I had a long conversation with two young people today after I complemented one of them on her Darwin fish car decal. Nice people.I usually go out of my way to acknowledge displays of freethought, and quite frankly everyone seems to really appreciate it.What displays / bumper stickers do you have on your car, and do you approach those who (also) do?
udon
Yes, he “takes” it to school. it’s magnetically attached to his car. He’s got some other regular stickers too, not necessarily atheistic, but I can’ remember right now what they say.
The CRS disease is NOT in remission!
I have the Darwin fish – purchased from AA.
I’ve received comments on it and I’ve exchanged a few “thumbs-up’s” on the road w/ others.
Forensic Atheist, Spanders, Karen, and me are all in NC! It seems like Tarheels (or in my case Tarheel singular-har har) are over represented in here…anyone else? I asked before and remembered there were some others.
Alex.
marine corps sticker and a peace sign
I lived in Raleigh for two years. Didn’t really dig it too much, but I do miss that authentic North Carolina bbq.
I’m not a big bumper-sticker girl. I have a Mickey/Disney World front license plate and a Minnie antenna topper – and everyone knows that Disney is a big gay-loving, anti-christian corporation (probably a bunch of pinko atheists, too!)
OOh! I also have little Minnie Mouse on a swing that hangs from a little suction cup – on the inside of my windshield, right under my rear-view mirror. She is so cute!
(My husband’s embarrassed to drive my car – but it used to be worse – my last car had Tinker Bell all over it!)
Anyway, I do comment on other people’s bumper stickers – on a previous thread, I talked about wanting to follow a car I saw – had tree-hugger, anti-religious stuff all over the bumper – and a woman was driving it. I wanted to find out where she lived and say, “please, oh please be my friend!!”
Atomictesting-
Your open letter to the Rabbi was really good – did you send a copy to him directly? I tried to e-mail him from that link, but can’t figure out how to do it.
There were several blog entries listed on the site – hope the good Rabbi takes the time to read some of them.
I have no car and thus no bumper sticker. But I do proclaim Atheism every chance I get. My boss once told his prayer group that I was an atheist. We do work for the leaders of this group(they are slumlords). Mrs. Slumlord cornered me one day and began ranting about how it was nonsense to not believe. I told her I did not believe in Zeus, The Easter bunny or Santa clause either and went back to work. She eventually walked off when she realized the conversation was over.
When I see a Darwin fish I give the driver the thumbs up. I also flip off religious protesters at abortion clinics and the Indiana state house whenever they get their panties in a wad.
Phreedumb, don’t you ever accuse an atheist of bigotry. I grew up in church and a christian school. You and your kind have no room to criticize anyone. EVER!
Off message, but I saw a bumper sticker today with the face of George W. and written beside it “AMERICAN ERRORIST” I think that sums it up nicely.
Pixel,
Thank you for the kind words!
I don’t believe there is a way to reach them directly. The e-mail link you see goes to webeditors@newsweek.com. As to why it won’t come up, maybe you don’t have an e-mail client installed or perhaps you have popup blocking turned on (most can be temporarily disabled for one click by holding down CTRL when clicking).
I used the “What do you think of this article” box. I have had quite a bit of success in the past contacting Newsweek columnists. Michael Rogers (the Practical Futurist) has posted my comments on several occasions and I’ve had a couple magazines request to publish my letters. Now if I could just find a way to make money writing. I’d do it every day.
When I first saw the Darwin fish symbol I thought it was a clever way to show combined religion and science. It was not until later that I thought of it as a purely evolution symbol. I had one on my car for years. But after talking with some people, I found that many thought it was a rather arrogant symbol, like saying I was smarter than non-scientific types (especially the ?evolve? version). I finally decided that it did not really say anything that was unequivocally positive, so I took it off.
I think it important that presenting atheism should be in a positive way, to show people that it has something good to give to them and to society in general. Most people still see religion as a positive influence on people?s lives (everyone must have seen the bumper stickers of cute little kids kneeling in front of a cross), so anything that opposes that must be bad. Yes, there are negative aspects to religion that need to be dealt with and pointed out, but I think it important the largest part of the message should be things which are beneficial.
“intelligence failure” & pic of bush.
5+ positive comments by strangers.
but I need to get the FSM fish.
On my old car, I had several bumper stickers, one of which read, “Last time we mixed politics and religion, people got burned at the stake.” In hindsight, this was likely not entirely true, considering the mixing of politics and religion still happens and can’t be regulated to a “last time”… but it made my point. My new car has not a single bumper sticker on its bumper, though I do display a “Don’t Postpone Joy” sticker in my rear window. The message feels rather humanist to me (as in, don?t postpone joy because this is the only life you have to experience), though I realize that the average person wouldn?t read it and say, ?Oh, humanism!?
I considered the Darwin fish. Really though, I’m somewhat of a wimp about being “open” about my atheism to whoever might see my car. I run a business in a rather small town and try to avoid ruffling feathers. I never pretend to be religious, but I’m also not yet at the point where I’m comfortable loudly announcing my lack of belief to work-related acquaintances, because I honestly believe that there would be quite a bit of backlash for my business. Okay, I’m just a wimp. A financially motivated one. I should mention that the town where my business is located has a corner with FOUR churches on it! Four! (yes, still a wimp)
NOFX put out an album a couple years ago called “The War on Errorism”, and a song off of it was titled “American Errorist”, and was about Bush.
On topic, I don’t put anything on my vehicle that I think might entice someone to vandalize it. I’m waaaaay too anal retentive about vehicles (I’m the guy washing cars in 39F weather).
I do wear my “proud to be an american atheist” shirt as much as possible, no discernable reaction, pro/con.
AVIIA:
Don’t even THINK of advertising your religion/non-religion around your business, especially in a small town. I learned that 40 years ago. Don’t even put Democrat/Republican on your front window.
Retired Businessman
TomSD ” [Darwin fish] I found that many thought it was a rather arrogant symbol, like saying I was smarter than non-scientific types”
Well if the shoe fits…
Don’t ever be afraid to support reason over superstition!
Alex.
[q]“Forensic Atheist, Spanders, Karen, and me are all in NC! It seems like Tarheels (or in my case Tarheel singular-har har) are over represented in here”[/q]
Yeah…Sounds like some of you are in the “big” cities. Ha! I’m in the eastern part in G-Vega-s and have to drive by 10 churches anywhere I want to go on the roads. It’s quite annoying, but I’m moving to a bigger city in a couple months so maybe things will be a little better. I’m pretty much done with this town.
I have quite a plethora of things on the back of my Jeep Cherokee. I have one sticker that says “The world is my country, to do good is my religion.” (A quote by Thomas Paine) I also have a big W with a slash through it, another sticker that says “49% of America agrees with 99% of the rest of the world.” Then, as for fish, I have a “Reality Bites” Darwin fish eating a xian fish, and a “Science” fish that is a normal Christian fish that has fins like a rocket. Here in rural bible-belted Arkansas it’s a safety feature, because people stay back for fear of me being so evil that I might just drive head on into oncoming traffic. I get a lot of looks, but it’s as the person above said, I doubt most people even understand what they mean. Ignorance is bliss. Hope everyone has a great night.
My car has 229,000 miles on it, so I may have to get a new used car and plant another crop of stickers, but here is what I have now all around my Vermont license plate:
Atheism cures religious terrorism;
No Gods No Masters;
Freethinker;
Darwin (fish);
Phish (fish);
Jobs with Justice;
Keep Abortion Legal;
Atheism, it’s not what you believe;
What Schools Need is a Moment of Science;
Veterans for Peace;
Blasphemy is a Victimless Crime;
My religion is to do Good (Thomas Paine);
(Star Trek communicator symbol);
I Love my Dog;
GLBTQ Safe Space;
Don’t Mourn, Organize (IWW);
One Nation, Undereducated;
No War on Iraq;
(Peace Sign);
No Bushit;
Impeach Bush;
WWJD:What Would Jesus Bomb?;
WWJD:Who Wants Jelly Donuts?;
Keep Vermont Civil;
Vermont Freedom to Marry Task Force;
Evolve (fish);
Health Care for All;
God is Just Pretend
I have had lots of compliments, only one person who let me know she was angry about…well, I don’t know which one(s). I can see folks behind me at traffic lights or drivethru lines reading and responding to them. Some smiles, some frowns, some animated conversations. I especially like when I see kids talking to their parents (I’m guessing). No matter what is said, the kid may have heard for the first time that atheists even exist. Visibility is good.
mxracer652,
Thanks for the info. Though I listen to a local alternative rock station, punk bands like NOFX fly under my( and the radio station’s) radar.
On a side note, I saw a couple at the pet doctor’s office this morning, one of which was wearing a FSM t-shirt. I wanted to say something but was worried it might out them( most of the other pet owners are rednecks).
After reading the latest article on the AA forum, I wish I had said something supportive.
Evolvefish.com is a great site for shopping atheist stickers and such.
I’ve got two fish on my car, one says “tuna” the other says “cat”. One sticker says “love thy first amendment” the other says “friends don’t let friends vote republican”. I’ve never had a problem with vandals, at least not yet.
Hey, skeptyk, I grew up in VT. Always thought of it as a liberal place when I was younger. Do you find that to be true now?
esperome shouldve spoke up man at least walked up and said something like ramen man it would ve flown over most peoples head and they would ve been happy to know there are others in the area that hold on to the same disbeliefs
I have an evolve fish on my car, I got it about 6 months ago and not one positive reaction yet. I was cleaning snow off my car recently and a neighbor brought over two brooms and proceded to help me. He has a xian fish on his car, and happens to be some sort of pastor/priest, and when he cleaned off the part of my bumper with my evolve fish he asked for his broom back, said “god bless,” and walked away. I have also been flicked off numerous times, though it might be because I drive the speed limit more than than my bumper.
udonman,
You’re totally right. I won’t make the same mistake twice.
I have 2 bumper stickers on my car. :Atheist and Proud” and “Smile, God is make belive” I have been beeped and given a thumbs many times and I do the same if I see a like sticker on other cars.
I recently put a “Decent, Honest, Atheist” bumper sticker on my car here in Dallas, Texas. And I wrote about it here.
http://atheistexposed2@blogspot.com