Remember that “Imagine No Religion” billboard that I mentioned a while back? It caused a furore in Birmingham, Alabama, where it was posted briefly. People called it “ugly” and “hateful”, apparently.

Well, Dan J has set them straight. He put together one that actually IS ugly and hateful and (short of the swear word) nearly as horrendous as some of the anti-atheist billboards we’ve seen lately. To me, it’s frankly amazing that people could classify the mere suggestion that people could live without religion as “hateful”, especially given what’s being said about us heathens. Is the Overton Window on what constitutes hateful speech about religion really pulled that far to the right, that far such that hate speech against atheists is acceptable but mild rebukes of religion is hateful? Reminds me of, well, every time atheists who are unafraid to speak their minds freely are called “militant” or “New Atheists” (as though there’s been anything new or novel in atheism for hundreds of years).

Not to spoil Dan’s effort or anything, but it features the words “and the cross you rode in on”.