FFRF's atheist billboard in Columbus causes problem for church

Some billboards intended to dispel myths about atheism are turning heads in Columbus, but one of them has been removed at the request of a church, 10TV's Josh Poland reported on Wednesday.

Seven of the billboards have been put up at locations throughout the city by the Freedom From Religion Foundation. The foundation wants the billboards to help the public understand that atheists are not bad people.

As it turned out, Galos' first billboard was located near the corner of Stelzer Road and Allegheny Avenue, on property belonging to Christ Cathedral Church, Poland reported.

"I was surprised, to be honest," he said. "I went there and it was next to a church."

The church opted to have the sign removed.

The billboard was moved to another location on the east side of Columbus. All the billboards will be up until mid July.

http://bit.ly/mqtr19

Report broadcast on June 29th 2011

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• atheist
• freedom
• from
• religion
• ohio
• columbus
• church

[MsMommaRose]

So the church rents the property to a billboard company and then requests that they get to control what they say? No freedom of speech.

[vonkruge]

@MsMommaRose The billboard company rents the land for the billboard - the church receives money for allowing it there so logically they should and probably do have a say in the content. Now if the sign company or other people owned the land then the church could complain but it wouldn't have been moved - most likely.

[LadyGillian]

The odd thing is had it been a religious type of billboard that needed to be moved because the landowner didn't like it, I highly doubt that it would have been a peaceful, "ok, ah, opps, sorry about that, lets get it moved off of your property"

There would have been screaming, whining, yowling, etcl...about 'persecution... persecution. NOT an "ok, it'll be moved."

[thinkboutit]

we need more of these billboards

[waswestkan]

I guess Xtians are supposed to be the only ones using billboards to get their opinions read by the public. That's what I got from 1 of commenting on camera. Xtians are the majority, From what has gone on is the US & is now going, their moral are suspect. While they concentrate on abortion & homos, they are good with murder, theft in the worship of the god almighty dollar.

[LostHisMarbles]

More billboards!! 

[JaytheOstrich]

Getting Along is what allowing billboards against your views would mean. And putting up a sign is in no way 'pushing' anything on anyone. It's not like seeing a McDonalds billboard forces you to go and eat a Big Mac.

[Katalyzt]

Cool... If their imaginary god character existed then it probably would not have let the sign go up on church property. ;O)

Katalyzt

[onorebakasama]

@mrtadreamer Oh, please. You're attacking atheists and saying they're immoral and don't know anything about anything, but also saying that Christians possess those favorable qualities. You're pretty good at this whole hypocrisy thing.

It's pretty clear that you don't know what you're talking about.

[onorebakasama]

Love these billboards. The United States needs more of them.

And I can understand why the one near the church was removed. That was kind of a dick move, putting it there.

[mrtadreamer]

@CarylDanyls Having no moral compass, nothing makes any real sense to an atheist, that's why you always get it wrong, and no Christians don't own morality, we just live by it.

Matthew 4:4

New King James Version (NKJV)

4 But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by EVERY word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’”

[CarylDanyls]

@mrtadreamer I have no moral compass because I don't agree with you? News flash for you, dreamer, Christians don't own morality.

[mrtadreamer]

@CarylDanyls Without a moral compass, it's "all greek to you" otherwise you wouldn't have to ask.