New Ad Campaign Launches to Reposition Atheism as... Religious

AOA NEWS
By Ernest O. Britton

Advertisement courtesy Alain de Botton on Twitter

Another atheist is promoting a new book, but this time the advertising features spectacularly beautiful Christian church architecture. I know what you are thinking: church architecture for atheists? Really? Why in the world would atheists promote the seductive beauty of Christian churches? Think about it though, other than some thoughtful but dense books, with rather limited readership; and endless attacks on sacred displays like Nativity sets that only build ill-will, what better idea than this? Atheists, who are not even trusted by their fellow atheists now have one of their own, noted cultural critic Alain de Botton proposing that they steal what they consider the "best ideas" of religion to promote their way of thinking -- and one of those is to build their own sacred temples for atheists. So is this new atheist strategy crazy? I suspect not.

Yesterday, author Alain de Botton tweeted, "New book (http://religionforatheists.com) launches today - along with ad campaign to reposition atheism. http://pic.twitter.com/dCyDmrb9," and I was intrigued by what I saw. The image is of a soaring and beautiful stained-glass window, a mainstay of Christian architecture, and I believe it actually could help non-Atheists to warm-up to those untrustworthy atheists. Imagine, their creating a place that equals the attractiveness of the Sistine Chapel, or even America's Crystal Cathedral as a calling card for a new movement of believer-skeptics? If you can imagine it too, perhaps Botton is wise to advance this idea. If nothing else, Alain de Botton's new ad campaign will fire up excitement over true religious architecture, including construction of the new and preservation of the old (and perhaps ignite my own personal campaign that the US needs a National Museum on the Freedom of Religion). I take this new ad campaign as an optimistic sign, and a compliment to my faith. And after decades of declining religious affiliations in the western world including the USA, Botton's religious architecture campaign gives us something we can all cheer about.

If you see one of these new ads featuring church architecture and you like the imagery as much as I do, remember you have atheist Alain de Botton to thank for it.