Residents of Colton, California, are infuriated by a billboard that reads, “Don’t believe I God? You are not alone” and they want it gone from their locality.
“I'd have them take it down, because God's real,” said Benjamin Hall while Cyndi Bulger added, “Everybody's an individual, so you shouldn't be told how you should think or what you should believe.”
However, the atheist group behind the billboard has said that the message is directed towards non-believers, who often feel isolated in society.
The billboard has been sponsored by United Coalition of Reason and it costs more than $6,500. It is part of a larger campaign that has installed similar ads across different states in America, including Colorado, Arizona, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Michigan, Texas and New York.
Inland Empire Coalition of Reason, the group responsible for installing the billboard in Colton, said the message is not offensive in any way.
“We want people to know that nontheistic folks like us are a regular part of communities all over the area,” coordinator Jan Goings said. “Nontheists are your friends and neighbors, your co-workers and family members. Our nontheistic community focuses on service, and we care deeply about bringing justice and help to others: being good without a god.”
Rebecca Kitchings, founder of Greater Riverside Skeptics Forum, added, “Non-believers have been vilified and isolated.… This is an attempt to say, 'Don't think of us so badly. We're your friends, neighbors and family.”
The billboard in Colton was installed only some time ago and it is expected to stay in place for four weeks. UnitedCoR national coordinator Jason Heap explained the point of the national campaign is to reach out to as many atheists, humanists and agnostics as possible.
“Nontheists sometimes don't realize there's a community for them because they're inundated with theistic messages at every turn. So we hope our effort will serve as a beacon and let them know they aren't alone,” he said.
In recent months, other secular organizations too, including Freedom From Religion Foundation and American Atheists, have installed their own non-religious billboards across the country.
Photo Credits: Patheos
