A new ad campaign is being initiated in the DC area. It's worthy of our attention:
I should start out by saying I do not think these ads should be banned, or met with the outraged protests as these things sadly often are (exactly the response they are created to invoke). Free speech works both ways. Though it tends to be hypocritically invoked for one world view and not another, that is no reason to return flawed reasoning for flawed reasoning.
Also, the ad is so patently illogical that even people not accustomed to thinking critically must be given at least a pause.
"Be good for goodness' sake?" The line is, of course, from the song "Santa Claus is Coming to Town", but is here ironically twisted from the normal usage of the phrase. Normally the phrase "for goodness' sake" is used as an exclamation, or as an entreaty to correct behavior, as in "for the sake of all that is good...". It is also sometimes used as a substitute for "for God's sake", by those who do not wish to take His name in vain.
But the implication here is that one should be good for goodness' sake alone, or "be good, to benefit goodness". The statement is laughably irrational. One might as well say "eat food for food's sake", or "buy gas for gas' sake". We are not good for goodness' sake any more than we pay taxes for taxes' sake.
Goodness is behavior that conforms to a right Way, doing what we "ought" to do. In a Christian world view we acknowledge that way to be one that God has set forth for us to follow.
I am quite interested in hearing the American Humanist organization (the sponsor of these ads) explain on what basis they define the concept of good, and from what authority it is derived.
Of course, they can not do that, at least not with a definition that could hold water for five seconds.
But, the ad may actually accomplish alot of good. By phrasing the question "why believe in a god?" in this way, one is immediately by reflex drawn to defend the assertion. By extension the question quickly becomes "why do -you- believe in god?", and that opens up all kinds of productive lines of thought, especially for people who are avoiding the question, or who haven't thought about it. And for Christians, it reminds us to "always be ready to give a reason for the hope we have".
So, I actually see great potential in these ads. And the humanists are even paying for them for us. Thanks for helping out, guys!
-()4K.
Ads proclaiming, "Why believein a god? Just be good for goodness' sake," will appear on Washington,D.C., buses starting next week and running through December. TheAmerican Humanist Association unveiled the provocative $40,000 holidayad campaign Tuesday.
I should start out by saying I do not think these ads should be banned, or met with the outraged protests as these things sadly often are (exactly the response they are created to invoke). Free speech works both ways. Though it tends to be hypocritically invoked for one world view and not another, that is no reason to return flawed reasoning for flawed reasoning.
Also, the ad is so patently illogical that even people not accustomed to thinking critically must be given at least a pause.
"Be good for goodness' sake?" The line is, of course, from the song "Santa Claus is Coming to Town", but is here ironically twisted from the normal usage of the phrase. Normally the phrase "for goodness' sake" is used as an exclamation, or as an entreaty to correct behavior, as in "for the sake of all that is good...". It is also sometimes used as a substitute for "for God's sake", by those who do not wish to take His name in vain.
But the implication here is that one should be good for goodness' sake alone, or "be good, to benefit goodness". The statement is laughably irrational. One might as well say "eat food for food's sake", or "buy gas for gas' sake". We are not good for goodness' sake any more than we pay taxes for taxes' sake.
Goodness is behavior that conforms to a right Way, doing what we "ought" to do. In a Christian world view we acknowledge that way to be one that God has set forth for us to follow.
I am quite interested in hearing the American Humanist organization (the sponsor of these ads) explain on what basis they define the concept of good, and from what authority it is derived.
Of course, they can not do that, at least not with a definition that could hold water for five seconds.
But, the ad may actually accomplish alot of good. By phrasing the question "why believe in a god?" in this way, one is immediately by reflex drawn to defend the assertion. By extension the question quickly becomes "why do -you- believe in god?", and that opens up all kinds of productive lines of thought, especially for people who are avoiding the question, or who haven't thought about it. And for Christians, it reminds us to "always be ready to give a reason for the hope we have".
So, I actually see great potential in these ads. And the humanists are even paying for them for us. Thanks for helping out, guys!
-()4K.
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