I love the idea of billboards that shout out the idea that you can be Good without God. Brilliant. It seems to me that many aren't sure if you can be good without a divine power asking you to be, and I think they would be surprised that you can be.
I recently got back from a conference in El Dorado, AR. The farthest south I have ever been (not including Southern California)... we are talking "the south". It is a lovely town with a bustling historic district, oil money, and an incredible school system. It is also very southern. As a "Yankee" and believe me they still think of people in those terms, I could see the "southerness" in many aspects of the town.
- Sambo's Liquor store: when I mentioned that this was offensive my traveling partners (3 from the south) all said that it was probably someones name and it wasn't a big deal. Me, I couldn't believe it.
- We watched a reenactment of a shoot out on the town square complete with hymns and prayer - granted this was what it was like in 1928, but those songs were sung with ferfor... and it seemed like the whole crowd knew them except me.
- The town is 50% African American and I can tell you that where I was staying I didn't see any except as "help". Now granted I wasn't in town for long and only explored the conference area - but integration isn't evident. I am SURE it is better, but it isn't perfect.
Note: it is a LOVELY town. The people LOVE their town. They are NICE people. They would help you on the side of the road if you needed help, but would they tolerate a sign that said "Atheists are people too"... I am not so sure.
Take this conversation between two women and then myself: "My daughter lives in your town," says one woman. "Really, what church does she go to?" asks the woman from town two. "Methodist - downtown." "OH, I should know her, but I don't get there as often as I should," shares town two. "Well, you are really busy running the downtown," I say. "That is no excuse not to go to church," she says.
These conversations happen at every meeting: where do you go to church, where do your parents go, etc... if I mention that I am UU - that is a raised eyebrow, but if I were to say I was Atheist... just how would that go in these southern towns? I don't know because I, like SO MANY, are silent about it.
At least they didn't pray at our meeting (which was, of course, held in the Baptist teen center.)