Atheist ad removed from church property

COLUMBUS, Ohio, July 1 (UPI) -- An atheist group's billboard declaring the possibility of being "good without God" was removed from a Clear Channel billboard on an Ohio church's property.

Jay Schmidt, an account executive for Matrix Media Services who helped the Freedom From Religion Foundation find locations for its six Columbus billboards, said he and others involved did not realize the billboard was on property belonging to Christ Cathedral Church, The Columbus (Ohio) Dispatch reported Thursday.

The billboard, installed June 21, bore an image of atheist Dylan Galos, 25, with the caption: "I can be good without God."

Schmidt said the billboard was removed a few days later after complaints from Christ Cathedral Church's pastor, the Rev. Waymon Malone.

Schmidt said placing the billboard on church property was "an unfortunate oversight" by Clear Channel.