All aboard the atheist bus
An atheist bus campaign is doing something its backers probably didn't expect - gaining Christian support.
Around 300 London buses will sport the message: "There's probably no God. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life," staring from January and the 5,000 ads are likely to run for a month. After one of the most prominent atheists in Britain, Professor Richard Dawkins, threw his weight behind the campaign spearheaded by journalist, Ariane Sherine, The British Humanist Association raised more than £30,000 on its first day of fundraising.
Except it isn't really an atheist message; it's agnostic. The insertion of the word "probably" into the first sentence has left room for a debate about God's existence.
"You can't prove a negative," explained Ariane. "By using our intelligence, reasoning and judgement, using scientific evidence - there is absolutely none for the existence of God."
But news to Professor Dawkins, who believes that "thinking is anathema to religion", is that many enlightened Christians become aware God's existence not only through their reasoning and intelligence, but also through their experience.
And that experience is not through recognising a God of Wrath and an awaiting hell fire, but an experience of love.
The God that many atheists recognise is not the God Christians recognise. Nor do they recognise themselves as a worrying bunch of people incapable of enjoying life, which is the implication behind the second statement in the atheist ad.
What should be exciting Christians about this campaign is that it is opening up a debate between secularists and people with faith, which will challenge prejudices, stereotypes and assumptions and enable those engaged to grow.
Or should we be outraged about the 'atheist bus'? Is it giving out the completely wrong message?
What do you think?
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It is interesting
It is interesting that all comments posted are moderated or does that mean censored ?????? So it is not an open forum I SEE
I am inspired by many things
I am inspired by many many things and I paint what inspiration comes to me from the wonderful world of nature. This does not lead me to make a step of faith and say that this inspiration is god driven. I read many words that inspire me from many sources this neither leads me to make a jump of faith. Once again we see people killing each other because thay have mad a leap of faith and believe in a god that gives them the right to be nasty to others who do believe the same . Grow up get a life there is no god.
Atheist's advertisement: "There probably is not God."
Years ago, some friends and I shared this same conversation. As a believer, I realized how unspecific, impersonal and inarticulate my beliefs actually were. So I wrote my own credo and every year (about now) I'll re-read to test for sincerity in my conscience. (I'm willing to share it if anyone blogging here is interested.) Then, on the last night of the year, I recite John Wesley's Watch Night prayer. This helps keep my faith life honest and lively. I try to be as good a friend as my agnostic friends have been to me. Methodism urges me to "go on to perfection", which does NOT mean go on to mistake-proof flawlessness, but to a Greek 'teleos' or Hebrew 'tsedeq' -- being fully and best of what it is that God has made me to be -- to live the purpose for which I am created. The bus ads call the faithful to humility, to remember how we who believe have failed to love and can go forward loving better and more. I wish you warm connections built by the bus ads.
From a Methodist in America
Is it true?
Further to "Does God Believe in Me........?"
He Does and I may answer his Prayers when I get round to sorting out a little problem with a Black Hole in the delta quadrant of Ursa Major.
Probably not
none of us actually knows whether or not there is a God. We may believe there is, or we may believe there isn't - either way, that is a faith position.
Atheist faith is a dangerous and risky business.
I might tell you that there is a city called Chicago, and you might refuse to believe Chicago exists, because you haven't seen it/touched it/smelt it/ been there. But whether or not you choose to believe in the existence of Chicago makes no difference whatsoever. It's real, it's true, and no amount of achicagoistic denial is going to make it disappear.
It's the same with God. If there is a God, then that's true, whether or not some bus advert suggests otherwise.
Similarly, you might genuinely believe that Newcastle United are a great team, I might disagree, but the league table at the end of the season tells no lies. As Archbishop Desmond Tutu said, "We can wait..."
I never worry too much about atheists. After all, I can afford to be wrong, but atheists have no such luxury. In this sense, and this sense only, atheists (especially those of an evangelical persuasion) demonstrate extraordinary faith.
Atheist faith?
A further thought. "Except it isn't really an atheist message; it's agnostic."
One of my protagonists on another forum described himself as "an agnostic, whose faith position is atheism." I think that is the most precise and most honest analysis of the issue. Believers and non-believers alike are agnostic, in the sense that none of us actually knows whether or not there is a God. We may believe there is, or we may believe there isn't - either way, that is a faith position.
Probably. ;)
Probably
"I agree that the insertion of the word "probably" is a spectacular own goal."
I suggest that the "probably" is the reason the ASA allowed the poster to be displayed. It is methodologically impossible to prove a negative - so "There is no God" is unproveable, and therefore falls foul of advertising standards. "Probably" makes it a reasonable assertion, and enables the discussion - which is what the atheists want.
As to why they bother - a comment on BBC R4 yesterday said it all: "Religion - the bringer of peace. Unless you happen to be gay, a woman, or a member of another religion." I've been a Christian for 37 years, but on that statement, I have to stand alongside the atheists.
an opportunity
I see this as an opportunity for Christians to open discussions with people who don't believe or don't know what to believe. Certainly the "atheist bus" has been a topic of conversation amongst my friends, Christian and otherwise.
It is perfectly true that neither reason nor science alone can prove the existence of God, but I believe we have to accept the evidence of revelation and inspiration too. So many people have a personal experience of God in their lives that it is foolish to dismiss "inspiration" as rubbish.
I am always amazed by the vigour with which many atheists try to "convert" believers to their way of thinking. If they were so convinced that there is no God, why would they bother? :0)
From an Atheist????
I believe or I dont believe, the argument will never be won. What matters is the here and now. I dont go to church of my own free will, I only go when Im invited for the usual 3 occasions in a persons life. I dont dwell on whether Im a Christian or Im not a Christian. When it comes to God I think, "well maybe some higher "being" did create the universe, but that just opens the same questions that "non believers" ask.
Maybe The question we should all ask isnt:
Does God believe in you?. The Probability is He does.
But:
Do we believe in each other?. Both Believers and Non Believers.
The wrong message?
I am delighted that the atheists, including Dawkins himself, are encouraging people to think about God as they go about their daily lives.
I agree that the insertion of the word "probably" is a spectacular own goal.
Good news indeed!
I find this interesting. I
I find this interesting. I grew up in a denomination in the US that did emphasise God's wrath; their mantra was 'people don't believe they are sinners and we have to teach them'. My conversion experience came when I began to understand that God is love and this is what I have dedicated my life to preaching. I get told by many Methodists that people don't believe in a wrathful God any more. Dawkins' posters suggest otherwise to me.
Should we be outraged? There is no point. If this is what people believe, it's what they believe. We can simply witness to another way and another path. From a 'spiritual' point of view, I suspect it's better to be so interested in God that one wants to refute God; much, much worse is to not care about God at all.