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Getbig Misc Discussion Boards => Religious Debates & Threads => Topic started by: Dos Equis on October 23, 2008, 12:01:29 PM
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This is hilarious. :)
Atheists Plan Anti-God Ad Campaign on Buses
Thursday, October 23, 2008
(http://www.foxnews.com/images/457422/1_62_102308_AtheistBus.jpg)
Promotional photo for the Atheist Bus Campaign
LONDON — London buses have God on their side — but not for long, if atheists have their way.
The sides of some of London's red buses will soon carry ads asserting there is "probably no God," as nonbelievers fight what they say is the preferential treatment given to religion in British society.
Organizers of a campaign to raise funds for the ads said Wednesday they received more than $113,000 in donations, almost seven times their target, in the hours since they launched the project on a charity Web site. Supporters include Oxford University biologist Richard Dawkins, who donated $9,000.
The money will be used to place posters on 30 buses carrying the slogan "There's probably no God. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life." The plan was to run the ads for four weeks starting in January, but so much money has been raised that the project may be expanded.
"A lot of people say trying to organize atheists is like herding cats. The last couple of days shows that is not true," said comedy writer Ariane Sherine, who started the campaign.
While most London buses carry posters for shops or Hollywood movies, Christian churches and Muslim groups have bought bus-side ad space in the past.
Sherine came up with the idea after seeing a series of Christian posters on London buses. She said she visited the Web site promoted on one ad and found it told nonbelievers they would spend eternity in torment in hell.
"I thought it would be a really positive thing to counter that by putting forward a much happier and more upbeat advert, saying 'Don't worry, you're not going to hell,'" said Sherine, 28. "Atheists believe this is the only life we have, and we should enjoy it."
The British Humanist Association, which is administering the fundraising drive, said it had been so successful the campaign might spread to other cities including Manchester and Edinburgh.
Most Britons identify themselves as Christians, but few attend church regularly, and public figures rarely talk about their beliefs. Former Prime Minister Tony Blair was rare among politicians in speaking openly about his Christian faith.
Dawkins, author of the best-selling atheist manifesto "The God Delusion," said that religion nonetheless held a privileged position in society.
"Religious organizations have an automatic tax-free charitable status," he said. "Bishops sit in the House of Lords automatically. Religious leaders get preferential treatment on all sorts of commissions.
"This campaign to put alternative slogans on London buses will make people think — and thinking is anathema to religion."
Dawkins said that as an atheist he "wasn't wild" about the ad's assertion that there was "probably" no God.
Sherine said the word was included to ensure the posters didn't breach transit advertising regulations, which stipulate ads should not offend religious people.
Few believers appeared offended by the campaign, although most doubted it would work.
"I think people will ask themselves, 'On what basis can they make that statement?" said Inayat Bunglawala of the Muslim Council of Britain. "So it will get people thinking, so in that sense it can only be good."
Ad agency CBS Outdoor, which manages advertising on many London buses, said it had approved the atheist campaign.
Sales and marketing director Tim Bleakley said "our decision to take an ad that promotes God, or one that promotes no God, is based on commercial terms, as long as the advertising copy itself does not breach U.K. advertising standards."
The Rev. Jenny Ellis, spirituality and discipleship officer for the Methodist Church, welcomed the ads.
"This campaign will be a good thing if it gets people to engage with the deepest questions of life," she said.
The religious think tank Theos said it had donated $82 to the campaign, on the grounds that the ads were so bad they would probably attract people to religion.
"It tells people to 'stop worrying,' which is hardly going to be a great comfort for those who are concerned about losing jobs or homes in the recession," said Theos director Paul Woolley.
"Stunts like this demonstrate how militant atheists are often great adverts for Christianity."
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,443705,00.html
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This is hilarious. :)
Atheists Plan Anti-God Ad Campaign on Buses
Thursday, October 23, 2008
(http://www.foxnews.com/images/457422/1_62_102308_AtheistBus.jpg)
Promotional photo for the Atheist Bus Campaign
LONDON — London buses have God on their side — but not for long, if atheists have their way.
The sides of some of London's red buses will soon carry ads asserting there is "probably no God," as nonbelievers fight what they say is the preferential treatment given to religion in British society.
Organizers of a campaign to raise funds for the ads said Wednesday they received more than $113,000 in donations, almost seven times their target, in the hours since they launched the project on a charity Web site. Supporters include Oxford University biologist Richard Dawkins, who donated $9,000.
The money will be used to place posters on 30 buses carrying the slogan "There's probably no God. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life." The plan was to run the ads for four weeks starting in January, but so much money has been raised that the project may be expanded.
"A lot of people say trying to organize atheists is like herding cats. The last couple of days shows that is not true," said comedy writer Ariane Sherine, who started the campaign.
While most London buses carry posters for shops or Hollywood movies, Christian churches and Muslim groups have bought bus-side ad space in the past.
Sherine came up with the idea after seeing a series of Christian posters on London buses. She said she visited the Web site promoted on one ad and found it told nonbelievers they would spend eternity in torment in hell.
"I thought it would be a really positive thing to counter that by putting forward a much happier and more upbeat advert, saying 'Don't worry, you're not going to hell,'" said Sherine, 28. "Atheists believe this is the only life we have, and we should enjoy it."
The British Humanist Association, which is administering the fundraising drive, said it had been so successful the campaign might spread to other cities including Manchester and Edinburgh.
Most Britons identify themselves as Christians, but few attend church regularly, and public figures rarely talk about their beliefs. Former Prime Minister Tony Blair was rare among politicians in speaking openly about his Christian faith.
Dawkins, author of the best-selling atheist manifesto "The God Delusion," said that religion nonetheless held a privileged position in society.
"Religious organizations have an automatic tax-free charitable status," he said. "Bishops sit in the House of Lords automatically. Religious leaders get preferential treatment on all sorts of commissions.
"This campaign to put alternative slogans on London buses will make people think — and thinking is anathema to religion."
Dawkins said that as an atheist he "wasn't wild" about the ad's assertion that there was "probably" no God.
Sherine said the word was included to ensure the posters didn't breach transit advertising regulations, which stipulate ads should not offend religious people.
Few believers appeared offended by the campaign, although most doubted it would work.
"I think people will ask themselves, 'On what basis can they make that statement?" said Inayat Bunglawala of the Muslim Council of Britain. "So it will get people thinking, so in that sense it can only be good."
Ad agency CBS Outdoor, which manages advertising on many London buses, said it had approved the atheist campaign.
Sales and marketing director Tim Bleakley said "our decision to take an ad that promotes God, or one that promotes no God, is based on commercial terms, as long as the advertising copy itself does not breach U.K. advertising standards."
The Rev. Jenny Ellis, spirituality and discipleship officer for the Methodist Church, welcomed the ads.
"This campaign will be a good thing if it gets people to engage with the deepest questions of life," she said.
The religious think tank Theos said it had donated $82 to the campaign, on the grounds that the ads were so bad they would probably attract people to religion.
"It tells people to 'stop worrying,' which is hardly going to be a great comfort for those who are concerned about losing jobs or homes in the recession," said Theos director Paul Woolley.
"Stunts like this demonstrate how militant atheists are often great adverts for Christianity."
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,443705,00.html
Hilarious, indeed!!! Maybe if some of these folks enjoyed their lives a bit more, they wouldn't be obsessing over something that they dont' believe exists.
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Hilarious, indeed!!! Maybe if some of these folks enjoyed their lives a bit more, they wouldn't be obsessing over something that they dont' believe exists.
Yep. If this isn't the epitome of MISERABLE, then I don't know what is.
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Hilarious, indeed!!! Maybe if some of these folks enjoyed their lives a bit more, they wouldn't be obsessing over something that they dont' believe exists.
I agree. Wow, get over it already.
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$113,000 could feed many hungry people.
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Ha ha ha ;D
How ironic! They are telling us not to worry about God, yet they are the ones who obviously need to stop worrying about this God they obsess over and claim doesn't exist.
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$113,000 could feed many hungry people.
Sell a church, feed lots of hungry people. ;)
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Sell a church, feed lots of hungry people. ;)
Many churches actually do feed a lot of people, in the community and in 3rd world countries. So why sell their place of worship, which they purchased or built with their own money donated by their own members?
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Hilarious, indeed!!! Maybe if some of these folks enjoyed their lives a bit more, they wouldn't be obsessing over something that they dont' believe exists.
These people are idiotic but they are no less silly that 'god's soldiers' who go out in droves and try to convert people.
Moreover, I think their issue isn't your fictional desert deity but the people who claim to know he exists and believe in him.
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Many churches actually do feed a lot of people, in the community and in 3rd world countries. So why sell their place of worship, which they purchased or built with their own money donated by their own members?
Sure, they feed them while trying to convert them to their brand of brain washing, tell them they should not use birth control, etc, and often do more damage than good. For example, many churches in South America breaking away from the Catholic church as they got tired of the Catholic dogma and sending what little money they had to the over filled banks at the Vatican. You don't need a building to worship in. If there is a God, he/she/it is all around you. Churches are nothing but human beings, as usual, trying to add control, and 999 times out of 1000, do more harm than good. Atheists have every right to let their positions be known also, and I wish we had those signs on our buses too. Might help a few people get their head out of their a$$ and think for themselves. I know, too much to ask... ::)
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These people are idiotic but they are no less silly that 'god's soldiers' who go out in droves and try to convert people.
Moreover, I think their issue isn't your fictional desert deity but the people who claim to know he exists and believe in him.
The parallels are hard to ignore lol
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The parallels are hard to ignore lol
The Christian nutters here don't see the parallels...
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Sure, they feed them while trying to convert them to their brand of brain washing, tell them they should not use birth control, etc, and often do more damage than good. For example, many churches in South America breaking away from the Catholic church as they got tired of the Catholic dogma and sending what little money they had to the over filled banks at the Vatican. You don't need a building to worship in. If there is a God, he/she/it is all around you. Churches are nothing but human beings, as usual, trying to add control, and 999 times out of 1000, do more harm than good. Atheists have every right to let their positions be known also, and I wish we had those signs on our buses too. Might help a few people get their head out of their a$$ and think for themselves. I know, too much to ask... ::)
Oh, you were talking about the Roman Catholic Church. Okay. Yeah, their places of worship are too much, and the Vatican has way too much wealth. I agree some of that could be used to feed and clothe the poor.
Many protestant churches are not much better either, like those mega churches with their wealthy pastors.
I do believe good churches do need their humble place of worship, a central location for them to meet. And I know from personal experience that they do nothing but good to others. I have much to thank them for.
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The Christian nutters here don't see the parallels...
That's what's ironic about it. There should not be any parallels.
Christians are called by Jesus Christ Himself to spread the Gospel. So I can understand Christians posting signs on the side of buses.
What's these atheists' excuse?
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That's what's ironic about it. There should not be any parallels.
Christians are called by Jesus Christ Himself to spread the Gospel. So I can understand Christians posting signs on the side of buses.
What's these atheists' excuse?
I don't know. I don't really care. I wouldn't do it myself so...
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I don't know. I don't really care. I wouldn't do it myself so...
You are the most consistent atheist I know, based on this and other posts.
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You are the most consistent atheist I know, based on this and other posts.
I don't believe in organisations, gathering in groups; my opposition is personal and I rarely bother with it in real life; have to struggle to pay bills so wasting my time arguing with idiot Christians isn't very productive. On the boards it's fun sometimes but even this is a luxury. Weird people.
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That's what's ironic about it. There should not be any parallels.
Christians are called by Jesus Christ Himself to spread the Gospel. So I can understand Christians posting signs on the side of buses.
What's these atheists' excuse?
The parallel is that they are both spreading/advertising a belief
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The parallel is that they are both spreading/advertising a belief
I know what the parallel is. That's not my point.
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I know what the parallel is. That's not my point.
You said there shouldn't be a parallel, but there is.
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That's what's ironic about it. There should not be any parallels.
Christians are called by Jesus Christ Himself to spread the Gospel. So I can understand Christians posting signs on the side of buses.
What's these atheists' excuse?
Their excuse is that JC's call and Gospels are complete BS.
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Their excuse is that JC's call and Gospels are complete BS.
But it shouldn't be. It means they are no better than the very same people they criticize. I agree with Deicide on this one.
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Sure, they feed them while trying to convert them to their brand of brain washing, tell them they should not use birth control, etc.
Don’t forget the, “Don’t eat meat on Friday’s during Lent,” and the, “No food an hour before mass.”
Those are two classics!
You don't need a building to worship in. If there is a God, he/she/it is all around you. Churches are nothing but human beings, as usual, trying to add control, and 999 times out of 1000, do more harm than good.
You ever heard of the Gospel of Thomas?
It’s a New Testament-era apocryphon, nearly completely preserved in a Coptic papyrus manuscript discovered in 1945 at Nag Hammadi, Egypt.
It supposedly contains the written words of the living Jesus, and no major Christian group accepts this gospel as canonical or authoritative.
It basically says what you ascertain above: (assuming that God exists) The Kingdom of God exists not in some brick building, but is found within every one of us and around us.
And God’s Kingdom is not people who contrive silly man-made rules and play on people’s fears that God will punish them if they do not obey.
Gee…
No wonder the “church” won’t recognize it.
Kind of takes a lot of their power away, doesn’t it?
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Don’t forget the, “Don’t eat meat on Friday’s during Lent,” and the, “No food an hour before mass.”
Those are two classics!
You ever heard of the Gospel of Thomas?
It’s a New Testament-era apocryphon, nearly completely preserved in a Coptic papyrus manuscript discovered in 1945 at Nag Hammadi, Egypt.
It supposedly contains the written words of the living Jesus, and no major Christian group accepts this gospel as canonical or authoritative.
It basically says what you ascertain above: (assuming that God exists) The Kingdom of God exists not in some brick building, but is found within every one of us and around us.
And God’s Kingdom is not people who contrive silly man-made rules and play on people’s fears that God will punish them if they do not obey.
Gee…
No wonder the “church” won’t recognize it.
Kind of takes a lot of their power away, doesn’t it?
Who says the church members or the church building are The Kingdom of God? Christians don't believe that.
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I think the Catholic Church had issue with it lol
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Who says the church members or the church building are The Kingdom of God? Christians don't believe that.
The Gospel of Thomas says the Kingdom is in and around the people.
As for the other part of your question…
A lot of Catholics from my parents’ and grandparents’ generations believed that you “had” to go to church every Sunday because if you didn’t you were a heathen and would burn in Hell.
They were “scared” into thinking that they needed to attend church and being fed not just God’s word, but also the political messages the church ingrained in them.
And Ozmo is right about the Catholic church having a problem with it.
I believe the reason the Catholic church (among others) refuses to recognize Thomas’ Gospel is it downplays the authority and importance of the church.
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How much better would the economy be if people worked all day Sunday and didn't go to Church?
Or what if people didn't pray anymore but rather actively tried to fix the things that they are praying for God to fix?
Don't pray to God to lose weight, stop eating so much and exercise.
Don't pray to god for world peace, become an activist.
Don't pray to god to stop global warming, get rid of your SUV.
Don't pray to god to be healthy, stop smoking and eating McDonalds.
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Sell a church, feed lots of hungry people. ;)
Or some crappy reading material ;D