American Atheist group tries to suck the life out of the holiday season by preaching reason.

Everyone knows there is nothing reasonable about the holiday season. It is not practical for people to spend extended periods of time with their in-laws. It is not sensible to sit in miles of traffic and fend off of cracked-out and desperate shoppers searching for the last Tickle-Me-Elmo doll. Levelheaded thinking usually doesn’t lead to spending hours in a mall on Christmas Eve that looks as though it’s already been ransacked by the stampede from “Jumanji.” And someone please tell me what is so delicious about eggs, cream, sugar, nutmeg and a little booze? Nothing.

However it’s also the one time of the year where we disregard reason for the sake of our family and friends. We wait on hour-long TSA security lines at the airport. We tackle old women for the last XBox 360 at Target and chug gingerbread spiced lattes until we’re convinced we enjoy them. Not to sound sappy or sentimental, but there is something special about this time of year – the movies, trees, claymation, decorations, gift-giving, store windows, gift-getting and reconnecting with people you see twice a year. I, along with millions of other people, enjoy the spirit of the holiday season. The factual matter of Jesus Christ being born is very important to a lot of people who celebrate the holiday, but not everyone. It is, however, the catalyst for that indescribable feeling that comes around every December. The same feeling the American Atheists tries to squash on a yearly basis.

Dave Silverman, President of American Atheists, said, “Last year’s MYTH billboard was incredibly successful and garnered a lot more attention than we conceived. This year’s billboard should be equally thought-provoking and spark plenty of conversations nationally, but especially in New Jersey, New York, Ohio, and Florida.”

Mr. Silverman continued, “The Florida billboards will also be advertising our upcoming convention in December in Fort Lauderdale. It is going to be an amazing convention with great speakers and this billboard will help promote it to atheists in Florida.”

Blair Scott, Communications Director for American Atheists, stated, “Every year groups like The Catholic League and American Family Association told Americans about a war on Christmas that simply did not exist. Last year we thought we would give them what they seemed to want and fired the first shot in the war on Christmas. To both groups we say, ‘Happy Holidays!’”

Mr. Scott continued, “Offending people is not our goal, but we know people are going to be offended. When you question someone’s long-held beliefs and doctrine they are going to be immediately offended and be on the defensive: it’s a known psychological phenomenon.”

The American Atheists are planning on advertising their new billboard above the New Jersey entrance to the Lincoln Tunnel — the most seen electronic billboard in the country. If they weren’t trying to offend anyone, they would have picked a billboard in bumblefuck North Dakota, not something seen by 120,000 commuters daily.

I love how their communications director Blair Scott says they’re “not trying to offend people,” yet goes on to say “but we totally know we will.” The American Atheists give non-believers a bad name, similar to how PETA makes makes all vegetarians seem like paint throwers who file lawsuits on behalf of Shamu. They’re petty attention seekers who deliberately stir the pot for publicity. It’s unnecessary and childish.

You can call Christmas and the general holiday season too commercial, over-hyped and a burden. It’s all true. It’s also the one time of the year where an absence of reason is most needed. There’s no need to piss people off while they sit in traffic, attempting to drive into the over-congested city during a already miserable morning commute. Stop being smug assholes and have a little heart.

[Huf Po & Opposing Views]