New billboard aims to console non-believers

Image by 20090124-secular-billboard.jpg

With the aim of making area atheists feel more accepted, the Secular Humanists of the Lowcountry have sponsored a billboard that says "Don't believe in God? You are not alone."

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The billboard is off I-26 near the Spruill Avenue exit.

A study by Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life in February 2008 found that 10.3% of Americans considered themselves to be atheists, agnostics, or "secular unaffiliated." But, in South Carolina, that number was half the national average.

Here's a bit about the billboard from their Web site:

We have no intention of "converting" believers to non-believers with our campaign. Some people may be offended by our message, but that isn't our purpose either. Instead, we simply want those who do not believe in a supernatural being to know that there is a happy and welcoming community of other like-minded people. If you are one, please join us...and consider letting your family, friends, colleagues and community know you are a proud freethinker. This would help us with our other goal of helping to make our religious friends and neighbors more comfortable with and tolerant of our own religion-free worldview.

This billboard is a collaboration between the Secular Humanists of the Lowcountry, American Humanist Association, and FreethoughtAction.

Thanks to NBC News 2 for tipping us off.

Update January 30: If you're particularly interested, ABC News 4 has asked some basic questions.