Flemington, NJ, November 16, 2009 – A new media study among 314 viewers of a news clip regarding a highway billboard promoting atheism revealed that the majority of viewers (52%) reported that it is not appropriate to display that type of message on a billboard.
The study was conducted by HCD Research using its MediaCurves.com® website on November 13-16, to obtain viewers’ perceptions of a news clip featuring a highway billboard that states “Don't believe in God? You are not alone.” To view interest curves and detailed results go to: www.mediacurves.com.
The majority of viewers (59%) indicated that it was appropriate to display billboards with religious content on highways. When asked if advertisements promoting specific religions help or hurt the religion with regard to public perception, 22% reported they hurt the religion, while 15% reported that they help the religion, and the majority (64%) reported that they do not help or hurt the religion.
Among the findings:
Do you think it is appropriate to display the billboard that says “Don't believe in God? You are not alone” on a highway?
|
|
Total |
|
Yes |
48% |
|
No |
52% |
Do you think it is appropriate to display billboards with religious content on highways?
|
|
Total |
|
Yes |
59% |
|
No |
41% |
Do you think advertisements promoting a specific religion help or hurt that particular religion (in terms of the public’s overall perception of the religion and recruiting new followers)?
|
|
Total |
|
Helps |
15% |
|
Hurts |
22% |
|
Neither helps nor hurts |
64% |
Which of the following actions are you likely to perform in the next year? Please select all that apply.
|
|
Before Video |
After Video |
|
Search for information on atheism using reading material, videos, etc. |
6% |
7% |
|
Visit a web site to search for more information on atheism |
8% |
9% |
|
Watch an advertisement/commercial on atheism |
7% |
7% |
|
Visit an organization or place that supports atheist beliefs |
3% |
4% |
|
None of the above |
86% |
85% |
While viewing the video, participants indicated their levels of agreement by moving their mouse from left to right on a continuum. The responses were recorded in quarter-second intervals and reported in the form of curves. The participants were also asked to respond to post-viewing questions.
Editors/Reporters: For more information on the study, or to speak with Glenn Kessler, president and CEO, HCD Research, please contact Vince McGourty, HCD Research, at (908) 483-9121 or (vince.mcgourty@hcdi.net). You can also receive updates from MediaCurves.com by following us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/mediacurves and Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Flemington-NJ/MediaCurves/86691908820
HCD Research is a marketing and communications research company headquartered in Flemington, NJ. The company's services include traditional and web-based research. For additional information on HCD Research, access the company’s web site at www.hcdi.net or call HCD Research at 908-788-9393. MediaCurves.com® (www.mediacurves.com) is a media measurement website that provides the media and general public with a venue to view Americans’ perceptions of popular and controversial media events and advertisements.
Some places will let you create your own postage stamps from your own images.
I'm an atheist, but I really do enjoy the Jesus myth and the Christmas holiday. To me Christmas is more cultural than religious, and I enjoy the giving and celebrating and decorating as much as anyone else. And I won't be offended if you say "Merry Christmas", either, that's what I say.
http://www.examiner.com/x-8947-LA-Atheism-Examiner~y2009m11d12-Death-threats-force-removal-of-atheist-billboard
And what is it that makes radical Christians think they are so different from radical Muslims? I haven't been able to figure that one out.
If people found the message offensive, they would be much better served making their displeasure known to the company that agreed to accept money from the atheist group instead of committing a serious felony like issuing death threats against the atheists.
Atheism is more a political ideology than a spiritual belief system and is often way more militant than I'd prefer, but despite my distaste with their intolerance and smug belief in their intellectual superiority over religious believers, it's wrong for the religious to be dangerously militant and issue death threats in a free society.