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/

Didge wrote:Did you miss this Eddie or are you proving you have a vendeatta againstg me and further compremising you have lost the plot and the ability to moderate?

Fuzzy Zack wrote:[Lol! Did I force you to change your mobile number? HA HA!
No wonder you're so upset. Fair play.
Not to mention all that prostitute business your mother must have lost. I am sorry.

http://www.newsfixboard.com/t12136-israel-want-to-look-through-the-eyes-of-a-terrorist#238673

So no comments then Eddie?

Didge wrote:

eddie wrote:Didge your post was racist:'you referred to a fellow poster by an offensive term.
Don't you wish to stamp out racism?

It is against the rules and I know you like people to stick to the rules

it's been reported.

So you are saying the Black watch who call themselves Jocks asd racists?

Go away you pathetic immature child, they know I am not being racist, this is just you continuing to throw your dummy out and to be honest you really are showing yourself up now and that is the last I will say on the matter because you are just being a child

I do not care that you have reported.

Bullying the ladies as usual.Reported.

Didge wrote:Did you miss this Eddie or are you proving you have a vendeatta againstg me and further compremising you have lost the plot and the ability to moderate?

Fuzzy Zack wrote:[Lol! Did I force you to change your mobile number? HA HA!
No wonder you're so upset. Fair play.
Not to mention all that prostitute business your mother must have lost. I am sorry.

http://www.newsfixboard.com/t12136-israel-want-to-look-through-the-eyes-of-a-terrorist#238673

Yes I missed it - I haven't been in that thread

I will,issue Zack with a warning

Why didn't you report it?

Shady wrote:

Didge wrote:

So you are saying the Black watch who call themselves Jocks asd racists?

Go away you pathetic immature child, they know I am not being racist, this is just you continuing to throw your dummy out and to be honest you really are showing yourself up now and that is the last I will say on the matter because you are just being a child

I do not care that you have reported.

Bullying the ladies as usual.Reported.

Sorry I do not understand country bumpkin.

You need someone who can translate for you

eddie wrote:

Didge wrote:Did you miss this Eddie or are you proving you have a vendeatta againstg me and further compremising you have lost the plot and the ability to moderate?






http://www.newsfixboard.com/t12136-israel-want-to-look-through-the-eyes-of-a-terrorist#238673

Yes I missed it - I haven't been in that thread

I will,issue Zack with a warning

Why didn't you report it?

There is no need for a warning I showing up the fact you are being decietful and poor in your administration.

Best you resign, because you are no longer fit to moderate.

I am just pointing out you have lost the plot and if you continue anyway they will no doubt demote you

Your choice but your tantrums are boring now

Didge wrote:

Shady wrote:

Bullying the ladies as usual.Reported.

Sorry I do not understand country bumpkin.

You need someone who can translate for you

Racist remark...........Reported.

Shady wrote:

Didge wrote:

Sorry I do not understand country bumpkin.

You need someone who can translate for you

Racist remark...........Reported.

Sorry I told you I do not understand country bumpkin

Didge wrote:

eddie wrote:

Yes I missed it - I haven't been in that thread

I will,issue Zack with a warning

Why didn't you report it?

There is no need for a warning I showing up the fact you are being decietful and poor in your administration.

Best you resign, because you are no longer fit to moderate.

I am just pointing out you have lost the plot and if you continue anyway they will no doubt demote you

Your choice but your tantrums are boring now

Bullying the ladies again.Reported.

Didge wrote:

Shady wrote:

Racist remark...........Reported.

Sorry I told you I do not understand country bumpkin

Racist remark.Reported.

Shady wrote:

Didge wrote:

There is no need for a warning I showing up the fact you are being decietful and poor in your administration.

Best you resign, because you are no longer fit to moderate.

I am just pointing out you have lost the plot and if you continue anyway they will no doubt demote you

Your choice but your tantrums are boring now

Bullying the ladies again.Reported.

Sorry I told you I do not understand country bumpkin

Shady wrote:

Didge wrote:

Sorry I told you I do not understand country bumpkin

Racist remark.Reported.

Sorry I told you I do not understand country bumpkin

Didge you are testing the limits of my patience.
I have issued Zack with a warning as this is the first time I was aware of his comment.

Did you report it? No
Did I act upon it as soon as you made me aware of it? Yes

Now I suggest you actually stop to consider whether you want to play fair and for others to play fair too.

eddie wrote:Didge you are testing the limits of my patience.
I have issued Zack with a warning as this is the first time I was aware of his comment.

Did you report it? No
Did I act upon it as soon as you made me aware of it? Yes

Now I suggest you actually stop to consider whether you want to play fair and for others to play fair too.

I do not want hime to be issued with awarning and to be honest I could not care less what you think Eddie, you are deliberately shit stirring and trying to get me banned and am not going to play your childish game anymore.

Good luck haviing the hump

Anyway we could stop this silly game of trying to get one another in trouble?

Fine by me but its evident Eddie has an issue with me, its best you reign that silly childs neck in as she is being an idiot

Sorry Ben I shall just ignore her until she grows up again

New topics that are obviously created to insult or provoke other members are not acceptable (action or discipline subject to moderator discretion).

Likewise, posts that contain racist, homophobic, sexist or other offensive slurs, or that "dox" another member, are unacceptable, and those who create such posts are subject to discipline including permanent banning.

Shut Eddie, nobody is buying your tantrums

grow up and that is my last words to you until you do

Ben_Reilly wrote:Anyway we could stop this silly game of trying to get one another in trouble?

I beg your pardon??

Are your rules there for a reason or just to make the place look pretty?

Didge wrote:

eddie wrote:

Of course people should be encouraged; I'm a massive believer in organ donation
And not "maybe" - the should NOT forcibly take organs.
It's disgusting.

Its just you having some wierd view of the dead body.
Look its dead, its not forcing either, if it becomes acceptable to use the body parts to save lives. How many more times does this need saying that countless lives could be saved and all people can respond with is that they thinks its disgusting without providing a satisfactory explantion as to why.
The body is dead, is going to decompose and the organs will then be useless, so to not use them is the real crime, when lives could be saved.

Anyway back to the debate

Didge wrote:Shut Eddie, nobody is buying your tantrums

grow up and that is my last words to you until you do

Didge I am merely doing the job asked of me and adhering to the rules - you, for some reason, have always gotten away with breaking rules yet are the first one to cry out when they're broken.

If Ben doesn't want his own rules adhered to then you can carry on doing what you want and saying what you want and so can everyone else.

Didge wrote:

eddie wrote:

Of course people should be encouraged; I'm a massive believer in organ donation
And not "maybe" - the should NOT forcibly take organs.
It's disgusting.

Its just you having some wierd view of the dead body.
Look its dead, its not forcing either, if it becomes acceptable to use the body parts to save lives. How many more times does this need saying that countless lives could be saved and all people can respond with is that they thinks its disgusting without providing a satisfactory explantion as to why.
The body is dead, is going to decompose and the organs will then be useless, so to not use them is the real crime, when lives could be saved.

Anyway back to the debate[/quote]

I accept you've now understood.

Thank you

Didge wrote:

eddie wrote:

Of course people should be encouraged; I'm a massive believer in organ donation
And not "maybe" - the should NOT forcibly take organs.
It's disgusting.

Its just you having some wierd view of the dead body.
Look its dead, its not forcing either, if it becomes acceptable to use the body parts to save lives. How many more times does this need saying that countless lives could be saved and all people can respond with is that they thinks its disgusting without providing a satisfactory explantion as to why.
The body is dead, is going to decompose and the organs will then be useless, so to not use them is the real crime, when lives could be saved.

Anyway back to the debate

Didge wrote:

Didge wrote:

Its just you having some wierd view of the dead body.
Look its dead, its not forcing either, if it becomes acceptable to use the body parts to save lives. How many more times does this need saying that countless lives could be saved and all people can respond with is that they thinks its disgusting without providing a satisfactory explantion as to why.
The body is dead, is going to decompose and the organs will then be useless, so to not use them is the real crime, when lives could be saved.

Anyway back to the debate

You said that was your last word 6 posts back.

Anyway back to the debate

Didge wrote:Anyway back to the debate

Cachulin are you staying or going?

Is this your last word or are there more?

Shady wrote:

Didge wrote:Anyway back to the debate

Cachulin are you staying or going?

Is this your last word or are there more?

Shatty, do you wipe your mouth after speaking?

Didge wrote:

Shady wrote:

Cachulin are you staying or going?

Is this your last word or are there more?

Shatty, do you wipe your mouth after speaking?

But you said that was your last word.Make your mind up.

Shady wrote:

Didge wrote:

Shatty, do you wipe your mouth after speaking?

But you said that was your last word.Make your mind up.

To Eddie, not to you Shatty, now do everyone a favour and stop speaking, you are stinking the place up

Didge wrote:

Shady wrote:

But you said that was your last word.Make your mind up.

To Eddie, not to you Shatty, now do everyone a favour and stop speaking, you are stinking the place up

Oh dear,picking on Eddie again.Bully boy.

Shady wrote:

Didge wrote:


To Eddie, not to you Shatty, now do everyone a favour and stop speaking, you are stinking the place up

Oh dear,picking on Eddie again.Bully boy.

Oh dear, you been smoking the crack again little boy?

Stay off it sunshine its clear you are a complete whackadoodle

sassy wrote:“The nitrogen in our DNA, the calcium in our teeth, the iron in our blood, the carbon in our apple pies were made in the interiors of collapsing stars. We are made of starstuff.”

Carl Sagan - Cosmos



“Science is not only compatible with spirituality; it is a profound source of spirituality.”

Carl Sagan - The Demon Haunted World - Science as a Candle in the Dark

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ps4Dsj7u_1E&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Fuzzy Zack wrote:

Eilzel wrote:Rape is horrific Zack, but murder is worse.

Religion causes murder, and has done so for thousands of years.

If murder is worse than rape.
And religion causes a lot of murder.
Then I would get rid if religion before rape.

And as for sheep slurs. Be aware I did already made it clear I disagreed with Hitchens and Harris on Iraq. I disagree with both on other things too.

I bet there is NOTHING you would disagree with Muhammed on, nothing.

The prophet Muhammed was a human being. I think you mean "I wouldn't disagree with God's message".

But Leslie - you didn't answer my question:

So Les, how would you use your magic wand?

1. No religion but some rape
2. No rape but some religion

Do you really think that someone who constantly behaved in such an evil way was REALLY a true recipient of Gods divine attention and REALLY be the type of person who would be chosen to be a recipient of and conduit for Gods words...!?


Moses freed the Israelites, led them to safety, parted the sea etc...

Jesus healed the sick, fed the poor, rose people from dead, and countless other miracles, message of peace and love etc...


Mohammed did murder, robbery, war, rape, death and destruction...

Miracles = 0

I half agree with you tommy.

But Moses was also fairly murderous on the road to the promised land- as were all the Old Testament prophets, on god's command of course. Muhammed is the perfect OT style prophet.

Jesus broke the mould. He was a good man. His miracles are simply reasons why it is inane to think he really existed as anything but another well spoken preacher parading as a prophet.

These are all stories though, aren't they?

Do we really need to take them seriously? It's just about being good and being God-like (or Allah-like etc) and doing good by your fellow man.

Doing good by committing Herem?

If the stories aren't true then throw the books to the dogs.

You shouldn't need man written books about murderous gods and prophets to live a good life.

People can believe in god without religion.