Freedom From Religion Foundation

The Chicago Tribune ran an article today about a campaign the Freedom From Religion Foundation is running in the city.  I clicked on it thinking of my friend Bill, a self-described Recovering Catholic who has been writing about skepticism lately.  Apparently, the Foundation has purchased advertising space on city buses to spread their gospel.  75 of the signs encourage people to skip church and sleep in.   I absolutely agree with the Foundation's co-president when he says that, "What the world really needs is a good night's sleep".

At the end of the article, we are asked, "Should passengers be encouraged to skip church and sleep or is the ad campaign just rude?"

Hm.  Um..neither?

You know what I think?  I think that the Freedom From Religion Foundation is not going to change any minds with this campaign.  They might rattle a few cages and they might make a few people smile.  But I can't imagine this is going to forward their mission any.  Wait.  What is their mission?  From their website:

"The Freedom From Religion Foundation, Inc., is an educational group working for the separation of state and church. Its purposes, as stated in its bylaws, are to promote the constitutional principle of separation of state and church, and to educate the public on matters relating to nontheism." 

It seems to me they just spent an awful lot of money on something that doesn't seem particularly educational or promotional on the separation of Church and State.  Although.  They did just get me to visit their website.  And blog about it.  And link to it.

But I'm not giving them any money.