News Day Tuesday: London Bus Wars
Ariane Sherine in front of a London bus featuring an atheist advertisement. (photo: Akira Suemori/AP)
Advertisements from Trinitarian Bible Society (top) and The Christian Party (bottom) on a London bus.
Taylor told me about a battle of the bus ads going on in London right now, and that same day, Time magazine emailed an article to me about the very thing Taylor told me about. So what is it all about?
It all started when Ariane Sherine saw a Christian ad on a bus. According to Sherine, the Christian ad “basically said that unless you believe this you’re going to end up suffering.” As an atheist, she wanted to reassure people who “don’t quite believe, and worry what will happen to them if they don’t.” So starting in January, atheists, agnostics, and other non-believers launched a month-long campaign, during which 800 London buses carried slogans like: “There’s probably no God. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life.” This campaign, supported by the British Humanist Association, ended on February 1.
Then, starting yesterday (Feb. 9), three separate Christian groups launched a counter-campaign supporting God’s existence. Trinitarian Bible Society quoted Psalm 53 (from the Bible): “The fool hath said in his heart, there is no God.” The Christian Party ad said: “There definitely is a God. So join the Christian Party and enjoy your life.” And the Russian Orthodox Church’s message was: ”There is God. Don’t Worry. Enjoy your life!”
How do the atheists feel about the reaction? They’re flattered. They believe the response shows they’ve had an impact, and they’re planning to launch another campaign in April.
So what do you think about all this? One the one hand, people were upset with the atheist campaign. More than 150 complaints were filed, and at least one bus driver walked off the job. Some regarded the ads as a public attack on people’s faiths, and insensitive towards those who are suffering and rely on God to help them get through. On the other hand, people say that anything that gets people thinking and reevaluating their beliefs is good. They say the purpose of the campaign was not to attack religious beliefs, but to give non-religious people an alternative point of view.
The article.
I had the buses rented and all….
chloe.b
February 10, 2009I honestly can’t believe people have started advertising religious opinions on buses! – What’s the world coming to??? Whatever happened to just allowing people to live their lives and be free to believe whatever they do (Freedom of worship!). It’s amazing that the Christian ad basically said if you don’t believe you’ll suffer, I think that is crossing over the line, just a a bit(!).
I’m not taking sides, because I think in some element it a good thing it makes people stop and think ‘what do I believe in?’, but I like the atheist ad cos it just leaves a slight light humoured impression
But seriously, what on earth will there be ads for in the future on the sides of our lovely double deckers if we’ve already reached religion?