“Is God irrelevant?” This is the question that wingnut Arkansas Christians will now be required by court ruling to consider every time they ride, see or get hit by public buses in Little Rock, because of some atheist bus ads. A group of pagans/sharias/goat-worshippers/Christine O’Donnell won a lawsuit allowing them to place ads promoting atheism on public buses after first being rejected because the group could not afford the massively expensive damage insurance against freaky Christian mobs spontaneously showing up to go all “crucifixion crazy” on the ads and buses. So, hooray! First Amendment Jesus is alive or dead depending on which of these two groups you ask, atheists or wingnuts, because Jesus wants people to be free to speak their minds/ wants people to be able to walk freely through the streets without a steaming pile of cheeky godlessness oppressing the good Christian vibe.
Reuters reports:
Judge Susan Webber Wright ruled that the Central Arkansas Transit Authority and its advertising agency should not have denied the group the right to place the ads on 18 publicly-funded city buses during Memorial Day weekend.
Washington-based United Coalition of Reason filed a lawsuit on behalf of the Arkansas group in June after the transit authority and its advertising agency rejected an ad that would have read, “Are you good without God? Millions are.”
“This was a victory for all of us whether you believe in God or not, because it’s a victory of free speech,” United Coalition of Reason’s attorney J.G. Schultz told Reuters.
The transit authority and its advertising agency, On The Move Advertising, had required payment of a $36,000 deposit to run the ad. The group then changed that to a $3 million insurance policy in case of bus vandalism by angry Christians.
And now the atheist group will run the bus ads on routes going past college campuses, which are already godless, so this was all a lot of socialism for nothing. [Reuters]
{ 195 comments }
“Is God irrelevant?”
Why do atheists hate Rick Perry?
Probably not just atheists…
Because he's an asshole?
That's a pretty good reason.
“Is God irrelevant?”
Certainly not in the Christian world as long as God looks like Fabio's dad.
the bible= god's big book of bad ideas.
by the way, keep in mind that Jesus never read the bible.
but don't tell the gay bachmanns about that.
"Why do atheists hate Rick Perry?"
Why wouldn't they?
The Romans did the same thing, they made the Assyrians put up huge insurance policies on their lions.
Another victory for Sharia law.
Is God dead?
Maybe, maybe not. But you will be when you get run over by Central Arkansas Transit Authority bus, no matter what kind of ad it has.
There are these bumperstickers that I see everywhere in Seattle (really) that read, "Jesus is ________." It's almost too much to take! Like they WANT me to be involved in Biblical MadLibs.
First good news I've heard all week.
It's funny how the Wingers are all "yay Constitution" until it buts up against their beliefs.
(LOGIC) The principle governing human intellection. Its nature may be deduced from examining the two following propositions, both of which are held by human beings to be true and often by the same people: "I can't so you mustn't," and "I can but you mustn't."
from "The Hipcrime Vocab" by Chad C. Mulligan
Sweet Brunner reference.
I wake up every day hoping I'm in "Muddle Earth" and cry when I realize it's still "Stand on Zanzibar."
Shalmanesar approves this emotion.
Then they just rewrite it.
It's funny how the Wingers are all "yay Constitution" until
it buts up against their beliefsthey read it.fixed.
Score one for our evil atheist agenda! Hooray! How long before the murderous, vandalous orgies start, do ya think?
You mean besides the long running one in Congress? (or is that just a whore house?)
We've got a long way to go in Arkansas before we reach THAT level of debased debauchery… but a girl can dream.
Oh darling, just hop on the Bettie Bus, take a short ride over to Six Flags Over Jesus, and let the right Rev. Boyfucker show you how it's done. Hell, we'll even leave the light on for ya!
I'll bring the wine!
Weren't they supposed to start as soon as Gai Marriage began?
I have time after 4PM today….
Orgies?
Vandalous?
The?
*I'm* in!
Godless Commies! How dare they!
Show me where in the Constitution it says that godless commies have the right to place stupid signs on buses!
If you're forced to ride a public bus in Little Rock you probably don't believe in God anyway.
Or you do, and you have tithed your hobo beans and cardboard box-home to whomever Pastor/Priest Grifter has told you to give all your possessions to the church so you don't go to hell.
But hell might be better then living in a cardboard box under an overpass. Hard call.
Or maybe you're on your way to a crossroads to sell your sell and get the Hell out of Arkansas!
Maybe Stewart can bitch about this tonight.
Nah, it's Shabbat. He and Lieberman take Friday nights off.
Boy don't bitch of a Friday night.
Atheists, unlike Christians, must not only be right — they must be likable. Otherwise: off to slammer w/'em. Actually this rule applies to all minorities who actually expect society to treat them fairly. That Jackie Robinson: he was so well-mannered!
I'm glad someone put that into words, because it's the God's (pun intended) honest truth.
"The group then changed that to a $3 million insurance policy in case of bus vandalism by angry Christians."
Speaking of angry Xtians fucking up buses, what's Snobwilly Grifter up to nowadays?
She's at the Iowa State Fair scaring the cows.
Playing hard to get with the Biggest Boar in Iowa!
Well, she's the Biggest Bore from AK, so they should be well-matched.
Under Sharia law the buses wouldn't have ads for atheism–think of the advantages, Arkansas.
Touche'
So the wicked godless were the ones having to pay millions as insurance against the destruction and mahem and barbarism of the children of god? Sounds about right.
Nothing says Jesus like mindless rage.
Wonder if that insurance policy covers if some religious extremists fly one of those buses into an abortion clinic?
I think that would qualify as an "Act of God."
I'd say the actuaries have the Christers pegged.
How dare they spread their dogmatic views that lack any dogma.
The wingnuts are *really* going to lose their shit if/when they find out about this:
Susan Webber Wright (born 1948) is a United States federal judge, presently serving as the chief judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas. She received national attention when she dismissed the sexual harassment lawsuit brought by Paula Jones against President Bill Clinton in 1998. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susan_Webber_Wright
Cue left – wing conspiracy theory in 3…2…1…
I knew I remembered the name from the Clinton era. I thought she was a Clinton appointee, but the actual event is even better.
First right wing terror attack in Arkansas in 3…2…
Andrew Sullivan looks really nice with long hair in that picture!
I thought it was Charleton Heston.
Where's the Jew-Fro? And the White wimmen?
I knew I recognized that judge's name: from wiki
She received national attention when she dismissed the sexual harassment lawsuit brought by Paula Jones against President Bill Clinton in 1998.
See, everything really is Clinton's fault, sheeple!
If these ads are put on buses Arkansas will be stricken with drought and a plague of foolish and annoying induhviduals. Oh wait..
Birds will probably fall from the skies, dead.
And the Huckabees will don even more bizarre clothing than what they usually wear. Rock on, you Obama-hatin', gun-totin' Hucksters.
Angry Christians? What's up with that? Christians are "supposed" to be nice. When Jesus broke the bread at the Last Supper he said, "take this and eat it, for it is my body", he didn't say "eat me."
But on FoxNews we heard that Jesus said Hate your enemy???
Jesus was cold putting planks in people's eyes.
Planking is over, yo.
It's all in the interpretation.
Yeah, I was going to say "Lost in translation, obvs."
And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet.
And curb stomp those fornicators of mothers.
"The group then changed that to a $3 million insurance policy in case of bus vandalism by angry Christians."
Simply outrageous, given that Christians never show anger and never engage in violence.
This is good news for roving Christian mobs.
Too bad the Republican debate was last night.
Jesus looks Pissed off about everybody doing crazy shit in his name.
Ain't that one of them eelite art thangs? Pissed Christ?
Pleeeezze, can't I have another p to attach to that comment?
You would be too if your followers were as fucking dumb as this lot.
They need $3 million to insure a local bus fleet? I told them at the public hearing that it was a bad idea to approve those direct flights from Brixton to Little Rock, but would they listen? Nooo.
I would have gone with
"God sucks! Deal with it!"
"Is there a God? Maybe. But if there is, he surely doesn't give a fuck about you."
Or maybe
"There's a difference between kneeling down and bending over."
Zappa
What would Bert and Ernie say?
Something really really Gay?
Bert and Ernie are officially not gay, Sesame Street announced today:
http://www.avclub.com/articles/sesame-streets-ber...
That's what Phil Hinkle's spokeswife says, too.
And Larry Craig's. And Michele Bachman's.
If you allow a male muppet to marry a male muppet, soon you'll be having pig on frog orgies.
Don't threaten me with a good time!
Or chickens being fucked by weird fuzzy blue things with long curved noses
Best comment from that piece:
When I was a kid I always assumed that Bert and Ernie were a couple. I didn't spend, like, a lot of time thinking about it. They just seemed like most adult couples that I knew … They bickered constantly, but were inexplicably fond of each other regardless…I pretty much saw them as same-gendered, puppet versions of my parents.
Which I think is kinda sweet, really
Looks like it's bus burning time in Arkansas.
They better not cover their heads in black fabric like the London rioters did. That might look … umm … Muslim.
It's a state that borrowed 80% of its name from another state. I don't think they have much in the way of a creative imagination.
I created an account just so I can ask you if your comment is serious. Is it? If so, Arkansas gained statehood some 20 years before Kansas and the Arkansas Territory existed some 30 years before the Kansas Territory.
Apparently, my commenting on a fallacy that now has 24 likes isn't allowed. Intense debate indeed. I'll say it again. Arkansas became a state some 20 years before Kansas and the Arkansas Territory existed some 30 years before the Kansas territory.
Central Arkansas Transit Authority, ahhh the 4 words I think of when I think of "open minded".
Man I hate to see an all-powerful god get picked on. Maybe we could give Him karate lessons or something. Give Him the confidence to stand up to those atheist and judge bullies…
I just hate it when someone hurts God's feelings.
Push his buttons just right, and you end up with Issac on Jacob type violence, or that whole Sodom & Gomorrah debacle, or worse. Don't screw with the guy, is what I'm sayin'.
How does Christopher Hitchens square this ruling with his long-time atheism & his new blood-brotherhood with the messianists fomenting Apocalypse in the Middle East?
Plus, add in the presence of the judge who sided with that terrible, terrible Clill Binton, &, well… I think "going Scanners" is going to take Ol' Hitch before Cancer has a chance.
I think he's busy trying to avoid re-incarnation as an intestinal parasite!
Laugh all you want, but you know the real reason we started putting up pagan billboards and ads?
To detour the waves of Texan refugees fleeing that God-Smoted state and keep them movin' right on down the road.
Atheism in Arkansas? What the hell's next — literacy in Texas? It's this kind of uncertainty that keeps businesses from hiring people, you know.
"It's this kind of uncertainty that keeps businesses from hiring people, you know."
We're certain that Republican Jerb Craters are just chillin' until they get a Republican president…
So the bus company's excuse was that Christians were just so irrational and violent against non-Christians they couldn't be trusted not to resort to vandalism by a mild atheist message just pretty much saying we exist? Sounds about right.
To be fair, by the time add up bomb insurance, plane-crash-attack insurance, gun massacre insurance, torching-the-vehicle insurance, ramming-with-Hoverrounds insurance, state-wide-defunding insurance to the defacing/vandalism insurance, it is a pretty high premium.
Toxic gas released on bus insurance, not enough riders cuz no jobs to go to insurance, driver texting at wheel insurance…
Lord knows if there's one place people lose their religion, it's a goddamned city bus.
Tales from the Bus
I thought it was best to be in the corner, to be in the spotlight, when losing your religion.
Back when I used to frequent public transport, I encountered a couple of riders who always"thought that they heard you laughing". And then they try and shank you.
And that WASN'T just a dream … just a dream …
I was riding on the bus late one night and the guy across from me unzipped and started jerking off. It was at that moment I lost my religion and knew I was forever doomed to godless communism.
Oh, I thought I was the only one who saw that.
(First time when I was in 11th grade and countless times since then. Seems to be quite the usual practice in the bus-riding community.)
That is one of many reasons why I only walk around downtown. No, fuck public transporation, if I can't get anyone to help me when some fucking crazy woman decides to start beating me with an umbrella on the bus, then I will put all of my money into good walking shoes.
Keeps my ass looking better, anyway.
I ride the bus in DC- I am the older white lady with the yarn(because there are not a lot of old white women on the 79 or even the S buses in DC). So say hi if you see me- but please do not unzip your pants
Angry Christians?
And Jesus said atop the mountian "blessed are the pissed, for they shall destroy public property. Blessed are the violent, for they shall NEVER heed to my teachings. Blessed are the graffito taggers, for with their Sharpie pens they shall bring forth the wisdom of 'you want to see a joke? it's in your hand' on thine urinal partition"
The next piece of this story will be about a bus driver getting in trouble for refusing to drive a bus with the ads on it. And then Fox News will get ahold of it…
Probably, but faux is already putting the driver up to it. Or hacking phones, or whatever.
You forgot to say "snark-free."
No different than pharmacists being allowed to shirk their professional obligations & not dispense contraception.
It will be fun to see how much vandalism is inflicted by the fine upstanding Christians of Little Rock.
In America, we have Freedom of Religion.
Which means, if you ain't religious, you are not free and should be thrown in prison…
Which is exactly what is written in the Constitushun! I read it online in Christapedia!!1!
If it's steaming piles of cheeky godlessness they're exiling, I know some folks in Texas who'd take it for their potable-water refineries…
If they pay her well, Sarah Lou would be happy to put the ad on her bus.
She'd even draw a smiley face on it if the check is big enough.
I have faith that the ads are of an intelligent design.
I hope I don't see one of these. I would have to leave the United Methodist church because all Xians, like Faux News watchers, know that if you're exposed to anything with which you might disagree, your value system and world outlook crumbles.
WTF are these kind of people so afraid of?
Property damage is the only way to be sure God understands you disagree with the ad.
Could it be ….. Thinking? (Please use Dana Carvey/Church Lady voice.)
Everything
Succinct and accurate
Why do these pictures of Jesus always depict him with long, straight hair?
According to the Bible, Jesus had a Jewfro.
In Daniel 7:9, it says that his "ancient of days did sit, whose garment [was] white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool"
Jebus sported the Dr. J? Maybe I should rethink this whole not being Catholic anymore thing.
I always thought Jesus looked more like Gene Shalit than Peter O'Toole.
Did he also conceive a mediocre tennis pro, though?
Long, straight BLOND hair. So straightener and peroxide.
So Jesus really looked like Gary Spivey?
Screech from Saved by the Bell
Climb aboard the bus to hell.
A life without God is like Rick Perry without hair. Think on that one, atheist mutherf***ers.
Refreshingly unmenaced by stupidity?
Have you seen the photos of Warren Jeffs since he's been thrown in an actual Texas pen and had his head shaved? The first thing I thought was, "If Rick Perry had his head shaved, he'd look just like that."
Get on it, Texas.
Don't you godless commies know that 'freedom of religion' is only for christians? Those other people, the 'jews' and the 'muslins' and the 'pastafarians' haven't been bathed in the blood of christ so whatever they're doing, it isn't 'religion'. So there.
FREEDOM OF RELIGION DOES NOT MEAN FREEDOM FROM RELIGION!!! IT MEANS I'M FREE TO FORCE MY RELIGION ON YOU!!!!!
USA! USA! USA!
Do people really believe that Christians would purposely deface the property of others and interfere with their rights? Come on, don't you understand that they are for understanding and forgiveness even if someone else believes differently than them… that's how they do.
Blessed are the vandals, for they shall inherit the Kingdom of God. Tea Bagger 3:16
Remembering how the conservative media went bananas after the Mohamed cartoon riots, I’ll be waiting for descriptions from the Fox News Crew about how violent Christianity is after the first bus is burnt by a raving mob.
Signs go up? Bigots tear them down. You can't explain it.
The group then changed that to a $3 million insurance policy in case of bus vandalism by angry Christians.
Explain to me again how they're different than the Muslims who got all stoked because of Cartoon Mohammeds?
Damn! I'm surprised the Taliban isn't irate because "Mohammed" (on whom peace!) contains "ham"!
Arkansas – land of progress. Next thing you know, they'll stop fucking sheep.
That's just wishful thinking on your part.
More fluffy time for me.
I'm going to stop investing in companies that make velcro gloves and rubber boots.
Chickens, my friend; Arkansas is known for it's chickens.
The persecution of Christians continues.
That was the exact reason the Xtians used here in Iowa when they sued to have the athiest signs removed from buses in Des Moines last winter. The judge ruled against them.
But you know who the real victim is here…
James Madison?
Jesus?
He doesn't mind this day of rest shit, nor will He mind this denial of His divinity. He'll still fuck you up Wednesday. Big date for the league semis…
The great "I AM"? (That is, Sarah Palin).
Ralph Kramden?
The Jews?
Christine O'Donnell?
Glenn Beck/Hitler?
The Baptists are pissed about it because they know the game is potentially up. There's a lot of power being exerted by manipulation of sincerely held religious beliefs and superstitions.
People like to blame Reagan for our political troubles, but the real reason is the candidacy of Pat Robertson. He turned those assholes on to politics and we've been fucked ever since. I blame Reagan for a lot of things, but Pat Robertson turned the nation's political arena into a rented sports arena with dipshits holding their hands up in the air before leaving to do as they are told.
Too much, un-magic bus.
Rough Trade Jeebis needs to cool it with the steroids.
As an atheist, I can attest to the fact that atheists suck at generating good will towards atheism.
Especially when it's Organized Atheism.
Sometimes we do enjoy the magic underwear jokes a bit too much.
To the ass-wipes that have become the vocal majority of this declining country it's 'Freedom of religion, not freedom from religion. If you don't believe in their Invisible Space Giant you're no better than a dangerous Islamist (and their Invisible Space Giant.)
It's time we get in the habit of saying, "That's just what the Islamists think" to pretty much any of these "faith"-forcing assholes.
I mean, I want it to be a mantra. Short and sweet, like "Why do you hate America?" And I want liberals to use it ALL THE TIME.
Well… it sounds like the city has two choices:
Find some way to increase revenue for public transportation so that they don't have to be treated at rolling billboards to begin with, or…Shut down public transportation entirely
I know what I'm betting on!
Maybe it's just me, but I kind of like my bus ads godless.
The fact that we need an organization called "United Coalition of Reason" bodes trouble for the future of America.
Not to mention the fact that the "United Coalition of Reason" needs to be insured against attacks by angry mobs.
Wait, come to think of it, business as usual for the human race.
I don't see what their problem is. That's $5000 that went into the pocket of some Peeple-ration agency. Free market wins over the Constitution, right? I mean this is America, where individuals don't have rights unless you can afford your own representative or have a PAC in your name.
Bill Hicks said it best.
A couple of hicks after the show approached him and said: "We're Christians and we don't like what you said."
Bill Hicks replied: "Then forgive me."
In the current atmosphere, I can only imagine what someone like Bill Hicks or George Carlin would say.
"socialism for nothing… chicks for free."
Soon they will worship me.
TheInternetKilledReligion.com
I'm still developing the site. It currently just redirects. Enjoy heathens!
Newt Gingrich already has 10,000 followers there!
What's up with this? First it's the crying for rights, then when you get them you show your end game? Insults, vulgarity, godlessness? This is what you're fighting for? http://atheistlegitimacy.blogspot.com/
“Are you good without God? Millions are.”
Err, shouldn't it be Billions? You know, because there is no God, and thus anyone who is good, is good without God? Atheistfail.
Wait – were these litigant devil worshippers libtards or reasontards?
I'd like to see an angry Christian go all postal on a bus…
Wait, wait…they have public transportation central Arkansas?
Silly, Kirsten, (white) Arkansas Christians don't ride mass transit. They don't even live close enough to their city cores to even see buses.
No snark here, I offer this entrepeneurial inspiration absolutely free of charge to any Wonketeer with entrepeneurial tendencies,a couple more spare spondoolicks than the rest of us and a love of Italian cuisine: The Flying Spaghetti Monster restaurant! Because all godless atheists love spaghetti, and pizza, and maybe even an occasional veal parmigian, all washed down with huge quantities of delicious but reasonable priced red wine served by buxom young waitresses in sexy (but not demeaning) uniforms.
The menu with it's cleverly named entrees would become a collector's item. You could even sell T- Shirts, and have a particularly offensive Sunday brunch special.
To those who are with us: Pastafazoola.
To those who are against us: Stu'gotts.
This is a bad precedent. Next thing you know, atheists will want to vote and get married like real Americans.
In my youth I had sex on a public bus on two occasions. I must say if I ever have the chance to do so again, I don't want the Baby Jeebus looking down on me, thank you very much. ps. Don't know about Heaven, but without sex, riding on a public bus is Hell.
For 35 years in a wingnut town in Pennsyltucky, they erected a nativity scene on government land at the town square. No one peeped for generations, until a local godless slime insisted that his manifesto must get equal time at the same site. The solution was an ordinance banning all such displays on the town square. The nativity moved across the roundabout to a church still on the square, more prominent than ever, on private, nonprofit property.
Just saying, it's progress.
It ain't nothin', but a good time…
Do you know the Assyrian king list poem? I need to look for it again- I learned it in college when I was studying things like the importance of polychrome brick glazing in the ANE.
You watched Meet The Feebles, didn't you?
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