Astor Posted October 21, 2008 Share Posted October 21, 2008 Story An interesting story, and a thought-provoking one too. I don't have a problem with those sorts of slogans being placed on buses - as the article says, Religions are allowed to advertise, and a few slogans on a bus aren't as invasive as some tactics used by some religions. What I find ironic is that the spokesperson for Christian Voice is deriding Atheists for preaching - when they themselves are from a religious pressure group. Thoughts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arcesious Posted October 21, 2008 Share Posted October 21, 2008 Interesting, to say the least. Religion is accustomed to getting a free ride - automatic tax breaks, unearned respect and the right not to be offended, the right to brainwash children. Automatic tax breaks- true and false. Most churches I know of are nonprofit unless if charity and giving the pastor money to live on (a salary since many pastors don't have jobs beyond well, pastoring) is profitting. Although, a lot of those megachurches are manipulative money-making centers for the preachers. Right not to be offended- I agree, political correctness is ridiculous. I'd like it if it said in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights said "freedom of religion, nonreligion, and any other perspective" instead of just "freedom of religion". Brainwashing children. I'll offer my opinion, but I must warn, I am biased on that. I was brainwashed into this myself as a child by my parents. I thereby agree with Richard Dawkins wholeheartedly on that one. Edit: I'll add, I do not have anything against my parents though. They're awesome people. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonathan7 Posted October 21, 2008 Share Posted October 21, 2008 Meh, I don't have a problem with it, if Atheists want to advertise so be it - besides there probably isn't a God is hardly a definitive statement. As a Christian I'm more than happy for atheists to be vocal, gives an opportunity to discuss and provoke thought. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rev7 Posted October 21, 2008 Share Posted October 21, 2008 Meh, I don't have a problem with it, if Atheists want to advertise so be it - besides there probably isn't a God is hardly a definitive statement. As a Christian I'm more than happy for atheists to be vocal, gives an opportunity to discuss and provoke thought. QFE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JediMaster12 Posted October 21, 2008 Share Posted October 21, 2008 First ammendment and that's it. They can advertise if they want. Tell you the truth I don't really argue that point anymore. I guess as Arcesious mentioned in another thread, the Socratic Method on that. Thing is freedom of speech is a two way street. If one side of an issue can post an advert board then so can the other side. No ifs ands or buts. However that is through rose colored lens. Frankly, I find the confrontation age old and pretty much the beating of the proverbial dead horse. Other sites I have been on it is the same arguments so really it is a strange loop. Eh no matter. My thoughts are clear, let em post. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Q Posted October 21, 2008 Share Posted October 21, 2008 I don't have a problem with this either, but I must contend that the theistic side is hardly alone when it comes to brainwashing. I mean, what other purpose does our wonderful public education system serve? Certainly not the teaching of academics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Giant Graffiti Posted October 21, 2008 Share Posted October 21, 2008 First ammendment and that's it. It's in the UK. (Also, I have absolutely no problem with this) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SW01 Posted October 22, 2008 Share Posted October 22, 2008 As so many others, I take no issue with it. As said, it's the right to free speech (which is Art.10 of the European Convention on Human Rights, if you're interested:xp:), and anyway, I find it humourous! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Web Rider Posted October 22, 2008 Share Posted October 22, 2008 It's not a really bad message, it's pretty tame IMO. The addition of "probably", being more an agnostic standpoint than an atheist one, I think really keeps this message from being as nasty as it could be. So that's good IMO, though I'm waiting for the counter to "Jesus loves you." being: "Jesus doesn't love you." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jae Onasi Posted October 22, 2008 Share Posted October 22, 2008 As long as they aren't being derogatory or discriminatory, and they pay the advertising fees, there's no issue for me. I find it less offensive than some of the things I've seen advertised. I was amused at the hedging "There's probably no God" more than anything else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Samuel Dravis Posted October 22, 2008 Share Posted October 22, 2008 "There is probably no god"? You have to wonder what sort of evidence there is that they're unsure of. Additionally, the "probably" kind of takes the impact out of telling people it's okay to go about their business (and do unholy things, I suppose). "It's probable that you won't fry in undying hellfire, but, you know, no guarantees..." Ha. If it weren't for the article they might be accused of creating clever Christian advertising. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corinthian Posted October 22, 2008 Share Posted October 22, 2008 The evidence is that there's no evidence against there being a God. There might be, there might not be. It can't be proven either way. Still, this is pretty lame. Why are they even wasting their time advertising on buses anyway? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rev7 Posted October 22, 2008 Share Posted October 22, 2008 Yeah, sometimes I wish that people realize that faith cannot be proven or disproven, but that is on an entirely different topic though... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Istorian Posted October 24, 2008 Share Posted October 24, 2008 "There is probably no god"? You have to wonder what sort of evidence there is that they're unsure of. Additionally, the "probably" kind of takes the impact out of telling people it's okay to go about their business (and do unholy things, I suppose). "It's probable that you won't fry in undying hellfire, but, you know, no guarantees..." Ha. If it weren't for the article they might be accused of creating clever Christian advertising. I, myself, am an atheist. And my opinion is that if you truly believe in whatever you believe, whatever religion exists will reward you for your faith. Example: You are an atheist, and believe with all your heart and soul that there is no God. You die and you realise that christanity exists, but you go to heaven, because God will reward you for your strength of your faith, despite being wrong. @Topic Yeah, it's a humorous advertisement, and it is a response to the brain-washing we are suffering as kids (Religious Education in school, church every sunday etc). In Greece, the situation is more serious. I asked once a professor whether God exists, and he expelled me from school for 2 days. Almost everyone in my family is an orthodox christian (typical greek family:xp:), and I'm the only atheist. I even have an uncle that is an "Twelve Gods of Olympus" believer. If atheists can advertise, christians can advertise, muslims can advertise etc. But if christians can brain-wash, then atheists should be able to brain-wash, muslims too etc. My true perspective is synopsised in this phrase: "There is no God. Religion is the poison of the nations." |I| Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corinthian Posted October 24, 2008 Share Posted October 24, 2008 You sounded more agnostic until you quoted Marx. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
igyman Posted October 24, 2008 Share Posted October 24, 2008 As an atheist I just feel the need to point out that atheism is not a religion. It's simply a label that seems to be necessary in our society in order to identify the people who don't believe in god. As for the advertising, the "probably" part is obviously there to prevent some of those more religious people from performing ridiculous legal action against the advertiser and client (atheists) and in a world with more and more ridiculous lawsuits, it seems totally justified. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Q Posted October 24, 2008 Share Posted October 24, 2008 As an atheist I just feel the need to point out that atheism is not a religion.If this is so, would you mind explaining why certain people (not you) feel the need to preach it as zealously (is that even a word?) as any evangelist? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mimartin Posted October 24, 2008 Share Posted October 24, 2008 Why are they wasting their time advertising on buses anyway? To encourage discussions such as this community is having now. I don’t believe the advertisement is going to change anybody’s mind. It is merely a way to open people up to the idea and make them think for themselves. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arcesious Posted October 24, 2008 Share Posted October 24, 2008 If this is so, would you mind explaining why certain people (not you) feel the need to preach it as zealously (is that even a word?) as any evangelist? Sometimes people have to talk a little louder than everyone else if they want to be understood, not just heard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Q Posted October 24, 2008 Share Posted October 24, 2008 That's hardly a justification if they're trying to cram their views down other people's throats, which is exactly what religious people are always being accused of doing, with, I might add, a fair amount of accuracy. Isn't that a double standard? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salzella Posted October 24, 2008 Share Posted October 24, 2008 I would hardly call such a tame advert 'ramming it down people's throats'... And for the original point: people argue it zealously (ditto the 'is it a word query') not because it's a religion, but because it's belief that one may, or may not, believe in passionately. Much like someone may get heated about, say, a political matter I suppose. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
igyman Posted October 24, 2008 Share Posted October 24, 2008 If this is so, would you mind explaining why certain people (not you) feel the need to preach it as zealously (is that even a word?) as any evangelist? I wish I could. The only explanation I can think of is that every group has its extremists, as sad as it may be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Q Posted October 24, 2008 Share Posted October 24, 2008 I would hardly call such a tame advert 'ramming it down people's throats'...I wasn't referring to the advert... Oh, and I looked it up: "zealously" is a word. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Samuel Dravis Posted October 24, 2008 Share Posted October 24, 2008 The evidence is that there's no evidence against there being a God. There might be, there might not be. It can't be proven either way.And even your own words don't indicate to you that, whatever form an answer to the question might take, it will not be empirical? Since that's the case, I say again: what (non-empirical) evidence is there that leads them to say "probably"? If it isn't a question of probability then why did they say that God probably doesn't exist? I, myself, am an atheist. And my opinion is that if you truly believe in whatever you believe, whatever religion exists will reward you for your faith. Example: You are an atheist, and believe with all your heart and soul that there is no God. You die and you realise that christanity exists, but you go to heaven, because God will reward you for your strength of your faith, despite being wrong.Well, if there "is a reward" after a person dies, that reward has no relation to what I would use the word "reward" to describe. A similar (though not exact) case that I might use is: "Your reward for doing these good deeds is to know you've done them." I.e., "Don't expect anything from this except the satisfaction of doing good deeds." But I don't attribute such a reward to God, and the situation I'd use such a phrase in is quite different anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corinthian Posted October 24, 2008 Share Posted October 24, 2008 Because they don't have the stones to come out and say 'God is Dead' presumably. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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