The Fox Friends on the couch are trying to express their disbelief and outrage over a billboard that uses a portion of Trump's slogan, which was apparently trademarked by Donald Trump just six days after President Obama's reelection victory in 2012.
The program director for the group American Atheists, Mr. Nick Fish, did his best texplain the billboard pictured above. He seeks to take the religious aspect out of the Christmas holiday and stress the other positives that a non-religious person can appreciate as well. One of the reasons he ascribes to the billboard is the increase in the number of self-professed atheists. Their numbers have grown in the last few years from 15% to 25% of Americans. Fish estimates that 40% of college-aged Americans are irreligious.
The questions that the hosts were asking were quite telling of what they thought of those who are not practicing Christians, and about atheism and atheists in general. Of the three hosts, Ainsley, the blonde female was the most self-righteous with her questions, all structured to get a rise out of the guest who wasn't taking the bait. Here's a few of their attempts.
STEVE DOOCY: One of the country's largest atheist organizations is using his slogan to target Christmas!
AINSLEY EARHARDT: The organizers claim that their message is not anti-Christian!
BRIAN KILMEADE: I'm scratching my head right now.
If you know Kilmeade, he scratches his head an awful lot trying to ponder the obvious. Naturally he would be unnerved by someone questioning the religion in which he has been indoctrinated.
DOOCY: Why is it making America great skipping church?
EARHARDT: Why do you care if people go to church and why are you offended if people go to church? Why are you telling people to skip church?
Why do you care if Christians find hope and love and peace when they go to church? Why do you spend all your time worrying about them?
Mr. Fish asserts that he doesn't do that at all, saying 'a lot of the the things that we like best about Christmas have nothing to do with the Christian version of the holiday.' Multiple times, he mentioned the camaraderie of family get togethers, giving gifts, going to parties and dinners with loved ones, and even singing Christmas carols. All of that can be enjoyed without any feelings of guilt because one doesn't believe what is proclaimed at church. Mr. Fish explains that he wasn't raised in a religious home, so Ainsley contorts that idea, and you can almost predict what her next question will be.
EARHARDT: Do you think the church has done you a disservice because maybe there's a disconnect? I'm sorry you had such a bad experience!
FISH: I didn't have a bad experience.
EARHARDT: Why didn't you like it?
Very simply, he tells her that the best way to make an atheist is to read the Bible. The female warrior for Jeebus lets him know that there are 'so many people who are praying for you right now.' He knows rather well, based on the constant tweets he receives to that effect. Then she implores him to come to church with her. He politely declines stating that his own mother would not like him absent during the holiday season.
Missing the point of the entire interview, Kilmeade asks,
Why did you make the billboard?
That reminds me of a scene in "Zoolander" where Derek Zoolander asks, "Why male models?"
Once again, he explained that he simply wanted to start a conversation and let other non-believers know that they're not alone and they are not doing anything to be ashamed of by skipping church services. He was speaking to that atheist who is sitting in church in Monroe, Louisiana (for example). That person may be saying to themselves, I think I'm alone. I don't want to say anything and I'm nervous about that. Pretty simple concept.
In the end, the self-righteous pundits were unable to accept the simplicity and logic of his message and still believe atheists bad, churchgoers good. Mission Accomplished!
