{"id":1571,"date":"2010-03-04T07:38:51","date_gmt":"2010-03-04T12:38:51","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/nicholsclan.com\/tinblog\/?p=1571"},"modified":"2010-03-09T14:23:12","modified_gmt":"2010-03-09T19:23:12","slug":"youre-not-helping","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/timscogitorium.com\/tinblog\/2010\/03\/youre-not-helping.html","title":{"rendered":"You’re Not Helping"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Bible\"A group called Atheist Agenda at the University of Texas San Antonio has resurrected a program they are calling “Smut for Smut”<\/a>.\u00a0 The trade-in program encourages students to hand in a bible in return for pornography.\u00a0 \"Vintage<\/a>Not surprisingly, Christian groups on campus are outraged.\u00a0 Police and University officials say the students have a right to conduct the swap.<\/p>\n

I often advocate for people to speak out when their own side goes off the rails.\u00a0 If the Democrats are out of line, it’s easy and expected for the GOP to call them on it, but it carries much more weight if the offender’s own party cries foul.\u00a0 Similarly, I’ve called for Christians and Muslims to advocate against ridiculous behavior from within their own camps.\u00a0 It’s my turn to walk that talk.<\/p>\n

While I firmly hold that the “Smut for Smut” program is legal, it’s minimally in poor taste.\u00a0 It’s not only offensive to Christians, but as an atheist I find it offensive myself.\u00a0 Moreover, it’s not helping.\u00a0 As a minority struggling for tolerance and acceptance, it doesn’t further the cause to disrespect the majority to whom you’re trying to appeal. Further, atheists already suffer from preconceived stereotypes of being amoral hedonists.\u00a0 Associating us with porn really doesn’t do much to dissuade people from that mindset.<\/p>\n

There is no greater good to be achieved here.\u00a0 This is a publicity stunt, pure and simple.\u00a0 And no, any publicity is not good publicity.\u00a0 To the members of the ironically named Atheist Agenda at UTSA, cut it out<\/em>.\u00a0 Your parents’ are ashamed of you, and so am I.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A group called Atheist Agenda at the University of Texas San Antonio has resurrected a program they are calling “Smut<\/p>\n

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