Earlier this evening I was introduced to the Jesus: All About Life Facebook page. A quick look through the page showed it was a legitimate page made by the people behind the campaign, but 16 hours earlier Atheists and non-christians had also discovered it and were trolling quite badly.
Earlier today while browsing through my usual sites I came across a post at Pharyngula about someone who was arrested for defacing a poster for an alpha.org advertising campaign.
I decided to also check out jesusallaboutlife.com – a parody site set up when it was discovered the JAAL people only registered the .com.au domain, not the .com one, and saw on the front page this particular article.
Seriously guys, trolling and vandalism is NEVER acceptable.
In regards to the defaced signs – yes, it may be funny but that does not make those actions acceptable. If you absolutely MUST vandalise these signs, and I mean there is no inch of hope that you can resist even in the slightest, then the absolute least you should do is make sure any writing is done directly to the poster. By drawing on the encasing plastic the only people you’re hurting are the company who maintains those advertising spaces.
How do you people feel when religious groups at Universities go through removing and covering up signs for non-theist student groups? How would you feel about people drawing, pissing on and destroying your own personal property and signs?
You call yourselves atheists. Many of you also call yourselves skeptics. You pride yourselves on your ability to think. Well, THINK before you do such stupid actions.
As for the trolling, just think of how you feel when people of differing opinions go to websites and boards that you are a regular visitor to. Some of the people I saw doing the trolling have been responsible for putting bans in place for others who have been trolling and “spamming” such boards. Again, THINK before you act.
If you want to protest, then protest properly. If you want to proselytes a different message, then do that at your own time and location (such as the JAAL.com site). Do NOT interrupt, disrupt, or destroy the properties meetings, or sites of others. Not only do such actions verify any bad opinions the other side may have about you, but they’re also destructive, counter productive and it really does make you nothing more than a lowly pathetic hypocrite.
Do not feed the troll. Do not support the troll. Do not be the troll.
Yes, I do mean every word I just wrote. Take it as you will.
Bastard Sheep 
Perhaps if you’d bothered to read the article fully, before engaging Fully Outraged Mode, you may see that I discouraged any emulation of the act.
I do not endorse the act, but understand that I am not appointed as Moral Compass Of The World.
Oh, by the way, we did not have anything to do with defacingthe signs. We were forwarded the photo.
*My* reading comprehension must be almost as bad as yours: I missed the accusation first time through.
I never claimed you did, it was simply the act I am criticising and trying to discourage.
“If you absolutely MUST vandalise these signs, and I mean there is no inch of hope that you can resist even in the slightest, then the absolute least you should do is make sure any writing is done directly to the poster. By drawing on the encasing plastic the only people you’re hurting are the company who maintains those advertising spaces.”
You must have mixed up your “ewes”, Mister Sheep. I certainly appears that the JAAL parodists are being accused.
Some of our commenters may have different views, and I must confess I am primarily motivated by the wish to keep fellow atheists out of trouble, but I would like to clarify once and for all that we do not encourage lawbreaking and were not party to the vandalism.