Above is a new billboard sitting on west-bound Highway 40 at Vandeventer. Paid for by The Greater St. Louis Coalition of Reason, the billboard’s goal is to both promoted the hybrid club made up of six different groups but also, they say, to let atheists, and other “non-believers” know that they aren’t alone because no one knows how to work Google or Facebook to find other people with similar interests, they only like to look up slightly while driving:
The Greater St. Louis Coalition of Reason (GreaterStlCOR) is a group of similar member organizations united by a rational perspective.
While our region has a long history of reason, free-thought and humanism, and newer organizations have enjoyed a dramatic increase.
By coming together we can share information, support and build a sense of a broader community. Also, GreaterStlCOR gives member organizations a chance to increase public awareness of our very existence and the various ideas we promote.
Geez…ok. Look, good for you freedom of speech and freedom of religion (or in this case, the lack there of) is great, but do we really need another billboard about what to believe? We aren’t saying were against this particular billboard, this is actually one of the better ones, but damn all these things do is cause trouble. Believe what you want to believe, don’t advertise it though, this isn’t some sort of thing that if your “side” has the most people it makes you right, if you’re wrong about what happens after you die, that’s it. The only difference is that now you’re dead wrong.
It’s not even just the billboards, at least those can be ignored, it’s all the extra crap. You know this billboard is going to be used by everyone on the religious right as proof the world is ending or something and then we’ll have to hear about that for the next few weeks until the next sign of the Apocalypse occurs (in either political direction).
We don’t want to see your billboards for your new fancy church that used to be a mall, we don’t want to know that you’re a cool skater dude but also a Mormon, and we don’t want to know if you choose the “none of the above” box in the Census. The only thing we want to know when we’re driving around town is what exit number for the closest Arby’s. …maybe a something with those dogs that sell cars…but that’s it!