Godless go for a £140,000 bus ride

Atheists raise massive sum to counter Christian message of hell with a campaign of their own

By Shona Gossip

Published:

FINAL DESTINATION UNKNOWN: Professor Richard Dawkins boards a bus in London, bearing the message from atheists

Buses in Aberdeen and Dundee donned a controversial slogan yesterday – as part of a month-long atheist advertising campaign.

As part of a £140,000 publicity project, buses bore the slogan: “There’s probably no God. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life.”

The campaign will run in Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh, Glasgow, London, Manchester, Birmingham, York, Leeds, Newcastle, Sheffield, Coventry, Devon, Liverpool, Bristol, Wolverhampton, Southampton, Newport, Swansea and Rhondda.

The £140,000, raised following a fundraising drive, will also pay for 1,000 advertisements on the London Underground from Monday.

The drive was prompted by a suggestion from comedy writer Ariane Sherine, who gained the support of the British Humanist Association and atheist campaigner Professor Richard Dawkins.

Ms Sherine came across advertisements for a Christian website which warned that people who reject God are condemned to spend all eternity to “torment in Hell”.

At yesterday’s launch, she said the total amount of money raised showed the strength of feeling in Britain.

She said: “This is a great day for freedom of speech in Britain and I’m really excited and thrilled that the adverts have been approved and I hope they will make people smile on their way to work.

exasperation

“I think there have been a lot of people who have been looking at evangelical advertisements and not saying anything and thinking that these advertisements have been approved and just shrugging it off. Now finally they have an opportunity to express this feeling of exasperation.”

But Alexander Horsburgh, vice-convener of the Church of Scotland’s Church and Society Council, said he did not believe the advertisements furthered the debate on the existence of God.

He said: “The Church of Scotland believes in freedom of speech. Prof Dawkins may believe that there is no God, we believe there is. An advertising campaign on the side of buses will do nothing to settle this debate although it may encourage people to ask questions about what they themselves believe about God.”

Buses run by Stagecoach Bluebird will display the signs in Aberdeen, while it is understood in Dundee that TravelDundee, a subsidiary of National Express, will carry the adverts.

A spokesman for Stagecoach added: “This particular advert is being carried on a number of bus operators’ vehicles across the UK, including Stagecoach Bluebird vehicles in the north-east of Scotland. We took advice from the Advertising Standards Authority in advance of publication and we have been advised the advert complies with the relevant guidelines and legislation.

“Many organisations use buses as an effective way to advertise a variety of products and messages.

“It is also worth pointing out that by carrying the advert Stagecoach is not endorsing the views expressed, which are clearly those of the advertiser.”