The newspaper said Wednesday that the Freedom From Religion Foundation picked up five new members and about 20 prospective members after the sign went up in Seattle's Capitol Hill district.

Dan O'Connell said he signed up the day after he saw the billboard. He told the Times the sign was "extremely brave, given our current climate."

Leaders of the foundation have posted the billboards in seven cities. They told the Times it is a measure to make the views of non-religious Americans heard.

Gary Randall, president of the conservative Christian Faith and Freedom Network, told the Times that the billboard was an example of the "relentless challenge to anything Christian on the part of the minority who are atheistic and agnostic."