There’s a battle over the roads in Fort Worth, Texas. But unlike in, say, New York, it’s not cyclists versus the combustion engine — down in the Lone Star State, it’s atheism versus monotheism…. The public buses down in Dallas’ twin city are carrying atheist messages like “Millions of people are good without God.” The religious are retaliating with their own vehicular ads, ones that carry assurances like “I still love you. — God” and “2.1 billion Christians are good with God.”
Sometimes, I really think what this country needs is a good, balls-to-the-wall, take-no-prisoners, show-no-mercy holy war. I could care less about either of these groups, actually; it’s a free country, and everyone’s entitled to their preferred imaginary friend…or not. It just strikes me as beyond silly that we’re reduced to two groups and their dueling billboards. It’s just a lot of money, effort, and brain cells expended to run in place, don’tchathink?
Of course, for sheer entertainment value, it’s tough to match atheists and monotheists going mano a mano, so to speak, on the streets of Ft. Worth, one of the most overtly Jesus-y patches of real estate on this planet (with the possible exception of Colorado Springs). This is an argument with no possible denouement, the debating equivalent of a dog chasing its tail. I’m not sure what either party is hoping to prove here, but are monotheists worried that they won’t get the last word in? Do atheists have the same fear? And does no one in either group realize the sheer and utter futility of this silliness? Can’t we all just agree to disagree? You’re not going to change my mind, I’m not going to change yours…but we’re still good people, right?
Then again, this saga IS a comedy gold mine….
How long will it be before a third group pops up, driving around Ft. Worth with ads that say “STOP THE SILLINESS! THE ONLY PEOPLE BENEFITING FROM THE DEBATES ARE THE BILLBOARD COMPANIES!!” If both sides still insist on spending money, how about representatives from both sides negotiate an agreement to donate the money to a charity that everyone can get behind? And then perhaps they could agree on a bar they can all go to afterwards….
Yeah, a good holy war just might settle this debate once and for all, don’tchathink? Hey, it worked during the Crusades…and it would reduce the number of zealots involved in this debate…on both sides.
