I was outraged earlier this week when I learned of an atheist bus campaign advert fronted by the British Humanism Association that were used on buses back in January. The adverts were plastered on buses from London to Southampton (UK). As can be seen in the image above, the bus adverts read:
THERE’S PROBABLY NO GOD.
NOW STOP WORRYING AND ENJOY YOUR LIFE.
The most annoying thing about this deplorable campaign is that it cost the British Humanism Association £140,000—moreover, it was donated in pledges to make the whole campaign a reality!
It’s so sad to hear that not only will some people refuse to believe in God—although it’s their right to have their own opinions—but they will donate their own money to try and spread their corrosive message.
There is some good news about this story, though. Ron Heather, 62 (pictured below), a Christian Bus Driver, refused to drive his vehicle in protest against the campaign. Ron stated:
I was just about to board and there it was staring me in the face. My first reaction was horror. I’d heard about this silly campaign in London but I had no idea it was coming to Southampton.
It’s wonderful to see a Christian make a stand against such dribble. He’s a true inspiration—and hope that I too would have the courage to do the same in similar situations in my life.
Apparently, the British Humanism Association didn’t even want to include the word “PROBABLY” in their campaign, but only did so to satisfy advertising regulations. You can read more about this story in the online Metro Newspaper.
What do you think about this “PROBABLY NO GOD” campaign? Are you a Christian and agree with everything I have written here? Adversely, are you an atheist or of another religion? I’d like to hear your thoughts on the matter…
Welcome to Pure Christian Graphic Design (PCGD). This site is authored by Andrew Kelsall, a Creative Designer from England, UK.
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23 Comments
I’m a christian and to be honest I’m not bothered by this.
2 reasons why:
1) I believe God is heaps bigger than advertising. so no need to worry.
2) my theory is ‘if they can do it, so can we’. so if one sector of society can push their views like this, why can we as Christians? in fact, i think we do it all the time and do we ever think about how it might offend those of different beliefs?
that’s just my thoughts.
- sye
03 May 2009 11:05 am Simon Robertson
@ Simon
I agree with you there, God IS bigger than advertising. This kind of thing really bothers me, though. I understand that we all have a right to speak out and create advertising campaigns on out views, but what is the point of trying to get a negative message out there?
If Christians made a campaign, the sole purpose would be a positive one—to educate people about Jesus so their lives can be better off. That would be money well spent. But this negative campaign…what is the point? There could be travelers on the bus who don’t know if they believe in God or not, then see the adverts, and possible end up never believing because of them. No good can come from them. This is why I think the campaign is deplorable. The way I see it, it’s an attack on God.
You stated that we shouldn’t offend those of different beliefs. To be honest, if any religion out there want to advertise, this wouldn’t bother me, and I’m sure Christian advertising campaigns won’t bother 99% of people out there either. It’s just this campaign is SO unneccasery and negative, it makes me angry.
Thanks for you comment
03 May 2009 12:05 pm Andrew Kelsall
i honestly think you are looking at it the wrong way.
christians have made some totally negative signs, and done horrible things throughout history.
also, just because we belive that Jesus will make people’s lives better does not mean that others feel the same way, in fact they may feel exactly the opposite.
these ads are not really that bad. so, they say god may not be real, how is this different from some christian group saying ‘god is real’? it’s not.
we all have faith in our positions, and none of us can provide 100% proof either way. so, don’t let it get you down. instead, look for a way to raise the funds to say the message you want to say.
03 May 2009 12:05 pm Simon Robertson
@ Simon
I can see your point, but I think we’ve both made up ours minds on the issue so lets agree to differ in our opinions.
I do agree that Christians have done negative things, too, I’ve give you that. I do take such things to heart though, especially given the fact that I have a pretty good relationship with the LORD, so it makes me quite flustered to see people try and tear the whole concept of “God” down.
Thanks for your thoughts again…
04 May 2009 07:05 pm Andrew Kelsall
Hi,
I know, awful. I try and keep in mind the (source) enemy is a coward and cannot create anything or do anyting that isnt deplorable like himself. Thanks for your whole site.
M
09 May 2009 12:05 pm Mary Richardson
@ Mary
I’m glad that you agree. I sometimes think I’m too hard-line on such issues, but when I think of what Jesus did when He died for us on the cross, you can never be too hard-line on your opinions when dealing with such injustice.
Thanks for commenting
@ “Everyone else”
I call on all Christians, especially in this day-and-age to speak out, be it in person, via blog, email or podcast—for Jesus. You never know who may be saved by your thoughts. Stand for justice. If you see something that is anti-Biblical and anti-Jesus, use your “voice”.
Surely you will be rewarded in Heaven, there’s no time to be weak…don’t sit back. If you don’t think you’re the sort of person to try convince people of Jesus in person, then start a blog. Give up that 3 hour TV-watching session and do some good for the Kingdom of God.
Rise up ‘O speeper, and Christ will shine on you
09 May 2009 10:05 pm Andrew Kelsall
Simon’s got the right idea, he knows he lives in a world with lots of different people and that everyone around him shouldn’t/doesn’t think exactly like he thinks. There are over a billion atheists/agnostics in the world.
Atheists aren’t bad people. I choose to be a moral person becasue I want to be good. I don’t need the threat of eternal damnation or whatever to scare me into doing the right thing and I think it’s sad if you do.
I don’t see how this campaign is negative. It’s telling people to live their lives and stop worrying. Another ad said something like Be good for goodness sake. Which seems very positive becasue it’s saying no matter what your beliefs, be a good person. And like Simon said, I find it very offensive that you think you need to “save” people like me.
Atheists are some of the most maligned people, and they are finally speaking out and making themselves heard. We’re tired of having religion shoved down our throats and tired of being told we’re bad people when really, we’re not. I think it’s great that it’s less stigmatized in the UK to be atheist/agnostic and hope the US smartens up soon too.
09 May 2009 11:05 pm Atheist
@Atheist
There is no threat of eternal damnation. Hell is just the place where souls go who reject Jesus Christ, out LORD and Saviour.
The Bible states:
There is no denying that God exists, as the Word of God states. Whoever you are, I plead with you, don’t miss your chance to know your Saviour. Christianity is Not a religion, it’s relationship with Jesus. The world is full of religions, from Islam to Catholicism.
I’m not religious, I KNOW my God. Why be an atheist? Yes, it’s your right to be, but why then be moral for being so? Why do you even acknowledge morality and good, when you believe that creation is in fact a huge, God-void accident in space?
I’m not trying to cause you anger here, I am genuinely asking. I have a friend who is atheist also. I want to know how you can live without the LORD, yet still live to his principles.
Thanks for getting involved in this article…
09 May 2009 11:05 pm Andrew Kelsall
I’m not living to “his” principles. I’m just being a decent human being. Morals and ethics existed long before Jesus was around. It just makes sense not to kill people and not to steal since that hurts other human beings. I think other animals understand that principle too.
I don’t have to prove a god doesn’t exist any more than you think you need to prove one does. And as a famous saying goes: you’re already an atheist, I just believe in one less god than you.
09 May 2009 11:05 pm Atheist
I really admire your post and your taking this stand. Our God is very powerful and can use this unfortunate ad to further His kingdom. Thank you so much for sharing both this article and your faith. It means more than you will ever know.
09 May 2009 11:05 pm @wendywhy
@atheist
Jesus has always been around:
The Hebrew word used from the translation is Elohim, which signifies the plurality of persons in the Godhead: Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
I’m not trying to prove to you that God exists. There’s no proving God, as the righteous live by faith.
Gods word is sufficient, I’m not going to try and argue my point. Open your heart to the LORD. Don’t miss your chance. Don’t miss your chance.
Have you ever tried talking to God? Have you asked him to reveal Himself to you?
@wendywhy
Thanks for your kind words—and you’re support.
10 May 2009 12:05 am Andrew Kelsall
You happen to believe in the bible. What if you had found some other religious text and believed that to be the one true faith? How can you say that only your god is the real god when if you had been born in different circumstances you would be a different religion? That alone shows how religion is just the creation of humans desperate to explain what they don’t understand. You do realize that all the other religions of the world have people who believe as strongly as you do in their god. How is it you’re right and they’re wrong?
Uh, no, I haven’t abandoned all rationality and started talking to invisible, non-existent beings.
10 May 2009 01:05 am Atheist
@atheist
As stated, Christianity isn’t a religion. To answer your question. If I had been bought up in some distant country with an upbringing of the belief in another god, I would doubt very much if this god even existed if it didn’t speak to me, comfort me, hold me and comfort me—like the LORD Jesus does now. I’m not in religion, but relationship.
If I believed in a god who I couldn’t feel, didn’t know or couldn’t communicate with, then I wouldn’t follow this ‘god’ at all. Despite the many religions out there, there are people even in the depths of the jungle and people who live in countries where Christianity is illegal, who find Jesus, despite their country having a popular religion and opposing god.
As an atheist, you may think it strange, or you might think I’m arrogant claiming that I communicate and can feel the Holy Spirit within me. But this IS the case. I believe in the true God because His truth is within me.
If I was brought up to believe in a god out of a mere religious belief, I would not follow this god, and carry on the search. I know that because there is a God, I would still continue the search until I found Jesus…like many, many have.
10 May 2009 02:05 am Andrew Kelsall
Okay, Christianity isn’t a religion. But it is a belief. And what I think that’s @atheist is talking about.
And I’d like to add to his argument the following:
What if you were raised in a not monotheist belief or religion? And all the gods you’d belief brought you comfort and you could feel and relate to them? Wouldn’t you think differently of how you think now?
I’m sorry, but when you say that “there are people even in the depths of the jungle and people who live in countries where Christianity is illegal, who find Jesus, despite their country having a popular religion and opposing god.” you’re kind of saying that Christianity is more “right” than other beliefs because there’re christians in advert conditions, but there’re also people that aren’t christians in countries that Christianity is the main belief. They didn’t find the comfort you found in Jesus Christ. They found it in others beliefs.
Christianity is the right path for you.
I don’t think that religion nor spiritual beliefs are bad. They bring emotional comfort to people who need them. That’s why and how they appeared. But not everyone need them for that, some can find that without any belief in any kind of god or spiritual belief.
And this purpose of the ad is not negative, is just saying to people to live their lives, because in many religions, there’re a lot of restrictions, prejudice and other things.
Love the other ad that I hadn’t heard about. Let’s just be good for goodness sake.
No condoms-restrictions from the catholic, no restrictions to love to people from the same sex, no war or fight between religions and beliefs. Let’s just try to be good. And do what’s right, respect the other, and do not harm the other.
10 May 2009 08:05 pm Another atheist
@Another atheist
I’m going to get straight to the point here. Yes, Christianity is the right “one”, the right “choice” and some would say “religion” [by category]. If you ever get to a place in your life where I am in Jesus, you Know He is real.
Yes, I cannot prove God, and cannot prove to you or anyone else that He is real. As the Word says:
…and
Anyone who believes in the existence of God needs to first have faith that he exists, for we cannot please God without it. Therefor, without making that step, you will never know if the LORD Jesus is real.
Then, once you Know Him, His Spirit will be in you…and you KNOW that he’s real. I’m not joking, you can feel the LORD just like you can your own thoughts and being.
If I were to be born with the upbringing of another ‘god’, I believe I would not believe in this god, as this god would not be with me.
I’m a rather smart person, like many are. If I couldn’t feel God, I would look somewhere else.
—–
The purpose of the Ad IS negetive, as it could possibly steer people on the wrong path. I believe that homosexuality is a sin, because the Bible tells me so. I’m not debating this issue…yet.
You’ve hit the nail on the head there. Religion has caused war, but there wouldn’t be any wars if these people had the true Belief of Christianity.
On a final note, the Bible had 1000′s of prophecies contained within it. The books of Daniel and Revelation pay particular attention to the end times, which many believe we are in right now.
I not only know that the LORD Jesus is real because his Spirit lives in me, but by the proof of His word. For instance, and to cut a long story short, I know because of the Bible, a one world government will be formed, I know that a World leader will arise (the anti-Christ), I know that the LORD’s land will be parted ushering in Armageddon—and that Russia and the Chinese make to first strike.
There’s a lot going on out there in the interpretation of Bible Prophesy. There’s no denying the the LORD’s word is living proof that he is there…and the at Christianity is “the right one”.
By the way, I would like to thank yourself and @atheist for you professionalism is airing your thoughts. You haven’t over-stepped the mark, but engaged in meaningful debate with myself. This is the kind of maturity from people of different opinions and thoughts that I would like to promote on this blog…
11 May 2009 08:05 pm Andrew Kelsall
what i always found curious is that people would say to me, “the small small small or miniscule chance that that there is a god.” for me, probability is relevant when you have something to do with what is going to occur/happens, like pulling marbles out of a bag. when you understand the conditions and variables under which said things will happen, say, there are at least 10 blue marbles in the bag along with 7 red marbles. there are 22 marbles in the bag, the probability thus of getting a blue marble is x percent. well, god exists or he doesn’t. there’s no big chance or little chance, he is or he isn’t, and that truth, whichever it is, of course i believe that he does exist, is absolutely independent of what we think. what matters more to people, and maybe that’s where they are declaring a set of conditions is the character of god. maybe that’s why they say there’s little chance that there is a god because they do have an idea of who a just god should be, and what a world in which a just god rules over should look like, to them. to them a just god in a the world and his footprints would be visible, and because they cannot reconcile what they see, and because they do not know god through the acts and ultimate sacrifice of love of jesus, like i once couldn’t, they see god as the blue dust speck in a sea of red marbles, and the chances of finding that god is nearly nil. that the chances of that god reaching out is nil. but in that statement, that god probably doesn’t exist, there is also a statement that we can’t know for sure. and in that statement is saying believing in god = can’t enjoy your life, which is probably the most erroneous part of that statement, but understandable from what perspective it comes from. yes, religion sucks, and it won’t save. what saves is acceptance in what jesus did for us, and that requires knowledge of the quality of our own hearts, the source of what we say and do, and facing that is a miserable experience but the best thing and the most liberating. like being around people who won’t fail you, forgive you, who share what is theirs that is not yours just out of love, who crossed the threshold of the highest level of suffering, the deepest depths of alienation from what is true, who is true and who is truly good, which must felt like an eternity, for us. so christianity is the right path to me, but if christianity is the right path for one, it is for all. for the crux of true christianity is that jesus taught that he is the one and only way. it is either just another lie or the most important truth.
yes, we should be good to one another. no fights or wars. be good to one another. all the time. but how do we do this? we throw each other under the buses all the time, whether out of malice, contempt, or anxiety. we shout community, but when it counts, we take care of ourselves. even when we want to take care of each other and be good to each other, we fail all the time. be truly good, not just on the surface, but in the heart where it matters. we would rather people stay in denial and be in our homes where we don’t need to watch out for them. even when we say “i didn’t mean it,” to someone we hurt, we did in that instance. or we didn’t mean it, but we didn’t care enough to be thoughtful did we.
i was in the church at 14, didn’t go back until 21. became a hardcore socialist in college on the track of being a political theorist. i’d sit there in human rights class, looking at my class including myself, and knowing that coming to and from class, we all just passed by a homeless person or people in need and didn’t even help. or that we harbor some people in our hearts with contempt because of a-z. so we should be the makers and the overseers of human rights? how do i justify to a person who doesn’t care and is drunk with power that he should consider showing dignity to people he wills to destroy for his satisfaction? how do i explain my desires for justice and the lessening and obliteration of injustice- how do i define injustice. how do i define what is good. and separate that from what is bad, when from my own mouth and actions i have created injustice and suffering. maybe to one person, but that still counts. change by my own hands, maybe we’ll get somewhere, hell other people are way more successful than i was/am. but the contradictions would still be there, and that i couldn’t stand.
i sought the source of what is good, and that light showed the darkness of my heart, and that i found hard to stand. i crouched back. i didn’t believe in jesus. i didn’t get it. i didn’t understand the purpose. and that is how i differentiate from all the other religions, is why god does the things that he does. and for me, in christianity, it’s why god sent his son down to earth, completely human, yet completely filled with the holy spirit. and why he let him die on the cross. just like it’s not about what we do, but why we do it, this matters most. and some days are hard to believe. i get impatient, sometimes i even feel abandoned because things in my life aren’t going the way i think they should, and i think why, if i’m praying, that they aren’t happening. but i can’t control or manipulate god. he is the ultimate good, i wish i knew that more in my heart. like when you love someone for the first time and you just totally, totally believe that he is it.
and to acknowledge god as the ultimate good is not to live in a bubble where i am so bad i am so bad *** i am so guilty, i have to -do- things to make up for it, for that price has been paid. when i forgive someone, the last thing i want is for them to stay in a state of constant guilt and self-flagellation. i forgive for their sakes, not so much of mine, because it hurts to forgive, but yet for my sake, because i want reconciliation.
so jesus, if/as he is who he claimed to be, the son of god. deity in human form who didn’t come down to see what it’s like, but who came down so that he could let death take him, then all who believe in this, all who believe that he did it for everyone who has ever existed, including themselves, will be reconciled with god, who becomes the father. who is so kind, loving, gentle that he would not look upon us and say, “father, why should i give up my kingdom for these people who don’t even believe you, who speak out against you, who ransack and murder each other’s homes and hearts” but instead, offer himself as the ultimate sacrifice for those who not only didn’t deserve him, but wholly rejected him. i have a hard time being nice to someone i felt spat in my face, even when i deserved their contemptuous reactions/behavior; i cannot imagine doing it for the entirety of humanity when i didn’t deserve a quark of it.
so that’s what it means to me to believe in jesus. to know who i am in his light. it doesn’t give me a card to go around condemning people or forcing them to do what i think is right by law or coercion. his teachings are hard to swallow because he asks for mercy, not sacrifice, he asks that we wash the feet of people whom we are in conflict with, not slap them on their faces or regard them as irrelevant. and i fail often. but he loves us to accept us as who we are. but he also loves us too much to let us stay that way. by his blood, by his hands, not mine.
16 May 2009 04:05 pm YYK
@ “YYK”
Thanks for the comment/essay, but I don;t really get what you’re talking about. I can’t tell by what you say if you are a Christian or not—or if you were, but no longer see yourself as a Christian any more.
I’ll just focus in on a sentence I understood:
In this post, I have not condemned anyone. I love the sinner, hate the sin. I have pointed out a deplorable campaign which is, when it comes down to it, an attack on Jesus, for He died for us and rose again.
The reason why Christianity, the Truth, is declining in some areas of the word such as the UK, is that Christians seem to lie down and take this kind of injustice all the time. No more. I’ve been guilty of this myself.
Can you imagine Jesus not turning over the tables in the synangoue? Instead, saying “no, lets not condemn”.
It’s about time, if you are a Christian, you stood up for what you believe in. And “YYK”, please leave you’re name if you comment again. Are you ashamed that I know it? The atheists wouldn’t let me know theirs, but I can understand this.
PS, I have ***’d out the abbreviation that translates into “Oh my …”. Such blasphemy is NOT welcome on this blog. Be warned:
Something to think about…
18 May 2009 09:05 pm Andrew Kelsall
no, i am no ashamed that you know it…. would you like my address as well? i’ve grown accustomed to abbreviating my name on blogs/websites. people call me yyk, y-y, etc. i prefer these over “you.” but next time i’ll know better, and introduce myself in entirety. i was not judging your post, rather commenting about the statement and replying to things that were said in others’ comments. i’ll be more specific next time.
there are sooo many things that are said against god and the truth, and i am sorry if i’m not living up to your standards of what it means to stand up for it, but how can you tell me that it’s about time i stand up for what i believe in, when i just did, albeit, unclearly? (“so christianity is the right path to me, but if christianity is the right path for one, it is for all.” <—what i said).
do i care that this is a popular belief of our times? i absolutely do. i was explaining, obviously not well, how hard it was for me to believe at a time, but now what it means for me to accept jesus christ. not believe that he existed, but really believe in what he came to do, his intentions, and his identity as deity as well as man, and what it means for me to accept him.
it feels like you felt that I said that you were condemning in your post. please know that this is far far from what i was thinking or saying. i wasn’t saying that you were being condemning by pointing out the wrongness of a message. i agree with you. what i had in mind were other instances, not this one, so i apologize for not being specific. but no, i don’t go throwing tables around because i am not righteous by my own accord. i have planks in my eye. please don’t assume that i am against calling a stone a stone and not a blueberry pie. discernment is important to me, i wish i had more of it. i get just as frustrated with arguments such as “there is no god, so be happy!” because for me, without god i am the exact opposite of fulfilled, happy, right. i’m in hell.
christianity is dying down because people think they don’t need god, or they think it’s just another religion, and that the height of humanity is to just tolerate. because they don’t know the love of christ just as i once did not know the love of christ. without that, it’s just another religion. just another set of morals that fall apart. a lot of my friends are atheists or of some other set of beliefs. when i talk to them, even the ones who went to lutheran school their whole lives, when i start talking to them about WHY jesus did what he did, they say, wow, i didn’t think of it that way, or i’ve never heard it that way before. because it often got taught to us as jesus died on the christ so he saved you, and thus the message becomes abstract, and impersonal, the exact opposite of how god is and works. a lot of people, including myself, have thought, “what’s the big deal if jesus died when he was god anyway?” which can be boiled down to, “why should i believe if it didn’t cost this god anything to love me?” so that is how i stand up for the truth, by talking about it. by talking about who we are, the conditions of our hearts, how god loves us so much, and the atoning blood of the lamb. and that it cost god everything, his beloved son, the sole righteous one, to love us.
and i accept your admonishment, and will not repeat the mistake again.
but for the future should i comment again, and should you choose to reply, if you don’t understand something about what i say, instead of concluding that it means that i am disagreeing with you/not standing up for my beliefs, maybe you can help me out and ask questions about what i’m trying to say, if you’d care to.
thanks.
18 May 2009 10:05 pm You-Young Kim
@You-Young Kim
There’s no need to be sarcastic (about your address). However, I apologise, as like you said, I should have asked you for clarification about the meaning of your comment. Thanks for the additional input.
21 May 2009 06:05 pm Andrew Kelsall
It’s all good, thanks for the apology. I am sorry about the sarcasm!
May many be reached through your blog. God bless!
02 Jun 2009 02:06 pm You-Young Kim
@You-Young Kim → No worries mate. Things have been getting kinda heavy on this blog recently, so I have tried to brighten the mood and have done another Christian Cartoon post
02 Jun 2009 03:06 pm Andrew Kelsall
I am not religious but I found this campaign by the BHA pretty annoying. I thought they existed to give an alternative to religious funerals, weddings etc not to actively campaign against religion, it’s madness!
28 Mar 2011 06:03 am Anne
hello
I just want to add something:
@Atheist when u asked Andrew Kelsall that “What if you had found some other religious text and believed that to be the one true faith? How can you say that only your god is the real god when if you had been born in different circumstances you would be a different religion?”
I just want to say that I am a Muslim and I believe in One God, and our book is the Quran and we believe in bible too, we know Jesus as a prophet and our is lord is only one GOD. Therefore to answer your question is that even Muslim people believe in bible and that bible is a true book, because whatever Jesus said there are all true as well as the Quran is true too.
And I have heard that many people who was born in different religion, they became Muslim when they grew older, and to be honest I have never heard anyone who are Christians or Muslims who turned to atheist.
19 Apr 2011 05:04 pm Muslim