I think Ariane Sherine knew that once they started the atheist bus campaign there would be people who wouldn’t like it. And I’m sure they probably would have expected the associated hypocracy that has come along with some of the complaints that people have made. I mean, its not like religious belief and hypocracy are two concepts that have never met each other before. But the direction of some of the complaints really, to borrow a phrase, beggers belief.
Third Sector today reports that fours MPs have signed an early day motion to call for the removal of the bus ads – Original story is here.
I have no doubt that being a practising Muslim or Christian means that it is potentially hurtful when your views are challenged. But the idea that it makes you embarrassed and uncomfortable to sit on a bus where this is an advert on the side is probably going a bit far. Firstly, if you are a believer of any faith it would be nice to think that your views are so solidly held that one statement will not totally affect your confidence and belief. You should have the strength of mind and the presence of character to be able to challenge this statement – not through asking for its removal but through intelligent debate. Its not like the forums aren’t out there – news sites and blogs are buzzing with this stuff.
Secondly, and more flippantly, there are far more embarrassing adverts that appear on the side of buses. I came to work on a bus that had an advert for the film Sex Drive on the side. Its not a massive step to think of it as a bus full of perverts driving off to commit some sordid activities.
Oh, that’s right. It is. Because actually as people we have the ability to separate a message on public transport from the people contained inside it and not tar them with that brush, nor seek to believe that they embody that advert.
Saying that God maybe doesn’t exist is not religiously offensive. It’s a perfectly reasonable view to hold and to promote.
To my mind, the atheist bus campaign is no different to adverts for the Alpha course or to adverts promoting religion that scream from the outside of churches and synagogues. What if I don’t believe in God and I see these adverts? I am allowed to be offended, complain of being uncomfortable and embarrassed?
I could be but I’m not. And the reason that I’m not is that I believe in the right of those people who do believe to freely express themselves. I might disagree. Strongly. But I would never attempt to stop the dialogue.
So far so humdrum and normal, but it was the section at the very bottom of the page that really made me smile. Apparently the campaign group Christian Voice previously complained to the Advertising Standards Authority that the adverts should be removed because, get this, “the slogan could not be substantiated”. Pot, kettle? Because the existence of God has been so thoroughly well proven in the last 2000 years right?
You might disagree with it and you might not like it but going out of your way to ban it is oppression of faith (or the lack of if you want to get into a philosophical debate about it). And that has historically worked out well hasn’t it? So, stop complaining and start putting the contrary view. The article at Third Sector also talks about another early day motion to run a campaign on buses saying, “But What If There Is?”. I love the idea that you could end up with an ongoing circular debate which there can be no active conclusion to running in public through the media of transport.
Or at least no conclusion until He comes and smites us all for being so bloody stupid….
Tags: Ariane Sherine, atheist bus, Christian, hypocracy, Third Sector
