Got God? No, Thanks.

Posted on 26. Oct, 2009 by Kaili Boyd in Uncategorized

 Last week, the Coalition of Reason bought advertising space on the New York City subway  to promote a lifestyle of godlessness.  And I don’t mean that in a bad way – just the idea that  its okay not to believe in God.  Meanwhile there are a plethora of Christians who find  this idea offensive and have gotten all riled up about it.  In last Tuesday’s edition of AM NY  Aime  Roberts of the Bronx was quoted as saying “If my children see these ads that say  there is no god they’ll think there mother is lying.”  Others were equally as dismayed about  taking religion out of the public sphere or making space for those who choose not to  believe, even though our president made a concerted effort to include both believers and  non- believers in his inaugural address. 

 Religion isn’t for everyone and it doesn’t have to be.  The Coalition is just trying to let  others know they are not alone, in the same way that Jews for Jesus or non-  denominational Christian Churches have rented the same space. Contrary to popular  Christian belief, one can live a perfectly spiritual life without believing in God.  As a  converted Buddhist who was raised a christian, I am still sometimes caught in the middle of my own personal God complex, yet I believe that switching to a religion that has no concept of God was one of the most freeing things I’ve ever done in my life.  I still have a strong sense of what’s right and wrong, I’m just not bogged down with what I feel are a construct of rules and prohibitions that tend to get in the way of what is truly important- loving and living in community with my fellow man regardless of race, religious conviction or sexual orientation. Taking the ‘godless’ path isn’t for everyone and I would no more choose this path for someone else than I would want someone to choose a religious path for me.  Sometimes I think people forget that this country was founded by people who were suffering under religious persecution in Europe.  Unfortunately there are those who not only can’t see beyond their own personal religious upbringing and wish to decide what is right for others, but forget that we do have freedom of speech here and that freedom includes advertising.  It’s your choice to drink Pepsi if you don’t like Coke or decide to have no soda at all.  And sometimes that means you might have to have a conversation with your offspring about the type of kool-aid you want them to drink.  I don’t agree with the beliefs of the Klu Klux Klan or the Aryan Nation but I respect their right to exist, because in that right lies my ability to tune them out. Advertising is meant to sell a product and this time the product is just godlessness.