Todd Stiefel

considerhumanism.org

Press Conference, National Press Club, November 9, 2010.

Speech by Todd Stiefel, Member of the American Humanist Association Advisory Board and President of the Todd Stiefel Foundation.


Humanists Launch Largest National Advertising Campaign Critical of Religious Scripture

(Washington, D.C., November 9, 2010) A national multimedia ad campaign -- the largest, most extensive ever by a godless organization - launches today and will include a spot on NBC Dateline on Friday, November 12, as well as other television ads, that directly challenge biblical morality and fundamentalist Christianity. The campaign, sponsored by the American Humanist Association, also features ads in major national and regional newspapers and magazines demonstrating that secular humanist values are consistent with mainstream America and that fundamentalist religion has no right to claim the moral high ground.

The ads juxtapose notable humanist quotes with passages from religious texts, including the Old Testament, the New Testament and the Quran. The ads then ask the audience to "Consider Humanism." One example is the following pairing: The Bible: "A woman should learn in quietness and full submission. I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man; she must be silent." I Timothy 2 (New International Version) Humanism: "The rights of men and women should be equal and sacred—marriage should be a perfect partnership." Robert G. Ingersoll, in a letter dated April 13, 1878. Another pairing is: The Bible: "The people of Samaria must bear their guilt, because they have rebelled against their God. They will fall by the sword; their little ones will be dashed to the ground, their pregnant women ripped open." God, Hosea 13: 16 (New International Version) Humanism: "I cannot imagine a God who rewards and punishes the objects of his creation, whose purposes are modeled after our own—a God, in short, who is but a reflection of human frailty." Albert Einstein, column for The New York Times, Nov. 9, 1930.

To see images and videos of the ads and find more information about the campaign please visit: considerhumanism.org

"Humanist values are mainstream American values, and this campaign will help many people realize that they are already humanists and just did not know the term," said Roy Speckhardt, executive director of the American Humanist Association. "Humanists believe in and value love, equality, peace, freedom and reason -- values that are comparable to those of moderate and liberal religious people."

In addition to the television ad on NBC, ads will also be displayed on cable channels. Print ads will appear in major newspapers, including USA Today, the Seattle Times, the Village Voice, the Atlanta Journal Constitution, the Independent Triangle, and the San Francisco Chronicle, and magazines, including Reason and The Progressive. Ads will also appear on Metro trains in Washington, D.C., on billboards on I-95 near Philadelphia and in Moscow, Idaho, and on buses in select cities.

"We want to reach people in every corner of the U.S., from all walks of life, to raise the flag for humanists and show others that they have more in common with us than with biblical literalists," said Speckhardt.

"It's important that people recognize that a literal reading of religious texts is completely out of touch with mainstream America," Speckhardt added. "Although religious texts can teach good lessons, they also advocate fear, intolerance, hate and ignorance. It's time for all moderate people to stand up against conservative religion's claim on a moral monopoly."

All quotes from religious texts were checked by scripture scholars to ensure accuracy, context and proper translation.

The Stiefel Freethought Foundation was the primary sponsor of the Consider Humanism campaign with a $150,000 donation. Another $50,000 was raised from supporters of the American Humanist Association for the launch of this campaign, bringing the total ad buy to $200,000 so far.

The American Humanist Association (americanhumanist.org) advocates for the rights and viewpoints of humanists. Founded in 1941 and headquartered in Washington, D.C., its work is extended through over 140 local chapters and affiliates across America. Humanism is the idea that you can be good without a belief in God.

Category:

Nonprofits & Activism

[maryfletcher4]

Its hard to know how many Christians for instance really believe the stuff they are supposed to and how many just go to church for the social network.

Please see my 'Its up to us' humanism video to see a humanist in Cornwall, u.k. speaking very eloquently and briefly.

[dragonking700]

@skywize

sorry, i thought i responded but i guess not...

Atheists aren't any more sinful than anybody else. And it's not like christians don't sin either. If they didn't sin, they would have no need for Jesus! What makes you a christian is not doing good things. It's realizing that you CAN'T do good things. That's why you need a savior.

(also, some people do good things because they care about OTHERS, not just to make themselves feel good.)

[dragonking700]

@skywize

Christians do good things because they know they are good, because they care about other people, and out of thankfulness. It is 100% selfless (of course, nobody is perfect, so a christian can still be selfish, hopefully though he will realize he is wrong and repent)

An atheist does good things because he has a conscience, and (usually) naturally knows what is good and what is bad. But he also does good things for his own personal gain, just because it makes him feel good.

[skywize]

@dragonking700 This is no different than Atheist morality. We do good things because it feels good to help others. The more thought out version might be that we crave approval of out peers, but it's far simpler than that. The problem with the theistic version is of less worth. You must believe in something to crave it's approval. To believe in something you must have some sort of proof, enough for that person to believe anyway. I have not seen proof enough for even the simplest of people.

[dragonking700]

@skywize

but what you need to understand is that you aren't saved because you don't curse. You are saved because Jesus died for you. people often ask "so, if Jesus forgives all sin, can't you just do whatever you want and Jesus will forgive you?"

the answer to that is "absolutely!"

But do you WANT to do these things, now that you know God loves you and that Jesus died for you?

See, Christians don't do good things because it gets them to heaven. they do them out of thankfulness to God.

[dragonking700]

@skywize

To damn something is to eternally condemn it. It's a very serious thing. it's not something you should say when you hit your thumb with a hammer, because God is not going to send the hammer to hell.

Yes, people use different expressions theses days as they did two thousand years ago, and likely will use different expressions two thousand years from now. using Jesus to curse is just as bad as using hell or damn or god to curse.

[skywize]

@dragonking700 All of that makes perfect sense apart from the curse (sorry, I detest the word cuss) bit. The use of the word 'god' or the name 'Jesus Christ' in the form of a curse would likely be fairly recent. I cannot imagine someone from the bronze age hitting his thumb with a hammer and yelling 'Ah Christ!'.... I just don't see that happening. The rest sounds perfectly agreeable, though, specifically, your use of the word vain. The redundancy reference never even uncured to me.

[dragonking700]

@skywize

actually, it applies to all crimes against God's reputation. If you are a christian, you represent God on this earth. by using his name as a cuss word, by teaching false doctrines, by being hateful (westboro baptists) and doing anything in front of people that makes them think less of christians and therefor of God, is taking his NAME in vain.

and actually the original does say 'don't use it in vain' as in don't use it uselessly.

[dragonking700]

@anonymous7527

then why are so many philosophers religious?

[dragonking700]

@WisenedGnome

An example of thorough, open-minded, atheist logic. If the atheists say it isn't true, it must not be. game over. lololol