I Can’t Think Up Yet Another Bus Pun Headline…
17.01.09 | Ariane |
Atheist, BBC, Bus, Campaign, Driver, First, Ron Heather, The Guardian, UK
Ron Heather is the Christian bus driver who has refused to drive the UK atheist buses, creating a news story which has been in the press a lot over the past 24 hours. He and I have something in common: we’ve both taken exception to websites promoting belief systems different to our own.
The website I took issue with was JesusSaid.org, advertised on buses and tube cards in June last year, which – as you can read here – promotes the idea of God’s wrath and eternal punishment. It insists:
“God’s wrath includes the prospect of eternal punishment – it is appointed to men to die once and then comes the judgment (Hebrews 9:27). You will rise from the dead and will face the Judge and know that you rejected His kind and merciful answer. You will be condemned to everlasting separation from God and then you spend all eternity in torment in hell. Jesus spoke about this as a lake of fire which was prepared for the devil and all his angels.”
Our adverts were designed to counter these rather alarming ideas.
Conversely, the website Mr Heather didn’t like much was… er… this one. The Guardian revealed today that “Heather said he had been particularly offended by the name of the website featured on the ad, atheistcampaign.org.”
Maybe the words “atheist” and “campaign” unsettled him for some reason, but they really shouldn’t have, because this campaign is as gentle as any. I truly don’t think he’s visited this site, because we’ve taken great care to make it very peaceful and upbeat (as we have with the entire campaign). We wanted to create a calm place where people could talk freely about their beliefs – the very opposite of JesusSaid.org, in fact. We believe in freedom of speech, so we rarely delete comments, but the main content of this site is very mild, friendly and straightforward.
If Ron ever does visit, he’ll be very welcome here. But somehow we don’t think he will.
Here’s the quote I gave to the press yesterday:
“We live in a democratic society, which will only function as such if we are allowed to peacefully express different viewpoints. The bus companies have accepted the adverts, and nobody imagines that bus drivers wholeheartedly endorse everything advertised on the sides of the buses they drive.“
January 26th, 2009 at 22:06
Hi Oliver R: Yeah, I had figured that, but I don’t think it matters much.
Quedula: I hope you enjoyed the rest of today as well!
January 26th, 2009 at 23:47
Well in practice, no I suppose not… I just meant it’s not exactly as tolerant as it sounds .. he still thinks someone who does (only) that is deluded and is wilfully rejecting God’s offer , but whatever I guess; if that’s what he believes
January 26th, 2009 at 23:52
I think he said in one post his wife was an atheist; I am not married, but if I was I would be pretty worried if I was a devout Christian and my wife was an atheist; that must be tough for him. As I have said before I don’t see how eternal life could be all it is cracked up to be if you go to it knowing non-believing loved ones didn’t make it. We should all just give up these fantasies and focus on the one life we know about
January 27th, 2009 at 0:20
Nothing to do with busses or bus-drivers, but this has just been posted on the Facebook page, and it’s a classic example of what made Ariane and so many of us feel that this campaign was necessary:
http://www.chick.com/reading/tracts/0052/0052_01.asp
January 27th, 2009 at 8:21
Oliver R:
Maybe his wife has given him a hard time, and he finds it comforting to imagine her ending up in the inferno. We’ve all been there!
(Come to think of it, my wife is a non-practising Christian, and she’s never expressed any worries at all about where I might end up…
)
In any case, the sheer length of his rambles would seem to suggest that he doesn’t see much of her. She’s probably down the pub in Camberwell High St with her friends.
January 27th, 2009 at 16:48
What’s all this about Camberwell?
Ohhh! Denmark Hill – got it!
Wayhay!
_____
January 27th, 2009 at 23:21
Adam T:
Wow – good spot! I never did like that bus ride to Dulwich, though.
Some weird characters about!
January 27th, 2009 at 23:27
Oliver R:
Referring to comment #103:
I hear ya on the subject. It ain’t nice knowing that those closest to you might not “make it,” but the Scriptures do mention that families will become divided through differing beliefs. Yahweh stresses the importance of family over and over again throughout His Scriptures and it does hurt to see division in a family. I’m not denying my earthly family when I say this but I have brothers and sisters within the Body of Messiah too, just like you guys are “brothers and sisters” linked together with the common connection of Humanism. I love my family dearly but at the end of the day their choices are their choices, I just hope we get to live together forever.
But what about you guys, what about the thought of never being able to see your family and friends ever again, not even having a memories of ever existing in the first place? What do you guys beileve happens after you die?
January 27th, 2009 at 23:32
Christ Almighty, Matthew, you bore for Christianity! Give it a rest, for Christ’s sake!
January 27th, 2009 at 23:36
Matthew, if you’ve been listening, which I doubt (my middle name is Thomas), we were all dead (didn’t exist) for millions of years. I’ve never met anyone to whom that thought gave a second’s anxiety. Why should he future be any different? What’s to be afraid of?
January 28th, 2009 at 0:03
Matthew wrote on the ASA thread:
“You’ll be amazed at just how many available tools are on the market to help with translation, especially with Biblical translation, there are literally hundreds of dictionaries, lexicons, concordances, and commentaries available.”
And while you’re on the subject of transcriptions and translations, Matthew, lets not forget all those hundreds of disparate scribes over the centuries with poor memories, dodgy handwriting, too much wine, cholera, bad syntax, myopia, insect bites, too few women, flatulance, writer’s cramp, piles, and even the odd noisy goat, for getting the Bible stories all mixed up.
Well, that neatly explains all the contradictions, mistakes, untruths, fallacies, physical impossibilities, in the good book, and its obsession with death, disease, togas, fallen women, stones, locusts, temples, boils and sores, sandles, and a goat called Harry (Deut. ch 6, v 17).
Thanks for clearing that up, Matthew.
PS Before it gets written into the next version of your book, I was joking about the goat. His name was Eric, I think…
January 28th, 2009 at 0:52
Quite, I suppose it is like it was before you were born, or when you are in a deep sleep. You will live on in the effect of your actions, in people’s memories, in things you created. It would be nice if there was more but just wishing it was so isn’t enough to make it true. For loved ones I wish them long and happy lives and not to suffer too much at the end of them and I will remember the times we shared and be glad they were a part of my life
January 28th, 2009 at 1:05
Mattew @108
‘But what about you guys, what about the thought of never being able to see your family and friends ever again, not even having a memories of ever existing in the first place? What do you guys beileve happens after you die?’
‘Having memories of ever existing in the first place’…sounds awfly like reincarnation to me…and I don’t remember anything afore the age of…well, when I could remember things!
When I die, my existence will remain in those who remember me, isn’t that enough?
The creation of life is a wonderful thing, possibly the most wonderful thing we can as of now comprehend but that should not make it somehow supernatural.
And yes, we are all humans and have that link: wouldn’t it be really good if we started with that and not why we are human?
January 28th, 2009 at 1:19
JESUS IS ALIVE!
http://www.awonderfullife.org.uk
January 28th, 2009 at 2:17
Hi,
we need to Love everyone and instead of complaining about the atheist campaign, we need to embrace and welcome the debate. Now the nation and the world are discussing wether or not there is a God, We need to set an example and pray that those sitting on the fence will make the right choice. For more information you can check out the Jesus Bus campaiagn at http://www.awonderfullife,org.uk. They are a christian organisation encouraging the correct response.
God Bless you all.
January 28th, 2009 at 16:50
Ariane
If you are still lost you could next time try “Up With Another Bus Pun Headline I Cannot Yet Think”
January 28th, 2009 at 19:44
The Jesus Bus campaign see a rather dodgy outfit – they’re not a charity, hence they can’t ask for money directly, but seem to be hoping churches will collect for them anyway. They call themselves a “non-profitable company” — note, not a “not for profit company” — which just means they are not making any profit at the moment! Looks like they are trying to mislead. It also appears to be breaking the ABC’s copyright by blatantly ripping off the whole look and wording of this campaign. Anyone know if they have succeeded in getting any Christians to give them money yet?
January 28th, 2009 at 20:00
Oliver, They’ve changed it. It now says,”A not for profit company.” They obviously watch what we say and act accordingly.
January 28th, 2009 at 20:16
Concerning profits making: Even though I believe in God (Yahweh) I believe churches of today have misinterpreted His Word, they think they know the Law but they don’t. Israelites were to tithe non-monetary items to the Levites, whose role it was to manage the Temple, which would in turn look after Israel as a nation. But the church have taken this to mean churchgoers must give at least 10 percent of their finances to their cause. Most Christian teachers of today are more into the profit-making business than the prophet-making business. They use God to profit themselves, and this is not a “Christian” thing to do. Yes we must support real church leaders (those we consider to be truly inspired by God), but not in a sense where it makes them millionnaires with private jets. Christians often forget most Bible characters had jobs, take for instance Paul was a tentmaker and yet he wrote most of the New Testament, but not once did he request aid for himself, whereas today’s pastors make it their mission to preach tithing and giving to the church. However, Paul did say that believers should help those preaching the Good News, especially to help those in need such as the poor, widows, and orphans, but never demanded financial support for himself.
January 28th, 2009 at 20:22
Matthew, get a soapbox and go to Speakers’ Corner.
January 28th, 2009 at 20:50
@ Matthew #119 wrote:
“Christians often forget most Bible characters had jobs, take for instance Paul was a tentmaker and yet he wrote most of the New Testament…”
This might be one of those classic examples where the wording in old books/scrolls gets blurred by the passage of time. Maybe Paul the tentmaker didn’t write a sign saying “New Testament”, but actually wrote a sign saying “New Tent to Rent”.
Over the years you can appreciate the canvas weathering and ripping, and maybe even getting chewed up by that darned goat; now what was his name?
So this all fits in with whatever it was you were writing about, and sums up point quite nicely.
Peace.
January 28th, 2009 at 22:13
They obviously watch what
we say and act accordingly.
johnnyess(#118)
We’ll have to find a way of sniggering at their egregious ignorance and illiteracy without alerting them. We don’t want to find ourselves subbing for the opposition.
_____
January 31st, 2009 at 9:46
[...] FredTime Stories ? Blog Archive ? Mac vs. PC: 23 Years LaterAtheist Bus – Official Website ? I Can’t Think Up Yet Another Bus Pun Headline… [...]
September 18th, 2009 at 19:12
I’d just like to draw your attention to this:
“The Atheist’s Guide To Christmas” is the UK’s first atheist charity book, featuring contributions from Richard Dawkins, Derren Brown, Ben Goldacre, Simon Singh, Claire Rayner, David Baddiel, Charlie Brooker and many more. It’s been edited by Ariane Sherine, the creator of the hugely successful Atheist Bus Campaign. It’s out on Oct 1st and all royalties are going to the HIV charity Terrence Higgins Trust. Please pre-order now:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Atheists-Guide-Christmas-Ariane-Sherine/dp/0007322615/
The Atheist’s Guide is a mix of humorous and poignant contributions from over 40 various prominent atheists. It’ll make an ideal Christmas gift for your atheist friends. Your religious friends will love it too, or, even better, it’ll put them in a foul mood for Xmas! So a win-win situation! More info on the Facebook group:
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=128903634833
Your support will not only maintain the profile of atheism in the UK, it will also help raise funds for the very worthy THT charity. Please note that the contributors, and Ms Sherine, have waived payment for their considerable input into the “Guide”.
Thank you, and please pass this message on to everyone you know!!
[My apologies if you already know about the Guide!]
December 15th, 2009 at 6:30
This is a wonderful blog. I’ve in most cases been a fan of this kind of thinking. I’m hoping that this starts a revival of this kind of thinking along the same lines.
December 18th, 2009 at 14:24
Revival says: “I’m hoping that this starts a revival of this kind of thinking along the same lines.”
Don’t worry, the “revival” has already started because Scripture told us it would happen. It mentioned in numerous places that believers would give up on God and start believing in myths (i.e. Atheism and Humanism) instead and that they would turn around to mock and scoff at believers. It told us many people, especially ex-believers/Christians, would turn to Atheism as we head into the last days. So it’s not surprising to watch the world go the way its going. Eventually (max 23 years) the Secular Humanist Antichrist will reveal his ugly head, and his survival of the fittest strategy will be to behead any person who refuses to submit to his social, justice, political and economic system, but this will be just after he has played a major part in an epic nuclear war battle killing over a quarter of the world’s population. But thankfully his kingdom won’t last long. Hooray to Humanism!!!
December 19th, 2009 at 9:33
Matthew @126
” . . .because Scripture told us it would happen.” !!!!!
In the beginning man created god and sometime later some bronze-age desert tribes in the middle east started to write about it. So what they wrote must be true of course . . . ?
You can read & write Matthew and have all the advantages of several thousand years of human learning & development. How can you be so naive? By all means believe in some higher power if it gives you comfort, but don’t rely on the scribblings of primitive, superstitious men to support it. You do not do yourself or this blog any credit.