Atheist posters are 'great adverts for Christianity', says think tank
by Jennifer Gold
Posted: Wednesday, October 22, 2008, 9:20 (BST)
A think tank set up with the support of the heads of the Church of England and the Roman Catholic Church in England and Wales says an atheist bus advert campaign will "encourage people to think about God".
The British Humanist Association's adverts have made headlines over their provocative slogan, "There's probably no God. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life."
More than £30,000 has been raised for the four-week campaign, which will see the posters splashed across 30 of London's bendy buses next January.
Prominent atheist and author of "The God Delusion", Professor Richard Dawkins had offered to match donations up to £5,500.
The posters are the atheist answer to a number of high profile Christian advertising campaigns on London buses and billboards, notably the Alpha Course, whose posters ask, "Is this it?" and "If God did exist, what would you ask him?"
Ariane Sherine, a comedy writer, prompted the "no God" advert campaign when she called for a "reassuring counter-advert" to the religious posters on public transport that she said "threaten passengers with eternal damnation", according to The Telegraph.
"This is absolutely brilliant and I'd like to thank everyone who donated for their support. The sky's the limit for atheists even if we don't believe there's anyone up there," she was quoted by the newspaper as saying.
More than five times the target of £5,500 has been gathered since the launch of a donation page on the Justgiving website on Tuesday.
The BHA's Hanne Stinson said that if the donations kept up, the organisation would consider rolling the adverts beyond London buses, to trains on the London Underground, and possibly transport networks in more cities across the UK.
Faith-based think tank Theos said it had donated £50 to the campaign out of a conviction that the campaign would prove to be "counter-productive".
"It tells people to 'stop worrying', which is hardly going to be a great comfort for those who are concerned about losing their jobs or homes in the recession," said Theos director Paul Woolley.
"And what does it tell us to do when we stop worrying? Volunteer overseas? Give money to charity? Campaign for the environment? No. It tells us to enjoy ourselves. It would be hard to come up with a more self-centred message than this."
He added, "Stunts like this demonstrate how militant atheists are often great adverts for Christianity."
The adverts have been well received by other Christians.
The Methodist Church's Spirituality and Discipleship Officer, the Rev Jenny Ellis, said: "This campaign will be a good thing if it gets people to engage with the deepest questions of life."
She also defended Christians against Dawkins' assertion that "thinking is anathema to religion", saying that Christians were called by Jesus to "love God with our minds as well as our hearts, souls and strength".
"Christianity is for people who aren't afraid to think about life and meaning," she added.
The head of Church Army, Mark Russell, expressed his support for the adverts in the latest entry on his blog.
"I love that the advert says 'probably'," he wrote, "so it seems the atheists are not sure if there is a God or not!! I hope people will take time out from the busyness of their everyday lives and think openly about the issues."
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Added: Monday, October 27, 2008, 19:56 (GMT)
Dear August, NYC & DNA, LEEDS, UK I wonder if you can hear the gobbledygook you posted? None of the noise you make, makes any sense! The fact that you are alive, together with all life around us, is proof of the living GOD. He loves you and so do I !!!!
If you are deaf to the truth, there is no sense in arguing about your inability to hear what you dont want to hear. But yes, by all means do carry on and argue and bring your fellow athiests and agnostics into the debate. The more people involved in the debate, the more will be converted and the amount of athiests will dwindle - simply overwhelmed by His love for us all.
Praise GOD for He is eternal and omnipresent and allmighty and He has a big chuckle about this
Duffy Malherbe, Cape Town, South Africa
Added: Thursday, October 23, 2008, 14:16 (BST)
To all the Atheists....spare yourselves the wrath of hell while you still have the chance to do so and just accept what is - God was, God is, and God will forever be.
God is fair and loving and you will not achieve anything in mocking him. Accept him as your saviour, believe in him and then, and I mean only then, will you experience the loving power of the Almighty. All that the Lord wants is for you to open up your heart and mind and accept him and he will prove himself to you. As long as you harden your heart to the fact that God exists, you will never experience his loving power and presence because you are making yourself unavailable to him. God is looking for people who are willing and able to reveal himself.
And if you do not have anything nice to say about him, then rather keep quiet.
In conclusion, no matter what you do, you will never outdo God and that is a fact.....He is greater and bigger than you can imagine and he has all authority.
He wants you to believe in him and he loves you very much. I will pray for your salvation.
Tuli, Windhoek, Namibia
Added: Wednesday, October 22, 2008, 23:12 (BST)
Mark Russel taking aim at the word "Probably" is unfair.
Even the most prominent Atheists like Richard Dawkins admit that you can't be 100% sure of God's nonexistence just as you can't prove fairies don't exist. You just can't prove a negative. In life we choose what is most reasonable. When I say Leperchauns don't exist I mean I think that the posibility is so remote that I dont entertain it. However, if you pressed me I would say that I think they 'probably' don't exist. After all I have no proof they don't. The use of the word probably here helps stop people from making the starwman argument that atheists aren't sure .
Unfortunatly according the groups website that is not the only reason they chose the word. The bus companies won't carry anything that "offends" religious people and "probably" was a compromise to this rule. I think it is absurd that Atheists can't print "There is no God" on the side of the bus for fear of the reaction. Is the religious side really so weak that such an affirmative statement can't be advertised? What could lend greater credence to the idea that atheists are treated unfairly then the fact that they can't state their views outright beacause religious people might be offended that not everyone agrees with them.
August, NYC
Added: Wednesday, October 22, 2008, 20:56 (BST)
Wow... this is hilarious!
Praise HIM in the valey and praise HIM in the mountain.
Everyone praise HIS HOLY NAME!
John Stevens, London, UK
Added: Wednesday, October 22, 2008, 12:01 (BST)
Unfortunately it only says 'probably' due to the fact the TFL would not allow them to use 'There is no God' as it may upset believers. It seems you are only allowed convictions one way which is sad.
Lee, London
Added: Wednesday, October 22, 2008, 11:52 (BST)
these proposed athiest - 'No God' type adverts will only cause more polarisation of people's & faiths but it will open up some great discussions points and Chrisitan groups will benefit tremendoudly so they will not bat an eyelid at these adverts in fact it will most definately work to the advantage of Christianity or I should say to God'advantage. Mr Dawkins has been given far to much scope &coverage by the BBC who do not givethe same opportunities to Scientists who differ from him
Ann Finlay, Glasgow
Added: Wednesday, October 22, 2008, 11:22 (BST)
You crazy Christians you're never going take the fun out of my life! I'd rather go to hell (not that I believe in it - naturally). What do you know about volunteering abroad? - volunteering to help Africans contract Aids? I'd rather not, & giving money to charity? - don't make me laugh. As for the environment... ha - I don't know where to begin! - but I will say you fools are about as in tune with nature a Gold Brick - How dare you invoke the environment? You wouldn't even know what the atmosphere was if it was for SCIENTISTS! - I'm surprised your not still arguing the world is flat! I hate the way you USE science to try and prove your book of dilution, we all know all religions are the same - Based on that oh so old story of good vs evil but in the 21st century 'we' (not you evidently) all know that good & bad are relative - they're just opinions! It's about time you EVOLVED. You have no qualm denouncing Muslims or Jews & Vice Versa - so how come you can accept they're deluded and 'going to hell' but you're not? How do you justify your o so loving 'god' condemning these innocents to 'hell' just because they where born in another part of the world - and therefor were dis-educated, dis-informed, & brainwashed by another fairytale? Why don't you use your brain and think logically, independently and free of all the prejudice your bigoted religion imposes on you? After all “Christianity is for people who aren’t afraid to think about life and meaning,”
Your Word For Today Is: E-V-O-L-U-T-I-O-N
DNA, LEEDS, UK
Added: Wednesday, October 22, 2008, 9:41 (BST)
Anyone that thinks logically about these issues will quickly come to the conclusion that God is about as likely to exist as fairies or elves. I fully support this campaign and feel it's well overdue.
BTW - 'Probably' was included to get the ads past Advertising Standards... not because atheists aren't sure of their beliefs.
John, London
