Atheists Do It On A Bus

[Cruella]

BBC NEWS | UK | Atheists launch bus ad campaign

Would it work elsewhere?

[isaone]

Of course, I think it is great !

[Compugasm]

I'm not taking a shot at CruellaDeChaCha here. This is newsworthy? Ah, I see. It's only really newsworthy because of who is behind it. Dawkins, and this 'comedy' writer should get some nice publicity out of this. Pfff, next.

[Jack]

I do enjoy getting emails like the one that came today.

Thanks to you we raised enough money to put ads on 800 buses across the UK, and the campaign has gone global - Ariane Sherine Today, thanks to many Cif readers, the overall total raised for the Atheist Bus Campaign stands at a truly overwhelming £135,000, breaking our original target of £5,500 by over 2400%. Given this unexpected amount, I'm very excited to tell you that 800 buses – instead of the 30 we were initially aiming for – are now rolling out across the UK with the slogan, "There's probably no God. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life", in locations all over England, Scotland and Wales, including Manchester, Edinburgh, Glasgow, York, Cardiff, Devon, Leeds, Bristol and Aberdeen. Thanks for reading, Josh Timonen RichardDawkins.net

It may not be much, but every little bit counts. Sadly this is just a minor skirmish in the battle between reason and superstition. Bigger battles have been fought and will be again.

[Rortykiller]

I believe in protecting the rights of Christians, churches, and atheists

[Morality Games]

I really don't see the appeal, but there are many things about mainstream secularism I find peculiar, like its attempt to appeal to people outside intellectual circles [the only place it was very useful and safe]. I don't see how encouraging everybody to join our movement will reflect well on secularism, anymore than encouraging everybody to join their religion has reflected well on Christians -- they let in people who embarrass the faith immensely, and people think worse of their entire religion for it. Lowering the standards lowers the quality of performance.

That said, keep secularism open and ready to welcome anybody who makes it there -- just don't put up signs everywhere. That's one of those annoying little habits of the religious.

[shawmutt]

Around my area churches and others rent billboards proclaiming such catchy phrases as "Don't make me come down there! ~God", "Jesus is Lord", etc. I would love, LOVE, for someone to rent a billboard with the message like the one on those busses.

I personally don't care about anyone's personal beliefs about God or Jesus or any of that, but the billboards really rub me the wrong way. The money used to keep those signs up could feed a poor family in the city.

[loser]

"There's probably no God. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life"

Dawkins is preaching to the choir. Christians DON'T worry because there IS a God. Atheists DO worry because there IS a God. I doubt that the bus campaign will help to allay their fears.

If the belief in God decreases, people will only have more reason to worry.

Know God, indeed.

[isaone]

I see two important reasons for such advertising

1. To let the majority believers get used to the fact we exist. This will greatly in our getting respected and listened to when we ask for fairness
2. To allow people who are unsure of their beliefs and afraid of 'coming out' ti think about Atheism as a viable option instead of something that is too terrible to consider

[Jack]

Quote by: shawmutt Around my area churches and others rent billboards proclaiming such catchy phrases as "Don't make me come down there! ~God", "Jesus is Lord", etc. I would love, LOVE, for someone to rent a billboard with the message like the one on those busses. I personally don't care about anyone's personal beliefs about God or Jesus or any of that, but the billboards really rub me the wrong way. The money used to keep those signs up could feed a poor family in the city.

That was tried and the billboard company moved it due to their own religious beliefs. You can read about it here.

[GeminiBrian]

Quote by: Jack That was tried and the billboard company moved it due to their own religious beliefs. You can read about it here.

The launch of this campaign featured across our various news channels here in the UK yesterday, as a sort of joke item, as you'd expect... the rather bemused public response struck me as typically British, in that nobody took it seriously. Comments varied from "makes a nice change" to "I've seen a lot worse" to "If it pi***s off the self-righteous - bring it on!"

The reporters failed to find anybody suffering even mild outrage - which, I suspect, would not be the case in the far more religious America. Dawkin's own comment - "I would have been happier if the slogan said there is DEFINITELY no god, any more than there is a tooth fairy" - was also typically tongue-in-cheek...

I would hate to live in any country that still takes superstition of any sort seriously, which is why I have no plans to move away from Britain for the time being.

[45flight]

If there are stickers for other religions, there should be some for atheism too. Personally, I'd rather see none.

[CamelotPW]

Quote by: loser Dawkins is preaching to the choir. Christians DON'T worry because there IS a God. Atheists DO worry because there IS a God. I doubt that the bus campaign will help to allay their fears. If the belief in God decreases, people will only have more reason to worry. Know God, indeed.

Does one truly KNOW that god(s) exist? People often mix up knowledge and faith, or make them one in the same thing. If one has FAITH in something, that person does not need irrefutable proof that it exists. If one has KNOWLEDGE of something, that person has irrefutable proof that it exists. ( Without getting into the philosophical aspect of it all ) In this way, technically, everyone is an Agnostic.

Ag(Without) Nostic(Knowledge). Because people of faith have no knowledge of a god(s), and Atheists have no knowledge of gods, everyone is an Agnostic. This isn't really a belief system though, in my opinion. Agnosticism is more of a "Journey" to come to a conclusion. Claiming to be Agnostic is, therefore, quite odd in my opinion. ( Not to dog on any people here who Claim to be Agnostic. I respect your belief fully)

Your post shows how FAITH and KNOWLEDGE are mixed up, and joined together.

Thank you

[Dan_77]

Quote by: CamelotPW Does one truly KNOW that god(s) exist? People often mix up knowledge and faith, or make them one in the same thing. If one has FAITH in something, that person does not need irrefutable proof that it exists. If one has KNOWLEDGE of something, that person has irrefutable proof that it exists. ( Without getting into the philosophical aspect of it all ) In this way, technically, everyone is an Agnostic. Ag(Without) Nostic(Knowledge). Because people of faith have no knowledge of a god(s), and Atheists have no knowledge of gods, everyone is an Agnostic. This isn't really a belief system though, in my opinion. Agnosticism is more of a "Journey" to come to a conclusion. Claiming to be Agnostic is, therefore, quite odd in my opinion. ( Not to dog on any people here who Claim to be Agnostic. I respect your belief fully) Your post shows how FAITH and KNOWLEDGE are mixed up, and joined together. Thank you

This is an excellent post.

I agree with you that people of faith need no proof.


Oh, and the buses are pretty funny. I would bet that in the U.S. since buses are publicly owned for the most part, they couldn't refuse any non-obscene advertisement. (unlike the billboard company Jack mentioned) So go for it.

[CamelotPW]

Quote by: tivodan1116 This is an excellent post. I agree with you that people of faith need no proof. Oh, and the buses are pretty funny. I would bet that in the U.S. since buses are publicly owned for the most part, they couldn't refuse any non-obscene advertisement. (unlike the billboard company Jack mentioned) So go for it.

Prepare for a massive lawsuit. It seems a lot of religious people in the U.S do not like having their belief system challenged.

Also: Thank You

[Dan_77]

Quote by: CamelotPW Prepare for a massive lawsuit. It seems a lot of religious people in the U.S do not like having their belief system challenged.

Totally agree, and I say that as someone who at least considers himself a theist.

But it would be fun to see. Personally I like when people can make me think about my beliefs, and it doesn't seem like these ads are disrespectful or anything. The message is at least partly something I agree with - stop worrying and enjoy your life. I mean, if there is a god, he's certainly above worrying about petty things like whether you eat meat on Fridays or wear a little round hat on your head. Follow divinity, not rules.

Also: Thank You

You're welcome.

[CamelotPW]

Quote by: tivodan1116 Totally agree, and I say that as someone who at least considers himself a theist. But it would be fun to see. Personally I like when people can make me think about my beliefs, and it doesn't seem like these ads are disrespectful or anything. The message is at least partly something I agree with - stop worrying and enjoy your life. I mean, if there is a god, he's certainly above worrying about petty things like whether you eat meat on Fridays or wear a little round hat on your head. Follow divinity, not rules.

Exactly. I've spoken to people of a certain faith ( Their women wear skirts all the time, they can't cut their hair. Can anyone clue me in?) before, and I've asked them why god would care about such trivial things. They never give me a straight answer, and end up trying to convert me. It's people like that who would be so upset that an advertising campaign of Atheism would happen; It's a constant reminder that "Hey, you may be wrong".

[gallo]

Quote by: loser Christians DON'T worry because there IS a God.

Actually, the constant obsession with hell and punishment shows that they are plenty worried about their god and whether they are going to be "saved."

Atheists DO worry because there IS a God. I doubt that the bus campaign will help to allay their fears.

You don't see the illogic in that? You think that atheists are worried about something that doesn't exist? How odd.

If the belief in God decreases, people will only have more reason to worry.

You mean reason to celebrate?

Know God, indeed.

Obviously you mean "no god."

[Dan_77]

Quote by: CamelotPW Exactly. I've spoken to people of a certain faith ( Their women wear skirts all the time, they can't cut their hair. Can anyone clue me in?) before, and I've asked them why god would care about such trivial things. They never give me a straight answer, and end up trying to convert me. It's people like that who would be so upset that an advertising campaign of Atheism would happen; It's a constant reminder that "Hey, you may be wrong".

They're here, too (western NY)... They usually travel in beat up cars/vans that have bible verses, weird prayers, and other religious dogma plastered to the back... Apparently their Bible doesn't have Matthew 6:5-7 in it.

[loser]

Dawkin's own comment - "I would have been happier if the slogan said there is DEFINITELY no god, any more than there is a tooth fairy" - was also typically tongue-in-cheek...

Why do you consider Dawkin's comment "tongue-in-cheek"? Do you think that he really believes in God or just isn't really sure?

I would hate to live in any country that still takes superstition of any sort seriously, which is why I have no plans to move away from Britain for the time being.

That's funny. You attribute Christianity as superstition but I would bet a leprechaun's pot of gold against a druid's mistletoe that you swallow so much superstition that has been foisted upon ignorant humanity as science fact. What country doesn't believe in the superstitious myth of evolution and flying dinosaurs that were once chickens or that man was once ignorant 'cavemen' (like depicted in the Geico commercials) resembling lesser primates, in fact even going so far as saying that Homo sapiens descended from other Homos. That's too funny.

It never happened...pure superstition.

Of course, if you are equating Christianity with Catholicism then I agree with the superstitious part...but they are NOT the same and, in fact, are worlds apart.

Does one truly KNOW that god(s) exist? People often mix up knowledge and faith, or make them one in the same thing. If one has FAITH in something, that person does not need irrefutable proof that it exists. If one has KNOWLEDGE of something, that person has irrefutable proof that it exists. ( Without getting into the philosophical aspect of it all ) In this way, technically, everyone is an Agnostic.

Given the specifics of human life and the world in general, knowledge is unattainable and remains completely subjective. We may seem to be more sure about some things than others (what I ate for dinner as opposed to the distance to the sun) but knowledge is still only relative. My dad never took a DNA test to prove his paternity so I have had to rely on faith that my mother knew who my dad was and told me accordingly. This kind of faith is not blind nor is it unreasonable. Nevertheless, I really don't know who my dad is.

Blind faith has NOTHING to do with religion and/or God. If it did, there would be no atheists or agnostics. People who believe in God are no different than those who doubt His existence. For the most part, they have weighed the evidence and came to logical conclusions. For as many as have blindly followed religion, just as many have blindly rejected religion. Perception is ALL that we have and because brains soak up a variety of data, some false and some true, none of us agree on everything. Who is right and who is wrong is very much debatable...and here we are!

Your post shows how FAITH and KNOWLEDGE are mixed up, and joined together.

My faith is based on knowledge or, at least, my perception of what is true. I'm not a follower and can rightly be called a skeptic. At times, I can be downright cynical. I'm also quite adept at logic and reasoning and I have concluded, with little doubt, that the theory of common descent is one of the most ignorant myths ever foisted upon humanity. It never ceases to amaze me how so many people can blindly follow such foolishness without a hint of knowledge (evidence).

People are indeed blind.

I agree with you that people of faith need no proof.

I disagree. I believe that people without faith need no proof.

I mean, if there is a god, he's certainly above worrying about petty things like whether you eat meat on Fridays or wear a little round hat on your head. Follow divinity, not rules.

It's true, the RCC has attempted to single-handedly destroy Christianity with myth and superstition. The RCC does NOT represent Christianity, no matter what they do or say.

Actually, the constant obsession with hell and punishment shows that they are plenty worried about their god and whether they are going to be "saved."

They're not Christians except by name only. You might call yourself good but that doesn't make it so.

You don't see the illogic in that? You think that atheists are worried about something that doesn't exist? How odd.

People wrap themselves up in a blanket of lies, only fooling themselves with their transparent disguise (from loser's poem, "Images").

Nothing odd about it at all. In psychotherapy, it's called Being In Denial.