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Atheist 'victory for freedom of speech'



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Published Date: 07 January 2009
AN ATHEIST advertising campaign on buses in Scotland, across the UK and on the London Underground was launched yesterday with the slogan: "There's probably no God. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life."
A total of 600 buses in Scotland, England and Wales and 200 bendy buses in London will carry the slogan following a fundraising drive that raised more than £140,000.

The money raised will also pay for 1,000 advertisements on London Underground fro
m Monday.

The fundraising drive was prompted by a suggestion from comedy writer Ariane Sherine, who received support from the British Humanist Association and atheist campaigner Richard Dawkins.

Ms Sherine said she had objected to a set of Christian advertisements running on London buses.

Speaking at the launch of the campaign in central London, Ms Sherine said the sheer number of donations received had demonstrated the strength of feeling in Britain.

She said: "This is a great day for freedom of speech in Britain and I'm really excited and thrilled that the adverts have been approved and I hope that they will make people smile on their way to work.

"I am very glad that we live in a country where people have the freedom to believe in whatever they want."

The buses that will carry the slogan in Scotland over a four-week campaign will run in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Dundee and Aberdeen. Other cities include Manchester and Swansea in England and Wales, the British Humanist Association said.



The full article contains 250 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
Page 1 of 1

  • Last Updated: 06 January 2009 9:40 PM
  • Source: The Scotsman
  • Location: Edinburgh
 
1

!Ya basta!,

07/01/2009 01:30:34
Fabulous! And correct.

And so nice to have an ad not selling us anything or telling us to behave etc.

Marvellous.
2

Tracker,

07/01/2009 01:45:29
It would be a much better world if people stopped seeing themselves as sinful creatures. The religious myth of eternal paradise and damnation messes up a lot of people.
3

Joseph Gibson,

Ayrshire 07/01/2009 02:01:19

continue to exercise your rights, keep it up. It's your right, we're supposedely living in a democracy...well sort of.
4

KampungHighlander,

Jakarta 07/01/2009 04:26:51
Now if only they started carrying this advertising on buses in the Middle East.

5

Angoos,

Baku, Azerbaijan 07/01/2009 05:20:04
I wonder what the outcome would have been had the slogan on these advertisements proclaimed "There's probably no Allah. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life." ?? I'm sure the outcome would have been entirely different in this namby pamby Nanny State that is now the UK !
6

Proximaking,

Dundee 07/01/2009 07:34:44
I was sitting in my friend Samantha's house on New Year's eve and in the evening it started to get chilly and she discovered her gas boiler had gone on the blink, as I joked we have probably just gone out in solidarity with the poor Ukranians. This had also happened months before and it had eventually come back on all by itself three or four days later when she was standing in front of it explaining to the repair man what was wrong, it was completely dead, he said this often happens with newer boilers. Anyway that was then and this was now and she said she probably wouldn't be so lucky this time but I said not to worry as you have an electric fire in the fireplace, she said she hadn't then realised she had, she had forgotten all about it because she never used it and said wasn't that strange. My point is just because something is never used, just because we forget about it, doesn't mean it isn't there and again this campaign shows how small minded and forgetful atheists can be. If you Google the words Shell Boffin Sinclair you will see that at least one of our major North Sea companies is getting helter skelter out of oil and wind and everything else for some reason, selling assets off to mugs, and it seems to have to do with us living in a conceptual reality, ....... perhaps the atheists have already missed the bus!! I mean what would you call the top concept in a conceptual reality? And just because he chooses not to use hell doesn't mean it doesn't exist does it, ...... a woman called Samantha could tell you that.
7

sicasapig,

turra 07/01/2009 08:09:06
**6** so you are trying to tell us god is corgi registered
8

Vincent-W,

07/01/2009 08:11:54
!Ya basta!,

The thing is you're wrong the advert IS telling us how to behave!
9

Selgovae,

07/01/2009 08:31:23
#5

Talk about twisting the agenda. You're right that the outcome would have been different. Much the same as it would have been if the sign said, "There is no Protestant God". I think you're confusing the Nanny State and common sense.

#4 I'm praying that one day they will. :-)
10

Maximus,

Roberton 07/01/2009 08:41:57
What’s interesting about this article is that it doesn’t reference the number of Christian charities that also contributed to this campaign because they believe it will prompt debate and raise more questions rather than settle them. To say ‘There is probably no God’ doesn’t state what atheists truly believe surely – hence the debate continues.

Furthermore, as far as Christianity is concerned, to be a worrying Christian is an oxymoron: "And which of you by being anxious can add a single cubit to his life's span? If then you cannot do even a very little thing, why are you anxious about other matters? (Luke 12:25-2)

Why should you worry if there is a God?
11

Mercutio,

FALKIRK 07/01/2009 08:59:52
Atheists are the new ZEALOTS!
12

hertscot,

07/01/2009 10:50:03
Sorry this is not an atheist message, alittle too agnostic for me, I would have prefered

There are no gods, now stop killing people in their names!
13

yolanda,

07/01/2009 10:50:09
Good to see that free speech is still possible at least.

Shouldn't it be the AGNOSTICS who might say there's "probably" no God though? I thought the atheists would say there "IS" no God... or would that have been taking free speech too far?
14

Joseph Gibson,

Ayrshire 07/01/2009 11:15:51


Well... I now cannot wait until "Islam" protests this, I can't wait until all the muslims start to do there bit.

Already the St Andrew's and the Union Jack can be racist towards migrants, so I'm sure this will kick up a fuss... I don't expect the Church to do much as it's almost lost it's position in British society.
15

danbob,

07/01/2009 11:21:14
Now why should anyone who has a deep understanding of the bible be concerned by this? Well there not, because it was prophesised that these people would emerge from the woodwork, and worse will follow. We just smile because it convinces us further that the bible is the truth. No the reality is that the humanist organisation is just another hypocritical group who are jockying with that other harlot, (The churches) for their share of the modern day evil money. And if you dont think so then tell me this. Why do they charge for doing humanist talks at funerals? If they were so sincere surly they would do it for free.
16

Pilrig,

Livingston 07/01/2009 11:26:52
5 Azerbaijan is now part of the UK ?
17

Captain Flint,

Edinburgh 07/01/2009 11:27:04
Apparently the "probably" bit had to be added in to comply with the advertising codes, in the same way that Carlsberg can only claim to be "probably" the best lager in the world.

And I suppose that we can never be 100.0000000% certain what is out there; in my case, the probability of god existing is vanishingly small, but stops just short of absolutely zero. Claiming that there is absolutely, definitely no god makes you as closed minded as the religous zealots.

And atheism, despite what some people would have you believe, is most certainly not a faith-based position.

Roll on the day when the message on these buses is common currency across the more closed-minded parts of the world.
18

Pilrig,

Livingston 07/01/2009 11:29:31
15 - bring back the Inquistion !
19

saneatheist,

Bixter 07/01/2009 11:58:44
#5 Angoos,
The sign says NO GOD, that would include Allah, Zeus, Apollo, Thor, Baal, and the rest of the 3,000 plus gods that man has invented over the millenia.
20

Tricia w,

Alva 07/01/2009 12:06:58
I find this an interesting article. As a Christian, I believe in a God with whom I can have a personal relationship with...I find this interesting because this whole campaign was started because Ms Sherine "objected" to a Christian message on a bus.
Surely in the interest of free speech, we are perfectly entitled to have "advertising" campaigns that encourages people to think about God and their spiritual side.

Of course this campaign is entitled to run, but the slogan itself implies that you if there is a God you worry and can't enjoy life......which of course is not true.....I know where my security lies and I do not believe in a harsh God that wants to make me feel guity, but a loving,forgiving one.
21

Deadpan,

London 07/01/2009 12:20:39
I think these adverts are meant to highlight that religious belief, or otherwise, should be a personal thing and not foisted on others. Therefore, to counter the quoted adverts from Christian groups this message serves as a mirror to the religious community - any criticism of the "atheist" message will therefore be seen as hypocritical.

Few of the above posts seem to have grasped this and instead perpetuate the insistence that their particular standpoint is correct and that others are therefore wrong.
22

victoryrccg,

scotland 07/01/2009 12:24:57
please be informed that God's existence does not prevent you from enjoying your life and for those of you who think He doesn't exist,be patient...wait until you die or Jesus returns [whichever happens first ]and see if it was worth the gamble. His existence is not affected by your opinion. “For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life" John 3:16 HOLY BIBLE
23

Captain Flint,

Edinburgh 07/01/2009 12:29:34
Tricia w - the advertisement that Ariane objected to linked to a website claiming that non-Christians:

"will be condemned to everlasting separation from God and then you spend all eternity in torment in hell … Jesus spoke about this as a lake of fire prepared for the devil".

Does this sound like something that your god would lay on for the rest of us?

I totally agree with Ms Sherine that threatening non-believers with burning in hell is not a helpful message, and that nobody should be subjected to this kind of religious terrorism/blackmail/whatever.
24

St Andrew 01,

07/01/2009 12:37:01
Victoryccg

When you say dont believe in god if that is what you want to do, wait till you die or wait until christ returns and see if it was worth the gamble.

Now here is the thing - If by not believing you are gambling, then by believing you are also gambling, the only difference, one gambles through a fear of being wrong, whilst the other unperturbed by the notion of a possible god, uses his or her mind to form an opinion based on reason. Besides, if a god exists and we need to gamble to get on his good side, then that probably isnt the god you want worship now is it?

And a return of Jesus? Well sadly that cannot ever happen, the church saw to that one already. By claiming he will one day return, the church bought itself millenia of followers. A return of christ would be the last thing the church wants, as it would render their business interestst useless. So, from now on remember that if a man ever appears and says he is Jesus, we can be sure he will tied up in a straight jacket and deemed insane -
God probably doesnt exist, that is probably correct!The chances of a god existing are something like a trillion trillion trillion billion to 1....
Interesting question earlier is this; would it be seen as freedom of speech in Britain to say "Allah" does not exist? Because of course, allah is the least important of the fabricated dieties since he was third after Yaweh and God
25

hertscot,

07/01/2009 12:43:04
As an atheist, I don't care who your imaginary friends are. I just don't like the idea that religious dogma and superstition, are accepted in this country in such a way, that those who represent their beliefs are given an inordinate amount of political time and space to espouse their views on others, and it would seem that any objection to this is:

a- insulting
b- blasphemous
c- racist
d- disrespectful
e- offensive

The religious among us do not have a right not to be offended by the views of others, like the ad says, stop worrying, enjoy your life!
26

Maximus,

Roberton 07/01/2009 12:44:15
#24, I agree - the quote/advert you cited is not even Biblical. Indeed Christians believe that God is the judge, not humans. Therefore to pass such a declaration is to know the mind of God - which we don't.

Such adverts are unhelpful.
27

Calum Crubag,

07/01/2009 13:01:55
Excellent news. Now stop teaching religion as fact in schools. With only one in ten folk attending church, why should taxpayers fund this lifestyle choice?

Teaching about different beleifs is fine but taxpayers' money should not be used to brainwash kids.
28

Jay Kay,

07/01/2009 13:03:21
so if the universe is about 14.4 billion years old? how old is this god? he must surely qualify for a pension by now and a bus pass.

This world and all the other worlds were here long before our pidling little existence and they will be here long after we have exhausted the resources of this small ball of mud floating around in space and have either left of our own accord or died out.

The bible is a bed time story, a kind of guid or simple rules to play by, which makes common sense to me. The church and all that goes with it, is pretty much to me, an evil empire designed to frighten the poor flock and sook the money out of their pockets no matter which denomination you are, end of.

My own personal oppinion is that religion is not a belief, its a symptom of an illness, for proof of this see the headline news concerning the israelies and the Palestinian conflict.

However, if people find comfort in it (the bible and religion) well that's totally fine by me it really is.

I find i'm the mirror image of #12, james, in that I wish religious folk would please, stop trying to make me beleive. I'm sorry I just don't won't, ever, not even on my death bed.

Now all the strictly religious out there will say tut tut a non-beleiver we must convert him at once, please don't, not until you can explain the dinosaurs and the garden of eden thingy with Adam and Eve, Kane and Able? Incest or not??? sorry I think you can take that pile of poo and shove it ta.
29

danbob,

07/01/2009 13:03:41
27# To know the mind of God is to read and understand the bible. The quote used in 24# post is in Revelation.
Jesus spoke of the everlasting lake of fire as the place for the devil not mankind. This idea of unbeliving man being cast into some mythical lake of fire seems to stem from ancient catholic dogma designed to frighten people into becoming catholic.
30

Calum Crubag,

07/01/2009 13:03:42
#24 - I agree, the bible really is a very unpleasant book. Especially the old testament. More folk should actually read it to see what a load of tosh it all is.
31

danbob,

07/01/2009 13:14:38
29# Heres the reason why your views will never prevail with true christians. I was once invited by a friend to attend a christian convention held at a football ground. 10,000 people were there and at lunchtime everybody went out meeting friends and talking and socialising. I like everybody else left all my belongings on my seat like everyone else did. You know what nothing was reported as being stolen by anyone. Thats because everybody tried to live to the bibles principles and respected everybody. Would you leave your camera and coat at Ibrox on Saturday whilst you went for a pie? No. Dont you just wish for a society like that instead of the me, me, me society we have now.
32

wee_one,

07/01/2009 13:15:35
As an atheist, my only objection to religion is that it influences medical decisions. For example, the old argument against euthanisia or assisted suicide: "Only God has the right to take a life".

I'm sorry, but having watched my mum die a slow and undignified death from cancer, if "God" decided that my lovely, caring mother had to suffer that much, then I have no desire whatsoever to spend eternity with him - even if he did exist.
33

danbob,

07/01/2009 13:18:25
Come on then Calum 31# I did biblical studies at university, lets find out what you know about the old testament. I suspect if you rise to the challenge you will be proved unknowledgeable.

Question. How long does it say a day is like to God
34

Humphrey,

Eastleigh, UK 07/01/2009 13:19:48
As a secular humanist, the greatest disservice to mankind has been the omission of the book of Enoch from the Old Testament. What a cracking report.

Anyway, as written by one of Rome's greatest poets, Titus Lucretius Carus (BC98-55)

"Tantum religio potuit suadere malorum"

(So much evil has been wrought by religion)

Let us have that on the side of a bus



35

wee_one,

07/01/2009 13:26:54
#29

You can respect others and live by sound moral principles without being religious. Humanism teaches respect and tolerance for everyone.

In fact, the most "immoral" (in Christian terms) person in my circle of friends is the only one who claims to be Christian!
36

danbob,

07/01/2009 13:27:01
35# You talk codswollop. By your reasoning lets include Harry Potter and the chamber of secrets as well.
37

danbob,

07/01/2009 13:30:43
36# Then he's not a christian. He's a hypocrite and a liar. The truth is a modern day society like ours that has rejected Gods word has slid into moral bankruptcy. It won't change. Athiests wont make a better society
38

danbob,

07/01/2009 13:41:19
Humphre 35# Why do you humanists charge grieving people money to conduct your talks on behalf of their dead friends and relatives. Why not just admit you humanists are like the churches. Just out to get your share of the spoils.
39

wee_one,

07/01/2009 13:48:48
#38

I can assure you that I am as moral a person as any Christian. I try to lead a good life without hurting others, stealing, cheating, etc, etc. Really the only difference between me and you is that I do this purely out of respect to my fellow human beings and not out of obedience to God.

As long as people behave respectfully and morally, does it matter what their reasons are?
40

danbob,

07/01/2009 13:56:47
40# Admirable. Unfortunatly you forget something. All the moral codes that have allowed the christian society to get where it has stem from the bibles teachings. Look at the ten commandments. Now that these ideas are being rejected we as a society are reaping the rewards. The truth is out there.
41

Humphrey,

Eastleigh UK 07/01/2009 13:59:43
danbob 37 and 39. No, Enoch's report was too much of an embarrassment to the church to be included, you could study it again from an engineering aspect. I assume you are conversant with Hebrew? You do know of course that the bible was originally written in Hebrew, translated into Greek and then into English, in the course of which all the mistranslations, scribe fantasies and just plain howlers were all included?

I am glad you think I have a 'share of the spoils'. Tell you what, if you can find them I'll share them with you.
42

danbob,

07/01/2009 14:17:42
42# I bet you belive the de-vinchy code dont you. Any way can you answer for all on here why humanists charge and make a profit for conducting funeral talks. Because the cynic in me is saying that you lot are just another branch of the "lets make some money out of peoples misery" brigade. A whole new industry springing up.
43

Donnie Murdo,

Western Isles 07/01/2009 14:20:18
40

Why did you choose to live that lifestyle? Who told you it is wrong to steal and cheat? Who told you to respect your fellow human being?

Your parents? Who told them? Society? On what foundation did society tell you to live like that? Or were you just born that way?
44

wee_one,

07/01/2009 15:35:11
#44

I was brought up by two lapsed Catholic parents who taught me to be a good person but without any reference whatsoever to religion or the bible.

I do believe that the majority of human beings are inherently good and as long as they have a loving and secure upbringing and a sense of hope for the future, they will grow into decent, respectful adults.

Many of the bible's teachings form a good basis for how to lead a good life. It's the intolerance of gay people, the insistence that terminally ill people must suffer intolerable pain rather than get assistance to die peacefully, and the wars in the name of religion that I can't deal with.
45

Maximus,

Roberton 07/01/2009 15:47:12
#44, “Many of the bible's teachings form a good basis for how to lead a good life. It's the intolerance of gay people, the insistence that terminally ill people must suffer intolerable pain rather than get assistance to die peacefully, and the wars in the name of religion that I can't deal with.”

Actually it’s against homosexuality, not against homosexuals. It is pro-life, not pro-suffering, and more people have died as a result of non-religious wars, abortion, and murder than religious wars.
46

Calum Crubag,

07/01/2009 16:01:10
#46 - Maximus. Why then does the Old Testament want to stone homosexuals to death? As it does with adulterers, people who 'lie' with women during their 'monthly uncleaniless' and those who refuse to circumcise their sons.

What a vile and illogical book this is.
47

Calum Crubag,

07/01/2009 16:02:07
Again, people SHOULD go out and read the bible. No sane and rational modern human being could possibly want to follow it's 'teachings'.
48

Calum Crubag,

07/01/2009 16:04:39
#41 - nonsense. Moral codes are evident in many ancient cultures. The aboriginies for example have culture stretching back 40K years. (some 36000 years before 'god' made the earth??!!!). Even the auld Gaelic pagan stories of the Fennian (the proper spelling in banned!!!) cycle are full of moral teachings.
49

wee_one,

07/01/2009 16:15:20
#46

"It is pro-life, not pro-suffering."

OK. So what happens when life = suffering, just as it did for my mum for the last few weeks of her "life", when her insides were so consumed by cancer that she couldn't eat and eventually slowly starved to death, having lost all her dignity and faculties along the way?

Would you choose a "life" like that? We don't even inflict that kind of suffering on animals, but continue to do so to humans because of laws based on the religious beliefs of a minority of our people - that only God has the right to take a life.
50

TimW1234,

Ottawa, Canada 07/01/2009 18:13:36
I enjoyed gleaning the comments on this newsitem.

It contained some of the more insightful and intelligent postings I have run across in days.

I am a Christian and have come to an agreement with my friends and associates who are agnostic, atheist, of differing religions, NOT to discuss religion because it is such a personal and contentious subject that to refer to it would just spoil an otherwise pleasant evening out or casual chat.

Also, not talking about politics and the weather also helps the friendships prosper without the intrusion of emotional subjects that are always open to misinterpretation or misunderstanding.
51

Humphrey,

Eastleigh UK 07/01/2009 20:01:35
43. I did take a look at the De Vinchi code, and came to the conclusion it was nonsense. Not impressed.

Dear me, all I did was to suggest a slogan for a bus, and now I am accused of profiteering by conducting funeral talks, making money out of people's misery, and being part of a some new industry. Not so, do not take part in any of these.

My attitude to life has been worked out by investigation of all the facts avaialable; they are all there for those who want to look for them. So, danbob, as a student of the OT, you should be interested in the following:

"Son of man, thou dwellest in the midst of a rebellious house; they have eyes to see and see not; they have ears to hear and hear not..."

(Ezekiel 12,2)

52

Tobytoo,

Southington 07/01/2009 23:00:11
TO wee_one
Although I do not know wether I am a Atheist or not
I totally agree with every thing that you say in all your comments on this matter. Because I was born and raised a Catholic with no choice until I became an adult,when I became an adult I did not want to go against the family so when I moved out and was on my own I have never stepped over a Churh doorstep not even to family christening,weddings or funerals.Maybe if I was not so afraid of going against family beliefs I would interest myself in some other religion that is why I say that I don't know if I am really an Athiest or not.
53

Newton_Invented_Gravity,

07/01/2009 23:50:24
'Would you leave your camera and coat at Ibrox on Saturday whilst you went for a pie?'

Obviously not, but on the bright side, you'd probably steal it back eventually.
54

Dr Drikus van Panzerfest, Saffer Shrink,

10/01/2009 10:02:12
Load of rubbish. More people telling us to close our minds.

Firstly, the inspiration for this advert is based on a logical fallacy - Richard Dawkins "clinching" ultimate 747 argument.

Probability applies to matter, for probability to apply to God (God being the creator of matter) one must assume God is made of matter, like humans or fairies or Santa Claus, and not that God is some kind of governing consciousness or spirit existing outside of time which knows everything, which is what many religious believers think (if not most). It's called question begging.

Secondly, this argument is telling us to stop thinking about one of the greatest questions of existence. It's saying that we humans already know enough to discount the possibility of there being a God - and when you consider what we actually do know, this is an incredibly arrogant assertion. There are all sorts of competing theories explaining our existence, and its not possible to say if one has more merit than another - it comes down to a matter of belief. People here need to study epistemology.

Richard Dawkins is either very cynical or a fool - a moderately intelligent fool (I've met him - he's not as smart as you might think), but a fool nonetheless.

I think there probably is a God. Culturally I'm a Christian, personally I'm not denominational, but I am happy.

 

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