The Atheist Bus

I read an article today I thought was pretty interesting. Apparently British buses have become the sounding board for religious blotter. After Ariane Sherine saw an advertisement with a passage from the Bible and the web address of a Christian website, Sherine decided to visit the website. Upon visiting this website, she learned that she and all of her nonbelieving friends had secured themselves a one-way ticket to hell.

That's when she decided to start the Atheist Bus Campaign. The advertisement read, "There's probably no God. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life." As of Tuesday, the advertisement was being displayed on at least 800 buses across Britain. A similar campaign organized by the American Humanist Association began in Washington back in November, with advertisements on buses featuring a man in a Santa suit: "Why believe in God? Just be good for goodness' sake." Of course a lot of people are offended by the advertisements.

I say, if religious organizations are allowed to advertise Bible passages and their own religious beliefs via bus, anti-religious organizations should be offered that same freedom. I would consider myself to be a religious person who believes in God, despite the fact that I don't attend church on a regular basis. But I think the atheists should have the same freedom to advertise their beliefs as say the Catholics or the Methodists. The main point I think, though, is that no one is being forced to look at these messages. It is clear that the United States is dominated by Christian beliefs, but that's no reason to silence those people who do not follow Christianity. If people find themselves feeling uncomfortable reading the anti-God advertisements, they can easily turn away, just as the atheists have been forced to do in the past.