Volu m e II - Purdue University Calumet

(“Atheist Billboard”). Their effort to encourage the humanists marginalizes the religious community in an
inferior light, highlighting their belief in God (McPherson).
At first glance, this may seem innocent, but the underlying message presents an “us-them”
mentality. If goodness is found apart from God, then the undertones of this billboard campaign suggests
that a belief in God doesn’t provide goodness for any individual. Additionally, to say one is good without
God is to say that the choice in rejecting God is good for you. Reason is the hero of society. Reason is the
means through which society will advance, not the inferior ways and ideologies of religion. The religious
community perceives this implied message, mentioning the fact that it’s a “slap in the face” to their group
and what they’re doing in their surrounding communities (“Non Religious”).
The converse to this reveals that God is the enemy, the villain, to the good and joy of a society. If
reason is the means by which a society will advance, then religion – the absence of reason – is the enemy to
fulfilling these goals. This character theme is most dominant in the messages provided through the Freedom
From Religion Foundation. Their intent behind the billboards is not to merely bolster up the humanistic
community but to shun and discourage participation within the religious community. As foundation copresident
Annie Laurie Gaylor notes, the group’s purpose is to increase the visibility of the secularists and
denounce belief in God, believing “religion causes more harm than good” (“Anti religion”). This is evident
in some of their messages that include encouraging citizens to “Imagine No Religion” and to “Sleep In On
Sundays” (“Anti religion”). One billboard connects religion with slavery through a quote by Thelma
McQueen. McQueen, an atheist, said, “As my ancestors are free from slavery, I am free from the slavery of
religion” (qtd. in Poole). Just as slavery was an enemy to the freedom of African Americans in the early
history of America, so in today’s society, religion has become the enemy to the freedoms and advancements
of our pluralistic society. This quote further intensifies the character theme of God and religion as a villain,
stirring in the audience reminders of slavery as a means to create resentment towards God.
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