Thought-Provoking Billboards for Sam Harris Events Rejected in Australia

First topic message reminder :

Sam Harris will be speaking in Australia this January for a group called Think Inc., and advertising has already begun. The group created billboards featuring lines from some of Harris’ books… only to have them rejected for being too discriminatory.
Here are the billboards. Good luck trying to figure out who’s being discriminated against.

Our recent posters promoting the upcoming tour of An Evening with Sam Harris appear to have garnered a shortage of favour from APN Outdoor, who have refused to advertise a series of these posters as billboards. APN’s justification for this has been based on the perception that Think Inc. has violated section 2.1 of the Outdoor Media Association’s (OMA) code of ethics: “Advertisements shall not portray or depict material in a way which discriminates against or vilifies a person or section of the community on account of race, ethnicity, nationality, sex, age, sexual preference, religion, disability or political belief.”
While the Think Inc. team wholeheartedly acknowledges, appreciates and respects this section of the code of ethics, and agrees that all prospective companies seeking to advertise publicly should adhere to this code, we strongly disagree that our series of posters is in breach of it. We would like to publicly state that with them it is not at all our intention nor our mission to promote what has been perceived by APN as any kind of vilification, discrimination or bigotry towards any specific social group; what we do promote, however, is a rational and critical discourse of ideas, and the opening up of an intellectual dialogue that must be had.
To reject these posters is to censor free speech — pure and simple. Especially when other advertising agencies, such as Facebook, Google and Rock Posters have done so with no issue whatsoever.

I couldn’t agree more. What Harris said about Jesus is what Catholics actually believe. His other comments are either legitimate comments or fair questions. There’s no discrimination taking place. People are just uncomfortable having their sacred cows challenged.
Harris himself was surprised by the rejections, telling me this via email:

“Although I didn’t play any part in designing those billboards, it is fairly alarming that APN Outdoor feels that the public must be protected from them. I suppose I’ll have to go down there and tell them why they are wrong about this. I recommend that everyone eat a healthy serving of Jesus crackers before the event.”

Remember: These are topics that need to be addressed precisely because so many people prefer to avoid them entirely.


http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2015/10/29/thought-provoking-billboards-for-sam-harris-events-rejected-in-australia/

Eilzel wrote:Did I say they would get over it? No. I said they'd rather not be dead. This is a fucking waste of time.

How do you know????
How many people commit suicide becasue of years of abuse or a one-off rape???

Survivors

http://survive.org.uk

Dealing with the after effects of rape is a nightmare. The physical hurts can often soon be mended, but it's the inner pain that people can't see that takes longest. It's also the hardest to deal with because it's not like healing after surgery, there is no set time limit. The emotional scars can stay with us a lifetime.

http://www.aaets.org/article178.htm

Eilzel wrote:Did I say they would get over it? No. I said they'd rather not be dead. This is a fucking waste of time.

If only you could see the points of view of others with an open mind.

You seem to be trivializing rape & it's after effects.

Right given the choice over myself being raped or my child raped and murder by someone religious.
I would choose rape.
Just as anyone else would

Rape Victims Prone to Suicide

Rape Victims Prone to Suicide

by Kevin Caruso

Rape is a horrible crime. And it effects the victims for the rest of their lives. Depression and post-traumatic stress disorder are common conditions among rape victims.

Numerous rape victims have suicidal thoughts. Many die by suicide.

Sexual assaults are, unfortunately, extremely common.

In the U.S., a sexual assault occurs every two minutes.

Here are some additional disquieting statistics about rape:

17% of American women have been the victim of sexual assault at some point in their lives.

In 2002, there were 247,730 sexual assaults -- Approximately 87,000 were victims of completed rape; 70,000 were victims of attempted rape; and 91,000 were victims of sexual assault. (Data is from the National Crime Victimization Survey and does not include data on victims 12 and younger.)

About 44% or rape victims are under the age of 18.

15% of rape victims are under the age of 12.

93% of the rape victims age 18 and under knew the rapist. Of these rapists, 34.2% were family members and 58.7% were acquaintances.

In 2001, it was estimated that only 39% of rapes and sexual assaults were reported to the police.

66% of rape victims know their assailant.

40% of the rapes occur in the victim's home.

20% of the rapes occur in the home of a friend or acquaintance.

10% of the rapes occur outdoors.

8% of the rapes occur in parking structures.

Rape has long-term emotional consequences that can lead to suicide.

It is quite common for rape victims to suffer from depression. And untreated depression is the number one cause for suicide.

About 33% of rape victims have suicidal thought.

About 13% of rape victims will attempt suicide.

Suicide attempts may occur years after the rape.

And yes didge fully agree again, people saying rape is as bad as murder is a massive fucking insult to murder victims. Too bad they don't have a voice to say as much.

Eilzel wrote:Agreed didge.

They are coming at it from an entirely over emotional angle (granted rape is such a subject). No one in their right mind would say rape is as bad as beheading or stoning to death (or whatever other horrific murder). Rape is horrendous, but it is not worse than murder. I'm sure murder victims the world over would say so if such a thing were possible...

Emotional?

Do you think we should approach rape from a logical point of view?

Didge wrote:Right given the choice over myself being raped or my child raped and murder by someone religious.
I would choose rape.
Just as anyone else would

Isnt your child lucky!!!

Eilzel wrote:Agreed didge.

They are coming at it from an entirely over emotional angle (granted rape is such a subject). No one in their right mind would say rape is as bad as beheading or stoning to death (or whatever other horrific murder). Rape is horrendous, but it is not worse than murder. I'm sure murder victims the world over would say so if such a thing were possible...

So perhaps the gang rape of a 4 year old child is somehow not as bad as beheading?? You really are quite the cold hearted so & so aren't you?

Excactly Eilzel
Who here would chose their own child being murdered over themselves being raped?
I am not knocking rape victims as I know of the pain this causes, but many move past this, and do not take their lives, although some do.
A person murdered has no choice over the matter, neither does someone enslved, neither does a child forced into marriage.
To ignore all these problems I find disgusting, defending religuious bullshit the cause of many of them

Anyone who think me or didge is trivialising rape is fucking stupid.

If I say stealing from an old woman's savings is worse than stealing a man's wallet that isn't trivialising the latter.

Eilzel wrote:And yes didge fully agree again, people saying rape is as bad as murder is a massive fucking insult to murder victims. Too bad they don't have a voice to say as much.

You and Didge raised the subject of murder.

And no need to keep saying you agree with Didge. We all assume that your lips are permanently lodge up his arse.

eddie wrote:

Didge wrote:Right given the choice over myself being raped or my child raped and murder by someone religious.
I would choose rape.
Just as anyone else would

Isnt your child lucky!!!

So you would sacrificed and allow your child to be murdered then?

Eilzel wrote:And yes didge fully agree again, people saying rape is as bad as murder is a massive fucking insult to murder victims. Too bad they don't have a voice to say as much.

Seriously? Do you know how many people who who've been rated commit suicide or actually do it?

Doesn't that tell you that they'd rather be dead?

Some things are worse than death.

Oh and agreeing with didge on this today.....your do know he will totally change his mind on this topic a year down the line right?

Anyway the fucking wind blows is didge

Eilzel wrote:And yes didge fully agree again, people saying rape is as bad as murder is a massive fucking insult to murder victims. Too bad they don't have a voice to say as much.

How did you become so naive?

Shady wrote:

Eilzel wrote:Agreed didge.

They are coming at it from an entirely over emotional angle (granted rape is such a subject). No one in their right mind would say rape is as bad as beheading or stoning to death (or whatever other horrific murder). Rape is horrendous, but it is not worse than murder. I'm sure murder victims the world over would say so if such a thing were possible...

So perhaps the gang rape of a 4 year old child is somehow not as bad as beheading?? You really are quite the cold hearted so & so aren't you?

Ouch!

Fuzzy Zack wrote:

Eilzel wrote:And yes didge fully agree again, people saying rape is as bad as murder is a massive fucking insult to murder victims. Too bad they don't have a voice to say as much.

You and Didge raised the subject of murder.

And no need to keep saying you agree with Didge. We all assume that your lips are permanently lodge up his arse.

And its ignorant comments like that, which is why you are treated like the village idiot.
Always a homophobic inuendo.
You seriously need to stop with the wet dreams, or at least get laid

Eilzel wrote:Anyone who think me or didge is trivialising rape is fucking stupid.

If I say stealing from an old woman's savings is worse than stealing a man's wallet that isn't trivialising the latter.

Fucking stupid eh?

Try rereading your posts & then you'll see why we are reacting the way we are.

You're on a different planet.

eddie wrote:

Eilzel wrote:And yes didge fully agree again, people saying rape is as bad as murder is a massive fucking insult to murder victims. Too bad they don't have a voice to say as much.

Seriously? Do you know how many people who who've been rated commit suicide or actually do it?

Doesn't that tell you that they'd rather be dead?

Some things are worse than death.

Oh and agreeing with didge on this today.....your do know he will totally change his mind on this topic a year down the line right?  

Anyway the fucking wind blows is didge

Ah the numpty I see has avoided many points.
Would you rather yourself raped or your child murdered?
Why is it not all rape victims commit suicide?
Does that mean life is more valuable than what has happened to them?

Didge wrote:

Fuzzy Zack wrote:

You and Didge raised the subject of murder.

And no need to keep saying you agree with Didge. We all assume that your lips are permanently lodge up his arse.

And its ignorant comments like that, which is why you are treated like the village idiot.
Always a homophobic inuendo.
You seriously need to stop with the wet dreams, or at least get laid

Being a kiss-arse is homosexual innuendo? Lol! Nice victim-card playing.

No go and reciprocate to Les.

Shady wrote:

Eilzel wrote:Agreed didge.

They are coming at it from an entirely over emotional angle (granted rape is such a subject). No one in their right mind would say rape is as bad as beheading or stoning to death (or whatever other horrific murder). Rape is horrendous, but it is not worse than murder. I'm sure murder victims the world over would say so if such a thing were possible...

So perhaps the gang rape of a 4 year old child is somehow not as bad as beheading?? You really are quite the cold hearted so & so aren't you?

And this happens to children because of religion, so where does that leave your views shady?
I mean child marriage is endorsed by religion, so you just argued against religion

Didge wrote:

eddie wrote:

Seriously? Do you know how many people who who've been rated commit suicide or actually do it?

Doesn't that tell you that they'd rather be dead?

Some things are worse than death.

Oh and agreeing with didge on this today.....your do know he will totally change his mind on this topic a year down the line right?  

Anyway the fucking wind blows is didge

Ah the numpty I see has avoided many points.
Would you rather yourself raped or your child murdered?
Why is it not all rape victims commit suicide?
Does that mean life is more valuable than what has happened to them?

Classic Didge goal post widening when he's lost the basic argument.

I don't care if didge changes his mind next year, it isn't who I agree with that's important.

Your own stats said 33% think of suicide, 18% attempt- a lot, but certainly a minority. Most live and have no intention of not doing- they agree with me, murder would have been worse.

Shady stop BSing, you've never thought I was anything but naive. You are a WUM

Fuzzy Zack wrote:

Didge wrote:
And its ignorant comments like that, which is why you are treated like the village idiot.
Always a homophobic inuendo.
You seriously need to stop with the wet dreams, or at least get laid

Being a kiss-arse is homosexual innuendo? Lol! Nice victim-card playing.

No go and reciprocate to Les.

You are a typical ignorant Muslim, prejudiced, because of idiotic beliefs, who does nothing abouyt the many problems done by Muslims, but instead seeks to defend them
That is what I call a first rate idiot

Shady wrote:

Eilzel wrote:Agreed didge.

They are coming at it from an entirely over emotional angle (granted rape is such a subject). No one in their right mind would say rape is as bad as beheading or stoning to death (or whatever other horrific murder). Rape is horrendous, but it is not worse than murder. I'm sure murder victims the world over would say so if such a thing were possible...

So perhaps the gang rape of a 4 year old child is somehow not as bad as beheading?? You really are quite the cold hearted so & so aren't you?

Nothing to say about this point Cachulin or Eilzel?

Stumped for something to say are you?

Didge wrote:

Shady wrote:

So perhaps the gang rape of a 4 year old child is somehow not as bad as beheading?? You really are quite the cold hearted so & so aren't you?

And this happens to children because of religion, so where does that leave your views shady?
I mean child marriage is endorsed by religion, so you just argued against religion

Bumped for shady

Fuzzy Zack wrote:

Didge wrote:


Ah the numpty I see has avoided many points.
Would you rather yourself raped or your child murdered?
Why is it not all rape victims commit suicide?
Does that mean life is more valuable than what has happened to them?

Classic Didge goal post widening when he's lost the basic argument.

What goal posts?
Do these things happen because of religion
Yes

Classi idiot ignoring the facts

Didge wrote:

Fuzzy Zack wrote:

Being a kiss-arse is homosexual innuendo? Lol! Nice victim-card playing.

No go and reciprocate to Les.

You are a typical ignorant Muslim, prejudiced, because of idiotic beliefs, who does nothing abouyt the many problems done by Muslims, but instead seeks to defend them
That is what I call a first rate idiot

You're obsessed by me.

Fuzzy Zack wrote:

Shady wrote:

Eilzel wrote:Agreed didge.

They are coming at it from an entirely over emotional angle (granted rape is such a subject). No one in their right mind would say rape is as bad as beheading or stoning to death (or whatever other horrific murder). Rape is horrendous, but it is not worse than murder. I'm sure murder victims the world over would say so if such a thing were possible...

So perhaps the gang rape of a 4 year old child is somehow not as bad as beheading?? You really are quite the cold hearted so & so aren't you?

Ouch!

Indeed.

I don't think brains were engaged properly today

Eilzel wrote:I don't care if didge changes his mind next year, it isn't who I agree with that's important.

Your own stats said 33% think of suicide, 18% attempt- a lot, but certainly a minority. Most live and have no intention of not doing- they agree with me, murder would have been worse.

Shady stop BSing, you've never thought I was anything but naive. You are a WUM

First of all,I don't know what a WUM is....nor do I care.

Secondly,at times you do display a good natured & intelligent personality but you let yourself down with your lack of empathy.

At times,you remind me of me.

Ah I see the two clowns now avoid answering posts because of their stupidity.
So lets see them answer
Compare how many people who have been raped with no connection to religion, to the billions of people raped, murdered, slavery ect because of religion.

Didge wrote:

Fuzzy Zack wrote:

Classic Didge goal post widening when he's lost the basic argument.

What goal posts?
Do these things happen because of religion
Yes

Classi idiot ignoring the facts

And so you've chosen to keep rape over religion. What do you want, a round of applause?

Fuzzy Zack wrote:

Didge wrote:


What goal posts?
Do these things happen because of religion
Yes

Classi idiot ignoring the facts

And so you've chosen to keep rape over religion.  What do you want, a round of applause?

Well far less people would have suffered without religion, or do you dispute this?

Didge wrote:

Didge wrote:
And this happens to children because of religion, so where does that leave your views shady?
I mean child marriage is endorsed by religion, so you just argued against religion

Bumped for shady

Your post did not answer the question.Try answering it please.

Shady wrote:

Didge wrote:

Bumped for shady

Your post did not answer the question.Try answering it please.

I did, so how many children would not have been forced into marriage, raped throughout history without religion?

In your own time country bumpkin

Didge wrote:Ah I see the two clowns now avoid answering posts because of their stupidity.
So lets see them answer
Compare how many people who have been raped with no connection to religion, to the billions of people raped, murdered, slavery ect because of religion.

Smokescreen.

Didge wrote:

Fuzzy Zack wrote:

And so you've chosen to keep rape over religion.  What do you want, a round of applause?

Well far less people would have suffered without religion, or do you dispute this?

Show me the statistics in this country where religion was the motive for any of these crimes, say over the last 5 or 10 years (which ever is easier for you)?

Then we can all decide.

Shady wrote:

Didge wrote:Ah I see the two clowns now avoid answering posts because of their stupidity.
So lets see them answer
Compare how many people who have been raped with no connection to religion, to the billions of people raped, murdered, slavery ect because of religion.

Smokescreen.

You mean you cannot answer

In other words you have no argument.

Again how many billions would not have suffered under religion through the centuries?

Didge wrote:

Shady wrote:

Your post did not answer the question.Try answering it please.

I did, so how many children would not have been forced into marriage, raped throughout history without religion?

In your own time country bumpkin

Not good enough Cachulin.Try answering the question please.

Last post by me on this:

Sam fuckface said something stupid and ignorant.
I hope he falls on a baseball bat and it goes right up his arse and fucks his tiny little brain out.
Then he might wish he was dead.

If that doesn't work, perhaps he'd like to witness his little girl, his sister and his mum and his gran all,being repeatedly raped over and over.....
Then he might wish he was dead.

He's a ----.

And anyone who doesn't realise that some things can be worse than death, simply live in a bubble of ignorance.

Eddie.

33% of rape victims consider suicide (along with massive % s of other people too).

13% attempt suicide.

87% would rather live.

I guess they are pretty grateful they weren't murdered.

Of course when you read this all you will see is me saying
"Rape isn't that bad'- fucking ridiculous.

Shady wrote:

Didge wrote:


I did, so how many children would not have been forced into marriage, raped throughout history without religion?

In your own time country bumpkin

Not good enough Cachulin.Try answering the question please.

Tough my boy, you need to answer the question and as you cannot you also realise that many children have been raped because of religion.

Its not my fault that being the fact you are a grunt means you are not that bright

eddie wrote:Last post by me on this:

Sam fuckface said something stupid and ignorant.
I hope he falls on a baseball bat and it goes right up his arse and fucks his tiny little brain out.
Then he might wish he was dead.

If that doesn't work, perhaps he'd like to witness his little girl, his sister and his mum and his gran all,being repeatedly raped over and over.....
Then he might wish he was dead.

He's a C*nt

And anyone who doesn't realise that some things can be worse than death, simply live in a bubble of ignorance.

Les I didn't say you said that tape isn't bad.
I just think you haven't been involved with rape situations or victims - EVER.

Now that's my last post

eddie wrote:Last post by me on this:

Sam fuckface said something stupid and ignorant.
I hope he falls on a baseball bat and it goes right up his arse and fucks his tiny little brain out.
Then he might wish he was dead.

If that doesn't work, perhaps he'd like to witness his little girl, his sister and his mum and his gran all,being repeatedly raped over and over.....
Then he might wish he was dead.

He's a ----.

And anyone who doesn't realise that some things can be worse than death, simply live in a bubble of ignorance.

Again because of religion many have witness his little girl, his sister and his mum and his gran all,being repeatedly raped over and over.....

How many times is this going to enter that pea brain of yours until it computes?

eddie wrote:Last post by me on this:

Sam fuckface said something stupid and ignorant.
I hope he falls on a baseball bat and it goes right up his arse and fucks his tiny little brain out.
Then he might wish he was dead.

If that doesn't work, perhaps he'd like to witness his little girl, his sister and his mum and his gran all,being repeatedly raped over and over.....
Then he might wish he was dead.

He's a ----.

And anyone who doesn't realise that some things can be worse than death, simply live in a bubble of ignorance.

I think the barbaric ignorance of new atheists like Didge and Les has been exposed.

Your last post Eddie and you completely ignore the horror of murder. Maybe you've become desensitised, since murder is not taboo and on TV all the time.

A sad product of modern society- murder isn't that bad.

What the fuck.

Didge wrote:

Shady wrote:

Not good enough Cachulin.Try answering the question please.

Tough my boy, you need to answer the question and as you cannot you also realise that many children have been raped because of religion.

Its not my fault that being the fact you are a grunt means you are not that bright

Oh dear....another epic fail by Cachulin.Poor poor Cachulin couldn't engage in a conversation & resorted to point scoring instead.

Some things never change.

Fuzzy Zack wrote:

eddie wrote:Last post by me on this:

Sam fuckface said something stupid and ignorant.
I hope he falls on a baseball bat and it goes right up his arse and fucks his tiny little brain out.
Then he might wish he was dead.

If that doesn't work, perhaps he'd like to witness his little girl, his sister and his mum and his gran all,being repeatedly raped over and over.....
Then he might wish he was dead.

He's a ----.

And anyone who doesn't realise that some things can be worse than death, simply live in a bubble of ignorance.

I think the barbaric ignorance of new atheists like Didge and Les has been exposed.

I think your ability to defend the cuae and problems of religion and then ignoring them, is why we still persist to have problems within religion today.
So the only ignorance comes from those who think a minor warlord who held barbaric views that allowed child marriage and rape and slavery and murder was in anyway a person to emulate

Eilzel wrote:Your last post Eddie and you completely ignore the horror of murder. Maybe you've become desensitised, since murder is not taboo and on TV all the time.

A sad product of modern society- murder isn't that bad.

What the fuck.

Obviously in your mind,the gang rape of a 4 year old is more 'fun' than murder.

Shady wrote:

Didge wrote:


Tough my boy, you need to answer the question and as you cannot you also realise that many children have been raped because of religion.

Its not my fault that being the fact you are a grunt means you are not that bright

Oh dear....another epic fail by Cachulin.Poor poor Cachulin couldn't engage in a conversation & resorted to point scoring instead.

Some things never change.

Who cares shady, you are not here to debate, so just fuck off, its that simple