[LAF] Atheists plan ad campaign on side of London buses

[Echo of Freedom]

I once saw an ad in London tube about becoming buddhist, that almost made me 
sick, now christian atheists like dawkins are at it... when will this advert 
battle stop?






http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081022/ap_on_re_eu/eu_britain_atheist_ads

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."

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On the Net:

http://www.atheistcampaign.org