The idea seems reasonable enough. The signs and slogans of religion are as common as the golden arches. Even if we're not seduced by them, we can't help being aware of them. It seems reasonable to me that atheism has a similar right to claim public space.

The slogan's the problem for mine. It's essentially an attack ad. We're hardly in need of any more negativity in our public spaces

chainsmoker,

One of the reasons for the advert is to elicit thought. It expresses why Atheists are Atheists. To call it an ‘attack ad’ is similar to saying every word in the public space related to religion is an ‘attack ad’ against Atheism. Just the proportionality here is something about which to think. How many times have you actually seen the word Atheism expressed in the public space?

That the words in this advertisement have the capacity in them to make people think is self evident and incidentally, supported by this thread.

Is the attempt at making people think intrinsically a bad thing or is it that the subject matter is so taboo as to be rejected without thought?

David

People are living in a world where there is little hope, and hope is essential to human existence. Atheism is a negative message that allows them to espouses no moral boundaries. Let us look at the personal qualities of the lives espoused by atheists.

The Atheism espoused by communism brought the greatest threat to a free society in the past hundred years yet the atheists on this tread believe it will actually liberate. There is no evidence established in history that atheism creates a better society.

The USSR established their States on atheism. Where is the USSR today? More people were murdered and imprisoned by Atheist States and put to death for their religious belief in the past hundred years. These were atheists who espoused religion as the opium of the people Atheism has no religious principles on which to function.

Religion is not a belief in a deity, it is a set of beliefs that give passionate behavioural devotion to a way of life. Buddaism is a religion without a deity. A belief in the divine nature of an absolute personality is theism or deism. Theism has however with it a call to devotion to a way of life in following the character of the divine.

Atheism makes every person the absolute conscience of their own world as it follows no set of principles for divine living. No one buys negativity and doubt. It is a no brainer

chainsmoker, you're talking to a mental vacuum here, I'm afraid.

>>Is the attempt at making people think intrinsically a bad thing or is it that the subject matter is so taboo as to be rejected without thought?<<

Unfortunately, the only thought it provokes, is that the Atheist Foundation is making the classic mistake - as many religious groups also do - that making a noise is an adequate substitute for making a point.

Here is the official response to any external input, courtesy of David Nicholls:

>>The armchair reaction to the intended bus slogans is understandable, expected and frankly, dismissed as irrelevant.<<

I am still trying to understand why an organization of any kind would treat its audience with such utter arrogance and contempt.

This - and subsequent sermons - tell us that a mind has been made up, is quite content with the decisions reached, and doesn't require any further input.

I'd hate to think what the donors are going to get for their money.

>>the campaign has only been going for a few hours and we now have over $12,000,000 in pledges<<

Twelve million, to be managed by a blinkered autocrat.

So sad.

Is it possible to be an atheist and yet not a communist?

Actually philo, I think the message "Listen to me or you're all going to hell", is a rather negative one.

Atheism and it's emphasis on the personal gives me hope. It gives me hope that I can change the future. That I am responsible for me.

In a very literal sense, I am a child of the universe. The universe created me, but I do not for one minute think that it performs miracles for me if can just believe hard enough.

Philo,

I guess I will have to own up. You have sprung the real intentions of Atheists throughout the world. Richard Dawkins, Warren Buffet, Peter Singer, Carl Sagan (Deceased) and about a billion other Atheists are planning world domination. We are going to exterminate all religions by force and take civilisation back to the New Dark Ages. At this very moment, under the guise of a mild mannered Atheist Foundation, plans are being prepared to implement mayhem onto whole populations. We are doing this, as it seems a logical way to go in not accepting that a god, the tooth fairy, Father Christmas or the Easter Bunny exists.

Oh how we look forward to the day when supernormal fantasy has been wiped from the face of the planet. Billions of people (If we allow that many to live) all dressed in drab grey following orders from the head Atheist who is macabre and cruel to the extreme.

The method employed is quite clever. Atheists will think about decisions they make and not just dogmatically follow various interpretations of ancient script. We will use our voting ability so that no group is discriminate against, whether they are female or same sex oriented. We will not introduce scientific fantasy into classrooms onto unsuspecting children. We will not indoctrinate our children with one of the thousands of religions as though it is unquestionably true. We will tell them all that is known about nature and that there are many things unknown. We will explain that many have guesses about the unknowns but they are only guesses. We will instruct them about their sexuality so they are well informed to make decision in that area of their lives and we will explain that one day they may need help in exiting life as it can become unbearable with unremitting pain brought on by a terminal illness.

It must be obvious to anyone that this devious plan will result in adults hell bent on killing and maiming all those who disagree with them.

Oh! Pericles, the comma is a typo. The figure was $12,000.000

David