More Good News !
You god botherers will be pleased to know that rather than annoying people by knocking on their door at 7 in the morning, the Chicago atheists prefer to have a lie in and spread the love by advertising on buses instead.
If you would like to donate to this worthy cause, here is their website:
http://inatheistbus.org/
(Bloomington, Indiana, May 7, 2009) The Indiana Atheist Bus Campaign (INABC) recently filed a suit against the Bloomington Public Transportation Corporation (BPTC) for refusing to run a bus advertisement that states “You Can Be Good Without God.” The Indiana Atheist Bus Campaign’s slogan was rejected by the BPTC because it was deemed “controversial,” in violation of company policy. The Indiana Atheist Bus Campaign in their suit argued that the BPTC’s policy and the refusal of their ad was a violation of INABC’s First and Fourteenth Amendment rights.
“Bloomington Transit, which is a municipal bus service, should embrace our nation’s cherished tradition of freedom of ideas and revise its policy of censorship,” said Roy Speckhardt, executive director of the American Humanist Association, the organization that designed the ad and has been working with the Indiana Atheist Bus Campaign. “The fact that people can be good without belief in a god is simply a statement of fact. Our humanist and atheist communities are made up of people who are peaceful, law-abiding and good Samaritans. They’re true to their families and true to their principles--just like members of religious communities."
The suit argues that BPTC’s policy, which allows it to refuse any advertisement which it deems to be a “statement of position in support of or in opposition to controversial issues,” gives the BPTC unbridled discretion to censor unpopular opinions. The policy against "controversial" advertisements is unconstitutionally vague, unreasonable and overbroad, and thus should be enjoined, INABC argues. “We made every reasonable effort to come to a solution with the transit company by means of discussions with the city attorney, but we were still rebuffed,” said Charlie Sitzes, an INABC spokesperson.
The intent of the Indiana Atheist Bus Campaign’s ad is to let like-minded people know they are not alone and that there are others with whom they can join together. “It isn’t an attack on religion but an affirmation of a different point of view,” Sitzes added. “The only way a person could remotely construe the message as harmful and too controversial even to be seen is if it conflicts with a pre-conceived and false belief that atheism is wicked and immoral. It’s too bad that such prejudice is still so prevalent in America."
The Indiana Atheist Bus Campaign is one of a series of prominent nontheistic bus ad campaigns around the world. The American Humanist Association ran a bus ad in Washington, DC, that read “Why Believe in a God? Just be Good for Goodness’ Sake,” and similar bus ads have gone up in Britain, Canada and Spain. But there have been two campaigns, in Australia and Italy, that met the same resistance Indiana is encountering.
The attorneys for the plaintiff are Kenneth Falk of the ACLU of Indiana and cooperating attorney Paul Newman of Bloomington. The suit, Indiana Atheist Bus Campaign v. Bloomington Public Transportation Corporation, was filed in federal court in the Indianapolis Division of the United States District Court.
A PDF of the complaint can be found online at:
http://www.americanhumanist.org/system/ … plaint.pdfHow can man create god when we have so much trouble creating and getting rid of human life? The chicken defintily came before the egg and god definitely came before the human...
or do paintings also have no artist mr. mark
No. And because we think we have to control everything - we have invented an invisible super being that does.
And now we are fighting over who has the best invisible super being that has said that our tribe is the mightiest tribe.
Once you let go of your ego that says you have to control everything - it is really easy to see that there is no super being controlling everything.
And once you do that you can see the invisible super being for what it really is. A construct to control the ignorant and scared.
Let's face it - it is a really easy answer. It requires no proof. It has hidden more atrocities than I can think about and people are killing each other over it to this day.
Despite the fact that it makes no sense - most people seem to accept this easy answer because then they do not need to think about what happens after they die. Easy - they are going to a better place and all the people who did not do what they did are going to a bad place.
Once you look at the marvelous complexity of nature - and understand the evolutionary process, it is clear as a bell that there is no person controlling things. No one is pushing a button to make it rain. No one is controlling how a flower comes to be.
Why is it so important to you to think that there is? Does it frighten you to think that these things developed naturally and there is no one controlling things for you?
I think Wilde was meaning overestimated man's ability.
If he had any sense
"Your glory is such,
Man asks for too much."
Good one
Mr Knowles I was horribly alarmed for a moment. Your name, attached to a post in the Religion forum - and the OP ...
*wipes brow* Phew - you're just handing out some unsolicitated guidance ...
Unsolicited guidance. I like that.
I think what you really mean is;
"In the beginning God created man. There-after man created Religion".
I don't care if you argue against religion, (don't care for it much myself), but pitting yourself against God ? ? ? I'll let Him handle that Himself.
OK.
So,if there is no God, then it's man that kills man. So your constant harping on religion being the cause of all our current and past woes is null and void!
Which one are you really agains? God, or religion?
There is no such thing as god dj - so I cannot be "against" something that does not exist can I?
I was just sharing the good news that atheists have decided not to go the god-pusher's route of knocking on your door - except John Saffran who went to Salt Lake City to spread the word:
http://hubpages.com/hub/Mormons-are-not … Christianslol
Very nice dj. People who don't believe in god are wrong, ignorant and arrogant. And if I would just change my opinion to be the same as yours I would see I am wrong. Very persuasive.dj - I have met what I think you guys call god. Bring you to your knees, vibrations emanating from your core that connect to everything else and fill you with a strong sense of belonging sort of thing. Very powerful - so powerful in fact that I have to consciously break the connection or I would spend all my time contemplating it and in fact when I am strongly connected, I can barely function in the real world.
And it is not a separate entity, it doesn't have a personality, it most certainly does not have a set of rules written in a book, and definitely did not send it's only son to save us from the sin we are born into.
And it most certainly does not need a bunch of religionists pushing their particular version of what they think it told them - which invariably happens to be what they already thought anyway.
You are sadly mistaken dj. There is no personal god. I read your hub and you seem to be missing a massive point - without this personal god you have concocted - there would be no religion. It is all in your head and your book is a religionist book written by religionists.
And to be perfectly frank - you do not think evolution happens despite the massive amount of evidence in front of you.
How am I supposed to take anything else you say seriously?Pretty much my view on things - I have been there, too
Apparently you guys think so. Judging from the amount of banners on buses you have paid for. But it does seem to upset you when others do it.
Why is that exactly?
Isn't ATHEISM just against Doctrine of Chruch ( sorry I keep having this slip that church is a chruch
)and not anything else? So why is Doctrine so much holier than anything else? Who wrote Doctrine.............man.- pgrundyposted 14 years ago
0Sorry if I'm interrupting a good (or bad) argument. I just wanted to say that I grew up in South Bend, Indiana, and there have been these obnoxious billboards all over town for years--these billboards that are just a black background and a white lettered quote from God, except God is always saying something really dick-ish, something that isn't in scripture or anywhere, it's just rude and unpleasant and mildly threatening.
Anyway, I don't see why atheists can't have equal time.
If God can put big "I'm a dick" billboards all over Indiana to threaten nonbelievers into compliance, why can't atheists put billboards on buses that feature purdy flowers? - Leta Sposted 14 years ago0
Yeah, Pam, I guess we are just supposed to ignore anything obnoxious--as it's our own problem,
--just like homeless people.
That's my smart-butt comment for the day. lol Now off to corporate land.LOL! Be excellent Lita. Do something inappropriate when you get there.
- fierycjposted 14 years ago0
- pgrundyposted 14 years ago0
- fierycjposted 14 years ago0
- fierycjposted 14 years ago0
- \Brenda Scullyposted 14 years ago0
- \Brenda Scullyposted 14 years ago0
lol
Well, this may come as a bit of a shock, but I have other things to do as well. I have written 41 hubs in the last two weeks, I also write this luxury real estate blog for a living and run a bunch of my own blogs.
And I am in no way offended - so don't you worry. I happen to think spending some of my time arguing against religionists is a worthwhile expense of energy. I wouldn't do it if I didn't think so.
@ Pam - damn right I would.
And lest we forget:
Why would I be afraid of this? This would be awesome ! Does it come with a perfect place to live in for all eternity and that would mean I don't have to die as long as I follow the rules you have for me? Fantastic ! And is the god you speak of on my side against all the heathens and unbelievers, who are clearly fools?
Love this idea ! If I wasn't cursed with the ability to think for myself, I would sign up tomorrow and start going to war to protect this god.
Troll.
- \Brenda Scullyposted 14 years ago0
Here we go again.
Brenda- I agree with you that it must be tough for Mark to remove misconceptions like this in another thread about Christians/Western nations day in and day out:
PS: I tried and gave up already(maybe write a hub later) hence admire people like Mark who at least try to educate folks like him.- \Brenda Scullyposted 14 years ago0
- elliot.dunnposted 14 years ago0
i find it extremely interesting that atheists are proselytizing. i'd have to agree with mr. fierycj on that one...why do they care? I know why Christians care and that's cause they believe they have the answer to the big problem. as overused as this cliche is...Christians compare the truth they know to a cure for cancer - they have a moral obligation to share it even if no one wants to hear it.
so mr. knowles - you shouldn't really be that offended. maybe you should wonder why you are. also, just so i can try to convince an atheist a little bit, the philosopher plantinga wrote about the ontological argument for the existence of God which basically said that the proof of God lies in the idea of God. In other words, how could we have an idea of God, how could we even say there was no God, if there is no God? check it out : http://www.iep.utm.edu/o/ont-arg.htm#SH2a. thanks for your hateful comment on the witnessing forum too. gosh!
and to Lady G: as hard as it is for me to resist picking apart your arguments - i'm trying to be a loving person, really i am - you should know that at the very beginning of the Bible - two books in (Exodus 20) - there's this whole big list of laws about how to follow God. the 10 commandments. then in the middle, Matthew 5, Jesus talks about how no letter of the Law (those 10 commandments) will ever be abolished. i'd be curious to know what Bible you're reading...it's not the one i have...
Love and Respect as we continually battle these things in our hearts and minds.more hateful comments!
certainly you're offended now right? my intention was not to provoke further argument. it certainly was not to "spread hatred and anger" haha...really? were my comments hateful and angry? i was merely remarking on the oddity of an atheist's hatred against religiosity. it would seem to me that in your worldview, you shouldn't care at all. in illustrious conclusion, trying to provoke me isn't going to work but here's something that will really get under your skin: i'll be praying for you mr. knowles.No worries
Beware!
This bus leads to Hell
Perhaps one of you three religionists can answer my question. I am genuinely interested.That is because you are too lazy to read the entire thread.
- \Brenda Scullyposted 14 years ago0
- \Brenda Scullyposted 14 years ago0
I think these billboards are backfiring on the atheists anyway. It just gets more people to think about God.
LOL
They certainly are thick on the ground. Andrew takes a lickin' and keeps on tickin'.
I will check out your hubs. I usually prefer to have my "discussions" here because I have found my comments deleted on a number of occasions when I disagree with a certain viewpoint.
- \Brenda Scullyposted 14 years ago0
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