The American Atheists have launched an anti-Christmas billboard campaign to help "in-the-closet atheists who are pressured to observe religious traditions during the holidays," but now some Christians are fighting back.
The non-profit organization,
which says on its website that it fights for the rights of atheists and for separation of church and state, originally posted a billboard with a photo of a young girl writing a letter to Santa: "Dear Santa, All I want for Christmas is to skip church! (And tickets to the American Atheists National Convention.)" Another billboard adds "I’m too old for fairy tales" to the message.
The billboards appeared near Memphis, Nashville, St.Louis, Milwaukee, and
Fort Smith, Arkansas, an American Atheists press release reported.
In Tennessee,
Memphis' Action News 5 reported that a group of "Christmas defenders" raised money through GoFundMe to put up two competing billboards.
The billboards put up by the group read, "Dear Santa, All I want is to keep Christmas sacred and celebrate without being bullied. With Respect to All."
A Christian in Fort Pierce, Florida, also responded to the group’s billboards with
one of his own, according to TC Palm. Kevin Austin told the news site that he was offended by the American Atheists' sign and wanted to get his own message out. His billboard reads, "Merry Christmas. It’s my birthday. RSVPJesus.org."
"Our hope is that, like everything good in life, it will spread throughout Florida and the entire United States," he told TC Palm.
In response to the "bullied" billboards put up in Tennessee, the American Atheists said in its press release that they were putting up new billboards near Memphis and Nashville with the message, "Dear Christians, I share my toys. Why won't you share the season? Happy Holidays for All."
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