American Atheists has put up their annual Christmas billboard in a couple spots around the country and, as usual, the Christian right is responding with patently inane rhetoric. This year’s billboard is one of their better ones. It merely has Santa with a finger to his lips in a “shhhh” fashion and it says, “Go ahead and skip church! Just be good for goodness’ sake. Happy Holidays!” The fundies are horribly offended.



Author and worldview and culture expert Dr. Alex McFarland says the billboards seek to belittle Christians for their beliefs and makes a mockery of the most holy birth in history. “These annual attempts to draw people away from the church and away from Christ at Christmas continue to be both disrespectful and intolerant of those with deeply held beliefs,” McFarland says. “We know that many seek out Jesus at Christmastime, as they are invited to church by family and friends who are concerned for their souls. Perhaps like no other, Christmas is a time to join the family of God, and when others say it’s silly, stupid or make-believe to consider Christianity, it belittles the true intent of the season.”… “To deny Jesus’ existence and tell people it’s not necessary to step foot into church at Christmas is the height of intolerance,” Jimenez said. “There’s a constant call for tolerance of all beliefs and lifestyles, except when it comes to Christianity. Alex and I have spent years working in apologetics—defending faith—and have met thousands who are committed to the truth of Jesus Christ. It’s so necessary in today’s culture to be able to combat messages like this—that Jesus isn’t real or isn’t worth our time.”

Disrespectful! The very height of intolerance! Really? The height of intolerance? There are Christians being murdered around the world and experiencing genuine persecution, particularly in Muslim countries. Those people would, no doubt, be surprised to hear that a billboard with nothing insulting on it at all is the “height of intolerance.” It’s especially amusing and ridiculous in light of Alex McFarland’s vile beliefs.

Alex McFarland: Atheists are dupes of Satan intent on destroying the world. And gay people are demon-possessed pedophiles who want to kidnap your children and rape them.

Atheists: Hey, you don’t need to be believe in God to be a decent person.

Alex McFarland: OMG, that’s the most intolerant thing I’ve ever heard! How dare you insult us by suggesting that we might be wrong about something! Hitler! Stalin!

Could they possibly get any more ridiculous?