Doing my part to spread the Good word.

2009 February 1

by cardinal fang

Now that's a reassuring message.

Humanist Bus Ad FAQ
Canadian Athiest Bus Campaign

4 Responses leave one →

2009 February 2

Jimmy permalink

Well, aren't they just hedging their bets with "probably". Just in case I'm wrong, I'd rather not be smitten with a lightning bolt.

I actually view that more as an agnostic rather than an atheist statement because they leave it open that there might be some slim chance that there's a god.

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- 2009 February 2
  
  Jimmy permalink
  
  Dang, what happened to your edit button!
  
  I like the second part of the message. Can't we just go with that an leave the targeting of people's belief systems alone. History has only proven that attacking a person's belief system only leads to blood conflict. (and yes, atheists have taken part).
  
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2009 February 2

cardinal fang permalink

If you read the FAQ, you'll find reasoning for the 'probably'. For one, it was to comply with advertising standards. And for two, most athiests realize that one cannot prove completely that there is no God, but the absence of evidence makes it 'almost certain' (these are the words Dawkins uses), hence the 'probably'.

To your second point: the idea from this ad came from the multitudes of faith-based advertising in the UK, and one in particular that had a URL to site that had pages devoted to sinners burning in hell for all eternity. The idea was to counter the 'sin and punishment' mentality with something a little more uplifting. As in: don't spend your days worrying about burning in hell; enjoy life.

(ajax edit comments kinda borked, sorry)

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2009 February 4

Sarah permalink

I can't get over James' "smitten" with a lightning bolt. I do like thunderstorms but I don't think I've ever been smitten with one.

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