A billboard campaign funded by a secular, atheist and humanist organization called the African Americans for Humanism, is facing an outpouring of hate and criticism by the religious. Hate mail, death threats and tirades of local religious leaders including pastors and other spiritual heads have been raining down upon the organization and its members.

The billboard campaign is part of a more broader national campaign in the United States during Black History Month of February to show an altogether rich yet irreligious side of the African American communities while bringing into light the harmful effects of certain religious doctrines.

The campaign is also aimed at bringing African Americans out who have doubted their religion, particularly Christianity, and been afraid to “come out” regarding their atheism, agnosticism or any other position within their communities.

Atheists especially are among the most persecuted and “forgotten” minorities in numerous countries including the United States where they are stupidly perceived as “agents of Satan” or generally immoral bastards who are “angry” or hellbent on destroying the “American Christian way”.

One of the billboard ads (pictured) are planned to be put up in Texas, a state that is perceived as notorious to outsiders due to its largely religious fundamentalist population and the degree of intolerance shown to other ethnic and religious groups.

The billboard ads, which display contemporary African American atheists and famous African American freethinkers, leaders and skeptics, have already been propped up in the cities of New York City, Washington DC, Durham, Chicago, Atlanta and Los Angeles.

The ads will also be displayed near highways and other areas.