NEW YORK CITY — A prominent atheist activist group has purchased billboard space in Times Square to counter an advertisement from a nationally-recognized Biblical Creation organization.
As previously reported, Ken Ham’s Answers in Genesis launched a billboard campaign last week in prominent locations in Los Angeles, San Francisco and New York, including in the heavily-trafficked Times Square.
“To all of our atheist friends,” the billboard reads, “thank God you’re wrong.” It then directs the public to the ministry’s website where they may read articles and view a video that outlines facts pointing to the existence of God.
Ham told CNN that he came up with the idea after seeing an atheist billboard in Times Square last December.
“The Bible says to contend for the faith,” he stated. “We thought we should come up with something that would make a statement in the culture, a bold statement, and direct them to our website.”
Ham stated that he is not out to attack atheists, but rather to present the truth.
“From an atheist’s perspective, they believe when they die, they cease to exist,” he explained. “And we say ‘no, you’re not going to cease to exist; you’re going to spend eternity with God or without God. And if you’re an atheist, you’re going to be spending it without God.’ ”
Now, the Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF) has purchased ad space on the exact same billboard in Times Square as a “lighthearted message” to counter Answers in Genesis.
“OMG! There is no god!” it reads, quoting from actress and comedian Julia Sweeney. One of the cubes of the billboard also features a smiling headshot of the atheist comic.
“A fifth of the U.S. population identifies as nonbelievers. We don’t thank a nonexistent god, we put faith in each other and human ingenuity,” FFRF co-founder Annie Laurie Gaylor said in a news release. “We believe in deeds, not creeds. We believe the only afterlife that ought to concern us is leaving our descendants a secure and pleasant future.”
Ham discussed the billboard on Facebook this weekend, stating that he believes FFRF is right.
“Wow! The atheists got it right! They have now put up a billboard in Times Square, New York, rotating on the same digital board our billboard is on. But I’m amazed—what they said on the billboard is correct!” he wrote. “Glad to see them admit this, for they are right in one thing: there is no little ‘g’ god—there is only one God—the true God!”
Ham also stated that the AiG effort has been successful in that it is driving traffic to the ministry website and has encouraged discussion about God.
“Yes, this campaign is working!” he exclaimed.
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