One of the highlights of the CNN Democratic presidential debate came during the commercials — twice. The Freedom From Religion Foundation aired a 30-second ad featuring Ron Reagan, son of the former president, saying he’s a “lifelong atheist, not afraid of burning in hell.” It’s the same ad rejected by ABC during last month’s debate.

Plenty of viewers enjoyed what they were seeing. Or had least had a good sense of humor about it.

That Ron Reagan atheism psa to sep church and state is mmuah. So good #DemDebate — Sarah Silverman (@SarahKSilverman) October 16, 2019

RON REAGAN NOT AFRAID OF BURNING IN HELL 2020 — Travis Helwig (@travishelwig) October 16, 2019

“I’m a lifelong atheist and I’m not afraid of burning in hell.” Holy bleep. That Ron Reagan commercial�. Didn’t expect it but I’m here for it � #DemDebate @FFRF — Cyndi Lundeberg (@cyndilundeberg) October 16, 2019

I love that Ron Reagan is on CNN during the break advertising the Freedom from Religion Foundation. His tag line: "Ron Reagan. Lifelong atheist. Not afraid of burning in hell." — Susan Glasser (@sbg1) October 16, 2019

SO good to see “unabashed atheist” Ron Reagan (son of President Ronald Reagan) in this @FFRF ad during the #DemDebate: https://t.co/VbtH9B8e4q #DemocraticDebate — Ali A. Rizvi (@aliamjadrizvi) October 16, 2019

2nd Ad: "Ron Reagan, life-lone atheist, not afraid of burning in hell" We need more of moral non-believers speaking openly. — Clara Jeffery (@ClaraJeffery) October 16, 2019

CNN: Tom Steyer, should we tax you out of existance?

Steyer: Kind of.

CNN: Thank you. We will not ask you more questions for the next hour.

America: Thank god.

Ron Reagan: There is no god. — David M. Perry (@Lollardfish) October 16, 2019

Who didn’t like it? People like Charlie Kirk and Pastor Greg Locke, who blamed the Democratic Party for it, suggesting that the DNC supported or even knew about this ad. (They didn’t.)

This is the left They booed God at their convention They want to defund churches that don't support their progressive views And this is the ad that gets the prime spot at their debates—"I'm not afraid of burning in hell" RT if you're disgusted with this Godless party pic.twitter.com/ycyprA0JVv — Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) October 16, 2019

So the @FFRF running an ad during the #DemocraticDebate is further proof that this party HATES GOD. These people will destroy the very fabric of this Nation. Furthermore they LIED about our Founding Fathers. — Pastor Greg Locke (@pastorlocke) October 16, 2019

Ron Reagan can spout of during a cute little @FFRF commercial to play to the #DemocraticDebate but rest assured EVERY KNEE WILL BOW and EVERY TONGUE WILL CONFESS that Jesus Christ is LORD. — Pastor Greg Locke (@pastorlocke) October 16, 2019

Imagine how ignorant you have to be to think that CNN allowed the Democratic Party to choose its own ads. The Democrats are hardly a godless party, too. At best, they’ve acknowledged that non-religious people make up an ever-growing part of their base. But atheists don’t have anywhere close to the sort of power in the Democratic Party that white evangelicals have in the Republican Party.

Then there was Todd Starnes, fresh from his FOX News firing, who couldn’t handle the positive mention of atheism, treating it as a slap in the face to his favored myth.

CNN airing atheist ads during #DemDebate. Ron Reagan Jr. says he's not afraid to burn in hell. #godless #extracrispy — toddstarnes (@toddstarnes) October 16, 2019



On his website, he went even further with what I can only assume is right-wing “humor”:

Hell is no laughing matter. Repent, Mr. Reagan. #Godless #ExtraCrispy #FireRetardantUndies

Hilarious. Eternal torture for your political enemies. Mike Huckabee-level gold right there.

It’s so typical of the Religious Right that they would equate Reagan’s beliefs with hellfire while Trump, whose ignorant withdrawal of U.S. forces in northern Syria may now lead to a genocide, gets a free pass despite all his corruption.

In any case, the ad did what it was supposed to do: It got people talking.

"Ron Reagan" is the top trending search on Google right now. — GoogleTrends (@GoogleTrends) October 16, 2019

Hopefully, it leads to more donations for FFRF, too.

