“No God” Campaign to Hit Toronto Buses January 17, 2009
Posted by Anita in Atheism, God is Imaginary, Rational Thinkers, Religion and Culture.Tags: Canadian Atheist Bus Campaign, Freethought Association of Canada, Toronto Atheist Bus Campaign
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I was very happy to learn that Toronto, Canada will be following in the footsteps of a British campaign, where ads supporting the non-existence of god will appear on city buses.
The Toronto-based Freethought Association of Canada launched the campaign and is seeking donations to buy the bus ads.
According to their website:
“This campaign was created as a rebuttal to the multitude of religious advertisements on city buses, subways, and roadsides. When taking a ride on the TTC here in Toronto it is not uncommon to sit down and look up only to realize someone has posted an advert of a bible quote. Usually something that tries preaching about a God whom supposedly sent his son to save us, somehow inferring that all of us need to be saved or we’re going to hell. The CABC (Canadian Atheist Bus Campaign) wants to advertise inspiring and thought provoking ads that let transit riders know that it’s OK not to believe in a God and that you do not need to be ’saved’. We want to encourage people to look at the facts and evidence before making decisions throughout life, especially when it comes to religion.”
The bible quotes mentioned above are part of the “Bus Stop Bible Studies” campaign. Although they’re annoying (and offensive to many non-Christians), Christians have the right to advertise.
Ergo, as Cliff Erasmus, coordinator for the Center for Inquiry in the Calgary area, said: Atheists, humanists and agnostics should have the same opportunities to voice their opinions as do people of faith.
Emulating the UK campaign, the Toronto ads will say: “THERE’S PROBABLY NO GOD. NOW STOP WORRYING AND ENJOY YOUR LIFE.”
Washington, Barcelona, and Madrid have all launched similar campaigns – originally conceived of by Ariane Sherine. She came up with the idea after noticing ads on London buses leading people to a website claiming non-Christians would burn in hell.
Personally, I think the “no god” ads would carry more weight if the word “probably” were removed. It’s not like the Christian ads say things like, “Jesus probably existed and you will probably go to heaven if you believe in him.” But if they must be politically correct, I would change the word “probably” to “almost certainly.” Having said that, I’d much prefer: “God is Imaginary. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life.”
The Freethought Association was hoping to collect between $6000 and $7000 in donations to purchase the bus ads, and they’ve already exceeded their goal. Yay!
For more information, and if you’d like to donate, please go to atheistbus.ca.
[...] Filed under: News — Aniket Kanade @ 8:19 pm Tags: Atheism, Bus campaign, Toronto Via God is imaginary I learned that atheist bus campaign has not reached my town sending further chill waves among [...]
Well, I think the word ‘probably’ is important here. It underscores the principal difference between dogmatic convictions and rational skepticism. ‘almost certainly’ can be other word to describe same notion with more strongly.
Nice blog by the way ..
-Aniket
Dear Anita,
I haven’t quite figured out why our displays are “annoying and offensive” to atheists. We are expressing an opinion which, under Canadian law, we, and you, are free to do. If we are not offended when atheists express their opinion, why are they offended when we express ours?
There are more than 300 ’studies’ you can view on our website. I challenge you to find one and provide a valid explanation of why it is ‘offensive’. That you just choose to disagree is not a valid answer.
David Harrison, President
Bus Stop Bible Studies
The following is a response to some friends and family that sent me an email as follows. It’s not hard to see why we have problems in the world when this ” religious person” is able to condemn a whole sector of society with little or no understanding of the the real issues.
I think we are are the right track. keep up the good work.
Reply to ” Canadian Woman: ( wrong – I have seen this same thing from many different sources !! )
In response to the letter from “Canadian Woman ” The fact is that this interesting letter is all just more religious rhetoric, but from the ” Right Side ” It’s all Bull Shit !!
As an ATHEIST I feel I am able to comment on this without fear of reprisal from any particular group of religious “believers”. ( I expect reprisal from all equally )
It disturbs me when some people suggest that it is not possible to be a good and honest person if you don’t follow some ( or all ) of the ideas that they have been brain washed into believing.
It is not ISLAM that is promoting the planned destruction we have seen recently ( and not so recently ). It is a group of people using ISLAM as a convenient tool to promote their beliefs. It is interesting that we have also seen thousands of deaths in Ireland and many other places in the world because of a difference of interpretation of the same writings. Nothing to do with ISLAM !! Dare I suggest that the, way too many, factions of CHRISTIANITY are constantly promoting their interpretations as correct and all the others are wrong.
ALL POWER MONGERS !!!
After spending some time in Hindu and Muslim countries it is not hard to see why they are fighting amongst themselves.
In my experience there is nothing more dangerous in the world than these organized plans to control the masses that are currently ( and have been used for thousands of years ) used by clever control freaks using a promise of various kinds of immortality as a means to an end. CONTROL THE MASSES. The sad part is that most of the promoters actually believe they are doing what is right as they are unable, or unwilling, to think for themselves and they completely rely on what they have been told. Don’t question faith !!! Fortunately for all of us, most of the time, what they are doing is for the most part right, albeit for the wrong reasons.
It makes me sick to see all of the time and efforts wasted, around the world, in the ongoing support of ORGANIZED RELIGION. !! If all these, good hard working, people were able to spend their valuable time and resources trying to improve their lot in life instead of catering to some power broker in a religious collar ( or other ridiculous garb ) they would be much better off. There are some very good things done in the world by some of these organized religious groups but I personally see no reason to believe the same things couldn’t be accomplished with out the fear and intimidation associated with most religions.
John Lennon had it right !!! Without religion and politics we wouldn’t have any of the current problems that we all know too well. It is also very evident that, in all cases, religious leaders and politicians around the world have had a very sound working relationship for thousands of years. A convenient “You scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours” relationship. Think about it !!
Don’t blame Islam, Christianity, Judaism, Catholicism, Hinduism or any of the other hundreds of ridiculous notions that weak men have created ( and recreated ) to provide themselves with a vehicle to CONTROL THE MASSES.
For those that feel that by burying you heads in the sand that all things will be better, you are wrong. The perpetrators of these nasty deeds are brainwashed by these same clever RELIGIOUS control freaks into believing that what they are doing will secure themselves a place in this PROMISED LAND. Talking to and / or negotiating with most of them is a waste of time and effort as they live very much by
“Don’t confuse me with the facts, my mind is made up !!”.
Nobody is going to be able to fix this deeply rooted problem in the near future. Too much money and power is involved.
There is no GOD !! Only nature and all things that happen in nature. There is no heaven, there is no hell, there are no devils, no angels and no bogey man in the sky that will be there to help you, or anybody for that matter, when you can’t or won’t, help yourself.
Get over it !!! When you die you are gone. Period !!!
If there is such a thing as a soul it can only be the memory in others of the good things and bad that you have left behind.
Get on with your lives. Try to be a good person.
Grandpa in Canada
Original comments from an unknown source on the internet.
This was written by a Canadian woman, but oh how it also applies to the
U.S., U.K. and Australia
THIS ONE PACKS A FIRM PUNCH
Here is a woman who should run for Prime Minister!
Written by a housewife in New Brunswick, to her local newspaper. This
is one ticked off lady.
‘Are we fighting a war on terror or aren’t we? Was it or was it not
started by Islamic people who brought it to our shores on September 11, 2001
and have continually threatened to do so since?
Were people from all over the world, not brutally murdered that day,
in downtown Manhattan, across the Potomac from the nation’s capitol and in
a field in Pennsylvania?
Did nearly three thousand men, women and children die a horrible,
burning or crushing death that day, or didn’t they?
And I’m supposed to care that a few Taliban were claiming to be
tortured by a justice system of the nation they come from and are fighting
against in a brutal insurgency
I’ll start caring when Osama bin Laden turns himself in and repents
for incinerating all those innocent people on 9/11.
I’ll care about the Koran when the fanatics in the Middle East start
caring about the Holy Bible, the mere belief of which is a crime punishable
by beheading in Afghanistan.
I’ll care when these thugs tell the world they are sorry for hacking
off Nick Berg’s head while Berg screamed through his gurgling slashed
throat.
I’ll care when the cowardly so-called ‘insurgents’ in Afghanistan come
out and fight like men instead of disrespecting their own religion by
hiding in mosques.
I’ll care when the mindless zealots who blow themselves up in search
of nirvana care about the innocent children within range of their suicide
bombs.
I’ll care when the Canadian media stops pretending that their freedom
of speech on stories is more important than the lives of the soldiers on
the ground or their families waiting at home to hear about them when
something happens.
In the meantime, when I hear a story about a CANADIAN soldier roughing
up an Insurgent terrorist to obtain information, know this:
I don’t care.
When I see a wounded terrorist get shot in the head when he is told not
to move because he might be booby-trapped, you can take it to the bank:
I don’t care.
When I hear that a prisoner, who was issued a Koran and a prayer mat,
and ‘fed special’ food that is paid for by my tax dollars, is complaining
that his holy book is being ‘mishandled,’ you can absolutely believe in
your heart of hearts:
I don’t care.
And oh, by the way, I’ve noticed that sometimes it’s spelled ‘Koran’
and other times ‘Quran.’ Well, Jimmy Crack Corn you guessed it,
I don’t care!!
If you agree with this viewpoint, pass this on to all your E-mail
friends Sooner or later, it’ll get to the people responsible for this
ridiculous behaviour!
If you don’t agree, then by all means hit the delete button. Should
you choose the latter, then please don’t complain when more atrocities
committed by radical Muslims happen here in our great Country!
And may I add:
‘Some people spend an entire lifetime wondering if they made a
difference in the world. But, the Soldiers don’t have that problem.’
I have another quote that I would like to add, AND…….I hope you
forward all this.
One last thought for the day:
Only five defining forces have ever offered to die for you:
1. Jesus Christ
2. The Canadian Soldier.
3. The British Soldier.
4. The US Soldier, and
5. The Australian Soldier
One died for your soul, the other 4 for your freedom.
YOU MIGHT WANT TO PASS THIS ON, AS MANY SEEM TO FORGET ALL OF THEM.
AMEN!