitude and suck it. Suck it long, suck it hard.
zzz if not for Newton, we ‘d all float away. LOL.
That’s the ‘spirit’ paingirl, maybe we could teach your familiars on how to stuff the cannolis.
Think that’s an inappropriate Jesus joke, *Mind Snap*?
Know why Jesus never played hockey?
He didn’t like being nailed to the boards.
Know why all the ladies loved Jesus?
Because he was hung like this (spread arms wide).
Fuck I need to get to sleep! Fuck these night shifts, ahhhhh!
Jesus. Christ.
I don’t believe in a written biography about a simple man, 40-50 years after his death. Jesus and God are about as valid to me as Zeus and Hera. A good story and a blip on the radar of history. Forget Elvis… Jesus is the single most biggest selling BRAND the world has ever known.
That doen’t mean people don’t have the right to either. Although I do find it rather creepy that people want to follow a 2000 year old wives tale.
I associate most Atheists with being a pissy teenager because that’s what I was when I was a teenager. Now, I just don’t care. I think it’s pretty dumb to believe in anything so full of logical holes as religion but I’ve gotten used to the idea that most people prefer to want some security.
As long as you keep it out of my face, have at it. Chtulumas for all!
could a Flying Spaghetti Monster make pasta so bland that ….. uh… it (I guess) itself could not taste it?
BTW, I wouldn’t be praying to no spaghetti, though I could totally get on board with a Flying Manicotti Monster.
Just as bad as mormons and others banging on your door trying to stuff religion on your plate before breakfast . Bottom line – anyone anywhere anytime has the right to it . Also that said those that don’t believe also have that right . Religion is in the heart and spirit anyways – no need to advertised and pushed or not pushed . Keep it to yourself and your group of choosen group of religion and i think it’s all fine . That ad was first refused by Metro Transit and somthing i can’t remember happenned to cause them to put it up ( likely a threatened human rights suit or something ). Either way that being said – i suppose we can just fill up the busses and billboards with all our beliefs and disbeliefs without worrying about getting in peoples faces . Fire away gotta love canada – just wait till the muslims get offended by your xmas tree and bitch to have it removed from your malls and everywhere else !!!! Happened in calgary and other places!!
i am so distressed that you people don’t believe in e,anymore.there i will cause the sun to go black in an eclipse,and your rivers to run red with rust and even torment your eyes,as i run naked down your streets.and if you still don’t worship me,then on the 24th.day of may,2012,i will bring all your ill houses down.the day of my judgement comes soon.kay,you are the first to go to the fiery pit of more’s flying speghetti monster.therefore i now cast thee out,begone foul and loathsome creature.did i do good daddy?
you’re a real piece of shit LS
at least we can agree on that. 🙂
kay and zZz,ohoh,you aren’t gonna get a goody in your holiday sock this year.guess i’ll have to talk to stephen harper about adding some more inane and insane laws for you.and let’s not for kelly,he won’t give you a fast ferry ride either,ho ho ho.i think i will go ad get my holiday junk ready,for holiday day.and maybe even put up some holiday lights and shit.(doesn’t all that sound fucking stupid).fuck it all people,if you want to do the day the way you want,who the hell cares.it‘s your own personal deal.i, for one will not piss on you,for however you want to do it.christian,jew,muslem,what the fuck ever.just enjoy the day off.holy fuck,(no pun intended).
LS, what part of your post isn’t pissing on people?
Yeah. It’s like that.
Kay needs a doubledong !!! Something tells me her boyfriends dick is tooooo small cause her attitude dictates that – some please pass the hat and let’s get her a huge double dong for xmas so she shuts up and hopefully leaves NS with said same dildo
zZz the Flying Spagetti Monster, can make a pasta so bland no one could taste it…that’s why WE MAKE THE SAUCE 😉
As for you manicotti idea, the spagetti monster has you covered…all possible pasta combinations are possible & the lovers of any are pasta dish are loved by the all powerful ,all knowing, & always invisible… F.S.M.
Also the Flying Spagetti Monster, isn’t poor, so keep your money for buying ingredients for you manicotti & whatever sauce & wine & cheese combination(s) you like…Yep my (our) god doesn’t want your money…doesn’t want you to dress a certain way & pretend at certain times on certain days that your something your not. So relax, enjoy life, eat well & if its not too difficult attempt to at least not be nasty to others…you don’t have to be nice…being indifferent works too.
My religion is on its way !
I’m looking at the other religions & making sure to get rid of the shitty parts…like special buildings, tax exemptions, ripping off the members…I mean tithing the members. Making unreasonable demands, judgemental dictates, & by having only one real rule…to have fun & be content, most of the time.- (so flipping out occassionally won’t be a problem either 🙂
I’m also happy to see converts from any of the other religious groups, just make sure you leave all your _insert religion_ predjudices at the door of the religious group your bailing at.
I’m also thinking that instead of a cross, or other religious symbol, we can, if we really want to protect a nice shirt, blouse, or other article of clothing allow the holy napkin or bib, to keep the stains off your clothing, which will alwyas remain optional…because some of us just don’t care 😉
right some nice labster bibs would fit in
Shut the fuck up, hog. Go grow some class in your backyard or something.
you’re a real piece of shit LS
wow, pot calling the kettle black.
Yeah Kay calling someone out for not having class is like being called a racist by Geert Wilders.
Dear paingirl…I forgot to check with you, to see if familiars have any problems with bibs 🙂
Just a side note..the FSM doesn’t have a pit of fire or brimstone…worst possible scenario is a middle of the road case of heartburn .Nothing that a couple of tu….I mean antacid tablets can’t fix.
The Flying Spagetti Monster loves you, & it’s love isn’t bound by sending you to hell for all eternity, for some terrilbe thing like, masterbation or same gender sexual enjoyment, short (& I mean one night stands) relationships of any sexual kind. Blasphemy isn’t a problem, neither is the enjoyment of other food groups .The FSM doesn’t care if you believe in it or not, THe FSM believes in you 😉
my familiars do what i want except the crows…but they love the neaputs all are welcome, all are welcome