Athiest Bus Campaign?

everyone has the right to belive what they want to belive and say what they wanna say.

thats just my oppinion. :)

I think that people should be free to believe in whatever they want to believe in. So yea, if a Christian or anyone else is allowed to freely post and put up signs and billboards that support their beliefs, then why shouldn’t anyone else with a different belief be able to do the same? I am a Christian but I still believe in freedom of speech and press.

im not a hater or crap. I belive but. I dont think its cool to say you dont that crap

makes me mad…making jokes. if theirs nothing then why do we hae to die. but I do

think their might be somthing higher than god or jesus. and crap bc howed god get

here??a and everything else we didnt just appear!!!

my english teacher dosnt and he takes a lot of heat off of most student…its kinda

mean but hes an a$$ whole. and when we do the pledge he never says one nation

under god…

Don’t put words in my mouth, I never said Atheists and agnostics were bashing. so don’t even start. My statments were clear and I have made the comments I wanted to post. Nothing more.

When I worked in a bar there were three things that were never talked about at a bar, Race, Religion, Politics. And this was for very good reason. And why is it that Christian’s are the only ones brought up. Other religion’s believe in God.

It doesn’t bother me either way. If someone wants to post something about God then that’s their decision, just like if someone wants to post something about how there is no God then again that’s their decision. Just because it’s on a billboard doesn’t mean that I have to agree with it…or even read it.

Yeah it is a good thing for sure. There are too many uppity Christians these days that have recently started trying to play the victim and act like they are being oppressed. They get upset when prayer can not be lead by teachers in public school they get upset when people say happy holidays instead of merry Christmas and now they get mad over a sign that says God probably doesn’t exist. These Christians are just going to have to get used to the fact that Christianity isn’t going to be the only religious view point out in the public eye. They really need to stop acting like they are being oppressed though, these guys pushed their religion into nearly everything in this country for the past 200 years, time to let other people have their turn.

I’m a christian and while I find it sad that people don’t believe in Christ, I also believe that they have a right to believe what they want to believe. it would bother me, but I would also just ignore them because I know what I believe and would not let that kind of thing bother me.

This actually occurred in the UK, and the nation’s advertising authority rejected demands to have the ads removed.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/religion/2009-01-22-atheist-ads_N.htm

I support the decision. If religious ads are allowed, certainly irreligious ads should be as well.

But, as a skeptic, I base very few–actually, none–of my views about the world on what I read from billboards, so seeing such ads in public doesn’t bother me either way.

Sure, it’s freedom of speech - the messages of which lead one down 2 different roads - the reader’s choice.

Firstly there is no evidence at all that God exists!!

Anyway… yes I agree. Freedom of speech should be allowed. If they want to advertise believing in God then we can advertise not believing in God. It works both ways.

As a Christian it would bother me to see it swing either way. Not our place to judge and scare tactics is by no way evidence to God.

Billboards always seem like people screaming to me…so let the billboards scream at each other…I probably wouldn’t bother read either side.

p

hah does them right… my humor is up by 50% just imagining all those “pure” and “clean” god lovers cursing at the billboards…

not so fun now reading that huh? hooray for freedom!

Have you ever notice or maybe its just where I’m at and its very conservative here. There are billboards promoting adoption and stating Bible scriptures to accommodate their stand on Prolife. But, has anyone seen a billboard promoting ProChoice. Yes, off the subject sort of but just going a step further than Mandyloo’s original question. I wouldn”t care either way re: the bus billboards. Two things I will get highly upset about: Burning our flag (especially immigrants) and the removal of “under God” from my Pledge of Allegiance.

I don’t think any group should have the right to voice their opinion in this case. Public buses are affiliated in some way with public office–remember–separation of church and state.

An Atheist or Christian message has no place on public transportation.

Reminds me of a story I heard about a high school bulletin board that was made available for student use. Several kids who signed “True Love Waits” pledge cards promising to remian virgins until marriage used the board to post their cards. A few non-Christians didn’t like this and suggested that the bulletin board was not the appropriate place to post these cards. The administration maintained that this was a free speech issue and if they asked kids not to post their pledge cards it would infringe on their 1st amendment rights.

In protest other students had some similar cards printed claiming to be from the fictious group “Great Sex Awaits” where signers promsied to have sex often.

Realizing that he could not ban one pledge card and not the other all pledge cards were banned from the bulletin boards.

It seems that some people are for free speech for people they agree with.

I personally believe it’s the wrong thing to do to be posting advertisements on bus’s, etc. And about the Freedom of Speech thing… of coarse people have a right to SAY what they believe, but they shouldn’t be posting advertisements about it! What about the children? What if your daughter/son had gotten sick. Everyone including him prayed and he got better afterwards. Then you got to take him home. What if you passed one of those advertisements and he read it? What would you do then? Would you STILL be glad they are up there? I know I wouldn’t be glad. I’d be beyond pissed. I’m an Atheist, btw, but I am just saying. Put yourself in someone else’s shoes.

as a christian of course it would bother me because I’m VERY strong in my believe && very active in my church but in my church I was also taught to accept other people && their religions or belief’s and if someone doesn’t believe the same things I do well there’s nothing I can do about that, the only thing I can do is inform people about my God, and I do that, after that it’s up to them. But yes I’d be offended by it, but that’s just because they’re trashing my religion, but I mean I wouldn’t make a big deal because clearly the “Christian” bus trashed them. && if they were REALLY christian’s then they wouldn’t have put that bus up. I’ve been taught that its not our job to tell people they’re going to hell, only to inform, so that’s what I plan to do :)

“I don’t think any group should have the right to voice their opinion in this case. Public buses are affiliated in some way with public office–remember–separation of church and state.”

Really? What about other advertising? If carrying an atheist advert implies the local government supports atheism, does carrying an advert for detergent imply that the local government supports that brand of detergent? Should buses be banned from carrying all ads? Why?

“And about the Freedom of Speech thing… of coarse people have a right to SAY what they believe, but they shouldn’t be posting advertisements about it! “

I presume you support banning religious adverts too, then?

“What about the children?”

Er, what about them?

“What if your daughter/son had gotten sick. Everyone including him prayed and he got better afterwards.”

Total non-sequitir. Besides, people tend to either get better or die, regardless of if you pray. If they die, it was “god’s will”. If they get better, praise the lord! I don’t see what this has to do with seeing a billboard that promotes a viewpoint you happen to disagree with, though.

I would like to know where this happened and what bus company is involved in this? I find it hard to believe that a bus company would get themselves involved in the middle of a religious bashing campaign. This may effect there imaige and hurt business and start a trail of wonderful happy letter and picketers.

600 buses all over the UK, harleyrider. 200 in London alone. Plus tube cards.

I fail to see how “There’s probably no god, so stop worrying and enjoy your life” is “religious bashing”, too. Or why advertising agencies should be required to agree with the adverts they carry.

Agreed with arachnid - it’s not bashing other’s religion at all.

These buses with the logos are seen all over England and it’s been in several newspaper and news reports. I’m not making things up.

I dont see why it’s such a problem - every religion has the right to advertise and just because you don’t agree with it - doesn’t mean that it should not be allowed. If Christian organizations can put up “Your going to hell” “There is a God” anti-abortion ads, etc, then non-christians should be allowed to voice their opinions in ad’s also.

“I dont see why it’s such a problem - every religion has the right to advertise and just because you don’t agree with it - doesn’t mean that it should not be allowed.”

I never said I agreed with it one way or the other,

And we all know that image is everything in this world, I worked in banking for 10yrs and could never show any of my tat’s. I was one of the best employees but My gosh if a person saw my tat’s and spoke about it, all heck would have broken loose, So your question was about the ad’s not about what religion you are or what god you believe in. So my answer in a short was I would not want to get stuck in the middle of such a sticky topic and put my business in the middle of possiably facing a loss. And yes it was bashing you said it yourself the women was fed up and she retaliated, she could not have just had a chin up and been the better person, no she had to make a come back. And I agree with Phrannie, who cares. Where I come from in Pa. near the Lancaster county area it is Amish country, I would drive past all kinds of signs and billboards. Did not want to make me start placing signs all over my yard.

P.S thanks for the info I will do a search on it right now.

“So my answer in a short was I would not want to get stuck in the middle of such a sticky topic and put my business in the middle of possiably facing a loss.”

As I already stated, no reasonable person believes that an advertising agency agrees with or supports the positions espoused in the adverts it carries. Why would carrying an ad about atheism/agnosticism cause a ‘loss’, except perhaps because of fear of unreasonable people trying to suppress a reasonable position?

“And yes it was bashing you said it yourself the women was fed up and she retaliated, she could not have just had a chin up and been the better person, no she had to make a come back.”

That’s a mischaracterisation of her position. Ariane saw a hellfire-and-brimstone ad, and decided it was about time the alternate viewpoint got some airtime. And it’s not just her viewpoint, it’s the viewpoint of thousands of donors, who raised over a hundred thousand pounds for the campaign.

Finally, what significance does the source of the ad have anyway? It should be possible to judge whether something is “bashing” based purely on the statement itself. If you think such a mild and reasonable statement as this is “bashing”, I invite you to suggest how atheists and agnostics could express their point of view without it being “bashing”, in your opinion.

“Don’t put words in my mouth, I never said Atheists and agnostics were bashing. so don’t even start.”

You said: “I find it hard to believe that a bus company would get themselves involved in the middle of a religious bashing campaign.”

And you still haven’t answered how it is “bashing”, or how one would phrase our point of view in a way you wouldn’t consider to be “bashing”.

yes I did, I meant both parties not just the ones you listed. You tried to make it look like I was just saying that towards Atheists and Agnostics. ( I thought they were close enough to the same thing, but you listed both)

Ok so next a straight person will stand up and say “ I want a straight Parade, The gays get one”

Or How about “White History Month?”

Come on when does it end. Everyone needs to agree that this topics are never going to die, not everyone will EVER be on the same page on these topics.

I think it’s great. For far too long theists have been bullying people into submission without opposition. Maybe a bit of sanity can be brought to this superstitious species afterall.

Reading through these posts I’m sorry to say but I’ve got a little disgusted. Not at anyone in particular who shared there views here but with society who gave people reasons to back up the way people think here. I am what people would call a radical Christian (and wouldn’t want to be considered anything less). I think that people who don’t/can’t believe in God are wrong but SOMETIMES do have some reason to believe so. To those people who don’t believe you’ve obviously not had an experience to tell you that you have something to believe in when you believe in God. And whose fault is that? The Churches! … I don’t know what to tell you. I’m just SO glad that I grew up in a church where I could feel the power of God. I love God and I’ve felt his spirit through the Holy Ghost and an experience that’s all the proof I need. Even though my church has the power of God I’ve still seen people go through a church service and not get what they need and gather evidence to contradict God. That is again partially the fault of the church (or some specific members). I have a friend that I can no longer talk with about ANY religious matters because he seems to simply contradict ALL of my viewpoints because they are on the religious side of things. He was burned bad by an ex-step dad while his mom and the guy were together. It’s sad but a pretty descent guy made some stupid mistakes in his relationship with his wife and step son and that caused them to get a divorce and for two people to backslide from the church and turn SO far on God who did nothing to them. He tries to point out flaws in people in the church and tell me that God couldn’t let this happen because … or look at this person: how could God put that person in charge of a Church ? … I can respond to him with two statements that he cannot discredit. His ways are far above our ways; and that you can always find flaws in people (even church people) but never in God. How could we think that we could even hope to understand all things and be on par with God ? He knows all and is all. And I know that there are problems in EVERY Church with several people (maybe even so bad that it would make the Church totally wrong) but would those peoples actions make God wrong? Obviously those people who decided to put the fire and brimstone message on an ad were wrong. People like that have sadly stepped over a line and I hope I realize it soon because the fact that they’re only partially wrong makes them dangerous. I do believe there is a hell just like I believe in heaven and angels and God but it is not my place to judge people and say who’s going to hell even if they are doing things that I know to be wrong. I know that I just said “believe” which can open up for people to say “well that is just what you believe”. I have a relationship with God that I can hold onto that is all the proof I need. I can do nothing to help anyone who doesn’t believe without meeting and going over hours of Bible studies and touching over facts that I have and still might not get nowhere unless the person really wants to believe and just needs proof. I can say this though, God is. He doesn’t need anyone to believe in Him for Him to be there. He is God alone since before time began and would continue to be so even if no one ever believed in him and no one was saved to be caught away in his rapture.

Psalm 86:10 10For thou art great, and doest wondrous things: thou art God alone.

To those people who don’t believe you’ve obviously not had an experience to tell you that you have something to believe in when you believe in God.

Many atheists used to believe in God. Their reasons for becoming atheists vary greatly. It’s presumptuous to say these people don’t believe in God simply because they haven’t had a divine encounter. I could just as easily say that all theists who claim to have personal experiences with “God” are wrong, and that such experiences are the result of neural activity.

How could we think that we could even hope to understand all things and be on par with God ? He knows all and is all.

That’s a very convenient way to dismiss the question of why an omnipresent, omniscient, omnibenevolent being would allow suffering.

you can always find flaws in people (even church people) but never in God.

If God is the designer and creator of the universe, and the universe has many flaws, what does that say about God?