[Ellie]

The Humanist society have put up some posters on public transport and billboards with the slogan "there probably is no God. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life". A religious group has reported it to Advertising Standards Agency for breaching rules regarding substantiation and truthfulness, so looks like the ASA may have to rule on the likelihood of the existence of God.

BBC news links

I particularly enjoyed the snide comment by the British Humanist Association's chief executive:

Quote

"I am sure that Stephen Green really does think there is a great deal of evidence for a God (though presumably only the one that he believes in),"

I couldn't really care about the actual campaign, it's just another advertising poster to ignore, but I'm surprised that it's generated the amount of controversy that it has. I mean if religions can advertise then why not atheism? If you're going to be offended by this advertising, then presumably atheists are all being offended by god-bothering posters.

So my question is regarding religious advertising. What's the most unintentionally hilarious one you've seen? There's a church near me which has such sometimes unintentional, and usually cringe worthy, gems as:

"Last services before M25"
"If man evolved from monkeys, who made the monkeys?"
"Fight truth decay - study the Bible"

Not an intentionally 'Heated Topic' but it does involve religion so I thought it should join it's fellow religion-related topics in here so it doesn't feel lonely on the main board.

I do wonder what the ASA is going to do though. This must be a crappy Monday morning at work for them...

[baavgai]

I thought to for sure I'd seen a picture of a bus with an atheist bus and a different slogan, one I thought was a little more clever, but I can't find it.

One of the things the article didn't mention is that the atheist bus seems to be on a world tour. The slogan is popping up everywhere. Could this be the new smilie face? And how does the Flying Spaghetti monster feel about it?

Edit: found it. In the US. It's xmas themed.

This post has been edited by baavgai: 12 January 2009 - 05:39 AM

[Ellie]

baavgai, on 12 Jan, 2009 - 11:36 AM, said:

Edit: found it. In the US. It's xmas themed.

I didn't realise there were ads elsewhere. Going for a Christmas thing is a bit antagonistic though (and coming from me that's saying something!).

There are some really retarded quotes on the second page of that link.

Quote

It is insensitive and mean

Quote

"How do we define 'good' if we don't believe in God? God in his word, the Bible, tells us what's good and bad and right and wrong. If we are each ourselves defining what's good, it's going to be a crazy world,"

And whoever wrote the article makes a non-like for like comparison

Quote

Unlike Britain, where six in ten people admit they have no religious affiliation, according to a report by the United Nations, the United States is a nation that still overwhelmingly professes a belief in God. Earlier this year, a poll by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life found that 92 per cent of Americans believe in God.

Surely no religious affiliation is not the same thing as 'does not believe in any god' I'd imagine that many more people would say they believe in something, but don't follow a specific religion even here in the heathen UK.

But then it on the 'Christian Today' website, which I guess is not exactly an objective source

[baavgai]

Ellie, on 12 Jan, 2009 - 07:08 AM, said:

a poll by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life found that 92 per cent of Americans believe in God.

Thats an incomplete quote, actually. And it seriously makes the rounds. It's "(92%) believe in the existence of God or a universal spirit." This is a real broad definition which can include the devout from non monotheistic religions. Some of that 92% are atheists.

Here's the full quote:

Quote

While more than nine-in-ten Americans (92%) believe in the existence of God or a universal spirit, there are considerable differences in the nature of this belief. Six-in-ten adults believe that God is a person with whom people can have a relationship; but one-in-four - including about half of Jews and Hindus - see God as an impersonal force. Similarly, seven-in-ten Americans say that they are absolutely certain of God's existence, while roughly one-in-five (22%) are less certain in their belief.
-- http://www.pewtrusts...l.aspx?id=40664

Statistics, gotta love em.

[OliveOyl3471]

If you can get enough people to agree with you, then you must be right! lol.

[Bort]

I'm tempted to write a letter to the ASA in support of this ad campaign. As the OP said, why can't atheists advertise of churches can?

[nofear217]

Funny thing is, there are some Christian organizations who support the ad campaign because it is bringing God into discussions where it otherwise might not be.

[KYA]

Bort, on 12 Jan, 2009 - 08:12 AM, said:

I'm tempted to write a letter to the ASA in support of this ad campaign. As the OP said, why can't atheists advertise of churches can?

Why are atheists advertising anyway? If they were true atheists they would keep to themselves in a corner.

[ayman_mastermind]

Quote

Why are atheists advertising anyway? If they were true atheists they would keep to themselves in a corner.

Exactly... they just want to make a propaganda to say that there is no GOD, that's their whole purpose in life... very silly people...

Quote

I mean if religions can advertise then why not atheism? If you're going to be offended by this advertising, then presumably atheists are all being offended by god-bothering posters.

Atheism itself is NOT a religion, it has no characteristics of a religion and no foundation to build anything on... so i think if one is an atheist he just keep his beliefs for himself, btw even the ones who believe in GOD should keep their belief for themselves, everyone has the right to believe what he wants as long as he is not offending other religions and NOT showing off, so in my opinion, beleivers in GOD should not post so that atheists stop bothering true believers by their posters...

This post has been edited by ayman_mastermind: 12 January 2009 - 11:21 AM

[Gloin]

ayman_mastermind, on 12 Jan, 2009 - 10:14 AM, said:

Atheism itself is NOT a religion, it has no characteristics of a religion and no foundation to build anything on...

Maybe you should read up on the definition of atheism before posting something like this. The definition of a religion has no requirements of including any god, it might however have other foundations.

Also, why would atheist have to feel confined to a corner. That's just stupid. I'm pretty sure there exist atheists all over the world.

Why would they advertise? Generally there's an economic interest underlying advertising. I'm pretty sure that's the case this time as well.

[baavgai]

Gloin, on 12 Jan, 2009 - 12:30 PM, said:

Why would they advertise? Generally there's an economic interest underlying advertising. I'm pretty sure that's the case this time as well.

Perhaps. But I doubt it.

Religious groups advertise, often extremely aggressively, with no desire for monetary gain. They wish only to validate their own beliefs by inflicting them on others. Why should atheists be any different?

[KYA]

baavgai, on 12 Jan, 2009 - 11:44 AM, said:

Gloin, on 12 Jan, 2009 - 12:30 PM, said:

Why would they advertise? Generally there's an economic interest underlying advertising. I'm pretty sure that's the case this time as well.

Perhaps. But I doubt it.

Religious groups advertise, often extremely aggressively, with no desire for monetary gain. They wish only to validate their own beliefs by inflicting them on others. Why should atheists be any different?

In theory I agree, but the whole pull of atheism is the fact that they believe in nothing. What incentive is there for them to make other people believe "nothing"...?

What's their agenda?

My corner comment was a metaphor. They wouldn't literally go "sit in a corner".

[GWatt]

Nihilists believe in nothing. Atheists believe there is no god.
Also, if Christians can proselytize why can't Atheists?

[KYA]

Sure why not, but prophetizing no God is the most ironic thing I can think of.

[nofear217]

He said proselytize not prophesy.

proselytize:
1 : to induce someone to convert to one's faith
2 : to recruit someone to join one's party, institution, or cause