Godless Billboards Return to Sioux Falls

Sioux Falls, South Dakota, May 9, 2017 (Newswire.com) - There are 37,000 people in Sioux Falls who are Non-Religious!

These words, superimposed over a blue background, have appeared on 15 prominent billboards across the Sioux Falls metropolitan area. This campaign continues to be a part of a coordinated local program that began in September 2014. This most recent campaign was sponsored by the Sioux Falls Atheists & Humanists. The billboards were erected on May 8th on S Minnesota Ave and S Cliff Ave, and others are scheduled to go up on Monday, May 22nd on West 12th Street in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The billboard's objectives are not to attack religion, but to support the ideas that evolution is a fact and the Earth is not 6,000 years old, as taught by some religions.

"Four hundred years ago, early astronomers with telescopes proved that the Earth was not the center of the universe and that the sun did not circle the Earth. We all now accept as fact that the Earth circles the sun. I find it hard to believe that some people still pick and choose which scientific facts they wish to accept and which they don't. For over 100 years, it has been proven that evolution is a fact, and it's time that people accept that it is inappropriate to teach our children otherwise."

Dale Hemming, Founder, Sioux Falls Freethinkers

Dale Hemming, the President of Sioux Falls Freethinkers, gave a description of the billboard campaign’s main intent. “The Sioux Falls Atheists and Humanists wishes to take a stand against the anti-science rhetoric of creationists, revisionists, fundamentalists, and ultra-conservative Evangelicals. Their distrust of science does a disservice to everyone, but especially to our children who do not yet have the mental ability to defend themselves from misinformation and deception. Toward this end, we are launching an Evolution Billboard Campaign starting May 8th.”

Hemming also added, “Four hundred years ago, early astronomers with telescopes proved that the Earth was not the center of the universe and that the sun did not circle the Earth. We all now accept as fact that the Earth circles the sun. I find it hard to believe that some people still pick and choose which scientific facts they wish to accept and which they don’t. For over 100 years it has been proven that evolution is a fact, and it's time that people accept that it is inappropriate to teach our children otherwise.”

Hemming continued, “For 100 years, scientists have used to radiometric dating to date the age of the earth. The tests and measurements have all shown that the earth is about 4 billion years old, which most people accept as factual. This is no less a fact than the earth circling the sun. It's time we stop teaching our children that it is only 6,000 years old. That is a falsehood that flies in the face of all we have proven to be true."

Other messages on local billboards read:

• There are more Non-Religious people than members in any Religious Denomination! *
• There are 98 Million people in America who are Non-Religious! *
• There are 196,000 people in South Dakota who are Non-Religious! *
• There are 37,000 people in Sioux Falls who are Non-Religious! *
• There are approximately 3,700 Atheists in Sioux Falls! *

(* Based on recent professional Gallup Polls and Pew Research Polls)

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Sioux Falls Freethinkers (www.SiouxFallsFreethinkers.com), Sioux Falls Atheists (www.SiouxFallsAtheists.com), and Sioux Falls Scientists (www.SiouxFallsScientists.com) are a home for all those of Free Thought with Open Minds in the Sioux Falls area. The group includes Atheists, Agnostics, and Humanists, those interested in science and Scientists, those who love animals and Zoologists, and Feminists and those wanting to help abused women.

United Coalition of Reason (www.UnitedCoR.org) — headquartered in Washington, D.C. — is committed to promoting science and reason, nurturing unity and developing cooperation within local communities. They donate time, resources and cutting-edge technology to help a variety of local non-theistic groups grow their presence, expand their outreach and present a positive face for non-theism by doing good together.

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For more information, contact:
Dale Hemming
Founder, Sioux Falls Freethinkers
(605) 271-0334

Source: Sioux Falls Freethinkers