Mystified, myself.

I mean, have you ever been to Salt Lake City?? It's hardly the most religiously tolerant place in this country.

Of course the LDS has a stranglehold on Utah in general and SLC in particular. They founded it.

And they specifically chose billboards that would provoke Mormons and mock their current ad campaign.

Apparently they have made these choices purposefully and were looking to confront the LDS church. So now they have a confrontation. Who would have thunk it?

to proselytize. But how dare another group with a different message on religion come into "their" city. (And since when does a religion get to lay claim to a whole city or state?)

in order to provoke.

And so far they are achieving their goals.

My only point is that no one should be surprised at the pushback they are getting.

I agree that no religion has the right to claim a whole city or state, but the history of how the LDS church landed in Utah is an important factor in this story.

massacring the Native Americans?

Maybe the LDS and their bullshit, con-man started, cult religion should be provoked?

if a progressive group put up a billboard in a deep red State?

in SLC than the rest of the state. If I am not mistaken Mormons vs. non-Mormons are near parity in SLC. They have had several liberal mayors in recent times. SLC is much more progressive than rest of state but the bar is very low on this point. The Mormon church has influence in SLC but much more elsewhere in the state. If you are going to place a billboard about atheism in Utah, SLC would be better than Provo or anywhere else in the state.

accept that there are places in America where free speech can be curtailed, and chalk it all to "they should have known better".
But the LDS get a special allowance because of religion.
God forbid they thought there might be some atheists in that community that would welcome the chance to meet with fellow non believers.

There are certain historical "factors" in play here. Don't ya know?

Remember when the Utah Mormons minded their own business and stayed out of the Prop 8 bullshit?

Yeah, me neither.

conventions leave behind a lot of money from hotels, bars, etc. and atheist money should go to people who put equal value on their fellow citizens who may be atheists.

Just my two cents.