Humanists Launch a Godless Holiday Campaign

December 7, 2009

Author: Duke Helfand

Source: The Los Angeles Times

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-beliefs7-2009dec07,0,1767112.story

As the calendar goes, December tends to be a winning month for God.

Christians celebrate the birth of Christ. Jews mark the story of Hanukkah. Muslims this year will observe the start of Al-Hijra, the Islamic New Year.

And the American Humanist Assn. has decided to join the festivities with an alternative celebration in mind. 

The group, consisting of atheists and others who say they embrace reason over religion, has launched a national godless holiday campaign, with ads appearing inside or on 250 buses in five U.S. cities, including Los Angeles and San Francisco starting today. The placards depict smiling people wearing red Santa hats with the slogan: "No God? . . . No problem!" 

Humanist leaders say the $40,000 ad campaign, funded by contributions from association members, is meant to counter a barrage of religious messages during the holiday season, letting free-thinking atheists and agnostics know that they are not alone.